Shepherds or Shamers? The Rise of Church Discipline in America
Those who promote rigorous church discipline say they have history on their side. And they are at least partially correct. But when Christians speak of church discipline today, they may not be referring to the practices of yore. Even the most stringent adherent would not condone behaviors reminiscent of American witch hunts or the Spanish Inquisition, for example.
4 Reasons To Be Still {& Calm Your Anxious Heart}
The command to be still and know that the Lord is God is a direct assault on our tendency to worry and fear. In the midst of pain or uncertainty our minds are quick to go in a million directions making up one worst-case scenario after another. It is exhausting. It’s easy to take our eyes off of Jesus when we find ourselves in hard circumstances or see the potential for difficult times. As Peter discovered this guarantees our sinking.
Three Observations About Tony Campolo’s Acceptance of Committed Gay Relationships
Like many others before him, Campolo’s conscience seems to have been moved not by scripture but by relationships he’s had with gay friends. He writes: “One reason I am changing my position on this issue is that, through Peggy, I have come to know so many gay Christian couples whose relationships work in much the same way as our own. Our friendships with these couples have helped me understand how important it is for the exclusion and disapproval of their unions by the Christian community to end.”
Are Christians Really the Arrogant Ones?
When religious matters are debated in our culture–e.g., the existence of God, what God is like, morals and ethics–there is an implicit set of rules that everyone is obligated to follow. Number one on this list of unspoken rules it that you can never claim to know anything about God with any level of certainty.
Theological Fitness: A Review
If you are looking for a good study for yourself or a group, I highly recommend Theological Fitness. There are even study questions that can be used in a small group setting. It may not popular these days to be serious about holiness and piety (not to be confused with pietism), but we are in a very real struggle and need to be encouraged in our own fight and to encourage others. This book helps us do that. I am very thankful for Aimee Byrd and her work.
10 Reasons I’m Thankful for the Presbyterian Church in America
Standards. Although there are differences regarding certain articles in the Westminster Standards, I’ve found that nearly everyone I know in the PCA takes them very seriously. The only thing worse than a denomination always arguing about theology is a denomination that never argues about theology.
We Are Always Free to Follow Christ
by Chris Pappalardo
Years ago, while living in an overwhelmingly Muslim country, I (Chris) was privileged to hear a talk from Nik Ripken about the persecuted church throughout the world. That talk was both challenging and encouraging, and kept me hopeful during some dark trials of faith.
Ripken has shared many of those stories in his Insanity of God, an appropriately named title for some of the downright crazy things God is doing today. One theme that comes up—again and again and again—is the possibility of freedom even in the midst of persecution. We are always free to follow Christ. That’s a lesson we need to cling to, even here in the United States.
Here is an excerpt:
The communists [in China] were not concerned with what Christians believed. What they cared about was political allegiance. And they understood clearly the threat from those who declared the Lordship of Christ, a Lordship that would not be shared with the State or with any other power.
I asked whether, when, and how the oppressed could truly threaten a totalitarian oppressor. They offered this scenario in response:
How to attract goats to your church
by A. Spreeman
Is church about saints (those who are saved), or sinners goats? Look, we’re all sinners; we need to use our words correctly. Those who have repented and put their trust in Christ alone for their salvation are saints. Another great word we can use here is sheep. The opposite term in the Bible is goats. […]
Our message to “Christians” advocating gay marriage: “Repent and believe.”
Fr. Lawrence Farley, an Orthodox priest, says that those “Christians” who revise the church’s teaching on marriage are preaching another Jesus, not the Jesus of the Bible. He writes:
Groups that preach another Jesus and another Gospel are rightly regarded by us now as heretically non-Christian, and thus the Orthodox Church does not have an official ecumenical dialogue with Mormons (that I know of) or with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Our message to them is simply “Repent and believe”; we do not meet with them for wine and cheese to discuss Christology at conferences or produce scholarly papers at symposia about the thought of Joseph Smith or Charles Taze Russell. In the same way, any church group or denomination which officially commits itself to blessing homosexual activity or gay marriage is preaching another Jesus, and Orthodoxy should also suspend any official ecumenical dialogue with them. We badly misread the homosexual debate if we regard it simply as another moral issue (like abortion), and a debate over whether or not a particular activity is sinful. It is more basic than that. It is not simply a moral issue; it is a Christological one. If we continue ecumenical dialogue with groups that bless homosexuality, at best we are wasting our breath. At worst we are adding credibility to what Paul called “another gospel”.
This is a man who understands what is at stake when churches succumb to false teachers tempting Christians to forsake what God’s word says about sexuality and marriage. We are not disputing about trivialities but about the essence of things. Read the rest here.
The Form of the Liturgy
by Scott Aniol
Behavior is shaped by liturgies because, as Lewis stated, our inclinations are organized through trained habits, and habits are formed through rituals. And it is the shape of those rituals that cultivates the habits, because the form of the liturgy embodies certain values.
How To Know How Satan Is Tempting You
Martin Luther once compared the Christian to a drunk man trying to ride a horse. It’s a comically apt comparison. This man scrambles up one side of the horse, and promptly falls off the opposite side. So then he climbs up from that side, and falls right off the other. Luther meant to say that as Christians, we are prone to extremes. When we are not veering too far in one direction, we are swerving too far in the other.
One of the areas in which we are given to extremes is the area of Satan and his demons, and their work in this world. Some Christians are so obsessed with Satanic activity that they can hardly talk about anything else. Other Christians are so oblivious to it that they would rather not talk about it at all. Yet, as is so often the case, the Bible directs us to a much better middle ground where we are aware but not obsessed, where we are mindful of Satan’s activity but equally convinced of Christ’s victory.
Cold Case Christianity: How Can We Reasonably Examine The Evidence For Christianity? (Video)
J. Warner Wallace, author of Cold-Case Christianity, was interviewed by Bobby Conway (The One Minute Apologist) and discussed the important distinction between “possible” and “reasonable” when examining explanations. (For more information related to Bobby’s great ministry, visit: http://oneminuteapologist.com/)
Madeleine L’Engle’s foundation awards grant to LGBT group at Wheaton College
by Marsha West
Religion News Service reports:
The foundation of Madeleine L’Engle, the late National Book Award-winning author of “A Wrinkle in Time,” has awarded OneWheaton, an independent community of LGBT students and alumni from Wheaton College, a $5,000 grant.
OneWheaton is committed to affirming LGBT students but is not officially recognized by the prominent evangelical school, which can expel students caught in homosexual behaviors.
The group plans to use the money to fund public discussions and forums about LGBT issues and evangelical culture.
“We couldn’t be happier to receive this grant from L’Engle’s Crosswicks Foundation,” said Paul Canaday-Elliott, a OneWheaton board member.
“Wheaton tells a very one-sided narrative about LGBT persons without making room for dialogue,” he added. “So this will help us continue to supply something that the college isn’t.”
How to Encourage Others Without Even Trying
by Paula Hendricks | 6/09/15
I really appreciated Elizabeth’s insight on last week’s post, Three Epic Reasons to Encourage Others. I asked,
“Who do you know who could use a good dose of encouragement right about now?”
And she responded,
“There isn’t anyone who doesn’t need to be encouraged!”
True that! And here’s the thing: it doesn’t take much to become a continual encourager.
I like how J.R. Miller says it,
“[Jesus’] inquiry concerning every person was, ‘Can I do anything for you? Can I share your burden? Can I relieve you of your sufferings?’”
Now we have the privilege of being Jesus’ ambassadors in our neighborhoods, of housing the Spirit of Christ within us and allowing Him to love through us. That said, here are four simple (but meaningful!) ways to encourage others:
Liberalism and the Church
A century ago the Protestant churches in North America were divided between those who sought to defend the confessional integrity of their churches and those who believed that some form of compromise with the modern worldview was inevitable and desirable.
An open letter to worship leaders (Scott Swain)
Dear Comrades in Pursuit of the Chief End of Man,
I have rarely (alright, never) been asked to give input regarding the weekly “worship set.” However, having witnessed Christian worship in local churches, Christian camps, seminary chapels, and other venues over the past 43 years, I have come to the conclusion that you could use some help.
God Wrote A Book – Powerful New Video
In this powerful new video from Desiring God, John Piper helps to fill us with awe and longing for God’s Word. Video Transcript: God wrote a book.
Aslan Is on the Move
Even while the West turns its back on the faith, Christianity is growing by leaps and bounds. Some good news, and a prayer request, next on BreakPoint.
Listen Now | Download
Nine Thoughts for Pastors Who Are Considering Quitting
The question almost made me laugh. The pastor asked me if I ever considered quitting when I was a pastor. My response was quick and truthful: “Yes. On the average about once a week.”
If you are a pastor who has not considered quitting, you are likely in the minority. And certainly there are times when we should leave. But, if your desire to quit is the result of the typical challenges of pastoring, allow me to share nine thoughts that may lead you to reconsider.
- Many storms pass quickly. I can remember times when I thought the world was crashing in on me. But, in a matter of a few weeks, the storm had passed. Many of the crises of the moment will become faded memories of the past.
- It’s probably not you. Those critics and dissidents see you as a convenient target. They may not really be frustrated at you. But you are the most visible place to unload. It’s probably another issue, and not you.
- The vast majority of the congregation supports you. I know. I’ve seen travesties where a pastor has been forced out by vengeful staff members and misguided personnel committees. But most of the time the minority does not have that power. Remember that the majority of the church members love and support you.
- Remember your call. You likely have a clear recollection of the time God called you to ministry and to this church. Remember that call. At times, it’s what you need to hang in there.
- Longer-term pastors see better days. Sometimes it takes years to earn the leadership trust of the congregation. One of the gifts many pastors need is the gift of perseverance.
- Hurting church members often hurt others. Among those “others” are you, their pastor. Their grief and pain can unfortunately be directed at you.
- It’s not better in other churches. Many pastors get the green grass syndrome. They move from church to church trying to find the church without problems, critics, and challenges. That church does not exist.
- The changing culture frustrates many church members. They remember the “good old days” where almost everyone went to church and change was minimal. They are frustrated and fearful, and they often see you as the problem.
- God is with you. I know you grasp this truth theologically, but you may need to pause to assimilate it experientially. God called you. God loves you. He will not abandon you.
While I focused on the pastor for these nine thoughts, it applies to all of you in vocational ministry. Serving a church can be tough. But you have been called to a ministry of service even to the “least of these.” And the least of these can include those who are giving you the biggest headaches.
What do you think of these nine thoughts? What would you add? Let me hear from you.
The post Nine Thoughts for Pastors Who Are Considering Quitting appeared first on ThomRainer.com.
How Younger Preachers Can Help Their Hearers
One of the more amazing things about God’s redemptive plan for the world is that he uses human beings to further it. Even more amazing is that he uses men. And still more amazing is that he often uses young men. Truly all the applause for redemptive history rises to God.
Young men are often raised up by God to take the baton in various ways to faithfully follow previous generations. One of those ways in the privileged and sacred task of feeding Christ’s flock through biblical preaching.
However, as you read Scripture and spend time ministering to God’s people, one thing becomes clear: it is not always easy for people to readily receive the ministry of a young man. A young preacher’s hearers sometimes need help.
Why? Like a young tree, it remains to be seen if we will endure the elements. We have yet to establish the bond of trust with the congregation which often takes years. We may not have the much-needed seasoning of sanctification. Our lives lack the testing and refining brought by the sovereignty of God over time. Younger preachers often have fewer years in the necessary school of suffering. Simply because we have not lived long, we have not been as sanctified, tamed, and tested through struggle. Our doctrinal beliefs, convictions, and philosophy of ministry have been tested by little more than red ink and like-minded friends. It’s easier when we’re green to march up to the pulpit and confidently proclaim our convictions. It’s quite another thing having done so through a measure of blood, sweat, and tears. We’ve yet to personally feel the pounding resistance of the world, the flesh, and the devil against long-held biblical convictions. For those reasons, and more, there can be an understandable hesitancy towards younger pastors. And we fledgling preachers need not resent that, but humbly do our part to assist in our audience’s receptivity and help our hearers.
By “help our hearers,” I mean doing what we can, as younger and less experienced preachers, to be as useful of an instrument as possible in Christ’s hands to bring his transforming power to the congregation.
Here are a few ways that younger preachers can help their hearers:
Blogs
Pastors and Time in Sermon Preparation
Significant increase over last ten years. Thom Rainer comments:
I am encouraged. In past studies, I have found a correlative relationship between time in sermon preparation and church health metrics. The greater the time in sermon preparation, the more likely the church is to be evangelistically effective, have a higher retention rate of members, and have a higher weekly per capita giving. Simply stated, when the pastor spends more time in the Word, the church tends to be healthier.
Not Your Average Paedobaptism – The Gospel Coalition
“No way will anyone pour water on my kid’s head,” my recently converted dad said to our seminary-trained pastor. As this opening line suggests, Jared Oliphant takes a different approach to an old debate.
Serving, Struggling, and Thriving as a Pastor’s Wife – The Gospel Coalition
TGC/Crossway partnership produces a brief but helpful interview with Gloria Furman about her new book.
People Over Profit: Easier Said Than Done | Her.meneutics | Christianitytoday.com
A review of a book that presents seven principles the author believes all companies should adopt: people matter, truth wins, transparency frees, authenticity attracts, quality speaks, generosity returns, and courage sustains.
An Anchor in Unfamiliar Place – Borrowed Light
Mike is on the move and finds a reliable anchor in the midst of change.
How Should Christians View World History? by R.C. Sproul | Ligonier Ministries Blog
8 Lessons Learned from a Long Battle with Spiritual Depression | The Gospel Coalition
NB: It says “spiritual” depression.
Culture
Are Christians Really the Arrogant Ones? | Canon Fodder
Can Gays And Christians Coexist In America? Part II: Slavery
Important series (Part I)
Could Facebook Be Helping to Reduce Abortions? – The Gospel Coalition
Researchers Say They’ve Cracked The Code To Being Happy « CBS New York
Among some rather predictable findings is this one: “One of the biggest hindrances to being happy is too much thinking about one’s self.”
The Commencement Speech as Cultural Barometer | TGC
Why Christian Denominations Aren’t Going Away
Trevin Wax, Religion News
The Gospel According To the ‘Nones’
Elizabeth Drescher, America
Has Preaching Changed Since the Early Church?
Peter Sanlon, 9Marks.org
If God is Sovereign, What is the Point of Prayer?
20 Wise Quotes from G.K. Chesterton
Letter to the Editor: False Unity Growing Among U.S. Pastors – Say “Unity” is Key to Revival
Dear Lighthouse Trails: I am writing because of my great concern for what seems to be a false “unity” growing amongst pastors in Sacramento, CA. The concern I have is not only on the local level but on a national level as well.
See what love the Father has for us!
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. (1 John 3:1)
The words ‘what kind’ in the Greek indicate an otherworldly or supernatural love. It is a kind of love that the Holy Trinity has for His children but one that we do not understand fully…because it comes from another place than from men, or on earth. It’s astounding to think of this love! It is so deep and so perfect. It’s abstract because it comes from the fountain of the Father’s heart but it is real because He demonstrates it-
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Warren Wiersbe explains that in the 1 John 3:1 verse and onward, John gives us three reasons for a holy life.
God the Father Loves Us (1 John 3:1–3)
God’s love for us is unique. First John 3:1 may be translated, “Behold, what peculiar, out-of-this-world kind of love the Father has bestowed on us.” While we were His enemies God loved us and sent His Son to die for us!
The whole wonderful plan of salvation begins with the love of God.
Many translators add a phrase to 1 John 3:1: “That we should be called the sons of God, and we are.” “Sons of God” is not simply a high-sounding name that we bear; it is a reality! We are God’s children! We do not expect the world to understand this thrilling relationship, because it does not even understand God. Only a person who knows God through Christ can fully appreciate what it means to be called a child of God.
First John 3:1 tells us what we are and 1 John 3:2 tells us what we shall be. The reference here, of course, is to the time of Christ’s coming for His church. This was mentioned in 1 John 2:28 as an incentive for holy living, and now it is repeated.
God’s love for us does not stop with the new birth. It continues throughout our lives and takes us right up to the return of Jesus Christ! When our Lord appears, all true believers will see Him and will become like Him (Phil. 3:20–21). This means, of course, that they will have new, glorified bodies, suited to heaven.
But the apostle does not stop here! He has told us what we are and what we shall be. Now, in 1 John 3:3, he tells us what we should be. In view of the return of Jesus Christ, we should keep our lives clean.
All this is to remind us of the Father’s love. Because the Father loved us and sent His Son to die for us, we are children of God. Because God loves us, He wants us to live with Him one day. Salvation, from start to finish, is an expression of the love of God. We are saved by the grace of God (Eph. 2:8–9; Titus 2:11–15), but the provision for our salvation was originated in the love of God. And since we have experienced the love of the Father, we have no desire to live in sin.
(Source: Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 504). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
This heavenly love is given to us that we are children of God. This God, this holy and loving and just and perfect Father, revealed Himself to us in His word. His word is where we learn more about Him, His love, His plan for us.
His word is edifying and instructive and all sufficient. (2 Timothy 3:16). It pierces, transforms, convicts. I read Dr Albert Mohler’s comment yesterday when he put up this link to Dr John Piper’s video regarding the importance of reading the Bible:
Albert Mohler @albertmohler 20h20 hours ago
My heart was really moved by this new video from @JohnPiper — “God Wrote a Book.” Please see it and share it. http://ow.ly/O366H
I did view it and I did share it. I encourage you to watch, it is 5 minutes.
The love the Father has for us brings peace and gratitude. It is a refreshing and wonderful feeling, knowing by His grace I am a child of God. What further joys await when I am lifted to His holy habitation to see Him as He is. That is where the 1 John 3 verse goes, it says in vv. 2-3,
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Pure. Brothers and Sisters, we will see Him as He is. Read John 17 if you want to fall on your face in gratitude in being a recipient of this great love the Father and the Son have for each other and which Jesus opened that circle to include us within it. We are secure in the bosom of the holy and loving Trinity, and someday, we shall see Him as He is.
GOD WROTE A BOOK by Dr John Piper
Documenting the Rise of Big Brother and More of Anjem Choudary
First 45 minutes drew on a number of articles I’ve clipped over the past week on the rise of the Big Brother state. Big Brother is here…but who knew he’d be gay?
The Prosperity Gospel Majors on Minors
In two minutes, Conrad Mbewe shows that when we’re honest with the Scriptures, the prosperity gospel makes too much of temporal riches and too little of eternal joys.
The Double-Edged Sword of Sentimentalism
At the March for Life this past January, I saw a teenage girl holding a sign that read, “She could be the next Beyoncé!” the “she” referring, of course, to the baby inside the womb.
How to Persevere in Prayer When You’re Really Stressed Out
Have you ever had one of those days where you just can’t shake your anxiety? No matter what you do, you can’t get your mind off of what is bothering you.
Church discipline gone wrong: more common than you think (COMMENTARY)
(RNS) There is an epidemic of mishandled church discipline cases. I was a victim of one 13 years ago.
The post Church discipline gone wrong: more common than you think (COMMENTARY)
2 Keys to Understanding the Heart of God
There are two ideas I have been mulling over the last couple years which are central to understanding the heart of God, and which most Christians do not seem to understand.
Anti-Jew, Anti-Israel, Replacement Theology Movie
LTRP Note: The following article by LT author John Lanagan is about a recent anti-Semitic anti-biblical film called Marching to Zion. Our thanks to John for writing this needed warning.
The Battle of the Mind
Pulling Down Strongholds
By Pastor Anton Bosch
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal…
How Should Christians Respond to Cultural Decline?
What advice would you give Christians facing such rapid cultural marginalization?
In the great battle that is the culture war Christians are in rapid and chaotic retreat.
Guidelines for Counseling in the Church – Rainer on Leadership #131
Podcast Episode #131
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio
Today on the podcast we cover an often overlooked aspect of ministry: counseling. Most, if not all, ministers will be needed for counseling at some point in their ministry. So it is important to establish guidelines for counseling for the benefit of both the minister and those seeking the counseling. We also discuss premarital counseling and whether or not ministers should perform the weddings of those who do not go through premarital counseling.
- It is absolutely necessary to have safeguards in place for opposite gender counseling.
- Pastors should be available to counsel members because many issues are specifically spiritual in nature.
- Counseling is a great need in many churches.
- Counseling policies should be in writing for the protection of the church and the minister.
- Staff who enjoy counseling sometimes unknowingly neglect other duties by spending too much time counseling.
- Premarital counseling was required for all couples for whom I performed the wedding ceremony.
The eight guidelines for counseling we discussed are:
- Be careful with opposite gender counseling.
- Know your limitations in counseling.
- Have a system of referrals for outside counselors.
- Get to know other professional counselors in the area.
- Know your local rules and regulations regarding counseling.
- Know the boundaries of your counseling abilities.
- Get to know other staff in the area to learn localized counseling issues.
- If illegal activity is discovered, immediately go to legal authorities.
Resources
The post Guidelines for Counseling in the Church – Rainer on Leadership #131 appeared first on ThomRainer.com.
Evil as Evidence for God’s Existence
2. Evil exists.
3. Therefore, objective moral values exist (some things are evil!).
4. Therefore, God exists. [1]
For those interested in learning about what makes a good argument, see here.
If you are interested in learning more about how to answer the objection of problem and suffering, go here.
Hustling the Church
The seeker-sensitve church, too often, loses her identity, ceasing to be the Church.
First, I want to applaud the motive. Who could possibly be against the desire to see those outside the kingdom being brought into the kingdom, to see souls rescued?
How Should Christians View World History?
R.C. Sproul:
It is also important for us to understand that in terms of biblical eschatology, the end of the world does not indicate an annihilation of the world but a renovation and redemption of it. The New Testament makes it evident that the final renovation of creation is cosmic in scope, that the whole universe groans together in travail waiting for the redemption of the sons of men (Rom 8:18–23). Questions of our future, personal and cosmic, are all subject to the inquiries associated with eschatology. The question of life after death—the issues of heaven, hell, and resurrection—are all integral to our study of eschatology. An understanding of the last judgment also falls under the scope of this consideration.
The Rise of the Selfie Generation
Nathan Bingham:
We all know the Greek myth of Narcissus—the attractive man who was lured by Nemesis to a pool. Narcissus, fatally falling in love with his own reflection, drowned. But what would a 21st-century Narcissus myth involve? I suspect it would include a smartphone, selfies, and crossing the street without looking.
The Lost Sermons of Spurgeon
Brandon Smith interviews Christian George on the previously-unpublished sermons of Charles Spurgeon.
Faith Test: Sin
Introduction
What does it mean to be a Christian? Well, that is easy, you just believe in Jesus. Yes, faith in Christ is the foundation of the protestant church. People become Christians by faith alone. Read through Romans, the Apostle Paul goes through it over and over again. It is not be works, it is only be faith. We cannot earn our way into God’s family. You become a Christian by faith alone.
But that is not what I originally asked. What it means to be a Christian is different than the means by which one becomes a Christian.
This is a difficult distinction for many people. I have been challenged before by people who objected to me preaching on passages of the Bible that talk about what God expects of us. Because of past issues, they see any expectations as strict legalism. But what is legalism? One dictionary defined it as “excessive adherence to law or formula.” It added that in the realm of theology, it meant “dependence on moral law rather than on personal religious faith.”
These are all good, but we must take them with knowledge that moral law is not bad, the New Testament does provides lists of things to do and not do and that the most primitive Christian creed is Jesus is Lord. The personal religious faith that we have is Jesus as Lord, and Jesus as Lord means that we are committing ourselves to follow his will.
So how do we avoid legalism? Legalism is more of a culture than anything. Legalism is when leaders or others try to dominate other Christians by enforcing rules that are often not even found in the Bible. The point of legalism is to control people and not to help people get closer to God.
So rejecting legalism, there are still some expectations for the Christian life. This does not contradict salvation by faith. My wife and I married each other because of love and not for what we were able to do. But being married, there are certain expectations of what being a husband or a wife is like.
John’s first letter is a place that we can delve into the Christian life. Much of the book is really a faith test, a reflection of what the Christian life is supposed to look like. As you will see, what John has to say is far from modern concepts of legalism. Taking this faith test will only strengthen our relationship with God.
Sin is Unacceptable
The first test that we will look at is about sin. Sin is something we do not like to talk about. For one thing, it makes us feel guilty. No one likes to be reminded about how much we miss the mark. But the other reason is that many of us have not reflected on what sin means for the Christian. Do we lose our salvation the moment we sin? Some people in the early church believed that baptism washed away all sin committed before the baptism and anything after was unforgivable. Some would wait until their deathbed until baptism so that they could be assured to be righteous when they met God. While that may not be our problem today, there is still much confusion. What we can be clear about is that sin is bad. Really bad. If sin wasn’t bad, then there would not have been a reason for Jesus to die on the cross.
Not only is sin bad, according to John, it is unacceptable. Which sins are unacceptable? All of them! Paul, in one of his sin lists says this:
“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19–21 ESV)
We can point to some of these sins as being absolutely unacceptable, in fact we would be shock if they were taking place. But jealousy, rivalries and envy? That is just a part of being human. Except neither Paul nor John gives us those options.
John explains it clearly, God is light and therefore we should walk in the light. It is simple as that. Later in this letter we will see the theme of family resemblance. Children should resemble parents in some way and in this case, that means are our attitudes toward sin. But what is sin? Sin means to miss the mark, like archery when instead of hitting the bulls eye, you hit the instructor. What kinds of sin are there? Sins of commission and sins of omission. A sin of commission is doing the wrong thing. If you punched the person beside you right now, that would be a sin of commission. If the person you punched received a bloody nose and you refused to give them a tissue, even though you had an entire box, that would be sin of omission. To be honest, I find sins of omission to be the hardest. I am disciplined enough to keep pretty straight and narrow but there are times that I feel God wants me to do something and I too often let the opportunity pass.
The point is that sin, of either type is completely unacceptable.
Sin is Inevitable
Are you depressed yet? It’s going to get worse. Not only is sin unacceptable, it is inevitable. If anyone says that they are without sin, they are a liar. Look at the heroes of the Bible. Noah was a drunk. Abraham lied. Moses murdered. David committed adultery. Peter denied Jesus. And these are the people who we are supposed to look up to! The human race is fallen and tends to sin. Paul says it clearly, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:19 ESV) We can all feel its draw in some way. Whenever I see a sign that says do not touch or do not enter, I feel a temptation to do it. It is not that I want something, I just want to test the boundaries. We have some ongoing issues with one of our children. He has explained to us that he never wants a no. He tells us that good parent would always say yes. It seems completely unfair to ever encounter a no. In God, we find that there is a divine no. Some things are not meant to be. As children, this seems unfair and so we reach out and take it any way. No matter how dedicated to God we are, there will always be some sin getting through. We may look completely holy on the outside, but God sees the corruption on the inside. I find that even when I try to do something good, there is that little part of me that hopes that people will notice. I want to pride myself at how unprideful I am. I want an award for being the most humble person in the world. No matter how hard I try, there will always be something sinful there. That is not to say that I shouldn’t try, I just need to be honest that I will never be perfect. Sin is inevitable.
Sin is Forgivable
So far things seem pretty grim. Sin is unacceptable and sin is inevitable. God will not tolerate sin and yet he knows that we will always sin. That hardly seems fair. If God is good, he must provide some way out of this problem. He has and his name is Jesus.
Through Jesus, we have forgiveness of sins. The image that John gives us is that of Jesus as a defense lawyer. There we are expecting to be condemned for our sins and Jesus speaks on our behalf. But there is a twist here. Normally the lawyer would speak about our redeeming qualities. However, we have no redeeming qualities when we are in sin. The redeeming qualities that we rely on are Jesus. Notice that John described Jesus as the Righteous One. That is because it is his righteousness that we rely on and not our own. Jesus speaks to the Father and announces that he has already paid for us. Have you ever gone through the Tim Horton’s drive thru only to find out that the person before you has already paid for your order? It feels nice. Multiply that by a billion and you have a glimpse of what is going on with the atonement.
When it comes to forgiveness of sins, there are two things we need to talk about. There is the initial forgiveness of sins that takes place at conversion. That only takes place once. Once that happens, we are children of God, we are saints, we are holy and righteous, aside from how we feel about ourselves.
But John also is talking about an ongoing forgiveness of sin. This is not about being resaved. You do not stop being a Christian once you commit a sin. It is not as if you looked at a person with envy and then were killed before confessing your sin that you would go to hell. There is not stepping in and out of salvation, despite what some may think.
But if committing a sin as Christian does not send us to hell, why do we need to confess? Let me use my relationship with my wife as an example. I do the wrong thing many times a day. My wife asks me to do something and I agree but quickly forget about it. My wife does something really nice for me and I neglect to thank her. She takes on a huge load when I go away for a few weeks either for study or for army training and I don’t always show the proper appreciation. I won’t tell you what, but I frequently say the wrong thing. It makes sense in my head but as soon as it leaves my lips, I know I have made a big mistake. Even so, my wife does not hang the threat of divorce over me. I apologize, not out of fear of divorce but because I love her and that is what is needed for a healthy relationship.
The ongoing confession of sins to God is not legalism, nor is it fear of hell. We confess because the Father hates sin so much that he allowed his only Son to die for that sin. We confess because we are in relationship with God and when we sin, confession is the loving thing to do.
Conclusion
So here is the situation we have. Sin is unacceptable. If we follow the God who is light, then we walk in the light. We are not given the option of walking in the darkness. Sin is unacceptable. But sin is also inevitable. There is no way that we are not going to sin. If someone tells you that they no longer sin, they are lying and therefore a sinner. If these were the only two truths, we would be in big trouble. But there is a third truth. Sin is forgivable. God forgives our sins when we come to Jesus for the first time at our conversion. But God also forgives us during our Christian walk as we continually stumble.
We started off by asking about what it means to be a Christian. Here it is: 1) we have no tolerance for personal sin, 2) we are humble in understanding our weakness living in a fallen world and 3) we rely on our defense lawyer, Jesus Christ, who speaks to the Father on our behalf. That is the faith test.
If you would like a free copy of my eBook, The Faith Test, email me here.
The post Faith Test: Sin appeared first on Stephen J. Bedard.
Video: God, Science & the Big Questions- Leading Christian Thinkers Respond to the New Atheism
- science
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- Darwinism
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The Daily Discovery (June 10, 2015)
Jesus’ Tomb and God’s Sovereign Rule – “When you think of seeing God’s hand at work in one’s life, we tend to always think of God working through miraculous/ostentatious activity, right? I’m thinking of example like a sick person being instantly healed against all odds, someone surviving a horrible traffic accident without a scratch, etc. If we were being honest, we don’t tend to think of God’s hand in the common. You know, the regular things of life that happen all the time: eating a sandwich, going to work, etc. Yet, as Christians we understand (hypothetically) that God is sovereign; he rules over all creation including events both magnificent and microscopic. Allow me to say that another way: God is in charge of all the common and miraculous occurrences in every life; he orchestrates both the miraculous and the common equally.”
Transgenderism: A Pathogenic Meme – “The idea that one’s sex is a feeling, not a fact, has permeated our culture and is leaving casualties in its wake. Gender dysphoria should be treated with psychotherapy, not surgery.”
Nobody’s Perfect – “Nobody’s perfect. That truth, which ought to make us tremble before a God who is holy, holy, holy, is usually invoked to excuse sinful behavior. How often do we hear people brush aside their own wrongdoing with the casual words, “Well, after all, nobody’s perfect”? There is accuracy in the statement, but it should be a timid confession, not a flippant means of justifying sin.”
The Eyewitnesses – “In I Corinthians 15
, Paul lists six specific individuals or groups who are reported to have been eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus. But are these reports credible? A brief assessment of each account seems to provide good reasons to think that these reports are reliable.”
You must first believe in order to abide – “In John 5:30-47 the apostle gives us several witnesses to establish the truthfulness and genuiness of Jesus Christ and His ministry. Our Lord Jesus presented these witnesses who testified to His identity as the Son to those who opposed Him. The first witness given is John the Baptist in vv32-35. The second witness is our Lord’s own words in vv 35, 36. The third witness is the Father in vv 37, 38. The fourth witness is the Old Testament Scriptures in vv 39-47. However, as is the case from this point to the end of John, those who most vehemently opposed our Lord and His ministry, refused to believe.”
SERMON:
Charles Spurgeon – Indwelling Sin
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“If you alter or obscure the Biblical portrait of God in order to attract converts, you don’t get converts to God, you get converts to an illusion. This is not evangelism but deception.” – John Piper
In The Clouds?
Q. Paul said that Born Again believers would be caught up with Jesus in the Clouds. My thinking is that at the time of the Rapture the whole Earth can’t be full of clouds at the same time of the day!! Can you tell me what exactly are these Rapture Clouds?
Remembering Our Past
Q. I have read your explanations of how when we see the Lord we will know as we are known, meaning we will understand all things. So, does that indicate that Christians who have wrongly believed in faith-based evolution, or incorrect eschatology will find out that they did, in fact have it wrong? I hear lots of people say that God will wipe our memories, but since it matters to Him what we believe, I can’t believe that we will suddenly have no recollections of our beliefs and actions here on earth.
God’s Will Or Ours?
Q. Hi, I have a friend who watches a lot of TV “preachers”. He told me that when we pray, if we say, “let Your will be done” after we have made a request of God, that will ultimately cancel our prayer. He learned this from one of those televangelists. Where does this teaching come from?? Aren’t we supposed to pray in God’s will? If it isn’t within God’s will for us, why would we want it anyway?
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