Ten Commandments: Overview

It is important to understand an overview of the INTENT of the Ten Commandments.

(1) You will have no other small 'g' gods before God. Small 'g' gods can take many forms. Anything you place above your relationship with the ONE AND ONLY large 'G' God can be described as a small 'g' god.

(2) You will not have any idols. Similar to Commandment One, nothing can be worshiped other than God Himself. We may not think of worshiping something else, but our behavior will show it.

(3) Don't take the Lord's name in vain. Contrary to popular belief this DOES NOT mean swearing. If that is your understanding then you diminish the intent of this commandment. The Bible tells us that God places His name on us. (Numbers 6:27) If we live a life contrary to being God's child, THIS IS TAKING THE LORD'S NAME IN VAIN.

(4) Keep the Sabbath. This means that we attempt to have times of rest and solitude with God. We are not Ever Ready Batteries... we do lose energy. As the great Packer Coach Vince Lombardi said, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all."

(5) Honor Mom and Dad. This is the only commandment with the promise of long life. Honoring does not mean we ALWAYS believe or replicate our parents. It means we understand God has placed them in a position of responsibility. We are to honor them, despite their deficiencies. I honor the Office of the President even though I may not agree with the given President.

(6) Don't Murder. This does not include killing in war or in self-defense. The command is NOT "Thou shall not kill." Properly translated, it means "Thou shall not murder."

(7) No adultery. This is not just limited to sexual faithfulness. It means to be faithful in ALL THINGS.

(8) Do not steal... ANYTHING!

(9) Don't lie!

(10) Don't covet! Coveting is wanting something that belongs to someone else. Or, wanting something because someone else has it. This is central to all the other commandments. Notice, ALL the commandments have elements of greed and selfish-power attached to them. Be satisfied with what God has provided you in ALL AREAS of your life. See Philippians 4:11-13...

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

See you tomorrow!

Ten Commandment: Numbering Scheme

Once again we are looking at the Ten Commandments. Yesterday we noted the two divisions of the Ten Commandments: The first four commandments are relevant to our relationship with God and the last six commandments are relevant to our earthly relationships. I then indicated this is what Jesus meant when he summarized all the Law and the Prophets in two commandments. Jesus said, "The Greatest Commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. The second commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself.

Catholics and Protestants agree on the Ten Commandments, but they number them differently. I have created a chart to compare the Protestant versus Catholic Numbering. As a note, the Ten Commandments are mentioned twice in the Bible. First in Exodus 20 and the second time is found in Deuteronomy 5.

As you can see from the above graphic. Catholics combine "No other Gods" and "No Idols." To then compensate in the numbering, the command "Not to Covet" is broken down differently than the Protestant numbering.

Neither is right or wrong. Various cultures over the years have numbered them in various ways.

See you tomorrow!

Ten Commandments: Fast Facts

This week we are studying the Ten Commandments. Here are the quick facts I think you need to know...

First, the Ten Commandments are divided into TWO GROUPS. The first four commandments describe our relationship to God. And, the last six commandments describe our earthly relationships to each other. We can further describe the first four commandments as our 'vertical' or 'upward' relationship meaning God. And, the last six commandments are our 'horizontal' or earthly relationships with each other.

Second, because of these two groupings, Jesus delineated the two commandments as follows when questioned by a religious leader in Matthew 22:35-40 (also Mark 12:28-34):

35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested Jesus with this question:36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Notice verse 40. "All the Law and Prophets" hinge on these two commandments. Many people misunderstand. They think this idea was NEW with Jesus. It was not! Jesus was merely quoting the Old Testament back to this supposedly knowledgeable, religious leader. The two passages Jesus was quoting are from Deuteronomy 6:5...

5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

And, Leviticus 19:18...

18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

Notice the similarity of these Old Testament passages with the teaching of Jesus in the passages from Matthew and Mark.

FINAL NOTE

It may help to remember the cross as a symbol of this division within the  Ten Commandments. We are told in John 1 that Jesus is the Logos, the very Word of God. So, as we imagine Jesus on the cross we can see God's Word emanating in a vertical relationship to earthly man. In like manner, we see the hands of Jesus extending horizontally. This should remind us that WE ARE NOW THE HANDS OF JESUS!

This might be a story you find interesting. I have heard various versions of it told throughout the years...

Anecdote: In Germany, there was a beautiful statute of the Lord Jesus Christ with His hands extended. During World War II a bomb fell close to the statue decapitating it and blowing its arms off.  After the war was over the village began to sift through the rubble of their war torn village looking for the arms and the head.  The people soon found the head and arms as well as some other small pieces, but they could not find the hands. With great discouragement someone argued, “You can’t have a statute of Jesus without hands!”

A young lady standing nearby and hearing the discussions had a sudden inspiration to put a plaque in the place of the hands.  If you were to read that plaque today, you would read these words:

I have no hands but your hands to do my work today.  I have no feet but your feet to lead people on their way.  I have no tongue but your tongue to tell people how I died. I have no help but your help to lead them to my side. We as believers in Christ are His hands, feet and tongue to a lost and hurting world. It is time that we ask ourselves what we are doing to show people the love of Jesus.

See You Tomorrow!!!!!

Abraham: Where Did He Come From?

Abram and Abraham are the same guy in the Bible. It was a practice of God to rename people after he established a covenant with them. For example...

• God changes Abram's name from Abram (high father) to Abraham (Father of a Great Multitude) in Genesis 17:15-16
• God changes Sarai's name from Sarai (my princess) to Sarah (mother of nations) in Genesis 17:15
• God changes Jacobs name from Jacob (heel, supplant, weasel) in Genesis 25:26 to Israel (one that struggled with the divine, rules) in Genesis 32:28

As you can see above, the name change indicated a transformation that God wanted to teach regarding the given person.

In any event, Abram was a normal type of guy who heard the voice of God one day in his hometown of Ur.

TEACHING POINT: Don't become obsessed with actual dates and timelines. In the culture of the Bible time was not something as important to them as it is to us. There are an endless number of Bible Chronologies and even more fights to go with them. The study of Biblical Chronologies is an argument in futility for a lot of technical reasons. What is important regarding Abraham was he lived somewhere around 2000 BCE or about 4000 years ago from the present day. Please note we often default to extra-biblical literature, such as Rabbinical commentary to fill in the timeline gaps of the Bible.

In any event, we are rarely certain of the exact dates. However, some of the Jewish websites (ie. chabod.org) suggest this possible this timeline...

• Abram is born someplace (probably near Ur) in 1813 BCE. Other sites may say as early as 2048 BCE so you get the idea!
• Abram married Sarai (later called Sarah) around 1788 BCE
• God stopped the building of the Tower of Babel in 1765 BCE when Abram was about 48
• Abram heard the voice of God calling Him away from UR to Haran
• God heard the voice of God calling Him away from Haran to Canaan (Promised Land) in 1738 at the age of 75
• God established His Covenant with Abram to be the Father who will 'bless many nations' when Abram was 99 years old around 1714 BCE
• The following year, 1713 BCE, Isaac was born to a 90 year old Sarai and a 100 year old Abraham.

There are several thoughts as to where Ur was located but most feel it was at this location in southern Mesopotamia (Iraq)...

The map above shows the story of Abram's life journey. Wow! Abram gets around for an old guy! The following is some interesting if not bizarre thoughts...

Iraqi's and Jews are Related? If Abram was born in and around Ur, then the Father of Isaac, Grandfather of Jacob (Israel) has similar genetic makeup to the Akkadians, Sumerians of that day. In other words, today's Iraqi's share an almost identical genetic makeup.  I have contacted a Stanford University Genetics professor who has done considerable research in this area. I will update this blog as soon I hear back and/or read through his research. See my Blog... "What is a Jew?"

Abraham is Well-Rounded: The point is this... in God pulling Abraham out from his comfort zone of Ur (modern day southern Iraq) to Haran... and then once again calling Abraham from Haran (modern day Turkey) to the Promised Land (Canaan-modern day Israel)... then from the Promised Land to Egypt due to famine and then back to the Promised Land... there seems to be a preparation. God uprooting Abraham, and Abraham's obedience seems to add understanding that God wanted him to be the Father of Many Nations. Abraham would have been highly educated and spoken many languages. Abraham may have even worked on the Tower of Babel under the mighty King Nimrod. The latter is conjecture... but it is education conjecture. We also know that Abraham had a great deal of tactical military tactical understanding. We see this in Genesis 13-14 when Abraham organizes an army to rescue his nephew Lot from the Mesopotamian Kings. This is no small point. In other words, Abraham was a highly sophisticated and well-rounded person. You don't take on an advanced army, unless you have a highly trained set of special forces.

UR: Ur was an advanced engineering/science oriented civilization. Ur is known for it's Tower of Babel like ziggurats. Some of which are standing today near Nasiriya in the present day Dhi Qar Province of Iraq... 

We must remember that Abraham's 3x Great-grandfather was Noah, his 2x Great-Grandfather was Seth, his Great-Grandfather was Serug, his Grandfather was Nahor and his Dad was Terah!

The Size of the Promised Land: Here is something very interesting. God had several parts to his covenant with Abraham...
Promised the Promise Land (Genesis 15:18-21)
Promise of a male heir (Genesis 15:4-6)
Promised Abraham he would be the Father of Many Nations (Genesis 17:5)

In Genesis 15:18-21, we discover that Abraham is promised a land. Indeed, Abraham is promised the Promised Land. In this passage take a look at it's original dimensions...

 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

Notice, if Israel claimed all of this land today... their would be some even bigger fights. The western most border in this picture is wrong. The Scripture says from the Euphrates (top right) to the river of Egypt. This IS NOT THE NILE.

CONCLUSION
In all of Abraham's trials and journeys in life, God was preparing him to receive a special covenant described in Genesis 

Abraham: Father of ALL Who Believe!

Abraham: Father of ALL Who Believe!

Father Abraham is an example of faith. The Apostle Paul tells us throughout the Book of Romans, and especially in chapter 4 that if you are a believer in Jesus Christ... YOU ARE A SON OR DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM.

This concept was very controversial and the Apostle Paul meant it to be! The Jewish leaders were under the impression they were sons of Abraham because of their biological birth as Israelis. However, Paul asks a very important question... let's take a look in Romans 4:9-12...

9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Now, many people don't understand that circumcision for Abraham is almost the equivalent of our baptism today. It was a sign that you are a person of faith. So even though Abraham wasn't baptized in the sense we speak of today let me rewrite the Apostle Paul's discourse by using the sacramental terms we understand. 

9 Is this salvation only for the baptized, or also for the unbaptized? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was baptized, or before? It was not credited after, but credited before Abraham was baptized! 11 And Abraham received baptism as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he already had by faith while unbaptized. Therefore, Abraham is the father of all who believe, even though they may not have been baptized, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And Abraham is then also the father of the baptized who not only are baptized but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was baptized.

Paul's point is that to be in the household of faith... you must be faithful! You are not part of the household of faith because you have undergone a given sacrament or come from the right kind of people... ALL SACRAMENTS TAKE PLACE WITH THE INTENT OF THE HEART... NOT WITH THE ACT OF RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT!

We are NOT SAVED because we...

• We have been baptized, or...
• Receive Holy Communion regularly, or...
• Have gone through Confirmation, or...
• Go to Church when the doors are open, or...
• Don't drink, chew, or hang out in pool halls, or...
• Whatever else you think... might make you a Christian.

As Romans 10:10 indicates...

"For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."

The mouth comes AFTER a CHANGED HEART! Rituals are something we do and share TO DECLARE OUR FAITH... NOT TO GET OUR FAITH! Faith is demonstrated, salvation is received... BEFORE ANY KIND OF WORK!!!!!!!

See you tomorrow for more about Abraham!

Big Words!

Big Words!

Before we get to the background on Abraham we need to learn some big $25 words. Three in particular:

JUSTIFICATION

SANCTIFICATION

SALVATION

Now big words are important to any profession. 'Big Words' ensures you need the self-described professionals around to interpret the 'Big Words.' So, let me make it real simple. The way God intended.

All three of these words revolve around one idea, "Who I am before God?"

BIG WORDS: Who I Am Before God

Justification

The Bible teaches that God cannot be in the presence of sin. If I am a sinner, and Pastor Jim is... then that does not bode well for me. So, God sent His Son Jesus (God) to pay the penalty for my sins. If the penalty for my sins is paid by the work of the cross, AND if I believe in Jesus for this work of the cross... THEN I am justified in the EYES OF GOD. Let me use an example...

Back in the days of Merry Old England a young prince had to be disciplined. However, "How do you spank the future King of England?" Who would want that job! It might not be a good career decision for the 'Royal Spanker' if you know what I mean? Especially if the young prince had a very long memory. Therefore, legend tells us the Royal Caretakers implemented the idea of the "whipping boy." When the young prince would get into trouble, a surrogate young man would be punished in the prince's place. The idea of seeing someone else punished for his bad deeds, would teach the young prince that 'someone had to pay the price.' And, because the 'whipping boy' was a playmate of the prince it would effect remorse in the the heart of the prince. In other words, a bad deed needed to be accounted for in order to justify the young prince before the 'norms' of society.

This is an over simplification, but it gives us some sense of what it means to be justified. Justification is OUR ACT OF FAITH IN THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS. Justification allows us to stand BLAMELESS before a HOLY GOD. Justification, through the work of Christ... ALLOWS US TO ONE DAY... RETURN TO EDEN (ie. Resurrection of ALL THINGS!).

In this week's Scripture, Romans 4:13-25, we find something VERY INTERESTING in verse 25...

"Jesus was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."

Notice it was Jesus' death that covered our sins, BUT IT WAS JESUS RETURN TO LIFE that promises our JUSTIFICATION! Therefore, since Jesus has ALREADY BEEN RAISED FROM THE  DEAD, so too, believers are ALREADY JUSTIFIED.

Sanctification

Sanctification is  the second BIG WORD. Sanctification is the process of gradually being perfected while on earth by God. Everything we do or don't do... moves us down the road of sanctification. As we live this life, sanctification is the process of placing our faith in God and trusting God to encourage us to be perfect '...in the moment of testing.' This encouragement comes by the indwelling Holy Spirit in our hearts. However, few of us IF ANY, will always respond perfectly. This is why confession and repentance are a key part of sanctification. Picking ourselves up off the floor. Forgiving ourselves as Christ has already forgiven us and moving on towards perfection in the next trial is SANCTIFICATION. In other words, sanctification makes us CHRIST-LIKE through our FAILURES AND SUCCESSES. Sanctification takes place as we realize we need greater dependence on God.

People of a Wesleyan Methodist theology believe in what is called TOTAL SANCTIFICATION. I am a Wesleyan Methodist in my theology, a Congregationalist in my polity (how we do Church-democratic government), and a Christian by the grace of God. However, I am human. What John Wesley (Founder of Methodism), taught regarding sanctification was brilliant. John Wesley said we are not perfect in our human condition, but by the grace of God and our obedience, we have the possibility to 'act perfectly for a given testing.' Wesley's teachings have often been misunderstood. Some people think Wesley thought we could become perfect in this life. That was not his teaching. What Wesley taught was that we have the potential by the grace of God to act perfectly with a 'given testing.' In other words, we are without excuse. 

In short, we should all welcome the sanctification process. It is accepting the oil and abrasiveness of 'LIFE' itself! Sanctification is placing a rough rock (you) inside a rock tumbler (life on earth). As we tumble through life, it is hoped the hard edges of the rock (you) will be smoothed (...becoming Christ-like).

Salvation
Some people are offended by the idea that they are anybody needs to be saved. They see God as 'ALL ACCEPTING' and therefore salvation is not necessary. This is a FALLACY, but this is what they believe. They misinterpret the salvation that is INDEED offered to all as salvation given to all. In making this mistake they want to define the terms salvation and not abide by the terms God has provided... faith in Christ! 

Jesus had this very discussion with the Pharisees in Mark 2:15-17...

15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Notice, the SELF-RIGHTEOUS religious leaders did not see themselves as needing salvation. This idea would have been offensive to them! They were so caught up in defining 'righteousness' they could not see how they stood before a Holy God. One the other hand, look at the folks who were coming to Jesus (God). Folks who realized their humanity and realized they needed God's salvation. It is interesting to see how Jesus handles this encounter. It is hard to argue with someone who cannot see their own faults. IT is hard to argue with a hypocrite. So, Jesus says, 'Ok, the healthy do not need a doctor, only those who realize they are sick.' The burden falls back to the person, to realize their need before a Holy God. A need to admit who they really are before a loving God who already knows them better than they know themselves!

In other words, those who want to diagnose themselves... Jesus says from Luke 4:23b, "Physician, heal yourself!" I don't know about you, but I am a pretty bad judge of my weaknesses before a Holy God. IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE YOU NEED TO BE SAVED, THEN IT IS HARD FOR GOD TO SPEAK TO YOU!

GOOD NEWS: Therefore, SALVATION is ALL ABOUT BEING RESTORED NOW! Salvation is not just about the DISPOSITION of the SOUL LATER... but KNOWING WITH CERTAINTY THE DISPOSITION OF YOUR SOUL NOW!!!!!!

Suppose, I come to you with an opportunity! I tell you that if you buy a given stock you will reap huge rewards. REWARDS THAT WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT YOUR FUTURE, BUT PROVIDE BENEFITS NOW! Now, suppose I can show you the future and prove what I tell you is true! All metaphors fall short and this one certainly does. Why? Because economic well-being can sometimes make folks misunderstand. SALVATION is not about dollars and cents, SALVATION is knowing we have peace with God. Salvation is KNOWING we have purpose! Salvation is knowing we have a God given journey and a God given destiny! In any event, the beauty of God's salvation is not just acquiring 'pie-in-the-sky' real estate for a future bliss, but in the comfort and peace of having a relationship with JESUS CHRIST NOW! This is true and complete SALVATION. A salvation that gives meaning in THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT!

Tune in tomorrow... I promise we will get to the fascinating story of Father Abraham!

The Just Shall Live By Faith

This Week's Sermon Prep is Romans 4:13-25

The great reformer Martin Luther had a problem. No matter how dedicated he was... no matter how faithful... no matter how self-sacrificing... he could not escape the sinful reality of his heart. This burden was so great that Luther thought he had to suffer like the Savior. So, as a Monk he would flagellate (whip) himself and use other means... in an attempt to be righteous before God... to earn salvation. However, no matter what he did, he continued to be BURDENED by the darkness of his soul. Fortunately for Martin Luther he was a Bible reader and a Bible scholar. One day, he happened upon Romans 1:17...

"The just shall live by faith."

Luther was overwhelmed with peace. He was beginning to realize  the theology the Apostle Paul penned in the Book of Romans. We are saved by our faith in the righteousness of Christ, NOT in our own righteousness! The work of righteousness was done by Christ's work on the cross! And the promise of Christ's righteousness is for the faithful to one day be resurrected like Christ!

We call this REFORMED THEOLOGY and it was the leading concept of the REFORMATION. It centered around the crazy idea that GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE! This is why Jesus (God) died for our sins!

Now before I continue, I want to share a quote from the late Reformed Bible Scholar R. C. Sproul...

"The relationship of faith and good works is one that may be distinguished but never separated...if good works do not follow from our profession of faith, it is a clear indication that we do not possess justifying faith. The Reformed formula is, “We are justified by faith alone but not by a faith that is alone."

This is a great quote! Yes! Praise God! We are saved through the sacrifice Jesus made for all sin: past, present, and future. We are saved because of our faith in Jesus and our trust in 'that' given work of the cross! However, don't call yourself faithful, IF you take the work of the cross arrogantly. If there is not a change in your life to attempt to be like Christ. If you are not honest, faithful, and don't commit yourself to good works... THEN YOUR FAITH IS NOT FAITH. IT IS PRESUMPTION! This is why James 2:26 says...

(26) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Pastor Jim Quote: Faith, due to our human condition, will never be in the perfectly performed... but we have to be about attempting to perfectly perform it!

Not one single word for 'faith' or 'belief' in the Bible is in the past tense ... it is always in the ongoing 'active' tense.' Faith is doing!

I have faith in Carol. And, I know... hope... trust... that Carol has faith in me. However, this might surprise you, but my works for Carol don't always match up with my faith. However, my intent... and my heart is bent in a 'Carol direction.' I imperfectly demonstrate my love for Carol. However, I am demonstrating my love towards Carol and not away from her. There is a big difference. In one very obvious way! My dating life has been eliminated ever since I married Carol 45 years ago! Carol would be right to doubt MY FAITHFULNESS, should I have continued taking out a different gal every Friday and Saturday night! It would not be right for me to suggest I am in a faithful relationship with Carol. My works (dating) would suggest otherwise!

Now I use this humorous, exaggerated example, to illustrate 'HOW' to define what 'FAITH' actually is! However, this is the entire story of the Bible! We can turn to Hebrews 11, THE BIBLE'S HALL OF FAME OF FAITH to discover... that FAITH ALWAYS INVOLVES A POSITIVE ACTION...

(8) BY FAITH Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And Abraham went out, not knowing where he was going. (9) BY FAITH Abraham dwelt in the land of the promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the SAME PROMISE; (1) for Abraham waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

FAITH changes a heart to want to serve Christ out of love... not just duty. Not because we are trying to EARN something! This is why I like Sproul's last comment about faith...

"We are justified by FAITH ALONE (sola fide)...

but not by

FAITH THAT IS ALONE!"

CONCLUSION

This week we will be studying Romans 4:13-25, to better understand the concept of being 'justified by faith.' However, tomorrow we will learn more about Father Abraham from Genesis to have a better understanding of the Abrahamic metaphor being used by the Apostle Paul to explain faith.

See you tomorrow!

Billy Graham Promoted to Glory at Age 99!

BILLY GRAHAM IS PROMOTED TO HEAVEN

I wanted to take a moment to remember Billy Graham. I saw Billy Graham live at Explo ‘72 in Dallas, Texas in 1972. A bunch of us military airman stationed at Columbus AFB, Mississippi at the time got together and attended. Billy spoke several times during this Christian festival and he was electric. What I liked about Billy Graham is he appeared to be, and by all reports, was a humble and self-deprecating man despite all his success. And, despite those who chose to stereotype him. I was even more impressed with Billy Graham when he confessed he should have kept his mouth shut regarding his commentary on some Presidents or social issues of the day. You see, Billy realized that God called him to reach everyone with Christ. That is the priority for all Christians. In any event, I wanted to share a comment from Billy's grandson that was reported in the Christian Post:

"My grandfather once said, 'One day you'll hear that Billy Graham has died. Don't you believe it. On that day I'll be more alive than ever before! I've just changed addresses.' My friends, today my grandfather moved from the land of the dead to the land of the living," Will Graham declared.

At each of my Memorial services I always read the Apostle Paul’s comments from 2 Corinthians 5:4…

⁴ For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

I want you to understand the odd way Paul makes the latter statement. Most of us would say… ‘Today, Billy has passed from ‘life into death into life.’ However, the Apostle Paul makes this point. All we consider life now… is not swallowed up by death… but for the Christian believer… swallowed up by TRUE LIFE ETERNAL. Spiritual death is not a reality! Someday, I hope to see all of you ‘more alive than ever!’

God Bless

Pastor Jim Allen

 https://www.christianpost.com/news/billy-graham-dies-at-99-218811/

Angels Part I

Angels
In addition to my posts regarding my weekly sermon development I am going to post articles on topics. They will eventually be catalogued under a subject line in the right hand navigation of this page.

Currently I am performing research into determining a Biblical understanding of angels and demons. We live in a society which which seems enamored with the 'other world.'

Before We Start...
Here are some things we need to understand before we begin and just in case you are in a hurry do not keep up with the series.

1. When we die, WE DO NOT BECOME ANGELS! This is what some cartoons and movies have taught and I am shocked at how many Christians actually believe this nonsense.
2. When we see "Angel of the Lord" in the Bible, that is actually Jesus. Whether it is in the Old Testament or new. These are called Christophanies which are Angelic appearances of the Lord Jesus.
3. Angels are not "ALIENS FROM ANOTHER PLANET!" Stop watching "Ancient Aliens" and start reading your Bible!
4. It's complicated, but the word Angel is not the correct word. 'Angel' should have been translated 'messenger.' We will explore this concept in detail later. In any event, Angel is a term introduced by the translators many years ago as a result of literature and cultural influences. Much of what we believe about Angels is the result of 'syncretism.' Syncretism is the absorption of cultural and other religious beliefs into Christianity. That is why you often hear me say that what many Christians think is 'Christian' is actually pagan. Much of the 'how we do things' and the 'why we do things' is actually pagan.
5. This is complicated but Angels don't have wings. The only angel wings mentioned in the Bible are on the handcrafted Cherubim and Seraphim that sit on top of the Ark of the Covenant.
6. This is also a complicated discussion, but we probably DO NOT HAVE GUARDIAN ANGELS. Sorry! However, we have something better, WE HAVE JESUS! First Timothy 2:5 says...

For there is one god and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus...

Now I am sure you are reading this and perhaps are arming yourself with Scriptures to challenge me... I HOPE SO! I want you to be Berean Christians who double-checked the great Apostle Paul against the Word of God.

In any event, as indicated, we humans tend to anthropomorphise things we don't understand to make them more approachable. This is why I name my dog Lance and read into Lance a human personality. Reading a human personality into something, even a deity is called anthropomorphism. This is good and bad. Good in the sense we want to have a closer relationship, but bad in the sense we are limiting God, Jesus, and perhaps angels to our human understanding.

Check back later...

Rain and Rainbows!

Rain and Rainbows!
I have gotten behind on my posting this week. So let's catch up!

INITIAL THOUGHT: The Bible and Science are NEVER in conflict. Interpretations may be in conflict... but the TRUE INTERPRETATION is not in conflict. Don't you think the God of the Bible and the Creator of the World, the Creator of His physics would make sure everything 'synced?' God is consistent and faithful!

TODAY's POST: The purpose of Genesis 9:7-18 in which God establishes a 'rainbow' as a sign of a 'covenant promise,' is to demonstrate GOD'S CONSTANCY. God will never fail you! God is the one anchor in life that does not change...

"Jesus Christ is the same... yesterday, today, and forever!" Hebrews 13:8

And of course, Jesus Christ is God! We find in John 1:3 regarding the creation of the universe...

"In Him (Jesus) and through Him (Jesus) ALL THINGS were made."

God is not some petulant Creator who one morning decides to go after someone, or some nation or to change the laws of the universe.

God created ALL THINGS! God does not change the laws of creation, although God can sometimes choose to accelerate His laws of creation. However, that is a post for another day!

And this is true of physics as well. The entire universe, all of the galaxies, even those being formed today... are being made with the same foundational principles of physics that God first established in the initial creation.

I say all of this, to say all of this... the rain in Noah's time was NOT the first rain. The rainbow in Noah's time was NOT the first rainbow as many old time preachers preach! Why is this important? Because the entire Bible demonstrates God's consistency, constancy, faithfulness, long-suffering, etc, etc. If God becomes random about creation... then what about His promises?

The water cycle is the same today as it was in the days of Noah. The idea for it being the first rain is a misinterpretation of Hebrews 11:7...

"By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith."

Some have interpreted "things not yet seen" as the 'rain and rainbow.' Of course, if "things not yet seen" was something physical it could also be the 'flood.' We have to be careful NOT TO READ AN INTERPRETATION INTO THE TEXT. THAT IS A SIN AND IS CALLED EISEGESIS. As opposed to EXEGESIS, which is letting Scripture speak for itself. Personally, I believe "things not yet seen" is the 'wrath of God.' Why? Because that is how it is used in ALL of the APOCALYPTIC (destruction of the world) literature of the Bible, ie. Daniel, Revelation, etc. And, I know the BIBLE and SCIENCE AGREE IN ALL THINGS!

Now folks who want to believe the contrary bring up Genesis 2:6...

"...but streams (mist) came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground."

They want to believe that a ground mist or stream was God's alternate to rain at this time. This is problematic for a lot of reasons. God gave us the water cycle for purification as one. Go back to your science books to remember the importance of the water cycle. In any event, in Genesis 2:4-7...

"(4) This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. (5) Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, (6) but streams (mist) came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. (7) Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."

Well Pastor Jim, this passage says, "The Lord God had not sent rain on the earth." Yes, this was the case BEFORE ADAM and EVE (verse 7) and well before NOAH. By the time ADAM and EVE and NOAH came around THERE WAS VEGETATION! The water cycle in the atmosphere had developed. This passage is a short description of the earth forming it's atmosphere. God set the physics in place and now the planet is cooling and the atmosphere is forming. There is a whole bunch of stuff going on in these few verses that we don't hear about. Volcanoes erupting, earth cooling, tectonic plate shifting, etc, etc. Can you imagine God including all of that in for the average reader? No! But what God does make the focus... IS YOU! HE CREATED HUMANITY. The center of the story is God created US in the middle of all this physics, geology, and biology stuff!

SUMMARY-RAINBOW
The same is true for the rainbow. Trust me... there were RAINBOWS BEFORE God and Noah made their covenant in Genesis 9:7-18. However, God decided to take something that was ALREADY a constant, a "RAINBOW," and tell Noah this will be NOW be a sign of my PROMISES to you. In some respects, when we see the RAINBOW, we see JESUS! Why because a RAINBOW shows the HEART of Jesus! It is many colored. The white light is refracted to show many colors of light for JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!

Asking Questions! It's Okay!

Monday

Today we are looking at the FLOOD STORY! In the article below I try to give you confidence in asking questions. God does not want a monologue, but a dialogue. Bet sure to read the article below.

However, here is a starter question? Is there enough water in the world to cover the entire earth? Please click on the following link… a very cool graphic!

https://water.usgs.gov/edu/gallery/global-water-volume.html

This doesn’t mean water could not have covered the whole earth. However, this is the point. It is all right to ask these questions as long as your are faithful to search what the Scriptures are actually saying.

In-Depth: Ask God Tough Questions

Did you have a Mom and Dad you could ask questions? I did, for the most part. Of course, every adult has their sacred cows. A boundary you soon discover. Questions you somehow learn not to pursue. Therefore, learning cannot take place. This is not the case with our Lord and Savior! Ask Him ANYTHING? He wants you to explore EVERYTHING! This does not mean I try to discover the laws of motion by standing in front of a train. One must guard against FANCIFUL. ARROGANT. and STUPID ideas! If you are the only ONE with the idea, then it may not be the brightest idea! That’s why God gave us the ability to reason with the power of the Holy Spirit see 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22:

¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not treat prophecies with contempt²¹ but test them all; hold on to what is good, ²² reject every kind of evil.

I may gain a lot of insight on my own with God’s enabling Spirit, but I should also consider the potential the wisdom of others! Somehow, it just seems to make sense! God through His Spirit will be our teacher…

²⁶ I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. ²⁷ As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His (Jesus’) anointing teaches you about ALL THINGS and as THAT ANNOINTING IS REAL, not counterfeit—just as it (the ANNOINTING, aka Jesus via Holy Spirit) has taught you, remain in Him (Jesus).

When we study the Bible, the questions we have will be unlimited! The Bible is a mine of God’s wisdom and God likes us to work to find it! Romans 11:33 says…

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are God’s judgments, and God’s paths beyond tracing out!

And, we should not study the Word to just be knowledgeable. I know a lot of folks who know their Bible, but in their pride of knowledge they have become Pharisees, “knowing a lot, but apply little.” We are called to be formed by God’s very Words, Hebrews 4:12 explains:

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Therefore, I come to the Scriptures in faith that it is God’s Word. This does not mean I don’t value textual criticism. I do want an accurate Bible! And, I want to understand the tough questions.  Many scholars come to the Scriptures today assuming they are flawed. If one takes that view you will never have intimacy with the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ who is the source of our Scriptures. After all, Jesus is called the LOGOS (WORD) in John 1…

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.”

Years ago, a friend properly rebuked me. He told me you do not have to defend your faith. If you do, then it is not faith. I had a pastor friend whose ordination diploma said, “Set for the defense of the Gospel.” This is a proof text. It is the KJV translation and inadequate. Even the NIV translates this passage better, “The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains…” Do you see the major difference? Duh? It is hard to believe it is the same verse! The KJV implies that someone is qualified to defend the Lord and the Scriptures. In the NIV, it is talking about a humble and proper mindset to preach the Scriptures.

TRUTH NEEDS TO BE SPOKEN, NOT DEFENDED!

Now don’t misunderstand, I am more than willing to enter thoughtful and playful banter with someone who is open to listening, reconsidering, and speaking. I am always open to reconsider, if it is not a road that’s been too heavily traveled. For example, I am pretty convinced the earth is not flat. A discussion of the flat earth would bore me and quite frankly I have too many other things on my list to learn. In like manner, I don’t want to spend a lot of time in a debate in which reconsideration of one’s views is not happening on BOTH SIDES. Folks wanting to do this don’t wish to be a part of a discussion, they just want to fight or push an agenda.

Faith in the ultimate truth will never be disappointed. This week’s passage takes us into a very controversial area, THE ORIGINS OF THE UNIVERSE… INCLUDING US! Therefore, when we come to today’s story in Genesis 9, which starts in Genesis 6 regarding the FLOOD STORY, we naturally will have LOTS OF QUESTIONS. Maybe some like these…

1. Is the given type of Biblical literature meant to be literal historical; or metaphorical-moralistic, or a combination?

1. How did the original readers/listeners understand the story?

1. Was there not rain before the Flood?

1. Was there not a rainbow before the Flood?

1. How could 2 animals of every unclean type and seven animals of clean type fit on a boat?

1. Why does there appear to be a conflict regarding the number of animals between these two verses? Compare Genesis 6:19-20 (2 only) with Genesis 7:2 (2 and 7 only).

1. All humanity ended up descending from 8 people? If Each person contains 2 alleles (genetic material) would that be enough to differentiate the population we see today?

1. If there was a FLOOD (it is okay to say “if”), then was it a GLOBAL FLOOD (every inch of earth is covered)? REGIONAL FLOOD that appeared global? Or, a UNIVERSAL FLOOD that wipeout humanity, but did not cover the entire earth?

1. Is there any archaeological evidence regarding a flood in the Mesopotamian basin?

1. Is there enough water in the earth to Flood the entire earth?

1. Were the mountains higher or lower in Noah’s time?

Here are a few more questions specific to this weeks passage and context:

As I sit here I can think of an unlimited list. And, as I do I start looking for answers. In any event, it is OKAY to ask these questions if you commit to finding the answers. Lazy Christians will depend on others… if you are depending on others for your knowledge then it’s not YOUR knowledge. As indicated earlier, I am to be formed by the Word of God, I cannot be formed by someone else’s knowledge. Why? Because, if I don’t understand and believe it, it will be like the seed planted in shallow or rocky soil. Faith will dissipate because I have not internalized my understanding.

See you tomorrow!