Matthew 18:4 contains one of the most rejected verses in Scripture, a verse that is very contrary to what many Christian institutions teach:
Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
It gets even worse when you look at the context. The apostles asked Jesus who was the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, and Jesus explained that is people who humble themselves.
But someone will object that the people who accomplish the most for God are the greatest. However, other Scriptures tell us that God gives grace to the humble; it the humble who do the greatest works, because their works are accomplished through God' grace.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
IF A CHRISTIAN DOESN'T LIKE YOU
Psalm 119:74 discusses people who don't like born-again Christians. "Those who fear You will be glad when they see me, Because I have hoped in Your word."
The Scriptures abound in blessings and promises to those who fear the Lord, but it makes clear that these blessings and promises are not for those who are hostile to God's people. When "successful" Christian leaders despise and fight Christians, they show that they don't fear the Lord. Some big-time Christians have been caught in immorality or other scandals, and it will then turn out that they had been mistreating their Christian employees for years.
When you see a Christian leader who despises God's people, no mater how successful he is, he doesn't fear the Lord. It's a good idea to steer clear of him.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
ARE CHRISTIANS UNCLEAN?
This passage is sometimes misused to teach that we should separate from Christians who belong to denominations that have unsaved people in them. A problem here is that the people who believe this are sometimes caught in scandals when some of their own leaders are actually unsaved.
The previous verses show clearly that Paul is talking about separating from pagan temples. Genuine Christians were still fellowshipping with the false gods they had served before coming to Christ, and God's Word strictly forbids this practice. But to separate from saints who belong to Christian groups that don't meet our standards is contrary to the Biblical command that we are to have fervent charity among ourselves.
Monday, February 4, 2013
YEARS OF DISOBEDIENCE
There is actually a doctrine that if you disobey God's commands to get right with a Christian you have wronged, God will eventually accept your sin. Which brings up the question: "How many years do you have to disobey God's commands to get things right, before God will accept your sin?"
My college vice-president was a former Green Beret (FGB) who was forced out of the college for supporting and protecting violent gangs among the student body. He had a strong policy of never gong back to someone he had wronged to make things right, explaining that his wrongs were "water under the bridge." He then built a successful church that included a successful school.
And then one day, Al Gore invented the internet. The FGB found himself the topic of a Christian hate site dedicated to his misdeeds. A couple dozen of his victims wrote in, and his church members began following the hate site, causing problems in his church. His defenders pointed out that he was winning more souls to Christ than his critics, and then a tech-savvy critic found out that all of his supporters were paid staff members of his church.
Believe it or not, I am actually on good terms with the FGB. I urged him to post an apology and admission of guilt, but he never answered me.
The best friend of a gang member who had been expelled began writing a series, claiming that the violent gang stories were false. After a few years, someone pointed out the solid track record of lying and church abuse that the defender had, using the abuser's real name.
Thirty-eight years later, the FGB's wrongs against the saints are still coming up.
My college vice-president was a former Green Beret (FGB) who was forced out of the college for supporting and protecting violent gangs among the student body. He had a strong policy of never gong back to someone he had wronged to make things right, explaining that his wrongs were "water under the bridge." He then built a successful church that included a successful school.
And then one day, Al Gore invented the internet. The FGB found himself the topic of a Christian hate site dedicated to his misdeeds. A couple dozen of his victims wrote in, and his church members began following the hate site, causing problems in his church. His defenders pointed out that he was winning more souls to Christ than his critics, and then a tech-savvy critic found out that all of his supporters were paid staff members of his church.
Believe it or not, I am actually on good terms with the FGB. I urged him to post an apology and admission of guilt, but he never answered me.
The best friend of a gang member who had been expelled began writing a series, claiming that the violent gang stories were false. After a few years, someone pointed out the solid track record of lying and church abuse that the defender had, using the abuser's real name.
Thirty-eight years later, the FGB's wrongs against the saints are still coming up.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Proof of Spirituality
Who's the best Christian? The guy with the biggest church? The one who wins the most souls to Christ? The one who reads the most Bible? The one who holds important leadership positions?
Jesus said "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another." Christians who constantly war against other saints are not Jesus' disciples. Christians who feel called to expose the sins of groups they disagree with are not disciples. Christians who slander their way to leadership positions are not disciples.
But don't we need to do certain things in order to please God? When you don't love the brethren, any blessing God gives you looks like an attack on your Christian enemies. Any failure you have is a comfort to your Christian enemies.
Also, it is hard to submit to the authority, or to help the ministry, of a Christian enemy. By fighting, you cut off many areas of service where God could use you. That's why God tells us "Above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves."
Jesus said "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another." Christians who constantly war against other saints are not Jesus' disciples. Christians who feel called to expose the sins of groups they disagree with are not disciples. Christians who slander their way to leadership positions are not disciples.
But don't we need to do certain things in order to please God? When you don't love the brethren, any blessing God gives you looks like an attack on your Christian enemies. Any failure you have is a comfort to your Christian enemies.
Also, it is hard to submit to the authority, or to help the ministry, of a Christian enemy. By fighting, you cut off many areas of service where God could use you. That's why God tells us "Above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves."
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
THE FIRST GREAT PRINCIPLE OF FAILURE
John 15:12 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
1 Peter 4:8 commands us "Above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves."
More important than soul-winning, more important than numbers, more important than doctrine, more important than which translation we read, we are to have fervent charity among ourselves. Why is this so important? Christians do not grasp how and why their failures in serving God are related to not loving the brethren. They place themselves in situations in which any success God gives them is an attack on other saints, while any failures they have are an encouragement to the brethren they've attacked. It is a common Christian error that if they succeed, God is "on their side," when God is actually on the side of every Christian.
Here in Mexico, I have seen Christians, including missionaries, attack other saints with no provocation, and then they wonder why God doesn't bless them. They believe that they are right in their attacks, when God tells us that fervent charity among ourselves is more important than attacking others. I'll be spending some time on this important doctrine, that fervent charity among ourselves is the most important thing we are to practice.
John 15:12 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
1 Peter 4:8 commands us "Above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves."
More important than soul-winning, more important than numbers, more important than doctrine, more important than which translation we read, we are to have fervent charity among ourselves. Why is this so important? Christians do not grasp how and why their failures in serving God are related to not loving the brethren. They place themselves in situations in which any success God gives them is an attack on other saints, while any failures they have are an encouragement to the brethren they've attacked. It is a common Christian error that if they succeed, God is "on their side," when God is actually on the side of every Christian.
Here in Mexico, I have seen Christians, including missionaries, attack other saints with no provocation, and then they wonder why God doesn't bless them. They believe that they are right in their attacks, when God tells us that fervent charity among ourselves is more important than attacking others. I'll be spending some time on this important doctrine, that fervent charity among ourselves is the most important thing we are to practice.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
PRINCIPLES OF FAILURE Part 4
John 14:21, Jesus said
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.
Folks, I'm on part 4, and I still can't get out of the introduction. How does Jesus manifest Himself to an obedient Christian? He might do it by "speaking" to him directly, or He might speak to him through the Scriptures or through a person. I have noticed that the missionaries who fail here in Mexico do not go to successful Christians for advice. Instead, they listen to people who are themselves unsuccessful. The Bible tells us that evil communications corrupt good manners; one missionary family spent four years listening to an untruthful person, and now the Jehovah's Witnesses are making an issue out of the false reports of success that they were posting.
God can bless a person by steering him or her to good advisors, and He does that to obedient Christians.
John 14:21, Jesus said
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.
Folks, I'm on part 4, and I still can't get out of the introduction. How does Jesus manifest Himself to an obedient Christian? He might do it by "speaking" to him directly, or He might speak to him through the Scriptures or through a person. I have noticed that the missionaries who fail here in Mexico do not go to successful Christians for advice. Instead, they listen to people who are themselves unsuccessful. The Bible tells us that evil communications corrupt good manners; one missionary family spent four years listening to an untruthful person, and now the Jehovah's Witnesses are making an issue out of the false reports of success that they were posting.
God can bless a person by steering him or her to good advisors, and He does that to obedient Christians.
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