Many Members -- One Body of Christ

At First Baptist Church in Weymouth we have a new senior pastor, Jeremy Garber, who does expository preaching from Scripture that instructs, exhorts, and encourages those of us who get to hear him. People are taking notes and going online to hear his sermons over again because there is so much good material in them, even when some of the content makes us uncomfortable and realize we need to seek the Lord's help to live in ways more pleasing to Him.

Pastor Garber certainly doesn't seek to entertain us with his preaching. He seeks to be faithful to God, to help us learn and live out what God has for us in His Word. He is helping us wake up spiritually to give more thought to what it means to have faith in Christ and be followers of Him.

He knows God doesn't want him to go it alone in serving and reaching out with the gospel to the people in this area. Pastor Jeremy prays for a revival in New England, and knows that true revival begins with the Spirit of God and the exposition of His perfect Word.

It is wonderful to be in a church with a pastor who has such a heart for God, His Word, and the people who God has called to be part of His Church. Such passion should be shared by all the members of the Body of Christ, not just those who preach and teach from pulpits, Bible studies, and Sunday School classrooms.

Although not all are called to be preachers, teachers, or leaders as their ministry within the church, all believers should be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks for the reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15-16).

We can become better prepared to give a defense of the hope we have in the gospel with the help of other believers when we work together in the Body of Christ. God has given us different gifts and using them as He directs us through Scripture can help all of us to do what He wants us to do.

Romans 12:4-8  For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,  (5)  so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.  (6)  Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;  (7)  if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;  (8)  the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.  ESV

Jesus doesn't want us to sit back and let our pastors, elders, and deacons do all the speaking and serving in the church. He wants all who believe in Him as Lord and Savior to be active members of His Body..

When we use the gifts God has given us we can support others in the Body and also encourage them to use the gifts God has given them. We are one Body in Christ and we are members of one another. God wants us to do all He enables us to do to serve Him and each another. It is a glorious privilege to have been chosen as members of  the Body of Christ. Together we can honor Him by working together to do His will.

I am so thankful to be in a church where the leaders wholeheartedly believe in and want to obey the Word of God. And I am ever so thankful that God is making me ever more willing and eager to serve in whatever way He wants me to serve Him in the Body.

Are you a member of the Body of Christ? If not, are you ready to accept that you can't save yourself and that only the sacrifice of the sinless Jesus Christ on the Cross is sufficient to pay the price for your sins against God? If by His grace your are now or one day become a member of His Body, then I invite you to join me in seeking God's help to use whatever gifts He gives us to honor Him and serve Him and one another.

What Kind of Love Should Abound?

Philippians 1:9-11  And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,  (10)  so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,  (11)  filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.  ESV.  

God has much to say to us about love in the Bible. The two great commandments are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbor as our self. (Mark 12:30-31)  It also says that "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 John 4:8)

Jesus gave His disciples the highest standard of love that could ever be given. He told them to love one another just as He had loved them. And He told that by their loving one another people would know they were His disciples.(John 13:34-34)

Although we cannot love as perfectly as Jesus, we should be so thankful for how He loved us in going to the Cross and enduring the wrath of His Father in our place that we should seek to do whatever he enables us to please Him and express love to Him and others.

Of course not everything that people call "love" is what God means by love. In the name of "love" there is adultery, fornication, and the tolerance and acceptance of many other things that offend the one true holy God. In order to love in ways that actually please God we need to see what He says in His Word.

In Paul's letter to the Philippians quoted above, he not only prayed that their love would abound more and more, but that their love would be with knowledge and discernment. Only by gaining the knowledge that God has given us in the Bible can we properly discern what expressions of love are godly and which are not.

The love that God wants us to have is not what may feel good to us. It is not necessarily what we or other people consider to be acceptable expressions of love. God's love is perfect. God's love is excellent. When He teaches and enables to love His way we can know it is excellent. Abounding more and more in loving God's way can help us be pure and blameless as we progress toward the day of Christ.

Jesus is altogether righteous. He loves purely and perfectly. We don't have to settle for loving with corrupt motives and methods. We can turn to Him and to His Word and He can fill us with the fruit of righteousness that will help our love to grow in ways that will truly be to the praise and glory of God. 

God's Gifts to Us and Our Churches

Ephesians 4:11-14  And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,  (12)  to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,  (13)  until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,  (14)  so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

God gave us apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers. Therefore they are gifts to us from God.

What do apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers all have in common?  A vital aspect of all their ministries involves speaking. Sometimes it is to preach the good news that God uses to bring people to repentance. Other times it to explain to believers how to grow in in their spiritually maturity. And other times it is how to avoid or get out of false teachings..

Preaching, proclaiming and teaching are all essential ministries within the church. Service to those in need is also crucial and of course should not be neglected. But without evangelizing there would be no church because God has decreed that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). And after we come to saving faith in Jesus God wants us to grow in the knowledge of Him, His holiness, and His will. Without godly preaching we remain spiritual babies and are susceptible to all manner of deceptions.

Prior to the coming of Jesus in the flesh, God used prophets to exhort the people of their day and give us much of the Bible. Jesus chose certain men, including Paul, as His apostles, or ambassadors, and gave them the power to proclaim the gospel and help raise up His Church. Later the church also sent out some who they referred to as apostles, who apparently served in ways like those we call missionaries today. Evangelists then and now are gifted by God to share the gospel of repentance from sin and the salvation that only Christ provides by He death on the Cross.

Pastors (shepherds) and teachers are particularly essential in ministering to the local church. Pastors usually are gifted to both preach and teach to their flocks, but also to counsel, comfort, and at times confront individuals within their congregation. Teachers are gifted to help people understand God's Word, but may not be gifted to care for others in the same way that pastors are apt to be.

Not everybody who calls themselves apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are actually gifted and called to be such. Some people portray themselves as such because they have good intentions but God does not grant them them what is needed to serve in those ways. Other people are actually false prophets and false teachers, and their motives are self serving.

Churches who have shepherds and teachers who are truly called and gifted by God should be exceedingly thankful that God has so blessed them. Leaders like that will help them learn more about how holy God is and how we can have lives that are pleasing to Him.

I am so thankful to be in a church where those who serve as elders are men who seek to meet the Biblical standards of elders including that an elder "...must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it." Titus 1:9 ESV

The church now also has a pastor to serve as a senior elder for all in the church. From his preaching it is evident to us that he is called, gifted, and has been and intends to continue to diligent to study, prepare, and present what God wants us to know so we can grow in spiritual maturity. I gladly respect him and will support him in whatever ways I can, as I am sure many others in our church will. One passage of Scripture that comes to mind as I ponder how blessed we are to have this man as our senior pastor is the following.

1 Timothy 5:17-18  Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.  (18)  For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer deserves his wages."

What Kind of Rut Are You In?

Are you in a rut? That question is generally used in a negative way. It conveys the idea that you are doing the same thing over and over such that you are stuck doing it, locked into it. That sure sounds boring, doesn't it?

What is a rut? Well, if you are on a road that has ruts in it, they were most likely formed by wheels going down that road for years, eventually forming the grooves. I used to spend summers at the place my grandparents had on Cape Cod and there was a long driveway which went from the road, around the house, and back to the road. It was an old piece of property and the ruts in that driveway were certainly formed by wagon wheels. The cars my grandparents family used on that driveway made those ruts deeper and harder.

Ruts can tend to keep a wagon or other vehicle restricted to going in the direction of the ruts, rather than to one side or the other. Deep ruts in a road can make it difficult to turn and go off in some other way. Of course if the direction of the ruts leads to where you want to go then that can be a good thing. You are less apt to go off and end up in the wrong place.

Are you in a rut that isn't good for you? Or are you in a rut that helps you get to where you ought to be, and where God wants you to be? What kind of a rut are you in?  Hopefully you are in a rut that helps you to be what God wants you to be, to develop the character He wants you to have.

Psalm 119:9 has something to say about this. It starts with a question: "How can a young man keep his way pure?"  The word translated "way" is the Hebrew word for rut. So there is a rut that we should want to be in. A rut that can help us have the pure way of living that pleases God. Being in God's Word can help us get in and stay in that rut.

Psalms 119:9-16  Beth. How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.  (10)  With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!  (11)  I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.  (12)  Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!  (13)  With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.  (14)  In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.  (15)  I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.  (16)  I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. ESV

Obedience - Is It Really Necessary?

The title of this blog is Biblically Speaking - Who's the Boss. The implication is that we each have a boss. Maybe we consider ourselves our own boss. Or maybe our employer at work. Or maybe our spouse.Or maybe we accept that God is our boss.

Having a boss means that somebody tells us what to do and then we're expected to obey what we've been told.

In the Bible we certainly find that God tells us what to do. For example there are those Ten Commandments and the rest of the Law that He gave to Moses to give to the people. But even though God's Law was good, was it supposed to be the way for us to earn God's accepance by keeping it?  After all, when we were children we earned approval from our parents when we obeyed their rules, and on the job we earn the approval of our boss when we obey them. But no, obeying God's Law does not make us acceptable to Him.

Galatians 3:10-11  For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them."  (11)  Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith."  ESV

Nobody is able to perfectly keep all the Law all the time. Even the first commandment to love God with all your heart, soul, and strength has never been fully obeyed by anyone except Jesus. Since we don't keep all of the Law all of the time then we are all under a curse. We're all guilty. We're all sinners.

Thankfully the God who gave the Law with all its commandments, even knowing we could not use it to earn acceptance before Him, also gave a way to be forgiven for our sins against Him. There was only one way that we could ever be acceptable to Him. His only begotten son had to suffer and die in our place.

Galatians 2:21  I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Christ was crucified and endured the wrath of His Father for our sins because there was no other way for us to be judged righteous. The Law helps us know what sinners we are and how much we need the one perfect sinless sacrifice that Jesus made. If we think we can earn our own salvation by something we do, such as keeping some rules or commandments, then we insult Jesus for what He did for us. We think (and He knows our thoughts) that we don't need His sacrifice.

However, if our keeping God's commandments cannot earn our salvation, and Jesus' death on the cross paid for our sins, then does that mean we no longer have to bother ourselves with obeying what God has commanded?

Sadly, that seems to be the attitude of many who call themselves Christians. They don't want to struggle with desires that are contrary to commands in the Bible, so they give in to them, telling themselves that it's OK with God since the price for those sins has already been paid.

But is obeying what God commands only about trying to earn our salvation? If that was true then why did Jesus always (and I do mean always) obey His Father's commandments?  Why? Because He loved His Father.

That is why we are to obey God the Father and Jesus the Son of God.

John 15:10  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.  ESV

If we love Him we will keep His commandments. (John 14:15) That is a far greater reason to keep His commandments than doing it to try to earn salvation (which is impossible anyway). We should seek to know His commandments even better by learning what is in His Word. We should read and study Scripture. We should avail ourselves of good preaching and teaching. We should become ever more obedient doers of the Word and not just hearers.

Obeying what God commands in His Word is not about being under the Law. It is about loving God. Do you love God? Do you love Jesus?

What Kind of Preaching Do You Want to Hear?

       2 Timothy 4:1-6   I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,  and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.    ESV

Paul's second letter to Timothy was his final epistle that was included in Scripture. He was once again a prisoner and the time of his departure from this life had come. It would now be up to Timothy and others to continue the work of preaching and teaching that he had been doing for years.

His charge to Timothy needs to be understood by all who are called to preach the Word of God, whether they are pastors, teachers, evangelists, missionaries or others. Even those who aren't called or gifted to teach need to know this charge so they can avoid teachers who don't adhere to it, and encourage those who do.

The charge Paul made is not to be taken lightly. Paul makes it clear that he is doing so in presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead.

The Word of God is to be preached. It is to be done so when it is convenient to so and also when it is out of season, not convenient, not popular, or even hazardous to those proclaiming it. The preaching is not in order to entertain, draw crowds, or make money. The purpose of the preaching is to reprove, rebuke, and exhort and it is done with patience and teaching.

The preaching needs to be with patience because many people won't like what God has for us in the Bible. And the preaching needs to me more than just telling people, even believers, to stop doing and believing things that are contrary to Scripture, they need to be taught what the Bible actually says and not what they might think that it says. They also need to be taught why what God says in His Word is what they need to believe and do. (Even if the reason is simply because the God who made heaven and earth says so.)

There are multitudes of false teachings that become quite popular because they suit the passions, pride and desires of people. Listening to those kind of teachings catches people's attention and they want more of it. They'll gladly wander off to the churches, conferences, and rallies where such things are being proclaimed. They read the books and watch TV shows that promote them. They let themselves become convinced that the stuff that is tickling their ears is from God.

But even though people will turn away from the truth, we need to heed what Paul wrote to Timothy. We are to be sober minded, endure suffering, and do the work of an evangelist. The word evangelist means "messenger of good." The work of bringing the message of good it to to covey was is truly good, which is the actual truth of the Word of God. Good is not what merely sounds good as told by clever talkers and writers. Good is that God says is good.

Are you called by God to preach or teach? Then take your calling very seriously. Carefully study Scripture so you convey it to others as clearly and effectively as the Spirit of God enables you. Are you called to learn godly Biblical teaching? Then see to it that you study Scripture as best you can and be sure you listen to those who preach and teach it just as God inspired it to be written.

I'm now going to a church where the new pastor's sermons do not entertain me. They don't make me feel comfortable. They are not fun. But they are wonderfully Bible based, explaining Scripture passages with other Scripture passages. They make me want to take more notes and also to hear the recording of them again. And they encourage me to spend more time reading and studying God's Word. They help me to want to understand and live out the Word of God. That's the kind of preaching I want to hear. How about you?

 

Called Saints and Called to be Saints

Called saints and called to be saints. What kind of a title is that for a blog post?

In my previous blog post I commented on how those who believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord should be His disciples. Disciple is the the term used extensively to refer to believers in the Gospels and book of Acts in the New Testament. But there is another term used for believers multitudes of times in the epistles and book of Revelation. What term is that? It is the word saint.

The word saint as used in the Bible does not have the same meaning as how many, if not most, people use it today. The inspired writers of Scripture used the word "saints" to refer to all who believed in Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Today it is common to only call certain people saints if they have been officially designated that by a particular religious leader or group, or if it is believed by many that those persons are exceptionally better than most other people.

To get God's perspective on what it means to be a saint it is essential that we look to the Bible and see what He has to say about the subject.

1 Corinthians 1:2  To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:  ESV

The letter to the church in Corinth was necessary because they were a really messed up bunch of people. Yes, they had heard the gospel and believed that Jesus had died for their sins and rose from the dead and that He was their Savior and Lord. Nevertheless they were flagrantly sinning and believing false teachings.

The Greek word translated here "saints" means "holy one" which refers to their belonging to God for His holy purposes. All who truly believe in Jesus as their Savior and Lord belong to Him, and are forgiven and accepted based on what Jesus accomplished on the Cross. They are "sanctified (made holy - set apart for God) in Christ Jesus."

Scripture refers to believers as saints because of who Jesus is and what He did. But Scripture does not stop there. Yes, we belong to God. Yes we are sanctified in Christ Jesus. But God also commands us to change our wrong attitudes and actions so we will live out being holy as He is holy.

Many call themselves Christians, even those who have concluded that since Jesus paid the price for their sins then they are now free to go on sinning as much as they want. What a wretched attitude! Jesus had to endure the wrath of His Father because of His hatred for sin. Shall we not seek God's help to avoid what He hates and embrace living each day the way He wants us to live?

We who call ourselves Christians need to remind ourselves that it is a term only used once in the Bible (Acts 11:26), and although it is an acceptable term for we who believe in and follow Christ, perhaps when we do use it we should give thought to our being called saints, holy ones, who are called and commanded to be holy as God is holy.