Breath of Fresh Air

Introduction

The "inspiration" of this site is this:

2 Timothy 3
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We want to breathe out the inspiration that has been breathed into us.

We throw this word around - "inspiration." It literally means, the act of breathing in. Too often today, we are interested in passively "being inspired" while sitting on couches, staring into space, watching other "inspirational" people all around us, and altogether avoiding active inspiration.

The "point" of this site is this:

Yahweh inspires each of us. We want to be like Him, because everything He does is pure and right and perfect. This site is a place to exchange inspiration. Compare the list from II Tim 3:16, above, with the list from II Tim 4:2. Corresponding with the "God-breathed Word" is the command to "Preach the Word!"

The "spirit" of this site, then, should be:

A direct reflection of our Heavenly Father's Spirit - one designed to promote justice, mercy, and faith. There will only be room for positive statements (not "smooth things," which are intended to make us all feel "okay.") that will help us each grow together. In short, a "breath (spirit) of fresh air."

Do you love the Truth, but feel bogged down by the mire of organized religion? Come breathe a breath of fresh air with us...then "exhale" your own spirit by clicking "Comments" at the bottom of any post!

Just Like Marriage

Preface

When one determines that they are part of a “fellow-ship” or a group of people, their “fellows,” do we consider them companions for life? We must ask, “What is the “common-union” that has brought us together in the first place?”  Does the common-union fade or do we fade in our initial Love, Zeal, and Determination by the prolonged experience of waiting and associating?

We must ask…

Does our Creator have less patience with us today than he had earlier in our “New Life”?  Are we growing less patient as we progress through our New Life?  Have we been “Truly Converted” to “Judge Ourselves” “Without Fear” and learned to “Walk in Love”?

Our Perspective

The Breath of Fresh Air was designed to inspire and encourage our Brothers and Sisters to maximize their use of the Fruit of the Spirit in their approach toward fellow-believers.  Confidence and Love are the primary-positive elements in the administration of the gospel through which all Fear and Hate, manifested in Carnality and Immaturity (1 Cor 3:1-4), are eradicated out of our body. 

Brothers and Sisters:  Let’s Go Forward To Eliminate Satan From Amongst Us.

Again…

Do we consider our associations with our “fellows” for life, or do we with a so-called or self-perceived glitch in a thought process or a slight-stumble on one of the trails of life, forsake our association with that group or that individual?  How much effort and how much leeway do we lend and allow these individuals that we once aligned ourselves with in our interests, activities, feelings, and experiences? How much effort have we put forth to retain and regain our “fellows”?

I dare to say, “Within the group of Yahweh’s fellows, Jesus Christ hasn’t changed (Hebrews 13:8) and the Hope of Israel (Acts 28:20) hasn’t either.  As we grow, sometimes our perception and acceptance of our fellows does.”

The above questions must be asked because they address the common failures in communication and contribution among which we have a common union. 

In most of our lives, we have family and school “friends” that we may contact from time to time. Business associates sometimes “catch our fancy” to where we communicate life experiences about our children, sporting events, and\or comparative interests.  We, sometimes, dedicate our time to worthy causes like fund raising for incurable diseases or social efforts to make our environment or people’s lives more tolerable around us.  These things are good and acceptable in the sight of God due to the fact they provide a positive outlet for our “energy” and a good report among those who don’t believe (1 Tim 3:7; Gal. 6:10) the one gospel, but all of these relationships take a subordinate role (Luke 14:26) to the ones we that have with “fellow believers” whom God called and for whom Christ died (Rom. 8:30; Rom. 14:15).

Because of how we value our “personal time and our comfort levels”, we tend to utilize the same distancing approach and “middle wall of partition” (Eph.2: 14) on our “fellows” as we would with those in whom we can have no worship (2 Cor. 6:14-18).  It’s easy; it’s quick; it’s effective to the immediate result; but non-biblical in application.  Future articles on Patience, Sunday Christadelphians,”Out of Site; Out of Mind”, Love is the “Only True-Identifier” Among Which Believers Are Identified, Trust, and Fellowship will address the last item.

Our Determination and A Positive-Biblical Answer

Brothers and Sisters, the biblical model of our relationship with one another as fellow believers is structured and maintained as one would with their spouse.  We must not divorce ourselves from each other any more than we would from our Lord Jesus Christ.  As real as the importance of establishing and maintaining our relationship and communication, a true and spiritual union amongst believers determines that longevity of the believing communities’ ability to “submit to one another”.

Just Like Marriage

Mat 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Has not God joined us together as the Body of Christ?

Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

The submission of believers to one another is likened to that of a wife to her husband.

Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Understanding and putting into practice our marriage to the Lord Jesus Christ enables believers to submit to one another in love.

Conclusion

As the Body of Christ, let us begin:

• Provoking one another to love and good works in order to be saved in the day of visitation. 
• Determining which relationships are most important.
• Showing the truth of who we are by how we treat one another.
• Thinking of our worship and spiritual relationships as “For Life”

We've Always Been Told To Make Our Marriage Work. Let's Start Doing It.

You are Special to God

Preface

I began writing this exhortation focusing on the idea of “Maintaining our Identity”; specifically, the struggle within the body and within ourselves as standing out as Unamended Christadelphians.

I thought of...
→explaining to myself the reason people behave the way they do to maintain a certain type of environment to the detriment of all;
→developing a perception of what worship should be like;
→showing how two or more ideologies can develop around our worship;
→explaining how people who have set ideas and have regimented their religious life in concrete to not turn to (or if they do, twist) the bible for examples and to avoid answers that pertain to living and teaching “the way”, not seeing ourselves or themselves as the Scribes and Pharisees who were willing to go to extremes and killed those who disagreed or introduced a foreign substance into a statuesque form of worship, possibly compromising someone’s comfort and the way “it has always been done”.

God showed me that…
Worrying about “Maintaining the Unamended Christadelphian Identity” was not really that important.

God showed me that…
He could maintain the identity he wants us to have (just as he has for Abraham and his seed for nearly 4000 years).

God showed me that…
We are special to him and He has gone to great lengths and will go to greater lengths to preserve our future. We are His children.


So the title is…You are Special to God.

I'll start off by looking at a series of verses. Check them out, and I'll continue with another entry soon.

The Firstborn - Exodus 13:2
The Levites - a little more special to His purpose - Numbers 8:16
Jacob and Esau defined - Romans 9:11
The importance of recognizing your importance to God from birth - Psalm 22:9-10, Psalm 71:5-6
Esau’s and Everyone Like Esau’s fate - Psalm 58:3
Israel as God’s Special Child - Isaiah 44:2
Israel: One of My Favorites - Isaiah 46:3-4
Part of Israel as Transgressors but Pardoned - Isaiah 48:1,8-10; 49:1-6,14-15
Now let’s start making it more personal - Jeremiah 1:5
John the Baptist - Luke 1:15
Paul - Galatians 1:15-16
Now...the spiritual application - John 3:3-5

As that was all said…what is the common term that links all these passages?

Tsunami

Tragedy always makes us think about life and death.  The recent tsunami is hard for me to get my hands around.  It is hard to watch the images and process them all - to "figure out" what it all means.  To figure out if it was God's doing, and if it was, why He did it, what He wants us to learn from it, how it fits into His ultimate plan for this earth - His wonderful kingdom. 

Of course, I have my feelings about the possibility of physical change on this earth, and the tsunami certainly fits in with my philosophy...

...but instead of abstractly and academically thinking about how it fits in with my philosophy, I find myself instead thinking about the physical reality for thousands of children and families tonight - those who had their lives ripped away from them in an instant. 

Yes, I hope for God's kingdom.  This tragedy only makes that academic hope a more desperate cry for help. 

What is Truth?

Opening Reading

Joh 18:28  Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

Joh 18:29  Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?

Joh 18:30  They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.

Joh 18:31  Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:

Joh 18:32  That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.

Joh 18:33  Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?

Joh 18:34  Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?

Joh 18:35  Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?

Joh 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Joh 18:37  Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Joh 18:38  Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?

 

The theme of this article is the reactive statement that Pilate had to the Lord Jesus’ testimony of his mission to the world…

 

…and the question today is…What is truth?…and we’ll come back to Pilate’s situation in a little bit.

 

In 1988, through precarious (some may say divine) circumstances, I was introduced to what the Christadelphians had to offer.  (Please humor me just for a moment for a brief testimonial of my own to our subject today).  A previous life of utter ignorance but a tad-bit of conscience as a result of the influence of my mother’s rigid, Southern Baptist upbringing but her’s soon swept-away by choice, misfortune, and the cares of this life…I was without…Truth.  As many of us once were, our lives reflected that.

 

1988 came and so did a few people that talked about this word called “Truth” even “The Truth”.  I thought it was a little odd that with the vastness of religious diversity and secularism around the world (not only Christian) that a few people that called themselves Christadelphians referred to what they knew and believed as “The Truth”.  The “catcher”:  these people were my wife, my brother, my father-in-law, my mother-in-law and I had never heard anything about “The Truth”. 

 

I thought: Let me investigate this a little further.  We all know how the rest “played-out”.

 

Through the years, I’ve watched and listened to other Christadelphians use this phrase in conversation nonchalantly but as a matter of solid, undisputable, fact.  They believe in the things taught through the bible and the message of the gospel:

• Given to us by inspiration of God directed through the writings of the holy men of old.
  
• The things concerning the Kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ.
  
• Especially…Reflected in the life and the miracles of our Lord.
  
• The Plan of God centered-around a man\one man\who would offer redemption, inheritance, and salvation to all through his obedience and his self-sacrifice by having a relationship with his father, knowing he was the nucleus of God’s plan as the alpha and omega to the final end of mortality, and bringing “many sons unto glory”.
  
• And…how those little but powerful words “The Truth” have drastically changed our lives and how it can change others.
  
• How it is said that someone has left “The Truth” that “The Truth never leaves them”; but as a person, once they have learned “The Truth”; once the puzzle pulls together; “The Truth” will be there forever.  It is “The Big Picture”.  It is “The mystery revealed”.

 

Now…I’ve, also, heard the term used demonstrably and with force from many podiums and\or even heated conversations.  I very seldom (if ever) heard kids or teenagers use the phrase (I think…maybe because of the non-assurance of adolescence)(maybe they use it amongst themselves). 

 

Let me tell you…Personally, I love the term “The Truth” (eventhough our lives sometime do little to reflect it); I love it because…over time, the world that we live in has so evolved into so much confusion and so little truth…if truth is really to be found (moreover, peace by truth), it is only to be found in “The Truth of God”.

 

A Few Quotes

Mark Twain said:  “The difference between truth and fiction:  fiction has to make sense”.

He also said:  “ A historian who would convey the truth must lie.  Often he must enlarge the truth by diameters, otherwise his reader would not be able to see it”.

 

Galileo said about Truth: “All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them”.

 

Albert Einstein said: “Truth is what stands the test of experience”.

 

Aristotle said: “Philosophy is the science which considers truth”.

 

Herber Agar:  “The Truth that makes men free is for the most part the truth which men prefer not to hear”.

 

Lastly…the most negatively profound but understood amongst us all here (once revealed)…

 

Adolf Hitler said:  There is no such thing as truth.   

 

Pilate

Now…as we return to Pilate’s statement, Pilate lived in a world of confusion and so little truth…again, it is accumulatively worse today but…How could Pilate standing before Jesus himself, deny “The Truth” of God? What is Truth?

 

In the manner of Pilate’s question and reaction does the world rest today…

 

Pilate expected no answer from Jesus because he expected no results.  Sandwiched between 2 political and religious systems of the day (one more religious toward an Israelitish Hope but free of the fruit expected by Yahweh), the climate and condition of the day had worn calluses upon Pilate’s desire for any extension of life (especially if it meant that it would be similar to the what he was used to!).

 

What is Truth?

 

4000 years from Adam and the Light of the World could not even melt away the fog and darkness of idolatry, tradition, and philosophy.

 

Paul says:

2Co 4:1  Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

2Co 4:2  But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

2Co 4:3  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

2Co 4:5  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

 

What is Truth?  Pilate asked…

A real quick note to understand the times:

As we’ve been studying in our Wednesday night class about “the captivity”,  the time of the return ran concurrent to the height of the greatest philosophers of “the world” (Great Pursuers of “Truth”); Socrates in Greece (470 to 339 B.C.); Gautama Buddha in India (560 to 480 B.C.); Confucius in China (551 to 479 B.C.). 

 

Israel and Judah caught in-between the captivity and the time of Jesus not only inherited the influence of Babylon (we know what that influence leads to in Rev. 17 and the call to come out of her in the future; Rev. 18:4); Persia and the influence of the Philosopher Zor0aster (depreciating the Sovereignty of God by introducing Dualism); the next successive kingdom, the Greeks – mythology & polytheism at its finest; Lastly, Rome – some 300 years after Christ inherits the practices of Babylon and incorporates it into Christianity.  You can’t set apart all of the influence of those Great Philosophers even on all of the countries to which they traded goods with (even Israel and Judah – “Give us a King; We want to be like all other countries”).  By the time Jesus came upon the scene, all of the known Jewish religious groups had uniquely incorporated all of the false doctrines of their neighbors.  And you look back as Israel entered the land the first time, there was a reason why God wanted Joshua to cleanse the land of all the Canaanites. 

 

What is Truth?

 

Albert Barnes:  A noteworthy non-christadelphian bible commentator says…

“This question had long (at the time of Jesus) agitated the world. It was the great subject of inquiry in all the schools of the Greeks. Different sects of philosophers had held different opinions, and Pilate now, in derision, asked him, whom he esteemed an ignorant fanatic (that is what Pilate thought of Jesus), whether he could solve this long-agitated question. He might have had an answer. If he had patiently waited in sincerity, Jesus would have told him what it was. Thousands ask the question in the same way. They have a fixed contempt for the Bible; they deride the instructions of religion; they are unwilling to investigate and to wait at the gates of wisdom; and hence, like Pilate, they remain ignorant of the great Source of truth, and die in darkness and in error. All might find truth if they would seek it; none ever will find it if they do not apply for it to the great source of light the God of truth, and seek it patiently in the way in which he has chosen to communicate it to mankind. How highly should we prize the Bible! And how patiently and prayerfully should we search the Scriptures, that we may not err and die forever!”

Hence the statement of Paul:  “If the gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost”.

 

Albert Barnes’ reference: Joh_14:6.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

My references:

Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

 

Even in Pilate’s self-vindicating remarks wasn’t enough to appease the angry mob: 

He said:

I find in him no fault - See Luk_23:4;

 

He had Jesus alone to ask him if he was the King of the Jews (twice); as we see, Pilate’s indifference shines-through.  We can just say…sometimes this life alone has its own reward.

Revisiting John 18:

Joh 18:33  Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?  (if there is one question that is consistent across all 4 gospels, it is this one)Question 1

Joh 18:34  Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?

Joh 18:35  Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Question 2 Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Question 3

Joh 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Joh 18:37  Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Question 4:  a repeat of question 1 Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Joh 18:38  Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? Question 5.

 

I really do think that Pilate found himself in a precarious position (a no-man’s land of a sort):  caught in the crossfire between the Jewish authorities and his own occupation.

 

Now…Up to this point (whether in this exhortation or not), I think that we have established that the original source of truth is God.  He has revealed his inspired Truth in one book.  I think we can all agree that God deems The Truth important to a relationship with him.  The Truth is in knowing salvation is in Jesus Christ only.  God cannot lie (Hb. 6:18) so his Truth is unalterable.  Lastly, the word Truth is defined and very much derived by Faith.

 

Q\A Now, I ask you (to us):  What is truth? And, Is knowing the Plan of God in Christ sufficient to knowing the Truth?

 

Jesus says

Joh 8:24  I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Joh 8:25  Then said they unto him, Who art thou? Another Question And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.

Joh 8:26  I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.

Joh 8:27  They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.

Joh 8:28  Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Joh 8:29  And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

Joh 8:30  As he spake these words, many believed on him.

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

The answer:  A life that reflects Jesus Christ is also part of “The Truth”.  Having just an academic knowledge of Messiah is not enough either.  It’s the full\comprehensive understanding of how our lives become the fabric of The Truth in Christ Jesus. 

Paul says

Eph 4:17  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

Eph 4:18  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

Eph 4:19  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Eph 4:20  But ye have not so learned Christ;

Eph 4:21  If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

 

So we go on to the best of our ability to understand it and to live it.  Nothing is ever a “fix-all” to anything in our lives.  Is there ever a point in a believer’s life the he or she says:

 

What is truth?

 

From a believer’s standpoint, It seems when we begin questioning, “What is truth?”, we’re beginning a downhill slide to something that is not good. When we’re not doing so well spiritually, I think (and as I’ve witnessed) continuing to believe (the elementary principles) what Christadelphians do believe as “The Truth” is sometimes all we have to hold on to.

 

As for Pilate, who in ignorance made the statement face to face with any chance of salvation, he lies in the dust this day to never see the light of day again. 

 

Isa 26:13  O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.

Isa 26:14  They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.

 

Psa 146:3  Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

Psa 146:4  His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

 

Not only does his thoughts perish but the memory of him perishes also.  In Pilate’s case (it’s a little different)(the lowly estate of the Governor of Judea), (just because of his record with Jesus Christ!) his name will be remembered forever as the one who superficially knew the innocence of our King, covered every base to vindicate himself from it, and ignorantly asked (standing before the Son of God) “What is truth?”. We all hope not to ever be found in the mindset and rationale of Pilate.  Now…I do believe that living it and believing it sometimes takes a different turn.  It would be nice if we all were always living and moving in the same vein but I don’t think that necessarily is the point.

 

Beginning by figuring-out and saying…It Is The Truth…Then, It Will Set You Free: 

 

Evenmore, The One and Only Truth is in Christ Jesus.

 

 

Isa 30:19  For3588 the people5971 shall dwell3427 in Zion6726 at Jerusalem:3389 thou shalt weep no more:1058, 1058, 3808 he will be very gracious2603, 2603 unto thee at the voice6963 of thy cry;2199 when he shall hear8085 it, he will answer6030 thee.

Isa 30:20  And though the Lord136 give5414 you the bread3899 of adversity,6862 and the water4325 of affliction,3906 yet shall not3808 thy teachers3384 be removed into a corner3670 any more,5750 but thine eyes5869 shall1961 see7200 (853) thy teachers:3384

Isa 30:21  And thine ears241 shall hear8085 a word1697 behind4480, 310 thee, saying,559 This2088 is the way,1870 walk1980 ye in it, when3588 ye turn to the right hand,541 and when3588 ye turn to the left.8041

Isa 30:19  For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.

Isa 30:20  And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:

Isa 30:21  And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand (the truth), and when ye turn to the left.

 

Isaiah says in Is. 3o that the right hand is ultimately connected to the truth.  Our judgment is very well connected to our continued belief in the truth.  In the kingdom of our lord, there will be nothing but Truth.

 
Memorial Service

 

Pilate

Joh 19:1  Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.

Joh 19:2  And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,

Joh 19:3  And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

Joh 19:4  Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.

Joh 19:5  Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!

Joh 19:6  When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

Joh 19:7  The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

Joh 19:8  When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;

Joh 19:9  And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.

Joh 19:10  Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

Joh 19:11  Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

Joh 19:12  And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

Joh 19:13  When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

Joh 19:14  And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

Joh 19:15  But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.

Joh 19:16  Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.

Joh 19:17  And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

Joh 19:18  Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

Joh 19:19  And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Joh 19:20  This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.

Joh 19:21  Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.

Joh 19:22  Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.

Joh 19:23  Then the soldiers, they crucified Jesus…

 

Notice:  The Disciple’s Reaction to Jesus Compared to Pilate’s

1Jo 1:1  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

1Jo 1:2  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

1Jo 1:3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

1Jo 1:4  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

 

Pilate preferred the hands-off approach.  The Lord’s disciples prefer nothing else but to see him and to handle him.  Blessed are they that have not seen yet believe.

 

1Jo 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

1Jo 3:2  Beloved, now are we the children of God (by faith), and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

1Jo 3:3  And every person that hath this hope in them purifieth themselves, even as they are pure.

 

Pilate could have but he didn’t.

You are Special to God

The common link to the passages at the end of Part I:

 

The Womb…of course…Being Born.

 

We will answer…

 

Q\A What is the common theme of these verses for Israel?

 

Q\A What is the common theme for us as Individuals?

 

            Are they one in the same?

 

I wanted to begin this article with these series of verses because they gives us a beginning with how God views us (as well as Israel\as Israel) and how his grace is extended at his own demand.

 

I also want to make it more personal and extend this to how we relate with our own life (as Israel, as God’s called and chosen), how we view ourselves (as Israel, as God’s called and chosen), and lastly, how we cope with the requested change in ourselves (as Israel, as God’s called and chosen).

 

I guess we would call this last part “the discipleship of Christ”.

 

Now…Let’s talk about God’s Firstborn Child for a moment…(now…we know and we have read that the topic of natural Israel is the means by which the apostles and the new testament scriptures draw and relate to the audiences that they were immediately addressing by relating to their history, how they were and are special to God, and relate the same practice of God toward them to a new testament message….which I say was [in all senses of the word] Better, Fulfilled, Exceedingly to the point on Grace and Mercy by the message taught by our Redeemer but also passed on by the disciples)…again, as relating to God’s Firstborn Child…(but as we all know, calling and choosing doesn’t come without a price on our part…but as we all know, the requested price falls far short of the reward offered)…

 

It all begins for us this morning reflecting back to Israel and the special group handpicked and predetermined by God because of his promises to one man to be a peculiar treasure…

 

God told Moses:

Exo 4:22  And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

Exo 4:23  And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

 

And God relates to Moses and the Children of Israel:

Exo 19:5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

 

So God relays the message to Pharaoh and the world the special relationship that Israel has to him; the message to let go (release) the bondage and grasp that idolatry, the ruler of this world, and the cares of this life have to offer; after the release, he relays the to his special people (chosen from the womb) to obey and keep because the old man has been left back in Egypt. 

 

But did they?  No. Now..Is that they final lesson?

 

And, of course, we see and absorb the lesson rather easily but we all readily admit that we deflect (not always) but we sometimes deflect the personal “obeying and keeping”.  I want to say that…we’re as bad or worse than them….you’ll probably say “yeah”(affirm)…you’ll probably affirm “we’re a sad lot also”(affirm)…you probably at this point would want to admit “why should we even try?”…being the same type of stiffnecked \ rebellious people that they are.  What is the point?

 

I think part of the point is the answer to the lesson but also…we have learned in our life that we must be al little rebellious and stiffnecked to be a called a Christadelphian also.

 

Paul puts forth the message in Romans: 

Rom 11:29  For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (irrevocable).

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

 

Truly, the balance of the gospel message is for us to do our very best and believe in the grace and mercy of God to his called-out ones from the womb; those he has forknown.

 

As for Israel, the End is the Means; Natural Israel’s relationship & resolve for the future is what works on us currently & real-time.  The Grace and Supplication when Messiah is revealed, accepted, and poured upon them is the same that we benefit from currently.  What they receive in a new testament spirit is what we’ve received already. 

 

We know that we can be cut-off as easily as easily as they.  But the message comes full-circle back mercy (evenmore, the Sure Mercies of David); You ever ask … “Why David? Why God’s Beloved?”  Christ is Beloved; David is Beloved; Israel is Beloved; because we will be considered part of the Kingdom to come because “Beloved, Now are we the Children of God”…from the womb he has known us.

 

So why such a condemning view; why such a judgmental view on those called from the womb; why so much strife, anxiety, fear, (sometimes) hate within a people who are redeemed and to a people who will be redeemed?  For whom Christ died…

 

Deu 7:6  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

Deu 7:7  The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

Deu 7:8  But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Deu 7:9  Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

Deu 7:10  And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.

Deu 7:11  Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.

Deu 7:12  Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:

 

The apostle Paul reconciles the written commandments to us something physical that we must adhere to as a detriment to our salvation and to “not knowing Christ”:  the physical adherence to law deters us from the spiritual restraints born of the conscience.  You know them and do them because you love and believe what “eye has not seen nor ear heard”.  In other words, it must be automatic for us not something that we must force ourselves to do.

 

Of course, if God is with us, who can be against us? …Except (really) ourselves and our own ability to ask.

 

You recall the verses that are so commonly used in Matthew…

 

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 

Do you recall the previous verses to this?

 

Mat 7:7  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Mat 7:8  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Mat 7:9  Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

Mat 7:10  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

Mat 7:11  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

 

Who is the gate? Who is the way?  Who is the door?  To whom do we ask?  Is there anything that cannot be asked for?

 
Whatsoever you ask

You must believe and love in so doing.

 

We draw the conclusion…Only God knows who will make it and who won’t.  That never eliminates the human factor of a change of heart or in a direction of life and us to strive to develop our character to that likened to that of the divine nature. I would go on to say… “He more than expects that from whom he has called and chosen from the womb”.  We must develop the Fruit of the Spirit…without it, we cannot be like God.  He is the originator of all of these: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:  against such there is no law.

 

So what’s the lesson?

 

It’s sad that we’re restricted to a human viewpoint of salvation.  The human viewpoint is “what we must do or stay away from”. 

 

To tread lightly, it seems God’s viewpoint is “what we haven’t done”.

 

The human viewpoint is “I can never do enough”.

 

God’s viewpoint is “Haven’t I done enough for you for you to love and believe”.

“I’ve provided my son (once & for all; for all time; the potential is there for everyone to come or maintain a relationship with him); My Son is here with me for you; He is a priest for you;…ASK; you were foreknown, chosen from the womb, called, presented the light to the glorious gospel from a God full of Grace and Mercy; what else do you want?”

 

 

I urge you to look back on your life and look upon the breadth, length, depth, and height of how God has worked with you as a child to get you where you are today. 

 

Think of your adolescence and the confusion of who you were and who may want to be.

Those of my age coming to the conclusion and reality of who we have been (sometimes called midlife; hopefully, without a crisis of needing to experience anything that seemed to be missed out on).

Those of Larry’s age…well, we’ll stop there.

 

You are special to God and his “gifts and calling of God are without repentance”.   We must do our best; lean upon the grace and mercy of God.  That is the Gospel of Grace and the Mind of Christ.

 

Remember, he has known you from the womb also.

 

 Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Eph 1:15  Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

Eph 1:16  Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

Eph 1:17  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

Eph 1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Eph 1:19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Eph 1:20  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places…

Choosing our Battles

This little corner of cyberspace was intended to be exclusively positive.  I'm not saying diversity is bad.  (We all know I Cor. 12 by heart by now, right?)  I am saying it is possible to disagree and still be nice.  I am saying it's possible to be down on yourself (negative) and up on  your hope.  I'm saying it's mandatory to overcome evil with good.  

Encouraging everyone to be nice is a battle worth fighting!  History has shown that it is not an easy battle.  In today's time, it's hard to give someone a straight-up compliment without getting a sideways, suspicious glance in return.  I wonder if this inhospitable setting is similar to Noah's time?  It would make sense, considering it was going to be the same at the time of Jesus' return, which it seems should be soon! 

So how can we be nice?  Here's a tip:  before submitting a thought - spoken, written, or whatever -

1. prepare it ahead of time (for example, comments can be prepared in another program, then copied and pasted into the comment window before clicking "Post."),


2. Go back over it a thousand times (or so - just be sure to review it extensively before submitting.),


3. go through it and remove/reword all negative thoughts (for example, when I think I'm finished with a comment or entry, I usually re-read to catch these negative thoughts that could have just as much impact, but in a positive way).

When this website was exclusively positive, it received little to no traffic.  My conclusion:  people are not generally interested in hearing positive things.  People want conflict.  It is AMAZING to note the sharp increase in traffic as soon as controversy is introduced.  The site has received about 25 comments in the last 2 days.  Before 2 days ago, there were a total of about 15 comments over 8 months.

That having been said, what is an Unamended Christadelphian?  How do we wish to be known? 

Jesus has left us with everything.  He has left us the pattern of the armor of God so we can quench fiery darts and all of that good stuff.  We live a truly blessed life.  The world outside is a great enemy, though - spiritual wickedness in high places.  If an Unamended Christadelphian is a person who serves one another through love, through prayer for one another, we might actually make it!  A crown of righteousness laid up for us! 

Unamended Christadelphians are very protective, collectively, over their flock.  Each one thinks it's his/her duty to look out for the good of the whole.  It is GREAT to see that attitude amongst believers!  One thing we can all be sure of:  anyone who encourages others on our common fight against spiritual enemies, encourages prayerful consideration of the scriptures, and leads others along through "sound doctrine," is an Unamended Christadelphian.  All those whose treatment of others leaves a bad taste in ANY person's mouth are NOT Unamended Christadelphians.  How do I know this?  Because ANYONE can know an Unamended Christadelphian by the LOVE that he shows for his fellow Unamended Christadelphians. 

Joh 13:35 By this all shall know that you are My disciples, if you have love toward one another.

I'm excited about this increase in traffic, and pray that we can all continue to come here and inspire each other to try harder in whatever situation we might find ourselves, no matter how we got there.  We owe great respect to all those who have blazed this trail, dying on occasion for their faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. 

Let us all pray for one another.  If there is anything I can do to help anyone, please let me know.  Within the constraints of my life (family, ecclesia, job, etc.) I will do my best to provide any needed assistance.  The great thing about Unamended Christadelphians -  you know that you can count on the same in return!

It's Real

Have we realized the Truth?

What is real? Real life to me, is a 40-hour+ per week job, 3 kids, sleep (the amount allowed by those previous things), small Unamended Christadelphian ecclesia (meaning plenty of work for me) with about 500 kids and about 3 adults(meaning plenty of work for everyone), house, yard, cars, neighbors and friends, family, triathlons and marathons (all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, right?), and whatever else I can squeeze into a 168-hour week. For my wife, add in diaper changes, potty-training, errands shuttling kids around (which will only get more involved, I know), house, kids, kids, and more kids, all the while trying to remember that she's a highly educated person capable of words with more than 2 syllables if only she had the outlet for them.

Living the way Yahweh wants us to, in such real-life scenarios, is going beyond the academic understanding of Biblical doctrinal principles. Living it is always living up to the standards of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ - IN EVERYTHING WE DO. Everyone knows you have real stuff to do in your life - don't make it seem to others that all you do is fight the outside forces of doctrinal evil. Remember - living inside each of us is a very strong force of real evil! The kind that blinds us to real life, and let's us get caught up in the twilight zone of manufactured problems. I've got about 1,000 beams in my eye that need constant attention...I will get out my tweezers and help you with your splinter if you ask; otherwise, I'm just not able to see them.

Jesus was not a nit-picker. What did He require of others? Have you read through the commandments of Christ lately, as summarized in the Unamended Christadelphian Statement of Faith? Have you at least pondered His commandments? Review them here - and then give some feedback on these two questions:
1. How can commandments like these, which relate to our actions, be included in a statement of faith?
2. Is there a common theme that could be drawn from the list as a whole?

Get Over It

This post has been waiting for some time...sorry for the delay!

There are positive signs in the Unamended Christadelphian body - signs that people are dealing with their issues from the past.  Wouldn't it be nice if there was a great, big "get over it" just waiting to solve all our problems???

Well, good news - there is!  Are you plagued (or even worse, "offended") by someone else's presence? 

GET OVER IT.

Are you unhappy with your lot in life?

GET OVER IT.

Did someone slander you or say something mean to you?

GET OVER IT.

How's about I Cor. 13:7, which by some renderings says "Love keeps no record of wrong-doing."  The KJV says "Love bears all things."  LOVE DEALS WITH IT.  LOVE GETS OVER IT.

It seems that lately, we've all been a little too sensitive. The big picture view of things - the LOVE view, if I may be so bold - is to let the little things go. Don't take offense to minor issues. Remember - you have not resisted unto blood. There has been no biting or scratching - yet. Let's nip the quarreling in the bud by simply GETTING OVER IT.

John 8:39, continued

Begin with Abraham

 

As we introduce Abraham, God said to Abram “walk before me, and be thou perfect”. Again, we introduce and couple the idea of a NT “perfection” with another idiomatic concept from the OT that totally and visually describes the how Our Father can not only “grow his child” but determine a different level of expectation for him or her individually.  Once that child grows, what kind of relationship does he have with his father?  James and the Lord Jesus describe it as a “friendship”.

 

James

Jam 2:17-23 

...and he was called the Friend of God.

 

We can recall previous to this…

Jam 2:13-17

 
What about the Lord Jesus?

Joh 15:12-17 

...that ye love one another.

 

“Friend” in all contexts has the same root word, as we know it as “phileo”; as we also know, one of the translations for what we know to be “love”.  Even the higher-form of “love” is spelled-out to the believers in context with being Jesus’ Friends as they are told to “love one another”. 

 

We begin to see (at least, some see and some hear) how these particular subjects connect to one-another rather than being disconnected in thought and application.  It’s all a package or a woven-fabric rather than many fragmented subjects dangling individually as a frayed-rope. As we always have discussed, separation of doctrine and behavior is impossible.

 

Up to this point, we have our introduction and A Tale of Two Perspectives, which speaks broadly on our discipleship and growth; we have friendship and love described toward and amongst Abraham and the Disciples of Christ; now…

 

I mentioned the idiomatic portrait of “walk before me”…and be thou perfect…

 

Read:  For Abraham, God says “Between me and you”:  personal; a relationship is established like Jesus Christ’s.

 

(Other References:  Gen 17:1; 24:40-Abraham; Gen. 48: 15-Abraham and Isaac; 1 Sam 2:30,35- the admonition to house of the high priest; 1 Kings 2:4, 8:25, 9:4-David and requested of Solomon).

 

        Interpret

 

 

How does this all play into John 8? 

 

What are the works of Abraham that we are to follow suite with? 

 

We could say that there is a line being drawn in John 8 and moving up to John 10 decribing the that they works of Jesus were the works of God and were the works of Abraham and are to be our works also. 

 

Joh 10:24-42  

especially Joh 10:37  If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

Joh 10:38  But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

 

By the good works that Jesus did, the Jews of the day should have noticed that he was “from God” (just like the prophets – in which they also in John 8 said “Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death”) but again being blind to their own conceits, they reject Jesus Christ and his works. 

 

All this and in-between John 8 and John 10, Jesus came right out of the scene from John 9; heals a blind man; gets tracked down for doing something right and good; the works overtake the adversity again.

 

The mission of the Lord Jesus Christ was confirmed to the people by what he did toward serving God in helping and healing.  In fact, Isaiah 42 determines what his accomplishments would be:

 

Isa 42:1-7 

notice:  Isa 42:6  I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

Isa 42:7  To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

 

To…1) open the blind eyes; 2) to bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darkeness out of the prison house.

 

Did he open the blind eyes?  Only if he could get past the surface of the individual to reach their heart, His or Her actions taught that by faith, physical and spiritual blindness could be overcome.  This is what he did for the man in John 9.

 

What are the prison and the prison house?  What are we held “captive” to?  What do we really need released from?  Of course, it is the bondage of sin. This is what Jesus did for the woman caught in adultery in John 8.  Jesus releases us from captivity to have us never be held captive again.  Again, it is an act of faith. 

 

One more time: what did Abraham do as “works”? How was he “proved” by his works? James implies that Abraham’s works peaked with the offering up of Isaac.  For Abraham, whether recorded or not, the works were a consistent part of his “walking before God” in the “being thou perfect”. 

 

He “walked before God”:  God had faith in Abraham as well as Abraham has faith in God.

He “was perfect” as the process we all strive for “mastery” and “maturity” through a process of God working with us in (as Dyron would say) “real life”.

 

The example I will leave you today will be likened to that of what you’ve seen recorded about Jesus in chapters 8 through 10 of John.  Think of all we said about “your brother”, “blindness”, “the works of all who are of Our Father”…Watch what Abraham does…He does more.

 

Genesis 14

 

We recall that Abraham and Lot separated as a result of “herd-conflict” earlier and Lot moved to Sodom.

 

Gen. 14: 13-24.

 

If we recall, the translation for Lot is “veiled” or in the context of what Jesus did:  He relieved the world of blindness (literally and figuratively).  He helped his brother (nephew) against the rulers of “this world” and again Lot’s own personal choices to go to Sodom and to lose his wife.  He showed the works of Our Father. 

 

This all goes back one of my previous statements on Judgment: 

 

I urge you on your own time (if you haven’t before) to look at the rest of Abraham’s works in petitioning for Sodom in Genesis 18 and also read in 1 John 3 about the true relationship we are to have with our brother in contract to “the Way of Cain”.

 

Not to deter too far from what our immediate subject…but…the Bible does teach us that Wisdom does come from God (James 1:5); even Knowledge in its “spirit” form was provided by God (1 Cor. 13:8).  This doesn’t detract from our own personal attempts and strivings to draw closer to “his ways” (Is. 55:8,9).  So the immediate conclusion of these thoughts (Ecc. 12:13,14) is that a certain portion of what we retain is “God-Given” and a certain portion is “Learned”.  The rest is somehow lost or deflected.

 

One thing that we do learn from the scriptures about our development is…God can do and will do anything with the vessels that he has made (the Potter and the Clay).

 

Evil

Blindness

Hardness

 

Really…Why did\do the Jews reject the work of Jesus as Messiah?  His argument is that if you reject my “works” you reject Abraham’s works and God’s works & working through them.  They are intricately connected in every point.

 

It’s the “We Were Here 1st Complex”.  Jesus himself uses this same argument.  The difference was that Jesus’ message to the scribe was to look past\before tradition to the original source.  Likewise, we have the same message delivered to us in the 21st century to look past the origination of “Christadelphia” and to use the same mindset as Jesus: 

 

Who was really here 1st? 

 

Just like “little children”…

 

“We found it 1st.  It is mine.”

 

Joh 10:24-42  

 

Context of John 8:  Were they writing letters and emails?  There’s no disagreement on the matter of doctrine; the practice and application of the truth towards other is by which we disagree.

 

We don’t believe the same gospel if you don’t believe in grace and completely forgiveness of sins.

 

Begin…

• Jesus came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

Interruption…

• The scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery.
  
• When they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
  
• This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.
  
• But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
  
• So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
  
• Again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
  
• they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
  
• Where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
  
• She said, No man, Lord.
  
• Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Begin again…

• Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
  
• Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.  And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
  
• It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
  
• Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father?
  
• Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
  
• Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: (John 9) whither I go, ye cannot come.
  
• Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.
  
• And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. (John 17)(Luke 20)(Legalistic World?)
  
• I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
  
• Then said they unto him, Who art thou?
  
• I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
  
• They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.

 

Exo 34:6-10 

 

 

• Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man (Crucify Afresh), then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

The lesson was learned about sin forgiven.

 

• As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
  
• Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

 Returns back to the earlier lesson.

 

• I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

The Way of Cain

 

Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Mat 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

 

I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

Joh 8:39  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

 

What are the works of Abraham?  What did Abraham do in comparison to the context of John 8:

 

Gal 3:29

In this case, there are 2 types of Abraham’s seed.

 

The Condition “If”

 

The Perspective of the Pharisees and Scribes

 

Refer to Ezra and Nehemiah – reformation, renovation, and revival.

 

Not many people agreed with Jesus’ approach to sinners.

 

The blinding of eyes…why can’t people see it?

 

 

Now…Self-Examine for a moment (Look Deep!) and See if you can place yourself as one of the Pharisees; and the next level, see if the schismatic group that you determine to be part of has a pharisaical mindset as to blindly be rejecting the works of God, Jesus, Abraham:

 

Joh 8:53  Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

Joh 8:54  Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:

Joh 8:55  Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

Joh 8:56  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

Joh 8:57  Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

Joh 8:58  Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Joh 8:59  Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

 

A threefold cord...

Isn't fellowship a blessing?  The last time you looked around at the breaking of bread (come on, you know you do it), weren't you uplifted by the fact that you were not alone in participating in this ritual?  Did you rejoice in seeing those around you also taking the time out of their lives to focus on, and even declare, that they, too, believed that Jesus came and died and rose again? 

Fact is, there are fewer and fewer people willing to profess that Jesus came in the flesh.  Monotheistic Christians, we'll call them.  Ever since paganism was merged with Christianity, yielding Trinitarians, fewer and fewer people have held to the true understanding of the significance of that statement, "came in the flesh."  If you think about it, pretty much all the factions (besides the nit-picky ones) that have arisen throughout the history of religions have come from that point of contention.

Isn't it a blessing to have fellow-believers who can rejoice in the knowledge of Jesus Christ?  Step back a minute now, and think about this:  WHY?  Why does it matter?  Why does that make us feel good?  "No man is an island" is the way that one man put it.  The Bible, in Ecclesiastes tells us that "two are better than one, and a three-stranded rope is not easily broken."  Two people can generate heat in the cold weather, it says.  We NEED each other.  It is wonderful that we have others to fall back on in our times of need.  Can anyone out there claim they've never been in NEED?  Beware - time and chance both say your turn is coming soon...so while you are not in need, be sure to help those that are.  It is this continuous process of building that prepares us for troubled times.  Now is the time to appreciate - and build - your fellowship!

The Gospel of Grace

Check out some recent thoughts by Bro. Mike at this link.

Constriction

Here's a great new thought from Bro. Mike.  Thanks, Mike!

Purity

To the pure, all things are pure.  How can this be?  Anyone who is honest with themselves will clearly see they are not pure.  Some might presume to approach purity (not a good road to go down), but NO ONE can claim to have achieved it.  So then this verse applies to no one. 

Wrong.  This verse applies to anyone who has been washed.  Have you been washed?  Have you relinquished all control over your own desires?  Have you dedicated yourself wholly to the service of Yahweh? 

How can anyone be pure?  Can you imagine how stressful it would be if achieving purity were our responsibility?  How then, could Jesus say His yoke was easy, and his burden was light? 

Psa 51:5-10 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. (6) Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part You shall make me to know wisdom. (7) Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (8) Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which You have broken may rejoice. (9) Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. (10) Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

CONSCIENCE

A FEW OPENING THOUGHTS ON CONSCIENCE...

Preface: Let me preface my thoughts today by saying that if a person completely agrees with the doctrines professed by a certain religious group it doesn't mean that they are in complete agreement with the application and behavior of that particular group. The following Thoughts on Conscience are intended not to offend but make us think bigger than what we've observed the last 15, 35, 55, 155 years to what we (as Christadelphians) have really been called to do and how to act. With that said...

Many-a-times and through the years, my perception of Conscience (C.O.) was structured around the idea of
How Far Must I Stay Away From Something Just To Be Safe (the idea of "Constriction"). Safe from what?
Safe from myself? Possibly. Safe for Fear of Contamination, Criticism, and Not Being Accepted? More than likely. This "Fear" holds us to "a path" that we (as Individuals) would not travel unless someone else was on it or unless it was easily traveled. This "path" may not be or possibly is not "the path" that the Lord intended for us to travel. I know...I know...the Lord can travel us down any path that he would like us to go (the ole argument of Free-Will vs. God's Will) but God (99.99999999% of the time - excluding Jonah, Saul-Paul, etc.) doesn't grab us up and force us down a path of his choosing. It is sometimes a combination of the two aspects of "Will and Direction" (either ours and his {or} his and ours). Since we ask God and then go the direction "we think" he wants us to go, we sometimes find ourselves on "a path determined and directed by others" as "the safe path" (maybe so-called "old paths") that they want us to travel for social uniformity and acceptance without little or no Biblical foundation. As you are well aware, these "paths" are not physical walking paths but paths that may include terms, codes, or key-words that draw us down a particular path. They may also include which and how many expositional books we read. They may also include our desire to conform to a sociopathic pattern of regimented behavior (sometimes called Organized Religion, Ordinances, or Sacraments to which "The Symbol becomes The Substance")(new term "socioreligous"). Jesus in the Gospels (especially in the Sermon on the Mount)(also spoke of in the Book of James - Ja. 2:1-10) warned and spake heavily against this type of conformity and regimented religion. It cannot be denied that order is necessary and "decently and in order" is needed. But, if Jesus would have "conformed" to "the order of the day", he would fallen into the same Club, Category, Path, Condemning Affairs in which he came to reveal in the light of "the weightier matters".

Acceptance

Whether we like it or not - right, wrong, or indifferent - I think we tend find ourselves on the "safe path" to which someone else has constructed. This path is not based on a Conscience melded and reinforced by Jesus Christ and how he acted and\or how he treated other people (this is what I call "taking Christ out of the Christadelphian"). As we focus solely and wholly on him as our "forerunner", he (as well as we are as an extension) was and is a physician to an ailing world. The ailing world in his time was the Jewish world and in our time is Gentile. But he treated everyone respectfully and without bias as long as they pursued this path of healing (themselves and others). His respect was more in this order (to step back and see the big picture of the Gospels): His Disciples, the Jewish People, the Samaritans, the Gentiles, and lastly, the ruling class of Jews who had developed a "Club-Like" mentality that had little to no Biblical foundation (maybe hiding behind a few doctrines) unless it fit their current political needs to rid an adversary. Jesus became that adversary in his day because his mission was not to lift up the so-called leaders but make them servants (even eliminate their jobs or traditional ways of worship Jn. 4:20-24). Jesus came to criticize and reveal "The Club" for what it really was. Jesus would not walk "their path". That's why they sought to kill him (reflect on Stephen's last response-Acts 7:51-60).

Of course, in "The Club" stoning is not prohibited today, "Blackballing" has become more "socially acceptable". As one might say, it does "narrow the playing field". Please excuse the sarcasm for a moment but we must...

Do We Have Clubs?

Face it. At least in the South we do (I will not provide boundries). How do we compare and how can we be accepted?

In our Organized Religion (call it "denomination" if you will), no one can really be accepted unless being part of "The Club" {or in Jesus' time = "The World" i.e. The Jewish World}. Not to stereotype but "The Club" is defined and can overlap into at least 4 categories of acceptance:

Classification A - The Hunting, Sports Attending, Blood of the Covenanter's (sometimes associated with the Katakrima Club)
A white, middle-class, gun-toting, shoot anyone that may break into my house, Puritanical, looking for a witch hunt, meet on Sunday for 3-hours and not associate the rest of the week for fear of someone finding-out who you really are, wanting to find some respect out of life by feeling that you are important for speaking in front of a small group(Let me again preface for clarity and identification, "Not all but those who in person agree fully but soon as you leave find a reason to gossip about you - very, very sad!") of socially dysfunctional, "Un-Christlike" misfits {Don't even think about "spinning" Jesus into this somehow!} {Websters: a person poorly adjusted to his environment; Biblical Supposition to "misfit" (normally out of context): Stranger & Sojourner, "Love not the world", "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are"; Biblical Correction to "misfit": 1Co 9:19-22 :"For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."} for 45 minutes straight, one-time a year, and the list could go on, and on, and on...Is your Conscience bothering you yet? ooooo! I forgot one: "Armchair Christadelphians". Sorry if it sounds a little familiar to Matthew 23.)  

...Note: Some of the remaining "Classifications" may include some of the previous qualities mentioned in Classification A.

Classification B - The Self-Proclaimed Eggheads Club
...like someone can't read history, match-it-up, and remember & recall what you've read...Give Me A Break!

Classification C - Those Controlled by their Wives Club
...I don't want to even go down this path because This Club disappoints me so much...

Classification D - The Clearly Unstable Club
...so you think getting angry, losing your cool, exploding in business meetings is Christ-like and the method of getting your way. It does seem to be working! By the way, parents call this a temper tantrum.

...Note: The above four classifications really enjoy leading others "their way" and are summed up in these words: "For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men:...For you shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men. For you neither go in, nor do you allow those entering to go in....For you compass sea and the dry land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. "

Classification E - The Silent Majority but Sensible Club
This Club can normally be broken-down into the "Elder" Brothers (those who can reflect back more than 35 years) by experience and patience wait for the others to grow up. Others who fall into this group are those who portray the correct Christ-like spirit while the previous group(s) mentioned does "their thing".

"The Skinny" is this...Do we think that these "Classifications" are isolated to just our "Organized\Disorganized Religion"? We shouldn't flatter ourselves. For the multitude of people I talk to about what, who, and how they worship, the same "opportunity" (a Wal-Mart'ism) hovers and looms in all because we are individuals and our pride wants everyone to be "just like us". Biblically, "Same Mind and Same Mouth" doesn't mean that we look the same, like to do the same things, or even the same desire or mental capacity to be drawn and comprehend the scriptures the way everyone thinks one should (thus, we have a regiment of "Bible Readings" which solely is a mechanism to force ourselves to read).

You see, Brothers and Sisters, all of this "hubbub" is about our self-perception of the "Christadelphian Identity and Conformity": i.e. what we think the ideal Christadelphia would be like and literally forcing others to conform to it.

Here's My Appeal...Be Yourself As God's New Creation!

As I and reflecting back, you may feel that you've really never fit into this particular "way of thinking" but you've "forced yourself to fit" for acceptance. It could be that we've grown to emulate a person or others around us instead of being our own self. It's a subtile and easy (2 Cor.11:3) trend to fall into (Even serious dog-owners seem to change their expressions to look like their dogs! Only kidding!). But seriously, we don't want to become "manufactured" or "tape recorders" of someone else 1) for acceptance, or 2) it's easier than looking deeply into the scriptures and\or searching ourselves. For lack of words, we can become hybrids of other's habits or personalities to which the Apostle Paul asks us to deter from in the first chapter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 1:12-15) (The Apostle himself even took a "time-out" from conferring with men {Gal.1:12-16} to determine what and how this "revelation" meant to him personally).
Maybe this adapting to be like others and\or social adaptation is just the "Nature of the Beast".

Brother(s) or Sister(s), this is my appeal to you. You have been called individually and for a specific reason (i.e. individual parts of the body which correspond to the doctrines and behavior of Christ). Being part of the body is to use your talent to what it is intended for; not letting "the forced to fit in" change your individuality "in Christ" or stifle your "growth" (Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection). It's never too late to search yourself and engage into what you've been called for. Maybe (just maybe), we (individually) should re-think our "individual belief system" especially if it is solely based on 1) Knowledge without Spirit; 2) Fear and Hate instead of Faith and Love; 3) Sin Retention instead of Sin Forgiveness (1 JN. 4:18,1 JN. 3:14; 1 JN. 2:12).refer to Dyron's line of thinking on "Purity". The Question: (Be Honest) Who are you emulating? (we'll get more into this in upcoming articles)...

Back to Fear...

In the case of this Fear (as mentioned)(this particular Fear is a Phobia having nothing to do with Reverence), I had to ask myself, "In all that I'm staying away from, is what or anything that I'm doing or not doing (Consciously) furthering "The Cause of Christ"?   Is my Conscience (of Christ) telling me to do more? Have I sold all I have and followed him? Have I laid treasure upon earth?  

The Apostle Paul Says:"So run (for you Brother Dyron), that ye may obtain." ref. Rom. 9:16; 1 Cor. 9:24, 26; Gal.2:2; Gal.5:7; Phil.2:6; Heb.12:1. The emphasis is not sitting back and waiting for things to happen (or hiding our talents in the earth).

Today's Conclusion...

So you see (maybe not; but we will)...Conscience is more than just "Objecting" to something. Is has to do with also "Accepting" (like what we're supposed to be doing because we are purchased) and also possibly "Rejecting" like Jesus rejecting the temptation in the wilderness (explain it as you will).  First and foremost, Conscience has to do with what you "know" about Jesus and Jesus the Christ. Conscience involves you AND the "other person" (Conscious). Conscience is Automatic, NOT, Thought-Out. Conscience (used New Testament only-used 29\30 times)in discipleship is only Good. A Conscience can be evil or seared. NT Conscience is solely regulated (though automatic) by a 24 x 7 recognition, relationship, memorialization of what God has done in his creative acts (old and new) and what Jesus has done, is doing, and will be doing (HB. 13:8) FOR US. Completely engage in his life and crucifixion - take up Your Cross and Follow him.   This is a good start on Conscience. Lord Willing: we will continue our series on Conscience (Independent of my feelings and sarcarsm). 

1Jo 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment. He who fears has not been perfected in love.

Your Grass is Green

Lately, I have been enjoying a decadent lifestyle.  I eat at fine restaurants, fly around on private jets, go on trips that I could only have dreamed of doing just a few short years ago.  My family is enjoying the comforts of life, and we have enough to share with others and our small ecclesia.  Like most Americans these days, we are quite blessed, materially speaking.

The greatest blessing, though - no matter how good the food tastes, or how "cool" it is to fly around in private jets (and let me tell you, it's COOL) - is that I can look around all of this decadence, appreciate it for what it's worth, and know that if it all left me tomorrow, my life would be of no less value, and my enjoyment of life would be no less.

When Abraham and Lot came to their parting of ways there in the land of Canaan, you notice something about each of them.  Lot sees where the grass is greener, and Abraham says that ALL the grass is green. 

You may say that Abraham chose to take the bad land.  I say that it didn't matter to him one way or the other.  Abraham was obviously not a person to be ruined by riches.  He was rich, and obviously not ruined.  So, he had determined his grass would be green no matter where he was.

Reality is a state of mind.  Decide this morning that your grass is going to be green all day.  You might be surprised just how green it is.

Also, when things are going well, don't do a disservice to Yahweh by feeling guilty that your grass seems extra green.  Enjoy the greenness, but NEVER lose sight of the fact that our material blessings are not what matters.  And make to yourselves friends with the mammon of unrighteousness (some things are more eloquently put in the King James Version, I think...that's one I especially like).

The grass is green everywhere...alternatively, like Paul said, learn to be content in whatever state you find yourself! 

Reliance

I've been looking around at the world lately.  I've been looking at myself.  I've been listening to inspirational things.  I've been reading books with all of the answers.  I've been having conversations with people about foundations and solutions and dreams. 

There is a God.  He created the Earth.  We are His creation.  We are his workmanship. 

Such a basic concept is this, that we sometimes take it for granted.  It seems to be more frequent these days, that we humans are more reliant on self, less reliant on God. 

WOW.  We have accomplished a lot.  I mean, humans have had a lot stacked against them.  Thorns and thistles have given way to cancer and AIDS, since we've conquered the thorns and thistles for the most part.  I mean, how long ago was it that we didn't have enough food to feed the world?  I can't even remember!  The deaf can hear (my father is an example of this).  The blind can see (see, for example, At First Sight).  The dumb can speak (my wife is a speech pathologist, who can elaborate here).

So what are we missing???

Here's my thought - we humans are making a little utopia here on Earth.  The only problem with The Kingdom of Man is that it's got potential to be like The Kingdom of God........minus God.  What does He think about all this?

Does He want us to continue in our deafness, blindness, and dumbness?  Does He prefer that we make other gods out of our solutions?

Where is the balance?

I hear lots of inspiration from lots of different sources, e.g., triathlon (which I participate in), medicine, art, etc.  And it's GREAT!!!  But only in the context where it belongs....

...subject to a Creator.  Appreciative of His gifts.  Listening for His directions.  Straining to see His hand and His will. 

The principles are right - believe in power...but what power?  The power of the human, or the power of God?

My Recent Discussion with Abraham

I was talking with Abraham the other day.  We had an interesting discussion. 

Have you ever thought about how that experience would be?  I have.  But until the other day, I had never really had that real, face-to-face talk.

It was in the judgment line.  We were all there waiting, talking in our hushed voices, thinking somehow that the more visible we were, the more likely we were going to be cast into that dreaded outer darkness...

There was the kindest, gentlest-looking old man sitting over on a rock, out of the crowds.  He wasn't anything special, but you could tell right away that he was one who lived long ago - "Gen-Zeros," we called them.  Funny how even here, in the judgment line, we were classifying people by how they looked. 

I was wondering what life might have been like in different generations.  I was always excited when I saw someone of my own generation (even some who I NEVER thought would make it to the line!).  "Hey, long time no see!  How's it going?  What was your resurrection like?  Mine?  It was awful...I was in this mosoleum, when I specifically requested to be cremated, so here I am, trying to grow accustomed to the fact that I'm wearing this hideous suit and am stumbling around in the dust....yada yada yada..."  You get the idea. 

I guess after a couple of months of "catching up" with the others in line, you begin looking for a different experience.  So I decided to go up to talk to this old man. 

It turned out to be Abraham.

"Abraham," I said, "you would not believe how hard it was in my generation.  What with all the distractions - cars, phones, the interne---"

Abraham was not following.  And it wasn't just my poorly spoken Hebrew. 

He looked at me with pity as I explained the various devices of my age.  No...it wasn't pity, it was WONDER.  How he would have enjoyed those things!  I thought I knew all about his generation...the plows, the donkeys, the sheep.  How I would have LOVED to live in such an environment, so much closer to God!!!  What a blessed existence this man must have had!

"No," Abraham assured me, "there was no time to be close to God.  We wore ourselves out each day with our chores, and slept restlessly each night as our aching backs lay on the stiff ground.  YOU had a blessed existence."  "No," I said, "YOU had the blessed existence." 

The conversation stopped.  Abraham was not one to argue.  But it was a comfortable pause.  As we each sat pondering our own circumstances, I came to the undeniable conclusion:  I like Abraham.  He's a real guy, with a good perspective.  He's amazed by the stuff we had in my generation.  He's encouraged by the enduring faith and hope of people who had such material blessing. 

And I'm amazed by a guy who lived when 99% of my problems were irrelevant, yet who had opportunity to be faithful in everything he did, too.  Heck, I can't relate to 99% of his problems, either!

I gave Abraham a smile.  He smiled back.  We both understood.  I reached over, and gave him a big hug.

"It's good to be here with you, Abe," I said.  "Can I call you 'Abe?'?

"Sure.  Whatever."  He smiled again.  We sat and talked some more.  About different stuff.

I like Abraham.

Mad v. Sad

Are you sad, or are you mad?

My lovely wife and I were talking this evening about people.  People who make poor decisions to their own hurt.  That's sad.

People who make poor decisions and hurt other people?  That makes us both a little mad. 

So what do you do when you're sad?  You pray for people.  What do you do when you're mad?  You go get the hurt people, and you rescue them.  You make sure they know there's a place for them, where there are people who love them, people who won't hurt them. 

Be angry, and sin not. 

REAL Christadelphian MAN Weekend

How can one distill a MAN weekend into a single post?  We lived 1,000 lives over that weekend…

 

Well, the MAN weekend did not disappoint, at least for the attendees.

 

We were TRULY saddened by the loss of 3 brethren to the patheticness of American Airlines.  We hereby call upon ALL Christadelphians to forever boycott that pitiful excuse for an airline company.  The IllinoyBoys couldn’t make it, and they will have to wait until next year to enjoy the wonders of the Arkansas Wilderness (see picture below). 

 

The gist of the weekend was this:  we are a band of brothers who are committed to each other on the basis of our mutual love for the Creator and what He has told us to do.  We talked about our identity in regards to our beliefs.  We talked about our identity in regards to our behavior.  We talked about a path forward for our issues here in Arkansas.  Right now, we have a group of Christadelphians locally who are in desperate need of our help.  That is our focus – what we do MUST be motivated by love, and our desire to help people (locally and distant) know there are REAL Christadelphians here in Arkansas.  We also had a fresh discussion on the Memorial Service (MS) that we practice as Christadelphians.  Unfortunately, what could be a fine ritual, useful for reminding us of our individual commitments, has turned into a debacle.  We talked about the relationship of our children to the MS – for example, the children are an integral part of the Passover feast in Judaism, in fact, you might argue that teaching them is the focus of the Passover celebration.  We also talked about how sometimes it seems like we bring the service to a grinding halt when we come to the MS, instead of logically flowing into the MS as part of our discussion, as a logical thing to do.  Is this due to the abuse of the MS that we’ve seen be certain Instigator Christadelphians over the past few years (i.e., using it as a tool for exclusion, instead of a tool for inclusion?  WHAT AN ABOMINATION!!!)  We talked about how the first century believers may have practiced it, how wine and bread would have been present at every house – staples of everyday life – and easy to incorporate into a simple reflection on our Lord and Master’s life.  What simple reminders do we keep around that might serve as symbols for an impromptu MS?  Should everyone have a bottle of Mogen David handy???

 

That having been said – all those novel ideas that no one has ever thought of before, these genius products that were only possible because the brain power which was assembled far exceeded any that has ever come together in one place before – reminds me of the Parable of the Bud Light Can.

 

The Parable of the Bud Light Can

Such novel ideas may be likened unto an event you surely experienced when you were a young boy.  You had ventured far into the woods, further than you had ever before ventured away from your house.  I mean, you could hardly even see your house any more.  And you thought:

 

“I wonder if I’m the only person who’s ever been here.”  And then, you look down, and there’s a Bud Light Can sitting on the ground right next to you.

 

This has happened to you at various other times as you’ve grown.  A few years later, you found yourself on your first camping trip with Dad or Uncle Steve, and you wandered a bit off the trail, always in search of an adventure, and you thought:

 

“Certainly, with all the miles and miles of open country, this one spot on the ground has never seen another human being.”  And there, again, lies the Bud Light Can.  You start to wonder if it’s following you…

 

And even this weekend, as we explored the natural and spiritual wildernesses, we found ourselves on the Ozark Highland Trail / Shores Lake-White Rock Western Loop.  Remote?  About as remote as you can get.  Miles from dirt roads.  Stray a little off the path, and maybe, just maybe…

 

Nope.  There’s the Bud Light Can.  Actually, this time it was a Ten of Spades.  An actual playing card.  How humbling.

 

Here is the interpretation of the matter:

Our novel ideas are a lot like this encounter with the Bud Light Can.  It’s late at night, and the philosophy is running deep (and maybe there’s other “deep stuff” being thrown out, too – the kind that requires waders).  You think:

 

“Surely no one has EVER come up with this idea before!”  And you close your eyes for a moment, so proud of your unequaled mental capacity, and there, in the darkness of your mind…

 

is a Bud Light Can, left by some other human in search of God’s Way. 

Facebook and Christadelphian Unity

Spend some time on the Facebook website, and you get a feel for reality.  Isn't it ironic that we look to a non-Christadelphian website for our greatest sense of unity?  Doesn't God work in interesting ways?

It's ironic, alright.  Ironic because I've been trying so hard to help people appreciate how we (as humans, as Christadelphians, as Arkansans, as Americans, as owners of vehicles and workers of jobs and parents of children) are so similar, yet I always keep coming up empty.  In contrast, the guy who's running Facebook isn't trying at all to unite Christadelphians, and he's doing it!

How so, you may ask?  By making OBVIOUS the FACT that we're all the same.  You can't help but see yourself in others' pictures.  You can't help but appreciate the at-most "six degrees of separation" in our tightly-knit community.  It's obvious that we're all in this together.  Obvious that we're waiting patiently (and anxiously, sometimes) in our One Hope and One Spirit, for our One Lord's return.  Obvious that we share the One Faith, as the One Body, having been baptized into the One Baptism, provided by our One Father!

The wonderful thing about it for me, through what I see on Facebook, is that, try as people might, it CANNOT be denied!

Adverbial living

Humbly Gratefully Meekly Boldly Confidently

What is an adverb?

It is any word that modifies any other part of language: verbs, adjectives (including numbers), clauses, sentences and other adverbs, except for nouns; modifiers of nouns are primarily determiners and adjectives.  Adverbs typically answer questions such as how?" (or "in what way?), when?, where?, why? and to what extent?. They often end in -ly.  When they answer “how?” their usage is usually “in what way?”.  When they answer “when?” they are usually a date or a word such as “yesterday” or “today.”  When they answer “why?” they are usually an explanation of a problem, issue, or situation, usually ending after “because.”  When they answer “where?” they usually state a place.

 

So I considered the adverbs of the Bible, but in a single sense:  to answer the question, “how do you live?”

 

Here are a few adverbs, easily recognized by their ending in “–ly.”

• Humbly


• Humanly


• Meekly


• Passionately


• Mercifully


• Single-Mindedly


• Peaceably


• Confidently

 

How do you live? 

 

You may or may not have noticed that those adverbs come from thoughts in the Beatitudes.  Turn over to Matthew 5, and follow along while I read them again. 

• Humbly


• Humanly


• Meekly


• Passionately


• Mercifully


• Single-Mindedly


• Peaceably


• Confidently

 

Other adverbs used in the Bible in regards to the question “how do you live,” or “how do humans live,” include:

• Shamefully


• Harshly


• Quickly


• Seriously (not seriously)


• Immediately


• Easily


• Peacefully


• Uncontrollably


• Deceitfully


• Faithfully


• Mightily


• Slowly


• Strongly

 

So many options…so, “how do you live?”

 

I wanted to entitle this “Humbly Gratefully Meekly Boldly Confidently,” because I thought those adverbs captured a sense of the ideal way to live.  When I compared this list against the Beatitudes, I think all of those adverbial concepts are captured as well – answering fairly the “how do you live” question. 

 

So how am I doing?  How are you doing?  Are we living well?  Are there areas for improvement?  Let’s tackle these adverbs one at a time.

 

1. Humbly

To live humbly is to recognize your place in this world.

Psa 8:3-4  When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place -  (4)  what are mere mortals, that you concern yourself with them; humans, that you watch over them with such care?

 

Job 14:1-2  "A human being, born from a woman, lives a short, trouble-filled life.  (2)  He comes up like a flower and withers away, flees like a shadow, doesn't last.

 

 

2. Gratefully

To live gratefully is to realize that, given your place in this world, it is a MIRACLE that God cares for you as much as He does! 

Php 2:1-4  Therefore, if you have any encouragement for me from your being in union with the Messiah, any comfort flowing from love, any fellowship with me in the Spirit, or any compassion and sympathy,  (2)  then complete my joy by having a common purpose and a common love, by being one in heart and mind.  (3)  Do nothing out of rivalry or vanity; but, in humility, regard each other as better than yourselves — (4)  look out for each other's interests and not just for your own.
Col 3:7-17 True enough, you used to practice these things in the life you once lived; (8) but now, put them all away — anger, exasperation, meanness, slander and obscene talk. (9) Never lie to one another; because you have stripped away the old self, with its ways, (10) and have put on the new self, which is continually being renewed in fuller and fuller knowledge, closer and closer to the image of its Creator. (11) The new self allows no room for discriminating between Gentile and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, foreigner, savage, slave, free man; on the contrary, in all, the Messiah is everything. (12) Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with feelings of compassion and with kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (13) Bear with one another; if anyone has a complaint against someone else, forgive him. Indeed, just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive. (14) Above all these, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together perfectly; (15) and let the shalom which comes from the Messiah be your heart's decision-maker, for this is why you were called to be part of a single Body. And be thankful — (16) let the Word of the Messiah, in all its richness, live in you, as you teach and counsel each other in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude to God in your hearts. (17) That is, everything you do or say, do in the name of the Lord Yeshua, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

 

 

 

3. Meekly

To live meekly is to realize that we have a lot to learn. 

Ecc 5:1-2  (4:17) Watch your step when you go to the house of God. Offering to listen is better than fools offering sacrifices, because they don't discern whether or not they are doing evil.  (2)  (5:1) Don't speak impulsively — don't be in a hurry to give voice to your words before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth; so let your words be few.

 

Gal 6:1-4  Brothers, suppose someone is caught doing something wrong. You who have the Spirit should set him right, but in a spirit of humility, keeping an eye on yourselves so that you won't be tempted too.  (2)  Bear one another's burdens — in this way you will be fulfilling the Torah's true meaning, which the Messiah upholds.  (3)  For if anyone thinks he is something when he is really nothing, he is fooling himself.  (4)  So let each of you scrutinize his own actions. Then if you do find something to boast about, at least the boasting will be based on what you have actually done and not merely on a judgment that you are better than someone else;

 

 

 

4. Boldly

To live boldly is to live without fear.

Mat 10:26-33  So do not fear them; for there is nothing covered that will not be uncovered, or hidden that will not be known.  (27)  What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim on the housetops.  (28)  "Do not fear those who kill the body but are powerless to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Gei-Hinnom.  (29)  Aren't sparrows sold for next to nothing, two for an assarion? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's consent.  (30)  As for you, every hair on your head has been counted.  (31)  So do not be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.  (32)  "Whoever acknowledges me in the presence of others I will also acknowledge in the presence of my Father in heaven.  (33)  But whoever disowns me before others I will disown before my Father in heaven.

 

 

 

5. Confidently

To live confidently is to live with an unwavering trust that God is good.

Heb 11:6  And without trusting, it is impossible to be well pleasing to God, because whoever approaches him must trust that he does exist and that he becomes a Rewarder to those who seek him out.

 

Also from Hebrews,

Heb 12:1-2  So then, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us, too, put aside every impediment — that is, the sin which easily hampers our forward movement — and keep running with endurance in the contest set before us,  (2)  looking away to the Initiator and Completer of that trusting, Yeshua — who, in exchange for obtaining the joy set before him, endured execution on a stake as a criminal, scorning the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

And

Heb 4:14-16  Therefore, since we have a great cohen gadol who has passed through to the highest heaven, Yeshua, the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we acknowledge as true.  (15)  For we do not have a cohen gadol unable to empathize with our weaknesses; since in every respect he was tempted just as we are, the only difference being that he did not sin.  (16)  Therefore, let us confidently approach the throne from which God gives grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need.

 

In my 20s, I listened a lot.  I figured I had a lot to learn.  I rarely offered up my own opinion on things.  Opinions are like bellybuttons, I said – everyone has one.  And most of them have lint in them.

 

Here’s the deal.  What did I learn during those years of silence?  I learned one thing.  God is good.  The good things I saw happen were due to God.  God was also there to rely upon in bad times, when bad things happened.  God was there for people in the hard times, and He was certainly behind the good times.  

 

In every case, God was good.  So what other opinions could I possibly offer?  I remember thinking upon I Corinthians 2 once upon a time:  Paul says:

 

1Co 2:1-5  As for me, brothers, when I arrived among you, it was not with surpassing eloquence or wisdom that I came announcing to you the previously concealed truth about God;  (2)  for I had decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Yeshua the Messiah, and even him only as someone who had been executed on a stake as a criminal.  (3)  Also I myself was with you as somebody weak, nervous and shaking all over from fear;  (4)  and neither the delivery nor the content of my message relied on compelling words of "wisdom" but on a demonstration of the power of the Spirit,  (5)  so that your trust might not rest on human wisdom but on God's power.

 

So there was a model to follow.  I would continue to be silent on things that didn’t matter.  I would, however, speak up boldly when things did matter.  When it was a subject that had meaning.  When it was such an important subject as “how to live.”

 

So I’ll summarize the first part of this talk by answering this question with my own opinion, which is obviously supported by these Scriptures:

 

Live Humbly

Live Gratefully

Live Meekly

Live Boldly

Live Confidently

 

It’s hard to think about living all of these ways at once.  Jesus of course did live all of these adverbs at once.  And as we remember Him, we’ll explore just how he did this.

 

Jesus was the express image of His Father’s character.  He shared with us His Father’s will by demonstrating to us how to live. 

 

Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect, he said.

A new commandment I give to you – that you love one another, he said.

Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and your neighbor as yourself, he said.

 

I don’t know if you noticed, but each of the above ways to live leads ultimately to one way:  living to love. 

 

The completeness of Humbleness is love.  To put self last and others first is a good definition of humility.  It’s also love.

 

The completeness of Gratefulness is love.  To be utterly thankful and return thanks to God for what we have been so graciously given is love.  It is an expression of how much we love Him, for first loving us!

 

The completeness of Meekness is love.  We are constantly instructed by our Father, and we love to hear His teachings.  We are led to a child-like faith and a simple love towards our wise and Loving Father.

 

The completeness of Boldness is love.  Properly motivated, our zeal and passion for God may perfectly be expressed through our undying, impenetrable love that we cannot help but constantly pour out to Him.

 

The completeness of Confidence is love.  Confident trusting in our Heavenly Father is our purest indication to Him that, although we may fail to always live up to what He wants from us, we KNOW beyond the shadow of a doubt that He exists, and that He is a Rewarder of those who seek Him out.

 

Jesus demonstrated love, and thereby showed us “how to live.”  Live a life of love, and you can’t go wrong.

1Jn 4:9-11  Here is how God showed his love among us: God sent his only Son into the world, so that through him we might have life.  (10)  Here is what love is: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the kapparah for our sins.  (11)  Beloved friends, if this is how God loved us, we likewise ought to love one another.

 

Love is the pinnacle of the “how to live.”  It encompasses all of the above.  If our actions are motivated by love, then they will fall under the proper guidelines of “how to live.” 

Christadelphians rejoice!

I have observed in my lifetime a few Christadelphians who possess the "I'm the only one left" mentality.  I'll call them the Exclusive Christadelphians.

We're the only Christians who reject the contrived doctrine of the Trinity.
We're the only Christians who reject the strange mythological burning hell.
We're the only ones who recognize the role of Israel in history and prophecy.

Well, on the first two, I remain as befuddled as those Exclusive Christadelphians.  Despite the complete lack of Scriptural evidence for the first two above doctrines (contrived before there was such broad access to the Scriptures), the third requires a second look by Christadelphians.

Authors such as Joel Rosenburg, websites such as WorldNetDaily, Jnewswire, etc. all indicate the importance of Israel in the end times.  There are many Christian non-Christadelphians today who are constantly evaluating the state of world politics and Israel's place in it.  Many of these evaluations are spot-on and Scriptural.  Some are not.  How are Christadelphians to react?

The Exclusive Christadelphian has built a wall around himself which will accept no outsiders.  This "if I didn't think of it myself, it's no good" mentality is destructive to that person.  It is a depressing mindset not unlike that of Elijah -

1Ki 19:14 He answered, "I have been very zealous for Adonai the God of armies; because the people of Isra'el have abandoned your covenant, broken down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword. Now I'm the only one left, and they're after me to kill me too."

To which Yahweh replies -

1Ki 19:18 Still, I will spare seven thousand in Isra'el, every knee that hasn't bent down before Ba`al and every mouth that has not kissed him."

Rejoice, you Christadelphians!  The way the political world is turning is bringing to the light many folks who before were content in their comfortable Christian existence.  Because more Christians are seeing the deception of our nation's leaders and this world's religious leaders, they are taking their faith into their own hands - praying, seeking guidance from God, reading their Bibles.  As this happens, many are finding there is Truth that they were not aware of before!  Many are questioning their long-held beliefs in the contrived doctrines passed down by the Catholic Church.  What is our reaction?

The Exclusive Christadelphian likes to be a Big Fish in a Small Pond.  As these new fish enter the pond, the Exclusive Christadelphian begins to flex his muscles and try to edge these new members out, for no reason other than to maintain his own status.  The Real Christadelphian has always ONLY rejoiced over the truth.  Let's rejoice now that the pond is growing - surely a sign that the harvest is ripening!  Let's conform our wishes to those of our Father in Heaven - that all may come to know the Truth!

Jas 3:14 But if you harbor in your hearts bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, don't boast and attack the truth with lies!

1Ti 2:4 He wants all humanity to be delivered and come to full knowledge of the truth.

2Co 13:8 For we cannot act against the truth, only for it.

3Jn 1:3-4 For I was so happy when some brothers came and testified how faithful you are to the truth, as you continue living in the truth. (4) Nothing gives me greater joy than hearing that my children are living in the truth.

Posted by dhamlin at 15:34 | Comments (3)