Posts Tagged ‘false disciple’

Profile of the Lukewarm, Part I

Posted: June 10, 2013 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , ,
1

DCCChanHeader

Would you describe yourself as totally in love with Jesus Christ? Or do the words halfhearted, lukewarm, and partially committed fit better?

The Bible says to test ourselves, so in the next two emails, I am going to offer you a description of what halfhearted, distracted, partially committed, lukewarm people can look like. As you read these examples, I encourage you to take a searching, honest look at your life. Not who you want to be one of these days, but who you are now and how you are living today.

LUKEWARM PEOPLE attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they believe “good Christians” do, so they go.

“The Lord says: ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men'” (Isa. 29:13).

LUKEWARM PEOPLE give money to charity and to the church… as long as it doesn’t impinge on their standard of living. If they have a little extra and it is easy and safe to give, they do so. After all, God loves a cheerful giver, right?

“King David replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing'” (1 Chron. 21:24).

“As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ‘I tell you the truth,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on'” (Luke 21:1-4).

LUKEWARM PEOPLE tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions (like church attendance and giving) than what God thinks of their hearts and lives.

“Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets” (Luke 6:26).

“I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead” (Rev. 3:1).

“Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi'”(Matt. 23:5-7).

LUKEWARM PEOPLE don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don’t genuinely hate sin and aren’t truly sorry for it; they’re merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm people don’t really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Rom. 6:1-2).

LUKEWARM PEOPLE are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for “extreme” Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call “radical” what Jesus expected of all His followers.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).

“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins” (James 4:17).

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did what his father wanted? ‘The first,’ they answered” (Matt. 21:28-31).

LUKEWARM PEOPLE rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion.

“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven” (Matt. 10:32-33).

LUKEWARM PEOPLE gauge their morality or “goodness” by comparing themselves to the secular world. They feel satisfied that while they aren’t as hard-core for Jesus as so-and-so, they are nowhere as horrible as the guy down the street.

“The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men–robbers, evildoers, adulterers–or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get'” (Luke 18:11-12).

LUKEWARM PEOPLE say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed, a part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him a section of their time, their money, and their thoughts, but He isn’t allowed to control their lives.

“As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’ He said to another man, ‘Follow me.’ But the man replied, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Still another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.’ Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God'” (Luke 9:57-62).

LUKEWARM PEOPLE love God, but they do not love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength. They would be quick to assure you that they try to love God that much, but that sort of total devotion isn’t really possible for the average person; it’s only for pastors and missionaries and radicals.

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matt. 22:37-38).

LUKEWARM PEOPLE love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves. Their love of others is typically focused on those who love them in return, like family, friends, and other people they know and connect with. There is little love left over for those who cannot love them back, much less for those who intentionally slight them, whose kids are better athletes than theirs, or with whom conversations are awkward or uncomfortable. Their love is highly conditional and very selective, and generally comes with strings attached.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” (Matt. 5:43-47).

“Then Jesus said to his host, ‘When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous'” (Luke 14:12-14).

LUKEWARM PEOPLE will serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go or how much time, money, and energy they are willing to give.

“All these [commandments] I have kept since I was a boy,’ he said. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God'” (Luke 18:21-25).

LUKEWARM PEOPLE think about life on earth much more often than eternity in heaven. Daily life is mostly focused on today’s to-do list, this week’s schedule, and next month’s vacation. Rarely, if ever, do they intently consider the life to come. Regarding this, C. S. Lewis writes, “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.”

“For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:18-20).

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col. 3:2).

Reflection Questions

  1. Do any of these descriptions strike home for you?
  2. What do you think is the long-term effect of being “lukewarm” in your spiritual life? What’s the effect on you, on your family, on your church community?
  3. Have you ever gone through a period of lukewarm-ness, but regained your zeal? What needs to happen in order for a lukewarm believer to catch fire again?

Next week: Profile of the Lukewarm, Part 2

http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/servlet/MailView?ms=NDE3MDA4NTAS1&r=NDQ2NjE0NTU0MzYS1&j=MTkwOTM5OTY3S0&mt=1&rt=0

God Hates Sin – So Should We

Posted: May 23, 2013 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , ,
0

 

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Romans 5:12. God loved Adam and Eve and they enjoyed fellowship together. The sin Adam committed separated him – and all following generations – from God. After death entered God’s creation nothing has been the same. Since that original sin there has been a huge gulf between us and God. It is not humanly possible for us to bridge that gulf by ourselves and return to being in the presence of God. God hates sin because of that separation and had a plan to bridge that gap.

First, let’s understand what sin is. Sin is anything that is opposed to God’s ways. The Ten Commandments are a good summary and a place to start in understanding God’s ways. “Thou shalt not commit adultery”. Exodus 20:14. That’s easy enough to understand, but Jesus reveals even more of God’s ways “But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart”. Matthew 5:28. The Book of Leviticus gives us a pretty good idea of what God expects of us, but read through the Sermon on the Mount and you will understand more. God gave us the Laws to follow in order to be able to be with Him. We all can understand the rules of a sports game and know that if we break one of those rules we get penalized. For instance, when I watch the Winter Olympics I see figure skaters. They do routines and I can’t see any flaw in what they do. But when the judges give points, what I thought was a beautiful performance has many points are taken away from it. Maybe their foot wobbled, or maybe a leg wasn’t high enough. We accept this, but many think that God is unfair. God gave us the facts and rules of the way to be with Him. God’s ways are perfect, but we rebel against Him and that is called sin. We think He doesn’t mind, but God does mind. God hates sin, and we push the limits.

We also need to know that sin is a choice. Yes, it is in our nature, but when Adam committed that sin so long ago it was a choice he made. God gave him everything and then gave him one rule. Just one. “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:16. That seems easy enough. Then God did even more for Adam. He created Eve. Sometimes I try to imagine that time in history when Adam and his wife strolled around that Garden and had direct contact with God. What bliss that must have been. Well, we all know what happened. Satan lied, Eve bought into that lie, and Adam chose to sin. Yes, sin is a choice. The fellowship once enjoyed by God and His creation was broken. This is why sin is so repugnant to God.

I mentioned a plan that God had to bridge the gulf created by sin. What is that bridge? “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. God hates sin, but He loves us. All it takes for us to move from death to life is belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. There is no other way to be with God except for belief in Jesus Christ. “For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:17. Since Jesus Christ died on that cross, sin and death have been defeated and we are no longer under condemnation. What perfect love our Creator has for us! He entered His creation to give us the only way to salvation. Again, we have a choice. Either accept Him and gain eternal life, or choose to reject this gift and find eternal death. It is our choice.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of god is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. A wage is something you work for and earn. But a gift is freely given with no work on the part of the recipient. Jesus paid all of our sin-debt at the cross. He gave us the gift of eternal life. Why then do we still feel so dirty? We are all sinners but since the cross those of us who’ve placed our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as the one and only propitiation for the sin of the world are now seen by God as holy and righteous – fully justified – set apart from the rest of the world. His Ekklesia. The gift has to be accepted, and even though it is for everyone if a person chooses not to accept this gift they will be eternally lost.

Here’s the gist of what Jesus did on the cross, and I’m making this as simple as I can to get my point across. The Creator of the universe entered His creation and became a man – the man Jesus Christ. Yet He was still fully God. He took all sin from the beginning of time plus all the sin that would ever be committed in the future of mankind. He nailed those sins to the very cross that He occupied. “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost”. John 19:30. It is finished. Thank You, Jesus! He paid the full price for our sin when He died on that cross then rose in victory over death on the third day. Jesus Christ made the full payment required which put an end to any future need for another payment to be made. That being the case, why do we who have accepted Him as our propitiation still allow condemnation to wreak havoc in our lives? God hates sin, and so should we, but as believers in Christ we allow torment to steal our joy when we wallow self-condemnation. This doesn’t mean we have a free pass to keep sinning, but we have been forgiven. Our debt is paid. Through Jesus we have life eternal.

Many born again believers in Christ continue to hold fast to that old condemnation they had been used to before becoming a son of God. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1. God hates sin, but through Christ Jesus we are no longer condemned. Let that sink in for a minute. We aren’t to walk after the flesh (worldly ways) but after the Spirit (Godly ways). We still sin, and often times beat ourselves up because of sins we commit. But God no longer condemns us. Jesus Christ bridged the gulf and once we accept His sacrifice we are forgiven.

Through my continued walk with Christ I’ve grown to hate sin, and yet I still sin. I know that my sisters and brothers in Christ also hate sin. But until we all learn to hate sin as God does sin will affect us. If you are trying to deal with sin and your attempts seem feeble, talk to Jesus. We are all in the same boat. When we do something we shouldn’t do it isn’t long before we’re convicted by the Holy Spirit to confess it and move on. Even if it happens over and over, Jesus still paid the full price. Here’s what to do whenever you stumble and fall. Go to 1 John 1:9 and read this verse over and over again until you have it memorized “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. John is speaking to the brethren here and admonishing them (and us) to confess all sin before God who, as a matter of fact, has already cleansed us from all unrighteousness. There is no priest or saint needed for intercession. Jesus is our intercessor and He is all we need. Basically, John through the Holy Spirit is giving every born again believer in Christ a way to get relief because of the conviction they are going through. This simple but precious verse is the believer’s bar of soap.

Until we are at last free of these sin-riddled bodies the enemy will continue to entice us and then condemn us when we fail. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23. This is a fact. We all sin and will continue to do so this side of Heaven. Why do we allow the enemy to fill us with thoughts of condemnation when God tells us there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (see Romans 8:1 above)? Do you believe our Creator God hates sin but loves us so much that He died for us and gave us everlasting life? Then live for Him who saved you. We’re forgiven of our sins simply by believing in what God did on the Cross of Calvary. For God, that forgiveness was not enough so He followed it up with the seal. What seal? He seals His Holy Spirit inside each of us who become His children. “…in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,” Ephesians 1:13.

If all that wasn’t enough He gave us His Word, and in His Word He makes it plain that nothing can ever remove us from His hands “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:28-29. You cannot fool God by saying “I believe” but not truly believe it. If you truly have accepted Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection then you are sealed and nobody – not even you – can remove you. I don’t think I could possibly love Him more. Thank You, Jesus.

There are so many verses that confirm the fact that once we become sons of God we can never lose our sonship. So, the question is why do we allow the enemy to condemn us? Paul also makes it clear how secure we are in God’s hands “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39. Absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Are you secure in your faith? Studying the Bible will strengthen your faith and you’ll come to the realization that your security in Christ will never fail. Neglect or disregard for the word of God will only weaken your faith. I know there are many born again believers in Christ who neglect Bible study. God’s word tells God’s heart. We aren’t left to imagine what may or may not be a sin. God hasn’t changed, so we don’t have to try to figure out if a sin in Moses’ day is still a sin in our modern age. Yes, it is still sin and God hates it. Many begin to feel like failures in their walk with the Lord, but Jesus bridged that gulf. But be sure to re-read 1 John 1:9.

Believers in Christ need to understand how much God hates sin. He gave His life to bridge the gulf created by sin. We are of Christ and our lives belong to Him. We need to move closer to Him and further from the world that Satan owns. This evil creature lied to Eve and immortality was lost. As Christian’s we need to look and act like Jesus and not look like and act the world. We need to hate sin as God does. We shouldn’t allow the enemy to have such influence over us since God is all powerful and He gives His children power to withstand the enemy. Use the power! Put it to work in your life. Get back on track and get out there and be a witness for the Kingdom of Heaven. God expects it, don’t let Him down.

God bless you all,

Ron Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

“Tickle Our Ears, Please!”

Posted: May 22, 2013 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , ,
0

As in Paul’s day, many today flock to listen to false grace teachers who will tell them what they want to hear, just as Paul predicted:

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths (2 Tim. 4:3-4).

Clearly, the time which Paul said will come has arrived. People naturally love to hear the message of God’s wonderful love and grace, how their sin has been dealt with by Jesus, how salvation is a free gift, and how it is received by faith and not earned by works, all of which are true. But this is where God’s grace begins to be modified.

Today we are told that repentance is only a change of mind that may result in no change of actions. People can believe in Jesus and continue practicing sin. They can be born again and never give any outward indication of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling. Christians can be adulterers and fornicators, and we certainly don’t want to judge them because we don’t know their hearts. Those who maintain that heaven is only for the holy are legalists. Faith without works can save. Those who don’t do God’s will are still heaven-bound as long as they’ve made a verbal profession of faith in Christ. If a person has faith for one minute of his life, he is eternally secure, regardless of whether he abandons his faith, becomes an atheist, and returns to a life of immorality. Many true Christians are indistinguishable from non-Christians, placed in a special category of believers called “carnal Christians.”

These and many lies like them are being propagated to millions of unsuspecting people. Consider the following quotations from some of the most popular teachers in the church today, people whose names are household words in modern Christian circles:

Shortly after that campaign was held, the evangelist that led him to Christ defected from the faith. His family was broken apart. He wandered across the United States like an animal, finally died a drunkard in the gutter of South Chicago….If you have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are still a child of God. You may deny Him, but He will never deny you.

Is this true? Jesus said, “But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 10:33). Additionally, Paul wrote that no drunkard will inherit God’s kingdom (see 1 Cor. 6:9-10).

We are saved because at a moment in time we expressed faith in our enduring Lord….Even if a believer for all practical purposes becomes an unbeliever, his salvation is not in jeopardy.

Are we eternally secure in our salvation if we believe for just “a moment in time”? Is that what Jesus meant for us to believe when He said, “He who has believed…shall be saved” (Mark 16:16)? If so, then we must also conclude that if we disbelieve for a moment in time, then our damnation is eternally sealed, because Jesus went on to say, “He who has disbelieved shall be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

This same popular grace teacher, desperate to mold Scripture to accommodate his theology, has actually turned hell into heaven:

Where is this place represented by the “outer darkness” in Jesus’ parables? To be in the “outer darkness” is to be in the kingdom of God but outside the circle of men and women whose faithfulness on this earth earned them a special rank or position of authority.

The “outer darkness” represents not so much an actual place as it does a sphere of influence and privilege. It is not a geographical area in the kingdom where certain men and women are consigned to stay. It is simply a figure of speech describing their low rank or status in God’s kingdom (emphasis his).

Amazingly, this teacher also wants us to believe that “gnashing of teeth”….“does not symbolize pain as many have thought.” Rather, it is symbolic for the frustration unfaithful believers will feel in heaven when they realize the rewards they could have earned by earthly obedience:

Just as those who are found faithful will rejoice, so those who suffer loss will weep. As some are celebrated for their faithfulness, others will gnash their teeth in frustration over their own short-sightedness and greed.

We do not know how long this time of rejoicing and sorrow will last. Those whose works are burned will not weep and gnash their teeth for eternity.

Is this all true? When Jesus spoke of the “outer darkness,” was He speaking of a place in heaven where unfaithful and greedy Christians will temporarily weep and gnash their teeth out of regret for the rewards they could have earned for themselves? For the obvious answer, see Matt. 8:10-12; 13:24-30, 36-43; 24:42-51; 25:14-30; Luke 13:22-28. And will there be any greedy people in heaven? See 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Eph. 5:3-6.

It is amazing how far some teachers will go to make allowance for Christians to practice grievous sins and still make it into heaven. In reference to Paul’s warning that those who practice the works of the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God, one popular radio preacher says:

Inheriting the kingdom has to deal with the bonuses that you get in the kingdom. It’s not the same as entering the kingdom. So unless you distinguish between inheriting and entering, you’ll think you’re not gonna get in the kingdom because of these problems [notice he doesn’t even call them sins]. But you can lose benefits from the kingdom because of them.

Is this true? Compare 1 Cor. 6:9-10 with 1 Cor. 15:50-54 and Jesus’ words in Matt. 25:34-41.

While Jesus and Paul both stated that adulterers and fornicators will not gain heaven, one very influential television minister says:

But Christians may still lose rewards in heaven. Indeed, we can only wonder what some Christians will feel like and experience on that day when they lose those heavenly rewards because of the spiritually numbing and other consequences of fornication or adultery while on earth. It will certainly be an infinitely poor exchange—losing eternal rewards in heaven for a few fleeting moments of sexual pleasure on earth (emphasis added).

Another long-standing radio minister is asked by a listener:

Q. I thought that I was born again when I was fifteen years old. I felt happy and secure in Christ. But over time, sin surely crept in, and I went the downward path. Three marriages, adultery, drinking. Was I born again?

A. The very fact that you were disturbed indicates to me that when you say you were born again at fifteen, you are accurate.

Is the test of authentic salvation a person’s guilt? See Romans 2:14-15 for the answer. Are adulterers and drunkards saved? I think you know the answer to that by now.

 

By Steve Servant

Is the Church Full of Hypocrites?

Posted: April 9, 2013 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , ,
2

About thirty years ago, my close friend and colleague, Archie Parrish, who at that time led the Evangelism Explosion (EE) program in Fort Lauderdale, came to me with a request. He indicated that on the thousands of evangelistic visits the EE teams made, they kept a record of responses people made to discussions of the gospel. They collated the most frequent questions and objections people raised about the Christian faith and grouped these inquiries or objections into the ten most frequently encountered. Dr. Parrish asked if I would write a book answering those objections for evangelists to use in their outreach. That effort resulted in my book Objections Answered, now called Reason to Believe. Among the top ten objections raised was the objection that the church is filled with hypocrites. At that point in time, Dr. D. James Kennedy responded to this objection by replying, “Well, there’s always room for one more.” He cautioned people that if they found a perfect church, they ought not to join it, since that would ruin it.

The term hypocrite came from the world of Greek drama. It was used to describe the masks that the players used to dramatize certain roles. Even today, the theatre is symbolized by the twin masks of comedy and tragedy. In antiquity, certain players played more than one role, and they indicated their role by holding a mask in front of their face. That’s the origin of the concept of hypocrisy.

But the charge that the church is full of hypocrites is manifestly false. Though no Christian achieves the full measure of sanctification in this life, that we all struggle with ongoing sin does not justly yield the verdict of hypocrisy. A hypocrite is someone who does things he claims he does not do. Outside observers of the Christian church see people who profess to be Christians and observe that they sin. Since they see sin in the lives of Christians, they rush to the judgment that therefore these people are hypocrites. If a person claims to be without sin and then demonstrates sin, surely that person is a hypocrite. But for a Christian simply to demonstrate that he is a sinner does not convict him of hypocrisy.

The inverted logic goes something like this: All hypocrites are sinners. John is a sinner; therefore, John is a hypocrite. Anyone who knows the laws of logic knows that this syllogism is not valid. If we would simply change the charge from “the church is full of hypocrites” to “the church is full of sinners,” we would be quick to plead guilty. The church is the only institution I know of that requires an admission of being a sinner in order to be a member. The church is filled with sinners because the church is the place where sinners who confess their sins come to find redemption from their sins. So in this sense, simply because the church is filled with sinners does not justify the conclusion that the church is filled with hypocrites. Again, all hypocrisy is sin, but not all sin is the sin of hypocrisy.

When we look at the problem of hypocrisy in the New Testament era, we see it most clearly displayed in the lives of those who claimed to be the most righteous. The Pharisees were a group of people who by definition saw themselves as separated from the normal sinfulness of the masses. They began well, seeking a life of devoted godliness and submission to the law of God. However, when their behavior failed to reach their ideals, they began to engage in pretense. They pretended they were more righteous than they were. They gave an outward facade of righteousness, which merely served to conceal a radical corruption in their lives.

Though the church is not filled with hypocrites, there is no denying that hypocrisy is a sin that is not limited or restricted to New Testament Pharisees. It is a sin with which Christians must grapple. A high standard of spiritual and righteous behavior has been set for the church. We often are embarrassed by our failures to reach these high goals and are inclined to pretend that we have reached a higher plateau of righteousness than we’ve actually attained. When we do that, we put on the mask of the hypocrite and come under the judgment of God for that particular sin. When we find ourselves enmeshed in this type of pretense, an alarm bell should go off in our brains that we need to rush back to the cross and to Christ and to understand where our true righteousness resides. We have to find in Christ, not a mask that conceals our face, but an entire wardrobe of clothing, which is His righteousness. Indeed, it is only under the guise of the righteousness of Christ, received by faith, that any of us can ever have a hope of standing before a holy God. To wear the garments of Christ in faith is not an act of hypocrisy. It is an act of redemption.

by R.C. Sproul

Original Article

So you think your radical

Posted: August 21, 2012 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , , , ,
0

As radical disciples of Christ Jesus we give radically, sacrifice radical, and we are dedicated to radical obedience to God & His Word not because we believe that by such works we shall enter heaven. Rather it if because of the outward expression of the inward experience of all that the Father has poured into their lives via Holy Ghost. I serve Christ not because I am ordered to, I serve because His love propels me to do so with a rejoicing & joyful overflow.

I do not have the right to judge others in regard to the depth of their service to the Lord – but the Word is the weight and measure of all things and when I see those who claim to be sold out to Christ having no compassion for the lost, the helpless, the homeless, the widow and the orphans I often wonder if they have read the same Bible that I have read.

Jesus’s life, death and resurrection call all who call upon His Name and believer that He is the Son the of the living God to a higher standard than that of the world. It calls us to be separated from the fleshly indices, the lure to walk in darkness and the carnality of what this world has to offer.

I have to question how much damage the false, watered down gospel of our day has done to the Body. How many have been fooled into believing they are truly the Lords disciples while they still serve the prince of darkness.

I hear the true stories of the saints in other parts of the world who give their very lives for the gospel. They accept death rather than denouncing Jesus as their Lord. They are beating, tortured, and even watch their family members be put to death because of their devotion to be disciples of Jesus Christ. They are radically in love with Jesus and they have abandoned their lives to a radical service to God the Father.

And then I see the picture of the westernized Church. I have witnessed many who claim to love Jesus, yet their to busy to be His hands and feet. There are to busy with the things of this world to take the time to give a cup of water to one who is thirsty. They need to make sure all their needs are meet first and if that person is lucky they just might give them a few bread crumbs at best.

We see a whole generation going to Hell yet we have no time to mentor, no time to help, no time to serve which in reality makes a loud proclamation that we really have no time to LOVE.

It causes a heaviness in my heart when I ponder how many have said a little prayer that causes them to feel they shall spend eternity in heaven only to get there and here the words “Depart from me for I know you not”?

In the same way how many have been fooled in to a gospel filled with legalism and a salvation that is based upon works and earning our way into heaven shall hear the same words?

If each believer could just tap into the Love of God, if they just cry out to Holy Ghost to baptize them in His mercy and Grace they shall be renewed and for once have a true “First Love” experience with the creator of heaven and earth.

Again, a radical disciples serves out of gratitude, honor and joy for all that the Father has given them in the same way that we would give the world to that special someone when we first experience a love for them.

A truly radical Christian is sold out to the ways of the Kingdom. Their hearts are set to the heights of heaven and they look forward with an eagerness that out weights anything this world has to offer, too spending eternity with Jesus Christ, Their Savior, Lord, King, and Master.

Where is your heart today friend?

Is it more connected to the things of this world or to Jesus?

We must radically love Jesus above everything else, if indeed we are to be known as His true disciples. It is a call to a radical sold out, Christ Jesus or nothing else lifestyle.

We serve a radical Master who is seeking radical servants to whom He can commission to fulfill His desire and will on this earth – yet He is so radical that He calls them not slaves, but friends.

Here is a radical statement – If you cant find the time to love those around you, especially the ones who no one else wants to love – Stop calling yourself a Christian – For Jesus has commanded that all His disciples live a life of radical LOVE

Walking Dead men

Posted: June 22, 2012 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , ,
2

Walking dead men
By Russ Welch

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
(2 Timothy 3:1-7 ESV)

Is this Word not true? Are we not surrounded by a prideful people?

O’ how we must pray like King David, that Holy Ghost search our hearts daily and let us not be found with pride!! Yes my friends we are in the days when one mentions obedience & sacrifice people scream legalism. When the truth is preached that we must deny ourselves and follow Christ they cry out religious radical. But As I read the Word I see that the Father knew well in advance that we, in this day would be witness to those who loved their lives more than that of the Lord & His Will. Yet it is these very people who cry out for revival and for the presence of the Lord and all they get is an emotional high and rooms filled with real religious spirit’s!!

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV)

God is seeking radical servants who are willing to lay down their lives and rise up with renewed hearts willing to live out the radical call of discipleship that our Lord Jesus Christ call’s us too.

I am so tied of stumbling in my own walk. I have fought with my own strength and will power for to long. I can not take one step in Holy righteousness in my own ability. No I must die to my own abilities that He may live with His ability flowing through me that His name may be glorified.

I have come to fully realize that the only way to fully walk on the narrow road is to die to myself, that Christ may live in me via His Holy Spirit. I know that I like the disciples in the New Testament must be as a walking dead man- fully dead to the desires of the flesh and carnal thinking and fully reborn and led of the Spirit of the Living God.

To be a true disciple of Christ, we must be willing to get up from the life which we lived before He called us and leave it all behind walking in the newness of a transformed life from this day forward.

How many times I have heard people say “Well that was for them” or “You cant really believe that Jesus is calling us to sell and forsake all”. I know I use to say these very word and I praise God for His Holy Ghost bringing the Fire of God’s discipline upon my life to show me how wrong I was. I know some will disagree with the statement I just made and so be it – For what is more important to me is that the scriptures testify to it.

No my friends be not fooled, the casual, the lukewarm and half hearted person will never enter heavens gates. I would encourage you to study the word endure throughout the New Testament. No I am not talking about salvation by works – I am talking about lives that produce fruit worthy of repentance, lives that produce fruit for His Kingdom. We must realize that it is no small call that this God of the universe calls us to. For He left nothing undone for our way to Him to be clear. Let also be mindful that He also made sure that there was no other way for anyone to sneak into His Kingdom for there shall be no trespassers in the Kingdom of our God.

Again I challenge you to study these statements made by our Lord: “To those who endure, to those who obey my commands, to those who truly love Me” and you may just be shocked to realize the gospel you have heard, the gospel you have been taught really isn’t the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven rather it is the gospel made up by foolish, weak men with calloused hearts.

For not only is our Lord a Radical Lord who has made radical commands to live a radical lifestyle, He calls forth His disciples to be as radical as He is!

Let us all be as walking dead men, that the world may see the true Messiah living through our reborn, sacrificed and sanctified lives!

For indeed our God is an Awesome and Mighty God.

Study that ye be not deceived

Posted: September 5, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
1

Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth. ( 2 Tim 2:15)

We live in the era of great technological advancements, with a wealth of different scriptural views out there it is ever so easy to be swayed from one doctrine to another simply by the mastery of the writer. We are bombarded with different opinions that if our foundation is week we can fall for that which is not of the Lord.

So many depend upon the study of others and blindly trust what they teach and write with never taking to the One who has been sent of the Father to guide in all Spiritual truths. Yet we are the ones ultimately responsible for that which we believe and adhere too.

The King James translates that as “study.” However, modern translations typically do not agree because the meaning and usage of this English word has changed. To us, study means “hit the books,” “learn,” “analyze, investigate, examine, scrutinize,” or “earnestly contemplate.” But the Greek word means something quite a bit different. It literally means to “make speed,” “to hurry.” It conveys the sense of “to make earnest effort; be prompt to labor.”

In almost all modern translations, “study” is rendered “be diligent,” “work hard,” or “do your best.”

The primary question, then, is, “What can we do to show ourselves approved by God?” because God’s charge is, “Hurry to do it! Be quick about it! Be diligent at it. Do your best.”

As well shepherd/teachers are held at a higher responsibility of the Lord to teaching the truth – This means as teachers we are held accountable for what we teach. Many such persons today are swayed by emotions with the desire for unity out-weighing the commands of the Lord to bring correction and rebuke when the Spirit call’s for it.

But again, as individual’s we must guard our hearts that we be not fooled and led astray by a false doctrine. Proverbs 4: 23 state’s this plainly:

“Guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it’.

Many today in their zealousness to see the signs, wonders and miracles of the Lord have been swayed by false teachings which are not of the Lord, chasing after strange fires. Via the internet and media we have inundated with what appears to be of the Lord, yet in truth grieves the Holy Ghost for it is but the promotion of what man can do and people are been worshiping men and ministries rather than the Lord God Himself.

I myself fell into such deception and for several years wondered around in this wilderness of strange fires. I praise God for Holy Ghost never relented in His sending up red flags and with such there was always a sense of unrest. For where the Lord is being mocked the Spirit will not rest.

More and more Holy Ghost drew me to the Word and as I began to weigh the things I saw happening in the “ministry” to the Word of God and allowed Holy Ghost to bring forth truth and revelation the doorway to what was of God began to open.

Today I still believe in signs, wonders and miracles – yet I do not either chase after them or worship them. I can but look out side at nature itself and see the Glory of the Lord – I can look at a new born child and see the wonder of God.

Have I seen or experienced miracles?

Yes I have and I know that we serve the same God of the Old and New Testament who can show up as He did in the Bible, the same God who parted the Red sea, Who can raise the dead and heal the leper. Yet again, I choose not to worship the signs, rather I choose to worship He from whom the signs come from.

I pray daily for discernment that I be not fooled by false signs, wonders and miracles and I believe that if we truly allow Holy Ghost to lead our lives and keep our eyes on the Lord we shall not be fooled. For the Word proclaims:

“For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect–if that were possible”. (Mark 134:22)

Notice the Lord says “if that were possible”. Is it possible? Yes it is if we leave it upon our own wisdom and ability to distinguish between what is true and what is false – yet if we are led of the Spirit we shall never be fooled.

Brother and sisters let us walk with Spiritual eyes open, being ever led of the Spirit of the Lord God Almighty, that we not be counted among those who have been led astray having falling for a false gospel being deceived by the light of a false and strange fire.

We are in a day that calls for radical disciples, equipped with Holy Ghost vision, empowered to bring down the walls of deception with the authority of their King, Jesus the Christ, to not only quench the fiery darts of the enemy but to also thru the power of His Spirit put out the strange fires built in the camp of the saints.

For we serve an Awesome and loving Father, who desires the very best for His children and longs to see the Bride break forth in the power of His Authority that He may release His Glory thru them for the world to see.

Grace is not a license to sin!

Posted: June 17, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
1

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Rom 6:1-2

Jesus made it clear that scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35). This means that there will not be contradictions in God’s Word. Jesus says that not one jot or tittle would pass from the law (Matthew 5:18). Paul says here, “Do not sin,” and sin is the transgression of God’s law (I John 3:4). Nonetheless, many Christians in our day say that the law is done away. This raises a contradiction.

Now if Jesus’ death combined with the New Covenant does away with the law, then there is no such thing as sin, and Christ died in vain—especially as far as those who have lived since His death are concerned. Something, especially those who hang tightly to a belief of “conditional grace”, Romans 6:1-2 states plainly that Christians are not to sin, that is, break God’s laws. Therefore sin—and thus God’s law, which tells us what sin is—must still exist.

Sorry, but the truth is written here and one must see that it cannot be both ways. If they say that the law is done away, then in the biblical context, it is logical to conclude that there can be no sin. It is therefore illogical for them to claim that it is still wrong for a person to murder or to commit adultery because those sins would not exist without the laws that determine they are immoral or illegal acts.
But the true answer lies elsewhere: Their conclusion that the law is done away is wrong!

Some are comfortable just living a good life, never living with the victory over sin in their life. Many of these “Christians” are the very people who hide under what I earlier called “conditional grace”. What I mean by that is they believe that sin is something that we are always going to live with and that is why we have God’s grace. Yet they believe that God’s grace, though powerful enough to forgive them of their sins. Is not powerful enough to remove certain sins in others lives!

We must be willing to take God at His Word – Now if His Word says sin has been broken then we must be willing to seek that truth out until the reality of this power proclamation of the Lord is manifested in our lives.

A truly radical Christian (one who follows Jesus with the same dedication as the disciples in the New Testament) will chase after truth until the power of God’s truth is like skin, it covers every area of their lives. We can not settle for that which many in our day have settled for which is borderline lukewarm and is nothing like the radical life style that Jesus lived and taught His students (disciples) who in return lived as well.

So let us not found hiding behind such a vile false grace message, one that unknowingly promotes sin – for it teaches that we can never live without sin. Rather let us be found as true students of the Word, that we radically seek the deep things of the Word and apply the purity of God’s Word to our lives – For the Honor and Praise of the Son and that the Father may be Glorified.

We must never step back from the glorious rights we have received as citizens of the Kingdom of God and one of those rights is the infusion of grace into our lives which empowers us to live a life without sin!

For the joy of Kingdom life is living in all the Spiritual benefits that we have been afforded from our King, Yahushua!

For indeed we serve a awesome and loving God!
“The highest rank is servant”
Russ Welch

Be not deceived – Know the true Christ!

Posted: May 27, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , , , ,
0

For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature]. And you [a]are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead–Father, Son and Holy Spirit–and reach full spiritual stature]. And He is the Head of all rule and authority [of every angelic principality and power]. (Col 2:9-10 AMP)

A true disciple of Christ will recognize through discernment that at every turn, we are faced with those living the life of a false disciple right in the midst of the fellowship. And the goal of the spirit which is ruling their lives is to twist the nature of Christ. Some false disciples in Paul’s day and right here in ours believe that Jesus was a man, but that Christ entered into Jesus when He was baptized and left Him right before He died.

We find many false doctrines in the world and church today are empowering modern day deceived false disciples who believe that Jesus did not really die—because, after all, if He died, then He was not really God. Many who have been indoctrinated in the false teachings believe that He could not have been perfect and sinless because He created matter, which false disciples, following the thinking of Gnosticism believe to be evil. And there were those in Paul’s day who believed that Jesus Christ was a created being—an idea that is still affecting the fringes of the church of God today.

The point is if we really want to counter false disciples deceptions and their doctrines in our day, we must begin with the truth of Jesus Christ. Paul emphasizes this in verses 9-10: Jesus was the fullness of the divine nature in bodily form, and He is the head, the leader, the sovereign, of every principality and power. Though the false disciples in their various views always twist or deny some aspect of the nature and role of Jesus Christ, these truths brought out by the apostle are bedrock beliefs for true Christians.

We must be anchored in the Word friends, for the true, Holy Ghost taught knowledge of the Word is foundational to countering false doctrines is the truth that Jesus brought. To combat the false knowledge that threatens to plunder our spiritual riches, we must take the Bible as the complete and inspired Word of God, against which we can test any concept, tradition, doctrine, or philosophy, no matter how good it sounds on the surface.

When dealing with such, you will soon learn that these false disciples will not readily accept the Bible as God’s inspired revelation, or if they do, they also hold to the belief that other ancient, secret writings are on par with Scripture, and can be trusted to provide greater insight.

Though the Lord is still speaking to His people today, we need to be very cautious that we do not allow prophecy to over rule the Holy Word. Many in our day are chasing after a new word, and spend little time listening to what the Father has to say in His Word, which is a scale for which we are to use to weigh all things, that we are not being deceived!

We must put on the whole armor of God, I personal tremble at the thought of how foolish I have been in the past to not take advantage of this armor in my own life – But by the Grace of the Holy Father of our Lord Jesus Christ through the guarding of my mind by the infilling of Holy Ghost in my life – there has always been that red flags popping up in my spirit when things contrary to the Ways of the Lord. Much of this I believe is because of the faithful prayers of my mother and many others that the Lord would guard my mind – let us never forsake to power of the prayer of a righteous servant of the Lord – know that the Father hears of prayers!

In the hour we live we must be radical Christians whose eyes turn not from the Lord Jesus Christ, from His Word, and we radically keep our ears tuned into Heaven!

We must be radical Christians in regard to our prayer time, that quality time when the Father shares His heart with us!

We must be radical Christians in regard to the testing of the spirit’s and friends we are called to judge the fruits!

Take for example Acts 16:16-18, here we find Paul and Silas were being followed by a slave girl who predicted the future. When Paul turned and commanded an evil spirit to come out of her, was he judging her? No, he was judging the fruit in her life. He was able to discern that while she did speak the truth about them, saying that they were servants of the Most High God, it was actually the spirit in her that was speaking, seeking attention for itself.

Here again we find another example in Matthew 14:3-12 , in this passage we read how John the Baptist spoke out and told Herod that it was wrong for him to have his brother’s wife. Was John judging Herod when he spoke this? No, he was preaching the uncompromising truth of God’s Word. Obviously, it infuriated Herod because he had John arrested, and later consented to have him beheaded.

Let us do away with the watered down gospel which creates frail, weak Christians and instead let us not walk ourselves in our own strength rather, but in in the power of His Spirit – let us as well train up disciples who are brave and compelled to live in the Ways of Christ, who cower not in the face of the enemy, no matter what persecutions he throws our way!

Friends I truly believe that we are living in the last days, the final chapter of Act’s is being lived out right before us. Because of that, Jesus told us that the love of many will wax cold. (Matt 24:12) People will want to hear only preaching that will tickle their itching ears. (2 Tim 4:3) While it may be easier to just keep our mouth shut and refuse to speak the truth of God’s Word, I want to encourage you right here today to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.

Keep running the race He has marked out for you. Even in the midst of persecution, know that your Father in heaven is closely watching you, and He is pleased when you stand up for righteousness, walking in the power and authority of His Son, Yeshua. (Heb 12:1-2)

“The highest calling is that of servant-hood”
IHS,
Russ ‘Rush’ Welch