Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 17
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:1-4.
THE ‘LITMUS’ TEST
It was in the 14th century that scientists discovered that litmus, a mixture of colored organic compounds obtained from lichen, turns red in acid solutions and blue in alkaline solutions and, thus, can be used as an acid-base indicator. Six centuries later, people began using litmus test figuratively. It can now refer to any single factor that establishes the true character of something or causes it to be assigned to one category or another. Often it refers to something (such as an opinion about a political or moral issue) that can be used to make a judgment about whether someone or something is authentic or not.
How can you, as a Christian, know if your motives are genuine? Matthew 6:1 is a sure-fire litmus test for authenticity. To wit:
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”
Sometimes our true motives are hidden, even from ourselves, covered by layers of ‘good intentions’. When you perform an act of charity or a good deed, or as the Bible calls it, ‘your righteousness’, with either the express intention of assuring that someone else sees your ‘goodness’ or generosity, you have probably missed the mark. If it is done, so you can ‘get credit’, perhaps to build up your reputation as a good person in the eyes of others or in the Eye of God, you have missed the mark of righteousness. (Christian Righteousness is literally “the approval of God” which refers to what is deemed right by the Lord after His examination, i.e. what is approved in His eyes.)
It all comes down to motives. Only you can know your true intentions, and even that can be tricky at times. But here is a way to ‘check yourself’ as you go. Do good even when you don’t feel like. If you feel like doing good, then do it, but don’t talk about it afterwards.
Although applied to ‘slaves’ in the 1st century, Colossians 3:22-24 can also be applied to the ‘Bond Servants’ of Jesus, today:
In everything you do, do not with eye-service, that is with the intention of being seen, as people-pleasers, but do it with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receivethe reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
This, dear brothers and sisters, is another of the great Keys to the Kingdom of God. Treasure it and use it wisely.
Strange as it may seem, if you get the ‘warm fuzzies’, probably caused by the release of endorphins, you may just be on the right track. Studies have shown that the sensation is known as ‘helper’s high’ and is produced when your brain releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals of the brain. When you do something good for someone else, your brain’s pleasure centers light up, releasing endorphin and producing this high. Not to mention, doing good has also been known to generate feelings of satisfaction and gratitude, (see PsychologyToday.com).
According to a 2013 study examining the relationship between volunteering and hypertension, giving back can have a significant impact on blood pressure. Researchers found that adults over 50 who volunteered about four hours a week were 40 percent less likely than non-volunteers to have developed hypertension four years later.
Doing good can also increase life expectancy. Researchers from the University of Buffalo found a link between giving, unselfishness and a lower risk of early death. The findings show that subjects who provided tangible assistance to friends or family members (running errands, helping with child care, etc.), reported less stressful events and, consequently, had reduced mortality. In other words, “helping others reduced mortality specifically by buffering the association between stress and mortality.”
According to a study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, altruists in the office are more likely to be committed to their work and less likely to quit their jobs. The researchers also found that individuals in their mid-30s, who rated helping others in their work as important, reported they were happier with their life when surveyed 30 years later.
Overall, the study came to an important conclusion about office altruism: those who help others are happier at work than those who don’t prioritize helping others.
The results are in! After an extensive review of 40 studies on the effect of volunteering on general health and happiness, the BMC Public Health journal has concluded that volunteering is also good for mental health. The review found that – along with improved well-being and life satisfaction – volunteering is also linked to decreased depression.
“People who engage in kind acts become happier over time.” It’s that simple, according to Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside. Lyubomirsky, who has studied happiness for over 20 years, found that performing positive acts once a week led to the most happiness.
A 2012 study published in Psychological Science found that thinking about times you’ve helped others will make you want to help others again. The research found that reflecting on your past good deeds makes you feel selfless and want to help more, as compared to reflecting on the times others have helped you. In other words, thinking about what you’ve given others – and not only what you’ve received – will motivate you to do good again and again. (The foregoing taken from Goodnet.org)
Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 16
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.
“For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 5:43-48
This is one of the most counter-intuitive commands Jesus gives. It shows how hard it is to be a ‘fully devoted’ follower of Jesus.
Once again, Jesus begins with “You have heard that it was said, but I say to you…”, reminding us that He is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant and that you ‘cannot live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from His mouth’.
He could not be any clearer than when He says, ”But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.”
I have prayed for my enemies and those who persecute me, as many of you have, by saying things like ‘make him or her a better person’ , or ‘make him or her a Christian’, with the unspoken thought, ‘so that they will quit being such a nuisance, a bother or a threat’. This is skirting Jesus’ teaching. He begins with ”But I say to you, Love your enemies”which precludes any preconditions, spoken or unspoken, I may add to my prayers.
The real question here is, ‘am I praying for my enemies and those who persecute me’ in order to obtain the keys to heaven, or can I truly ‘Love my enemies’? Because it is in ‘Loving my enemies and praying, in love, for those who persecute me’ that I find the keys to the Kingdom. This is very difficult. It is hard. It is impossible for some.
This should remind us of the time a wealthy young man came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do so that I may obtain eternal life?” And, Jesus responded with, “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
But when he heard these things, he became very sad and went away grieving, for he was extremely rich.
Then, Jesus said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Then Peter said in reply, “We have left our homes and followed you.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Taken from Luke 18:18-29)
AN ASIDE and a NOTE: There has been a story circulating, albeit false, which purports that there is actually a gate somewhere in Jerusalem called the “eye of the needle”, through which a camel could not pass unless it stooped down and had all its baggage first removed. After dark, when the main gates were closed, travelers and merchants would have to use this smaller gate. Great sermon material, with illustrations about how we must humble ourselves and remove our baggage before entering the kingdom.
It would be quite convenient if this myth were true because it would legitimize people’s affinity for money and probably the prosperity gospel as well. If the passage is about baggage and humility and not actually about wealth, then the prosperity preachers can breathe a big sigh of relief. However, this myth has been propagated since the 11th century, and it is completely made up. There is zero evidence to show that this gate ever existed other than stories brought back from Jerusalem tours.
But what about the image, above, showing the eye of the needle? This wall passage did not exist when Jesus walked the earth, or anytime close to his generation. This wall was built hundreds of years after Jesus’ time. The gates of Jerusalem were destroyed in 70 A.D. and later rebuilt. Josephus, the 1st century Jewish historian, wrote about the wall in Jerusalem (excepting the western wall):
“All the rest of the wall [surrounding Jerusalem], it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it [Jerusalem] had ever been inhabited.”
So, the image above would not exist in Jesus’ time.
Furthermore, the passage states that is it easier for a camel to go through the eye of “a” needle, not “the” needle. “A needle” refers to any needle. “The needle” would refer to a specific needle. This is not a mistake. Greek is an incredibly precise language, and definite articles (the) are hard to confuse with an indefinite article (a).
Finally, I would point out that this type of hyperbole is common in Jewish literature and as well as other literature. Jesus, again, uses the term of a ‘narrow gate’ in Matthew 7:13-14)
Thus, it is not necessary to try to bend Jesus’ words to mean something other than what they actually meant. This is why the disciples replied with this phrase in astonishment:
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” (Matthew 19:25)
Jesus was actually referring to a camel and an actual needle, and that the camel is a simile for ‘every man and women, boy and girl’ and the ‘eye of the needle’ is a simile for the gate to the Kingdom of Heaven.
So, everyone who is laden with ‘the baggage and possessions of pride, high self-esteem, education, personal achievements, wealth, pedigree, education and the like cannot enter the Kingdom. All of these things must first be put aside, discarded, before entering through the ‘narrow gate’.
Secondly, Jesus is equally clear that in order to become ‘a son of God’ you must first learn to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. I can hear the echo of Peter’s words, “Who then can be saved?”
Christians are called the “sons” or “children” of God in several of these senses: as his offspring; as adopted; as his disciples; as imitators of Him. In this passage the word is applied to them because, in doing good to enemies, they resemble God. He makes His sun to rise upon the evil and good, and sends rain, without distinction, on the just and unjust. So, His people should show that they imitate or resemble Him, or that they possess His spirit, by doing good similarly.
Next, in what seems the closing of any possible ‘theological loopholes’, Jesus reminds us that taking the low road, the ordinary expected path which all others travel, yields no reward. “If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You must choose to travel the high road, the road less travelled, that is the narrow path in order to find your reward.
Finally, Jesus complete this teaching with the exclamatory words, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”I have heard so many explanations of this idea of perfections and of those many who say, ‘this does not really mean perfect in the sense that God is perfect, instead it simply means ‘mature’”.
The word, “perfect”, here, does mean mature, but in the sense as consummated from going through the necessary stages to reach the end–goal of perfection in maturity. Mature in our labors, our spiritual growth, in our mental capacities and our moral character, as reflected by Jesus. Made into His image. (It is well-illustrated with the old pirate’s telescope, unfolding, extending out, one stage at a time to function perfectly, at full-strength and in full effectiveness).
It is when you reach this point of maturity that you are truly able to ”love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” and you will hear the words, “‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
(The Word of God truly means more than we could ever have imagined, and mastery of the Word of God in Its application requires subjugating ourselves to complete and utter surrender to God’s will and way. It involves becoming ‘poor (crushed) in our spirit’, in our mind and body, completely dead to our ‘old selves’. It is then and only then that God can begin to transform us from hopeless, destitute sinners into His child. It is then, and only then, that we, as joint heirs with Jesus, shall inherit the Kingdom of God. If you find the time, refer to a short series “It Ain’t Easy” which is about the difficulties you will face as Jesus devoted disciple and the unspeakable wonders of His rewards.)
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
NEXT: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 17, “Practicing your righteousness.”
Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 15
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”
The Words of Jesus, Matthew 5:38-42.
Have you heard the term ‘counter-cultural’? I have heard it used to describe the attitude, actions and behavior of Jesus and His followers. But I believe it falls woefully short in its descriptive value, and is even more inadequate when applied to Jesus’ mission and intention.
This term, which came about in the mid-to-late 20th century, (around 1980), and it may be better used to describe many Christians of the postmodern world. Postmodern is a word used to describe major changes in the underlying ways people think — especially the way people view truth and reality.
Postmodernity, as discussed by Pastor Steve Cornell, founding and senior Pastor of Millersville Bible Church, Millersville, Pennsylvania, is a worldview which refuses to allow any single defining source for truth and reality. The new emphasis is on difference, plurality and selective forms of tolerance.
Postmodern thinking is full of absurdities and inconsistencies. It is, for example, the worldview that says no worldview exists. It is an anti-theory that uses theoretical tools to neutralize all theories. It demands an imposed uniformity in an effort to resist uniformity. It employs propositional statements to negate truth based on propositional statements.
Don’t misunderstand; God is warmly welcomed in the postmodern world, as long as he doesn’t try to play God. As one has written, “Postmodernity returns value to faith and affirms the nurturing of our spiritual being as vital to humankind. Unfortunately, with the loss of truth, people will now seek faith without boundaries, categories, or definition. The old parameters of belief do not exist. As a result, people will be increasingly open to knowing God, but on their own terms”. (See Summit Ministries)
Jesus, during His ministry, was described by His detractors and even His family crazy, ‘having a demon’, a lawbreaker, a radical, a troublemaker, a fraud and more.
If Jesus is compared to the prevailing mores and social norms of the 21st century, His teaching, His methods and His ways may seem to be counter-cultural indeed, at least too the uniformed casual eye. But to the informed, Jesus is better described as ”the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.”
Jesus, in these verses, begins to explain the law of retaliation or retribution in a 1st century contemporary terms, saying, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ I can only imagine the Pharisees, Sadducees and the scribes nodding in agreement at these words.
Then Jesus ‘drops the bombshell’ on , saying, “But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. (that is, do not oppose, show resistance to, do not push back against or hold a contrary position against and evil person).
HOW CAN WE?
But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Give to the one who begs from you,
And do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”
This was beyond radical to the Jewish mind. It was blasphemous. It was beyond ridiculous; it was insanity on display. They might ask, ‘Where was the balance between right and wrong in that thinking?’; ‘How could social order be maintained with such foolish thinking?’; Let evil thieves, evil and overbearing people have unrestrained rule over the good people?’
The greatest mistake the 1st century world made in response to Jesus’ teaching, and the greatest misunderstanding in our day, is they thought Jesus was talking to everyone and anyone. Although anyone and everyone would benefit from practicing what Jesus is teaching, This was not the case. Jesus was talking solely to His disciples and to those who would be His disciples, about His mission and His calling. He said, “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38) Jesus goes on to say, “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 5:30)
His mission was not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned. But whoever does not believe in Him is condemned because he does not believe in Jesus. (John 3:17).
In fact, “Then the disciples came and said to Jesus and asked, “Why do you speak to others in parables?” And he answered them, “To you, it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them, it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
“‘“You will indeed hear, but never understand,
and you will indeed see, but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears, they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 10:10-17.
DESTINATION – THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
Jesus warns us that another of the greatest obstacles lying in wait to entangle you and keep you from the Kingdom of Heaven is the need for retaliation, vengeance or neglect. From the moment that you involve yourself with evil or selfishness, you find yourself snared and held captive, unable to take even one more step toward or within the Kingdom of God.
Jesus is saying to go on your way, do not ‘resist’ an evil person; in other words, ‘do not entangle yourself’ with the demands of evil. Follow Jesus, do not be distracted, do what is necessary to stay focused on Him and His calling to you. Bypass evil that so easily entangles. Your destination is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
TRADTIONAL DENOMINATIONAL TIMELINE OF THE “END OF DAYS”
– VS –
THE PRE-WRATH RAPTURE – SIMPLIFIED.
It is important, as a Disciple of Jesus, to know where you are on God’s historical and prophetic Timeline so you will not panic, or faint from the faith as the End of Days come upon you We will explore what it means to you to ‘endure to the end to be saved’; what is required of you and what it means to be ready and how to prepare for these Last Day.
The 5th Seal has been intensifying; the Great Apostasy is well under way,which is the falling away from the faith and the corruption of the church,and the Antichrist is revealed. After the church is taken out of the way (2 Thessalonians 2:7–8), a satanically empowered man will gain worldwide control with promises of peace (Revelation 13:1; Daniel 9:27). He will be aided by another man, called the false prophet, who heads up a religious system that requires worship of the Antichrist (Revelation 19:20)
The rapture of the church. Christ comes in the clouds to “snatch away” all those who trust in Him (1 Corinthians 15:52). At this same time, the “dead in Christ” will be resurrected and taken to heaven, too. From the perspective of today, this is the next event in the eschatological timeline. The time for the rapture is close at hand; The only things that must yet happen are, (#1), the revealing of the anti-Christ, and (#2), the breaking of the 6th Seal of the Tribulation.
The Breaking of the Sixth SealThe Great tribulation, Daniel’s 70th week begins. A period of seven years in which God’s judgment is poured out on sinful humanity (Revelation 6–16). The Antichrist’s rise to power is associated with this time period. During the tribulation on earth, the Church will be in heaven. It is thought that at this time the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will occur in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 19:6–10).
The Battle of Gog and Magog. In the first part of the tribulation, a great army from the north, in alliance with several other countries from the Middle East and Africa, attacks Israel and is defeated by God’s supernatural intervention (Ezekiel 38–39). (Some commentators place this battle just before the start of the tribulation.)
The abomination of desolation. At the midway point of the seven-year tribulation, the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel and shows his true colors. The Jews are scattered, and many of them turn to the Lord, realizing that Jesus is their Savior. A great persecution breaks out against all those who believe in Christ (Daniel 12:11; Mark 13:14; Revelation 12:17).
The Battle of Armageddon. At the end of the tribulation, Jesus returns with the armies of heaven (Mark 14:62). He saves Jerusalem from annihilation and defeats the armies of the nations fighting under the banner of the Antichrist (Revelation 19:11–21). The Antichrist and the false prophet are captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20).
The judgment of the nations. Christ will judge the survivors of the tribulation, separating the righteous from the wicked as “sheep” and “goats” (Matthew 25:31–46). (It is thought that at this time the Old Testament saints will be raised from the dead.) The righteous will enter the Millennial Kingdom; the wicked will be cast into hell.
The binding of Satan. Satan will be bound and held in a bottomless pit for the next 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1–3).
The Millennial Kingdom. Jesus Himself will rule the world, and Jerusalem will be the capital. This will be a 1,000-year period of peace and prosperity on earth (Revelation 20; Isaiah 60–62). Memorial sacrifices will be offered in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40–48).
The last battle. At the end of the 1,000 years, Satan will be released from his prison for a short time. He will deceive the nations once again, and there will be a rebellion against the Lord that will be quickly defeated (Revelation 20:7–10). Satan will be cast into the lake of fire, never to reappear.
The Great White Throne Judgment. All those in hell will be brought forth, and all the wicked from all eras of history will be resurrected to stand before God in a final judgment (Revelation 20:11–15). The verdicts are read, and all of sinful humanity is cast into the lake of fire.
The new creation. God completely remakes the heavens and the earth. It is at this time that God wipes away all tears and there will be no more pain, death, or sorrow. The New Jerusalem descends from heaven, and the children of God will enjoy eternity with Him (Revelation 21–22).
There are multiple views of the chronology of the Biblical End Times. I do not want to pursue or repeat what has already been written. The following outline is a generally accepted chronology and is from the pre-tribulation view.
Almost every such outline or chronology of this sort, is the same. They begin with the rapture of the church and go from there. They usually ignore the prophecies about the coming End of Days, the events which foreshadow the coming Day of the Lord (a.k.a., End Times) and the most recent first century warnings which are leading up to the tribulation and the Great Tribulation periods.
It is difficult to imagine that God planned the entirety of time. We cannot go back far enough to discover when this began, because there is no beginning with God. In so few words, such an incomprehensible statement: “God has always existed”.
It is equally difficult to imagine “a world without end”, but God is eternal, even beyond “the new heavens and a new earth”. (Revelation 12:1)
But, God has spoken to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, and in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. And it is by these ways that we can know.
2. THE PROPHECIES
First, God has spoken to us through the prophets in various ways. God’s warnings are warning of coming judgment for His people’s rebellions and disobedience. God’s judgments followed His warnings, and each of these events, known as The Day of the Lord, are a foreshadowing of what is yet to come. A time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation. (Daniel 12:1)
The words and the imagery of the destruction during the great and Terrible Day of the Lord would be difficult for most to accept or to understand.
(The good news is that God’s people, everyone who is found written in the Book of Life, will be rescued.)
… the decree takes effect and that day passes like windblown chaff, before the LORD’s
fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the LORD’s wrath comes upon …
for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. …
Each of these prophecies tell us what is past, what is present and what is yet to come. This is important because in order to look forward, we must look back. This is how prophecies work.
3. FORESHADOWING OF THINGS TO COME
Besides the prophecies in the Old Testament, we can foreshadowing of what is to come. It is as if we “see through a dark glass dimly”.
1. Genesis 6– The Flood shows us God’s judgment on a global scale. A catastrophe for mankind. God judged the world because (Genesis 6:5) “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”
*MISSING FROM THE TRADITIONAL DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINES”of thing to come: The rapture of the church. Christ comes in the clouds to “snatch away” all those who trust in Him. (1 Corinthians 15:52). At this same time, the “dead in Christ” will be resurrected and taken to heaven, too. From our perspective today, this is the next event in the eschatological timeline. The rapture is imminent; no other biblical prophecy needs to be fulfilled before the rapture happens.’
*MISSING FROM“THE TRADITIONAL DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINES” of things to come: Prior to the rapture of the church. We are told by Jesus and some of the Apostles that the End of Days, also known as the “times of distress” had begun as early as AD 1, but more likely between AD 60 and AD 100.
(1). Jesus called this period the LAST DAYS or the END OF THE AGE inMatthew 24:3-8.
(2). The Apostle Paul called this period the LAST DAYS in Hebrews 9:26.
(2). The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in Acts 2:14-17.
(3). The Apostle Paul called this period THESE LAST DAYS in Hebrews 1:1-2.
(4). The Apostle Timothy called this period the LAST DAYS in 2 Timothy 3:1.
(5) The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in 1 Peter 1:20.
(6) The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in 1 Peter 4:7.
(7) The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in 2 Peter 3:3.
(8) The Apostle John called this period the LAST DAYS in 1 John 2:18
(The following are an update to this list, but are not on the audio):
(9). The Apostle Paul called this period THESE LAST DAYS in 1 Corinthians 10:11,
The Bible tells about the END OF DAYS and the Tribulation. It is important to know that the Tribulation period actually is called by three prominent, although variant names:
(a) The beginning of Sorrows, Birth Pangs, The End of The Age or the Last Days
(b) The Tribulation also known as The End of Days
(c) The GREAT Tribulation also know as the Wrath of God or the Wrath of the Lamb.
(4). *MISSING FROM“THE TRADITIONAL DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINES” of things to come: The Denominational Outline says His Return is IMMINENT. BUT,
1.2 Thessalonians 2:3“Let no one in any way deceive you, for
it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and
the man of lawlessness is revealed,the son of destruction”
There are two events that must take place before the day of the Lord can come. First, the apostasy must come. Second, the man of lawlessness must be revealed.
2. The rise of the Antichrist. After the church is taken out of the way (2 Thessalonians 2:7–8), a satanically empowered man will gain worldwide control with promises of peace (Revelation 13:1; Daniel 9:27). He will be aided by another man, called the false prophet, who heads up a religious system that requires worship of the Antichrist. (Revelation 19:20).
3.MISSING FROM “THE DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINE”:
First, as has already been stated from 2 Thessalonians 2:3, “Let no one in any way deceive you, for
it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and
the man of lawlessness is revealed,the son of destruction”
There are two events that must take place before the day of the Lord can come. First, the apostasy must come. Second, the man of lawlessness must be revealed.
Secondly, a simple face value reading gives you a timeline. That timeline is deliberately blurred by denominational bible teachers who have to make the Bible fit their doctrinal statement. This can be confusing for the Christian Bible student and dangerous for those preparing in earnest.
4. The tribulation. A period of seven years in which God’s judgment is poured out on sinful humanity (Revelation 6–16). The Antichrist’s rise to power is associated with this time period. During the tribulation on earth, the Church will be in heaven. It is thought that at this time the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will occur in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 19:6–10).
5. The Battle of Gog and Magog. In the first part of the tribulation, a great army from the north, in alliance with several other countries from the Middle East and Africa, attacks Israel and is defeated by God’s supernatural intervention (Ezekiel 38–39). (Some commentators place this battle just before the start of the tribulation.)
6. The abomination of desolation. At the midway point of the seven-year tribulation, the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel and shows his true colors. The Jews are scattered, and many of them turn to the Lord, realizing that Jesus is their Savior. A great persecution breaks out against all those who believe in Christ (Daniel 12:11; Mark 13:14; Revelation 12:17).
7. The Battle of Armageddon. At the end of the tribulation, Jesus returns with the armies of heaven (Mark 14:62). He saves Jerusalem from annihilation and defeats the armies of the nations fighting under the banner of the Antichrist (Revelation 19:11–21). The Antichrist and the false prophet are captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20).
8. The judgment of the nations. Christ will judge the survivors of the tribulation, separating the righteous from the wicked as “sheep” and “goats” (Matthew 25:31–46). (It is thought that at this time the Old Testament saints will be raised from the dead.) The righteous will enter the Millennial Kingdom; the wicked will be cast into hell
9. The binding of Satan.Satan will be bound and held in a bottomless pit for the next 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1–3).
10. The Millennial Kingdom. Jesus Himself will rule the world, and Jerusalem will be the capital. This will be a 1,000-year period of peace and prosperity on earth (Revelation 20; Isaiah 60–62). Memorial sacrifices will be offered in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40–48).
11. The last battle. At the end of the 1,000 years, Satan will be released from his prison for a short time. He will deceive the nations once again, and there will be a rebellion against the Lord that will be quickly defeated (Revelation 20:7–10). Satan will be cast into the lake of fire, never to reappear.
12. The Great White Throne Judgment. All those in hell will be brought forth, and all the wicked from all eras of history will be resurrected to stand before God in a final judgment (Revelation 20:11–15). The verdicts are read, and all of sinful humanity is cast into the lake of fire.
13. The new creation. God completely remakes the heavens and the earth. It is at this time that God wipes away all tears and there will be no more pain, death, or sorrow. The New Jerusalem descends from heaven, and the children of God will enjoy eternity with Him. (Revelation 21–22)
Finally, here is a table showing the alignment of World History, an historical overview of Daniel’s 70 Weeks and a Biblical Historical outline:
I know that this is a long read and study, but, (#1), it is important for you, as a Disciple of Jesus to know where you are on God’s Timeline so you will not ‘faint’ when all this comes upon you, (#2), what it means to you, (#3) what is required for you to be ready, and, (#4) what it means to be ready for what is at hand and (#5), how to prepare.
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
NEXT:
He began with the imperfect and created the Masterpiece, first in the heavens and then on the earth. His work completed in just seven days; He would allow His Masterpiece to mature for a millennium until it became His Perfection.
This is a journey of discovery and revelation of God’s Grand Plan and Design, from creation through the End of the Age, then into a New Heaven and a New Earth.
This is a thesis on the reasons for WHAT God is doing in these Last Days and WHY He is doing it this way. My prayer is that, after reading this, everything you’ve wondered about the reasoning behind God’s Plan for the world and your life, will fall into place.
Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 14
“Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”– The Words of Jesus, Matthew 5:33-37.
Remembering that the Word of God is Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional and that we proceed with great caution and care when we speak and employ His Words in our life or for our use. What do you suppose Jesus meant by these words, and what are His intentions of this teaching? Misapplying what He has taught can carry dire consequences. (Jesus has always been concerned about our lack of understanding and ‘lack of faith’.)
By these words, Jesus is instructing about the power of His spoken Word and the seriousness of making oaths or covenantal contracts by or in His Name or the Name of The Father.
There is much that can be made of these verses and much that could be said about the Law, tradition, social constructs, etc. However, Jesus continues His teaching by simply comparing, contrasting and moving our attention from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, saying, “Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn’.
The Jew of that day most likely had a basic understanding of the Law. Jesus is presenting what would have been considered a radical departure from the Law and the Prophets. He is teaching about the New Covenant written in His Blood and by His Flesh. It is indeed a ‘Covenantal Bridge’, which leads to the Kingdom of Heaven. (Again, there is much more that could be said here – volumes more – but it would be superfluous.)
You are privileged to be among the few and to hear His voice as He says, ‘Do not take an oath at all’. These few words summarize this urgent teaching, and we could stop here for all practical purposes. But since Jesus continues, so shall we. He emphasizes, that we are not to make any oath at all, ‘either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.’
It was common for men around Jesus’ time on earth, to add phrases to an oath or a proclamation like, ‘I swear to God; or, I swear by the heavens above; I swear on the earth or by Jerusalem’ as a means to add weight of solemnity or gravity of seriousness and inspiring the fear of God into their oath or statement. (See this commentary for extended commentaries.) This is slightly similar to what some will do in our day, saying, ‘I swear to God; Cross my heart and hope to die; I swear on my mother’s grave’, when trying to convince others of the truthfulness of what you are saying.
Jesus, however, is emphasizing that telling the truth, if that is what we are doing, is enough. Additionally, and most importantly, He is warning that we have no authority and no right to invoke the Name of God or anything under His dominion to support our statements or oaths.
Jesus warns against this type of ‘religious license and plagiarism’. “Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.(Matthew 5:19-20).
Again, He cautions, ”I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”(Revelation 22:28-19).
And, there has never been a clearer statement from our Lord regarding any ‘name it and claim it theology’ than when He says, “And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.” Jesus is clear that you have neither the power nor the authority to change anything. It is God alone who creates and causes, gives and takes away, brings the rain and the sunshine. “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (Hebrews 1:1-3)
Instead of making any oath at all, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”Nothing more need be said. Nothing more can be said, than “anything more than this comes from evil.”
Anything more than this comes from evil. Evil, from the Greek word, ‘ponērós’, meaning pain and laborious trouble – pain-ridden, emphasizing the inevitable agonies and misery that always go with evil.
Jesus is making a loving and concerned appeal against bringing pain, trouble and misery upon yourself and those around you from making oaths.
“Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.Be completely dependent upon God and His Word, and live!
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”John 15:7
“It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4
NEXT: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 15, Retaliation.
(Please note that I use page links in lieu of footnotes and references. Each page link provides greater detail and important information on matters contained in this article. Please use all of them for a complete teaching and udnerstanding. This is an urgent message.)
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE EYES TO SEE
As it is written,
“God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”
My wife and I took a road trip around part of our country in 2011, starting in Florida, proceeding north, up the east coast to Virginia then west through Tennessee, to Oklahoma and all point between. We then headed north to Illinois, Minnesota, turning west again to South Dakota. Our return trip took a more southerly route, arriving back in Florida. I tell you this in order to mention that we each Sunday we would go to church.
We visited several different denominations such as Baptist, Methodist, Nazarene and non-denominational (which seemed to be more Charismatic or Pentecostal). I won’t critique each church experience, but I will comment on the one thing that was similar if not common in each and every church we visited: Shallow.
If I could grade my experience at most of them, on a scale from 1 to 10:
Score: 1 to 3 on greeting a visitor as we entered the building.
Score: 0 to 1 on ‘shaking hands during the greeting time’ in the services.
Score: 3 to 5 on the scriptural content and Biblical context of the sermon.
Score: 0 on follow up.
Score: 7 to 8 on polite.
Score: 0 to 1 on friendly.
But, to be fair, we are just visiting on a one-time basis. So how much can you expect, unless you are a returning visitor? (I wrote to one of the church pastors reflecting on our experience. ‘Crickets’.)
BACK HOME
We have moved locations three times and been members of six different churches over the last 44 years.
Castle Hills Baptist Church, 1975 to 1977. We were brand new Christians. This church was friendly (and I mean FRIENDLY). Non-judgmental. Outward focused. Biblically strong in practice of their faith, (bearing the fruit of the Spirit of God).Worship led you to worship God. Generous. Deacon led. Big on Sunday school and personal relationships. Sermons always fundamentally strong. Transparent. Score 9.
Bethany Place Baptist Church, 1978 to 1995. Friendly and family oriented. Outreach focused. Worship geared toward Jesus. A disciple-making Church. Score 8 to 9.
Oak Grove Baptist Church, 1996 to 2000. Friendly most of time, but firmly settled demanding on having their own way. Worship led by music minister, very traditional. Family oriented. Inward focused. Couldn’t keep a pastor on staff. Score 6 to 7.
Southside Nazarene Church, 2000 to 2002. Friendly. Family oriented. Outreach focused. Big on fellowship and personal relationships. Worship ‘team’ music focused on scriptures, very good presentation and Was being infiltrated by Emergent church heresy. Score 8 to 9, until Emergent philosophies introduced, then, Score 2 – 5.
White Stone Nazarene, 2002 to 2006. Clique oriented. Polite. Inward focused. Worship ‘team’ scripture oriented, consisted of guitars and drums. Began to teach a new age / Emergent church humanistic religion. Not dependable. Questionable moralities. Score 0 to 2.
Life, 2008 to 2020. Very ‘surface friendly’. Worship ‘team’ entertainment oriented; lighting effects, stage smoke, very loud and repetitive. Both inward and outward focused. Pastor-led polity, tightly controlled, manipulative at times. Members are cliquish. Uses ‘proximity to pastor’ as a punishment-reward method for control. Frequent turnover of members. Secretive-to-questionable financial management. Score 0 to 2.
Covenant Church, 2020 to present. Friendly. Worship team entertaining but always focused on scriptures and leads congregants to think on and worship God. Big on ‘small groups’ for relationships, outward focused. Elder-led church polity. Constant growth. Financially transparent. (Covenant Church left their major denomination PC USA, and aligned with the PCA. We have been at Covenant for just under 2 years as of this writing, so I cannot give my grade yet, but if I did it would be an aberration because it reverses the trend. It would be high.)
(Notice the trend of the scores over time is high to very low).
I realize that my view of these Churches are largely just opinions from my experiences, which would be affected by age, culture, life circumstances, personal preferences, etc., and probably only partially accurate, although this is how I recall them.
I also want to make sure that I am clear that ‘The Church’ is not just the ordained and professional clergy. They are just a small part of God’s Church. The Church is the everyday Christian who professes the Name of Jesus and claims to follow His teachings, and the one thing I am certain of regarding the Church, is the declension of the moral and the ethical life of the Church, that is to say, the loss of her righteousness, even as late as 1978 (when I was saved and became involved in church life), which is reflected in my ‘opinionated view’ and scoring of my ‘church experience’ over the last 44 years.
There is one thing common to all the churches I have listed, and in fact, from the majority of churches studied, since around 1995, has been a growing quiet-to-open-division, a fracture. Now-a-days, if you don’t agree on fundamentals of doctrine, you probably don’t hang out together, and there is more at work. Secular politics have invaded the church’s thinking and plays a role in this division. People have become galvanized in their opinions and are more self-centered and demanding.
Church members have gone from being quietly critical of one another to a form of open religious warfare, causing anxiety, suspicion, divisions and separation.
Cliques are a problem. The ‘religious birds’ within particular denominations are flocking together, and if you don’t wear their color of feathers, you are out! And, they aren’t even shy about it any longer.
Christians have become so judgmental, even of each other, that many are leaving these church ‘war zones’. A new convert is entering an almost impossible socio-religious maze of opinions, mores, traditions and attitudes and is subject to becoming a fatality before he or she can even settle in. So, it falls to the pastors of these Churches to sort out the mess and find balance and reason.
Jesus used the word “shepherd” interchangeably for overseers, pastors, elders, and presbyters. Historically and culturally speaking, the tasks of a Near Eastern shepherd were to watch for enemies trying to attack the sheep to defend the sheep from attackers to heal the wounded and sick sheep to find and save lost or trapped sheep to love them, sharing their lives and so earning their trust.
During World War II, a shepherd was a pilot who guided another pilot whose plane was partially disabled back to the base or carrier by flying alongside him to maintain visual contact.
Pastors and church leaders in our postmodern world, however, tend to deal with the pressures and stress of this ‘church fracture‘ (a.k.a., apostasy) using ‘distancing and insulating methods’. Assign the personal interaction taks to staff or volunteers; give programs priority over people.
Very few pastors actually ‘pastor’, they are CEOs, church leaders, insulated in their role as a survival method. Even with that, pastoral turnover is staggering in most denominations.
LOST?
In short, we, the Church, are lost. We are lost in a postmodern Socialist wilderness. We have been wooed and pursued by the ‘false messiah‘. We have drifted so far from the early Communal Church CALLING, CIRCUMSTANCE, INTENT, METHOD and MISSION, that we have no idea where it all began and really don’t care. We are held captive by and are living in the Great Delusion the Apostle Paul warned about. We say about the early church CALLING, CIRCUMSTANCE, INTENT, METHOD and MISSION, “those were old-fashioned methods and they don’t work any longer”.
We are mistaking function for form. We think because we still ‘do church’, sing hymns, go on mission trips, tithe, pray, have bible studies and wear religious symbols we are Christians like always. But that is not true. We have, without any doubt, lost our first love, both for Christ Jesus and for one another.
LOVE – AGAPE – PHILOS – EROS
Agape-Love
For Christians, Agape is considered a divine love. It is like the love that God had for his son, Jesus Christ. It is the love that Christ had for all human beings when he gave his life to redeem them from their sins. This is considered by many to be the best type of love in the Bible.
This is the love that God commanded all Christians to express for the rest of the earth. In your own life, you may have experience Agape for your spouse, parent or child. It is the kind of unconditional love that is never based on how someone looks or what they can do for you. It is an almost sacrificial type of love where you are willing to hurt yourself or take a risk if it means that you can help the one you love. You do not have to feel Agape to express it, but it is a wonderful kind of love to experience.
Philos-Love
Philos is a common type of love to experience. It is said to be the kind of love that you have for a close friend or companion. Basically, it is like loving someone like your sister or brother. It is the love you have for a friend who you feel like a brother to, and it often develops after two people share intense experiences together. This is the type of love that Christians are supposed to practice toward one another and the rest of the world.
Eros
Eros is a Greek word that is said to mean longing or desire. As we already mentioned, this is the kind of love that you typically experience when you are infatuated with someone or something. It also happens to be the name of the Greek god of love. Later on, Eros became the root word of the modern word, erotic. Basically, this is a selfish form of love that tends to be associated with sexual matters. It is the strong feeling you have for someone during the initial stage in the relationship. Often, Eros develops based on someone’s physical traits. For the relationship to continue, you have to develop other types of love. When Eros is not balanced, it can even lead someone to become possessive. This is the type of ‘love’ that produces the addictive hormones and bio-chemicals of adrenaline, dopamine,
The meaning of ‘love’ in the minds of most has fallen from ‘agape’ and ‘philos’ to ‘eros’. Even in the church, it is expressed in how we dress, how we talk, what we expect and the frightening rise of sexual abuse by the clergy and rampant immorality among Christians.
JEZEBEL
Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of Tyre and Sidon and priest of the cult of Baal, a cruel, sensuous and revolting false god whose worship involved sexual degradation and lewdness.
The term, “Jezebel spirit” likely comes from Jezebel’s obsessive passion for domineering and controlling others, especially in the spiritual realm. She married Ahab, king of Israel, and became the queen and began a relentless campaign to rid Israel of all evidences of Yahweh worship. She ordered the extermination of all the prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:4, 13) and replaced their altars with those of Baal.
She had such a single-minded determination to have her way, no matter who is destroyed in the process, is a characteristic of the ‘Jezebel spirit’.
So infamous was Jezebel’s sexual immorality and idol worship that the Lord Jesus Himself refers to her in a warning to the church at Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29). Most likely referring to a woman in the church who influenced it the same way Jezebel influenced Israel into idolatry and sexual immorality, Jesus declares to the Thyatirans that she is not to be tolerated.
Whoever this woman was, like Jezebel, she refused to repent of her immorality and her false teaching, and her fate was sealed. The Lord Jesus cast her onto a sick bed, along with those who committed idolatry with her. The end for those who succumb to a Jezebel spirit is always death and destruction, both in the physical and the spiritual sense.
Perhaps the best way to define the Jezebel spirit is to say it characterizes anyone who acts in the same manner as Jezebel did, engaging in immorality, idolatry, false teaching, and unrepentant sin. To go beyond that is to engage in conjecture and can possibly lead to false accusations and divisiveness within the body of Christ.
APHRODITE
Another Greek goddess is mentioned in the Bible, albeit indirectly. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love, beauty, and sensuality. The Romans called her Venus. Aphrodite is not explicitly named in the Bible, but she still shows up in the name of Epaphroditus, who was a “brother, co-worker and fellow soldier” of Paul (Philippians 2:25). The name Ephaphroditus means “belonging to Aphrodite”—the name of the goddess is actually incorporated into his name.
ANTINOMIAN
Antinomian: an·ti·no·mi·an| ˌan(t)ēˈnōmēən | adjective relating to the view that Christians are released by grace from the obligation of observing the moral law. noun a person holding antinomian beliefs.
DERIVATIVES antinomianism | -ˌnizəm | noun ORIGIN mid 17th century: from medieval Latin Antinomi, the name of a 16th-century sect in Germany alleged to hold this view, from Greek anti- ‘opposite, against’ + nomos ‘law’.
I am reprinting a section of a book, “Paths to Power”, chapter 5, by Pastor A.W. Tozer, as a corroborating view:
“To any casual observer of the religious scene today, two things will at once be evident: one, that there is very little sense of sin among the unsaved, and two, that the average professed Christian lives a life so worldly and careless that it is difficult to distinguish him from the unconverted man. The power that brings conviction to the sinner and enables the Christian to overcome in daily living is being hindered somewhere. It would be oversimplification to name any one thing as the alone cause, for many things stand in the way of the full realization of our New Testament privileges. There is one class of hindrances, however, which, tends out so conspicuously that we are safe in attributing to it a very large part of our trouble…
“:Fundamental Christianity in our times is deeply influenced by that ancient enemy of righteousness, antinomianism.
“The creed of the antinomian is easily stated: “We are saved by faith alone; Works have no place in salvation; Conduct is works, and is therefore of no importance. What we do cannot matter as long as we believe rightly. The divorce between creed and conduct is absolute and final. The question of sin is settled by the Cross; conduct is outside the circle of faith and cannot come between the believer and God.”
“Such, in brief, is the teaching of the antinomian, And so fully has it permeated the Fundamental element in modern Christianity that it is accepted by the religious masses as the very truth of God.
“Antinomianism is the doctrine of grace carried by uncorrected logic to the point of absurdity. It takes the teaching of justification by faith and twists it into deformity. It plagued the Apostle Paul in the early Church and called out some of his most picturesque denunciations. When the question is asked, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” he answers no with that terrific argument in the sixth chapter of Romans.
“Right after the first World War there broke out an epidemic of popular (NEW or NEO) evangelism with the emphasis upon what was called the “positive” gospel… They talked about a “big,” “lovely” Jesus who had come to help us poor but well-meaning sinners to get the victory. Christ was presented as a powerful but not too particular Answerer of prayer.
“The message was so presented as to encourage a loaves-and fishes attitude toward Christ. That part of the New Testament which acts as an incentive toward holy living was carefully edited out. It was said to be “negative” and was not tolerated. Thousands sought help who had no desire to leave all and follow the Lord. The will of God was interpreted as “Come and get it.” Christ thus became a useful convenience, but His indisputable claim to Lordship Over the believer was tacitly canceled out.
“Much of the stream of gospel thought has been fouled, and its waters are still muddy. One thing that remains as a dangerous hangover is the comfortable habit of blaming everything on the devil. No one was supposed to feel any personal guilt; the devil had done it, so why blame the sinner for the devil’s misdeeds? He became the universal scapegoat, to take the blame for every bit of human devilry from Adam to the present day. One gathered that we genial and lovable sinners are not really bad; we are merely led astray by the blandishments of that mischievous old Puck of the heavenly places. Our sins are not the expression of our rebellious wills; they are only bruises where the devil has been kicking us around. Of course sinners can feel no guilt, seeing they are merely the victims of another’s wickedness.
“Under that kind of teaching there can be no self-condemnation, but there can be, and is, plenty of self-pity over the raw deal we innocent sinners got at the hand of the devil. Now, no Bible student will underestimate the sinister work of Satan, but to make him responsible for our sins is to practice deadly deception upon ourselves. And the hardest deception to cure is that which is self-imposed.
“Another doctrine which hinders God’s work, and one which is heard almost everywhere, is that sinners are not lost because they have sinned, but because they have not accepted Jesus. “Men are not lost because they murder; they are not sent to hell because they lie and steal and blaspheme; they are sent to hell because they reject a Saviour.” This short-sighted preachment is thundered at us constantly, and is seldom challenged by the hearers. A parallel argument would be hooted down as silly, but apparently no one notices it: “That man with a cancer is dying, but it is not the cancer that is killing him; it is his failure to accept a cure.” Is it not plain that the only reason the man would need a cure is that he is already marked for death by the cancer? The only reason I need a Saviour, in His capacity as Saviour, is that I am already marked for hell by the sins I have committed. Refusing to believe in Christ is a symptom of deeper evil in the life, of sins unconfessed and wicked ways unforsaken. The guilt lies in acts of sin; the proof of that guilt is seen in the rejection of the Saviour.
“If anyone should feel like brushing this aside as mere verbal sparring, let him first pause: the doctrine that the only damning sin is the rejection of Jesus is definitely a contributing cause of our present weakness and lack of moral grip. It is nothing but a neat theological sophism which has become identified with orthodoxy in the mind of the modern Christian and is for that reason very difficult to correct. It is, for all its harmless seeming, a most injurious belief, for it destroys our sense of responsibility for our moral conduct. It robs all sin of its frightfulness and makes evil to consist in a mere technicality. And where sin is not cured power cannot flow…
“The vogue of excusing sin, of seeking theological justification for it instead of treating it as an affront to God, is having its terrible effect among us. Deep searching of heart and a resolute turning from evil will go far to bring back power to the Church of Christ. Tender, tear-stained preaching on this subject must be heard again before revival can come.” – SOURCE: “Paths to Power” – by A. W. Tozer, Ch 5.
“Deep searching of heart and a resolute turning from evil will go far to bring back power to the Church of Christ. Tender, tear-stained preaching on this subject must be heard again before revival can come.” Tozer’s words, to the postmodern world, sound like strange and alien idealism spoken in a foreign language.
Read what 2 Timothy 3:1-8 tells us on this matter,
”But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.
“Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.”
It is known as the great Apostasy. “Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit, or a message, or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is removed. Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be [p]judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.
Jesus was baptized, and the Spirit came upon Him. (Matthew 3:16) We must be baptized. (Acts 2:38)
Jesus was tempted, tested, by the devil. (Matthew 4) We must be tempted and tested. (Matthew 5)
Jesus began His ministry of calling people to Himself, making disciples, teaching and preaching the Gospel, practicing the Gospel.
Jesus instructs His disciples on the cost of following Him.
Leave your home and come with Me (Matthew 19)
Forsake your former life and follow Me
Leave your families and follow Me (Luke 14:26)
Give up all you have, or you cannot follow Me (Luke 14:33)
If you love your life, you will lose it (Matthew 10:39)
Jesus walks with His disciples, teaching and showing His Gospel.
Jesus sends His disciples to do His Work (Matthew 10)
Jesus continues to minister, teach and preach.
Jesus is crucified. (Matthew 27)
Jesus ascends to His Father and sends His disciples to continue His Works. (Matthew 28) We are to make disciples, baptizing them, preaching the Gospel, teaching them all He commanded. (Matthew 28)
A very abbreviated history leading to the Great Apostasy:
The Emergence and Progression of the False Church
AD 1 The Church of Jesus Christ, The Body of Christ, had no buildings, little money and no wealth. The Church was a Movement.
Jesus said to make disciples; collect no money except to make your journey.
The penalty for becoming a Christian was often death.
The Church grew exponentially.
AD 49 The Church expanded into Greece. The Church became a philosophy to many. The Church grew and size and influence.
AD 313 The Church expanded into Rome and it gained recognition. It grew in power and popularity. It obtained wealth, buildings, property and influence. It became an institution.
AD 380 The Church expanded into Europe. It was becoming a worldwide phenomenon. It grew in wealth, stature, power and influence. It had become a culture.
AD 1607 The Church reaches America.
AD 1681 The Church became corporate. It had become a business and incorporated. It became regulated by the government.
The Corporate Church grew. It needed money to support growth and expansion, which meant the Corporate Church needed more people.
AD 1777 The state of Virginia granted tax exemption to houses of worship.
AD 1894 The corporate church was granted tax exemptions by the Federal Government.
AD 1954 The Federal Government regulated what a church could and could not say in order to retain tax-exempt status.
The church continued to grow, and in order to attract more people the Corporate Church lowered its membership and doctrinal standards. More people became ‘members’ and gave more money to support more growth.
The Church corporation is complete with leaders, boards and membership and a business model.
Local churches compete against one another for members (customers). The church is selling itself in “three line slogans”.
The Church members now have choices and have become religious consumers. Church people can shop around for the religious brand and standards that best suits them. (2 Timothy 3)
The Leadership (pastors and preachers) have become CEOs, disciples have become church leaders, growing their 501(c)(3) business models.
Record numbers of pastors quitting because of stress, burnout or are being fired by their congregations (some stats say 1500 – 1700 leave “the ministry” each month).
Church debt in America soars; church foreclosures soar.
AD 1968 The church ordains homosexuals as clergy.
AD 1972 The United church of Christ ordains homosexual clergy
AD 2010 The Lutheran church ordains homosexual clergy
AD 2012 The Presbyterian church ordains homosexual clergy
Big Evangelical Churches, organizations and conferences, also known as “Big EVA”, have create an economy of power, people, and indeed money which is non-ecclesiastical but highly influential within evangelical churches. It is a populist movement of tremendous influence and minimal accountability. It provides an identity for its most passionate acolytes.
“And because it promises rewards to individuals and organizations – influence, students, platform – it is both very hard to criticize and functionally unaccountable to any but its own. The Trinity controversy of two years ago was a case in point: no church creed had ever taught the nonsense that had become so pervasive in evangelicalism. Quite the contrary – the creedal history of the church was arguably constructed to exclude precisely the kind of views that were being espoused. But key conferences and key organizations had a vested interest in sidestepping orthodoxy and demonizing any who pointed that out.
“An aspiring movement, to direct and shape the policies and testimony of the church, is quite another thing. (This is what has been done, or, put more bluntly, ‘What have we done?’ Selected and edited (comments from Carl Trueman, “Revoice, Evangelical Culture, and the Return of an Old Friend” July 31, 2018)
Here are links to several other notable and tragic recent SHIPWRECKS:
This article and its content was collected from various “identified sources” and is reprinted as originally posted by these “identified sources. Some parts are editorialized and contain the opinion of this author. White Stone Fellowship.
The Apostle Paul instructed Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:18, saying, “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them, you fight the good fight, 19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.”
This is advice to all Christians. Point out and call out evil wherever you see it. Name the by names. Warns others to flee these wolves and false teachers.
Perhaps you are one of the brave souls who have read this far and perhaps you have thought or are thinking, “maybe it is like you say in many churches, but it is not that way in my church. We are a friendly, loving, giving, generous, Bible-based, Bible teaching church”, and if you are, well then, great! Good for you. Would you mind completing a short survey, then?
Do you believe it is sometimes permissable to avoid another Christian because of a disagreement or a dispute? Yes No .
Do you believe it is sometimes permissable to hold a grudge against another Christian? Yes No .
Does you believe it is permissable for a Christian church to ordain homosexuals for ministry or allow homosexual laity to teach or hold office in a Christian church? Yes No .
Do you believe it is your responsibility to ‘witness your faith’ to others, daily? What I mean is, do you tell others about Jesus, frequently? Yes No I mean to, but usually do not .
Do you believe it is your responsibility to lead anyone to Jesus; that is, someone who becomes a Christian and follows Jesus, daily? Yes No I try, but no success yet .
If you have done either of the above, do you teach them about Jesus and what He has commanded of us? Yes No I don’t have to; my church does that .
Do believe it is permissible to have sex outside of marriage? Yes No .
Do you and your friends at Church believe the Bible is completely true and accurate? Yes No .
I encourage you, let’s return to our first love. Let’s return to a life of obedience to Him. A life of peace, love and joy. A life of abundance through and in Christ Jesus.
Have you heard the parable about the man who is yelled at by his boss; the man goes home in a foul mood and kicks his dog; the dog, in turn, bites the cat; the cat then shreds the sofa; the wife, seeing the cat clawing the sofa, swats at the cat; and on it goes?
One act incites another act and sets off a chain reaction. It happens every second of every day. The resulting causes and effects, in a world of almost eight billion people, are incalculable.
This is similar to the expression or idiom ‘the butterfly effect’. The Butterfly Effect is the idea that a small change, action, or event can cause a much larger one elsewhere or in the future through a chain reaction. (An allusion to chaos theory, popularized by the notion that a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world might cause a tornado many miles away.)
THE POINT
This leads me to my point. Have you ever heard anyone say, “If God was such a loving God, why does He allow bad things to happen?”
First let me say that anyone who asks such a question is probably the victim of an unfortunate turn of events or a recipient of ill-treatment and asks this type of question out of anger, angst, self-pity, confusion or ignorance of God and probably couldn’t define ‘the butterfly effect’.
The Bible deals thoroughly with why ‘bad things happen to good people’ and why, to some, it appears that God allows bad things to happen.
NOTE: If you claim that you do not believe in God or that you do not believe the Bible, and choose to ignore what the Bible says, your desire to continue uninformed (ignorant), angry, full of angst and self-pity is sad. It is also self-centered.
I appeal to you to read on, consider what is written, then decided. Please.
FREE WILL
First and foremost, The bible tells us that God created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. (Interestingly, the Bible informs us that It is the very breath of God then He created man and woman, and it is most important to know that God created humankind with what is called a ‘free will’. Men and women are created with the ability to make their own decisions in life, whether they are informed or uninformed.
Some people prefer to ‘read the instructions’ first, get directions or ask advice before launching out own their own. Some others, however, prefer the ‘trial and error’ method of learning. Both can lead to unfortunate or even disastrous results at times, but the ‘informed’ have always fared much better than the ‘free wheelers’, and why does it matter which method you choose? Collateral damage from cause-and-effect is why. You not only hurt yourself, you hurt others. (Further reading on ‘free will’ by Pastor/Teacher John Piper)
THE GOOD AND THE BAD
The Bible unequivocally states “God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”, a euphemism for both good things, fortunate and advantageous things happen to both good people and evil people. Likewise, bad and evil things, unfortunate or disastrous things can also happen to both good and bad people.
So, don’t be surprised when ‘stuff happens’.
IT’S HIS FAULT – IT’S HER FAULT – IT’S GOD’S FAULT
The Bible unashamedly defines and good and evil and assigns these attributes and identifies and profiles those who possess these character qualities. (See the account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden). The Bible even tells us that we are defined as a ‘good or bad’ person by the things we continually, practice (See Galatians chapter 5). The Bible tells us we may ‘inherit’ these qualities (“as far as the 3rd of 4th generation), so we may know where these taught and learned behaviors come from, but the responsibility and the consequences lie with the perpetrator, although the consequences are also shared – they spread like a ‘butterfly effect’.
Back to our opening example of cause and effect, imagine EIGHT BILLION people, each individual setting off a chain of events at one time. Each event affecting tens, thousands, millions and even billions of other people, causing them to react, either through:
Sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior,idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these,
(Of which God forewarns us, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.)
Or with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control.
The summary is that although God created all things and all people, they were created with a mind and a will of their own. God created people with the ability to think and to reason, and with the power to choose.
God created a world in which things happen, and we, as human beings, have been given the ability to think and reason, so we have ascribed good to some things and bad or evil to other things.
Reasoned out, we can see that good things can happen to both good people and evil people. Likewise, bad things can happen to both good and evil people as well.
Taken together, in a world of 8 billion people, the cause and effect brings both good and bad things, and the interactions and numbers of ongoing events are incalculable.
Things are made more unpredictable and increasingly worse when people behavior and actions are taken without regard to outcomes.
The Collateral damage from cause-and-effect, as demonstrated by the Butterfly Effect, could be worse than inconvenient in our modern world of advanced technology, it could be a ‘world ending event’.
TELL ME HOW
Would it be great if there was a way to anticipate what was coming or how to avoid or navigate what does come upon us. What if ‘read the instructions’ first, so to speak, or to get directions and ask advice before launching out on our own depending on a ‘trial and error’ method of acting, avoiding or learning? Wouldn’t we have a chance to fare much better? I realize that we cannot always avoid unfortunate or even disastrous circumstances at times, even if we are prepared. But the ‘informed’ have always fared much better than the ‘I’ll take my chances, trial-and-error-free-wheeler types’.
The odds are 1 to 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 (Stated another way, that is 1 to 10 to the 157th power)
These are the odds against – yes, AGAINST – Jesus Christ having fulfilled just 48 of the over 450 prophecies written about Him.
In order to give you some perspective, electrons are very small objects. They’re smaller than atoms. It would take 2.5 TIMES 10 to the 15th power of them, laid side by side, to make one inch. Even if we counted 250 of these electrons each minute, and counted day and night, it would still take 19 million years just to count a line of electrons one-inch long. 19 MILLION YEARS!
Read that again, please. Why is that significant?
It is significant because it gives us evidence that the Bible is true and correct when it says that Christ Jesus came to earth and is the Savior of the world.
It gives YOU evidence, if you choose to pay attention, that your life can be eternal with the only LIFE source which gives eternal Peace, Safety, Security, Joy and fulfillment the universe has ever known or ever will know.
Just think about it: It is a scientific and a mathematical impossibility that HAS COME TO PASS!
Nothing, no one, and no odds can defy the REALITY of Jesus Christ.
So here you stand – at the PRECIPICE of the End of this Age. Only a few prophecies are yet to be fulfilled.
This is the “final yard”, so to speak. But it is going to be the FINAL and the TOUGHEST of eschatological yards. Some so-called theologians or Bible teachers say, “It’s already happened”. Some so-called theologians or Bible teachers say “It won’t happen”
It has been said, “What really matters is what you do with what you have”, and this can include material possessions as well as circumstances. The Bible is replete with instruction and examples on doing your best to do what is right in order to obtain the best outcomes.
You can change the trajectory of your life, whether for good or for ill, by the choices you make. It matters little that you set and reach an unobtainable objective, it matters how you go about the effort. Just remember that for ill or for good, you will have to live with the outcome.
Choose to be good and to do good. Choose to live well, and when it’s over, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you have passed the ways to success to others – on the wings of The Butterfly.
Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 13
“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 5:31-32
This may be one of the most difficult subject found in The Word of God. It is another of those subjects that are so painful, extraordinarily difficult to understand, hard to accept, and most difficult to do. Most people, when reading the Bible, will choose, at their own peril, to quickly scan through teachings like this and move on to more pleasant reading.
But Jesus has included the matter of divorce in His teachings on stumbling blocks, as obstacles to the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Word of God is no longer just written on ‘tablets of stone’ but it is written upon the hearts of those who believe and follow Him. Jesus has set us free and dwells within us. Amazingly, He has even given us His authority to accomplish His Works through us!
Unlike Jesus’ continuing teachings on salvation, the process of sanctification and entering the Kingdom of Heaven, (Matthew chapters 5 through 11), He does not offer a solution to this obstacle of the sin of divorce. Once a divorce is complete, there is no remedy for the pain and the damage that follows. Consequences will come. The best remedy is to marry right and never divorce.
If you have been through a divorce, just remember, God is merciful, abounding in loving kindness. There is hope for healing and restoration. Although it is not always easy, it is always worth it. What is done is done, and the future can be bright with opportunities and hope of peace, security and prosperity for your soul, in Christ!
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
Here is important reading for Christians on the subject of “Marriage and Divorce“. Please do not move on without reading the referenced article.
Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 12
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 5:27-30
The word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
These teachings cut through all the devil’s obfuscation and philosophical conundrums surrounding the matters of sin and go to the heart of the matter. They are the basest teachings of life. They are extraordinarily difficult to understand, hard to accept, and most difficult to do. Most people, when reading the Bible, will choose, at their own peril, to scan through them quickly and move on to more pleasant reading.
Here, Jesus is quoting from the Law of the Old Testament found in the Ten Commandments,‘You shall not commit adultery.’ Jesus is teaching that the fulfillment of this law begins, not with externals, but within ourselves; But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Jesus then seems to contradict Himself as He goes on to say, ” If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away”. Is He now suggesting externals (the eye and the hand) are the cause of your sin? No, He is not.
There is no contradiction here. Jesus, once again, is building a bridge for us to cross. He is building a bridge from the natural world to the spiritual world of the Kingdom of Heaven. He is building a bridge from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. He is not negating the Old Covenant. He is fulfilling it.
Jesus is the New Covenant, and He is teaching, (that is, The Word of God is teaching us), (1), how to understand The Word of God and find wisdom, (2), how to revere and to properly fear The Word of God, and (3), how to perform The Word of God in your own life.
I have a heard a myriad of sermons on these verses, and without exception, preachers, pastors and Bible teachers rightly add the remark that Jesus did not mean that you are to literally ‘tear out your eye’ or to ‘cut off your hand’ if they cause you to sin. Jesus often uses hyperbole or ‘reductio ad absurdum’ to emphasize the point of His teaching.
Or is He?
I have seen and read of those who have had a limb snared in an accident or a trapped by a building collapse, and the only means of escape and saving one’s life is to sever the limb from their body.
There are examples that a limb or a body part is so affected by decline or disease that it is causing nearby organs to fail; or that a cancer is spreading, endangering the life of the person and excision is the only way to save the patient’s life.
Jesus is emphasizing the immediate urgency and the critical nature of being snared by habits of sin. Persistent sin always brings death.James 1:15 tells us, “When lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death.”This is the insidious nature of sin and in this case even “looking at a man or a woman with lustful intent” is the same as adultery, even if you don’t see the immediate connection.
Jesus is framing this dilemma using a ‘binary trap’ to make this point. It is ‘one or the other, but it cannot be both’. Choose life, or allow death to make the choice for you.
The bottom line here is, “It is better that you lose one of your ‘body parts’ than if your whole body be thrown into hell.”
It is easy to see that this is no casual or joking matter. Jesus has opened a window of sorts, a portal, so you and I can peer in the wondrous spiritual world of the Kingdom of Heaven to find our help.
(It is breaking my heart as I write this to know that some will dismiss the Word of God as mere fantasy or some religious-speak. Others will pick and choose as if choosing from a self-improvement list of classes, deciding which class it pleases them to attend. Let’s PLEASE, please, dear friend, do not make that mistake.)
The Word of God is powerful and accurate and without error, far beyond our ability to understand. The Gospel is the power unto salvation. It is prophetic by its very nature – it will tell the Truth to you and through you once you put it in your heart.
It requires faith, obedience and endurance. It will save your life, and it will give you a life worth living, both now and forever with God.
Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 11
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 5:21-22
Occasionally, I need to be reminded of what we are dealing with here. So, at the risk of sounding redundant, I ask once again, “What if The Word of God is true? I mean, what if His Words are literally true in ways we fail to recognize? People who personally encountered Jesus testified and reported on the Works He did, and this caused throngs to follow Him, stirred great controversies, created deadly conflicts and gave untold millions a greater hope for a new, vibrant, changed life, full of promise now and eternal hope of a home in heaven with God.
The Words Jesus spoke, and the Works Jesus did, changed the world.
I ask again, ‘what if we have been reading and misunderstanding what Jesus meant by His Words and the intentions of His Words? What if we have been misapplying what He taught? (Jesus was always concerned about His disciple’s lack of understanding and ‘lack of faith’.)
What if Jesus has been telling us how to actively engage His Word, so we could actually do His Works, and even greaterworks? (“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will you do, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12.)
I realize I am wading into a potentially controversial area, but I am not referring to some kind of religious mysticism or extra-Biblical teaching, heresy or religious nonsense. (I believe, practice and teach a reformed view of the Bible.) But I do believe a great majority of the church, the teaching and practices of the church and the results produced by the early church have waned if not disappeared completely.
Jesus is building a bridge for us to cross. He is building a bridge from the natural world to the spiritual world of the Kingdom of Heaven. He is building a bridge from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. He is not negating the Old Covenant. He is fulfilling it. Jesus is the New Covenant, and He is teaching, that is, The Word of God is teaching us (1), how to understand The Word of God, (2), how to revere and to properly fear The Word of God, and (3), how to perform The Word of God.
What is the PURPOSE for this? First, specifically read Daniel 12:8-10 and all of chapter 12 for the prophetic meaning of Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 through Matthew 11. We are to be purged, purified, cleansed, refined and restored by His Word and made into His children and disciples, made ready for the Kingdom of God. (John 15:3. Tells us that “we are made clean by the Word He has spoken.”
Therefore, in Matthew 5:22, when Jesus says, ” Everyone who isangry (orgizó = be angry, as expressing a “fixed anger”. “Sinful (unnecessary) anger” focused on punishing the offender rather than the moral content of the offense. See 3709 (orgē),
with his brother (adelphos = a brother, member of the same religious community, especially a fellow-Christian.) will be liable to judgment;
And, whoever says “you good-for-nothing” (rhaka = empty-headed. This term expressed contempt for a man’s head, viewing him as stupid), to his brother will be liable to the supreme court;
and whoever says, ‘You fool!’(móros = a fool, a moron), to his brother, will be liable to the hell of fire.
Why is the offense of unrestrained, vengeful anger toward a brother or sister in Christ anger and resulting resentment, hate and denigration of a brother or sister in Christ so grievous to Jesus and the penalties so severe?
It is because this kind of anger is a great obstacle to entering the Kingdom of Heaven. Unless it is handled correctly, that is, the way Jesus teaches, your righteousness might not be ‘greater than that of the scribes and the Pharisees’. (“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will neverenter the kingdom of heaven.” – The Words of Jesus from Matthew 5:20)
Jesus gives the remedy which must be followed exactly if you are to escape the dreadful punishment that will inevitably follow:
“So, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24.
This is the only way to remove the obstacle of anger and offense which will keep us from the Kingdom of Heaven! This is how we are made clean, purified of sin and restored in our relationship with God.
This is more than ‘right or wrong’, it is a matter of life and death! Spiritual life or spiritual death.
NOTE: Being ‘saved’ is not something we do. It is what God does for the sincere repentant man, women, boy or girl, who humbly repents from their former life and submits themselves to follow Jesus in His ways. What you DO after you are ‘saved’ reflects what God has DONE and is DOING in you now.
So, if you think you have been ‘saved’ by repeating a ‘sinner’s prayer’, but you have no desire to change your lifestyle and if in fact do not begin to change how you live which conforms to the life of Jesus, you probably are not saved and will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus completes His teaching on anger and reconciliation, once again with a strong warning of caution:
“Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will nevergetoutuntil you have paid the last penny.”
This is a metaphor, citing the process of a plaintiff, a judge and the courts. The accuser is a brother whom you have offended; the judge is God and your conscience; the courts are spiritual realms. But this metaphor contains the literal truth regarding a prison of your own making.
Hear the Word of God. Repent and be set free.
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
NOTE: God loves you, and He is endlessly merciful. He sent His Son, Jesus, to save you. Jesus has told us that He did not come to condemn us, but to save us. (Sadly, we are condemned by our own unbelief).
Do you find yourself saying, “I try to not sin, but I sin, anyway? And, the cycle of worry and doubt and fear starts over again? You are not alone, and there is a Hope that will save you!
I have met Christians who have serious challenges with alcoholism, drug addiction, sexual addiction, kleptomania, homosexuality, and other habits of thought, behavioral habits or addictions, and most will either say “the harder I try, the worse it gets” or “I am better, but…” or, they find themselves having to live in the torment. I had found myself in this dilemma, once in my life.
There are the few who say they have been delivered from this torment and have been set completely free. How do they do that? How can I do that?
PREVIOUS: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? – Part 10 – “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” – The Words of Jesus from Matthew 5:20
“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” – The Words of Jesus from Matthew 5:20
These words of Jesus are spoken in the context to say ‘I am putting an end to this matter’. It is another way of saying, “I am putting this matter to rest and this is the end of it.” So, pay close attention and take heed: ”Unless your righteousness far exceeds – super abounds – that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”!
Righteousness, by definition, is ‘God’s judicial approval’. It is what the Lord deems is right after His examination, that is, what is approved in His eyes.
Previously, Jesus said If you decide not to follow His commandments / teachings as presented, or if you choose a different method and teach others likewise, you “will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven”, at the very best.
Many Christians find other ways, more convenient ways, or methods that make one feel more comfortable. Then, these same people wonder why they cannot ‘do the Works that Jesus does, and certainly cannot do the greater works’ He commanded and promised.
Failure to obey or to follow these commandments / teachings does not mean you are no longer saved, far from it. But when Jesus says you “will be called least in the kingdom of heaven” , He is telling you that you will be ‘weak’ and will be able to do ‘very little’.
By contrast, ”whoever does them and teaches them will be calledgreat in the kingdom of heaven”. By this, Jesus is saying you will be able to do ‘very much’ in the kingdom of heaven.
Now, however, Jesus is warning, in the strongest terms, that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven!
So, just what is this ‘righteousness’ that puts the ‘professing Christian’ at such great risk?
A simple way of saying this is, “don’t be like the scribes and the Pharisees. Matthew 23 tells us, “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.”
A better way to understand what Jesus is saying, please take a close look at the context of this verse and the words that Jesus spoke before and after these words, for a complete understanding.
Jesus is demonstrating and teaching about His salvation and His method of sanctification to prepare you (to test you, try you and to prove you; to purge you, cleanse you, refine and restore you), making you into His disciple, His son or daughter and a joint heir with Jesus, preparing you for entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus next teaches and demonstrates to His disciples what Godly Righteousness is all about as He teaches on:
Anger, (Matthew 5:21-26).
Lust, (Matthew 5:27-30).
Divorce, (Matthew 5:31-32).
Oaths, (Matthew 5:33-37).
Retaliation, (Matthew 5:38-42).
Loving your enemies, (Matthew 5:43-48).
Jesus’ teaching on this matter continues through Matthew Chapter 11.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you previously thought the process of becoming a ‘fully devoted follower of Jesus’, that is to say, becoming a Christian and a disciple of Jesus was going to be as easy as reciting or repeating a little prayer and ‘PRESTO’, you are saved, sanctified and ready for heaven, well, I pray you think again!
Philippians 2:12, says, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence, but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”. This should give new and additional meaning to what it means to become a Christian.
Let me close this Part 9 by saying, ‘do not despair’ at what I have written from the Word of God. These words are meant to prepare you, so you will not turn back or faint because of what comes upon you as Jesus readies you for The Kingdom of Heaven!
NEXT: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 11 –Matthew 5:21, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ verse 22. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”
PREVIOUS: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 9 –“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” – The Words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 5:17-19
“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together”. Colossians 1:16-17
You cannot see it, you cannot measure it, you cannot prove it. Yet, most scientists say they think there is a mysterious matter in the universe, a form of matter thought to account for approximately 85% of the matter in the universe and about a quarter of its total energy density. Its presence is implied in a variety of astrophysical observations, including gravitational effects that cannot be explained by accepted theories of gravity unless more matter is present than can be seen. For this reason, most experts think that dark matter is abundant in the universe and that it has had a strong influence on its structure and evolution. Dark matter is called dark because it does not appear to interact with observable electromagnetic radiation, such as light, and so it is undetectable by existing astronomical instruments.[1] (Wikipedia).
It is known as “Dark matter” and it is the most mysterious, non-interacting substance in the Universe. Its gravitational effects are necessary to explain the rotation of galaxies, the motions of clusters, and the largest scale-structure in the entire Universe.
“Dark matter” is composed of particles that do not absorb, reflect, or emit light, so they cannot be detected by observing electromagnetic radiation. Dark matter is material that cannot be seen directly. We know that dark matter exists because of the effect it has on objects that we can observe directly.
“Dark matter”, in the minds of many scientists, is responsible for holding all things, both in the earth and in the heavens, together.
They cannot see it,
they cannot measure it,
they cannot prove it, but
they believe dark matter exists because of the effect it has on objects that we can observe directly.
We believe God because of the effect He has on all things, both in the heavens and on the earth.
Our moment-by-moment existence depends on His gracious sustenance of every electron, every atom, every molecule and every spiritual entity as well.
We are safe when we place our trust in Him and put our whole lives into His hands! Can we not then stand in awe of our great God and Creator, along with the Psalmist who wrote:
“O come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it; for his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would hearken to his voice!” Psalm 95:1-7
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” –
The Words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 5:17-19
These words and remarks of Jesus can seem to veer away from what He has been teaching in the preceding verses. However, we must consider the context of this teaching: It is a spiritual discourse and teaching about entering or inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus began His sermon and teaching with a new, radical sounding and revolutionary message on salvation and sanctification. The first time, ever in scriptures, salvation is no longer based on ‘keeping the law’, i.e., a ‘rule book’ of required practices, a book of ‘do’s and don’ts’. Instead, salvation is now based on God’s free gift of grace through your faith in Jesus.
Jesus, also for the first time, teaches about a process known as sanctification. This revolutionary teaching reveals the steps of the most difficult process of purging, cleansing, purifying by which each and every believer will restored to God as His child and son and prepared for the Kingdom of Heaven!
Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”, so we can understand that He is not replacing the ‘old ways with something new and strange’, but that He is the living fulfillment and completion, of that which was incomplete, (the Law). The Apostle Paul reiterates this in Galatians 3:21-26:
“21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.”
Jesus is making clear that the Law is now completed by Him, through Him and in Him! Jesus has set us free from the impossible requirements, restrictions and bondage of the Law.
The New Covenant is alive and active and its name is JESUS! It is and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and its name is JESUS!
It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart, and its name is JESUS!
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Now, He dwells within us!
Next, in order to emphasize His teaching that the Law is not abolished, but is alive, He says, “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
Finally, speaking directly to His disciples both then and now, Jesus warns, “Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Keeping the context of this teaching in mind, ‘these commandments’, or teachings to which Jesus is referring, begin in Matthew 5:1 and continue through Matthew 10:41.
I say again, Jesus is teaching, first about your salvation and explaining the process of your sanctification. He then follows up (in subsequent chapters and verses), with examples and details of His commandments and teaching on this Truth.
NOTE:This is IMPORTANT. If you decide not to follow His commandments / teachings as presented, or if you choose a different method, you “will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven”, at the very best.
Many Christians find other ways, more convenient ways, or methods that make one feel more comfortable. Then, these same people wonder why they cannot ‘do the Works that Jesus does, and certainly cannot do the greater works’ He commanded and promised.
Failure to obey or to follow these commandments / teachings does not mean you are no longer saved, far from it. But when Jesus says you “will be called least in the kingdom of heaven” , He is telling you that you will be ‘weak’ and will be able to do ‘very little’.
By contrast, ”whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven”. By this, Jesus is saying you will be able to do ‘very much’ in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus has told us that The Kingdom is within you now, and after your earthly life, you will dwell with Him in His Kingdom.
What are you to do with these words? For me? I am serious about studying them, meditating on them so I can do them by way of the Holy Spirit Who lives within me.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4
These words of Jesus are part of a larger discourse which should be read as a whole to get the correct meaning and progression of His teaching. Each verse, if taken individually or apart from the other related verses, will leave you will a partial understanding, which in this case is a failed understanding. Let me explain in natural terms:
Jesus’ teaching, which has become popularly known as “The Sermon on the Mount”, is a spiritual teaching, a spiritual discourse about entering or inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven, alternatively known as the Kingdom of God. Matthew 5:3, tells us,“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”, is discussed in the previous lesson, part 7.
The main theme, the guiding principle and the main objective, not just for Matthew chapter five, but for the entire ‘Sermon on the Mount’, chapters five through nine is: How you shall enter or inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, how you become a ‘son of God’ doing the works of Jesus, and are made into the salt and light of this world.
Matthew chapter five, however, is specifically an outline for and a picture of God’s method of salvation and the process of sanctification. (Jesus modeled the testing the ‘Christ follower’ will face in a precursor event, when Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1-11.)
Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount”, as it is called, can be viewed as a (1), human response to a spiritual phenomenon, (2) a description of the psychology of how your mind, will and emotions work, or (3) as the steps and stages of being transformed into a true disciple of Jesus through the renewing of your mind. In any case, the person who ‘endures to the end will be saved’, and
The Apostle Peter adjures us, in 1 Peter 1:6-7, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.“
Although enormously difficult, bewildering at times and sometimes heartbreaking, this is what each and every believer in Christ must face:
You will be made to hunger and thirst for righteousness, verse 6,
You will be made merciful, verse 7,
You will be made pure in heart, verse 8,
You will be made a peacemaker and a son of God, verse 9,
You will be persecuted, verse 10,
You will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, verse 10,
You will be reviled, persecuted, falsely accused, verse 11,
You will gain a great reward in heaven, verse 12,
You will be made the salt of the earth, verse 13,
You will be made the light of the world, verse 14.
Put another way, that is in a simple, plain language of the human experience:
You will suffer testing, temptation and chastisement for the purpose of purging, cleansing and restoring your soul. This will come either by the Hand of God or will be allowed by God.
This normally will be followed by a ‘deep heartfelt cry’; an attitude of meek humility is the result, and it settles over your heart, body and soul. You will sense a desire for things to be made right in your life.
Instead of a critical spirit, you now will see through new eyes of mercy. You will now begin to be controlled by a pure heart. You will have an attitude of mercy toward others who are afflicted by sin, as you have been afflicted.
You will have been changed. Some family, old friends and acquaintances may tease or even ridicule your changed heart and attitude.
It is now that you have inherited the Kingdom of Heaven.
You will suffer false accusations and new persecutions. But your heavenly rewards will begin to shower upon you, both now and in the future, eternal rewards.
There is little doubt that you are becoming the salt of the earth by your life and your words. Your life will emanate the Light of Christ, and it will be visible to all.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE EYES TO SEE
Life, 2008 to 2020. Very ‘surface friendly’. Worship ‘team’ entertainment oriented; lighting effects, stage smoke, very loud and repetitive. Both inward and outward focused. Pastor-led polity, tightly controlled, manipulative at times. Members are cliquish. Uses ‘proximity to pastor’ as a punishment-reward method for control. Frequent turnover of members. Secretive-to-questionable financial management. Score 0 to 2.
