What is the best way to interpret Paul’s warning passages?
After last week’s sermon, I wanted to post my thoughts on the warning passages of Paul and how the apply to us. Specifically, I have Ephesians 5:5 in mind. Here is my outline from my sermon that shares my line of thought. I hope it helps.
V. What’s the difference? Why bother? (vv. 5-7)
a. Because people who do the things listed do not go to Heaven! (v. 5) What does this really mean?
i. View #1- Anyone who commits sexual sin cannot go to Heaven.
1. Clarification- Sexual sin, impurity and greed are sins from which we cannot be forgiven.
2. Objections to this view:
a. What about the other sins listed in parallel passages?
i. 1 Cor 6?
ii. Galatians 5?
b. What about those who would be precluded?
i. David
ii. Paul (at least as an accomplice to murder)
c. What about the Gospel?
i. This view makes your eternal destiny the result of your works.
1. Some bad works preclude you, therefore your salvation is at least partially dependent upon avoiding those things.
ii. View #2- People who do these things and don’t repent don’t go to Heaven.
Quote: The apostle has solemn words to say about the consequences of such sins as those he has just enumerated in people’s lives. They, in common with all unrepented sins, exclude men and women from God’s kingdom.
1. What are some problems with this? (1)
a. does anyone really repent of every single sin they commit? Anyone who thinks that they do has a way too limited understanding of what sin really is. Sin is “Any act, attitude, or disposition that fails to completely fulfill or measure up to the standards of God’s righteousness. It may involve an actual transgression of God’s law or failure to live up to his norms.”
b. Notice that the text says nothing about repentence. He doesn’t say here, “if you are immoral and don’t repent before you die…too bad!” He says here that any adulterer CANNOT inherit the Kingdom of God.
c. Remember the great rule of logic: If you prove too much, you prove nothing.
i. What if you look at a woman lustfully and forget that you did before you repent? Hell?
d. Remember, too, that Paul also includes “greed” in this.
e. This view is contrary to the idea of salvation by faith alone because it makes it makes our ultimate salvation the result of our repenting meticulously about every sin.
f. This would contradict Eternal Security
iii. View #3- People who do these things lose rewards in Heaven.
1. Pros
a. The Bible clearly teaches that we will be rewarded in Heaven for our good works.
b. The Bible also teaches that there will be loss of potential rewards in Heaven (that is, that we forfeit rewards that we would have otherwise received).
2. Problems with this view:
a. This passage doesn’t say anything about rewards…it refers to inheriting the kingdom. We would have to force the idea of rewards into this passage.
iv. View #4- People who do these things miss the Millennium
1. Clarification
2. Concerns:
a. This view is contradicted by 1 Corinthians 15
b. 1 Thessalonians 4 “dead in Christ rise first”
v. View #5- People who are “characterized” by these sins show themselves never to have been saved in the first place.
1. Clarification
2. Commendation
a. It is obviously possible for people to act “out of character”
b. The Bible does seem to make our behavior at least part of the test of our salvation.
i. 2 Peter 1:4-11
3. Concerns:
a. What does it mean to be “Characterized” by a certain sin? How many times do you have to commit adultery before you are an adulterer?
b. Could this distinction be too subjective to be helpful? Who does the “characterizing”?
i. Is Ted Haggart an adulterer or simply human like the rest of us?
c. This view encourages obedience “so people don’t think I’m an unbeliever” or “So I don’t wonder if I am saved”.
i. The problem with this is that if we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that there is enough evidence (if we go by what we do) to convince us what we already think.
d. Why would Paul warn believers about sins they have no real danger of being controlled by?
i. If only “unbelievers” are “characterized” by these things…why warn believers of their danger? Shouldn’t we want an self-deceived unbeliever to recognize his state instead of behaving to keep up appearances?
vi. How should we deal with passages like this?
1. Look at 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
2. We need to understand what we are positionally in Christ.
a. We are Saints who struggle with sin.
b. Unbelievers are sinners who struggle to “good”.
c. What’s the difference? Position.
i. Point out that v. 7 seems to make a distinction between them and unbelievers.
ii. Read v. 8 again: You ARE light…so LIVE as light. To live immorally is to live like someone who is going to Hell.
ILL: “That’s not like you!” Have you ever heard this from your parents? Your spouse? After all, who are you? Are you the “you” you see on your best day? Your worst? Somewhere in between?

I hope these thoughts in outline form are helpful to you as you struggle to understand and apply the word of God.
1 Corinthians 16:24
Pastor Dom

Two Quotes by C. S. Lewis
Here are the 2 quotes that I shared in this morning’s sermon by C. S. Lewis. The first one I disagree with and the second one I really loved.
#1- Fake it ‘till You Make it?
Quote: In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Do not waste your time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbor act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less.” Our Daily Bread, February 14.
Some responses: Obviously there are many times in which we must act, instead of spending so much time analyzing our motives. However, (1) Is it a waste of time asking whether or not we obey a specific command of God? Especially one so central and important? I think not. (2) Does doing good things always produce good emotional responses? Not necessarily.
This quote just smacks of worldly wisdom, but upon closer inspection…I think this quote has serious deficiencies.
#2- Is Love Dangerous?
To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin or your selfishness. But in that casket–safe, dark, motionless, airless–it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable…The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers…of love is Hell.
C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves, Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1960, p.169.

1 Cor 16:24
Pastor Dom

Proverbs 24:2 My son, fear the LORD and the king; Do not associate with those who are given to change.
The American novelist, Ellen Glasgow, is quoted to have written, “All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward.” On the other hand, Aristotle is quoted to have said, “Change in all things is sweet.” Who is right? Is it always good to change? Is any change an improvement, or do we have to be very careful to weigh our decisions in order to discern whether change is good in that particular situation?
In our rapidly changing world, it seems that people react very strongly to change. Some seem to naturally dig their heels in and resist it no matter what the change is. Others tend to think that any change is good, regardless of what effects the supposed change would have. These extreme reactions to change are very commonly found in the church and in Christians themselves. There are some who seem to be constantly reinventing the wheel, trying to do everything in a “fresh” or “new” way. Sometimes these are referred to as “Mars Hill Christians (see Acts 17:21-22)”. On the other hand, there are always those who would prefer it if the church did things exactly like it was done in the past. Some react negatively to tradition, regardless of its possible merit, and some become slaves to tradition, regardless of its possible danger.
Is all change sweet? No. Not all change is sweet…just like the fact that not all tradition is sweet. Good changes are good and bad changes are bad. It behooves us, then, to walk a very fine line between a Mars Hill mentality and a sanctified stubbornness.

What is the danger of being “given to change”?
Proverbs 24:21 cautions us to be careful when dealing with those who are “given to change”. In fact, it tells us not to associate with them. Why? What is the danger of being “given to change”? First of all, a mentality that always wants to change things will inevitably make a move in the wrong direction. As we have all heard before, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Being prone to change for its own sake may lead us to give up on things that are really necessary or beneficial to our lives and worship.
One example of being given to change is the movement away from expository preaching in the Church. Preaching is seen as antiquated, a remnant of the old way of thinking. Instead, many churches have adopted a “story time” approach that leaves people to come to their own conclusions. Since many people no longer believe in absolute truth, it is argued that we should avoid the dogmatic approach of preaching if we want to reach people. Hoping to stay current, many churches have adopted this approach. I suggest to you that such an approach results in a shallow “newness” that is of little help to the soul.
Another danger in being “given to change” is that it undermines a sense of commitment. What would our lives be like if our spouses left us because they “just wanted something new”? Could we ever really trust somebody who is quick to get tired of things? In this sense, our delight in novelty should never distract us from our commitment to responsibility.
Change is not always good, and being “given to change” exposes us to the danger of letting go of things that are powerful, important, compelling, beautiful, but not new. We should ever be careful to weigh our decisions carefully. Why? Because whatever is new today will be old before too long. Consequently, whatever is timeless now will be valuable for many years to come.

Should we avoid change at all cost?
Even though the Bible tells us to beware of those who are “given to change”, there is also an equally clear danger of being too slow to change. After all, it was the entrenched conservatism of the Pharisees that resulted in their spiritual blindness (John 9). In our next edition of the Trumpet, I will deal with tendency to resist change and what we must do to overcome it. God does not command us to stay the same in everything, nor does He command that we seek to always change things. God does command us, however to pursue wisdom (Proverbs 2:2).
As we begin a new year of worshipping the Lord and following His lead, I’m sure that many things will change in 2012. May God help us to cling to what is good and follow His lead as we walk with Him.

1 Cor. 16:24
Pastor Dom

Protecting our families from a counterfeit Christmas
Soon, Christmas will be over. The decorations will be back in their boxes, the tree will be gone, and the living room will never seem emptier. Soon, in the blink of an eye, this year’s Christmas season will be over. I wonder what we will think in future years when we look back on Christmas 2011. I wonder if we will remember this year as the year we finally felt as though God was central in our festivities.
Every year I make it my ambition to truly worship God and celebrate His incarnation during the Christmas season. Some years, I have truly felt closer to God. Unfortunately, though, most years I sit in the living room after all the decorations are stored and I wonder how I could let Christmas become so stressful and so Godless. I wonder how, as empty as the living room feels, that I could feel emptier. I sit there, frustrated and humbled because I allowed the traditions of the world to eclipse the wonder of the birth of the Son of God.
In order to prevent that same old feeling of emptiness, and to protect your family from a counterfeit Christmas, I suggest we think about three questions:
I. What’s the problem? Unless you recognize the danger, Yule be sorry.
We live in a society that has retained some sort of “Christmas”. Despite our irreligious and atheistic culture, people still allow some sort of reference to God this time of year. Added to this, though, is a whole bunch of traditions that really have very little if anything to do with God. Because of this mixture of godly and worldly values, there is a clash between cultural tradition and church tradition during the holidays.
This clash between cultural tradition and church tradition is very real, and almost universally felt by American Christians. I use the word “tradition” for both on purpose. The fact of the matter is that Christmas itself is a tradition in that there is nothing in the Bible that commands or acknowledges the 25th of December as either the day of Christ’s birth or as a day set aside to honor it. Christmas itself is a tradition, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Consequently, many of the world’s traditions that correspond to Christmas are not inherently bad. There is nothing wrong with cookies, Christmas trees, wreaths, stockings, gifts or anything like that. These are traditions…some of which may be deemed helpful to our families and some of which may not be.
The problem we face is that the line between cultural tradition and church tradition has become so blurred. It is a very real possibility that we could be convinced that we are honoring God when in fact we are only enjoying the cultural traditions this time of year offers to us. We may become so enamored with boxes, bows and beautiful lights that we inadvertently relegate the reason for the season to a secondary status during our festivities.
What makes this extraordinarily difficult is the fact that by the time we realize it, we may be sitting in January with nothing but an empty living room and a hopeful promise for next year. I guess what I am saying is that if you don’t take time to evaluate your holiday hopes, Yule be sorry later.
II. What’s the plan? This year at Immanuel Bible Church, Yule be challenged.
What can we do to help us preserve our worship of God this Christmas? Does the church have anything planned that can help us rise above the stress of this season and draw nearer to God? We do. This Christmas season, my hope and prayer is to inspire you to share the message of Christmas with your neighbors and friends. I also hope to inspire you to celebrate the greatness of God with your brothers and sisters in Christ.
One of the greatest things about Christmas is that it gives us an opportunity to share the truth of God with others at a time when they are more open to hearing about it. As Christmas draws nearer, we will be presenting you with opportunities to reach out to the people around you and invite them to church.
As Christmas draws nearer, we will also be presenting you with opportunities to serve your brothers and sisters in Christ. We will be asking that those with musical ability and would want to do a special during the month of December to step up and bless the congregation. We will be asking for help in many different ways for the special Christmas service on December 18th. Maybe the Lord is leading you to help. My prayer to God this year is that you would feel led to serve Him and His church. I hope that you accept the call, because this year, Yule be challenged.

III. What’s the point? This year Yule be blessed
My prayer for us as we begin another Christmas season is that we will make this Christmas the greatest and most meaningful one ever. With this in mind, I have already begun planning the Christmas services with a great team of planners. We are excited for what God has for us this year and I ask that you would continue to pray that many would be blessed this year through IBC.
If we are going to make this Christmas a truly devotionally powerful experience, you need to start now by deciding that you will keep God central. I you make God your greatest treasure, I guarantee that Yule be blessed.
Soon, Christmas will be over. The decorations will be back in their boxes, the tree will be gone, and the living room will never seem emptier. Soon, in the blink of an eye, this year’s Christmas season will be over. Then, we will bow our heads and praise God for the greatest and godliest Christmas season ever. I am excited to share that with all of you.
1 Corinthians 16:24
Pastor Dom

When all is said and done, most of the time more is said than done
Matthew 21:28-31
Responsibility is a major part of our lives. We are responsible to provide for our families. We teach our children to be responsible for working hard in school, and for some chores around the house hoping to develop responsibility and to lead them away from laziness. Being responsible for the needs of others and for our own needs is simply a fact of life.
Because we all have so many responsibilities, taking on more responsibility in the church is not always easy. This is seldom an issue of wanting to serve God. We all want to serve God. We want to make sure that the ministries of the church continue and that people are blessed. The spirit is indeed willing, but unfortunately the flesh is indeed weak.
One of the greatest challenges that Jesus faced in his earthly ministry was convincing the Jews that they did not honor God as much as they thought they did. They seem to have thought, “After all, aren’t we the ones who memorize scripture and who practice the feasts of God?” They thought of themselves as “the faithful”, but unfortunately they were not faithful. They said, “We will obey!” but they didn’t. They said, “We will honor You!” but they didn’t. They said, “We will serve you!” but they didn’t. They were quick to accept responsibility, but negligent to carry it out. It was in response to this attitude that Jesus teaches the parable of the two sons in Matthew 21:28-31.
There were two sons in this parable: one son who says he will not do what the father says and one who says he will do what the father says. One son accepts responsibility but never follows through. The other son refuses responsibility at first, but then repents and obeys the father. One son was quick to speak but slow to act. The other son was slow to speak, but faithful in the execution of his duties.
In response to this parable, Jesus asks the question, “Which of the two did the will of his father?” It is obvious that the son who did what he was told was the faithful one and the one who ultimately gave the father more glory. In the same way, God is not fooled by our promises. Rather, He is honored by our faithfulness.
How about you? Are you the first to raise your hand, but the last to arrive for work? Which of the two sons most reflects how you respond to your responsibilities? My prayer for you (and for myself) is that we would not only step up to the plate and commit to serving God, but that we would also be faithful to actually doing what we have agreed to do. Only then will God be properly glorified in us.

1 Corinthians 16:24
Pastor Dom

Is “strict” a synonym for “godly”?
Taking upon ourselves unpleasant tasks and the practice of outward severities may be carried to great lengths without their performers having a spark of life. A. W. Pink
It seems to me that many Christians seem to think that the more they withhold from themselves the better they are. We project ourselves to the world around us as people who are defined by what we don’t enjoy. Christians don’t dance. Christians don’t drink. Christians don’t go to movies (or maybe not even have a television). Those who honestly desire to be more godly often resort to stricter observances of some of these unwritten rules. This way of thinking seems to me to be very “American”. We are a culture of excess. Some, in order to combat the excesses in our culture opt instead for an excess of separation from our culture. After all, if a little self-denial is good, doesn’t that mean that a lot of self-denial is always better?
The problem with our attempts at self-denial is that if we are not careful, we can allow them to contribute to a sense of superiority or spiritual pride that is just as dangerous as the things we are trying to avoid. Pink says, “There is a strictness which arises from ignorance rather than knowledge, which is wholly concerned about externals, and which in reality gratifies the spirit of self in one way as it seems to deny it in another. It is possible to starve the body in order to feed pride.”
I fully recognize areas in my life that it would be good to exercise more self-denial. I also know that I am the type of person who will be tempted to secretly delight in my own self-abasement. I fear that pride tends to conquer many of the attempts that I make toward godliness. Praise God that He forgives me so completely in Christ. His grace extends beyond my greatest faults and my prideful ambition to make myself better for my own glory.
Sometimes we need self-control and a denial of the desires of the body. Sometimes, though, I wonder if the best thing to deny ourselves is self-denial itself. In both extremes there is a danger, and it would be good to remember Jeremiah 17:9 Which says, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?”.

1 Corinthians 16:24
Pastor Dom

I thought this was a fantastic quote, but it was probably too long for my sermon last week.  Enjoy.

Since Christ is the Head of his body, the church, he alone can determine doctrines for her. Nothing is to be received us divinely warranted except it cometh with his stamp upon it. It is nothing, my brethren, to the faithful servant of Jesus Christ that a certain dogma comes down to him with the grey antiquity of the ages to make it venerable. Like a sensible man, the Christian respects antiquity, but like a loyal subject of his King, he does not so bow before antiquity as to let it become ruler in Zion instead of the living Christ. A multitude of good men may meet together, and they may, in their judgment, propound a dogma, and assert it to be essential and

undoubted, and they may even threaten perils most abundant to those who receive not their verdict; but if the dogma was not authorized long before they decided it-if it was not written in the Book, the decision of the learned council amounts to nothing. All the fathers, and doctors, and divines, and confessors, put together, cannot add a word to the faith once delivered unto time saints: yea, I venture to say, that the unanimous assent of all the saints in heaven and earth would not suffice to make a single doctrine binding upon conscience unless Jesus had so determined. In vain do men say, “So did the early church”-the early church has no supremacy over us. It is to no purpose to quote Origen or Augustine: quote the inspired apostles and the doctrine is established, but not otherwise. In the church of God it is never sufficient to say, “So thinks Martin Luther.” Who was Martin Luther? A servant of Jesus Christ, and nothing more. It is not sufficient to say, “So teacheth John Calvin,” for who is John Calvin? Hath he shed his blood for you, or is he your master? His opinion is to be respected as the opinion of your fellow servant, but in no respect as a doctor or authoritative teacher in the church-for Christ alone is Rabbi, and we are to call no man Master upon earth. Suppose I have received a truth from the very man who was the means of my conversion; I am hound, in candour and affection, to give all respect to him because of the relationship which exists between us, but I must take heed lest this decline into idolatry, and I myself become nothing more than a receiver of truth as the word of man, instead of accepting it as the word of God. I am, therefore, in the most candid manner, but none the less solicitously, to bring to the test every truth which I have received, whether from my father or mother, or my minister, or from some great man of olden times, whose name I have learned to respect; seeking all the while light from above to direct me aright. Nothing is doctrine to the church of God-nothing which has not been taught in the Scriptures. To Christians it is nothing to say that certain

doctrines are taught in books of common prayer, or of conference discipline, or of systematic theology; to us it is of small account that either Presbytery, or the Episcopacy, or Independency, have put their stamp upon a certain form of teaching. Authority is no more to us than the snap of a man’s finger, unless the truth thus commended derives certainty from the testimony of Jesus Christ himself, who is the Head of his body the church.

There is a fine line between sanctified…and weird.

 

                Stereotypes can be dangerous things.  They are the justification in the mind of every bigot, racist and cynic in the world.  Unfortunately, Christians are not immune from such stereotypes.  These stereotypes make it even more difficult to share the gospel with the people we meet.  Not only do we have to share this message with people who are naturally resistant to it (1 Cor 2:14), we also have to overcome their preconceptions about how weird Christians are. 

The media certainly doesn’t help.  Very often, Christians are portrayed as geeky good-doers who suffer from a real detachment from society.  We are often portrayed as squeaky clean, naïve and awkward.  Those who purposefully depict Christians this way should be a ashamed of themselves.    Sometimes, though, we have nobody to blame but ourselves.

                Many Christians seem to have bought into the philosophy that they have to be a perfect Christian in order to be a testimony to the world.  In fact, the definition of “perfect Christian” often stems from conformity to what people think a Christian should be instead of what the Bible has to say on the matter.  In the hopes of reaching out, we sometimes find ourselves playing the part of Christian instead of just being ourselves.

                I affectionately refer to those who seem compelled to come off as perfect Christians as Uber-Christians.  They are the people who make all of us imperfect Christians feel bad.  They are the shining examples of a life with no sadness, no pain and no conflict and they send a message to the world that Christians are always happy and totally detached from popular culture.

What about us? Are we “Uber-Christians” or just  “goober-Christians”?  Is there virtue in being…well…weird?  Just in case you don’t know what I mean by “Uber-Christian”, I have included a list of some who would fit the description.

1.       The incredibly positive Uber-Christian

I have met many Christians through who seem to think it is a sin to be sad.  To put it a different way,  it seems that it may even be a sin not to be super happy.  Have you met this person?  You ask them, “How are you?” only to be hit by a “Hallelujah” bomb.  “The Lord is blessing me!  I am super-excited for what God is doing!”  “My dog is dead!  My wife left me!  I have a terminal illness.  It doesn’t matter, though…I am super-blessed!”.  It’s as if they are trying to convince themselves…and maybe they have succeeded.  The world, however, not mention fellow believers, are not buying it.

Please understand that I am not encouraging everyone to be down in the dumps.  I just wonder if the world would be more receptive to us if we came across more honest, unpolished and real.

2.       The Religious language Uber-Christian

Have you ever met somebody who never says that they are doing well?  They are always “blessed”.  Have you ever met someone who never talks about fellow believers, but who goes on endlessly about the “dear saints of God”.  I’m sure some of you have met the person that never signs off an email with “Sincerely” or “Thanks”, but instead opts for ending his or her email, “Your fellow laborer for the Praise of our omnipotent Sovereign”. 

Don’t get me wrong…I love religious language and theological terminology.  I just wonder if our overly flowery and overtly “Christian” ways of saying things make us look silly instead of holy.

3.       The Perfect marriage Uber-Christian

Have you ever met the couple act as though they never argue?  You know…that couple whose love has only grown in the years since their marriage and they never seem to have any conflict?  This couple is the couple that always seems to have a great book on marriage to recommend so that you (with the help of a few principles) can have a perfect marriage like them.

Also, like a butterfly, these Perfect marriage Uber-Christians morph into perfect parent Uber-Christians, once their little angels are born. They and their Teflon-coated little sweeties become a reminder of all the ways you fail as a believer, a spouse and a parent.

I don’t want to sound too cynical here, but as a former unbeliever raised in a family full of unbelievers, let me say that the world doesn’t believe that our families are perfect.  They’ve heard that the divorce rate is comparable between Christians and non-Christians.  They know that Christian kids (even Preacher’s kids) are still kids and that they act accordingly sometimes.  Furthermore, they know that every human being…even a Christian one… is often just a pain to be around.     

A few years ago, I was sitting in an older lady’s living room visiting with her and she said something that I will never forget.  She said, “I was married to my husband for over 50 years and never once thought about divorce.”  I was amazed!  Then she said, “I did think about hanging him outside by his toes…but never divorce.”  That is real marriage!  We are committed, loving, but imperfect.  Conflict is unfortunately inevitable.

4.       The Mega-moral Uber-Christian

Do I even need to describe this example of an Uber-Christian? I think we have all met the brother in Christ who lives his life by a list of don’ts, and just can’t wait to tell you what that list consists of.  He doesn’t listen to “secular” music.  He doesn’t watch “secular” movies.  He doesn’t drink, dance or do anything wrong.  The problem is that the world has had all too many examples of these ultra-moral, squeaky clean, self-professed examples fall like a led balloon.

I remember the impact that the public falls of Jimmy Swaggert and Jim Baker had on me as a kid.   I remember as an unbeliever thinking, “See!  They are all a bunch of hypocrites!”  In fact, I remember that before these men fell I began to go to church with a friend.  Afterwards, I refused and it would be years before I even entertained the thought of going to church.  From that point on, I assumed that anyone who tried look perfect was probably just hiding something.

Obviously, I would never advocate that we sin like the world so that they think we are “real”.  I just think a little humility goes a long way toward showing people that God loves us, warts and all.

Are you an Uber-Christian?

The problem with trying to live like the caricature we think others envision for us is that it is an act.  It is fake and exaggerated.  Also, instead of ushering untold masses into the faith, the sad reality is that all we accomplish in the end is strengthening the stereotypes that alienate us from the people around us.  As an alternative to this, I pray that God would give us a sincerity that is obvious and humility that is genuine.  Then, we could be what the world really needs to see:  ourselves.

1 Corinthians 16:24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Pastor Dom

Spiritual pride as a cause of spiritual sluggishness

“The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; ²⁵  nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;  Acts 17:24-25

            It has been a great blessing to me to have been preaching through the book of Malachi on Sunday mornings.  I have really been amazed at how God feels about and reacts to spiritual sluggishness.  In thinking about this topic, I began to ask the question, “Where does spiritual sluggishness come from?”  It has been painfully obvious in the book of Malachi that at least one common cause of spiritual sluggishness is a certain form of spiritual pride.  Specifically, the form that this spiritual pride takes is the idea that our service to God is something that we do for Him, for which He should be grateful.  Does God want us to “do things for Him”?  I think Acts 17:24-25 sheds light on this question for us, showing us Paul’s perspective on whether or not God needs us.  What do we learn from this passage?

1. Stop doing things for God.

You read that right…I wrote “Stop doing things for God”.  I am convinced that much of our spiritual sluggishness finds its cause in the fact that we begin to think that we have done enough for God.  We are exhausted because of all the things in our busy lives, so we begin to think that we have done our share and should take a break for a while.  After all, isn’t what we have done sufficient?  Shouldn’t God be glad that we did that much?  If you think that your good works are doing God a favor, then the problem is that you have done far too much for God. 

1. Why should we stop doing things for God? (Read Acts 17:24-25 again)

• We should stop doing things for God because He created everything with a word from His mouth.  He certainly is not dependent upon us for the preservation of His creation.
• We should stop doing things for God because God does not dwell in temples made with human hands.
• We should stop doing things for God because God doesn’t need us for anything at all.
• We should stop doing things for God because God is not served by human hands as if He needed anything.
• We should stop doing things for God because God is the source and sustainer of all life.

 

1.  What, then, should we do?

• Instead of doing things for God, we should instead be doing things for God’s glory.  That is to say that we should recognize that nothing that we do “assists” God.  However, many of the things that we do can “honor” God.  Our motive should be to honor God with our actions, not assist Him by our power.
• Instead of doing things for God, we should instead ask that God do things in us and through us.  Romans 11:35-36 says, “Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? ³⁶  For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”  The obvious point here is that even what we do for God is to be seen as being from God so that He gets all the glory.

Do you know what God really needs from you?  Nothing.  However, that doesn’t mean that God wants nothing from you.  Instead it means that we should see God as not only the recipient of our service, but the source and sustainer of our service.  To Him be the glory forever and ever…

1 Cor 16:24

Pastor Dom

The Lord giveth and He taketh away…but sometimes He giveth it right back.

The call of the Gospel often requires that we give up things that were very important to us as unbelievers. After all, Jesus Himself said that we must “deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow” Him. This denial of self is never easy…even with a regenerate heart. The joy found in Jesus, though, always outweighs the things to which we are clinging, making Jesus worthy of any sacrifice.
My sacrifice as a new believer was to give up playing the bass. During my High School years, playing the bass was my consuming passion. Most days I would practice for hours. Sometimes I would play until my fingers bled and then put a band-aid on and practice just a little bit more. I was obsessed with being a great bassist and put in a lot of effort to cover up my lack of natural ability.
Playing the bass was my idol, and God does not allow any competition in our hearts for the affection and devotion that He deserves. Once I received the Lord and became a Christian, I realized that I could not serve two masters. Something had to go, so I began to exchange practice time for quiet time.
By the time I met Jen, I would only play the bass once or twice a month for a few minutes at a time. Thinking that I would probably never have a use for the bass as a pastor, I sold my bass and my amp in order to help pay for our honeymoon. I can honestly say that at the time, I felt very little remorse as the transaction took place. My life was set apart for God’s service, and I was fine if that service never again included playing the bass.
God had other plans for me. Five years later, when I graduated from seminary, I bought a bass with the understanding that I needed a hobby. I missed playing, but never thought that I would have a use for it in the church. I am so glad that I was wrong! It has been such an amazing blessing to be able to use the bass to worship God. The very thing that at one time was my greatest obstacle to worship is now one of the means by which I not only praise Him, but assist others in praising Him.
I have also been playing with the worship team, where others use their abilities to glorify God. I have been greatly encouraged by the passion the team has shown for worship, whether they are singing, playing or working with the sound equipment. Practicing together has really helped me to worship God throughout the week and really gets me excited for each coming Sunday.
The Lord gives and the Lord takes away…blessed be the name of the Lord. I am humbled and blessed that what once hindered my devotion to God has now, through His grace, become a catalyst of worship to God.
1 Corinthians 16:24
Pastor Dom