Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Embarrassment Where it Comes From
Have you ever been completely ignored by those who you thought would love you? When you write a text or letter and those you wrote to do not respond to you, how does that make you feel? Or perhaps they respond with one word or one sentence answers as a sort of obligatory response that feels flat and lifeless!
When we say we love someone but ignore their correspondence, even refuse to engage in meaningful conversation with them, it feels more like hate than love.
This is what God feels like when we say we "are Christian" but are embarrassed to mention His name. Even denying His truth in favor of being accepted by others who do not love Him.
Can someone be born again and act embarrassed at hearing the words of God or the name of Christ? I don't know, I am confused about this.
I love Christ more than I can express, even though I fall short in my walk, I cannot imagine not thinking about Him. He comes to mind all through the day. You know, the way someone we love deeply and are about to marry never leaves our mind until our wedding day. Or the way we never stop thinking of the children we bore.
We are the bride of Christ, is He not in our mind continually, as we wait in anticipation for that day we will see Him face to face. The longing for Him is powerful and constant in those who love Him.
Our focus on Christ is not nearly as much about "the rules" as much as its about how much we are in love with Him.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
In these verses I am convinced they are not merely commands to do these things but expressions of facts that we do them. We don't have to try or work it up, we just love Him so much it comes to us as naturally as it does for those who are deeply in love and about to get married to a spouse.
Revelation 19:7-9
"Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
I am also convinced that when a person has this mindset toward Christ they will also love the Brethren.
1 John 3:14
"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death."
Ephesians 3:17–19
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
When we say we love someone but ignore their correspondence, even refuse to engage in meaningful conversation with them, it feels more like hate than love.
This is what God feels like when we say we "are Christian" but are embarrassed to mention His name. Even denying His truth in favor of being accepted by others who do not love Him.
Can someone be born again and act embarrassed at hearing the words of God or the name of Christ? I don't know, I am confused about this.
I love Christ more than I can express, even though I fall short in my walk, I cannot imagine not thinking about Him. He comes to mind all through the day. You know, the way someone we love deeply and are about to marry never leaves our mind until our wedding day. Or the way we never stop thinking of the children we bore.
We are the bride of Christ, is He not in our mind continually, as we wait in anticipation for that day we will see Him face to face. The longing for Him is powerful and constant in those who love Him.
Our focus on Christ is not nearly as much about "the rules" as much as its about how much we are in love with Him.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
In these verses I am convinced they are not merely commands to do these things but expressions of facts that we do them. We don't have to try or work it up, we just love Him so much it comes to us as naturally as it does for those who are deeply in love and about to get married to a spouse.
Revelation 19:7-9
"Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
I am also convinced that when a person has this mindset toward Christ they will also love the Brethren.
1 John 3:14
"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death."
Ephesians 3:17–19
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
Getting Harder to Discern
It has become harder to discern those with false doctrines when they mix a little truth with a whole lot of error. Just recently I witnessed a facebook friend going from a sweet demeanor to a vitriolic tone when she was led astray by false teaching.
There are preachers who preach to convince others of doctrine and then there are preachers who rant to intimidate.
Just recently I was astonished at a couple of preachers who seemed very good in their preaching saying things that were correct, but held beliefs that are clearly unbiblical. I have even posted videos of some of their preaching, now I will avoid them and even warn others about them .
Jacob Prasch is one and John Haller is another. These are people who hold to the post trib position and that one can lose their salvation.
These two beliefs "loss of salvation if one does not live perfectly" and that believers will go through the tribulation before they are raptured, seem to often go hand in hand.
A difference of opinion on the timing of the rapture is less problematic than preaching that someone can lose their salvation. Can one understand the gospel message and the cross if they believe we must "be good enough" to maintain our salvation? I do not think so!
If one believes we can lose our salvation if we are not working hard enough to be good enough, then those who think they are saved must be "good enough" in their own minds.
But then again, how do those who think they can lose their salvation know if they will lose it tomorrow until tomorrow comes.
I continue to be disappointed at how many people listen to preachers for their truth far more than they seek Christ. I confess that I listen to lots of preachers and I have made mistakes in sharing videos when they sounded good only to find out over time that they do not hold to the sound doctrines on other things that are important.
I found that when I listen to "moral issues" far more than doctrines of Christ I am more likely to get off track.
I also have learned that when we find someone to be unsound in their doctrine, confronting it and speaking against it we will run into those who are dedicated to the false preachers, ready to defend them irrationally with personal attacks to us rather than staying on topic to prove a point.
I have had to stop listening to several preaches on the internet lately because they bring division, using more mockery and demeaning than they do facts to support their false doctrine.
We must all be ready to move on when someone is promoting doctrine that is heretical or deeply in error.
1 Thessalonians 5:21
"21 Test all things; hold fast what is good."
There are preachers who preach to convince others of doctrine and then there are preachers who rant to intimidate.
Just recently I was astonished at a couple of preachers who seemed very good in their preaching saying things that were correct, but held beliefs that are clearly unbiblical. I have even posted videos of some of their preaching, now I will avoid them and even warn others about them .
Jacob Prasch is one and John Haller is another. These are people who hold to the post trib position and that one can lose their salvation.
These two beliefs "loss of salvation if one does not live perfectly" and that believers will go through the tribulation before they are raptured, seem to often go hand in hand.
A difference of opinion on the timing of the rapture is less problematic than preaching that someone can lose their salvation. Can one understand the gospel message and the cross if they believe we must "be good enough" to maintain our salvation? I do not think so!
If one believes we can lose our salvation if we are not working hard enough to be good enough, then those who think they are saved must be "good enough" in their own minds.
But then again, how do those who think they can lose their salvation know if they will lose it tomorrow until tomorrow comes.
I continue to be disappointed at how many people listen to preachers for their truth far more than they seek Christ. I confess that I listen to lots of preachers and I have made mistakes in sharing videos when they sounded good only to find out over time that they do not hold to the sound doctrines on other things that are important.
I found that when I listen to "moral issues" far more than doctrines of Christ I am more likely to get off track.
I also have learned that when we find someone to be unsound in their doctrine, confronting it and speaking against it we will run into those who are dedicated to the false preachers, ready to defend them irrationally with personal attacks to us rather than staying on topic to prove a point.
I have had to stop listening to several preaches on the internet lately because they bring division, using more mockery and demeaning than they do facts to support their false doctrine.
We must all be ready to move on when someone is promoting doctrine that is heretical or deeply in error.
1 Thessalonians 5:21
"21 Test all things; hold fast what is good."
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