Tag Archives: Christ

Mar 14 2011

The Erosion of Truth


It is not a little disturbing that casting doubt on the veracity of the Holy Scriptures and Bible characters has in the past few years become quite in vogue. I read tweets and posts on Facebook, and many blogs, and there are more and more young preachers and others who are fascinated with those well trained graduates of institutions of higher learning who have reached the conclusion that the Bible is not really true after all, at least not all of it.

I have heard it said that history repeats itself and that there nothing new under the sun. How very true! Decades before most of those who are most admired, and those who admire them, were born I was living in a time when theological liberals, called “modernists” back in the day, were busy with higher criticism, discovering extra-biblical writings and other evidences which according to them proved the Bible is not really reliable. I’ll perhaps never forget when a few years ago I learned first hand that in our churches of Christ we had some preachers who did not believe the resurrection of Jesus, believed Jesus was just a man, although admittedly a better man than others. And more recently there is a host of men whose sport is to cast doubt on the truth and authority of Holy Writ.

My observation is that most of these guys are more impressed with themselves than anyone or anything else. It is very difficult to shroud pride isn’t it? I have always been a skeptic. There…my admission! With that said, I am a bit reluctant to trust a man who spends hours every day promoting himself, what he knows, and what he does, and what he has done, and …. Well, you get the picture.

(Just to get it off my chest… A person with a British accent, or whatever that Geico salamander has, is not necessarily more brilliant than those who don’t have it.)

So, why in the wide wide world would anyone believe that God hates sin? Further, why in the age of enlightenment we live in would someone believe those who refuse to believe God’s truth are objects of His coming wrath? I’ll admit it, I don’t understand much of the last book of the Bible. And, I’m not the one to ask about final punishment. But I am sure that the same Holy Spirit who by revelation gave the great Apostle Paul the mysterious gospel of the grace of God to be preached to the Gentiles also revealed the truth to him about the sure wrath of a Holy God against sin. I don’t claim for a second to know what all that means, but rest assured it is not good.

The aged and experienced apostle Paul had some words of instruction and warning for a young preacher.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:1-5)

Of course it was happening in the first century just as it is today and it is still a real danger. It seems to come in waves, waves of unbelief couched in church talk and verified with seminary degrees and best-selling books. Paul’s warning to young Timothy was “Be sober-minded…” Good advice in 2011 I’d say.

I fear that for many of our people there is more value in reading what someone said about God and the Bible than to really know God and actually read the Bible! One of the “markers” or indicators of a true Christian is that he loves the “teaching”. That is the body of truth the apostles taught.

We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
(1 John 4:6)

Clearly, the “us” in the above verse is the apostles. This is not a difficult concept. One way you can tell a believer from a make-believer is by observing how he receives the Word of God. If a fellow has lots of problems with Paul and Peter and John…you had better watch him! And, we have lots of people leading people away from the apostles teaching rather than to the apostles teachings. I didn’t write either of these Bible passages but both are true and good advice for today.

Be careful! Everyone who looks like a sheep is not. I would go so far as to say any preacher who does not major on Jesus and what He accomplished for ungodly sinners should be taken in small bites at best. Instead, many of our unknowing people are taking them down a leg at a time.

If the Bible is not dependable we have no hope. Those who are making the case for moral improvement as a way to be fit for heaven and to avoid final punishment are deceitful liars, they are from the evil one and not from God.

Unbelief by any other name is still a recipe for perishing without God.

For Truth,

Royce

Feb 8 2011

Living in the Shadow of Mt Zion


The 12th chapter of Hebrews reminds me that the journey from Mt. Sinai to Mt. Zion is a course of sun drenched mountain tops, plenty, and the amazing bounty of God’s blessings. But it also winds down into valleys shrouded in darkness where there is little to remind one of his God.

Many of today’s most recognizable preachers would have us believe that if we are faith-filled people we should always live on the mountain top with all of its beauty and have money, the best clothes, nice cars and houses. After all if God loves you doesn’t he want you to prosper? Has he not promised it?

Today as I was meditating on God’s Word and thinking of a friend who is in a death match with cancer I was drawn to the wonderful book of Hebrews. It is true that we who are actively depending of Jesus Christ and the gospel promises about Him are living in Zion.

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:22-24)

Aren’t you thankful that we have experienced the grace of God in Christ and are living perhaps only a breath away from the heavenly Jerusalem? God has chosen to pitch his tent in us and to write his law on our hearts. What a blessed state!

The previous chapter, 11,  is the chapter of the faithful. Those Old Testament heroes of the faith are listed with some of their accomplishments that proved their faith in God. Then near the end of the chapter it sums up those faith walkers.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. (Hebrews 11:32-35)

These like Abel, Noah, Abraham and others saw the hand of God on their behalf in mighty ways. How good is our God! How faithful to his own! But…that is not the end of the chapter.

Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. (Hebrews 11:35b-38)

These too were God’s faithful people. Some stop the mouths of lions while others are food for lions, both while living by faith in God. For some reason (that is quite obvious) we don’t hear much about this latter group of God’s own. But, they were God’s faithful servants none the less.

You see, while we really do live in the shadow of Mt. Zion, some of us receive a good report after chemo and radiation and some don’t. It says nothing about our great faith or lack of faith. It says nothing about our daily living as Christians before God. Both those who experienced some of God’s best blessings, and those who were sawed in two, trusted a sovereign God who does all things well.

We must “faith it ’til we make it“. Living by faith is not vindicated by what we can see with our physical eyes. God’s promises are true without regard for our present circumstances. It is maybe impossible for me to comprehend how it can be best for some of my friends to battle cancer…and loose. We must not get caught in the trap of allowing present circumstances to dictate to us our standing with God or his approval.

Life is very, very brief. As fast as a child’s breath on a school bus window is gone, that quickly we will one day someday see things from a different perspective. God sees the parade of our lives from start to finish, all at the same time, and treats us in love every step. We must not become weary in doing good, in trusting the best we can, and believing God will not fail us in the end.

Sooner than we might think we will sit at his table, whole and holy, with all of the faithful where there is only wonderful family with our God and his people. Not even a hint of darkness, sadness, tears, disappointment, restless nights…none of this will not even be a distant memory.

All of God’s promises are good and true. He always loves us and cares for us. Hang on to what you know and don’t worry about what you don’t know, it’s a short ride…

Trusting…

Royce

 

Jan 15 2011

Right answer, Wrong question?


If it were not so sad it might be amusing that so many people think they have the right answer when they have never really considered the right question. Unless the right question is posed and answered little is gained.

I read Christian blogs, lots of them. There is considerable chatter across blogdom on the subject of what I’ll call the “technicalities of salvation” for want of a better term. On Church of Christ blogs there is much give and take about the role of water baptism. There are some who believe immersion in water is absolutely essential for salvation and there are others who do not go that far but still have a very high view of the act. There has been tons of bandwidth dedicated to this question, “Is baptism a work?” There are those obligatory standard questions about the role of obedience and how it comes into play when a person becomes a Christian.

Then there are those discussions about what you must do to stay saved. Must your church be a cappella? Can you allow female Christians to serve the Lord’s Supper to others and still be in God’s grace? These are very important and weighty questions for many, many people of the Stone-Campbell heritage. Nobody wants to be out of the Kingdom on a technicality!

Restoration folks are not alone in their probing and seeking the right answers to important questions. Many Southern Baptists are all in a tizzy because of the growing trend of Calvinism among their ranks. There are all sorts of warnings about the dangers of these people and what they believe and teach and frankly much of what they fear has no basis in fact. They range from saying they are not evangelistic to believing a person can be a Christian and live like the devil himself and all in between.

Other Christian groups are not exempt from the irresistible urge to know exactly the split second a sinner is saved. And they want to be sure about some monumental things.

  • Is our church the true church?
  • Am I good enough?
  • Can I know for sure I’m in?
  • What if I forgot to confess some of my sins?
  • Does our church follow the right order of worship?
  • Will my parents or my child be lost because they are in the wrong church?
  • Can other people really be saved who aren’t like us?

All of these and others are questions serious people are grappling with and they really want to find the correct answer. After all, their eternity depends on it!

I think that rather than spending time debating works vs. faith, the efficacy of baptism, the mode of baptism, church differences, good works, Calvinism vs Free will, etc. etc. there is a more pressing question that is not being asked.

Is Jesus Christ sufficient? Is He enough?

In my view when you get this settled, most of the other stuff people debate about and divide over means little. Obviously you will answer Yes! That question might even seem silly to many people. But is it?

If the work and worth of Jesus fully satisfied both God’s holiness and His justice, and if He did it for me, then there is nothing more needed to appease a holy God who hates sin. God has done everything necessary to set men right with Himself. Now he offers life everlasting to those who will take him at His (faith) word and follow. It is a gift undeserved and unearned. This is called grace!

Every person who insists your must do this and do that, keep this ritual and say these words and attend this particular church are without knowing it answering the right question. And the answer is, Christ is not really enough. I need Him and what He has done but I also need this and …… Well maybe, just maybe, the good news (gospel) is much better news than you thought.

Christ is quite enough! You need no more than Him

“19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
(2 Corinthians 1:19-22 ESV)

I believe God only forgives our sins on the basis of Jesus and His death for our sins on the cross. And, I believe we are made righteous based on the flawless life of Jesus which was given for us.

God does not make ungodly sinners His own dear children based on what Christ has done and….anything. The exact reason Paul thrashed the Jewish believers for insisting on circumcision for Gentiles is that they were adding to Christ’s work and worth. Christ and…. is never the right answer.

“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galatians 6:14 ESV)

Let us then not boast in what we have done, what we know, our denomination or lack of it. May we cling only to the Christ of God who alone is eternal life. He is the answer!

Royce


 

 


 

 



 

Dec 24 2010

Christmas, the rest of the story


When I think of the humble birth of Jesus the first Bible verse that comes to mind is this one from Hebrews.

Hebrews 10:5
Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,but a body have you prepared for me”.

The “consequently” in that verse refers to the prior verses that explain that offerings, sacrifices, and religious ritual, and law keeping can never take away sin. Only the once for all, once for all time offering of the body of Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, can take away sin forever.

It is good and right to celebrate Jesus’ birth, and just as important, we celebrate his sacrificial death and victorious resurrection. Each time we share together in communion, eating the bread and drinking the cup, we declare the Lord’s death ’til He comes. And, each time a new believer is immersed in water, the gospel is acted out, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is proclaimed.

The Christ child did not come into the world just to be imitated. He came to pay the awful price of the wrath of God against sin and to show the love of God for sinners. The innocent babe of Bethlehem was just as innocent before His crucifixion until…., until the sins of the world were laid upon him. He suffered the shame, torture, and abandonment of God the Father and friends, and He did it for the ungodly, you and me.

Hebrews 10:10
And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Never again would it be necessary for a priest to go daily offering sacrifices. The one offering of Jesus of his own body satisfied completely the justice and righteousness of God so that based on that once for all, once for all time offering, God can declare an ungodly sinner “not guilty”. Those who are in Christ by faith need not try to appease God about their sins or do anything to attempt to gain His favor. His awful punishment of the Christ is His definitive statement on His love for sinners.

The coming of the baby Jesus was marked by people coming from afar to see him and by a bright star that lit the night sky over Bethlehem. He died alone, his friends had forsaken him, even the Father God turned away for a time, and light left the sky. But He rose from death victor over death, hell, and the grave.

Today the gracious offer of Christmas is Jesus Christ who himself is life everlasting, peace, and righteousness. Those who trust Him alone and forsake all to follow Him have newness of life, the forgiveness of all sins, and the promise of a heavenly inheritance reserved for them.

Peace on earth and goodwill toward men is only possible because the One who would suffer and die for us, and now lives for us, was born. “God with us” is the blessing of Christmas. From my home and heart to yours, may you know the true blessing of the Christ whose birth we joyfully celebrate.

Royce Ogle