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!!!

2/27/14

From Jim McGuiggan... STUBBORN OUNCES

STUBBORN OUNCES



You say the little efforts that I make
Will do no good;
They never will prevail
To tip the hovering scale
Where justice hangs in balance.
I don’t think
I ever thought they would.
But I am prejudiced beyond debate
In favour of my right to choose which side
Shall feel the stubborn ounces of my weight.
Bonaro Overtsreet  

When we self-confessed sinners [self-confessed because God has opened our eyes] oppose “the world” [1 John 2:15-17] and its powerful allies and attempt to set prisoners free we’re not making a futile, pointless gesture and much less are we appealing to the goodness of a “world” that enslaves and crushes, a “world” that is the Glorious God’s enemy.

We align ourselves with God—clay pots, fragile and vulnerable, with no claim to moral superiority—and offer ourselves as God’s instruments to promote and bring to fulfillment God’s glorious enterprise in Jesus Christ. It's in people like us that God invests the gospel treasure that an impoverished and oppressed humanity needs so desperately. That's all the NT elect have to offer—a Message, good news. Nothing else! Not medical advances or social reforms or scientific breakthroughs however fine they might be. We offer nothing but the wisdom and power and righteousness of God embodied in the Lord Jesus and we do it in the humiliation of preaching [1 Corinthians 1:18, 21-25].

That can’t be a blunder and it can’t be an act of blind stupidity for God himself would have it that way. The now glorified Lord Jesus chooses again the way of humiliation as he did in his pre-exalted ministry.

Our eyes are fixed on God’s self-disclosure in and as Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ who is himself the justification for the very existence of humans! Who is himself the embodiment of God’s eternal war against all that enslaves and narrows and robs and humiliates.

Our stubborn ounces are thrown onto his scale and because of Him we’ll discover one day that they weighed as much as worlds!


©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, theabidingword.com.

From Mark Copeland... Advantages Of Jesus' Humanity (Hebrews 2:5-18)






                      "THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS"

                 Advantages Of Jesus' Humanity (2:5-18)

INTRODUCTION

1. Following his warning against drifting (He 2:1-4), the writer of
   Hebrews continues to illustrate Jesus' superiority to angels...
   a. In the first chapter the emphasis was on Jesus' deity
   b. Now the focus is on Jesus' humanity

2. One can imagine the sort of objections that could be raised about
   Jesus' humanity...
   a. When Jesus became flesh, didn't that make Him lower than the
      angels?
   b. How then can it be said that He is superior to angels?

3. The response is that Jesus' humanity provided several advantages...
   a. In regaining man's lost dominion
   b. In bringing many sons to glory
   c. In disarming Satan, and delivering us from the fear of death
   d. In becoming a sympathetic high priest

[Yes, becoming flesh did not prove to be a handicap or a mark of
inferiority; rather, it served to make Him "perfect"!  To see how,
let's note how Jesus' humanity first...]

I. ENABLED JESUS TO REGAIN MAN'S LOST DOMINION (2:5-9)

   A. MAN ONCE HAD DOMINION OVER THE EARTH...
      1. At the beginning, man was given dominion over God's creation
         - Gen 1:26-28
      2. David marveled that God set man over His works - Ps 8:4-6
         a. Even though man was made "a little lower than the angels"
         b. Yet God "crowned him with glory and honor"!

   B. MAN HAS LOST THAT DOMINION...
      1. As is rather evident:  "But now we do not yet see all things
         put under him." - He 2:8
      2. As a result of The Fall, man lost his dominion

   C. JESUS, AS A MAN, REGAINED THAT DOMINION!
      1. Jesus was "made a little lower than the angels"; i.e., He
         became a man!
      2. Because of His suffering of death, He was "crowned with glory
         and honor"!
         a. What man once had and lost...Jesus has regained!
         b. Those who are in Him share in that rule, both now and in
            the future!
            1) Seated at the right hand of God, Christ rules over all
               - cf. Ep 1:20-22
            2) Those in Christ sit together with Him - cf. Ep 2:4-6
            3) Especially so, when we pass from this life to the
               next... - cf. Re 2:26-27; 3:21

[Such dominion, both now and in "the world to come", was never given
to angels (He 2:5). Man had it and lost it. Becoming a man and
suffering death enabled Jesus to regain that dominion for man!

By the same suffering and death, Jesus was able to "taste death for
everyone" (He 2:9). By the grace of God, then, His humanity also...]

II. ENABLED JESUS TO BRING MANY SONS TO GLORY (2:10-13)

   A. HIS SUFFERINGS IN THE FLESH WERE "FITTING"...
      1. God gave Jesus the task...
         a. To bring many sons to glory (to restore man to his position
            of glory and honor)
         b. To be the "author" (captain, pioneer, leader) of man's
            salvation
      2. His sufferings in the flesh made Jesus "perfect" for the task!
         a. This is not to imply that Jesus was imperfect when He was
            on the earth
         b. The word "perfect" means to be "complete, effective,
            adequate"
         c. To be complete and effective as our Savior and High Priest,
            Jesus' sufferings were necessary - cf. He 2:18

   B. HIS HUMANITY MAKES HIM "ONE" WITH THOSE BEING SAVED...
      1. Even though He is the One who "sanctifies", and they are
         "being sanctified"
      2. His humanity (and suffering) makes them "all of one"
      3. Such identity with man makes Jesus proud to call us
         "brethren"! - He 2:12-13

[The idea of Jesus as the One whose suffering in the flesh makes Him
the perfect author of our salvation, and not ashamed to call us
brethren, is expanded even further in the remaining verses of the
chapter.  Here we see that the humanity of Jesus...]

III. ENABLED JESUS TO DISARM SATAN AND DELIVER US FROM THE FEAR OF
     DEATH (2:14-16)

   A. JESUS' DEATH GAVE HIM VICTORY OVER THE DEVIL...
      1. Through His own death and resurrection, Jesus "destroyed" the
         devil!
         a. The devil is still very active - cf. 1Pe 5:8-9
         b. But though he once "had" (past tense) the power of death,
            no more! - cf. Re 1:18
      2. His power greatly weakened by Jesus' victory over death, Satan
         will be destroyed for all time at the time of our own
         resurrection! - cf. Re 20:10-12

   B. JESUS' DEATH GAVE US FREEDOM FROM THE FEAR OF DEATH...
      1. A fear that keeps many in bondage throughout their lifetime
      2. But the faithful Christian need not fear death!- cf. Ro 8:
         37-39; 1Co 3:21-23; Php 2:21
      3. Thus it is to the "seed of Abraham" (faithful Christians, cf.
         Ga 3:29), and not to "angels" that Jesus has given such aid!
         - He 2:16

[Finally, partaking of flesh and blood, suffering and dying on the
cross...]

IV. ENABLED JESUS TO BE A SYMPATHETIC HIGH PRIEST (2:17-18)

   A. JESUS IS A MERCIFUL AND FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST...
      1. In coming to this world, Jesus was "made like His brethren"
      2. He became like man "in all things"
      3. This equipped Him for the role of a merciful and faithful high
         priest
         a. "In things pertaining to God"
         b. "To make propitiation for the sins of the people"
         c. We read later that the role of high priest involved
            offering gifts and sacrifices for sin - He 5:1

   B. HE IS ABLE TO AID THOSE WHO ARE TEMPTED...
      1. He too has suffered, and been tempted, though we learn later
         He remained without sin - He 4:15
      2. Such suffering makes Him compassionate - cf. He 5:2
      3. Therefore those who come to Him can expect to receive mercy
         and grace in time of need! - cf. He 4:16

CONCLUSION

1. What angel has accomplished such things as...
   a. Regain man's lost dominion?
   b. Bring many sons to glory?
   c. Disarm Satan, and deliver us from the fear of death?
   d. Become a sympathetic high priest?

2. All these things (and certainly much more) Jesus has done by virtue
   of becoming man...
   a. Yes, He became "a little lower than the angels"
   b. But in so doing, even His humanity makes Him far superior to
      angels!

3. With the first two chapters we see the superiority of Jesus...
   a. Over the prophets, as God's perfect spokesman
   b. Over the angels, by virtue of His deity and His humanity
   -- Why should we ever want to turn our back on such a Savior?

We have also seen that Jesus, who was tempted, who has suffered and
tasted death for everyone, is not ashamed to call us "brethren".  Are
we ashamed to call Him "Lord"?  Are we willing to serve Him as Lord?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Gary... A real prize????


If you watch television during the Christmas season, you will have seen "A Christmas story". The above picture says it all; this "big prize" was placed in view of all the neighborhood and was scandalous!!! 


(click on the links above to view)

By the standards of morality accepted by the general public, however, this lamp was "no big deal".  For Christians however, some of the attitudes expressed are offensive.  The most prominent would be lust, which is what this lamp is a symbol of.  Sound too puritanical for you?  Well, consider what The Apostle Paul has to say on the subject...

Galatians, Chapter 5
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.  17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.  18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,  20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,  21 envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 

  22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.  25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.  26 Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.


The standards for those who follow Christ have never changed; purity is purity. Simple thought- Don't do the things of the first paragraph, but follow the second one instead.  And don't go out and just buy this lamp; you won't be doing yourself any good!!!

2/26/14

From Steve Singleton... Abraham’s wait: Whose fault was it?

Abraham’s wait: Whose fault was it?

I had an “I get it!” moment recently when reading the call of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3). Stephen in Acts 7:2 says God called Abraham while he lived in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. That means we should understand Genesis 12:1 as a pluperfect: God HAD said to Abram…”, referring back to that previous calling while he still lived in Ur (see Genesis 11:31-32).

Did Abram obey that original calling? God had said, “Leave your country, your people, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you.” Is that what Abram did? At first, he only partially obeyed. He left his country, but he took his people and his father’s house with him (see Genesis 11:31-32 and 12:4).

I have always wondered why Abraham had to wait so long before Isaac was born. I think this is at least a partial answer: Abraham delayed in obeying God fully. He left Ur WITH his family and then under their influence lingered in Haran for who knows how long.

Genesis 31:30-35 and Joshua 24:14-15 indicate that originally Terah and family were idolaters, and even in Haran were not completely free of its pull. Living among the extended family, even in exile, meant Abram had the economic security of shared risk and the physical safety in numbers.

God had called him away from all that—idols, financial cushions, strategic protection—challenging him to trust his Shield and receive his very great reward (see Genesis 15:1). But Abram delayed in obeying fully. The text suggests that he put concern for his father ahead of obedience to his God.

Can we blame God that Abraham received the fulfillment of the promise so late in life? Whose fault was it?

Yet the New Testament only focuses on his eventual obedience, not on the delay, installing Abraham in the “Hall of Fame of Faith” (see Hebrews 11:8). God was patient and gracious in dealing with Abram the delayer, Abram the weak. Through long years of discipling He transformed him into Abraham the faithful, Abraham the friend of God.

That convinces me He will also be patient and gracious to me, the stumbling and delaying and only partially obedient pilgrim. He is patient and gracious, yes, but my persistent slowness to trust and obey delays the blessing He wants to give to me.
 
Want to dive deeper?
The life of Abraham is worth studying more closely, and many scholars have obliged by drawing us deeper. Take a look:
For sale:
6303596: Abraham... Called by GodAbraham… Called by God 
by Witness Lee / Living Stream Ministry
In a remarkable commentary on the life of Abraham from the Book of Genesis, Witness Lee presents Abraham as a genuine man, not unlike us all, fallen, but called by God. Like him, we have seen "the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" and have been attracted to follow Him. Like Him, we must learn the lessons of faith through trials, testing, and failure, in order to enter into the promises and blessings of God.
75320: Created to Be God"s Friend: Lessons from the Life of Abraham, softcover
Created to Be God’s Friend
by Henry Blackaby
From the example of the life of Abraham, Henry Blackaby will show you how to become God’s intimate friend. You will learn how God shapes those He loves into useful, joyful co-workers as they hear and respond to His call in everyday life. Created to Be God’s Friend is a remarkable study of our relationship with a personal God who is constantly working in each of our lives.
Read free online:
David Peabody – Patriarch of Hebron, or The Life of Abraham (1841).

Anonymous – The Christianity of Abraham: “Faith that worketh through love”: with Patriarchal Prophecy (1848).

Many thanks to brother Steve Singleton, for allowing me to post from his website, deeperstudy.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... THE FAITH OF THE CHURCH

THE FAITH OF THE CHURCH


It all depends, doesn’t it, on what we’re trying to produce. If we’re working to bring about a decent society where political freedom and societal justice is experienced, where people are nice to each other, pay their honourable debts and keep their commitments—if we’re working to produce that then our message will be shaped in a certain way.

If we want to produce Christians, followers of Jesus, who reflect his agenda in their lives and teaching and ordinances then our message will be shaped in another way.

The aims may overlap in some respects but they’ll be as different as day and night. I mean, we can’t produce Christians (Christ’s followers!) without producing people who are serious about keeping their word, about treating people kindly, being honourable in relationships and wanting justice for all. But even non-Christians can be serious about such things and some of them apparently are more serious about them than some professing Christians.

For all the similarities between the lives of a morally upright and kind non-Christians and a fine Christian—their message is fundamentally different. For the Christian the centre of everything is Jesus and what he means and stands for. Their calling—and it is a calling—makes them different; what is distinctive about their lives and thought is what they have found in Jesus.

Maybe that doesn’t matter! Maybe the only thing that matters is that we all be kind and give each other a break; that we all live and let live, that we all try to live by some “golden rule” and be morally upright—maybe the rest doesn’t matter!

Maybe!

But this much is clear—if that’s correct, then Jesus was dead wrong! If that’s correct then what is distinctive about the Christian faith is redundant and nonsense and in some ways pernicious!

I can understand non-believers thinking this and saying it but what is astonishing is for Christian leaders and a host of us followers thinking that the Christian faith is little more than our way of getting people to live lives of moral uprightness! 

It is no such thing!

The Church is the body of Jesus, the extension of the Incarnation made possible by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The message is much more than “let’s all be morally upright people”—its Message is about Jesus, who he is and what he stands for and when that becomes sidelined by other agendas (like trying to make people more moral, growing large churches, offering personal, present peace and fine families and other interesting and sometimes good agendas)—when the Church’s immediate business is sidelined we’re obscuring God’s agenda in Jesus and that’s inexcusable.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, theabidingword.com.

From Mark Copeland... Lest We Drift Away ( Hebrews 2:1-4)



                      "THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS"

                       Lest We Drift Away (2:1-4)

INTRODUCTION

1. The author of "The Epistle To The Hebrews" was concerned about the
   spiritual well-being of his initial recipients...
   a. They were fellow Jews who had become Christians
   b. His concern is that they not drift back into Judaism
   c. He deals with this problem in two ways:
      1) By emphasizing the superiority of Christ and the New Covenant
      2) By a series of exhortations for them to remain steadfast

2. In chapter one we saw...
   a. The superiority of Christ to the prophets - He 1:1-3
   b. The superiority of Christ to the angels - He 1:4-14

3. Now we come to the first of several exhortations - cf. He 2:1-4
   a. In which we find a warning about the danger of "drifting"
   b. The figure suggested is that of a boat...
      1) Drifting along at an almost imperceptible pace
      2) Carried along in the wrong direction by a subtle current

4. In this lesson, I want us to examine...
   a. The reasons behind such an exhortation
   b. Various "currents" that can cause us to "drift away"
   c. The key to avoiding "drifting away"

[Let's begin, then, with some...]

I. REASONS FOR THIS EXHORTATION

   A. THE REAL DANGER OF "DRIFTING"...
      1. It is possible for us to "drift away" from our salvation!
         a. We can certainly "neglect" our salvation - He 2:3
         b. Later, we will learn that we can "depart" from God - He 3:
            12-14
         c. Also, that one can so "fall away" that it becomes 
            impossible to renew them to repentance! - He 6:4-6
         d. One can reach a point where the sacrifice of Christ is no 
            longer available for their sins! - He 10:26-27
      2. The danger of "drifting" is very real!
         a. It is possible for a child of God to so sin as to be lost!
         b. Otherwise, such an exhortation as this is meaningless!

   B. THE DIGNITY OF THE ONE THROUGH WHOM GOD HAS SPOKEN...
      1. As noted in He 1:1-2, God now speaks to us through His Son
         a. We have seen that this Son is:
            1) Superior to the prophets - He 1:1-3
            2) Superior to the angels - He 1:4-14
         b. We have seen that this Son is:
            1) The appointed Heir of all things!
            2) The brightness of God's glory, the express image of His
               person!
            3) Our Sustainer and Redeemer!
            4) The "Firstborn" who receives worship
            5) "God" enthroned and anointed
            6) The "LORD" (Yahweh) who is the eternal creator
            7) The "Sovereign", reigning at God's right hand
      2. When God spoke through angels...
         a. His word proved steadfast
         b. Every transgression and disobedience received a just reward
            - He 2:2
      3. How much more, then, when He speaks through His Son!
         a. Will not His word prove just as steadfast?
         b. Will not every unrepented transgression and disobedience
            receive a just reward?
         -- Dare we neglect the Word of God spoken through His Son?

   C. THE CONFIRMATION GIVEN THIS REVELATION...
      1. The word spoken by the Son was confirmed by His apostles 
         - He 2:3
         a. Individuals who were eyewitnesses - Ac 10:39-41; 2Pe 1:16
         b. Men who endured much to serve Him - cf. 1Co 4:9-13
      2. The word spoken by the Son was confirmed even more! - He 2:4
         a. By God Himself, through signs, wonders, and miracles 
            - cf. Jn 10:37-38
         b. By the Holy Spirit, with gifts according to His will 
            - cf. 1Co 12:7-11
      -- Shall we neglect that Word to which such have born witness?

   D. WHAT WE LOSE IF WE "DRIFT AWAY"...
      1. We lose "so great a salvation"! - He 2:3
      2. It is a "great salvation", because it offers such things as:
         a. The forgiveness of sin
         b. Transformation of character by providing power over sin
         c. Assurance of God's fatherly presence
         d. A clear and peaceful conscience
         e. A glorious hope for eternity
      -- Dare we lose all this through "neglect"?

[Just as those who neglected the word spoken through angels (i.e., the
Law of Moses) lost their "promised land", so there are grave
consequences for those who neglect the salvation spoken of by the Son
of God!  Such "neglect" is possible when we "drift away".

Following the metaphor of drifting, what "currents" might cause one to
drift?]

II. "CURRENTS" THAT CAN CAUSE US TO DRIFT

   A. THE CURRENT OF "TIME"...
      1. In which we grow weary of doing good, a concern expressed in
         Ga 6:9
      2. As time passes by...
         a. We can gradually lose some of the fervor of our devotion 
            - e.g., Re 2:4
         b. We may begin to rest on past accomplishments, and cease 
            pressing forward - cf. Php 3:13-14

   B. THE CURRENT OF "FAMILIARITY"...
      1. As we become familiar with the truth, it may seem common place
         to us
         a. We may lose its sense of novelty
         b. We may take it for granted
      2. Like the Ephesians we may lose our "first love" - Re 2:4

   C. THE CURRENT OF "SOCIETY"...
      1. The tides of modern opinion can easily induce us - 1Co 15:33
      2. Bombarded by the secular humanism, false religions, and even 
         plastic "Christianity" offered as "truth", it is hard to 
         maintain the course!
      3. Such things can move us away from the simplicity and wisdom of
         our Lord! - e.g., 2Co 11:2-3

   D. THE CURRENT OF "THE FLESH"...
      1. Our warfare is not only without, but also within - 1Pe 2:11
      2. Our flesh is constantly waging war against our souls, and 
         against the Spirit who desires that we follow Him - Ga 5:16-17

   E. THE CURRENT OF "DAILY CONCERNS"...
      1. The constant pressure of daily cares, anxieties, duties, etc.,
         can distract us
      2. Jesus warned against this on several occasions - Lk 8:14; 
         21:34

[Any and all these things can slowly move us away from the Lord and His
great salvation if we are not careful!  However, as we return to our 
text, we can learn...]

III. THE KEY TO PREVENT "DRIFTING AWAY"

   A. WE MUST GIVE "THE MORE EARNEST HEED"...
      1. Imagine yourself in a canoe, in a river with a slow moving 
         current...
         a. Failure to pay constant attention leads to drifting
         b. The drifting may be subtle, but often by the time you 
            realize it, it is too late!
         c. Last minute corrections may be made, but even then one may
            still run into the brush, crash into the rocks, or go over
            the falls!
         -- Only by giving earnest heed can that be avoided
      2. So it is with our salvation!
         a. We must be "diligent" to the task at hand - cf. 2Pe 1:5,10
         b. There is no place to be half-hearted about this! - e.g., 
            Php 3:12-15
      3. Note that we must give the "more" earnest heed
         a. We are to be more earnest than those who heard the word of
            God spoken through angels (i.e., the Israelites)
            1) Because we have the word of God spoken through the Son
            2) Which pertains to a salvation greater than that enjoyed
               by them
            3) To whom more is given, more is required! - cf. Lk 12:48
         b. Are you more earnest in giving heed to what you have heard,
            than those saints in the Old Testament?

   B. WE MUST GIVE SUCH HEED TO THE "THINGS WE HAVE HEARD"...
      1. The "things we have heard" refer to:
         a. The Word of God spoken through His Son
         b. The great salvation
         -- I.e., the gospel of Christ in all aspects!
      2. How can we do this?
         a. The Bereans provide a good example - Ac 17:11
            1) In the way in which they initially listened ("received
               the word with all readiness")
            2) In the way in which they followed up ("searched the 
               Scriptures daily...")
         b. Certainly through:
            1) Earnest attention whenever God's word is proclaimed
            2) Earnest study of God's Word on our own
            3) Earnest study in preparation for our Bible classes
         c. With the sort of study of God's Word...
            1) Entered into with a prayerful devotion to God - Ps 119:
               18
            2) Concluded with a prayerful desire to please God - Ps 119:10-11
      3. Are you giving "the more earnest heed to the things we have 
         heard"?
         a. Another year has past; how did you do?
         b. Another year is already started; how will you do?

CONCLUSION

1. We have been blessed to receive "so great a salvation"...
   a. A salvation spoken to us first through God's own Son!
   b. A salvation then confirmed by God Himself, the Holy Spirit, and 
      those who heard Him!
   c. A salvation much greater than any offered before!

2. But please note carefully...
   a. One need not "reject" or "actively fight" against this great
      salvation to "receive a just reward"
   b. Those who simply "drift away" through "neglect" will also not 
      escape!
      1) Escape what?
      2) From what we learn later, it will be "much worse punishment"!
         - cf. He 10:28-29

Have you neglected this great salvation Jesus offers?  If so, may this
first exhortation found in "The Epistle To The Hebrews" move you to
repent, and cause you to give "the more earnest heed" to the gospel of
Christ!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011