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Preaching Error in Love?

cemetery-fall-colors

“But speaking the truth in love…” (Ephesians 4:15)

Jonah, the prophet, provides us with an example of truth preached without “love”. Or, without true, heartfelt compassion for the people he preached to.

However, people were still saved. And Christ later honored Jonah. Despite his unloving attitude. Despite his original disobedience. Jonah actually did the best thing anyone could do for the Ninevites. The greatest thing anyone could ever do for them.

So, what would have happened if Jonah had “loved” them, had shown deep compassion for them, and then preached a “softer” message than God had commanded him to preach?

What if that softer message or a delayed message (waiting for a better opportunity at a later time) did not lead them to repentance?

Nineveh would have been destroyed. They would have died in their sins.

How “loving” would that have been?

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Arise, My Soul, Arise!

sunray-straight-up

“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15)

I miss hearing the old hymns played the old way in church. There are a lot of old hymns not heard anymore. They have been replaced with what might be called “Christian mantras”. Shallow, repetitive songs with a beat. Not much to distinguish them from average pop music.

There is one old hymn that comes to mind called, Arise, My Soul, Arise! I first heard this hymn back when I visited Bob Jones University while I was still in high school. We had just arrived at the school and were in the dining commons for dinner. Back then, you met in a huge hall, with the rest of the student body, to share dinner together. Just before dinner, someone on an upper balcony would lead the whole building in a hymn.

When that hymn was played, I was blown away. I saw the Lord’s power and majesty when listening to all those voices joined together. That is one of the reasons I decided to go to that school. It was not a perfect place, but it had the reverence and respect for the old hymns I had grown up with. I found there a great mixture between the Fundamental Baptist and the old-time Methodist style. Something you rarely see anymore.

The words of that hymn stick with me today. I am referring to the original score and words by Charles Wesley in 1742.

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The Miracles of Inspiration and Preservation

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“All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (II Timothy 3:16)

The word “inspiration” literally means “God-breathed”. That term applies specifically and only to the original words that God “breathed out” through the mouths and hands of men. These original, written words were perfect. They were without error. They were written exactly as God intended them to be. And to believed at face value, in context.

Note that this means words were inspired, not the men. Men were “moved by the Spirit of God” to speak or to write. But men were not “inspired”. Men were not “breathed out” by God. This is a critical distinction. Because, all that we believe comes back to the written Word of God. To every, specific word. And to the specific promises that God gave us regarding His words.

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No Sparrow Left Behind

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Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.” (Matthew 10:29)

And He also said, “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings and not one of them is forgotten before God?  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore:  ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6,7)

What we have here looks like a kind of biblical-times “sparrow coupon day”.

A farthing was the lowest valued coin that was consistently minted by the Romans. It was equal to about 1/4 of a penny at the time the King James Bible was printed. So, today you could figure we might get 5 sparrows for about 2 cents. Unless you want to factor in inflation and shipping. Unless you buy $35.00 worth of them on Amazon.com and get free shipping? But then you would probably get about 8,750 of them for 35 bucks.

But what are you going to do with all of them? What do you do with even 5 of them? Eat dinner or start a zoo, I suppose.

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A Prophetic Sign for Our Generation

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Our church has just finished a 3-part series on the Old Testament book of Jonah. And I just taught an adult Sunday school class on the last part of the book. Surprisingly, for such a short book, there is a lot of stuff you can get into.

While reading the biblical account of Jonah and studying other commentaries about it, I was struck by a very basic truth. That Jonah was an historical account to be believed by all Christians. It isn’t an allegory or parable or fairy tale.

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In Memory of Scout

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“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”  (Romans 8; 18 – 23)

This morning we lost one of our cats. Just as I was getting ready for work, my wife called me to come outside. A car had been going too fast and hit our cat, Scout, trying to cross the street. He died within moments after stumbling back into our yard.

We had Scout for about a year or two. He was born in our garage during the summer. We didn’t even know that he and his other 4 siblings were alive for about 3 weeks after the fact. Misty, the mother, had hidden them way down under a big wooden work bench at the back of the garage. It was only after going into the garage one day to find something that I saw this little fuzz ball staring up at me from behind a pile of junk. And then, one by one, all the others began peering out at me from all different areas!

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Chocolate in Heaven

smokeys-kittens-couch

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” (I Timothy 6:12)

The only way this world makes sense is because of eternity. Because God is using everything we go through down here to prepare us for everlasting life with Him in Heaven.

Whatever we have lacked here, we will have in Heaven. Whatever we need to make us happy we will experience there. I am hoping to see all those I have loved in Heaven. Family, friends and so many others that I have prayed for during my life.

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Take Up Your Cross

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I am crucified with Christ . . . (Galatians 2:20)

Many wonder what Jesus meant when He said, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8:34) There are countless sermons out there on this topic. And most have nothing to do with the truth of the matter. When we hear a sermon about the cross of Christ, we should be lifted up high above the clouds. But most who hear these words walk away loaded down with heavier burdens than when they first sat down in the pew.

First of all, crucifixion is not a self-inflicted act. We do not crucify ourselves. It is a form of execution of the most brutal and final sort. It is applied by officers of the law upon criminals condemned under the law. Specifically under Roman Law during the time of Christ.

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Not of This World: A Higher Call

Sparkler Writing

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (Hebrews 11:13)

Those who know Jesus Christ as their Savior walk in two worlds. They walk in the world which we see and in that world which we don’t see. One is physical; the other is spiritual. One is temporal; the other is eternal.

This world and that world operate on entirely different principles. On entirely different laws. As we are bound in this world by physical laws like gravity, the spiritual world is also governed by laws.

When believers attempt to walk according to “the rudiments of the world“, (Colossians 2:20) they are trying to apply natural laws and techniques to spiritual work. This is why so much that we see in our churches often seems powerless and hollow. It is why we are often left with the feeling that we are not truly touching something living, but dead.

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