Month: January 2019

The Shepherd's Voice

Growing in Christ: The Law of the Kingdom

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

After seeing the title of this post, you might be inclined to ask, “Law? What law? I thought we were under grace?” It is true, the believer is under grace, not law (Rom. 6:14). But it’s equally true that every Kingdom has laws and standards by which the subjects of the Kingdom live. As with our last topic, the Beatitudes (see previous post), the laws of the Kingdom of God are more a matter of “those who are subjects of the King live by these laws,” rather than “to get into the Kingdom you have to live by these laws.”

Jesus devoted a large portion of the Sermon on the Mount to dealing with the Law (Matt. 5:17-48). He didn’t so much lay down the rules, however, as He clarified the standards of what had already been written. In Jesus’ time, the Law had mainly become a matter of outward observance and ritual. This is why Jesus so intensely criticized the religious leaders–they kept the outward observances of the law (mixed with their own traditions), while neglecting the inward man. They were like whitewashed tombs–white and beautiful on the outside but full of dead men’s bones on the inside (Matt. 23:27).

How then should Christians view the Law? Without going into everything Jesus said on the subject, we can can find several important principles in His treatment of the law.

The standards are absolute and eternal.

A well-known pastor recently said in an interview that the Ten Commandments (the cornerstone of the OT law) does not apply to Christians. Many, like this pastor, teach that because of Christ’s death, the standards of the Law are set aside. The dangerous implication of that, however, is that we are “free” to live as we want. However, Jesus said, “until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matt. 5:18). Here, Jesus is speaking of the smallest strokes of the Hebrew alphabet, which were used to write the law. As the final interpreter of the Law (being the Lawgiver), Jesus upholds the authority of the Law until the total fulfillment of God’s purposes (including the passing away of heaven and earth).

There is no basis in Scripture for teaching that the Law or its standards are set aside. In fulfilling the Law, Christ did not abolish them or set them aside. Rather, He made it possible for the Law to be woven on the hearts of His people so that their obedience comes not from outward observance but from a fundamental change in their nature and identity.

We must quickly add, however, that Jesus is not teaching that one must keep the law in order to be saved or enter the Kingdom. Read these words carefully: Whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven (v. 19, emphasis added). Notice that those who either relax the standards and teaches others to do the same are ones who are “in the kingdom.” We cannot escape the implication of this verse–keeping the Law will not grant you entrance into the Kingdom, and failure to keep a part or parts of the Law will not bar you from the Kingdom.

The law goes much deeper than outward observance.

After Christ reminded the disciples that the Law is eternal, He continued by calling His hearers to obey the Law in all its demands–inward as well as outward. Obedience begins in the heart, though it must not stop there.

  • Anger and hatred begin in the heart and are as bad as and precede murder (vv. 21-27). Christ views anger and hatred so seriously that He commands you to leave worship and be reconciled to your brother if there is something between you and him!
  • Adultery begins with lust, and lust begins in the heart (vv. 28-30). In order to commit adultery, one must first lust. Lust, by the way, is not confined to sexual matters. We can ‘lust’ after anything, whether it be material things, wealth, fame, power, etc. Lust always begins in the heart, and as with any sin brings forth the consequences.
  • Marriage is sacred, having been established at creation (vv. 31-32). The point of Jesus’ teaching here is to get past the question of, “Under what circumstances may I divorce?” His point is that divorce is never morally “okay,” even if ‘permitted’ or ‘necessary.’ Divorce always involves sin and the hardening of the heart (see Matt. 19:3-12).
  • Taking an oath should not be necessary for subjects of the Kingdom (vv. 33-37). A follower of Christ is to walk in integrity. His word means something; he does not have to strengthen it or put himself under a curse for it to have force. It is a call to be transparent and open, with no thought of being shady or deceitful (i.e., “pure in heart” [v. 8]).
  • Retaliation against one’s enemies is a misunderstanding of God’s law (vv. 38-42). By the time of Jesus, the OT axiom “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” had become a prescription instead of a boundary. What was designed to promote justice and quickly end vendettas had now become the basis for an appeal to vindictiveness. Like the certificate of divorce, the law was given to curb evil due to the hardness of human hearts. Jesus, however, says that the believer is not to “resist” an evil person. We are not to retaliate, we gladly give up our “rights” for the sake of the kingdom. Again, the law is about the heart attitude.

The law demands perfection.

The final point of Jesus’ teaching on the law is that to truly obey the law, we must meet even the hard demands.  It’s not enough, He says, to love those who love you back. It’s not enough to be gracious to your friends or family (or your fellow churchgoers). The law would demand that we be “complete” (another translation of “perfect”), by loving “my neighbor as myself.”

The law cannot save

We should, remember that, as we have said many times, the Law itself will not save, and will not grant us entry into the Kingdom of Heaven. What Jesus has done is give a picture of how the subjects of the Kingdom conduct themselves. We now obey the law because we are subjects of the Kingdom, not so that we can hope to become subjects. Thus, as Paul says, “Live according to your calling” (Eph. 4:1).

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The Shepherd's Voice

Growing in Christ: Life in the Kingdom

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

In thinking about growing in Christ, becoming like Him, the question might naturally come up, “What does (or should) a Christian look like?” What does it mean to be like Him? It doesn’t mean that we will be clones, “little Christs” running around. Being transformed into His image is more a matter of character and attitude.

Jesus gave a great picture of the character and attitude in the Kingdom when He taught the masses in what is normally called the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). Some liken it to the Constitution of the Kingdom, but it is more akin to a picture of the Kingdom. It is not so much, “You must live this way to enter the kingdom,” but “those in the Kingdom will live this way.” Jesus begins by pronouncing a blessing on those who have specific character traits, in what is known as “The Beatitudes”:

* Those who are poor in spirit (5:3). What does it mean to be poor in spirit? It means that I realize that I have nothing within myself that was not given to me by God. Apart from Him, I am nothing, worthy of only eternal death. The one who is poor in spirit does not talk down to himself or think ‘badly’ of himself. He simply acknowledges that he is bankrupt spiritually without the grace of God. Such people are blessed because “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Just like the thief on the cross, whose dying declaration was that he deserved his own fate, only to be assured by Jesus that he would be in Paradise, the one who is poor in spirit is humble, broken over his own weakness, and to such God is pleased to grant them the kingdom.

* Those who mourn (v. 4). When Jesus speaks of those who mourn in this verse, He is primarily referring to those who mourn for their own spiritual bankruptcy and that of those around them. The one who mourns sees the toll of sin on individuals, families, and nations. How are they comforted? They are comforted in the knowledge that they are not alone (there is always a Remnant, as God reminded Elijah), and there is a coming day when all sin will be wiped away and recompensed. Things will be set right. The comfort, however, does not stop them from continuing to mourn and seeking His face and righteousness.

* Those who are meek (v. 5). To be “meek” in the Bible implies a spirit of gentleness, and the self-control that comes with it. It’s one thing for the Christian to know he is spiritually bankrupt, but quite another when someone else tells him he is! Meekness demands that we answer in gentleness and self-control. Jesus was the perfect example of meekness. In all of His answers, He never lashed out against those who accused Him. Even His rebuttal to the one who struck Him in the face (John 18:23) was gentle and reasonable. The meek shall inherit the earth because they will be part of the Kingdom at Christ’s second Advent and shall “dwell in the land” (Ps. 37:9, 11).

* Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (v. 6). When we hunger and thirst for something, we desire it greatly. We long for it. Jesus says that those who long to see righteousness are blessed. They seek not only their own righteousness, but that justice and righteousness would be done worldwide. Their hearts long for the day when the Lord will bring justice and righteousness to the earth in the consummation of the Kingdom. Until then, each glimpse they get of it here on this earth makes them want more. Jesus promises that they will be satisfied. There will be a day when injustice is vanquished, sin is no more, and peace and righteousness are found throughout the earth.

*Those who are merciful (v. 7). Mercy is often misunderstood as simply overlooking sin. However, mercy embraces both the sinner (with merciful forgiveness, as we have been forgiven) and the suffering victim with compassion. In the same way, the Lord described Himself as “the God of mercy and compassion” (Ex. 34:6-7). Mercy goes farther than forgiving sin, though, it extends to helping the weak. The servant who was heavily indebted to his fellow servant plead for mercy and patience. The merciful one will receive mercy, Jesus says. Not by others, necessarily, but by the Lord. God’s showing of mercy is always greater than man’s.

* Those who are pure in heart (v. 8). Another concept commonly misunderstood, “pure” primarily means singlemindedness, free of hypocrisy or deceit. A person who is pure in heart is committed to the Kingdom and its King (Matt. 6:33). Because he seeks the kingdom first, he keeps himself morally pure. For now, “morally pure,” also means walking in the light (1 John 1:5-10). He does not pretend to be something he is not. When he sins, he confesses and forsakes it. Such a person will see God, both through the eyes of faith (here in this life) and in the Kingdom, when it is finally revealed and we see Jesus face-to-face.

* Those who are peacemakers (v. 9). Here Jesus is concerned not with peace in general (the absence of conflict), but those who would be peacemakers. Jesus was the ultimate peacemaker, having built a bridge in order to bring peace between men and God. The peace that His disciples bring is the same reconciliation–peace between God and man, as well as peace between man and man. This is not a false, paper-thin peace, but true reconciliation. Paul echoes these thoughts when he reminds the Corinthian believers that God has appointed us as ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-19). Peacemakers are called ‘sons’ of God, for they are imitating the Son of God, who came and died to bring peace to all.

* Those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (v. 10). While the disciple of Christ is to be a peacemaker, such peacemaking is not always welcome (in today’s world it is often more unwelcome than welcome). The disciple of Christ can expect persecution, even as he seeks to love those who persecute him. Their reward will be entrance into the Kingdom of heaven.

Verses 11-12 shift and apply the truth of verse 10 directly to those who would be a disciple of Christ. Instead of an impersonal “those,” He switches to “you,” in order to intensify His message. He says to rejoice and be glad when others “revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” In like manner, He says, they persecuted Him, as well as the prophets who came before Him, preaching the righteousness of God. Great will be our reward, He says, if we maintain our faith, and do not fall away.

These beatitudes are not something we strive for. They are something we become as we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us. We can only learn to be poor in spirit when confronted with our brokenness. We only learn to be merciful when we realize the mercy shown us and are put in situations to give mercy. Reading them in a book is one thing. Knowing that this is what a disciple of Christ looks like is still another. Yet, we never learn them fully until we embrace them in life.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Growing in Christ: Our Training Manual

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Most of us know and believe (at least to some extent) that the Bible is the Christian’s guide to life. God provided, along with the Holy Spirit, as what Paul calls “training in righteousness” (living according to our new identity while we are in this world).

“Isn’t the Holy Spirit enough,” you may ask? He certainly is enough–if we did not have the flesh to contend with. Because we are still in the process of crucifying the flesh, will still have to contend with it. This often results in mistaking our fleshly desires for the true voice of the Spirit (and vice versa). So, we need a standard by which to judge (1 John 4:1). The Scriptures provide that standard.

The question then becomes, “What must we do in order to allow the Scripture to train us in righteousness?”

Wait…. we have to “do” something? Actually, yes. The Lord doesn’t force-feed us. Rather, He exhorts and invites us. While the reading and study of Scripture is invaluable, we must undertake the practice. There is no substitute for personal engagement with the Word. Reading books and commentaries on the Bible is not enough. Listening to your favorite preachers is not enough. At the risk of repeating myself: There is no substitute for personal engagement with the Word.

When it comes to studying the Bible, there are some things to do and some things to avoid.

Be consistent.
Consistent reading of the Word will develop not only a habit, but will help us stay consistent in other areas of our lives. Keep in mind, though, that ‘consistency’ must not be mistaken for perfection or law. Regardless of what anyone tells you (even your preacher), there is no hard-and-fast-rule about what, when, or how much you ‘must’ read. Sometimes you may read or study a lot in an extended period, sometimes less. While it is a great idea to have a specific time and place set aside, keep in mind that you can read the Word anytime–especially with the technology of today!

Read methodically.
There are many who just open their Bible and decide what to read. This sort of haphazard approach is ineffective at best and dangerous at worst. Verses and passages lose their context. There’s the old story of a man who flipped his Bible open and read, “Judas went and hung himself” (Matt. 27:5). He flipped it open again and read, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37). A third time he flipped it open and read, “What you are about to do, do quickly” (John 13:37). Surely the Lord did not intend the man to follow such instructions. But it illustrates the point.

“What should I read,” you might ask. It depends on where you are with your journey. If you are just starting out in faith, or you are not very familiar with the Bible, I generally advocate starting with John’s Gospel. Read it all the way through (perhaps twice) before moving on. Then read 1 John to learn about assurance of salvation. Then read Galatians. After that, it would be a good time to read a Gospel or two in order to learn more about the life of Christ.  There are many excellent reading plans out there. My own suggested reading plan for the New Testament is here.

After you are familiar with the Bible, consider adding topical studies to your reading, where you choose a subject and find out what the Bible has to say about it. Doing subject/topic studies will avoid the trap of “proof-texting” (using 1-2 verses to support a doctrine without considering other verses on the subject).

Engage with your reading.
What do I mean by “engage”? Engaging with Scripture means that we don’t just absorb material, we respond to it. If I am reading, for example, the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), I should ask, “What does this teach me about myself, God, and what He has done for me?” Such reflection is valuable when written down in a notebook or journal. Another way to engage with Scripture is to pick something you read and meditate on it for the rest of the day. Turn it over in your head. Ask the Spirit to show you how you can apply it to your life to become more like Christ. The link above provides some information on keeping a reading notebook.

Engagement with Scripture simply means that I seek to apply Scripture to my life, to do the very things Paul talked about–reprove me (when I have strayed from the standard), correct me (set me on the right path), and train me (in what righteousness looks like). Having a head full of knowledge of the Bible is insufficient if it only stops with mental assent. We are to be “transformed by the renewing of our mind” (Rom. 12:2). So, we take what we learn, and cooperate with the Spirit as He applies it to our heart and life.

Don’t get trapped.
As we mentioned before, there are a few things to avoid when reading Scripture. These often result from misreading the text or misunderstanding the text or the Bible as a whole.

First, as we mentioned earlier, resist the temptation to allow the Bible to become simply “rules to follow.” There is so much more to Scripture than the rules. In fact, much of the “rules” people often quote were given specifically to Israel (like not boiling a young goat in the mother’s milk, not wearing garments made out of more than material, etc.). Along those lines, avoid the temptation to try and “obligate” God to do something. “God, I am doing what Your word says, now You keep Your end of the bargain.” Keep in mind that He is never under any obligation to us. (Of course, He invites us to pray in faith, to ask Him for things, but that’s not the same thing.)

Second, avoid the temptation to view the Bible primarily in your culture. It must first be read as it was written. The Bible was originally written by (primarily) Jews in a Middle Eastern cultural context–and they most certainly didn’t speak King James English. Not everything you read will translate accurately to our modern culture (see discussion above about goats and clothing). The goal of Bible study should be to take the principles and apply them to our lives. However, not every word applies directly to you (again, reference the discussion of goats and clothing above for examples).

Third, avoid the temptation to read the Bible through your preconceptions. As much as possible, let the text speak for itself, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The point of studying Scripture is to gain God’s perspective on life, not continue in ours. When you encounter a text that reads differently from what you expect or think, don’t try to make the text fit what you think. Ask the Holy Spirit for clarification and discernment.

Be real.
The goal of all of this, whether it be studying Scripture, prayer, meditation, etc., is to know God and His ways. It’s not to set a standard by which to judge other people. Will you struggle? At times. Will you get it wrong? Sometimes. Will you get it right? More and more! But again, avoid falling into legalism. Bible study is not a ‘have to,’ it’s a ‘get to.’ We learn of God’s heart and His amazing love for us. The Spirit then takes that message and applies it experientially to our heart as we meditate on the truths we have learned. The result is change–both inward and outward–and that is the goal, to be transformed into His image.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Growing in Christ: Starting our Training

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt. 28:18-20).

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes (Eph. 4:11-14).

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ (Col. 1:28).

After talking about what mature faith looks like (see the previous post), we are going to begin a series dealing specifically with “Growing in Christ.” Why is it important? What does it mean? Better yet, what does it look like? (That is to say, “How does one grow in Christ?”)

First, in order to grow in Christ, we must be certain of its importance. Why commit to something that has little value? Without assurance that growing in Christ is important, we will see little or no progress, because we will focus our attention elsewhere—and there are plenty of things that already seek our attention.

Jesus and the biblical writers paid a great deal of attention to what we often call ‘discipleship.’ That’s simply a word that means we are disciples of Christ and on the process of becoming like Him. He told His “disciples” to go into the world and make more disciples, “teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.” So, Jesus says that discipleship is our goal while we are here. We become disciples, and in the midst of that process, we go and make disciples. Paul emphasized the importance of discipleship when he reminded the Colossian believers that his ministry was to warn and teach everyone, “that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” The goal of discipleship is maturity.

What does maturity look like? It means that we have attained “unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God . . . that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” Maturity, then, is when we are settled in our faith, not chasing after every new idea or experience. Many Christians today claim to be mature but seek after the next great “spiritual experience,” pick out their favorite pastor or teacher to follow—until he falls from grace. Then the search is on for something new. When we are mature, our feet are firmly on the Rock.

What does it take to become a mature disciple of Christ? Jesus summed it up: A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher (Luke 6:40, emphasis added). The process of becoming like Jesus (our Master and Teacher) involves training. And to answer an earlier question, about the value of discipleship (or training in righteousness), While bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come (1 Tim. 4:8). So, being trained in godliness holds value both for this life and for eternity! 

In addition, Paul told Titus, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12). Notice that it is “the grace of God” that not only brings salvation but also trains the disciple to renounce the things of the flesh, teaching how to live “self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.”

Now, every training regimen has standards, else how would we know if we are attaining the mark? Paul tells us both where we can find the training materials and the standards: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17). So, the disciple of Christ must first look to Scripture as his guide on the road of training in righteousness. One that heeds the teaching, reproof, and correction will be complete, mature, “equipped for every good work.”

There is one other element involved in our training: The Holy Spirit, who indwells us, guides us, and teaches us—often by bringing to mind the words of Scripture that we have studied. Reading Scripture without the illumination of the Spirit can quickly lead to legalism. What’s the difference between legalism and training in righteousness? Legalism attempts to earn favor with God by doing right. Training in righteousness is learning to live in the freedom that Christ has given, knowing that we already have favor with God.

In the next post, we’ll discuss how we use Scripture as our training manual for righteousness.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Mature Faith: 7 Marks of Faith That Endures

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold (Matt. 24:10-12).

Few in the Christian community would doubt that we are seeing the fulfillment of these words of Jesus. Not only the United States but the world is in turmoil in too many places and ways to count. Without sounding like a doomsday naysayer, let me say that it will only get worse from this point. While there are exists some who believe “the Kingdom Now” theology, Christ and the writers of the New Testament (not to mention Old Testament prophecies) make it clear that the world will be in chaos when He returns.

No, this isn’t a post about the end times, arguing a particular point of view on when Christ will return and a detailed time table. Will there be a time of great tribulation? Yes. Old Testament prophecies, Christ’s prophecies, and the other writings of the New Testament specific ally point to such a time. Will it be worse than now? Yes. We Christians in the west just think we are persecuted for our faith. To quote a quite ungrammatical saying, “We ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” Will Christians go through the Tribulation? I don’t know.

Wait…. what? You don’t know? No. I don’t know. There are good arguments on both sides of the question. For several years, the Lord has been speaking to my heart (and the hearts of others) to “Be ready.” Though I questioned, “Ready for what,” I only received the same answer: “Be ready.” I believe it is a warning that the time is fast approaching. So, how do we prepare?

I prefer an approach that I believe the Lord in His Word approves. What is called for, instead of deciding if we will go through the Tribulation, is to live as though we will. What does that mean? It means developing a faith that will endure. Christ warns that many will “fall away.” We must not be in that group. What kind of faith will endure the tribulation? A faith that:

* is grounded on the holiness, love, and goodness of God. It’s quite easy to say that our faith is based on God’s holiness, love, and goodness. But, is it? When a loved one dies before our eyes, is He still good? Does He still love us? When we don’t get the promotion we have been praying for, is He still good? When we are faced with the choice of compromising our standards for the sake of a temporal pleasure, is He still holy? It often seems that we compartmentalize God. When good things happen to us (what we call “good,” anyway), it’s His doing. But when “bad” things happen to us, we put Him away, and assume Satan got the upper hand, or maybe we misunderstood God, or maybe we don’t know Him at all. Mature faith—the kind that endures—has hit those questions head on (or rather has been hit with those questions) and is now more sure of God’s character than before. By the way, this doesn’t come from studying a book—not even the greatest Book. It only comes from living.

* is committed to the absolute authority of Scripture. Whenever the Bible lays out standards for attitudes and behaviors, they are unyielding. Absolute. End of discussion. Those standards don’t change. It’s as wrong now to commit adultery, fornication, gossip, slander, or have hatred in my heart as it was back then. When Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5), it’s as valid now as it was when first spoken (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

* is willing to go beyond the surface and allow Christ to heal the heart. It’s very easy to see the outward sins and confess them. “Oh, I lost my temper today. I shouldn’t have done that Lord.” We seek forgiveness, and move on. Yet, we so rarely go beneath that to see the sin lurking underneath. The demand to make life work for me apart from God—and our anger when He and/or others don’t cooperate. The faith that has matured and endures is one that invites the Spirit to “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23-24). The enduring faith is committed to vulnerability before God, knowing that God is good.

* is more concerned with being transformed than blessed. The heart that has enduring faith knows that it was saved and kept here to be transformed into the image of Christ and to spread the hope and light of the gospel. The blessings of this life mean nothing to the Transformed Heart. This heart seeks the glory of God in the life of the believer, shunning anything that might get in the way of that mission. The believer with the Transformed Heart is content in whatever station of life the Father places him.

* willingly embraces the pain and hardships of this life, letting them become tools for growth. Mature faith is one that, instead of avoiding or minimizing the pain and hardships, embraces it. Mature faith does not seek out pain, but neither does it shrink from it. The mature faith sees the hardships of this life as God’s tools for transformation. One cannot possibly know the true unconditional love of God until confronted with the depths of his sin. One cannot truly know the peace of God until that peace is needed. One cannot truly learn to trust God, abandoning all other hope, until trust in God is all that he has left.

* is more concerned with  citizenship in heaven than on earth. Though we reside here on earth, in a specific country and town, our true citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20-21; Eph. 2:19). The mature faith knows that this world is temporary, so while living each moment as a gift from the Lord and carrying out His mission, the eyes of faith are fixed firmly on the Savior and the end. With spiritual eyes fixed on the end, the mature faith, at the same time, sees others along the road that need help and pulls them along if at all possible.

* can echo the words of Job, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. “Even if he slays me I will trust Him” (Job 13:15). “Even if he doesn’t [deliver us from the furnace], we still will not serve your gods or worship your golden image” (Dan. 3:18). There is a common belief among Christians today. Either God will deliver you from the fire, or he will save you through the fire. But… what if? There were many times when Paul and Peter were indeed rescued. But at the end, both of them died for their faith. Many more over the centuries have met the same fate and done so with a faith that proclaims, “I’ll still worship Him! I’ll still trust Him!” The gospel calls us to lay down our very lives if necessary. The mature faith sees that and does not shrink from it. This last point was put last on the list because one truly cannot get to that point until he has begun to walk in the other six concepts. It is, after all, the final exclamation point on our faith to die with a hope-filled heart.

Is this type of faith possible today in the 21st century? Absolutely. Will it be easy to obtain? No. While faith cannot be “increased,” it can be strengthened like a muscle. Just as building up muscle requires exercise, strengthening faith requires exercise. And as with the muscle, exercising our faith can be painful—especially if it’s not been really exercised in awhile! Yet, this kind of faith is the inheritance of every believer, and can be obtained by every believer. it is this kind of faith that will endure any tribulations, and the kind of faith that Christ will be looking for (Luke 18:8).

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The Shepherd's Voice

The Gospel—Or Not? 7 Ways We Pervert the Gospel

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

Recently I witnessed several conversations on social media between believers and those who either might be considered “liberals” or out-and-out unbelievers. I was, to be honest, shocked by the behavior and words I saw—mostly from the Christians. I shook my head, and felt as hurt as the Lord must feel. Judging by the words, I find it little wonder why so many people either reject the faith outright or leave the faith. But then I realized that there is more at stake than just whether one is “nice” or not. The issue revolves around our portrayal of the Gospel itself. If you have read much of this blog, you realize that the focus has been on the Gospel of Christ.  Paul tells us that even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed (Gal. 1:8). To Paul, preaching the correct Gospel was so important that he would rather face condemnation instead of leading others astray.

Preaching the correct Gospel, however, goes far beyond the mere words that we say. There are many ways that we can pervert the Gospel, and not even realize that we are doing so.  Here are seven ways that we pervert the Gospel.

We pervert the Gospel when….

#1: We add anything to faith in Christ as the requirement for salvation. 

This should be fairly obvious to us evangelicals. The Bible teaches that Christ alone is the ground of salvation (Acts 4:12), and faith alone is the requirement of salvation (Eph. 2:8-10). Since salvation is both an initial event and a continuing process, though, both of those statements apply throughout our lives. That means no work that we can do will make us “more holy,” or earn favor with God. Is God pleased when we obey? Absolutely!  We are behaving as He intended us. But the works that we do are not the basis for our salvation; they are the evidence of our salvation.

#2: We teach grace and forgiveness to the exclusion of holiness and sanctification. 

This is becoming quite a trend in many parts of the American church. We teach on God’s love so much and to such an extent that we forget that 1) He calls us to be holy as He is holy; and 2) true salvation imparts a new nature that changes us. In many of Paul’s letters, for example, he addresses the believers as those “sanctified, called to be saints” (1 Cor. 1:2). He means that Christians are to be set apart from the world. Throughout his letters, he gives practical commands on what living as a believer should “look like.” One cannot dismiss these teachings. Finally, even Jesus taught, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15, 21; 1 John 2:3-4).

#3: We teach holiness to the extent that it becomes legalism. 

This is another extreme that is common in many parts of the church. Many teach and preach the Old Testament to the extent that one would think we are still under the Mosaic law, no different than the nation of Israel (of course many pick and choose the commands that we are to follow, not teaching that the whole law is either applicable or not). As we mentioned above, law-keeping or works can never make one holy. Neither is it a measure of spiritual maturity—“not by works, lest anyone should boast.” Let’s repeat that: the Gospel arrangement means that no one has the right to boast. We are all equal at the foot of the cross. Each person’s journey differs from the other. We have nothing to contribute to our salvation.  Now, as with many things in the Bible, grace and holiness are not really at odds with each other, and there’s no “balance.” The Bible teaches both. Therefore, we should believe both.

#4: We make God into our own image. 

What do we mean by this? It means we paint a picture of God that is not biblically accurate. Some examples of this include: “If God is who He says He is, He will heal my child.” “God would never use [fill in the blank] for His purposes.” “I am a child of the King, therefore I deserve [fill in the blank].” “God is to busy to worry with my petty concerns.” God is never obligated to us for anything. It indeed pleases Him to answer prayers, but He is not bound by anything to do so. God can use anything and anyone for His purposes in our lives. Look back at the history of Israel? How many times do we see God using a pagan nation as a rod of correction? So it is with us today? He may use an unbeliever to make us reexamine things that were not carefully considered, or to smooth our rough edges. He may use things are by all rights totally evil, but yet bring good out of them. And, if God knows the very names of the stars and how many hairs are on your head, He is certainly concerned with whatever is in your heart.

#5: We use “stand up for your faith” as an excuse to attack, dismiss, or simply be rude to someone. 

We are the salt and light of the earth. The disciple’s job is not to judge, malign or otherwise abuse those in the world. Whether they know it or not, they already have enough on them. They don’t need our condemnation. The witness’s job to quote Peter and John, is simply to tell what he has seen and heard (Acts 4:20). While it is true that Peter instructs us to always have a defense for the hope within us (1 Pet. 3:15), he wasn’t referring to studying apologetics. He was referring to why you have the hope inside you—that is to say, your personal testimony. If you say, “I have no testimony,” then perhaps you should study the Gospel message again. While we must not be afraid to engage with those who do not believe, we must, in the words of Paul, have a gentle spirit in answering them (2 Tim. 2:24). And we must answer them honestly. God is big enough to handle the hard questions. There is no place in the Gospel for presenting anything other than the absolute love of Christ—even in the hard truths.

#6: We expect the unregenerate to be able to think and behave as Christians. 

Often we in the church expect the unbeliever to just “live right.” We are shocked when the unregenerate person thinks or acts in a way that we would find contrary to the Bible. Especially since, “This is a Christian nation.” (We won’t discuss this here, but just one thought, half of the forefathers of this country were Freemasons and/or Deists.) Let’s examine two facts about the unregenerate person: 1) He is blinded to the things of God, unable to understand spiritual things, fully controlled by the Sinful Heart (1 Cor. 2:14); and 2) He is dead—repeat, dead—spiritually speaking (Eph. 2:1-3). Dead men cannot change their ways. They are dead. We must speak life into them. The life of Christ imparted by the Holy Spirit.

#7: We proclaim either by word or action that Christians are supposed to have it all together. 

Let’s face it. Living life today is hard—whether you are a Christian, Buddhist, Taoist, Muslim, [fill in any other religion], or atheist. Living for Christ is yet harder still (we say “harder” because as a believer we expect to be persecuted for our faith, in addition to all the “normal” pressures of life).  We in the American church, however, have decided that life actually isn’t that hard—at least we pretend it isn’t. We have our act together. We confess our sins of taking a cookie from the cookie jar and the occasional angry response to someone. Yet, those close to us and the world know differently. If I have my act together, then there’s no room for God’s grace or forgiveness in my life. The fact is, John reminds us that we do not have it all together, and we must not claim to. We must walk in the light. We must be honest with ourselves and others. It’s okay to say, “Hey, you know my life is a struggle right now. But, I am holding onto Christ as tightly as I can.” What freedom might result if we took that attitude! Most of the time, when a fellow believer asks how we are doing, we give the “I’m blessed!” or “I’m doing good” or some variation, and the relief on the other person’s face is often evident. On the other hand, when someone ventures something different and admits a struggle, we are terrified and give the Pentecostal shrug: “I’ll pray for you brother!”

We are all guilty of some or all of these because we are not perfect. Thank the Lord we have His grace to not only forgive our failings but also empower us to repent, forgive ourselves and move forward in change. The world is watching, and needs true, genuine Christians, not those wearing the spiritual masks.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Biblically Informed Passion

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In the previous post, we affirmed that there is something more needed in the believer’s life than correct doctrine. We said that the Spiritual Heart (the new heart received at salvation) longs to engage God and others in ways to show a new passion for Him. It’s the Holy Spirit who guides and directs the believer, but it’s the heart that operates according to the passion for God. Both are necessary.

In this post, we are going to flip the coin to the other side (in case you didn’t know, many issues in the Bible are often two sides of the same coin). Just as correct doctrine cannot stand alone, neither can the passionate faith that often accompanies correct doctrine. Why is this so? Because while the believer has the Spiritual Heart, he also still has the flesh. The flesh can confuse us, causing sinful passions to appear godly, and vice versa. The flesh can cause illegitimate means of meeting an otherwise legitimate need to appear okay (and vice versa). We have to remember that, before salvation, our whole mind and body was programmed by the Sinful Heart that we had. Though it has been replaced with the Spiritual Heart, the flesh still lingers.

So, then, what is needed is biblically informed and Spirit-directed passion. We must not sacrifice truth for passion, just as we must not sacrifice passionate engagement for truth (though if one must be sacrificed, it is far better to stick with truth—truth guides, but passion consumes). We must engage Scripture and the Holy Spirit, asking the Spirit to illuminate the truth of Scripture even if if doesn’t jibe with our experience. We must allow the Spirit to help us decides what are Spirit-led urges and what are not, and then how best to engage those Spirit-led urges. To put it another way, the Lord wants us to step out of the boat in faith, but keep our soul anchored in His truth.

These posts are designed to draw us together in engagement. We must not be afraid to engage with others around us whose faith-lens looks slightly different than our own. We just might learn something. And so might they. In the end, we will be a step closer to seeing Jesus’ prayer answered: “May they be one just as You and I are one.”

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The Shepherd's Voice

More than Just Truth

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In the last post, we suggested that it’s indeed possible to have both sound doctrine and true heart-felt passion in our faith. We also suggested that what makes that possible is a changed heart guided by the Holy Spirit. In this follow-up post, we will consider how segments of the church can move from what many see as “dead orthodoxy” to a living faith.

We must agree, of course, that sound doctrine is extremely important. The Bible plainly teaches that believing “something” is not good enough. The right thing must be believed. Is it necessary to believe that Jesus was God-in-the-flesh? Consider this: Jesus accepted worship while in the flesh (Matthew 14:33; John 9:38). If He was not God at the time, if He were able to give up that identity, then He had no right to accept worship. He was only a man. He also, as a man, claimed to be God-in-the-flesh by taking the sacred name of God (John 8:58). It’s clear that the Jewish leaders knew what He intended by their reaction (a reaction that would have been righteous if Jesus were not in fact God at the time). Is it necessary to believe that Jesus actually rose from the dead as a point of history? Paul seems to think so in 1 Corinthians 15.

Doctrine is important. There are core beliefs that define what it is to be Christian. The most central of these, however, is the one that is often the most overlooked. When Jesus saved me, He changed me. Under the New Covenant, I am not the same as I was before (2 Corinthians 5:17). He saved me from a fate worse than physical death. How does one who truly understands the reality of that NOT feel it in his very soul and wish to broadcast it? Of course, our feelings have nothing to do with whether we are saved. But there must be more than correct doctrine. The Lord did call us to love Him with all our heart and soul, in addition to the mind and strength.

How do we develop that heart-faith? By engaging with the Lord and the Holy Spirit. Our times in Scripture must be the springboard by which we ask the Lord to speak to our hearts and change us into His image. From there, it’s okay to let the change in our hearts show forth in worship, in engagement in others, in our whole lives. Our engagement, of course, must be directed by the Holy Spirit, but it can also be informed by forms of worship that are different from our own, such as dramas, worship/interpretive dance, and worship music that focuses on what God has done in our hearts. We must not be afraid to engage our heart and emotions in worship (and by this we don’t mean just yelling for yelling’s sake).  What we are seeking is biblically and spiritually informed passion. Doing this will move us closer to that time where we are truly one with our more expressive brothers and sisters.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Head, Heart, the Whole Person

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“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”  he second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:30-31).

One of the purposes of The Shepherd’s Voice is to build bridges between various groups in the church. As mentioned in a previous post (“One Body, Many Parts”), the church is under the same Lord, though made up of many different groups. Often, we forget that. In the 21st century, that has continued to manifest in a highly fractured church. One of the most divisive trends in the church is what we might call the battle between passionate faith and doctrinal orthodoxy.

We’ve all probably run across such differences. On one side we have those folks that believe that the death of the apostles and the closing of the canon of Scripture ended the period of healing, signs, and miracles. For the most part, they rely on the Bible to such an extent that it seems (practically speaking) they do not believe in the Holy Spirit at all.  To such people, correct doctrine is all-important. They are quick to correct what they perceive as even the slightest deviation from orthodoxy—but even then this group is fractured, especially when they can’t agree on the correct translation of the Bible.

On the other hand, we have the large segment of the church that has embraced passionate faith, focusing on the Holy Spirit’s continuing work. Like the other side, we also see the extremists. Some well-known churches in the charismatic movement have begun teaching that it’s not necessary to believe in a literal resurrection, that Jesus was not God during His time on earth, and that God is obligated to provide healing and what we ask for as a result of the atonement. People on this side of the spiritual aisle are usually the most socially engaged, believing that love is the key and that the church is here to change the world.

And then…. there are the folks in the middle who waver back and forth between the two camps, or are just plain confused and become disillusioned with the church in general. There’s also the world, watching the church squabble and stay divided. It brings to mind a time in college, when some Christian friends and I were “discussing” some doctrines of the faith at a Wendy’s. It got a little heated at times. Another friend came from another table and quietly suggested that we consider the possibility that an unbeliever might be present and listening. Speaking only for myself, I can say that statement had a profound effect on me.

What is the solution then? Can the church truly come together in more than a paper-thin unity, covering up the deep divisions within? This and future posts will explore that question.

First, one important rule, however:  This is not about name-calling or naming specific people or groups (hence why no churches or people were mentioned in the above paragraphs).

In looking at Mark 12:30-31, it’s clear that Jesus intended to include every part of us. He essentially said, “Love God with all you have and with all you are.” That certainly includes the mind (correct doctrine) and the emotions (passionate faith). So, we must conclude that the answer to the question is, “Yes, it is possible to have both.” The obvious next question one might ask is, “How?”

The short answer to that question is this: There is a third element that is missing, which must inform our doctrine, experience, and emotions. Sound doctrine cannot (or should not) come from passion alone. Likewise, sound doctrine alone cannot produce the passionate faith necessary to spread the Gospel. Like many two-sided issues in the Bible, both are taught and expected. A quest for “balance” often means sacrificing one at the expense of the other.

That third element from which the other two must come is a changed heart. This isn’t referring the heart as the seat of emotion. Rather, the heart is the seat of being. When one is saved, he receives a new heart (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:25-29). A saved person is a different person. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the heart longs to know and obey God in every way. Thus, the heart finds guidance in illuminated study of Scripture and an outlet for expressions of gratitude and love.

In the next two posts, we’ll look at how this might look in the life of the believer.

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The Shepherd's Voice

One Body, Many Parts

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Continuing in our series on the fundamentals of the faith, we’re going to talk about the church.

The Church (also known as the Bride and Body of Christ) consists of all true believers who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. While local congregations may vary in size, makeup, and style, the worldwide church is one in spirit and is to strive for unity in the truth of the Gospel. The mission of the church was clearly defined by Jesus: to spread the Gospel and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20).

Many people today often think of the church in terms of two things: buildings and denominations (the latter is much more the case for a group that thinks they are the only “true” church). The Bible, however, paints a much different picture of the church, one that we would do well to reexamine in the 21st century.

First, we must say without hesitation that the church is people. Specifically, the church consists of all who have trusted Christ for salvation. In the book of Acts, references to the church were always in the context of people (there were no church ‘buildings’ back then, and often the believers might meet outside for worship, prayer and teaching). In saying that, though, we must be quick to add that the church is always thought of in corporate terms–a group of people, not single individuals. You individually are part of the church if you are saved, but the church is made up of groups of the redeemed (hence why Jesus said wherever two or three are gathered He is with them, see Matthew 18:15-20). We in the west have often turned faith into a highly private affair with our democratic ideals, but that is not the picture we see of the church in Scripture.

Second, those groups of people are bound together in Christ to form the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:15-16). That means the church is to be the visible symbol of Christ’s work here on earth. It also means that the Body has many parts, just as a human body does. Not all have the same gifts or callings. But each part does have a purpose and gifts to equip him or her for that purpose.

Third, since the church is made up of redeemed people who still battle the flesh, the apostles were wise to appoint “elders” or “overseers” (plural) for each church. A church led by a single individual is a dangerous thing. The role of the elders is to oversee the church completely, and in the words of Paul, to care for the flock. He warned the Ephesian elders that even among them some would stray and seek to draw men to themselves instead of Christ (Acts 20:17-35).

Fourth, the church was given one and only one specific mission–to make disciples of all nations (that is, spread the Gospel). The role of the church leadership, then, is to help train the believers to do just that. While God may and does call individuals into the realms of politics, business, and/or social activism, that call is always to be interpreted in the context of the Gospel. Neither Jesus nor Paul, for example, engaged directly in any of those things (even though both spoke to kings and governors). To entangle itself in affairs of this world risks weakening the mission and bringing the world into the church (2 Timothy 2:4).

Finally, though the Body of Christ is made up of many different cultures, races, and backgrounds, the Body is still one Body. Christ prayed that the disciples would be “one” (John 17:20-21). Paul echoed those words, saying that the offices of apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers were given to “equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12-13). We are called to be one in Christ. Therefore, let us strive to attain unity in Him, setting aside nonessential differences, willing to engage with other parts of the Body, and so fulfill Christ’s prayer.

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