Loose Ends – June 14, 2024

#1 of 2

“No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God” ~ 1 John 3:9

Several weeks (more likely months ago) I answered a question here about the verse above by posting the amplified translation which aligned the first half (practices) with the second half of the verse that declares an absolute. A congregant pointed out a better resolution offered by the Bible Teacher Zane Hodges. In his commentary on 1 John, Dr. Hodges reminds us of Christ’s imputed righteousness, which means by definition we stand before God without sin; our new nature is without sin. Of course this new Holy Nature, should be affecting our flesh; or “walk” as it’s often called in Scripture, and therein lies the rub.

Our flesh is so very used to living in this world that putting it off and putting righteousness on is, for many of us, a major ordeal and/or a daily struggle. The temptations of the world aren’t something we deal with on an occasional basis, but are a constant assault on our senses. So while I’m aware of the principle that Hodges teaches, I’m fearful of anything that would cause any of us to ignore the important teaching of Colossians 3, or Ephesians 4-6, or Galatians 5, by causing us to think that we can’t sin anymore. I’ve watched that happen and it inevitably leads to more sin. So yes, it’s a good but VERY NUANCED resolution to the 1 Peter 3:9! 🙂

#2 of 2

Recently I was discussing the Roman Catholic origin of some communion practices in the Bible Study Hour class I teach as we are working our way through 1 Corinthians. As is my habit I was supporting my point with a relevant illustration which had me explaining the English word “repentance.” As it happens our English word comes down to us from the Latin poenitire “make sorry,” which comes from poena (penal; or punishment). I went on to make the point that in the New Testament the word is Meta (change) + Noia (mind). I was pointing out that only once in the NT sorrow and metanoia are linked (2 Cor 7:9-10), but most often it’s a call to change our orientation about who God is or about how to approach Him. And in other literature of the time “metanoia” was used the same way we might say “he ‘changed his mind’ and didn’t go to the store that night.” As you can imagine this led to a discussion that had nothing to do with communion and everything to do with how salvation was NOT dependent on how sorry we are for our sin.

During class I received a text asking: “So what about the Romans Road?” Great question! Paul spends most of the first three chapters of Romans making sure everyone understands that they are sinners who fall short of the glory of God. He then makes the point that none of us can boast because we are not saved by our works but we are saved by faith alone. There is no mention in the text of Romans of “sorrow for sin.” However, in the presentation instructions for the Romans road or the Wordless book, the script often says something like, “Now, ask them to pray and tell God how sorry they are about their sin.” Having a “contrite heart” is Biblical. David writes about it in Psalm 51 wherein he confesses his horrible sin. Isaiah writes of those who have done evil and are now “lowly and contrite.” Again, it’s not wrong, per se, to be sad that you lived a life of sin, but it’s not really part of a road in the Book of Romans.

Pastor Scott

Asking the Pastor – May 3, 2024

“If God can do everything, then can He do nothing?” Was a forwarded text message I received on Sunday night. I don’t know who asked the question and, while I appreciate that there is “protection” in anonymity, it also requires that I make some guesses. So here goes.

I initially read this as a paradox question: “Can God make a rock he can’t lift?” or “Can God make a square circle?” The “everything” contrasting with the “nothing.” Christians have been wrestling with those questions for two millennia. The conclusions have ranged from “He’s God and can do whatever He wills” to “That question is in itself absurd and God is a God of logic and reason.”
Then I thought, perhaps he meant “is God ever inactive?” This ties directly to Genesis 2:2-3 wherein God says that he “rested on the 7th day.” A closer examination shows us that God specifically rested from creating. We know that He keeps the galaxies and even very atoms in our bodies spinning (Colossians 1:17) and that He doesn’t ever sleep (Psalm 121:4). And we have countless verses that mention His watching presence (e.g. For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His – 2 Chronicles 16:9)! And His accompanying presence (Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6, cf. Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). So my read of the Bible is that the answer is no, YHWH is never inactive. He rested from the work of creating after 6 days, but He is an active, engaged, Sovereign!

It’s also possible that the text sender meant “nothing” in the sense of “in my life” or “in answer to my prayers.” My answer there would mostly be from the various Old Testament stories that teach us that God’s timing is often measured in years, decades, or even generations, while ours is measured in hours or days. Also God is working with a massive 4-D chess board, and sometimes it’s not about me. In 2000, I preached through the book of Genesis. I will never forget how I was hit by Chapter 8 verse 1: But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided (Genesis 8:1, emphasis added). God hadn’t really forgotten His main character, the only humans left alive, it was the author’s way of saying that God’s attention had been elsewhere. God had been busy bringing up the waters from the depth and releasing the waters from the firmament. He was destroying His first creation. He was dealing with something OTHER than Noah and His family. Not every crisis, nor every storm, nor every disagreement, nor every ”unsettling situation” is about me. Sometimes, God is doing something else! But He never removes His hand (John 10:28)! And sometimes His answer to our prayer is simply, “No, my child.”

Hope this is a little bit helpful,

Pastor Scott

“I Can’t See God” – April 5, 2024

I’m reposting this both for its apologetic value and its devotional value. BOTH serve as good reminders, PLEASE take the time to read this C.S. Lewis piece. ~ Pastor Scott

In February 1963, C.S. Lewis published an essay exploring a number of topics related to space-travel, including the idea of finding God in space (A response to Nikita Khrushchev’s proclamation in 1961, that cosmonauts never saw God in space) He wrote:

The Russians, I am told, report that they have not found God in outer space… Looking for God—or Heaven—by exploring space is like reading or seeing all Shakespeare’s plays in the hope that you will find Shakespeare as one of the characters or Stratford as one of the places. Shakespeare is in one sense present at every moment in every play. But he is never present in the same way as Falstaff or Lady Macbeth. Nor is he diffused through the play like a gas…

Now of course this is only an analogy. I am not suggesting at all that the existence of God is as easily established as the existence of Shakespeare. My point is that, if God does exist, He is related to the universe more as an author is related to a play than as one object in the universe is related to another.

If God created the universe, He created space-time, which is to the universe as the metre is to a poem or the key is to music. To look for Him as one item within the framework which He Himself invented is nonsensical…

How, then, it may be asked, can we either reach or avoid Him?…in our own time and place, [avoiding God] is extremely easy. Avoid silence, avoid solitude, avoid any train of thought that leads off the beaten track. Concentrate on money, sex, status, health and (above all) on your own grievances. Keep the radio on. Live in a crowd. Use plenty of sedation. If you must read books, select them very carefully. But you’d be safer to stick to the papers. You’ll find the advertisements helpful; especially those with a sexy or a snobbish appeal.

About the reaching, I am a far less reliable guide. This is because I never had the experience of looking for God. It was the other way round; He was the hunter (or so it seemed to me) and I was the deer…

Space-travel really has nothing to do with the matter. To some, God is discoverable everywhere; to others, nowhere. Those who do not find Him on earth are unlikely to find Him in space. (Hang it all, we’re in space already; every year we do a huge circular tour in space.) But send a saint up in a spaceship and he’ll find God in space as he found God on earth. Much depends on the seeing eye.1

If we are Christians, we know and are known by the God who created the universe and have many reasons to give Him thanks. On a cautionary note, however, Lewis’s insight into how easy it is to avoid God has applicability to Christians as well as non-believers. Christians can avoid God by living their lives concentrating on money, sex, status and the like, and consequently remain spiritually immature and experience little of the transforming power of Christ. Let us keep our focus on Jesus as Lord and Savior, and pursue a life of holiness and righteousness.

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

PSALM 19:1 (ESV)

1 C.S. Lewis, The Seeing Eye, from Christian Reflections, edited by Walter Hooper, Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995, pp. 167-169, 171.

Garden Thoughts – Mar 29, 2024

Because all four Gospels tell the story of Jesus’s death and resurrection we get a number of vignettes, not all of which are covered from the pulpit each Easter weekend. One of my favorites is the story of Peter cutting off Malchus’ ear. It’s my favorite because in my flesh I admire Peter’s desire to do “something”! Even more than that I admire Jesus’ cool head. Despite the burden He was bearing He took no joy in vengeance; He stayed on mission. He also, according to John’s gospel, took a moment to heal Malchus’ ear. The other three Gospels protect both Peter’s and the guard’s identity but John, writing at a later date, names names and he is also the only one who mentions the restoration of the ear. I won’t read into the text, but I believe it’s safe to observe that Jesus’ act of kindness to the guard, Malchus, also wiped away all evidence of Peter’s offense. Had the authorities ever wanted to pursue Peter for striking a temple guard, they would have had to declare him righteous because there was nothing there to accuse him of. It was as if he had never acted. Hours before Jesus went to the cross to exchange our sin for His righteousness, He essentially did that for Peter, He wiped away Peter’s transgression.

So imagine Malchus trying to get “justice.”

Malchus: “Sir, one of those disciples cut off my ear.”

Judge: “Looks to me like you have two ears.”

In Revelation 12:10 Satan is called the accuser of the brethren. So imagine Satan bringing your name before the judge!

Satan: “Scott is weak in his faith, he forgets to pray first, he loses his temper, he loses his focus, he fails to complete his tasks…..”

God: “Looks to Me that he has been washed by the blood of My Son, I see no sin on him, he is absolutely clean!”

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” ~2 Corinthians 5:21

Walk in the newness of life,

Pastor Scott

Jesus on Identity – 03.22.24

John 4 records the interaction between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. In the first verses she is clearly identified as a “Samaritan” – someone of a mixed race with whom Jews had little to do. A “woman” – someone a Jewish man ought to steer clear of. And, a “serial adulterer” that a righteous person should shun. But Jesus, after using the I.D. to prove Who He is, blows right past that to her need for eternal life: “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

Today, despite prison reform for thieves and swindlers, despite Weight Watchers and workout routines for sedentary over eaters, we live in a day where certain sinful behaviors, certain consistent temptations, are labeled as” identities;” unchangeable aspects of someone’s very nature. When viewed with a little detachment, one can clearly see:

a) Satan’s hand – you must accept what I do as who I am – imagine saying that to your PE teacher back in the day as he smacks the candy bar right out of your hand!

b) God’s wrath – Romans 1 says that as we suppress that worship of God and turn to the worship of creatures, He will give us over to unnatural lusts.

That said, if you are told from the very beginning this is WHO you are, it’s no wonder that we have folks who identify themselves accordingly.

Jesus didn’t make an issue of this person’s race, gender, or sin proclivities when He offered her the Water of Life. His concern was for her salvation. Brothers and sisters that’s where our concern needs to be, too. We aren’t going to beat Satan at his game in the media or by flying anti-rainbow flags. Jesus is coming back on a white horse and He will deal with all that nonsense once and for all!

We need to love individuals and share the gospel with individuals. If those individuals are believers struggling with this sin, then they need to be reassured that it’s just “a” sin not “the” sin. Holiness is the goal for all of us. We all struggle with being honest, with being faithful, with being just, with being loyal, with being pure of thought. Their proclivity is a leaf on the tree, the root of which needs to be made holy by the blood of Jesus.

Pastor Scott

P.S. The genesis of this blog was a rainbow flag flying in front of a church that previously seemed to have shown no such sign. As I drove past I realized that their intention was to be loving, not to condone evil, their unseen error was believing the “identity deception.”

Growing Older? 03.08.2024

I took an extra day off this week to get some painting done in our home. The bending over to cut in along the baseboard and stretching up to cut in along the ceiling hurt my back more than I remember. I blamed my rather sedentary occupation and was consoled by a family member who reminded me that I was also a grandfather of 8…

So I have a LOT of empathy with Randy, and those to whom this article was aimed (yes, it’s a bit of an advertisement for his book), but that just means he’s a more gifted blogger than am I. 🙂 Enjoy! Pastor Scott

There Is Still Great Opportunity to Serve Jesus, After Age 70 and Beyond

200+Randy Alcorn’s Blog by Randy Alcorn / Mar 4, 2024 at 4:07 AM//keep unread//hide

Our society holds on to youthfulness with a white-knuckled grip. We worship youth and consider the elderly at best, useless; and at worst, disposable. God’s perspective is very different: “Gray hair is a glorious crown; it is found in the ways of righteousness” (Proverbs 16:31). Titus 2 encourages both older men and women to be examples to those who are younger, and to teach them God’s ways.

I love to be around older people—that is, older people who have sweetened with age, not those who have soured. Choose which you’d rather be. (And since I’m turning 70 this year, I guess I’m an “older person” too, though I feel no need or desire to retire. I’m as excited about ministry as I’ve ever been, so I’ll trust God to make it clear when I need to start cutting back.)

As you grow older, you can be one of those godly older saints people love to be around. The more you’ve walked with the Lord, the more you’ll have to offer your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, friends, neighbors, and church family. Remember, if God didn’t have a purpose for you here, you wouldn’t be here. (As I’ve written previously, those who’ve retired from jobs still have great opportunity to serve God in the next season of life. Even if you’re unable to physically serve, your prayers, giving, and influence can have eternal impact.)

Last December, a reader named Sharon ordered copies of my book Seeing the Unseen to hand out to teens. She’s almost 70 and works with the youth at her church and its associated school. Sharon gave a talk to high school girls on her wedding anniversary (which has previously been a very difficult day, since her husband died five years ago). She wrote us:

I am so excited! I am having lunch with the 40 girls who received Seeing the Unseen. I am going to have pizza delivered to the school, and I want to hear from them. I should tell you the school is located at our church, so I see so many of the girls on Sunday. Tell Randy several of the girls have told me their family is using his devotional as a family devotional. Is that awesome or what!

And because our Father has me with the teens every Thursday night, I already have a connection with them. …To be able to pour into their lives more of Jesus AND TO GET EXCITED ABOUT HEAVEN AND ALL THAT IS TO COME helps this daughter of the King know why she is still here. …My talk on December 13th was such a gift to me.

I am a big word picture person. So here’s my word picture! Our Father invited me to go to work with Him. He sat me in the front row, and I got to see Him touch the lives of those sweet teens. Just watching our Father be God, here and now, makes me soooooo excited for Heaven and the New Earth.

She also wrote:

As far as ministry after 70: well, let me tell you! It gets bigger and better! I am 69 years old. I have been with teen ministry for 30 years. I pray every summer, “Father, please place me where You want me; if I am no longer effective, move me.” I think I might add this to my prayer this year: “Father please keep me from breaking anything while I am playing dodgeball and baseball with the teens!”

We NEVER retire from God. We just let Him move us where He wants us.

Whatever your age, how might God be calling you to make an eternal impact for His kingdom?

Reckon ye also yourselves.. 03.01.24

Romans 6:1-14 reminds us that God, through the death of Christ, defanged sin in our lives. But because we live in the flesh, walk in the world, and Satan still roams the earth we have to always be mindful of that truth (v. 11) and we have to always be intentional about not letting any part of us (Physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually) be used as a tool of evil (vv 12-14). Grace freed us from the consequence of sin (Romans 4 & 5), but practical freedom from the power of sin takes some cooperation from me, because my flesh defaults toward itself. Think about a car that pulls to the right, on a narrow windy road, filled with potholes; do I dare take my hand off the steering wheel or my eyes off the road? Well neither should I go on cruise in my day to day life! I need to make sure every thought is taken captive and I’m not bringing shame on His name! Amen? – Pastor Scott

6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members* of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

*“Members” [mélos] was used in antiquity of instruments of war and implements (“working parts”) of a ship. Paul used it in relation to the various functions of human personality.

(Romans 6:1-14 NASB Emphasis and * added)

Ask the Pastor – 02.23.24

I received a question this week that I’m going to break into three parts.

Explain 1 John 3, given that we believe in Eternal Security.
Explain the modern prodigals who once walked the straight and narrow.
What can we who remain, do?

1 John 3

1 John is a great book, but it’s best understood as John’s defense of the faith in light of early heresy. In Chapter 1, we see John arguing against a teaching that said believers had no sin. And here in John 3, we see him arguing against a teaching that believers could revel in sin. Unfortunately, the way Greek works, the word for “sin”, hamartia (ἁμαρτία), is simply modified to indicate tense and in English we just have the one word. So unless a translation is willing to add a bunch of words, it’s hard to even pick up John’s meaning. (The person who sent me this question instinctively added “ongoing” to the word sin and she was dead on!) Believe it or not, the Amplified does a really good job of honoring John’s Greek.

“No one who abides in Him [who remains united in fellowship with Him—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin. No one who habitually sins has seen Him or known Him. Little children (believers, dear ones), do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who practices righteousness [the one who strives to live a consistently honorable life—in private as well as in public—and to conform to God’s precepts] is righteous, just as He is righteous. The one who practices sin [separating himself from God, and offending Him by acts of disobedience, indifference, or rebellion] is of the devil [and takes his inner character and moral values from him, not God]; for the devil has sinned and violated God’s law from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, because God’s seed [His principle of life, the essence of His righteous character] remains [permanently] in him [who is born again—who is reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose]; and he [who is born again] cannot habitually [live a life characterized by] sin, because he is born of God and longs to please Him.”
1 John 3:6-9 AMP

So John is talking about pretenders who want to have their cake and eat it too. He is saying “no”, if you were really abiding, if God’s seed were really in you, you could not live this way on purpose – you couldn’t embrace this worldly lifestyle! John was arguing against hedonist Gnostic false teachers trying to slip into the church. He was not talking about Christians who trip up on day to day life as they abide.

Abiding is the sub-text for believers. If one is truly justified, but living like the devil then that person is not abiding and is to be treated like an unbeliever. (1 Cor 5)

Prodigals

If it hasn’t happened to your family, it’s most assuredly happened to a family you know. Adult children, who professed faith as kids, who were active in church, active in Bible clubs, may have served or gone on missions trips, suddenly walk away. Some drift away, others slam the door, but in either case you are left wondering: (a) Are they going to heaven when they die? and, (b) what can I do?

This is an easy-peasey question to answer, theologically, and a horrible question to answer regarding an individual. Theologically, if a person believes in Jesus for their eternal life there is nothing they can do to become unsaved because it’s no longer up to them. They are already seated in the heavenlies (Eph 2:6); God has reserved their inheritance there as well (1 Peter 1:3-5); He has sealed them with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14) and perfected them once for all (Heb 10:10-14)! Individually, however, only God knows what went on in their heart. Is it possible some kids were insincere in their faith claims? Or are they carnal/fleshly like the people Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; not abiding in Christ (John 15; 1 John), but living like the world. Surely there wouldn’t be so much instruction to the church against worldly living if it weren’t possible? God knows, I’m not sure how we can know – especially from a distance.
So we can pray. In 1 John 5:14-16, we are told to pray for the strays. There is a place for intervention (Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20), but if these are in your family; I’ve no doubt you have intervened ad infinitem. Praying is your assignment now, as it is mine.

Actions/Mindset

As we watch “believers” say and do things that we don’t think “believers” should say and do, we are bothered on so many levels! We can stumble into sin ourselves, or feel offended, or feel confused. What can we read and how should we be thinking?

If they are within the church, I recommend that we study Romans 14 (cf. 1 Cor 8). Both parties who were at odds over meat offered to idols had biblically based convictions.* It’s very easy to be blinded by our own very strong convictions, even if others are valid too!

If they are outside the church, our only concern should be seeing them come to faith. Pray to that end and if you get, or can create the opportunity, share the truth of Christ.

Of course, we live in a very connected world and many are aware through friends and through social media of the lives of those who fall somewhere in the middle. They aren’t part of our local church, they do claim to be Christians, but their choices don’t seem to be on the “idol meat” spectrum. My suggestion is that we look at Matthew 18:15-35. That passage, Jesus’ own words, leave us with two choices. We can confront or forgive. He doesn’t give us permission to discuss, fuss, or start a new Facebook group. We can either take an active role in confronting the sin we see or we can forgive it. In most of these cases the sinner wasn’t sinning against us anyway.

Let’s be careful to take it to God; I’m mindful of the “scene” captured by Luke as Jesus enters Jerusalem for the last time. He looked out over the City and wept for it! God understands our grief, Jesus experienced it as a human!

Pastor Scott

* I have judged more than one Christian School debate wherein the topic assigned was “can a Christian drink alcohol in moderation?” I, personally, side with the teetotallers, and we can make a great biblical case; everything from mastery (1 Cor 6:12) to clear headedness (Proverbs 31:4-5). Of course the pro-side has a few verses on their side too, like Jesus’s first public miracle (John 2) and Paul’s advice to young Timothy to stop being a teetotaller (1 Tim 5:23). Who’s the stronger brother and who’s the weaker brother? Perhaps the one who fails to love the other? (1 John 4:7-21)

Stop Gossiping! I know Pastor Jack is more Charismatic than us, it’s his point not his position I’m promoting

He Saves Me – 02.16.24

I post my blogs on Friday with the church newsletter, so I am way late to this party! First let me say I loved watching the SuperBowl! And the group I watched it with didn’t pay a lot of attention to the commercials. So while I did note a Jesus commercial, I didn’t note that it may have been implying some of the things I’m hearing…

So let’s just be clear. Jesus does say, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” He did offer living water to the Samaritan woman, who a man in His position would have normally shunned. He did the servant’s job and washed the dirt off of His disciple’s feet. He said, over and over, whoever believes in me has eternal life. (John 6:47 emphasis added) And He died for our sins; all of them.

It could be that’s all the commercial was saying; but based on the reaction I’m seeing I suspect that the message was from people encouraging folks to “hold to a form of godliness but deny its power” (2 Tim 3:5); rather than come to Jesus and be transformed!

“Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)

Over and over again the leaders of the church In the New Testament talking to those in the church (the saved) say that groveling in sin was your old way of life! Once we have been bought by His blood, we aren’t supposed to live that way anymore!

“Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him — a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.” (Colossians 3:5-11 NASB1995 Cf. Titus 3:1-5; Rom 11:30; 1 Cor 6:9-11; Eph 2:1-4; 1 Peter 4:1-5)

The crowds always thin out when the truth is told — “As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, ‘You do not want to go away also, do you?’ Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.’” (John 6:66-69)

Something to think about,

Pastor Scott

P.S. As I’m posting this I’m listening to a press conference on Thursday regarding the shooting on Wednesday. Pray for the wounded, pray for the fearful. The talk, of course, is about disarming the populace, and while I certainly understand that impulse, I’m preaching through the Old Testament and am particularly heighted to the fact that evil is in hearts no matter the weapon of choice. Pray for those hearts!

Jargon & Assumptions – 01.26.24

If you ever try to read a medical or technical journal you may find yourself awash in unfamiliar terms used by practitioners. Sometimes said terms are just unique to their particular field of study but often they are jargon, verbal shortcuts.

Here at church we sometimes use Old Testament words despite knowing full well we live post-cross in the Age of Grace. Often we use those words not because we don’t understand that we are “free from the law”, but because the word best sums up what we mean in a way we mutually understand. I’m talking about words like “sanctuary” and “tithe.” The challenge is, words like that really do have specific meanings and a visitor (a newer attender or even someone coming into adulthood and thinking things through for the first time) can be thrown by our use thereof. Given Paul’s counsel in Romans 14, I’m going to try to take more care, but I also want to explain.

Sanctuary – Renamed at WOGF – “Worship Center”

The word “sanctuary” appears 150 in the NASB translation of the Bible. Three of those 150 appearances are in the New Testament. Once in Matthew which records Judas throwing 30 pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary, and twice in Hebrews discussing serving in the presence of God in the true sanctuary. At some point in church history someone observed or decided that the meeting room of a church was where we meet God. In no way shape or form am I saying that’s incorrect. But I am saying that it’s contrary to the New Testament picture of our bodies being the temples (sanctuaries) of the Holy Spirit. No one is going to jump down anyone’s throat for misremembering. I still call WOGF BRBC half the time, I just want to slowly fix our jargon where I can.

TITHE – Offerings (Not really a renaming)

This is a more generalized jargon or short-cut. I’ve attached an overview article from GotQuestions and it links to 5 more articles if you want details. NO, we are not under a tithe mandate. Yes, Christians will probably never stop using the word, despite my attempts to “officially” change it. When you hear the word just think of it as synonymous with “taking the offering” because that’s what the speaker means. 🙂

https://www.gotquestions.org/tithing-Christian.html

I was taught to think of the tithe (10%) as my minimum or baseline giving. So while I don’t believe I live under tithing as a law, we (Kelly and I) have never budgeted to live on less than 90% of our income and God has always kept our bills paid. A testimony I have often heard repeated! – Pastor Scott