Stop loving the world (part 2)
C. H. Spurgeon wrote,"If I had a brother who had been murdered, what would you think of me if I ...daily consorted with the assassin who drove the dagger into my brother’s heart; surely I too must be an accomplice in the crime. Sin murdered Christ; will you be a friend to it? Sin pierced the heart of the Incarnate God; can you love it?"
Today I continue my discussion of first John chapter 2, verses fifteen through seventeen. If you rea d part one of, "Stop loving this world" I stated that John the Apostle who wrote first John has issued an urgent command to his believing readers (cf., vs 12) to STOP!! an awful action that had been going on. It appears that some professing Christians within this more than likely Ephesian congregation, had forsaken their first love (i.e., committment, priority) namely Christ, for another love, namely this anti-god, anti-Christ system and the stuff associated with this system.
The Apostle John in verse sixteen gives three (3) reasons why Christians should not love (i.e., be committed to, prioritze, cherish or high prize) this anti-God, anti-Christ system and it's stuff. In other words, John gives three reasons why those of us who profess Christ as Lord and Saviour - when it comes to the world system and it's stuff - should be different, distinct, separate.
The first reason is because of the content of this system (vs 16), "For everything in the world (system) - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world (system). Christians, of all people SHOULD NOT cherish, prioritze or be committed to this anti-God, anti-Christ system because of what's in it. John say's that there are three (3) components that make-up this evil, depraved, Satan inspired system: The first is the, "...the cravings of sinful man...." These are the insatiable yearnings or desires of our fallen human nature. This evil, anti-God, anti-Christ system promotes (i.e., encourages) fleshly lusts through things like the visual media, radio, music and the printed page. Satan has a corner office on Madison Avenue. The second thing that comprises this evil, depraved system is the, "....Lust of his eyes....." Scripturally, the eyes are the avenue of temptation. For instance according to Genesis 3:6, when Satan wanted to decieve Eve, he appealed to her sight. According to Josh 17:21, Achan the fellow who brought shame on Isreal by taking what was forbidden by Joshua did so because he was tempted by what he saw. Remember the song you learned in Sunday school, "Be careful little eyes what you see". Brothers and Sisters, we must STOP allowing this anti-God, anti-Christ system - which controls the culture in which we live, move and have our being - to seduce us through our eyes. TURN IT OFF, TURN IT OFF, TURN IT OFF!!! The third thing that comprises this evil, depraved system is, "...the boasting of what he has and does...." The New American Standard Bible translates this as, "The pride of life". One writer by the name of Vaughan decribes this kind of pride as, "...an arrogant spirit of self-sufficiency and a vain sense of security, both of which are based upon a false estimate of the stability and Value of worldly things". Ouch! read that again, I'll wait. Don't you love it when people post pictures of their stuff on Facebook or Twitter? Why?
May I add a word of clarity here? When John say's do not love the things of this world, I don't believe he is talking about physical things per se. He's not talking about cars, clothes, cribs and all that stuff. He is talking about the attitudes and motivations of the fallen system that we Christian if we're not careful can buy into. This is what he has just described in verse sixteen. Christians of all people, those who have been reedemed from the curse of the Law, those who have been regenerated by Grace through faith. should NOT be committed to the same attitudes that exist among unregenerate, fallen humanity. We as Christians should not be Driven by the insatiable cravings of our flesh, we as Christians should not be controlled by the lust of our eyes. We as God's people should not be motivated by pride, in other words, boastiing about what we have and do. These are the things of the world system that John is talking about.
The Second reason why Christians should NOT love this anti-God, anti-Christ world system nor the things associated with this evil system is because of who the creator of this system is. "...for everything in the world (system)......comes not from the Father but from the world..." What John is saying is that all the ugly, competitive attitudes that exist in this evil, anti-God, anti-Christ system does not originate in God the Creator. In other words, this anti-God, anti-Christ system shows absolutely no likeness at all to his character and is contrary to the life which he wills for His people. Listen!! because we are Children of God, we have NO BUSINESS, "....courting the world's favor, following it's customs, advice, principles, adopting it's values, coveting it's prizes or seeking it's fellowship" (i.e., partnership). Why? Because this evil system is not from God, but from it's father Satan.
The Third reason why Christians should NOT love this anti-God, anti-Christ system is because of the destiny of this fallen, bankrupt system. " The world (i.e., system) and it's desires pass away..." Folks as I type this words, this evil, fallen, depraved, Satan inspired system is dissolving and fading away. This is very important, please GET THIS!!! As Christians, we are to be concerned withd the ETERNAL verses the TEMPORAL. If you conform yourself to this evil system, you have conformed yourself to a sinking ship.
In closing John gives for his readers two (2) results or consequences if you will, that will occur based on how one responds to John's command. First, there is the negative result in verse fifteen (15). "....If anyone loves the world (i.e., system) the love of the Father is not in him". If you claim to be a follower of Christ and you have forsaken your First love, namely Christ, YET, you hear the call of God to Repent and turn back to Jesus AND you do so, you demonstrate that you are truly a child of God. Why? Because God's children always hear the voice of Christ and respond (John 10). Only God's children have ears to hear the voice of the master (Rev 2). But on the other hand, if you profess to be a Christian and your life is controlled by a committment to this world system and it's desires, motivations and attitudes and you remain in this state even after hearing the call of God to repent, then you demonstrate that you are not a child of God. In fact, you demonstrate that you were never a child of God (i.e., the love of God was NEVER in you). You can say all day that you love God, but love for God isn't measured by what you say, but by what you do (James 2). Second, there is the positive result (1 John 2:17b). For those of us who abide by John's command to not love the system nor adopt it's attitudes and motivations, John promises, "...the man who does the will of God, lives forever". Warren Wiersbe writes appropriately, "Long after this world system with it's vaunted culture, it's proud philosophies, it's egocentric intellectualism, and it's godless materialism has been forgotten, and long after this planet has been replaced by the new heavens and earth, God's faithful servants will remain - sharing the glory of God for all Eternity".
Amen!
For His Glory
Todd
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
A study in 1 John (1 John 2:15-17)
Stop loving this world (part one)
The Story is told of Handley Page, a pioneer in aviation, who once landed in an isolated area during his travels. Unknow to him, a rat got aboard the plane there. On the next leg of the flight, Page heard the sickening sound of gnawing. Suspecting it was a rodent, his heart began to pound as he visualized the serious damage that could be done to the fragile mechanisms that controlled his plane and the difficulty of repairs because of the lack of skilled labor and materials in the area. What could he do? He remembered hearing that a rat cannot survive at high altitudes, so he pulled back on the stick. The airplane climbed higher and higher until Page found it difficult to breathe. He listened intently and finally sighed with relief. The gnawing had stopped. When he arrived at his destination, he found the rat lying dead behind the cockpit.
Oftentimes we, God's children, are plagued by sin that gnaws at our life simply because we are living at too low a spiritual level. To see sin defeated in our lives requires that we move up - away from the world - to a higher level where the things of this world cannot survive".
Over the next several weeks I'd like to examine a passage of Scripture that encourages believers to, "move up to a higher level". In your Bible's turn to First John chapter 2, look with me at verses 15-17. "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and it's desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever" (NIV).
In verse 15 the Apostle issues a urgent command to his readers, "Do not love the world...." . You see the phrase, "Do not love"? According to New Testament Greek, this phrase is identified as a negative imperative. In other words, John is issuing an urgent command to his readers to STOP loving something. The word stop means to cease or discontinue something. The word for love here is the Greek word Agape (pron: aah-gah-pay) and means to cherish, to highly esteem, to put first, to greatly value, to be committed to. Therefore John's command to his readers is for them to cease, to discontinue, cherishing, highly esteeming, greatly valuing and being committed to something. That something John identifies as, "the World and the things in the world". When John speaks of the world here in this verse let me clarify that he's not referring to this celestial ball we call planet earth, nor is he referring to the world of people on the planet. Rather, he is speaking about an ordered system. Bible Teacher Kenneth Wuest describes this system in the following way, "...Satan is it's head, his fallen angels and demons are his emmissaries, and the unsaved of the human race are his subjects, together with those purposes, pursuits, pleasures, practices and places where God is not wanted". In other words, the world that John refers to here is an anti-God, anti-Christ system that is absolutely at odds and hostile to God. This is what Paul meant when he said that, "Satan is the god of this world"(2 Cor 4:4). Satan is the architect and builder of this anti-God, anti-Christ system.
Therefore John issues an urgent command to his readers to cease, to discontinue cherishing, highly esteeming and putting first this anti-God, anti-Christ system. With this understanding in mind, let me now rewrite verses 15-17. Notice the impact of what John is telling his readers. "Cease and desist cherishing, prioritizing and committing to this anti-God, anti-Christ system and all the stuff in this system. If anyone highly esteems, prioritizes or commits to this system, they reveal that they are not believers at all. For everything in this anti-God, anti-Christ system - the cravings of sinful man and the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from God the Father, but from Satan. This anti-God, anti-Christ system and it's lusts will pass away, but the person who does God the Father's will last forever".
Now here is where it gets interesting. Who is John the Apostle issuing this urgent command to? Who are the recipients of John's command? Let me help you by telling you that he is not addressing unbelievers. First John is not an evangelistic letter. John is not calling unbelievers to repentance. So, if he's not addressing unbelievers, that then means he must be who? That's right, he's addressing Christians, followers of Christ, Born again ones, the Redeemed, the Elect. Check out chapter two, verse twelve: "I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of His name". The phrase, "dear children" refers to all believers. Wiersbe writes, "All Christians have been born into God's family through faith in Jesus Christ, and theeir sins have been forgiven". The Apostle John lovingly, yet urgently reminds us, believers that we have no business cherishing, highly esteeming, prioritizing, greatly valuing and committing to this evil, Satan inspired, anti-God, anti-Christ system. Yet the sad reality is that if we're honest, many professing Christians do indeed love this system and the things of this system. I'll speak more about this system in my next note.
Turn to Revelation, chapter 2. The same Apostle John who wrote First John, is the same one who wrote the book of Revelation. According to Revelation chapter two, verse one, John addresses the church at Ephesus, the same audience I believe he addresses in First John. In verses two and three, he commends some of the Ephesian believers, but in verse four he condemns some as well. John say's, "...I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love...". I've heard various arguments about whom this first love is, some have said that this first love is the people of God, fellow Christians. I'm not convinced at all that fellow Christians are in view. I believe that the identity of the forsaken first love is clear. Some professing believers in the Ephesian church had turned their backs on their true first love, namely Christ, they had stopped highly esteeming Christ, they had stopped greatly valuing Christ, they had stopped cherishing Christ, they had stopped putting Christ first, they had forsaken their committment to Christ in order to cherish, prioritize and esteem and be committed to another love, namely the fallen world system and John is calling them to Repentance (Rev 2:5).
In closing, here is a point that clearly jumps out at me. If you claim to be a Christian, it matters not whether you be a preacher or a parishoner, If you continue to cherish, esteem, prioritze, greatly value and committed to this Satan inspired, anti-God, anti-Christ system and the stuff it pushes, you demonstrate that you are not a Christian at all. Jesus said it well, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other....." (Matt 6:24).
For His Glory
Todd
The Story is told of Handley Page, a pioneer in aviation, who once landed in an isolated area during his travels. Unknow to him, a rat got aboard the plane there. On the next leg of the flight, Page heard the sickening sound of gnawing. Suspecting it was a rodent, his heart began to pound as he visualized the serious damage that could be done to the fragile mechanisms that controlled his plane and the difficulty of repairs because of the lack of skilled labor and materials in the area. What could he do? He remembered hearing that a rat cannot survive at high altitudes, so he pulled back on the stick. The airplane climbed higher and higher until Page found it difficult to breathe. He listened intently and finally sighed with relief. The gnawing had stopped. When he arrived at his destination, he found the rat lying dead behind the cockpit.
Oftentimes we, God's children, are plagued by sin that gnaws at our life simply because we are living at too low a spiritual level. To see sin defeated in our lives requires that we move up - away from the world - to a higher level where the things of this world cannot survive".
Over the next several weeks I'd like to examine a passage of Scripture that encourages believers to, "move up to a higher level". In your Bible's turn to First John chapter 2, look with me at verses 15-17. "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and it's desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever" (NIV).
In verse 15 the Apostle issues a urgent command to his readers, "Do not love the world...." . You see the phrase, "Do not love"? According to New Testament Greek, this phrase is identified as a negative imperative. In other words, John is issuing an urgent command to his readers to STOP loving something. The word stop means to cease or discontinue something. The word for love here is the Greek word Agape (pron: aah-gah-pay) and means to cherish, to highly esteem, to put first, to greatly value, to be committed to. Therefore John's command to his readers is for them to cease, to discontinue, cherishing, highly esteeming, greatly valuing and being committed to something. That something John identifies as, "the World and the things in the world". When John speaks of the world here in this verse let me clarify that he's not referring to this celestial ball we call planet earth, nor is he referring to the world of people on the planet. Rather, he is speaking about an ordered system. Bible Teacher Kenneth Wuest describes this system in the following way, "...Satan is it's head, his fallen angels and demons are his emmissaries, and the unsaved of the human race are his subjects, together with those purposes, pursuits, pleasures, practices and places where God is not wanted". In other words, the world that John refers to here is an anti-God, anti-Christ system that is absolutely at odds and hostile to God. This is what Paul meant when he said that, "Satan is the god of this world"(2 Cor 4:4). Satan is the architect and builder of this anti-God, anti-Christ system.
Therefore John issues an urgent command to his readers to cease, to discontinue cherishing, highly esteeming and putting first this anti-God, anti-Christ system. With this understanding in mind, let me now rewrite verses 15-17. Notice the impact of what John is telling his readers. "Cease and desist cherishing, prioritizing and committing to this anti-God, anti-Christ system and all the stuff in this system. If anyone highly esteems, prioritizes or commits to this system, they reveal that they are not believers at all. For everything in this anti-God, anti-Christ system - the cravings of sinful man and the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from God the Father, but from Satan. This anti-God, anti-Christ system and it's lusts will pass away, but the person who does God the Father's will last forever".
Now here is where it gets interesting. Who is John the Apostle issuing this urgent command to? Who are the recipients of John's command? Let me help you by telling you that he is not addressing unbelievers. First John is not an evangelistic letter. John is not calling unbelievers to repentance. So, if he's not addressing unbelievers, that then means he must be who? That's right, he's addressing Christians, followers of Christ, Born again ones, the Redeemed, the Elect. Check out chapter two, verse twelve: "I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of His name". The phrase, "dear children" refers to all believers. Wiersbe writes, "All Christians have been born into God's family through faith in Jesus Christ, and theeir sins have been forgiven". The Apostle John lovingly, yet urgently reminds us, believers that we have no business cherishing, highly esteeming, prioritizing, greatly valuing and committing to this evil, Satan inspired, anti-God, anti-Christ system. Yet the sad reality is that if we're honest, many professing Christians do indeed love this system and the things of this system. I'll speak more about this system in my next note.
Turn to Revelation, chapter 2. The same Apostle John who wrote First John, is the same one who wrote the book of Revelation. According to Revelation chapter two, verse one, John addresses the church at Ephesus, the same audience I believe he addresses in First John. In verses two and three, he commends some of the Ephesian believers, but in verse four he condemns some as well. John say's, "...I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love...". I've heard various arguments about whom this first love is, some have said that this first love is the people of God, fellow Christians. I'm not convinced at all that fellow Christians are in view. I believe that the identity of the forsaken first love is clear. Some professing believers in the Ephesian church had turned their backs on their true first love, namely Christ, they had stopped highly esteeming Christ, they had stopped greatly valuing Christ, they had stopped cherishing Christ, they had stopped putting Christ first, they had forsaken their committment to Christ in order to cherish, prioritize and esteem and be committed to another love, namely the fallen world system and John is calling them to Repentance (Rev 2:5).
In closing, here is a point that clearly jumps out at me. If you claim to be a Christian, it matters not whether you be a preacher or a parishoner, If you continue to cherish, esteem, prioritze, greatly value and committed to this Satan inspired, anti-God, anti-Christ system and the stuff it pushes, you demonstrate that you are not a Christian at all. Jesus said it well, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other....." (Matt 6:24).
For His Glory
Todd
The Purpose of Theology
O.K. I'm driving to work, it takes me approximately 35 minutes one way, 30 minutes if I catch all the lights just right. One of the things I like to do on the drive is either listen to a downloaded sermon on my Ipod or talk on the phone, Jesus did say, "redeem the time" right? Well this time I'm listening to my favorite preacher, John MacArthur - who else- He is expounding 1 John 2:2. This is that great text which talks about Jesus being both our Advocate (i.e., defense attorney) and Propitiation (i.e., satisfaction). This was such excellent Bible teaching, unlike much of today's pulpiterring which is about motivation and entertainment, John's teaching resulted in my being convicted and encouraged at the same time which is what great preaching should do. Throughout this hour long sermon, I was reminded of the great doctrines of Christ's Advocacy and Propitiation. People!! When was the last time you heard a sermon on the PROPITIATION of Christ. Can you even say, Propitiation. My point is, we as God's people in this 21st century have been severely deprived when it comes to our Theology. You know what? When the average Christian hears the word, Theology, it's like hearing the word Castor Oil, we have an immediate gag reflex. Folks, I'm impressed to write to let us know that Theology is not a bad thing., it's not the enemy, it's our very life blood. God's gave us Theology (i.e., truth about God) not to make us smarter, not to give us careers (e.g. professional theologians), not to make us best selling authors. RATHER, God gave us Theology to make us Holier. The Apostle Paul makes it clear, God gave us Theology to:
1. Teach us
2. Reprove us
3. Correct us
4. Train us in righteousness
5. Equip us for every good work
Without sound Biblical Theology, we are like a body without a skeletal system, a plane without wings, a train without tracks. We must return to the old paths. I remember a time when I could sit in church and expect to hear a good sermon on something like the sufficiency of Scripture or the infallibity/inerrancy of Scripture. I also remember great sermons on the substitutionary atonement of Christ or how about the Rapture of the Church. Check this out, I remember being a part of an early morning Bible study led by the pastor at the church building on the significance and meaning of the Old Testament Tabernacle. Today you're lucky if the preacher mentions Jesus.
Thanks Dr. John for reminding me of the vast importance of theology.
For His Glory,
Todd
1. Teach us
2. Reprove us
3. Correct us
4. Train us in righteousness
5. Equip us for every good work
Without sound Biblical Theology, we are like a body without a skeletal system, a plane without wings, a train without tracks. We must return to the old paths. I remember a time when I could sit in church and expect to hear a good sermon on something like the sufficiency of Scripture or the infallibity/inerrancy of Scripture. I also remember great sermons on the substitutionary atonement of Christ or how about the Rapture of the Church. Check this out, I remember being a part of an early morning Bible study led by the pastor at the church building on the significance and meaning of the Old Testament Tabernacle. Today you're lucky if the preacher mentions Jesus.
Thanks Dr. John for reminding me of the vast importance of theology.
For His Glory,
Todd
Friday, March 11, 2011
A study in Acts (2:43 & 47)
community
Not to long ago, I saw something on the T.V. that caught my attention. I believe it was the history channel. They were doing some retrospective on WW II. Part of this global conflict resulted in American forces dropping the Atomic bomb on two Japanese cities. The devastation that was caused by that explosion was incredible. I then began pondering on what exactly made the Atomic bomb so devasting. It seems based on what I could understand that atomic explosion is the result of an several atoms being brought together and then fueled with something like Plutonium creating this fusion thus resulting in this devasting blast. This atomic explosion reminded me of what I've been writing about over the last couple of weeks related to, "True Christian Community". When saved, committed, Spirit-filled believers spend quality time together in the Scripture, fellowship, communion and prayer, the result is an atomic explosion (i.e., massive impact).
Here's a question, "in light of the actions of the first century community of believers, exactly what kind of reactions did the first century community of believers recieve from the world at large"? In your Bible's turn to Acts 2, verses 43 & 47. In these two verses, I see three reactions to the first century community of believers.
I. The first reaction is fear (vs 43)"...and fear came upon every soul...." The word fear used in the Scripture can have at least two connotations. The first is, "respect or awe". The second is just plain ol terror. In Acts 2:43 the word fear means the latter. The first century community of believers provoked a healthy fear of God in a watching world. Let me describe for you the two ways in which this early Christian community provoked a healthy fear of God:
A. By their message (cf Acts 2:22-37; 3:13-26; 4:8-12) The message of the early church was very clear and focused, "Jesus Christ is the risen Lord, therefore everyone of you turn from your sin and confess Him as the only Lord and Saviour". I believe one of the reasons why the Christian community today is not having a great impact on the world at large is because our message is not very clear nor focused. Rather our message is confused and disjointed. A quote from one of my favorite preachers perfectly captures what I'm saying, "We live in a time when certainty and conviction about what is true is not tolerated. The politically correct attitude is one of uncertainty with nothing absolute. There's a new hermeneutic, a new science of interpretation called the Hermeneutic of Humility, and this is serious to the people who espoused this and their Hermeneutic of Humility say, "I'm too humble to think that I could ever know what the Bible really means and so I can only offer my opinion and I certainly can't say that this is in fact the truth." They pat themselves on the back congratulating themselves for such intellectual openness. Opinions and feelings tend to rule the mood of our time. And the church as it always does fall prey to this sort of post-modern inclusivism that wants to embrace everything everybody thinks as truth for them. And so the church has lost its convictions, its lost its certainties..." The message coming from the Christian community today cannot and will not foster a healthy fear of God because Christ is not at the heart of our message. The Christian community today for the most part is not preaching the Gospel of the risen Lord, the so-called Christian community today is not preaching, "Repentance and faith in Christ alone". Rather the Christian community today is preaching prosperity and sanctified materialism. The Christian community today is preaching "cheap grace" and "easy believism". The Christian community today is preaching tolerance and inclusivism. My wife Stacey pointed out to me the other day an online article concerning a black pastor who felt his mission was to apologize to the Lesbian community for how he and other Christians have treated them and condemned their so-called alternative lifestyles. And all of God's people said, WHAT!!!! Now I don't believe that anyone should be mistreated, God calls us to Love our fellow man, but apologizing for our message, that's crap!!
No wonder the world ridicules and laughs at the Christian community, because our message is weak, muddy, convictionless and uncertain and in no way reflects the message of our early Christian community predecessors.
B. By their ministry (cf Acts 2:43) Verse 43 states that incredible things were happening through the Apostles that validated their ministry and message. I confess that I'm a die-hard Dispensationalist who believes that the office of Apostle no longer exists, because the Apostles were a group of men specially chosen by our Lord for a specific ministry in time (e.g., the establisment of the Church and the writing of Scripture). Their office ceased when the last Apostle (i.e., John) passed from the earth and therefore also the necessity of special signs and wonders to validate their specific ministry. I believe that the Scriptures clearly teach that the things that validate the ministry and message of the Christian today are not signs and wonders, but rather Spirit-filled, obedient character (cf., 2 Cor 6). When the world at large sees our chaste and God-glorifying lifestyles, the result is fear. Check out this text from Philipians 2:27-28, "Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God". When the Christian community responds to life and one another in a God glorifying way, those that don't know God take notice and experience the fear of God. Another reason why the Christian community of today is not having the kind of impact in our world like we could and should is because our ministry is not very authentic/valid. Let me add this, a ministry that existed in the early Christian community that hardly exists today is the ministry of Church discipline. When the church practised healthy church discipline, the church encouraged a healthy fear of God. When Church discipline is practised, the message that is communicated is that, "we take sin seriously and so does God". Read the story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). Church discipline when practised rightly validates the church as being truly of God and creates a healthy fear of God in the world at large. When it is not practised, just the opposite is true.
II. The Second reaction is favor (vs 47a) "...having favor with all the people..." The early Christian community because of her authentic message and ministry, won the respect of the world at large. They world may not have liked her, but they had to respect her. We as the Christian community are sadly mistaken if we think the way to garner the world's respect is by compromise and conformity. NO!! NO!!! NO!!! Listen, the only legitmate way that God's people will win peoples respect is through an authentic message and ministry.
III. The Third reaction is fattening (vs 47b) "........And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved..." Allow me the liberty to paraphrase what one commentator has written concerning this verse, "When the Christian community is truly Christian in it's message and ministry, it is a growing church.....the impact of the few at Pentecost had broadened and became the impact of many..."
In summary, when committed, Spirit-filled believers spend quality time together in the Scripture, fellowship, communion and prayer, with a committment to the right message and mininstry, The impact on the world at large is fear, favor and fattening.
For His Glory,
Todd
A study in Acts (2:44-47)
The Characteristics of true community (part 2)
In my last article entitled, "Characteristics of true community (part 1)" I stated, "If we today, are going to experience (i.e., live out) real, sharing, caring community, the same characteristics that described the early Christian community must be true of us also". According to Acts 2, verses 37-47, there are at least four key characteristics that described the early Christian community, so far we've looked at two:
1. They were a saved community(2:22-41)
2. They were a committed community(2:42)
a. They were committed to Scripture
b. They were committed to fellowshipc. They were committed to communiond. They were committed to prayer
The remaining two characteristics are found in Acts 2:44-46:
3. They were a together community(2:44-46) "...now all who believed were together...."Listen! A healthy, sharing, caring Christian community is impossible to experience once a week or at a distance. Believers must spend face to face time together. Brothers and Sisters, facebook, twitter, myspace are NOT substitutes for quality time spent together with other believers. Notice with me some of the things the early Christian community did to foster quality and quantity time together:
A. They shared together (vss 44b-45) The last part of verse 44 states that they, "....had all things in common". This phrase means that these believers shared their, "property and goods" with each other. In fact, verse 45 declares that these believers would sell their goods and give the proceeds to needy believers within the community. Boy! this is a far cry from what goes on in today's Christian community.
B. They worshipped and celebrated together (vs 46a) "Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house....". The early Christian community spent alot of time worshipping and celebrating the person and work of Christ. The Breaking of Bread is a way of referring to communion (cf., Luke 24:30; Acts 2:42; 20:7). The heart of true community is the person and work of Christ. True community cannot be experienced when Christ is not the main attraction. Again, notice something about the early Christian community, they focused on Jesus in the Temple (i.e., the official place of worship) and in the home. This means that whenever and wherever the Christians gathered, Christ was the focal point. Not so today, when Christians gather it's about everything but Christ (Can I get a witness!!).
C. They ate together (vs 46b) "....they were taking their meals together..." The early community would eat a common meal in connection with communion (cf., 1 Cor 11; Jude 12).
Again, let me say it, if we are going to experience real, sharing caring community, we must spend meaningful, quantiful time together.
4. They were a Spirit-filled community (Acts 2:46c-47a) "....with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God..." The evidence of the Spirit's control of these believers is seen in their attitudes toward the Lord and each other. The text states that they were full of joy, sincere (i.e., not fake and phoney) and praising God. All of these things give hearty evidence that the Spirit of God was in full control (cf., Eph 5:18ff & Gal 5:22-23). Nothing kills the experience of true community faster than being in the flesh. You may recall recently hearing in the news of members of a local church in North Carolina who got in a physical fight with each other over some issue in the congregation. The oil that makes the machinery of community run smoothly is the Holy Spirit.
In Summary:
As I stated in part one (see last weeks article) True Christian community is not something that can be conjured up or produced by some curriculum or program. Community is something that is organic to being a Christian. When I was born again by the Spirit of God, I became part and parcel of THE Christian community called the Body of Christ (in other words, we don't become a community, we are a community), but here's the rub, just because I'm part of the Christian community by new birth, does not mean that my experience of community is that wonderful. Again, if we today are to experience the kind of God glorifying community that existed in the early church we must possess the same characteristics that they possessed. So if you are hanging out with a group of frustrated believers trying to figure out why your community experience is not that that great, ask yourselves the following questions:
1. Are we saved? Does everyone in our group truly know Jesus as Lord and saviour? Remember! true community can't happen with non-christians.
2. Are we committed?
a. To Scripture
b. To Fellowship
c. To Communion
d. To Prayer
3. Are we spending meaningful time together?
4. Are we Spirit-filled?
In my next article from Acts 2:42-47, I want to look at the Impact of true community on a lost and dying world. When the church acts like the church is suppossed to act, the world is different.
For His Glory,
CoolImprov
In my last article entitled, "Characteristics of true community (part 1)" I stated, "If we today, are going to experience (i.e., live out) real, sharing, caring community, the same characteristics that described the early Christian community must be true of us also". According to Acts 2, verses 37-47, there are at least four key characteristics that described the early Christian community, so far we've looked at two:
1. They were a saved community(2:22-41)
2. They were a committed community(2:42)
a. They were committed to Scripture
b. They were committed to fellowshipc. They were committed to communiond. They were committed to prayer
The remaining two characteristics are found in Acts 2:44-46:
3. They were a together community(2:44-46) "...now all who believed were together...."Listen! A healthy, sharing, caring Christian community is impossible to experience once a week or at a distance. Believers must spend face to face time together. Brothers and Sisters, facebook, twitter, myspace are NOT substitutes for quality time spent together with other believers. Notice with me some of the things the early Christian community did to foster quality and quantity time together:
A. They shared together (vss 44b-45) The last part of verse 44 states that they, "....had all things in common". This phrase means that these believers shared their, "property and goods" with each other. In fact, verse 45 declares that these believers would sell their goods and give the proceeds to needy believers within the community. Boy! this is a far cry from what goes on in today's Christian community.
B. They worshipped and celebrated together (vs 46a) "Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house....". The early Christian community spent alot of time worshipping and celebrating the person and work of Christ. The Breaking of Bread is a way of referring to communion (cf., Luke 24:30; Acts 2:42; 20:7). The heart of true community is the person and work of Christ. True community cannot be experienced when Christ is not the main attraction. Again, notice something about the early Christian community, they focused on Jesus in the Temple (i.e., the official place of worship) and in the home. This means that whenever and wherever the Christians gathered, Christ was the focal point. Not so today, when Christians gather it's about everything but Christ (Can I get a witness!!).
C. They ate together (vs 46b) "....they were taking their meals together..." The early community would eat a common meal in connection with communion (cf., 1 Cor 11; Jude 12).
Again, let me say it, if we are going to experience real, sharing caring community, we must spend meaningful, quantiful time together.
4. They were a Spirit-filled community (Acts 2:46c-47a) "....with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God..." The evidence of the Spirit's control of these believers is seen in their attitudes toward the Lord and each other. The text states that they were full of joy, sincere (i.e., not fake and phoney) and praising God. All of these things give hearty evidence that the Spirit of God was in full control (cf., Eph 5:18ff & Gal 5:22-23). Nothing kills the experience of true community faster than being in the flesh. You may recall recently hearing in the news of members of a local church in North Carolina who got in a physical fight with each other over some issue in the congregation. The oil that makes the machinery of community run smoothly is the Holy Spirit.
In Summary:
As I stated in part one (see last weeks article) True Christian community is not something that can be conjured up or produced by some curriculum or program. Community is something that is organic to being a Christian. When I was born again by the Spirit of God, I became part and parcel of THE Christian community called the Body of Christ (in other words, we don't become a community, we are a community), but here's the rub, just because I'm part of the Christian community by new birth, does not mean that my experience of community is that wonderful. Again, if we today are to experience the kind of God glorifying community that existed in the early church we must possess the same characteristics that they possessed. So if you are hanging out with a group of frustrated believers trying to figure out why your community experience is not that that great, ask yourselves the following questions:
1. Are we saved? Does everyone in our group truly know Jesus as Lord and saviour? Remember! true community can't happen with non-christians.
2. Are we committed?
a. To Scripture
b. To Fellowship
c. To Communion
d. To Prayer
3. Are we spending meaningful time together?
4. Are we Spirit-filled?
In my next article from Acts 2:42-47, I want to look at the Impact of true community on a lost and dying world. When the church acts like the church is suppossed to act, the world is different.
For His Glory,
CoolImprov
A study in Acts (2:37-42)
The characteristics of true community (part 1)
I've been a follower of Christ for a few years now, and one of the reacurring themes that I've run across over these years focuses on the subject of community. I was once part of a local church who's theme for a particular season was, "...a sharing, caring, Christian Community....". I'm currently part of a small group who's focus is, "Contagious Christian community". Several years ago, my wife, myself and my then two year old daughter - who's now 17 - and three teenage girls in our youth group took a trip to the west side of Chicago to be part of a long established Christian community. As I reflect on the subject of community from a hopefully maturer perspective, an observation comes to mind. It seems to me that our understanding of community is like our understanding of "Church". When someone says, "I'm going to church", I totally understand what they mean, they mean that they are going to the building on the corner. But technically, to say, "I'm going to church" is incorrect. Why? Because the church is not a place, rather, the church is a people. Therefore, we don't go to church, we are the church. The same idea is true of community. Community is not something we try to pursue or produce, rather community is something that we are. The moment someone is converted to Christ, he/she becomes part and parcel of the Born-again community. Now here's the $100,000 question, "what kind of community are we"? Are we a dysfunctional, corrupted community or are we a healthy, sharing, caring community?
Please turn in your bibles to the book of Acts. The first six chapters of the book of Acts can be classified as, "The period of establishment", meaning that in these chapters we learn how the christian community was brought into existence. As we examine the establishment of the early Christian community, the question that's asked is, "what were some of the characteristics that described the early Christian community"? These same characteristics that existed in the early christian community, by way of continuity, should also be reflected in our experience of community. Let me say it this way, If we today, are going to experience (i.e., live out) real, sharing, caring community, the same characteristics that described the early christian community must be true of us also. According to Acts 2, verses 37-47, I see at least four key characteristics that existed in the early christian community:
First, they were a saved community (vss 37-41)
Acts 2:14-36 records Peters sermon to the crowd that explained what had just happened to the 120 believers in the upper room. Verse 37 states, "Now when they heard this (Peter's sermon), they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" Peter responds in verses 38-40, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.....and with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!" Verse 41 states, "So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls"(NASB).
I believe the reason why many believers are not experiencing healthy, loving, sharing, caring community is because many of the folk involved aren't christians. One commentator writes, ""....only disunity and dissension can result when those who serve Christ try to work in harmony with those who serve Satan".
Second, they were a committed community (vs 42)
This idea of commitment is expressed in the phrase, "They were continually devoting themselves....." To be, "continually devoted" means that the early church community as a whole was ongoingly adhering to, persevering in, and continuing in something.
I've been a follower of Christ for a few years now, and one of the reacurring themes that I've run across over these years focuses on the subject of community. I was once part of a local church who's theme for a particular season was, "...a sharing, caring, Christian Community....". I'm currently part of a small group who's focus is, "Contagious Christian community". Several years ago, my wife, myself and my then two year old daughter - who's now 17 - and three teenage girls in our youth group took a trip to the west side of Chicago to be part of a long established Christian community. As I reflect on the subject of community from a hopefully maturer perspective, an observation comes to mind. It seems to me that our understanding of community is like our understanding of "Church". When someone says, "I'm going to church", I totally understand what they mean, they mean that they are going to the building on the corner. But technically, to say, "I'm going to church" is incorrect. Why? Because the church is not a place, rather, the church is a people. Therefore, we don't go to church, we are the church. The same idea is true of community. Community is not something we try to pursue or produce, rather community is something that we are. The moment someone is converted to Christ, he/she becomes part and parcel of the Born-again community. Now here's the $100,000 question, "what kind of community are we"? Are we a dysfunctional, corrupted community or are we a healthy, sharing, caring community?
Please turn in your bibles to the book of Acts. The first six chapters of the book of Acts can be classified as, "The period of establishment", meaning that in these chapters we learn how the christian community was brought into existence. As we examine the establishment of the early Christian community, the question that's asked is, "what were some of the characteristics that described the early Christian community"? These same characteristics that existed in the early christian community, by way of continuity, should also be reflected in our experience of community. Let me say it this way, If we today, are going to experience (i.e., live out) real, sharing, caring community, the same characteristics that described the early christian community must be true of us also. According to Acts 2, verses 37-47, I see at least four key characteristics that existed in the early christian community:
First, they were a saved community (vss 37-41)
Acts 2:14-36 records Peters sermon to the crowd that explained what had just happened to the 120 believers in the upper room. Verse 37 states, "Now when they heard this (Peter's sermon), they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" Peter responds in verses 38-40, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.....and with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!" Verse 41 states, "So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls"(NASB).
I believe the reason why many believers are not experiencing healthy, loving, sharing, caring community is because many of the folk involved aren't christians. One commentator writes, ""....only disunity and dissension can result when those who serve Christ try to work in harmony with those who serve Satan".
Second, they were a committed community (vs 42)
This idea of commitment is expressed in the phrase, "They were continually devoting themselves....." To be, "continually devoted" means that the early church community as a whole was ongoingly adhering to, persevering in, and continuing in something.
What?
Four things:
1. They were committed (i.e., continually devoted) to Scripture (vs 42a) "...the apostles' teaching..."
2. They were committed (i.e., continually devoted) to Fellowship (vs 42a) "....and to fellowship..."
The early church community adhered to and persevered in developing close, intimate interpersonal relationships with fellow believers around the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the center of true fellowship with other believers. When believers get together, Christ must be at the heart of the interaction.
3. They were committed (i.e., continually devoted) to communion (vs. 42b) ".......the breaking of bread..."
Communion is not so much about the elements of the bread and juice, but what the bread and juice represent, the finished work of Christ on our behalf. The early church community was committed to regularly remembering Christ's work of redemption.
4. They were committed (i.e., continually devoted) to prayer (vs. 42c) "....and to prayer" ..
The early church community lived on it's knees. Prayer was the life breath of the early christian community (Acts 1:14,24; 4:31; 6:6; 8:15; 9:40; 10:48; 13:31; 14:23).
In closing, maybe the reason why our experience of sharing, caring community is not that great is because maybe some of the people that traffic in our community aren't saved. Or maybe our community experience is undermined by people who aren't committed - to the four things mentioned above - Whatever the reason, I hope we have a better idea of how to pray to the sovereign God who can fix the problem. Next time we will look at the two remaining characteristics that marked the early church community.
For His Glory,
CoolImprov
1. They were committed (i.e., continually devoted) to Scripture (vs 42a) "...the apostles' teaching..."
2. They were committed (i.e., continually devoted) to Fellowship (vs 42a) "....and to fellowship..."
The early church community adhered to and persevered in developing close, intimate interpersonal relationships with fellow believers around the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the center of true fellowship with other believers. When believers get together, Christ must be at the heart of the interaction.
3. They were committed (i.e., continually devoted) to communion (vs. 42b) ".......the breaking of bread..."
Communion is not so much about the elements of the bread and juice, but what the bread and juice represent, the finished work of Christ on our behalf. The early church community was committed to regularly remembering Christ's work of redemption.
4. They were committed (i.e., continually devoted) to prayer (vs. 42c) "....and to prayer" ..
The early church community lived on it's knees. Prayer was the life breath of the early christian community (Acts 1:14,24; 4:31; 6:6; 8:15; 9:40; 10:48; 13:31; 14:23).
In closing, maybe the reason why our experience of sharing, caring community is not that great is because maybe some of the people that traffic in our community aren't saved. Or maybe our community experience is undermined by people who aren't committed - to the four things mentioned above - Whatever the reason, I hope we have a better idea of how to pray to the sovereign God who can fix the problem. Next time we will look at the two remaining characteristics that marked the early church community.
For His Glory,
CoolImprov
Monday, March 7, 2011
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
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?
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
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
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
The nature of the church (part 1) - Todd McCauley
So what exactly does the Bible teach about the church and how it should be run?
That question will hopefully be answered in this as well as subsequent articles to follow. It is my intent to help us rediscover what God’s word says about the church.
Over the next series of articles we will examine such topics like:
1. The purpose of the church
2. The activities of the church
3. The leadership of the church
4. The discipline of the church
5. The power of the church
6. The membership of the church
Let me begin this first article by examining what I’m calling, “The nature of the church”.
When you talk abut the nature of something, you are speaking about the “essential character of a thing, the qualities or quality that makes something what it is” (Webster)
Let me ask you this, “If someone were to ask you to define the church, what would you say?”
Without thinking some of you would probably say, “oh”, the church is that building on the corner of main and crossway blvd, I go there on Sundays” Others of you might answer, “the church is a denomination or an organization that a person belongs to” (e.g., The Southern Baptists or Assemblies of God or Catholic).
Though these are popular responses, they are unbiblical responses. We must understand once and for all that the church is not an organization, nor a denomination, nor is it a building on a corner, but according to the Scripture, the church is a people. In other words, the true nature or essential character of the church is that it is a people.
The official Greek word translated by the English word church is the word Ekklesia. This word is used 114 times in the Greek NT(New Testament). This word basically means, “A called out assembly”, in other words, a called out people(an elect people). In each of the Scriptural passages listed below you must translate the idea of "people" for the word church, and these verses then take on a whole new life.
1 Cor 12:28
“…And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues” (nasb).
(Paul writes that God has appointed among the People of God, first apostles…..).
Col 1:18
“He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything” (nasb)
(Paul writes that Christ is head of the body, which is the people of God).
Rom 1:16
“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea”
(Paul states that Phoebe is a servant of the people of God, not of the denomination, or some organization or some institution).
Okay, Todd, we get it! The church is people, what’s your point already?
I guess my point is this, If we really understand this first fundamental reality concerning the nature of the church, I believe this would make a huge difference in how we acted.
As long as the church remains in the minds of most nothing more than an institution or organization or denomination or even just the building on the corner, one of the devastating consequences is a severe lack of accountability and responsibility. Let me elaborate just a bit. If the church is nothing more than an organization or institution where is the accountability? You can choose or not choose to be or apart of it, and if you don’t like what’s going on, you can move on to another organization, where are the accountability and responsibility? But if the church in the words of the NT is a vitally connected body (i.e., people), you must function, you are both accountable and responsible. You can’t leave when you want to, you can’t do what you want when you want. Listen, the true church is not like being part of some civic or social organization, No; you are part of a vital, living organism.
Read these powerful words by the Apostle Paul concerning the true nature of the church, he wrote in 1 Cor 12:12ff
12.For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13.For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14.For the body is not one member, but many.
15.If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
16.And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
17.If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
18.But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
19.If they were all one member, where would the body be?
20.But now there are many members, but one body.
21.And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
22.On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the
23.and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,
24.Whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,
25.So that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
26.And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27.Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.
Another consequence of not thinking rightly about the nature of the church (i.e., not understanding that the church is a living organism versus a man-made organization or club) is the danger of minimalizing people. In an organization only certain people can contribute in significant ways, only certain people can be in leadership, only certain people can have a say. In an organization or institution you’ve got the Indians and the chiefs, you’ve got the VIP’s and the scrubs. But as Paul writes, in the body, everybody is necessary and important. In an organization, the rank and file members may be suffering, yet the VIP’s (very important parishioners) are eating steak. Not so in a body, if the toe hurts, the whole body hurts (I know; my feet hurt right now!).
A third consequence of not thinking rightly about the true nature of the Church is we can lose sight of who really owns the church. Many a man has been used to start new churches across the planet. The problem begins when these men forget to whom the church rightly belongs. Just because you are the “founder” does not mean that you are the “OWNER”. Organizations may belong to men, but the Organism called the church belongs to the living God – Christ Jesus our Lord (Matt16:18).
If we are going to see reform in the BC (I hope in my lifetime) we must get a firm grip of what the Bible teaches about the true nature of the church. I think once we begin seeing the true Biblical picture of the church several awesome things could happen:
1. BC’s across the nation would begin cooperating verses competing with each other, why? Because we truly understand that there is only One body (i.e., people) of Christ. The songwriter is right, “I need you to survive”.
2. The members of the BC would begin to value every other member of Christ’s body as important. Also, I believe in the importance of leadership, but in the black church, leadership has gotten out of control. Leadership walks on water, while the rest of us walk through mud, the church has only one head, Christ.
3. We would stop squandering our resources on building bigger chicken coops but focus rather on building better chickens. Millions of dollars, in my opinion, are being wasted yearly because we’re trying to build mega organizations verses building a godly organism. If we truly understood the church to be a divine organism verses organization, we would stop our crazy obsession with church growth and begin focusing on church health. I don't worry about my children's growth, I do worry about their health. If my kids are healthy, more than likely they will grow. I've said this before and it bears repeating, "If we with a proper biblical understanding focus on the depth of the ministry, God will take care of the breadth". If we focus on the health of the organism, God will take care of the growth. Many leaders in the BC are focusing on organizational growth rather than organism health.
Much more to come...
Until we all attain to the unity of the faith
CoolImprov
That question will hopefully be answered in this as well as subsequent articles to follow. It is my intent to help us rediscover what God’s word says about the church.
Over the next series of articles we will examine such topics like:
1. The purpose of the church
2. The activities of the church
3. The leadership of the church
4. The discipline of the church
5. The power of the church
6. The membership of the church
Let me begin this first article by examining what I’m calling, “The nature of the church”.
When you talk abut the nature of something, you are speaking about the “essential character of a thing, the qualities or quality that makes something what it is” (Webster)
Let me ask you this, “If someone were to ask you to define the church, what would you say?”
Without thinking some of you would probably say, “oh”, the church is that building on the corner of main and crossway blvd, I go there on Sundays” Others of you might answer, “the church is a denomination or an organization that a person belongs to” (e.g., The Southern Baptists or Assemblies of God or Catholic).
Though these are popular responses, they are unbiblical responses. We must understand once and for all that the church is not an organization, nor a denomination, nor is it a building on a corner, but according to the Scripture, the church is a people. In other words, the true nature or essential character of the church is that it is a people.
The official Greek word translated by the English word church is the word Ekklesia. This word is used 114 times in the Greek NT(New Testament). This word basically means, “A called out assembly”, in other words, a called out people(an elect people). In each of the Scriptural passages listed below you must translate the idea of "people" for the word church, and these verses then take on a whole new life.
1 Cor 12:28
“…And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues” (nasb).
(Paul writes that God has appointed among the People of God, first apostles…..).
Col 1:18
“He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything” (nasb)
(Paul writes that Christ is head of the body, which is the people of God).
Rom 1:16
“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea”
(Paul states that Phoebe is a servant of the people of God, not of the denomination, or some organization or some institution).
Okay, Todd, we get it! The church is people, what’s your point already?
I guess my point is this, If we really understand this first fundamental reality concerning the nature of the church, I believe this would make a huge difference in how we acted.
As long as the church remains in the minds of most nothing more than an institution or organization or denomination or even just the building on the corner, one of the devastating consequences is a severe lack of accountability and responsibility. Let me elaborate just a bit. If the church is nothing more than an organization or institution where is the accountability? You can choose or not choose to be or apart of it, and if you don’t like what’s going on, you can move on to another organization, where are the accountability and responsibility? But if the church in the words of the NT is a vitally connected body (i.e., people), you must function, you are both accountable and responsible. You can’t leave when you want to, you can’t do what you want when you want. Listen, the true church is not like being part of some civic or social organization, No; you are part of a vital, living organism.
Read these powerful words by the Apostle Paul concerning the true nature of the church, he wrote in 1 Cor 12:12ff
12.For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13.For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14.For the body is not one member, but many.
15.If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
16.And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
17.If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
18.But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
19.If they were all one member, where would the body be?
20.But now there are many members, but one body.
21.And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
22.On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the
23.and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,
24.Whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,
25.So that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
26.And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27.Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.
Another consequence of not thinking rightly about the nature of the church (i.e., not understanding that the church is a living organism versus a man-made organization or club) is the danger of minimalizing people. In an organization only certain people can contribute in significant ways, only certain people can be in leadership, only certain people can have a say. In an organization or institution you’ve got the Indians and the chiefs, you’ve got the VIP’s and the scrubs. But as Paul writes, in the body, everybody is necessary and important. In an organization, the rank and file members may be suffering, yet the VIP’s (very important parishioners) are eating steak. Not so in a body, if the toe hurts, the whole body hurts (I know; my feet hurt right now!).
A third consequence of not thinking rightly about the true nature of the Church is we can lose sight of who really owns the church. Many a man has been used to start new churches across the planet. The problem begins when these men forget to whom the church rightly belongs. Just because you are the “founder” does not mean that you are the “OWNER”. Organizations may belong to men, but the Organism called the church belongs to the living God – Christ Jesus our Lord (Matt16:18).
If we are going to see reform in the BC (I hope in my lifetime) we must get a firm grip of what the Bible teaches about the true nature of the church. I think once we begin seeing the true Biblical picture of the church several awesome things could happen:
1. BC’s across the nation would begin cooperating verses competing with each other, why? Because we truly understand that there is only One body (i.e., people) of Christ. The songwriter is right, “I need you to survive”.
2. The members of the BC would begin to value every other member of Christ’s body as important. Also, I believe in the importance of leadership, but in the black church, leadership has gotten out of control. Leadership walks on water, while the rest of us walk through mud, the church has only one head, Christ.
3. We would stop squandering our resources on building bigger chicken coops but focus rather on building better chickens. Millions of dollars, in my opinion, are being wasted yearly because we’re trying to build mega organizations verses building a godly organism. If we truly understood the church to be a divine organism verses organization, we would stop our crazy obsession with church growth and begin focusing on church health. I don't worry about my children's growth, I do worry about their health. If my kids are healthy, more than likely they will grow. I've said this before and it bears repeating, "If we with a proper biblical understanding focus on the depth of the ministry, God will take care of the breadth". If we focus on the health of the organism, God will take care of the growth. Many leaders in the BC are focusing on organizational growth rather than organism health.
Much more to come...
Until we all attain to the unity of the faith
CoolImprov
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