I'm Sticking with Jesus!

Late last week the headlines were everywhere. Local, national and international news agencies all covered the story. The headlines read that Pope John Paul II was to be "beatified" in May of this year. This announcement followed the decision made by Vatican officials, attributing a miracle to John Paul II. The story indicated that a panel of doctors, theologians, cardinals and bishops, appointed by the Vatican, had determined that a French nun's miraculous recovery from Parkinson's disease was due to the intercession of John Paul II. This step in the "canonization" process apparently acknowledges John Paul's entrance into heaven and his capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his name. It will give him the title of "blessed" and give authority for him to be publicly "venerated". Another "Vatican approved miracle" and John Paul II may even become a saint some day.

I do not normally comment on matters like this but felt compelled to do so now. Let me first say, that unequivocally, the Apostle Paul's words to Timothy proclaim an everlasting truth; there is "one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus"! "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" Jesus declared. He alone "always lives to make intercession" for "those who draw near to God through Him" stated the Hebrew author. His miracles were countless and no panel of men, appointed by men, has or ever will be required for validation. 

He is the "blessed God", "the blessed and only Sovereign", the One "who is blessed forever" and there is none other like Him! Men have been the recipients of His countless blessings but He alone is the Blessed One. In Christ, all who have believed the gospel message are saints. They are saints, not by virtue of a progression of man made ordinances and requirements, but by the grace of God. I am a saint because of the kind intention of His will, where He purposed to reveal Christ in me, the hope of glory. Soon millions will publicly "venerate" John Paul II, giving him reverential adoration and respect not due any man, save the man Christ Jesus. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who has been exalted by God and given "the name which is above every name".

Yes, I suppose millions welcomed the news of John Paul's anticipated "beatification" and that many will be praying in his name. Sadly, there is no power in his name. But there is power in the name of Jesus! May God open the hearts and minds of men, women and children all over the world to the gospel of grace, the gospel of Jesus. As the words of the great hymn remind us, "Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow."

Man may deny the truth and supremacy of Christ and continue to exalt other men to positions that He alone is worthy of. And I suppose men, in their own estimation, will continue to determine the time of "beatification", when and to whom to ascribe the title "blessed" and maintain a list of criteria for becoming a "saint". But along "with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours", I'm sticking with Jesus!

Resolved to Turn Away, Resolved to Pray

Believers and non-believers alike often make New Year's resolutions at or near the beginning of each new year. Resolutions most commonly made are those related to losing weight, discontinuing bad habits or developing more positive ones. A comprehensive list of specific ones would be quite long. The leadership of my home church has put forth a bible reading program that encourages our members to read through the Bible this year. This has already been a blessing for me. God has reminded me of a couple of important truths that I thought I would share.

The first one is spoken of in Isaiah 5:20 where we read, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness: who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" Oh, how accurately this describes the times in which we live. May God help us to be aware and yet not disheartened by this truth. In a world where evil is called good, darkness is substituted for light and bitter is substituted for sweet, how much do we need the everlasting truth of God's word to light our ways.

The other passage of scripture I wanted to mention is found in the book of Job. In the beginning of the first chapter we are given some insight into the man that Job was. First, in Job 1:1 we read, "There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil." And then in Job 1:5, in reference to Job's concern for his children, we read, "When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, "Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually."

Oh, that like Job, we also would turn away from evil! Paul wrote of abhorring that which is evil and clinging to that which is good. Peter wrote of the importance of turning away from evil and doing good. We will not turn away from that which we do not see. By His Spirit and through the study of His holy word, may we have the mind of Christ to recognize evil when it is before us. As the Hebrew author was inspired to write about the importance of maturity, he said that "solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil."  Oh, how important that we avail ourselves to all that God has provided for spiritual maturity!

And oh, that like Job, we would have a heart for our children in regards to spiritual matters. No, we are not called to offer burnt offerings for our children's sins and we cannot live their life in Christ for them. But I'm talking about the heart of Job. The relationship that his children had with the Lord was a deep concern of his heart continually. When did you last, with great humility of heart, pray earnestly for your sons or daughters? Or perhaps for your grandchildren. If it has been some time, please do so today. May we be serious minded regarding the impact that our life in Christ can have on those close to us.

I cannot help but think of the effect that would be upon the Church, the body of Christ, if God's people resolved to turn away from evil and to cling to what is good. And one can only imagine the impact of believing parents being resolved to be concerned for their children in spiritual matters, continually. Perhaps we will not see the impact of such on the entire body of Christ. But how about an individual life or perhaps a family or a local church? Oh, that Christ may work in our lives, in accordance with His glorious might, to accomplish His will in us. May Christ be glorified in and through our lives this and every other year He grants us.

Overshadowed by the Most High

The wondrous story of Christmas is a timeless proclamation of good news, great joy, hope, salvation, and grace. As I recently considered the birth of Christ, my attention was drawn to the interaction between the angel Gabriel and Mary as he revealed to her the approaching miracle. Sure, I have read the story many times, but God seemed to speak to my heart about something I had never considered before.

In Luke 1:26-37 we read the following, "Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. "For nothing will be impossible with God."
 
Following Gabriel's announcement, Mary asked a very practical and a most appropriate question of the angel. "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" As I considered Gabriel's response, I was reminded of several other questions that find their answer resting, at least in part, on the one he gave. How can God remain holy and righteous while imparting forgiveness and righteousness to sinners? How could He be "made like His brethren in all things"? How could God partake of flesh and blood? How can He bid me to come boldly to the throne of grace? How can He use these vessels that are you and I to accomplish His will? How can this mortality someday put on immortality? May we never forget Gabriel's inspired proclamation of truth to Mary. And may we ever lean on the hope that it speaks of. "Nothing is impossible with God." Repeat these words to yourself again and again and never forget them.

As I thought about Gabriel's response to Mary's question further, it occurred to me that Mary and I had something quite significant in common. As she wondered how she could "bear a son" while yet a virgin, Gabriel announced that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and that the power of the Most High would overshadow her. It seemed so clear to me. Had I not also experienced the Holy Spirit coming upon me? Could I not rejoice forevermore that the power of the Most High had overshadowed me? Had not my "empty womb" been given life? And did not the life that grew in Mary bear the same name as The Life that was given me? The wonderful name of Jesus! Praise the Lord for the life giving message of Christmas!!!

Blessed be The Blessor

I have so much to be thankful for! Our blessed Savior, my family, my new granddaughter, my church family, opportunities to serve, my job, etc.... But today I would like to use the words of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesian believers to express my thanks to our great God. The passage is found in Ephesians 1:3-14 and speaks of so many wonderful truths.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory." 

Lord, thank you!

BEWITCHED

When I was growing up, my reference for the word "bewitched" was a television show of the same name. It was a light hearted comedy about a witch named Samantha who was married to a mortal (Darrin), and trying to live the life of a typical suburban housewife in America. Samantha's relatives, both witches and warlocks, along with Darrin and Samantha's neighbors, the Kravits and Darrin's employer, McMann and Tate are just some of the characters that contributed to the laughs and entertainment of the show. As a much older man, and member of the body of Christ, I now have a very different reference for the word "bewitched". And this one is no laughing matter at all. It is about something that I pray more Christians become aware of and develop a greater concern for. It is about the bewitching of the Christian church.

In Galatians 3:1, in response to a perversion of the gospel of grace that was occurring in the churches throughout Galatia, the Apostle Paul was inspired to pose the following question to them in his letter. "You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?" The question itself was simply this; "who has bewitched you?" There is no doubt that this question was specific to the matter being addressed by the apostle. The gospel of grace, found wholly and only in Christ, was being deserted for "another gospel", which Paul had unashamedly proclaimed was not another gospel at all.

As I considered the word "bewitched" and the question asked by the Apostle Paul, I became convinced that this issue was not limited to the gospel of grace. On the contrary, I concluded that "bewitching" has so affected Christ's church that one might say that nothing has had a more negative impact on it. Perhaps you may think I'm exaggerating when I say this. It is the meaning of the word that is translated "bewitched" in the Galatian passage that has brought me to this conclusion.

The word translated "bewitched" is the Greek word "baskaino". It's meaning is "to fascinate by false representation". Some of you who are reading this are saying to yourselves, "Oh my gosh, I know exactly what he means about the impact this has had on the Church." Let me repeat the definition one more time. "To fascinate by false representation." There are a multitude of believers who are being fascinated by false representations in the day that you and I live. Oh, how I could only wish it was contained in the churches of Galatia.

What was it that had caused these Galatian believers to "desert the One who had called them by the grace of God for another gospel"? I'm not setting aside the responsibility to be Berean-like and examine what people say in light of God's inspired and infallible word of truth. The Galatian believers were apparently lacking in doing this as they ought to have. But Paul is clearly inspired to write about something else that was occurring. They had been "bewitched". Certainly there were those who had been the instrument of the bewitching. In this case, those composing the churches in Galatia had been fascinated by false representation regarding righteousness coming through the works of the law.

There is a reason that Paul purposed to preach Christ and Him crucified. He admonished against the use of smooth and flattering speech, clever speech and superiority of speech. On more than one occasion he warned of those who would use the same. We have not headed these warnings well. It has leavened the whole lump and has spread like gangrene. In part it is because we have not contended earnestly for the faith. We have neglected to take up the shield of faith. We have failed to take the helmet of salvation and all too often we have left the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, idly in its sheath. We have not rightly divided the word of truth. Many have failed to be on the alert, to exercise discernment and to fix their eyes on Jesus. We have forsaken the assembling together with brothers and sisters in Christ. We have filled our lives with so much busyness that we have no time to consider Jesus, to dwell on the things that are true, honorable, right, pure, etc. We have failed to be serious minded about spiritual matters. We have allowed our minds to be lead astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. We have not gone to the throne of grace as He has welcomed us and bid us come. We have not set our minds on the Spirit as we ought. We have spent too much time walking in the flesh and not the Spirit. We have lacked a passion to know Him and the power of His resurrection; to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Too often we are concerned with what we can get instead of what we can give. Although it is not an exhaustive list, I mention all of these only to say that they have contributed to our susceptibility to be bewitched.

Why is it that many believe in the "health, wealth, and prosperity gospel"? Because many have been fascinated by it through false representation.

How can so many believe in regeneration through water baptism? Because many have been fascinated by it through false representation.

Why have so many believed in the doctrine of holiness or sinless perfection? Because many have been fascinated by it through false representation.

How can so many who claim to be students of the Bible endeavor to use books like "The Shack"  through false representation.

How can so many Christian churches have women participating in roles outside the parameters of the inspired word of God? Because many have been fascinated by it through false representation.

How can so many Christians express acceptance for or be ambivalent about the matter of homosexuality? Because many have been fascinated to do so through false representation.

How can so many pastors, elders and other's in positions of leadership and influence be so quick to jettison our pulpits, box up our hymnals and even remove the cross from our churches? Because many have been fascinated to do so through false representation.

Why are so many churches watering down their statement of faith, if they have one at all, and treating "doctrine" as a word to be feared and despised? Because many have been fascinated to do so through false representation.

How can there be so little difference between a rock concert and a Sunday morning song service at many churches? Because many have been fascinated to accept it through false representation.

Why have so many evangelical believers embraced movements to unite and declare commonality with those whose religions reject the precious truths of Christ? Because many have been fascinated to do so through false representation.

And how can so many Christians, like the recipients of Paul's letter to the Galatians, still be ready to abandoned the gospel of grace for another gospel? Because many are still fascinated by it through false representation.

I could go on but I suppose I have said enough. I hope that any reader of this article will now understand why I consider this matter of "bewitching" so serious for the church today. Oh that we might remember the words written by the Apostle Peter and stand firm in the truth "that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness." Praise the Lord that we do not have to be "bewitched"! We need to be humble recipients of all that God has provide us. His word. The Helper. Brothers and sisters in Christ. Gifted men. We need to take Him at His word. We need to be obedient from the heart. Lord, may you work mightily in the lives of your people. Help me. Help my brothers and sisters in Christ. Help us to cling to the Truth, our best defense in our desire to not be bewitched.

Defending the Gospel of Grace

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;" (Ephesians 2:8) At first I wasn't sure if "defending" was the correct word to use in the title or in the content of this short article. On the one hand I don't feel that God needs me to defend what He has declared as truth. The Bible is His holy word. As the one and only Sovereign He speaks through it with absolute authority. In addition to the authority with which He speaks, power, both of creation and the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, is found in His living and active word. But on the other hand, I am mindful of verses of scripture that admonish the believer to "stand firm", "hold fast", and "fight the good fight of faith". But I believe it was the verses I will note as I continue this article that caused me to conclude that "defending" was perhaps the exact word to use.

In Philippians 1:16 the Apostle Paul wrote that he had been "appointed for the defense of the gospel". I would never suggest that I was appointed for the defense of the gospel in the same manner as Paul was. But in Philippians 1:7, speaking of his imprisonment and of "the defense and confirmation of the gospel", Paul told the Philippian believers that they were all "partakers of grace" with him. Perhaps each one was a partaker and a defender alike. As those who have "obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand", I believe we are also privileged to partake of and defend grace.

The Apostle Peter, in harmony with the Apostle Paul, wrote similar "God breathed" words in 1 Peter 3: 15 when he wrote that we should "always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you." The "defense" that we are called to make, or to give, is directly related to giving an account, or giving the reason for the hope that is in us. I will suggest that this reason, or this account, can only be attributed to the gospel. Without the gospel, there can be no hope to give an account for! In this sense I believe we are all admonished to be defenders of the gospel. And if called to be defenders of the gospel we are called to be defenders of the gospel of grace. The two are inseparable.

You must believe strongly in something before you will have a passion to defend it. In his letter to the churches of Galatia, the Apostle Paul left no doubt as to his faith in, and of his passion for, the gospel of grace. You will have to look long and hard to find stronger words of rebuke than those written by the apostle in condemnation of those who were distorting the gospel of Christ; the gospel of grace. Paul was inspired to state clearly that a gospel message other than the gospel or grace was in fact no gospel, or good news, at all. He knew that this message of hope, delivered once for all, was not subject to change despite its existence in a changing world. Passing years could not alter it. Cultures could not modify it. The ebb and flow of societal norms, or man's changing concept of right and wrong could not alter its truth. And all the religions of the world? Well, they would come and go and change as they might, but the gospel of grace would continue to
triumph in the redemption of men's souls.

In his warning and admonition, without reservation and with the utmost confidence in God's steadfastness of truth, Paul went so far as to warn the churches of Galatia against even himself. Bear with me as I explain what I mean. In Galatians 1:8 the apostle warned, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!" Paul himself is clearly included in the "we" of this verse. Some may ask why, and my response would be that it was necessary. God is stressing the immutability of the gospel of Christ, the gospel of grace. Although a new creature in Christ and an apostle, Paul was still a man. And as a man he was subject to the infirmities of the flesh. I believe Paul was saying something like this to the churches throughout Galatia. "In the years to follow, whether in Galatia or anywhere else, if I am found to be preaching a gospel contrary to the gospel of grace previously delivered, don't believe me! And if I am found doing so, I should be counted amongst those who should be accursed." Paul was serious (God is serious) about the veracity of the gospel of grace.

I feel compelled to ask a question. Where are the defenders of the gospel of grace? Where have they gone? Throughout Christendom, one can faintly hear their voices above the murmur of those who would preach "another gospel". Praise God for those who preach Christ crucified and unashamedly defend the gospel of grace! But why aren't there more of them? Many do not defend the gospel of grace because they do not wholly believe it. I know there is not a single answer to why this is so. A lack of dispensational teaching, a rejection of the total depravity of man, a hidden, yet well rooted desire of the flesh to steal the glory that belongs to Christ and boast therein are but a few reasons I will mention. Oh, how quick men are to welcome grace and then add works to it.

A Precious Little Girl

God has blessed my son and daughter in-law with their first child, and me, with my first grandchild, Hannah Grace. She is a beautiful little girl! Perhaps it is simply because she is my granddaughter, I don't know. But I am very much taken by her presence. Oh, did I say she was a little girl? Yesterday she weighed a little more than 4lbs 10oz. I hope to return to my blogging through Hebrews soon. For right now, and I suspect for many years to come, I am pondering the wonder of this little girl and the One who has given her.