How to Enjoy Your Liberty Without Causing Offense

Enjoy Your Liberty Without Causing Offense

© 2024 C. O Bishop

1st Corinthians 10:30-33; 11:1, 2

30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:

33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

1st Corinthians 11:1, 2

1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

Introduction:

Last week we addressed a specific problem that (as a rule) we do not face in our culture: “Foods sacrificed to Idols.” But it opened the general subject of living with our liberty, but avoiding causing others to “stumble” or sin.

The issue of the idols is a rather blatant example of a case where our liberty could be a real problem for someone else. But it served as a springboard to other such examples, and the general subject of “If I have all this liberty, but can’t use it, then what good is it?”

30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

Paul asks why he should be accused, regarding something in which he enjoyed full freedom. That is a good question, and it is one we may ask in our hearts as well.

Example in Nature

I read a rather sad story, years ago, in which a brooding hen was given a clutch of duck eggs to incubate and hatch. She succeeded in hatching them all, and she was a wonderful mother to the strange-looking “chicks” which (of course) were actually ducklings.

All went well until she happened to walk near the pond. The ducklings all plunged into the pond and began paddling around in the water. The mother hen was frantic, of course, because her “chicks” had no business swimming!

The ducklings had perfect freedom to swim: they were created to do so. But the hen could not understand that. People who have not yet grasped the reality of their liberty in Christ are alarmed to see Christians doing a thing that they feel must be wrong (because someone told them it was.)

The believer has seen in the scriptures that he or she is free: Believers can eat anything, and they know their food cannot defile them. In Mark 7:15, Jesus said, “There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.”

Paul pointed out that all things were “lawful” to him (he had no dietary restrictions under God’s rule,) but not all things were expedient. (Yes, you can eat the meat of a puffer fish, but it truly is not a good idea: Many people have died, in an attempt to sample that delicacy, as most of the flesh of the puffer fish contains a deadly poison.)

Does it Glorify God?

The bottom line for us as believers is “Does it glorify God?”

Years ago, an older man was telling me how a particular televangelist was persuading people to give heavily to his ministry: He was financing a huge new church building, and he told his radio and television audiences, “If you send me $500, I will send you a brick with your name on it: And, I’ll put another one, just like it, in my new building!”

Stop and think what the motivation had to be: Their motive for giving was to get their name embossed in a brick in that building! They wanted to exalt their own name. (Or, possibly worse, they may have thought that identifying themselves with that evangelist would somehow draw them “closer to God!”)

I was uncomfortable with the story, and I told the man, “That seems repugnant to me!” He replied, “But the bottom line, Chet, is that it works!” I did not want to argue with him as he was old enough to be my dad, so I walked away…but after a minute or so it came to me: The bottom line is not “it works!” the bottom line is, “Does it Glorify God?”

That particular televangelist was caught in multiple acts of flagrant immorality just a few years later. I could not help wondering how his followers felt after the truth of his sin was in the open.

When Might My Liberty Not Glorify God?

This entire passage addresses this specific question: Last week we mentioned that we no longer use wine in Communion, because we found that we were causing some members to stumble because they were recovering alcoholics, and were afraid that embracing the “liberty” to drink the communion wine would cause them to fail in their commitment to sobriety.

Did we have the “liberty” to continue using wine in celebrating the Lord’s Table? Of course, we did! But would it have glorified God for us to ignore the fear and the need in another brother or sister’s life so that we could “enjoy our liberty?” My conviction is that it would not!

Three Groups

32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:

Notice that Paul lists three groups of humans that we should consider in our desire to Glorify God and to avoid causing others to stumble:

  • The Jews
  • The Gentiles
  • The Church of God.

There Once Were Only Two

Before Jesus died and was resurrected, there existed two main groups on earth: Jews and non-Jews, whom the Jews called “Gentiles.” (The word means “heathen.”)

Paul still referred to those two groups in Romans 1:16, when he said “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

In John 10:16, Jesus said, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”

When Jesus died for the sins of the world, He began something new: In Ephesians 2:14, 15, Paul reminds us, saying, “14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

But Now There Are Three!

Jesus mentioned this third group only vaguely, as a mysterious truth. The John 10:16 comment is one such mention. The Jews must have wondered, “Who are the Other Sheep?”

But, in Matthew 16:18, He made the famous promise, “Upon this Rock  I will build My Church, and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.” (Jesus referred to the Bedrock [Greek, “petra”] of the truth of His Deity, not the movable stone [Greek, “petros”], who was Peter)

Notice that both comments Jesus made were future tense. He intended (future) to go and bring those “other sheep.” He promised (future) to build His Church. Paul addresses these three groups in this passage in 1st Corinthians.  In the past, remember, there were believers and unbelievers within both of the people groups, but it was not so easy to define:

Who Is The Real Believer?

The Pharisees thought they were the “real believers,” because of their extreme religiosity. The Sadducees thought they were the “real believers,” because they philosophized about God’s Word and did not take it literally. They thought their “wisdom” exceeded that of the people who just believed what God said. They thought they could see “what He truly meant!” (We have folks like that, today, too! They think that we, who believe that “the Bible is to be taken literally” are poor, deluded, unsophisticated fools. That’s OK! Paul accepted that label, and so did the other apostles.)

But, while Jesus was on earth, we saw that the Pharisees and the Sadducees, along with the Religious authorities, were the primary enemies who aligned themselves against Him. Jesus taught that the Word of God meant exactly what it said, He pointed out both the extreme folly of the Sadducees and the extreme hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the priests. (They hated that, too!)

So, they continued to persecute Him, until He went to the Cross. It is important to remember that Jesus said, in John 10:17, 18, that no one was “taking” His life, but that He would lay down His life of His own will, and He would also take it up again. His death, in every detail, fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies.

The Result Of The Cross

And, in Ephesians, we saw that, in laying down His life in that way, he abolished the division between the Jews and Gentiles by fulfilling all the demands of the Law and by creating one NEW man, the Church, within which all the believers from both of the earlier two divisions (Jew and Gentile) would be joined in peace.

When we share in the Lord’s Table, we underscore that unity: we confess that “His Blood was shed for ME!” We acknowledge that (one and all) our salvation is dependent upon the finished work of Jesus Christ at the Cross. We state our dependence upon His Death, His Burial, and His Resurrection. And, we declare our confidence that He is coming again (soon, we hope!)

The Effect of Unity

Knowing the humility of our position in Christ, that we have done nothing to earn it, we also reach out in humility to those around us. We are truly beggars who have been fed, and who now are eager to tell other beggars where to find that food.

In our new role as ambassadors for Christ, it becomes increasingly important to us that we not cause people to turn away from Jesus through our bumbling errors in behavior. We do not want anyone to be offended by our behavior. So we use our liberty wisely. As children of the Most High God, we are more inclined to “sit upon our rights,” in gentleness and humility than we are to “stand upon them” in arrogance and self-will.

His Sacrifice Is FOR Us All, Offered By Himself

When we share in the Lord’s Table it is vital that we remember our position in Christ and that every single truth of that new position in Him was bought by the sacrifice HE offered, of His body and blood. We do not offer this sacrifice: He offered it, Himself, on our behalf.

I once heard a priest declare, regarding communion, “We are offering this sacrifice, and Jesus is our victim!” But, Jesus said “No man takes my life from Me. I lay it down of my own will.” That priest was teaching blasphemy! Jesus is not a victim. He is the Sovereign God who created all things, and who determined, in His own foreknowledge, that He would be the Lamb slain, from the foundation of the World.

That is who we proclaim in the preaching of the Cross, and in the sharing of Communion. And that is why we desire to live in such a way as to offer His grace to others without offense.

Lord Jesus, convict our hearts of the need for unity and the need for an outpouring of Grace from our lives to the World around us. Draw us closer to your side through Your Spirit and Your Word.

The Old Fashioned Way (1914 Hymn)

“The Old-Fashioned Way”

by Civilla D, Martin 1914

They call me old-fa­shioned be­cause I be­lieve
That the Bi­ble is God’s ho­ly Word,
That Je­sus, who lived among men long ago,
Is divine, and the Christ of God.

Refrain

My sin was old-fa­shioned,
My guilt was old-fa­shioned,
God’s love was old-fa­shioned, I know;
And the way I was saved was the old-fa­shioned way,
Through the blood that makes whit­er than snow.

Old-fashioned, be­cause I be­lieve and ac­cept
Only what has been spok­en from Heav’n;
Old-fashioned be­cause at the cross I was saved,
At the cross had my sins for­giv’n.

Refrain

Old-fashioned, be­cause I am bound to do right,
To walk in the straight nar­row way;
Because I have giv­en my whole life to God,
Old-fashioned be­cause I pray.

Refrain

Old-fashioned, be­cause I am look­ing above
To Je­sus, my glo­ri­fied Lord;
Because I be­lieve He is com­ing again,
Fulfilling His Holy Word.

Refrain

I Can Relate to ALL of These Words!

I guess this labels me an Old Fashioned Christian, going to an Old Fashioned Church, reading an Old Fashioned Bible, singing Old Fashioned Hymns!

And, That’s OK by me!

Last Thoughts on Marriage: Marriage In Troubled Times

Last Thoughts: Marriage In Troubled Times

© 2024 C. O. Bishop

1st Corinthians 7:25-30

25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. 26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be. 27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you. 29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; 31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

1st Corinthians 7:31-40

32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. 34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. 36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. 38 So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

Introduction: What is Paul saying about Marriage, here?

We always want to compare scripture with scripture; We saw earlier that God ordained marriage in Genesis 2:24. God blesses it still today, (Hebrews 13:4. ) We also see that it is a picture of the relationship between Christ and the Church, in Ephesians 5:31, 32. In fact, in verse two of this same chapter, Paul said “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have  his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” Paul already gave full approval!

So, then, why does it seem that Paul now suggests that “believers are better off to stay single?” Is that even the point of the context?

Notice that, in verse 26, Paul prefaces the entire following passage with the phrase, “…this is good for the present distress…” (WHAT “present distress?” What does he mean?)

Temporary Distress Can Temporarily Change our Priorities.

When all is well in a transoceanic flight, the passengers may care about which in-flight meal they are to receive. They may be slightly concerned with what in-flight video is offered. But if an engine seems to be failing, no one cares about the “comfort” issues for the moment! They are only concerned with survival. For the immediate future, their priorities have changed!

In Matthew 24:19 Jesus said that a time will come , during the great tribulation, when to be pregnant or to be a nursing mother will be a very dangerous thing. The “present distress” of that time will be the trauma of the Great Tribulation.

The “present distress” in Corinth (at that time) was that the Temple of Aphrodite was the center of their civilization. It was on the highest peak of the city, and it dominated the skyline from any part of the city. At that time, (according to Encyclopedia Britannica,) it boasted a staff of 10,000 temple prostitutes, both male and female. It attracted people from all over . It was almost certainly a “trading house” for every kind of disease, as well as the gross immorality involved.

How Did This Become Such a Problem?

There was a very narrow, low isthmus at Corinth, between the Aegean Sea and the Adriatic Sea. They used teams of Oxen to hauil ships out on log rollers. It was cheaper and safer to drag ships across the isthmus than to sail around the coast. So, most trading ships stopped there, just for economy and safety in their travels.

And, naturally, their crews often took a port-liberty while the ship was being transported across the neck of land. Sailors from all over the known world came up from the port area, walking through the city to approach the Temple of Aphrodite and everything it entailed. Whatever diseases they brought with them were also spread there in Corinth, to be passed along to anyone else who practiced this sin.

This was the depraved society into which the fledgling church at Corinth had been born. There, in the midst of them, was the biggest “house of ill repute” in history, and it enjoyed the full approval of everyone except these born-again children of God.

They had become outcasts within their own society, but Paul did NOT tell them to “pack up and leave town:” Paul told them to live holy lives, separated from the wickedness of the world.

So, then, within the context of that situation, we address the continued question about marriage.

Under What Circumstances Might Marriage Be a “Bad Idea?”

Paul suggests that under the circumstances the Corinthian believers were enduring, marriage might be a questionable option. In a culture so soaked in immorality and (probably) sexually transmitted diseases, how likely are you to find a “safe” marriage prospect? And how likely is your spouse to share your desire to live for the Lord?

Paul has already shown that, in general, marriage is a good idea, because it provides a moral, legal, and safe outlet for normal, God-given human desires. And in other places, as we said earlier, he confirms that marriage was God’s plan before sin entered the world. It was and is a holy gift from a Holy God.

But, he now says that because of the corruption of the human race, we need to think carefully before we plunge into marriage. He hastens to tell us that, regardless of the “present distress” it is not a sin to marry. He warns, though, that it will not be an easy life: There will be heartaches and hazards, along the way.

In What Way Does Marriage Change Our Walk with God?

In my case, marriage has absolutely enhanced my walk with God. My wife is my very best friend and companion and my very best help in all things, including my spiritual life.

However, I remember that when we were first married, in August of 1981, there was a sharp economic downturn, nationwide, and I lost my job, along with millions of others. Had I been single, “footloose, and fancy-free,” as they used to say, I could have drifted across the country looking for work, and probably I would have suffered little stress. I would have said, “The Lord is faithful! He will provide!” (And it was true!)

However, as a new husband, with a lovely young wife expecting our first child, I failed to think “The Lord is Faithful! He will supply!” I felt that it was my responsibility to care for my wife and child and to earn the money for their upkeep. And I was failing to trust the Lord.

I was not “cheerfully waiting on the Lord, while actively seeking work.” I was actively seeking work, and obsessing over where I could earn money for our groceries and housing. My first waking thought. every morning, and my last waking thought, every night, was “What can I do to earn some money?!”

My Focus Had Changed!

I was not resting in Christ at all! Now, was that Ann’s fault? Of course, not! I had allowed my focus to become redirected to my own strength instead of God’s supply. That was my fault, no one else’s! But the context was that of a newlywed couple in a harsh economy. I was distracted by the rigors of unemployment and my unrelenting responsibility.

Keep in mind that God has assigned that responsibility! He does hold me accountable for how I care for my family! But He also says, “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!” He says, “Be anxious for nothing, but, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God; and the Peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

And I was totally missing the mark by ignoring those promises. I had no peace because I was not willing to trust God for the needs of my family. I chose to think that my responsibility somehow negated God’s promises.

Don’t Allow Marriage Or The World To Alter Your Relationship With Christ

Verses 29-31 tell us that married or unmarried, in joy or tragedy, in business or in pleasure of any kind, we are not to allow circumstances or relationships to interfere with our walk with God. This is one reason he later says to not be “unequally yoked” together with unbelievers.

But verses 32-35 tell us that the whole issue is about being distracted and weighed down by our cares. Paul says God desires that we be able to avoid unnecessary distractions.

He admits that there may come a time when, despite the circumstances, marriage is a wise choice, to avoid other issues; A man may begin to behave inappropriately toward a young woman to whom he is attracted. That may be a “red flag” that he probably should marry her, rather than continuing to court disaster.

What About a Widow?

Paul says a widow is “freed” from her husband. He says she is free to remarry, provided the new man is also a believer. But Paul concludes that his personal opinion is that she will be happier in the long run if she can learn to live cheerfully without a husband.

Why? Because she has been “set free” from what may or may not have been a profitable relationship, and she may find, given a little time, that she feels happier and freer alone. This is certainly true if the alternative is to marry someone who will not treat her as Christ treats the Church (See Ephesians 5:26.)

So…Is This “Just Paul’s Opinion?” Or Is It God’s Word?

Some teachers insist that passages such as this (along with 1st Corinthians 7:10-12) are “not authoritative.” They teach that “this was just Paul’s opinion.”

I choose to believe when God said, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (2nd Timothy 3:16, 17) that He meant “ALL!

It is just fine for God to give “Law” in some areas, “Guidance” in other areas, and “Full freedom of choice” in others.

But if there are portions of the scripture that are truly not His Word, then I am in trouble, as it means I will have to either declare myself to be the arbiter of what “is or is not His inspired Word,  or I will have to find someone else who claims to have that wisdom. (I know I do not possess inerrant wisdom. My experience and God’s Word both tell me that other humans are not reliable, either.) Ultimately, I am forced to make a choice: Believe God, or believe someone else!

I choose to believe what God says. It is God’s Word!

He tells us what the issues were in Corinth, and why “sometimes” marriage may not be a safe bet. But sexual sin is always wrong! So, he has given us a set of choices and tells us that, while it is not a sin to marry, a Godly Single Life might be a better plan in some cases. Paul outlined the “Pros and Cons,” but he leaves the choice up to us.

God Leaves Us With Choices, Too!

Throughout the scriptures, God gave commands, some to specific people, some to all believers. But He also taught principles for living: He gave solid, wise counsel by which we can make good choices, and have better lives for having made those good choices. Finally, He gave each person a choice: You can heed His counsel or ignore it.

He offers Salvation to all: Eternal life, based on the simple choice of Believing His Promise or rejecting it. You can either believe Him or not.

To all who have chosen to believe His promise, and who have received His gift of eternal life, He still offers a choice: walk with Him in obedience; or fail to do so. To those who choose to serve Him, He adds reward to their redemption. All those who follow His advice invariably find it to be wise and good.

He has told us the consequences of our bad choices. God warned us from the very beginning that Sin results in death. He allowed Adam to make a choice that affected the entire human race.

Your choices will not be as earthshaking as Adam’s choice was. But your choices will have consequences, for good or evil. And He leaves those choices to you!

Lord Jesus, help us to learn from Your Word: Help us to make Godly choices, so as to honor You with our lives and thus to have Your Blessing.

How Important is Unity? And Why is it so Important?

How Important is Unity? And Why is it so Important?

© 2023 C. O. Bishop

1st Corinthians 1:9-17

9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.

16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Introduction:

We already saw the backstory of the church at Corinth, and how it came about that Paul had arrived there with a new determination to preach the straight, unadorned Message of the Cross.

As we saw earlier, virtually all of the teaching in both Corinthian Epistles is corrective in nature. That is at least partly because of the extremely corrupt environment in which the Corinthian believers lived, This next segment, verses 9-17, addresses the first of those corrective teachings.

Disunity

Disunity, division, and heresies (which means to “pull apart”) can come from a variety of sources, but they always stem from the same root. We behave by nature as self-centered sinners. We easily turn our resentment or jealousy or bitterness toward those around us. Any little fault, (whether real or imagined, and whether doctrinal or behavioral) in any other individual, then becomes grounds for our criticism and rejection of the other person.

In John 13:34, 35 Jesus gave the “Prime Directive” regarding our relationships with one another. He commanded us to “love one another.” It amazes me that we do not see this tendency toward rejection, self-serving criticism, and judgmental thoughts or behavior as direct disobedience to that Primary Commandment.

But we seldom see ourselves in the light of God’s Word. We constantly compare ourselves to others. If we think we are superior to others, we will become smug and vain. If we think that we are inferior to others, we may become depressed and bitter. We may even become convinced that “God does not love me as much as He does them.” Do you see how that quickly became an accusation against God?

Disunity can have Different Outward Forms

Doctrine

Paul addresses doctrinal unity first. He wanted the people to stop bickering over minor things, and learn to be at peace. (How do I know it was “minor things?” In Ephesians 4:3-7, Paul gave seven “unities” that are the core issues. That’s one reason: Those “unities” pretty much have to be there. In the second place, the things he mentioned next were very much “peripheral issues.”)

Historically, the church has split over ridiculously minor issues: (the color of the carpet, which side of the room the piano is on…or whether to even allow a piano… etc.) The unbelieving world laughs to see our silly, sinful infighting, and concludes that our message is a lie!

“Personality Preferences”

Paul next addressed the issues of “respect of persons, and favoritism.” He said that a particular group of believers had shared with him that schisms and “cliques” were forming at Corinth, based on “who claimed who as their mentor,” etc.

Paul saw that the “issue” that was currently causing division in Corinth was, “Whose team are YOU on? Who is YOUR mentor and teacher?” They each said things such as “I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.”

People do that today, too, clinging to some specific teacher (or to a denomination, which is already contrary to God’s will.) He warns us right here that the divisions are not good. We can see that whole churches and denominations have split over such “personality cults.”

Some people completely forsake assembling themselves together with other believers. Why? Because they choose to listen to some teacher on the radio or television at that time, instead. (That is not a good excuse: today it is possible to go online and listen to such teachers at any time, day or night. Listening to your “favorite televangelist” does not force you to disobey the command of God. (Hebrews 10:25—“forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.”)

Respect of Persons

Next, apart from that sort of “low-energy” disunity, there is the foundational issue of “Who is our Master?” To whom do I owe loyalty and obedience? It is not primarily to Paul, or Apollos, or any other human leader: it is primarily to the Person of Jesus Christ. Paul asked these rhetorical questions. The implied answer in every case is, “NO!

  1. Is Christ Divided? (No!)
  2. Was Paul crucified for you? (No!)
  3. Were you baptized in the name of Paul? (No!)

Jesus is not divided. And the “One Body of Christ seen in 1st Corinthians 12:13 is all believers everywhere, as pointed out in verse 2. Therefore, we also should not be divided.

Is there Conflict in Authority?

Does our commitment to the authority of Christ diminish our submission to one another? No! it increases it, as we are commanded in Ephesians 5:21 to “submit yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” This is a little like asking a soldier, “To whom did you swear your oath of allegiance?” He will reply that it was “to the US Constitution!” Does that mean he does not have to obey his immediate supervisor? No! In fact, unless his supervisors clearly abandon obedience to their joint commitment to the Constitution, then he must obey those duly sworn and commissioned officers.

God has set up authorities in all of our lives, all under His supreme authority. In general, we are not free to see ourselves as “Lone Ranger” Christians. Ephesians 3:10 reveals that, God says that His eternal plan is to demonstrate His own righteousness to the Angelic Host in Heaven, through the Church as a whole. His work is always in keeping with His eternal plan. He has chosen to glorify Himself through the behavior of the Church as a whole. And we can fail to cooperate!

So, Who Baptized Who?

It is interesting to read the names of the people Paul listed as the few he baptized. Paul called Crispus and Gaius by name. Crispus would be important to the Corinthian believers because he had been the chief ruler of their Synagogue (before he became a believer and lost that position.) Paul baptized him.

Gaius, however, was not from that town at all—we see him in the next chapter of Acts, serving with Paul at Ephesus, and, in Acts 20, we find out that Gaius was from Derbe. But he was a co-laborer with Paul, and he was known to Paul’s audience. Paul baptized him, too.

In verse 16, (almost as an afterthought,) Paul remembered that he had also baptized the household of Stephanas. But this one verse and again in chapter 16 are the only two places Stephanas was mentioned. 

So, Who was Stephanas?

They knew who he was: 1st Corinthians 16:15-18 says,15I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) 16That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth. 17I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. 18For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.

Submitacknowledge”…Those are words with which we are not necessarily comfortable. But both require that we set aside self and look at our fellow-servants through God’s eyes.

And … Who Cares?

Paul concluded that, if there were others whom he had baptized, he had simply forgotten them. (That allows us to see the degree of importance Paul attached to water baptism.) But the main point here, is that there was no special value to having been baptized, or led to Christ, or having been trained by “someone special.” (I have known people who knew J. Vernon McGee personally and used to attend his church. That is certainly a privilege, but they did not hold it up as something that set them apart from other believers.)

In 1st Corinthians 3:5-9, Paul will return to this issue, regarding “who is who:”

5Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers (Servants!) by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: (They are in unity!) and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9For we are labourers together with God: (Remember Philippians 2:13!) ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

Why was Paul “Unconcerned” About Who He May have Baptized?

Many missionaries today keep careful records of “who they baptized” and, especially, “how many.” I have even known missionaries whose primary “claim to fame” was how many church buildings they built. If that truly is what God sent them to do, then they are blessed for doing His Will. But it raises some questions in my mind:

Paul said the reason he was unconcerned about “who and how many,” is that baptism was not his primary assignment! He said, 17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”

Paul even set aside the robes of his “superior education.” He saw it as a potential detriment to the assigned goal of winning souls for Christ.

So, Paul claimed that his primary assignment was to preach the Gospel. The Great Commission teaches that our primary job is to preach the Gospel. All the Epistles underscore our assignment as ambassadors of Christ. So, how likely is it that someone truly has a totally different assignment? What chance is there that God has “changed His mind” about the job He assigned us all to do?

But, What about Unity? Why is it So Important?

Go back to the first “correction” Paul addressed: He begged them to practice Unity, in doctrine and in action. Looking back at the Gospels, we see that Jesus gave three ways by which the World is to Judge the Church:

  1. Agapé Love: In John 13:34, 35. He said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; As I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love, one to another.”
  2. Unity: In John 17:21 Jesus said, “ That they all may be One; as thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be One in us: that the World may believe that thou hast sent me.
  3. Good Works: In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus said,  “Ye are the light of the World. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”

God-Ordained Priorities

God ordained these three things by which the World is to judge the Church. Perhaps we need to especially concern ourselves with those three, as all three affect our testimony as believers in Christ.

How do we get along with other believers? Do we go out of our way to treat them with Agapé Love? Do we seek ways to find common ground, or are we constantly stressing the differences between us and other believers? Remember that the World is watching!

Ephesians 4:3 tells us to “endeavor to maintain the Unity of the Spirit, in the bond of Peace.” God created that unity. We need to find ways to maintain it!

Lord Jesus, please help us to recognize the seeds of disunity and root them out before they can grow to cause broken fellowship. Help us to see opportunities to serve one another with Your Agapé Love. Modify our behavior to consistently reflect your Grace, so that our behavior lights the way for others and brings Glory to You.

The Question of Religion, You, Me, and Jesus Christ

Religion, You, Me, and Jesus Christ

© 2023 by Randy Olsen

Passages Cited, in the Order Used:

Romans 5:1-4; Acts 25:19; Acts 26:5; Amos 5:21; Amos 8:10; Acts 17:22-23; Colossians 2:16; Hebrews 10:11; James 1:26, 27; 2nd Peter 3:15; 2nd Peter 3:9; 1st Peter 3:15-16.

Introduction:

As we find our way through this rapidly changing world, what we knew as reality, 20 or 30 years ago, is vastly different today. Let’s face it: ten years ago, the landscape we faced in our everyday society was foreign to what we see today. (Remember that I am communicating this to you from the viewpoint of a grey-haired, slightly past middle-aged man.)

Think about what we see on a daily basis. There are more tents along our highways and even on city sidewalks than we have in our forest parks! The State of Oregon, (and, in particular, the City of Portland) has made it legal to use hard narcotics right on our city streets. It is no wonder that the young people of today are having problems getting the footholds in today’s society, that most of us were able to attain at the same age.

Old vs. New

Many of us were born and raised in Northwest Oregon, where, as teenagers and younger, we picked strawberries and other crops for summer employment. This is how we purchased our school clothes for the next year. I’m not sure precisely what today’s employment laws are, but I know, today, a pair of Levi’s jeans can cost $50 or $60, and they already have holes in them!

So, I have said all this to show compassion for the “twenty-somethings” of today, and when they show up in church, my heart goes out to them immediately.

What Else has Changed?

I have been lucky enough to have received 98% of my Bible teaching at True Hope Christian Fellowship. I have been to a few other churches, where I was always greeted by a charming and charismatic person, and they were always polite and “bubbly.”

Then, after we sang some songs, I waited for the teaching; but it never materialized! We were told of the great expansion of their church buildings, or how they were saving money to send a few lucky individuals to the Holy Land. But never about spreading the Gospel. I can look back, now, and see that we were not being taught the words of Christ, but rather, how to be a prosperous member of their congregation.

What was Missing?

Christ calls on each of us to be people of strong and upright character, regardless of our financial status. We are to put our faith in the Grace of God. In Romans 5:1-4, Paul tells us this: 1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Now, by “sufferings,” does he necessarily mean “suffering physical pain?” I don’t think so: He is referring to the trials and issues we deal with in everyday life. I believe we come out the other side stronger for it all.

Brothers and sisters, I do not mean to use this time to give “my life’s testimony.” But, my life is the best example I know of someone starting as an adult, and so completely ignorant of God. So there will be a reference or two of my experience. Please bear with me.

What About “Religion?”

I actually began this study, months ago, to better understand the word “Religion, and how it was used, Biblically. There is no word used in the Old Testament, that actually means “religion.” In the New Testament, as I read the NIV, there are five occurrences of the English word, religion.

The Latin root of the English word, “religion” is “religare” which means “to hold back” or “to restrain.” (What are we being held back from?)

In Greek, the root word is “threskeia” meaning “an outward expression of spiritual devotion.”

How is the Word used?

The word first appears in Acts 25:19 where Festus used the word describing to King Agrippa the accusations against Paul, and again in Acts 26:5, where Paul was defending himself before Festus and King Agrippa. He used the word, describing himself as an upstanding member of the Pharisees (prior to his conversion,) giving credibility to his testimony concerning Jesus Christ.

There are three more occurrences of the word Religion: all have reference to simple worship, and they are mostly in the NIV.

And What About “being Religious?

My study became much more interesting when I moved my focus from “Religion” to “Religious.” Again, in the Old Testament, the KJV does not include a single use of the word. NIV has two, both in the Book of Amos. Both times, God was reprimanding Israel, for idol worship, ultimately. Amos 5:21 reads, “I hate, I despise your religious festivals. Your assemblies are a stench to me!” And Amos 8:10 says, “I will turn your religious festivals into mourning, and all of your singing into weeping. I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads.”

Now, through all of the Old Testament, we came to know that sackcloth and shaved heads were not signs of joy. (And idol worship does not sit well with God, ever!)

How was this Word used?

In Acts 17, Paul was brought before the Areopagus council in Athens. The “powers that be” in Athens, viewed Paul as nothing more than a babbler, advocating foreign gods and strange ideas. In Acts 17:22, 23, addressed the council, saying, “People of Athens, I see that in every way, you are very religious (KJV says “too superstitious”), for, as I walked around, and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I found an altar with this inscription: ‘To an unknown god.’ So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship.

Paul went on to tell them that the One True God (who is Jesus) makes Himself available to them, but that they must come to know Him as such: The One True God. Paul tried to delineate between truth and superstition. Some of his audience believed, but most just sneered.

There are four more occurrences of the word “religious” in the NIV. You can find them in Colossians 2:16, Hebrews 10:11, and James 1:26, 27. All are in reference to unnecessary actions during festivals and rituals of repetitious prayers to gain attention.

God’s Call

Our Lord calls us to use His Word as a blueprint for our lives and families. Not all of us came to Christ at an early age: I had 40 years to learn how to be self-reliant, self-serving, and really proud of all that I was.

Our Lord is very patient with all of us. 2nd Peter 3:15 says, “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.

Just how patient He is, is spelled out in the KJV, in 2nd Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, (to each of us) not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

What Changes Should Occur?

Brothers and sisters, Our Lord is never going to change. He is the same today as He was yesterday, and the same as He will be tomorrow. In order for us to experience the true measure of the Love He has for us, it is you and I who need to fit into His mold, not the other way around.

We all have differing testimonies as to how we came to faith, but I am lucky enough to know at what moment it took place. And, like all of you, I was made to be a new creation, having a new character, and a very new eternity!

What Makes the Change?

I came across a quote by Oswald Chambers, saying, “It is not the Baptism of the Holy Ghost which changes men, but the power of the Ascended Christ coming into men’s lives by the Holy Ghost, that changes them.” (AMEN!)

Let’s think about that for just a moment: We have the power of Jesus Christ in us. Obviously we cannot perform miracles or walk on water, but we can communicate with the Almighty God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

In the course of my study, I came across a statement by J. Vernon McGee: He told of a pastor friend who said, “When I came to Christ, I lost my religion!” (I agree!) I have seen, many times, that when a person labels someone else as “religious,” he himself has no faith.

What’s the Difference?

We are all well aware of our Lord’s command to share the Gospel. Maybe we could use the discussion about “religion” as a springboard to the Gospel, and explain what it means to have a personal relationship with Christ.

1st Peter 3:15, 16 tells us, “But in your hearts, revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

Verse 15 says to share the message with “gentleness and respect,” not with a bunch of screaming or yelling, such as we may see on some platforms, or on television. Not all people are going to respond to the Good News in the same way. Evangelism is a process. It may be a different process for each person to be reached. That process may take five minutes, five days, or five years. The end result is worth it!

What is at Risk?

I recently lost a close family member…a cousin with whom I was very close. I had made several attempts to lead him to a discussion of eternal security. No matter what my lead-in was, his response was the same: He would tell me he believed in God, he believed in Jesus, and he even attended midnight mass a few times on Christmas Eve.

But if I asked him about a personal relationship with Christ, he would raise his hand, and start talking about his favorite sports team, of the week, or last year’s elk hunt, which are both good topics, but they do not remove you from your sins. I continue to have a weight on my shoulders, not knowing whether Steve will be waiting for me in Heaven.

What can be Gained?

I have a friend with whom I have spent countless hours and days, after more than 50 years of friendship. After losing my cousin, I was determined to know whether Dan knew Christ in an intimate manner. Dan is a Catholic, as was Steve. He and I speak of God often, but up until this time, we had never spoken of eternal security.

So, one day, when we were cutting firewood, I asked him directly, “Do you have Jesus, leading you to heaven?” He looked at me with a blank look on his face, and finally replied, “Randy, Jesus is all I’ve got! What else is there??” We both wept, and hugged one another.

I have read that “Religion is Man’s search for God, and the Gospel is God’s search for man.” That statement is one reason why, when someone asks me “what religion I am,” I respond that “I have no religion! I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!” I explain that I have put my faith in the Savior of the Bible. HE is the reason I attend Wednesday Bible Study, and Sunday morning service. HE is the reason I am standing in front of you now…(with my blood pressure way too high!)

What is the Result?

Almost all of you know that Cheryl, my wife, has terminal cancer. We have “put all our eggs in One Basket,” Jesus Christ! Yes, we still see a lot of doctors, but she nearly died from their answer to the cancer. I made them quit. They argued, but I refused to allow them to continue the chemotherapy and radiation. Those treatments work great for some, but for her, it took six weeks in the hospital to recover from the treatments.

Yes, she still has the cancer, and it is growing, but she is alive and at home. Had she continued the chemotherapy, she would not have recovered. Her oncologist is amazed at how well she is doing. She is alive, and we are together! The Oncologist knows what part we want him to play, and he is good with it.

You who are sitting in front of me now are a huge part of my therapy! I would not do well without you. Many times I have walked through the doors of this building, and it is almost as though I can smell Love! I nearly always arrive early, because I know I have some burdens to shed, before I go before the Lord. I know that greeting my brothers and sisters in Christ is so much sweeter after I have “had a drink of Jesus!”

Who is the Master?

As I go on with my words, some of you may think I am “really a godly man.” Far from it! I am very, very human. My choices have led me to some really dark places. Believe me when I tell you, “I have seen the pit!” But, for some reason, unbeknownst to me, Christ reached out and plucked me from oblivion. And this was many years before I even knew that I needed Jesus Christ! But I can look back now, and see it for what it was. He had a place, in His will, where He wanted me: and I found it! At least for right now, He wants me at True Hope Christian Fellowship.

Channel Markers

God will give you “channel markers” to follow in your life. Just as you would follow such markers when navigating a river, in a boat, you should follow His leading. If you look, you will find them in the scriptures. But as I have found, you will not “absorb them through osmosis.”

You must be in the Word, to find your way! You must follow the light of Christ, and learn to skip over the pitfalls that the enemy sets for you. The Word of God will give you inspiration in times when your life seems empty. It will give you solace and comfort when your world seems full of bitterness and pain. God’s Word gives us a place to gather as His children, and in the Love that is the Person of Jesus Christ.

One last thing: Just as Peter did (and as I have done today,) “Get out of the boat, and keep your eyes on Christ!”

Thank you all!

God’s Preservation of the Saints

How Does God “Preserve His Saints?”

© 2023 C. O. Bishop

1st Thessalonians 5:23-28

23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

25 Brethren, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.

27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Introduction:

This passage gives seven precious doctrinal points:

  1. GOD is the one who sanctifies us, in every sense of the word.
  2. We have a Body, a Soul, and a Spirit, and all three are to “preserved blameless” by God unto the Lord’s return.
  3. Again, the Faithful God who calls us is the One who will bring all these things to fruition.
  4. We are called to consistent prayer for one another.
  5. We are called to true fellowship with one another (holy brethren, holy kiss …as opposed to Judas’s treacherous greeting to Jesus.)
  6. We are Called to Be in the Word.
  7. We are called to be the daily partakers in the Grace of God.

The God of Peace, Who Sanctifies Us

Who is the God of Peace? Romans 5:1 says we gained peace with God, the moment we trusted in His saving sacrifice. Also, Jesus promised Peace to His followers…the Peace of God.

John 14:27 says “Peace I leave with you; My Peace I give unto you. Not as the World giveth, give I unto you, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 16:33 says “These things I have spoken unto you that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the World.”

The Peace of God

And in Philippians 4:6-9 we see how to experience the Peace of God:

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

The God of Peace who is “With us”

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

So, when Paul prays that the God of Peace would “wholly sanctify” the believers, he refers to the same “God of Peace” whom he said would “be with us,” in Philippians 4:9. And there were conditions attached, in the Philippians promise. If you want to experience the Peace of God, you need to walk with Him, in fellowship with Him, “pulling in double harness with Him.” He listed several conditions:

  1. Don’t be anxious
  2. Pray about everything, with thanksgiving
  3. Take seriously the list of things upon which we are to think, instead of worrying.
  4. DO the things God has taught you to do, and those which you have learned from (and seen in) other believers.

AND: The God of Peace shall be with you!

How Does God Sanctify Believers?

That is also the way that God sanctifies you. (Sanctified means “set apart for God’s use): As you walk with Him, he gradually builds into your life a practical holiness, so that in a very practical way, you are becoming more and more clearly “His personal property” and “set aside for His personal use.

Some people attempt to use this passage to teach that believers can eradicate their sin nature, and no longer be subject to temptation, as they have become “wholly sanctified.” That is false teaching. We are constantly surrounded by the enemy’s attempts to render us fruitless. Paul was constantly on guard, knowing (1st Corinthians 9:27) that it was possible that after he had taught others, he himself could become a “castaway” … having suffered a “shipwreck” of his faith (1st Timothy 1:19). (He did not fear losing his salvation. That is not a possibility. But it was entirely possible that he could become fruitless, through a collapse into sin.)

Body, Soul, and Spirit

All three of these terms are frequently used in regard to our natural humanity. To begin with, all humans have a body, a soul and a spirit. And, as believers, we have a promise that our bodies will be resurrected, intact. Our souls will live forever with God, and our Spirits will be forever in fellowship with Him, in eternity.

Do I really understand the difference between the “soul” and the “spirit?” Not really, no! I know that the Greek word, “psuke” is translated “soul,” usually, and that it is where we get our words “psyche, psychology, psychosomatic, and psychotic.” It apparently has to do with the seat of emotions, and feelings and basic thought.

The Greek word for “spirit” is “pneuma,” and it is where we get out words, “pneumologist, and pneumonia.” It literally means “breath.” But it evidently refers to the portion of humans which was originally capable of fellowship with God, in Adam and Eve. That fellowship was broken by sin, of course, and humans effectively are born with a “broken communicator.” We are born spiritually dead, apart from God’s Grace to reconnect us. He offers that Grace in the Person of Jesus, at the Cross.

All Preserved Blameless?

The body of every single person (excluding of the Rapture of the Church) will die, and decay, and return into the dust of the earth, one way or another.

The soul of every human is eternal, and will either stand with Jesus as part of the Body of Christ, or stand before Him for final judgment, at the Great White Throne.

The spirits of all humans are eternal…but some will spend eternity with Him, and others will spend eternity apart from Him.

All will be resurrected: some to eternal Judgment, some to Eternal Joy. The judgment of those who have placed their trust in Jesus’s Blood at the Cross, was completely fulfilled at the Cross. Jesus died as our representative. Therefore, God sees our sins as having been fully judged at the Cross. As a result, He sees us only in Christ.

This is how God can say that our spirit, soul, and body will be preserved blameless until the return of Christ. In 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18 we saw the resurrection of the righteous dead, and the transformation of the living believers at the Rapture of the Church. Consequently, every single Church-age believer will be raised eternally at that point.

The Faithful God

“Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.”

1st Peter 4:19 says,  “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of our souls to Him, in well doing, as unto a Faithful Creator.”

Psalm 37:3 says, “Trust in the LORD and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.”

Who are we to trust? The LORD, in the Old Testament, whom we find to be the Jesus of the New Testament. (In Hebrews, and in the Gospel of John, we discovered that Jesus is the Creator! In John 5:22 we saw that Jesus is the Eternal Judge of all the Earth!)

He is the one who calls us to walk with Him and to “pull in double harness” with Him. He is the faithful Creator! And He is the one who will bring all these promises to fruition. There is nothing I can do to “improve” upon His promise.

We are Called to Consistent Prayer

In the previous passage (1st Thessalonians 5:17) God says “pray without ceasing.” In Ephesians 6:18, 19 we see Prayer listed as the seventh piece of the armor of God. We are told to:

  • Pray always,
  • With all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
  • Watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication,
  • For all the believers

(Lots of use of the word “All,” there!) And in verse 19, the Apostle Paul requested prayer for himself that he would be given the ability to boldly preach the Mystery of the Gospel. Paul needed Prayer! And we are commanded in no uncertain terms to give ourselves to the practice of consistent prayer for one another, in all things, at all times. Especially pray for your leaders, as they will especially be under attack by the enemy.

We are Called to True Fellowship With One Another

Remember how Judas greeted Jesus with a kiss in the Garden of Gethsemane: Still today, we call it a “Judas-kiss,” when someone pretends to be a friend, but in reality is betraying their victim to an enemy. Kissing has been a standard greeting of a dear friend, for thousands of years in many cultures. In others that is not the case, unless it is a family member.

In our culture, kissing is reserved for familial relations, as a general rule, but the Old Believers of the Russian communities, here in the United States, still practice this “holy kiss” as a matter of normal obedience to scripture.

To the average American believer, a handshake is considered normal. In fact, that was also recognized in scripture, as the Apostles offered the “right hand of fellowship” to Paul and Barnabas in Galatians 2:9.

Acceptance in the Beloved

The core issue is sincere acceptance of one another, as we have been fully accepted by God. Ephesians 1:6 says that we have been fully accepted by God, in the Beloved. God sees us only in Christ, and in Him, we are fully accepted.

Accept one another on the same basis! Are we still flawed individuals who irritate one another with our idiosyncrasies? Certainly we are! That is why He commands us to “forbear one another in Love.Accept the flaws, weaknesses, and idiosyncrasies of those around you and love them for the sake of the Gospel of Christ.

We are Called to Be in the Word!

Verse 27 seven gives us a command! 27I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. That is a command! (And it even includes the illiterate. The literate were commanded to read the Word to the illiterate, or, possibly simply to a congregation at large.) Either way, we cannot escape the fact that feeding on God’s Word is normal behavior for all believers! In fact, this is where our walk with God will live or die! We need to feed on His Word!

We are Called to Be Daily Partakers in the Grace of God

This is not the “Saving Grace,” by which we entered into Christ: this is the “Living Grace,” by which we learn to walk with Him, and learn to endure hard circumstances. For example, when Paul suffered from some malady (probably with his eyes) he petitioned God three times to heal it (whatever it was.) And then God told him to drop it! (Stop asking! The answer is no!) He said, “My Grace is sufficient for thee!” (2nd Corinthians 12:9)

We have a hard time with that, but that Grace is what enables us to walk with Jesus at all. This is not some “special Grace” that only Paul got! It is what we depend upon for every breath! Lamentations 3:22 says, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” In this age, we call it the Grace of God. Grace means “unearned favor.” Unmerited favor. I have not earned special treatment form God. When He gives it, it is Grace. And when we face hard trials, we depend upon His Grace to sustain us.

This is How God Preserves His Saints.

We need to learn to walk with Him, daily spending time in His Word and in Prayer, and seeking His face in our daily lives. He is the One who accomplishes His Will in our lives. Philippians 2:13 says “For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

God will preserve you until the end of time. Trust in Him once for all for salvation. Trust in Him daily for Grace by which to live, and enjoy His Service!

Lord Jesus, please teach us to walk closely with You, and to experience Your Grace for living, every day, as we learn to look to You at all times, for direction, sustenance, and strength.

The Resurrection of Jesus

The Resurrection of Jesus

And, the Effect on His Followers

© 2023 C. O. Bishop

Matthew 27:57-28:10; Mark 15:42-16:12; Luke 23:50-24:37; John 20:1-18;

Introduction

We have already read about the crucifixion and the death of the Lord. As many of you know, I have a strong tendency to “take apart the machine, and label the parts” as opposed to showing the use of the machine…and what the machine can do.

Last week we talked about all the facts of the crucifixion. We deliberately avoided the tendency to sensationalize all the physical and emotional effects of the crucifixion. I was tempted to do the same with the Resurrection, but I realized two things:

  1. It is much more difficult to lay out the exact chronological order of the historical facts of the Resurrection.
  2. The Effects of the Resurrection, because of the Facts of the Resurrection are where we need to focus our attention, today.

The Facts of the Resurrection:

In brief, the facts are that:

  • After Jesus died, two men, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, asked Pilate’s leave to take away and bury Jesus’s body. Pilate was amazed that Jesus was already dead. He asked the Centurion to verify, and the answer was “Yes,” that Jesus had died, before the soldiers broke the legs of the other crucified men. (They did so to make them die quickly: the Jews did not want the screams of the dying men to spoil their holiday services!)
  • Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus in fine linen cloth, saturated with Myrrh and Aloe resins. These resins smelled good, and with the cloth, hardened into a shell. They were short on time, so did not complete the process. The Passover Sabbath was about to begin.
  • Not all Sabbaths are on Saturday. This one was a Thursday, beginning at sundown Wednesday night. But there was another Sabbath on Saturday, as usual, so it was an “inconvenient” time to deal with a dead body.
  • The Priests got permission from Pilate to seal the tomb. They set a guard of Roman Soldiers to keep anyone from stealing the body and claiming it had been “resurrected.”
  • Three nights and three days later, (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday “nights;” Thursday, Friday and Saturday “days,”…a total of three days and three nights, fulfilling the prophecy of Jesus) Some women came to the tomb before daylight. (This was still during Saturday night) And, they found that the tomb was already empty!
  • Angels involved themselves at several levels. It is difficult to sort out, because there were at least two angels involved, but each of the accounts speaks from a different perspective. John’s account focused only on Mary Magdalene’s experience, and only one angel: the other gospels spell out that there were other women involved, and at least two angels. The four Gospel accounts do not disagree, but they interweave to cover the whole account.

The Effects of the Resurrection:

The immediate effects of the Resurrection were as follows:

  • The Roman Soldiers initially passed out at the sight of the Angel who rolled the stone away and sat on it. Then they apparently fled. (They did not see that the tomb was already empty…empty before the angel rolled the Stone away.)
  • The women, including Mary, were astounded to find the body of Jesus had gone missing.
  • Mary, apparently the youngest, ran back to where the apostles were hiding, and she told them that “someone has taken the Lord’s body away, and we don’t know where it is.”
  • The other women were still there, though, and an angel appeared to them, saying that Jesus was alive, and that they should go tell His disciples to meet Him in Galilee.
  • The women headed back to tell the story, but Jesus met them on the road, in person, and told them not to fear, but to tell His disciples to meet Him in Galilee.
  • Meanwhile, two of Jesus’s disciples, Cleopas and another, had headed down to Emmaus, still not knowing that Jesus was alive.
  • And, Peter and John had run to the tomb, and found that the tomb was truly empty, just as Mary said. John stood outside, looking in. Peter barged right in, and got a closer look at the facts: the linen cloth that had covered Jesus’s face was folded and set aside. The rest of the graveclothes were undisturbed, but empty. John believed the Lord was alive, but Peter was still in doubt.
  • Mary had also gone back to the empty tomb, evidently arriving after the two men. But after they had left, she stayed there. She had been devastated by the loss of the Lord, and especially now, by the apparent desecration of His tomb. She was standing there crying when she heard a voice saying, “Woman, why weepest thou? Whom sleekest thou?” She thought it was the groundskeeper, and she said, “Sir, if you have taken Him somewhere, tell me where you laid Him and I will take Him away.
  • Jesus then called her by name, “Mary!” and she spun around to see His face, saying “Rabboni!” It meant “My Master!” This was the closest relational title of endearment that a disciple could give to their teacher and master.
  • Jesus warned her not to cling to Him, as He had not yet ascended to the Father. He instructed her to go and tell the others that He was ascending, and she did so.
  • Jesus appeared to Peter, by himself, and dealt with him, restoring Peter’s peace.
  • Jesus appeared to the disciples on the way to Emmaus, and He taught them, and they ran back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples.
  • While they were relating their experience to the others in the upper room, Jesus appeared (late Sunday evening) to the eleven disciples there.
  • Jesus spent some time there, that evening, confirming their faith and establishing their security in the fact of the resurrection.
  • Over the next forty days, He taught the disciples and prepared them for His final exit from this world.
  • He ascended ten days before Pentecost and left them waiting for the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

The Effect on Us, as Believers, today:

Our faith cannot be in a personal experience of “seeing the resurrection.” No one but the Lord saw that happen. They all saw only the effects. We are called to place our faith in the fact of the Resurrection, and look to God to bring the full effect of the Resurrection to bear on our lives.

Paul says that if the Resurrection is not a fact, then “of all peoples, we are most to be pitied,” because it would mean that our faith was vain, and futile and that we are serving a dead man, who is powerless to save.

But the Resurrection is a fact, and we can see that fact in the transformed lives of the disciples. They went from being terrified, defeated men and women, hiding in fear that they would be crucified as well, to being fearless preachers of the Gospel, who rejoiced at the privilege of suffering for the sake of His Name. People don’t do that for something they know to be a lie! They did it because He had changed their lives as the Resurrected Lord, not just as a dead man whom they once loved and still desired to honor.

Down through History, millions have done the same, entrusting their eternal souls to the One who has the Power of Eternal Life. We who have believed His Promises have seen our own lives changed as well, to one degree or another. We hunger to know Him more closely and to see that change happening in increasing power, as He continues His work in us.

We can see in Romans 1:4 and in Ephesians 1:20 that the Resurrection was “God the Father’s final ‘Stamp of Approval,’” declaring that Jesus truly is the Savior He claimed to be. He truly is God in the Flesh: the One Chosen Sacrifice who takes away the Sin of the World.

The Effect on us, Personally

Because Jesus truly is Resurrected, we can look for and confidently expect His presence to be manifested in our daily lives. We engage with Him on a personal level, not just theoretically, or in our imaginations. He wants us to deal with Him as personally as Mary Magdalene did, there in the Garden of the Tomb. He wants us to be as thrilled by His presence as were the disciples on the road to Emmaus, who, when they finally recognized Him, ran the seven miles uphill, back to Jerusalem, to tell the other disciples.

(Did you get that? They were thrilled by the Resurrection, and “Ran to Tell!”)  You see, that is to be our response, as well. We need to seek His face until He becomes all that thrills our souls, and our strongest desire is to go tell that news to anyone who will listen!

Because He is Risen, we have Eternal Life guaranteed to us. He has declared us righteous on the basis of His completed work at the Cross, and our faith in Him. He has promised that we will be with Him and like Him throughout eternity.

In Ephesians 2:6, He says that we have already been resurrected with Jesus. He says that we are already seated in the throne with Him. (It is difficult to grasp, but there it is!) He says that He has already given to us Eternal Life and that we “Shall Never Perish!”

All of the “positional truths” in Ephesians 1:3-14 also became true of you, the day you placed your trust in Jesus’s Blood at the Cross. According to 1st Corinthians 12:13, you were placed in Him by the Holy Spirit: that positionin Him” means that all the “positional truths” now apply to you!

So, What ARE those “Positional truths?”

(Reading from Ephesians 1:3-14, we see at least fifteen of them!)

  1. God has already blessed you with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, in Christ.
  2. You were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.
  3. You are holy and blameless before him, in His Love.
  4. You are predestined to be recognized as a full heir of God.
  5. You are predestined to fulfill the good pleasure of His will.
  6. You are predestined to be to the praise of the Glory of His Grace.
  7. You are already accepted in the beloved (Christ).
  8. You already have been redeemed, through His blood.
  9. You already have full forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His Grace.
  10. God has already abundantly blessed you in His wisdom and prudence.
  11. He has made known unto you the mystery of His will…one piece at a time.
  12. Your inheritance in Him is secure.
  13. You will eternally be to His glory and praise.
  14. Your position in Him is sealed by the Holy Spirit.
  15. The indwelling Holy Spirit is the “down payment” (earnest) of the rest of the glorious inheritance promised to you. You are absolutely secure in Christ because He says so, and because the Holy Spirit is your guide, your guard, and your seal until the redemption of the purchased possession.

All of these truths apply to you as a believer, whether or not you are consciously aware of them at any given time, and whether or not you are even presently walking with Him! These truths are all applied to you because of your position in Christ.

And all of them are true, only because …He is Risen!

Lord Jesus, transform our lives by Your presence, by Your Holy Spirit, and by Your Written Word, applied to our lives. Make us the Men and Women of God you have called us to be. Fill us with the Joy of Your Resurrection, and lead us to walk with you in the newness of Life.

Keeping it Simple

Remember the Simplicity of the Gospel         

Acts 17:15-18:11; 1st Corinthians 2:1, 2; 1:17

Introduction:

Sometimes we seek to add grace to our words through dramatic wording and affected intonation. We philosophize and reason, persuading men of the logical necessity of God’s existence…when God makes no such plea himself. We think of slick presentations, sneaky ways to “slip the gospel in there, sideways”, and clever answers to give to common remarks.

We conjure up dramatic stories, or we recite real accounts from the news, re-cast into spiritual terms. We forward tear-jerker items from the internet. We pray for “opportunity” to come and knock down our door, while we are fearful to tap at the door of those in need.

I think it is important that we remember the simplicity of the gospel, and preach it that way—simply. The results may not be dramatic, but they will be honest—no one will be convinced by the cleverness of our words, but rather by the truth of God’s Word, and the conviction brought by the Holy Spirit.

Two examples in scripture—one negative and one positive:

Paul had arrived in Athens after a VERY rough time in Philippi, and thereafter, in Thessalonica and Berea. He was undoubtedly still in a good deal of pain from the beatings he had received a few weeks earlier, in Philippi, as well as perhaps distressed at being run out of several towns in a row, and now being separated from his traveling companions.

But Paul did not hesitate, or “take a sabbatical”—he went about his standard practice of meeting with those in the local synagogue and telling them about Jesus. (I am quite sure I would have “taken a break”.)

Preaching in Athens

He also would share with folks in the “Agora”—the marketplace, since that was a normal place to discuss things of interest and importance. Here in Athens, the local philosophers (specifically two groups: one group given to seeking pleasure, another in the other “ditch”, denying self, but claiming self-sufficiency) overheard the various conversations and asked him to make a public address. They hustled him up to Mars Hill, the Areopagus, and put him on the spot, so to speak.

Sermon on Mars’ Hill:

Paul responded as one perhaps ought to, in speaking to those given to philosophy—he gave them a message based on philosophic thought. It was true, but it “arrived” at the truth, rather than simply stating it. He approached them from the point of view that there were things in their world that they could not understand, and that he was the messenger of “the God of creation,” whose ways are past understanding.

That was well and good, and this short sermon has been long regarded by teachers of homiletics as a brilliant example of extemporaneous preaching. (Perhaps it really is.) But let’s look at Paul’s sermon, the results thereof, and Paul’s response to those results. That will be “example one.” Then let us look at the message he preached in the next town, (“example two”) and see what differences there were.

Read Acts17:15-18:11

 Notice that it was not Paul’s idea to “take the floor”, so to speak, at the Areopagus. He was taken there by those who said they wanted to hear…but their interest waned when it turned out he was speaking of spiritual reality. Both groups of philosophers avoided such reality…one group, called the “Epicureans” denied the possibility of “finding truth by reason” (they are partly right), and they devoted themselves to having fun; enjoying pleasure. The others; the “Stoics”, were very works-centered, self-centered, and proud of their self-repression, yet they claimed the self-sufficiency of Man. (Seems we still have a lot of both of these sort of folk today.)

When Paul began speaking he spoke in philosophic terms—they were probably quite pleased to hear his first few paragraphs. But then (as the saying goes,) he “quit preachin’ and went to meddlin’”. When he touched on the subject of the resurrection, they immediately lost interest. Some just got a good laugh, mocking him, while others, a little more polite, said they would “hear him again” sometime.

Key transition:

Notice that the next verse does not say, “but Paul departed…” as if he left despite their interest. It says “So Paul departed from among them”. Perhaps he only said, “Skip it!” and went back to the synagogue. We aren’t told. But we are told, in the next verse, “after these things Paul departed from Athens.”

Paul saw that the spiritual climate there was very cold…so he left. A few did believe, but not enough to begin a church, evidently—there is never a mention of his having founded a church in Athens. One way or another, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

Starting Over In Corinth

In Corinth (“example two”), he gamely began again, teaching and preaching in the synagogues, to both Jews and believing Greeks. He did so every week, up until Silas and Timothy had caught up and joined him there. Then he really “pressed home” the central point of his message, that Jesus is the Messiah: the Christ.

At this confrontation, most of the Jews became stirred up, and they turned against him. Paul immediately stated that he had done his duty by them, and would waste no more time on them, but rather, would concentrate on reaching the Gentiles. He moved next door, literally, to the house of a man named Justus, and, amazingly, the head Rabbi from the synagogue followed him, as well as his whole household. They believed the message!

So…What was the message? Philosophy? “Good times coming?” The Resurrection?

I don’t know all the details, but the central message was the person of Christ, and Him Crucified. How do I know? Read 1st Corinthians 2:1, 2 … Paul underscores the difference—he says “I came not to you with excellency of speech or with wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Christ and Him Crucified.”

What a change! Why would he drop all the philosophy of Athens, and center on the simplicity of the Gospel in Corinth? I believe he looked at the apathetic results in Athens, and he didn’t want it to ever happen again. He specifically states (Read 1st Corinthians 1:17) that he was sent to preach the Gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ be made of none effect.” Is that a possible result of preaching? Can I make the Cross of none effect? (Evidently so!)

We need to re-think our ideas about sharing the Gospel. Perhaps we need to think of the simplest ways we can tell someone about Jesus, instead of the “slickest.” (This is not “salesmanship.”)

What is the Gospel?

Paul states the Gospel in simplest form in 1st Corinthians 15:3, 4; “…how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” The death, the burial, and the resurrection of Christ as full payment for our sins, and the fact that all of it was the fulfillment of specific prophecies is as simple a message as we can make it.

But we tend to look for ways to “dress up” the message, draw pretty “word pictures,” and find slick sales techniques by which to “slip the Gospel to someone surreptitiously”…not to confront. Paul set a pretty clear example here; he confronted. So did Jesus, in John 3:3—he minced no words, speaking to Nicodemus: “You must be born again!” Again in John 14:6; “No man cometh unto the Father but by me…”

Can’t we take those examples to heart? Can’t we deliberately look for the simplest ways to lead people to the Savior? It would make our lives much easier, and purify our message as well. We are not to leave out any of the central points of the Gospel, but we are not to embroider it, either. We are to be direct, and kind, but firm in the truth.

Pat James, was stopped on the street, once, by the unbelieving son of an (apparently) unbelieving man who had recently died. He asked whether Pat believed his dad had “gone to a better place.”

Pat shocked him by replying very bluntly, “It doesn’t make a bit of difference what I think… what matters is the truth. And I only know one place to find that kind of truth—it’s God’s Word, the Bible! And the Word of God makes it very clear that there are only two possibilities once we leave this world. And the determining factor as to where we go is “What did we do with Jesus?” I can’t tell you for sure where your Dad is…but I can tell you for sure what God says about the issue.” The young man was taken aback, and said “Whoa!…That’s really heavy!” He stared off into the distance and finally said, “I’m going to want to talk with you some more about this sometime…”

Now—did he ever come back for more? I don’t know. But Pat did not give him false hopes—he very bluntly told him the truth, without condemnation. And he offered hope. That’s all we can do, too. Look for opportunities to tell people about Jesus, His sacrificial death for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection. If you want to include the second coming, that’s fine…but believing the message of the Cross is what saves—not having a “hope for heaven.”

Preach the Cross. Preach Christ and Him Crucified. Preach Salvation. Preach Truth.

Don’t worry about the results. Just make sure that what you preach is the real Gospel!

What else can we learn from Paul’s example?

  1. He knew that his primary reason for existence was being an ambassador for Christ. If I have something else that I consider to be more important than my service to Christ, then my priorities are wrong. It’s just that simple!
  2. He let nothing deter him from being that ambassador. Not personal rejection, political pressure, or physical discomfort. If I am willing to “fall down on the job” because it isn’t easy, then I am unfaithful and unreliable. Period. (And I have failed many times!)
  3. He was teachable—he learned from experience. Even though Paul was taught personally, by Revelation from Jesus, he was not blind to learning opportunities. I need to be alert to those learning opportunities as well.
  4. He knew when to quit preaching and move on. You can’t feed people who aren’t hungry. When you can see that a person is not interested, share with someone else. That sounds cold, but it follows the example of both Paul and Jesus.

If we can each learn at least these four lessons from Paul, it should transform our experience as Christians. Please consider what might occur if you truly saw your “assigned task” in life to be an ambassador for Christ twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. (You are, by the way: 2nd Corinthians 5:20 “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ…”)

What might change, if you made that your primary concern in life, and let nothing turn you from that single task?

If you aren’t receptive to those first two lessons, the other two simply don’t matter. Whether you are “teachable,” and whether you “know when to move on,” are irrelevant questions, if you are not first committed to the tasks of evangelism and discipleship.

I pray that God will use His Word to change each of our hearts.

Lord Jesus, teach our hearts to have the right priorities: strengthen our desire to serve You faithfully as Your Ambassadors.