Gates of Praise Ministries

God to Man, Man to Angels

2012-02-27T11:26:00.000-08:00

I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lamp stands, and among the lamp stands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. Revelations 1:12-16

The first thing that I want you to notice about John's encounter with the Lord is that it was a personal encounter. Each of us is called to a personal encounter with the Lord. Sometimes they are awe inspiring and magnificent other times they are ordinary and mundane. Your message may not seem profound to you, but it is profound to God, because to Him it is personal. I have a friend who had such an encounter, he was given one word, “sing” another was told “do my work.” God wants to speak to his people. I know some believers over use “God said” but I am more concerned for believers who never say, “God said” our God is a talking God.

In regards to the lamp stands and stars the Bible tells us what they mean. “The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches.” Revelations 1:20. John is writing letters dictated by God to angels and churches with specific geographic region. There appears to be a mutually accountability between the angelic realm and humans role in establishing the Kingdom of God on earth. Daniel 10 is most informative about this issue.

An angel is speaking to Daniel, he says “Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” Daniel 10: 12-13 The prince of Persia and Michael are both referencing angels in this passage.

Tthe verse confirms angelic rank, and geographic assignment consistent with John’s writing. It tells us that some messages don’t get to us without a fight wrought in the ring of fasting and prayer. John Bunyan said, “pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God and a scourge to Satan. Martyn Lloyd Jones encourages us to always obey the impulse to pray. The message of John is birthed by such an impulse. What would God birth through us if we obeyed the impulse to pray? What limitations have we placed on ourselves by not shielding our souls and scourging Satan?

I pray that each one reading this blog will enter a new realm of praying, beginning with its writer. That we will see more, believe bigger and hear clearer. John message was personal. Ours is too. God wants us to know the height and width of his love. He does that by laboring beside us and speaking with us throughout the task. John task was to take dictation in heaven. Do you really believe that God needs a secretary? No, he does not but the Son of man, a term associated with his total dominion over all things, condescends to fellowship with mankind. That fellowship is even shared in prayer. “our father, who art in heaven” Jesus says.

The Apostle Paul said in regards to his prayer “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19

The full measure involves relationship with the angelic realm that is overlooked in modern Christian experience 1 Corinthians 6:3, indicates that we will judge angels. Most commentators seem to limit that judgment to fallen angels only. The how and the why are not clear in this passage. As we continue in future blogs on the book of Revelations I am trying to understand why God wrote both to angels and churches in these passages, what is clear is they too receive assignments from a white haired, blazing eyed robed man, who just happens to be the Lord God Almighty

Not a Shelf but a Shout

2012-02-23T12:43:00.000-08:00

I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.” Revelations 1:9-11

Each of the Apostles writes from a personal perspective that invites us to fellowship with them, John describes himself as a brother and a companion. He does not see himself as a mystic or a guru or demigod. Beware of spiritual rankings; they are always attempts to make men more like gods than to acknowledge that God became a man. John paints himself as man in fellowship with God. He writes, “Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” but not until he first says, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us” John is concerned with delivering a message that leads us to relationship with the Godhead and he wants the message of that fellowship to be based on truth. “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.” The truth is that the life a Christian leads should be hard. We are only John companion if there is a measure of suffering within the kingdom that requires some patient endurance.

John is an old exiled man when he is writing to us. He must have concluded that he was done and put on a shelf until his passing into glory. Wearied with age biblepath.com states, “he had to be carried to the church in the arms of his disciples. At these meetings, he was accustomed to say no more than, "Little children, love one another!" After a time, the disciples wearied at always hearing the same words, asked, "Master, why do you always say this?" "It is the Lord's command," was his reply. "And if this alone be done, it is enough!" I do not know the veracity of this story I do know that it is keeping with the character of the man who laid upon the breast of his savior.

Patmos was the shelf in which the living epistle of John the beloved was to collect dust and grow silent. It becomes the setting of pen placed on scrolled parchment that would roll through the history of mankind and call us to awe at the majesty of the master.

John was worshipping on the Lord’s Day, the seventh or the first day of the week, when Jesus spoke to him and said write and send. They were messages for specific churches in John’s generation and the things that were written to them were written for our example. I am cautious of teaching that tries to divide the churches into ages and epochs. Numerous scholars share this caution, to quote only one;

“The Seven Churches are representative of all churches everywhere in all time. There is no sound reason to make these to represent 7 progressive historical periods of the church age. All attempts to do this are transparently artificial. There are churches having these kinds of problems in every generation." - Willard Ramsey, in "Zion's Glad Morning."

I want to find Jesus’ message to me and to you in each of comments these churches. I hope you will join me in patient endurance as we journey through the word of the Lord as recorded in the book of Revelations. Like John, we might believe that you have been put on a shelf, but the greatest illuminations of the Word of God are in front of you not behind you. Rise Up! Hear the Trumpet Blast of him whose voice is like rushing water. You may fall down as dead, but you will rise up with the Word of the Lord in your mouth.

The Nature, Reason, and Necessity of the Coming of the Lord

2012-02-17T08:59:00.000-08:00

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelations 1:7-8

When we meditate on the coming of the Lord we are three things I would encourage the reader to consider. One is the nature of is coming, another is the reason for his coming, lastly we should think about the necessity of his coming. The nature of Christ coming is glorious and omnipresent. This is a Jesus that somehow fills the sky. Some have conjectured that we will all see him because of mass media. The same logic is used around the judgments later in this book around nuclear weapons. God does not need television or the internet to reveal himself to mankind and he does not need nuclear weapons to destroy portions of the earth. He is God all by himself and capable of accomplishing what he desires outside of human agency. However it is neither, glory or judgment that our savior is revealing, it is pierced hands and feet. Despite his glory and strength he purposes to remind us of his suffering. This suffering produces a mourning population.

I would like to suggest that there will be two types of mourners on that great day. There will be those that cry out in repentance for the lack of gratitude and acknowledgement of the savior, the second group will be those who despise his coming because it creates accountability for the unrighteousness that they so dearly love.

What is the reason for the coming of the savior? We know that it is not discontent with heaven. Heaven is our savior’s natural home. John 17:5 indicates his desire to be there when Jesus cries out, “now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” The reason for his coming is that God might unite himself with mankind. His coming is associated with the resurrection of the righteous. There is debate about the timing of this resurrection but no one argues the promise of the resurrection who is a believing Christian. Paul the Apostle excitedly writes about the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15: 51-55,

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

The coming of the Lord is the consummation of the bringing together the family of God. The scriptures describe this family as a bride being prepared for its groom. I am filled with joy as I think about fellowship with men and women of old, from ancient times who served God obediently in their generations. I look forward to living in a land in that is Governed by the Lord himself, where justice and mercy are witnessed in every decision that is made by him. These are but a few of the reasons for his coming and they are marvelous to think about.

Finally I would like you to think about the necessity of his coming. One of those great resurrected saints Robert Robinson 1735- 1790 wrote “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love” If that is true of saints that love God how much truer for those that reject his love and goodness, Matthew 24:22 records the words of Jesus, “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” 2 Timothy 3 describes the nature of the last days. “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”

The necessity of Jesus return is that we who believe do not come to imitate those who do not. It is so those who have the strength to endure temptation and awful persecution do not have to do so in vain. The necessity of Christ return is for the salvation of the human race that God himself has chosen to identify with permanently through his only son, the God man Jesus Christ. He also make all who believe God’s sons and daughters as well.

John 1: 12-13 connect the Son of God with the sons and daughters of God for Jesus is “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

His coming is Glorious, His coming is has purpose and reason in the mind of God, His coming is necessary. Amen

Greeting from God and the Spirits in Sky

2012-02-16T10:55:00.000-08:00

John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirit before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Revelations 1: 4-5

John starts by addressing seven churches. Seven is not the same as one. God never intended for all his churches to look, act and smell alike. They are geographic churches with weaknesses and strengths. They were churches that God knew would change with time and circumstance. He also knew that change causes stress he therefore blesses with peace and focuses on God who is the same yesterday today and forever. The second half of the greeting is very interesting; it is a greeting from the spirits before the throne. Speaking about angels is popular but I don’t think we meditate on their role in our lives enough.

The first thing that we should remember about angels, heavenly or hellish, is that they are old. They have been looking upon the condition of mankind for a long time. The angels around the throne, they are cheering the church on. They want us to succeed and are allowed at times to help us along. We don’t know them but they know us. I have grandchildren that I have never seen face to face. They don’t know me, but I know them. I love them as I do those who have been in my home many times. Our relationship with angels is like this. They are sending greeting to those whose lives they have observed and been a part of even as family separated by distance. My favorite verse to meditate on in regards to the topic of Angels is Matthew 18:10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” There is a security that comes from this verse that we should always experience. I am always a “little one” in my father’s eyes and I know that he is watching me.

The greeting does not end with angels however but with the man who is God, who is and will be King of kings and Lord of lords. Why men reject such a benevolent God is a great question but it is answered easily when we witness the hardness of men’s hearts. Jesus is the greatest of these witnesses and the one whose rule must prevail. William Booth founder of the Salvation Army said all people must be either be pardoned or punished.

The book of Revelation details many of the punishments to come. The prophet Zechariah wrote of Jesus’ Kingship on earth and of his throne in Jerusalem. “On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves “On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the LORD. “I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the LORD Almighty is their God.’ Zechariah 12”4-5

The severity of his judgment is proportional the generosity of his pardon. God became man!!!! The distance between God and man is greater than the distance between man and dog, but I no man would become a dog, especially for a dog that bites the hand that feeds it. Man has been a dog that has bit not just the hands of his master, but his creator. Jesus will show us his bite marks himself when he comes again and no one will be free from accusation. All sin is sin against God and God alone.
Revelations 1:5-8 brings us from creator to redeemer, and blest are those who read these words aloud!

“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen. “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

When The Grace Runs Out

2012-02-13T11:39:00.001-08:00

The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what, must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. Revelations 1: 1-3

I enter into a series of blogs on the book of Revelations with an eye for adventure. I have a specific theology around end times that I will keep disclosed for now. I approach each blog as an individual unit, unless otherwise designated. They are designed to be a meal for sheep looking for food in contrast the theology written in stone. That will be my approach to this book that sets off so much theological debate. Where it is appropriate and I see the necessity to do so I will address doctrinal issues. Theology is a starch and is necessary for our nutrition. Doctrine is the human energy it creates. I will try to give each appropriate attention.

We begin with a distinction without a difference in verse 1. What God gives Jesus belongs to Jesus as God. The purpose of the giving is that Jesus as man can share it with men as a man. Such is the Revelation from Jesus Christ that John the Apostle shares with humanity. The revelation is not a private one but global and impacts the reader when it is shared publicly. “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy.” Much of the imagery of the book of revelations is mysterious and frightening. It is designed to move us to a sense of awe in its reading.

Ravi Zacharias describes one type of knowledge as “a wash” It is the type of knowledge that you hear and don’t know what to do with it. It washes over you and overwhelms the senses. The book of Revelations is like that in it first readings. In order to “hear it and take to heart what is written in it” you need to hear again and again. What it does is create a sense of urgency in you about the coming of the Lord. This urgency has held firm in believers who embrace this book from the first century to the present.

John did not just hear the words of Jesus Christ but saw the revelation as being there. He saw the future conflicts between good and evil that would transpire at the end of time. The comfort that comes from this book is from Jesus himself. He begins his comfort with John and extends it to us. When John saw him, him fell at his feet as though dead. Then Jesus placed his right hand on him and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Revelations 1:18. The Lord uses the book of Revelations to catapult us to a future of dread yet one filled with hope.

The book of Revelations could be titled “when the grace runs out” that should create dread, but for the believer it is a time when the evils are men are judged by one who is impartial, fair, and merciful. The book closes with evil forever quarantined and in the personages of those who hate God, both angelic and human cursing the God who created them in love. They are without repentance and if they continued in their labors evil the elect would be deceived.

Daddy God Bakes the Bread

2012-02-09T14:36:00.001-08:00

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5: 10-11

Peter knew a little bit about restoration, John 21 covers that restoration and Peter was aware of a personal invitation from the Lord to come to receive his forgiveness purchased for him, the angel said; “But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” Peter is writing us as an older man, one who has been strong firm and steadfast. His letters contain more duty than intimacy. When he references Father in 1 Peter it is in the context of judgment. “Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.” 1 Peter 1:17, when he references it in 2 Peter it is with Christ in mind. “He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 2 Peter 1:17.

Peter was faithful to feed his sheep. He continues to do so from the letter he shared with us. Peter is like many who are restored, strong, and steadfast. They know they can boldly access the throne of God, but the knock just the same. It is difficult for them to be free from fear and cry Abba Father or Daddy God. Romans chapter 8 tells us that we have received a Spirit of adoption, that we are sons, and children of God. It also makes reference to suffering and glory as Peter does.

Paul could write “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” He and Peter would but experience that in the martyrdom of Rome. It may be that Peter was strong and Paul was singing. If you have failed the Lord I would like to encourage you to sing a song to your Daddy. Yes be strong, be firm, and be steadfast. However, remember that “he who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it until the very end.” Do not be afraid the call your God, Dad and remember every though he is a judge he is a Father that cares for his children. Love and forgiveness can be hard to receive. I believe they were for Peter and maybe for you to. Go feed his sheep, but remember it is Daddy that baked the bread.

Where are your Wounds?

2012-02-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

“We will go before God to be judged, and God will ask us, "Where are your wounds? And we will say, "We have not wounds." And God will ask, "Was nothing worth fighting for?" Rev. Allan Boesak, South Africa

This quote seems very appropriate as we round the bend to complete our blogging of 1 Peter. Our journey began on December 3, 2011 today is February 7, 2012. During that time we have visited numerous historic places. We spent a great deal of time with the pre flood generation; we were in a weeping Bethlehem, a liberated India with Gandhi. We contemplated the usefulness of his methods in the prison camps of Europe and came to the conclusion that we are more perpetrator than liberator. Our hearts sank and we called out for mercy. Submission was a reoccurring theme that demonstrated love is the prerequisite to its accomplishment. We quoted from Confucius, Simon and Garfunkel and met a young Aerosmith lyric writer who was feeling old. Plato, George Washington and John Huss helped us understand community and the courage it takes to build one.
The Apostle Peter was and is our guide. He is identified with us and tells us so in his letter.

“To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 1 Peter 5: 1-3

Peter is not making wide the corners of his garments. He is telling us, “I am with you” more importantly he knew that Christ would be as well. He knew that a life of godliness, submission, and love or a life indentified with the person of Jesus would be a life filled with wounds. He knew that with “much wisdom would come much sorrow”. He knew that he was sending out his flock as sheep among wolves, he knew that they were fighting a malevolent invisible enemy who was seeking those he could devourer. He therefore told his leaders “watch out for them”. Watch out for those who are doing well because they well often grow weary in well doing. Watch out for those who are doing poorly because the cares of this life can become a snare to them. As you watch out for them, do it with your heart, living as they live, walking beside your folk and not in front of your flock. As you watch out for them also remember to watch out for yourself. Don’t let blessings become an entitlement and remember that pay day follows the cemetery and not the seminary.

Be a shepherd. Peter knew the admonishment contained in Ezekiel 33: 7-9. “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.”

Peter was interested in a lot more than just his own salvation. He would ultimately give his life in the service of Jesus, but not before he trained like minded leaders to be filled with a love for the sheep and the love of a good fight for souls and needs of men.

The Joyful Fire

2012-02-06T09:07:00.000-08:00

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4 12-17

We as Christians need to be more discerning about how we define a fiery ordeal. The scriptures define it one way and one way only. It is persecution. A fiery ordeal is not our being in financial crises because we have spent more money than we made. A fiery ordeal is not our child drifting from the faith because we have been too lenient or too harsh with them. A fiery ordeal is not a health crisis that is directly traceable to poor diet and lack of exercise. A fiery ordeal is not a struggling marriage in which spouses refuse to submit to biblical precepts. These are not trials, these are consequences. Verse 14 of this passage defines the beginning fiery trial and promises a greater measure in blessing. The trial comes about “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ” the blessing is “for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you”. So here are two questions that we must ponder. When was the last time you were insulted for the Gospel’s sake? When was the last time you heard about the glory resting on someone because of persecution? We tend to define “glory resting on us” as something that happens when believers gather together to worship God. This passage seems to indicate that there is a higher glory when we stand alone and firm in our conviction of the truth of the Gospel.

Verse 17 says “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household” That judgment that we need to contemplate is our perpetual desire for comfort and ease, when we are called to seek and save that which is lost. If our priorities were in keeping with the scriptures our fiery trials would follow as a natural consequence and we would be “overjoyed when his glory is revealed” is us.

If we spent our money responsibly on the extension of the Gospel we would owe no debts but that of love. If our enthusiasm and joy were extant in our living the Gospel our children would most often embrace a Godly lifestyle. If we recognized the importance of being physically strong and being prepared to “go” we would not abuse our bodies with junk food. If we saw our marriage as a reflection of Christ and his church we would serve our spouses as Christ served us, without complaint or accusation, esteeming them higher than ourselves. If we did these things glory would manifest in our giving, our families our bodies and our marriages. That glory would prepare us for whatever insult followed because we would be too blessed and too connected to Jesus to be bothered by it. In fact our response would be to pray for those who insult us and persecuted us. I pray the fires in your life that are blazing that are non-biblical would be snuffed out in Jesus name, and I pray that the fires that you are called to start would blaze brightly equip for every good work, especially those associated with persecution.

Deep Love meets Deep Prayer

2012-02-03T07:55:00.000-08:00

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:7-9

The lack of attention to spiritual disciplines on a positive end and temptation on the negative gets in the way of our praying. That is why Peter calls us to be alert and sober, or serious minded. Now this is not a joyless mind because he next tells us to love deeply. It is deep love that drives us to deep prayer. A life that is filled with prayer is the same as a life filled with love. Love that is thoughtful, meditative, and considerate of the problems of others is conscience of the fact that it is powerless to heal and bring comfort to those who need love. Love that grows in wisdom understands that only a divine source or God himself interceded with and through, causes us to love and then love causes us to pray, and prayer causes us to love. However this work is not done on our knees only but in the mingled with the every day. Peter brings love to the kitchen table when he says, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”

To live a life of love and prayer is to make yourself vulnerable to the temptation of complaint and grumbling, but “love covers a multitude of sins” even those we commit in the practice of loving others. Oh but if we would get the full meaning of our ability to cover sin with prayer. We would change the course of lives and nations. Is it possible that Steven’s last words and last prayer “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” was the catalyst for the conversion of a spiritual blind Paul? Was it not the love and prayer of the young man Daniel that went to King Nebuchadnezzar when he decreed that all the wise men in the kingdom would be executed if his dream were not interpreted? This dream contained the history of the human race and was unlocked because a young man was concerned with the life of others and prayed. 2 Timothy 2:2 makes the direct connection between the King’s table and our kitchen table when he commands. “Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” Our lives are connected to those who are in authority. If we pray for them our loved ones we reap the benefit. It is a double blessing of love. Those who are in authority are only human and subject to human failures. Their failure is our failure because they represent us 1 Peter 2:17 “Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.”

We need to understand the “God makes men what they are” (Brave heart) and he has made you who you are, Peter understanding this facts and tells us that “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 He elevates these gifts to divine representation, or as The Apostle Paul more clearly defines as ambassadors of Christ.

“If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11

God is calling us to be done with earthly words and work. He is calling us to walk in the Spirit in a manner that is defined in Romans chapter 8. Proverbs 16:9 tells us “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” If we believe that the Lord is establishing our steps shouldn’t we believe that he is planning them for divine purpose? Do we dare to add faith to all the moments of our life and let love and joy and prayer fill them in such a way the divine character of Jesus Christ fills each day? I am growing desperate to live this way. The scriptures tell me that I can. So let it be written in my heart and lived out in my walk as it is written to the words of the scriptures.

Pray without Ceasing, Work without Easing, and Talk without Teasing

2012-02-02T14:38:00.001-08:00

As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 1 Peter 4:2

The passage bears repeating before commenting, “they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but for the will of God.” Is this a message our generation can grasp or are we so dependent on grace and mercy that we have given up on righteousness and holiness? Verse 3 defines what we are not suppose to engage in “debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry” Webster defines debauchery as “extreme indulgence in sensuality” The list is inclusive of one thing, sin, the distinctions are simply made for emphasis. Peter admits that before we were born again many of us participated in these activities but he sets a pastoral limit when he declares “you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do” Meaning “don’t do that stuff anymore” A pastors.com survey indicated that 54% of pastors had viewed pornography within the last year. If half of the leadership in the church is participating in a form of debauchery no wonder we are not hearing messages that state we can live the rest of our lives free of earthly human desires.

Verse 1 of this chapter tells us that we can be “done with sin” and tells us how. It says to arm ourselves with the attitude of Christ. That may be too abstract to wrap our arms around so let me suggest three things to begin. Pray without ceasing, work without easing, and talk without teasing. If we continue to these three it will be God that we are pleasing.

Pray without ceasing.

Believers fail in this regard because they separate the normal routines of life from the spiritual life. A. Saphir’s work on the Lord ’s Prayer from the 1860’s states, “In the Lord Jesus Christ we see most clearly the union of prayer and life, the harmony and continual interpenetration of the two spheres of life – communion with God and work on earth.” Interpenetration is a new word for me. In theological terms it “refers to the mutual inter-penetration and indwelling within the threefold nature of the Trinity, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”. As implied generally it means a mutual penetration of two things. In reference to our topic it is prayer and work.

Work without ceasing.

Over time I have increasing defined my theology around Sabbath keeping, or resting on the 7 day. This sounds glorious and in fact is glorious, but if I dedicated myself to resting on the Sabbath I am obliged also to honor God and work for six days. Idle hands are indeed the devils workshop and extended leisure has been the demise of many believers. Many congregations would do well in encouraging their pastors to work and additional job. The sweat of the brow is often a better motivator to prayer than the inactivity of a pastor’s cell or office. I suspect a busy man, worn down with a day full of labor is strengthen in his spiritual resolve in comparison with a bored man who is thirsting for entertainment and finding it in illicit sin.

Talk without teasing.

Men and women work in closer proximity in this generation than in any other. That work is also more separated from home than it has been in many other generations. That being true the opportunity for sin and the difficulty of living the rest of our earthly lives free from evil human desire becomes more difficult. One of the keys to our success is how we talk with the opposite gender in the work place. Playful teasing, coarse joking, are often create cracks in spiritual armor that left unattended leave the Christian soldier vulnerable to attack. Such teasing also indicates a lack of prayerful consideration for our co-workers and means that we are stealing time from productive work that the Lord has assigned us to. This may sound harsh and exacting but it is the casualness of our attitudes that is causing the routine nature of our sin. Jesus armed himself with prayer and his attitude was that he would live all of his earthly life for the will of God. Our attitude is to be the same, the availability of mercies that are new every morning, should not be accompanied but the necessity of those mercies, especially as it relates to sins classified as debauchery.

Done With Sin

2012-01-19T13:33:00.000-08:00

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 1 Peter 4:1

Christians thinking of Jesus often meditate on his divine nature without giving equal attention to his human nature, in doing so with resolve ourselves of the responsibility to be like him. His suffering in the body was not just the suffering of the cross. Jesus suffered through the temptations to sin the same way every human being does. “Tempted in all ways yet without sin” He did not have our sin nature, but he did have a will of his own. The human will can be an enemy or a friend of God. The direction of the will, Peter points out, is determined by the attitude of the mind, and the crucifying of the flesh. In reference to the mind and body Paul’s words in Romans 12 agree with Peter’s. He tells us to present our bodies as sacrifices, and then renew our minds. The consequence is that we will know God’s good pleasing and perfect will.

Many believers struggle a lifetime trying to know God’s will without finding it. This happens because they never allow the body to suffer through temptation. Jesus suffered to obey God with such intensity that he bled sweat. How much have you suffered in the body for Christ? Before you limit this application to martyrs, consider the nursery rhyme, “be careful little eyes what you see, little ears what you hear, little hands what you do and little feet where you go.” The truth of suffering of the body is not just child’s play it is related to adult action and divine destiny. The failure to manage the body has destroyed the lives of many great Christians.

In a conversation with my supervisor about the reasons for divorce he highlighted three A’s, abuse, adultery, and addictions. Physical and emotional abuses stem from words and deeds done in the body; adultery and addiction are both rooted in appetites that are destructive. Anyone who has ever tamed a temper, or arrested an adulterous urge has suffered in the body. Addiction by definition is a body submitted to the level of slavery. Slavery does not usually end without a war. Remember God destroyed the armies of Pharaoh, and the next generation did not receive a single promise until they fought. Peter therefore reminds us to “arm ourselves”. Even though the United States has been a nation at war recently we are a citizenry that is predominately living in peace. People at peace are not trained to suffer. When applied to sin the desire for peace can lead to appeasement of the flesh and sinful nature. The consequence is a body that is nourished on sin instead of one that is purified from sin. Peter tells us “whoever suffers in the body is done with sin”

Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus, who suffered in the flesh to destroy sin. We are called to be like him. “Righteousness is following the divine law; holiness is having a divine nature.” These are the words of Samuel Logan Brengle, Salvation Army office, who lived out God’s good and pleasing perfect will for his life. I pray you and I are willing the arm ourselves, to suffer some, that we might be “done with sin”.

Bad Men, Bad Angels, Same God

2012-01-17T10:11:00.000-08:00

After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. 1 Peter 3:19-20

In my last blog I spoke about the disobedience of men in the pre flood generation. The possibility of angelic disobedience is also contained in this passage. My cross reference is 2 Peter 2:4-5 “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment..;” The course of interpretation of this passage debatable. I have stated that where there is controversy in the scripture a diligent preacher is obligated to teach the controversy. I will do my best to follow my own admonishment. Key to this passage is what happens in Genesis 6:1-2. “When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.” The debate centers on who are the “sons of God” Job 1:6, 2:1, 38.7 all use the term in regards to angelic beings, Peter’s reference to these angels being placed in “gloomy dungeons” reinforces the fact that they sinned. Some believe that the sin was an angelic/human hybrid that was abhorrent to God.

Jude 5 - 7 is another passage to consider “Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.”

http://www.scripturessay.com/article.php?cat=&id=303 breaks down this passage as follows. “Jude 7 speaks of the SEXUAL IMMORALITY of Sodom and Gomorrah. It adds “The little clause "in like manner" (KJV), "in a similar way" (NIV), "which likewise" (RSV), "they, in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh..." (NAS95), must be understood in it's proper context. Most credible scholars believe that Jude is referring to some event in which angels, in the same way as Sodom, went after strange flesh in a sexually immoral way. It seems likely that the context of Jude 6 considers the context of Genesis 6.”

The problem with the above interpretation is that Jesus explicitly said that "in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven." (Matthew 22:30) (See also Luke 20:34-36). Therefore in Jesus' own words, angels are asexual and do not procreate. Interpreters that believe the Genesis 6 is referencing human and not angelic offspring point out that “The phrase: "sons of God" should be understood as referring to the posterity of Seth, who from the times of Enos, were called by the name of the Lord, (Gen. 4:25) and had the title of the sons of God, in distinction from the children of men. Those in the line of Seth claimed the privilege of divine adoption, and professed to be born of God, and partakers of his grace, and claimed to worship him according to his will, so far as revealed to them, and to fear and serve and glorify him. http://www.scripturessay.com/article.

Another difficulty with the passage is the claim that the angels had illicit relations with women. Yet the text is very clear: "they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose" (Genesis 6:2b). The phrase "took wives for themselves" only, and always, means marriage. It never refers to casual, illicit or adulterous relationships. (See Genesis 11:29 & Ruth 1:4). To suggest otherwise is reading into the text that which is simply not there. http://globalchristiancenter.com/biblical-theology/nephilim-genesis-6.html

There is more information that could be added to support or detract from both positions. Let me state what we know. We know that men sinned greatly before the flood. We know that some of the fallen angels “abandoned their proper abode” and were judged for their sin by being caste into a dungeon for holding until greater judgment. Peter’s motivation for setting the example of the pre flood generation is not in illicit a theological argument but to remind us that God’s judgments can be severe. Peter is a person that experienced a great deal of God’s grace, but he is also the person who spoke God’s judging words on those the lied to the Holy Ghost in Acts 5. The occasion is one in which Ananias and Sapphira gave a large and substantial portion of the proceeds of selling their property for the benefit of the church. Their claim was that they gave all of the profit to the church. Their lie resulted in their immediate death. Peter simply wants us to remember that God is the same yesterday, today and forever; in this case everything else is literally commentary.

All of the Bible or None of the Bible (part II)

2012-01-13T13:53:00.000-08:00

After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. 1 Peter 3: 19 - 22

Let’s continue our story with talking about Noah and his building of the Ark. An important verse in this discussion is Genesis 6:3 “Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” This verse is often misinterpreted as a projection of normal human life span when it is actually the time Noah was given to build the Ark. Psalm 90:10 is the better gage of a human life span in this dispensation. “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures.” Time and human experience bear testimony to the accuracy of Psalm 90. However, Noah was operating in a time in which life spans were measured in centuries not decades.

Men grew in violence in an environment that was at peace. Animals had no fear of men in his dispensation and probably were not carnivorous. Truly, the lion would lay with a child and the child would be as safe as he would be in a crib. Genesis 9:2-3 is a historic moment that bears witness to the change in the physical nature of the planet and is reflected in the animal kingdom. “The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.” The answer to how did Noah gather the animals is easy. The animals were not afraid of people. I am also postulating that they were not afraid of each other. Men clearly did not eat meat. I am making the argument that animals did not either. Admittedly, my deduction is not clearly stated in scripture; however it is not an irrational either.

I should explain the word dispensation for readers that are unfamiliar with the concept. “In Christian terms ... it refers to a period in history whereby God dealt with man in a specific way. (Conscience, Law, Grace)” Noah’s pre-flood time would be the age of Conscience, Mosses a time of Law, our own time one of Grace. The flood and the change in the world that followed it are the direct consequence of men’s disobedience to God. Please don’t view these categories as hard lines; there is much carry over from one time to another. The most consistent of these carryovers is the system of sacrifice implemented with Adam that had its fulfillment in Christ.

It is the profound nature of man’s disobedience in the pre flood dispensation that creates the global judgment of God. The level of disobedience may have included a perversion involving angels. I will address that in the next blog. However, before I close I want to talk about the eight people for a few minutes. Noah we know was righteous. The late Samuel Logan Brengle makes a wonderful distinction between righteousness and holiness. He states that righteousness is keeping the God’s law, while holiness is living out God’s character. As this applies to Noah, he is called righteous by the Lord himself. Ezekiel 16: 19-20 makes reference to Noah, Daniel and Job and states that if a city were judged they would be saved but the city lost. The eight post flood citizens of the world include Noah his wife, his three sons and their wives. Acts 16:31 immediately comes to mind, “believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.” This application I believe holds true for Noah’s family.

They are called to repopulate the planet with sacrifice and obedience still being a standard practice. There is radical drop in what for I will describe as the “fumes of Eden”, by that I mean, long life and a peaceful animal kingdom among other things. Peter is using fallen angels and the pre flood generation as examples for us. He is pointed out the necessity of holiness. The foundation principle is, “he who endures to the end shall be saved. His pen will later write, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others.” …2 Peter 2:4-5.. then you and I would be wise to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

All of the Bible or None of the Bible (part 1)

2012-01-12T08:12:00.000-08:00

After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. 1 Peter 3: 19-22
The above passage in technically complicated and theologically important it also is another one of those passages that demand a reading of the Bible as a singular document and not just a grouping of literature tossed together. In the four verses quoted, we must deal with hell, angels, the pre-flood generation, baptism and the body resurrection of Jesus Christ and his ascension into heaven. Last blog I wrote on verse 19, today I will only set a foundation for verse 20. There is simply too much in these verses to gloss over. I will point the reader to references as necessary in order to maintain the brevity of the blog.

The flood is one of the great lines in the concrete that separates believers between believers and believers and non believers. Believing in a literal worldwide flood a literal Adam and Eve categorizes you as one of those “crazy creationist” and there is no way to get around that charge if you are an evangelical bible believer. As an evangelist and soul winner you have to be able to give intelligent answers to these questions. Ken Ham of answersingenesis.org is the best resource I know of in this area. His web site has a blog written by him called ‘Will pastors miss the millions of years point?’ It quotes extensively from a survey among pastors addressing the topic of this blog.

The question of the nature of the flood is of vital importance. Peter’s pen referenced only eight people being saved after the flood. If nine are saved the Bible is unreliable. It tells us the reason for the flood, disobedience, and immediately following the flood we have a radical change in the life span of men that is reported. If the account of the pre flood generation is mythological then the entire Bible is unreliable. Our faith is in vain and we are the most foolish of people.

If Jesus did not die to restore what Adam’s sin lost then the crucifixion is without redeeming merit; if the Bible is mythological about the flood then why not the resurrection? The Christian faith is routed in historic precedents that begin in Genesis. If there is death before Adam, then death is not the consequence of the sin. If death is the consequence of something other than sin then the scripture that says “without the shedding of blood there is not remission of sins” does not apply. If it does not apply then Jesus did not need to die for our sins. If Jesus did not need to die for our sins then everything he did and said has no foundation and he is only a man and not God. Then Christianity is a false religion. Therefore we better be able to justify why we believe what we believe.

The intellectual process for believing is God is easy. Creation itself is sufficient evidence to believe in God. The design and intricacies of nature demand a belief in a creator. Naming that creator Jesus and stating he is the designer is a much bigger leap. In order to that I have to believe in Bible. The intellectual process that makes me believe in the Bible starts with Jesus and then backs into evangelical truth and applies to things like the universal flood, a young earth and a literal Adam.

What are the things that are in the Bible that make me believe in Jesus? There are two I can start with, the first is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies related to Jesus. Simply search the topic and you will see a list of these scriptures. The second is the witness of the apostles. These are all men that went to great lengths to speak about their personal eye witness accounts of his resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15 tells us that 500 people saw Jesus alive. Luke 1, 1 John 1 opening lines speak with clarity about a desire to witness to a truth that was historic. The writers only give us the option of accepting or rejecting their words as actual truth. Their claims leave no room for mythological or metaphorical interpretation. Neither does the rest of the Bible. To be continued

U Haul to Hades, Moving on Up!

2012-01-10T12:34:00.000-08:00

After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. 1 Peter 3: 19-22

The above passage in technically complicated but theologically important it also is another one of those passages that demand a reading of the Bible as a singular document and not just a grouping of literature tossed together. In the four verses quoted, we must deal with hell, angels, the pre-flood generation, baptism and the body resurrection of Jesus Christ and his ascension into heaven. I am only going to cover verse 19 in today’s blog.

Verse 19a is not hard to interpret. David Guzik is my favorite Bible commentator; I will simply quote his words from the Blueletterbible.org in reference to this passage. “Jesus did die in His body, but was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit. Here, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. It also tells us that the Father raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 6:4), and it says that Jesus raised Himself from the dead (John 2:18-22). The resurrection was the work of the Triune God.”

“He went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits” Jesus’ proclamation is the announcement in an eternal shift in character of mankind, and changed the operational nature of heaven and hell itself. This shift was not anticipated by the demonic world. “None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” 1 Corinthians 2:8 The rulers of this age could be applied to the earthly leaders of the time such as Herod and Pilate, but I do not believe that the verse is speaking about the earthly realm. My position is based on Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Herod, Pilate and the earthly rulers were nothing but instruments of their father the devil anyway.

The Proclamation of Authority

Jesus proclaims governing authority of the abode of the dead. The question of authority is answered in Revelations 1:18 “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. “ Jesus is connecting his life death and resurrection to the authority over “death and Hades” Listen to one of the coolest aspects of this truth. The devil can’t even go home at without Jesus’ permission. Beyond being just fun to say, it speaks to this fundamental shift of authority that we as believers need to understand.

Jesus marks this shift when he says of the John the Baptist. I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." Luke 7:28. What is different is that death has been defeated. There were sections of abode of the dead that moved when Jesus finished his proclamation.

Luke 16 describes the compartments and the communication that went on between these sections of Hades. There is a conversation between Abraham and a rich sinner who was condemned because of his failure to believe Mosses and the prophets. Abraham says these words. ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ Luke 16:25-26.

This whole section of the abode of the dead moves locations when Jesus is making his proclamation, Ephesians 4:8 sings this truth to us. “ When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” The captivity that he lead captive was Abraham, Lazarus and the faithful Old Testament saints that included John the Baptist. It was a quick enough work that I believe it included the thief on the cross that Jesus promised “would be in paradise”

(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) Ephesians 4: 9-10

This verse describes the beginning of a victory parade of Jesus the righteous that has its crowning glory in Colossians 2:15 “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” This verse separates the distinction between Old Testament saints and New. The Old Testament saint had an armed guard with keys to a prison that was controlled in death and blocked spirtual seeing and hearing for all but a few anointed people. New Testament saints are free from sin, the devil, and the fear of death. They are empowered to walk spiritually as naturally as they do physically.

Everything Adam lost Jesus won. The Old Testament saints did not have this, so many of us believers live a weak spiritual life fearing an enemy that has been defeated. It is because we think that we need to do something when Jesus did everything. Believing that is what gives us the victory. That is why this brief passage is so important to our spiritual life because... “the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Romans 5:15

The Pain, Position and Purpose of Christ

2012-01-06T23:26:00.000-08:00

The section of scripture I will cover over the next few blogs are ones that is important to cover in their full context. It is a section of scripture that links the Bible from Genesis to Revelation as a continuous story. It is a section of scripture that places a demand on us to approach the Bible from and evangelical perspective that acknowledges that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16.

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” 1 Peter 3:18

Today’s verse leads me to meditation of the pain, the position, and the purpose of Christ. The verse starts with a consideration of His pain, it proceeds to speak about Christ position among men, and ends with a clear statement of the purpose of his work.

His Pain:

For Christ suffered once for sins. Peter is pointing us to the cross. The finished work of Christ, this is His ultimate suffering but it is not His only suffering. The finished work is able to be completed by Christ because it was a continuous work. Hebrews 4:15 tells of that Jesus “in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” John MacArthur has pointed out in that each of Christ temptations were experienced to the fullest because he was never provided a means of escape. He request one, “Lord if you are willing take this cup from me but not my will but yours be done” We are told in Hebrews 5:7 “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he “offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” His loud cries and tears were heard, but he was not saved from death. Verse 8 tells us “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” One of the divine mysteries of our faith is that although Jesus is fully God, he is also fully man. The mystery poses the question can God sin? The answer to that is clearly no. However, Jesus was a man, so could Jesus sin? The answer is clearly yes. Hence the mystery, what is clear and not a mystery is that Jesus could be tempted to have a will that is contrary to the Father. The pain of the contradiction is lived out in be a real man, “the righteous for the unrighteous” All of humanity has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but not the man Christ Jesus. The fall of Adam would have forever condemned humanity to a sinful state separated from God, even as the fallen Angels are condemned. Knowing our weakness, the Lord himself became man. It was not an afterthought in the mind of God but indeed Christ is the “Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”

His Position

One of the astounding facts of the Gospel is the Christ becomes a man permanently. It happened in a moment in history. The Immaculate Conception was concept in the mind of God, it was a prophetic proclamation of the Old Testament writers, but it had its reality in a specific woman in time. The cosmic Christ, eternally with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever changed his nature. He became a man. Jesus was always God, but he was not always man. It was as a man that he was tempted, mocked, crucified and bodily resurrected. It is as a man and he intercedes on our behalf in heaven. It is as a man that he ascended into heaven and it is as a man that he shall return to govern earth. It is in his human nature that he is declared righteous. It is as a man, that scriptures declare, “every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

His Purpose

Christ purpose is simple and profound. It is to bring you to God. It is not to bring mankind in general to God. No it is to bring you and me to God, one at a time, each person uniquely. Jesus did not die for the sin of mankind collectively. He became each human beings substitute specifically. Adam’s sin corrupted our nature, but each human being embraced that nature of their own free will and rebelled against the righteous decrees of a good and loving God. Justice demands that we pay for our sins. Sin when it is full grown brings forth death. It is therefore a capitol offense worthy the severest penalty. Death! Yes even by crucifixion! Well you say that you have done no great sin worthy of such a severe penalty. Then I say you do not understand the pervasiveness of your sin. You do not understand its contagious nature. Adam’s rebellion as we observe in the history is a benign act. He ate a piece of fruit off of a tree. Yet, in one generation that rebellion would lead a murderous jealously. That jealously stemmed from the kindest and gentlest corrections from the mouth of the Lord. “If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up?” It was and offering to the Lord, a religious act, that lead to Cain murdering Able. Do not for a second entertain the thought that you are better. You are not. Do not make Christ’s pain a small thing by thinking so, do not lower his lofty position by believing it, do not cheapen the constant righteous conduct of Christ to the cross by comparing to Cain like religious offerings. No my friend, empathize with his pain, exalt his position, and but eternally grateful that he purposed to save you!

Goody Goody Questions of Hope

2012-01-05T13:01:00.000-08:00

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the 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. 1 Peter 3: 13-16

My immediate thought the question posed in verse 13 is a ‘lot of people!’ but my experience is very different. I have worked most of the past 20 years in the midst of dangerous men and women; murderers, rapist, drug addicts and dealers, thieves and lunatics, mostly without fear. I have not been able to do this because I am brave, but because I believe that if you are good to people they are going to be good to you. There have been exceptions to this general rule, but they are few. I young man I invited into my home stole from me, someone I was compassionate to threatened me. So what! I am blessed. The things that were stolen might have been given away if I were asked. The threats that were made against me were serious enough that I tossed and turned at night and imagined brutally hurting those that wanted to hurt me and my family. However, I came to understand that the perpetrators of these threats were to be pitied more than despised. When I realized this, fear evaporated and I could identify with Christ's suffering. A life lived with eagerness to do good witnesses the depravity of man but focuses on the image of God that is in all people.

The Gospel is received in perception often before it is received in proclamation. Let me explain. Verse 15 tells us to be prepared to answer those that ask. The ‘ask’, often does not come until a life is observed for a period of time. The time of that observation may be long or short. After three years of observing the miracles of Jesus, his dignified death, the earthquake and darkness that covered the earth at his crucifixion, finally at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit Jerusalem asked “what shall we do” It only took the jailer in Philippi one encounter to ask “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” In both cases lives were observed before commitments were made.

The answers given to the people of Jerusalem and to the jailer at Philippi were the same repent or believe and be baptized. Threats of hell were not made but promises of forgiveness, the type of forgiveness that allows you to forgive others. Gentle and respectful promises were made of empowered God filled lives that allows you to keep a clear conscience.

When I was stolen from I knew that was a possibility, when I was threatened I knew that was a possibility too. My clear conscience confirms for me that I would do the same things again. I know that my motives were pure. I realize that malicious speech my follow my attempts live out Christ like love, but a long view is needed. Thieves and violent people often repent when they experience the shame of their false accusation. The accusation will prove false to them as you continue to live as a witness that does good. Your vindication, if you are fortunate, is a friend and co-laborer in a world where together you are ‘eager to do good’.

Shut Up and Be Fantasticated

2012-01-04T14:12:00.001-08:00

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 1 Peter 3: 8-12

Loving life appears to be a rare occurrence in our prosperous and technologically abounding generation. Relationships rise and fall at a pace that leaves souls wounded, and a population longing for personal connection. The standard American answer to “how are you?”is “fine”but the word is simply a placeholder in the lexicon of responses to questions that are really rhetorical. My friend and camera man Mark Mason responds to the question of “how are you?” with a word he coined. It is “fantasticated” It indicates that he loves life and is seeing good days. In contrast my ‘terrific’ reply to “how are you” was met with “I have never been terrific” from someone who heard it. That was very sad to me. The Lord desires that all of us would “love life” and experience “good days” that we would be terrific and fantasticated.

Human beings are designed to live in community. Isolation can be a place we visit, it can even be a place of refreshing, but if you are going to love life you have to love people. The film Into the Wild chronicles the life of Christopher Johnson McCandless. He came to a tragic death in the midst of isolation. One of the last lines in the movie states that’ happiness is only real when it is shared.’ Peter is thinking about a community of people when his says “all of you.”Then he tells us what all of us should do, ‘be sympathetic and love one another, be compassionate and humble.’

Well “all of us” are not going to do that. However, those of us who are trying to do the right thing simply need to not talk about those who are not. We must “keep our tongues from evil” Part of becoming a community is model what a community should be. Most of us tend to judge ourselves based on our intentions while judging others on their actions. We make those judgments with and evil tongue. When we feel wronged or have been treated unjustly deceit can slip into our speech. We can begin to exaggerate our injury to proportions that do not have a base in reality. There are some injuries that cannot be exaggerated I understand that, however, certain types of emotional injuries leave us projecting our pain onto persons that have nothing to do with the injury. When we do that we are turning toward the evil we despise instead of to turning to God who delivers us from evil.

This is not an easy lifestyle God is calling us. It is a difficult one. We are told to “seek and pursue peace.”In other words peace has to be sought after. It is not given away. Our natural inclination is to return evil for evil. When we live this way our prayers are not answered and in fact God begins with work in opposition to us. “The Lord is against those that do evil” He is against us in our goal of retribution, “vengeance is mine says the Lord” and if you want Him to hear your prayer for a good days and you want to love life, you have to live righteously, that is defined in our verse as compassion, humility and most of all love. So shut up and be fantasticted.

Hostgator Promo

Women’s Faith Converters Brutes and Cowards

2011-12-23T12:04:00.001-08:00

For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. 1 Peter 3: 5-6

If ever a scripture could be described as counter countercultural this is it. The adornment verse five is speaking of is submission to husbands that is pure and reverent. The difficulty all women have faced in making application of this passage is found at the end of verse six. It is fear. It is very important to say that this is not irrational fear. It is not neurotic, histrionic, or hormonal. No quite the contrary it is completely rational and most often based on the failure of men.

Sarah is the cited example that Peter uses, let us consider her example. Genesis chapter 20 Abraham is travelling through a dangerous territory. Instead of protecting his wife he simply hands her over to a foreign king. Abraham has her lie about their marriage so that he is not killed because of her beauty. His intent is to abandon her to that situation. It is complete cowardice on his part and it was not the first time he did it but it was the second. If God had not intervened Sarah’s fate may have lead to innumerable abuses. However, God did intervene, and that is the point. The Lord is not telling women to trust their husbands he is telling them to trust God, “do not give way to fear”

The problem for women is that the evidence of their trust in God is their submission to their husbands, and husbands often prove to be untrustworthy. A dysfunctional man comes in two basic categories both of which are bad for women. The first is to be a brute and the second is to be a coward. The brute is routinely seen in domestic violence situations, and the cowardly often fear the realities of work. Some unfortunate women have been cursed with a man that is both a brute and a coward.

Brutes and cowards are not men of God. 1 Timothy 5:8 tells us “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” and 1 Corinthians 7:15 says “But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.” My advice to women who are caught in a cycle of domestic violence is to leave. No place has the Bible said that we have to be subject to abuse in your submission to our husbands. Now domestic violence is not a Biblical reason for divorce. Only adultery is! Please listen to my wisdom for just a few sentences. Men who are batterers are but nature selfish. Selfish men are not going to go without their sexual needs being met. If the woman of God separates the brute and the coward will ultimate provide grounds for a Biblical divorce, by getting another partner.

If the situation is not dangerous, not abusive but the man wants to stay with you 1 Corinthians 7:16 says, “How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? In other words stay, submit, be Godly and let God do his work.

Believing men are called to be servants, protectors, and shepherds.
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. 1 Peter 3:7
As God dealt with Abraham through the years he would become a servant a protector and a shepherd. He would build up armies for the protection of this family. Intercede on behalf of cities and walk a life a faith that was pleasing to God. He learned some of these skills by listening to God’s instruction to him about his wife. For example, in the midst of a difficult situation regarding the dissolving of a blended family the Lord says to Abraham, “Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Genesis 21:12.
Abraham did so and God blessed both Isaac and Ishmael. All men, like Abraham, have their prayers heard or hindered based on their treatment of their wives. Women can grow in faith as they witness God’s work of transforming their husbands from brutes and cowards to men of God. Women have two choices in regards to men, become daughters of Sarah, or give way to fear.

Christmas Submission

2011-12-22T05:59:00.000-08:00

Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 1 Peter 3: 1-2

I am writing this Christmas week 2011 and we are considering the topic of submission. I thought about switching to the topic of Christmas and then realized that Christmas is all about submission. I have come to realize that they are complimentary and could not be suited better to each other. Ephesians 5 and 1 Peter 3 are parallel passages, part of verse 25 the Ephesians scriptures reads, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” Two principles should be considered out of his giving of himself. The first is Christ’s love and the second is Christ trust of the Father. The key to understanding submission is bound up in these two truths. They are birthed in the heart of the one who submits. We must first understand that both are voluntary, and volitional. Secondarily, we must understand that submission is the acknowledgement that we trust God.

Our Peter passage promotes a submission in wives that is dignified, strong, and beautiful, “pure and reverent” are Peter’s words. The outcome or fruit that is often born of this type of conduct is a man that comes to love God. Christ provides us his example. He comes into the world in submission yet in partnership with the Father. He “lays down” and ”picks up” his life. He does so under his own power and what he wins is a “radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish”

Submission that is forced is no submission at all. That would be oppression not submission. One definition of oppression is “the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, anxiety, etc.” This is how many feel about the topic of submission, especially in marriage and especially at Christmas. Yet Jesus did all things for the’ joy’ set before him.

It is with an attitude of joy that submission should be approached. It is servant leadership exemplified. Peter confronts the type of materialism that causes anxiety for many now as it did then.

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 1 Peter 3: 3-4

Vanity is such a common practice that it is no longer considered a vice. It certainly has crossed the gender gap as well. Submission that is spirit driven creates inner beauty that is gentle and is of great value to God because it is so easy for him to use. A non submitted life is a life with the emergency brake on. It will move in the direction you want it to go but it will be forced and usually stinks. It creates great wear and tear and shortens the life as well.

A submitted life is one that is in the flow and rhythm of the spirit. It is not an easy life. Jesus’s submitted life lead him to the cross but it is a life that knows what is important, it prioritizes other’s needs before our own and it makes our lives a gift to others. If that is not the Spirit of Christmas nothing is.

Gandhi and Jesus Shepherds of Submission

2011-12-16T11:24:00.000-08:00

Servants, respect and obey your masters in all things. Obey not only those who are good to you. But also obey those who are hard on you. 1 Peter 2:18 WE translation
For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,”[but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter 2: 18-25

“Take this job and shove it” is a wonderful option for those who live in a free society. However disrespecting your boss is not a Biblical option. Verse 18 reads 'servants' in the translation I chose but in most translations the word used is slave and the command is for obedience to masters who are both kind and cruel. These scriptures plainly saying if you are in a bad situation ‘deal with it’ and to make matters worse it adds when you do so you are acting as Christ did. Why would it say that? Doesn’t God want us to be blessed? Well the answer to that question is yes, but there are times and circumstances in which our personal prosperity is a low priority within the Kingdom of God. Political, religious, racial and ethnic oppression are all common occurrences in human history. During such times men and women only have one possession. It is the one possession every human being carries with them throughout their life. It is the one commodity we each have a monopoly on. It is the soul. The Bible’s primary and exclusive concern in regards to our lives is the soul. The soul is never tested more than when it is treated unjustly. We are most Christ like when we suffer unjustly without complaint. The dignity of nonviolence often penetrates the heart of a wicked soul, but we are not promised this.

Two contrasting examples for us to consider are Gandhi’s non violence and India and the other is the atrocities suffered by the Jews of Europe in World War II. Both examples are from the same generation. There was even correspondence occurred between the two groups. Lena Mandel wrote a 1983 letter to the editor to Commentary Magazine. In it Mandel cites a Gandhi letter written to Martin Buber a Jewish philosopher living in Germany. Mandel reports that during World War II Gandhi said to Buber, “German Jews had the moral obligation to stay in Germany and, by willingly submitting to Nazi atrocities, teach mankind a moral lesson.”

In regards to his own struggle with the British Empire he stated "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." Many believe that Gandhi victory was not his but the British culture that allowed Godly shame to change their oppressive policies. Mandel adds “Gandhi’s record of passive resistance and civil disobedience should serve as a glorious monument to Western civilization at its best—because it worked. How can anyone ignore the fact that it could only have worked because Gandhi was dealing with a decent and moral society?”
What biblical examples can we look at to resolve our conflict between total submission and social and personal change? Let us consider the life of Jesus. An oppressive King issues a decree that all the children under two years of age should be killed in Bethlehem. Joseph was given instructions in a dream to escape with the Jesus to Egypt. There are times when some are called to endure and others are called to follow the spirits leading.

The instructions to Joseph allowed Jesus escaped but the mothers of Bethlehem did not receive any such instruction. The lament of the crime is such that it reaches back to the spirit of Jeremiah and cries, “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” Incomprehensible crimes stack up in human history as the bodies of Jewish souls did in Nazi concentration camps like Auschwitz, Dachau, and Belzec.

When we witness Jesus before Pilate the Bible describes him as silent in Matthew 27:12-14. His silence was total but was absent of threat, retaliation, or violence. These are the words he said to Pilate. “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. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice” John 18. Peter words record the heart of his voice and the topic of submission, “he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”

This is the bottom line of submission. Will we trust ourselves to the one who judges justly? Not because it is easy or even because we understand why atrocity and injustice occur. We do so because we know that Jesus is the shepherd of our soul, and if that were not true, most of us would be more like British or Nazi oppressors than we would be like Christ like or even Gandhian liberators.

The Wild River of Submission

2011-12-13T10:48:00.000-08:00

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2 13-17

To speak of submission in Western Culture is to enter into the fast moving river of controversy. It is not a concept that westerns appreciate or endorse on a cultural scale. For the Christian this is a problem because submission is a concept that is central to the scriptures.

Other religions do not have this problem. Islam in particular, the word for submission in Arabic is Islam. Islam means submission. A website dedicated to Islamic evangelization says these words; “Islam and Submission are not names. They are descriptions reflecting the soul's absolute devotion and submission to God Alone. This is the First Commandment in all of God's scriptures, including the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Final Testament.” The final testament for a Moslem is the Quran.

The Islamic understanding of the Bible is that submission is the “first commandment of God’s scriptures” “If you love me you will follow my commandments” Westerns are enamored with the concept of love even though our language around love is limited. English has one word for love, Greek has three for example. However we are not as enamored with the idea of following commandments or submission.

Other cultures also find understanding and living in submission more natural than westerners. Confucius philosophy is built around appropriate codes of conduct forming social norms that are built around submission. It was believed that a just and proper society could only be maintained through submission. Stephen Prothero work Religions of the East, Paths to Enlightenment. (Recorded Books, 2005) describes the idea in Confucius thought that whatever you are called from Father to Emperor is sacred and granted by heaven and will be taken away if not stewarded properly. Romans 13:1 agrees with the basics of this concept when it says, “The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

Much of the resistance to authority comes from modern western cultures connection the Protestant reformation. This reformation exalted the role to the individual above that of King or Emperor. The Declaration of Independence is the authority we use to justify the importance of the individual above the King. Consider these words.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It is not difficult to connect these words to the Genesis account of man that states we are all made in the image of God. It is what follows that has radically changed the world.

“That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.” Reconciling these words with the scriptures that the founding fathers honored is difficult. To say that the “authorities that exist have been established by God” and that “Governments are instituted among men” may not be mutually exclusive but they are close.

Peter tells us the “live as free people” so he is not against freedom. George Washington captures the tension that the founding father felt.
“The ways of Providence being inscrutable, and the justice of it not to be scanned by the shallow eye of humanity, nor to be counteracted by the utmost efforts of human power or wisdom, resignation, and as far as the strength of our reason and religion can carry us, a cheerful acquiescence to the Divine Will, is what we are to aim.”

George Washington believed that the revolutionary war was just based on exhaustion of efforts to reform the laws within the scope of the institutions that were established in his generation.
The early reformers felt this tension as well. John Huss before his martyrdom believed that the “Roman church was ... the spouse of Christ, and the pope the representative or vicar of God.” His conflict is captured in the quote from E.G. White, “If the authority is just and infallible as he believed it to be, how came it that he felt compelled to disobey it.”

The resolution for him, and for the founding fathers of the United States would come to be based on the authority of scriptures that’s first concept is that all men are created equal and in the image of God. Additionally that obedience to scripture is more important that obedience to authoritative institutions. In Acts 5:29 Peter when confronted with this dilemma said. “God must be obeyed rather than men.” That obedience will ultimately silence ignorant and foolish men because even in our disobedience to men and institutions we will be “doing good.”
Peter’s admonishment in the above passage is that we do not use the freedom we have as an excuse to sin. If we do so we show that we have not “devoted our soul” as the Islamic encourages us to do nor have we honored our sacred name as Confucius compelled us to do, but more importantly we have disobeyed the scripture.

I could not find the exact quote but it has been said that “if men will not be ruled by conscience they must be ruled by the sword.” I want to credit Washington but I could be wrong. This brings us full circle. Authorities are placed by God “to punish those who are doing wrong and commend those that do right. As long as the authorities are doing this in a manner that honors God the people have no right abolish it and institute another form of Government.

Citizens of the Light

2011-12-12T10:14:00.000-08:00

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2: 9-10

I have often thought about the Church as a Kingdom rarely have I heard it described as a nation. A kingdom has been defined as a “state or people ruled over by a king or queen or …a realm or area of activity in which a particular thing is thought to dominate.” Jesus is called the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He is indeed our monarch our sovereign and our ruler. That being true few modern citizens of the world are ruled by a king with a sovereign. It may be difficult for the modern man or women to relate to the concept. Peter’s term in this passage is nation. It may be easier for modern people to relate to.

A nation has been defined as a “people in a land under single government: a community of people or peoples living in a defined territory and organized under a single government or people of same ethnicity: a community of people who share a common ethnic origin, culture, historical tradition, and, frequently, language, whether or not they live together in one territory or have their own government.” The distinction between Kingdom and nation may just be the focus of attention, the Monarchy in one case the people in the other. Peter is talking to the people in this case.

Applying our definition to the passage; what is the single land that we belong to? Isn’t it “all the world” or is it heaven itself, might it be a place called light? Philippians 3:20 reads “our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,” 2 Corinthians 5:20a says that “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors” An ambassador is defined as “a diplomatic official of the highest rank sent by one country as its long-term representative to another.” In our case the long term representation means a life time.

When we are born again we are born again into a Kingdom and nation and therefore represent or are ambassadors of heaven until the time we are called to our homeland. Peter recognizes this truth and based on it says.
“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul” 1 Peter 2:11.

The sinful desire is foreign to the kingdom we represent. Participating in this foreign commodity separates our connection with the kingdom that sent us. It deludes the message that we were trusted to deliver which is written in 2 Corinthians 5:20b “We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

Many believers are being taught that we cannot gain victory of the sinful desires and that is why we need the grace of God. That is not the teaching of the Bible. Peter words encourage just the opposite, He says,

“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:12

‘The pagans’ are non believers, people from the Kingdom of sinful desires, the people we use to be. They are the people in verse ten who have not received mercy. It is mercy that determines our ‘chosen people’ status. It is light that allows us to see the ‘sinful desires’ as weapons fashioned against our very souls. As royal priest we are to intercede for those in the dark, that they two may become citizens of the light. Then the natural response is praise him who has called us out of darkness, Jesus the Righteous King.

Talkin' Bout My Generation

2011-12-11T12:38:00.001-08:00

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. 1 Peter 2:7-8

This passage of scripture from 1 Peter is better sweet for me. It reflects the glory of knowing Jesus Christ, of the special place the believer has in his kingdom but it is also inclusive of those who do not believe and a destined to be separated from God forever.
I was born on the tail end of the “baby boom” The “boomers” are a generation full of creativity and genius both socially and technologically. It is the generation that broke the bonds of racism off of the globe. It has advanced the role of women in the workplace and increased the access of education to every class of society. It is also a generation that has been consumed with materialism and promoted sexual fulfillment to the level of global addiction.

The prophets of the baby boomers are musicians and artist. Simon and Garfunkel wrote “the words of the prophets are written on the subway wall.” This thought captures the concept that truth in this generation is accessible to all and easily found, unfortunately it is also easily ignored. When I reflect on my generation I am saddened by the fact that so few of the voices being heard are the voices of righteousness. The desire for truth and the brevity of time are heard in the songs of the generation. I am reminded of the Steely Dan song Reelin' the Years. The song begins with the lines “your everlasting summer you can see it fading fast” This everlasting summer is life it self, it passes very fast. The song continues, “you grab a piece of something that you think is going to last, you wouldn't even know a diamond if you held it in your hand the things you think are precious I can't understand.” My point is that much of my generation has confused what is precious.

Fading summers are not just for the old Steven Tyler of Aerosmith wrote Dream On when he was 23 stating “Every time when I look in the mirror, All these lines on my face getting clearer, The past is gone.” The early 70's when these songs were written was a time Americans lives would change forever. In the midst of that time, the Jesus movement was birthed. Many who had embraced the message of “all you need is love” came to understand the glory of Jesus and his truth. They could connect with the fact that Jesus was “everyday people”. They came to understand that in Jesus the yellow one could accept the black one and the black one the red one and the red one the white one.” That different strokes for different folks was related to the expression of worship and not divisions based on ethnicity or race. It grew is such a way that the most diverse institution on the planet is now the body of Christ. But those who have disobeyed the message are a mixed multitude that are stumbling into hell. Hell can be imagined away but that does not change the reality of is existence.

If I did not trust in the goodness and justice of God this thought would consume me with hatred for God. When all truth is laid before us each of us will come to understand that God did not reject men in a arbitrary or inconsistent manner. He desires that none will perish but that all will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The rejection of the loving power of God is what I believe the unpardonable sin is and the ultimate blasphemy of the Holy Ghost. We will come to know that rejection for the evil that it is and understand the mercy of God when he delays his wrath. I was once you of the disobedient but now I am part of a chosen people. God's grace taught me the difference between what was precious and what was useless, He created a bridge for me over troubled waters so that one day I can be gratefully dead.

Building a Spiritual House

2011-12-10T03:08:00.000-08:00

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2 4-5

The purposes of the Kingdome of God are not simply that we would be random individuals but that each life would be connected to another. Jesus in this passage is called a living stone. Luke the author of the book of Acts tells us that “Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.” A Wikipedia reference states a cornerstone “is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.” The work of Christ in Salvation stands alone, but his work in the Kingdom of God and the preaching of the Gospel sets the context for building his church. Jesus says to Peter, “on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Many teach that it is the confession of Peter that is this rock. I believe this teaching is wrong based on the primacy given to Peter in the scriptures as an individual. Other create a perpetual line of Peter connected to the church of Rome that I also believe is in error. Peter is one of the most important stones in the church but he is just a stone. Jesus sets the reference point for the remaining stones that will be his church. That is you and eye. When the scriptures call Jesus the head of the church the metaphor is similar. Jesus is the head. He does not claim to be the feet. Romans 10:15 tells us blessed are the feet of those that bring the Gospel. Jesus can be all things to all men because he is God. His method is however is to co-labor with the people of God.

Jesus was also rejected. We who labor in the word and works of God should anticipate that we will be rejected as well. Mathew 10:25 reads, “It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household”! Matthew is telling us how the members of the house will be treated Peter is telling us how to build the house. This is not literal language use the is the house Joshua was building when he said “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”

The Lord knows that rejection is difficult for us, so he incentivizes the process by letting us know that we are a “holy priest hood” To be a priest is to be in a privileged position. It is not an ordained office but is and office we enter into when we believe. It is an office we begin to operate in when we star to serve others. A spiritual house is a place of safety. There are many individuals who come to church not because they have believed and are part of the house but because they have found safety and comfort and love. This more than ok, it is the evidence that a church is healthy. It is drawing those who are seeking comfort to the only true source of comfort, Jesus the savior, the cornerstone of every life. Peter tells us that such a lifestyle is a sacrifice. But it is the type of sacrifice that allows us to know his good pleasing and perfect will as expressed in Romans 12.