Archive for February, 2007
1 Corinthians 1:12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
Are you of Ira Rice? Are you of Harding? Are you of School of Memphis? What camp are you from?
Are you of PP? Are you of Moulmein? Klang? Jurong? What camp are you with?
As mentioned in Part 1 and 2, churches of Christ are in a mess. Our dirty linen is catalogued in Wikipedia.
How do we proceed from here? Here is my suggestion for you to fast and pray for. Maybe God will enlighten you to be one of the many sparks to labour towards unity in the brotherhood. It is a long journey. It may take a decade or more before we are truly united as Jesus prayed for before His return.
My suggestions:
1. Fast and pray for yourself to be pure in heart and a peacemaker. Matt.5:8-9
We have in our own way, have deliberately, unwittingly, passively, actively contributed to the division in the brotherhood. Pray for yourself that God may use you to be the light in your own congregation to make peace in His Name.
2. How did Paul deal with the division and sins of the Corinthian church?
He went back to what Jesus did. He reminded them that they were a church of God, sanctified, called to be saints.
1 Corinthians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
We did not sanctify ourselves. However messy the church in Corinth was, they were still a church of God. This is the benchmark they had to remember and repent towards in order to be united. Paul still addressed them as a church of God even when he knew their sins which he dealt with later.
In his introduction, Paul mentioned something that was important - baptism.
1 Corinthians 1:13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
If it was not important, why would he even mention it? Would it make sense if he said, “Did you carry the kavadi for Cephas? In whose name did you carry the kavadi? It is significant that baptism is part ofthe message of how they became a church of God in the first place.
Baptism is part of the gospel. Without which one’s sins are not washed away yet. Acts 22:16.
If not washed away, are you saved?
3. We worship in spirit and truth. We tend to emphasise a lot on the Truth portion of this AND statement from John 4:23.
We need to be pure in our Spirit as well. I often wonder why Jesus mentioned Spirit first instead of Truth.
Brethren who are divisive as a result of their zeal to “contend for their faith” tend to reason from the Truth portion of the equation in John 4:23.
Yes we must….
1. “Contend for the faith” Jude 3
2. We must show “fruit of repentance” Lk. 3:8
3. We must deal with false teachings and evil behaviours which poison the flock Rev.2-3
Yes we certainly must do so within our own local congregation! BUT….did Jesus scold the churches in Revelaton to sort out other congregations as well?
Let us know consider the Spirit portion as well, after all the equation is an AND statement.
Does our spirit show we are living epistles in our response to these questions below:
1. Is each congregation autonomous?
2. Do we have a headquarters?
3. Is there a separate priesthood?
4. Do elders oversee multiple congregation? Are you an elder?
5. Is the Holy Spirit God?
6. Does the Holy Spirit work through the Word, Logos? Does He convict us through the Word?
7. Is the Holy Spirit able to do immeasurably beyond what you can think or imagine?
8. The Holy Spirit will certainly not contradict the Father and Son. But do you know everything about the HOW and WHEN the Holy Spirit works in a person? Does He need to update you and I?
9. Luke 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance.
To whom must you bring forth fruit of repentance? Who decides the timing when a person will repent? Who is the judge who decide whether you have truly done so? Is this person from another congregation?
10. Are you an apostle? Are you endowed miraclulously with infallibility?
What do you do if you suspect there are false teachings elsewhere which may spread to your congregation?
Apart from knowing and teaching the Truth to your flock, know also your place. Have we in our earnest contended for the faith and have made ourselves God’s Grand Inquisitor, His spirtual gestapo of other congregtions?
If we claim we believe the Holy Spiit works through the Word, then teach the Word without name calling; without calling a specific person elsewhere a false teacher. If what you teach is from the Word, the Word will convict the people of that congregation whom you wish to ‘rescue’ from. In this manner if your allegation is false then what you teach is either educational, intellectually entertaining or a load of hot air! If you start name calling by drawing in others in the allegation, you have committed a serious sin of slander if proven to be false. Not forgetting a presumptuous sin of assuming you are a headquarters for others to submit to. If what you teach is true, the Holy Spirit in His time and manner will convict the local congregation to purge themselves. If not they will suffer the same fate as the churches of Asia in Revelation. (Interesting, we are also in Asia)
The Holy Spirit does not need to report to us His timing.
John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
If God does not remove the tares, aren’t we a bit audacious to want to rid of false teachers in other churches by name calling?
How many christians in the churches of Christ have fallen because they were caught in this “axing the root” Mat 3:10 by some self proclaimed Messiah from US and his representative locally?
Matthew 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Teach the Word in all seasons, every where without witch hunting.
How true what Isaiah wrote:
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
February 16th, 2007
Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons
Romans 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
Ephesians 6:9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
Colossians 3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
Why is God not a respecter of persons? Truth spelt with capital T is independent of the messenger. If you say the sun rises in the east, it is true whether you are a friend or an enemy, educated or not, rich or poor. God’s Truth does not change regardless of the messenger’s status, possession or character.
It is not good to be a respecter of person. If we are ,this spirit hinders our search for Truth. This is so because we are unable to decouple the message from the messenger.
People who are respecter of persons are partial. Their first instinct is to weigh WHO the person is, instead of WHAT, the weight of the message. If a person talks sense, it is sense even if you do not like him. If he spurts out nonsense, having a PhD or being a CEO of a MNC or being eloquent and entertaining, is not going to make him more credible in God’s eyes.
Yes it is true we individuals sin and make mistakes. On the other hand, as a church we must not encourage a culture of respecting persons i.e. partiality towards men’s glory.
Such partiality has been inoculated in the churches all these years in a very significant way through the pulpit.
I have worked in a well known US MNC for 15 years. Everyone is on 1st name basis even the scientists and engineers in the US research labs. No one knows what your qualification is unless it is deliberately dug up. Yet in the church I often hear speakers being introduced as Dr. this or Prof that. Even in introduction, with much pomposity and formality, we announce a person’s background, achievements and standing in the secular world.
My guess is that preachers who have been educated in US or are used to lectureships forget that they are no more in their alma mater! Maybe they have forgotten they are now in the Lord’s house and no more in bible college or university?
I have worked in the academia for 5 years doing research. In such an environment, researchers , academics and scientists are often introduced with their list of achievements before their presentation. Do you need such a behaviour in the Lord’s house? What relevance is your secular standing in the Lord’s house? What values are you conveying to the flock when we with pomp announce so and so is a PhD or Prof. in this and that? So what?
In the Lord’s house, in His presence witnessed by His priesthood, it does not matter whether the speaker is uneducated. If he speaks from the Word, we should well listen even if he is a carpenter from an unheard of place. If you wish know this person’s background, get to know the speaker personally. It is between you and him. By all means do some background search before inviting a speaker, but avoid too much emphasis on his secular credentials. Spiritual standing and the soundness of the message in the Lord are more important.
I used to mention names and people’s achievements in my sermons. I avoid them now. I am not saying we should not, it is just that I am cautious. I now avoid mentioning nonscriptural books or authors. These authors have their publicists. They earned loads of money. Why should I give them publicity in the Lord’s house? I am aware that some brethren do not read or study the bible during the week. If we offer the flock distraction with the latest best seller or management theory, when is God’s word going to be heard and fed to this brethren?
If I wish to quote someone, I will now say “Someone said/wrote…” “One brother mentioned that………” “It is said……”
If I wish to honour the person, I will contact the person privately or write comments in Readers’Comments in Amazon.com. At most I will honour him in the presence of a small group of people whom he knows on some other occasions. I am just cautious not to shift God’s glory from the pulpit to this and that PhD. or author or managemet guru. It also prevent the slow innoclution of the flock with “respecter of person” virus from the pulpit by our public behaviour.
Have you ever felt you are not up to it? Not good enough? Not smart enough? Not eloquent enough? You can’t compare with brother so-and-so who preaches once a month who is more eloquent, more educated, speaks with an accent? You might be a victim of the “respecter of person” flu virus spreading in the church. You are feeling down because ” the church sees you no up”. Maybe you are not an “active” Christian thus not faithful enough?
Different cultures have ways of showing respect to or honour a person. If we adopt such practices blindly we may be encouraging a culture of partilaity. One such practice is when we elevate roles to titles. Will share more in Part 2.
February 15th, 2007
When is “good” intention not good enough? Good from whose point of view?
Moderation with purpose is often encouraged. Maturity is when a person is balanced. This balancing act is a life long learning process that requires faith, love and grace.
We can get an idea what extreme is from the defiintion of Sin. Sin in Greek is harmatia, meaning ‘missing the mark’. Like an arrow missing the target, when we sin, we missed the whole point. What is the point? The answer I believe is in the 1st and 2nd Commandments. We miss the point about who we are , who God is and our relationship with Him and one another.
Why is this so bad? Why does it lead to death? Ro.6:23
Like an AIDS virus which came from mutation, Sin is a mutated way of thought and deed that corrupts God’s Word. It kills the soul. It shapes our character such that we are no more the spiritual likeness of God, as He intended us to be.
To miss the mark may occur in two ways. Short of the mark or when it goes overboard.
I was horrified several years ago when a prominent brother claims that greed is good because it motivates one to be better. Greed is motivation gone overboard, focusing on self more than others such that it overturns the 2nd commandment. It manifests that God is unable to provide thus, one has to grab as much as possible at the expense of others and one’s soul. This undermines the 1st Commanment.
We must call a spade a spade. Greed is sin even though there is some basic charateristics that seems good. A wolf in sheep’s clothing. Beware of good intentions in attempting to sound motivating to the point of endorsing sin!
Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
There are many good things mentioned in the scriptures that can go bad. Anything good may be misused or abused if you are not watchful.
1. How about self esteem? There is so much talk about self esteem nowadays thanks to modern psychology. There is some turth in it. We are indeed special. So special that Jesus died for us. I am worth a lot to Him regardless of what others think me….but
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
To go overboard will be arrogance.
2. How about learning? It is good to learn God’s Word. We ought to be diligent. What happen when our learning does not lead to transformation into Christ-likeness? Are you easily swayed by the latest and greatest hype? Lastest speaker in town?
2 Timothy 3:6-7 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
We miss the point when we too much learning forgetting that Jesus did not die on the cross to make us scholars, but His disciples.
3. What about openness? There is so much talk about diversity nowadays. In making Mammon, the business world encourages diversity to cater for diverse background. Yes we must be open to learning but not openness without discernment.
Openness without discernment is an open sewer. You never know what filth will come in.
(Even waste treatment plants have filters for physical separation: sedimentation and clarification. 
)
Hebrews 5:13-14 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
What other examples can you think of that when gone overboard hurt relationship with God, undermine His teachings or hurt others?
When does showing respect encourage “respecter of person”?
When does being helpful become meddlesome and presumptious?
When does “contending for the faith” make you a Pharisee?
When does your scheduled “quiet time” become an inflexible ritual or make you think you are holier than those who do not have quiet time with God?
February 14th, 2007
Did Jesus ever say He was God?
What does ‘Son of God’ mean to the ancient people in biblical times? Aren’ t we all sons(children) of God?
A. Testimonies of friends and enemies
The Demons
Lu.4:41 Morever demons came out of many people.,shouting “You are the Son of God! But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak because they knew He was the Christ.
Son of God = Christ
The Disciples
John 1:49 Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, You are the King of Israel”
Son of God = King of Israel
John 11:27 “Yes Lord,” she told Him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who was to come into the world”
The Christ =Son of God = The One who was expected to come into the world
John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and by believing you may have life in His name.
Jesus=Son of God= The Name which gives life
Acts 8:37 Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered,I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God”.
Jesus Christ=Son of God
Acts 9:20,22 At once he began preaching that Jesus is the Son of God. Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
Jesus =Son of God=Christ
Jews
Matt.26:63 The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God. Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God
To the Jews, Christ is the Son of God.
John 19:7 The Jews insisted, “We have a law and according to that law he must die because he claimed to be the Son of God”
What law was in the Mosaic Law stating that if a person claimed to be Son of God, they should die?
Remember the only place in the OT that uses Son of God is in Daniel 3:25 spoken a nonJew!
John 5:17Jesus said to them, ” My Father is always at work to this very day, and I too am working”
Here Jesus claims God is His father. What was wrong with that?
John 5:18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making hinself equal with God
The Jews saw this as a claim of equality with God even though He did not use the term Son of God. This claim would be blasphemy to the Jews and would be punishable by death unless the person who claimed it is the Messiah Himself. Of course the Jews rejected Jesus as Christ.
John10:30-36
v30 I and my father are one.
v33 “We are not stoning you for any of these” , replied the Jews, “but for the blasphemy because you, a mere man claim to be God”
v36 why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, “I am the Son of God”
Muslims claim that Jesus never said he was God. These verses prove them wrong!
I and my Father are one=a claim he was God=claimed to be Son of God
B. Conclusion
Jesus=Christ=one with God=God=Son of God
Son of God=God
C. The meaning of “only begotten Son”
John3:16 God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten (Greek “monogenes”) Son. The word begotten unfortunately is not used in modern translation eg. NIV but found in KJV
only begotten (”monogenes”) Son = son of a unique relationship
The relationship is unique because the Son of God is God. He is the radiance of God Heb.1:3
We are all sons(children) of God but we are not THE Son of God.
Example: When I sit in a pew, most of my body is blocked from view if you come from the back of the pew. If you see my head when you walk into the church auditorium, you would say that you have seen me even though you did not see the rest of my body. My head is the part of my body which the eye can see(unless you have Superman’s eyes to see my body through a solid wooden pew).When you see a passport photograph of me (just my head or face), you would still say you have seen me but not the real me. To see my head is to see me but the photo is a reflection or an image of me but not James in person. My head has a unique relationship with my body which the photo does not have.
We are God’s image (spiritual photograph!!) but not God Himself. Jesus is part of God which the human eyes can see. The Father and Holy Spirit are beyond our human eyes.But when we see Jesus ,we have seen God because Jesus is God..
Does God have a wife? Please see article under Doctrinal
February 5th, 2007
