Tag: justice

The Shepherd's Voice

Same Same but Different

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Loving My (Different) Neighbor, Part 3

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” (Acts 15:1–5)

In the first post of this series (“Breaking Down the Walls”), we mentioned this passage as one of the first issues the early church had to confront. Evangelicals have rightly seen it as a defense of the Gospel, a Gospel that preaches salvation by faith apart from works. When we consider the groups involved and the religious context, however, we find a bit more to the story than that.

Beyond the implications of salvation, what was the real issue? The real issue was whether Gentiles should be forced to become Jews. God had established one way into the covenant community of Israel–the sign of circumcision and obedience to the covenant. For a Gentile to submit to that requirement would mean he was no longer a Gentile but a Jew. The Jews worshipped one specific way–everyone did it the same. Though several schools of interpretation had come up by the time of Christ, the Jews were, by and large, a unified and uniform community.

So, the real underlying statement by the Pharisee party was, “You must become like us. You must be circumcised, adopt our laws, follow our customs, and worship like we do if you are to be saved.” This is not just a nationalist statement. This is not just a religious statement. No, this is also a racial statement. Those Gentiles who submitted to circumcision would lose their primary identity. They would forever be known as Athenian Jews, Roman Jews, Ethiopian Jews, etc. Their racial identity would be wiped out.

Why highlight this? Simply for this reason: To point out that such thinking is still rampant in the church today. How is it that, in the United States, once the “foremost exporter of democracy” and the largest missionary-sending country in the world, 11:00 A.M. on Sunday morning is still considered the most segregated hour? Is it not because we hide behind our walls of “do it our way”? When we send missionaries to other countries to form churches, do we not teach “our” style of worship and cultural standards instead of learning to worship in that culture? Instead of the church being a multicultural body with one Head, have we not become separate bodies that stay away from each other, interacting only when it serves “our” purposes?

The church has so many divisions over so many minor things that we can have ten or more churches of the same denomination or label within a few square miles of each other. Why is that? Because we want the others to become like us. But then, we also have churches across the street from each other, one predominantly white, and the other predominantly Black or Hispanic, or some other minority. 

As Paula Fuller writes in The Kingdom Life, “What is perhaps the most painful aspect about this phenomenon [of 11:00 AM on Sunday mornings being the most segregated hour in America] is that we, as the church, are divided even though we live with the truth of the gospel’s power to reconcile us to God. God ‘has committed to us the message of reconciliation’ (2 Corinthians 5:19).”[1]

We most become the church of Christ when we learn from each other. We most become a united church when we are willing to move out of our comfort zones and experience worship from a different cultural perspective. 

As the Thai expression says, we are “same same but different.” We have the same Head, Christ. We have the same salvation, by faith alone. Yet, not only do we have differing gifts, personalities, and abilities within the church, but we have different people and cultures. The Bible says,

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)

Notice one thing about this passage: The tribes and ethnic groups and languages will be distinguishable when all are around the throne. Cultural identity is not erased in the Gospel. There is no “Christian culture” (I know that may shock some of you). God wants all peoples to worship Him in their culture and language. And we would do well to see this time on earth as training to bring that about. 

When is the last time you worshipped with a group of people unlike you? When is the last time you deliberately spent time with people not of your culture? Remember that the Gospel is not a white Gospel, a Black Gospel, an Hispanic, Bantu, Creole, or Kurdish Gospel. It is God’s Gospel.

Paula Fuller, in that same work, told the story of her own transformation:

In November 2007, I attended a Native American theological conference along with other national leaders from InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s multiethnic ministries department. Our department did not have a dedicated associate director for Native American ministries, and it was the desire of one of our senior leaders that the entire department and some of our Native American staff attend a Native American event so we could immerse ourselves in the culture and realities of Native American people. As we sat through a number of presentations, heard testimonies, and read articles about the historical and present-day atrocities committed against various tribes, I did not have words to articulate the anguish, brokenness, and pain I was experiencing. In that context, I did not feel like a fellow disadvantaged ethnic-minority woman. In that moment, I was attending as the vice president of a prominent parachurch ministry seeking to grow in my understanding of how to minister to Native American college students. 
    After the conference ended, we held a consultation with the Native American leaders who convened at the conference to seek their insight and counsel on our campus strategy for Native American students. We sat for several hours as they shared about their tribal histories and personal stories. When we began to discuss our ministry goals, one of the leaders asked, “Why are you interested in ministering to Native American students? Do you plan to indoctrinate them into a system that has resulted in the destruction of their people and culture, or are you coming in a way that is restorative?” As I reflected on the history I had heard that day, I realized that many of the perpetrators who had committed injustices against the Native American community were people who said they came in the name of the Lord. What could I say that would communicate that I was bringing a gospel that was actually “good news” for the Native American people? [2]

Do we not have the same good news, to share with all cultures? Let us therefore be the church, and live on earth as we will in heaven, embracing, learning from, and growing with “those other” people, our brothers and sisters in Christ.

[1] Paula Fuller, et al, The Kingdom Life: A Practical Theology of Discipleship and Spiritual Formation (p. 218).
[2] The Kingdom Life, (pp. 218-19).

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The Shepherd's Voice

Who Are We? Christian or American Pt 2

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In the last post (“Christian or American,” 1/12/20), we asked some hard questions about the church and believers. We suggested that many parts of the American church are losing their biblical identity. We further suggested that this is because many churches have bought into the world’s ways of thinking, and that they have tied themselves so strongly to Americanism that they are now dependent on America’s greatness for their own greatness.

This, friends, is nothing less than idolatry. How do we know it is idolatry? Simple. No man, no political system is perfect, nor is he or it the savior of a nation or the world. When we automatically equate “Christian” with “the right,” “the left,” “Republican,” “Democrat,” or any other earthly label, we have begun to cross that line. Another sign is when our favorite party or politician loses and we believe “the cause of righteousness” has been dealt a blow. No man, no earthly system is perfect enough to be equated with God’s cause of righteousness. There’s only one that carries that banner: the Lord Jesus Christ. Not even the church, Christ’s visible representation on earth, is perfect enough to be idealized.

I asked this question on social media a couple days ago, and I’m going to ask it here. (For those readers outside the US, just substitute your own national parties and politicians here.)

If you are a supporter of President Donald Trump, will you accept President-Elect Joe Biden as YOUR President? Will you commit to pray for him and the incoming leadership over the next four years? Will you commit to pray good for them, that they make wise and godly decisions and come to know the Lord Jesus Christ? Will you release any bitterness, anger, and ill will to the Lord in order that your prayers not be hindered?

If you are not a supporter of President Trump and the Republicans, will you commit to pray for the (soon to be former) President and his family? Will you acknowledge that good came out of the last four years? Will you pray for the good of the outgoing administration, including that they come to know Christ? Will you commit to releasing any bitterness, anger, and ill will to the Lord in order that your prayers not be hindered?

If you cannot honestly answer “yes” to these questions from your heart, then it may be time to ask the Lord, 

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me (Psalms 139:23-24).

Who Are We?

Now we are going to return to the questions at the end of the last post. What does it mean to be a Christian? What does it mean to be the church?

In simple terms, a Christian is one who has been born again by the Spirit of God (John 3:3). He has repented of his sins and trusted Christ for salvation (Mark 1:15; Acts 16:31; 17:30-31). Being a Christian means that one is made new. Not just new in terms of better, but new in terms of something that did not exist before. Totally new. And it’s all of God, from start to finish. Salvation is by faith alone. This is the gospel. It is about sin, repentance, and faith. Any definition of salvation or the gospel that is not based on that is unbiblical.

What does it mean to be a Christian, however? What are the priorities of a Christians? This is really where the rub is, isn’t it? Because so many people say, “A Christian should [fill in the blank].” Whether it’s advocating for social/racial justice, feeding the homeless, witnessing, voting, or whatever, everyone has a thought.

I suggest that this is the central responsibility of a Christian: the gospel. Everything else a Christian does is to be centered around this. Why is this so? Three reasons:

  • Declaring the gospel is the God-ordained means of seeing people come into the Kingdom. God has not chosen to flood the world with angels to declare the message. He has chosen to use earthly, broken vessels to spread and live his message.
  • It is the last recorded command that Jesus gave to His disciples before the ascension. Often, people save the most important things they wish to say until the last. This is no different. And we see that beginning to happen immediately. Jerusalem and the surrounding areas exploded with people telling the good news of Christ. And then the good news spread throughout the known world.
  • No lasting change will ever come to this earth apart from the gospel. The best that can be accomplished is a race of highly educated, self-centered people that strive to outwardly conform to ever changing standards of a fallen society.

Beyond the gospel, a Christian’s first commandment is to love. Love God with all we are, and love our neighbors as ourselves (see Mark 12:30-31). There is little disagreement on this point between Christians. Most of us know on a basic level what these words mean (or at least we think we do).

So, the real questions here are very practical ones.

1) May a Christian engage in social or political activism (or must he do so)? 

My answer to this is, “Yes one may.” But one must not confuse these things with his first responsibility to keep faith and declare the gospel. If we succeed in pushing through a political agenda or feeding the homeless and haven’t shared the gospel, what eternal benefit have we gained? Likewise, if we declare the gospel to a starving person, but do not help him with the basic necessities, are we not simply saying, “Be warmed and well-filled. . . and Jesus loves you”? (See James 2:15-17.)

Is there a must? No. There’s no command in Scripture to actively participate in political or social activism. However, for one who has been changed and called to love justice, mercy, and faith, it is hard to imagine one’s heart and conscience not being stirred.

2) Is it possible for a Christian to support the [fill in the blank] party?

In general, yes. To say otherwise, as I have seen on social media, is to call into question the salvation of a believer, and denigrate him in front of unbelievers. This, for a Christian, is inexcusable. It places a separate requirement for salvation (or at least an evidence of salvation) on the person other than faith. Jesus said the world would know we are His disciples by our love, not by our political affiliation.

A word of caution here (hopefully a balanced word). In supporting a candidate, party, or program, the believer must be willing to critically examine the basis of his or her support. Some Christians think that abortion is the only issue that matters. Thus, if a candidate agrees with 99/100 issues that they do, but is pro-choice, they wil say, “Nope!” Other Christians see other issues just as important and tend to support based on a broader set of criteria (and often those Christians who support a pro-choice candidate are themselves pro-life. Which is right? Both are. For both sides it’s often an issue of conscience. And we are sternly commanded not to judge the conscience of another (Romans 14). Every political party and political system in this world is sin-stained and corrupt because they are led by fallen people.

No System to Work, No Easy Answers

The real problem with these questions and this debate is that Christians assume many of these answers are easy. They are not. How does a nation deal with immigrant children separated from their parents? Can a nation pass pro-choice laws and yet also encourage programs that will have the effect of eliminating abortion? When same-sex marriage is legal in the nation, how is the church to repond to those couples? How can we affirm the uniqueness of individuals without giving in to the LBGTQ+ movement? How do we encourage true multiculturalism in the church without giving into the pitfalls of critical race theory?

The gospel is not a system to work. It is a change of the heart. And that change does not come immediately. It’s possible for one who is saved to not even believe some of the truths that we conservatives hold as “fundamental,” like the deity of Christ and the inerrancy of Scripture. It’s also possible that they don’t immediately change their perspective on issues such as racial justice, abortion, etc. Christians need to think deeply about such issues–that so many often find “easy” answers in Scripture regarding these issues testifies to the fact that their thinking is superficial.

Above all, we must remember that the gospel is not a political system. It is the means by which a holy God is reconciling sinful humanity to himself. The gospel has implications (see above), and believers would do well to think through those implications. But in the end we who follow Christ must place our hope–all of our hope–in Christ alone. Not in the fortunes of America or a political or economic system. Our citizenship in this world is transitory at best. We are aliens and strangers here. This world is not our home. It’s okay to do what we can to make the world a better place (Jer. 29:7), but don’t get too comfortable.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Growing in Christ: The Law of the Kingdom

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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

Mature Faith: 7 Marks of Faith That Endures

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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

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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

More than Just Truth

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

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

Faith Alone–Start to Finish

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

Salvation is secured by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. No other act (including baptism or keeping the law) can save a man, and failure to perform any single act (including baptism) will not condemn a man. Salvation includes forgiveness of sin, the reception of a new heart and spirit, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee or deposit of final salvation.

We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified (Gal. 2:17).

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10).

The majority of the Christian church at least gives token assent to the idea that salvation is by faith apart from works. There is, however, a dangerous undercurrent in much of the church that seeks to add “works” back to the mix in a way that is reminiscent of the dispute in Acts 15 and the book of Galatians. As an example of that, it used to be taught (and still is taught in many quarters, either expressly or implicitly), “You are saved by grace, but kept by works.” Only one problem with that theology (well, many problems, really): Jesus never taught such a thing. Jesus said He would keep the believer, not their works. Paul gave a stinging rebuke to the Galatians for believing the same type of idea:

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:1-6).

Paul’s argument here is unmistakable. Salvation begins by faith and continues by faith. Law-keeping as a means of righteousness or obtaining favor with God has no place in the life of the believer. In fact, Paul even makes a stronger statement on the subject. He warns that:

if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace (Gal. 5:2-4).

In plain language, Paul is teaching that if you turn from faith as your source of righteousness to trying to keep the law, you are obligated to keep the whole law. Since that is an impossibility, you have then placed yourself under a curse and have been cut off from Christ (we won’t explore the implications of this now). It is impossible to walk in the realm of faith and the realm of law at the same time. You must choose.

Now, before the more practically-minded of you hit the delete button, let me hasten to add that “works” have a legitimate place in the life of the believer. As Paul says in Ephesians 2, salvation is by faith alone, but faith is never alone. Christ saves us not so that we can sit on the sideline waiting for Heaven’s Train, but so that we might go out and display His grace and love to others. Salvation involves change. The new heart and spirit that the believer receives desires to love, obey and serve God–and love and serve others. If that desire is not present, then a claim of salvation just might be suspect. James rightly said, “Faith without works is dead.”

BUT, we must maintain that our works do nothing to secure or improve our spiritual standing. They flow from, are a result of, our new identity. Thank God for answering David’s prayer in us!

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.   (Psalm 51:10-12)

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The Shepherd's Voice

The Image of God

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

We’re continuing our series on the fundamentals of the faith. Today we turn to humanity, being made in the image of God.

God created humanity in His image. Adam and Eve were literal people who fell from their position of innocence into sin because of disobedience. Because of that, the whole creation has been contaminated by sin, and every human born since then, save Christ, has inherited a sinful nature, desiring to live independently of God and being hostile to the ways of God. Without Christ, humans are dead in sin, without hope, and in danger of spending eternity apart from God. However, anyone who places faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved, regenerated and changed.

Genesis 1:26-27 tells us, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Like many subjects of the Bible, the subject of humanity (men and women) sparks debate—both within and outside the church. Besides the whole evolution debate, there are questions in the church regarding the place of women in ministry. But…. we will not attempt to answer those questions. Instead, we will discuss the foundational truth that the Bible teaches concerning humanity, and draw out some implications.

First, we must realize that humankind is a special creation of God. Contrary to the evolutionary view (still trying to find the missing link), men and woman were created by God and especially for God (not that God has needs, but He created humanity for His specific purpose). We consider humanity a special creation of God because, being created on the sixth day, they are the crowning act of His creation. It was only after He created Adam and Eve that God declared creation “very” good. In addition, of all His creation, humanity is the only part of creation said to have been created in Him image and given the breath of life (thus giving humans a soul).

Speaking of His image…..

Second, Adam and Eve were created in His image. No, they weren’t divine (and neither are we, for that matter). Created in the image of God means that firstly they were created with the ability to connect with God spiritually and live in community. Secondly it means that they were created with the ability to reason and choose; they were free moral agents (meaning they were not compelled or coerced into making a choice).

Third, Adam and Eve were created in innocence. At the time of creation, they were neither sinful nor righteous. The text of Genesis makes it clear that they did not know what evil was, or that such a thing even existed. The declaration of Genesis 2:25 (the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed) speaks of that innocence. Another indication is Satan’s declaration to Eve that she would “be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). What he spoke was the truth, as God confirmed: Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:22). Adam and Eve had no need to know what good or evil was. They simply lived in dependence on God in a state of innocence.

Fourth, Adam and Eve fell into sin when they disobeyed God. Even though they were created in innocence, God had still given them the command not to eat of the tree of good and evil. When they broke that command, they fell into sin—and died. Not physically at that moment, but spiritually, in that they were cut off from God. Their first reaction was to hide, their second was to try to fix it on their own (the fig leaf incident), and the third reaction was to blame everyone else. That is the nature of the sinful heart: Do it myself. Make life work for me apart from God. Enlist others to cooperate with me, and blame them if it doesn’t work. The key point here, however, is that they were dead in sin from the moment they sinned, and their sin affected all of creation—including their descendants. And, incidentally, they (and their descendants) lost the ability to choose to do right. They became slaves to their sinful heart.

But God…..  He had a plan to redeem His creation. He sent Jesus who died on the cross and rose again. His death and resurrection made it possible to reverse the effects of the fall:

We now have full access to God through the Holy Spirit. Jesus has removed the barrier, torn the veil.

We have a new heart and a new spirit that are inclined toward God instead of turned away from Him.

We are being restored to His image fully (mankind never truly lost the image of God; it was, however, marred by sin).

Here are a few implications of the these thoughts:

First, men and woman have always been and will always be on equal footing. The order of authority that God established has nothing to do with superiority or inferiority. And it also has nothing to do with the Fall. To teach otherwise misrepresents to truth of the Bible.

Second, all are still image-bearers of God and have value in His sight. In fact, God thinks you are so valuable that He paid the ultimate price to have you! (In case you didn’t know, value is what someone else would pay for something or someone). As such, all are due the same dignity and honor. To ridicule, insult or otherwise defame one who carries the image of God (even a distorted one) is a slap in the face of their Creator. The saying is true: Love the sinner, hate the sin.

Third, contrary opinions aside, all without Christ are lost in sin. There will be no second chance. Once you take that last breath, it’s over. No spending 40 million years in purgatory. It’s either heaven or hell. Only the grace of Christ can save mankind. Trying to be good enough just won’t cut the mustard.  Why? Because even if you scored 99% on God’s test, you still fail! His passing mark is 100%. You’d have to be perfect! And there’s only been One to achieve that mark. Fortunately, though, He did achieve that mark. Because He did, He invites all to come to Him. Discover new life. Discover eternal life.

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The Shepherd's Voice

The Gospel of Life

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

What was the purpose of Jesus coming to earth, dying, and being raised from the dead? Was it only so that we could have a ticket to heaven? We’ve already said, in previous posts, that there is much more to the gospel than that. Jesus declared to the people, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10, ESV). Jesus came so that His sheep would have life. What did He mean by that? What kind of life has He promised those who trust in Him?

It’s not a life where all of our troubles vanish.  He told His disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33, emphasis added). It is, however, a life where we learn to joyfully see Him work in us and others in the midst of our tribulations. In our old life, before we were saved, we lived for ourselves; we managed our own lives. Like a child trying to be independent, we often said, “I do it myself!” That, more than the outward behaviors we often focus on, is really the heart of the sinful nature. We went through life trying to avoid the pain of life, or at least to minimize it. To admit we felt pain was seen to be weakness to our stubborn independent heart. That was the old life.

What has changed since Christ rescued us? We often have the same struggles. We still feel the pain of life’s hurts. The difference is that Christ now invites us to turn to Him in those struggles instead of trying to live independently. In the midst of those struggles we can have peace and joy, as we learn that He is really that good, that He would give everything to have us. We see the depth of our own sinfulness and then look into His eyes and still see that welcoming gaze. And as we receive His gaze, He invites us to allow Him to cleanse and change us.

Like many concepts in the Bible, eternal life is twofold:  now and then. Eternal life certainly means that we will no longer be separated from God and will spend eternity with Him. That is the then. However, eternal life is also for now. Eternal life speaks of the quality of life that we experience here. Eternal life, however, is not characterized by a trouble-free life (at least not until we are home). Jesus said we would have trouble in this life, but He also told us not to worry (Matt. 6:25-34). Is it possible to have unshakable peace, unspeakable joy, and unwavering faith in the midst of life’s problems? Absolutely. But to experience those things, we must experience life’s problems. We are going to experience them anyway, with or without Christ. Personally, I prefer to do so with Christ.

What does it mean to turn to Christ in the midst of trials? Are we supposed to be passive, as in the phrase “let go and let God”? Christ never calls us to passivity. The gospel is never against effort. It is, however, against earning. There are things that we do, and then He does what only He can, just as when He turned the water in to wine (John 2:1-11). On the other hand, it is also not a case of “God helps those who help themselves” (no, it’s not in there, for those of you looking for it). The Lord is drawn to those who are humble, weak and needy, not those who can “help themselves.”

What He desires most of us, however, is that we trust Him with ourselves. Turning to Christ means that we place ourselves at His feet and listen for His voice. He has told us that He is in control, that He takes care of His people, and that He is good. We acknowledge that, and do as He directs. While it is tempting to try and pray our way out of a problem, our real prayer should be that He does His work in us. He will bring us through it in His time as we allow Him to do so. 

As we experience His presence, peace, and joy in the midst of trials, that is the life that Jesus came to give us. He wanted us to have it so much that He gave His life that we could have His life.

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