Will The Poo Pooing Of Scripture’s Plain Sense Ever Cease?
I stumbled onto a pretty good post today. It was a commentary on the Bob Newhart skit where his counsel to a young lady is to “JUST STOP IT!” The YouTube link is the following: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYLMTvxOaeE
I think Tim Challies had a good scriptural observation in regard to the skit:
“Some time ago I spoke to a friend about an ongoing sin in his life and tried to show him that the essence of his problem was this: he hates his sin just a little bit less than he loves it. Sure he wants to stop sinning, but even more he wants to keep sinning. And I think he came to agree. My advice was pretty well what Newhart offered the woman in this video: “Stop it!” Are you fighting sin? I’ll pray for you—really, I will. And I’ll recommend that you memorize some Scriptures, some fighter verses, that will help you battle that sin by bringing to mind the promises of God. But I’ll also challenge you to just stop it and to stop it now. You stop sinning by turning your back on it. You do not sit back and wait for God to change you while you remain in your sin. Rather, you join him in the fight, joining your will with His strength. And together you go to war.”
The post can be viewed in it’s entirety here: http://www.challies.com/archives/articles/just-stop-it.php
Let me emphasis a segment of the above quote: “You stop sinning by turning your back on it. You do not sit back and wait for God to change you while you remain in your sin. Rather, you join him in the fight, joining your will with His strength. And together you go to war.”
Truly, the sanctification process is somewhat of a mystery with it’s share of paradoxes. However, there is plenty of certainty to go around and one thing we can be certain of is sanctification is impossible without God’s power in us. With that said, neither are we merely potted plants in the process either. As a matter of fact, I find the word’s of Christ spoken to the servant who hid his talent in the ground a bit chilling, if not terrifying. Christ straight up called the servant “lazy.” That’s why I like the above quote by TC. I think it captures the biblical application to real life as stated in Scripture.
But in this day when proponents of a purely monergistic view of sanctification are launching a full court press and claiming to be new reformers, someone was bound to object in the comment section armed with the profound wisdom of the father of modern day “let go and let God” theology, David Powlison. In the comment, a link is supplied to an interview where Powlison comments on the Newhart skit and objects to the idea of biblical abstinence. Here is his comment: “Our Father never simply says ‘Stop it!’ to the Katherine Bigmans or anyone else.”
This is what drives me absolutely nuts in regard to these guy’s at CCEF. They continually contradict the plain sense of scripture and continually get a pass on it. Tim Challies is making the point that abstinence is a viable faucet in the scheme of sanctification that is often looked over in our overly analytic, book infested, counseling infested culture. If you understand Powlisons theology, he can’t give into this one little fact without pulling the rug out from under his overly passive psychoanalytic approach to sanctification. Our Father “never” tells anybody to simply stop it? Consider the following scriptures:
“Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, ‘See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you'” (John 5:14).
By the way, suggest to many these day’s that God would threaten punishment as an incentive to right behavior and watch the blood vessels start popping out in their necks. It’s as if these guy’s don’t think Christians even read their Bibles anymore, and perhaps that is the case.
“You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell” (Acts 15:29).
“As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality” (Acts 21:25).
Let me make a point here with this verse:
“Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul” (1Peter 2:11).
Why is “Just stop it” an important element of sanctification? It’s not rocket science. Look at the above verse. Sinful desires war against our soul. If we abstain, the desire cannot even get on the battlefield. That should be pretty evident. However, let’s stop a moment and consider another excerpt from TC’s post:
“Some time ago I spoke to a friend about an ongoing sin in his life and tried to show him that the essence of his problem was this: he hates his sin just a little bit less than he loves it. Sure he wants to stop sinning, but even more he wants to keep sinning. And I think he came to agree. “
Let me show you how profound that counsel is from Romans 12:9;
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”
What would one do to stop loving his wife? IGNORE HER, then focus on all of her negative attributes. Sin has no positive attributes except temporary good feelings. One aspect of our role in sanctification is to abstain from sinful relationships and cling to Godly relationships and the affections (sincere love) will follow. It’s a matter of investment. It’s a matter of choosing what are treasure is. Is it my contention that Paul teaches the biblical prescription for sincere love in this one little verse with 13 words? Yes it is. Do I also believe that it takes the power of the Holy Spirit to effect the prescription? Yes I do.
Again, let me emphasis that this is only one aspect of what sanctification looks like on ground level. In another one of the comments in regard to this post, the following was said:
“That video IS awesome. It always reminds me of two things:
A. Al Mohler’s three step “counseling technique” that he (jokingly) talked about at Shepherd’s Conference 2006:
1. What is your problem?
2. What would God have you do about it?
3. Why are we having this conversation?”
Al Mohler makes an extreme comment to make a good point, but we all know what the real answer is to question 3: Another aspect of sanctification is the need for encouragement, accountability and discipleship by others. CCEF waxes eloquent about many other elements of sanctification while leaving out the one that the Bible talks about most, obedience. The argument that obedience is a human sucking it up while picking ourselves up by our boot straps is a pathetic straw man. Biblical obedience is depriving the enemy of our souls in regard to provisions while loving our Lord (Romans 13:14 John 14:15).
paul
God’s Sufficient Wisdom In Trials: James 1:2-8
Manuscript for Sunday 06/21/2009: Germantown Baptist Chapel
2] Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
3] knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4] And let endurance have {its} perfect result, so that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking in nothing.
5] But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and
without reproach and it will be given to him.
6] But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the
surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7] For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8] {being} a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
There is an old saying that says there are only two things certain in life, death and taxes. Sadly, for those without Christ, this is probably a true statement. When you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, you do live in a world of uncertainty, no doubt about it. But also notice, what few things that are certain in the life of an unbeliever are no cause for joy, only dread. This proverb mentions death and taxes, Job 5:7 says a man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.
Not so with those who have a relationship with God and his Son. There are many many things that are certain for us. For the most part, a right thinking Christian lives in a world of certainty for even in uncertainty he can be sure what God has to say about it. It is also worthy to note that uncertainty is often a cause for joy in the Christian. We discussed last Sunday how even death is not a certainty for Christians in this age.
But we come this morning to what James says is another certainty in the life of a believer, trials. James says “when” not “if.” We know that as believers trials are coming. If for no other reason, we know this because it is one of the primary ways God molds us into the likeness of his Son. John 15:1,2 says:
1] “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2] He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does
bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
Another good indication that trials will come is 2Timothy 3:12,
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
Trails are coming because he who has begun a good work in us will complete it. But James is going to instruct us as to what we are to do when trials come. The first thing we are to do is to stop and do the first thing first, “Consider.” The idea in the English is a good one according to the Greek commentaries. It means to count or evaluate. Ecclesiastes 7:14 says:
When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.
James says to first consider the situation joyful. This would not be a natural response, nor does God expect us to break out in praise upon news of some tragedy. But when the initial shock wears off and the thinking process begins, we are to consider. What in the world could we consider or “count” that could produce joy in the midst of a trial?
Ecclesiastes 7:14, which we just read gives us a clue. God does not create any of the evil that is part of our trial, but he has preordained or predetermined that we will go through that trial. This is not so difficult to understand. God did not create any of the evil that hung Jesus on the cross, but he certainly preordained it according to his plan of salvation. Acts 2:23 says:
This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
Here is the first thing you need to know and consider in any trial, God is in control. The trial is part of God’s purpose in your life. He was not taken by surprise in regard to your circumstance. God is up to something. Esther lost both of her parents. Thats pretty tragic. But read the whole book of Esther and see how God had a plan for Esther’s life, how all of the circumstances of her life played a part in God’s plan for her and others. As you read, remember this, you are no different. Your life reads the same way
but with different circumstances that all fit together for God’s purpose and sometimes I wonder if we can even mess it up. I doubt it. Yes, Oh yes, we will fail, but will God not use those failures to still establish his goal for our life? YES HE WILL!
Know this in any trial: God is there with you and his plan is right on schedule. This is why Job said to his wife:
“ You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” [Job 2:10]
Trials are the hand of God on your life. We must not forget that in the midst of any trial. But Peter further explains why we must think biblically about trials we find ourselves in and why we can have joy in the midst:
1Peter 1:3-9
3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His
great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4] to {obtain} an inheritance {which is} imperishable and undefiled and will not fade
away, reserved in heaven for you,
5] who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be
revealed in the last time.
6] In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have
been distressed by various trials,
7] so that the proof of your faith, {being} more precious than gold which is perishable,
even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at
the revelation of Jesus Christ;
8] and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him
now; you believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of
glory,
9] obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
Peter’s focus is the glorious salvation we will attain. This promise is eternal while trials are temporary, but the trials we endure increase our faith and assurance. Trials have a purpose, They contribute to our spiritual strength, confidence and service to others as we wait for his appearing.
Note that James mentions that our trials are “various.” This is absolutely critical. The King James says “diverse”, the Amplified says “any sort”, the NIV says “many kinds.” As Christians, what kind of trials can we expect? Anything. This is so critical. The kinds of tragedies and trouble that can befall Christians is sometimes shocking and leaves many bewildered and puzzled. Remember Job, what trial was he spared?, not many. It’s important, as much as possible, that Christians are not perplexed at the trial that they find themselves in. This is not a helpful state to be in and does not facilitate the healing process. Peter put it this way in 1Peter1:12,13;
12] Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as
though some strange thing happened unto you:
13] But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his
glory is revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
As Christians, we view trials through the big picture. Our life doesn’t look exactly like Job’s or Esthers, but it is the same principle. God is moving his plan forward and using trials to transform us.
James starts with the word “consider” in verse 2 and begins with “knowing” in verse 3. We know that the “testing of our faith”, the first step of any trial, leads to more endurance. This endurance comes from faith it’s self. The idea is like an athlete who conditions himself to gain strength for greater challenges. As his strength increases, he also gains confidence. The whole process leads to spiritual maturity in several different areas of life or as James puts it, “so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
This study has been a challenge to me in my own life. Do I value my own salvation and it’s sanctification process to the point where I will look at trials in a different way? Will my focus be the trouble and difficulty, or the spiritual benefits for myself and others? When you are strengthened by a trial, it is not only you who benefits, but the church body you belong to stands to benefit as well.
Now we come to another critical truth in this passage, absolutely critical. We must “LET “ endurance have it’s perfect work, verse 4. Let the endurance that is sustaining you in the trial by faith, have it’s perfect work. In other words, we must endure the trial God’s way in order for the process to have it’s desired effect intended by God. Listen to what Paul says in 1Corinthians 10:13;
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
Though there will be an escape, or a limit to the trial as James said, the way out is still going to require endurance. The testing of our faith that exercises our endurance is the whole purpose of the trial. Here is one of the critical things we must do in a trail, we must seek God’s way of escape, ie, scriptural wisdom and not the worlds way or the way of the flesh.
One example. I know of a Christian man some years ago who was falsely accused of a heinous crime. Though I do not remember the details exactly, it went something like this: In a plea offer by the prosecution, he was offered a few years probation verses a possible 25 year sentence for a guilty plea. I never heard what the results were, but the man would not take the shortcut out of the trial due to the fact that he would have lied to accept the plea. He rightly concluded that a lie is not God’s open door to escape in any trial.
So, in any trial, we must manoeuver through that trial according to God’s wisdom so the endurance can have it’s perfect work.
Yet another critical truth about trials, perhaps the most important one, verse 5 says: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach and it will be given to him.”
In every trial, even among the unbelievers, this one thing must be present, GOD’S WISDOM. In the healing community of the church, it should be a given that God’s word will be the primary authority in that situation. But when you are privy to a trial among unbelievers, that is your call to bring God’s message to that situation. But you say “I don’t know how.” Will, as my grandma used to say, “then get a learnin.” If it’s not your gift, call on the leaders of the church.
Let me ask you a question, how often did Christ present the Fathers wisdom and the gospel in the midst of life circumstances? Life events always call for God’s wisdom and the opportunity for real hope. People flocked to Jesus because they heard he could heal. But the woman at the well did not get the whole town and bring them back to Jesus because he healed her, she went and told them because she perceived he taught God’s truth.
Likewise, in the age we live in, some churches are large because they feed peoples idols. Since Chuck ask in a message 2 weeks ago what our vision for this church is, let me share mine. My vision for this church is that the word will get out that this is a church that offers real answers and real hope for every life and every problem from the word of God.
Yes, yes. Many of life’s problems will require doctors, medicine, the police, the fire department, the army ect. ect. But the complete solution is never never complete without the implementation of God’s wisdom in every situation. Never.
Keep this in mind. The world knows this. The world knows that people need more than physical and emotional healing. Why do think there are so many philosophers in the world? By the way, just as an aside, do you know what group of professionals has the highest rate of suicide? Psychologist!
How bad is the situation in our culture? Let me give you a clue. People tune in to Oprah Winfrey to try to find solutions to their problems. Listen, in every trial, some kind of wisdom is going to be brought to bear. It will either be the worlds wisdom or God’s wisdom.
Let me give you a life example of this. My grandmother lived in an area heavily dominated by a works oriented denomination. This group was heavily ingrained in the geographical culture. For a lot of people, especially those without means, this was the only option for church. However, the pastor of the church she attended did not necessarily buy into much of the official doctrine of this denomination. When he took the pastorate there, another couple followed them and the husband started teaching the adult Sunday school.
The first trial under their watch was when my grandfather developed terminal cancer. He was not a Christian. Regardless of my grandmothers propagation of works salvation in the midst of the situation, The pastor was able to lead my grandfather to the Lord in a very sound way.
After my grandfathers death, the area was hit by heavy flooding. The Sunday school teacher and his wife used the situation to become involved in my grandmothers life. As they shoveled out her basement and listened to her speak, they detected many comments that did not line up with the word of God in regard to truth and attitude and confronted her accordingly. I have good reason to believe these many conversations led my grandmother to a true saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Trials always have a purpose, and it is the duty of Christians everywhere to make sure God’s purpose in every trial is maximized. This cannot be done without God’s wisdom.
When James tells you to pray for wisdom in the midst of trials, that is, if you do not already know what that wisdom is in your particular trial, this is not a call to pray and wait for some kind of premonition. It is a call to pray for the right understanding from God’s word. This is to be safely assumed from numerous other scriptures.
In many situations, prayer, encouragement and servitude will all be administered. But in most cases, if not all, the treatment is not complete without God’s wisdom and instruction. In verses 6-8, James says the one who prays with a double mind is not likely to receive what he needs from God to endure.
What does “double minded” mean? Simply put: It is a person who is unsure as to whether the bible has the solution, or Oprah Winfrey. James says those who doubt the total sufficiency of God’s word for life and Godliness are “unstable in all their ways” or in every area of life. Only God’s truth leads to stability.
So in conclusion, James has outlined 4 critical mindsets when you find yourself in a trial.
First, consider what scripture has to say about your situation, rather than the only other alternative which is to be dragged away by emotional and fearful thinking. Once dragged away from Godly consideration, you will be enticed to sin. Selfish desire will always rear it’s ugly head in trials, not wanting to accept the trial God has sovereignly allowed into your life. These thoughts will invariably arise, but you must answer them with God’s word and not allow them to control you. This is what James is talking about in verse 14 and 15. Also, consider that God is right in the midst of this trial with you, with the desire to execute his purposes for your life and mold you into the likeness of his Son.
Secondly, do not be perplexed by the severity or the kind of trial you are in. Christ clearly stated that God causes it to rain and the sun to shine on the just as well as the unjust.
Thirdly, you must be guided through the trial by God’s wisdom alone.
Fourthly, you must reject any wisdom that will lead to additional temptation, this is the way of the “double minded” man.
An Apostolic Call To Discernment In The “Last Days”
Manuscript on Sunday 06/14/2009: Germantown Baptist Chapel
Isn’t the view of the Christian landscape a pretty confusing sight? As your driving around, you can’t help but to notice all the different churches everywhere with all kinds of different names. You ever been to a Christian book store? Good grief!
Some recent comments by friends of mine on Facebook reflect the kind of confusion and questions bouncing around in our heads. One friend of mine recently posted a note on Facebook that said, “Doesn’t anybody have any discernment anymore?”
Another dear friend of mine wrote me an email recently in the same tone of exasperation, “I just do not understand why theologians today are always looking for a new twist rather than a true interpretation of each passage – allowing scripture to interpret scripture.”
Yet another friend showed frustration at God himself and ask, “why can’t God make things simple?” Why is everybody so confused”?
What is the deal? How can their be so many takes on “one faith delivered to the saints” as Jude put it.
Well, I’m here to tell you that our God is not a God of confusion. Perish the thought! Neither does God want us to be confused about the above questions, he wants us to understand the landscape and why things are the way they are.
This morning and tonight we will look at what the scriptures say in regard to these vital questions. But first, In order to understand the landscape of our day, we need to understand where we are at in the scheme of redemptive history.
Why? Because that is the prism that the scriptures use to describe WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT AND LOOK FOR IN THIS TIME AND THERFORE NOT BE SURPRISED OR CONFUSED ABOUT IT.
Not only that, the scriptures also outline a course of action as well.
Therefore, let’s start in Hebrews 9:26;
“for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” ESV.
Let me ask you a question. Are we in the last days? How do we know? Because of a book someone wrote? No, we know that we are in the last day’s because Hebrew 9:26 says the last days are marked by the coming of Christ to die for our sins.
What we are going to see is that the coming of Christ in the flesh to die for the world takes place in a specific time period that has a beginning and an end. Then we are going to look at the characteristics that come with this age. Before we go on, we see that this age is marked by the first appearing of Christ as a man, it is the last age among ages since ages is in the plural. All of the major and most used versions along with the Greek Interlinear reflect this.
This is also reflected at the beginning of Hebrews as well in Hebrews 1:1,2;
“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”
The beginning of this specific time period is open for debate. Really, you could make an argument for the beginning of the Lord’s ministry being, the resurrection, the ascension or Pentecost. However, it is clear that the beginning is sometime during the coming of Christ and his ministry through the Disciples who later become the Apostles. It doesn’t much matter when exactly it started, we can be sure that we are now in it.
Next, this specific time period has a specific end:
First, the end is determined by the total gathering of all of those he foreknew and the beginning of what is known as the “Day of the Lord.”
2Peter 3:3-10
knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
Notice we have 2 separate events here, the “Last Days” and the “Day of the Lord.” The present age will continue until all that God foreknew are saved. The way Peter puts it is, the Lord is patiently waiting for all of his children to be saved, not willing that any perish. Others mistake this for the Lord being slack, or he is not coming back at all because it has been such a long time.
Another text that speaks of the difference between the “Last Days” and “The Day of the Lord” is 2Thessalonians 2:1-7
Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.
So the end of the last days will be proceeded by the full gathering of God’s children and precede the appearance of the Antichrist and the day of the Lord according to the Apostle Paul.
Also, the end of the last days time period will end with an unexpected resurrection of many believers who are still alive.
1Corinthians 15:51,52
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
John 21:18-23
“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
1Thessalonians 4:15-17
For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
Also keep in mind that this resurrection otherwise known as the “Rapture” is what we call “imminent.”
In other words, it is likely to occur at any time without warning:
Acts 1:6,7
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
The Lord restores the kingdom to Israel at the end of the Day of the Lord . The beginning of the Day of the Lord marks the end of the Last Days. Christ also states the following in Matthew 24:36-44;
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. “As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,”and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. “Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
The whole issue of imminence separates the Last Days and the Day of the Lord because if I’m a believer in the Day of the Lord, otherwise known as the “Tribulation Period”, I know exactly when the Lords coming back to the day. Let me demonstrate. Go to Daniel 9:27
“And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
The Tribulation period has designated times and not much on the imminent side is going on during this time. If I am a believer during that time, I know that the Lord’s return is 7 years from the date of a treaty made with Israel by the antichrist [other scripture] and 3.5 years from the “Abomination of Desolation” spoken of in 2Thesssalonians 2:4.
II.
So there you have it, this is the age we are living in, “The Last Days.” So what does the Bible say these day’s will be like? What should we expect?
Go to 2Timothy 4:2,3 and I will be reading from the NIV:
Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
Men will not only be seekers of “A” truth rather than “The” truth, they will not TOLERATE “ sound doctrine!” When you go into a teaching situation, in many cases, they just aren’t going to reject your teaching, THEY AREN’T GOING TO TOLERATE YOU!, and really, some of us here have our share of horror stories.
Really, in the age we live in, there are 3 kinds of churches. Churches that are driven to follow “The” truth at all cost, churches that will follow the truth as long as it doesn’t cost them anything and churches that the apostle Paul said would be indicative of the age, seekers of “A” truth that feeds the evil desires of their heart with a rabid intolerance of truth tellers.
Go with me now to 1John 2:18
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.
You see the reference here to a future day that will be the time when the antichrist appears, but the apostle John says MANY of his forerunners will be active in this age. In a matter of fact, it’s how we know it is the last age!!!! Incredibly, the Apostle is saying “many antichrist” mark this age.
Go now to 1John 4:1
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
This is a different group than what John spoke of earlier. There are also MANY “false prophets” in our age. Many antichrist’ and many false prophets mark the age we live in.
Additionally, there where also FALSE APOSTLES among them. Turn with me to 2Corinthians 11:13
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Revelation 2:2 also speaks of false apostles and there was even a problem with fictional letters being sent out as if from the Apostles telling the saints that they missed the resurrection. [ 2Thessalonians 2:1-3].
In the New Testament, of the 27 books that make up the cannon, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, Hebrews, 1st and 2nd Peter, 1st, 2nd, and John 3, and Jude deal primarily with error and false teaching as a theme. All other New Testament books contain portions that deal with false or erroneous teaching.
In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, of the 7 churches, 5 contain and tolerate false teachers and are warned by Christ accordingly. In a matter of fact, his specific charge is that they “TOLERATE” false teaching.
The first century church, always looked at as the ideal model, was entrenched in constant and vicious warfare to protect the truth. When the Disciples ask Jesus what the sign of the end of the age and his coming was going to be, the first thing he said was “BE NOT DECEAVED”
Well, maybe things have gotten better since then, right? Not according to the Apostle Paul and what he promised Timothy in 2Timothy 3:1-5
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
Again, Paul says in 2Timothy 3:13
while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
Once you view the present Christian landscape through scripture, it’s not very confusing at all. The Church was engulfed in warfare for the truth from it’s conception and the powers of darkness have had 2000 years to perfect their schemes, neither have they retreated.
However, I am not challenging you to pass judgment on anybody, I am challenging you to be a Berean like those talked about in Acts 17, the ones the Holy Spirit called “honorable.” The Bereans would not even give the Apostle Paul a pass without searching the scriptures to confirm what he was teaching.
Therefore, you need not and should not give any teacher of this age a pass on what they teach. Christ made it clear that the way of destruction in this age would be a wide road while the way of life would be narrow.
I was once sitting in a Sunday school class where the teacher made this statement: “You need to run to the bookstore and get this book.” Listen, I don’t run to any teaching, I move in slowly with binoculars while hiding behind rocks and trees as I go, and so should you.
Why are there so many denominations, isms and teachings covered in spiffy book covers? Because we live in an age that will not tolerate sound doctrine. There is no middle ground in this war, you either stand with darkness or you stand with light, the choice is yours.
Longing For Greatness
Luke 9:46 An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. 9:47 But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, 9:48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”
These verses really struck me in regard to the crux of change. It’s how we think. What is the vital component of the heart that initiated the counsel of Jesus in verse 47? He knew what they were thinking [ reasoning, ESV ] in their hearts. Change starts with how we think. Only the regenerate heart is able to replace non-biblical thinking with the mind of Christ and put it into practice. Strange; notice that Jesus doesn’t refute their desire to be great [ presumeably in God’s sight ], but shows them God’s way rather than the worlds way [ the reasoning of their hearts ] in verse 48. And guess what? It’s very simple: find a way to be the least among everyone in every situation. Easy to remember, alot harder to do, but how great do you want to be?
paul
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
leave a comment