I Would Not Have You to Be Ignorant

The Love of the Truth

God says repeatedly in His word that He "would not have us to be ignorant" (Romans 1:13, 11:25; I Corinthians 10:1, 12:1; II Corinthians 1:8, 2:11; I Thessalonians 4:13; II Peter 3:8).  Yet many times we allow ourselves to be willfully ignorant by picking & choosing what we will accept as truth from God's word.  We even do so with regard to the very character of God, divorcing from Him those attributes which make us uncomfortable.  As is often said, "There is none so blind as one who will not see."

We cannot love God without loving the (whole) truth, for He is Truth.  The love of the truth is what will protect believers from end time deceptions to which even God will turn some over (II Thessalonians 2:10-11).

Authentic Spirituality

Jewish Evangelism is the Ultimate Test of the Church

"I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy." Romans 11:11

Sometimes, Christians act as if faith in Jesus Christ was something that was just spontaneously birthed one day whose end is simply the individual salvation of our souls.  Yet Christianity it is the product of a purposeful history - as well as part of a prophetic future - which is yet unfolding today.

We have spoken before about who Israel is, yet how many times do we stop to consider God's masterful plan of the ages and the role which we have in it?  Do we understand that we have been engrafted into a spiritual heritage which makes us partakers of the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12-13)?

I dare to say that there is not much about "the Church" which would give undeniable & unshakeable testimony to the heart of the Jewish people that such is the reflection of the One, True God.   Yet this should not be...according to the Scriptures.

If the life of God is not so evident in the Church that it moves the Jew to jealousy, then why not?

Occupy Till I Come

"For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him." Luke 19:26

I often feel like I am sitting as a stranger in this world, watching events unfold like one would watch a movie on the big screen.  The very fabric of the world's "reality" is in itself unreal.  The systems of the world are all built upon lies, the atmosphere is one of fantasy, and even the truths of this world are merely attempts at manipulation.   And yet, there are those who are invested completely in this madness, caught up in it, believing in it, and even fighting for it.

"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." John 18:36

All around the world there are growing pockets of civil unrest.  In the U.S. a particular movement called "Occupy" is gaining momentum as people protest in the streets about economic inequity, banking fraud, and overall disenchantment with the current power structure.

occupy: to take possession and control of a place, as by military invasion; to be a resident or tenant of; dwell in.

While the objectives of those in this group seem disparate, one overall theme is that they all seem interested in saving the world or restoring the American Dream.  How do they aim to do this?  So far, by "occupying" public places to make their demands known.  Yet as I read about the activities of this movement, I couldn't help but think of Luke Chapter 19.

"...Occupy till I come." Luke 19:13b

Was Jesus urging Christians to take to the streets, championing our political banners & causes so that our voices will be heard by the ruling elite?  There are even those who preach a false "Gospel of the Kingdom" with its "Kingdom Living" principles stating how we must take the "Kingdom Now" as defined by Christians taking over the systems of this world before Jesus can return.  Yet, we know that this is not true for when Jesus returns, the world will be as Sodom and as Gomorrah (Luke 17:28-30); we can see that now as we look around us...and it will get worse until Jesus comes.  Further, unlike the systems of this world, the Kingdom of God is not temporal and shall never pass away.  God's word is clear that the Kingdom to which Jesus referred is not of this world.

So what did Jesus mean when He told us to "occupy"?  Certainly the Church is to represent Christ in an evil world, preaching the Gospel in order to advance the Kingdom of God.  However, we must also "occupy" on an individual level; working out our salvation with fear and trembling.

The Congregation, The Club, and The Church

Below is a message from Pastor Zac Poonen's church from a conference called "New Wine in New Windeskins".  The full listing of messages may be found on their video page.

The Congregation, The Club, and The Church

• The old wineskin is like layers of an onion.  This can deceive many into thinking they have reached new wineskin, while they have actually simply been through a few layers of the old wineskin.
• The new wineskin is a narrow way.
• The joy set before Jesus - which propelled Him to the death of the cross - was the joy of being in submission to the Father's commands because He loved the Father (John 14:30-31; Hebrews 12:2).
• The love for the Father must come first in our lives if we are to love others and lay our lives down for them.  
• All Christian work (including the building of His church) must come from a love for the Father for that is what allows us to hear His commands and obey Him. 

Letters of Second, Third John and Jude

The Greek word Apotosia comes from the root word
Apostasion meaning "divorce."  Those who
fall into apostasy are divorced from God.

Earnestly Contend for the Faith

Recently, I was asked a pretty straightforward question...so I thought.  Someone asked if their sister - who had been a practicing lesbian until her death - could possibly be in Heaven, because she was also a professing Christian.

Other "Christians" had told her: "We cannot know another person's heart"..."We cannot know who might go to Heaven until the judgment"..."Jesus paid the debt for all of our sins and our righteousness is in Him alone, not ourselves."  "Once we are saved we are always saved, so that person is surely in Heaven."..."Everybody sins; that doesn't mean we are no longer saved."...Remember, salvation is not of works."  

I told her that - unless this person repented of their sin and turned in faith to Christ before dieing - then no, such cannot enter the Kingdom of God.

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." I Corinthians 6:9-10

When this person shared my response with the other "Christians", they told her that I was being "too dogmatic" and no one could say for sure whether homosexuals/lesbians make it into Heaven. 

dogmatic: forcibly asserted as if authoritative and unchallengeable.

Let me ask you something.  If we cannot stand unwavering, unchallengeable, and with authority on what God explicitly states in His word, then why are we claiming to belong to Him?

First Letter of John

God is Light & Love

The following notes are from Pastor Zac Poonen's sermon on 1 John.

• John wrote all of his letters just a few years before he died and these writings reflect the perspective of a mature Christian.
• What's important in 1 John is not only what he says, but what he doesn't say.  He says nothing on church government, the pattern of fellowship, speaking in tongues, healing, prosperity...  
• The theme of the letter is that God is light and love.  These are the two eternal realities.
• Practically for us that means life and fellowship; if you love one another you will have fellowship.
• The life of God - a life of purity, humility, love, and goodness - should be in you.  Everything else we can obtain is a waste of time.
• If we have church meetings, organized service, preaching, etc. but don't have true fellowship, then we have missed the main thing and are wasting time.
• Even in a Christian home, the most important thing is that the life of God is in the husband, wife, and children and that there is fellowship.
• Humility is the ground from which all of these other things can grow.  Our calling is to humble ourselves.
• We can be friendly to all, but are only called to fellowship with those who also have the life of God within.
• The cross is the means by which we come to fellowship with God first, and then each other; there is no fellowship with it.