The Christian Atheist #3: Lukewarm and Loving It

Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20 NASB).

As I write this article, our nation is facing a time of political and economic uncertainty as North Korea just fired a missile over Japan. Will this develop into a full scale war? Only God knows. However, some things that have been certain are the blessings and freedoms that we have enjoyed in this country.  We live in the richest large country in the world (https://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2010/11/growth). More than one third of the world’s population lives on less than $2 a day.  So while the average American worries about retirement several years down the road, a large percentage of the world worries about having enough to provide for today.

Clearly, God has blessed our country economically. With great wealth comes great responsibility to care for the less fortunate. And unfortunately, great wealth has a way of blinding us to our need for God. In Revelation 3:14-22, Jesus talked to the church in Laodicea. The people of Laodicea enjoyed many of the same blessings that we do as Americans. And they had become complacent/lukewarm in their walk with the Lord

Pastor Craig Groeschel listed 7 attributes of lukewarm Christians. They crave acceptance from people more than acceptance from God. (2) They rarely share their faith in Christ. (3) They tend to rationalize their sins. (4) They think more about life on earth than eternity in heaven. (5) They only turn to God when they need something. (6) They give whenever it’s convenient. (7) They are not much different from the rest of the world (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7UP8djULWA). Do any of these describe you?

The Bible teaches that you can know a person by their fruit (Matt. 7:16).  It does not take very much consideration of the state of Christianity in our country to realize that many who claim to follow Christ have become complacent/lukewarm in their relationship with Jesus Christ. The sad thing is that many of us recognize this to be true, but deep down inside, we just don’t care. Thus, if we are honest, many of us are lukewarm and loving it.

The phrase “lukewarm Christian” is never found in the Bible. And the description that Jesus gives to those who are lukewarm (Rev. 3:15-17) is associated elsewhere with non-believers.  By now, some of you are probably thinking, “Matt, I don’t like this article.” And my response is, I don’t either! :)  Yet these are some of Jesus’s words to the church in America. And thankfully, He doesn’t stop there.

In Revelation 3:19-22ff, Jesus gives us a beautiful picture of what could be for us, even those of us who are lukewarm, if we simply repent, and allow Jesus to come into our lives as Scripture teaches. It is a life that is sold out for Jesus. “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). My friends, you and I have been greatly blessed, yet don’t allow these blessings to lead you away from the greatest blessings of all.

In His service,

      Matt

Covenants #5: What is so Important about Israel?

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you’” (Psalm 122:6).

Fewer places in the world have experienced as many wars & nearly constant conflict as the land of Israel. In December of 2016, President Obama refused to use the USA’s veto power concerning a UN Security Council vote allowing Palestinians to build in Jerusalem. President Obama’s actions were said to undermine our relationship with one of our closest allies. Senator John McCain called this an “outrageous attack” on Israel. Speaker of the House of Representatives called this “absolutely shameful.” Many Democrats expressed similar concerns. But why make such a big deal over a chunk of ground that is just barely bigger than the state of New Jersey? The reason is completely religious at its root.

Is the land of Israel sacred? Who does it belong to? Why is it important to us? Why are there such contentions and how should we respond to them?

According to many adherents of Christianity, Islam and Judaism (which make up over half of the world’s population), yes it is sacred. Jews dating back to Abraham have considered the land of Israel, the Promised Land, to be home. Muslims consider the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to be the third holiest site in Islam. Christians likewise consider Israel important, with its origins in Judaism, Jesus’ entire earthly ministry was focused in Israel, and the early church was founded in Jerusalem.

In order to answer these questions we have to consider the life of Abraham. In roughly 2,000 B.C. God calls Abraham to leave his homeland of Ur of the Chaldeans (Acts 7:2-3, modern day Iraq), and travel to a land that God will show him. God’s calling of Abraham included a covenant that involved the blessing of land, a great nation including descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, a great name/reputation, and a blessing that would come to the entire world on account of him. The blessings of this covenant were solely based on Abraham’s faith in the Lord (James 2:22-23). Abraham responded in faith and went to the Promised Land.

The nature of the blessings God promised to Abraham reveal much of the controversy concerning the Middle East, and specifically, the Land of Israel. God promised Abraham a very special land (Gen. 12:1), and He reiterated His promise on several occasions (Gen. 13:14-18; 15:18-21; Deut. 30:1-10; Josh. 24:3; Ezek. 33:24; Heb. 11:9-16; etc.). On account of this, many believe that the land of Israel belongs to Abraham’s descendants.

However, this is where the real question lies, who are the true descendants of Abraham? Muslims believe that they are the true descendants through Abraham’s first son Ishmael, while both Jews and Christians see their family tree through Isaac. Thus the contentions over a plot of land.

For some Christians, they believe that God still has a very special plan specifically for the Jews & the land of Israel, while others believe that the Church, aka Christians have replaced the Jews as the spiritual Israel. Yet what does the Bible have to say concerning this matter? That is a topic for another time, but hopefully this has helped to explain why the Middle East has been and will continue to be a hotspot for decades to come, and enjoy the blessings of father Abraham.

 In His service,

        Matt

Elder’s Corner: “Lord, Soften My Neck, Please”

In Proverbs 29:1, we find this: “A man who hardens his neck after much reproof will suddenly be broken beyond remedy” (NASB). You can take a piece of wire and bend it back and forth until finally it breaks. I dropped a glass vase on a concrete floor once and no amount of glue could have restored it.

This phrase “hardens his neck is not a common one today.” But we do have some similar: “he is so stubborn he will cut off his nose to spite his face” or “I’ve never met a more obstinate person.” Another phrase that God used to describe His people who refused to be obedient was the term “stiff-necked people,” as in Exodus 32:9 (NKJV). “And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people!” This was after God had been so good to them and delivered them from Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The people cast a molten golden calf to worship instead of the God who saved them. In Acts 7, we read of Stephen’s (martyr) sermon to the “religious leaders” and he uses this narrative in verse 51 (NASB). “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.” This verse points out that “these people” had the appearance of being holy and righteous—they had done the legal requirements (circumcision) but their hearts hadn’t changed.

So what does it all mean? It sometimes scares me, because I think it means I can sit in church with others who appear to be followers, and yet if I am unwilling to let God have total control of my life, I am no better than those who have hardened their necks and won’t listen when God wants us to change, be tender-hearted, and obedient to Him. Sometimes, He speaks to me through the advice of a real friend who sees in me something that I need to change. Which reminds me of a favorite Proverb, “Wounds from a friend are better than kisses from an enemy” (27:6 NLT). So I hope your prayer will be like mine: “Lord, soften my neck, please” because I sure don’t want to end up like that vase, broken beyond remedy.

—Alan    

Covenants #4: The Blessings of the Rainbow

 God said to Noah, “I am giving you a sign of My covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed My rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of My covenant with you and with all the earth (Gen. 9:12-13 NLT)

Ever since I was a kid, I have always admired the beauty of rainbows. They do not happen that often in our area, but when they do, they are one of the most beautiful things to observe in all of creation. Of course, who can forget to look for the pot of gold at the end? Yet if you find it, it belongs to me since I been searching for it for years, but that’s a different story. ;)

Regardless, the symbolism of the rainbow has drastically changed from what it originally meant! Even still, the point of this article is not to consider the topic of LGBTQ, but rather to consider the original meaning of the rainbow, and how it is a symbol of something for us today, and not that of the LGBTQ community.

As stated in the Bible and quoted above, the rainbow is a symbol of God’s covenant and promise to Noah and all of creation since his time. God’s covenant with Noah is often called “The Noahic Covenant,” and it is found in Genesis 8:20-9:17. Noah formally agreed to this covenant by making a sacrifice to the Lord (Gen. 8:20-21). But why was this covenant necessary? 

Mankind had become exceedingly wicked, and the trend and direction of their lives were focused on their own sinful desires (Gen. 6:5). It is interesting to note that in context, this came as a result of believers marrying unbelievers (Gen. 6:2; see also Matt. 22:30; Rom. 8:14, 19). God had been patient and merciful with the people for hundreds of years. However, eventually the love and justice of God had to respond. Otherwise, God would not truly be loving and just. So God destroyed the entire world with a flood. But, God saved 8 people, Noah, the only righteous person on the planet at that time (Gen. 7:1), and Noah’s family.

While the global flood of Noah’s day took place over 4,000 years ago, there are 3 parts to God’s covenant with Noah that are important for us to understand today. First, we need to understand that the Noahic Covenant is universal and unconditional.  God made this covenant with every living creature and for all succeeding generations from the time of Noah until the end of time (Gen. 9:12). This covenant does not depend upon anything Noah or his descendants had to do. Therefore, regardless of how wicked and immoral our world is becoming (and one does not have to look very far to realize that society is far from where we should be) yet God promises that He will never again destroy the earth with a global flood.

Second, we need to understand that the creation mandate has been restated and expounded. The creation mandate was originally given to Adam and Eve as a part of the Adamic Covenant, stating that mankind is made in the image of God and is to be fruitful, fill the earth and have dominion over it (Gen. 1:27-28). These same principles were restated to Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives, likewise they apply to all people since then (Gen. 9:1-7).

Additionally, from this point forward mankind is allowed to eat meat, with the exception of blood, and animals will now fear mankind as a result. Some teach that Christians should be vegetarians since mankind was originally. However, that no longer applies. Yes, we can find other dietary restrictions which did apply both during the Patriarchal and Mosaic Ages. But today in the Church Age, the only dietary restriction is the prohibition of eating blood (Acts 15:29; Rom. 14:20). God explained that the creature’s life is in its blood and was to be used for atonement (Lev. 17:10-16). (Remember, it is by Christ’s blood that we are saved.) Additionally, some cultures then and even now use it in their idolatrous practices. 

Lastly, capital punishment was now a Biblical means of handling those who commit murder. This is restated in the New Testament (Rom. 13:4). It is important to note that the enforcement of capital punishment has always been through God ordained authorities, namely, governments (Rom. 13:1). Likewise, the Bible is not against self-defense, especially as it relates to means by which the government has deemed legal (Luke 22:36).

The third thing that we need to understand about the Noahic Covenant is God’s promise still applies. The promise is based upon God’s faithfulness alone. God has always been faithful to do just as He promised. This can be seen in how He dealt with Adam and Eve, promising to send One who would destroy the Devil, namely Jesus (Gen. 3:15; Heb. 2:14). God was faithful to Noah and his family, keeping them safe in the Ark. God was faithful to Abraham, Moses, David, the prophets, and even the people of Israel in spite of their unfaithfulness. God was faithful with His people in the early church. And He is still faithful to us, regardless of how faithless we are. God is always faithful to His promises. Yes, some of His promises are conditional, yet the promise to never again destroy the entire world with a flood is not one of them.

Therefore, when you see the rainbow in the sky, I want to encourage you to remember its true meaning: (1) God’s faithfulness to all creation. And (2) His amazing grace: God was patient with the people, giving them a 120 year opportunity while Noah built the ark to turn to Him. God likewise extended grace to Noah and his family to be saved even though He could have easily have wiped them out as well. Similarly, God has been gracious with every single one of us. He has provided a means that we can be saved from the wrath that is to come—through a relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 1:10). For one day, God promises that He will destroy the earth with fire (2 Peter 3:10, 11).

R.C. Sproul said, “The Noahic covenant is God’s pledge that He will preserve the stability of nature, a stability that will allow His people to flourish and that will provide an arena for Him to enter history and bring salvation (John 1:14). Moreover, our Creator’s love for all that He has made is seen in the pledge that He will never again destroy the world (with a flood), which is also an early sign that one day all creation will be renewed” (www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/noahic-covenant-1670/). I pray that you are encouraged by the true meaning of the rainbow.

In His service,

        Matt

The Christian Atheist #2: Customized Christianity

 “Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all. In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are” (Psalm 36:1-2 ^NLT).

“Have it your way.” Burger King’s slogan is really the motto of the American society. We like to have things our own way. We like to pick and choose pretty much everything, from what we have, to what we do, and to what we believe, etc. 

There are a lot of people who approach Christianity in this way. They believe in God, but they only want to accept certain elements of Christianity. It is like as one writer said, “God created us in His image and we take and return the favor.” We make God in the image we want Him to be in. “I’ll take the love of God; but, I don’t want His wrath. I want the mercy of God; but, I don’t want His righteous judgment. I want His blessings in my life; but, that whole take up your cross and follow Him daily is just not for me.”

We tend to love the part of the Bible that tells us that God has a wonderful plan for our lives, but there are parts of the Bible that seem so outdated to us. Like for example, we think, “Who actually practices sexual purity anymore?” We tend to like the fact that God was generous with us, giving His One and only Son on the Cross. And we like that He promises to provide for our daily needs. However, we don’t like that God’s Word commands us to tithe and be generous to others, so “Let’s just skip those parts.” And we like the promises that He will work all things out for our good, day in a day out. But we think, “Weekends are mine, so I don’t care if God commands me to worship Him corporately and encourage other believers on Sundays, that’s my day to play and get things done.”

Sin has a way of whispering into our hearts. Then we rationalize our decisions, not even realizing what we are blinding ourselves to sin. This is a very dangerous place to be according to the Bible. Take for example the account of two men, Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1-2). These two individuals sincerely desired to worship God but in their own way, rather than the way He had commanded. And as a result, God struck them dead. Now, I’m not saying that God is going to struck you dead (and I’m praying that He will not). :)

We could look at other examples from Scripture of people who practiced Customized Christianity, however, none of them ended with results they wanted. Therefore, I implore you to learn to reverently and lovingly fear (respect) the Lord. We need to follow Him as He directs throughout the Bible, not just the portions that we like. (Did we not learn this from our parents—we have to obey all of their rules, not just some of them? Of course we all did.)

The Bible says that the fear (a healthy fear, and respect) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Pro. 9:10). “Fear of the LORD is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death” (Pro. 14:27). And Proverbs 22:4 says, “True humility and fear of the LORD lead to riches, honor, and long life.” Learning to fear the Lord, following Him as His Word commands is not a bad thing; rather, it leads to blessings. So may we fear the Lord, and follow Him completely.

In His service,

      Matt