How Do You Read Your Bible?

Scripture tells us that there is one faith (Eph 4:5), that was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 1:3). If so, how can it be that we see so many differing doctrines among professed believers? Why is there so much confusion over things such as divorce and remarriage, or eternal security? How about Jesus' teaching on materialism? He taught against it, but the opposite is taught by prosperity teachers today. There is much confusion within the Church over issues that should be cut and dried instead.

Much of the problem stems from how we approach the Bible. First off, let me be clear that the Bible is God's inspired word to us. From Genesis to Revelation, it is God breathed and useful for training and correction (2 Tim 3:16). The events of the Old Testament were written for our example as Christians today (1 Cor 10:6). However we also understand that not all of the Old Testament commands given to Israel are binding upon followers of Christ under the new covenant. So we must interpret God's word correctly so that we can follow it correctly.

It is common for many Christians to approach the Bible as a "flat book." That is they place equal authority upon both the Old and New Testaments. Again, while it is true that both testament are equally inspired, yet we do not follow the precepts of the Old in the same way we follow what Christ has commanded in the new. For example, most Christians are not following the dietary laws found in the law of Moses, and we are not stoning people caught in adultery, as New Testament believers.

However, when the Bible is approached this way, we can get ourselves off track. There are many verses in the Old Testament dealing with war. God allowed Israel to fight their enemies under the old covenant. We also have examples of wealthy men such as Abraham, David, and Solomon in the Old Testament. Many Christians today turn to these passages when seeking to defend their position on these two issues. The focus was on Israel, a physical nation chosen by God, so we often lose sight of the kingdom of God as found in the New Testament, blurring it with our own physical nation. In America there is a tendency to combine God and country, resulting in an overly patriotic Christianity. We also see emphasis placed upon the law, and the inability to keep it. We then turn to the epistles of Paul, and focus on the teachings of grace through faith, finding comfort in the fact that we are "covered" in spite of the fact we are living in disobedience to what God expects us to do. Sadly many are unaware of the promise found in the new covenant that will enable us to live in a manner that pleases God. Much harm has been done in the past, by professing believers, in the name of Christ, because people looked to the law instead of to the words of Jesus.

We read in Hebrews 1:1-2, that at one time God spoke through the prophets, but now he has spoken to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is introduced to us as the "Word" in the first chapter of John.

In Matthew 17:1-8 we read of the transfiguration of Christ. Moses and Elijah appeared with Christ, talking with Him. Peter desired to build three tabernacles, one for Moses, one for Elijah, and one for Jesus. But while he spoke, a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice proclaimed out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear Him." When they again looked, Jesus remained alone.

 There is much we can learn from this. Moses and the prophets had much to teach. Not only to ancient Israel, but to us today as well. We learn from them about God, His attributtes, His holiness, what He expects concerning sin and righteousness. We read of the prophets urging the nation to turn back to God in repentance, something that is vital to our own salvation today. Yet it is Jesus Christ who we follow. He calls us as disciples to lay down all, and come after Him. It is His word we are to hear and obey, His example we are to emulate. His kingdom is built upon entirely different principles than those that the nation's of the earth are built. His is a kingdom of peace, mercy, and extravagant love. While the old covenant may have made provision for war, Jesus forbids it. While men may have acquired wealth and material prosperity under the old, we are taught to give it away, as we cannot serve two masters. We must look at all of scripture with an eye to Jesus Christ, as He holds the rights to us as disciples and citizens of His kingdom. The law of Christ is our rule. This does not abrogate the old, as the moral law has been summed up by Jesus as loving God with supreme love, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. What Paul teaches about grace in no way clashes with Christ's demand for obedience, instead if one carefully reads through the New Testament epistles, you will soon see a harmony between the two. It is all about Jesus. Whether it is Old Testament or New, Jesus must be central.

What Motivates You?

     Two individuals doing the same "good work." One is motivated by a desire to please God. The other person is motivated by some other reason. So, are both individuals pleasing to God? Is He merely pleased because a good thing was done, or are our motives important? Read the following excerpt and then examine what motivates you to do the things that you do!

     Why do non-Christians restrain themselves from committing certain sins? It is because they fear adverse consequences. This principle has been proven repeatedly throughout human history during times when the usual moral restraints, such as governmental law or public opinion, have been removed. When brutality becomes acceptable, brutality prevails. The piles of human skulls in Cambodian killing fields and crumbling incinerators of Nazi concentration camps stand as mute testimony to the true nature of unregenerate human nature. What happens when murder is legalized, when the law of the State or public opinion says it’s OK to exterminate Jews or rip the unborn to pieces in their mothers’ wombs? No one has to speculate on the answer to that question. How many professing Christians are motivated, in their limited morality and holiness, not by love for God and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, but by ever-changing public sentiment, the continually-revised law of the land, or peer-pressure of their fellow church members? Only God knows for certain. But through honest self-examination, each one of us can determine what truly motivates us. If every professing Christian would do that, many would be shocked to discover that all their goodness is really wickedness, motivated by nothing higher than self-interest. Is it really possible to do good things, yet be motivated by pure selfishness? Absolutely. As I’ve already pointed out, most of the “virtuous” deeds done by non-Christians spring from selfish motivations. Consider the words of Paul in this regard: If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing (1 Cor. 13:3).

Servant, David (2013-03-05). The Great Gospel Deception (Kindle Locations 436-448). Ethnos Press. Kindle Edition. 

     There are many professing Christians who have "good morals." They do certain good things and have a "form of godliness." They avoid certain sins and behaviors that they deem as wrong. Sadly, many individuals are only motivated by selfish reasons. They fear getting caught in a scandalous situation. Others are "legalists," they do what they do out of an obligation; they fear the wrath of God, and are merely avoiding punishment. Others, like the Pharisees, are motivated by the desire to impress others with their good deeds and morals. Others, would do certain things if they thought they could get away with it. Obviously these kinds of individuals cannot be pleasing to God with their shallow, selfish motives. The individual who lives to please God is the individual who is pleasing to God. Such an individual is moved by the desire to honor God, and to bring glory to Him. The true Christian is one who acts out of love towards God and his fellow man. This according to the scriptures is the fulfilling of the law. Paul states that the only thing that counts in Christ Jesus, is faith working by love (Gal 5:6). 
     What motivates you to do the things you do?
     

Falling Out of Love

     Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
                                 Revelation 2:4 KJV

     Revelation 2:1-7

     A man passionately in love with Jesus will labor for the Lord with an untiring zeal. He will endure hardship and tribulation for the sake of Christ with joy. He will carefully guard the truth, and contend for the faith, lest the name of Christ be reproached, and His glorious gospel misrepresented. All of this flows from his love for Christ, as love will constrain a man to do great things for the sake of another.
     There is a subtle danger however. After a lifetime of tireless work for the Lord, a man may find to his sorrow, that his passion for Christ has departed. He has tirelessly endured labors and hardships, he still earnestly stands for truth, he has fearlessly warned others of false teachers and doctrines, but these things, now, are the things he loves, in place of Christ.

    

You cannot be unequally yoked.

     Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
     Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
     Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God has said,
     "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
     "THEREFORE, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPERATE," says the lord, "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; AND I WILL WELCOME YOU.
     "AND I WILL BE A FATHER TO YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO ME," says the Lord Almighty.
                      2 Corinthians 6:14-18NASB

     When one decides to follow Jesus, there is a line drawn that cannot be crossed. As we read in Paul's epistle to the Church at Corinth, there is no partnership between righteousness and lawlessness, no fellowship between light and darkness, no harmony between Christ and the devil, no common ground between a believer and an unbeliever, and no agreement between the temple of God, and idols. As temples of the living God who dwells within us, what can we possibly be thinking in compromising with worldliness and sin? The path of following Christ stands in complete opposition to the selfish ways of the world we live in. As Christians, we are governed by a set of values that go against the values that the world holds. Two sets of standards, in total contradiction to one another, and yet the modern professing "Church" has chosen to blend these two systems.
     Congregations and denominations have grossly departed from Christ and the absolute standard that He calls us to. This is not something that has happened overnight, people have allowed it to creep in over time. Churches grappled with the word of God, and decided that it was not infallible, was not inspired, and was subject to man's interpretation. This only opened the door to the sin and compromise we see so prevalent today in many of our denominations.
     Understand very carefully that these "Churches" have completely departed from the faith! One cannot condone, accept, and promote immorality, and yet be a born again follower of Christ. It is absolutely impossible. Look at what Paul writes in Romans 1:18-32. We see sexual immorality all around us, in the form of adultery, sex outside of marriage, and homosexuality. Understand very carefully what God is telling us in this passage of scripture. This immorality is the result of God giving up a people to their degrading passions, because they have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, worshipping the creature rather than the creator. When you see a nation promoting deviant sexual behavior, it is a sign of that nation being rejected of God. When you see a denomination promoting sexual sin, that denomination has departed from God, and as a result, He has given them over to pursue their evil passions. Without the restraint of God, man, left to himself, progresses farther down the path of sin, entrenching himself deeper and deeper in depravity.
     What we are seeing today in our modern denominations is not a church "loving people into the kingdom", but a group of depraved people, void of the presence of God. And it is not only sexual immorality we see, but also greed, envy, strife, deceit, malice, gossip, murder, slander, boastful people, arrogance, disobedience to parents, unloving people, untrustworthy individuals, and unmerciful people (Romans 1:29-31). We expect the "world to be filled with people like this, but it is found in the professing "Church" as well. Paul tells us that men will be lovers of money, lovers of self, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, conceited, loving pleasure more than God. They hold a form of godliness; in other words, they look like a church, appear to be "Christians" by some of the things that they say and do, but their lives are void of the true power that the gospel brings, as evidenced by their gross departure into sin (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
     I am not referring to the true Church, those who are blood bought, born again, and following Christ. These are the ones on the narrow path to life, while the world rushes to destruction (Matt 7:13-14). There are those who fear the Lord, and grieve over the sin and compromise that the world calls "Christianity." They know what it is to come out and be separate from the world and its ways. They experience the scorn and ridicule as they stand alone for what is right in the eyes of God. These individuals cry out to God for revival, they proclaim the truth even though nobody wants to hear it. Sadly they are accused of being judgmental, and self righteous, by the very ones who are being deceived.
     God calls us to come out from the midst of this sinful world and be separate. There is no possibility of compromise in the kingdom of God. You are either all in, and serving Him alone, or you are perishing in your sin. You cannot serve two masters (Matt 6:24). Light and darkness cannot mix, it is impossible to stand for righteousness, while promoting lawlessness. What we have recently seen in many of the major denominations, is a deadly deception, that is leading thousands into hell.
     We need a God sent awakening in our land today. As followers of Christ, who are seeking His kingdom and righteousness, we must fall to our knees in humility and prayer; seeking His face, that He would come and bring revival, and healing to this land. It is our only hope.
    
    

    
    
    

Do We Need the Heaven is For Real Books?

     Here are a few scriptures to think about in view of the sudden interest in individuals who claim to have died, visited heaven, and then come back to write books about it.
     In Jesus' story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), the rich man desired that Lazarus would return from the dead to warn his brothers about the place of torment that he had gone to. Abraham told him that his brothers have Moses and the prophets to listen to. The rich man replied that if someone returned from the dead, they would surely repent. Here is the reply of Abraham. Remember, these are the words of Jesus.

     "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead."
                           Luke 16:31 NASB

     Jesus is telling us that the scriptures  contain sufficient information to show us our sin and guilt, and the resulting wrath of God that we will all face someday when we appear before His judgment seat. They contain the information we need so that we will repent and place our confidence in Christ. We do not need a book written by someone who claims to have experienced heaven to prove that it is a real place, or to validate what the scriptures teach about the afterlife. Jesus has told us that if we do not listen to the scriptures, we will not listen to someone who has returned from the dead either. Plain and simple.
     Consider Paul and his heavenly vision found in 2 Corinthians 12:1-9.

     And I know how such a man-whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows-
     was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.
                          2 Corinthians 12:3-4 NASB

     Why do you suppose the Apostle Paul was not permitted to share with us through the scriptures, or any other way for that matter, the things that he had seen and heard in paradise? Why is it that these individuals claiming to have had heavenly revelations, have the freedom to speak and write of what they saw and heard?
     Furthermore Paul was given a thorn in his flesh to keep him humble because of the things that had been revealed to him (2 Cor 12:7-9). Have these heavenly travelers of today been given a thorn in the flesh as well?
     Finally we have the beloved disciple John, who had a revelation of things to come. He saw visions of heaven as well. He describes the worship, the holy city, the marriage supper of the Lamb, and many other glorious things involving heaven and the things to come. Notice how he closes his account of what God revealed to him.

     I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book;
     and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.  
                        Revelation 22:18-19 NASB

      We do not need new revelation of heaven, and what it is like. Once again, the scriptures give us sufficient information. I can't help but notice that some of the things described in books of this sort, have no scriptural basis at all. The image of Jesus portrayed is just that, an image unlike the one presented to us in Rev 1:13-16. Where in the bible do we see reference to a rainbow colored horse? Where do we see a description of satan's moldy teeth and bony arms? These authors are treading on dangerous ground, painting pictures in our minds of things that cannot be reconciled with scripture.
     I write this because I see a trend to rush out and grab the latest bestselling book. We seem to be gravitating toward the sensational, while leaving solid biblical teaching behind. This is a dangerous place to be as Christians. I fear many are rushing headlong into deception. Many of these kind of books are pushing a new age type of universalism, and people are falling for it.
     We need to immerse ourselves in the Scripture, as a safeguard against error. Test all things by the Word of God.