Moving into Sodom

When Abraham and Lot separated Lot moved into the plains of Sodom. It wasn't long before he had moved right into the city. He may have thought that the needed to be nearer the better schools for his children. What opportunities did they have if they lived in the rural areas. He looked at the opportunities for his family and he may even have thought that his family could influence Sodom for God. He certainly was the last to think this. The church has been doing this from the beginning. However, when the church of God becomes like the world to show the world that it shouldn't be the world, the world sees through that hypocrisy.
When judgment came upon Sodom Lot learned that he had absolutely no influence over his neighbors. I am afraid that when judgment comes upon the world the church will find it has no influence over the world. If the church is to have influence it must remain separate. Not separated but distinct in it's view.
Lot lost it all. What did he gain? What shall it profit if you gain the world and lose your soul?

Pretzels

What are the purpose of pretzels?  The problem of eating pretzels is that it creates a desire to satisfy a thirst and a hunger for more.  How does this relate to loving the world?  Do we eat to live or live to eat?  All eating disorders relate to the later rather than the former.  When we have any sort of an eating disorder the we have moved food to a self-fulfilling function.  This is worldly.

Egypt and Canaan

The Israelites needed to be delivered from Egypt but overcome the Canaanites.  Egypt is often looked upon as a picture of the world while Canaan is the redeemed life.  Though Egypt is a picture of the world it held Israel in bondage.  They needed to be redeemed. Egypt then is the picture of the life held in the bondage of sin.
However, in Canaan the world was always trying to influence the people of God.  The world had been defeated but its influence still persisted.  The people of God wanted to be like the Canaanites.
Today the unredeemed need deliverance but the church needs to overcome.  The world wants to hold the unredeemed in bondage but when it loses that grip then it attempts to influence.

Retirement

There are many areas in which the world influences the Christian's way of thinking and one is in the area of retirement. We hear about freedom 55 and that you deserve the time etc. but what does the Bible say? Now before I get too high and mighty I did retire at 55 and I have been busy ever since. Much of my time today is taken with teaching an adult Bible class and working for Bibles for Missions. Before that I did spend a year in the Philippines with my wife and daughter.
My thinking was changed about 11 years ago when I attended Missions Fest 2000 in Winnipeg Manitoba. Two speakers made an impact on my thinking about retirement. One was John Piper who with the Bible in one hand he read an article from Readers Digest that talked about a couple who took early retirement so they could travel around the world in their RV and play softball and gather sea shells. He compared that to the Apostle Paul who burned with passion for the Gospel even up to the time of his death. He showed us clearly that retirement is not in the Bible.
The other speaker was Ron Pearce who I later got to know and he visited us in our home in Chatham. He had a passion for missions that drove him every waking moment.
So what should be the Christian's attitude toward retirement? Should we view it as a time when we can rest on the fruits of our labours or is it a time when we can use the time in an uninhibited way to serve our God? At the moment God has blessed my wife and I with health that we can serve Him.
We need to view retirement as a time that we can serve our God without the hindrances of making a living. I know that God blessed me that way and it is my desire to continue to serve Him.

View from here

When you view the world from the world you will only see the world. Too many times that is what happens to us as Christians. No wonder we are confused about the world and how we should react to it. The first thing we need to do is change our perspective. We need to have heaven's view of the world. How do we get that? First, we must know for certain that heaven is our home even though we reside in the world right now. The old spiritual says it right, "this world is not my home, I'm just apassin thru." Second, to get a proper perspective we must be students of the word. David said it well when he said, "Your word have I hidden in my heart so that I might not sin against you." Third, we must resist the world. We are never called to be delivered from the world but to overcome the world. Remember, the world and its attractions will pass away.

Facebook and the social media

In reading some of the comments about what is happening on facebook it would seem that it is more serious than having pages torn from your Bible. Christians are getting all upset because of the changes that are being made. All I can say about that is "get your perspective right".
So what should be a Christian's attitude to facebook. We have all seen the data. One out of five couples met on facebook; 3 out of 5 gay couples met on facebook and 2 out five divorces are linked to facebook. It sure seems that facebook has an impact in the social realm. Anyone can falsely promote themselves on facebook and as a Christian we know that is wrong. However there is a much more subtle way that Christians fall victim to the world through facebook. It is not that they are blatantly falsely promoting themselves but by the things that they post they are promoting an image, an image that they want. To me this is where the problem lies. We have to be careful that we do not use social media to give people the wrong impression. It is not about style but about communication. Christians watch yourselves. Do your postings promote you or the Lord?

Spurgeon

“Put your finger on any prosperous page in the Church’s history, and I will find a little marginal note reading thus: ‘In this age men could readily see where the Church began and where the world ended.’ Never were there good times when the Church and the world were joined in marriage with one another.” I believe that one reason why the Church of God at this present moment has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the Church.”

Hallelujah

A quick quiz. When is the only time the word Hallelujah is used in the New Testament?
Answer: it is in the Hallelujah chorus of Revelation 19 where it is used four times.

Quiz #2. What is the occasion of the outburst of praise?
Answer: The fall of Babylon which represents the world system.

Demas

Who is Demas and how is he related to 1 John? We first meet Demas in Philemon 24 where he is described by Paul as a fellow worker. The next time we meet Demas is in Colossians 4:14 where Paul just refers to him by name. Then in 2 Timothy 4:10 Paul says that Demas has deserted him having loved the present world.
Demas is a lesson for all of us. He represents those who see the world as an attraction whether it be in philosophy, finance, entertainment, values. Now don't misunderstand me, those things are not wrong in themselves but it depends upon how you view them. Satan doesn't even care if you have a Biblical worldview is your ultimate goal is to view the world.
We need to guard ourselves that we do not become like Demas.

Deliverance and Overcoming

For years I got this wrong and I think that most evangelicals get it wrong. We want deliverance from the world and we are told to overcome sin. However, that is backwards. We are told to overcome the world but to seek deliverance from sin. We are powerless to conquer sin alone, we need to bring our sins to the cross. John tells us that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Again, notice the little word "just". It would be unjust to pay the penalty for sin again since it has been paid for on the cross. Let us stop trying to overcome sin in our strength and bring our sins to the cross.
But how do we overcome the world? I believe it is the same way that we are to overcome Satan. Revelation tells us that he was overcome by the blood of the lamb, the word of our testimony and not to love our lives so much that we would shrink from death. The problem we have is that we love our lives and the lives we live in the world.

Cosmos and Cosmetics

I heard of a preacher who knew enough Greek to know that the Greek word for world was cosmos. He read 1 John 2 that we shouldn't love the world and by making the leap from cosmos to cosmetics he quickly condemned those who wore makeup.
But are we any different? If we do not realize that John was speaking of the worldly system and a worldly view of life we can quickly fall into thinking that the love of the world is externals. But the love of the world is much more than externals. Some have used world methods to overcome the world. They withdraw from the world rather than overcome the world. Running away is a worldly method. So the question remains. How do we overcome the world? To overcome the world we need to have a heaven view point. It is not "what would Jesus do" but having the mind of Christ. We need renewed minds.

Marks of a Christian

What are the marks of a Christian?  Some people would say it is defined by what we don't do while others would say it is what we do. Both views are right and both are wrong.  What do I mean?  John says that one mark of a Christian is obedience to God's commands.  Remember we are not saved by obedience but if we are saved we will be obedient.  We cannot say we love God and not do what He commands.  We obey not out of a sense of duty but from love.
That leads to the second mark of a Christian, love of one another.  John tells us that if we say we love God and then not love another believer we are lying.  He says that we cannot have fellowship with God and not have fellowship with one another.  Yes there will be times that the relationship may be strained but it should be our desire to see that relationship restored.
We used to ding a song that said that they would know we are Christians by our love.  Let us remember that it is our love for one another and our love for the Father.

Something old, something new.

The bride is to wear something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. The bride is leaving life to begin a new life. John says that he writes a new commandment which really isn't really new but an old commandment. The commandment is that we are to love one another. When Jesus was asked which was the greatest commandment he said we were to love God and the second was similar in that we are to love one another.

Prayer Phone App

I was listening to the Christian radio station the other day and I heard a comment about a prayer app for the iPhone. The person said that their son became ill or injured, I cannot remember which, and they immediately used the phone app to contact everyone to pray for him. He got better so they were praising the phone app.
Now that got me thinking. First of all why praise the phone app and not the God who heals? Now that may be incidental to what I think is the real issue. We have emails and prayer lines and print prayer requests in churches newsletters but why do we do it? I know we want to have as many people as possible pray for that request but is our prayer more likely to be answered by the number of people who are praying? The simple answer is no but is that true? We need to remember first of all that the basis of answered prayer is not on numbers or length of prayers but on the redemptive work of Christ. However, it is important that we involve as many as possible in praying together. We are commanded to bear one another's burdens. I do want others to join me in praying for requests because many times I feel inadequate. There are those who really can intercede before the Father on behalf of my request. But again I need to remember that it is not the number but the Saviour Who answers the prayer.

That you may know that you know.

There are many people who have doubts about their salvation. One of the key words in John's epistle is "know". In the four verses from 2:3 - 6 John uses the word "know" four times. He says that we know that we have come to know Him if we keep His commands. Does that mean that we are trusting in our obedience for our salvation? If that were the case then we would not know that we know. It is not our obedience that we are trusting in but rather it is our obedience shows that we do trust in His finished work.
The problem of trusting in our work is that we will never know until our work is completed whether or not we are saved. However, we trust in Christ's finished work. It is done. We know that it is complete and we can have that assurance because of Him. Yes, we can know that we know.

What is sin

1 John 1 talks about sin. Here is Don Carson of the Gospel Coalition as he talks about sin.

Faithful and Just

How many of us have read 1 John 1:9 and saw that it said that God was faithful and just to forgive us our sins and thought, "Well that is His job", He forgives sins. We may not say it so glibly but we do think that if we sin then God in His mercy will forgive us.
But did you notice that it didn't say that He was faithful and merciful but rather faithful and just? Why justice instead of mercy? Mercy implies that we will be forgiven because God is "a softy" when it comes to our sin. So we don't take our sin to seriously. However, the word is just. Justice means that the debt has been dealt with. God will forgive our sins because it would be unjust to have two punishments for the same sin. Jesus paid the price. He paid the debt. He now stands as our advocate saying that the debt has been paid.
To me it means that we look at our sins differently. We are not playing fast and loose with God's mercy but we see that the debt for our sins was the cross. There was a debt to be paid. It could not be ignored.

Propitiation

The NIV translates the word propitiation as atoning sacrifice and really that is what is meant but I am not sure that most people understand this any better.
You have probably heard the cliche that God hates the sin but loves the sinner but if you have read the Psalms you will have read that God hates the sinner. We don't like that today as we don't really understand God. God tells us in Scripture that we are under judgment because of our sin but He has supplied an atoning sacrifice.
The word propitiation means that the gods have been appeased. But we do nothing to appease God. We do not propitiate God by offering Him a sacrifice. That is a pagan thought yet our God had to be appeased. It was not because our God has a bad temper but that we are or were enemies of God. We don't offer a sacrifice but God propitiated Himself. He is the atoning sacrifice. Christ died the death we should have died so that we can live the life we shouldn't live.

Talk Radio

The other day I tuned in a Christian radio station (not the local station) and it was a phone in talk back style. I was thinking that Christians are called to be lights but even though this station called itself the light it sounded more like judgment radio. It is not our job to judge the world, God will do that. Our job is to be a light. Maybe the world is in such a mess because there is no light. What would happen if we were lights and not judges?
John tells us to walk in the light as He (God) is light.

Headlights

Pastor Gord mentioned headlights this morning and that got me thinking about 1 John. John tells to walk in the light. David said that God's Word is a light unto our path. As Pastor said, headlights may show the path (or road) in front of us but it doesn't show all the way to our destination. We have to walk in the light given us.

The Beatitudes

Have you noticed what the beatitudes don't say? They don't say blessed are those that seek blessedness. Why is that? Like joy you are not blessed by seeking blessing but rather being a blessing. You don't become joyful by seeking joy but by having fellowship. That is why John ties fellowship and joy together. Fellowship with the Father and the Son will lead to fellowship with other believers. Fellowship with the Father, Son and others will lead to joy that nothing can take away. Being joyful is not pretending that everything is good but knowing that your relationships are good.

By-Product

When I was a kid in Sunday School we used to sing a chorus that went

Jesus and others and you
What a wonderful way to spell joy
J is for Jesus Who must have first place
O is for others you met face to face
Y is for you and whatever you do
Put your self last and spell joy.

Now there is truth in that chorus.
If you seek joy you will not find it but if you seek to love the Lord and to serve others you will have joy. Joy is not a product you can produce but it comes as a by product.

Koinonia

The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia. Koinonia is more than friendship it is having something in common. It amazes me how you can meet Christians from another culture and event though you don't speak their language you know that there is a common bond and that is our Saviour. The first man you see is Kuya Rudy from Manila. He is a man I got to know in the squatter area near where we lived. Kuya Rudy loved the Lord and wanted to give Him his best so he used his talents to build a squatter church.

The couple in the second picture I met last year in Ecuador. They are church planters from Chile, the opposite side of the world from Manila. Again they didn't speak any English and I didn't speak any Spanish but we both loved the Lord and there was koinonia. That is what is meant by fellowship.

The amazing thing about being a Christian is that fellowship crosses age, race, financial and any other barriers that the world wishes to establish. Where else but in Christian fellowship can a fifteen year old Native Canadian boy have something to share with an 80 year old Russian woman.

Rub-a-dub-dub

Rub-a-dub-dub,
Three men in a tub.
So starts the English nursery rhyme.
John tells his readers that he proclaims what he has seen and heard so that they may have fellowship with him and the other apostles and ultimately with the Father and the Son. The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia and it means to "have in common".
The butcher, baker and candlestick maker had the tub in common.
The question we should ask is why did John say that the result he wanted from proclaiming the truth about what they had seen and heard would be fellowship? Why not salvation or holiness or something else? John knew that to have fellowship would mean to be in a right relationship.

The Word of Life

If you take time to read the prologue to John's Gospel and the the prologue to his first epistle you will see many similarities. However there are some differences as well. We are told that in the beginning was the Word and we know that the beginning was the beginning of time and the Word was definitely the second person of the Trinity. He was there at creation and He was the creator.
But when you read John's epistle you are not so sure as to what beginning he is referring to. Is it the beginning of time as in John's Gospel or is it the beginning of Jesus' ministry. I believe that John is referring to the same beginning in both his gospel and his epistle.
The second difference is in John's Gospel there is no doubt that when he refers to the Word he is referring to the Living Word but that is not so obvious in the epistle. On this point the commentators are split. Again I think John is writing about the living Word. He does refer to the Word of Life and the emphasis is definitely on life. Some say that he is writing about the Gospel but remember that the good news, the gospel, is about a person.
Read both prologues and see the similarities and the differences.
Do you agree or disagree about the beginning referring to the same time? Do you believe that John's reference to the Word and the Word of Life are the same?

Obsessed

Have you ever talked to someone who has just lost 10 pounds on a diet, or quit smoking, or had a major operation? Have you noticed that they don't want to talk about anything else? When a man I worked with had a heart attack I overheard one person say "Here we go again. All we are going to talk about is George's heart attack."
It is only natural to want to share with others what you find life changing. That was the Apostle John. As you read through the first four verses of his epistle you get the feeling that he cannot quit talking about what he has seen, heard and handled. It was more than an obsession, it was life changing.
Take time as you read through these verses to notice the number of times that the pronoun we, us, our is used. Do you think he is using the royal we or is he referring to others as well as himself? Is he only referring to himself or is he referring to the apostles? What about us, are we included?

Knowing where we stand.

Next Sunday we will begin our study in the book of 1 John. John begins by telling us that our faith is firmly grounded in history. The Word of Life (which some believe may be a reference to the Gospel while others a reference to Jesus Christ - this is my understanding as what would be the Gospel except for Jesus Christ) was something that he had experienced. He saw, he heard, he handled. Next Sunday we will look at the prologue which consists of the first four verses. If you can be present next Sunday take time this week to read the entire letter at one sitting. Take time to notice the contrasts that he uses, light and darkness, truth and falsehood, etc.

Contemporary Questions

John writes this letter to address some concerns which sound very much like contemporary questions.
Does doctrine matter?
Is Jesus the only way to God?
Is Jesus sufficient?
Interesting that people who say that they have no creed but Christ, or Jesus not doctrine are in reality expressing a creed or a doctrine. Doctrine does matter because it expresses what we really do believe. What they really should be concerned about is not whether or not doctrine matters but are they pointing to a set of laws or rules rather than to Christ?

So why did he write this letter?

John wrote his letter to protect his readers but there were other reasons as well. He wrote to produce joy, holiness and assurance among his readers. Joy cannot be artificially produced but it comes as a byproduct of our service for the Lord. Phillip Yancey says that he has interviewed many stars and servants but it is the servants that have the joy. Holiness had been under attack by the teachers of John's day. Since the body wasn't important then why worry about holiness? Finally, his readers felt that they had come short because they did not have the experience of the superchristians of his day. John reminds his readers that our assurance is not based upon our experience or our works but upon the finished work of Christ.

1 John

On Sunday September 11 we are going to begin a new study, Lord willing, on 1 John. I do intend to do a study in 1 Corinthians but I felt that we should begin with the little letter of John.
So why did John write this letter? The first reason was to protect his readers and we need that protection today. There is so much material that sounds Christian but it can lead people into error. For example, there is much teaching that focuses on man but this is just humanism. We need to get back to focusing on the Gospel.
Now I need a title for the series. I am open to suggestions.