Category Archives: Church

Are the Disobedient Saved?

Calvinism, Church, Church Bulletin, Doctrine, Grace, Salvation, Sin, ,

We recently wrote of the alleged clash between grace and works. Our conclusion was that a man cannot be saved apart from God’s grace. We also affirmed that there is a response, an obligation on the part of man which is also essential. Today, I want to pursue that idea a bit further.

It is common among some to assert that man has no role in his own salvation. They claim that there is absolutely nothing required of a man in order to be saved. That is a popular view and a view that holds some comfort in that we can live any way we desire without consequence. Our eternal salvation is fatalistic occurrence far beyond self. What does the Bible say?

[bctt tweet=”Is our salvation fatalistic? Is it already determined? Surely not!” username=”Preachers_Study”]

Obedience is commanded

God’s word commands obedience. As the Israelites gathered at Sinai, God commanded them, saying, “if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples…” (Exodus 19:5). Again, “And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,  he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil” (Deuteronomy 11:13, 14).

Peter declares that the salvation gift of the Holy Spirit is given to those that “obey him” (Acts 5:32). The writer of Hebrews speaks of the glorious Christ, who, “being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him (Hebrews 5:9). John says obedience is confirmation of our love for the Lord and our place in his family. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:2,3).

Disobedience is condemned

Even more prevalent in Scripture is the condemnation of the disobedient. Instead of asking if obedience is required for salvation we should ask if a man can be saved in his disobedience. Again, it is the Bible that gives the answer.

[bctt tweet=”Instead of asking if obedience is required for salvation we should ask if a man can be saved in his disobedience. ” username=”Preachers_Study”]

Israel was warned of its own demise if they did not obey. Moses warned, “Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 8:20). He repeats, “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse;  the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known” (Deuteronomy 11:26-28). There is no question that God’s people were required to obey God and were warned of punishment if they did not.

Perhaps the clearest warning against disobedience is from Paul. He writes that Jesus will return and will inflict “vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 1:8). Peters wonders of the end result of those who “do not obey the gospel of God” (1 Peter 4:17). The Bible student must see that obedience is required and disobedience is condemned.

It is only because of God’s stunning love for a lost creation that we have a plan of escape from coming doom. It is only because of his extreme love that we have a savior. It is no blow to his glory that we comply with his commands. Instead, our obedience reflects his goodness and his glory throughout creation!

 

Christian Stress Relief

Church, Church Bulletin, Family Issues, Personal Thoughts, ,

I’m thinking about family this morning; not physical family but the larger house of God. If you’ve been with us lately, we’ve talked some about being God’s people and he being our God. Those were his words through inspiration to the Patriarchs and later, to the Hebrews (Genesis 17:8; Exodus 29:49; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:27). Those words also echo to us from John’s report of the Revelation. Concerning our heavenly estate, the Lord declares, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Revelation 21:3)

The Bible also speaks of the adopted family that belongs to the Father (Romans 8:15, 23; 9:4; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5). The church is the family of God. Our physical attributes vary widely, but we have all been granted a place in the family.

It’s precious. It’s beyond value.

So when stress arises in the family, it ought to be dealt with fairly and quickly. Grudges have no place in this house. There must be no rivalry. We share a common mission, a common foe, and a common name: Christian.

[bctt tweet=”So when stress arises in the family, it ought to be dealt with fairly and quickly. Grudges have no place in this house.” username=”Preachers_Study”]

Christian Stress Relief: Know the Facts

Tension often comes because of cloudy facts or uncertainties. We owe it to our brothers and sisters to be clear on the facts related to any possible conflict. Rumors are like a nasty cold virus; they don’t require much to spread. When questions arise about a brother we must quickly learn the true facts before ever saying a word to someone else.

A man was once publically accused of a crime. He was arrested, jailed and brought to trial. The trial proved his innocence and he was set free. But his name had been tainted. He was ruined. His comment to reporters? “Where do I go to get my life back?”

Isn’t this the heart of the Golden Rule? Would you not want someone to inquire of you before raising unfounded suspicions among others (Matthew 7:12)?

[bctt tweet=”Isn’t this the heart of the Golden Rule? Would you not want someone to inquire of you before raising unfounded suspicions among others (Matthew 7:12)?” username=”Preachers_Study”]

Christian Stress Relief: Privacy

Privacy is the by-word of our very public life. If you have any kind of online presence you are subject to having private details about your life stolen. (As I write this, Facebook is trying to cleanup after 50 million users had their information stolen). We should respect the privacy of our brothers and sisters too.

None of us are without sin (c.f. John 8:7; Romans 2:1, 22) and ought be very careful about the way we deal with other sinners. Jesus offers the perfect principle in Matthew 18:15ff: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.”

“Alone” did not include others.

You did not take the rabbi, you did not take the ruler of the synagogue. You did not take a member of the Sanhedrin. You went alone. Such a singular approach protects the privacy and dignity of the brother, limits embarrassment, precludes the damage of a misunderstanding and prevents the offended brother from being publicly scorned for spreading rumors.

Family is too important to shatter over a misunderstanding. It is more than reasonable to take very step to thwart trouble among brethren.

There are times when a public approach is needed. We’ll talk about those next time. I suspect, I sure do not know, that over 90% of all family disagreements can be solved privately. We should at least try, don’t you think?

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Finding a Church

Church, ,

Finding a churchYou have made an important decision. You want to find a church and improve your spiritual life. That is a commendable goal but it could be more difficult than you think. Finding  a church that will help you learn and grow is not easy. More and more groups call themselves a church but in reality are little more than entertainment venues. If you are not careful you will hurt your spirituality instead of helping it. Here are five tips to help when finding a church.

1. Understand “Church”

The word church is thrown around so much today that its real meaning is lost. The word comes over from a Greek word which referred to an assembly of people who come together for some purpose. In fact, it could mean an assembly with no religious purpose at all. Even in the Bible, that underlying Greek word was sometimes used to describe a community meeting (Acts 19.32, 39, 41). However, by studying the New Testament we learn that when that word is used it typically means people who come together to serve and worship.

Today, we could say that a PTA meeting or even a football game is a form of church; it would be an assembly with a purpose. Obviously, that is not the kind of church we think of today, or least I hope not.

When you say you are looking for a church, you are looking for a group of people assembled together for the purpose of serving and worshiping God. The original Christians served one another (Acts 2:42-47; Acts 6:1-7; James 1:27). They did not expect to be served but rather to be busy about caring for others. The work of the church was outside the walls of the meeting place and their service took place daily (Acts 2:46).

Worship was directed toward the Lord only. While Christians are surely encouraged, edified and uplifted by worship the primary goal was to glorify and praise God. This is what the Father desires (John 4:23). The pattern of worship from the Old Testament forward was always God-centered; it was never directed toward mankind.

So you see, understanding what church really means is the first step toward finding one.

2. Resist Entertainment Churches

An entertainment church is a group that expends much time and money to bring productions to the stage every week. God’s name is heard and people speak of Jesus and the Holy Spirit but the real center of the worship is the individual. Sometimes you can attend and never once participate in worship. Instead, you are being entertained. The glory is given to the performers. How sad.

After the music ends and the lights come up you may feel excited but without any purpose, without any change and without any increase in knowledge or understanding. If you visit a church and feel like you have been to a concert; mark it off your list. Did you know that among the original Christians there was never such a church to be found? What does that suggest to you?

3. Find Truth

Jesus declared that God’s word was truth (John 17:17). As you seek a church make sure that the truth is the foundation of everything taught, preached and practiced. Truth is hard. Some churches have softened the truth to make people feel at ease in their assemblies. These churches sometimes have large crowds because people are not discomforted when they attend. Of course, they are also unchanged by the preaching – at least they are not being transformed in a Biblical way (Romans 12:2). Paul warned of such preaching:

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.  (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

If you find a church that does not preach truth and truth only, you should run screaming from their building. At the least you are wasting time and at the worst damning your own soul. Remember, the Father seeks those who “worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23).

4.  Compare Churches to the Original

As you visit about, and you should, simply observe the worship. How does the modern worship compare to what you read of in Scripture? During the days of the New Testament, Jesus’ apostles were directly involved in the various churches that were forming. These holy men, empowered by the Holy Spirit, were able to guide the churches into the truth. When problems arose with teaching or worship, and they did, the apostles could correct those errors and ensure that worship was according to God’s plan. So we may conclude that the worship practices of the original churches in the New Testament are true else they are corrected. We may pattern our worship after what we read in the New Testament because we know it is correct and acceptable.

Changes have occurred slowly. Some have altered true worship more than others. For example, the Roman Catholic church bears almost no resemblance to the original church of the New Testament. Truth is everything. As Solomon said, “Buy truth and sell it not…” (Proverbs 23:23).

5. Avoid the Perfect Church

There are no perfect churches. Actually, the church is perfect since it came from Christ and he remains the one head of the church. But the people who make up the church are not perfect. The finest Christian among is flawed and struggles everyday to reflect the glory of Christ. All of us are sinners (Romans 3:23). We are far from perfect. When finding a church be suspicious of anyone or any group that claims perfection. Any honest Christian will surely acknowledge their weaknesses. David struggled (2 Samuel 11; Psalm 51), Peter fell (Luke 22:54-62); Paul had his issues (2 Corinthians 12:1-10). Everyone stumbles.

The problem with a supposedly perfect church, aside from dishonesty, is that you will feel alone in your battles. It will seem that everyone else has it together while you drag alone in despair. We are all in this together.

There are many other things that are helpful when finding a church What about the youth programs? Are there areas of service? is there a program for seniors? These are important but secondary to the things I have mentioned. What good is a great youth program that teaches pop culture and not life-changing words from Jesus? Use these tips to begin your search. Find a true church and jump in!

What do you think? Share your thoughts and comments with our readers.

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

 

Church Division

Church, Doctrine, Sin,

Eight years ago we penned this article to address division within Christendom. Now, in 2024, it is at least as bad, and probably worse than when we first wrote.

Church division was bad then and is now. It is never good. It follows discord, discontent, poor fellowship and sin. While it may be necessary to remove the disorderly  from  fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:1-2; Romans 16:17; Matthew 18:17 ) the roots which caused that removal are sad. Like surgery, division may be necessary but it is never good.

Paul addressed church division as the first issue in his letter to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 1:10 ff). There, people were beginning to group themselves together based upon favorite teachers or leaders within the church. There is no indication that the leaders themselves were involved; one was Jesus himself ( 1 Corinthians 1:12). However Paul disapproved of the brethren separating themselves into groups. Paul asked the rhetorical question, “Is Christ divided” (1 Corinthians 1:13)? The obvious answer is “no.” While the apostle does not give many details about the division in Corinth, we can distill several reasons for division today and then seek to avoid those problems in the church that Jesus died for.

Church Division is Caused By Sin

Division erupts over sin. The first sin, in Eden, caused a division between God and His creation (Genesis 3:22-24; Isaiah 59:2). Man cannot be in fellowship with God or with other men if he languishes in unrighteousness (1 John 1:5-10) We mentioned three passages above in which sinful actions caused a person to be marked out or identified  (1 Corinthians 5:1-2; Romans 16:17; Matthew 18:17 ). A Christian persisting in ongoing, public sin may be removed from fellowship. Removal prevents the spread and acceptance of the sin ( 1 Corinthians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 5:6, 9). It protects the reputation of the church towards those on the outside, and it tries to draw the erring one back into the faithfulness (1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 2:6-11). Removing fellowship is a strong action that requires extensive prayer, study, patience, and interaction with the sinner. It is done with the awareness of our own weaknesses (Galatians 6:1-5; Matthew 7:3) and with love toward the sinner.

Church Division is Caused by False Doctrine

Why are there so many different churches and religious bodies in the world? It is because they all teach differing doctrines. While two denominations may be tolerant of their differences, they are still divided, and that does not please the Lord. Paul rebuked the church for divisions based upon favored leaders ( 1 Corinthians 1:10 ff) and for a myriad of worship issues that created divisions (I Corinthians 12:21-27;  1 Corinthians 11:17-22; 1 Corinthians 14:33). Doctrine is not the problem. Errant or wrong doctrine causes the problem. Any doctrine not based solely on the Bible is false.

The issues in Corinth were public issues. Sometimes a brother or sister may hold some errant teaching privately and does not promote it. New Christians may still carry denominational baggage when they enter the body of Christ. These people are to be taught and division should not come from their private thoughts.

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

5 Reasons Christians Will Not Bow

Church, Culture, Government, Legislation,

3D_Judges_Gavel (1)Paul used illustrations of soldiers and battles to describe the Christian life. Recent weeks have proven the wisdom of such ideas. We are in a battle we did not choose. We are daily assaulted by worldly forces in high places. Some have already surrendered. Others fight on. This not a battle where compromise and treaties will signal the end. Instead, Christians are fighting for their very souls.

Our opponents rejoice in what they see as great victories over us. But they miss one thing: Court victories are irrelevant to our cause. I offer 5 facts for consideration.

1. Our battles are waged in the heart of a person

Legislation and court decisions do not define a man. A man is defined by what is in his heart. These are not my thoughts, but those of Jesus who said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him…” (Mark 7:20). We seek holiness in ourselves as well as others because God is holy and has called us to live a life of holiness. My character, even my holiness, cannot be formed through ever changing laws and ideas of men.

When the Supreme Court approved abortion on demand in the 1973 Roe v. Wade court decision, women were freed from any legal constraint preventing abortion, but they were not compelled to abort. They retained freedom to choose life for their unborn child or to choose abortion. Churches and organizations reached out to women and many rejected abortion in favor of life. Such an inner choice was superior to any court ruling. Today we will reach out to men and women and draw them away from the practice of homosexuality and other sins. We will fight the battle of truth in their hearts.

2. Not one person was ever saved by politics

The political process has swung to and fro over faith. At times it was favorable to Christians (although it always ended badly) while at other times government was hostile to faith. Recall that the church was born into the midst of persecution, first by Jews and then by Rome, yet grew exponentially. One could argue that persecution helped the church to grow.

Today, Islam believes that faith can be spread at the end of a sword. Not true. A man can no more be forced into righteousness than he can be governed into wickedness. We will use the political process as a means to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16) but we will not depend on the voting booth to deliver souls to our Lord.

3. Our faith is not subject to the courts

We are people of another country. The Bible calls us “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11). We are only here for a while; we are just passing through. We will respect the authority of the government (Romans 13:1-7) and we will do as instructed by our Lord, we will “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and render unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21; Mark 12:17; Luke 20:25). We will be the very best citizens and neighbors you could hope for.

However, we will never trade our holy duties for civic duties. There is no court in the land that can overturn any teaching of Jesus. We are first of all citizens of His kingdom (Colossians 1:13; Romans 14:17) for He is “King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; Revelation 19:16). We reject any law or decision that attempts to set aside any God-ordained teaching in Scripture. This was the example of the Lord’s apostles (Acts 5:29) and it will be our example too.

4. We will pay any price to serve our Lord

No law will ever stop a Christian from serving his Lord. Already, many are being harassed out of business because of their beliefs. First century Christians were forced from their homes because of persecution (Acts 8:1-4) and when they went, they went preaching. Christians recognize the government has immense power to force compliance with laws, however we put the world on notice that we will pay any price for our Lord. [bctt tweet=”We put the world on notice: We will pay any price for our Lord.”]

The ancient examples encourage us to stand firm in the face of opposition. Our Lord was, Himself, crucified. The followers of Jesus were stoned unjustly (Acts 7:54-60) and His apostles were often imprisoned, beaten and left for dead (Acts 14:19; Acts 16:16-24). Yet, in the heat of the assault, Jesus was proclaimed and souls were turned to the Lord. What an honor to be counted worthy of such suffering (Acts 5:41). Indeed, the world itself was not worthy of these great men and women who were shamefully treated for their beliefs (Hebrews 11:32-40). We too will count it a blessing to suffer persecution for the name of our Lord (Matthew 5:10-12).

No price is too steep for Jesus. [bctt tweet=”No price is too steep for Jesus.”]

5. In the end, Jesus wins

When it is all said and done, Jesus wins. If you could distill the entire book of Revelation into a single sentence it would be: Jesus Wins. And, as His followers, we will stand victorious with Him. Already death has been defeated and is now powerless over the Christians (1 Corinthians 15:54-58). Future victory is assured and “every knee shall bow” (Philippians 2:9-11).

Our treasure, the treasure the wicked cannot touch, is laid up in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). That is our home and that is where we will spend a victorious eternity. [bctt tweet=”In the end, Jesus wins!”]

It may seem a paradox, but we do not want to defeat you. We want you to join with us and defeat evil. In this battle the ultimate enemy is Satan, not our fellow man. We welcome you with open hearts to stand in the Lord’s army and be counted among the righteous.

As Joshua said in ancient times, we echo: “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).

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

 

Women Turned Away from Church Because of Immodest Dress

Church, Culture, Worship,

A church in Kenya is asking some worshipers to dress more modestly. A woman was asked to go home and change because of her clothing. The reported comments suggest the issue of immodest dress is common in that particular church. The woman at the focus of the uproar is identified only as “Julia” and lives in Nairobi.

“Julia, who wrote on her Facebook page, expressed displeasure at the manner in which she was turned away. She claimed some other ladies wear mini skirts and spaghetti tops in big churches in the city.”

How to dress in worship is always an issue. But normally the question I hear is more about whether we should require a man to wear a coat and tie if he is leading in the public worship. Scantily clad women in worship have not yet made it onto the local radar screen. But until they do here are a few thoughts. There could be more but these come to mind this morning.

  1. Modesty is more than necklines and hemlines. Immodest attire is that which draws attention to the person. A man wearing a tuxedo to worship would surely be immodest as would a young man wearing a Budweiser T-shirt on the Lord’s table or a woman with a plunging neckline.
  2. Modesty is a judgment issue. The Bible does warn against immodesty (1 Timothy 2:9) but really gives no particular rules. Thus, culture will sometimes define modesty. If I wore a Sunday suit, complete with dress shirt, coat, pants, tie and shiny shoes to worship in Lethem I would draw attention to myself. Sometimes where we are may define modesty. Common Sunday best for women would be horrendously immodest in some locales.
  3. The outside may not define the inside. While our clothing may flow from our inner values it is also possible that it does not. Matthew 7:15 is clear that what we see on the outside may not define the inside (Mark 12:38-40). God views the inner man and so should we (1 Samuel 16:7).
  4. It does matter what you wear. Plunging, cleavage bearing necklines, short, thigh and  hip revealing hemlines and tight, buttocks accentuating sizes do incite lust. Let’s not play a game here. You know it. Should a true Christian be willing to alter their clothing standards if it helps someone else to avoid lust. Lust is bad (Matthew 5:28) but lust that actually distracts from worship must be even worse.
  5. Worship is not your mother’s funeral. A good brother once suggested that worship attire should be defined by what we would wear to our mother’s funeral. That sounded nice and was an easy line to blurt out in a discussion but it was also devoid of reason. First, contrary to some congregations, worship is not a funeral. It’s a joyous time when we come before the throne of Jehovah with praise and thanksgiving. We celebrate the victory in Christ and the resulting freedom from condemnation (Romans 8:1). Any sadness is taken away by the blessings in Christ. If a man chooses to leave is tie at home then who cares?

If we will think of others as we dress, modesty in worship will not be an issue. I promise, I will not make fun of your mid-belly tie if you won’t complain that I didn’t wear a tie at all.

When souls are dying lost, shall we really be concerned about such things as what a man wears at the Lord’s table?

Before you start the mailing campaign, I know that some dress is so egregious that it cannot be allowed in worship. My point here is to remind us to use better judgement and think righteously before making issue bigger than it should be.

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

The Precious Church

Church, Church Bulletin, ,

Nobl-04
There is no group of people more precious than the church. Predicted by prophecy (Isaiah 2:2-4; Matthew 16:18) the church is the collection of the saved who have been gathered together by the decree of God. The church is precious and perfect. Sinners, saved by Christ, fill the church. They bring their weaknesses and imperfections with them but the church itself is without spot.

Jesus is the only head of the church (John 14:6; Ephesians 1:22, 5:23; Colossians 1:18). But his role is not of a dictator or ruler. The church is his bride. Like a newly married couple, Jesus looks upon his church with incredible, divine love. Bible writers speak of Christ like a husband who cares for his beloved (Ephesians 5:25). John the Baptist speaks of Jesus as a bridegroom (John 3:29) and the apostle John speaks of the great marriage feast of Jesus (the Lamb) and the church (Revelation 19:7, 21:1-9, 22:17). His love for the church cannot be overstated as he gave his life for the church and purchased it with his own blood (Ephesians 5:25; Acts 20:28). The entire book of the Song of Solomon is likely a comparison describing the love Christ has for his church through the eyes of a man in love with his betrothed. The church means all to Jesus.

A man cannot force his way into the church nor can he enter through his own plans. In John 10:1-18 Jesus uses a sheepfold as an illustration of the church. There is only one legitimate door into the fold and only one legitimate Shepherd. Anyone who enters otherwise is a fraud.

Like a marriage, there is no compulsion in Christ. The marriage is between two people who desire the union. When a man, upon faith and repentance obeys the Lord in baptism he is added to the church. That is, he is joined to his Lord through his faith and obedience (Acts 2:38, 41, 47). We leave the world of singles and become married to Christ through the power of the Father (Colossians 1:13, 14). We are joined to Christ because we love him. We love him because he loved us first (1 John 4:19).

Now if the church is so precious to Jesus, how should we view the relationship? Is it not reasonable to expect a bride to view her spouse with all the love and devotion that he shows to her? Sadly, some are lukewarm toward the bridegroom. Their love has grown cold (Matthew 24:12) and they no longer honor their first love (Revelation 2:4). Outsiders assault the union of Christ and his church. They claim to love Jesus but hate organized religion. That is, they hate his church. True, some have been hurt by people in the church but they were never hurt by the church itself. They forget that it is Christ Himself who loves us and provides for us in his church. They share equally with every other member of the church who, like themselves, are sinners (Romans 3:9, 23; 1 John 1:5-10). The depth and horror of our sin is beyond explanation yet every one of us is still perfectly loved by Jesus.

Division and strife often arise in the church. Since it is made up of sinful people we should not be surprised that turmoil happens. In the middle of the first century the original Christians struggled with cliques in the church. Paul opposed such trouble and called Christians to speak with a single voice (1 Corinthians 1:10).  In Ephesians 1:3, Paul taught Christians to maintain both peace and unity in the church. The principle of 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 is vital in understanding that it is better to suffer a wrong than to air dirty laundry before the public. Husbands and wives often have disputes but they must not run to Facebook or Twitter to air their grievances. As a general principle, disputes should be contained. They should involve the very minimum number of people possible and should never be carried beyond the walls of his precious church.

Christ died for the church. We can suffer a little for it too, don’t you think?

 

Preacher Problems: Unmasked

Bible General, Church, Preaching

We’ve completed a number of articles on preachers and their problems. We think there is some useful information here which is worth your time to consider. You should know that I do not dislike preachers – I am one. But brethren should understand that we struggle sometimes just like they do. I hope this series helps.

The Preacher Unmasked: New Series.

The Preacher Unmasked: Preachers Struggle with Faith.

The Preacher Unmasked: Preachers Have Bad Days.

The Preacher Unmasked: Preachers Sin.

The Preacher Unmasked: Preachers Get Discouraged.

The Preacher Unmasked: Preachers Are Hypocrites.

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

The Preacher Unmasked: Preachers are Hypocrites

Bible General, Church, Preaching,

face and hands of mime with dark make-upPreachers are hypocrites. There, I said it. If a hypocrite is someone who says one thing but does something else then preachers are hypocrites and this author is foremost. Because our work is so public when we stumble everybody has something to say. The first word out of the mouth of some is a charge of “HYPOCRITE!”

Most preachers I know are scared to death of being labeled a hypocrite. It is a powerful word that conveys strong images and even stronger emotions. It is not a charge that I want leveled at me nor am I willing to throw it around lightly. But let’s think a little more about what a hypocrite really is and maybe we can come to a better understanding. Maybe preachers ARE NOT really hypocrites.

Hypocrisy is…

What exactly is a hypocrite? What does it mean? The dictionary definitions are all similar.

  • A person who pretends to have virtues he really does not possess;
  • One who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions or statements belie his or her public statements;
  • a person who pretends to be what he is not.

You get the idea. Inherent in these definitions is the idea of deliberate deception. Failing because of weakness despite our best efforts is not hypocrisy. It is, well, failing. And all of us fail, preachers and non-preachers alike. In other words, when a person sets out to deceive by speaking one thing while doing another he is a hypocrite.

Hypocrisy hurts…

Hypocrisy can be especially damaging when revealed. Hidden secret sin that suddenly becomes public hurts the sinner but also the people around him. The more respected the sinner, the greater the damage. So, when a man, like a preacher,  in the public, eye sins, it has the potential to cause devastation to those around him. But that brings a question.

Do we expect to much of our preachers?

The Lord expects much out of those who preach and teach. “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1). Jesus was tough on teacher who did not apply the truth of Scripture to their lives. In John 3:10 he rebuked Nicodemus, who as a teacher of Israel, did not understand the things Jesus was teaching. Some of the strongest language Jesus used toward sinners came in his rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23. In each case he called them “hypocrites!”

It may be that we have elevated our preachers much too high. It’s a cliche but preachers really do put their pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else. The same things that tempt you will also tempt them. So it should not be surprising when preachers fail, just like every one else.

But a brother might argue, “If a preacher can’t live the Christian life then how can I?” Good question. The problem comes when we think any of us is perfect. We are not.

 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:7-10).

I like this verse for many reasons. But notice when Jesus bloods cleanses us. It cleanses our sin when we are walking in the light. The time when we “walk in the light” is the time we are in fellowship with Jesus. But it is also the time sins come into  our lives and are taken away by Jesus. We actually sin while in fellowship with Jesus. That is the only conclusion we can draw from the text. Now the sin is not deliberate and we are not persisting in sin but we still stumble and so do preachers.

The hypocrite charge is best left for those who knowingly and willfully say one thing and the practice something else. To be sure, some preachers are hypocrites. They serve their own belly rather than the Lord (Philippians 3:19) and scratch the ears of those with an itch (2 Timothy 4:3). But be gentle with you preacher. If he hasn’t already stumbled, he will. But that doesn’t necessarily make him a hypocrite. Remember, Judge righteously (Matthew 7:1-5) and extend your preacher the same grace you desire.

If you haven’t read my disclaimer yet, please read it here.

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