Twisted Sisters - Common Bible Misconceptions - Pt 3

Part 3 - Liturgy? Who needs it!

Okay - so the next misconception is not a misconception as much as a malpractice. Most understand that modern liturgical exercises do not find their roots among the primitive Christian church, but cling to modern liturgy nonetheless. Liturgy is a specific order of worship. Usually when we think of this term we think of something like the very traditional rituals of the Catholic church. However, presbyterian churches have them too - yes, even contemporary Christian churches have their liturgy - and I am afraid that it has taken over the modern church like a lingering cold that won't go away.

Any one of us could pick a church to visit on any given Sunday - small or large, black white or grey, and whatever the denomination - and generally know what to expect. Most services we could set our clocks by. We park, enter the building, are greeted by someone. Pick a seat in the sanctuary, and wait for the service to start. Someone steps on the platform in front, greets people or opens with a prayer, and the singing starts. 3-5 songs are sung. Then an offering is taken and/or announcements are given. Then the preacher or teacher steps up and prepares to give a sermon. Usually between 45 and 75 minutes long. Then either a corporate prayer or some type of altar call. There are variations to this of course, but pick whatever church or group - I don't care - any fairly mainstream denomination or church type, and it's nearly identical. Call it what you like, but that is liturgy. It's a specific order of worship. Whether we've consciously decided to follow this order, or sub-consciously, we follow it nonetheless... Or most do.

On this topic, like most every other, I believe that going back to the ancient writings to see how the early church functioned before the traditions and liturgies and organizing and institutionalism could very well revolutionize the way we practice our faith. Here is a key verse to kick things off:
1 Cor. 14:26 - "How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification."

This one simple statement written by Paul to the church in Corinth in the first century is paradigm-shattering if we thoroughly consider what it suggests. First of all, when's the last time you were in a gathering where "each person" had a song, a teaching, a tongue, a revelation, or an interpretation? Or when each person was simply even given the chance to share their individual gift? Although the church I grew up in was open to the spirit moving and taking over during a gathering, it was still a very rare occurence indeed. When it did happen, it was like pulling teeth. If God wanted to interrupt our comfortable liturgy, He had to play his cards just right or we weren't budging.

And we were better than most at this. Most churches don't ever see a service where each member can use their gift to build up the whole body. They are, without realizing it, helplessly bound by tradition. Our tradition has muzzled God's voice, quenched the moving of His Spirit, and held back His hand from truly working in our midst. We don't even see it.

This verse tells us a few key things. First, their gatherings were a forum for every Christian to share the gift God had given them before the whole group. Second, the believers in Corinth were so excited about what God was telling and showing each of them, that they had too much happening at once. Third - and I believe this is key - Paul's instruction to them was not to stop letting everyone share their gifts from the Lord when they came together, but rather to show them how to do it so that the whole group was built up. He did not stifle their giftings! Did not tell them that in order to avoid chaos let one person select all the songs they would sing each week and everyone else just stand by as spectators. Did not tell them to be quiet and let the smartest among them do all the ministering. Did not advise them to save their gifts for outside the corporate meeting. He was excited about each member functioning!

This is a peek into a bit of the glory of the early church. When they came together, anyone was free to share a song, a testimony, a revelation, a doctrine, a tongue or interpretation, or whatever other way the Spirit was communicating. Herein is the point. If the One who gives all these gifts is the Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit were the focus of their gatherings, then it was not any man that was in charge of their meetings! It was the Holy Spirit who was in charge. He was the M.C., and He alone led the gatherings!

It would seem then, that if He wanted to speak through a certain individual one week, and someone completely different the next, He could. If He wanted to speak a little something through a number of different members during a particular gathering, He was free to. Maybe He wanted to speak through a child, or an elderly widow, or even a stranger walking in off the street. Perhaps one week He wanted to build up His body through songs, and the next week He wanted to build up His body through gifts of healing. Well he certainly could, because there was plenty of room for Him to move! As a result, the job of the believers each week was very different than it is today. Today a small handful of folks do a lot of preparing for the main gathering during the week (usually a song leader, some Sunday school teachers, and the pastor or preacher). Back then though, it would seem that it was every members job to prepare for the main gathering - each was to seek the Lord during the week (seperately and together I'm sure) so that when they all came together, God could speak through any one of them the exact message for the exact needs present in that meeting. Because after all, only He knows what each member comes in true need of each week!

For the sake of brevity I will wrap this up -- In my studies, here is what their average gathering looked like in the days of the primitive Christian churches: 1. They usually met in homes (more on this in a future installment - Acts 2:46, 20:20, 1 Cor 16:19, Col 4:15, Phm 1:2). 2. They shared a full meal (also called love feasts). 3. A sharing of the bread and the wine to remember and honor the Lord's sacrifice, according to the Lord's command. (1 Cor 11:20, Jud 1:12, Acts 2:46, 20:7) 4. Waiting on the Lord together and each sharing the gifts of the Spirit, in whatever way and through whatever forum the Spirit prompted each one.

I will also mention that this forum fits well with the oversight of elders (bishops or presbyters - spiritual moms and dads) who simply looked over the flock, fed the young ones, and were there to guide the church family at key times -- but did not do all the work or all the ministering. Every member functioned in their God-given gift, and the whole body grew up into the Lord together as they submitted to His headship alone.

It makes me wonder how many unspoken needs go unmet in our modern corporate gatherings today because the Lord is not allowed to break in and spontaneously minister to them. I wonder how many spiritually gifted individuals have never been encouraged to exercise the gifts God has given them, let alone have a forum in the presence of the whole body through which they could practice them. Over the years I wonder how many leaders with profound callings on their lives have sat on our pews and grown stale and weak because they were never given a consistent and meaningful place to minister among their extended spiritual family.

I also wonder how badly our Lord desires to be head of His church again, to be the One in charge of the gatherings of His people, and to minister in the way that only He can each and every week...

But I have already said too much.

Twisted Sisters - Common Bible Misconceptions - Pt.2

Part 2 - The Modern Pastor Isn't in the New Testament

I hate to say it - but it's true. The practice of having a head pastor of each church body does not find its roots in the New Testament scriptures. I hear the sacred cows mooing uneasily as I say this. Its not that I enjoy tipping sacred cows (I did once, but have grown up a little since then), but let's stand up for truth here and let the Bible speak for itself.

The English word "pastor" is used only 1 time in the New Testament. That right there should cause warning bells to go off in our heads - especially since that's a basic hermeneutical rule in most Christian circles - one obscure passage is not enough to create a Bible doctrine. Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is established.

The English word "pastor" (used in Ephesians 4:11) is simply the Greek word for shepherd. This Greek word (poimen) is used many times in the NT, but in every other place it is translated "shepherd". Why the translators of the KJV and other modern versions of the Bible render this Greek word as "pastor" instead of what it is every other time - shepherd - is beyond me. Okay scratch that, it's not beyond me - Im pretty sure that the translators read their own traditions into the English translation - God rest their souls.

Eph. 4:11 - "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors (shepherds) and teachers..." First of all, the word here is coupled with teachers, and so the text suggests that shephereds and teachers are one and the same role. As in - a teacher is a shepherd, because they are feeding the sheep (1 Pet. 5:1). Paul simply threw the word "shepherds" in to further describe what a teacher really is in the body. Knowing that, I now realize that we had numerous able "shepherds" in the congregation of the church I grew up in...

But again, thats the only time the word "pastor" is used in the New Testament scriptures. In parallel passages like 1 Cor 12:28, where Paul is giving the same list of giftings to a different church, he doesnt even use the word "shepherd" but just says "teacher." So then if there were no pastors (as we have them today) in the early churches, who ran things? Aha - I'm so glad you asked!

There are many giftings listed by the apostles in their letters that were commonly at work in primitive Christian church, but I find only two offices. Elders (also called Bishops or presbyters) and Deacons (servants).

The word "elder" is "Presbuteros" in the Greek (literally - one advanced in life or age). The word Bishop is "Episkope" in the Greek (literally means 'overseer'). Both of these words refer to the same "office", but from two different angles. One focuses on the job of an elder (to oversee), and one focuses on the character of an elder (mature and responsible). In the NT, there was never just one elder in a church, it was always more than one (see Acts 14:23, 1 Tim 5:17, Tit 1:5, James 5:14, 1 Pet 5:1). See the NT guidelines of what qualifications an elder should have in 1 Tim 3 or Titus 1 (husband of one wife, can rule his own house well, not greedy for money, able to teach, etc). Wow, come to think of it, we had a LOT of people who met those simple guidelines in the congregation I grew up in...

We also have no record of the elders in each church being paid for that role. Wait, I shouldn't say that, I think I lost a few readers. Oh well, might as well be straight-forward. That's right, churches supported the itinerant apostolic workers among them (the travelling church planters), and supported the poor among them, but we have no record of each church's individual elders being paid for their oversight.

So back to our topic -- each church had "elders." In my church family today we just call these people spiritual moms and dads - they are more mature and responsible people who can help guide the group at key times and can feed the young ones. But they don't do all the work, and are not the heads of the church. Christ is the only head of the church, and everyone shares the responsibilities of ministry, because we are all priests to God under the New Covenant, and we have all been given different gifts to profit the whole group. No wonder Paul told the church in Corinth, "When you gather together, every one of you has a song, a teaching, a tongue, an interpretation, a revelation."

Anyway, the only other office we find mentioned in the New Testament was called a deacon, or servant. Servants were selected in some churches to oversee certain church events, like overseeing the distribution of food to the people in Acts 6. They also had the same simple character requirements as elders (1 Tim 3).

Those are the only two offices we find practiced in the primitive Christian churches of the New Testament. According to all the records we have, they had no solo pastors over each church.

So there you have it - take it for what its worth, chew on it, talk to Jesus about it, and consider the ramifications of it. I have little doubt that if churches today began to align themselves more closely with the patterns we find among the New Testament churches, they would be happier, healthier, and better equipped to fulfill the purpose of the body of Christ on this earth. I know that if the congregation I grew up among would have set its leadership up in this way, numerous troubles and crises could have been avoided. But hey -- its never too late to correct a mistake!

Twisted Sisters - Common Bible Misconceptions -Pt.1

Part 1 - There is No Five-fold Ministry
People love to take the ancient writings and fit them into neat little packages with colorful bows to make them more marketable.But when an individual really comes face to face with the word of God, the encounter is not usually so nice and neat. Just as God cannot be tamed, when He speaks it often reflects his wildness and goes over the heads of all but the most studious.

Many a Christian leader have I heard do amazing tricks using random verses of the Bible with the skill of a seasoned magician. I have no problem with preachers, only with taking random scriptures out of context. This is one such case.
The New King James version of the Bible records Ephesians 4:13 as follows: "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the minstry..." Somewhere someone took this list and made a really marketable doctrine out of it, and now the term "Five-fold ministry" is a common phrase in the Christian-speak dictionary. The fivefold ministry is usually referred to with awe, like it is the all-star list on the roster of Christian workers. Be one of these and you are at the top of the heap. Usually paid for it too.

As if Ephesians was the only epistle in the New Testament.

There is something of a parallel passage in 1 Corinthians:
"And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts..."

Most assuredly the same exact list mentioned by Paul as in Ephesians, but to a different church, and the gifts that he mentions are pointedly different. There is no evangelist and no pastor mentioned - instead, a handful of other gifts are thrown in as companions to the apostles, prophets, and teachers - miracles, healings, helps, administrations, different kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. Maybe fivefold is more like nine-fold. Or maybe if we put both lists from Ephesians and Corinthians together, it is the eleven-fold ministry? But that can't be right, eleven isnt a very round number... won't sell as well...

Anyway, it seems apparent that when examining these lists side by side, there is no set-in-stone five-fold ministry. There are only gifts that God has passed out to everyone in his body to profit the whole. Perhaps there is a significance and a heavier responsibility behind the consistent mention of a few key giftings first (apostles, prophets, teachers), but it should be without dispute that the ministry is not five-fold... rather we should suffice it to say that it is manifold. The gifts are many and ALL are vital. All are used for the same purpose - to build up the whole body - till we all come in the unity of the faith and a perfect knowledge of the son of God.

One further note - Ephesians 4:13 is the ONLY verse in the New Testament which uses the word "pastor" (shepherd) when describing a gifting. Pastor and teacher are not mentioned as two separate gifts, they are mentioned as being the same gift - "pastors and teachers" - a teacher IS a shepherd (so then it is a four-fold ministry in Ephesians 4... eh, you get the idea) A shepherd feeds the sheep (1 Pet. 5:1). The idea of a one-man "pastor" over each church does not find its roots in the primitive Christian church or in the scriptures. But I will address that topic as the next common biblical misconception in part 2!

Argh! Give me life!

This morning I was talking to Jesus about alot of different things and I was thinking about a prayer that was prayed over me some time ago: "Lord, I don't pray that you would give him the self control to simply not sin, but rather that you would heal him on the inside so thoroughly that he would no longer even desire those things."

This was prayed over me by a very important spiritual mentor who spoke into my life at some key points on my journey. At the time it hit me like a hammer... and it still does.

I realize now that this is the difference between the law and grace, between the Old Covenant and the New. The law could not produce inner transformation, and only served to show those under it how powerless they were to achieve righteousness by their own power. Legalistic religious teachings and groups don't realize how closely aligned they are with the law. They focus on a list of rules, regulations, and religious boundaries. They focus on teaching their people how to gain self-control, how to say no to the flesh, and how to look and act just right. This is just what the Mosaic law did -- and what did the Mosaic law produce? Condemnation, guilt, shame, and hopelessness. Men felt condemned because they could not follow all the law to the letter. It gave them a basic knowledge of right and wrong and good and evil, but could not give them the power and inner transformation necessary to make their heart and desires match their outward front of righteousness.

Sadly, so many groups today spend so much wasted time trying to control the actions of their people. Look a certain way, talk a certain way, act a certain way. Come on Sundays, put your money in the basket, become a member, and be a good obedient cookie-cutter Christian. The majority of these groups wouldn't know grace if it hit them in the head. They are too busy judging the outward appearance to truly love the person in front of them. They have to change them and make them fit in their group before they will truly love them. And if someone decides to leave the establishment? Talk bad about them, judge them, assume things about them, and don't call them to wish them the blessing of God wherever He leads them. That is not the church, it's a country club.

I thank God that He has delivered me from this attitude that I too had bought into, and practiced for so many years. I have repented numerous times since then of my pride, elitism, secterianism, bigotry, and segregation. I have made it over the hump of hurt and pain and gone over to the other side of that hard transition where there is freedom, joy, and love. I hope that every day of my life from here on is filled with the same love and grace for others which God has shown to me.

Jesus has come, finished his work, and delivered us from the curse of the law (the curse of legalism). He has loved us while we were yet sinners and offered to us fellowship with the Father, even in that sad and sickening state. He has not placed on us the heavy weight of a hundred laws and guidelines, but instead has offered to us love and friendship - a love that will transform us, over time, into people who do what's right - not because its the right thing to do, but because we love people and love our Lord so much that it's just the way we naturally are.

Lord, I don't pray that you would give those reading this post the self control to simply not sin, but rather that you would heal them on the inside so thoroughly that they would no longer even desire those things.

Looking for one thing - found another

Today I grabbed my Strong's Concordance, my bookbag which holds my Bible and journal, and a cigar and headed to the garage. With the garage door half open, my two boys playing in the front yard, and me planted in the back of the garage by the window, I smoked my stogey and dove into the scriptures. As the cool January air hung around me (alot warmer than normal this time of year) and the melancholy smoke danced and twisted above my head, I made some precious discoveries.

I have been hungering to know what the Bible truly says about witnessing and outreach. This is a subject which has recently been very fuzzy and alluding to me lately. I have alot of conflicting information over the years clogging my brain and not alot of clarity as a result on this subject. Its near impossible to have a sincere conviction on any subject without a clear knowledge of what thus says the Lord regarding it.

So I began at John 20 after Christ has risen from the dead and begins appearing to his disciples. The first thing he tells them in John's record is "As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." He then says "Whoever's sins you forgive, they will be forgiven, and whoever's sins you sustain, they will be sustained." This passage proved to be a good place to start on the topic of sharing the gospel.

As I was reading the full context of these words, I noticed Christ's statement to Peter in chapter 21: "If you love me, feed my lambs." No doubt these words with which Jesus charged Peter also fall within the reaches of the overall subject at hand. Out of curiosity I studied the original Greek words that our Saviour used when speaking to his disciple here. The results I found were an unexpected treasure.

Jesus asks Peter 3 times, "Do you love me?" Then Jesus says, "Feed my lambs." The next two times Jesus follows up his question by saying, "Feed my sheep." It turns out that the 3 statements Christ makes are each using a different combination of words:
1. Shephard my lambs
2. Feed my sheep
3. Shephard my sheep

Here are my initial thoughts on this... First of all, sheep and lambs are the same creature, however lambs are younglings and sheep are full-grown. This spoke to me. The words he used for "Feed" were also different. "Shephard" is used in the first and third statements, but "Feed" is used in the second one. From further study of the original Greek terms, I discovered that the verb (action) "to shephard" is from the root word for the noun (title) "Shephard". This is in contrast to the word for "Feed" which is from a word for cattle which connotates leading a herd to fodder. Shepharding being more tender, personal, gentle, and tender food. Feeding being more impersonal, straightforward, and more filling adult food.

The lambs cannot handle adult food yet and they need more tender loving care. The sheep need real sustenance - adult food, and are grown enough to survive without the personal touch of the shephard. However, the third statement, "Shephard my lambs" is out of the ordinary. It seems that the sheep too, need shepharding. Although they can survive without the tender loving care of their keeper, they still need it. They need the tender touch of their master.

It would also seem that sheep go through stages. As younglings they need light food and the special attention of their shephard. Then when they are fully grown they require heavier food and gain self-sufficiency. However, there are those sheep who are not fooled by their maturity. They realize the need to still take careful and loving direction and tender help from their shephard. They stay close enough to their shephard's side to hear his voice and gain his continual attention.

We as Christians are the same way. Even when we are grown enough to survive on our own, there is a time at which we will realize that the same tender care that we experienced from our Lord when we first came to Him is still important, yes even vital now. But not all will realize this. Most will stay within the protection of the flock, but forget the master's life-giving personal touch... but not all. These few are like the disciple John who was continually found with his head on Jesus' breast, the disciple "Whom Jesus loved." For these, being a mediocre Christian, a simple pew-sitter, and just "getting by" will never be enough. These sheep, although fully grown, will never accept less than the sweet life-giving words and transforming personal touch of their master, whom they serve in secret.

For those called to be shephards, like myself (however much I don't like it sometimes), there is much to be learned from Christ's statements about how to effectively minister to his flock. But for today, I have gained much from seeing this from the sheep's perspective.

Whatever the Father is saying...

I heard this scriptural tidbit from a friend and mentor of mine, John White, recently, and found it so telling and beautiful I wanted to share it with everyone...

It comes from John chapter 5 -- which records Jesus healing the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. Jesus goes to this special fountain of water in Bethesda where sick and infirmed people of all kinds gathered to wait for the "troubling of the water." It was a local belief that when the waters became "stirred" suddenly, by angelic influence, the first one to make it down into the water would be healed of their infirmity. Jesus came there and spoke with a "certain" man who had been sick or infirmed for 38 long years. The man told Jesus that he wanted healing, but he had no one to carry him down to the water when it began to stir, and someone always made it there before him.

John recorded that when Jesus heard how long he had been sick, he told the man "Take up your bed and walk" and immediately the man did just that and was instantly healed. John records none of the other sick folk waiting there at the pool of Bethesda being healed that day.

Then Jesus makes a statement in verse 19 that reveals a very vital truth. He says "I assure you, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does."

It should occur to us that there were many who needed healing that day, and only one got it -- and it was not because the others didn't want it. It was because it was not offered to them. Modern evangelistic Christians might say, well what about the others? No sharing the good news with them? No healing them? No passing out tracts or giving an invitation to the dozens around? What a wasted opportunity! It might seem that Jesus was stingy, or perhaps didn't understand the vitality of giving all the others His special touch that day?

The answer is this: Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing. For the first thirty years of his life, that was staying home and doing no ministry. When his ministry started, some days he healed hundreds... some days he healed no one. Was He out of God's will on those "unproductive" days? The answer we find in his statement: Whatever I see the Father doing, that's what I do. What a simple way of living and ministering! There was no theory he was following, no program he adhered to, no "moving and shaking" involved. He listened, and did whatever He heard the Father tell Him to do. That day God only wanted to heal one man.

This, to me, seems in direct conflict with the modern thinking of most of us Christians today. We want a formula to follow, a law to adhere to, a plan of action to put into place. However, more damage has been done to the kingdom of God by well-intentioned saints who are trying to do God's work on their own power or initiative. They feel the urgency of the gospel message and want to take action immediately. It is a hard lesson to learn when the "mover and shaker" sees many years of hard work gone down the tubes, too late realized that it was never God's will to go there or do that in the first place.

How much stress can be relieved, and how many brick walls can we avoid, by simply following in Jesus' footsteps and practicing our faith the way that Jesus did: Whatever I hear the Father saying, that's what I do. Jesus never called his followers to "figure it out." He never gave them a formula to follow. In fact, even the "great commission" itself is more like a great prophecy... instead of "Go ye therefore," the running greek text lends itself more closely to "Having gone therefore..." (Mat. 28:19 - see Young's literal translation, for example) As in the story of Mary and Martha, He has called us to choose that better part. He called us to listen to him, and then to do whatever He says -- nothing less, and nothing more. After all, it is not our work -- it is His. He promised that He would build His church. Not us. All he has asked us to do is be completely available, and instead of working to "make things happen," simply put our effort into staying close enough to Him to hear His whisper...

Do you hear what the Father is saying today?

Legalism: The Law

Modern legalism is much like the difficult Old Testament law. Those of you who were brought up in a legalistic mindset will understand what I am saying...

I read the whole book of Galatians in the NLT today and it made sense like never before. Paul was writing to the Galatian church who were being persuaded by Judaizers to turn back to keeping the law of Moses. They were being told that faith in Christ was not enough -- that they also all needed to be circumcised. This outraged Paul, who had laid the foundation of their faith and freedom in Christ through many trials, sweat, and tears. Paul himself had many stripes and beatings from the Jews for preaching the freedom from the law that is found in Christ. Paul knew that those Judaizers only wanted to control the churches thenmselves (rather than letting Christ be in charge) and be praised by men for all the people they had following them.

How was the law of Moses like legalistic belief-systems today? Well, it was based on works. It didn't have the power to justify (save) the person resting on it. It was only good enough to show people how powerless they were to save themselves. It paved the way for the freedom and grace found under Christ...

Reading through Galatians was like reading my own mail. I feel like Jesus has freed me from my own personal "law" I grew up with. It was my teacher that pointed me to Christ!

Even though I am infinitely thankful for the organization and church I grew up in, I am well aware of the dangerous effects of its legalistic side. As a small boy I was constantly fearful of going to hell because I had not yet spoken in tongues. As a teenager I could not pray or fast or witness enough to feel "right" with God. As a young adult minister in my church I was expected to look, talk, and act a certain way or I was not even considered saved...

The infant Christian church centuries ago (initially comprised only of Jewish worshippers) had been rejected by their parents, wives, children, etc for their newfound freedom in Christ. They could not even buy or sell at the worst point of their persecution just before the fall of Jerusalem in the first century. They were constantly shunned by the ones they loved for refusing to follow the pointless traditions and customs they were brought up with.

That is how my wife and I, and some of the others that God was good enough to bring out of our previous organization, feel. It is so hard to move on when everyone and everything you ever knew is saying you are the devil... We are being shunned and looked down on now for rejecting our man-made standards of so-called holiness (having all to do with appearances) and it hurts... but we have no desire whatsoever to go back under that law -- now that we are experiencing freedom in Christ! Now of course, as Paul said, we do not use that freedom to please the flesh -- but rather to serve one another! My previous yoke was hard, but the yoke I now am bound to (Christ alone) is easy and light! It frees me to do the will of God from my heart and fulfill the great commission as I was always meant to...

I will close with the words of Paul:
Gal 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision (fleshly ordinances and outward appearances: the law) mean any thing -- nor uncircumcision; but only faith which works by love!

Instead of focusing on a list of standards regarding jewelry, makeup, pants, skirts, beards, uncut hair, etc, we now can focus on the issue that Jesus died for: faith that works by love!

I realize that what I just posted may offend a few of my readers, but I must tell the truth and please God from my heart. Again, your opinion may be different than mine, and if that is such regarding this subject, then I hope that you will pray for me. Either way, thanks for taking the time to listen to my voice.

The Days of Elijah?

Well, I hesitate to write what I am thinking; but, if I promised the "essential Sean," then I must deliver without cover-up.

I am frustrated by the misuse and twisting of scriptures that has been handed to down to 95% of Christendom today, especially concerning eschatology (end-times doctrines). Now, for the most part, I do not believe that differences in eschatology should create divisions in the church, and for that one reason I have stayed largely quiet on this subject around the majority of my Christian friends. It is not a "salvation issue" and therefore for a long time I have saved it only for those mature Christians honestly and personally seeking truth on this subject within the pages of scripture - which so far has been only a few individuals...

Anyway, I apologize ahead of time for writing about this subject on this blog -- but I've got to get this off my chest:

Are we living in "the last days" as mentioned in the Bible? I grew up being taught that "yes," we are now, in the 21st century, living in the "last days."

However, after a simple open-minded re-examination of this question in the pages of the Bible over the last couple of years, my answer is a confident "no."

I recently saw on the business card of an incredibly sweet and powerful Christian brother the quote "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." -Mat. 24:14. It occurred to me that the carrier of this business card believed that when Jesus made this promise to his disciples nearly 2000 years ago, that he was referring to our generation, nearly two millenia in the future. This is what most of us have been taught from youth, but is it really how Jesus meant for his words to be understood? There are three brief Bible points that I will make straight from scripture, and then I will step down off my personal biblical soapbox for a while :)

1.Every time in the New Testemant, when referring to the "last days" it refers to the days of Jesus and his disciples:
1 Cor. 10:11 - Now these things …were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
Heb. 1:1-2 - God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us by His Son.
Heb. 9:26 - Now once at the end of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin.
James 5:1,3 - Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. …It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!
1 Pet. 1:20 - Christ …has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.
1 Jhn. 2:18 - Even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour.

2.The gospel of the Kingdom WAS ALREADY preached as a witness to all nations (the whole then-known Roman world) in the first century:
Rom 1:8 - First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Rom 16:25-26 - Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Col 1:5-6 - For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world;
Col 1:23 - If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

3. Jesus did not foretell the end of the physical world as we know it, rather he foretold the end of the (Jewish) AGE:
Mat. 13:40 -Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
Mat. 13:49 -So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just...
Mat. 24:3 -Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"
Mat 24:34 - Verily I say to you, This generation will not have passed away until all these things shall have taken place.

In Conclusion, even the very presence of John the baptist proved to the Jews in the first century that the end of the age and the great day of the Lord was upon them - compare these two simple verses:
Mal. 4:1,6 - For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts... Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, before I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Mat. 11:7-14 - And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John... And if ye will receive it, this is Elijah, who was to come."

An extremely popular song was written by Robin Mark some years ago called "These are the Days of Elijah." It went around the world and has become a staple anthem over the last few decades in the Christian movement.

Are these REALLY the days of Elijah? Or was that nearly 2000 years ago?

Are we really that deceived?

Or maybe I'm just crazy... I guess that's more likely after all.