 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
by Ken Qualls There are a growing number of unbiblical beliefs that are creeping into the church. Not only are these beliefs being accepted by the average church-goer they are being taught by church leaders. This is a serious mater because not only are these teachings not in the Bible they are strongly anti-bible. There has never been a greater need for discernment than there is today. I will share a few of these teaching and some of the most famous teachers who are propagating them today.
Salvation redefined — In his book Self-Esteem Robert Schuler proclaims “to be born again means that we must be changed from a negative to a positive self-image….” Salvation for the faith teachers [Kenneth Copeland, Jesse Duplantis, Paul Crouch and many others] is not the removal of sin through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation for the faith teachers is not the forgiveness of sins and the restoring of a right relationship between God and man. Salvation for the faith teachers is instead the removal of the nature of Satan from man and the restoring of the nature of God in man. Many others have a works based salvation. Belittling God — Ernest Angley, John Bevere, Markus Bishop, Juanita Bynum, Morris Cerullo, Kim Clement, Kenneth Copeland, Paul Crouch, Creflo Dollar, Jesse Duplantis, Kenneth Hagin, Marilyn Hickey, Benny Hinn, Rodney Howard-Browne, Larry Huch, T.D. Jakes, Bishop Eddie L. Long, Clarence McClendon, Joyce Meyer, Myles Munroe, Steve Munsey, Mike Murdock, Joel Osteen, Rod Parsley, Peter Popoff, Fred Price, Oral Roberts, R.W. Shambach, Robert Schuller, Karl Strader, Robert Tilton, Paula White, and others teach some version of "You don't have a god in you, you are one." Kenneth Copeland teaches "God is the biggest failure in the Bible...” They teach that when Adam sinned God was kicked out of the earth real and has no power on earth unless we give him permission. For example Jesse Duplantis says You, not God decides when you die…” “If you want to die, the only way you can is with your own mouth, because death and life is in the power of your tongue, not cancer or diabetes or high blood pressure or crippling arthritis…or even age.” A different Jesus — The popular Jesus of these teachers is not the Jesus of the Bible. Their Jesus:
· Became born again or was saved in hell. "Physical death would not remove our sins. He tasted death for every man - spiritual death. Jesus is the first person ever to be born again. Why did HIS spirit need to be born again? Because it was estranged from God." ("The Name Of Jesus", Kenneth E. Hagin, pp. 29-30.) “Do you think that the punishment for our sin was to die on a cross? If that were the case, the two thieves could have paid your price. No, the punishment was to go into hell itself and to serve time in hell separated from God … Satan and all the demons of hell thought that they had Him bound and they threw a net over Jesus and dragged Him down to the very pit of hell itself to serve our sentence.” (“Ever Increasing Faith Message”, Frederick K. Price, June 1980 Audio). These are just a few of the dangerous non-biblical teachings that are permeating the church. Read 1Timothy 4:16; Galatians 1:6-9; Hebrews 9:14; Ephesians 2:14-14, 5:2; tttttttttttttttttttt
People have always searched for flaws and contradictions in the Bible. For instance, there was a time years ago when scoffers said that Moses couldn’t have written the Torah, the first five books of the Bible because writing didn’t exist until a much later time. Archaeological discoveries confirm that several writing systems existed in the Middle East well before Moses. It is possible that earlier documents or oral traditions were compiled by Moses in producing Genesis. The 'Hittites' mentioned in Genesis 10:15 as descendants of Canaan were unknown outside the Bible so critics claimed they never existed, therefore the Bible is wrong. But in 1906 Hugo Winckler began excavating a site known as ancient Hattusha (Turkey). Now the existence of the Hittites is well documented with literally tens of thousands of clay tablets. It was believed that no people known as the Horites (Genesis 36:20-21) ever existed until 1995 the capital city of the Horites, Urkesh, had been discovered buried beneath the modern Syrian town of Tell Mozan, some 400 miles northeast of Damascus. Once again archeology vindicated the Biblical record. There are many other similar accounts. Today a great move is on to prove that the Bible is unreliable and even silly because of its many discrepancies and contradictions. Critics of the Bible find a contradiction in the account of Jairus daughter recorded in Matthew 9:18 “My daughter has just died”, Mark 5:23 “My little daughter is dying”, Luke 8:42 “because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve was dying.” There isn’t as much a contradiction as they would have us believe. Each writer reported only a part of what occurred and what was said. Jairus may very well have made both statements. Since his daughter was very sick he didn’t know if she was still alive or not. We use such language today. My dad had Alzheimer’s for seven years before he died. Family members commented that it was like he was dead because we couldn’t relate to him as we once had. When he did die some people said “He died seven years ago” or similar statements. I have heard others say a family member was dead when they were very ill and not expected to live. We also say “I’m a dead man” or “He’s a dead man” when someone faces serious trouble, but aren’t actually dead. It is also possible that after he approached Jesus as recorded in Mark and Luke that messengers arrived and told Jairus that his daughter had died and Matthew recorded that statement. The fact that Mark and Luke didn’t record it doesn’t make it a contradiction. Some modern day critics claim the Bible can’t be trusted because Jesus was wrong about the mustard seed being the smallest seed. Matt. 13:31-32 (KJV) Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. The argument is that there are many kinds of seeds that are smaller that the mustard seed. The fact that critics overlook is that Jesus wasn’t speaking of all the seeds in the world but seeds that his hearers would be familiar with and grow in their gardens. Another argument is that a mustard seed can’t grow into a tree. The mustard plant is not an herb as the KJV indicates but is “greater than herbs” as other translations correctly state. The mustard could grow as high as 12 feet with large limbs. The Greek word translated tree here is DENDRON from which we get our word Rhododendron literally rose-tree. The critics really have to stretch to find a discrepancy in Matthew 13:31-32 as we can see when we read it in a modern translation such as the NIV: 31He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." Let’s look at one more supposed contradiction. In Matthew 20:30 Jesus healed two blind men. In Mark 10:46 and Luke 18:35 Jesus healed one blind man. Is this a contradiction? It could be that Matthew gave more detail while the other writers focused on just one man. It was not uncommon in Jesus’ day for the lame, blind and sick to form little groups as in John 5:1-15. Just because Mark and Luke reported one blind man doesn’t automatically presuppose that there were not two or more. If Mark and Luke had written that Jesus healed only one blind man and Matthew said there were two that would be a contradiction. As it is there are no contradictions only differences in reporting. Don’t be confused or tempted to give up on the Bible because of seeming contradictions or discrepancies. They can be resolved with a little commonsense and knowledge of the meaning of words and the historical and textual contexts.
Seasons
September has always been an intriguing month to me. It is a whole year wrapped in one month. We have a little bit of all four seasons in September. I remember donning sweaters or jackets on those cold September walks to school and the chagrin on the warm, even hot walk home when I realized that I had forgotten my sweater at school. As I ponder this September (2010) I am cognizant of the fact that the September of my life is not so far away. As I walk that way I want to be sure that I don’t forget anything. I want to remember to tell those I love that I love them. I want to let people know that I appreciate them. Many years ago I read a poem by “Red” Berry, a professional wrestler from the ‘50’s. I put it on an index card that I still have today. I have read it many times throughout the years.
He Cannot Read His Tombstone
If with pleasure you are viewing Any work a man is doing, If you like him or you love him, tell him now. If he earns your praise bestow it If you like him let him know it, Let the words of true encouragement be said. Don’t wait till life is over And he’s underneath the clover, For, he cannot read his tombstone when he’s dead.
As I consider my September in the offing and realize that winter isn’t far behind I want to be a little kinder and, as the half-brother of Jesus wrote in James 1:19, I want to be slow to speak and slow to anger and quick to listen and hear. I want to be more patient for true love is patient (1Corinthians 13:4). Now more than ever I want to savor every second God allows me to live. I don’t want to put things off until “later.” At the very best life is short the Bible tells us this in different ways. The Bible says that a man's days are:
Don’t waste the precious life God has given you enjoy it to the max. The only way to really get the most out of life is to live it God’s way. The wisest man to ever live found this out the hard way. Read his story in the book of Ecclesiastes. Now is the only time we have to live, to love and to enjoy life. Now is the only time we have to get right with God by accepting his free offer of salvation. Once we breathe our last breath all of those things are gone. Until that day it is never too late for God to make something beautiful out of your life.
With gas prices promising to rise to $4.00 or $5.00 a gallon we are watching or gas gages very carefully. We want or vehicles to get the best mileage possible and we want to get the most out of every gallon of gas. Have you thought about your life gage? What are you getting out of your life? Jesus said “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10 NIV). The KJV says “…have it more abundantly. Those who believe in Jesus enters into a relationship with Jesus that gives the believer present possession of eternal life. “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24 NIV). In his letter 1 John 3:14 (NIV) made a sobering statement: “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.” Presently our bodies grow old, wear out, get sick and break down, but one day this eternal life will extend even to our physical bodies. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 (NIV) “So it will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” This life is much more than a principle. It is inseparably associated with holiness and righteousness. We have no righteousness of our own. As the apostle Paul said it our very best is like filthy rags. When we believe in Christ and accept him we are given his righteousness. He makes us holy or separate. As we approach a new year I pray that you have or soon will be enjoying this life that Jesus offers.
tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
Does God have feathers, do trees have hands?
The Bible is trustworthy, dependable and accurate. As the apostle Paul wrote to young Timothy it is God breathed 2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. A few years ago I saw a bumper sticker that read “God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” Not long afterwards I saw another one that said: “God said it, that settles it whether you believe it or not.” As true as the above may be it is sad that some of the most egregious attacks on and distortions of the Bible have not come from critics and enemies of the Bible, but from supporters and believers who haven’t known how to read the Bible. We should all heed Paul’s admonition in 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Some of the most incredible and ridiculous teachings have come from misreading and misunderstanding the Bible. As we read the Bible we must remember that it contains history, music, poetry and personal letters and each of these must be read and understood in different ways. The Bible is literature and as with other literature it uses various literary devices to communicate its message. The Bible uses hyperbole, simile, figures of speech and other devices to make a point. We can’t accept these devices literally, but we can accept the truth that they convey. Hyperbole is exaggeration to make a point. Here are a few of the many examples of hyperbole in the Bible. · Matthew 5:29-30 (NIV) 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” There would be a lot of blind and lame Christians if we took this literally. · "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.” The true meaning is one must put God first. · Luke 9:23b (NIV) “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Regardless of how strongly I believe I can’t stand on the tracks and stop a train or jump off a building and fly.
Smile is the comparison of one thing to another using the words “as” or “like”: · 1 Peter 1:24 (NIV) For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, · Matthew 23:27 (NIV) "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. Metaphor is a comparison reduced to a single word expressing a similarity without the signs of comparison. In other words it is just a simile with the "like" or "as" left out. · Matthew 26:26-28 26 “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." 27Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. · (Matthew 5:14) "You are the light of the world" does not mean we glow in the dark. It is a metaphor meaning our good example can show others the way to Christ like a lamp shows us the way in the dark. Irony is saying one thing but meaning the opposite. · 1 Corinthians 4:8 “Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings—and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you!” Paul was being sarcastic to show them how poor they were because of their spiritual immaturity. Allegory is a figurative sentence or discourse in which the principal subject is described by another subject resembling it in its properties and circumstances. · Galatians 4:21ff is an excellent example and Paul even tells his readers that he is speaking figuratively. · Ephesians 6:11-15 11 “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” Metonymy is a figure of speech which exchanges the name of one thing for that of another on account of some relation between them. · Luke 16:29 "They have Moses and the prophets", i.e., their writings. · 1 Corinthians 11:26 "For as often as ye ... drink the cup", i.e., drink the contents of the cup. · Malachai1:2-3; Rom 9: 13 "even as it is written, Jacob I love, but Esau I hated," was not said of the twin boys, but the nations that descended from them.
Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which anything less or anything more is put for the precise object meant. · 1Corinthians 4:19 "Five" is put for very few; "ten thousand" for very many. · Luke 2:1 "All the world" means the Roman Empire.
Personification is a figure that clothes inanimate objects with the attributes of things animate. · Isaiah 55:12 "The hills shall break forth before you into singing; and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." Paronomasia, is a play upon words, a figure in which a word is repeated with a variation in the sense. · Matthew 8:22 "Follow me; and leave the dead to bury their own dead." Paradox is a statement that seems contradictory or absurd but may be true in fact. · Matthew 10:39 “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” · 2 Corinthians 12:10 "When I am weak, then am I strong." Parable is a story by which something real in life is used as a means of presenting a spiritual or moral thought. Put simply “An earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” Jesus was a master of parables having used at least forty-six in the New Testament. These are but a few of the hundreds of examples of various figures of speech used in the Bible to present important truths. We use such devices in our day “Its raining cats and dogs”, “He’s as big as a house”, “I haven’t seen him in a coons age” and many more. We often miss them in the Bible because we are not familiar with the idioms and figures of speech that were used in those days. Learning them can make the Bible more meaningful and wonderful to us and keep us from making the Bible say something it didn’t say. Does God have feathers? Do trees have hands? You be the judge. Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Isaiah 55:12 “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”
ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
Getting even
We’ve all had the urge to get even when someone has wronged us. Whether it’s when that guy honks his horn ten seconds before the light turns green or when that person cheated us on that deal. It starts at a very early age. Two babies can be playing, one takes a toy from the other and with little hesitation the wronged baby lashes out in revenge. We have to deal with it all through life. Evil little ideas pop up in our mind spontaneously when we are wronged. We can think of dozens of ways to get even with them. Fortunately most of us don’t act on those ideas. On the other hand some people spend their life getting even with people for even the slightest offense. I know a man who always has a story to tell about something he has done to get even with someone for some perceived wrong doing. The desire for revenge is a powerful cause of violence from domestic quarrels to war. People often use children to exact revenge. Getting even seldom really satisfies and more often than not it hurts the avenger as much if not more than it hurts the one receiving your vengeance. The person who lives in the vengeance mode isn’t happy. He is always looking of an enemy, someone with whom he can get even. I’ve seen this in churches. I’ve witnessed men and women even in leadership roles who always thought that someone had wronged them in one way or another. I don’t think these people or healthy. Stress and anger cause high blood pressure, depression and other problems. The Bible has a healthy way to get even with those who mistreat us. It is found in Proverbs 25:21-22 -- If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. The apostle Paul quoted this verse in Romans 12:20 and in the 21st verse he adds: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. In 2 Kings 6:21-23 we read about the trapped Aramean army. Israel’s king asked the prophet Elijah if they should kill them and Elijah instead they gave them a feast and sent them home. They never attacked Israel again. Of course this doesn’t mean that we should pander and pamper everyone who commits a crime or who harms us in some way. It does mean we’d have a lot less enemies if we turned them into friends. This is especially true of Christians. We can’t expect people to accept Christ and his gospel message if we are always angry and seeking to get even.
I have often had people tell me they used to be saved or they used to be a Christian. Almost without exception these individuals assumed that they had committed some sin that caused them to lose their salvation. Often a preacher or someone else had told them that they were no longer a Christian. In John 3:3 we read Jesus statement to Pharisee Nicodemus “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (NIV). In the following verses Jesus explains salvation and compares it to physical birth. Just as with physical birth we can never be unborn there is no teaching in the Bible that we can be physically unborn. Jesus, Peter, Paul Matthew, Luke John, no one ever says “you must be born again and again and again. The Bible simply says “you must be born again.” Jesus strongly stresses the security of believers (his sheep) in John 10:27-29 (NIV) “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of his hand.” Paul puts it this way: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquers through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans8:35, 37-39). In verse 36 which I haven’t included Paul quoted Psalm 44:22 which illustrates that suffering has always been a part of the life of God’s people. In Ephesians 1:13 Paul told the Ephesian Christians, many of whom were Gentiles, that having believed in Christ they were marked with a seal, the Holy Spirit. They understood that a seal was a sign of ownership. In verse 14 Paul writes of the Holy Spirit “who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession.” He reveals further in Ephesians 4:30 that the Holy Spirit seals the believer for “the day of redemption.” We also have the promise found in Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” The New Testament teaches that God is continuously active in our salvation from the beginning to the day that Christ returns and completes it. When we believe we are saved. We are continuously being saved and we will one day be complexly and eternally saved. There is something very important that we must understand. In order for a person to not lose salvation they must first have salvation. I believe that this is where the greatest confusion is. Many people believe that they are saved when they aren’t. Salvation is often confused with emotional feelings or certain acts. Let’s look at what is not salvation.
Salvation is all God from beginning to end. All we can do is accept it or reject it. Salvation is the means by which God restores us into a personal relationship with himself. He accomplished this by sending his eternal Son to die on the cross. Paul wrote in Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (NIV). Here are some basic facts you need to know from the Bible:
1. God loves you. John 3:16, Ephesians 2:4-5 2. You are a sinner. Romans 3:10 3. Sin separates you from God. Romans3:23 4. You can’t save yourself. Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Romans 4:4-5 5. God sent his Son Jesus to remove the sin barrier. 1 Peter2:24; Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21 6. You can receive Christ through faith. John 14:6; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:910 7. Through prayer you can trust in Jesus. Agree with God that you are a sinner, turn from your sinfulness to follow Christ. Surrender your self to him. Commit your self to live for him. ttttttttttttttt
Everyone worries whether we want to or not. We worry about the future, the economy, our families, what people are thinking about us, what people will say about us and myriad of other things. Sadly most of the things we worry about never come to pass. Other worries such as “what will people think if I wear this or that” just aren’t worth worrying about. Jesus gives us the proper perspective in Matthew 6:28-34. 28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Some other translations, I believe, make verse 34 clearer. Williams New Testament reads: “So never worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries of its own. Each day has evil enough of its own.” And the Beck translation reads “So, don’t worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. That is easier said than done, however we need to keep things in proper perspective. I remember when my children would drop and break a glass how they fearfully apologized worried that I was going to yell and punish them. They were relieved when I hugged them and said “Your more important than that glass (or whatever they had broken) we can get a new one, I’m just glad you are ok.” I could have ranted and raved and belittled them as often happens in such situations, but why? Why worry about little things like that when I had a chance to love my children and gently teach them how they may be more careful while at the same time showing them how valuable they are and how much I love them. As Jesus asked, can worry ever change anything? Jesus isn’t telling us to just go flippantly through life not being concerned about anything. Rather he is telling us to see the true importance of things and discern which things are most important. We are faced with many significant situations and incidents that are certainly great opportunities for us to worry. We as Christians should first and foremost take these thing to the Lord in prayer. Jesus wants to share or burdens and concerns. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV). When trouble comes knocking remember the words of the Psalmist "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall" (Psalm 55:22 NIV). "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1 King James Version). "I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:1-2 NIV). As I said it is a lot easier to say don’t worry than it is to actually not worry. Like so many things it takes practice and discipline. It also takes a daily close walk with God. We must learn and experience and daily rely on his ability to handle any and all situations that we face. There is nothing that he can’t handle. We must depend on his reliability. I haven’t always understood how he works or what he is doing in a given circumstance, but I can say unequivocally that he has never failed me yet.
Abiding in Christ
You don’t here much about abiding these days. Some words defining the word abide are: remain, continue, stay, stop, rest, sit, lie, keep, live, dwell, take up residence, endure, persist, persevere, settle, anchor, plant one self, comply, obey, observe. These definitions translate pretty well the nine Greek words that are found in the New Testament. The King James Version uses abide in most cases where the New International Version uses remain. In John chapter 15 Jesus uses the example of a vine and its branches to teach about abiding in him. In verse 5 He says “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” This shows the closeness and the nature of the relationship Jesus wants with Christians. In 15:1 Jesus called himself “the true vine” indicating that he is the one and only means of salvation and eternal life. There have been many who have claimed to be the vine, but he is the only true vine. Now let’s consider what we get when we abide or remain in Christ. Understanding -- “As for you the anointing received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you” (1 john 2:27 a NIV). When by faith we abide in Christ and he abides in us we get understanding. Solomon said a lot about understanding in the book of Proverbs. “Though it cost all you have, get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7 NIV). “Knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10 NIV). Paul emphasizes understanding in his writing. “IN him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding” (Ephesians 1:7-8 NIV). “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding: (Colossians 1:9 NIV). “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2 NIV). The apostle John concludes his third letter with these words: We know also that the son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true – even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (3 John 5:20-21 NIV). Truth -- When we abide, remain or take up residence in Jesus we get truth. “But his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit – just as it has taught you, remain in him” (1 john 2:27 b NIV). John isn’t contradicting the Bible’s teaching about teachers. He is referring to the Gnostic teachers who claimed to have a “higher knowledge” that should supplement the apostles teaching. Since John’s time there have been many who claim to have received knowledge that supersedes that of the Bible. Today there are many such teachers. But when we abide in Christ we receive the Holy Spirit (Here John calls this “the anointing”) who will teach us about all things. He uses teachers, and preachers of the Bible and he directly teaches us. His teaching will never challenge or contradict the Bible. There is no greater or higher truth than the gospel. In John 14:6 (NIV) Jesus said: “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. In John 18:38 when Pilate asked Jesus if he was a king Jesus replied: “You are right in saying I am a kink. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
Confidence – The Greek word translated confidence or sometimes boldness means “The freedom and courage to speak plainly without ambiguity with unreserved boldness.” “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28). “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. Do we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV). “We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19 NIV). “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. Relationship – “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him” (1 John 3:6). John isn’t confused nor has he forgotten what he wrote in the first part of his letter. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8 NIV). Of course every Christian sins, but sin is now foreign to us. Sin does not characterize the Christian because we have become new creations in Christ. From time to time I have worked on my cars and trucks. I’ve replaced starters and fuel pumps and things like that, but I am not a mechanic. That isn’t characteristic of me. People recognize me as a pastor. That is what I am. I occasionally work on a car, but I am a pastor. That’s John’s message; as Christians we are no longer characterized by sin. We don’t continuously practice sin. We have a new lifestyle of purity and we love each other (1 John 3:10). Lifestyle – “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God (1 John 3:9 NIV). John told us in verse three why we cannot go on sinning. “Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:2). When a person accepts Christ he is born of God and takes on the characteristics of God. We become like him. God changes our heart in a second, but only as we abide in him can he build our character. May we abide in him.
tttttttttttttttttttt
|
 |
 |
||
 |
||
| Site Map |