Tag: truth

Puffed-Up Christians

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puffed up

Social Media is exhausting! Most of the time I scroll on by. Every now and then I stop and interject. It’s probably pointless, but I’ll never know. The other day I wasn’t feeling well, so curled up in my recliner with a blanket and that 2nd cup of coffee, I lingered on Facebook a little longer than usual. (Honestly, I should have gotten up and cleaned the toilets. It probably would have been more edifying.) A controversial topic was posted and what followed was rather disheartening. Seriously, do we really think that name-calling and bashing one another is appropriate as professing Christians? Does the bickering back and forth help the cause of Christ? Or, does standing for truth on Facebook make a difference. I’m not being condescending. I seriously want to know. We are called as Christians to speak truth. And even when done in love it sometimes inflames others, hence the “you’re arrogant” remarks. Other times, Christians are truly being arrogant.

Let’s talk about that for a moment.

Have you ever met one of those Christians? A better question…Have you ever been one?

Toward the end of His ministry, Jesus and His disciples were on their way to Jerusalem and wanted to pass through the village of the Samaritans (Luke 9:52-56). However, the Samaritans would not receive Christ. Burned with anger, The Sons of Thunder asked, “Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elias did?” In other words, just destroy them! How dare they spurn the Living Son of God! How dare they reject Him! They don’t deserve mercy. James and John should have checked their motive behind their “zeal” for God. Knowing their hearts, Jesus rebuked them. “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” Too many times I’ve seen professing Christians with that same arrogant, prideful, puffed-up “zeal”. If I were to be honest, I’d have to admit that I’ve had this same attitude at times.

It’s shameful.

It hurts the church.

It harms the cause of Christ.

But, this isn’t the only type of arrogant, prideful, puffed-up attitude that Christian’s sometimes carry. One particular church struggled with it. The Corinthian church was a mess.  They were rather worldly and known in the community for their divisions. Another known issue that had to be dealt with was the sexual immortality of one member. “It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.” (1Co 5:1-2)

Church, you are puffed-up! You’re prideful. You’re arrogant.

I didn’t use to understand that. How could a church of professing Christians be arrogant about such a grievous sin? What’s there to be prideful about? Were they seriously puffed-up about this situation?

However, I’m starting to understand. The worldlier the churches are becoming along with faster access to information via the internet, it’s becoming clear. It looks like this.

We’re non-judgmental!

Who are we to speak out against their sin?

Everyone sins. At least we’re not hypocritical like some Christians!

And, in their pride and arrogance they proclaim to be tolerant and loving. The truth is that they are so puffed-up that they don’t even mourn over the sin in their brother’s life. The harder truth is that they don’t love him enough to speak hard truth to him. If they truly cared for his soul they would remind him of what God’s word says about adulterers. (And yes, Christians are commanded to make judgments, but that’s another post.)

Christians can be puffed-up with a holy, self-righteous indignation, or they can be puffed-up with a non-judgmental, too-tolerant attitude. Regardless of what end you stand on, extremes are usually dangerous.

By the way, do you think that social media has hindered or enhanced our ability to communicate with one another? Here’s my take.

Leave a comment. I’d like to hear your thoughts.

Stingrays and Evangelism

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stingrayLast month, while vacationing in Orange Beach, I saw more stingrays than I’ve ever seen. One evening, just before dark, my son had one swim right beside him. Aaron didn’t like being that close to one so he got out. The next evening when we went back to the beach, he had no desire to get back in the water.

“Come on Aaron, the chances of seeing another stingray is slim,” I told him as I waded out into the water.

It wasn’t five minutes later when another one came along and swam between us. This time I got out of the water before he could. I know for the most part that stingrays are not that dangerous, but I did not want to take a chance of accidently stepping on one half-buried in the sand. Many people have been hurt by doing just that. (And in some rare incidences, stingrays can cause an even worse fate such as in the case of Steve Irwin.)

There were not a lot of people out, but there was one little boy playing in the water next to us. His parents were on the beach watching him. I decided to tell them about the stingray so they could decide if they wanted him to stay in the water. It turned out that they didn’t.  That evening before going in, we counted nearly a dozen stingrays.

So what does that have to do with evangelism?  Glad you asked! Let me explain.

I knew there was a potential danger in the water. So, not only did my family get out, but when I looked around and saw another person around I gave a warning. It was just a few stingrays and not that big of a deal, but I still took the time to warn them. Of course, the parents could have chosen to ignore my warning, but they didn’t.  My warning was just a polite and caring thing to do. Wouldn’t you do the same?

A few days after we get home from our vacation I’m reading in 2 Corinthians about Paul’s explanation of why he labors for the Lord.

“Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men,” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a.

Did you catch the reasons that Paul shares the gospel? There were three of them.

  • We want to be pleasing to the Father.
  • We will stand before God and answer for the things we have done.
  • We know about the coming judgment.

Let’s talk about the last one. “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” I found it very easy to warn a family about a potential danger in the gulf shore waters. I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t worry that they might be offended. And I probably wouldn’t have taken it personal if they had ignored me. I simply warned them. And it only involved a few swimming creatures. But even the thought of potential harm coming to someone was enough to motivate me.

Why then do I find it so hard to warn people about the coming judgment of the Lord? Why does fear threaten me every time I want to share the gospel? We are not talking about potential harm coming to someone, but eternal death.

“It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment,” Hebrews 9:27.

Every man, woman, and child will face death one day. All will stand before God. If they die in their sins, they will go to hell, a very real place. In fact, Jesus talked about hell more than He talked about heaven. And while most people live for the moment, the truth is that our lives are just a vapor.

The other day Ray Comfort, from the Way of the Master, posted on his Facebook page a sobering and truthful statement.

“I am both a coward and a hypocrite if I believe that the world is going to Hell, but fail to verbally warn them.”

“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.”

If I knew a young boy was playing in dangerous waters, would I warn him?

Only if I knew….and only if I cared……

If I knew a blind man was about to walk off a steep cliff, would I warn him?

Only if I knew….and only if I cared……

If I knew someone was about to drink mislabeled poison, would I warn him?

Only if I knew….and only if I cared……

If I knew a child was playing on a busy highway, would I warm him?

Only if I knew….and only if I cared……

If I knew that the world was dying in their sins and going to hell, would I warn them? If I knew that all would stand before the Lord who comes to judge the earth and the entire world with righteousness, would I warn them? If I knew the bad news, would I share the good news? Would I be motivated to share the truth…

Only if I knew….only if I cared…..only if I had a filial fear of the Lord…..only if I was not a coward or a hypocrite…..only if I truly loved others…..

Lord, my prayer is that I will always love others enough to warn them. Let me be one who cares enough about people to persuade them to come to You. Let me be moved with compassion toward lost souls enough to share the gospel. Help me to remember that love is not passive, nor is it in word alone, but in deed and in truth! For Your glory!

Lesser of Two Evils

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According to a recent survey[i], 46% of Americans polled said that they will be voting for the “lesser of two evils” this presidential election.  Since it seems to be the most prevalent comment I’ve heard, I’m not surprised in the least.  And while I completely understand the rationale behind the thought, the notion is troubling.  Laying aside all political loyalties, social concern, or even emotional motives, this issue boils down to the simplistic truth that choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil.

Let me speak to Christians.  If we hold to God’s Word as all truth, we must admit that “lesser evil” is still “evil”.  We are told in Romans 12:9 to “abhor that which is evil.”  In I Thessalonians 5:22 we are told to “abstain from all appearance of evil.”  Proverbs 8:13 states that “the fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way.”  And Ephesians 5:11 tells us to have no fellowship (or partnership) with the “unfruitful works of darkness.”  Instead believers are to “reprove” (admonish or rebuke) evil.

Voting is a privilege as well as our Christian duty, and I would never tell a person who they should vote for.  But I will exhort my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to prayerfully consider what your vote will stand for.  A fellow blogger made the statement that in 1933 Germany the two most “electable” parties were the Nazis and the Communists.  Then he asks a pointed question.  “For which of these did German Christians have a ‘civic duty’ to vote?”

It has been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.   I believe that it is foolish to expect different results in our country until God’s people change their ways (repent) and begin to stand firm on truth.  When Christians step away from absolute truth and blend right and wrong with relativism, or try to cover up black and white issues with shades of gray, we are in danger of God’s judgment.  The Bible is filled with antithetical laws: good or evil, black or white, saved or unsaved, right or wrong, heaven or hell, narrow way or broad way, foundation on solid rock or sandy foundation, righteous or unrighteous, God’s children or the children of the devil, etc.    May our faith and practice once again line up with this truth.

From Darkness to Light

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I asked my Christian friends to take a serious look at the upcoming election in my last post.  One of the questions I asked was whether a Mormon was truly a Christian.  I wrote this because the only talk I seem to hear in some Christian circles is that Mitt Romney, a Mormon, is the “only” hope for Christians in this upcoming election.  It concerns me that those on the Christian right are placing so much hope in a man who worships a false god.    My response is simply that “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man,” Psalm 118:8.  However, many Christians lean toward a pragmatic view, reaching after what seems to work and completely ignoring whether it is right or not.   Too many times we view our political choices and our faith as separate matters.  As the people of God, could we please get back to absolutes?  You know…right and wrong…light and darkness…truth and lies…  There is an unyielding warning to those who don’t.  “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isa 5:20-21)

I know there are still those who scoff and think that voting for a Mormon for President is no big deal.  All I ask is that you do some research and look into what the Mormons truly believe.  After my last post I was introduced to a young lady who visited my blog.  She has an incredible testimony about coming out of Mormonism.  It’s her heart’s desire to share it with others who are entangled in cults and false teaching.  I encourage each of you to take the time to read it.  You can see it here.  You also might want to read her post called, They Use Christian Words.  It is very interesting.

As I have said many times before, God in His sovereignty has already determined this election. His will is always accomplished.  I just wonder if the results will be His judgment upon us.  They, of course, don’t have to be.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2Ch 7:14)

Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.  (Jon 3:9-10)

Exercises in Generalizations

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There is something remarkably precious about the love and fellowship shared between brothers and sisters in Christ. Last night, our family was standing in the parking lot of our church talking with one of the men on our executive leadership team and his sweet wife.  We were doing some work around the church building, visiting, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company.   Then, as usual, we started talking about the church and doctrine.  In our church, doctrine is often discussed.  We love it, teach it, and hold to it.  My husband often reminds the congregation that we not only need to know what we believe, but why we believe it.  Yet, when you talk to a lot of Christian people today, doctrine seems to be irrelevant. Really, is it that important?   I will submit that of course it is; that is unless we want to be “children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,” Eph 4:14.  And yet, it seems like that is just the case.  People are carried about with every (and I mean every) wind of doctrine.

“I’ll believe this, this week.”

“That sounds good for next week.”

“Teach me something new under the sun, I’ll believe it too!”

My husband explains it like this.  Many pastors’ sermons are simply exercises in generalizations.  They do not know the Bible; therefore, they do not teach it to their flock.  Due to this, people are biblically illiterate.  Consequently, they will believe anything (or in some cases nothing at all).  So as a result, people will often shy away from sound doctrine, because it has gotten to the point of sounding foreign to the “average” church-goer.  Could it be that we have reached the time where “they will not endure sound doctrine,” 2 Timothy 4:3?

I am so thankful for all the pastors who hold fast to the faithful words that they, “may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers,” Titus 1:9.     And for the men of God that “speak thou the things which become sound doctrine,” Titus 2:1.  Keep it up!   The Lord is pleased.  There are many out there who are doing just this.  I am, of course, partial to one in particular.  I really love my husband’s preaching.  I have learned so much by the expository, verse by verse, teaching of God’s Word.  And, I’m thankful for the churches that have ears to hear and that truly want to follow God’s precious Word.  Our church is an example of one.   I love our church.  Each and every one of them!  Our people have a heart’s desire to know the Word of God and obey it.  We not only have unity, but our unity is built on the truth (sound doctrine) of God’s Word.

The Most Dangerous Lie

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 Lies, falsehoods, errors, deceit, dishonesty, fraud, deception – no matter what it is called, it is still the antithesis of truth.  It is also more prevalent than truth.  More taught than truth.  And more loved than truth.  And let’s not forget how exceedingly dangerous a lie is.  One would think that the further way from the truth a lie is the more of a beast it becomes.  But this is not necessarily so.  Others have said that the most dangerous lie is the one closest to the truth.  With this I would have to agree.  Judge for yourself, which poison is more deadly, the one clearly marked or the one masquerading as healing medicine?

There are a lot of lies masquerading as truth.  That is why believers are told in I John 4:1, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

 Not every spirit is of God. The Bible speaks of evil, unclean, dumb, foul, and deaf spirits.  It tells of the spirit of infirmity, spirit of divination, spirit of bondage, spirit of the world, spirit that “worketh in the children of disobedience,” spirit of antichrist, and the spirit of error.  The children of Israel were warned of false prophets who do not follow after the Spirit of God but follow their own spirit.  Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!” Ezekiel 13:2-3.

A false spirit produces false teachers that fabricate false doctrine. “…many false prophets are gone out into the world.”   Over and over in the New Testament we are warned of these men and their teaching.  See Matthew 7:15, Matthew 24:4-5, Matthew 24:23-24, Luke 21:8, Acts 20:29-30, Romans 16:18, 2 Corinthians 11:13, Galatians 1:9, Ephesians 4:14, Philippians 3:18-19, I Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 2:17-18, Titus 1:10-11, 2 Peter 2:1, 2 John 1:7, 10, Jude 1:4, and Revelations 2:2 just for starters.

We are not to believe them all but to try them.  To try the spirits means to test or prove them.  “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good,” 1 Thessalonians 5:21.  There are two ways to test a spirit.  The first is by the Word of God.  The believers in Berea were nobler than the ones in Thessalonica because they “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so,” Act 17:11. If a doctrine does not line up with Scripture it is wrong.  The Spirit of God will never contradict the Word of God.  This is very important.  Let me say that again, the Spirit of God will NEVER contradict the Word of God.   I heard a female preacher/pastor on the radio one day defending her “call” into the ministry.  Another pastor, disputing with her, kept bringing up the Scriptures.  Quoting Paul he would say that a woman was not to teach or usurp the authority of a man within the church.  This lady responded with the notion that we are led by the spirit and are not under the law.  At that point, the host of the program even erroneously contended that the ‘words in red’ are more important than Paul’s writings.”

Read Jesus’ words (in red).  “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you,” John 16:13-14.

To recognize truth we must understand that the Spirit will never supersede the written word.  Just as Christ came to do the will of the Father and glorify Him, the Spirit will point people to Christ and glorify Him.  John 1:1 tells us that Jesus is the Word of God.  Revelations 19:13 tells us that “The Word of God” is His very name.  We also know that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God,” 2 Timothy 3:16.  To say that the Spirit would lead us or teach us something contrary to Jesus Christ (The Word) is untrue.  The Spirit did not call this woman to be a pastor because that contradicts the Word.  (Read I Timothy 2:11-12.)

So the first way to test if something is true is by the Word of God.  But Jesus said there was another way in which we can test the spirit of false prophets?  “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them,” Matthew 7:20.    You cannot separate a man’s personal life from his ministry.  Does his life line up with what he is teaching?  The same can be asked of women.  Friends, be careful when getting advice from others.  You need to make sure that what they say is first biblical and second that their life demonstrates good works.  “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom,” James 3:13.

If the Spirit of God dwells in you, by knowing the Word of God and examining fruits, you can test the spirits to see if they are truly of God. God has given the believer the spirit of discernment. “God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10.  Do not fall for lies that hinder your spiritual growth, there are many out there.  And remember, the most dangerous ones are the ones closest to the truth.

(Taken from Living Out the Word: Love, A verse by verse study for women through the Epistles of John by Kimberly Williams.  Coming soon – Spring 2012!)   

Our First Day of “school”

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Day one is over. School is officially in session. That means in our home that pencils and minds alike are sharp and ready to be used. The computers and text books are out. Our goals are listed along with a long list of books to read this year. With day one behind us I’m looking forward to a great year with my children.

Actually, to tell the truth, we’ve “done school” all summer. What I mean is that part of my goal in teaching my children at home is that I create in them a love for learning along with a mindset that we always pursue knowledge. I don’t want my children to think that “school” takes place from 8 to 3 or from Monday to Friday or from August to May or from Kindergarten to 12th grade. The word school really is unsuitable. I prefer education. I want my children to learn every day. I want those who love them best to be their teachers. I want the world to be their schoolroom. I want life to be their homework. I want the Bible to be the preeminent textbook. I want their classmates to be from babies to adults. I don’t want to fill their minds with useless information. I want to create in them a desire to learn all they can for God’s glory. I want them to excel in reading classics, to chase after truth in science, to discover the world through history (His – God’s Story), to read and follow after great men and women. I want them to use their writing skills to change the world. I think Williams Butler Yeats said it best when he said, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” That is what I want to do – light a fire that burns their entire life. My prayer is that their education never ceases but that they continue throughout all their lives on this pursuit of truth and knowledge.

Lofty goal?  Yes.  Is it worth it?  Absolutely!