Tag Archives: Romans

A commonsense faith in Christ

Posted on December 3, 2014 by | Comments Off on A commonsense faith in Christ

bible_and_candle_krx5While growing up, one of my favorite shows I loved to watch was the Andy Griffith Show. Some of the things that drew me to that television show was the way that Sheriff Taylor was able to take a complex problem and find a commonsense solution for it and when Opie would find himself in trouble and again, Sheriff Taylor would use good old-fashioned commonsense to steer Opie into making the right decision. Although I have had a lot of people tell me that the show does not show reality, I often think that one of society’s biggest problems is the knack to take something simple and turn it into a complex process. The Andy Griffith Show’s popularity was not that it was a complex, advanced, and witty television show; it was quite the opposite. It was a simple show that relied on country wisdom, commonsense solutions to life’s problems, and had a natural appeal to its audience.

A commonsense faith of promise

Earlier this week, while I was on the community college campus before class, a former student stopped me in the parking lot and began to ask me questions about my faith. After a few minutes of answering some very basic questions, the student actually said, “Mr. Simmons, that’s why I like asking you questions about Christianity. You always give a commonsense answer that makes it easy to understand and simple…” I had never really thought about it before yesterday, but just as with everything else, we have changed the simplicity of the gospel into a complex religion that no longer has the appeal of being a simple faith. I believe that this is one of the reasons for Jesus’ warning: Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein (Mark 10:15). When I think of my four-year old daughter, there are things she just accepts as fact; she doesn’t seek an explanation. During the summer, while coming home one night from church, she asked about why the moon was so bright. After I told her that it was because there were no clouds in the sky and the moon was a circle, the light seemed brighter. Her response to my answer was, “wow, that’s neat!” There was no other explanation needed because the simplest answer I could give met her needs.

The faith that Jesus was teaching to the crowds, the faith that would ultimately become known as Christianity, was from its beginning to be a simple faith. Jesus taught this concept by example: And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:2-4). Jesus is not saying that we have to accept Jesus when we are a child to be saved, but what He is saying is that we simply need to take Him at his word. Just as my daughter took me at my word in the explanation about the brightness of the moon, as an adult, I need to be willing to accept what the Lord says at His word. This was something that the Lord continually taught, even in the presence of the religious leaders during His time on Earth. The gospels are full of encounters where Jesus explained in a commonsense way, the very meaning of the laws and practices that the Jewish scholars had made overly complex with their traditions.

One of the best examples of Jesus’ confrontations with the religious leaders during the days of His earthly ministry is found in the gospel of Mark: And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:  And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question (Mark 12:28-34).

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Beware of growing icicles

Posted on December 1, 2014 by | Comments Off on Beware of growing icicles

Icicles13There’s a Christmas movie where the main character, a young boy, has just gotten his desired present – a Red Ryder BB gun – and in his haste to take out the imaginary bandits, he shoots a paper target taped to a metal sign. The BB ricocheted and hits his glasses. Fearing the wrath of his father and the “See, I told you so…” of his mother, he concocted a story that he was shooting icicles off the roof and one hit him in the eye. His mother, apparently willing to believe his story, adds “those icicles can be dangerous, you’re lucky it didn’t put your eye out…”  There is a profound but simple lesson and warning within her simple statement: beware of growing icicles.

Icicles do not start off large, but start with a single drop of water that freezes. Under the right conditions, freezing temperature and more water, they will begin to grow larger and larger. When I was still in the military, I remember one February where I and a few others from the office I worked in had been tasked to go outside and break off the icicles that were hanging off the fire escape to prevent them from falling and hurting someone below. Just as growing icicles can grow to become dangerous, we can foster growing icicles within our heart. Just as an icicle starts as a drop of water, an unkind word or deed done is all it takes to begin the process within our hearts. Once that seed is planted and it takes root, it begins to grow. There’s a warning about this found within the Bible: Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief (Proverbs 28:14). When we allow our hurt feelings to dominate our spiritual life we essentially put our fleshly nature ahead of the Lord. This is one of the many reasons that the Lord warned us during His earthly ministry: No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24).

We’ve all had someone at church or within our family, someone who we know is a Christian, say something or do something that causes us to hurt. Oftentimes, it is unintentional and no harm was ever meant. Instead of talking to the other person, we will often bury the hurt for any number of reasons; maybe it is because we are ashamed we were hurt so easily, maybe we don’t want to admit that the person actually hurt us, or maybe we think we are keeping the peace. Whatever the reason may be, we forget the advice given by the apostle Paul, Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath (Ephesians 4:26). When we think about wrath, most of us think of someone having an intense anger; however, there are times that anger is driven by hurt feelings. I know that there have been times I decided not to follow Paul’s advice and before I knew it, my hurt feelings, the anger, and even confusion over the entire situation began impacting my walk with the Lord. Soon, things that I once found comfort and joy in didn’t appeal to me. I was allowing the growing icicles to gain strength and size.

It is hard to appreciate the blessings and joy that the Lord brings into our lives when we have allowed our love of the Lord to be overcome with hurt and sorrow. We begin to question the motives of those who do try to reach out to us. We lash out at the smallest gesture of concern or kindness, often accusing them of either not understanding what we are feeling or being less than sincere in their efforts. It becomes easy to hide from others and to become spiritually cold, bitter, and shut off from others as the icicles begin to grow larger. I believe this is exactly what David was experiencing when he wrote, Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. T0 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit (Psalms 51:7-12) . David has emotionally reached the stage where he realizes what is going on and is asking the Lord to help him to overcome the hardening of his heart. He wants to be restored to the place where he was truly joyful in his salvation.

Allowing our hearts to become hardened is actually harboring sin. As I look back at the times I had allowed my heart to grow cold, I now think of the admonition of the apostle Paul, This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart (Ephesians 4:17-18). As Christians, we shouldn’t harbor ill feelings the way we did before we knew the Lord Jesus as our personal savior. We shouldn’t allow ourselves to be filled with coldness and bitterness simply to find ourselves alienated from the Lord because we are unwilling to forgive someone else because they have wronged us. During his earthly ministry, Jesus even warned But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses (Mark 11:26). When we hold onto our bitterness and our hurt feelings, we place a wall between ourselves and the Lord. It does not change that we are a child of God, but it does prevent us from being in a place of blessing.

The question becomes how should I handle this hurt caused by someone else and the answer is found in scripture. The apostle Paul wrote Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof (Romans 13:10-14). The first step is ours – we must show the love of Christ towards others, even those who we believed have wronged us.

There is no excuse or justification for us to ever allow our hearts to become bitter and hardened. Paul ends the passage by telling us to put on Christ and don’t give a place to the flesh. Don’t give in to the temptation to grow bitter. Don’t give in to the temptation to let the hurt fester. Follow the model of Christ: Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do… (Luke 23:34). It is the opposite of what the flesh wants to do. It is the opposite of what the world teaches. It is why Paul wrote, If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:21-24). 

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Beware of the pitfalls of the “modern” faith

Posted on November 19, 2014 by | Comments Off on Beware of the pitfalls of the “modern” faith

Water_safety_sign_Dangerous_currentThis morning, while waiting to have my blood drawn for lab work at the local VA health clinic, a gentleman and his wife sat next to me. He noticed that I was reading the Bible on my smartphone and soon, the three of us were having a conversation about faith and church. For about ten minutes, we were able have an uninterrupted conversation that seemed more of an affirmation to me than any great revelation. All it takes is to think back just twenty years ago to become aware that some things that are happening in our churches and some of the viewpoints held by “Christians” are not in line with biblical doctrines.

The Bible not regarded as the absolute authority

The couple I was talking with were in their mid nineties and the first things we discussed was the role of the Bible. Both the man and his wife were lamenting how far our society has moved in their lifetime. The couple shared how they were now in the process of trying to find a new church home because they no longer felt that God was welcomed in the church where they had been members for the last thirty years. The lady even said that their pastor no longer exclusively teaches Bible on Sunday morning, but will use contemporary writings, poetry, and short stories to make his points. Immediately, I thought of what the apostle Paul told Timothy: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works (II Timothy 3:16-17). Paul also wrote to the early Christians and reminding them, For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope (Romans 15:4). Even in his day, Paul was having to encourage the early Christians to study the Old Testament. He understood that the Old Testament is the foundation on which the New Testament stands. Paul also gave a warning for the early Christians to stay true to what the apostles had taught:  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:8).

It is essential that any sermon or message have at its core a biblical foundation. It is the Bible that gives the church authority and it is the Bible that defines the purpose of the church. While the Bible – the Word of God – can live outside the church and is not dependent on the church, the church cannot live and function as the church of God if it is not on a biblical foundation. When the Bible is supplanted by humanist philosophies and is taught from behind the pulpit, it does not bring glory to God. Jesus told the crowd around Him, No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Luke 16:13). This is especially true for the church. It cannot proclaim that it has the moral authority from the Lord when it is teaching philosophies of the flesh. It is for this cause alone that many of our churches in America are failing. They no longer stand firm on the Bible and have adopted worldly teachings and philosophies to grow their membership.

The Bible is what we are to use as our measuring stick. Not only are we to weigh ourselves according to the scriptures, we are to weigh what is preached to us and what is done around us. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). It cuts through the sin and corruption of the flesh; the apostle Peter wrote, Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you (I Peter 1:23-25). Our very salvation depends upon the Word of God! In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not (John 1:1-5).

Within the book of Revelation, I do honestly believe that this is what happened to the church at Laodicea: And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked (Revelation 3:14-17). In my mind’s eye, this is the church that appeals to a large following – they have every kind of outreach ministry under the sun, they have hundreds attend their services, they have a great contemporary music program, never financially struggle, and with all that, spiritually they are naked. Rather than take firm and biblical stands on doctrine, sin, and social issues, they reach out with a feel-good sermon that appeals to the vanity of human emotions. Jeremiah wrote, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9) We can be deceived by our own emotions – which is why God has made salvation independent of our emotions.

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