The Lonely Pursuit of Truth in a Postmodern Culture

Pilate asked this question to Jesus “what is truth” a question that he never found an answer to from what I can find in scripture. Everybody knows the postmodern debate (for the most part) especially amongst those with even a superficial knowledge of the Emergent Church. Today I am not going to attempt to define or even defend truth directly. This is an overflow of the deep despair of my heart due to the lonely pursuit of truth. I believe with every fiber of me that Truth can not be attained apart from Christ. Not that Christ speaks the truth but he fully embodies all that even is true. So Christ is the essence of Truth. The funny thing is that engaging someone for this pursuit and having others join you to help defend and explain it becomes a daunting task. The majority of this problem is birthed out of the fact we live in a non-confrontational era. Where many of the previous societies openly debated and even encouraged such intellectual dialogue today we have pushed all aside for “unity”. Ahh, Unity! What a very tricky and elusive word. What exactly does it look like, on what should we unite for and for what issues do we say, unity is not possible because truth becomes a lifeless victim? Should we unite? The obvious answer is yes, the Apostle Paul makes it clear, in Colossians. Love is the bond of such unity, but what about truth? Does unity and love take precedent over truth; do we slay truth in the great names of love and unity?

This is where I start to struggle. Naturally I am confrontational and I am an extrovert. Coupled together and sprinkled with passion (some say obnoxious) this can be a real recipe for disaster. So there are times where I may go overboard and times where I may just should chalk things up as a lost for the moment and come back at a future time. However, I handle conflict verbally and I process things verbally and I wear my emotions on my sleeve (as they say) so I am usually engaged in some type of theological discussion. I tend to think that this isn’t as bad as most think it is, I was just born 2000 years too late. I think if I were Paul’s homeboy when he debated the philosophers at Mars Hill, how I would have love to sneak a couple of catchy clichés in, or how I would have stood with the great Apollos and Stephen as they debated in the synagogues with the Jews. However, I was not born in those days. I was born in America in an era where everyone’s opinion is truth and the consequences are eternal. Due to this I usually find myself alone; sometimes by choice and other times by exclusion.

I attempt not to get into these discussions in crowed venues. I have learned that people really don’t like to discuss issues pertaining to eternal life at the family gatherings, basketball games, and even in small groups. We would rather play it safe and talk about things I deem to be fairly irrelevant to life, such as: who is going to win the National Championship (if I knew I would have bet my savings on such knowledge), Kanye West’s mothers dying (very sad, but doesn’t matter for us), or which entertainer or entertaining preachers are getting divorced. The truth is I don’t really care. But I do care about the greatest question ever asked “what must I do to be saved”. Most of the pertinent News becomes secondary in light of the Cross and what I want to discuss is the wonderful truths of scripture and their application to life transformation. I want to know, do you know for sure where you will spend eternity and how. I also want to know how this salvation is obtained; and that is when I figure out that Britney Spears and K-Fed or Tyler Perry is much more important. Typically I find myself disengaged from the conversations at most dinner tables, even with gathering Christians. I read Acts 2:42 and wonder why they were so in love with this new found faith and we are so disinterested in it. I wonder why they purposely got together to fellowship and intentionally encourage one another in the great truths of the Christian faith and we would rather talk about Lebron James or Michael Vick.

Why is Jesus such off limits and why is scripture always secondary? It is because of our newly found enemy truth! He has become a problem, a major party pooper, a thorn in the flesh. Most people just want to live never confronting, never addressing the seriousness of his existence and the responsibility to respond to him (truth that is). So now we say “unity at all cost, truth is impossible”. All the while hell is filling up with the souls (and eventually bodies) of people we would rather unite with versus discuss truth. As I stated this occurs in my small groups. Christians would rather stay away from scripture and truth as if now they are saying “I can finally let my hair down and relax”. Maybe I am too concerned with this “stuff”. I tell you what one thing about barber shops that I love is the platform to discuss current ideas. It is the perfect opportunity to philosophize about current events, life, death, and the after-life. It is funny that I get more theological discussion out of a barber shop visit than I can in small groups and Christian gatherings. The sole purpose of fellowship should be to discuss “Truth” namely Jesus Christ. Sorry about the rambling.

So I say all of that to say this. If God has given you an appetite for His truth, pursue it recklessly. As the man who sold all he had to buy the parcel of land. We should have the same mindset. It may be lonely and you may be ignored, I promise you one thing you definitely will not be popular. But so what, a thirsty soul is infinitely worse. Most times a good book a couple of hours with the Lord and articulating that truth brings me the greatest joy. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing someone have an “ah ha” moment. Nothing is more rewarding than being prepared to defend Truth even if you are mocked for such a truth and nothing is more rewarding than “drinking from the well that never runs dry”. Our reward is the truth. While so many are “ever learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth” God has graciously revealed His truth to us and given us an unsatisfiable thirst for more of Him. “What else there besides you oh, Lord” should be our heart and whatever comfort we forfeit in this life will be given with great interest in the life to come. Truth is a gracious gift from God; pursue it as an invaluable treasure!

How Christian Couples Can Prevent Dissension in Our Homes: Marriage Series Part 1

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This was a very helpful article for me, it was written over 300 years (isn't it amazing the wisdom God gave the puritans). Way too many Christian Marriages are ending in divorce, way too many Christian Couples despise one another, and way too many Chrisitan marriages are doing the Body of Christ and the testimony of our faith great harm. Read this with a humble heart and wherever it addresses you respond accordingly. God bless

Directives for avoiding dissension in the home
by Richard Baxter
It is a great duty of husbands and wives to live in quietness and peace, and avoid all occasions of wrath and discord. Because this is a duty of so great importance, I shall first open to you the great NECESSITY of it, and then give you more particular directions to perform it.

(1) Your discord will be your pain, and the vexation of our lives. Like a disease, or wound, or fracture in your own bodies, which will pain you until it is cured; you will hardly keep peace in your minds, when peace is broken so near you in your family. As you would take heed of hurting yourselves, and as you would hasten the cure when you are hurt; so should you take heed of any breach of peace, and quickly seek to heal it when it is broken.

(2) Dissension tends to cool your love; frequent dissension tends to leave a habit of distaste and averseness on the mind. Wounding is separating; and to be tied together by any outward bonds, when your hearts are separated, is but to be tormented; and to have the insides of adversaries, while you have marital outsides. As the difference between my 'home' and my 'prison' is that I willingly and with delight dwell in the one, but am unwillingly confined to the other; such will be the difference between a quiet and an unquiet life, in your married state; it turns your dwelling and delight into a prison, where you are chained to those calamities, which in a free condition you might flee.

(3) Dissension between the husband and the wife, disorders all other family affairs. They are like oxen unequally yoked--which can perform no work, because they are always striving with one another.

(4) It exceedingly unfits you for the worship of God; you are not fit to pray together, nor to confer together of heavenly things, nor to be helpers to each other's souls. I need not tell you this, you feel it by experience. Wrath and bitterness will not allow you so much exercise of love and holy composedness of mind, as every one of those duties requires.

(5) Dissension disables you to govern your families aright. Your children will take example by you; or think they are at liberty to do what they desire, when they find you taken up with such animosity between yourselves. They will think you unfit to reprove them for their faults--when they see you guilty of such faults and folly of your own. Nay, you will become the shame and secret derision of your children, and bring yourselves into contempt.

(6) Your dissensions will expose you to the malice of Satan, and give him advantage for manifold temptations. A house divided cannot stand; an army divided is easily conquered, and made a prey to the enemy. You cannot foresee what abundance of sin you put yourselves in danger of. By all these reasons, you may see what dissensions between husband and wife do tend to.


DIRECTIVES for avoiding dissension in the home (1) Keep up your marital love in a constant heat and vigor. Love will suppress wrath. You cannot become bitter upon small provocations, against those whom you dearly love; much less can you proceed to reviling words, or to averseness and estrangedness, or any abuse of one another. Or if a breach and wound be unhappily made, the balsamic quality of love will heal it. But when love once cools, small matters exasperate and breed antipathy.

(2) Both husband and wife must mortify their pride and passion, which are the causes of impatience; and must pray and labor for a humble, meek, and quiet spirit. A proud heart is troubled and provoked by every word or action that seems to tend to their undervaluing. A peevish, proud mind is like a sore and ulcerated member--which will be pained if it be touched. He that must live near such a sore, diseased, impatient, proud mind--must live even as the nurse does with the child, that makes it her business to rock it, and lull, and sing it quiet when it cries; for to be angry with it, will do no good. And if you have married one of such a sick or childish temper, you must resolve to bear and use them accordingly. But no Christian should bear with such a malady in themselves; nor be patient with such impatience, pride and haughtiness in themselves. Once get the victory over yourselves, and the cure of your own impatience, and you will easily keep peace with one another.

(3) Agree together beforehand, that when one is in a tempestuous, angry fit, the other shall silently and gently bear it--until it be past and you have come to your senses again. Do not both be angry at the same time. When the fire is kindled, quench it with gentle words and demeanor, and do not cast on more fuel, by answering provokingly and sharply, or by multiplying words, and by answering wrath with wrath.

(4) If you cannot quickly quench the anger in your heart--yet at least refrain your tongues! Speak no reproachful or provoking words. Talking hotly and angrily does blow the fire, and increase the flame. Be but silent, and you will the sooner return to your serenity and peace. Foul words tend to more displeasure. As Socrates said when his wife first railed at him, and next threw a vessel of foul water upon him, "I thought when I heard the thunder, there would come rain"; so you may foretell worse following, when foul, unseeming words begin. If you cannot easily allay your wrath, you may hold your tongues, if you are truly willing.

(5) Let the sober party condescend to speak gently and to entreat the other. Say to your angry wife or husband, 'You know this should not be between us; love must allay it, and it must be repented of. God does not approve it, and we shall not approve it when this heated argument is over. This frame of mind is contrary to a praying frame, and this language contrary to a praying language; we must pray together soon; let us do nothing contrary to prayer now. Sweet water and bitter come not from one spring,' etc. Some calm and humble words of reason, may stop the torrent, and revive the reason which passion had overcome.

(6) Confess your fault to one another, when angry passion has prevailed against you; and ask forgiveness of each other, and join in prayer to God for pardon. This will lay a greater engagement on you the next time, to refrain from argument. You will surely be ashamed to do that which you have so confessed and asked forgiveness for--of God and each other.If you will but practice these directives, your family peace may be preserved.

What Should a Carnal Christian and Non-believer Have in Common?

They both should fear hell! This may be a very unpopular post due to the huge movement of the “carnal” Christian, who by every standard of scripture is a “non-believing” Christian. This doctrine does the local church and those who live the “carnal Christian” life a great harm. It gives them assurance that they shouldn’t have and it weakens the sanctification and ongoing pursuit of practical holiness in the local church. It has no bearing on the Universal Church, because she is made up of the regenerate and have no fear of hell, because of the finished work of her husband, namely Jesus the Christ. However, those who live in opposition to God’s word as a lifestyle must only be assured of one thing, that they are ENEMIES of God, never given a new heart, and that the wrath of God remains upon them. My good buddy Tyris and I have been spending some time studying the book of Hebrews and the book has proven to be a book of warnings. The warnings start in Chapter 2 and work their way out throughout the rest of the book. Hitting high points in Chapter 6 and Chapter 10, lets look at Chapter 10:



26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

These are common verses used by Armenians to reject the Doctrine of Eternal Security. I can see how Armenians have such a huge problem with this doctrine. OSAS has become a foundation to defend the very dangerous teaching of Carnal Christianity! I believe however that the Armenians have it wrong. They are under the assumption that the individual described here are the regenerate of God. I disagree. The true mark of a Christian is one who perseveres, grows in holiness, loves the body, and lives a life of repentance and brokenness before his Master! But that is a different argument. I want to dialogue with those who hold to this carnal Christian position.

The writer makes it clear that those who deliberately sin after understanding the gospel have only one thing to expect “JUDGMENT AND A FURY OF CONSUMING FIRE”. These individuals are put in the same category as an adversary (enemy). The true believer is called a child and in John 5:24 Christ makes clear that “they will never come under judgment”. Listen to me carefully, the carnal Christian is the person, who wants nothing to do with Christ as it comes to his life, he only wants a “get out of hell free” card or what we call Fire Insurance. The only problem is they don’t want to pay the premium. Relationship, reproof, admonishment, discipline, and obedience are far off. He wants to take God on his own terms and God does not bargain! This individual makes a mockery of Christ and his accomplished work on the cross. It is hard for me to read 1 John, Galatians 5, Ephesians 3-4, Colossians 4, Romans 6, 1 Corinthians 5, 2 Thessalonians 1, Revelation and James and not get a clear view that God will deal with those who enjoy disobeying him. How someone can say “well they believe the gospel, but they just don’t want to make him Lord” is very puzzling to me. In Romans 6 Paul says:

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I think this comes from a very bad view of Romans 7. Most believe Romans 7 to be the life of a Christian struggling with sin. I disagree with this wholeheartedly. The language in Romans 6 as it relates to freedom and Romans 8 as it relates to not being under the flesh, seems to be clear that Paul is not talking about someone who is a believer, but one trying to live by the law through his own power (the whole argument of Paul from 3-8). But that is also another blog. What I am saying is this. There is not a lick of evidence of a carnal Christian in scripture. Paul tells the Corinthians to examine themselves and he warns the others that those who live in opposition to obedience will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 1 John scores the winning run with a Grand Slam in which the Apostle clarifies what the marks of a true Christian are. I pray that you will read the verses provided and to approach the scripture without your theological presuppositions. The carnal Christian is a common view held among many great teachers, but one I believe is very misleading.


Final thoughts and Exhortaion

If you read this and your life is defined by rebellion against the commands of God, please know that judgment is on the horizon. If your heart is hard against the sweetness of God’s commands, or the commands of God are bitter upon your tongue, it is most likely that you have been given a new heart and that you are not of the family of God. If you teach this doctrine, please search the scriptures before you write me off. No Christian is going to live perfectly but those who have been born again, pursue holiness with reckless abandon! Carrying our cross becomes a daily pursuit and a love for the world becomes hate. God has given us His Spirit and the Spirit is not powerless in our lives. He comes to do more than seal us; He also comes to conform us. There are many warnings in scripture and this one rings loud throughout its pages. I believe the picture above is false teaching based off the clear teaching of scripture. God bless.

Modesty and Christian Women

I write this article with great reservation! There is always a thin line between legalism and liberty and I am going to attempt to walk this fine line as biblically as possible. My purpose is not to condemn but to spur others on to good deeds. My hope is that those who read this will read the arguments and scriptures provided and take them before the Lord in prayer and humility. So with no further do, let’s get into it.

As you may well know, the church is influenced by the world. I don’t believe that this is because we have a group of Christians who search out worldly things to mimic. I think it can simply be attributed to the fact that we live in the world, thus, standing out can lead to many misconceptions. Take the Amish for example. Good people, and from what I know are Godly people for the most part. Their distinctive, however, is one of not wanting to be polluted by the world, so they have a lifestyle that reflects such a distinctive. The end result is isolation and different of culture. It would not be hard to identify someone of Amish influence in a downtown Wal-Mart.

As Christians we have the dichotomy of being in the world (John 17:15-18) and not of the world. We are to live amongst the lost in order to be God’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) while not being of the world and its passions (1 John 2:15-17). Most of us will spend maybe 3-4 hours per week with believers and the other 100 plus waking hours with non-believers. Our great adversary understands this and as “roaring lion” seeks to attack us at our weakest moments. Because the majority of our time is spent with those who don’t know God and have no desire to please him, sometimes their worldview rubs off on us. Especially on matters that can tend to be gray such as: movies, music, leisure, and what I am going to address, clothing.

We live in a culture (America) that puts great emphasis on fashion. We spend a lot of time in malls, and department stores, and according to recent information we spend roughly $82 Billion Dollars on clothing a year. We are the most image conscious culture in the world today and as I stated earlier it is not unusual for the “called out ones” to be heavily influenced by the world they live in. We need clothes so that isn’t the problem and looking nice isn’t the problem either. No one want to look like a ragamuffin at work, or out on a nice date so dressing beautifully isn’t the problem. However, there is a problem that is rearing its ugly head, and this problem should not exist among us who called ourselves the elect of God.

During the past 10 years, clothing has begun to shrink as it relates to mass. Shorts are much shorter, skirts are much tighter and sorter, shirts have loss any visible signs of a neck not to mention they are much tighter and shorter, jeans are lower and tighter and dresses now look like either twin bed sheets or night gowns. Not to mention lingerie is now consider professional dress. Walking on a college campus or a mall in the summer can be very for a young man trying to keep his mind pure or desiring to look at a fellow woman as a human versus a filet mignon. The world has made this every difficult.

If you know anything about me, I have no problem with nonbelievers behaving like nonbelievers. I don’t have a problem with 50 Cent, T.I, Britney Spears and others. They are enemies of God and they only do what their father the devil tells them to do. They are under the complete control of the enemy and there is absolutely nothing they can do to help themselves. If it were not for the Grace of God we would be in the same predicament as most prisoners and prostitutes. However, there is a slight difference (satire here). We have been called out (1 Peter 2:9 by God, to be His workmanship (Eph 2:10) for good works. We belong to Christ and are ones who have crucified our flesh and its passions (Gal 5:24). We are to be as aliens on foreign land, and the world is not to have the same influence over us, as it does those who don’t know God (Eph 2:3).

So the problem I have is not with Beyonce, but with those who consider themselves as part of God’s kingdom. So as a Christian woman goes out into the world to interact with the loss, I believe she is to have a higher since of piety. As young and older women purposefully or inadvertently dress provocatively, the women called of God should stand firm with holiness and modesty being their watchword. However due to the relaxed dress codes in church, which I am the first to say is the best way to go, coupled with worldly influences our churches have become a LANDMINE OF LUST, and it is only a matter of time before one of the brothers lose a limb or his life!

So below are some things to consider as you embark on a journey towards modesty. Those who have a heart to hear from God would at least consider this article as being one of great concern. I pray that you would consider these proposals carefully and with your spiritual lenses on. So here we go……..

Does my dress cause others to look at me inappropriately?

If you often find yourself offended because someone is looking at your chest while you speak to them instead of your face, or if you are aware of men looking back at you while you pass, then your clothing may not be appropriate. An argument against that I have heard is “well these dudes will look at me this way if I were dressed any other way”. This is a lie from down below! If Jennifer Lopez would have worn the same outfit Mother Teresa wore no one would have been playing her Grammy clip over and over again. Nor would man be running through walls to see Toni Braxton accept her Grammy. Listen, these guys are looking at you for a reason. Unless you have been endowed with Dolly Pardon’s anatomy most men will not stare at your chest as if he was starving to death and he just dropped his chicken down your shirt! Typically what you have on is bringing inappropriate attention to your chest area. Maybe your shirt is to tight and your bra to thin. Or maybe your shirt is too low. Whatever the problem is, most men within the body of Christ don’t want to struggle with staring at your chest there is enough problems battling the enemy to put you on the list. Furthermore if you are getting a lot of stares at your backside maybe you want to find a different designer. Some women have been given bigger bottoms and how the jeans fit on one girl may cause you to be pursued like a surfer with a fresh cut in the ocean.

Are women tuning their nose up at you? Or do you sense some jealousy?

Now this is much easier to discern that a brother lusting after you. Women know women and you know when someone is looking at you like you just took their husband, job, and kids! Men aren’t the only one who struggle, jealousy is brewed due to this also, if not jealousy at leas envy. I hear all the time from women “she knows better than to wear that”. I have seen women blush as some things other women have on. This shouldn’t be in the body of Christ. If you find yourself with no friends or if another sister has approached you to talk about your clothes, then you may have problem. Once again you have never saw anyone raise concerns about the way Condoleezza Rice dress have you. She has not raised an ounce of concern or envy with other women.

Do you think you are sexy or are you attempting to draw attention to yourself?

We have a new fad among professing Christians today, the fad of being sexy. Now how a Christian can want to be labeled sexy from anyone other than their spouse is cause for great concern. You see God left us something with his word and I will provide a couple of verses to help you out:

1 Timothy 2:9-10

9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.

I don’t need to explain this one to anyone I hope. I believe the writing is clear. So let us try another few verses

1 Peter 3:1-6

3:1 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

Peter takes this a step further. He is dealing with the submissive heart of a wife; however, this should be the standard for all women, as most women will become or has a desire to be wives at some point. Peter says this type of woman is precious in “God’s sight” now I pray that every Christian’s desire is to be precious in the sight of the Master who gave His Son up for us. What a privilege it is to honor Him with more than our lip service, but also with our bodies and minds as Paul states in Romans 12! The Godly woman is the woman who draws attention to herself for the cause of the Gospel, not to be considered sexy! I don’t know how this one infiltrated the church but it snuck in, because I am usually game to current church trends. I happened to see someone on Sunday’s Best (a knock off American Idol for black Christians) with a sexy belt buckle and I thought to myself, she has no clue what she has been called into (though she may not be a believer).

Final thoughts

Paul says this in Romans 14 “13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother” Listen you may believe that you have the liberty to wear what you please and “everybody else just best get over it”. But that is not the heart of one who has been purchased with the blood of the Lamb. Christ laid down his life to reconcile a heinous and rebellious group of God haters to His Father. How much more should we lay down our lives for one another. Read Philippians 2:1-4 and get the heart of Paul as he writes to that church about inner strife. Listen, if you love your brothers you would do what it takes to serve them and one way to serve them is to but your liberty on the backburner to see him grown in Godliness. This is what is meant by “don’t merely look out for your own interest” yeah what you wear may be jazzy but your brothers spend the next three days in prayer trying not to think about the tattoo you have on your lower back to is visible for the world because of your low rise jeans. Or he is trying not to think about how endowed you are in your chest area because your shirt was a little to snug. We don’t have the same privilege the world has, we have a greater one. We have been set free to serve the Master of the Universe, let’s not subject ourselves again to a yoke of slavery. God bless.

Read this from Caroly Mahney a great resource for Christian Women

modesty.pdf

The End Result of Theological Debate is Edification

Ephesians 4:29-32

29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

2 Timothy 2:24-25

24 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness.

Philippians 2:1-4

2:1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Romans 12:9-10

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Romans 14:5-10

5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;

Above are a lot of verses and this is done for one specific purpose, to show us our sin. Listen people we all have theological differences, but those differences are never to turn ugly. I am on some blogs and people are called STUPID, DUMB, IDIOTS, and they even go as far to call the others doctrine a “doctrine of demons”. This is usually stated by those who oppose The Doctrines of Grace that I so firmly adhere to. We have to be extremely careful of how we address one another as brothers and sisters in this faith. My heart is heavy because this doesn’t bring unity. Listen to what Paul says in Colossians 3

Colossians 3:12-17

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Here is the list of don’t do’s that we are given by the Lord and anything that does not line up with this is SIN!!!! To ignore these is to ignore the Lord Jesus and to ignore Him, well you know what the bible says about that:

1. Let NO (absolute) corruptive communication
   
   
   
   1. Includes: slander, anger, malice and clamor
   
   
   
   


2. Don’t be quarrelsome! (big one for me)


3. Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit


4. We are not to pass judgment on issues of convictions

Here is the list of things we are to do (much longer than the don’t do’s)

1. Speak in a way that builds up and in the right occasion.


2. Teach patiently


3. Look out for the interests of others (selflessness in all occasions)


4. Love one another with brotherly love


5. Outdo one another in showing honor (this would kill most mean debates)


6. Bear with one another, forgive one another, teach and admonish one another in WISDOM.

Some key words for you to consider, consider these words carefully and see if your life lines up with them:

1. Gracious


2. Tenderhearted


3. Kind


4. Patient


5. Gentle


6. Affectionate


7. Sympathetic


8. Encouraging


9. Humble


10. Others focused


11. Meek

This list has more application than just theological debates. Christ embodied this entire list and much more. We are to reflect Christ to a hurting world and we too should be defined by the list above. However, as it relates to theological debate, if you took your discussion and ran it through the list above would you be able to check off every item on the list. Is your debate fruitful and is it a means to a greater end than being right or wrong? It should be, the debate should point a person to Jesus Christ and what He accomplished in His earthly ministry, His current exaltation and His future triumph over Satan! The verses above are commands from the Lord Himself. Not good discussion but His spoken commands that we are to obey. If you can’t follow these in a theological debate then you are to abstain (“if you right eye offends you pluck it out”). We are to abstain from sin at all cost, and if your debate or discussion is unfruitful then you are sinning. Come back when you can argue your points graciously but the current state of theological debate is a hindrance to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus.

The False Doctrine of Neutrality: Nursery Rhyme Christianity

There has been in me a growing concern with those who refuse to preach and teach the wrath of God. The gospel among evangelicals has become increasingly palatable. Making the gospel more appealing to the unregenerate was never, and I do mean never, the goal of Christ or the Apostles. We are continually trying to find ways to make “church” more appealing and thus trying to slide the gospel in while the unregenerate is not looking. This, my friend, is doing a disservice to these individuals and my brother Tyris and I are experiencing the backlash first hand. So below are a few LIES we tell people or ways we STEALTHY present the gospel.

Bypassing the Wrath of God

You would have a better chance of convincing a pastor to preach “butt naked” to a crow of thousands than to have him preach about God’s wrath. In turn God becomes a “Cosmic Santa”. Better yet God becomes a desperate senior 2 days before prom with no date. I have heard things like “you know Jesus longs for you to accept him” or better yet, “heaven is missing one person, you”, or “God wants a love relationship with you”. So once again God becomes the dude on Young and the Restless or the last guy at the club on Valentines Day. This is blasphemous folks. God was, is and will always be self sufficient. God doesn’t need you any more than you need three extra fingers or toes. God has always been fully satisfied in Himself. God didn’t create man, like a kid who creates imaginary friends for affection. He created men for his praise and glory, our very existence is not due to a lack of self esteem but to show forth His glory. Here are a few verses on wrath

John 3:34-36

34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Ephesians 2:1-3

2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Romans 1:18-19

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

Preaching Self Esteem versus Hopelessness Apart from Christ

In most churches the sermons that come across the pulpit is more about building a person up and encouraging them. I think that is a good thing, but only if they understand that their worth comes from Christ alone. The lie that people are fundamentally good and not utterly wicked does the receiver much harm. The lie that people are pretty good and that they just lack Jesus is as dangerous as a eating 20 activated grenades. You know what I mean I have heard “man you got a nice house, family, job and things are looking good for you, just accept Jesus and you would have it all”. This man is about as hopeless as a legless man in the middle of the ocean with a 2 ton weight strapped around his neck, with 100 sharks circling beneath him. He is utterly hopeless and his goods are useless. I remember watching the movie the Titanic. These individuals were wealthy and their wealth was display by their jewelry and clothing. Man, when that boat started to sink what was valuable became worthless in an instance. The worth of a priceless diamond ring on the Titanic when it began to sink is the worth you and I have apart from Christ. We are as ants in the ocean. No hope of anything.

But this isn’t taught today. Christian Counselors, Joel Olsteen, TD Jakes, Dr. Phil, and Oprah, all say that “you are important” regardless of your standing before a Holy God who is going to cast you in to hell upon death. Regardless of the constant rebellion against the creator. Good has become a subjective term while Christ says in Matthew 19 “only God is good” I will add and those who God makes good through Christ. That is why David said ‘blessed is the man who sins are not counted against him”. Romans 3 is a popular verse summing up my statement:

Romans 3:9-18

9 No One Is Righteous What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one;11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."13 "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips."14 "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness."15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood;16 in their paths are ruin and misery,17 and the way of peace they have not known."18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

Making Sin a Non-issue

I have twice heard from two separate mega church pastors “I don’t really preach about sin”. Now I will make something very clear. Christ died for the SINS of those being saved! To make sin a non-issue is to make Christ death on the cross irrelevant. Paul says this in 2 Corinthians 5:21

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Gods wrath is a response to man’s wickedness (sin). This is so wrong. A man who will not preach sin is a man who cares less about the eternal state of those who visit his congregation. It would be like a man with a terminal illness and the doctor continually reaffirms his great health. This man will be furious when he is on his death bed, especially after frequent doctor visits. The bible is clear about God’s position on Sin. Check out the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah and other such outpouring of God’s wrath. He didn’t flood the entire earth because He was having a bad day. Sin is the reason why the wrath of God is going to be poured out on the world. Look what Paul says here:

Colossians 3:5-8

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

Sin is not a small thing in the eyes of God; it is utter rebellion and disrespect to sin against him. Just think if you were raised in a great and loving family, your parents gave you everything you and your siblings wanted. Just say mom cooked the family’s favorite meal after a long and hard day and once dinner is served your brother stands up on the table, kick the food off, curses and then slaps your mom and dad. What would be running through your mind at that time? What do you think would happen to that brother (I am black and I tell you it would have been slow singing and flower bringing, everyone would have on black suits). Sin is infinitely worse than the scenario above. To not preach sin would be the equivalent of everyone going to watch a movie on the couch with a bucket of popcorn after your brother committed these foul acts against your parents. The problem is the consequences are temporal as it relates to your brother, while not understanding the gravity of sin and forthcoming punishment is eternal.

Nursery Rhyme Christianity is a slap in the face of a crucified savior. To ignore the wrath of God, the hopelessness of man and the gravity of sin is as standing in front of the gates and preventing others from entering in. Paul says in Acts 20 that “I am free of the blood of all man”. Why? Because he says “I did not refrain from preaching the WHOLE counsel of God to you”. The whole counsel includes wrath, hopelessness, sin, and the punishment to follow. The gospel is not palatable. It hurts to hear that you are a sinner, and that you are God’s enemy, but it is the truth and the only way we can understand our depravity and the death that is imminent if left in a state of rebellion.

Calmness Amongst Chaos: What Sovereignty Brings!

The debate about the scope of God’s sovereignty is a historical debate. I am beginning to read a bunch of books by dead theologians and the debate can be summed up to: just how sovereign is God. Well this is not a discussion about this scope; this is more an exhortation to those who agree about this and hopefully encouragement to those who don’t. I will be up front, I agree with those who say that God is 100% sovereign in everything from creation to salvation, to the most minute detail (“the hairs on our head our numbered”) detail of life. I want to explain the peace that comes from such a view of this sovereignty.

Matthew 8:23-2723 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

We all know the story about Christ calming the storm. However, I had never really grasped what was going on. I have read in a few commentaries that these type of storms happened, due to the geography of the area. Storms would blow and capsize boats and it wasn’t unusual for someone to lose their lives if they were caught off guard (many were). As we read this story, Jesus was sleeping like a baby. The storms come and even experienced fisherman who knew about these storms and maybe even navigated through them were afraid for their lives “we are perishing” they said. This was not a hard rain or wind situation, these disciple’s lives flashed before their eyes. They hurry to wake Jesus because of the fear of death. Luke says “the boat was filling with water”. So though Matthew doesn’t mention it, they really were in danger of drowning. Once the boat had sunk it was only a matter of minutes before the current mixed with the storm would overpower them, death was imminent. Marks Gospel records the disciples saying “teacher do you not care that we are perishing” in Mark 4. Jesus arises and says “have you no faith” and calms the storms in the famous “peace be still” verse.

I think this was the first glimpse of God’s complete sovereignty even over the elements. This was a chaotic situation. If the disciples had been alone, they were doomed. They were absolutely helpless, and powerless against such a storm. There was only one thing left, appeal to God. It is funny to me that they were surprised that Jesus calmed the storm, but previous to this they beg Him for help. I wonder if that happens to us. We get in a jam and beg God to intervene and when He does, we are caught by surprise. That is another story all together. One thing is for sure, Jesus wasn’t worried one bit.

So what does that say to us? We are to have the attitude of Jesus when things happen in our lives that are chaotic. We can rest assured, that the cancer, the disobedient children, the loss job, the insurmountable bills and the sick dog are all part of God’s sovereign will and though it is wreaking havoc in our lives, God is faithful. Listen to Paul in Philippians 4:4-7

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

Paul wrote this while in prison with the possibility of death, nipping at his heels. Paul was convinced that God was totally sovereign and even said in Chapter 1 of the same epistle “what has happened to me is for the advancement of the Gospel”. God’s sovereignty is the only doctrine that can bring peace in a storm. When life is pressing in on us from every angle we can rest assured that God is at the wheel. “All things work for the good”. Many people would say the storm in Matthew 8, Mark 4 and Luke 8 was just chance, but God says in Isaiah 45:

5 I am the Lord, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
I equip you, though you do not know me,
6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7 I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the Lord, who does all these things

What about physical deformities? Try Exodus 4:

But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?

We have full assurance that any circumstance we find ourselves rather chaotic or calm, that God is in full control, if situations are bad we can appeal to God (Phil 4) if they are good we are to be thankful. But one thing is for sure, we can have peace, because the sovereign hand of God is the Captain of the ship. The situation may not turn out the way we please, but I will leave you with some of the most encouraging scripture written by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.