What We Know Pleases God

Harold Redd at the Affirming the Faith Seminar in OKC recently said something very worth repeating:

"We need to be far more focused in our Bible study on what pleases God rather than on what God allows."

I fear that much of the so-called scholarship of our day is focused more on expanding our accommodation to culture than it is on learning what God desires from us. Some seem more free to offend God than they do the person they are trying to reach. When "reaching out" to the world becomes more missional than pleasing God, any worldly thing can be justified.

In the emerging church movement, some "pastors" have begun using profane language, drinking a beer now and then, and watching sexually explicit movies, so that they don't appear to be too righteous to others of the world.

Wait! I thought we were to be salt and light! (Matt. 5:13-16) I thought our righteousness was exceed the hypocrites! I thought we were not to be conformed to the world but transformed by renewing our minds (Rom. 12:1-2). I thought we were not to love the world (1 John 2:15-17)!

Well, that's what I get for thinking. These elites have learned that unsalty salt works better than salty salt. Imagine that! I can draw closer to God by pulling further away! Of course, in such matters everything is so muddy, we can't really know anything for certain. Just ask any postmodernist!

I frankly am weary of asking a postmodernist or the public how to be a Christian and how to please God. The postmodernist doesn't know and can't know anything lest he offend someone; and the public changes with the wind. I, for one, am far more concerned about what pleases God. We can know His will. It is not so difficult (Deut. 30:11-20). We are not Christian agnostics; Jesus promised that we can know the truth (John 8:31-32). He has revealed himself in Christ, so that Paul said he had preached the whole counsel of God to the Ephesians (Acts 20:20, 27). Paul knew it well enough to call anyone who tampered with the word of God disgraceful and underhanded (2 Cor. 4:1-3).

The question is not what we can know--we can know what pleases God, because He has told us in His word. The question is whether we are willing to walk in God's ways or whether we will tamper with the word of God in order to accommodate the world.

If we reach out with a bleached out message, we may get a crowd; but they won't be converted to the gospel. They will be converted to a bleached out, powerless human message. I fear in many cases today's form of the gospel makes "Samaritan" who know a little of God but serve other gods. They are ever learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Phil

"No one is interested in that stuff"

While in OKC last week, one grumpy brother said to me, "No one is interested in that postmodernism stuff. People are interested any more in doctrines like baptism and instrumental music." This is not the first time he has told me that, but he seemed grumpy this time.

Preachers preach the gospel of Christ whether anyone is interested in it or not. Jesus felt that baptism and observing all that He commanded was important enough to mention as He gave the Great Commission. Jesus, my Lord, was interested in those things. Why shouldn't I be?

God works in baptism to give me rebirth and cleansing and forgiveness by the blood and grace of Christ. He is working on me in baptism. It is worthwhile--no, it is imperative--to help people see what God is doing for them to give them newness of life. That is what preachers do. When people say we don't need baptism to be saved, they are actually interfering with God's gracious work in our lives (Tit. 3:3-7).

Postmodern thinking is man's way of dismissing God. If I love God, I cannot dismiss Him; and I will not stop speaking about Him and His words.

Have you ever considered how Jesus treasures His words? People who talk against "doctrine" are actually speaking against what He teaches, His Words.

• Heeding his words distinguishes the wise from the foolish (Mt. 7:21-27)
• His words impart the truth that sets us free. True disciples abide in His word (Jn. 8:31-32)
• If we are ashamed of Him or His words, He will be ashamed of us (Mk 8:38; Lk. 9:26)
• His words are eternal life (Jn. 6:63)
• We will be judged by His words (Jn. 12:48)
• We become His mother and brothers by hearing and doing His word (Mk. 3:35; Lk 8:21)
• Heaven and earth will pass away but not Jesus' words (Mt. 24:35)
• Whoever is of God hears the words of God (Jn. 8:47)
• Whoever does not love Jesus does not keep his words (Jn. 14:23-24)
• Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” (Jn. 8:51)
• Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth (Jn 17:17)

The words, teaching, or doctrine of Christ is not some small matter to be swept aside. When postmodernists seek to set aside the teaching for self-made religion, they begin building on sand. Can I sit silent and not warn them? (Ezek 3:18-21)

What is not interesting to people is often very much the interest of God (Matt. 16:21-23). Our task is to quit thinking how we can accommodate people and begin focusing on pleasing God. We cannot say to God, "hush." God will have His say, if not today then one day. When He speaks then, we will wish we had listened.

think, think, think,

Phil

My version of the fellowship of the unashamed

I do not know who originally said this about the fellowship of the unashamed but, I have revised and adapted it to my own desire. I first presented this at White Rock church of Christ in Dallas and this week at Oklahoma City. Here is my version of this saying:

The Fellowship of the Unashamed Revised:
I am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed. I am strengthened in the Lord and the power of His might. The pattern has been fixed. I have made the decision to call Jesus Lord. I am a disciple and a soldier of Jesus Christ. I am His, body and soul, mind and spirit.

I won’t look up, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. There is a world lost in sin, and only the one true gospel can make a difference.

I’m not all I ought to be, what I want to be, or what I am going to be; but, thank God that by His grace, I am not what I used to be. I have no desire to return.

I am finished with low living, sight walking, blind eyes, smooth knees, lazy preaching, deaf ears, compromised beliefs, politically correct talking, and dwarfed goals.

I am finished with giving in to human religion rather than embracing New Testament Christianity. I am weary of scoffers who believe they have something better than God’s way or God’s will.

I am finished with the notion that the Lord’s church has to change its doctrine or it can’t grow. I have seen with my eyes that the Gospel still works, the blood still cleanses, God still answers prayers, and the promises of God hold true.

I am finished with foolish ways. I will do more than listen to the Lord; I will carefully obey Him. I will do more than speak for what is right; I will speak against what is wrong. I will do more than hold private beliefs; I will preach the truth without fear to anyone and everyone.

I am finished with doubting. I will believe every word of every sentence of every verse of every chapter of every book is inspired--God breathed--and utterly, utterly, utterly trustworthy. And I believe this without apology.

I am finished being wise in my own eyes, I know I do not have a better way. I will not lean on my understanding but will trust God, who knows what I do not know and can see what I cannot see.

I will stand against the compromising of doctrine, the tolerating of human traditions, the offering of false hope, and flirting with popular religion.

I know there is no way to heaven but the narrow way. I am unwilling to endorse any church but the Lord’s church, any way the Lord’s way, any gospel but the Lord’s gospel, any baptism but the Lord’s baptism, or any teaching but the Lord’s teaching.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I have the love of Christ, the grace of God, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, and my mission clear.

I must not be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. There are too many souls at stake, and my Lord deserves better.

I will not flinch in the face of heresy, hesitate in the presence of error, negotiate at the table of the enemy, pander to the popular, or meander in the maze of the muddy.
I won’t give up, back up, let up, or shut up until I have preached up, prayed up, stored up, and stayed up the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, serve until I drop, preach until everyone knows, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, I pray He’ll say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

May God be with us,

Phil

Are we to continue in ignorance?

Romans 6:1-2 says: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? ²May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

There are some who are suggesting that ignorance allows people to continue in sin. They suggest that since the grace of God covers the ignorant that perhaps as long as I don't know any better, I can continue to enjoy the grace of God and continue in error.

Now I have said that I believe the naive will not be judged as strictly as teachers. This is true (James 3:1). But the Scriptures rebuke those who remain immature, when they should have grown to maturity. They ought to been teachers by some point (Heb. 5:12-14). Being perpetually a babe is not the will of God. The mature "because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil." This is a possible and desired state for Christians. Christians are to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

We might well say: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in immaturity and ignorance so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in ignorance?

Now, frankly, all of this discussion is not so much about ignorance as it is about toleration. The postmodern mindset is one of toleration, and for them there is no such thing as heresy or false doctrine. So if we can excuse willful ignorance by an appeal to God's grace, we can continue in our error. They subtly argue, "If I don't know it's wrong, then it's not wrong. If I don't think it's wrong, then it's not wrong." They think the grace of God gives them a pass from being responsible and having to know anything. If you are postmodern in thinking, you are not sure you can know anything for certain, so any belief is as good as any other. Pluralism gone to seed.

Some of that pluralism is blamed on the personal moving of the Holy Spirit. Oh my! It seems any error today can be blamed on what God or the Holy Spirit has moved one to believe and practice. The Holy Spirit does not move people today to act contrary to the revealed will of God found in the New Testament. The Holy Spirit only speaks what He has heard from the Father (John 16:12-13). The Holy Spirit is not in the "follow culture" business. He reaches out with the same message He gave in the first century, when He gave the apostles "all the truth." To say that He moves men today to adopt self-made religion and worship with innovations is presumptuous.

The only sins in the mind of postmodernism are intolerance, judgmentalism, and exclusivity. It does not occur to the postmodernist that he is guilty of the things he condemns. He is intolerant of intolerance; he is judgmental of judgmentalism; and he is exclusive of people he labels as exclusivist. To believe in one Lord, one faith, one gospel, or one body is arrogant, judgmental, and intolerant to the postmodernist. I plead guilty to the belief is the exclusivity of Jesus' way, for that is what the Lord teaches. His view of me is all that matters.

Jesus Christ wills that disciples be taught to "observe all things that I commanded you." We are not to remain babes, Christian agnostics, or willfully ignorant. This belief that we must have uncertainty about everything is plainly disbelief in Jesus (John 8:31-32). Jesus said unless we believe that he is the Christ, we will die in our sins (8:24). What we believe still matters to Jesus, regardless of what postmodernists think.

Phil

Affirming the Faith Seminar Saturday

The North MacArthur congregation in Oklahoma City has invited me to teach two classes at their Affirming the Faith Seminar this Saturday, Feb. 23. I am elated at the invitation and am especially honored to get to visit with many of my dearest friends who will also be there.

I am especially looking forward to a visit with Harold Redd, my roommate at OCC in the early 70s. Harold preaches in Memphis and is doing a great work for the Lord. I am also looking greatly forward to visiting with Howard Norton, Mack Lyon, Jeff Jenkins, and Stafford North.

This is an important seminar, and I urge anyone within driving distance to be there. I will bring copies of books for sale. I will also have a display for Think Magazine and Focus Press.

On Sunday morning and evening, I'll preach for Cherokee Hills, who are sponsoring me in this Seminar. Cherokee Hills is where Jackie and I were married nearly 34 years ago.

My classes are entitled: "Erasing the Distinctives" (1 & 2) I will be talking about the changes taking place in the church due to postmodern influences. Postmoderns do not like distinctives, do not like any judgments, and do not like boundaries. There is, however, only one Lord, one church, one gospel, and one faith. Jesus is the only way to heaven. There is a time to be dogmatic about our faith. Christianity is not the same as Islam, Judaism, or Buddhism.
There are not many roads to the same place.

The postmodern mindset has set us adrift on a sea of uncertainty--we need to come back to the only foundation--Jesus Christ and serve him faithfully.

Hope to see you there,
Phil

Young and non-religious voters are being heard

If you wish to know something about who is voting in the primaries and who will elect your next President, you take a look at the Pew Research website. It is shocking how many voters have no religious affiliation.

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/730/young-voters

Hmmmmm.

Phil

"Preachers Can't Be Elders" and misspeaking

On Friday I spoke during a Contemporary Concerns Lecture at Freed-Hardeman Lecture, My topic was "Are Women Limited As Leaders." For 35 minutes I dealt with a variety of points dealing with this issue.

One of my final points is that all Christians are limited in the roles. I wanted to emphasize that anyone could be tempted to feel cheated if they desired a role for which they were unqualified. What needs to happen rather than letting the devil convince us we are cheated is to be satisfied with the roles we have.

Women cannot be preachers or elders, but neither can single men be elders or deacons. I noted that even an elder is subject to the eldership, and all elders are subject to the Chief Shepherd and the Word. In the midst of this I said, "and preachers can't be elders." I did not at all mean that a qualified preacher who is appointed by the congregation cannot serve also as an elder. What I meant was that a preacher who did not qualify or was not so appointed could not serve in that role. He too should be content.

I was given an opportunity to clarify the statement, for which I am thankful. Many folks knew what I meant, but others got confused. When you have understanding, you do not have misunderstanding. I was thankful for the opportunity to clarify my statement immediately.

How often words come out misunderstood, misinterpreted, misspoken, and regretted. Speakers, even experienced ones, sometimes misspeak. I did.

Rather than accuse the speaker, please do as kind people did to me, and FIRST ask questions. Did I understand you correctly? Is that what you mean? I appreciated those who came to me and told me what I said.

I plan to listen more closely and ask questions FIRST.

P.S. If you would like my notes, send me an email: phil@God-answers.org

kindly,
Phil

For a more balanced approach

To my readers,

I really weary of progressive posters who think that all of us in the middle-of-the-road preach for dying and shrinking churches. It is absurd and false to think that all the growth among us has been among the progressives. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I spoke earlier of two church plantings nearby. Both happened among the mainstream, neither among the progressive. Both are growing well, and we thank God for them (Heritage in Franklin and Spring Meadows in Spring Hill). At the same time I have seen nearby progressive churches lose large numbers of members.

According to Yeakley, the more progressive the church, the more likely they are to lose their teens. I am not really surprised. Once you start down the road of compromise and self-made religion, it is hard to keep your kids from going one step further than you have gone. What I do weary of is the constant harping by progressives that mainliners won't keep their children. The fact is the ones who keep their kids best are the middle-of-the-road churches.

What was also important is that the attendance to membership ratio and the giving to member ratio were so outstanding among members of the church. To assume this is only progressive churches goes against the grain and my experience. Why is it that progressive publications can hardly stay in print, while the mainstream and conservative ones last on and on?

Forgive me for a shameless plug but Think magazine, now in its third year is booming! It is the first publication among churches of Christ to enter into the larger religious market. It is a high-quality and well-designed periodical. You can find out more about it at www.focuspress.org. Yes, I have a column there. Whatever happened to Image or Mission magazine?

Now the stats showed that in America we gain 4,000 congregations yearly and lose 7,000. A net loss of 3,000. I understand there are about 350,000 churches of all kinds in the USA. If the net loss of American congregations from 2000 to 2006 was 18,000, I maintain the loss of only 69 congregations among the 12th largest religious group and the fourth most congregations is not all that bad. One must also wonder how many of those losses were not losses but mergers.

Well, it will be interesting to see what else we learn from these studies.

Phil

Some more pertinent statistics

According to Flavil Yeakley, who presented this material at FHU recently, one can say these things about churches of Christ:

• 12th largest religious group in America
• 6th fastest growing church in America
• 4th in the nation in the total number of congregations
• 5th in the nation in number of counties in which there is a congregation
• 1st in the nation in distribution of congregations
• 1st in the nation in weekly attendance

According to a survey by Barna about five years ago, churches of Christ were first in donations among religious groups (for our size).

When you consider that we lost only 69 churches (2000-2006) and yet are 4th in the number of congregations throughout the US is rather remarkable.

The call for changing doctrine or die is premature...

Phil

Pertinent Statistics

A denominational website (www.MaranathaLife.com) gave these statistics:

• Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches.
• Four thousand new churches begin each year, but over seven thousand churches close their doors.
• Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.
• Almost forty percent polled said they have had an extra-marital affair since beginning their ministry.
• Eighty percent of pastors surveyed spend less than fifteen minutes a day in prayer.
• Seventy percent said the only time they spend studying the Word is when they are preparing their sermons.

Whatever we think of these statistics, it is clear that many, many preachers have serious personal and spiritual problems. While the source of this information probably comes from outside churches of Christ, there is no doubt that these problems occur among us as well.

After reading this statistic, I want to pray a whole lot more.

phil

PS. Churches of Christ have lost 69 congregations (2000-2006). This is eleven per year. How many of these were mergers is hard to know. Two new plants have taken place near my home since 2003 (Heritage in Franklin and Spring Meadows in Spring Hill).

What is Legalism?

Postmodernists and progressives have for some time now worked hard at redefining legalism. They quickly label anything they don't want or don't like as legalism. Out of one of their mouths they talk obedience as necessary to salvation; but out of the other side of their mouths they depict anyone who would actually require obedience as a fanatic Pharisee.

A Pharisee legalist is not a person who obeys the laws of Jesus but a person who tries to enforce man-made laws. He is the one who develops his own standard and requires everyone else to live up to it. Do not confuse obedience with legalism.

Jesus did not condemn the Pharisees for keeping the Law scrupulously. He condemned them for binding their oral traditions on others (Matt. 15:1-14; Mark 7:1-23). For instance, the progressive calls one who correctly restricts the meaning of baptism to immersion a legalist and Pharisee for expecting people to do what the word means. It does not occur to them they ought to hear and obey what the Lord teaches (the word baptism, after all, refers to immersion and is a burial), they can only call names at the person who will not give in to their side-stepping the truth by adding the human practice of sprinkling. It is easier to try to make the obedient into the bad guy than it is to admit their self-made religion.

So when you can't win the debate on the issue, make the argument ad hominem, argue against the man. Label him as unkind and ignorant of the grace of Christ. (Such arguments stain whether they are true or not--the main thing is to make the obedient look bad.)

The fact is, obedient people value the grace of Christ. They love God enough to simply do what He says to do. They realize hearing and obeying the commandments is how we love God (John 14:15). They have learned righteousness and godliness from grace (Titus 2:11-14). They do not presume upon the grace of Christ by inventing their own doctrines and practices. They do not make laws but simply obey the laws God has given. They believe in loving lawfulness. Love for God is shown listening to God, not presuming one can do what one pleases and relying on the grace of God will bail him out.

The progressive by his very nature is wanting to move beyond obedience into the realm of popular religion, so that he doesn't have to face censure from those who do not practice the truth. He has to find a way to embrace those in error, so he does it by slapping the person who values obedience. He thinks he has a better handle on grace than anyone. His grace is not a valued gift but his presumed excuse for license. Anyone who objects to the progressive agenda just doesn't understand grace, so they say. What nonsense!

Faithful Christians obey the Lord from the heart; they do so genuinely and are not dominated in their thinking with how they appear to their religious neighbors. They don't have to blow the trumpet when they do something religious. They don't have to please the mainline denominational community; they are more interested in pleasing God.

Faithful Christians love sinners and work hard to lead them to love the Lord. They follow the Great Commission by teaching them to "observe all things" the Lord commands. They work so hard because they understand and value the grace of Christ.

for the Truth of the matter,
Phil

Hypocrites??

A new survey of U.S. adults who don't go to church, even on holidays, finds 72 percent say, "God, a higher or supreme being, actually exists." But just as many (72%) also say the church is "full of hypocrites," reports USATODAY.com. Additionally, 44 percent agree with the statement, "Christians get on my nerves." The survey was conducted by LifeWay Research, the research arm for the Southern Baptist Convention.

Why would the unchurched call Christians hypocrites who get on their nerves?

First, it is probably because some are. Many religionists in the days of Jesus were hypocrites. A hypocrite is a person who pretends to be what he does not intend to be. Think with me how this might look to outsiders who have not heard the message in a while:

• a church that sends its members all over the United and protests the death of soldiers, claiming this is God's judgment against our nation over social ills (especially homosexuality). Their judgmentalism gets on everyone's nerves. That's God's place. Who doesn't remember Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker?
  
• a Christianity that turns its worship services into an entertainment venue, featuring and honoring many artists whose moral lives do not reflect the Christian life (folks, I live within a few miles of where 90% of Christian music is recorded)
• a Christianity that does not always forgive its penitent--the cult of the older brother (Luke 15) is alive and well among some.
• some Christians practice "in-your-face" evangelism in an irritating way, building up barriers before they can get to the heart.
• God knows that flaky and worldly churches are a discredit to the community and to his Name. Cults and commercialism capture the media today. Unbelievers aren't always exposed to genuine faith and true piety. What they see are the flakes, the cults, and the compromisers. Christians in the media are nearly always pictured as fanatics or hypocrites. It is hard to find a true Christian on television.
• Then there are pseudo-prophets who speak of a 700 ft.-tall Jesus, or the end of the world in 2012. Do you really think the world sees a difference between such deceived deceivers and genuine Biblical Christianity? not always.
  
• Many unbelievers cannot distinguish the sensational disbelievers who are trying to restore Gnosticism from what they term as manipulative traditional Christianity. Others cannot distinguish Biblical Christianity from the pomp and ritualism of Catholicism.
  

Second, some outsiders mistake weakness for hypocrisy. The most genuine Christians I know still struggle with some weakness or another. They are humble enough and courageous enough to admit it. Christianity is not some guarantee against tempted; we all face temptation. The spirit is indeed willing but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26:41). A Christian does his best out of love to do right but still fails at times. A hypocrite neither loves nor intends to do right; he merely wants to cover his wrong ways and true motives in order to appear righteous. We must not confuse being human with bad motives.

Third, some outsiders make this claim (not because it is always true) as a defense mechanism to keep the focus off of their own lifestyles. If they can make everyone believe all Christians are hypocrites, then they feel free to live as they please with impunity. It is easier to point the finger than it is to repent.

You might come up with some other reasons. I know this is not exhaustive. But as I end this little essay, let's also give some culpability to the devil. He steals the word so that some never hear and obey (Luke 8), he leads people astray from a pure devotion (2 Cor. 11:2), he and his servants disguise themselves as servants of light (2 Cor. 11:14-15), and he has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4).

Are they right about Christians? yes and no. If we see hypocrisy in our selves, let's not give the enemy an opportunity to blaspheme the Name. Let's repent.

"Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." (1 Pet. 2:11-12).

Phil

Should Faith Matter in this Election?

Should faith matter when it comes time to elect a president? We have some unique choices this time around. Should we carefully weigh the things that shaped the thinking of each candidate? Of course!

Now, it is good Americanism to throw out race, color, and creed when it comes to rights. Should people of all races, colors and creeds have an opportunity to be president if they qualify? Yes, we would affirm their right.

Is it wisdom in such an age to elect a man whose experiences arise from influences that could be damaging to the country? That is a different question. In voting for president, we want the man who follows God's will and will do what pleases our Father in Heaven. How wise is it to want a man who grew up in an atheist home? How wise is it to elect a man who has grown up in a Muslim home? Is it wise to want a man who grew up thinking he could become a God and rule his own planet?

What we believe shapes who we are, how we think, what we value, and where we want this country to go. Faith matters in the making of a man. People don't grow up in a vacuum, and people are NOT all alike.

When we have a choice, it is utter foolishness to support a candidate whose primary values are against what we believe. Jotham's fable ought to speak to us all. Do we really want a bramble bush to rule over us?

Israel in rebellion to the Father clamored for an earthly king and got one. We must be careful what we call for, we may get it.

Phil

Change! but what kind of change?

As the political year heats up, it is clear the word "change" is becoming ever more popular. "We need change!" is said in the same breath as "we need unity." The suggestion is that the current trend of the day is one of division.

The more selfish people become, the more they will be divided. The more they rely on human authority, the more they will vie for power. The more they emphasize diversity the more they will leave out some and alienate others. So much of what lies at the base of political correctness is the desire for power. The desire is to overthrow the established and create a new order.

We are seeing that in families. Some seek to overthrow the traditional family of marriage and replace it with other types of unions: same-sex and even polyamory unions (more than three of both sexes).

We are seeing it in religion. Some have done everything they can to dismiss and forsake anything Christian and yet in the same breath allow eastern religions. Some fearing Islam's violent reactions seem to leave it alone while they trash the Judeo-Christian values.

The loss of absolutes in our society has set it in a spin; many things are upside down. Those who thirst for power are no doubt doing all they can to take advantage of this confusion. Using words like "change" is not helpful. Such glittering generalities do not reveal their real agenda. We then ask, "what kind of change?"

Hopefully, this will become more evident as the presidential race develops. I, for one, am planning to keep my eyes and ears open. I frankly do not trust those who holler for change but say little about what changes they want.

Watching and talking with progressive inclusivists over the last couple of decades, I hear the word "change" often. What I would also like to hear is an honest statement about where they really want to go, rather than veiled threats about church growth (if we don't "change.") When the Bible is set aside for popular religion for the sake of "church growth," I don't buy the need for change. I frankly wish those who clamor for change could present a cogent Biblical reason for it larger than "we'll lose our young people, " and "the grace of God will cover it."

What does God desire? That question is very different from "what do I think God will allow?"

May we keep to the first and throw out the second.

kindly,
phil

A Season of Loss

Since the first of December, we have recorded in our bulletin and on the newsline close to twenty deaths of loved ones to our members. Today we received word of two more. A dear friend told me Wednesday night that he and his wife had attended the funerals of fifteen friends and family members in the last few weeks. I cannot recall in nearly forty years of ministry such a season.

As I reflect on this season, I am reminded of our common mortality. Death has indeed passed on to us all. We must all walk that singular path. It would be foolish indeed for us to waste our lives and not prepare for the journey. What we shall find at the end depends on whether we are prepared (Matthew 25:1-13).

Some are easier to bury than others. It is easy to remember the good and loving, when people have lived that way. I have been so thankful to have known so many good people, and their loss is deeply felt. When a righteous and faithful person passes, we cannot mourn for the future of that person. We rightfully mourn, but we mourn for our loss not their gain. To die is gain for them (Phil. 1:23). We could not but for our own sake wish them back. We take hope in where they are now and thank God for His immeasurable grace.

It was said of wicked king Jehoram that he died at age 32 with no one's regret (2 Chron. 21:20). Most of the folks I know are not such people.

Mourning our own teaches us compassion for others who have suffered loss.

Mourning teaches us that our lives matter. Mourning reminds us there is a limit to our time on earth, and we must make the most of it (Eph. 5:15-17).

Mourning reminds us of our accountability to the Lord. We are not our own; we belong to Him. He will reward each of us according to our deeds.

As we begin the new year, let us think of what record we are making for ourselves. Let us make it for good and for the Lord. Let us draw near to the throne of grace and live as saved people who have a hope.

kindly and thoughtfully,
Phil

Getting Back to Basics

What is my greatest desire? What is the most important thing in all of life to me? It is this: to hear the Lord I love say to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:23). Heaven is a wonderful goal, but I want even more than heaven to please the Lord who has loved me so abundantly and graciously.

“Faithful over a little…” Another version says, “faithful in a few things.” None of us is perfect, nor can we be. We all do our best to serve the Lord we love. Or, do we? Are we faithful even over a few things? Are we faithful in attendance? In prayer? In regular Bible study? In our moral lives? In our service? Can God depend on us personally to spread His word?

We are responsible to use well what God has given us. The issue is not how much we have but how well we use what we have. Each believer should faithfully carry out the duties entrusted to him or her by God and multiply his or her God-given “talents” for the sake of the kingdom.

As we ponder the coming year, the best thing we can do is to get back to basics, to practice the things that help us to grow spiritually healthy and strong. We cannot do that apart from the basics.

Are you as spiritually strong today as you were a year ago? Where will you be spiritually in a year?

Phil

Treasure your Bible

I like to recommend giving Bibles as gifts during the holiday season. There is no higher treasure. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ and his word. I want to tell you a true story, but I must change the names and places of some individuals involved to protect a precious brother. You will understand why.

About a month ago I received an email from a city in Turkey asking for Bibles to help a struggling congregation in a nation dominated by Muslims. Of course, evangelism is illegal in most Muslim countries; and the punishment for evangelizing is usually death. Muslim countries under Sharia law have no freedom of religion.

Since I did not recognize the name, I asked for some references. I wanted to know if this brother who wrote to me was faithful to the Lord. Since he did not know any American members of the church, he pointed me to an Australia, who vouched for the sincere efforts of the Turkish brother who had come out of Islam and into the faith. This took some time. I am so grateful for my elders who acted with speed.

In the meantime, I found the Turkish brother who asked for funds, was not seeking funds for himself but for a friend in another country, who had found a way to smuggle Bibles into a predominantly Islamic country in Africa. When we made the commitment to help, the Turkish brother put me into contact with the African brother, who sometimes lived in another country than the one where he was taking the Bibles. We will fictitiously call this precious brother Ammed. So we have a Turkish brother and an Australian saying that Ammed is a faithful brother. Then I learned from Ammed that he attended a congregation in East Africa.

Rather than asking for the money for himself, Ammed said send it to an elder of the church in East Africa, where he attends and is the only foreigner. He informed the elders, and we sent the money to them to buy the Bibles. The church where he attends rejoiced at his faith and at our willingness to help buy Bibles to smuggle in to the lost.

In the meantime, Ammed worked all day at his job and spent his nights printing evangelistic literature that was designed for his native, Islamic land. I marveled at a man who would risk his own life and that of his family to evangelize the Islamic world. I marveled at a man who rejoiced that an American church would help him, something he never expected.

He would loved to have smuggled ten times as many Bibles into his native land. This story, which involves people from four continents, is amazing to me. I am humbled by the sacrifices of a man who converted from error to truth. In his last email, he asked if he could download my studies on the internet and translate them into Arabic. How could I refuse such a servant?

In coming weeks and months I hope to hear more from Ammed about the Bibles and his evangelism he is doing among his people. Please pray for his safety and success.

in hope,
Phil

Singing in Half Voices

On one of my overseas campaign trips, I met Luda, who translated for me and who worked very hard with WBS. She is a graduate of British Bible School. She visited Concord Rd. some weeks ago, and now is back home. She is a bedrock for a congregation there. Here is her email. I took out some portions that were not needed for this post:

Dear Phil,

I am so thankful to God that I had a unique opportunity to see an American Church of Christ and meet you. It was such an inspiration. And see, how blessed you are: the building, many Christians, faithful and experienced preachers, an opportunity to travel to other churches and attend lectureships.Maybe you, people, take it for granted? We, here, are devoid of this.

The church still meets in secret as is not registered. To register nowdays is practically impossible as the "Russian orthodocs atheists" are vigilant and we have, as in old days, the so called "cesaropapism". Despite loud declarations the accepted state religion is the above. Even registered baptist and pentecostal churhces with own buildings have problems and some buildings were expopriated. Catholic priests also have hard times though one third of the population is catholic as big territory was Poland before the advent of the Soviet power.

However, my church strives to preserve the "first love" and we are doing fine: regular Sunday service and the Bible class after, Ladies class and the OT class during the week as well as a small Sunday school for children. We sing in half voices as we rent an apartment in secret and it is also illegal. Our preacher Nickolay has studied in the WBS and had individual studies under one preacher from the Evansville church for some three years. Now starting from January we are on our own. I decided to give some part of my salary plus money from collections to pay the rent and continue. The rest of people, we are about 10, cannot help financially. I think I owe this to God and do not feel deprived. It is difficult to grow in such circumstances and the fact makes us all feel unhappy. Of course, we pray for an increase in number and having students but so far everything has not been effective. Some could not accept what they heard and how the service was structured and that we did not have a magnificent building decorated with icons and gilded worship objects, some could not accept that our Bibles do not bear a Russian orthodox cross (with a additional line below pointing to to hell or the paradise) etc.

Best wishes,

In Christ,

Luda

The List

For some twenty years I have been hearing about "the list." This is a list of instructions that "ChurchofChristers" made up to distinguish the saved from the lost. Progressives claim that this list is really a basis for self-righteousness and meritorious salvation.

Now, I suppose there are some misguided brethren who think they can save themselves by their own doing. On my part, I know that I need saving. I need the grace of God. Most members of the church understand that. But those who are always hollering about the list are not interested in being fair. They find the most hard-headed legalist among us and pretend we are all that way. They love to invent a stereotype and criticize their imagined persona.

I have to admit I have never seen this list. In my thinking it has all the credibility of "Quelle," the supposed document of the higher critics. They made up "Q," and some brothers have invented the "list." Both make good propaganda. It is easier to defeat an invented list than it is to deal with the commandments of the Scripture.

What we have read is the Scripture. Jesus intends to be obeyed when He speaks. The way to love Him is to obey Him--He said so. This is not auto-soterism (self-salavation); this is love. We are to observe and to teach others to observe everything He commanded. Some don't like us saying that, but we didn't. Jesus said that (Matt. 28:20).

When we say that, some respond with the accusation that we make every commandment have the same level of necessity, that we flatten out our understanding of Scripture. No, we realize some matters are weightier than others--Jesus said so. But Jesus also said those who would relax or annul or breaks one of the least of the commandments will be the least in the kingdom.

We have no desire to make lists, but we do not wish to ignore anything the Lord teaches. We have no preconceived notions that by keeping commandments alone we can save ourselves from the wrath to come. No, no. We need the blood, and we obey because we love.

I think it sad that some in order to excuse their self-made religion have to resort to imaginary lists and impugning motives. They must point the finger at others in order to take notice off of their own self-made righteousness.

Phil

I ask, "What commandment of God can a person refuse to obey or willingly disobey and still please God?"

Love and Rules

Love is what God's will is all about.

Matt. 7:12 "Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." Rom. 13:8-10 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. ⁹The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

When I hear of someone bad-mouthing rules, I wonder what they are thinking. They certainly are thinking of commandments the way God does. Calvinism has made trashing any kind of "works" popular. "No flesh will be justified by the works of the law" (Gal. 2:16) does not mean that we are free to dismiss whatever commandments we don't like. Nor does it dismiss (as some desire) the need for the obedience of faith. We are saved by grace--yes--through faith--yes! Grace alone without faith does not save. Faith alone without grace does not save.

What kind of faith saves? It is not dead faith. It is not mere believing. It is an active, living, obedient faith. The apostle Paul spoke God's will by inspiration in Galatians 5:6 when he said: "in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith WORKING BY LOVE."

I hear people save we are saved by faith alone, but they take it back every time when you mention love. They take it back every time when you mention repentance. Grudgingly they take it back when you mention obedience. Well if faith also requires love, repentance, and obedience, then one is not really saved by faith alone.

God's commandments teach us how to love Him (Rom. 13:8-10). You can talk emotional love all you wish, but you have to know how to love. The commandments teach us how to love (Jn 14:15). It is not legalism or Pharisaical (as some charge) to speak about keeping commandments. One has not forgotten grace simply because he speaks of obedience. After all, we can never do enough to earn forgiveness or heaven. I do not believe in legalism; I believe in loving God enough to take His word seriously and be obedient. This is what I call loving lawfulness--it is thoroughly Biblical and right.

We are not speaking of meritorious works; we talking obediently complying with the Lord's conditions. These are His conditions; we didn't dream them up. Jesus made it clear that keeping His commandments is how we abide in His love (John 14:21, 23; 15:10).

Some speak of rules as if they were hateful things. They are, however, God's rules. The Lord Jesus rules our lives by rules. We acknowledge His Lordship of our lives and show we love Him by listening to His rules.

God gave us rules for our best interests, because He loves us. They were rules that show love, not enslavement. People who reject the rules of God are also rejecting His means to protect us and to make our lives better.

Instead of rebellion against God's love by rejecting His rule in our lives, we should embrace Him and His words (Isa. 1:18-20).

let the love of God rule in your life.

Phil