Hmmm, today, in my inbox, I found a link to an article written about complaining and its perceived relationship with evangelism, an article whose author had come to the conclusion that, as some would put it:
"If you wanna complain, you gotta evangelize first."
Some valid points in that. Obedience in spite of problem is of high value. Furthermore, the problem addressed by the article is very real......... I mean, it is utterly true that:
Even a spiritual infant can evangelize! And it is important not just to notice when it happens, but it is important to understand that every single believer is able to stand in the light given to each of us, that each one of us can begin living out the great commission right away - at least in little ways right away. Of course, that should continue throughout our lives, even as we each strive to mature more and more fully in the Lord.
But putting even a well meaning guideline into such terms creates a dictum. Many a dictum has led many a heart, and even many a church, into many a breed of legalism. Things haven't changed much in that aspect yet. Even today, many a dictum can lead many a heart into many a breed of legalism yet again. One question which arises, then, is simply this: How ought church leadership respond to complaining?
As for complaining itself: Much 'complaining' has to do with church functioning. Much of the sort of complaining which was being discussed at the above mentioned link is about how the church functions, or fails to do so, and is expressed by immature members among the laity. Hate it! But.........: Been there. Joined them in that. Heard others go there. Hate it even more now! --- I hope and pray that I've left all that in my past. But I need God's grace to accomplish such a task day by day.
.........
That said, first off, and this is my premise: orderly, and might I add, non-dysfunctional church functioning does indeed promote evangelism. Thus, the immature complaining being addressed by the article in question specifically by the above mentioned laity, while they do not realize it, is actually driving the attention where it ought to have already been.
I mean, back when the Israelites were complaining...... that is to say, *after* the Israelites were complaining, Moses would go and pray for their needs. Then God would intervene and provide for those needs, and, sometimes, He would also apply any needed corrections for the edification of those present who were of faith at that time and for the edification of those who are of faith now.
Hmmm, how to put this. In my own life, God has been teaching me about specificity in prayer. As one dear young lady, a friend of mine, very simply put it, "God already knows what we need, He just likes us to ask Him." She was right. He does like us to ask Him. He even likes us to ask Him in specifics. So the question of when to pray, and what to pray comes to mind. Obviously, the answer has everything to do with the leading of the Holy Spirit.
In my own case, the Holy Spirit had been challenging me to pray with more specificity for some time.... first more subtly, and later, quite obviously. Those around me would occasionally hear my confessions that I knew I had not prayed enough. Perhaps the nodding of heads, along with a sense that we all know we could and should all pray more, lulled me into a relative complacency. While, on the one hand, I sought to grow in prayer, on the other hand, I knew down deep inside that I was not growing in prayer as much as I should. Sometimes, I would pray specifically, but not broadly enough (such as the times when I would ask God to protect my children from spider bites, yet He allowed them to bite me......, with yet another reminder to be more specific........). Sometimes those I should be ministering to have 'gone without', at least for a time, because I did not pray about some specific need or other, either in at all, or with the specificity that God has been calling me to. Nor did I do enough to teach those I ministered to pray for those needs....., though that is a complicated issue (which is a whole 'nuther book......).
As for prayer - and the story of Moses praying for God's people as mentioned above: Perhaps, before the veil was rent, it was the job of the priestly family to do the praying for everyone else. Perhaps, even in Moses' day, the people should not have been taught to bring their petitions before God themselves. However, perhaps they should have been taught to
As an example of dysfunction in just one type of church-organization:
In too many of the churches, or portions of churches, where discipleship evangelism is being preached, but not implemented as preached (in particular: helping the young/infant/children type of Christians grow in the Lord and become 'spiritual adults' - which should, of course, include evangelism in varying ways at all stages of development), there is a growing confusion which is impacting the church's ability to coordinate around evangelism.
If the goal in discipleship-focused churches is supposedly "to raise up discipleship groups that produce discipleship groups" *in order to reach others for Christ and draw them into a discipleship environment*, but the emphasis *in practice* focuses on efforts to reproduce more groups (thereby 'demonstrating' evangelism), all without real discipleship going on (with 'real discipleship' meaning: actually helping all of the spiritual infants and youth who have a teachable spirit learn from a spiritual parent; which would necessarily include spiritual parents helping the 'younger' believers who are less 'goal oriented' learn how to break down bigger goals-about-maturing-in-various-ways into manageable bites --- manageable specifically for them......, guiding them *at the developmental level of the child/youth not only spiritually, but functionally as well* - errrrr..... all of which can be a daunting task..... I mean, being a parent of a child/youth who does not function the way the parent does is never easy --- it takes prayer over time to learn from Our Heavenly Father just how to parent any. one. child., let alone a whole family of varying types of children, or a whole small group of varying types of disciples....... - something which is more difficult, perhaps, for goal oriented pastors to picture..... Really: how does a goal oriented pastor and/or 'spiritual parent' deal with many less *naturally* goal oriented laity/infants-children - especially when you include 'the least of these, my brethren' - which would include the developmentally challenged .... err.... might I put it in the terms of those who have visual impairments, which means that they don't see what you think they see........... in either small or significant ways...... after all, many children need rather specialized parenting - -- something that any true and committed parent can learn how to do through prayer, if they will devote themselves fully to pray, with all fervency),....
.......anyway, in the midst of parental dysfunction (a parent not knowing how to parent - and thus a parent devolving into the ruins of legalism), the obvious hypocrisy of not doing what you teach confuses the spiritual youth, making it difficult for them to *want* to bring in others to that sort of confusion. For them to do so would be like saying, "Hey, do you want to come and be built up in a state of confusion with me? Don't you want to come with me and be brought into a family where you are expected to perform without being taught how to perform!!!???? Won't that be fun!??? Then we can be confused, miserable, and utterly shamed by our parents together!!!!! Woohoo!!!"
For the youth/infants to do so would require maturing faith...... which God can grant, and does at times.
However, for a 'parent' to expect their infants and youth to apply such mature faith, without walking in that path *directly with them*, and then for that same parent to judge them from the sideline, would be like expecting children to go to their school, pick up their books, and do their lessons without being taught.
Seeing the reasonable frustration and even anger of the child leaves one thinking of the verse:
"Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart."
........
That said, a few people can actually survive an academic arena with little to no instruction.
However, in the business world, and in the schools, it is very clear that most people cannot grow without hands on training in knowledge, academic skills, wisdom, or in job performance.
Think about it. It's so simple: Most people are not so innovative that they can devise 'best practice' on their own, let alone *implement* established best practice on their own.
Most people don't want to innovate best practice. And most people don't even begin to think about how to implement best practice for themselves.
Yes, Christians do have the Holy Spirit to guide them, but even Paul said, "Do as you have *seen me do*."
Again, through fervent prayer, people can figure out how to implement instructions in solo fashion - or as a group, with or without verbal/video instruction......, but is that the way things *should* be?
If we look at a 'family' or even a 'corporate body', clearly that is not how things should be.
That is not how families or bodies work in the real world any more than it is how they work in the spiritual world.
Criticizing the untrained youth and children is destructive (and some church leadership does criticize their untrained youth and children - and even untrained adults to some extent....... all without offering training........ all quite literally).
........
In summary:
Only a very few people can actually grow in the spiritual arena with little to no tutoring by simply working off of the list of to-do's, because they are goal oriented types of people. I mean, they can even take the 'to do' of leaning on the Holy Spirit very seriously. Viola! Success! (for a few......)
However, most people cannot do that - whatever type of church organization is being embraced by a local body.
If we want our churches to evangelize more broadly, we as a church need to use an orderly means of following our Head, that is Christ, - an orderly means that we will actually live out together, whatever that model is.
If we want to encourage those in the pews to grow spiritually, keep our first love, and thereby reach the lost, we can't afford to take short cuts in implementing orderly growth, internally, and externally. (properly taking care of one's own body, and then using that body to tend to the garden as it were)
R. C. Sproul spoke about the organization of the church being so necessary. Some complain about organization, wanting to be free to simply worship God, rather than being caught up in religion. So they run off on their own. (a different type of choice which also fails to evangelize..... illustrating the fact that the 'body' should evangelize......., even though, sometimes, individuals do......... but mostly, only if they are truly connected to a body ............... )
Anyway, R.C. Sproul's response to those who are tired of religious organization, so they decry organization is simply that any 'body' that is not organized will not live long. -------- soooo well said........
While I'm not meaning to imply that you, Thom S. Rainer, are seeking to short circuit more order to the body (obviously not)...... I am saying that some might hear your words here, and use them to add to a stronghold that they have already been fashioning to protect themselves from the truth........to protect their legalistic hypocrisy.
That said, if a body has an orderly plan, but cannot live by that plan because they are worshiping the god of 'evangelism first' & only *really* the gospel presentation - not the gospel *function* - all at the expense of working the orderly plan......, then, not surprisingly, disorder occurs..... and..... well........
Well, let's just say that one would necessarily see that the body is experiencing spasms which are not profitable for the body, nor for the lost.
It's just a terrible state of confusion.
Those in leadership in such spasmodic churches will likely not see clearly on that subject, because those in the church nearest them are in a functioning relationship with them..., so the fault is though, necessarily, to be 'their fault'...... (whose fault?: why of course! It's the fault of .........the infants and children.......! What?????!!!!! --- because they are not functioning like the adults who are close to the church leadership......... )
Of course infants and youth do not function like adults, especially when they are mostly left to themselves to follow instructions.
When the above truths are understood and established as the paradigm from which we look back on the first gospel efforts, Christianity grew like wildfire back in the days of Rome because it was a religion for the plebes (.... errr..... might I suggest: for the spiritually dead, the spiritual infants, and the spiritual youth)....., not just those close to the leadership team.
FWIW, in the case of a breakdown between leadership and the laity (or the parents and the infants), simply stating that no one should complain unless they have evangelized first, is a bit of an oversimplification.........
That's like saying that children who have merely seen "the video" or heard "the lecture", or have even been to the small group "discussion" should necessarily be able to go out on their own and do whatever task is set before them. Any large family who implemented such practice with all of their children, and then sent their children off individually to implement their new knowledge set, would find that many of their children simply do not 'see' everything they were shown through the video, lecture, or discussion.
Until the eye can see what is to be done, ......... well, there is no light.
"But if your vision is poor, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"
Not to say that evangelism should stop, just because the local body is experiencing seizures and/or even darkness, but seizures/darkness should hardly be ignored "for the sake of evangelizing" (again, not that you are arguing for that, but some, upon hearing your words, would add to the fortress walls which protect their hypocrisy).......
..........
The Great Commission, that is to say, Evangelism.....: Yes, evangelism itself, according to the Great Commission, does indeed include making disciples in an organized church body (parenting the little ones very, very directly, one way or another).
That was supposed to be the whole point of the small group movement. It's a great idea. But any idea implemented without grace will run into ruin.
Therefore, the solution here must begin with grace........ and parents are the ones who should set the tone for grace......... sometimes children do......... but that is not how it should be..........
So, in summary, some of those who decry any complaints about such 'seizures' as those mentioned above (or other types of 'seizures' in other styles of church organization) - without emphasizing evangelizing first, simply want to continue the hypocrisy in their own leadership......., and complain about the results of that legalism/hypocrisy.
What that would mean is that children cannot complain if they have gone into shut down (as some children do when they are asked to do a task which is beyond them at the moment), until they have gotten *themselves* out of shut down.
Such complaints against those who have 'shut down' for whatever reason will not produce the fruit of true evangelism.
Rather, grace, ........... true grace........ that is the place where evangelism begins........
Thanking God for grace already received! Praising God for grace past, present, and future! And seeking grace in all things........ in all moments........ for all people..........
Those people with whom we have a grievance both in and out of the church.
Those people whom we love, with whom God has a grievance, both in and out of the church........
And foremost...... seeking grace, each of us more every day....... that we may grow in grace....... His kind of grace........ His actual grace............ grace abounding more and more in all things......
Which would indeed obliterate complaining, and which would indeed produce fruit unto salvation...... in our own lives, and in the lives of the lost.
Friday, June 10, 2016
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
On Peace.......
in the KJV, there are 420 verses in the Bible involve the word 'peace'
in the NASB, there are only 353........ hmmmm.......
THANKSGIVING & PEACE for those who receive it.... (have you received it?)
Luke 1:76-79 [Zecharias's Prophecy]
“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways;
77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins,
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
79 To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
THANKSGIVING AND PEACE THAT WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD!!!
Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
(Question: Are *you* each certain that you are a child of God - today? For those of us who are certain: Do we know all we should know about being peacemakers? How can we be peacemakers if we are not walking in peace ourselves? Where does peace begin in our lives? How do we grow in peace? How does that relate to the command to 'be filled with the Spirit' - Ephesians 5:18?)
THANKSGIVING & PEACE BEGIN WHEN WE RECEIVE HIS HEALING POWER: healing in regards to our past, our sin, and our struggles in our own personal lives (e.g. - if nothing else, all believers need to give thanksgiving for being given spiritual life after bringing spiritual death upon ourselves...)
THE WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD
(QUESTION: What can we learn about walking in peace in regard to the various afflictions we face, or have faced, in regards to our own health or the health of those we love - or even strangers? You know: What about that question: 'what kind of a God is He anyway'? Where does simple faith fit in here? What of the simple command to 'go in peace'? What about any guilt re: any illness any of us might face in light of the traditional thoughts of Jesus'/Job's day about illness, and/or in light of self-inflicted illness/injury? Should the woman proceed with a focus on how she became ill? Why or why not? How or how not? Should the woman proceed in frustration for the delay in her healing? How do the lessons about 'going in peace' in this story compare with the lessons we can learn from the story of the man who was born blind (John 9)? Also, see Romans 8:28...)
25 A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, 26 and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— 27 after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His [i]cloak. 28 For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” 29 Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30 Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” 31 And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” 32 And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her,“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”
THANKSGIVING & peace IN ACTION;
peace about our need to keep growing today......
(NOTE: Consider this passage in II Peter 1:2-8 as an example of how Paul himself obeyed the command found in Hebrews 10:24 "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,"
(QUESTION: What do we learn about thanksgiving, praise, grace, and peace..., and what fruit should be produced throughout our response?) II Peter 1:2-8 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence,knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(QUESTION: How does thanksgiving and peace fit together in these two verses?)
Luke 2:14 And on earth peace ***among*** men with whom He is pleased. (NAS)
Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."
(QUESTION: Does the following instruction relate only to that point in time, or to today?)
Matthew 10:13 If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.
THANKSGIVING IN CONFLICT: and......peace with each other
(NOTE: when the church tries to fulfill the 'team discipleship' aspects of Hebrews 10:24 (see above), conflict can arise even more readily...... Why? (or why not?)...... How does that fit in with Titus 2:3-5? "3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 so that they may [b]encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, beingsubject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored." ?If anyone around us is struggling more than we are in any given area, are they 'older' or 'younger' than we are *in that area*? How does this next passage fit in with that?)
Mark 9:42-50 42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire,44 [where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] 45 If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, 46 [where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] 47 If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell,48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
THANKSGIVING & PEACE throughout days of persevering - when facing uncertainties of life here on earth.....
II Peter 2:10-14 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and [b]its works will be [c]burned up.
in the NASB, there are only 353........ hmmmm.......
THANKSGIVING & PEACE for those who receive it.... (have you received it?)
Luke 1:76-79 [Zecharias's Prophecy]
“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways;
77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins,
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
79 To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
THANKSGIVING AND PEACE THAT WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD!!!
Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
(Question: Are *you* each certain that you are a child of God - today? For those of us who are certain: Do we know all we should know about being peacemakers? How can we be peacemakers if we are not walking in peace ourselves? Where does peace begin in our lives? How do we grow in peace? How does that relate to the command to 'be filled with the Spirit' - Ephesians 5:18?)
THANKSGIVING & PEACE BEGIN WHEN WE RECEIVE HIS HEALING POWER: healing in regards to our past, our sin, and our struggles in our own personal lives (e.g. - if nothing else, all believers need to give thanksgiving for being given spiritual life after bringing spiritual death upon ourselves...)
THE WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD
(QUESTION: What can we learn about walking in peace in regard to the various afflictions we face, or have faced, in regards to our own health or the health of those we love - or even strangers? You know: What about that question: 'what kind of a God is He anyway'? Where does simple faith fit in here? What of the simple command to 'go in peace'? What about any guilt re: any illness any of us might face in light of the traditional thoughts of Jesus'/Job's day about illness, and/or in light of self-inflicted illness/injury? Should the woman proceed with a focus on how she became ill? Why or why not? How or how not? Should the woman proceed in frustration for the delay in her healing? How do the lessons about 'going in peace' in this story compare with the lessons we can learn from the story of the man who was born blind (John 9)? Also, see Romans 8:28...)
25 A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, 26 and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— 27 after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His [i]cloak. 28 For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” 29 Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30 Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” 31 And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” 32 And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her,“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”
THANKSGIVING & peace IN ACTION;
peace about our need to keep growing today......
(NOTE: Consider this passage in II Peter 1:2-8 as an example of how Paul himself obeyed the command found in Hebrews 10:24 "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,"
(QUESTION: What do we learn about thanksgiving, praise, grace, and peace..., and what fruit should be produced throughout our response?) II Peter 1:2-8 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence,knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(QUESTION: How does thanksgiving and peace fit together in these two verses?)
Luke 2:14 And on earth peace ***among*** men with whom He is pleased. (NAS)
Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."
(QUESTION: Does the following instruction relate only to that point in time, or to today?)
Matthew 10:13 If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.
THANKSGIVING IN CONFLICT: and......peace with each other
(NOTE: when the church tries to fulfill the 'team discipleship' aspects of Hebrews 10:24 (see above), conflict can arise even more readily...... Why? (or why not?)...... How does that fit in with Titus 2:3-5? "3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 so that they may [b]encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, beingsubject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored." ?If anyone around us is struggling more than we are in any given area, are they 'older' or 'younger' than we are *in that area*? How does this next passage fit in with that?)
Mark 9:42-50 42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire,44 [where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] 45 If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, 46 [where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] 47 If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell,48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
49 “For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
THANKSGIVING & PEACE throughout days of persevering - when facing uncertainties of life here on earth.....
II Peter 2:10-14 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and [b]its works will be [c]burned up.
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. -- 14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore,beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
AND AGAIN:
THANKSGIVING AND PEACE THAT WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD!!!
Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
(Question: Are *you* each certain that you are a child of God - today? For those of us who are certain: Do we know all we should know about being peacemakers? How can we be peacemakers if we are not walking in peace ourselves? Where does peace begin in our lives? How do we grow in peace? How does that relate to the command to 'be filled with the Spirit' - Ephesians 5:18?)
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
What of 'Shame' in the New Testament?
II Thessalonians 3:14 "If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame." (NAS)
Greek for 'shame' in this instance is entrape, from: [1788 entrépō (from 1722 /en, "in" and trépō, "to turn") – properly in (a state of) turning, i.e. to turn one's attention to in a riveted ("locked-in") way. This term is also used of recoiling (turning away) in shame, at times of a "wholesome shame which leads a man to consideration of his condition" (Berry).]
Taken in light of the complete work and teachings of Jeshua ha Meshiach, it is clear that 'do not associate with him' must be seen in light of the Great Commission. Certainly no one is to be treated worse than the heathen, and the heathen is to be loved by those who are called to serve Him if one takes the full context of scripture into play, including the Great Commission. Therefore, this has to do very much with spiritual association alone.
Taken in light of the complete work and teachings of Jeshua ha Meshiach, before any distance in spiritual association were to begin, Galatians 6:1 must be honored in as much as it is possible with the church, "Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won't be tempted." (Holman) "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." Romans 12:18 (NASB)
Taken in light of the complete work of Jeshua ha Meshiach, it is also very clear that the hope of the believer is for the one being put at some distance will come to a point of 'wholesome shame which leads a man to consideration of his condition', after which, that one would come into an obedient relationship with The Word, our beloved Savior, the great, "I Am Salvation."
.........
Instructions which Paul, Silvanus and Timothy said should be obeyed in this letter include:
1) Our love for each other should grow ever greater:
This 'instruction' is only an instruction inferentially. However, it is clearly an expectation since this was something for which Paul, Silvanus and Timothy were already thankful in regards to the behavior and heart of the Thessalonian believers at that time.
........"the love of each one of you toward one another grows every greater." II Thessalonians 1:3b
2) Our perseverance and faith must continue in the midst of all of our persecutions and afflictions, which we must endure:
This 'instruction' is, again, inferential. Continuing in perseverance and faith on the part of the Thessalonian believers is also something for which Paul, Silvanus and Timothy were already thankful.
....."your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure...." II Thessalonians 1:4b
3) We must continue to believe the testimony of the apostles:
Yet another inferential 'instruction.' Those who have fully believed the testimony of the apostles will be saved from eternal destruction, not be turned away from the presence of the glory of His power, one day be free to marvel at the Son of God
4) Other..... so walk with great care: There are other salient points within II Thessalonians which should be honored for us to have a right understanding of what 'do not associate with him' can and cannot mean.......
In short, walk in love: It is the greatest commandment, and the second greatest commandment.
............
for our testimony to you was believed
will we believe this:
Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won't be tempted. Gal 6:1
Ode, to guarding against shame........ in our own *hearts*, more than in our associations.....
Greek for 'shame' in this instance is entrape, from: [1788 entrépō (from 1722 /en, "in" and trépō, "to turn") – properly in (a state of) turning, i.e. to turn one's attention to in a riveted ("locked-in") way. This term is also used of recoiling (turning away) in shame, at times of a "wholesome shame which leads a man to consideration of his condition" (Berry).]
Taken in light of the complete work and teachings of Jeshua ha Meshiach, it is clear that 'do not associate with him' must be seen in light of the Great Commission. Certainly no one is to be treated worse than the heathen, and the heathen is to be loved by those who are called to serve Him if one takes the full context of scripture into play, including the Great Commission. Therefore, this has to do very much with spiritual association alone.
Taken in light of the complete work and teachings of Jeshua ha Meshiach, before any distance in spiritual association were to begin, Galatians 6:1 must be honored in as much as it is possible with the church, "Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won't be tempted." (Holman) "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." Romans 12:18 (NASB)
Taken in light of the complete work of Jeshua ha Meshiach, it is also very clear that the hope of the believer is for the one being put at some distance will come to a point of 'wholesome shame which leads a man to consideration of his condition', after which, that one would come into an obedient relationship with The Word, our beloved Savior, the great, "I Am Salvation."
.........
Instructions which Paul, Silvanus and Timothy said should be obeyed in this letter include:
1) Our love for each other should grow ever greater:
This 'instruction' is only an instruction inferentially. However, it is clearly an expectation since this was something for which Paul, Silvanus and Timothy were already thankful in regards to the behavior and heart of the Thessalonian believers at that time.
........"the love of each one of you toward one another grows every greater." II Thessalonians 1:3b
2) Our perseverance and faith must continue in the midst of all of our persecutions and afflictions, which we must endure:
This 'instruction' is, again, inferential. Continuing in perseverance and faith on the part of the Thessalonian believers is also something for which Paul, Silvanus and Timothy were already thankful.
....."your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure...." II Thessalonians 1:4b
3) We must continue to believe the testimony of the apostles:
Yet another inferential 'instruction.' Those who have fully believed the testimony of the apostles will be saved from eternal destruction, not be turned away from the presence of the glory of His power, one day be free to marvel at the Son of God
4) Other..... so walk with great care: There are other salient points within II Thessalonians which should be honored for us to have a right understanding of what 'do not associate with him' can and cannot mean.......
In short, walk in love: It is the greatest commandment, and the second greatest commandment.
............
for our testimony to you was believed
will we believe this:
Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won't be tempted. Gal 6:1
Ode, to guarding against shame........ in our own *hearts*, more than in our associations.....
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Thoughts On the Gospel According to Luke........: Luke 1 - Ode to the Names...... (part 1)
Ode to the Names ......... the names of first one, then another.... and another, and another simple man and woman...... in Holy Writ...... Men and women, by any other name, still beloved of God, yet given amazing names...... names fit just so, in order to convey to us....... that God is love, has a plan, and wants to reveal it to those who will listen, and look, and hear..... He who has ears, let him hear......
Luke: the Light Bearer, wrote to Theophilus: the God Loving! (We love Him because He first loved us........ and showed us that love so clearly when God's son became a man...., in particular, He became the Son of Man, to die for us.)
Indeed, though Luke does not use the name 'Son of Man' until the fifth chapter (when Jesus boldly established His own authority to forgive sins), and Jesus did not refer to His needs as a man until He was tempted in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13), the Gospel according to Luke emphasizes Jesus not only as man - but as the Son of Man (see below). Of the four symbols associated with the four gospels: the lion, the bull, the man, and the eagle, -- it is the man which is associated most directly with the gospel of Luke: Luke's genealogy goes back to Adam - thus begins with an emphasis on Jesus as the Son of Man - symbolized, of course, by the man; whereas Matthew goes back to Abraham - with an emphasis on Jesus as the King of the sons of Abraham - symbolized by the lion; and John shows Jesus as coming to us from eternity, the Son of God on high - symbolized by the eagle.....; leaving Mark, listing nothing about genealogy: which is more in line with the genealogy of a servant - the bull...... because, for a servant, a genealogy is not really important to any other people in his life.
The Light Bearer tells the God Lover that Jesus, as the Son of Man, fulfilled all that the prophets foretold about the first coming of the Son of Man (Luke 18:31). As the Son of Man, He called Himself Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:5), who, as the Son of Man, out of love for mankind, established in and for Himself, the power to forgive our sins (Luke 5:24); and for that reason He, as the Son of Man, came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:20), yet mankind falsely accused and utterly misunderstood this wondrous Son of Man (Luke 7:34), and betrayed Him into the hands of men (Luke 9:44). He, as the Son of Man, suffered many things - was rejected - and killed (Luke 9:22), even though He, as the Son of Man, stands as the perfect son, in stark contrast to the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Yet He is still willing to forgive those who have spoken against the Son of Man (Luke 12:10); moreover, those who do not deny the Son of Man will be accepted by Him before the Father - acknowledged by the Son of Man before the Holy One and His angles (Luke 12:8), those who love the Son of Man will follow Him, will be like Son of Man in that they will be falsely accused on earth (Luke 6:22), when He comes back, as the Son of Man, He will light up the sky (Luke 17:24), when He is revealed as the Son of Man before mankind again the second time (Luke 17:30), He, as the Son of Man, will be looking for faith (Luke 18:8), yes, when He comes - at an unexpected hour - the Son of Man wants us to be ready! (Luke 12:40).
So here it is, the Light Bearer sharing with the God Loving all about the Gospel, the Good News, about God's Son becoming not only man, but the Son of Man --- to die for us: the Light Bearer sharing The Light of the Son of Man with us, so that we might first receive that light and walk in it, but more than that: so that we might share that Light with others, that they might walk in the light as well ------ sharing the light and life of Christ with others just as the Light Bearer did before us, and just as the Son of Man did before him ---- All so that......
...so that..... the God-Loving may "know the certainty of the things about which [the God-Loving have] been instructed......" (Luke 1:4) .... based on that which "the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed down to us." (Luke 1:2) .....which Luke, the Light Bearer, had "carefully investigated [fully] from the first" (Luke 1:3).
.......
So, when did this story begin? "In the days of King Herod of Judah." (Luke 1:5a)
Herod? In the days of Herod? In the days of a trembling, wild, Edomite ass, feeling like a scardy cat, while desperately, though in vain, trying to establish invincible authority over Judea, and likely as not, seeking eternal praise for himself!,.... Where did he seek to establish such praise for himself? ...... as king of the Province of Judah: with Judah being a name meaning: to confess the nature of God and the fallen, sinful nature of man" and also indicating the Messiah's establishing a way for us to come near to the heart of God!)?
So Herod was brutally seeking praise for himself in the Province of Judah, that is, in the Province of Praise - - - a place specifically established to invite mankind to meet with and praise the Holy One - to become chavarim with Him in His presence...., Him, to whom all praise is due........
.......
So, just focusing on the names thus far in the book of Luke, one can see:
The Light Bearer, sharing with the God-Lover, the veracity of the real life story about the good news, ...the good news about the Son of Man coming as a man to save the sons of men. A story that begins in days when those, like Esau, had forsaken their birthright, and who by now were desperately, yet in vain, trying to establish their own 'way' (in contrast to The Way of peace).... trying to establish their-own-way via some pipe dream that they could establish some sort of invincible authority within the Province of Praise (where we are called upon to praise God as God and recognize men as mere men) - and thereby deny any claim that they needed to confess God as God, & man as man...., with the result that they were terrified by the growing shadow cast more clearly each day - cast by the looming truth that they could never succeed in their quest for supreme heroic gloriousness in the province of praise, and thus, they could never aspire to the highest levels of sublime immortality.
........
Going further,...... soon.........
Luke: the Light Bearer, wrote to Theophilus: the God Loving! (We love Him because He first loved us........ and showed us that love so clearly when God's son became a man...., in particular, He became the Son of Man, to die for us.)
Indeed, though Luke does not use the name 'Son of Man' until the fifth chapter (when Jesus boldly established His own authority to forgive sins), and Jesus did not refer to His needs as a man until He was tempted in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13), the Gospel according to Luke emphasizes Jesus not only as man - but as the Son of Man (see below). Of the four symbols associated with the four gospels: the lion, the bull, the man, and the eagle, -- it is the man which is associated most directly with the gospel of Luke: Luke's genealogy goes back to Adam - thus begins with an emphasis on Jesus as the Son of Man - symbolized, of course, by the man; whereas Matthew goes back to Abraham - with an emphasis on Jesus as the King of the sons of Abraham - symbolized by the lion; and John shows Jesus as coming to us from eternity, the Son of God on high - symbolized by the eagle.....; leaving Mark, listing nothing about genealogy: which is more in line with the genealogy of a servant - the bull...... because, for a servant, a genealogy is not really important to any other people in his life.
The Light Bearer tells the God Lover that Jesus, as the Son of Man, fulfilled all that the prophets foretold about the first coming of the Son of Man (Luke 18:31). As the Son of Man, He called Himself Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:5), who, as the Son of Man, out of love for mankind, established in and for Himself, the power to forgive our sins (Luke 5:24); and for that reason He, as the Son of Man, came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:20), yet mankind falsely accused and utterly misunderstood this wondrous Son of Man (Luke 7:34), and betrayed Him into the hands of men (Luke 9:44). He, as the Son of Man, suffered many things - was rejected - and killed (Luke 9:22), even though He, as the Son of Man, stands as the perfect son, in stark contrast to the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Yet He is still willing to forgive those who have spoken against the Son of Man (Luke 12:10); moreover, those who do not deny the Son of Man will be accepted by Him before the Father - acknowledged by the Son of Man before the Holy One and His angles (Luke 12:8), those who love the Son of Man will follow Him, will be like Son of Man in that they will be falsely accused on earth (Luke 6:22), when He comes back, as the Son of Man, He will light up the sky (Luke 17:24), when He is revealed as the Son of Man before mankind again the second time (Luke 17:30), He, as the Son of Man, will be looking for faith (Luke 18:8), yes, when He comes - at an unexpected hour - the Son of Man wants us to be ready! (Luke 12:40).
So here it is, the Light Bearer sharing with the God Loving all about the Gospel, the Good News, about God's Son becoming not only man, but the Son of Man --- to die for us: the Light Bearer sharing The Light of the Son of Man with us, so that we might first receive that light and walk in it, but more than that: so that we might share that Light with others, that they might walk in the light as well ------ sharing the light and life of Christ with others just as the Light Bearer did before us, and just as the Son of Man did before him ---- All so that......
...so that..... the God-Loving may "know the certainty of the things about which [the God-Loving have] been instructed......" (Luke 1:4) .... based on that which "the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed down to us." (Luke 1:2) .....which Luke, the Light Bearer, had "carefully investigated [fully] from the first" (Luke 1:3).
.......
So, when did this story begin? "In the days of King Herod of Judah." (Luke 1:5a)
Herod? In the days of Herod? In the days of a trembling, wild, Edomite ass, feeling like a scardy cat, while desperately, though in vain, trying to establish invincible authority over Judea, and likely as not, seeking eternal praise for himself!,.... Where did he seek to establish such praise for himself? ...... as king of the Province of Judah: with Judah being a name meaning: to confess the nature of God and the fallen, sinful nature of man" and also indicating the Messiah's establishing a way for us to come near to the heart of God!)?
So Herod was brutally seeking praise for himself in the Province of Judah, that is, in the Province of Praise - - - a place specifically established to invite mankind to meet with and praise the Holy One - to become chavarim with Him in His presence...., Him, to whom all praise is due........
.......
So, just focusing on the names thus far in the book of Luke, one can see:
The Light Bearer, sharing with the God-Lover, the veracity of the real life story about the good news, ...the good news about the Son of Man coming as a man to save the sons of men. A story that begins in days when those, like Esau, had forsaken their birthright, and who by now were desperately, yet in vain, trying to establish their own 'way' (in contrast to The Way of peace).... trying to establish their-own-way via some pipe dream that they could establish some sort of invincible authority within the Province of Praise (where we are called upon to praise God as God and recognize men as mere men) - and thereby deny any claim that they needed to confess God as God, & man as man...., with the result that they were terrified by the growing shadow cast more clearly each day - cast by the looming truth that they could never succeed in their quest for supreme heroic gloriousness in the province of praise, and thus, they could never aspire to the highest levels of sublime immortality.
........
Going further,...... soon.........
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Thoughts On the Gospel According to Luke........: Introduction
Ode to meet Jesus - and to breathe His praise from my whole being!!!! That is the highest calling on my life. Still, there is another smaller, yet still great ode to consider here, which is simply: Ode, to meet Luke!
Through the years, teachers have dutifully impressed it on my heart that the Word of God is inspired by the Holy One himself.... There is great peace in resting upon that truth: A truth which is an awesome force indeed!
Still, there is increasing gratitude swelling up in my heart towards those faithful men who penned the Word, and in the case of the Gospel according to Luke, that would, of course, be Luke.
Yet Luke did not focus on himself at all. His name never finds its way into his own writings. His focus is entirely upon Jeshua ha Meshiach! The Savior, the Promised One! In response, here at the outset of these Thoughts on the Gospel According to Luke, within my heart there is an ever increasing urgency in prayer: That we may learn humility both from Luke, and especially from our Lord, and keep our focus on Jesus as the Promised Savior!
But also that we might know to whom we are to carry the Light of Christ. Luke's main target audience, initially, were the Greeks, and he wrote in a high stylistical Greek form to show respect for the topic at hand, and to express the need for the Greeks he was writing to to take his subject seriously: to take seriously their need for the Gospel of the Messiah, the Christ, the Promised Savior.
God's purpose for Luke was clearly fulfilled in his life. Luke's name means 'Light'. The light of the world became the very theme of his life's work. The result is that he sought to more fully understand the Light of the World, and to walk in that light, and to share that light with others. Indeed, Jesus had said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life." (John 8:12) Luke clearly had the Light of life, followed it, and walked in it! May we also! But beyond that, Jesus not only extended that light to Luke (and to us), but He also called us all to share it with the world, as Luke has done before us, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)
So, how do we come to the Lord and be so filled with His light that we can share it with the kind of confidence in which Luke walked & testified of His Lord? By being still and just looking at him, knowing that He is God (Psalm 46:10). "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!" (Matthew 6:22-23)
What then if our eye has been bad and full of darkness? Is there an answer? Yes, indeed! Long ago, God promised that, through Jesus, the blind can see again: "Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped." (Isaiah 35:5) And indeed, Jesus opened the eyes of the blind (video): (John 9:1-39)
May He open our eyes more fully, day by day. For indeed, just as some in this world are born, seeing, yet they see with troubled vision (e.g. - my brother was born with two horizons, and never knew it until he was in his 40's, in spite of his successfully navigating his way into well reputed work as an engineer.... and yes, now he has sought surgery to correct the problem.... finally!, while my eyes never converged, which impacts my life in subtle ways as well....)....., anyway, indeed, just as some in this world are born seeing, yet with troubled vision with their physical eyes, the eyes of our heart and mind can misunderstand what is clearly and plainly right in front of our face......
The Light of life!!!!!
May His Light shine clearly through to our hearts and minds, that we may perceive what the lamp and light is showing us on the path of life..... today!
Through the years, teachers have dutifully impressed it on my heart that the Word of God is inspired by the Holy One himself.... There is great peace in resting upon that truth: A truth which is an awesome force indeed!
Still, there is increasing gratitude swelling up in my heart towards those faithful men who penned the Word, and in the case of the Gospel according to Luke, that would, of course, be Luke.
Yet Luke did not focus on himself at all. His name never finds its way into his own writings. His focus is entirely upon Jeshua ha Meshiach! The Savior, the Promised One! In response, here at the outset of these Thoughts on the Gospel According to Luke, within my heart there is an ever increasing urgency in prayer: That we may learn humility both from Luke, and especially from our Lord, and keep our focus on Jesus as the Promised Savior!
But also that we might know to whom we are to carry the Light of Christ. Luke's main target audience, initially, were the Greeks, and he wrote in a high stylistical Greek form to show respect for the topic at hand, and to express the need for the Greeks he was writing to to take his subject seriously: to take seriously their need for the Gospel of the Messiah, the Christ, the Promised Savior.
God's purpose for Luke was clearly fulfilled in his life. Luke's name means 'Light'. The light of the world became the very theme of his life's work. The result is that he sought to more fully understand the Light of the World, and to walk in that light, and to share that light with others. Indeed, Jesus had said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life." (John 8:12) Luke clearly had the Light of life, followed it, and walked in it! May we also! But beyond that, Jesus not only extended that light to Luke (and to us), but He also called us all to share it with the world, as Luke has done before us, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)
So, how do we come to the Lord and be so filled with His light that we can share it with the kind of confidence in which Luke walked & testified of His Lord? By being still and just looking at him, knowing that He is God (Psalm 46:10). "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!" (Matthew 6:22-23)
What then if our eye has been bad and full of darkness? Is there an answer? Yes, indeed! Long ago, God promised that, through Jesus, the blind can see again: "Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped." (Isaiah 35:5) And indeed, Jesus opened the eyes of the blind (video): (John 9:1-39)
May He open our eyes more fully, day by day. For indeed, just as some in this world are born, seeing, yet they see with troubled vision (e.g. - my brother was born with two horizons, and never knew it until he was in his 40's, in spite of his successfully navigating his way into well reputed work as an engineer.... and yes, now he has sought surgery to correct the problem.... finally!, while my eyes never converged, which impacts my life in subtle ways as well....)....., anyway, indeed, just as some in this world are born seeing, yet with troubled vision with their physical eyes, the eyes of our heart and mind can misunderstand what is clearly and plainly right in front of our face......
The Light of life!!!!!
May His Light shine clearly through to our hearts and minds, that we may perceive what the lamp and light is showing us on the path of life..... today!
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