Sunday, June 28, 2020

Dogs and Swine


‘‘Do not give what is holy to dogs and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces’” 
(Matthew 7:6).

It is clear from this verse that Jesus does not exclude every kind of judgment here He commands a specific type. However, to obey His command, you need to know who the dogs and swine represent.

In biblical times, dogs were largely half-wild mongrels that acted as scavengers. They were dirty, greedy, snarling, and often vicious and diseased. No responsible Jew would ever throw to a dog a piece of holy meat that had been consecrated as a sacrifice in the temple. Since no man was allowed to eat this meat, how much less should it have been thrown to wild, filthy dogs?

Swine were considered by the Jews to be the epitome of uncleanness. Like the scavenging dogs, those swine were greedy, vicious, and filthy.

Dogs and swine represent those who, because of their great perversity and ungodliness, refuse to have anything to do with the holy and precious things of God except to trample them under their feet, twisting and tearing God’s word and people to pieces.

Jesus’ point is that certain truths and blessings of our faith are not to be shared with people who are very antagonistic to the things of God. Such people have no appreciation for what is holy and righteous. They will take that which is holy, the pearls of God’s Word, as foolishness and an insult. We need not waste God’s Holy Word on those who both reject it and mock it.



Grove Oak Church 


Friday, June 12, 2020

Do you know Scripture?


The Bible itself contains a system of truth, and it is the task of the student not to impose a system upon the Bible, but to build a theology by understanding the system that the Bible teaches.

It has often been charged that the Bible cannot be trusted because people can make it say anything they want it to say. This charge would be true if the Bible were not the objective Word of God if it were simply a wax nose, able to be shaped, twisted, and distorted to teach one’s precepts. The charge would be true if it were not an offense to God the Holy Spirit to read into sacred Scripture what is not there. However, the idea that the Bible can teach anything we want it to is not true if we approach the Scriptures humbly, trying to hear what the Bible says for itself.

Sometimes systematic theology is rejected because it is seen as an unwarranted imposition of a philosophical system on the Scriptures. It is seen as a preconceived system, enforcing uniformity or conformity into the Scriptures and appendages to make it fit. However, the appropriate approach to systematic theology recognizes that the Bible itself contains a system of truth, and it is the task of the student not to impose a system upon the Bible, but to build a theology by understanding the system that the Bible teaches.

At the time of the Reformation, to stop unbridled, unpredictable, and wild interpretations of Scripture, the Reformers set forth the fundamental principle that should govern all biblical interpretation. It is called the analogy of faith, which means that Holy Scripture is its own interpreter. In other words, we are to interpret Scripture according to Scripture. That is, the supreme authority in interpreting the meaning of a particular verse in Scripture is the overall teaching of the Bible.

Behind the principle of the analogy of faith is the prior confidence that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. If it is the Word of God, it must, therefore, be consistent and united as or forming a whole. Cynics, however, say that consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. If that were true, then we would have to say that the smallest mind of all is the mind of God. However, there is nothing inherently small or weak to be found in consistency. If it is the Word of God, one may justly expect the entire Bible to be consistent, united, intelligible, and unified. We assume that God, because of His omniscience, state of knowing everything would never be guilty of contradicting Himself. It is therefore slanderous to the Holy Spirit to choose an interpretation of a particular passage that unnecessarily brings that passage into conflict with that which He has revealed elsewhere. Therefore, the governing principle of Reformed hermeneutics or interpretation is the analogy of faith.

A second principle that governs an objective interpretation of Scripture is called the sensus literalis. Many times people have said, “You don’t interpret the Bible literally, do you?” I never answer the question by saying, “Yes,” nor do I ever answer the question by saying, “No.” I always answer the question by saying, “Of course, what other way is there to interpret the Bible?” What is meant by sensus literalis is not that every text in the Scriptures is given a “literal” interpretation, but rather that we must interpret the Bible in the sense in which it is written. Parables are interpreted as parables, symbols as symbols, poetry as poetry, instructive literature as instructive literature, historical narrative as historical narrative, occasional letters as occasional letters. That principle of literal interpretation is the same principle we use to interpret any written source responsibly.

The principle of literal interpretation gives us another rule, namely that the Bible in one sense is to be read like any other book. Though the Bible is not like any other book in that it carries with it the authority of divine inspiration, nevertheless, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit over a written text does not turn verbs into nouns or nouns into verbs. No special, secret, mysterious, esoteric meaning understood by only a small number of people with specialized knowledge is poured into a text simply because it is divinely inspired. Nor is there any such mystical ability. No, the Bible is to be interpreted according to the ordinary rules of language.

Closely related to this point is the principle that the unclear must be interpreted by the clear, rather than the clear interpreted by the unclear. This particular rule of interpretation is violated constantly. For example, we read in 

John 3:16 NASB
(16) "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

That “whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life,” and many of us conclude that since the Bible teaches that anyone who believes shall be saved; it, therefore, implies that anyone can, without the prior regenerative work of the Holy Spirit, exercise belief. That is, since the call to believe is given to everyone, it implies that everyone has the natural ability to fulfill the call. Yet the same gospel writer has Jesus explaining to us three chapters later that no one can come to Jesus unless it is given to him of the Father 

John 6:65 NASB
(65) And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father."

That is, our moral ability to come to Christ is explicitly and specifically taught to be lacking apart from the sovereign grace of God. Therefore, all of the implications that suggest otherwise must be subsumed under the clear teaching, rather than forcing the clear teaching into conformity to implications that we draw from the text.

Finally, it is always important to interpret unclear passages by those that are clear. Though we affirm the basic clarity of sacred Scripture, we do not at the same time say that all passages are equally clear. Numerous heresies have developed when people have forced conformity to the unclear passages rather than to the clear passages, distorting the whole message of Scripture. If something is unclear in one part of Scripture, it probably is made clear elsewhere in Scripture. When we have two passages in Scripture that we can interpret in various ways, we want always to interpret the Bible in such a way as to not violate the basic principle of Scripture’s unity and integrity.

These are simply a few of the basic, practical principles of biblical interpretation that I have always used in a responsible practice of biblical interpretation. Learning the principles of interpretation is exceedingly helpful to guide us in our own personal study.



Grove Oak Church 





Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Self-pity


Self-pity happens when we feel we have been treated unfairly by life. We pout, complain, and feel sorry for ourselves. The root of self-pity is pride, selfishness, and uncontrolled self-importance. Christians should not wallow in self-pity because it leads to sin and inhibits the righteous life God calls us to live. Self-pity causes us to focus on ourselves rather than God. The remedy for self-pity is a heart full of gratitude and selflessness. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB
(18) In everything, give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 13:16 NASB
(16) And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

God knows the best for our lives, and He truly does work out everything for our good.

Romans 8:28 NASB
(28) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

God works in "everything" not just isolated incidents for our good. This does not mean that all that happens to us is good. Evil is prevalent in our fallen world, but God can turn every circumstance around for our long-range good. 

God is not working to make us happy but to fulfill his purpose. This promise is not for everybody. Only those who love God and are called by him, that is, those whom the Holy Spirit convinces to receive Christ, can claim it. Such people have a new perspective, a new mindset. They trust in God, not in worldly treasures; their security is in heaven, not on earth. Their faith in God does not waver in pain and persecution because they know God is with them.


Grove Oak Church 




Monday, June 8, 2020

Church Membership

Bible Study Topics

What would you think of a mother and father who, after their newborn child is brought into the world, abandon him to fend for himself? That would be disastrous for the child, and the parents would be guilty of child abuse. 

What does Jesus do with His newborn spiritual children? Here is, at least in part, the essence and significance of church membership. Those who are chosen by the Father, purchased by the Son, and born again by the Holy Spirit are not left to fend for themselves against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Jesus takes His newborn children who have been baptized into the invisible church by the Holy Spirit, and He baptizes them into the visible church in the sacrament of water baptism.

Through the baptism of water, Jesus brings new believers and the children of believers into the visible church as well. When a person is baptized with water in the name of the triune God, he is added into the membership of the visible church and there is to be cared for and nourished spiritually.

Church membership is a means by which the Good Shepherd cares for and provides for His sheep.

I am convinced that one of the reasons church memberships are not treasured, as it should be, is that it is not understood as a means by which the Good Shepherd cares for and provides for His sheep. The church is His flock. He laid down His life for His sheep. He purchased them at the price of His blood, and He does not leave them on this earth to fend for themselves, separately and individually. 

“Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ. . . for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible church”. 

Someone might ask, where is membership found in the Bible? The answer is, in the practice of water baptism. In the New Testament, when someone believes, he is baptized, and by his baptism, he is added into the membership of the visible church, under the authority and care of leaders acting as shepherds. This is how Jesus cares for His church on the earth. Those three thousand souls who were baptized on Pentecost were added into the membership of the church in Jerusalem under the care of the Apostles.

Many fail to see the connection between baptism and membership, and they fail to see the significance of the oversight and care that is established when a person is baptized and added into the membership of the church. Without the membership, no leader of the church can determine which of Christ’s sheep he is responsible for. Peter exhorts the elders of the church in 

1 Peter 5:2-3 NASB
(2) Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;
(3) Nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.

Saying, “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight. . . not domineering over those in your charge.” The Good Shepherd has entrusted His sheep into the charge and into the care of particular elders who act as His under-shepherds. Certainly, the Apostles knew the sheep that Christ had charged them to oversee. 

Without membership by baptism, the Apostles would not have known which people belonged to Jesus and for whom they were responsible. Without the membership, the sheep cannot know who the shepherds are who they are to follow and to whom they owe obedience. The writer of Hebrews exhorts believers,

Hebrews 13:17 NASB
(17) Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

When one is added into the membership of the invisible or spiritual church, he is “delivered. . . from the domain of darkness and transferred . . . to the kingdom of [God’s] beloved Son”. 


Colossians 1:13 NASB
(13) For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

For believers, membership in the visible or physical church on earth corresponds to membership in the invisible or spiritual church. No greater privilege can be afforded to a man on earth. To be transferred from the world (a domain of death, darkness, and damnation) and into the church (a domain of life, light, and redeeming love) is the greatest blessing given to man on this earth. It is in the visible church that Jesus provides us with an abundant supply of the means of our spiritual growth: Word, sacraments, prayer, fellowship, discipline.

Membership is about spiritual care and accountability. It is the blessing of belonging to the bride of Christ, and the benefit of His shepherding oversight.

The practice of church discipline assumes the concept of membership in a local, visible body. In 

Matthew 18:17 NASB
(17) "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Jesus addresses an unrepentant believer when He says, “And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” It is assumed that the person is in communion with Jesus and His church, but if he will not repent, he is to be removed from the communion of the church. Paul surely saw it this way when he removed the unrepentant man in 

1 Corinthians 5:2 NASB
(2) You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.

He writes, “Let him who has done this be removed from among you.” If there is no membership, then the idea of removing someone from the church is meaningless. It is only meant to remove someone from the church if he has been a member of a covenant with God’s people, united to Christ and His body. The Apostle Paul states in 

Romans 12:5 NASB
(5) So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members’ one of another.

Membership in the body of Christ is the result of union with Christ. By the baptism of the Holy Spirit (an inward, invisible, spiritual reality), believers are united to Jesus and become part of His church universal, and by water baptism (an outward, visible, physical sign) believers and their children are grafted into the church visible, under the care of elders. 

Membership is about spiritual care and accountability. It is the blessing of belonging to the bride of Christ, and the benefit of His shepherding oversight. It is in the church that the lordship of Christ is most clearly manifested as the members assemble themselves on the Lord’s Day, and provide support with offerings, use their spiritual gifts to minister to one another, and proclaim His gospel throughout the world. 


 Grove Oak Church 







Sunday, June 7, 2020

Learning from Judas


Matthew 10:4 NASB
(4) Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.

God can use even an apostate like Judas to teach us some important lessons.

Judas is history's greatest human tragedy. He had opportunities and privileges known only to the other disciples, but he turned from them to pursue a course of destruction. Yet even from his foolishness, there are important lessons.

Judas is the world's greatest example of lost opportunity. He ministered for three years with Jesus Himself but was content merely to associate with Him, never submitting to Him in saving faith.

John 13:26-27 NASB
(26) Jesus then answered, "That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him." So when He had dipped the morsel, He *took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
(27) After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."

 Millions of people have followed his example by hearing the gospel and associating with Christians, yet rejecting Christ. Tragically, like Judas, once death comes they too are damned for all eternity.

Judas is also the world's greatest example of wasted privileges. He could have had the riches of an eternal inheritance but instead chose thirty pieces of silver. In that respect, he is also the greatest illustration of the destructiveness and damnation greed can bring. He did an unthinkable thing, yet he has many contemporary counterparts in those who place wealth and pleasure above godliness.

On the positive side, Judas is the world's greatest illustration of the forbearing, patient love of God. Knowing what Judas would do, Jesus tolerated him for three years. Beyond that, He constantly reached out to him and even called him "friend" after his kiss of betrayal.

Matthew 26:50 NASB
(50) And Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you have come for." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him.

If a friend has ever betrayed you, you know the pain it can bring. However, the Lord's pain was compounded many times over because He knew He would be betrayed, and because the consequences were so serious. Yet He endured the pain because He loved Judas and knew that His betrayal was a necessary part of the redemptive plan.

The sins that destroyed Judas are common sins that we must avoid at all costs! We should use every opportunity and privilege God gives us, and never take advantage of His patience.



  Grove Oak Church 







Saturday, June 6, 2020

The importance of the Lord's Supper


A study of the Lord’s Supper is a soul-stirring experience because of the depth of meaning it contains. It was during the age-old celebration of the Passover on the eve of His death that Jesus instituted a significant new fellowship meal that we observe to this day. It is an integral part of Christian worship. It causes us to remember our Lord’s death and resurrection and to look for His glorious return in the future.

The Passover was the most sacred feast of the Jewish religious year. It commemorated the final plague on Egypt when the firstborn of the Egyptians died and the Israelites were spared because of the blood of a lamb that was sprinkled on their doorposts. The lamb was then roasted and eaten with unleavened bread. God commanded that throughout the generations to come the feast would be celebrated. The story is recorded in Exodus 12.

During the Last Supper a Passover celebration Jesus took a loaf of bread and gave thanks to God. As He broke it and gave it to His disciples, He said, “‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you’” (Luke 22:19-20). He concluded the feast by singing a hymn (Matthew 26:30), and they went out into the night to the Mount of Olives. It was there that, as predicted, Jesus was betrayed by Judas. The following day Jesus was crucified.

The accounts of the Lord’s Supper are found in the Gospels (Matthew 26:26-29Mark 14:1725Luke 22:7-22; and John 13:21-30). The apostle Paul wrote concerning the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:23-29. Paul includes a statement not found in the Gospels: “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself” (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). We may ask what it means to partake of the bread and the cup “in an unworthy manner.” It may mean to disregard the true meaning of the bread and cup and to forget the tremendous price our Savior paid for our salvation. Or it may mean to allow the ceremony to become a dead and formal ritual or to come to the Lord’s Supper with unconfessed sin. In keeping with Paul’s instruction, we should examine ourselves before eating the bread and drinking the cup.

Another statement Paul made that is not included in the gospel accounts is “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). This places a time limit on the ceremony until our Lord’s return. From these brief accounts, we learn how Jesus used two of the frailest of elements as symbols of His body and blood and established them as a monument to His death. It was not a monument of carved marble or molded brass, but bread and wine.

He declared that the bread spoke of His body, which would be broken. There was not a broken bone, but His body was so badly tortured that it was hardly recognizable (Psalm 
22:12-17; Isaiah 53:4-7). The wine spoke of His blood, indicating the terrible death He would soon experience. He, the perfect Son of God, became the fulfillment of the countless Old Testament prophecies concerning a Redeemer (Genesis 3:15; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53). When He said, “Do this in remembrance of me,” He indicated this was a ceremony that must be continued in the future. It indicated also that the Passover, which required the death of a lamb and looked forward to the coming of the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world, was fulfilled in the Lord’s Supper. The New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant when Christ, the Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), was sacrificed (Hebrews 8:8-13). The sacrificial system was no longer needed (Hebrews 9:25-28). The Lord’s Supper/Christian Communion is a remembrance of what Christ did for us and a celebration of what we receive because of His sacrifice.



  Grove Oak Church 







Wednesday, June 3, 2020

What Happen to Hell?


Hell is not trending nowadays. Other than the offhand reference, “What the hell,” the dismissive idiom, “Go to hell,” the weather observation, "It's hotter than hell," or the flip comment, “I’m bored as hell,” we do not hear much any more about the topic of eternal damnation. It is difficult to find anyone who wants to talk about hell because we think that most of us are good overall. After all, nice people are not going to end up in some hard-to-believe-it’s-really-true everlasting lake of fire, right.

Several years ago, I was teaching a Children's Sunday school class, and we were discussing the passage where Nicodemus comes to visit Jesus in the middle of the night. I explained to the students how the Pharisees heaped unbearable laws upon the people that were not given by God. After sharing with the children that God’s law guides Christians in daily living, I asked them, "What does the law tell unbelievers?" One boy raised his hand and declared, "That they're going to hell!"
The boy's honesty and plainspoken ness surprised me at first, and his response made me wonder: why does a young child accept something so difficult for many adults to reconcile in their minds? It was refreshing to hear someone even if it was young children speak about hell without being embarrassed by it.

The Bible teaches about God's wrath and the reality of hell. Jesus did not seem to have a problem with discussing these Topics, warning people about hell on numerous occasions during his earthly ministry. 

With so much focus today on how Jesus will make our lives better here on earth or Living your Best Live Now, it doesn’t seem like our eternal state much less God’s glory is of much concern to some Christians anymore.

For every American who believes he’s going to hell, there are 120 who believe they are going to heaven” contrast this result with Jesus’ words in 

Matthew 7:13-14
(13) "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
(14) "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

The math just does not add up. In this passage, Jesus is indicating that there will be more people in hell than in heaven. Yet, I cannot remember ever going to a funeral or memorial service where people thought the deceased person was now in hell not ever. Why do so many people, even those who claim to be Christians, refuse to accept the reality of hell when the Bible teaches it?

You can count on it when you die as an unbeliever you are going to Hell right then not later the body dies and the soul will live forever either with God or Satan.

Genesis 35:18
(18) It came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.

Psalms 16:10
(10) For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

Luke 12:20
(20) "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?'

Luke 23:46
(46) And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." Having said this, He breathed His last.

Acts 7:59
(59) They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"

death is the separation and disunion of soul and body; that at death the soul departs from the body; The soul does not die with it, but goes elsewhere in a separate state, and never dies;

You can easily find 100 Plus passages on hell.

It seems odd that such a prominent topic in the Bible is so infrequently discussed in churches today. The sad fact is that many pastors are hesitant to talk about the doctrine of hell anymore because they know people do not want to hear about it. More and more, churchgoers are seeking community, ways to improve their lives and help others, and support through difficult times and these are all good things. It is easy to understand why church leaders would not want to scare off people by bringing hell into the conversation. Talking about eternal damnation with seeking unbelievers who are interested in how Christianity can make their lives better just does not seem like a good idea.

Most think only really bad people should go to hell. The truth is that people do not like the doctrine of hell. It does not seem fair that God would send nice people to hell for eternity just because they made a few mistakes. After all, “Who doesn’t mess up here and there?” “Why does God have to be so harsh?” “Doesn’t he see my heart and know how hard I am trying?”

The problem is that most people do not get it. Some do not get how Holy God is, and some do not get how sinful they are. Isaiah got it when he saw a vision of the Lord in his glory. He cried out,

Isaiah 6:5
(5) Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."

Isaiah saw his sinfulness. He saw his total inadequacy to stand before God. He understood that he needed to be cleansed so he would not be destroyed by God’s utter goodness and purity.

Another example in the Gospel of Luke. When Peter witnessed the miracle of the great catch of fish,

Luke 5:8
(8) But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus' feet, saying, "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!"

When we get it when we realize that, there is nothing about us that is untouched by our depraved nature and how impossible it is for us to stand before God on our own merits this is when we run to the foot of the cross and cling to Christ, our only hope.

Some Christians think it is best to put off discussing this difficult topic with unbelievers. If only we can first get people to experience Christ’s love in one-on-one relationships and then in a church community that cares for and supports them, we can teach them about the more difficult Christian topics of judgment, wrath, and hell at a later time. However, when is the right time? If we pass off Christianity as the best way to happiness now, what if people find an alternative way they like better for improving the quality of their lives and healing their brokenness? What if they never take the reality of hell seriously because the Christians they know do not seem to take it seriously?

Eternity lasts a long time it never ends.

The issue is not whether or how God’s love can make our lives more fulfilled. The issue is that our sin offends God, separates us from him, and places us under his judgment. Avoiding the subject of God’s wrath or softening its severity does not make it go away. The stakes here could not be higher: The Bible is True, those who are not trusting in Christ alone as their savior are not going to heaven no matter how much they think they are. If we care about the people God brings into our lives, we should be prepared to lovingly explain the Bible’s teaching on hell as God gives us the opportunity. We do non-Christians no favors by acting as though the doctrine does not exist.

For the sake of those we are trying to help, we have to be honest with ourselves about exactly what we are attempting to achieve when we try to make the gospel more appealing. How we present the gospel certainly matters. 

The apostle Paul sets a strong example for us regarding always being as relational as possible.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23
(19) For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.
(20) To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law;
(21) to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.
(22) To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.
(23)  I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

He tells us to be Attractive, appealing in appearance and character.

Colossians 4:6
(6) Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

Still, we must consider that some well-meaning attempts to smooth over the parts of the Bible that make us uncomfortable contain, at their root, a sense of shame regarding the difficult truths of the gospel.

I am not advocating a return to fire-and-brimstone sermons or standing on street corners with threatening signs about hell and damnation. I am pleading the case that one of the most loving things we can ever do is to help people understand that they cannot create their reality of the afterlife in their minds. Thinking something is true does not make it so. People need the truth about God, themselves, and what is going to happen after they die. In short, they need the gospel.

Out of the mouth of babes, he has prepared praise.

On another Sunday at church, I asked the children in my class, “What did Jesus do for us that we couldn’t do for ourselves?” A little boy raised his hand quickly and answered with confidence: “He was perfect!” Such truth in those three words. Jesus, the perfect atoning sacrifice for our sins and the perfectly obedient Son of God, fulfilled all the law’s demands on behalf of everyone who trusts in him alone for salvation. Because of God’s unfathomable love in Christ, sinners who deserve hell are now at peace with God through the perfect completed work of our Lord Jesus Christ, growing with each other in grace and knowledge of him as we await a glorious eternity in his presence.

The Childs response reminds me of the children who praised Jesus as he entered the temple and Jesus’ response:

Matthew 21:16
(16) and said to Him, "Do You hear what these children are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, 'OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF'?"

Also, another verse is:

Isaiah 28:9
(9) "To whom would He teach knowledge, And to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast?

Ephesians 4:14
(14) As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

As followers of Christ, we must be committed to the truth. This means both that our words should be honest and that our actions should reflect Christ's integrity. Speaking the truth in love is not always easy, convenient, or pleasant, but it is necessary if the church is going to do Christ's work in the world.



   Grove Oak Church