WWJD?

It has been curious to me what I perceive as the current concept in Christiandom of speaking the “truth in love”, or more specifically the lack thereof. This point of view seems to believe that the Christian thing to do with a fellow Christian is to not confront then or to tell the truth. To speak the truth might offend and of course this would be unchristian. It seems the only way to act Christian would be to make someone feel good or more comfortable.

The picture I get of Jesus from Scripture is one of a straight shooter who didn't pull any punches. He did not soft peddle when dealing with the Pharisees or his own disciples for that matter. When wrong practices were going on in the temple he physically took action and cleaned house. When the women caught in adultery was confronted Jesus told her to leave her life of sin.When Peter tried to persuade Him not to go to the cross he rebuked him and even referred to him as Satan. Today if a Christian was actually to act like Christ he would be considered unchristian and judgmental. Is it unchristian to take a stand for God over clear biblical teachings? Is it unchristian to tell someone to stop sinning? Is it unchristian to tell a fellow Christian that he is wrong and not in step with Biblical standards? Of course the answer to all these is a resounding NO! The example of Scripture is that to be a Christian you have to act like Jesus. Although this doesn't really preach well sometimes to be a Christian you might be offensive after all Jesus was at times.

If this picture of Christ is Biblically accurate then the converse of the popular church model is correct. It is not Biblical or Christian to look the other way or to be non confrontational in regards to clear biblical teaching.I wonder if avoiding confrontation ultimately really helps the offended, the offender or the rest of the body. When asked WWJD? My response is that he would confront and speak the truth in love no matter weather is was well received or not.

July 4'th

Today in the US is the day we celebrate our independence from British rule. This year we took a family field trip to Philadelphia. While there you can't help but feel the enormity of what the founding fathers of this country did by signing the Declaration of Independence. I believe many felt that it would be the death of them to be associated with a movement that would attempt to separate from the King of England.
Recently I have been listening to a audio lecture series about Martin Luther by The Teaching Company. As an aside you might want to check them out at www.teach12.com and see some of the great courses that they offer. In a similar way to the founding fathers Luther also put his neck on the line by producing a document questioning the authority of his day, the Roman Catholic Church. The spiritual independence that came because of Luther has similarities with what we celebrate on the Fourth of July. Luther also took a bold step by questioning the Church's practice of selling indulgences and had no idea the fight he was about to start by his actions. He faced many troubles and even attempts on his life because of it. But by his bold step Christians have what Americans have and celebrate today, independence from tyrants. Thanks be to God that on this July 4'th I'm celebrating both political and religious independence because of those who fought and died to attain it for me.

July 4'th

Today in the US is the day we celebrate our independence from British rule. This year we took a family field trip to Philadelphia. While there you can't help but feel the enormity of what the founding fathers of this country did by signing the Declaration of Independence. I believe many felt that it would be the death of them to be associated with a movement that would attempt to separate from the King of England.
Recently I have been listening to a audio lecture series about Martin Luther by The Teaching Company. As an aside you might want to check them out at www.teach12.com and see some of the great courses that they offer. In a similar way to the founding fathers Luther also put his neck on the line by producing a document questioning the authority of his day, the Roman Catholic Church. The spiritual independence that came because of Luther has similarities with what we celebrate on the Fourth of July. Luther also took a bold step by questioning the Church's practice of selling indulgences and had no idea the fight he was about to start by his actions. He faced many troubles and even attempts on his life because of it. But by his bold step Christians have what Americans have and celebrate today, independence from tyrants. Thanks be to God that on this July 4'th I'm celebrating both political and religious independence because of those who fought and died to attain it for me.

To teach or not to teach that is the question

I have been thinking lately about the need for more adult biblical education. It would follow to reason that if people need to be taught, then competent teachers are also needed to teach them. It has been surprising to me after teaching adults in a Sunday School type class setting for several years now how much some people know and how much others do not. I have thought for some time that a great need for the church is sound Biblical and Theological training. It seem that this is even more a pressing need in modern Protestant Evangelical circles. It appears that the current trend is to ignore all historic creeds and catechisms as "high church" or "Roman". This thinking has led to throwing the baby out with the bath water.

On the other hand we have never had more opportunity for attaining biblical knowledge than in this age. You can enroll in distance educational classes from most Bible Colleges and Seminaries. You can get training materials in book form or periodicals shipped directly to your door. You can watch Christian TV, listen to Christian satellite radio 24/7, or purchase material on CD or DVD. You can stream it over the Internet or listen to podcasts on any MP3 player.

Education or the lack thereof is not a new concern but has probably always been a concern of the church and it's leaders. Because the need has always been so great it may or may not be important who teaches as long as the teaching gets done, right? That is what I thought until I came across this verse in James 3:1. "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."

Wow, who needed teachers more than the early church? Yet the writer of James warned those aspiring to be teachers to be wary because those who teach will face a stricter judgment. Teachers must be considered and chosen carefully because of the importance placed on conveying biblical truths.

What a wake up call for us in this modern age. If the great need for the church is biblical education it should be done only by competent mature believers who have the gift and ability to teach. To teach or not to teach should be considered carefully by both the individual and those responsible for overseeing the local church. The responsibility of teaching should not just be handed over to anyone who is willing and special consideration should be given by all because of the warning of James 3:1.

Acts 26 and the Resurrection

26:8 Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

26:22-23 But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."

Acts 25 and the Resurrection

25:19 Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.

Acts 24 and the Resurrection

24:15 and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

24:21 unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: 'It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.'

Acts 23 and the Resurrection

23:6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead."

23:8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)

Acts 17 and the Resurrection

17:3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ," he said.

17:18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

17:31-32 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead." When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject."

Resurrection vs Resuscitation

One of the pastors at our church’s Good Friday services made numerous references to the Resurrection of Lazarus. In light of my recent study of Scripture on the Resurrection I find this very troubling. It is I think very clear and of the utmost importance from Scripture that Jesus was the first and to this point in history the only resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:20-21 states plainly “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.” Two points from this passage is that Christ is the firstfruits and resurrection proceeds from him. Firstfruits refers to the FIRST of the harvest in contrast to the second and following. In the OT economy the firstfruits like the firstborn belonged to God. Leviticus 25:26 "No one, however, may dedicate the firstborn of an animal, since the firstborn already belongs to the LORD; whether an ox or a sheep, it is the LORD's.” The fact that resurrection comes from Jesus also clearly indicates that he was the first to be resurrected. The fact that there were other people raised from the dead before Jesus does not negate this teaching. All others including the Widow’s son raise by Elisha in 2 Kings 4:32-35, Jairus’ daughter in Luke 8, Lazarus in John 11, and many others raised by the apostles in the book of Acts including Eutychus in Acts 20 all were raised to life in bodies that died again. In fact in John 12:10 the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus again after he had been raised by Jesus. If Lazarus had been resurrected it would have been impossible to kill him again. The resurrected body of Jesus had many different characteristics than his first body which I already detailed in previous posts. One important characteristic of Jesus’ resurrected body is that He will never die again. Hebrews 7:24 states “but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.” The resurrected body unlike the physical body will not deteriorate or pass away. Please do not minimize what Jesus accomplished in the first resurrection by confusing it with other resuscitated bodies that died a second time. Jesus is the first and only resurrection and His body is what we as believers in Him have to look forward to at his second coming 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17. Because of Jesus I am looking forward to the resurrection of the dead not the resuscitation of the dead.

Acts 13 and the Resurrection

13:30 But God raised him from the dead,

13:33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: "'You are my Son; today I have become your Father.

13:34 The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: "'I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.'

13:37 But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

Resurrection class notes

In our ABF we have been going through the Book of Acts. Since I have been struck with the importance of the Resurrection in Acts I decided to do a lesson on it. Next week would have been the most obvious week to do it but we are not meeting then because of the two Easter Services. Therefore I decided to deliver it today. These are some of the notes that I served up this morning.

The Resurrection

The meaning of the word: literally translated the Greek word means to “raise” or “arouse” or to “wake up”. These words are used to describe what happened to Jesus and also what will happen to others.

Historical evidence for the Resurrection
1. Witness of the two “angels” (Luke 24:6 He is not here; he has risen!)
2. The eyewitness accounts (1 Cor 15 more than 500 at one time)
3. The transformed lives of the disciples (fear to boldness)
4. The empty tomb (Luke 24:2 stone rolled away so they could see in)
5. The inability of the Jewish leaders to disprove the claims (Acts 4:13-14)
6. The conversion of skeptics like Saul. (Acts 9)

Theories against Jesus’ Resurrection:
1. Swoon theory.
2. Vision hypothesis.
3. Not bodily raised but his spirit did not stay in Hades but was raised to heaven.

What the Resurrected body is like?
1. Looks different (John 20:14 Mary didn’t recognize Jesus at first)
2. Looks the same (John 20:27 body had the marks of crucifixion)
3. Can pass through walls (John 20:26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!")
4. Flesh and bones (Luke 24:37-39 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."
5. Ate food (Luke 24:42-43 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.)
6. Will live forever (Hebrews 7:24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 1 Corinthians 15:42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;)

The timing of future resurrections.
1. For the believer (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.)
2. For the unbeliever (Revelation 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.)

Belief in the Resurrection found in the O.T.
1. Believed by Abraham? Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
2. King David spoke of it. Acts 2:31-32 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.
3. Isaiah taught it. Isaiah 26:19 But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.
4. Daniel predicted it. Daniel 12:2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
5. Both Enoch and Elijah were taken and the continuity from this life and into the next without passing through death suggests life beyond our world as we know it.

Belief in the Resurrection found in the N.T.
1. The Pharisees believed in it. Acts 23:6-8 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead." When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)
2. The Sadducees did not believe in it. Mark 12:18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.
3. Jesus taught it. Matthew 22:29-32 Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."
4. Martha believed in it. John 11:23-25 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
5. Disciples believed it. Acts 1:22 beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.
6. Peter taught it.
7. Paul taught it. 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Dispensational Outline

The word Dispensation is a translation of the Greek word “oikonomia” which transliterated means to manage, regulate, administer, or plan. The office of an “oikonomia” was usually a treasurer, steward, or manager of an estate. It is helpful for me to think of a dispensation as an administration.

DEFINITION OF DISPENSATION “A dispensation is a period of time during which man is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God.” (The Scofield Reference Bible) Each dispensation has 4 characteristics.

CHARACTERISTICS OF DISPENSATIONS:
1. Revelation
2. Test
3. Failure
4. Punishment

THE SEVEN DISPENSATIONS
Common characteristics of each
A. Key Person
B. Responsibility or Test
C. Failure
D. Punishment

1. INNOCENCE (Genesis 1:28-3:6)
A. Adam
B. Tend the garden, name the animals, etc.
C. Obey God and not eat the fruit of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
D. Put out of the Garden

2. CONSCIENCE (Genesis 4:1-8:14)
A. Cain
B. Do what is right
C. Man was wicked and “his heart was only evil all the time” Gen. 6:5
D. The worldwide flood

3. HUMAN GOVERNMENT (Genesis 8:15-11:9)
A. Noah
B. “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth” Gen. 9:1
C. Built the Tower of Babel
D. Confusion of Languages

4. PATRIARCAL RULE (Genesis 11:10-18:27)
A. Abraham
B. Obey God and stay in the Promised Land
C. Went and staid in Egypt
D. Egyptian slavery

5. MOSAIC LAW (Exodus 19:1-Acts 1:26)
A. Moses
B. To obey all the Mosaic Law (613 commands)
C. Disobedience
D. Captivity (Assyrian, Babylonian, Roman) and dispersion from the land.

6. GRACE (Acts 2:1-Revelation 19:21)
A. The Church
B. To accept Christ
C. Rejection of the free gift of salvation
D. Eternal separation from God for those who die in this dispensation and The Great Tribulation for those who are alive and not raptured at the end of this dispensation.

7. MILLENNIAL KINGDOM (Revelation 20-22:21)
A. All mankind
B. Obey the King (Christ) and His laws.
C. Rebels will make war against Christ.
D. The rebels will be cast into everlasting punishment.

Maranatha

Finally after several chapters Paul arrives in Rome. As you remember the reason that he has been headed to Rome since chapter 21 is because of opposition from the Jewish leaders. The Jews have several times confronted Paul about his teachings and have attempted to have him arrested and ultimately killed. In order to save himself Paul falls back on his Roman citizenship and appeals his case to Caesar and Rome for judgment. Paul has made his case before the Jewish Sanhedrin, Felix, Festus, and King Agrippa. None of them can find any reason to convict Paul of any wrong doing. Because of his appeal to Caesar they push him along towards Rome as he requested. The most surprising thing to me in this chapter is found in verse 5. “The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged.” Paul has been preaching the good news of Jesus’ resurrection and through Him the forgiveness of sins. His practice was to first go to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. Jerusalem was the most Jewish place on earth. Rome was the most Gentile. I expected as the story of Acts progressed that Paul would be the first to bring the good news about Jesus from Jerusalem to Rome. He was after all the Apostle to the Gentiles (… also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles Galatians 2:8b). But to my surprise when Paul gets to Rome the gospel has reached Rome ahead of him and there are even many Christians there to welcome him. The message of Jesus is more powerful than any man even the great apostle Paul.

In the book of Acts many things have changed dramatically between chapter 1 and 28. We have seen the new work of God on earth in the church and the differences that has made in the former Jewish way of relating to God. We have seen the number of believers in Jesus increase from about 120 disciples (1:15) in Jerusalem, to many thousands of believers between Jerusalem and Rome. Although many things have changed at least one thing has not. In 1:3 Jesus “spoke about the kingdom of God”. In 28:31 Paul “preached the kingdom of God”. The way God deals with man may change but the overall plan of God and his kingdom has not. Like the apostles in 1:6 I believe we should be anticipating Jesus’ return and the establishment of his Messianic Kingdom on earth. Even so come Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 16:22).

Acts 10 and the Resurrection

The next reference after chapter 5 to Jesus' resurrection is in chapter 10

10:39-40 "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen."

Acts 5 and the Resurrection

5:30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.

Acts 4 and the Resurrection

4:2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

4:10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

4:33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.

Acts 3 and the Resurrection

"You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 3:15"

Acts 2 and the Resurrection

"But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him." 2:24

"Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact." 2:31-32

Acts 1 and the Resurrection

As early as Acts 1:3 we see the prominence of Jesus' death and resurrection to the early church. "After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive."
This was also one of the requirements of a replacement apostle who would take Judas' place among the twelve. "beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection."

Life After Death

This year has been an Acts of the Apostles year. I've been working through the book with the teens at church who are on the Bible Quiz Team. I have also been teaching it chapter by chapter in the young marrieds class on Sunday morning. It has been interesting to me how many things I have seen for the first time the second time through. The most intriguing thing to me lately is the emphasis the Apostles had on the resurrection of Jesus. It was of utmost importance and the center of their teaching. In the next several posts I will attempt to document the resurrection references and as I proceed hopefully gain a better understanding of the resurrection and it's importance.

Acts 21

In chapter 20:22 Paul declares that he is now headed for Jerusalem. Chapter 21 begins with Paul setting sail and heading for Jerusalem. Along the way the ship stops at several ports. In Caesarea Paul stays with Philip the evangelist one of the Seven. This is one of the men chosen to oversee the distribution of food to the widows in Jerusalem in chapter 6. It is also probably the same man who had the encounter with the Ethiopian in chapter 8.

Next we see Agabus the prophet for the second time. We first saw him in chapter 11 when he predicted a famine in Jerusalem. Now he is predicting that Paul will be bound in Jerusalem. Although Paul’s companions try to persuade Paul not to continue on to Jerusalem because of this prophecy but Paul will not be dissuaded.

When Paul finally arrives in Jerusalem he is greeted by James and all the elders. They are pleased to hear all that God has been doing among the Gentiles through Paul’s ministry. They are concerned however that some Jews will falsely accuse Paul of persuading Jews to break the Law of Moses. To avoid this they convinced Paul to join in and pay for the purification rites of 4 men who had made a vow. This was done to disprove any rumors that Paul tried to discourage Jews from following the Law and customs of Moses. Why would he pay for these men’s vows if he was encouraging them not to take them?

It is not wrong for Jewish believers to continue to follow the customs of Moses (v. 24). Paul would later write that he would become all thing to all men so as to win some (1 Cor. 9:22). The Old Testament sacrificial system is no longer necessary for the covering of sins (Leviticus 16). Salvation is through acceptance of Jesus who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Neither Jew of Gentile is bound to the Law of Moses (Romans). Just as it is acceptable for Jews to follow Jewish customs it is also not necessary especially for Gentile believers (v. 25). So that the earlier decision by this same group as to the requirements for Gentile believers not be confused they are again reiterated. Gentile believers are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. We would be better off today as American Christians if we would simply follow the standards set forth by the first century elders here and in Chapter 15. A word to the wise is sufficient.