Indulgence of the Flesh [Colossians Pt.20]

Indulgence of the Flesh

If I am a Christian, why do I still struggle with sin? If you are a Christian, you have struggled with this kind of thought. For the past several posts in our study of the Letter to the Colossians, we have been dealing with the imperatives (the commands or “oughts”) of the Christian Faith. “Set your minds on heavenly things.” Put to death your sinful members…” Put on the new man.” and so on. If we are Complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10) then why do we still have this battle and, most importantly, what do we do about it when we fall into sin?

Indulgence of the Flesh – AUDIO

As Paul instructs the Colossian Believers, he first pushes them away from legalistic, rules-oriented forms of dealing with sin.

Colossians 2:20-23  Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations– 21  “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,”  22  which all concern things which perish with the using–according to the commandments and doctrines of men?  23  These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Then, he pushes them toward Christ.

Colossians 3:1-2  If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  2  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Then, he begins to direct them toward dealing with sin and being conformed to the image of Christ (Colossians 3:4-4:6) In the letter to the Colossians, Paul does not get into the great depth with the process that is involved. Sanctification is simple, but it is not easy! The Apostle gives his own testimony to this in his letter to the Romans

Romans 7:15-19  For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.  16  If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.  17  But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.  18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.  19  For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

If you have walked with the Lord for any length of time, this should sound familiar to you. But what is Paul’s solution to this dilemma?

Romans 7:24-8:4  O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?  25  I thank God–through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.   8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.  2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.  3  For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,  4  that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Paul admits that he is a wretch, that his flesh (humanness) has a propensity to sin. He looks to the Lord for his deliverance and acknowledges that there is a battle that will be going on, “So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”  Then he comes full circle back to the Gospel. That is where he began back in chapter 6. Thus, it is not by legalistic rules-oriented religion that we improve our sin problem. While the wrong method (legalism) promotes pride and focus on others’ sins, the Gospel promotes humility and focus on our own sins. This is the path to true progress in godliness. It keeps the focus on Christ and off of self. It grows us little by little.

On the other hand, if there is no desire for true godliness, there is no evidence of the grace of Christ in your life. Many people fall of on one side of this or the other. Legalism and license both cater to our pride and sense of self-worth. The Gospel humbles us and point us continually to Christ. This helps us to remain dependent upon Him in this life and encourages increase in our faith.

Indulgence of the Flesh – AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

What is a Deacon? [1 Timothy Pt. 13]

What is a Deacon?

Church leadership is of vital importance, but preaching, teaching and counseling are not the only areas of ministry. The Bible gives two primary offices for the Church. As the Apostle Paul addresses the saints in Philippi he distinguishes them. Philippians 1:1  “Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.” The leadership of the church must lead in two areas, word and deed, or “speaking” and “serving,” as the Apostle Peter instructs us.  1 Peter 4:11  “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

What is a Deacon? - AUDIO

The necessity of the deaconal ministry cannot be overstated. The ministry of service, complements the ministry of the Word, it frees the ministers of the Word to focus on their calling and it demonstrates to the Church and to the world that we practice what we preach. I strongly recommend the book by Alexander Strauch called Minister of Mercy; The New Testament Deacon for anyone involved in church leadership. In it, he goes from Scripture to Scripture and shows what we need to know about that office.  Before the office of Pastor was in place as the Apostles ministered in the Church at Jerusalem, the office of Deacon was established.

Acts 6:1-6  Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.  2  Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.  3  Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;  4  but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”  5  And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,  6  whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

Noticing in verse 6 that they were officially installed with the laying on of hands, we see the institution of an office here. Their job was to look after the finances and help the poor. The idea of “serving tables” is understood by many as managing of money just as the money changers in the temple sat at tables (Mat 21:12, Mar 11:15, Joh 2:15). However, the idea of caring for the poor is certainly clear.

These two offices are also clearly given as the Apostle Paul instructs Timothy in the order of the church in 1 Timothy 3. Beginning with the office of Bishop or Overseer;

1 Timothy 3:1-2  This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.  2  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;

and then moving immediately to that of Deacon;

1 Timothy 3:8  Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,

he instructs him on how to conduct the affairs of the House of God (1Tim 3:15). If we are to do the ministry biblically. If we are to conduct ourselves appropriately in the “House of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth,” we need to do it in the way that He has given us. As stewards of our Master’s estate we need to follow His instructions on how it is to be run.  This is an area of study that needs to be pursued in the Church in our day so that we might minister in the power of the Holy Spirit and see the Gospel flourish. God has ordained the end and the means, let us submit to Him in reverence.

What is a Deacon?- AUDIO

In Christ!
Kevin

Grace in our Outreach [Colossians Pt. 19]

Grace In Our Outreach

How can in have the answer if I don’t know the question? This is how most Christians feel when it comes to sharing our faith with the unbelieving world. We feel horribly unprepared. We feel like we are called to do the impossible. In a sense, we are. We are called to make dead men hear and respond to the offer of life. Yet, we are given that command and responsibility by the Infinite, Eternal God who has promised to make us successful at it. The fact that it is impossible without His work in us and in the person hearing us, should push us toward utter dependance on Him.

Grace in Our Outreach – AUDIO

As the Apostle Paul makes his final commands in the Letter to the Colossians, he directs them first to prayer, then to lifestyle and finally to answering the culture that they lived in. All of these are equally important in the sharing of our faith.

Colossians 4:2-6  Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;  3  meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,  4  that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.  5  Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.  6  Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

After a brief admonition to prayer, Paul shares his own request with them. “Pray for the Gospel to have an open door.” It is not his prison cell, but the word that he is imprisoned for that he wants to be free. The importance of the Gospel going out from us is shown very clearly here. Eternity trumps time, every time. As the Apostle instructs them to pray, and to pray for the freedom of the Gospel message, his attention turns to the people in Colosse and their own testimony. The idea of praying for the Gospel seems to lead his mind to the testimony of the Christians he is writing to.

Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. (Colossians 4:5)

That is, live well and represent the Gospel well as Believers living in the world of unsaved people. Not only that, but live well in such a way as it gives you something with which to buy opportunities for the Gospel. This is what is mean as we see the words “redeeming the time.” It is literally making the most of or procuring OPPORTUNITIES. The Greek word translated time in the text is the kairon which is a season or an “opportune time” rather than a particular hour or moment. We are to live well so as to find that open door for the Gospel. Then we are to take use that opportunity by speaking well.

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. (Colossians 4:6)

Our speech is to be graceful. That is, as we have received God’s undeserved kindness in our own lives, it should cause us to speak with grace toward our unbelieving neighbors. It is also to be “seasoned with salt.” This is somewhat of a strange term, but it relates to the Old Testament sacrifices. The Grain Offering was always offered with salt. It is a symbol of the purity and the perpetuity of the Covenant. Covenant is a concept largely lost in most of the Church in our day. The idea, I believe, we need to take away from this is that the Gospel is more than a “Just believe this set of facts” kind of thing. We need make sure we speak of the need for our own cleansing and the faithfulness of God. We do not simply believe something about God, but enter into a covenant with Him through Christ as we believe the Gospel. Our witness is an offering to God and it needs to be pure and related to His Covenant. The better we understand the Gospel, our sin, God’s promise and His faithfulness, the more ready we will be to give a good answer.

I really encourage you to listen to the audio this week. We live in a hopeless culture that basically believes they are the product of random chance. In that environment, there is no reality to what they value the most, love, relationship, honor, right and wrong. It is nothing but the motion of atoms in space. No one can live like that, so they borrow those concepts from God in order not to lose their minds. We do have the answer! We have the answers to the most important questions in the universe. Only by the God of the Bible, can we help them make sense of the world they live in. We are called to DO THAT! I will also be posting up some papers from my next Seminary Class (Apologetics) in the next couple of months. Some of the papers which are already there will help get the Gospel more clear in your minds.  All of this is a response to what the Gospel has accomplished in my own life and I would love to share it with you in order to equip you to be able to share it with others. So, check out the audio of today’s sermon and, if you take the Gospel seriously, check back or subscribe to learn more.

Grace in our Outreach – AUDIO

In Christ!
Kevin

Your Life is Hid with Christ in God [Seminary Paper]

Union With Christ

This week at Donuts & Doctrine we are looking at the Union of the Believer with Christ. This is not a subject that is frequently preached on the Church today, but it is a primary doctrine and one that really move us on to maturity in Christ. Audio will be posted after the meeting on Saturday, but for now, here is the text of the lesson from my final paper for the class, Salvation and Regeneration which I am taking through The North American Reformed Seminary.  Check it out!

 Union With Christ - AUDIO

Your Life is Hid with Christ in God

God’s providence is evident as I have committed myself to my studies. While I am studying the doctrines of salvation and regeneration, I am also preaching through Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Having spent 14 weeks examining the first two chapters of that letter I have looked deeply at the basis of salvation. It is rooted in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ as Creator, Sovereign Ruler, Head, Redeemer, Justifier, and Sanctifier. In a powerful description of Christ’s redemptive work the Apostle tells the Colossian Christians “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,” (Col 1:15-22 ESV) What an amazing truth. The Creator and Ruler of all has come and offered Himself for His rebellious creation and caused them to stand faultless in His presence. He has reconciled them in the body of His flesh.

The Application of Redemption

This is indeed the “short list” but all of the things mentioned above are very important attributes, offices or works of Christ. All of them were in some way imparted to us as we were “reconciled in the body of His flesh” and it is our union with Him that allows us to partake of those glorious benefits. So many Evangelicals think of salvation as a simple transaction that involves no more than mere assent to some basic truths related to these offices and works of Christ, and yet it is infinitely more. That would be like saying, “If I believe that food is good and nutritious, it will sustain my body and give me the energy that I need to live, though it never enters my mouth and passes through my body.” What a foolish notion! The life and death of Christ must be applied to us or we are no better off than the hungry man who looks through a restaurant window having nothing in his pocket with which he might be able to buy the food that he sees. In his Condensed Theology lecture, Union with Christ, R. W. Glenn quotes John Calvin from his Institutes of the Christian Religion saying,

“We must understand that as long as Christ remains outside of us and we are separated from Him, all that He has suffered and done for the salvation of the human race remains useless and of no value for us… all that he possesses is nothing to us until we grow into one body with Him” (III. i. 1).

It must certainly be that we cannot purchase our salvation with our own resources. What we need is an interest in the One who is providing it. When the owner of the restaurant is our Big Brother, our money means nothing whether we have it or not. Thank God that He says through the Prophet Isaiah, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.” (Isa 55:1-3 ESV) What an invitation! What a blessed call to the starving and poverty stricken soul to partake of the “rich food” of the Gospel! This rich and abundant food and drink which is spoken of here is given to God’s people through the merits of another, given without price, given to sustain the true, eternal, spiritual lives of God’s elect. Not just a snack or enough to get us by, but good and rich food that we can delight in. Food in plenty! Fed to the full! It is spoken of here as coming through union with “David,” as a result of God’s love given to him. It is according to the eternal covenant, that we receive these benefits. They come by faith in Christ as Redeemer (the Descendant of David who was a type). That faith is not a man-generated assent to the facts, but a relationship that is begun in eternity past and applied to the sinner in time, to bring him, not only to faith, but into a real union with His Redeemer. It is a union by way of covenant. A union by way of headship. A union by being, quite literally, joined to Christ.

Amazingly, this union is possible because of; the union within Christ of the natures of Deity and humanity, because of the union between the Father and the Son in the eternal covenant, and through that covenant, as Christ is made our new Head when we are united to Him by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This whole idea of our union with Christ deepens our understanding of redemption. Christ paid our debt, but He did not just pay it and let us go on in our own strength or even a strength, aided by the Holy Spirit. Many man-centered forms of the Christian Faith have taught that this was so, including Roman Catholicismⁱ which teaches that Christ’s redemption only purchased man’s freedom from Original Sin and that life and the hope of heaven are essentially up to their own abilities after that. Men are allegedly given a new disposition and inclination, but if Adam didn’t make it, not having a sin nature and being in a pristine environment, we who are born in sin, and in a world of sinners, are destined to be mired in hopelessness and misery! Rather than being united to Christ and receiving what He has accomplished in our place as He lived in obedience to the Law of God and the requirements of His office as Redeemer (The Eternal Covenant), they only receive the opportunity to make themselves holy. As they sanctify themselves, they work toward justification. Though this is not far from how many, even in the Evangelical Church, understand the Gospel, this is not what the Scriptures teach.

The New Testament is filled with the idea of our union with Christ and makes it very clear that it is on the basis of that union that we have hope of forgiveness (justification) but also, hope to be who God has called us to be (sanctification). Jesus said to His disciples, just before His death, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. (Joh 14:16-20 ESV) By the regeneration and indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Christ is united to His Followers just as He is to the Father. He comes to us in the Holy Spirit, as Paul tells the Galatians “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (4:6 ESV)What an amazing and profound concept! Our union with the Godhead by the plan of the Father, the work of the Son and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. John Calvin says this in his commentary on John 14:20 (In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.);

“Some refer this to the day of Pentecost; but it rather denotes the uninterrupted course, as it were, of a single day, from the time when Christ exerted the power of his Spirit till the last resurrection. From that time they began to know, but it was a sort of feeble beginning, because the Spirit had not yet wrought so powerfully in them. For the object of these words is, to show that we cannot, by indolent speculation, know what is the sacred and mystical union between us and him, and again, between him and the Father; but that the only way of knowing it is, when he diffuses his life in us by the secret efficacy of the Spirit….

….For Christ does not speak merely of his eternal essence, but of that Divine power which was manifested in him. As the Father has laid up in the Son all fullness of blessings, so, on the other hand, the Son has conveyed himself entirely into us. He is said to be in us, because he plainly shows, by the efficacy of his Spirit, that he is the Author and the cause of our life.”

As the Holy Spirit was given to those first disciples, uniting them to Christ, He is also given to all who come to faith in Christ. Titus 3:4-7 tells us “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (ESV) This aspect of that union is (or was) accomplished in time, but there is an aspect of our union with Christ which was accomplished in eternity past. In His omniscience and omnipotence, God has, before the foundation of the world, chosen us “in Christ.” The first chapter of the letter to the Ephesians is dominated with the idea that all we have as Christians is due to our union with Christ.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Eph 1:3-14 ESV )

Here we see that our salvation, every “spiritual blessing” our election, redemption, forgiveness, the revelation of the mystery of the Gospel, union with God, our inheritance, our faith and the sealing of the Holy Spirit are all said to be “in Him.” We also see that this began before the world was made “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world…” Seminary professor, Michael Horton, says, “…this doctrine is the wheel which unites the spokes of salvation and keeps them in proper perspective. “In Christ” (i.e. through union with Him) appears, by my accounting, nine times in the first chapter of Ephesians. Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, God has thus, “made us accepted in the Beloved.” He cannot love us directly because of our sinfulness, but He can love us in union with Christ, because He is the One the Father loves. “In Him we have redemption,” “In Him we have an inheritance,” and so on.” (Union With Christ) Therefore we must not just believe in Him intellectually (even really, really believe!), but we must be united to Him in reality.

Paul speaks of this “uniting” to Christ in the sixth chapter of the Letter to the Romans where he says,

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 6:4-11 ESV)

Christ died our deaths and lived our lives. John Owen speaks of this in his work Communion with God where he puts it this way, “He lived for us and He died for us. He was ours in all He did and in all He suffered.” (p. 124) As we are “in Him” we are free from sin and death and free to live for Him. R.W. Glenn says “You have to get into Christ and Christ has to get into you in order for you to be saved.”(Ibid) The Apostle Paul says we need to “consider” ourselves as dead to sin and alive in Christ. To take into account that this is the case. Not to pretend that it is so, not to imagine that we are, but to actually consider that this is a fact. This is essential as we strive to live above sin. We are in Him. We are in Him as He is in the Father. We are called to live as though this is true because it is! This is not only the source of our justification but the substance of and the power that drives our sanctification.

As Believers, we already have Christ, His sacrificial death and His perfect life credited to us by our union with Him. We do not need to obtain more in order to become who He has called us to be. R. W. Glenn speaks of the Ordo Salutis at the beginning of his lesson. This is the order that redemption is applied to us and it is important to consider. It is not as much a chronological order, but a logical order. Paul tells the Roman Christians, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (Rom 8:29-30 ESV) We already saw, concerning our union with Christ, that though it happened in time (when we were regenerated) it is also something that happened before the foundation of the world. We were first foreknown and predestined (that was before time), we were also called and justified (that was in time, as we heard the Gospel and responded to it in faith), finally, (at the end of time), we will be glorified.

All of this is given to us “in Christ.” Christ has purchased it and given it to His elect, applying it by the regeneration and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is where the language of the letter to the Colossians is so important. After explaining the Divine Nature of Christ and the work of redemption in the first chapter and declaring Believers to be “complete in Him” in Colossians 2:10, the Apostle begins to command certain behaviors for these Christians in chapter three. These behaviors are actually outgrowths of this relationship to, or union with, Christ. He says,

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Col 3:1-5 ESV)

There is a mystical union going on here! Just as certainly as Christ will appear in glory, just as sure as He is, and will be, in the presence of the Father, we are already there. We are with Him, in God! What an amazing and humbling truth! I was the “enemy and alien” of Colossians 1:21, yet, reconciled in Christ, I am with Christ in God. My life is hidden there even now. As noted earlier from the first chapter of Colossians, “And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (Col 1:18-20 ESV) His headship is an important aspect of our union. It is possible because of His humanity. But the “fullness of God” was also, “pleased to dwell in Him.” These are both crucial to our relationship to Him and to the Father through Him. His righteousness is the “righteousness of God.” It is not only the satisfaction of the debt of sin, but the positive righteousness credited to my account to make me stand before God fully justified. Paul continues, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,” (Col 1:21-22 ESV) This is vital to our relationship to God. As John Owen states earlier in his aforementioned work,

“Whatever Christ did as Mediator He did for those whose Mediator He was or in whose place and for whose good He carried out the office of Mediator before God (Rom 8:3-4). What His people could not do because of sin, Christ did for them. He did it so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us.

The whole purpose of Christ’s obedience cannot be said to be merely to fit Him for His death and oblation, because He was in Himself the Lamb without spot or blemish and therefore quite fit to be the Sacrifice for sin. He did not need to make Himself a fit sacrifice for sin by a course of obedience.

If Christ’s obedience is not imputed to us, having been done on our behalf, then there is no reason why He should have lived so long in the world as He did in perfect obedience to all the laws of God. Had He died earlier, His death would have been a sufficient atonement in itself for our sins.

If Christ’s perfect obedience had not been for us, then all that would have been required of Him was obedience to the law of nature, the only law to which He, a sinless man, could have been subject. His obedience to this law was a voluntary act of His in becoming man.

Christ’s obedience cannot be reckoned among His sufferings but is clearly distinct from His sufferings. Doing is one thing. Suffering is quite another.” (p. 120)

This is all a part of that covenant that I mentioned earlier. It was, as God and Man, in accordance with the Eternal Covenant that Christ was able to act as Mediator for His elect. It was by the transcendence of His deity and the imminence of His humanity that He could be the Perfect, Sacrificial Lamb of God. Through His humanity He could be the Sacrifice for men. Again, “He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,” Through His deity, His Sacrifice was sufficient and efficient “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things,”

Putting it in Shoe Leather, (or Maybe a Wedding Dress?)

But we must be in that covenant. We must be related to the One in whom are all the “spiritual blessings in the heavenly places.” The “love of David” must be given to us. Though we have seen that it is a work of the Spirit in us, this idea can seem almost impossible and very ethereal. It is by the regeneration and indwelling of the Holy Spirit that this union is made. But there is more to it than an act of God upon an impotent man. The union is mystical and spiritual, but it is real and practical. We have seen that it is the basis of our justification as well as our sanctification and so it is a very practical doctrine. Another aspect of this union is illustrated by the marriage relationship. I believe that this will make this idea more tangible. It will also make the motivation toward sanctification to be grounded in more familiar concepts. It seems that the Scriptures use it this way with some frequency. Much as we saw in Romans 6 and the letter to the Colossians, as the Apostle Peter gives this profound truth, he ties it to intentional holiness and spiritual growth;

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2Pe 1:3-8 ESV)

The promises contained in our union with Christ, here related to us as being “partakers of the Divine Nature,” Peter gives as the impetus to sanctification, “For this very reason…..” But the Apostle Paul gives it even more shoe leather as he tells the Corinthian Believers;

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1Co 6:14-20 ESV)

We are not only united to Christ because of the indwelling of the Spirit which we saw in John 14, Romans 6, Galatians 3 and Titus 3, or because of the covenant between the Father and Son that brought about our reconciliation, but just as one is united in love and by covenant in the marriage relationship, we are also united to Christ in this way. Just as we become “one flesh” with our spouse, we become “one spirit” with Jesus when we are born again. Our entire being is united to Him at our conversion as we become one body with Him (Vs. 14). We become His Body. Paul addresses the idea of sexual sin here and he declares that we who are joined to Christ cannot think so little of that union as to join ourselves, simultaneously, to a prostitute. This would mean that Christ, Himself is joined to that prostitute. What an abhorrent thought! To begin to think seriously about all that Christ has invested into my salvation, to imagine that He not only took on my nature, but took me on, took me into Himself, has to make my relationship to Him all the more profound. Just as the scandal of sin rocks a school or a government, it mars the reputation of our Covenant Head. Yet knowing the weakness of my flesh and my propensity to be unfaithful, He joins Himself to me by uniting my nature to God by His Holy Spirit, by uniting Himself to me by becoming a man that He might die as the innocent Victim for my rebellion, and by entering into a covenant with me to extend to me the “sure love for David” which I, so infinitely and immeasurably, do not deserve.

Having spent the last couple of weeks studying this great truth I just have to ask, how could I ever have missed this? How could I read the Bible in such a selfish way so as to see that Jesus would be the provider of salvation like Walmart is the provider of merchandise? Can I look to the Gospel so that I see it as, “I just need to come to Him and want what He has and make the right arrangements so that I can go and spend what He has given as I see fit,” when in reality, He desires the intimacy of being “one spirit” with me? When in reality He desires to give me wine and milk and rich food to the full while instead, I satisfy myself with a hot dog because that is what I can afford!? This kind of relationship with Christ has been short-sold by people who value human will more than God. It has turned the Gospel into nothing more than a self-help program and gutted it of the love of God which is its very heart. It has produced a bunch of nominal Christians who have no power over sin because the power of God is not present in their lives, because this beautiful and full union is not a part of that relationship. The irony is, that in an effort to have the Gospel and personal satisfaction, we sacrifice the greatest satisfaction we could possibly have for the sake of maintaining our self-worth.

In our sinfulness, we struggle hard to submit. We struggle hard to submit in every area, but especially to God. In our sinfulness we battle to hold back a piece of our hearts because we are afraid to trust and afraid to be honest about what is in our hearts. Yet, Christ laid His heart bare for us. This loving union is based solely upon God’s love, laid bare in the Person of Jesus Christ. What more could the Creator of the Universe have given? He gave His Son, His Spirit, His Righteousness, His covenant, and through this, He united us to Himself in the bonds of love , through this, He gave us all we need for life and godliness, He gave us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, He gave us an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, reserved in heaven. But more than this, He united us to Himself by nature and by covenant and guaranteed our presence in the presence of God for all eternity. What a far cry from removing original sin and giving us the opportunity to get ourselves to heaven by belonging to the right church and performing the right rituals as we try to remain pure.

As I mentioned earlier, this complete giving of self and assets, of complete trust and submission is pictured in the marriage relationship. As His Saints, we are married to Christ and this union is modeled in human marriage. Paul wrote to the Ephesians;

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Eph 5:22-33 ESV)

Here is the description of that relationship. The wives first submit because of the man’s role as head, but also because he is the savior. (Vs 22-24) Husbands love with a sacrificial love that induces a devotion that purifies the desires through the obvious love that cherishes its beloved (Vs. 25-31) We see in verse thirty-two that, “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” That is, that as His bride, we are united to Him through His great love and as a result of our union, He bestows all of His wealth upon us. He is our Savior, not only from sin, but our Protector and Provider. In Him we have an inheritance, every spiritual blessing, etc. In Him, we are lead to singleness of devotion as He purifies and presents us. By His great love and our union with Him in flesh and in spirit, we are free to yield ourselves completely to Him. It is our response to His loving generosity. Just as the husband is supposed to invest himself fully into the marriage relationship, Christ has already done so for His Bride. Just as Her response is loving submission, not only to His authority, but to His care, we are to lay ourselves fully upon Him without reservation. This is the ideal of marriage in the earthly realm. This is the reality of what Christ gives to us as we enter into this covenant with Him and become His Bride.

As I look at myself in light of this, I begin to understand all the more clearly the words of the Epistle of James when he says, “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?” (Jas 4:4-5 ESV) Considering the anger and lust, the envy and pride that still resides in me, thinking of this union that I am in with Christ and all the He has devoted to it, I really, for the first time, feel the full import of that word, “adulterous” in verse four. It always seemed like a metaphor in the past, but I believe it is nothing more and nothing less than an accurate description. Yet, as the loving Husband that He is, the words that follow are filled with hope and the reminder of the endless supply of love that flows from my Savior! “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” (Jas 4:6-10 ESV)

The cleansing love of the Savior triumphs for those who know Him. The sanctification process is driven by the blessings of our union. The Spirit that He has put within longs for His presence. The Covenant that He has entered into with this “Gomer” is the token of His unfailing love. The fact that, as the Creator, He would condescend to come to me at all, let alone take on my nature, infinitely more! to take me, individually, into Himself is the ultimate act of mercy. His grace humbles and calls us to submit. It draws us to purify our hearts and set our focus on Him, It causes us to mourn over our sin.

This makes the idea of salvation without submission as ridiculous as digestion without eating! It takes the matter of easy-believerism and neutralizes it completely. How can I imagine to enter into this intricate relationship with God and claim that He is merely providing a commodity to me with no strings attached? Why would I want that kind of relationship with Him if it was not to receive His love so that I could live as though He does not care? What an oxymoron. What an amazing God we serve and what greater proof of my own corruption than to try and exploit Him for my own ends?

Lord, help me to never forget all that I have received in Christ. As the Puritan great, Richard Baxter exhorts his readers in his 17^th century Gospel tract, A Call to the Unconverted to Turn and Live, let me always consider what I have attained in Christ. He lists them as follows;

“You shall immediately be made living members of Christ, and have an interest in Him, and be renewed after the image of God, and be adorned with all His graces, and quickened with a new and heavenly life, and saved from the tyranny of Satan and the dominion of sin, and be justified from the curse of the law, and have the pardon of all the sins of your whole lives, and be accepted of God, and made His sons, and have liberty with boldness to call Him Father, and go to Him by prayer in all your needs, with a promise of acceptance; you shall have the Holy Ghost to dwell in you, to sanctify and guide you; you shall have a part in the brotherhood, communion, and prayers of the saints, you shall be fitted for God’s service, and be freed from the dominion of sin, and be useful, and a blessing to the place where you live; and shall have the promise of this life, and that which is to come: you shall want nothing that is truly good for you, and your necessary afflictions you will be enabled to bear; you may have some taste of communion with God in the Spirit, especially in all holy ordinances, where God prepareth a feast for your souls; you shall be heirs of heaven while you live on earth, and may foresee by faith the everlasting glory, and so may live and die in peace; and you shall never be so low but your happiness will be incomparably greater than your misery.” (p. 169-170)

Notice that he begins with being made members of Christ and having an interest in Him. All other attainments flow from this great truth. And what great attainments they are! What a glorious God! What a blessed Gospel!

Works Cited

Baxter, Richard. A Call to the Unconverted. New York: American Tract Society, 1800′s. Print.

Glenn, R.W. Union With Christ. Audio Lecture ed. Minnetonka, MN: Solid Food Media, 2005. N. pag. Web. 26 Sept. 2011

Horton, Michael. Union With Christ. Article ed. Escondido, CA: Michael Horton, 1992. Web. 30 Sept. 2011.

Owen, John. Communion With God. Puritan Paperbacks ed. Edinburgh, Scotland: Banner of Truth Trust, 1991. Print.

How Does the Church Relate to its Pastor? [1 Timothy Pt. 12]

Pastor's Relationship to the Church

How do you see your pastor? Many people see pastors as some kind of elite position in the church. Certainly, it is a calling for which men are gifted by God. But it is not a position that allows men to become inflated. As a matter of fact, pride is one of the disqualifications for a pastor in 1 Timothy 3:6  “not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.” Having been in the church and in the ministry for a while, I have seen many people approach the qualifications for the Elder / Pastor office in 1 Timothy in pretty interesting ways. Having come from the more “fundamental” end of the Church, I have often seen it used more as a list for selective disqualification. In reality, it is a list of qualities that are commanded in all Christians, but are to be exemplified by the Elder / Pastor. It is not a call to perfection, but a call to exemplary growth and maturity.  1 Timothy 4:12  “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

How Does the Church Relate to its Pastor? - AUDIO

1 Timothy 3:2-7  A bishop [overseer] then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;  3  not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;  4  one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence  5  (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);  6  not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.  7  Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

In this list of “qualifications” for the pastor we see character qualities that are commended to all Believers. It is not a list of, If you have ever done this you can’t be a pastor. It is interesting how some say that a divorce disqualifies a man from ever holding the office, but how greedy, angry men whose families are in disarray are fine. This is not really the point. The point is;

Am I above reproach or blameless? Does my life make people say, “How can he be a Christian?”

Am I dedicated to my wife (literally, a One-Woman-Man in the Greek)? Do I keep my needs for intimacy and sexuality within the confines of my marriage?

Am I temperate, sober-minded and of good behavior? Basically, am I under control in my situation, my emotions and thought life and my outward behavior?

Am I hospitable? That is, willing to share my time, space and resources to help and encourage God’s people?

Am I able to teach, showing that I have been called and gifted to the office?

Am I not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous? Basically, am I a spiritual man or a carnal man?

Most importantly, how are my relationships? How do I handle my own life and my household? Of all of the “qualifications” this is the most lengthy. While the others are a word or two, this one is two sentences. The others are pretty much demonstrated here. “one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence  (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)” (1 Timothy 3:4-5) These verses not only show a character quality that is to be exemplified, but the relationship of the pastor to his church. He is not an elite master or just another guy in the congregation. He is like a dad to the family. In a position of leadership and authority, but he leads with love and a servants heart and generates respect.

Finally, not a novice or a new convert, but someone with a track record and some maturity.

He is also, one who has a good relationship with unbelievers. It would be interesting to interview the unbelieving friends, family and co-workers of a potential candidate for Elder / Pastor in the process of calling the man to the office. After all, unbelievers seem to know better how Christians are supposed to live than many Believers.

So the Elder / Pastor is not perfect. He is a man, but a mature man who is still growing. He is a man who is able to model Christian Character to the Flock. He is one who leads like a father. This is my goal as a Pastor, to be the man described here. I wish I was perfect at it, but I am not. Yet again, I can demonstrate maturity as I go again to the throne of grace to find help in time of need.

I hope that you see your pastor like this. I hope that you want to encourage him in his task by praying for, supporting and loving him, like you would your dad. I also pray that you want to demonstrate his influence in your life by showing the same fruit in your life that you expect him to show in his. I encourage you to check out the audio of this one and let me know what you think.

How Does the Church Relate to its Pastor? - AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

From Glory to Glory!

Glory to Glory

Why am I here? What exactly is the point of all of the trials of this life? Why do I still sin? Should I just give up or is there hope for me to become who I ought to be in Christ? Sanctification has been the topic we have been looking at for the past few weeks as we have studied the Letter to the Colossians.  It is a topic that should not only be of interest, but of primary interest to all Christians. After all, we have been saved, not just to avoid hell,  but to be conformed to the image of Christ. As an addendum to our study of Colossians, we took a little detour into 2 Corinthians in our evening service to see what the Apostle Paul says there, is the source of sanctification.

From Glory to Glory – AUDIO

Amazingly, the Apostle does not say that we need to move on from the Gospel to maturity, but that the Gospel itself is the source of sanctification for the saint as much as it is of salvation for the sinner.

2 Corinthians 3:15-18  But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.  16  Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  17  Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  18  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Sanctification was a problem for the Corinthians Believers. They were riddled with gross sin. In fact, just about the whole first letter to them was strong correction. Having seen the sinfulness of sin from Paul’s rebuke, they were beginning to move toward the holiness that they were called to. This moving toward holiness, was the purpose of the second letter.  Paul says to them in 2 Corinthians 7:1  “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” What promises are these that the Corinthians had? The Gospel, the promise of Christ’s atoning death and righteous life credited to their account as they embraced Him by faith. If God has done this for us, what is our proper response? “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” This is accomplished by what the Apostle tells them in the third chapter.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” There is freedom from bondage to the Law with its ceremonies and obligations as well as its penalties, but there is also freedom to become who we are in Christ! This is really accomplished by what he says in verse 18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” The glory of the Old Covenant was pretty spectacular, even though the Law was the bringer of death. Moses came down the mountain glowing from his encounter with God. It was a terrifying glory that had to be covered with a veil. But the glory of the New Covenant eclipses that glory as Christ frees us by becoming our righteousness.

We behold that glory in the mirror of the Gospel. That is where we see Christ most clearly. There we come, with not a veil to obscure His glory, there we see Him as the Creator and the Sacred Victim who bought our freedom and established as holy, blameless and above reproach before the God whom we have alienated and made ourselves enemies of through our sin. What a glorious glory! It is our duty as Christians to make a habit of beholding the glory of the Lord in that mirror. The Greek here is important. “Beholding as in a mirror” is one word in the original. It is in the middle voice which means that it is something we do to ourselves. It is a present tense participle, which means that it is something that continually describes us. We are to be mirror-lookers, constantly beholding the glory of the Lord, as followers of Christ. That is done by spending real time in the Word, reading good books that expand the Gospel to us and by sitting under sound preaching regularly.

One such book that I recently came across was written in 1639 by the Puritan, Richard Sibbes. Here, in 100 pages, he unfolds these two verses (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) to demonstrate the depth of the concept I am writing about here. That book is called, The Excellency of the Gospel Above the Law.  (There is a modern language version out called Glorious Freedom, published by Banner of Truth.)

As we do what we are called to do, in our beholding, God does His part, by His Spirit, to transform us. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” We behold, He transforms. Again, the Greek tells us that this transformation is passive, that means that the Spirit does it to us. It is in the present tense meaning it happens as we are beholding and it is in the indicative mood meaning it is a statement of fact. We behold and He transforms. He does it from “glory to glory.” that is, little by little. Not all at once, but incrementally. He does that to teach us to depend on Him. To build strength in our faith.

So, the Gospel is the key to our sanctification. We need to make sure we are laboring to know it better, to grow in our knowledge and appreciation of it. We do that by continually digging in its deep, rich mines and beholding the glory of the Lord in it. Not by programs or gimmicks, but through the Gospel. As the Apostle told the Colossian Believers, “You are COMPLETE in Him!”

I encourage you to listen to the audio of the lesson and then look for some more resources to help you behold the glory of the Lord. I especially direct you to the works of the Puritans as a most worthy source.

From Glory to Glory – AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

Grace In Our Relationships [Colossians Pt. 18]

Grace In Our Relationships

Where is our sanctification most apparent? When people look at us and see how seriously we take the Christian Faith, what part of our lives are they usually looking at? When the Apostle rounds out his teaching on how we, as Christians, ought to respond to God’s amazing grace, he does it by going through a list of interpersonal relationships. Wives, husbands, children, fathers, slaves and masters. This is one area where the degree of our sanctification is painfully obvious!

Grace In Our Relationships – AUDIO

That’s right. After linking our duty to set our minds on things above, to mortify our (sinful) members, and to put on the New Man with all of his good attributes like tender mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, etc. back to the fact that Christians are already redeemed and united to Christ, Paul moves on to show us what that looks like in the real world. If we understand all that we have in Christ, it will compel us to live out of His mercy and grace. This will certainly affect our attitudes and actions. What theater do attitudes and actions display themselves the most commonly? Relationships.

The whole of the Christian Faith is rooted in relationship. It is about an offended God who could have, justifiably, condemned a race of rebellious sinners to an eternity of separation and torment. Yet in His mercy, He engaged in a relationship with us by sending God the Son to take on our nature and die for our offenses so that we could be restored to His favor. This is given as a free gift to all who believe. The rules follow the relationship. If we are united to God in Christ, we already have all of the benefits by sheer grace. The next thing to do in light of God’s amazing grace is that we give ourselves entirely to Him in gratitude.

Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

This is most obvious in how we treat one another. As a matter of fact, the next words of the Apostle to the Romans are, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3 ) Grace humbles us. Humility shows up in how we treat one another. All of this goes right back to the Gospel!

Colossians 3:17-23  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.  18  Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  19  Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.  20  Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.  21  Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.  22  Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.  23  And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,

God has established an order. But order is not the end of it all. He has established an order in which we can reflect the attributes of our Savior. Submission, Love, Humility and Servanthood are all required in each of these relationships in varying degrees and combinations. Christ modeled all of these in His earthly ministry. As we are being conformed to His image, these relationships become the proving ground. I realize that these ideas are often abused and that many women are saying, “SUBMIT?!?!?!” But we all need to strive to be who we are called to be in Christ. That requires submission in all of us. It also requires love and and attitude of humble service.

Matthew 20:25-28  But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.  26  Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.  27  And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave–  28  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

If God can submit and serve, then what is our excuse but a willful disobedience? This is a challenging topic, I know. But it is vital for us to get it right. When we disregard Christ’s command and example for us in our relationships, we demonstrate to the world that we really don’t care about the Gospel. You know that if anyone knows how a Christian should live, it is his unbelieving neighbor!  When we prove ourselves hypocrites, we give them a legitimate reason to doubt. That is what Paul says to Titus. “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:  2  that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;  3  the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things– 4  that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,  5  to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.“ (Titus 2:1-5)

How are your relationships doing? It is a great barometer of how its going with your sanctification.

I encourage you to listen to the audio of the sermon and give me your feedback!

Grace In Our Relationships - AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

What is a Bishop? [1 TImothy Pt. 11]

What is a Bishop?

Our study of 1 Timothy takes a turn as we enter into chapter 3. Moving from exhortations and corrections to basic instruction, Paul gives Timothy the distinctions and qualifications for those who lead the church. There is a lot of confusion in the Church about some of these basic truths. Even talking to some pastors, I hear them say things like, “It doesn’t really matter what you call it or who does it as long as it gets done.” I don’t think that the Apostle would give such specific instruction on these things if that was the case.

What is a Bishop? – AUDIO

Paul is very specific in what he is telling Timothy because he is basing it on who Christ is and what He has accomplished. After giving the two main offices in the church, Bishop and Deacon, he makes one of the most profound statements in the New Testament.

1 Timothy 3:14-16  These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;  15  but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.  16  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

The basis of all that is in this letter is right here. It is proper conduct in the House of God which is the Church (Vs. 15) and it is based on the fact that God Himself took on human flesh and His testimony is given to angels and men wherever the Gospel is preached. (Vs. 16) The foundation of all of our conduct is a matter as serious as the Gospel itself! It is the way in which the God who saves us has instructed us to conduct ourselves.

The question then arises, What is a Bishop? The word used here in the New King James Version as well as the Old King James, is an unfortunate translation. The word Bishop brings to mind a high order church like the Roman Catholic or Episcopal church for most. It is really a word that means “overseer.” It is a term that is interchangeable with pastor and also elder.  That is right, an elder is a pastor is an overseer. Three words in the Greek, Presbutero (elder), Episcopeo (overseer) and Poimen (shepherd or pastor)   All three words are used interchangeably in Acts 20 and 1 Peter 5 and Elder and Overseer are used in the same way in Titus 1.

Acts 20:17  From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.   28  Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

1 Peter 5:1-2  The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:  2  Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

Titus 1:5-7  For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you– 6  if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.  7  For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money….

All of these refer to the pastors of local churches. But notice that the word “Elders” always plural. Every church should have a plurality of elders. These Elders should be honored by and supported by the Church. Not that they all need to be on the payroll, but they should be cared for. 1 Timothy 5:17-18  says it this way, “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.  18  For the Scripture says, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE AN OX WHILE IT TREADS OUT THE GRAIN,” and, “THE LABORER IS WORTHY OF HIS WAGES.’”

We see also from this text, that there are Elders who rule and those who teach. According to Alexander Strauch, a modern authority on church polity, the Elder-Pastors  have three major roles, To govern the church, to protect the church and to teach the church.

The point I raised at the beginning is demonstrated here. The work is given to men whom the Lord calls and gifts for a specific task. Those men know their task and are responsible to carry it out. If we fail to define the office and its qualifications and duties, we will most likely fall short in accomplishing it goals. I challenge you to consider this and see how well your church submits to God’s order.

For more on this subject, listen to the audio of the lesson What is a Bishop? and also, look for the next couple of posts as we continue to examine 1 Timothy 3 on subsequent Wednesday Evenings.

In Christ!

Kevin

Grace In Your Hearts [Colossians Pt. 17]

Grace In Your Hearts

What is the key to our becoming who we ought to be in Christ? Last time we saw the necessity of putting on the New Man. That is, we are to be people who are appropriating what Christ has already given us in the Gospel. This will result in changing our focus, dealing with the sin in our lives and striving to be more Christ-like in our attitudes and behaviors. This is done, not out of compulsion, but in response to His amazing love which He showed in redeeming us. As we consider His love and the peace that is the result (not a feeling of peace, but true peace with God through His Sacrifice) it should also make us what to get to know Him better. How important is it to you, to know God for who He really is? Not knowing the God we would like or expect, but really knowing Him?

Grace In Your Hearts – AUDIO of the sermon preached 10-2-11

In order to really understand the Love of Christ and have a true grasp of the peace that results, we need to know both ourselves and Him. Therefore, as the Apostle Paul writes to these Colossian Believers he gives them several points to becoming who we are in Christ.

Colossians 3:14-17  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.  15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.  16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  17  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

• Appropriate the Love.
• Allow the peace to rule or direct your heart.
• Be thankful!
• Allow Christ’s words to fill you copiously!

The key to the former is the latter. That is, we will never really know the Love of Christ, understand His peace or be truly thankful, unless we spend time in His Word. It is here, and only here in all the universe that we can learn about Christ as the Redeemer, understand His love and know His peace. It is only here that we can find all that we need to fill us with gratitude and thus, live the life of verse 17 “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

So, the question comes, What place does the Word of God have in your life? Is it dwelling in you? Is it dwelling richly? Job said,  “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12) Job is the oldest book in the Bible. He had very little of God’s Word. We have His complete revelation. We have more copies and translations and commentaries and teachers than any culture that ever lived! But, we also have more distractions.  We need to come to God’s Word daily with an open heart and a sense of our need. We need to come to it and understand God’s great mercy in showing Himself to us and providing for us, though we are born rebels against Him. We need to bring this to the table every day and see the Love of God displayed there, like it is nowhere else. We need to draw from it the sense of peace that comes from being reconciled to a Holy God whom we have offended. All of this needs to produce gratitude and drive our lives to become lives lived to His glory.   Bon Appetit!

Grace In Your Hearts – AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin