“Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.” Isaiah 28: 9-10
In this passage, God asks the question about to whom He teaches knowledge and understanding. It is directed towards His written word. It uses the language of literature: lines and precepts (ideas). By using the rhetorical question referencing infants, it is for those who are grown enough to understand precepts. It may even appear as a complex message to those who are not mature in the Lord.
But God also makes reference to context by comparing lines with other lines. We might call this close or micro context. He expands the context to a macro context with precepts or ideas compared with each other.
All of this is within the heading of understanding the message. The message of what. Well, here is where we can use the tool of context to know the message of God.
Verse 14 of Isaiah gives us a hint:
Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,
God wants to teach the men who rule the people who reside in His city of Jerusalem.
Is it possible that we don’t know God because of a lack of context?
One of my biggest frustrations as a Bible student and teacher is when I hear the interpretation of a text or passage (especially concerning God’s character and prophecy) that is out of context.
False prophets either lift out single verses or twist plain passages to gain control or misrepresent the character of God.
DIVINE CONTEXT
A Text Without a Context Is a Pretext: This means a text read without careful consideration of the surrounding verses is easily misconstrued or maybe not correct at all. A passage of scripture is always best understood and appreciated in its context. But there are at least eight different levels of context.
Each verse lies inside a chapter, each chapter inside a book, each book within its author. Each book and author within time, each book, author, and time inside the whole of Scripture…but most important...all within the context of God’s character.
A simple progression of CONTEXT is as follows:
1.) Lowest level: One Text
2.) Surrounding Texts within the chapter
3.) Chapters within the book
4.) Books within the other books of the author
5.) Within the audience and time of the writing
6.) The author within other books or authors
7.) Within the entire scripture
8.) Highest level: All within the context of the Character of God
With some passages, you don’t have to go very far in the chain. But, the further a person goes in this chain, the better understanding, conclusion, and appreciation for the powerful word of God.
The greatest value of deep context leads to greater knowledge and understanding of our loving, gracious, and sacrificial God.
“But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these, I delight,” says the Lord.
A great responsibility and burden are on the shoulders of those who profess Christ. How we present God in our lives speaks of Him. How we interpret and apply portions of scripture can either draw our neighbor, or a stranger, to seek God or reject Him completely.
The danger of being religious and stiff is in the misrepresentation of God. These know not Christ. How many people have been turned away from God by such religious people?
Spiritual Abuse
Recently I met a married couple in their late 50s who had two different experiences with religion. The wife was raised in a strict and legalistic environment. He was not. In fact, he considered himself, as I do, as once a “heathen.”
Her experience with the God of her mother’s religion left her confused. God did not seem to be forgiving and merciful. She had to do everything just right to have title to the kingdom of God. What bothered the wife the most was how her mother’s small church treated her beloved father. After much pressure, the father joined the church and was baptized. But, he was later disfellowshiped because it was discovered that he struggled with smoking. He could not seem to quit, but the father’s heart was gentle, loving, and giving. Eventually, the father died. At the funeral, the legalistic pastor preached a 2-hour sermon, which was bad enough, but the evil pastor also condemned the father to hell because he smoked!
In my meetings with this couple, we have studied the character of God. This spiritually abused young mother and wife had to see God for who He really is and unlearn what her highly religious mother had taught her. She wants to protect her children from what she experienced, the manipulation, control, and guilt placed on her. Her encounter with religiosity is often repeated in a similar fashion in many churches, regardless of the denomination, whether Catholic, Protestant, Islamic, or Jewish. These groups of people do not know God, but they know how to be religious. As a result, their circle grows older and smaller. They are not the salt of the earth but rather a mud puddle that is avoided.
Followers of Christ who have been born-again understand and KNOW Christ. They are a reflection of His goodness. On the other hand, the unconverted religious people KNOW religious instruction, dogma, ceremonies, religious discipline, denominationalism, and even theology, but they lack an effective influencing knowledge of God.
The Word of God reveals His character. It is possible, however, to KNOW God’s word (small letter) but not KNOW The Word (Capital letter). Herein is the line between being real and being REALigious. Two different kinds of real.
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
John 17:3
But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:24
God’s Glory
When Moses prayed, “Show me your glory.” Moses saw the goodness of God. This is His glory. Moses didn’t ask to see his form but rather His glory. This glory is what we must first know about God to be real.
“I will make all my goodness pass before you.” Exodus 33: 18-19.
God’s glory equals His goodness.
After the Lord passed by, Moses exclaimed,
“The Lord, The Lord God, merciful, gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” Exodus 34: 6,7
He is “slow to anger and great kindness.” “Because He delights mercy.”Jonah 4: 2, Micah 7:18
No one is attracted to an angry, vindictive, torturous, controlling, and legalistic god. Yet, many religious people portray the Creator as such and demonstrate the same traits in their lives and character. They don’t KNOW God. because they don’t show His glory of goodness.
Knowing the real God has a transformative power that extends to others without motivation to make them members of their denomination. Jesus used some harsh words about those who do such things:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte (a person who changes religion or denomination), and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” Matthew 23:15
Ouch! Tough words to the religious people! But Jesus spoke the truth with tears in His voice. He could see the heart of those hardened by religion and pride in their traditions. Jesus also had this to say to the religious teachers about traditions:
Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” Mark 7:13
I would hate to think my religious traditions made God’s word of no effect! Wow! Have mercy on me, Lord!
A summation of their negative religious actions is found in the previous verses of Matthew 23: The question is, “Do I have any of these traits?”
They tell you what you should do but don’t do it themselves.
They put heavy burdens on you but don’t lift a finger.
All their works are to be seen by men. It is all about themselves and how they look.
They love the best seats and titles, i.e., being greeted as “Rabbi,” “Teacher,” Pastor, etc.
Prevent people from learning and going into the kingdom of heaven and don’t go in themselves.
They take advantage of widows and those who are vulnerable.
They make long prayers to show how righteous they are.
They like control, appearances, and religion that suits them and their traditions.
In verse 27, Jesus describes these religious people using a tomb as a symbol. He says they look one way on the outside but are different on the inside.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.,
In conclusion, religious people think highly of themselves and their religion. They are good at it…in their own eyes. But what matters most to God are those who really know Him. To know Him brings peace, joy, and a genuine concern for others. They have no other motivation than to bring people to Christ so that they too “may be able to comprehend with all the saints (God’s people) what is the width and length and height and depth and to KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST which surpasses KNOWLEDGE, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God. Ephesians 2: 18-19
But let him who glories glory in this, That he UNDERSTANDS AND KNOWS ME, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these, I delight,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 9:24
The non-religious people have this one simple directive: “…grow in the grace and KNOWLEDGE of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. ” 2 Peter 3:18
If you are religious today, stop it! And turn to Jesus for forgiveness. Learn of Jesus and start to know Him. Know what delights Him and pleases Him! When this happens, suddenly, your eyes will be opened, and you will see others in a different light because you see God for who He REALLY is.
Many years ago, I had the opportunity to meet one of the great men of God at a camp meeting in Tennessee. His Bible-rich sermons on righteousness by faith inspired me and helped frame how I related to God.
As I stood in line, waiting my turn to shake his hand, I was a little “star-struck.” I began to think about what I wanted to say to him. The line moved closer, but I still had nothing to say other than,
“I really enjoy your sermons.”
When it finally came to my turn to shake his hand, I blurted out,
“I believe in righteousness by faith.” (ugh! How stupid sounding!)
His response has never left me over the years. He looked at me with a smile and said,
“Good!” That’s the only kind.”
Over the years, I have considered and applied this great truth of righteousness by faith. It is indeed the only kind. Knowing that His righteousness is accounted to a sinful person like me provides a sense of lightness in my experience with God. This sense of lightness and freedom is very Biblical.
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30 NKJV
The Only Kind
“For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. “ Galatians 5: 5-6 NKJV
Verse 5 is the only place in scripture where the phrase “righteousness by faith” appears, but the theme is throughout scripture from Genesis to Revelation.
Take a look at verse 6 closely. Paul argues that “neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails a thing” then the pivot word “but” is used. “Faith working through love.”
Here are two opposing themes: righteousness by our own works (circumcision ) or righteousness by faith working through love.
Circumcision vs. uncircumcision as a prerequisite for salvation was a hotly debated topic during Paul’s day. It is not now. But think of the other divisive hot topics that could be inserted here. Examples:
*Neither Saturday worship nor Sunday worship
*Neither vegetarianism nor eating meat
*Neither premillennialism Nor postmillennialism
*Neither Secret Rapture nor visible return
*Neither baptism by immersion nor sprinkling
*Neither Death as sleep nor Death as transition immediately to Heaven.
None of this avails anything! It doesn’t matter, BUT something else does matter greatly “righteousness by faith working through love.”
All of this theology, as true or untrue as it may be, “avails” (matters) nothing; it doesn’t accomplish anything in our ultimate salvation from eternal death.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,”
Ephesians 2:8
How important is the experience of faith that is perpetuated by God’s love in us and through us!!!
This is why Jesus said being His disciple is not determined by theology but by love. It is less about what you know and more about who you know and expressed by faith initiated by God’s love.
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35
God is Love is the central theme that all doctrines have their origination. This one point about God can test a true or false doctrine. We cannot produce that kind of love except God lives in us and us in Him.
When we try to influence or gain favor with God through some act of our own, we have become like the pagans who whipped themselves, performed acts of penance; or faithfully attended church to obtain a feeling of righteousness for our deeds and impress God. But it avails nothing!
Next time, we will explore more about righteousness by faith alone. Faith and love are major components of this righteousness, but what does “faith “mean? Where does it come from? How can we practically practice faith each day of our lives? Is it something I must do? Or is it also a gift?
May God lead us to a deeper understanding of His love and His righteousness that is given as a free gift through faith that is initiated by love. It will give a sense of freedom in Christ.
The only sin Jesus ever had was ours. The only righteousness we will ever have is His.
If you could go back in time and observe the first heart, what would you put in your notes? Would it be in a prehistoric dinosaur or a monkey, or a human? In all three, it does the same thing.
When did it arrive? It couldn’t appear by itself or will itself into existence nor slowly build itself into its purpose.
The purpose of the heart is to pump blood thru veins and arteries to supply life-giving nutrients and oxygen from the lungs for the entire body. For the heart to survive, it needs electrical currents to make it do its job.
The heart would be useless and dead if all of the above and more were not present simultaneously. This applies to all life. This has been termed irreducible complexity. It makes sense.
This is why I know with absolute certainty there is a Creator God. To think all this happened by blind unthinking chance slowly over millions of years requires faith greater than a belief in an intelligent Creator.
Therefore, I lack faith in being an evolutionist, atheist, or evolutionist theist.
The first heart likely looked much like it does it now. It was in the body of Adam, Eve, and the animals God created the 1st week of planet Earth. All were fully functional the moment God spoke it.
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” Psalm 139:14
Any way you look at it, the universe is a miracle, and human existence manifoldly so. Evolution or creation are equally miraculous. I have reasonable, logical reasons for believing the latter.
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
As explained by a theologian, “God is Love” means that love, other-centeredness, is not just a facet but lies at the very core of His being. Love is God’s Essence. The most astonishing conclusion I reach is that everything that has happened, is happening, or will ever happen, even when we don’t understand, especially when we don’t understand, has been filtered through a proximate God who loved us enough to become Emanuel, God WITH us. Though sin and its sordid results are always with us, we’ve been promised their reign will one day cease. The old song says, “We’ll understand it better, by and by.”
3. I believe there are those who call themselves Christians but live selfishly.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.
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.
4. I believe “Love” is defined as valuing each person as Christ did when He laid down His life.
That sacrifice was not just for the unborn, the White Evangelical, the American. It was made for every person who has ever inhabited this earth. That means Red, Yellow, Black, White, Gay, Straight, Conservative, Liberal, Biden supporter, Trump supporter, WHOMEVER; if I am true to my confession, I must see them all through Christ’s eyes, and His utmost goal is their salvation. HOW DARE I (OR ANYONE ELSE) MARGINALIZE ANYONE CHRIST IS TRYING TO SAVE?
5. I believe Dr. King was right.
“Destructive means cannot bring constructive ends, because the means represent the-ideal-in-the-making and the-end-in-progress. Immoral means cannot bring moral ends, for the ends are pre-existent in the means.”
Excerpt From Strength to Love chapter on Communism., Martin Luther King Jr
To me that simply means you cannot use Satan’s tactics to bring about God’s kingdom. “By any means necessary” is a statement no Christian can ever utter. Only righteous means will ever bring about righteous ends.
6. Finally, I believe in the judgment.
“A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.”
People fear the judgment, but that’s unwarranted. In a very real sense, God is putting Himself on the stand, inviting us to examine His dealings with mankind to see if anything but love and justice motivated any of His actions. Those who’ve committed to other-centered living, no matter what their failures may be, will be counted righteous, not because of themselves, but because of the Gift. Only those committed to looking out for number one, doing it “my way,” living self-centered need fear. For me, it’s extremely comforting to know that nobody ever truly gets away with anything.
The resurrection of Jesus is a non-negotiable belief of the Christian Faith: Paul said, without it, all the preaching is empty and futile. So is your faith in Christ. Further, we are still under the curse of sin (death). In one short sentence he gets his point across:
And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty,and your faith is also empty…And if Christ has not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!
1 Corinthians 15: 14, 17
Paul then states that everyone, including those who have died (fallen asleep), is forever gone (perished), and we are pitiable (worthy of pity).
Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable
1 Corinthians 15: 18, 19
The understanding of the teaching and reality of the resurrection is an all-or-nothing situation for the follower of Christ.
The New Testament alone uses the word “resurrection” (anastasis) 51 times. It means “rising from the dead. ” But it is also described in the Old Testament as well. Other related words such as “rise,” “risen,” and “raised ” double the number of times this topic appears in the Bible. Here are a couple of examples.
“Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’”
john 11:24
She had her theology right.
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:44
John’s theology was also correct. In the 6th chapter, John uses the phrase “raise him up’” three times in connection with those who “believe Him,” those “drawn to Jesus by the Father,” and those who symbolically “eat his flesh and drink his blood.” Just as daily food and drink gives life, a daily relationship with Jesus gives eternal life.
A pastor should be able to preach a sermon on this topic of resurrection every week for two or more years! So why is it, basically, only taught once a year at Easter?
It is because the focus of Easter programs are on the resurrection of Jesus only. Just as important, but rarely taught correctly, is our hope of being resurrected just as Jesus. This is our only hope of living forever.
The resurrection occurs at the literal return of Christ. Paul said this was His hope.
“…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and [the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; if somehow I may attain (achieve at succeeding) to the resurrection from the dead.
Phil 3: 10-11 (NKJV)
At another time,, Paul said this was not only his hope but also for those who look for His appearing (second coming):
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:8
The Cross and the Resurrection are the bedrock of the Apostle’s teachings because they had seen both events with their own eyes. They were eyewitnesses.
… if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
The resurrection has been watered down by pagan beliefs that the soul is immortal and will live somewhere forever. The picture of the soul floating away at death to its reward is highly unbiblical and, quite frankly is for ghost stories and Halloween, not for the reality or resurrection of the body and the soul at the time of Christ’s return. The immortal soul teaching negates the need for a resurrection or even the second coming of Christ.
Probably, the most desperate attempt to make sense of the importance of the resurrection and an immortal soul flying away to heaven at death is the teaching that we all come back for our bodies. This contradicts Paul’s discussion on receiving immortality and changed bodies at the return of Christ (1 Corinthians 15: 51-55).
The Bible plainly teaches that death is exactly what the word means and is an enemy to both the body and soul. Jesus said,
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10: 28
There is no such thing as an immortal soul on this side of the return of Christ. It does not appear in the Bible. The person who sins is subject to the death of the soul:
“The soul who sins shall die.”
Ezekiel 18: 4, 20
We are not given immortality at death but at the resurrection. Paul describes it very clearly in the entire 15th Chapter of 1 Corinthians.
“The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.”
1 Corinthians 15: 16
When is death destroyed? At the Second Coming of Christ! When the trumpet will sound, and the dead are resurrected. It is then that we receive new bodies not subject to corruption, decay, or death.
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Corinthians 15: 51-52
It is at this point that we receive immortality of both body and soul, and death is never more for the redeemed.
So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
1 Corinthians 15: 54
What a great thought! When Jesus returns, we all go to meet Jesus in the air. A spectacular family reunion of all those who sleep in Christ! Angels delivering long lost loved ones, babies returned to the arms of mothers and fathers!
How important is the resurrection? It is everything to the Christian. Jesus has the keys to death and the grave and one day He will unlock it!
Jesus demonstrated the possibility and the hope of our resurrection when He returned by His own resurrection. We become the fruits of His resurrection. He was the First Fruit!
“But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.”
1 Corinthians 15:23
Until next time, blessings as you consider these things. May it bring comfort to your soul. Comfort one another with these words as Paul instructed the disheartened people of Thessalonica:
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
I heard this question many years ago from a famous speaker, Morris Venden. Professor Venden taught religion at Andrews University when he was not traveling and talking about his favorite topic: Righteousness by Faith Through Jesus Christ.
What do you think? Your answer may reveal your view of God and His plan of salvation.
The Difference Between Religiosity and Born-Again.
We all know, from the lips of Jesus, that we are lost if we’ve never been born again: Jesus told the very religious Nicodemus,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3
Nicodemus was a ruler and a Pharisee, but he was drawn to the Savior, whose words often cut across the pious religious teachers and theologians. The well-educated church leader sought a private meeting with Jesus at night to evaluate Jesus and His teachings. Nicodemus was good at being a (fill in the name of any denomination). But Jesus quickly and directly told Nicodemus of his critical need for a new heart…a new way of thinking.
Before you answer the question of the day, let’s consider the elements of Salvation. First, it always starts and ends with God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. They are all involved in saving you from eternal death. It was love that instituted the plan of salvation. They planned it and instituted it. They maintain it. Both our justification (title to heaven) and sanctification (fitness for heaven) are two different experiences connected together thru Christ, but both are God’s gifts! Philippians 2:13
Was the Plan of Salvation Easy or Hard for the Godhead?
I maintain it was easy to do, in one sense, because of God’s great love for His creation, but it was not an easy road to travel to ensure our eternal life, especially for Jesus, whose cross was the object lesson of God’s great love, grace, and forgiveness available for sinners of all kinds.
Jesus faced rejection, sorrow, shame, and eventually, a horrendous bloody death on the cross. The Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Angels must have suffered with Him. They were not casual observers; they were invested in this work of salvation.
Jesus died a perceived “second” death, unable to see through the portals of the tomb. He was sure He would never see His Father nor Heaven again. Yet, He became sin for us…filthy, dripping, smelly sin! But, Paul tells us it was “joy” that motivated Him to stay on the cross. Jesus could see a happy multitude of people who would receive atonement for their sins and, thereby, a blissful eternity near His beloved Father.
“…for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame,…”
Hebrews 2:2
But it was God the Father’s great love for us that initiated the act of Grace and the free gift of Jesus for us. Read those familiar words in John 3:16 again. What is it that is at stake in this verse? Repeat it very slowly, listening to every word. It is eternal death (perish) or eternal life. Before Jesus “gave up His spirit” that day, He felt God the Father had forsaken Him, and He (Jesus) was perishing. The lost will perish because they “choose” not to believe (trust) Jesus. Perishing is not living for eternity in flames.
So is it easier to be saved or easier to be lost?
It was difficult for God, so it would be easy for us.
We don’t have to die on a cross for forgiveness from our stinking sins. We don’t have to whip ourselves or go on long pilgrimages to win the favor of a Holy God. We don’t have to pay our way into Heaven. We don’t have to have perfect church attendance or halos around our heads. We don’t have to do penitence or say a thousand “Hail Marys.” These are left-over teachings of false gods who worked off of guilt, fear, and control.
But we do have to choose Jesus. This can be hard because there are so many choices out there. But choosing means yielding to the drawing of the Holy Spirit (aka conviction). When you decide, it is as easy as opening a door.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20
It was easy for the thief on the cross even though he was a the height of pain and hopelessness. All he had to do was ask Jesus to remember him when Jesus returned.
Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
Luke 23:42
Yielding to the conviction of the Holy Spirit is almost always referred to as “surrender,” giving up our sins for his righteousness….our own thoughts, and ways to His leading. Then peace will flow like a river, even in tough times.
The Jesus Journey Begins
Once we start on our journey with Jesus and our new heart, obedience to His will becomes our heart’s desire. Obedience because of a changed way of thinking…not obedience to receive salvation. It is already yours! So, once you choose Jesus, your salvation is easy. But the road can be difficult. Don’t buy the dangerous doctrine of not being able to lose your crown. Once you have been born of the spirit, the flesh will war against the Spirit. But it is easy to let God fight this battle for you by giving yourself to him afresh every day.
God cannot make us choose. But if we do, He will change our hearts and mold us into new creatures. We will be transformed from the person that looks and thinks like Jesus. This is the goal, but the trip is made easy with Jesus at your side and you at His side. While the experience of being born-again is instantaneous and joyous, we are constantly told in Scripture to be on guard. Why? Because we are now in a battle with the world…with the flesh.
If you look at the council of scripture, it is almost always directed to the believer. Why? Because we must be aware and on guard for the crown being taken away from us:
“Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” Revelation 3:11
If we let Jesus reign in our lives, our path, though tough at times, will be smoothed by His grace and power. He promises to save us to the uttermost.
“…grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Roman’s 5:20-21
Let God’s Grace “reign through righteousness” in your heart today!
Our salvation was hard for God so that it would be easy for us…If we will accept it. Turn to Jesus and be saved today, and let Him rule in your life. You will find peace and joy in your journey even though there may be a cross in your future. or there is one now. He will remember you when He comes into His kingdom. Praise His Name!
Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain, and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He compassionately said to her, “Do not weep.” Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” So he, who was dead, sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.
Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.
Luke 7: 11-17
More Than A Prophet
Jesus had left Capernaum earlier in the day and walked 20 miles to the little village of Nain. His disciples, and many others, had followed Him after witnessing the healing of the Centurion’s servant.
Jesus never actually met the Centurion. The powerful ranking officer of the Roman army felt so unworthy that he sent messengers to Jesus, expressing his great faith, unlike the chosen of Israel, in Jesus’ power to heal by simply saying the word. Jesus didn’t need to come to the Centurion’s house to perform the miracle. Jesus marveled at his faith and said,
“Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 8: 10-12
Such a contrast between the faith and destiny of an “unchosen” (A Gentile) and the “chosen!” (Abraham’s descendants). The unchosen’s faith saved him for eternity. The Chosen’s faith and religiosity, absent of faith in Christ, would lead to outer darkness, weeping, and gnashing of teeth.
The people, too, marveled at the words of Jesus that went contrary to the arrogant religious leaders’ self-serving theology. It left many wondering about the mission of Jesus.
An only son brought back to life.
As the crowd walked toward Nain, the thoughts of Jesus’ miracle of healing the Centurnion’s servant still lingered in each person’s mind. Was He the promised Messiah described by all the prophets of Israel? Hope was in the heart of many who saw Jesus perform miracles, and doubt in the minds of others who saw it as trickery.
On Nain’s outskirts, Jesus and followers came upon a slow-moving and mournful funeral procession. Following the open casket was the bereaved mother whose only son lay lifeless on the raised carrier of his body. This young man was her only son and the only support left in the widow’s life. Her weeping was painful and pitiful. In the heart of Jesus awoke sympathy and sadness for the widow.
Because of her downcast posture and eyes full of tears, she didn’t see Jesus at first, but He came close to her and said,
“Weep not.”
“When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her.” (Luke 7:13) As she moved on blindly, weping, noting not His presence, He came close beside her, and gently said, “Weep not.” Jesus was about to change her grief to joy, het He could not forbear the expression of tender sympathy.”
Desire of Ages, p. 318
In the moment of her deepest despair, not knowing of Jesus’ presence, her pain was to turn into pure joy! Likewise, even when we cannot sense the presence of God, He feels our grief and anguish! Let us look up, in faith, from our troubles into the eyes of Jesus!
“He came and touched the open coffin.” The crowd stopped and grew silent in anticipation of Jesus’ next words. They were not to be disappointed.
“Young man, I say to you, arise.”
That voice pierces the ears of the dead. The young man opens his eyes.
But much more…
“So he,who was dead, sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.“
“Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.”
But Jesus is more than a prophet! He has the keys to the grave and death (Revelation 1:18). He can unlock those bound by death and let them go!
“All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Matthew 28:18
Real Death
The young man was returned to life on this earth but would die again someday, awaiting another resurrection. One that would last forever. There is no indication of how long the widow’s son had been dead. The mourning and preparations likely took a few days.
The Bible records others who were raised back to life. Lazarus had been dead for four days. Long enough to give off the stench of rotting flesh.
“Lord, by this time, there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
John 11: 39
Another raised from the dead was Jarius’ daughter. While Jesus was on his way to help the young girl, she died.
He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”Jesus went with him.
While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”
Mark 5: 23-24, 35
Unlike Lazarius (dead four days) and the widow’s son (dead approximately the same time as Lazarius), the little girl died that day.
Some commentators forget that Jesus raised more than three people. Many in the graves came forth when Jesus died and was resurrected. Their time in death must have been even longer than Lazarus, the widow’s son, and Jarius’ daughter. It could have been weeks, perhaps even years.
Why is the length of time of death significant? For a few reasons:
1.) Their coming back to life was not a few moments or even minutes on an operating table or elsewhere. It was to the point of decay! This is why I cannot put much confidence in the modern stories of those who “died” and came back to life. They are unbiblical delusional accounts. and often motivated by fame and fortune in book sales.
2.) Of all those that Jesus resurrected, they are no stories of them seeing heaven. No books of the Bible are written by them describing paradise’s beauties. So where were they? Simply put, they were dead and in their graves awaiting the resurrection. Jesus described their condition as like sleep (unconscious of time or space).
Of Lazarus, He said,
“Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”….Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.
Luke 11:10, 14
To the mourners of Jarius’ daughter, Jesus said,
The child is not dead but sleeping.”
Mark 5: 39
3.) The best comfort a Christian can get at losing a loved one is not that the deceased are looking down on a sinful hateful world or are anxious about whether a loved one will join them. This cannot be heaven to them. But instead, their death is like a quick moment of sleep in the arms and mind of Jesus, who “has the keys to the grave and death.” He alone can bring back loved ones from dust to life. That dead person will feel like their death was just a moment, while it may have been hundreds, even thousands of years!
Even in the oldest book of the Bible, Job put his comfort in the fact of the resurrection by the Redeemerin the last day even though the skin would be destroyed in death.
For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! Job 19: 25-27
The last-day-resurrection-of-the-saved was known in Jesus’ time. Martha knew it when she said to Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus:
“I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
John 11:24
My friends find comfort in Paul’s statement to the Thessalonians. These believers were worried about those who died and did not live to see the return of Christ. He ends the encouraging description with “Comfort one another with these words.” This is where I find comfort for my mother and father, who passed away. They were “in Christ.” They sleep for a moment; then they see Jesus coming in the clouds!
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep (There’s that word again!) lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. …For the Lord, Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1
Thessalonians 4: 13 14-18
The widow of Nain, Lazarus, Jarius’ daughter, and the many saints resurrected with Jesus after His death on the cross all testify of the power of the resurrection. This power separates Him from any other person claiming to be God. He has the keys to the grave and death!
Brother or sister, are you “in Christ”? If you are, you too will see Jesus when He gives you and all those asleep in Christ immortality at the second coming (See 1 Corinthians 15: 51-55)
Note: I have edited Pastor Salazar’s article using words to make it non-denominational specific. Why? Because if we are in Christ, we are in His body of believers regardless of where we attend church.
As a pastor, I have noticed over the years that one of the main reasons people stop going to church is the lack of friends and meaningful relationships in the church. Loneliness and church should be an oxymoron.
The Church is losing members at an alarming rate. Even though the evangelism in our churches is winning people, we lose about 49 of every 100 baptized,” writes Kirk Thomas.”* We are losing many members because of the lack of meaningful connections in the church.
Recently a friend who will soon retire and move away went to a church where no one made eye contact with him. The next weekend, he went to a different church. The people were friendly. A man asked if he had plans for lunch and told him not to make other plans because he was coming with his family to eat. I call that a warm welcome!
Our present post-pandemic culture is making it harder to develop meaningful personal relationships. The shopping mall is Amazon. The movie theater is Netflix. The office is Zoom. And the church service is on the Internet.
Church as a Social Club
Some say we go to church to meet God, which should not be used as a social club. I disagree. Acts 2:45 says, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers (KJV).
The social aspect in our churches is bigger and deeper than we realize. In fact, this verse says that as important as doctrine is, it is not the only thing the early Christians were committed to do. They steadfastly had koinonia (Greek for “fellowship”).
Acts 2:46, 47 continues: “They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
People should join the church because of the doctrines (or the truth), but they should stay because of the friends they have in the church.
After the pandemic, people are more disconnected than ever before, and some are not returning. Fut for those that do, there should be a small-group ministry they can be immediately connected to–not only for Bible study but also to socialize and have fun.
This small group should be established for more than studying theology–it should also develop deep friendships.
Weekend Bible Classes as Small Group Ministry
Several years ago, my wife, Janet, and I had just moved to Columbia, Maryland, and were looking for a church to call home. After visiting several churches, we found the one we were looking for–all because of the Bible class. They gave us a warm welcome in their class. We join their potluck; we go on weekend afternoon walks. We play table games on Saturday nights; we go camping together and celebrate special occasions together. Our class goes beyond the worship time because there is koinonia.
If every Bible class were as engaging, many of our churches would need to have a couple of services. Why? People are looking for meaningful Christian friends that go beyond a few hours at church. It should be a requirement for the local church to plug every newly baptized member into an active Bible class.
During the month of January this year, Maryland went through a wave of COVID-19 Omicron variant illness, and my wife and I got sick. Our Bible class showed their care for us by bringing us food. The best medicine against the loneliness of COVID is an active Bible class that is watching out for each other.
And for us, going to Bible class is not a duty but a delight.
The average person is often amazed at the people who join a cult and wind up giving their lives for their charismatic leader and his beliefs. But this is exactly what the Christians of the early church and some in different oppressive parts of the world have done. What makes the difference? Is Jesus a cult leader? The answer to this is a resounding “No.” What makes Him different? The answer might surprise you.
Some may judge others as cultic but are in a cult and don’t even know it. The first cult leader is Satan. He is the father of lies and cultism—these questions we will explore over the next few articles.
In our search to understand Cults, let’s start with the English definitions. Webster’s Dictionary has five ways the word can be used. The second use of the term has three subsets.
1. A religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious. Spurious means “not appearing to be what it claims to be.”
A religion that doesn’t fit the mainstream or majority of religions.
2. a.) Great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (such as a film or book.).
Musicians, actors, politicians,and other famous or infamous people would also fit here. A band and its members who are, in effect, worshiped and adored fiercely. They come before anything else.
b.)The object of such devotion
This appears to be non-living objects or non-philosophical, e.g., cars and activities such as travel. I am still pondering the exact meaning of this definition.
c.) A usually small group of people characterized by such devotion
The critical concept among the subsets (a, b, c) is “devotion.” From this first definition, a cult is not just the classic understanding of religious cults. A person devoted to other people, activities, or anything of great devotion can be considered a cult under this definition. That sounds like quite a few categories, not just churches.
Webster continues with the definitions:
3. A system of religious beliefs and rituals also: its body of adherents
The key word here is “system” It is a programmed set of rules, ideas, and activities required and obeyed by its “adherents.” The Bible refers to such cults in 1 Corinthians chapter 1. We will explore this later.
4. Formal religious veneration: Worship
The key word here is “formal” and “veneration.” The act of showing great reverence and respect in a formal pastoral setting.
5. A system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator. A promulgator is a person or organization that promotes an idea to make it popular. An example would be health cults,
Summary
From these definitions, cults are all around us. While religious cults are most widely recognized, non-religious people can also fall into a cult but try to call it something else. According to these definitions, the key elements of a cult revolve around the concepts of devotion, beliefs, and rituals. This sounds like most mainstream religions of the day, including the many subsets of Protestantism, i.e., denominations.
RELIGIOUS CULTS
That is the subject of this article. What makes up a religious cult? Are they easily identified?
Can a mainline denomination be a cult and not realize it if they have unfounded devotion to their charismatic pastor, priest, etc., above Jesus? Do they depend on him or her for answers to Biblical questions or direction?
Author
Famous cults are led by strong, charismatic, deceptive, controlling, narcissistic men and women. Here are just a few that most people would recognize.
1.) The Manson Family
The infamous 1969 family of young people controlled and mesmerized by Charles Manson was persuaded to murder at least nine people in the Hollywood area of California. The followers of Manson lived communally in a movie ranch outside of Los Angeles.
The elements of a cult are here:
Charismatic, strong devotion of the adherents, deception, control, beliefs about the corruption of Hollywood people, and narcissism even though religion, per se, had nothing o do with the motivation and lifestyle of the followers.
2.) Heaven’s Gate
Founded by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Lu Nettles, they recruited adherents through the Internet. They believed that the end of the earth was near.
The followers believed they would be beamed into the “Next Level” in their living bodies into an alien spacecraft. When Bonnie Lu Nettles died of cancer in the mid-’80s, Applewhite changed his philosophy: Death would be necessary to climb to the Next Level of existence. In March of 1997, 39 cult members were found dead in their commune, all arranged in excellent order and wearing Nike running shoes. A later autopsy showed the male members had been castrated. The group had strict rules against sex.
The elements of a cult are here. First, a strong follower recruits vulnerable people to participate in a new order of belief that leads to death on the word of a charismatic leader who talks and establishes a set of beliefs with authority.
3.) David Koresh’s Branch Davidians
Koresh claimed to be the Messiah. What he said was the law. He believed he had a special revelation from God, and God was directing him to have sex with many different women. He annulled all earthly marriages by his word alone.
He believed and taught that the world’s end was imminent and that there would be a great battle between good and evil before that time came. For the Branch Davidians, the end of the world came on February 28, 1993, when the ATF using its power of a search warrant and looking for a stockpile of weapons, gave up on negotiation and used the force of military-type weapons on its target…a home filled with women and children. Seventy-seven people, men, women, and children, died in flames or gunfire.
It could be said that there were two cults involved here. One was religious in nature, and the other was the police agencies. Strong leaders lead both with their own set of beliefs. But unfortunately, its leaders’ use of control, stubbornness, and lack of common sense led to death.
The Peoples Temple
Jim Jones, a former Methodist Minister, founded it. The church and its members had the noble goal of freeing people from racial segregation and poverty. Most of its members were black, inspired by the message of Jones.
Jones promised a utopia in Jonestown, but the rules were strict, and mock suicide drills were common. Eventually, after continued rumors of financial fraud and physical abuse in the congregation, 909 people took their lives at Jones’ command with a “Kool-Aid” mix laced with cyanide. Approximately 300 of the dead were children.
We could go on and on and discuss the many other easily recognized cults in our society,
*NXIVM, led by Keith Raniere;
*The Children of God started as Teens for Christ in Huntington Beach, California, in the late 1960s by a man named David Berg
*The Rajneeshees Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh was an Indian guru with thousands of disciples who lived in a commune near Antelope, Oregon. Rajneesh lived a good life. He owned 93 Rolls Royces. He believed sex was fun, materialism was good, and Jesus was a madman.
Acceptable and Superious Cults
Webster’s forensic definition gives us a framework for understanding cults, but the cults themselves provide detailed characteristics.
The cults listed above have these 6 simple things in common.
1.) A strong charismatic leader with definite or evolving beliefs. They are narcissistic and materialistic while teaching ideals to others.
2.) Strong, charismatic leaders often benefit through sex, wives, riches, or power. The followers devote all they have, including money to their leader to the exclusion of family.
3.) The followers adhere to these beliefs, usually without a Biblical basis. They are missing something in society and have little self-worth. They exhibit naivety and lack common sense or the ability to think on their own. They find their mission and purpose for life in the group.
4.) The adherents are controlled by tough rules. If a person doesn’t pay by the rules, they are “excommunicated.”
5.) They would die for their beliefs.
6.) There are no options for choice or doubt.
There is a fine line between cultism and not, as there is between truth and error.
Next time, we will look at modern religions that have the characteristics of a cult and those that don’t. We will also explore the Bible’s warnings against following anyone other than Jesus. We will discover why Jesus is the anti-cult leader and what makes Him so.
