Tag Archives: Christ

June 2, 2013 · 23:56

Seeing, They See Not

ConversionStPaul

And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. (Acts 9:7)

Saul was a religious fanatic. Following his approving support of the stoning of the first recorded Christian martyr, Stephan (Acts 7:58), he “yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2). Saul was ready to bring in the followers of “The Way” either dead or alive, and he would have given his life for the extermination of these infidels – those who had turned away from the religion of their fathers. Such zeal is nothing strange to us these days, unless you are a Christian; Christians do not normally behave in this manner.

But God had something else in mind for Saul, and He would turn Saul’s zeal for his religion into zeal for the Person of Jesus Christ. Saul was a hard-case, and getting his attention would require more than witnessing the death of a faithful martyr. So Jesus met him in person on his mission to exterminate the believers that were in Damascus. “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:3-4). Saul was soon to learn that his mission against The Way was really a mission against God Himself as Jesus directly identified Himself with His church: “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest” (v. 5). The very God whom he thought he was serving and whom he wanted to please struck Saul blind (v. 8), and put him in “time-out” for three days (v. 9) to give him time to reflect on his experience. Saul’s life was dramatically changed following this, so much so that “after … many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him” (v. 23). He was even given a new name, Paul, by which he is most commonly known (Acts 13:9). Everything about Paul changed following this encounter with the risen Christ.

The conversion and transformation of Paul was miraculous indeed, but what about the others who had accompanied Paul on the same mission? They also heard a voice but saw no man. The encounter apparently had some impact on them because they “stood speechless,” but for them, nothing changed. In fact, they may have been the very ones that turned on him, and “took counsel to kill him.” When we think about it, it really should not come as a surprise. Jesus said, concerning the Jewish religious leaders, “Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive” (Matthew 13:13-14).

Today, the Gospel is preached though every possible medium available – even this simple blog – and though it is heard by countless millions, it has no effect on most. Jesus said that “strait [small] is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:14). Seeing, they see not, and hearing, they hear not.

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May 19, 2013 · 22:22

Tares Among the Wheat

Green Wheat Fields With Cyprus – Vincent Van Gogh (1890)

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. (Matthew 13:25)

Before I cranked up the lawnmower Saturday morning, I noticed that some bad grass had come up in my backyard, and it was going to seed. As much as I dreaded that task, I knew I would have to pull it all up by hand otherwise I would risk scattering bad seed all over my yard and making matters worse. Through the pain of my aching back, I recalled Jesus’ “Kingdom Parable” about the tares among wheat found in Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43.

In this parable, Jesus likens Himself to the landowner who sowed good seed into His field – i.e., the world (vv. 24, 37-38). The “good seed” which He sowed are the children of the Kingdom – i.e., true believers in Christ (vv. 24, 38). “But while men slept” … Jesus defined all the players in the parable except for these. Who are these men who fell asleep on the job? Since there is no special definition for these men, it seems that these “men” are the “good seed” that was planted in the field. These did what good seed is supposed to do: receive nourishment, grow and produce fruit. But in doing what good seed is supposed to do, it took no notice of the enemy (Satan) that came in and sowed tare seeds into the field (vv. 25, 39). These too grew up together with the wheat and were indistinguishable from the wheat. As the time of harvest approached, the distinction became obvious, and the harvesters (the angels) wanted to rip up the tares (v. 28), but the landowner, not wanting to upset the good wheat, instructed that both be allowed to grow together until the harvest (vv. 29-30).

There are tares among us. They dress Christian. They speak Christian. They, by almost any means, look Christian, but they “are the children of the wicked one” (v. 38). Perhaps “outsiders” can spot them easier than those on the “inside.” Perhaps that is why many want nothing to do with the church because, they say, “The church is full of hypocrites!” No, the church is full of tares! Jesus says, “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn” (v. 30).

So, what are we to do about all of this? A good self-examination would be a good place to begin. “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked” (1 John 2:6). Don’t act like tares. Peter reminds us that this present world is going up in smoke, and he exhorts us: “Seeing then thatall these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:11-13, emphasis added). Yes, there are tares among the wheat. Don’t be a tare!

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May 12, 2013 · 15:17

More Than Conquerors

More Than Conquerors

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

One of the greatest passages on the security of the believer is found here in Romans 8:31-39.  Paul begins this passage with a challenge reminiscent of David’s challenge concerning Goliath:  “who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26).  Surely David would have responded with the words of Paul, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (our verse).

In his counsel to Job, Eliphaz affirms, “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7).  Someone once said that even as Christians we are in one of three states of trials: we have either experienced trials, we are experiencing trials, or we will experience trials.  We are not immune from trouble, but in the midst of those trials we are encouraged that “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

That “power,” “love” and “sound mind” are a result of the answer to Paul’s follow-up question:  “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:35)  If God did not spare His Own Son, but allowed Him to die on our behalf, will He then not freely provide or us in every way (Romans 8:32)?  Even the “accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10) is unable to bring a charge against us because it is God Who has declared us just (Romans 8:33).

We are encouraged then, that nothing can come between us and God’s love for us.  Not tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or the sword can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:35).  Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).  “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37). So, Christian, go forth fearlessly with confidence that the battle has already been won, and we are more than conquerors!

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April 21, 2013 · 14:21

Savage Wolves

Wolf in Disguise

 

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.  (Acts 20:29)

Paul was not speaking prophetically when he uttered these words to the leaders of the Ephesian church.  He was very much aware of the work of the Judaizers who tried to make Jewish legalism a prerequisite for salvation.  Then there were the Gnostics who denied the humanity of Christ, and who taught that the flesh was inherently evil and would eventually perish, but the spirit was good and would eventually be saved.  Therefore, they could sin in the flesh without harming the spirit.

Yes, Paul was familiar with these wolves that went about attacking the flock.  He knew that the Ephesians would not be immune to their attacks unless they were prepared in advance for the onslaught that was sure to come.  Therefore he warned the Ephesian leaders, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (v. 28).  Paul knew that the best defense against false teachers was a well-fed “church of God” that was well nourished on the Word of God.  The psalmist expressed it this way: “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103).

Apparently the Ephesians learned their lesson well.  As our Lord addresses the Ephesian church, He offers these words of praise:  “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted” (Revelation 2:2-3).  However, in their zeal to combat false apostles, they left their first love (Revelation 2:4).  We need to learn how to defend against the savage wolves, but we should never lose focus of our first love, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

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April 14, 2013 · 13:48

Later, Little Friend

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And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. (Hosea 2:18)

About two months ago I wrote about our little dog Tina in my article “Doggie Heaven.” At that time her obvious declining health helped prepare us for the inevitable. I wrote the piece with a heavy heart, and with a rather hopeless feeling that this would be the end forever. Like many people, I believed that only humans are immortal (in essence) because, after all, we have been created in the “image of God” (Genesis 1:26). Animals are God’s creatures, and He cares about them, but they do not bear the Imago Dei. That remains a true statement, but I have come to the conclusion that my former belief that only humans have an eternal soul is false.

Shortly after posting that article, a very good and respected friend gave me a book by Gary Kurz to encourage me as I walked though this “valley of the shadow of death.” In the book, Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates, Kurz walks us though Scripture and demonstrates, through Scripture alone, that animals do indeed have eternal souls, and they do go to heaven when they die. This assurance made my heart glad because it was the conclusion to which I was coming on my own. I cannot possibly cover every aspect in this short post that Kurz takes an entire book to cover, but the concept, when you seriously think about it, is very simple.  When God completed His work of creation, He said it was “very good.” There was no sin in the world, neither was there any death. (This fact should make Christians reject evolution in any way, shape or form. Death is NOT “very good.”) Every creature having the “breath of life” (Hebrew: ruach) was meant to live forever. Death is the enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26); therefore death could not be part of a “very good” creation. But through man’s sin, death entered the world (Romans 5:12) and the whole creation was affected (Romans 8:22). Animals suffer the curse of death even though they are innocent of sin. This is why animals were slain from the very beginning (Genesis 3:21) to atone for the sins of man – innocent blood was required. But the blood of animals cannot atone for the sins of man (Hebrews 9:12), only the sinless blood of the Lamb of God could atone for our sins. Jesus died for the sins of man. He did not die for animals, because they did not sin. In time, He will make all things new (Revelation 21:5). When He does, all those sparrows who escaped not His notice when they fell, will fill the New Heavens and New Earth, and so will all His other creatures as the prophet said (Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25). All those animals in whom is the “breath of life” will live again.

Last weekend, our little Tina fought for every breath. Early Saturday morning, in the middle of the night we took her to the animal ER thinking that we might have to put her down that night. The vet gave her some injections to help her discomfort and sent us home. Later that morning, Tina was not doing any better, it seemed, so we took her in to our regular vet. He diagnosed her with bloat and prescribed barium to help relieve the gas and Benadryl to help with her breathing. But that did not help either, and she continued to struggle for every breath. Poor baby was so tired, but she had to hold herself up in order to breathe, and could not lay down to sleep or rest. It was such a pitiful sight to watch her sit in the middle of the floor, head drooping down trying to sleep but unable to. That night we propped her up with towels and medicated her so she could rest. The next day, Sunday, was another day of fighting for every breath. Monday morning came and we took our baby to the vet one last time. We came home without her. I held her in my arms as the vet administered the fatal injection, and as I watched her ruach leave her little body, I wept uncontrollably – we both did.

Almost a week has gone by, and there is not a day that goes by that we don’t think about her. She was just a little dog, but she left such a big hole in our lives. The book my friend gave me, Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates, has given me the assurance that even though she is gone for now, she is not gone forever. We will see her again. And she’ll have both eyes!

Later, little friend!

 

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