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There are many passages which indicate the necessity of maintaining our faithfulness (and fruitfulness) until death. These exhortations and warnings clearly show  the error of that unfortunately popular view — if you at any point of your life give yourself to Jesus, you are set for eternity.

They way to heaven is a journey. We start the path when we accept Jesus, and end it at death. If we at anytime determine to veer away and never return to the path, our souls will be lost. It is that “he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

The passage I have in mind here is a simple one. In 1 Timothy 5 Paul warned about adding a young widow to the “number” indicating those who were to be cared for by the church (cf. 9). The reason for this is the temptation that would befall them, “for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry, having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith” (cf. 11-2).

The passage? Verse 15, “For some have already turned aside after Satan.” This passage shows that some young widows who left. They had “turned aside”, and their life was characterized as “after Satan” rather than Christ. We should all beware lest the same happen to any of us!

Peter had an arresting thought he shared in his first epistle, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now, ‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?’ Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator” (4:17-19). Consider the ramifications of this text.

First, we know that any man who is saved is “scarcely saved.” It has nothing to do with how righteous a man may strive to be. The reason for this is sin. The universality of sin is declared by inspiration, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). As the cost of that sin is our separation from God, man himself is incapable of securing his standing with Him. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Continue reading ““If the righteous one is scarcely saved”” →

In 1 Peter 4:3, Peter wrote, “For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.” As we consider this command, we have a tendency to try and figure out what is not included in this description.  In other words, I am not supposed to do some things that the world engages in, but that doesn’t mean I can’t…, and then we give reasons why our particular desire can be enjoyed.

People will excuse all sorts of vices, simply because they think that Peter surely didn’t mean to include our particular predilection in his words.

Rather, I think it is important for us to look at it from the other direction. If I am not to live as the world lives, what all does that entail? It is possible that I am imbibing in worldly activities, enjoying worldly proclivities, acting in worldly ways. I need to examine myself and my life because it is really important I not do such things. I don’t want to be in the same boat as them (the Gentiles). “They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (5).

 Our purpose is not to try to see what we can do in life, without going too far. It is to recognize how antithetical to God the world has become, and to draw near to Him!

It seems that Paul’s second letter to Timothy was written very near the end of the apostle’s life. He had been imprisoned a second time, and did not hold out hope that he would be set free.

There are two statements Paul made that are interesting here. We will take them in reverse order. In verses 9-16, Paul asked Timothy to come to him quickly. He asked this because he was almost entirely alone. He wrote in verse 11, “Only Luke is with me.” Paul was feeling the isolation after a long life of service to the Lord. He longed to see his old friend. Demas had gone back into the world, Alexander the coppersmith had hurt him deeply, and other fellow companions were doing their own ministerial works in other places. Paul needed Timothy.

The other statement precedes his call to come, stated in verses 6-8. Though Paul was lonely and in the midst of trials, his eye remained on the prize! He was ready to die, and knew his time among them was coming to a close. Because he was a faithful steward of the work Jesus had given him to do, he could write with confidence, “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day” (8).

We should have the same outlook. No matter how tiresome and disappointing this life may become, we have hope in God!

Consider the following from James’ pen, “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:18).

James’ words complete a section of scripture (13-18) contrasting true wisdom with what men often consider to be wise. These are described as “wisdom [that] does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic” (15). And, “the wisdom that is from above [that] is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (17).

These words must be put into the proper context of scripture as a whole. They do not preclude a contending for truth, and an insistence that peace comes through the unity characterized by the Father and the Son. Jesus prayed, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:20-21).

What James clearly indicates is our proper inclination. It is love and peace. We are to rejoice in unity, not in division. Heavenly wisdom requires for us to be righteous. We must sow peace! Do not be bitter, do not be envious, do not seek your own. Make peace!

From time to time we need to be reminded of the importance of God’s plan for congregations. An aspect of that plan we currently do not have is an eldership. The reason for this is irrelevant to the need. We need elders because:

The word bishop (episkopos) means overseer (cf. 1 Timothy 3:1). In God’s plan those who are engaged in this work have the large responsibility of overseeing the flock among them. Without an elder, such oversight is lacking.

The word elder (presbuteros) indicates an older man (cf. 1 Peter 5:1). This accords with the qualifications. Age enables a man with sufficient wisdom and experience to  guide the flock. Young men may not make wise decisions, and are not given this position in the Lord’s house.

The word pastor (poimen) means a shepherd (cf. Acts 20:28). It is the work of feeding and protecting the sheep. These two things make up much of the elder’s work. The feeding is done through the word, and the protection is against false influences and evil efforts to damage the congregation. Paul warned the elders of the Ephesian church, “savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock…” (Acts 20:29).  Without elders, God’s flock is vulnerable.

Any congregation that is bereft of elders is vulnerable, and should have as a primary intent the appointment of qualified men.

The two groups which make up humanity are naturally divided, and categorized by John’s description:

“In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:10).

The characteristics of these two groups are easily discerned. In other words, it is necessary only to know them to know where they abide. The differences are “manifest.”

The children of the devil

They do not practice righteousness

They do not practice love (here for a brother in Christ).

The children of God

They practice righteousness

They love their brethren in Christ

Consider, if one strives to be righteous and yet is at strife with his brethren he can’t accurately claim to be a child of God. Consider, if one loves the brethren but lives a profane life he can’t accurately claim to be a child of God.

Can you and I rightly claim that we are children of God in every sense?  We pray it is so, but it is not if these characteristics are not both present in our daily walk!

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he wrote clearly that our default state as God’s children is joy! We are to rejoice in the Lord. That should remain our condition even when we receive warnings and admonitions such as those Paul shared with the Philippians, “For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe” (3:1).

One of those admonitions came in the very next verse. “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!” (3:2). It seems obvious that in this case Paul is warning against the Jews, and more specifically against the error of the Judaizers, who felt that the Christian faith could be practiced only as a Jew or Jewish proselyte.

The word “dogs” here is used with derision. The Jew used it that way toward the Gentiles, but here Paul turns the table against them. Dogs were not beloved pets in the first century.  The term was a sharp and negative name when associated with men (cf. Revelation 22:15).

Calling them evil workers, and associating their demand of circumcision to the Gentile with mutilation, completed Paul’s denunciation.

We too must “beware of dogs” today as Christians. Anyone who would disregard God’s will, and seeks to bring such error to other men deserves such a designation!

“Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God” (1 Thessalonians 4:1).

The phrase “abound more and more” indicates an excess or overflow. In effect, that Christians, learning what God requires of us, should work to grow and grow in these things to the point that they are immeasurable.  Abound in what? Anything that pleases God!

In the previous chapter Paul exhorted the Thessalonians to “abound in love to one another and to all” (3:12).  After these words in (4:1), he includes as an aspect of pleasing God to be sanctified. This means to have a life that is characterized as righteous or holy.

Specifically, he writes, “that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor” (3).  Such a call to purity and celibacy outside of marriage (cf. Hebrews 13:4) is mostly ignored in our day but has great importance placed upon it by God.

Any type of sexual activity outside of  marriage between a man and woman is NOT abounding more and more in pleasing God!

In Acts 8, a eunuch from Ethiopia was traveling a road from Jerusalem back to his home. He was reading from the prophet Isaiah, specifically the beginning of chapter 53 when he met the evangelist Philip. When the eunuch asked Philip, “of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?”, Philip correctly answered that the prophecy was about Jesus Christ (Acts 8:34-35).

In truth, there is much said about the Christ in Isaiah’s book of prophecy.  The interesting thing about chapter 53 is that it pictures a Messiah that the Jew of Jesus’ time would have a hard time accepting.  Let’s explain:

“For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2). Continue reading “The Rejected Savior of Mankind” →

In Titus 2, Paul exhorted the evangelist, “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.”  This answers the question, “Is doctrine important?” Yes!

But it leads to another question. “What kind of doctrine is sound?” The Greek word translated “sound” (hygiain?) signifies wholeness, wellness (and in the realm of doctrine) uncorruptness. As Thayer put it, “Metaphorically, the phrase is used of one whose Christian opinions are free from any admixture of error.”

Put simply, sound doctrine is teaching that is based solely on God’s word. This is as it has always been, as men have sought to ensure their standing with God. Jesus Himself said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

The scriptures are where we gain access to God’s will. Paul wrote that scripture is inspired of God, and is sufficient for man. It is “profitable for doctrine” and in it alone the “man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

As the Psalmist so wonderfully exclaimed, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalms 119:9-11).

The phrase salty language in our time has reference to crude or angry speech.  Since sailors have a reputation for such —  cussing like a sailor. The salt in the ocean gives us the image from which the phrase has its origin.

In scripture there is also a reference to salty language or speech, but it is a positive one.  For example, in Colossians 2:5-6 Paul exhorted, “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” In Paul’s reference the speech that should be characteristic of the child of God is that which is gracious and wise, seasoned with truth and a beneficial relevance to those who hear.

As with all things Christian, it is speech that emanates from a place of love. As the Lord’s people, our desire and action should be to improve mankind. Things like anger, malice, profanity, innuendo, bitterness, lying, gossip, slander etc., do nothing for others, and so should be absent from our conversation!

“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Colossians 3:8-10).

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:1-2).

The idea of imitating God can be a bit daunting. While we know that we can never attain the pristine heights of God’s righteousness, He nevertheless requires that we do the best we can. The idea is effort, change, commitment. And it is amazing what we can accomplish regarding holiness if we put our hearts and wills to it!

There are two major points here. The first is simple —  walk in love. That is encompassed in the keeping of God’s commandments, and treating others with kindness and benevolence in accord with their needs.

The second point is found in verses 3-7. We must avoid sin.  As verses 8-11 say, “For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the world. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”

This is simple to understand. God is for love, and against unrighteousness. To be His, we must be as well!

Question: What do we know about Melchizedek? Answer: Not much. The king of Salem is found only in Genesis 14.  We  know he was a king; He was a priest of God Most High (18); He blessed Abraham (19); Abraham paid a tithe to him (20).

Melchizedek’s Importance: 

• He was a type of Jesus Christ. We know nothing of his lineage, nor his birth or death. As such it is said of him by the Hebrew writer, “having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually” (3). Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, who ever lives as our High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

What we learn from Melchizedek:

• Christ’s priesthood is greater than that of the Levitical priesthood, “but he whose genealogy is not derived from them [the sons of Levi] received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better” (6-7).
• Jesus’ coming as a new high priest, proves that the Levitical priesthood was not perfect, otherwise there would be no need for Jesus to serve as High Priest (11).
• “The priesthood being changed, of necessity there is a change of law” (12). Jesus was from Judah so could not serve as a priest under the Old Covenant. The priestly tribe under the Old Covenant was Levi. Our hope is better as we draw near to God through our great High Priest, Jesus Christ!

In Joel 2, the prophet called for Judah to repent to avoided God’s judgment. As Joel wrote, “For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; who can endure it” (2:11).

Consider this call to repent: “‘Now, therefore,’ says the LORD, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him — a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?” (Joel 2:12-14).

Lessons we learn from Joel:

1. Our repentance must be complete and without reservation (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:10).
2. Mere outward expressions of sorrow are not sufficient, “rend your heart and not your garments” (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:9). It is not a show to others, it arises from genuine sorrow for the sins we have committed against God.
3. Repentance is what impacts God’s actions toward us. “Who knows if He will turn and relent.” Of course, as His children today, our emphasis is spiritual. Our repentance from sin ALWAYS brings forgiveness, though we might bear long with the physical consequences of our misdeeds (cf. 1 John 2:9).