Christianity: Attitude or Religion?

No, this isn’t a controversial article in which I try to tell you something like “as long as you believe and sorta try most of the time, God will forgive you and you’re saved.” 

Christianity is definitely a religion. 

It is the religion. 

            On Dictionary.com, the first definition listed for “religion” defines the word as ”a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.” That describes Christianity. 

I know of people, even a few of my close friends, who preach “Christianity is not a religion, it’s not about what you do, it’s about who you are, and anyone who believes is saved - end of discussion.” etc. 

If you are one of those people, I don't mean to offend you. 

On the other end of the spectrum, I know of people (also some of my close friends) who believe that if you’re sinless your whole life, but you lie right before you die, and you don’t ask for forgiveness and repent right before you die, you’ll probably fall short of Heaven. For them, it’s more of a religion than anything; it’s not about who you are as much as it is about what you do. 

If you are one of those people, I don’t mean to offend you either. 

Regardless of your position on the religiosity of Christianity, I pray that by the time you finish reading this post, you will all be able to say that you enjoyed reading what I have to say. I also hope and pray that what I am about to tell you is the truth, and that you will agree with me when I'm done so that you can take what you have learned out into the world to change the world as we know it. Please study the things I present to you for yourself.

            What governs our religious practices? With so many different people wearing the name “Christian” yet believing so many different things, so many different buildings with different names on them that preach different doctrines yet claim to be united under the banner of “Christianity,” and so on, what exactly determines where we each worship? 

Some would say it’s a matter of interpretation and everyone who at least tries to worship God is still a Christian in God’s eyes.

Others might say it’s a matter of choosing to be right vs. choosing to be wrong, and those who don’t follow their specific religious practices will be condemned in the end. 

I see logic in both arguments. 

However, I don’t think that our personal beliefs are governed by either of these. 

I think that people choose to see Christianity filtered through the ideals behind “denominationalism” or through the thought process of “be like me or go to Hell” as a result of something else. 

We interpret the Bible differently based on something other than just a mere difference in interpretation.

It goes deeper than that. 

In Philippians 2:2, Paul writes that the church be of the same mind. 1 Corinthians 1:10 says that there should “be no divisions” among us, but that we be “united in the same mind and in the same judgment.” In Ephesians 1:4-6, it is written that Christians are to walk in Christ “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Is the “church” united today?

If you say “yes,” why do so many “churches” have different names, different doctrines, different views on salvation, different views on worship, and different views on scriptures?

Why are so many “churches” so different?

“He’s a Methodist. She’s a Baptist. He’s a Catholic. She’s a Church of Christer. He’s a Jehovah’s Witness. He's non-denom. She's Pentecostal. ” Etc.

The way we attempt to follow the Bible and the way we view others who attempt to follow the Bible is a key part of achieving unity. 

            Sometime this week, right now if you can, read 1 Corinthians 9 and 10, 1 Pet. 3:15, Romans 14, and 1 Corinthians 8. It’s a lot of reading I know, but it will be very important for our discussion in the upcoming weeks. 

What does Christianity mean? 

What is unity? 

What is truth? 

How can we pull together and change the world?

With Christian love,
Ethan

This is a heavily condensed version of the original post from which this was drawn. In order to see the full version of this post, check out my own blog - you're more than welcome to view and comment on any articles I post here or there. You can also e-mail me if you'd like to talk about anything I discuss in these posts. Thanks for reading!

God of the Hills and Plains

The Syrian army was no match for a Yahweh-led Israelite force. Scrambling for answers, the trusted advisers of the Syrian king came up with an idea...

Then the servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than they." - 1 Kings 20:23 (NKJV)

The king heeds his servants' strategy... a strategy no doubt influenced by the inherent limitations of the pagan gods of the surrounding countries. Each nation's god was limited in power and influence. Therefore, nations had many gods: a god of harvest, fertility, a god of war, a god of peace, etc.

One would assume that Israel's God was no different. One would assume that was limited in power. Limited in influence. Limited in provision. The Israelites' resounding victory seemed to imply that Yahweh' source of strength lay in the hills of Samaria.

There was just one problem.

He wasn't, and isn't like other gods.

Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, "Thus says the Lord: Because the Syrians have said, 'The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,' therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord." - 1 Kings 20:28

He's not just God of the hills. He's God of the valleys, too. He's the God of the heartaches. The God of the brokenhearted. The God of the cancer-stricken. The God of the shamed.

He's also God of the promotion at work. The God of the joy of a newborn child. The God of a mother's embrace.

He's God. He's not limited, He's not weak, He's not a "little 'g' God." He's God.

We forget that. That's ok. I do, too. You just needed to be reminded. Some folks struggle with the valleys, because they fear or believe that God is absent. Others struggle with the mountains, having been taught so much about suffering and struggle that they forget that God is the God of the good things as well.

He's God, plain and simple. He's not weak. He's not limited. He loves you. No matter the sin you committed, He's got grace for you. No matter the fear you feel over what you're facing tomorrow at the doctor's appointment, He's got peace for you.

And during those times where things are going right and heaven itself seems to be pouring down? He's there too.


By His Grace,

Adam

5 Fundamentals of Our Faith Pt. 1

   Good morning readers.  I hope that everyone is counting their blessings this morning.  I know that I am.  I have felt led by the Holy Spirit to write a series on the 5 Fundamentals of Our Faith.  This post will serve as the introduction to the series, & the five doctrines will follow over the next few weeks.
  I think that we would all agree that there are an astronomical amount of denominational & religious differences throughout our culture & the world.  Some of those differences are minor or open handed issues.  For example: consumption of alcohol, dress attire, music style, liturgy, etc.  We can have disagreements over these doctrines, yet still love Jesus & serve together.  However, there are some major or closed handed issues that we disagree on & often times will lead to a separation.  These are the fundamentals that we will look at over the next few weeks.
   The 5 core fundamentals of our faith that I will write about are: 1. the Virgin Birth, 2. the Deity of Christ, 3. Inspired Scripture, 4. Blood Atonement, 5. Bodily Resurrection.  There are obviously some other major doctrines like Salvation by grace alone through faith alone, the work of the Holy Spirit, etc.  I have been led to focus on the 5 that I have named, but would welcome any healthy discussion about doctrine & theology.
   As for this morning, I would invite you to take some time to dig into Scripture for preparation for the coming weeks.  Ask yourself a few questions:
                                1.  What do I believe about these 5 doctrines?
                                2.  Do I argue over minor things & create unhealthy disagreements?
                                3.  Why do I believe what I believe?

I look forward to digging into the depths of Scripture & our faith over the next few weeks.  I love & pray for all of you who read this.


Saved by grace,

Bro. Eric

DEVO: Hungering for God

Jesus says that those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness. . . shall be satisfied" (Matt. 5:6) God will satisfy our hunger for Him. It is that very satisfaction from God that makes us want more. Think about your favorite food. Why is it your favorite food? Most likely you enjoy that food because of the satisfaction that it brings. You continue eating it because you delight in the satisfaction that it brings. Similarly, what Jesus is saying here is that the more you are satisfied by God the more you will want to be satisfied by God.

Are we hungering and thirsting for God? Are we being satisfied by Him or by the temporary things of this “world [which] is passing away along with its desires” (1 John 2:17)? Let us cry out with David, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1). Let us continue to be satisfied by God and the things of God and let us cease from dining at the table of the world where there are only worthless scraps.

Seeking Christ,
Bro. Brandon

The Power of the Crucifixion

I think many of us don't realize the power of the Crucifixion. We know some of the power, but not fully. In Matthew's account, he gives us a glimpse of what happened on that day. He added a part, that up until recently I have completely skipped over, it is not in the other gospels' either.

Matthew 27:50-56
"Jesus shouted again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit. Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was split in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked and the rocks were split. The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And they came out of the tombs after His resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many. When the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, This man really was God's Son! Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and ministered to Him were there, looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons."

There are a couple things in this passage that I find interesting.

1. "The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And they came out of the tombs after His resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many."

The power of the Crucifixion, literally gave new life to some people. The most comforting part of this is that that same power that tore the curtain in half from top to bottom, that rose many of the saints from the dead, and that rose Jesus from the dead, lives inside of us, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ. How encouraging is that.

2. "When the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, "This man really was God's Son!"

The most amazing part about this is the fact that the pagans realized who Jesus was before the Jews did.


As you go throughout the day, just feel encouraged that you have the power of the Crucifixion inside you. It is that same power that gives you the words to say when you are witnessing to somebody. It is that power that saves us from an eternity away from God. Thank God today for giving us His Holy Spirit. Thank God that He wants to us His children to reach this lost world. But above all thank God for the power of the Crucifixion.



Bro. Michael

The Charge to a Soldier of God: Part 6

As we continue through the book of 2 Timothy we noticed a transition from characteristics of that soldier of God towards the trials and cautions for a soldier of God. In our first three studies we noticed these characteristics (Strong, Singled-Minded, Strict, Secure, and Sound of Faith). In our last two weeks we learned one of the cautions of a Soldier of God is the "false believer" we also learned how God protects us from this. To learn more about these click here. This week we will look to what God expects from us, "The Charge to a Soldier of God."

Let's begin by looking at 2 Timothy 4:1-5

1 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new. 4 They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5 But as for you, be serious about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. - 2 Timothy 4:1-5

In this text I see four major things Paul charges Timothy and us today:

I. Proclaim the Message

Paul says we should always share the good news of Christ by sharing the gospel whether easy and convenient or not. Paul understands that standing up for God isn't always easy, but knows that it's our duty and responsibility. 

II. Rebuke

This means to criticize wrong actions of your own and of others. Not meaning to point out flaws in an arrogant judgmental way, but with love and tenderness. 

III. Correct

After rebuking, we must show them the correct manner to go about it. We must look past our lists of rights and wrongs when rebuking and correcting, and strictly work using the Word.

IV. Encourage

We must do all these (especially the last two) with total love and care. Be tender to other's feelings and work to always encourage and build them up in Christ rather than discourage and tare them down.  To do so we must exercise great patience and have a positive attitude that instructs and teaches.

Verse 5 tells us we must do the work of an evangelist. Many would say that means to save people, but they're wrong. We can't save anyone. Instead we must share Christ with them, witness, share your testimony, and lead them to an understanding knowledge of Salvation through Christ. 

We have just one more lesson to go in order to finish up our series on 2 Timothy. If you haven't already I encourage you to go back and glance at the past weeks to prepare yourself for our final devotion.

Grounded in Christ,

Bro. Austin

Spiritual Logic: The Wisdom of God

In my previous post (last Saturday), we discussed some of the reasons why God created His plan from Paul’s writings in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. We discussed some of the reasoning behind His plan, but I feel that the topic needs more discussion. There is another way of looking at this all. 

What are some more reasons “why” God chose His plan?

Romans 12:1 is a verse many of us have heard since we were young. “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service/spiritual worship.” Sounds great right?
The thing is, this verse contains a much deeper, more psychological meaning than we often stop to consider.
Allow me to explain.

Humans have long been known to sacrifice ourselves if we feel our cause is justified. For example, many Americans gave their lives in pursuit of freedom from an oppressive government in the revolutionary war. Even now, people say “I would take a bullet for _____.” A degree of sacrificial behavior is natural to all of us. I believe that most people would sacrifice their lives for a “greater good” or for someone they love. These types of sacrifices are reasonable to most people.

However, consider this: it doesn’t come naturally to sacrifice for a goal one can’t physically see. 

It’s not human nature to die for something you didn’t do. We absolutely must have a "just cause" or we can’t justify our own death. Yet, Christ died for something He didn’t do. He died for our sins. He was charged with being a sinner and a blasphemer, but He had no sin. Jesus loved everyone so much that He was willing to preach His message of salvation from sin until they killed Him, without fighting back. Even from the beginning, He knew that He would eventually be killed (John 2:18-25).

Christ didn’t fight against physical oppression, but He did fight against spiritual oppression by sin. He fought through non-violence. The war He fought was not one of physical weapons, but a spiritual war (Lk. 22:49-51; Mt. 26:51-54; Jn. 18:36).

He was doing it for everyone in the world because 1. He felt the temptation the same as we do; He experienced it. 2. He truly loved us so much that He was willing to freely give his life to free us without fighting back, knowing we would kill him in the end. 3. He fought for an unseen ideal, that of spiritual perfection.

So, how does this apply to the “why” behind God’s plan? One of the reasons Christ’s death on the cross was chosen is to show us how different we have to be from the rest of mankind. It is not human nature to “do no wrong” but still be punished, especially if we’re punished by losing our lives.

We must have a love that encompasses everyone.

I can honestly say that my love doesn’t encompass everyone. I find it hard to care for people as much as I should. Ask yourself the same question I ask myself as I am writing this: when was the last time you went out of your way to actively look for someone to help and then helped him or her? I have no problem helping people if they ask, or if they appear to need it, but I don’t often go out of my way to find people to help.

Christ did, however. He healed them and taught them the truth.

Even though we cannot heal as Christ did, we can spread the truth and look for people to share the good news with. Is that not what it means to be “Christ-like”?

God’s plan shows us what He expects out of us. By looking at His plan for a reference, we not only have written commands from the inspired authors of the Bible, but we also see Jesus fulfilling every single one of them; none can be disregarded. 

         His plan shows our raw humanity – we have no chance of ever comparing to God – but we can live an Earthly life similar to Christ’s Earthly life if we dedicate our lives to that purpose. 

It shows you that you must be more than just another man or woman. We all do. We can never hope to be as perfect as Christ, but we should aspire to be as spiritually complete as we can. Because we wear the name of Christ (Christian), we should love more than other people love, we should sacrifice more than other people sacrifice, and we should care more for others (even those we don’t know) than anyone else in the world.

After all, that is part of our sacrifice, our “reasonable service.”

With Christian love (always),
Bro. Ethan


Thank you for reading! This post is the shortened version of a longer post in my personal blog. In order to view the post in its entirety, go to www.manofg.blogspot.com.

The Laughter of the Redeemed

Have you ever been in a church where there wasn't much laughter? If you're one of the ones who thinks it's a sin, don't raise your hand. Church is supposed to be serious. Sunday School is supposed to be serious. I mean, good grief, when I conduct the Lord's Supper, I try my best to look as somber and solemn as I can.

Laughter. You don't hear it very often in a church. Looking at the congregations of many churches, you'd think the people hadn't had a smile crease on their face in years. What's worse is when the same people will laugh and joke and smile before the service starts, but then it's all business.

What if... not only is it ok to laugh, but what if believers are the only ones with something to laugh about? Let me say that again. What if believers, those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ, and have had their sins completely wiped away, and in its place a perfect, spotless standing with God... are the only ones with something to laugh about?

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Our mouths were filled with laughter then, and our tongues with shouts of joy. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord had done great things for us;
we were joyful. - Psalm 126:1-3 (HCSB)

This is the response to the forgiveness, the restoration, of people by a gracious God. Do you see the joy? Do you see the gladness? The relief? The freedom? The happiness? The laughter?

That's what grace does. That's what God's mercy does. It has to generate a response of sheer joy and celebration. Amusement. Delight. An innate sense that we can relax because everything's going to be fine because as bad as we are, Jesus was better.

Tim Keller said, "You're more sinful than you could possibly imagine, but you're infinitely more loved and accepted by God than you could ever dare hope for."

That's worth celebrating. That's worth lightening up about. That's the laughter of the redeemed. The laughter of God's people, who are the only ones with anything to laugh about. The only ones that can sit back and say, "Yeah, things are bad. But God's on the throne." "Yeah, I missed up royally. I really screwed this thing up. But God has moved that as far sad the east is from the west."

"We are as those who dream." It sounds almost too good to be true. We laugh because it's entirely too good to be true.  Yet we laugh because it is true. It's absurd. It's ridiculous. It's true.

"The Lord has done great things for them." The gratitude of a forgiven people causes the world to take notice. Not our good works. Not our attempts at spiritual perfection. Our awe-filled response to the utterly free and radical grace of God. 

 

No matter what you're going through, what you've done, or what you're facing. If you've got Jesus, you've got something to laugh about. 

So now, I think a good barometer of a church's health is whether you hear laughter. The laughter of the redeemed.

By His Grace,

Adam

The Secret 2 Missions Pt. 2

Last week, we looked at the first part of the secret, which is availability.  This week, we look at the second, which is obedience.

It is easier to talk about missions than to do missions.  It is easier to study missions than to do missions.  It is easier to give to missions than to do missions.  The typical Southern Baptist is very missions minded.  However, Christians are not called merely to be mission minded; God has called each one of us to be mission active, to be on mission for Him. When we understand His call on our life, recognize His Lordship, & make ourselves available, God can & will use us to reach a lost world with the gospel & bring glory to Him.

Obedience: when God calls us to be on mission for Him, we have 2 choices – obedience or disobedience.  The Bible is filled with the stories of men & women who heard the call of God & in obedience went out on mission.  In every generation, God is calling men, women, & students to be on mission for Him. Jesus spoke of the cost of obedience in Luke 9:23 & the cost of disobedience in Luke 9:62.

So, you have 1 of 2 options: obedience or disobedience.  Take a little bit of time to examine your life & answer these questions:

1.  Are you being obedient to Christ in every area of your life?

2.  Can you pinpoint some areas of disobedience?

Be in the practice of obedience.

Saved by grace,

Bro. Eric

Building Walls

"Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens!" (Psalm 150:1)

The very first phrase “Praise the LORD” here in this passage, would serve as appropriate motto for the entire book of Psalms. Whether David is crying for mercy (Ps. 51), lamenting over his many enemies (Ps. 3), giving thanks (Ps. 92), or expressing the depths of the knowledge of God (Ps. 139), there is always some element of praise in every psalm. Though each psalm is an individual poem with its own theme, there is no psalm that does not contain an element of praise.

This verse doesn’t imply that the only place we are to worship God is in the church ‘sanctuary,’ because at it has been well said before, "never build walls around the church." When we praise God, we are to praise Him before our feet hit the floor in the morning, we are to praise Him in the home, we are to praise Him when driving to work, we are to praise Him in the workplace, we are to praise Him indoors and outdoors, and we are to praise Him everywhere! I know this psalmist would agree that we are not to ‘build walls around the church.’

Our giving isn’t limited to church walls, our studying of Scripture isn’t limited to church walls, our prayers aren’t limited to church walls, and our witnessing/evangelism isn’t limited to the church walls. Because if our giving, praying, witnessing, and especially our worship is limited to these walls, then no wonder we may be lukewarm and half-hearted in our worship!

The implication of this verse is not that we need to limit our worship to the sanctuary, but rather when God’s people assemble together, this is what we are to do. When we “meet together” (Heb. 10:25), and when we devote our selves “to. . . teaching and the fellowship” (Acts 2:42), we are to lift God’s name on high! Because if we don’t proclaim that we are redeemed, worship as a result of our changed life and faith, and shout that we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” (1 Peter 2:9) and if we don’t worship, worship, worship, then what makes us different from any other gathering of people? That is the reality. If we do not praise God in His sanctuary, then we are no different from any other gathering of people.

www.brandonsdesk.com

Bro. Brandon

How should we respond to suffering?

1 Peter 3:8-18

"Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers, and be compassionate and humble, not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving blessing, since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing. For the one who wants to love life and to see good days must deep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, and he must turn away from evil and do what is good. He must seek peace and pursue it, because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their request. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil."
8-12

How often do we pay back evil for evil? The answer is, usually, as soon as we get the chance. When we are caught up in the moment, what is the first thing that we think about? Vengeance.
How often are we like-minded? How often are we sympathetic? How often do we love our fellow believers? How often are we compassionate and humble? The answer is not enough.

"And who will harm you if you are deeply committed to what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness, your are blessed. Do no fear what they fear or be disturbed, but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are accused, those who denounce your Christian life will be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil"
13-17

This is my favorite passage in the Bible. Mainly I love it because of two verses. "Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you." This says that we should always be ready to give a defense for your faith, for the Gospel, for your Hope in Christ. In order for this to happen, we have to show the hope that we have in Christ first, don't we. Yes, always be ready. But give people a reason to ask about your hope. "However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are accused, those who denounce your Christian life will be put to shame." When someone asks you a question about your faith, don't feel offended. Give your answer boldly, as well as gentle and show respect to the person you are talking to. People are always looking for us to mess up, and we will eventually. But how do you respond when you mess up. They will accuse you, they will denounce your Christian lifestyle. But the way we respond is how they can be put to shame.

"For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring you to God, after being put to death in the fleshly realm but made alive in the spiritual realm."
18

So, how should we respond to suffering, and persecution? By showing love, kindness, respect, and by following Jesus' example. If you do this, the people that cause your suffering, will be put to shame.

Bro. Michael

The Caution of a Soldier of God: Part 5

As we continue through the book of 2 Timothy we noticed a transition from characteristics of that soldier of God towards the trials and cautions for a soldier of God. In our first three studies we noticed these characteristics (Strong, Singled-Minded, Strict, Secure, and Sound of Faith). In last weeks study we learned one of the cautions of a Soldier of God is the "false believer." To learn more about these click here. This week we look at how God protects us from false believers.

This week let's take a look at 2 Timothy 3:10-17

10 But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, 11 along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from them all. 12 In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, 15 and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. - 2 Timothy 3:10-17

When you think of protection it's obvious that protection from God would far surpass anything anyone else could provide for you. However it is at times less obvious at times. Huh? Yes, when I protect you by pushing out of the road as a semi rushes by, that's obvious. But when God works throughout the day to ensure that you and that truck aren't at the same place at the same time we fail to see what God protects us from. God is always protecting us, even when you don't see it.

As you walk through life you'll probably encounter false believers. How will you know who to believe and who isn't filled with the spirit? Look at their fruit. What does their life show for Christ? In the latest sermon our pastor shared with us he told us that we have two doors before us in life. One that leads to God, His riches, eternal life, and salvation. Another that leads to earthly pleasure, our wants, worldly acceptance, death, and hell. Although we have security that when we accept Christ we are His no matter how badly we screw up, we should be grateful and live according to His Word. Live as if each decision you make has two options (God or the world).

Who will you live for?

Grounded in Christ,

Bro. Austin

Human Logic: The Wisdom of Man

Good afternoon! Over the next couple of Saturdays, we will discuss wisdom and logic. Today, we will talk about human wisdom, and then next Saturday, we will talk about the wisdom of God.  

Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. 

           When I’ve read this scripture in the past, I never really grasped what Paul was writing about. Sure, I understood verses 19-20 and verse 25, so I just assumed that those verses basically explained this whole section of scripture and continued reading without giving this section much thought. However, in lieu of the modern cries of “Christianity doesn’t make sense,” “Christianity is outdated,” “The Bible is correct, but we have to take into account the time and place it was written,” “It’s time to modernize the church,” and so on, I think we need to revisit this section of scripture.

            In verse 18, Paul writes “the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing.” In other words, according to this verse, those who think that the Bible isn’t the complete and inspired word of God are the perishing. Interestingly though, this part of the verse sets the stage for the whole rest of the chapter. In verse 19, Paul quotes a section of Isaiah 29 which basically states that God went out of his way to defy plain human logic in creating his plan. In verse 20, one can almost hear Paul saying (with a hint of sarcasm); “Where is the one who is wise? (he can’t logically explain this.) Where is the scribe? (he can’t logically explain this.) Where is the debater of this age? (even he can’t logically explain this) Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (1 Cor. 1:20 ESV)
 

God literally went out of his way to come up with a plan that doesn’t necessarily make sense by our limited sense of logic. 

“Okay,” says the skeptic “isn’t that what Paul wants people to think? If people think that the plan was meant to be illogical, they won’t question it as much.” And I feel that Paul would emphatically answer with a “Yes! That’s definitely one of the reasons why God created such an illogical and unexpected plan.”

God created such a plan because it relies on faith as its foundation. 

            From these specific verses, I believe that we can deduce that God created His plan for 3 reasons.

The first reason that God chose His plan, according to 1 Corinthians 1:21, is to bring true faith in as an absolute necessity for salvation. 

Sometimes the things in the Bible may not make sense by our own logic, but we see it that way because God meant for us to see it that way. God designed his plan to be unexpected and somewhat illogical because in doing so, He gave us no choice but to trust Him and have faith that His plan is true. It pleases God to save those who believe in that which others who use our limited, physical sense of logic to (incorrectly) deem to be “folly,” as we see in verses 21-24. 

The second reason God chose His plan is seen in verse 27. 

One reason he chose that which is rejected by the majority is so that no-one can say, or even think that we are saved by our own special methods. If one could (or believed he/she could) accurately determine the reasoning behind God’s plan, and someone truly did (or believed he/she did) have all the answers, that person could reasonably claim to personally know how to please God better than the rest of us.  

That individual might claim to understand God better than the rest of us and create a new, modified doctrine, and they could even claim it was supported by the Bible. The craziest thing is, that individual would have a seemingly logical reason for doing so. I can’t even imagine. 

The second and the third reasons go together; the third reason God chose His plan is ultimately so that “no human being might boast in the presence of God…”Let one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:29,31 ESV). 

God chose His plan because none of us can logically reason it out, and no-one can understand all of the answers to any question someone might have about it. We have no choice but to trust that God created man, that He prepared man to receive Jesus through the Old Testament, that He sent His only Son down from Heaven to die in the ultimate sacrifice, and that we must follow the Bible (and only the Bible) without doubt in order to enter into his spiritual kingdom, his church. 

By designing His plan in such an unexpected way, God ensured that faith, with a belief based solely in the Bible and in undeniable truth, is truly the only way to ever be a pleasing child of God. 

In Christian love,
Bro. Ethan


This post is the "short and sweet" version of a longer post I did on my own blog; there are many things which were not addressed here in order to save space. In order to see my post on this topic in its entirety, visit www.manofg.blogspot.com. Thanks!

You're a Phony!

Guess what? You're a phony. It's true. Don't worry, I won't tell. I won't tell anyone that you really aren't as spiritual as you appear to be. I won't mention those secret sins that haunt you,  those thoughts that no good Christian should be having. It'll be just between you and me... especially those words you screamed when the idiot pulled out in front of you.

We'll keep it a secret because... I'm a phony too.

We preacher types are good at it. We excel at it. We have perfected the art of hiding visible sins, preferring to wrestle with secret ones. We put on airs and smiles, talking all "preacherly" and pious when in your presence at church. We've got it down to a tee.

But deep down, we know we're phonies too. We find ourselves thinking things like, "What if those church members saw me right now?" "What if they could see inside my mind?" "If they knew the things I struggled with, they'd tar and feather me."

Personal confession time: two truths ring soundly in my life:

(1) I feel as if the things I preach are not the things I practice.

(2) I feel unworthy to deal with 95% of the situations I deal with as a pastor.

I'm a phony. What can I say? I'm not as good as I want to be. I'm not as spiritual as I should be. I'm not as holy as I should be.

What if I told you that the goal of the Christian faith is to quit being a phony, but not in the way you think?

What if the goal of the Christian faith isn't to get better, but to love the One who is better?

Let me say that again, but in bold text, because that makes me appear more spiritual and wise.

The goal of the Christian faith isn't to get better, but to love the One who is better.

You're a phony when you try to act in a way you're not. Stop it. Stop trying. It's not working. Some preacher will tell you to do more, try harder, or feel guiltier, but it won't do any good. The truth is you're never going to get better on your own.

That's why Jesus came. Let me share a verse with you.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. - 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

There's a ton of good stuff in that verse. Jesus was perfect. He was absolutely perfect. Why? The verse tells you. So that He can initiate a trade. Your sin for His righteousness. What a trade. Sort of one-sided, huh?

What this verse means for me is that I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. That's who I am. That's my identity. That defines me. Because of Christ, God sees me as completely and utterly righteous. Do you disagree? Are you angry? Confused? That's ok. Many preachers don't believe this either. But it's true. This is the Gospel.

So you don't have to be a phony. You don't have to be a phony because this thing isn't about you, anyway. Works didn't save you, so works won't sanctify you. The key to "getting better" is just to love the One who is better. The One who was perfect. The One who did all the work. Embrace this, and you'll find freedom. Reject this, and you'll continue down the road of legalism, moralism, and works-based slavery in which many unfortunate Christians are trapped.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. - John 15:5 (ESV)

Abide. Abide in Jesus. You'll bear fruit. This is the Gospel. This is Amazing Grace.

By His Grace,

Adam

The Secret to Missions Pt. 1

‘But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice & addressed them…’(Acts 2:14)

God honors obedience.  When Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, stood & delivered his sermon on the Day of Pentecost, he launched New Testament missions.    Three years earlier, he had heard the call to missions when Jesus said to him & Andrew, ‘Follow me, & I will make you become fishers of men’ (Mark 1:17).  Verse 18 tells us that they immediately followed.

The call to missions is still the same today.  God calls every Christian to be on mission for Him.  The Great Commission was not a command given to just the eleven disciples who were with Jesus that day, it is a command for all believers, in every generation.  At the heart of the Great Commission is this truth, ‘every Christian is a missionary & every sinner is a mission field.’

The secret of the mission that Peter had discovered was simple: availability & obedience.  We will look at the availability today & obedience next week.

Availability: When God calls us to be on mission for Him, He never asks us about our ability, but our availability.  If we go on mission & trust in our ability to accomplish the assigned task, we will fail.  We are to go where He sends us, trusting Him to take our abilities & use them for His glory.

Our availability should never be an issue when it comes to obeying Christ by being on mission.  When you trusted Christ for your salvation, at that moment, you surrendered & dedicated yourself to serve Jesus Christ throughout your entire life – in everything & through everything, no matter the cost.

While God calls some to a specific task or mission field, He has called each one of us to be on mission for Him right where we are – in our community, our home, at work, at school, where we do business, or wherever we go or in whatever we do throughout the day. 

Take some time to look at your relationship with Christ.  Are you making yourself available?  Are you eliminating distractions, so you can hear God clearly?  

I encourage you to spend some time with Jesus with Jesus today, if you haven't already.  Make yourself available to Him.

Only by His grace,

Bro. Eric