Tag Archives: 1Samuel

The dangers of social Christianity

Posted on October 26, 2015 by | Comments Off on The dangers of social Christianity

Biblical-Studies-DegreeThere has been a trend in both American and western European societies that has led to a lot of scriptural misunderstanding. This trend, known as social Christianity, is a delusion that leaves the soul hungry for truth, is spiritually void, and does not have the power to save. It is a false gospel that serves no other purpose than to confuse, to distort the love of God, and to remake the faith that God has called Christians to have. Social Christianity, and the social gospels it teaches, is acceptable and appealing to the world because it sets aside the standards set by God and replaces them with a non-threatening interpretation of the gospel of Jesus where the distinction between unrepentant sinner and sinner saved by grace are distorted.

Social Christianity compared to biblical Christianity

The true gospel of Jesus is much different from the social gospel in many areas. The Bible is very clear in its presentation of the gospel: 1) there must be genuine repentance for sins [Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19)], 2) conversion (salvation) happens when we call upon the  Lord [For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10), For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16), and For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13)] and 3) our belief in Jesus is our only means of salvation [Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6) and Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12)]. There are literally hundreds of other verses I could use to show the Lord’s plan of salvation that is freely offered through His grace and love for us, but I believe Paul said it best: Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:5-9).

Biblical Christianity places the focus of the relationship between the individual believer and the Lord Jesus Christ. That focus is centered upon the concept of individual repentance, individual recognition of our original state of being a sinner and the recognition of our need for redemption from the wages of sin [For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23)]. It is placing our full and complete faith in the completed works of Jesus, His death, burial, and resurrection, the sacrifice of His sinless, spotless life in the place of our sin-stained life as our only hope of Heaven. The Bible clearly teaches that just one of our sins places us in need of judgment; Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life (Romans 5:18), but that through Jesus’ sacrifice, we are offered the free gift of salvation. Salvation is not earned by our own perception of righteousness, fairness, or by good works, but by the standards that have been set by God, of whom Paul wrote, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2). 

Social Christianity has a number of teachings within its framework that cloud the simplicity of the true gospel of Jesus. Within the last three years, there have been a number of national-level politicians within the United States who have used the phrases national salvation and national redemption as calls for Americans to support their various agendas. Even Israel, a nation and kingdom established by God never had this kind of total and complete redemption for all its citizens. Even the Old Testament teaches salvation of the individual believer but does offer national blessings when the nation is in obedience to the will and teachings of the Lord. Will God bless our nation, if as a nation, we are obedient to the will and teachings of God? Yes. But this is not the same as national redemption or national salvation. Salvation is, even under the New Testament teachings, a relationship between the person and God.

Continued on next page.

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Posted in Chrisitian Philosophy, Christian Living, Our relationship with God, Our relationship with ourselves

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Having the proper attitude matters

Posted on December 10, 2014 by | Comments Off on Having the proper attitude matters

bible-sepiaIn Monday’s post, we shared about making the decision on becoming an obedient servant of Christ. As I was preparing the notes and scripture references for it, I began to realize that I hadn’t even covered an important part of the lesson – having the proper attitude – and already had a long post. As a part of our decision to place ourselves in the position of being a servant for the Lord Jesus Christ, we must do so with the proper attitude. Actually, this important part of our faith has a profound impact on our spiritual growth, our relationship with other Christians, our church we attend, and even our own walk with the Lord.  Our attitude affects so much more than what we sometimes like to admit.

Having the proper attitude is important as we try to live daily for the Lord. Through the leading of the Holy Spirit, And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offering and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams (1 Samuel 15:22). The Lord counts our obedience as being more important to Him than any sacrifice that we could ever make but that obedience must be with the proper attitude. David wrote, I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore (Psalms 86:12) and I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word (Psalms 119:58). In both of these verses, we see that David has set the Lord as his heart’s desire. In spite of all David’s failings and faults, and in spite of the sins he committed, David had the proper attitude towards the Lord. He wanted to serve the Lord, to study the scriptures, and to please the Lord in all that he did.

The Bible often uses common relationships to teach some of its most simplest truths. Having the proper attitude is one of these truths. There are many passages where marriage, friendships, and even the relationship of a master and servant are used to illustrate this teaching. As any person who has been married knows, there is no such thing as just giving marriage fifty percent and it work. Personally, I believe that is why so many marriages in our nation are failing today because we enter into them with the attitude of “I’m going to give my fifty percent, do my part, and don’t expect anything more…” Ask any couple that has been married for forty or fifty years or more and a few things that each have in common: the attitude of both husband and wife is one of whatever comes up, they are in the marriage until death, they don’t keep score and there is no thing as a fifty/fifty marriage as both give all they can to one another, and everything they do, they do in submission to each other and the Lord.  They do these things not because they have to, but because they want to – they have the proper attitude within their marriage. When we read our Bible, when we pray, when we give tithes and offerings, the Lord does not want us to do these things because we have to, but because we want to out of our love for Him – we must have the proper attitude or all that we do for the Lord will come up short.

There is a story told in the beginning of the Bible that demonstrates how having the proper attitude pleases the Lord. There are two parts to the story, but the first one is And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering – God accepted the offering because it had been done with an attitude of obedience. It had been carefully prepared to meet the exact standards that God required (Genesis 4:4). God accepted Abel’s sacrifice because it had been offered in the way that had been prescribed by the Lord, but because it was offered with the proper attitude of gratefulness and worship the Lord desired. The second part of the story, And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell (Genesis 4:3, 5) shows that Cain did the opposite. He attempted to approach God on his own terms, he did not come to worship God with an attitude of obedience, gratefulness, and worship,  but an attitude of disobedience and defiance. The result was that God rejected Cain’s offering.

Within the writings of the apostle Paul, the importance of having the proper attitude is also taught in the verse,  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). Although most people associate this verse with giving of tithes and offerings, it actually applies to all that we do. Whatever we are doing for the Lord, we must have the proper attitude. It is not enough just to go through the motions of doing something for the Lord. It must come from our heart. This is really nothing new, because even during the exodus out of Egypt, the Lord told Moses, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering (Exodus 25:2). From my understanding of this verse, the Levites were only instructed to accept the offerings that came from those who had the proper attitude. Could you imagine if more people had their tithes and offerings received at the local church returned to them if their giving was out of the wrong attitude?

Again, the apostle Paul adds to this concept of having the proper attitude when giving by writing to the Christians at Corinth, For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not (2 Corinthians 8:12), clearly teaching that there must be a willing mind and not one that simply gives out of duty. So much of what we do as Christians depends on us having the proper attitude. some of the clearest warnings about the importance of the attitude are found in these verses: And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever (1 Chronicles 28:9), I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (Jeremiah 17:10), and Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart (Ephesians 6:6). So it becomes important for us to not only be an obedient servant, but whatever we do, we do it with the proper attitude.

 

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Is your spiritual house properly constructed?

Posted on July 1, 2014 by | Comments Off on Is your spiritual house properly constructed?

houseconstructionEver watch what all goes into building a house? Before the keys are even given to the owner, there are several things that must happen. First, there has to be a plan for construction, the lot has to be prepared, a foundation laid, walls and roof must be framed, and many other steps before the house is even ready for the first picture is hung by the owners. This morning, as I was reading an article about the decline in single family new home construction, I couldn’t help but to notice the picture.  I began thinking about the similarities in construction and the development of our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.

A house is not just a few bricks, some shingles, boards, windows, and doors fastened together. It may look great from the outside but without all the necessary parts on the inside, the house will not survive the storms that come against it.  It has to be fastened to the foundation and it must have a framework that gives the boards, bricks, and shingles a place on which to be fastened. As Christians, the same exists with our walk with the Lord Jesus.  It is more than having an outward appearance of being a child of God.  We must have a foundation, a plan, and a frame that supports the outward appearance.  During His earthly ministry, Jesus taught, Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock (Matthew 7:24-25). Just as a house is as only strong as its foundation, our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ is only as strong as our spiritual foundation.

Looking back at my life, although I accepted the Jesus as my Lord and Savior in 1988, I projected a great Christian walk, but that’s all it was – a projection, a shell.   While I may have fooled myself and others around me, I was not fooling the Lord: But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart (I Samuel 16:7). There are a lot of people out there that are doing the same thing that I did and think that they are actually fooling those around them.  The apostle Paul even warned the early Christians and us in his second letter to the Corinthians about those that do this very thing: Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s (II Corinthians 10:7).  There were times in my life, before my personal revival in 2006, that I wondered why God did not answer my prayers or attended to my needs.  The prophet Jeremiah actually provided the answer for all that truly seek it: I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (Jeremiah 17:10). When our spiritual life is hollow and we continue to live in sin, God cannot and will not bless us because we are living in a condition of disobedience. In other words, a real faith in Christ must be built on a firm foundation and must be genuine from the inside out.

For a strong Christian life, our foundation must be on faith in Christ alone; For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). We are held to that foundation by the Holy Spirit, Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual (I Corinthians 2:13) and through our personal studying of the Bible,  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (II Timothy 2:15). Just as a house is strengthened by its frame, we are strengthened by the Bible, by our fellowship with other Christians, and our regular participation within the local New Testament congregation.  A strong walk with Christ does not happen by accident, but is something that is built over time.

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