2/28/14

From Jim McGuiggan... Political and Religious Correctness


Political and Religious Correctness

It would appear that everyone wants to be gracious (or at least, polite) and with that as now established fashion, doctrine becomes irrelevant or close to it.

Of course we have those who seem to live for debate—for them every disagreement is a life or death matter; it must be so, don’t you see, because that’s what gives them the opportunity to show the brilliance of their logic as they prove with geometrical certainty that one seemingly small error leads to another and that to another until the entire gospel edifice is at stake. These people have not vanished from the earth—far from it. In fact though their number may be smaller than decades ago their voice is even shriller and their logic is even more sharply honed. The widespread feeling that doctrine doesn’t matter at all feeds this class and often creates it because, though we might not bother to act on it, in our bones we all believe that ideas have consequences and that what we believe matters. For some, then, what we believe is the only thing that matters—and so extremists are born and nurtured.

Over against those among us who live to debate there are those who insist: “The only thing that matters is attitude, lifestyle and sincerity; oh, and yes, faith in Jesus as the Christ, God’s Son. Given these, the rest is a matter of fine-tuning at most or a tedious waste of good time and energy.” You hear this kind of talk everywhere.

Nobody believes it in science or medicine, systems of justice, social questions (abortion, embryonic research and such) or even, so it appears, in politics. Passionate people in their thousands gather to shout fiercely that so-and-so must not be allowed to get to be president or prime minister, that such-and-such a group mustn’t be allowed to gain power. These thousands don’t profess to have all the answers to all the major questions but they work on the proposition that “the truth is out there” and we should work toward it for the good of all (especially for our own good).

But in religion everything is pretty much a matter of what each individual thinks and ignorance, even chosen ignorance, even flat refusal to hear what the Bible seems clearly to say, must be accepted and acceptable. I almost said “excused,” but that would suggest that there’s something wrong with an individual asserting his “autonomy”. The one “wrong” in today’s climate, is daring to require people to believe certain truths if they are indeed to be Christians. But a fine-spirited and socially useful agnostic, whatever else he is—as he will tell you himself—is not a Christian.

Less radically but just as forthrightly we’re told that we mustn’t bind creedal views on anyone; we mustn’t insist that they believe this or submit to that if they already “believe in Jesus as Saviour.” To do otherwise, we’re told, is said to nullify God’s grace. All that’s required is faith in Jesus and the rest, while some of it will need to be worked out because it generates serious pastoral concerns and hinders a good reading of the biblical witness—the rest has nothing to do with a person’s salvation in Jesus.

As proof of this we have Paul, enraged by conservative Jews at Antioch. These people were binding the Torah on Gentile converts and Paul blisteringly condemned it as worthy of anathema (Galatians 1—2). We’re to learn from this, we’re told, not to bind anything on anyone except faith in Jesus for that alone is essential.

But scripture and life aren’t that simple and in the very texts used to say we should bind nothing on people but faith in Jesus as Saviour Paul called a curse down on these who would propagate the view just mentioned because it was false to the core.

Still, the people he called down destruction on were people who passionately believed in Jesus as Saviour so it would appear that even those who have faith in Jesus as Saviour and Lord can take a theological position that earns heaven’s anathema. To put it much too crassly, in essence, Paul said to people who had passionate faith in Jesus as Lord and Saviour: “Believe the gospel I preached to you or be damned!”
He thought that a particular view of Christ’s work nullified the death of Jesus (Galatians 2:21).

An increasing number of preachers who should know better are now saying that requiring believers to be baptized “into Christ” is an “add on”—the very thing that we mustn’t do. The very thing, they tell us, that Paul forbids us to do in Galatians 1—2.

The Paul who wrote such scathing words against believers in Jesus had himself been baptized unto forgiveness of sins (Acts 22:16) and in Galatians itself (3:26-27) he speaks of union with Christ in terms of a believer baptism. He doesn’t appear to think a faith union with Christ that’s entered in baptism is an “add on” requirement. Over and over again some people tell us that to call for baptism as the NT way to take on us Jesus’ name is adding “creedal requirements” in addition to “salvation by faith”.

But if that were true Paul threatens believers in Jesus with divine excommunication in chapters 1 & 2 and then in 3:26-27 does what he curses them for.

Maybe it’s best just to take the texts at face value and believe that Paul, in chapters 1 & 2, was denouncing what God had not called for, what God had in fact excluded, and that in 3:26-27 he simply took for granted what God had called for (called for it in Paul and everyone else).

A few years back a man, whom I judge was as weary as we all are at times with too much debating and too little warm, eager obedience, wrote a book calling us all to be more open in our fellowship with evangelical churches of whatever hue since ignorance is prevalent in all churches.

A reviewer trenchantly reminded the author that since it's true that ignorance prevails in all the churches the author had no good reason to limit fellowship in Christ to “evangelicals”. Why not include the fringe groups that believe in Jesus as Saviour though they hold fundamental error about Jesus, his person, his work and his purpose? 

Many people belong to this church or that simply because it was good enough for their parents (or the Queen of England) and it’s good enough for them. Churches often stand apart from each other for evil reasons (bitterness, arrogance, stubbornness, personality clashes or thwarted ambitions) but sometimes standing apart is inevitable because, in the end, we must call it as we see it and we don’t all see it alike. God knows how to judge the character and depth of error even when we can't so we should happily leave that to him while we proclaim what the Bible seems clearly to teach with passion and graciousness.

If because we’re shaped by the Hebrew—Christian scriptures we oppose homosexuality as an acceptable behaviourable choice we’re often accused of being homophobic. Sometimes when we criticize Jewish views we’re said to be anti-Semitic or when we castigate the greed often generated by the free-market we’re said to be Communist or dangerously Socialist. We exclude some people from a place in the NT elect for one reason or another and we’re called sectarian, hardhearted and graceless. Choose your own illustration. Accusations like this get us nowhere and they certainly don’t nurture courtesy and fairness. Maybe we’ll just have to stand our ground, call it as we see it while, by God’s grace, we continue in a spirit of obedience to pursue truth as it’s found in Jesus. Meanwhile we’ll continue the dialogue praying for movement in whatever direction it needs to come from or head to.

But don’t you get weary of what appears to be the fad of recantation and long for bold proclamation? Don’t you grow tired of the “niceness” that appears to want to please the religious consumer and wish for men and women who take a stand on what the scriptures say with plainness? Isn't "religious correctness" sometimes as sickening as political "correctness"?

From Mark Copeland... The Supremacy Of Jesus Over Moses (Hebrews 3:1-6)

                      "THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS"

               The Supremacy Of Jesus Over Moses (3:1-6)

INTRODUCTION

1. We have seen that the writer to the Hebrews sought to encourage 
   faithfulness to Jesus by illustrating His superiority...
   a. Over prophets - He 1:1-3
   b. Over angels - He 1:4-2:18
   -- Both of which were very important to the Jewish people

2. Highly revered also by the Hebrews was Moses...
   a. The author of the first five books of the Old Testament
   b. The deliverer, who led them out of Egyptian bondage and to the 
      promised land
   c. The Law-giver, through whom God revealed so much of the Jewish 
      religion

3. If the writer was to be successful in encouraging his brethren to 
   remain faithful to Jesus...
   a. He would have to compare Jesus with Moses
   b. He would have to illustrate "The Supremacy Of Jesus Over Moses"
   -- This he does, especially in He 3:1-6, which serves as the text 
      of our study

[In the first verse, we note the...]

I. THE CALL TO CONSIDER JESUS (1)

   A. TO WHOM THIS CALL IS GIVEN...
      1. The readers are described as:
         a. "holy brethren"
            1) I.e., brethren who are sanctified, set apart for a holy
               purpose
            2) Cf. what was written in He 2:10-11
            3) It is to the brethren of Christ that these things are 
               being written!
         b. "partakers of the heavenly calling"
            1) They had come to share in the call from heaven
            2) This "calling" was the call of the gospel
               a) For that is how God calls us - 2Th 2:13-14
               b) It is a call to glory - 2Th 2:14; 1Th 2:12
      2. Clearly the original recipients were Christians!
         a. Some commentators try to reason that they were not, because
            of the warnings found throughout this epistle
         b. But it is evident they were, which is why we need to give 
            earnest heed to the warnings!

   B. TO CONSIDER JESUS AS APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST...
      1. How is Jesus an "apostle"?
         a. The word means "one sent"
         b. Just as Moses was sent by God, so was Jesus, as foretold by
            Moses and the prophets that followed! - Ac 3:22-26; cf. 
            Jn 7:16
      2. How is Jesus a "high priest"?
         a. That is one of the important themes of this epistle
            1) Introduced in He 2:17
            2) Expounded upon in detail later in He 4:14-7:28
         b. He has made "propitiation" (an appeasing sacrifice) for our
            sins, through offering Himself on the cross - He 7:26-27
         c. He continues to intercede on our behalf - He 7:24-25
      -- Thus Jesus is the Apostle and High Priest "of our confession"
         (i.e., whom we confess as Christians)

[As we now note the actual comparison  of Jesus with Moses, we are told
that...]

II. JESUS IS GREATER IN HIS PERSON (2-4)

   A. THE ISSUE IS NOT ONE OF FAITHFULNESS...
      1. Jesus was faithful to the One who appointed Him - cf. Jn 17:4
      2. Moses likewise was faithful - cf. He 11:24-29; Num 12:6-8

   B. JESUS IS GREATER BECAUSE HE IS THE BUILDER (CREATOR)...
      1. Jesus is worthy of more glory, just as one who builds a house
         has more honor than the house itself
         a. Jesus is the builder
         b. Moses is part of the house itself
         -- Implying that what Moses did was in service to the work of
            the Son!
      2. Once again the author declares the deity of the Son as the 
         Creator of all things - cf. He 1:2c,10; 3:4

[The comparison continues as we note that...]

III. JESUS IS GREATER IN HIS MINISTRY (5-6)

   A. MOSES WAS A FAITHFUL "SERVANT"...
      1. We have already seen that issue is not one of faithfulness 
         - Num 12:6-8
      2. Moses' task was to testify of things to come, which he did 
         faithfully - e.g., Deut 18:15-19; cf. Lk 24:44

   B. JESUS IS A FAITHFUL "SON"...
      1. Moses was simply a servant IN the house, Jesus is the Son OVER
         the house
      2. Not only did Jesus do the work He was sent to do (Jn 17:4),
         but He was given authority over all the things of God - cf. 
         Mt 28:18; Jn 3:35; Ep 1:22

CONCLUSION

1. How is Jesus superior to Moses?
   a. Not in faithfulness, but in person and service
   b. Moses was a servant in the house of God; Jesus is the builder of
      the house, and serves as the Son over the house!
   -- Indeed, Moses points us forward to Jesus (cf. Deut 18:15-19); for
      one to forsake Jesus in an attempt to go back to Moses alone is 
      to frustrate the desire of Moses himself!

2. Speaking of the house of God, of which Jesus is the builder and over
   which He presides...
   a. The writer to the Hebrews affirms that "we" are the house of 
      Christ
      1) Speaking of the church, which is the house of God - 1 Tim 3:15
      2) In Christ, we are now "members of the household of God", and
         together with the faithful saints of old (including Moses) we 
         are now "fellow-citizens" in the commonwealth of Israel! 
         - cf. Ep 2:11-22
   b. Yet our status as the "house" is conditional!
      1) "whose house we are IF we hold fast...." - He 3:6
      2) We must hold fast "the confidence and the rejoicing of the 
         hope firm to the end."

Therefore the need for steadfastness, and the reason this epistle is 
filled with exhortations to that end!  Indeed, the next exhortation 
begins in verse 7, which we shall examine in our next lesson ("A
Warning From The Wilderness").

Is your faith wavering?  Then heed the words of this epistle and...

      "consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession,
      Christ Jesus".

As you contemplate His person and His ministry, it should help you hold
fast to your confession of faith!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Gary... You say... God says...

I remember being a young boy and helpless in the face of tyranny; but God helped me. Then as a young man, not yet 21, with three small children, I felt overwhelmed by responsibility, but God made a way. Then, in my early 50's, when faced with godless opposition in the workplace, a friend said to me- "Gary, it seems that everyone who is against you fails." Now, I am old and faced with all the problems of advancing years.  Yet, somehow, I have never felt more blessed in my life. So, when I look at the chart, I can see my own doubts, fears, concerns and yes, downright stupidity in stark contrast with the plain truth from God. So, as I continue to advance along my continuum of being, I find solace in the following passage from the Scriptures...

Luke, Chapter 1
 5  There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  6 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.  7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.  8 Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division,  9 according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.  10 The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 

  11  An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.  13 But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  14 You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.  15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.  16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God.  17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.” 

  18  Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” 
  19  The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.

Later on in the book of Luke, Zacharias was disciplined for his unbelief by being unable to speak until he pleased God by naming his son John.  But, his son (John the Baptist) was one very special blessing to a very aged couple!!!  Who says that just because someone is old that God cannot work through them? If it can happen to Zacharias, it can happen to me- and more importantly- IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU!!!  Over and over God has worked in my life and will continue to do so- if you can not say that, then do whatever it takes to seek and obey God!!!  A good place to START would be to review the chart and determine this very day to take God more seriously!!!  Make no mistake, long before you read this, I will be doing the same thing!!!