Christian? Not So Cotton-Pick’n Fast!

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”

- Luke 5:8-11

In a personal letter from a friend I found the following quote referring to a person of late middle age:

“…[Person] is a Christian but hasn't been active since [their] teens…”

My friend went on to explain that this person is a member and in regular attendance at a local church.

They have no prayer life,
no witnessing and no works,
no Bible study or devotions,
God neither is sought to lead
nor is God a priority in their life.

They’re just church members trying to “be a good person” and live a “good” life”. That has become what many call a “christian” today.

Now we all know that prayer, witnessing, works, Bible study, devotions will never make you a Christian, just as gluing feathers to your body will never make you a bird! But remember, birds are covered in feathers and there are outward evidences that indicate what is in a person's heart!

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

- James 1:22

Do we promote these two heresies:

“a sinner” = “a bad person”
And
a “good person” who goes to church is a “christian”?

Those are both hogwash! I know many people destined for an eternity in Hell who are much better people than me. Frankly, sometimes it doesn't take much!

But now let’s look at something that is really scary!

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

- Matthew 7:21-23

Even hard-core religious works aren't the key to being approved by God. That should strike a profound tone in each and every one of us and compel us to examine ourselves. Are we “spiritual’ or “religious” without a true relationship with Christ? It is noteworthy that Jesus immediately explained that passage by launching into the parable of the builders:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

- Matthew 7:24-27

You tell me, is salvation a prayer or a purpose?

Against the “Country Club” Church

Many years ago I hear a pastor say, “The Church is not a Country Club for saints, it is a hospital for sinners!” * I think that’s a great saying, one I’ve always loved. These days I’m starting to re-think that proposition.

I am becoming increasingly concerned at how church attendance and church membership has become the goal of many “ministries”. To quote a song I recently heard, “I catch’em. God cleans’em!” Get’em in the door and we’ll get these people saved and turned onto God.

One of my personal favorite ministry programs (and for those who don’t know me, I am usually “death" on programs,) is the Baptists’ F.A.I.T.H. Sunday School outreach program. I love it! We operate under the idea that if we can get the lost coming to church, then we can teach them the gospel and they will become saved. And it has worked that way many times. And each time it has worked a soul that is precious beyond our understanding has been saved from eternal damnation to Our Lord and the Angel’s delight!

The problem is, using this idea we are also creating huge, (even “mega”,) churches filled with large numbers of people who are not practicing followers of Christ. And when the unsaved’s numbers in a church get large enough, pastors cannot lead boldly in areas of personal discomfort and sacrifice in following the Lord. And, often, the pastor who does so, does so at the risk of his job.

When we bring the unsaved into the church, they are coming to have a need (“knowledge of God” or “moral guidance”) fulfilled by the church. The church’s role is to serve these needs. However, when saved believers congregate we are sharing our faith and our purpose to serve God. The first group is coming to “take” when the second is coming to “share”.

Many, many pastors will now tell you that our churches are being battered by “The 80/20 Rule” (20% of the people are doing 80% of the work.) And an increasing part of the unproductive 80% is the lost clamoring that they want less Jesus and more entertainment and more social services and more [fill in the blank].

In many places, and in many people’s minds, church membership has become synonymous with being a Christian. And our pastors are often spending the entire "worship" service trying to get these “christians” saved!

We have to find a way to address this problem! This issue is worthy of our prayers.





* <sub>I wanted to give proper credit for this quote and found many churches and ministries using this quote, but never found an attribution. The closest I came to finding the original quote is a similar one from the old “Dear Abby” newspaper column:

"A church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints." -
- Abigail Van Buren

Possibly this is where the quote originated and was later amended into the form quoted, above. ‘Just a long way of saying, “I don’t know where this came from, I just know it didn’t come from me!"</sub>

Got Word? Part IV

It's time to bring this series of articles to an end, but I did want to drop one last set of suggestions about learning God's Word. Please allow me to reiterate now that there is no substitute for prayerfully submitting to God's teaching. A head packed full of Bible trivia and an unrepentant heart... well... enough said.

Having said that God is our Source and Instructor, I'll share a few resources, hints and suggestions that I've found invaluable over the years. These are just things that have helped me and may be of no value to you because (hopefully) God is the Source and Director of your growth and development.

If you are a mature christian who has also encountered valuable aids that have impacted your Bible study, please share them in the comments section of this post. The more the merrier!

Here are some resources that God has used to make a big difference in my life:

Firefighters for Christ
These folks can be found at this link and they have a wonderful tape ministry that is available on a true donation basis, (ie. you request the material and you can make any donation you feel led to cover costs. No donation is required.)

They also have a wonderful library of .MP3 files of sermons, bible lessons, music, you name it, that is available for free download at this link. God has and continues to bless me through the ministry of the Firefighters for Christ.

"30 Days to Understanding the Bible" by Max Anders
This is gonna seem hypocritical coming from the guy who just spent almost an entire post lecturing you to "Let God be your teacher!" but I cannot recommend this book enough. The problem it addresses is that there's some basic background and structure needed to read the Bible with much comprehension.

I have taught high school Sunday School students for years to be wary of those people who run around saying that they "read the Bible from cover to cover." I've always said, "Show me a person who read the Bible from cover to cover and I'll show you someone who didn't understand what they were reading." The Bible just isn't laid out sequentially and some additional knowledge is needed to better understand the book. "30 Days..." gives that needed information quickly and effectively.

"30 Days to Understanding the Bible" has 30 sections that are intended to take about 15 minutes each to read. They outline and review the structure of the bible, the basic flow of the region's geography and history and give basic information about how it all fits together. I developed a set of high school Sunday School lessons based on this material and have used them over a number of years because it is so important to getting your feet under you in the Word. Anders' material is very effective at bringing people up to speed quickly on the basics needed for Bible comprehension. My personal Bible study leapt forward when I learned that material.

A Bible Dictionary
For years I have used a Billy Graham Crusade Edition Bible Dictionary of my father's that I just love. There are many good Bible dictionaries out there. It sure helps to have one handy as you read the Word. There are free versions available online and a good place to start would be at The Blue Letter Bible web site (here). It has a lot of references, Bible versions and other tools that will give you a good chance to try things to see what works best for you.

Bible Software
Nothing speeds Bible study like a good Bible software package. It helps in lesson preparation, quickly accessing study aids and by allowing study in greater depth by simplifying the comparison of multiple translations and language reference material (for those of us who don't read Greek or Hebrew.) I have mine open even as I'm writing this. There are many packages out there. I've worked with two programs and so can only speak to my experience with those two packages.

There is a free (donation basis) package available online called "eSword" that has a good integrated interface and many resources available for free download from their web site (here). I've used it quite a bit and was pleased and impressed. I used it until I was ready for something a little stronger and that something stronger is Logos.

For many years Logos Research Systems, Inc. has continued to develop and improve the Logos Bible Software package (here). It is, I believe, generally regarded as the best of the best with massive libraries of compatible publications spanning the gamut from home devotions to hard-core scholarly publications. It comes in seven packaged versions starting with the "Christian Home" set for about $150 up to the "Scholar's Library: Gold" version which goes for about $1,400. (Yikes!)

Once you buy the initial package, with it's accompanying library, you can then purchase and add in publications from both Logos Research Systems, Inc. and other publishers. (For example, I have purchased two "Lifeworks" libraries from Thomas Nelson Publishing that have all of the published works of Max Lucado and John MacArthur, respectively.) I love this software and am an unabashed fan, so please know I'm not particularly objective.

The are other packages out there that I have never used, such as QuickVerse, BibleWorks, iLumina, PC Study Bible, SwordSearcher, and Theophilis, to name just a few. I've never used them so I won't comment. Just know that good Bible software is a very useful tool.

Bible Versions
Oh boy! This is a big, big topic that I can't do justice to! So here are just a few quick thoughts...

Bible versions come in two flavors (and the line between them obviously isn't as simple as I'm about to say): Translations and Interpretations.

Translations
This is where a group of scholars sit down and study the Greek and Hebrew texts and try to recreate the passage in another language. Usually these versions are more accurate and reliable. They are also less "user friendly" and a little harder to read.

Here is an example of a translation (from the www.scripture4all.org online interlinear Bible) showing the (transliterated) Greek words and the corresponding English translation of each word in John 1:1

En (In) archE (ORIGIN) eimi (Was)ho (The)logos (Saying: Word) kai (And)ho (The) logos (Saying: Word) eimi (Was) pros (Toward) ho (The) theos (God) kai (And) theos (God) eimi (Was) ho (The) logos (Saying: Word)

Using their knowledge of Greek and that text, The King James version translaters gave us this as the famous opening sentence in the Gospel of John:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

- John 1:1 KJV

There is some really meaty material in this sentence that the King James shows, but it does so at the cost of an odd sentence that may confuse you the first time you come across it.

Interpretations
Interpretations are where someone sits down with a translation or the Greek and Hebrew texts and then writes out what they think it means in English. (Danger Will Robinson!) The problem is that you are getting what a person's believes God's Word says rather than necessarily God’s Word. But the advantage is that interpretations are usually much easier to read. For example, here is John 1:1 in Eugene H. Peterson's "The Message" "version" of the Bible:

"The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood."

- John 1:1 The Message

Well, I guess that's simple enough and it certainly is clear... but what it has to do with what the Greek text was saying? I dunno... (I suspect there's more Eugene H. Peterson than God in that sentence.) See the problem?

Honestly, I used to think there was a place for interpreted Bibles to help new and young christians, but my opinion has changed over the years. Today I have grave reservations about many interpretations out there and it seems that with each passing year more interpretations are released with lower and lower standards of faithfulness to the underlying text. Where is the line between "interpretting" and when a person gives their own words and says "Thus saith The Lord"? (See Ezekiel 13 for details. I guess that's a topic for another post.)

Obviously, today I favor strong translations over interpreted versions of the Bible.

Commentaries
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th Ed.) defines a commentary as "...a systematic series of explanations or interpretations..." Many great christian figures have written Bible commentaries to summarize their teachings and understandings of the Bible text. Many really lousy Bible students have also have written Bible commentaries to summarize their teachings and understandings of the Bible text. Ouchie! I'll leave that topic for the next section, but here is one thing that should be mentioned...

It used to be that you got the Bible, let's say a King James Bible and then you also bought a seperate book that contained a commentary. Today many Bibles actually have the commentary right in the Bible text as introductions to chapters and extensive footnotes and call-out boxes accompanying the Bible text. This is so popular because as a student reads the Bible the reference material is right there with you and you don't have to juggle two books, look up each passage, etc. It really is handy... (Do you hear that "But" coming?)

There is a danger when you match Infallible Scripture to completely fallible human interpretation of the Scripture. I've been in classes to hear a young christian come out with some wild point of view and have them say, "It's right here in the Bible" and they open it up and show us the commentary that's accompanying the Scripture text. A commentary, notes system, study Bible isn't necessarily a bad thing, (I've recommended the Life Application Study Bible to many,)but it is very important to understand the limitations of the notes and that they are completely separate from the Bible, even if they are printed in the same book.

And finally, here is a hint that has made all the difference in the world:

ALWAYS CHECK IT ALL AGAINST THE WORD!

A Bible teacher I used to listen to quite a bit (Chuck Missler) used to start out a lot of his lessons with Acts 17:11:

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

- Acts 17:11

His point was that we are to listen carefully and verify what we hear against the Scripture. We all develop a preference for particular teachers and preachers. Once we, in our minds, designate someone "A Man/Woman of God!" we face the temptation of not verifying their teachings against the word. (We emphasize "of God" and forget the "Man/Woman" and that they're subject to human limitations.) There is always a need to understand where the line between human teaching and God's Word is drawn.

(For example, in this four part extravaganza of "Got Word?" postings I can honestly tell you that the first post seemed to be more inspired and kind of wrote itself. The next two? Not so much. There is much more of "me" in those next two postings. And this post? :-) I'm not telling!)

"Caveat Emptor" - "Buyer Beware!"

Another way to say that is the old Russian proverb that Ronald Reagan used to always quote "doveryai, no proveryai" - "Trust, but verify."

And that goes for what I write, too!

Good Morning

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

- 1 Pe 5:6-11 NIV

Got Word? Part III

In "Got Word?" we discussed the problem of "Reading the Bible" becoming confused and lost in the myriad of "responsible" things expected from christians.

In "Got Word? Part II" we discussed the power of God's Word and the promises God has given us about what reading His Word will do within and to us. We finished "Part II" with the promise to discuss the problem that many people don't understand the Bible when they read it. It frustrates them.

Addressing that problem needs to be done in two parts. The first part is to address the spiritual issue and the second is to address the material issue. Oh, and it needs to be done quickly because "Part II" was way, way too long! Here goes:

The Spiritual Issue
When God made His promises concerning the power and activity of His Word in believers did you notice that He never spoke about our understanding or intelligence? We are so programmed to believing that the power of an idea is found in our understanding and application that we cannot fathom God's Word where it is the seeking that unleashes the power.

The power in God's Word IS NOT the power of the IDEAS in the Bible. The power of God's Word is GOD in the Words. You are transformed by seeking and finding God in His Word, not by finding God's ideas. In fact, Proverbs specifically warns us against leaning upon our understanding as the foundation of our lives!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

- Proverbs 3:5-8 NIV

You are reading God's Word! Do you really expect to understand God? Relax, read God's Word, trust Him and that His love is absolute. Don't worry about understanding right away. He will lead you!

Now that's where some will will say:

What a load of metaphysical manure!!!
God said that we are to "rightly divide the Word of Truth"!
Don't you dare teach people that God's Word is a metaphysical meditation aid!

That complaint is absolutely true. The Bible isn't a philosophical/meditation/mystery tool that you are supposed to trip through in blissful ignorance. The point is simple:

God is going to teach you.

In patience and faith, if you seek God's face and ask Him to reveal Himself to you through His Word He will provide you the lessons He wants you to learn in His Word.

If you are just starting out in His Word I cannot caution you strongly enough about arrogance and self-confidence because your mind and our enemy will try to assert themselves to frustrate and embarrass you. Relax, be humble, follow God and continue to seek God's Face. He has promised to lead you, teach you and transform you according to His design.

Submerge yourself into His Word. When "teachers" arise and "lessons" present themselves in the world, prayerfully ask God's guidance in showing you what is from Him. Compare everything to His Word. He cannot, He will not contradict Himself. He will not teach you in contradiction of His Word.

Accept no substitute! Work out your salvation with fear and trembling as He leads you and you will discover His Peace, His Love, and His Grace in His Word. Every man and Woman of God has been taught by Him in His special school designed for that individual by the individual's master and creator.

There will be times when His Word shows you your sin, your unworthiness, and the impossibility of a person like you pleasing Him. Those times will come and they will be stepping stones to growth if you turn to Him in faith, prayfully take your hurts and fears to Him and allow Him to show you how He has provided for your unworthiness. Trust Him. He will.

Don't be intimidated or frightened when you don't understand. Relax and trust He will show you the answers. God encourages and welcomes your questions.

Be frightened of being certain about something that is not of God! That's where the real danger lies.

"My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding,
and if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom,
and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He holds victory in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones."

"Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you."

- Proverbs 2:1-11

(One last Part Coming: To Be Continued...)

Got Word? Part II

We often hear people making remarkable statements about God's Word that are based on a worldly perspective. They refer to the Bible as a book of philosophy, historical text, or group it as just another segment of “sacred literature” along with Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic and other religious texts. The bottom line is that to many, (sadly, heart-breakingly many,) they just think the Bible is a book.

Did I mention that many of the folks who think this way are in “the church”; some are even in “church” leadership? (Relax! The Bible says it's always been that way! But doesn't that just blow you away? It does me.)

God, however, designates scripture as "His Word" and He tells us that reading the Bible is a process with unique properties. When we read the Bible God’s Word changes us.

Now stop right there! _{(Huh, what?)}

Think about that sentence:

When we read the Bible God’s Word changes us.

We ask, we beg, we plead with God to change our hearts, to transform our minds, to make us into the people He wants us to be. No step will take us farther down that road than prayerfully reading God’s Word, reading His Word in His Presence.

Here is a series Scripture as parsed in John MacArthur’s “The MacArthur Topical Bible”*. These Bible passages pertain to God’s Word. Listen how God explains the process of taking His Word into ourselves and the powers of His Word upon us:

The Word of God discerns the thoughts and intents of [the Heart].
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The Word of God the means of producing [Holiness].
2 Tim 3:16–17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Word of God instrumental to [The indwelling of the Spirit].
Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.

Eph 5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

_{[Here’s that passage in context: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:25-27]}

The Word of God is the instrument of [Spiritual Life].
Is 55:3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—The sure mercies of David.

1 Pet 4:6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

The Word of God keeps people from [Sin].
Ps 17:4 Concerning the works of men, By the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.

Ps 119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.

The Word of God is [Truth].
John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

Did you catch that? Reading God's Word unleashes God inside of us! (So to speak.)

He pierces us and dissects us...
He equips us and makes us complete...
He corrects us...
He cleanses us and sets us apart...
He brings life to our souls...
He keeps destruction from us and keeps us from destruction...
He gives us, He gives our hearts, Truth!

The world says that we feed facts and experiences into our marvelous minds and our minds use these to change and improve ourselves. God says that our minds are filled with the wickedness of our hearts, but that He can come in and transform us, if we seek Him.

In Part I we talked about the "shoulds" that assail our lives. Do not believe for an instant that reading God's Word is an item for your "to do" list.

Shouldn't you be neck-deep in God's Word before you even think about creating your priorities?

Consider some common alternatives:

Use a "daily devotion" book, (usually 10% scripture/90% commentary and philosophy),

Read christian authors who peddle their ideas, suggestions and insights on following God, or

Commit to one of the many "holy-fication" plans and programs (with accompanying workbook and interactive DVD-ROM!) to be transformed through the development of your beliefs, habits and attitudes.

These, and others, aren't necessarily evil or unproductive. But isn't there a step missing?

Wouldn't you FIRST want to commit to devotedly and prayerfully reading God's Word in the most profound act of SURRENDER to TRANSFORMATION possible?

"But I don't understand the Bible when I read it!"
Let's look at that problem. It is real and it can be frustrating, but maybe the answer is easier than you think...
(To be continued...)

* _{MacArthur, John: The MacArthur Topical Bible : New King James Version. Nashville, Tenn. : Word Pub., 1999}