Tag Archives: Christian

Thinking About Drinking: Is There Any Guidance? (part three)

Culture, , ,

In two previous articles, (one / two) we have assessed social drinking from a secular perspective. We tried to show that consumption of alcoholic beverages carries certain risks to the imbiber as well as to his family, friends, and even those people he does not know but who happen to cross his path. All of these risks are viewed in the light of the unnecessary, voluntary place of alcohol in life. In this article, we will examine numerous Biblical passages which speak to alcohol consumption. The reader should understand that there is no “thou shalt not drink” passage found in Scripture. There are, however, many passages that teach a principle of abstinence. These are the teachings we will address.

Drunkenness

Excessive drinking is condemned.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,  idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,  envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

(Galatians 5:19-21)

Observe that while Paul specifically classifies drunkenness as sin, he also condemns many behaviors that often arise from intoxication like fits of anger and orgies. He further expands his list with the phrase, “things like these.” A happy drunk or a fighting drunk both sin by their drunkenness and by their alcohol influenced actions.

Paul echoes the same thought in Romans 13:13, 1 Corinthians 5:11, 1 Corinthians 6:10 and Ephesians 5:18. Without a doubt, drunkenness is condemned by the Holy Spirit.

Tipsy Drinking

Some like to walk a line between drunk and sober. They enjoy alcohol and the social environments where alcohol is served. What says the Bible?

Proverbs 20:1 divides drinking into two types, wine, and strong drink. He says “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” Shortly he adds, “Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end, it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder” (Proverbs 23:31, 32). He seems to have in view the progressive nature of alcoholic consumption, the movement from first drink until crossing that undefined line into drunkenness.

Abstinence

The Christian is better off without any alcohol. Consider Proverbs 31:4, 5, “…its is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and perverts the right of the afflicted.” God himself prohibited Aaron and the priests from drinking while serving in the Tabernacle (Leviticus 10:9). In assessing a man for the position of elder the Scriptures warn that he must not be known as one who lingers over the wine. His reputation is enhanced by abstinence.

A reader might quickly assert that these passages are offered for kings, priests, and elders. That is true. But it is also true that this high quality of life should be sought by all Christians. Shouldn’t all Christians seek to rise to the qualities of an elder? Why not?

Conclusion

Given all of the reasons in these three articles against alcoholic beverages, and given that consuming so-called adult beverages is never required and completely unnecessary, and noting the Bible condemnation of drunkenness and even the dangers of light drinking, does it not lead to the conclusion that the Christian should avoid alcohol?

Seek purity and godliness and separate yourself from the traits of the world.

 

 

The Christian and the World

Church Bulletin, Culture, Daily living,

alone against the worldChristians use the term “World” differently than most people. For us, it depends on its context as to its precise meaning. We may speak of the entirety of Creation as crafted by God in Genesis. We may simply speak broadly of the world as the place where men and animals exist. But often our view of the world is much darker; it is a bad place in opposition to the Lord.

Paul has this latter meaning in mind when, in 2 Corinthians 6:17, he calls his readers to “go out from their midst” (ESV) or “come ye out from among them” (ASV, 1911). The people the Christians are to separate from are the world. Christians must live in and among evil people, that is, the world. The challenge is to remain unblemished by their wickedness.

The World is the Place of the Wicked

David declares,  “Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him! Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword, from men by your hand, O LORD, from men of the world whose portion is in this life” (Psalm 17:13, 14). The psalmist sought deliverance from worldly men. Jesus taught similarly in the parable of the dishonest manager in Luke 16:1-9. Here the cheating business manager is akin to the “sons of the world” and is contrasted against the “sons of light.”

The wicked surely love their kind while they hate the righteous. Jesus described these people as being “from below” while he is from above. Jesus said, “I am not of this world” (John 8:23). In fact, the world hates Jesus, and by extension, his disciples (John 15:18, 19).

The World is the Domain of Satan

Colossians says of Christians that we have been delivered “from the domain of darkness” (Colossians 1:13). The ruler of that domain is the devil. Before his crucifixion, Jesus said the ruler of the world was about to be destroyed (John 12:31). He said the “ruler of this world” was coming (John 14:30) and that divine judgment had come upon that ruler (John 16:11).

Satan had previously tempted Jesus by offering him all the kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:8, 9). Since Jesus was divine and possessed perfect knowledge, it must have been possible for Satan to have delivered upon this temptation. Otherwise, there would be no temptation in the offer. This should demonstrate the extraordinary power Satan possessed in the pre-resurrection world.

Today, Satan is restricted. Still, his worldly disciples work to influence all that happens in our present world.

The World is the Last Place Christians Want to Be

The Christian faces a conundrum: We must live and work in the world, but we cannot belong to the world. The closer I walk to the world and its way of thinking, the farther I am from God. The Christian longs for the day when the world is behind him and eternity stretches before his tired eyes. Even the martyred saints long for the day when God’s justice breaks forth on the world (Revelation 6:10). They were told to wait a little longer. And so it is! We will remain in the world, but apart from it, until the times appointed by the Lord.

We will survive this sojourn only by giving careful attention to the Word of God, frequent prayers and with extraworldly fellowship with our brethren. God promises deliverance for his people.

 

Dear Sir: An Open Letter to Employers

Church, Culture, Daily living,

christian workerYou are the backbone of our economy. Your hard work and dedication to your industry have made you successful. You employ millions of Americans, thus, allowing them the assets to pursue their goals and dreams. Your production gives the rest of us the necessities and luxuries of life. Thank you!

I hesitate to complain but there is a serious deficiency in your business practices. This shortfall is stifling the moral integrity of your employees. Specifically, you require them to work during their worship services. This may seem trifling but you are harming yourself by depriving your employees of a chance to deepen their commitment to their Lord and by preventing them from becoming the best employee possible. I ask that you reconsider.

Not every worker desires to attend worship. That is a sad, albeit true, fact of modern life. However, some of your employees wish to sit beside their spouses and children as the word of God is proclaimed. They wish to demonstrate to their families that they take seriously Biblical instruction. It is on behalf of these workers that I write today.

You might accurately reply that no employee has ever asked to be free to attend church services. I will not argue that point. But you must agree that in the present workplace environment most people assume that such a request will go unanswered and unfulfilled. It could be that some are afraid of being looked down upon or thought unreliable because of such a request. It is within your power to change that. What I am suggesting is a sort of affirmative action for religious assembly. Seek those employees who would attend the assembly and help to make arrangements so that they might attend.

There are concrete benefits to the firm arising from the religiously trained employee.

  •                 A religiously trained employee is trained in integrity. Honest is enshrined in the Old Testament (Exodus 20:15) and in the New (Colossians 3:9). Dishonesty is unacceptable.
  •                 A religiously trained employee is trained in industriousness. Christians ought to be the hardest working employees in your business. Hard work is taught in Scripture (Proverbs 6:6-11; 18:9; 19:15)
  •                 A religiously trained employee is trained to cooperate peacefully with others. The Bible teaches Christians to be peaceful and cooperative with others (2 Corinthians 13:11; Romans 14:19).

It would be foolish to assume that such a plan would never be abused. It will. There will be challenges as you transition to a worship friendly workplace. But I am convinced that cultivating a few devout Christian employees will have a profound, positive impact on your business. Like salt, the Christian flavors his surroundings.

The world says Christians are bad and should be repressed and their ideas and opinions excluded from the public square. The world is wrong. Observe the constant decline of our society and note that it tracks the decline in Christian values. You, dear employer, can begin to change all of that and improve your business at the same time.

 

 

 

4 Reasons Not To Be Surprised at the World

Culture, Government, Homosexuality, Legislation, ,

standing aloneThe disappointing decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, Obergefell v. Hodges, which allows same sex marriage in all states regardless of the will of the people, prompted an outpouring of angst on social media sites. American Christians were stunned that SCOTUS delivered a ruling so at odds with Bible teaching. Suddenly Christians found themselves, again, on the losing end of a political decision. For some, it was certainly the end of the world. For others, it was an excuse to spew forth venom against a community of people with whom they disagreed.

During the social media storm, I read a blog from author Carey Nieuwofe offering a Canadian perspective on same-sex marriage. Titled Some Advice on Same-Sex Marriage for US Church Leaders From a Canadian, the post was balanced and on target. I commend it to you. The post offers 5 ideas for American Christians to consider. His article caused me to think deeper about the decision and the reaction. From the seed of his post I offer 4 reasons why Christians should not be surprised at the decision or the joyous backlash from the LGBT community. [bctt tweet=”Christians should not be surprised at the SCOTUS decision”]

1. Jesus Was a Countercultural Icon

In his own day, Jesus countered the prevailing winds of society and government. He was never satisfied with the condition of the Jewish nation and he was never afraid to say so. In Matthew chapter 5, part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus countered current teaching and expanded on what was being practiced. 6 times Jesus said “but I say to you…” He took their standard and made it better. He took their culture to a higher level.

The scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees and high priests were the leaders of the day. They set the tone for religious life among the Jews. Jesus saved his most scathing comments for them. In Matthew 23, he offers strong rebukes of these cultural leaders. 6 times Jesus says, “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! One other time he calls them “blind guides.” He opposed their way of life and their teachings. He sought to counter them by offering a new and better way.

2. Jesus Was Hated by the Establishment

Because he was so vocal and well received by the common man, the leaders of the day hated Jesus. These leaders were first curious about this new call to renewal from John (Matthew 3:7-10) and then later sent to Jesus to learn more about him (John 3:1-2). Soon, however, they sought to discredit Jesus before his followers (Matthew 16:1; Mark 8:11; Luke 10:25; John 8:6). At every turn Jesus bested their feeble attempts to embarrass him. It would take more than tricky questions to bring Jesus down. [bctt tweet=”Countercultural Jesus was hated by the establishment then and now.”]

A great miracle in Bethany proves the turning point for the established leadership of Judaism. Jesus called Lazarus back from the dead. The miracle could not be denied and more and more people began to follow after Jesus. The leaders were not pleased. “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” (John 11:47-48). The high priest then uttered these dark words: “You know nothing at all.  Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish” (John 11:49-50). These were prophetic words concerning Jesus’ death.

The established leaders of the day despised Jesus so much that they schemed to kill him. They were successful. Their hatred had become murderous.

 

3. Don’t Be Surprised When the Establishment Hates You

It is not reasonable that the world would hate our Lord and love us. The established culture and governments of the day oppose us because they oppose our Lord.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me” (John 15:18-21).  [bctt tweet=”It is not reasonable that the world would hate our Lord and love us”]

No surprises. The world is in the hands of the evil one (1 John 5:19).

We want to be faithful servants of Jesus. We also want to be accepted by the world. The two are not compatible. It hurts deeply when the world rejects us because of our faith. But know that it is nothing new. It happened to our Lord – it will happen to us.

 

4. We Are Not Like The World And Must Never Be

Part of our trouble is that we want desperately to be like the world so that we will be accepted. The idea of isolation frightens us and threatens many of the relationships we hold dear. But to be a Christian is to place every relationship on the altar of sacrifice. Jesus said that includes our family (Matthew 10:37). Paul surrendered everything for his relationship with Jesus (Philippians 3:4-11).

As Christians, we are first of all citizens of Christ’s kingdom, placed there by the power of God (Colossians 1:13). We are God’s people; we are God’s possession (1 Peter 2:9-10). We are only “strangers and exiles” in this life (1 Peter 2:11).

Our culture is growing darker and darker (2 Timothy 3:13). They will grow to hate truth (even more than they already do) and will despise those who speak the truth. Remember we are not the world. As for our nation, Christians do not need the USA; the USA needs Christians. Only by standing firm on the rock of truth can we lead people from darkness to light. When light mixes with darkness it always grows dim. [bctt tweet=”Christians do not need the USA; the USA needs Christians”]

We must reject the temptation to bow to societal and cultural pressures to conform. We must not change. But always stand firm.

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.

 

Church and Government

Abortion, Church Bulletin, Culture, Daily living, Government, , ,

3D_Judges_Gavel (1)It’s time to talk about the church and government. It seems we are confusing the two. As a result, many Christians are wringing their hands over a federal judge who decided to mandate same-sex marriage in Alabama. There are some facts we should keep in mind.

The Church and Government Are Not the Same

While both are from God and even though Christians are subject to both, the church and government are not identical. Each has responsibilities which complement each other but are unique. For example, government has no responsibility for evangelism and the church has no responsibility for policing citizens.

Neither Sin nor Righteousness Can Be Legislated.

One of our greatest failures is the idea that we can make people holy through legislation. We cannot. [bctt tweet=”We might be able to make people conform, but we cannot save them through the legislative process.”] We have argued elsewhere that morality must be based in God. We may extend that to argue that such God-based morality is the foundation of many of laws in the past.

Today, government is populated by throngs of godless men and women who no longer stand on Biblical morality. To them, there is no moral anchor for their actions. The single determining factor is personal desire. Whatever most people want is what they will get. The danger of this populist approach to right and wrong is that anything becomes legally possible.

It is the populist approach that gave us abortion on demand and now homosexual marriage. One can only speculate at what future wickedness will be condoned and even supported by our government. We should not be surprised that evil is slowly consuming both our culture and government.

Christians must be the Conscience of Culture

What then is the role of the Christian in our country? Christians desire that all live righteously. That is the will of Christ and is appropriately the will of his followers. Jesus said that his followers should be both salt and light (Matthew 5:14-16). Jesus did not say that his people were to be politicians. It may be that Christians can affect the world through political activism and participation, but they must never confuse their Christianity with their politics.

Philip Yancey, in Vanishing Grace wrote, “The church works best as a separate force, a conscience to society that keeps itself at arm’s length from the state.” I think he has a fine point. Our task is not to run the state but to prod the state into Godly conduct. Sometimes our saltiness is successful. Sometimes our light is seen. Sadly, it doesn’t always work that way.

Our true battle is not in the smoke-filled back rooms of government. Our battle is in the hearts and minds of individuals.

Christians Live and Thrive Despite Government

I wonder if we think we are saved by government. Do we think the church needs government? The church does not need government. Every time the church gets close with the state the church loses. The one time the church actually merged with government we ended up with the Crusades.

But consider the original Christians. The church began with opposition from both the Jewish and Roman governments. Jesus, as Lord of the church and its founder, was crucified by the Romans at the insistence of the Jews. The Jewish persecution of the church began immediately with, at a minimum, the permission of Rome. Later, as Christianity spread far beyond Judea and Galilee, Rome took up the persecution under such infamous leaders as Nero and Domitian.

It was in the pressure cooker of governmental assault that Christianity grew rapidly.[bctt tweet=”It was in the pressure cooker of governmental assault that Christianity grew rapidly.”] It was also in this environment that Paul wrote, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1). Earlier, Jesus noted the separation between the church and government when he answered his critics by saying, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). The Christian walks two paths, that of the heavenly way and that of state citizen. For almost all Americans, these current rulings approving sinful acts have no direct impact on how they live or worship. It may anger us, sadden us, disappoint us or sicken us, but these laws do not require us to sin or violate our faith.

But It’s an Abomination!

True enough, homosexuality is an abomination. The Bible is clear in Leviticus 18:22; 20:13. But other sins are also abominations, i.e. dishonesty in business (Leviticus 25:16), idolatry (Deuteronomy 27:15, 32:16), a devious person (Proverbs 3:32), haughtiness, a lying tongue, shedding innocent blood, devising wicked plans, those that practice evil generally, a false witness and one who causes discord among brethren (Proverbs 6:16-19).

There are many sins that are not illegal. In fact, among the 10 Commandments, only two are actually illegal (killing and stealing). The point is simple: any sin offends God and is an abomination to him. But government is not the church and has never made most sins illegal. In our country today it is perfectly legal to engage in adultery or fornication. It is allowed to lie or shade the truth. It is legal to covet anything and everything your neighbor has. One may worship idols and even offer animal sacrifices to those idols and not be guilty of a crime.

Brethren, we live in a broken, corrupt world where Satan, our adversary, rules (1 John 5:19, Ephesians 2:2).

It Will Get Worse

It is not a happy thought, but our world will continue to grow darker (2 Timothy 3:2, 13). Most will be lost (Matthew 7:13, 14).

In my lifetime, these teachings have been proving again and again. Abortion on demand takes millions of innocent lives annually, fornication and adultery are commonplace. Honesty is almost unheard of, homosexuality is accepted and glorified, morality has fled from the public square. I do not like where our world has gone, yet I live here and will glorify God as long as I can.

Being Salty

Jesus told us to be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). But where do we sprinkle that salt? If I buy a hamburger and fries I might sprinkle salt on the fries but not in my Mountain Dew. Likewise, let us sprinkle our salt where it is most needed and most effective.

You are most effective when touching the hearts of someone you know. A one-on-one relationship makes all the difference. Writing letters to Congressmen and Senators is easy and requires no investment, but impacting the life of a living being person you know is hard.[bctt tweet=”You are most effective when touching the hearts of someone you know”]

If tomorrow we awoke to find that Congress had passed, and the President had signed, a bill to make all sin illegal, would it change anything? Would sin decrease? Would all 320 million Americans suddenly be saved? No!

Reforming government is a distraction. You cannot bring America to Christ. You bring individuals to Christ. You bring your spouse, your children, your brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, co-workers, neighbors and fellow students to Christ. We are not saved as a nation but as individual souls in need of a savior.

When I look at Jesus and his apostles I never once see them arguing for some candidate or petitioning for a law to end some sin. But I do see Jesus interacting with a Sanhedrin leader (John 3:1ff). I see Paul one-on-one with a Centurion (Acts 10:1ff), a Roman proconsul (Acts 13:12) and I see him before a King (Acts 26:1). The gospel is shared with individuals, not governments.

I, like you, am saddened when I see those who glorify sin win any battle. But I know that my task is to evangelize, not to govern. My Lord is enthroned in glory (Acts 7:55; Revelation 1:12-16) and is victorious. Do not be discouraged by battles lost in Satan’s world. Know that there is ultimate victory in Christ!

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.

 

 

Being A Christian

Church, Daily living, Doctrine, , ,
Christian cross and hands

Being a Christian is a unique and joyful experience when we properly fill the role. The unrighteous may heap scorn upon the child of God. But, he has nothing comparable to the strength, power and happiness that fills the Christian. Because of the special place the faithful disciple enjoys, his life should be full of happiness and expectation.

Those in Christ (Romans 8:1) stand at the pinnacle of thousands of years of redemptive work by God. Like a painter’s masterpiece the Christian is the product of a process that began long ago and culminates in one’s decision to come to Jesus in faith and obedience. The plan of salvation is a stunning gift with aspects you may never have considered.

A Divine Promise

Before time began, God chose that those found in His Son, Jesus, would be holy (Ephesians 1:4). From the moment man sinned, God promised a coming redeemer. Genesis 3:15 is the first prophecy of one who would come, defeat Satan and reclaim for Himself the faithful. That promise is repeated in many ways throughout history.

God promised Abraham offspring through whom all families of the world would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). Isaiah repeated the prophecies a thousand years later when he described the suffering servant by whose stripes we would be healed (Isaiah 53:5).

A Divine Process

John the Baptist spoke of the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). It was at this time Jesus called his first disciples and began to preach that the kingdom of God was near.

Jesus, speaking of himself, said that if he were crucified, he would draw all to himself (John 12:31-32). His final command was to “make disciples” and baptize them (Matthew 28:19). Those disciples were called Christians for the first time in Acts 11:26 in Antioch.

Truly, the Christian is the product of a long and very deliberate process authored by Christ (Hebrews 12:2; Hebrews 2:10; Hebrews 5:9).

Divine Blessings

Those in Christ receive unique blessings not given to those who reject the Savior. Jesus is clear, men only come to the Father through Him (John 14:6). Only in Christ do we find eternal life (Romans 6:23). Freedom from condemnation and sin is found only in Christ (Romans 8:1-2). It is as his disciple that we become a new creation, utterly changed from the old sinful person (2 Corinthians 5:17).

In Christ we have hope, actually a full expectation, of living eternally with Him and with the Father (2 Thessalonians 2:16; Titus 1:2; Titus 3:7). The expectation of heaven sustains us and comforts us and, as a result, we do not face death with despair and hopelessness; we are not like those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13) but are a people with an anchor of hope which lies securely with God (Hebrews 6:19-20).

Indeed, being a Christian brings untold blessings in this life and the life to come. Our pitiful are those who reject his love, grace and mercy and seek only the temporary rewards of this life. How sad, that in their arrogance, they reject the offer made to all for life eternal. Thanks to God for his love for us and for his ways to bring man to salvation!

 

Should Christians Be Concerned about Sotomayor?

Abortion, Culture, , , ,

President Obama has nominated federal judge Sonia Sotomayor to become the next U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Typically, Christians are quick to analyze the prospective justice’s view on abortion – usually. Only in this case there is a problem. Judge Sotomayor has never directly ruled on abortion or a woman’s right to choose life or death for her unborn child. In fact, some leftists are concerned that she may not be liberal enough on abortion.

The question of whether Sotomayor is pro-abortion is covered in detail by Ed Morrissey at Hot Air.

Jesus taught the Christians are to be the light of the world and that we are to be as salt (Matthew 5:13, 14). In other words, we show God as the giver and sustainer of life and call our fellow citizens to respect life in every way. Of course we also know that government is not, and must not become, the church. Our brethren in the first century labored under atrocious repression from both government and culture. Nevertheless they grew exponentially. We do not need government to be godly in order to be godly ourselves. We will remain faithful. But let us be prayerful that we may live in a country where God is upheld and his word respective. Let us also use the tools at our disposal to affect policy at all levels of government.