7-30-2022 Sound Doctrine

II Timothy 4:1-5

Finished reading Paul’s second letter to his son in Christ, Timothy, and Father pointed out verses two and three in chapter four, specifically.  Now, Paul also reminds Timothy of some faithful brothers but he also mentions some ‘brothers’ who weren’t so faithful.

In the first two verses Paul reminds Timothy that Jesus will judge ALL men when the time comes, then he encourages Timothy to be true in all that he has learned about Christ.  Always.  He encourages Timothy to correct, rebuke and encourage others while being patient as the Holy Ghost works in their lives.

Now comes the hammer!  We should be faithful and true in all that we do because the time is coming when men will not listen to the sound doctrine of our Lord.  They will seek after their own desires.  They will seek teachers to teach them what they want to hear!  They will no longer listen to the truth but listen to fables.

Seek their own desires

Scripture does say a man who doesn’t take care of his own house or family has not been doing what God says  and is not worthy of our trust.  He is even worse than an unbeliever (I Tim. 5:8)!  He needs to have his own house in order before he can do anything else (I Tim 3:5) for anybody else. 

Look at the world around us.  Since the 1960’s we’ve been encourage to be our ‘own man (woman)’.  We’ve been encouraged to ‘do our own thing’.  The focus has been on ‘me’!  What’s good for me?  What works for me?  What’s in it for me?  Me!  Me!  Me! 

For these next three categories think Jim Jones who was the leader of the “People’s Temple” and who created Jonestown in Guyana (South America) where @900 people died by either suicide or murder after killing U.S. congressman and investigator Leo Ryan in 1978.  Or David Koresh who was the leader of the “Branch Davidians” noted for their mass suicide at the siege at Waco 1993. 

People were pulled in by some smooth talking preachers who knew how to manipulate a people hungry for something better.  These preachers sought their own desires (to be #1) and the people who followed them didn’t seek God but rather something that sounded good.  They never bothered to check with God for the truth!

Teachers to teach what we want to hear

Our enemy (Satan) uses people to draw us away from God.  He entices us with half-truths.  He tried it with Jesus as Jesus fasted in the wilderness after His baptism by John the Baptist.  Jesus fasted for forty days, being tempted by the devil (Luke 4:2) and the tempter said “If you’re the Son of God, command these stones to be made bread.”  Jesus replied “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:1-4)  What did Jesus say to the officials who asked him to hush the people as He entered Jerusalem?  Jesus replied “I tell you that if these people should hold their peace, these stones would immediately cry out!” (Luke19:37-40) 

Again the devil tempted Jesus atop from a pinnacle of the temple.  “If you’re the Son of God, throw yourself off for it is written that God has charged His angels for your safety so you don’t hurt even your foot.”  Jesus responded “It is written that you shall not tempt the Lord, your God. (Matt. 4:5-7) 

And finally the devil takes Jesus to a high mountain and shows Him all the kingdoms of the land and all their glory and then says “I’ll give You all this if You just fall down and worship me.” (Mat. 4:8-9) and Jesus answered “Get away from Me Satan, for it is written ‘you shall worship the Lord your God and you shall serve only Him.” (Matt. 4:10) 

Jesus is Emmanuel (God with us).  He, the Father and the Holy Ghost are one, so of course He knew what the devil was up to and how to respond to him. 

Today we have the scriptures (the bible) informing us how to respond to the devil’s temptations. We need to read and know it so we can, as Jesus did, respond appropriately to the devils entrapments.  We need to renew our minds daily so WE can know what is good and acceptable to our heavenly Father (Rom. 2:2).

Reject sound doctrine

Satan operated like this from the beginning.  Remember Eve in the garden?  God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and devil for they would surely die (Gen. 2:16-17). 

Our sin separates us from God so He will not hear us (Isa. 2:2).  If we haven’t confessed Jesus (as Savior) with our mouth and believed in our heart that God (the Father) raised Him from the dead (Rom. 10:9), we are still in our sins separated from God.  So, did Adam and Eve physically drop dead as soon as they ate the fruit?  No!  The bible doesn’t tell us how old Eve was when she died die but Adam was 930 when he died (Gen. 5:6).  After all, they had to populate a world by having more sons and daughters (Gen. 5:4 – referencing Adam’s children, not Seth’s).  Didn’t they? 

The immediate death was not physical but a separation from the Father as they were expelled from the garden in Eden (Gen. 3:23-24).  Though physical death lingered, it did come to Adam and Eve – and all humanity.     

Sound doctrine is important.  As Christians we believe Jesus shed His blood on the cross cleansing us from all our sin (1 John 1:7).   So, if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain (1 Corinth. 5:14) and there is no hope for the resurrection of the dead.  BUT, we have the testimony of the empty grave (Matt. 38:1-20) that Jesus is risen and is, even now, interceding for us (1 John 2:2) so we can be with Him – forever.  In John’s letter, the Greek word for ‘propitiation’ is hilasmos’ (G2434) which means atonement or expiator which is one who atones or pays the penalty for another.  In this is our hope and promise of eternal existence with God, the Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  And that is our sound doctrine!  

Yes, there is evil all around us.  So we need to be aware of what’s going on and endure and press through those negative things that come upon us, and continue to do the work God has given us (vs 5).  Knowing that our eternity is secure because we have relationship with our Savior, re-enforced through our reading the scripture and our regular (even daily) communication with our Lord re-confirming and reassuring, in our heart that we are His and will be with Him in eternity.

So, is our sound doctrine based on the world around us?  A world that is sinking deeper and deeper into destruction?  Or in our faith that Jesus is our assurance of “forever”?

Amen  

7-16-2022 State of Affairs

                        God's Heart

The world is in a sad state of affairs today.  Yet, Paul wrote his fellow servant, Timothy, about it 2000 years ago!

2 Timothy 3:1-17

1          Perilous times will come in the last days.

Understand that the apostles and disciples thought they were living in the last days 2000 years ago (1 John 2:18).  Just before ascending into heaven, Jesus promises the Holy Ghost to the disciples. Then, the disciples asked - …’at that time, Lord, will you restore the kingdom to Israel?’ … (Acts 1:4-8).  Jesus has already explained about the end times (in part, Matthew 24).

2-5       Men will love themselves, they will be covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, haters of those who do good, traitors, heady, high-minded, loving pleasures more than God, having a form of godliness but denying the power of God.  Turn away from those who are like this.

Wow!  Most of this list is self-evident, but in case you‘re not sure: a blasphemy is showing contempt for God and His works (Webster’s).  Strong’s adds to defame, hate, speak evil of, etc. (H5007, G987,988).  We can even say that attributing God’s work to Satan is a big nono.  Without natural affection?  God created our bodies for specific purposes, male and female.  Yes, we are to love all, but that means God’s love, agape love.  Adults having physical relationships with children or with the same gender?  God did not intend our affections to move in that direction or using our body in ways God did not intend.  Incontinency is lack of self-control (Webster’s & Strong’s G193).  Heady is violent or impetuous (Webster’s) and Strong’s means rash (G4312).  In short, these are people who do whatever, whenever and where ever they want to satisfy themselves.  God is far from their actions much less their thoughts.

6          For these are the kind who will creep into houses and lead as captives those silly women laden with sin into various types of lust.

These are the people who desire to draw others into their lifestyles and away from God.

7          These people are always learning things but never coming into the knowledge of truth.

Say what?!  Look how far ‘knowledge’ has come in the last 2000 years!  Did they have automated printing presses?  Drive around in automobiles?  Be able to communicate with those afar off in an instant via the internet?  Travel into space?  Look at all the technological advances man has made.  Now look at the last sixty years and how man has pushed God from his consciousness.  Gotta separate God from state!  God set America apart from the rest of the world and blessed us because, as a whole, we were obedient to Him.  What are we doing today? (think about it)

8-9       Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses (Exod. 7:10-12 – Jewish tradition), also resisting the truth.  The minds of men will become corrupt and reprobate concerning the faith.  Men will get no farther than these two men against Moses as their foolishness shall be revealed.

Man is resisting God’s direction and council.  Jesus told the Jews “You are whited sepulchers.  You look pretty good on the outside but are full of dead bones on the inside” (Matt. 23:27).  

10-11   (Paul to Timothy) You have fully known my doctrine, my lifestyle, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, persecutions and afflictions which came upon me at Antioch, Iconium and Lystra.   You know the persecutions I endured and how the Lord delivered me out of all of them. 

Paul tells Timothy that he and the church knows all about him.  Paul endured all that came upon and against him, gladly, so the church could prosper.

12        Indeed, I will live a godly life in Christ Jesus and suffer persecution.

In fact He goes son to say that he will suffer anything to live for Jesus!

13        But evil men and seducers shall grow stronger and become worse in deceiving and being deceived. 

But trickery and deception will get worse, as time goes by and as that implies the truth will take a back seat in people’s lives.  “It’s all about “me”!  look around.  What’s happening today?

14-15   But, you, continue in those things you have learned and assured of, knowing who taught you.  You now that from a child, you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Some people learn from their childhood, that’s natural and/or spiritual (childhood), the things of God.  Yet, Paul encourages us to stand firm in our faith and love in Jesus Christ and not yielding to the ways of the world.  Paul laid a foundation in the lives of those whom he encountered and encouraged them not to stray from that foundation.  Amen?

16-17   All scripture is given by the inspiration of God, therefore it is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction or instruction in righteousness.  That the man of God may be perfect and thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

As Christians, we believe God inspired ALL the writers of the bible.  That the His Holy Spirit led those writers to write down what He (God) wanted us to know.  John tells us in his gospel that everything in the bible is given to us so we can understand what we need to know to come into ‘salvation’ (John 20:31).  Perfect implies complete.  We’re doing what we are supposed to be doing.  John also tells us that if everything that Jesus told the disciples were written down, the world would not be able to contain those volumes (John 21:25).  In other words, the bible tells what we need to know to enjoy eternal life with the Father through Jesus Christ, even though there may be a whole lot more to know.

So, has the world gotten any better since Paul’s time??

Now brothers, until Jesus comes to gather us together, don’t be troubled by spirit nor by word nor by letter, even from us, that the day of Christ is at hand.  Don’t let anyone deceive you for He (Jesus) shall not come until there is first a falling away and the man of sin, the son of perdition, is revealed.  The son of perdition opposes anything that is from God and exalts himself above anything else that is called God.  He sits in the temple proclaiming himself to be God (2 Thess. 2:1-4).  He tries to convince us that he is God to ultimately draw us away from the One, True and Living God.

As we read the bible and come to understand what it is really saying, we come to realize God has intended for us to live in His love.  That love helps us to interact with others in a way which is edifying to them (1 Corinth. 14:12).  That is we have their “best interests” at heart.  Not what we want or can get from them, but what they need.  Yes, we can have our own wants and desires, but as we grow in the Lord, those wants and desires line up with God’s will for us (Rom. 12:2).  We can desire things, just not what is contrary to God’s love or to take what someone already owns.

So just what is the state of affairs in the United States and in the world?  Many will come claiming to represent Christ.  There will be wars and rumors of wars.  Nation will rise up against nation.  There will be plagues and diseases.  There will be famine (natural and spiritual).  Earthquakes will occur where they had not occurred before (Matt. 24:4-8).  Not to mention the weather gone ‘bananas’.  Ask yourself “are storms getting stronger and hitting various places with more frequency?  Have the ills of the world become greater and more intensified?  Open your eyes and look!

Remember what Paul said “cling to those things we know to be true and abide in the love of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

What is the state of affairs of the world?

Amen

 

7-3-2022 The Lord’s Table

AS I prepared to eat my breakfast this Monday morning, Father started sharing ‘things’ about the Eucharist (the Lord’s Table) with me.

My son is in his forties now, but back in the mid-nineties, my wife, family and I spent some time in the Roman Catholic Church.  During that time, Father Jack, a widowed catholic priest, played a major and important role in my wife’s Spiritual and physical healing.  Father Jack was transferred to another area and even though the other priests were OK, they weren’t Father Jack.  He was one of a kind.  We drifted away.

Now, mind you, my wife and I have a Southern Baptist Background and after we married, as we grew, we encountered experiences in many churches.  Presbyterian, Independent Baptist, Church of God (Pentecostal), Assemblies of God and many independent full gospel churches.

About thirteen years ago, Father put me where I am today.  No, my wife and family haven’t joined me in my current church.  My wife went to be with the Lord in 2005 and Father told me, in 2009-2010, this is the church where He wanted me.  So Here I am.

Yesterday morning, my son was on the road (a truck driver) and I was getting ready for church and he called and we talked for more than half an hour.  Father has taken him back into the Catholic Church and he was telling me about how God is clearing some things up in his mind and he mentioned the Eucharist.  Of course, Roman Catholics believe the ‘blessed’ Eucharist actually becomes the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Father used this conversation to get the ‘juices’ flowing in me. 

Each morning and each meal, I thank the Lord for providing, whatever I have before me, out of His bounty for my nourishment.  I also thank Him for nourishing my spirit as well (as I look at my bible) and that is when Father started sharing with me the concept of the Eucharist as compared with circumcision.

Paul ‘discussed’ the issue of circumcision with the apostles and disciples more than once.  I think that once we get a reasonable understanding about circumcision, we may understand, a little better, the ‘deal’ with the Eucharist.

God explains His covenant with Abraham that circumcision is a ‘token’, a symbol, of His covenant with man (Gen. 17:1-11).  A physical act represents a Spiritual reality.  However, we’re not discussing the covenant (pact, agreement) here. 

The apostles were accused of neglecting the Greek’s widow and orphans so Peter told them to select seven men from their own people who were filled with Holy Ghost, wisdom and who had a good reputation and set them over the matters.  One of these men was named Stephen (Acts 6:1-5).

Later, Stephen was preaching to the people and caused quite a disruption as (in part) he reminded the Jews of the covenant (circumcision) passed on since Abraham (Acts 7:8).

A conflict arose about requiring non-Jews, who converted to Christianity, to be circumcised.  The Jews, who converted to Christianity, still practiced circumcision and thought the non-Jews should also be required to do so.  Peter stood up and argued that those non-Jewish converts had received Jesus just as the disciples (Acts: 15:1-11).  After all, Cornelius (a Roman Centurion) and his family received the baptism of the Holy Ghost even before water baptism much less being circumcised (Acts 10:1-48).

Paul argues circumcision vs uncircumcision is concluded when grace is given by faith [in Jesus] (Rom. 4:1-25).  As we receive Jesus into our heart, circumcised or not, there becomes no difference.

Paul confirms this with the Corinthians (1 Corinth. 7:18-19) concluding that there is no difference to circumcise or not as long as we have received Christ and keep the commandments of God.  And just what are those commandments?  Love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and then love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:28-31).  Jesus tells us that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments (the Law - John 14:15).  AND this love is ‘agape’ (Strong’s G26) love, a giving, caring, edifying others type of love.  And this love overrides circumcision, Y or N! 

Paul again confirms that whether we are to be circumcised or not is not the real issue, but where is our faith  (Gal 5:1-6) - not in the traditions of man (Eph. 2:19-13). 

Jesus circumcises our heart (Col. 2:10-12).

So we see that circumcision of the flesh gains us nothing but when our hearts are circumcised by faith in Jesus Christ, we have eternal life!  Amen?  Circumcision exposes, physically, the innermost part of a man while Jesus is more interested in the innermost part of our heart.  We worship Him in Spirit and n truth (John 4:24).

Partaking the Eucharist, observing the Lord’s Table, compares to ‘circumcise or not to circumcise’.

So when we partake of the Eucharist, take the Lord’s Table where is our heart?  When we take the bread or cracker or wafer and the wine, grape juice or water, understand that whether or not it actually becomes the body and blood of Jesus is not the issue.  So what does this mean to us?

Do those who believe the Eucharist actually becomes the body and blood of our Lord gain anything over those who don’t?  Again, where is our heart? 

Let’s take a look at what Paul told the Corinthians:

Jesus said “Take eat, this is my body which is broken for you.  Do this remembering Me.”  Then He said “This cup is the New Testament in My blood, as often as you do this, remember Me.”  Paul continues:  Every time we eat this bread and drink this cup, we remember the Lord’s sacrifice until He returns for us.  If we partake the bread or the cup unworthily, we are guilty of the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  If you will, we demonstrate our unbelief because we re-condemn Him do death, again, just as he Jews did 2000 years ago.  So we need to examine ourselves (no outstanding sins that need confessing) because in unconfessed sin there is weakness, sickness and even death as the bread and cup (then) are taken unworthily (1 Corinth. 11:24-31).  Again, a matter of the heart.  And is demonstrated by our actions.  Not cleaning our hearts leaves us to just performing empty actions and not solidifying our relationship with our Lord. 

And keep in mind that as Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples, He did not pull strips of flesh from His body and give them to eat.  He did not slice a vein open to give them drink.  Jesus’ body IS the bread of life (John 6:35), the life of the creature is the blood (Lev. 17:11).  Jesus is the “Word” (John 1:1).  Being the Word, His body (the bread of Life) becomes nourishment for our body.  The blood takes the nourishment from the bread throughout the body to sustain sustain life.  So the bread and blood of our Lord are the things that represent our relationship with the Lord.  They sustain our spiritual life.  

The apostles agreed with Paul that the Gentiles should not be forced to be physically circumcised for their hearts were already circumcised.  Their relationship with God through Jesus was already established so they didn’t need an ‘outward’ indication of their faithfulness.

Jesus shed His blood once on the cross giving us our eternal redemption (Heb. 9:11-14). 

Observing the ‘Lord’s Table’ helps us remember His sacrifice for us and the closeness of the relationship He desires with us.

Whether the Eucharist actually becomes the body and blood of Christ, I can’t say, but I can and will say that through our observance through the ‘Lord’s Table’, we openly proclaim our unity with our Lord, Jesus Christ, until He returns for us.  As often as we do this (1 Corinth. 11:25), we come before God with a clean heart, again, committing our lives to our Lord Jesus.   If you will, through the Eucharist, we are proclaiming a renewal (confirmation) of our vow to give our lives to Jesus and live for Him.

This act should display the truth of our lives and that is unity with our Lord, Jesus Christ.  A relationship that cannot be broken.

Amen