Put Away the Evil

In Deuteronomy 12 and 13, Moses elaborates on the first commandment by reminding the nation of Israel that worship would occur in prescribed place and manner before a prescribed Person. Any deviancy was considered evil (De 13:5, 11, 17) inviting condemnation and judgment enforced by the nation. In order to drive home the seriousness of the situation and the necessity to eradicate evil, three scenarios were presented as examples.

• Prophet or seer arises (De 13:1–5)
• Family member entices (De 13:6–11)
• Lawless group seduces (De 13:12–18)

While the source of enticement varies, the situation remains basically the same: someone wants to worship other gods and lead others to do the same. The punishment is also the same—eradicate the evil by killing the instigator(s) and those who have been turned. Sadly, a punishment was not always meted out, so that those who led astray became stronger and more brazen in conduct until God enacted His own punishment through captivity at the hands of pagan nations. The children of Israel were God’s chosen, precious possession. Whoever came between the Lord and His people guaranteed their own destruction.

Is there a correlation to the Church today? Scripture does not condone the death penalty within the Church, but measures are to be taken when people try to turn believers to other gods. Now you might say, “Wait a minute. Are you saying that Muslims, Wiccans, and the like would try to infiltrate the local assembly and lead some to Allah, Gaya, or some other deity du jour?” No, I am saying that people will rise among the assemblies and lead some to a deity having many worthwhile qualities, even the name Jesus, having form but no substance—a phantasm. There have been many over the centuries who have tried peddling their own Jesus. Some have even gained a sizable following, and many are in operation today with gods that promise wealth, fulfillment, and purpose for a ministry donation to unlock or free whatever is currently binding your life. Or they promise power, authority, and wonderworking abilities if you only believe with enough faith. Whether huckster or false teacher, these individuals and groups are offering other gods.

We should stop at this point to acknowledge that a difference should be made between the one leading astray out of ignorance versus those out to deliberately swindle or manipulate. The former is like an unbroken equine, running freely and powerfully yet lacking purpose and direction. Such a one needs to be corraled and taught how to harness that energy for the best effect much as Apollos was taught the ways of God more accurately Aquila and Priscilla (Ac 18:26). The latter is self-serving hoping to gain authority by paying off the right people (Ac 8:18–19) or else come in as a savage wolf or perverse teacher (Ac 20:29–30). It is this person or group that St. Paul warned must be avoided:

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. (Ro 16:17–18)

So, too, did the Church Fathers who followed:

Keep yourselves from those evil plants which Jesus Christ does not tend, because they are not the planting of the Father.… Do not err, my brethren. If any man follows him that makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If anyone walks according to a strange [i.e., heretical] opinion, he agrees not with the passion [of Christ].

Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Philadelphians

Let no one, beloved brethren, make you to err from the ways of the Lord; let no one snatch you, Christians, from the Gospel of Christ; let no one take sons of the Church away from the Church; let them perish alone for themselves who have wished to perish; let them remain outside the Church alone who have departed from the Church; let them alone be without bishops who have rebelled against bishops; let them alone undergo the penalties of their conspiracies who formerly, according to your votes, and now according to God’s judgment, have deserved to undergo the sentence of their own conspiracy and malignity.

Cyprian, Epistle to the People Concerning Five Schismatic Presbyters

Why do we take such care to avoid heretics and schismatics? Why do we warn others to do the same in Christ’s Church? It is to demonstrate our faithfulness to the Lord and His ways in preserving the unity of the Church by holding fast to God’s Word. We do well to heed the explanation of Vincent of Lérins as he rightly applies Moses’ warning to the Church:

But someone will ask, How is it then, that certain excellent persons, and of position in the Church, are often permitted by God to preach novel doctrines to Catholics? A proper question, certainly, and one which ought to be very carefully and fully dealt with, but answered at the same time, not in reliance upon one’s own ability, but by the authority of the divine Law, and by appeal to the Church’s determination.

Let us listen, then, to Holy Moses, and let him teach us why learned men, and such as because of their knowledge are even called Prophets by the apostle, are sometimes permitted to put forth novel doctrines, which the Old Testament is wont, by way of allegory, to call “strange gods,” forasmuch as heretics pay the same sort of reverence to their notions that the Gentiles do to their gods.

Blessed Moses, then, writes thus in Deuteronomy: “If there arise among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams,” that is, one holding office as a Doctor in the Church, who is believed by his disciples or auditors to teach by revelation: well,—what follows? “and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder of which he spoke comes to pass,”—he is pointing to some eminent doctor, whose learning is such that his followers believe him not only to know things human, but, moreover, to foreknow things superhuman, such as, their disciples commonly boast, were Valentinus, Donatus, Photinus, Apollinaris, and the rest of that sort! What next? “And shall say to you, Let us go after other gods, whom you do not know, and serve them.” What are those other gods but strange errors which you do not know, that is, new and such as were never heard of before? “And let us serve them;” that is, “Let us believe them, follow them.” What last? “You shall not hearken to the words of that prophet or dreamer of dreams.” And why, I pray, does not God forbid to be taught what God forbids to be heard? “For the Lord, your God, tests you, to know whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” The reason is clearer than day why Divine Providence sometimes permits certain doctors of the Churches to preach new doctrines—“That the Lord your God may test you;” he says. And assuredly it is a great trial when one whom you believe to be a prophet, a disciple of prophets, a doctor and defender of the truth, whom you have folded to your breast with the utmost veneration and love, when such a one of a sudden secretly and furtively brings in noxious errors, which you can neither quickly detect, being held by the prestige of former authority, nor lightly think it right to condemn, being prevented by affection for thine old master.

The Commonitory X

God continues to test His people. Do we pass?

Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should

The next time you want to tweak your worship service, consider some input from godly men of the Reformation.  Give greatest thought and care to ensure what you add or change does not actually distract or detract from the Gospel.

When there are useless, foolish displays, that are profitable neither for good order nor Christian discipline, nor evangelical propriety in the Church, these also are not genuine adiaphora, or matters of indifference.

But as regards genuine adiaphora, or matters of indifference, we believe, teach, and confess that such ceremonies, in and of themselves, are no worship of God, nor any part of it, but must be properly distinguished from such as are, as it is written: “In vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:9).

Therefore we believe, teach, and confess that the congregation of God of every place and every time has, according to its circumstances, the good right, power, and authority (in matters truly adiaphora) to change, to diminish, and to increase them, without thoughtlessness and offense, in an orderly and appropriate way, whenever it is considered most profitable, most beneficial, and best for good order, Christian discipline, and the edification of the Church.  Moreover, how we can yield and give way with a good conscience to the weak in faith in such external adiaphora, Paul teaches (Rom. 14) and proves it by his example (Acts 16:3; 21:26; 1 Cor. 9:19).

Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration X.7–9

What Does American Evangelicalism Believe?

The title is not a trick question.  What do evangelicals believe?  Can we nail this down?  Some might point to the multi-volume The Fundamentals edited by A. C. Dixon and later by R. A. Torrey.  The 90 essays contained therein provide a thorough understanding of Scripture in early twentieth-century evangelicalism, but can we consider the work to be accurate today?  What about a pared-down list similar to those found on websites or the following list of essentials by Matt Slick at CARM:

Primary*	Secondary*
Deity of Christ Salvation by Grace Resurrection of Christ The Gospel Monotheism	Jesus is the only way to salvation Jesus’ Virgin Birth Doctrine of the Trinity

With these essentials in hand, are we any closer to determining what American evangelicals actually believe?  I have often quipped that the belief system of any local assembly can be reduced to a mathematical function: f(x) = x + 1.  In other words, for any number (x) of congregants, there is x+1 number of belief systems or opinions.  And if they actually compare notes with one another, the number grows exponentially: f(x) = (x+1)^y where y is the number of interactions.  Overt facetiousness aside, how accurate is this?

With the prevalence of postmodern thought in Christianity, personal belief systems have increasingly become the norm.  In October of this year, I referenced a recent article illustrating heretical beliefs held by self-professed evangelicals.  Believers have taken a pragmatic approach to doctrine that resonates with their current situation.  Individualized Christianity runs rampant.

Church leadership is not without fault.  In March of this year, in an examination of evangelical response to the presidential election, Marsha West of Berean Research summarized a series she wrote in 2011 with the following:

Several years ago I penned a piece that I hoped would help explain the downgrade in the Church. I thought supermarket shopping would be a clever way to paint a word picture. In my piece I pointed out that there’s a “diabolically inspired supermarket of truth and error in the postmodern Church.” So take a stroll with me, once again, up and down the aisles as we shop for the ingredients to make Syncretism Stew….

Aisle 1-Mysticism Madness;
Aisle 2-Charismatic Confusion;
Aisle 3-Pentecostal Pandemonium;
Aisle 4-Enlightened Emergents;
Aisle 5-Purpose-driven Pragmatism;
Aisle 6-Secular Strategies…to suck in seekers;
Aisle 7-Twelve-steps…to “group think”
Aisle 8-Preposterous Pop Psychology
Aisle 9-Discernment Disintegration
Aisle 10-Predatory Pastors.
On and on it goes.

And I added this reminder:

The Body of Christ trusts its Shepherds to feed them healthy nutritious foods, yet many of them are literally starving their sheep to death! A diet of “Bible Light” does not nourish the soul – it causes spiritual malnutrition! A shepherd’s job is to lead the flock in Christian life and faith. (Source)†

One byproduct of this shift has been an adherence to other or additional sacraments.  Within Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic systems, there are seven well-documented sacraments (baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, ordination, and matrimony).  Evangelicalism is known for two ordinances (baptism, the Eucharist), but in practice this has changed.  American Evangelicalism also has what have effectively become seven sacraments: praise & worship, decision, self-help, service, quiet time, small groups, and clean living.  Matthew Garnett at In Layman’s Terms introduced these some time back and rebroadcast them on his podcast of October 16 this year.  In a nutshell, Garnett helps us realize that though some of these things are not bad, they have become the metric by which spirituality is measured: if you are not actively involved in all these things to an arbitrary satisfactory degree, then you must not be spiritual.  You may not even be a Christian.  The only solution is a Protestant purgatory wherein well-meaning pastors and parishioners pound you with the Law into you fall in line with the group standard.  The result is that you become twice a son of the devil as they, shipwreck your faith, or cope by inventing your own spirituality—all commonplace occurrences.

Whatever initiated the maelstrom, it has continued largely unabated, dragging whomever comes close into the abyss.  There are multitudinous metaphors to help us understand that there is something solid on which we can depend—foundation, rock, anchor, tower, bulwark to name a few—promised by the only One with power and authority to save and keep—I Am, Ancient of Days, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He Who promised is faithful.  What the Bible says, believe, teach, and do.

I cannot tell you how many times pastors and teachers have altered Bible quotations and definitions of Greek and Hebrew terms to fit their theology.  I cannot tell you how many times believers are confronted with Scripture and say they do not care.  Just stop.  Stop being relevant.  Stop being nuanced.  The solution is obvious yet must be constantly repeated.  Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, neither nonchalantly nor with glitz, glamor, and funk.  Pray for daily bread and daily forgiveness, not seed offerings and audacious faith.  Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, not the pastor’s vision and 10-year plan.  Make disciples by baptizing and teaching, not by bait and switch.

Maybe rightly dividing the Word of God and preaching Christ and Him crucified are out of vogue, but there is no other solution to our need.  It is the one given to us.  Teach and learn the creeds.  Teach and learn a catechism.‡  Stop sipping at the shallow rivulet of new and trendy, but instead imbibe at the deep waters of what has been tested and tried that we might run the race and finish the course, looking to the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.



*  I am uncomfortable with the primary/secondary designations he gives.  They can be misconstrued, and the latter three can be subsumed in the former.  However, he carefully defines his use of the terms.

†  I recommend reading that series: “Purpose Driven dismantling of Christianity” (part 1, part 2, part 3).

‡  I did not specify which catechism because of the diversity of my readership, but I gladly recommend both Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms.  You also would do well with the Heidelberg Catechism.

Trying Too Hard?

Miguel Ruiz has posted a nice piece entitled “10 Signs a Church May Be Trying Too Hard to Be Hipster.”  Those ten points are:

1. Trendy names.
2. No visible leadership over 40.
3. God is apparently doing everything (and endorses every leadership decision).
4. Overactive social media presence.
5. It sounds just like the radio.  Really, JUST like it.
6. Everything is really, really, ridiculously real.
7. Everything is super casual.
8. Endless cycles of catchphrases, buzzwords, and clichés.
9. They are unlike any other church in your area.
10. Their leaders are more spiritual than yours.

The post was written from a confessional Lutheran perspective, but the points made are relevant across denominations.  American Christianity needs to get over its fascination with all things trendy.

Unworthy Worthiness

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.  Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  (1 Cor 11:27-28)

I have known many Christians who have refrained from the Lord’s Supper because they felt they were not in the right place relationally with the Lord to partake.  If pressed for a reason, they would give vague answers about some recent sin (though it was confessed) or a general malaise about their spiritual condition (not sufficiently attentive to the disciplines, for instance).  In a word, they felt unworthy before the Lord and did not want to eat and drink judgment on themselves.

While such thinking has good intentions, taken to its logical conclusion, nobody should participate, because none are worthy.  Every believer works through the ebb and flow of the old nature as it works in us.  The apostle Paul did not recount the conflict between the law of God and law of sin (Rom 7:21-23) because he was the ultimate overcomer—just the opposite.  The fight is real for all who are alive to God.  And we fail.  If we are all unworthy, how can we come to the meal, which must be eaten worthily?

Look at the situation in Corinth when the epistle was written.  As the body of Christ assembled together, there was division, hunger, drunkenness, and general chaos.  They considered themselves worthy to come together.  The consequence of this attitude was that each person and group served himself rather than allowing the Lord to serve them through His gifts.  Paul pointed out that their attitude garnered God’s judgment and discipline.  The solution came in understanding through examination that they were unworthy in themselves but were made worthy solely by righteousness freely imputed to us through our Lord Jesus.  He has called us into His body to His glory: we add nothing.

Such a paradox—only the unworthy are worthy—but that is the way of our great God, who chooses the foolish, weak, and lowly things of this world

so that no flesh might boast in the presence of God.  And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”  (1 Cor 1:29-31)

Storm-tossed, but Secure

He also commanded the storm, and it became a breeze,
    And its waves were still.
Then they were glad, for they were silent,
    And He guided them to the haven of their desire.  (Ps 107:29-30)

But we who hope for the Son of God are persecuted and trodden down by those unbelievers.  For the wings of the vessels are the churches; and the sea is the world, in which the Church is set, like a ship tossed in the deep, but not destroyed, for she has with her the skilled Pilot, Christ.  And she bears in her midst also the trophy (which is erected) over death, for she carries with her the cross of the Lord.  For her prow is the east, and her stern is the west, and her hold is the south, and her tillers are the two Testaments; and the ropes that stretch around her are the love of Christ, which binds the Church; and the net which she bears with her is the laver of the regeneration which renews the believing, whence too are these glories.  As the wind the Spirit from heaven is present, by whom those who believe are sealed: she has also anchors of iron accompanying her, viz., the holy commandments of Christ Himself, which are strong as iron.  She has also mariners on the right and on the left, assessors like the holy angels, by whom the Church is always governed and defended.  The ladder in her leading up to the sailyard is an emblem of the passion of Christ, which brings the faithful to the ascent of heaven.  And the top-sails aloft upon the yard are the company of prophets, martyrs, and apostles, who have entered into their rest in the kingdom of Christ.

Hippolytus, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 59

Awake, O Sleeper

I spotted the below piece at The Brothers of John the Steadfast.  Originally written in 1846, Dr. C.F.W. Walther admonishes Lutherans to awake from negligence and indifference to live as the baptized in Christ.  Walther’s assessment is not just a Lutheran issue: it is a Christian issue.  The Church in the United States needs this reminder every bit as much as it was needed 170 years ago.

---

In America no denomination has suffered any deeper fall than this fellowship that is called “Lutheran.”  All the sects of this land are more zealous to preserve the false doctrines upon which they’ve been founded, and that give them their unique character, than the present so-called Lutherans intend to hold fast to the holy and pure doctrine which is founded upon the clear Word of God, that was entrusted to her through God’s unspeakable grace.  Yes, we see the American Lutheran Church is not only dominated by negligence and indifference, but even by enmity against the true Lutheran Church.  She has retained nothing but the name.  She has lost the ancient truth and the ancient spirit of witness.  Yet we also see that we have no reason to despair over the condition of the Lutheran Church in America.  God has obviously once again picked up his winnowing fork to beat his threshing floor and to sift his wheat.  God has obviously resolved to no longer sit back and watch the hidden mice, those false saints, those fish in muddy waters.  God has once again begun to open eyes here and there, who fearfully acknowledge the apostasy of which the Lutherans have become guilty.  Here and there God is awakening men who are loudly demanding those who have abandoned their first love to return.  God be praised!  After a long winter the turtledoves are again heard in our land. (Song of Songs 2:11-13)

Rise, get up then dear brothers!  Let us not idly watch as false brothers band together ever more tightly to bury the foundation of our church and create another beside it.  Since these do all this while still fraudulently fighting under our name, they are more dangerous than our declared enemies.  They are their compatriots even while they bunk in our camp.  He who dwells in heaven surely laughs at them and the LORD mocks them, for “even if the sea billows and rages, and the mountains erode in their storm, yet the city of God remains vibrant and well with her fountains, where are the holy dwellings of the Highest. God is with her, so she will remain well.  God will help her early.”  But as impossible as it is for Luther’s doctrine, that is, God’s Word to be driven out of the world, yet it is just that easily possible, if we do not hold on tightly to it (Tit 1:9–11) and fight for it (Jude 1:3) to lose this gem, (2 John 1:8-9) and someday be rejected as unfaithful stewards.

Therefore, if we do not wish be called hypocritical Lutherans, but want to be and remain Lutherans in deed and truth, let us walk together and again gather around the banner of the ancient, unchangeable doctrine of our church; pleading together that the LORD awaken and create help that comfort again be taught; together fighting against all deceptions with the sword of the Spirit and together bearing the shame by which the LORD strives to designate his servants.  We dare not hope that the church in these latter, horrible times will be established again in a condition of glorious bloom, yet we may also not abandon hope that our witness and our battle will not be completely in vain, but rather will give way to praise of the LORD and convert many souls from the errors of their way.

C.F.W. Walther

Der Lutheraner Volume 2, Number 11

January 1846, pg. 42-43

Translated by Joel Baseley

Dealing with Blind Spots

Last month, Bob Heyton at Fundamentally Reformed mentioned a new book from Crossway entitled Blind Spots.  The intriguing part of his post was the ten-question quiz designed to identify in which of three basic categories one falls (courageous, compassionate, or commissioned) and its natural blind spot.  These quizzes often times use answers that do not apply, leaving one wishing for “None of the above,” but in order to get reasonable results, they give the most likely responses and ask for the reader to pick the closest one (think Family Feud).  Consider the first question in the quiz:

• Which book is most likely to make your reading list?
• A.  The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
• B.  The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
• C.  Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Alas, there was no choice that interested me.  Since none was available, The Hiding Place seemed the most likely.  After this initial bump in the road, the remainder was easier, though the questions would be problematic for those with other theological or philosophical inclinations.

Certainly, these quizzes can be “gamed” so that the outcome becomes what one deems, however I decided to play things straight and see what happened.  Not unexpectedly, the result showed that I was “courageous.”  According to the book author, the courageous person is steadfast for truth, having a passion to study “Bible, church history, and theology so you can know and defend the teaching of Christ.”  Guilty as charged.

With every strength, there is a blind spot or failing.  We are sinners after all, and none of us is thoroughly balanced in every respect, though we might look forward to that in the resurrection.  The courageous person has a propensity to be combative.

Who does the author think he is?  Jerk.

I’m not being obstinate, and anybody that says so is looking for a fight.

I’m out of here!

There is also a temptation to be a “lone ranger,” but that removes the voice of biblical perspective through education and experience from the discussion, which is the opposite outcome of what is needed.  The knowledgeable person has come to his or her level of understanding through diligent effort over several years time.  Other believers will not have apprehended the same insights, though they may be of the same chronological age.  They will not gain your perspective by osmosis.  The same effort to acquire that level of knowledge and understanding must be spent on instructing others.

There is a useful question to raise here: What if the person or group I try to instruct does not listen but continues in their faulty understanding of Christianity?  That is a real concern and needs to be addressed carefully. First, ask yourself some questions:

• • Are you missing something in your own knowledge set?  There is a reasonable possibility that you are ignorant in some area.
• • Are people not heeding, or do they instead need time to assimilate the instruction?
• • Is another person giving some conflicting teaching?

Be honest and fair with this inquiry, after all, you may be the problem.  Or perhaps I should say—learn how much of the problem you are.

After gaining relevant input, determine who needs to be flogged into submission or eliminated altogether.
The issue of pride

The quiz results also state that the “courageous” person has a propensity for pride.  On the one hand I say, “No duh.”  I realize my inclination to be correct and win the argument at all cost.  I can deliver a “slam dunk” for the win without caring for the individual—and have done so in the past (no brag, just fact).  The temptation is strong to apply the winning blow without regard for the opponent so that the argument presented might be adequately vanquished once for all.  While bad teaching and understanding must be corrected, believers are to be winsome and patient in their approach:

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Col 4:6)

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus … reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (2 Tim 4:1-2)

Yes, there are situations that require a harsh response (Tit 1:13), but we are discern how best to deal with the problem and move forward from there.  Do not bring in a bulldozer when a properly used spade will take care of the problem and do less overall damage.

Returning to the temptation for pride, why is this personality type singled out for pride?  Believers who are more missions-minded can be proud of their evangelistic fervor, and those more compassionate in their works of help and mercy can be proud of their service to those in need.  Pride is not the sole possession of one type of individual.

I understand and respect the author’s desire to address these relational aspects of the local assembly.  These blind spots can disease and cause division if allowed to fester.  As the body of Christ, we are each gifted in special ways for the building up of the body in love:

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. (Pro 10:12)
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Pet 4:8)

May we desire to see our Lord Jesus exalted as He works in and through us, both to one another and to the world.

We Brought It Onto Ourselves

Many have commented on the recent survey from Pew Research Center on the dramatic rise of the religious group that are “Unaffiliated” or “None.”  I full understand the concern for this shift.  One Facebook acquaintance lamented that a major reason for people leaving is because God handed them a bad break in life, and they failed to remember that God always works good to His own (Rom 8:28).  The truth of that promise is eternal, so what is the problem?

For decades the three major denominational wings cited in the study (Evangelical Protestant, Mainline Protestant, Roman Catholic) have worked to be as inclusive as possible while acknowledging some identifying distinctive.  Entrance into these groups became increasingly easy as the identifying marks of what constituted Christianity were watered down or set aside so as not to impede free access.  Doctrinal statements were relegated to antiquity or the curio cabinet as relics of history, while by-laws were interpreted individually or changed in accord with the whim of societal norms.  The only draw was an increasing appeal to social conscience toward those outside or amusements for those within.  What enduring appeal remained constant came from the family bond from one generation to the next, though this waned with increased mobility.  They became groups having no other purpose of gathering except for a generally comfortable acceptance of one another while sharing the same building and governance.  We should not be surprised by the exodus.

Having been part of the Evangelical community for most of my life, I can see the downward trend.  We have largely moved away from preaching Law and Gospel in view of a thrice-holy God.  While faithful men continue to preach Christ and Him crucified, an increasing number are delivering up a God who desires to salve consciences and ease life’s turmoils.  He is painted as a deity who will do anything and everything for you.  Not only do preachers continually promote this combination demi-god/BFF, but all avenues of media are involved.  Whether print, audio, or video, Evangelicals (some in name only) are in high gear promoting the deity that will deliver the goods.  You might say we are being played as welfare recipients waiting for our weekly allowance with preachers and denominational headquarters reaping the rewards.*  The previously mentioned acquaintance should not have been surprised by those who thought they got a raw deal.  With so little substance being delivered, why would they stay?

Is a trend reversal possible?  Can pastors begin leading their congregations in the paths of righteousness once again?  Indeed, but it requires a shift from cultural Christianity to one biblically based, though this would be akin to a tugboat with multiple fully-loaded barges performing a U-turn.  Some will leave because of the reclaimed apostolic witness, but better the offense be from the Gospel rather than over a church program or social justice promotion.  Some may even think turning attention to the whole counsel of God will be boring, but Scripture rightly proclaimed and manifested in baptism and the Lord’s Supper is anything but.  Better to suffer for righteousness’ sake and doing good wherein is blessing (1 Pet 3:14, 17).

* I am painting with a broad brush, but in a discussion of trends that happens.  Our own pastor has thus far stayed clear of the trending currents and not been swept away, but no man is without his weakness (see Acts 20:28-30).

Solemnity in the Pastoral Office

For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach.  He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.  He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.  (Ti 1:7-9)

During the Reformation, Martin Luther responded to the Pope’s insistence that Lutheran ordination was invalid.  In the Smalcald Articles, Part III Article X, Luther agreed that Rome’s ordination authority might be acceptable, if the bishops rightly discharged their office and omitted “all comedies and spectacular display of unchristian parade and pomp.”*  Luther goes on to describe these bishops as

worldly lords and princes, who will neither preach, nor teach, nor baptize, nor administer the Lord’s Supper, nor perform any work or office of the Church, and, moreover, persecute and condemn those who discharge these functions….

A blistering description, but now ask yourself, “Am I reading a description of church authority in the sixteenth century or the twenty-first century?”  The descriptors Luther used for bishops abusing their office is equally appropriate in American Evangelicalism.

From Ed Young to Perry Noble, Chuck Pierce to Brian Houston, those who should be shepherds of God’s flock have increasingly promoted buffoonery in the name of Christ.  What has been for centuries recognized as a work to be approached with fear and trembling is once again trending in a dangerous direction—handed over to gifted, innovative communicators rather than faithful exegetes. The Word and worship of God is “packaged” to appeal and work toward the central theme of the preacher’s message.  Whether that message is derived from the text, from a desire for self-promotion, or from somewhere between, when theatrics drive the appeal, the gospel suffers.

Pastoral ministry is inherently a work of sober-mindedness (1 Ti 3:2).  He preaches not to appeal but to speak the truth of Law and the Gospel.  Paul told Timothy:

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.  (2 Ti 4:1-2)

Timothy was to be as faithful in delivering the message as the apostle had been.  Every preacher following Timothy has had that same commission.  Alistair Begg recently preached a message on this passage that addresses the solemnity and centrality of the office, along with the primacy of Scripture.  O, that pastors be as Isaiah and see themselves before a holy God bemoaning their sinfulness and need for cleansing; and gladly and joyfully remember the free, abundant grace of Christ that has cleansed them and preach what the Lord has so freely given.


*  References to corruptions that were being practiced in the Medieval church.

Mourning a Love Lost

The word of the Lᴏʀᴅ came to me, saying,
“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: Thus says the Lᴏʀᴅ,
    I remember the devotion of your youth,
        your love as a bride,
    how you followed me in the wilderness,
        in a land not sown.
    Israel was holy to the Lᴏʀᴅ,
        the firstfruits of his harvest.
    All who ate of it incurred guilt;
        disaster came upon them,
               declares the Lᴏʀᴅ.”  (Jer 2:1-3)

The Holy One of Israel takes the relationship between himself and his people seriously.  In the above, YHWH is looking back to an early time in Israel’s history when the people were redeemed and delivered from bondage (De 7:8; 9:26; 13:5; 15:15; 21:8; 24:18).  He describes that time as full of love and devotion as a bride for her husband in the way they followed the Lord.*  He opposed whomever attempted to use or turn the people for his own desires.  At this time, however, the nation had turned its back on God, so that he asks, “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?” (Jer 2:5)  He then goes on to identify symptoms showing their forgetfulness and neglect.

God’s deeds and word

They did not say, “Where is the Lᴏʀᴅ
    who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
who led us in the wilderness,
    in a land of deserts and pits,
in a land of drought and deep darkness,
        in a land that none passes through,
        where no man dwells?”  (Jer 2:6)

The priests did not say, “Where is the Lᴏʀᴅ?”
    Those who handle the law did not know me;
the shepherds transgressed against me;
    the prophets prophesied by Baal
    and went after things that do not profit.  (Jer 2:8)

The people had forgotten the place from which they had been redeemed, the plagues that gained them release, and the steadfast love of the Lord as he watch over and cared for them through the 40 years of wandering.  Somewhere along the way, the mighty deeds became passé.   Not content to dwell on the goodness of God and his continuing, bounteous care for them, the people chased after what the surrounding nations were offering.  As a result, they defiled what God had freely supplied and became an abomination through their pursuits.

One might think that though the general populace might lose sight of their Lord, those who care for the holy teachings of God would surely pay close attention, but this was not the case.  Priests disdained the holy things.  Proclaimers of the Law spoke with the authority of false gods, not the only true God.  Service for the Lord was replaced with service for self.

In effect the nation had thrown off their God for another.  What had been their glory was retained in name only but trampled underfoot as worthless.  Instead of continuing to be refreshed at the fount of blessing, the people went after the new and different to satisfy a longing only able to be satiated by faith in their God and Savior.

Their rightful position

Is Israel a slave?  Is he a homeborn servant?
    Why then has he become a prey?  (Jer 2:14)

Israel was an elect nation with an exalted position.  They had received the Law, the promises, the blessings in order to be a light to the nations as they reflected the glory of God; yet now the nation was a shadow of its former self as they have been ravaged.  The people had brought this condition upon themselves as they sought earthly solutions for a spiritual problem.  They forsook the Lord and no longer feared him as they once had, even pretending to not have gone after false gods when the evidence was all around.  They lusted for new gods and now wanted to wriggle free being discovered in their idolatry.

God’s discipline

Why do you contend with me?
    You have all transgressed against me, declares the Lᴏʀᴅ.
In vain have I struck your children;
    they took no correction;
your own sword devoured your prophets
    like a ravening lion.  (Jer 2:29-30)

The Lord attempted to correct his children.  He loved them and did not want to see their ruin.  Instead of seeing the paths of uprightness as the ways of life, they are viewed as shackles from which to gain release.  The robe of righteousness is exchanged for a harlot’s garment to chase lustily after the things of the world and then claim innocence of any wrongdoing.

Their indifference

If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him
    and becomes another man’s wife, will he return to her?
Would not that land be greatly polluted?
You have played the whore with many lovers;
    and would you return to me? declares the Lᴏʀᴅ.  (Jer 3:1)

Israel had played the harlot and been discovered.  Now they were expecting the Lord to just accept them back, shrugging off severity of their sins and damage done.  The Northern Kingdom, Israel, had performed idolatrous acts before the Lord and were carried off for their iniquities.  Judah had seen this and in their indifference had done the same, knowing the consequences, making their acts of rebellion more repugnant than their conquered brethren.

God still cares about these things
While reading this passage, I was thinking on the state of God’s people, the American church, today.  The similarities are striking: little or no remembrance of the wondrous deeds of our Lord, the disregard for faithful teaching of Scripture, a burning desire to apply the world’s methods in Christian worship, and flippantly thinking that our corruptions do not matter so much.  Much incorrect and invalid teaching is found in pulpits today.  Worship practices border on or overstep the line into the grotesque and barbaric.  There are several websites that can point you to specific examples.

Parachurch ministries are equally guilty.  TBN has a network full of bad teachers.  Beth Moore has been around awhile and still mishandles the Bible.  A newer questionable women’s ministry has arisen—IF:Gathering, whose next annual videocast is being actively promoted through evangelical churches.  Their stated purpose is

We exist to gather, equip and unleash the next generation of women to live out their purpose.

This sounds all well and good, but at least two ladies involved with the ministry—Ann Voskamp and Christine Cain—are known false teachers.  Where is the discernment?

Are all American churches corrupt?  No, but one wonders how small the remnant of the faithful might be.  In my county of 215,000 residents, I continually see churches attempt to mimic popular, trending tactics promoted elsewhere in the country.  The faithful churches go largely unnoticed, but they can succumb to deception by actively or passively endorsing ministries like those I note above, which eventually undermine and erode sound doctrine.

God’s continual call to fealty
In Jeremiah 3:12 and following, God has the prophet proclaim a call to return.  He desires for his chosen people to repent of their sins and be restored to their rightful place as sons that he might be a faithful shepherd to them.  The New Testament church has received the same call.  In Revelation 2-3, John is told to write messages to churches in various states of decay.  Something is amiss in most of them: Smyrna and Philadelphia do not receive a corrective.  The church in America (and Western Civilization?) is in a similar place: we have left our first love; we allow aberrant teaching; we have tolerated the woman Jezebel; we are apathetic.  Jesus still calls for his people to repent—empowered by God to do the first works; to hold fast; to put away false teaching and complacency.  He remains faithful to receive us.

The More Things Change …

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.  (1 Tim 1:15)

While reading more of Arnobius of Sicca, I was struck by a comment he makes about pagan reaction to Christianity:

These are your ideas, these are your sentiments, impiously conceived, and more impiously believed.  No, rather, to speak out more truly, the diviners, the dream interpreters, the soothsayers, the prophets, and the custodians of shrines, ever vain, have devised these fables.  For they, fearing that their own arts be brought to nothing, and that they may extort but paltry fees from the devotees, now few and infrequent, whenever they have found you to be willing that their craft should come into disrepute, cry aloud:

“The gods are neglected, and in the temples there is now a very thin attendance.  Former ceremonies are exposed to derision, and the time-honored rites of institutions once sacred have sunk before the superstitions of new religions.  Justly is the human race afflicted by so many pressing calamities, justly is it racked by the hardships of so many toils.  And men—a senseless race—being unable, from their inborn blindness, to see even that which is placed in open light, dare to assert in their frenzy what you in your sane mind do not blush to believe.”

The Case against the Pagans, I.24

Wait a minute!  Am I reading of early fourth-century pagans against Christians, or am I reading the transcript from a twenty-first-century news show discussing politics and economics?  The objections and underlying arguments are nearly identical: speculative prognostication is challenged, and in an effort to secure funding, the pundits cry out in a shrill voice that the truth-tellers are spewing superstitious nonsense—this in an effort to maintain income for pontificating ideas based more on predilection than fact.

Or could be I reading of a response from a recent church body gathering that has chosen to adhere more to cultural norms than scripture and have decided to distance themselves from those troglodytes who actually believe that the Bible means what it says?  The same shrill tone, reasoning, and conclusions can be found in an effort to maintain the shoddy foundation and rickety infrastructure upholding the organization.

Whether in politics, economics, or the church, why would people vigorously oppose the truth?  It is because they love the lie and the system upholding it.  In order to properly build God’s house, the apostle Paul relied on the foundation given him, Jesus Christ (1 Cor 3:10-11), to lay a foundation for the assembly in Corinth.  To the church in Ephesus, he referred to Jesus as the cornerstone by which the foundational Church offices would be properly aligned and the structure joined together (Eph 2:19-21).  All attempts to reshape or refine the scandal of the gospel to make it palatable leave the life and work of Christ as no more than exemplary human drama or the zenith of spiritual achievement.  Whatever creative way Jesus may be presented which removes the sin problem leaves us with nice guy, not the Savior we need.

Jesus came into the world to save sinners.  We do not want to admit the need, but when we do and believe on Him, there is reconciliation between God and us and rest in knowing that we are accepted in the beloved.  May we keep that message central.

Getting Back in Time

Through Glenn Chatfield, I learned of this post from The Cripplegate aimed at those who wish to repristinate the Church—or at least their own assembly—into a New Testament likeness.  Those desiring the “bliss” of the infant church are actually cherry-picking to create a sentimental caricature.  I especially liked some points made at the end:

I rarely hear people saying, “Hey, let’s not forget that in Acts 14:1, Paul and Barnabas spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed.  Let’s make sure our pastors are trained in expository preaching!”

I rarely hear “Hey guys, we need to get back to proclaiming an exclusive gospel like Peter did in Jerusalem in Acts 4:12!”

I never hear “You know, Acts 17:11 teaches us that the church in Berea checked everything by the standard of the scriptures; we need to really cultivate a systematic theological and biblical training program in our church to better equip us to do that!”

Whether or not your assembly is not leaning towards a “return to Acts,” you can glean some things to consider.

Waiting for That Day

I am once again in Revelation as part of my routine NT reading.  I finished chapter seven and noticed something I missed previously because of a section heading inserted by the publisher.  The scene is of four angels holding back the winds and given power to harm the earth and sea.  To these another angel gives instruction:

“Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”  And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: …  (Rev 7:3-4)

Following this is a scene in heaven before the throne of God:

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, …  (Rev 7:9)

In my circles these are accepted as two distinct groups because of the ethnicity and location, but I wonder if there is not more to be learned from looking at the whole.  Following are some comparisons.

Covenant relation – The 144,000 are sons of Israel and therefore God’s people in relation to the Mosaic Covenant, whereas the multitude are global in origin: outside the covenant relationship through Moses, they have been grafted in.  Both now are recognized as elect before God as children of Abraham by faith.

Relative location – The tribes are described as being on earth, whereas the multitude is before the throne of God.  We can see the difference in that one group is still a living testimony on earth, whereas the other has suffered and is currently worshiping before the throne.  Both continue to fulfill the work of God in the respective roles wherein He has left them.

Divine protection – The tribes have a seal placed on them guarding against what would come, while the multitude is described as coming out of great tribulation.  In effect both groups are delivered from the world’s judgment but through different ways.  The former are protected from the final judgment coming on sin, death, and the devil, but the latter has been called to suffer first before they were delivered.  Both are being kept in the care of God Almighty to wait for the end.

Certain hope – At the end of the chapter is a poetic piece attached to the multitude’s presence before the throne.

Therefore they are before the throne of God,
    and serve him day and night in his temple;
    and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
    the sun shall not strike them,
    nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
    and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”  (Rev 7:15-17)

To conclude that these lines relate only to the multitude already in heaven does injustice to those who are sealed and yet remain on earth.  The given promise befalls the elect from beginning to end.  All that are of faith rest assured that their place is with the Lord because the Lamb of God fulfilled what neither we in our attempts nor the Law in all its divine goodness could correct.  The bride will be welcomed by the Bridegroom and be joined together in glorious union, never to be parted.

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”  Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus! (Rev 22:20)

Who's in the House?

In every local church I have attended, the consensus teaching was that the Lord was present when gathered together for worship.  I wonder, though, if this wonderful truth of Scripture is effectively denied by how corporate worship is conducted.  What has God promised?  What are we confessing by our practice?

God Dwells Among His People: Past, Present, Future
Throughout the wilderness wanderings of Israel, the pillar of cloud went before the people, leading the way and demonstrating visually that the Lord was among his people (Exod 40:36-38).  Later, as the people prepared to enter Canaan, God promised to place his name at a specific location for worship (Deut 12:5-7).  There the tabernacle would be erected, and God would dwell in the midst of the cherubim above the mercy seat.  Later, the Lord anointed the temple with his presence after Solomon’s dedication (2 Chron 7:1-3) wherein the glory dwelt until it was ultimately removed (Eze 10:4, 18-19).  The promise of this presence was reaffirmed as Jesus explained to the twelve the indwelling and abiding presence of each member of the triune God: Father, Son (Matt 18:20; 28:20), and Holy Spirit.

The apostle Paul reinforced the indwelling presence in a corporate sense in writing to the church at Corinth:

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. (1 Cor 3:16-17)

Lastly, we have the promise from the throne of God at the end of the age:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Rev 21:3)

If God has promised his presence as they meet together, one would expect a significant measure of respect in the conduct of worship in similar fashion to the command given to Israel: “You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lᴏʀᴅ” (Lev 19:30).  Currently, the sanctuary of God on earth is not a physical structure, but in the corporate gathering of his people.  How we conduct themselves in this gathering directly reflects our understanding of who is being honored and where the honoree is in proximity to the gathering.

Common Evangelical Practice
For the past six years my home assembly has had a regular format that I have discovered is quite common among non-denominational groups: opening song(s), announcements, special missions/ministry update or semi-monthly Lord’s Supper, more singing with a scripture reading, sermon, closing song.

How are announcements worship?  I do not say that these are unimportant.  Members (and visitors to an extent) should be kept abreast of pertinent information concerning the business or administration of the local church.  This needs to be disseminated.  My question has to do with placement in the worship meeting.  Listen to whomever leads singing immediately after this break, “Let’s continue our worship with….”  We acknowledge the worship was interrupted.  In effect, we are saying “Sorry, God.  Our business is more important than yours.”  With all the means of communication at our disposal, why must this occur during worship?

Missions or ministry updates are of greater import, since they deal with the work of the gospel, but can we call this worship?  When the update is given, who is the focus?  It is the missionary or ministry leader.  Should not the focus be the Lord Jesus?  Certainly updates are needed: it is good, important information.  We can rejoice in the work being accomplished or rally behind the need, but should we interrupt what is set aside for the Lord of Glory to make it known?

The Lord’s Supper (or Communion, Breaking of Bread, Eucharistic meal) is of vital importance in worship since it derives from and points to the completed work of redemption on the cross by Jesus to our behalf.  Why do we not celebrate this every week?  In our assembly, someone has a devotional that precedes the eating of the elements.  The comments are mixed because the men sharing them have varied understanding of whom they should be speaking.  Sometimes it is a personal anecdote leading to the bread and cup, sometimes a thought from scripture.  And then there are times when you wonder what the devotional has to do with Christ at all.  I commend the effort put forth, but I cannot help but feel that what is shared would be more pointed and intentional if the speaker saw Jesus sitting in the front row, because He is.

The proclamation of God’s word should be clear, distinct, and correct.  We expect this of our pastors; we should expect the same of our song lyrics.  Last Sunday we had a new song introduced (“Always Enough” by Kare Jobe) that spoke of how good I feel about an ambiguous deity named “God” and how he/she/it satisfies me.  Why?  Who was being worshiped?  You can’t tell from the lyrics.  Why introduce it?  The closing song, on the other hand, was “Victory in Jesus.”  Here is the first verse:

I heard an old, old story how a Savior came from glory;
How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me.
I heard about His groaning of His precious blood’s atoning,
Then I repented of my sins and won the victory.

That will preach!  With its simple melody this one verse delivered a richer, deeper doctrinal content than the entire song preceding it.  When we sing, do we understand that we are song to and about him who dwells in the midst of and with his people?

Do It Right
We are called to receive from our great God and Savior Jesus Christ and return praise, but not as though he is far off that we should go get him or try to build a bridge to his home.  He is with us.  Act like it, and thank him because he is present.

Psalm 75:1
We give thanks to you, O God;
        we give thanks, for your name is near.
We recount your wondrous deeds.

Lord's Supper Demonstrates the Past, Present, and Future of Christ's Redemptive Work

The eucharistic prayer was a condensed form of the biblical story before creeds found a secure place in the order of service.  The eucharistic meal needs to be set in the context of the whole story of creation, redemption, and sanctification by the will of the Father, through the work of the Son, realized in the community created by the Holy Spirit.  For this meal focuses on bread and wine drawn from the gifts of creation; it regards the eating of the bread and the sharing of the cup as signs proclaiming the Lord Jesus’ death until he comes; and it anticipates the heavenly banquet by virtue of the coming again of the Lord in his body and blood.  Any coming of the Crucified and Risen One brings judgment and vindication, and therefore the community must be prepared to eat and drink together in the Lord’s presence in a worthy manner—reconciled with the Lord and with each other (see 1 Cor. 11:27-32).…

The church is an assembly “called out” of the world in order to enact in the midst of “this world” “the life of the world to come.” It does so by celebrating the eucharist as an eschatalogical event (the Lord’s Supper) by virtue of the presence of the Crucified and Risen One who reigns as Lord and comes again as judge.  It does so on the day on the day of resurrection (the Lord’s Day) in order to express the tension between the time of “this world” and the “fullness of time” in the eschatalogical presence of Christ and his kingdom.  The church gathers around the Lord’s table not so much because its individual members need the benefits of the gift of communion, but because the church itself—convened by the word—is constituted as the Lord’s people in the Lord’s Supper, and is sent from the meal into the world in the abiding presence of Christ through his Spirit to proclaim the gospel to the whole of creation (Mark 16:15-16) and all the nations (Matt. 28:16-20).

Frank Senn, Christian Liturgy, 702-703

Now Let's Get This Straight. Let's Get It Clear.

Title taken from Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee.

In a previous post, I shared the requirement the Lord gave for the future kings of Israel to hand copy His Law (most likely the text of Deuteronomy), so that they have intimate understanding of who God is, their unique calling as a nation, and the expectation placed on each and every person in the nation. As application, I recommended that spiritual leaders in each local assembly do the same to see how Jesus has fulfilled the righteous requirements and how that applies to our life in Christ.

Later in Deuteronomy, Moses takes steps for all the people to take in the Law and aid in its remembrance by recording the Law, giving it to the priests, and requiring the priests to read it before all as they are gathered together:

And Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lᴏʀᴅ your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the Lᴏʀᴅ your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lᴏʀᴅ your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.” (Deut 31:10-13)

What are the elements of this command and applications for us today?

Place
The men of Israel were required to assemble at a prescribed location:

Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lᴏʀᴅ your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. (Deut 16:16)

At the time of writing, God had promised His name at a particular place (Deut 12:11), but the exact location had not yet been made evident. Israel was not in the land. After the land had been conquered, the tabernacle was set up in Shiloh by Joshua (Joshua 18:1). Here God would be with His people (as He promised) until worship was moved into Jerusalem.

The assembly of the Lord’s people is no longer in a physical locality, but continues to be where He has promised to be—in the midst of His people. As those who are called out from the world, yet called into an entity (body of Christ), we are to function together where Jesus has promised to be forever (Matt 28:20)—the head both universally (Eph 1:22-23) and locally (1 Cor 12:27) in each assembly.

Time
The Feast of Booths was the last of the three annual feasts, and at this time, every seventh year, all debtors were released from their creditors.

At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release. And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the Lᴏʀᴅ’s release has been proclaimed. (Deut 15:1-2)

The early Christians continued to meet according to their accustomed Jewish routine: weekly on the Sabbath and daily, both as a matter of course (Acts 2:42) and for the hours of prayer (Acts 3:1). Eventually, the practice became one weekly meeting shifting to the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). The regular gathering was deemed vital for the growth and well-being of the body. Ceasing that practice notified other Christians that the attendant was no longer being considered a fellow believer.

Worship
At the location would God place His name, the men were to assemble for three particular feasts picturing their relationship with God. During all three, sacrifice and other forms of worship occurred.

They shall not appear before the Lᴏʀᴅ empty-handed. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lᴏʀᴅ your God that he has given you. (Deut 16:16-17)

The Lord worked in His people through His word and blessed them monetarily or agriculturally, so each would offer a gift accordingly. God had promised to bless abundantly as the people were obedient, therefore these offerings should never be an issue.

In addition, worship is designed to be corporate. Under the Mosaic covenant, there were at least three present—God, priest, worshiper—but most of the offerings were shared (i.e., fellowship, communion) with as many of the priesthood as would go around, so that all might share and none be wasted. Likewise, all that gathered were expected to join in the praise. Consider David’s words:

I will bless the Lᴏʀᴅ at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lᴏʀᴅ;
    let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lᴏʀᴅ with me,
    and let us exalt his name together! (Psa 34:1-3)

While the Lord had dealt individually with David, the call was for all the people to enter into the rejoicing. All are expected to gladly and willingly take part.

While we no longer offer tithes or animal sacrifices, the people of God are admonished to offer sacrifices of person (Rom 12:1), purse (Phil 4:18), and praise (Heb 13:15). It is these we give to our God because He so richly gives to us each Lord’s Day in His presence and every other day as we live before Him.

Teaching
An individual was unable to secure a copy of the Law because so few were available. The people relied on regular instruction and proper example in order to pass these things down without a personal document. As a result, individual study was impossible. The most logical approach was to teach the heads of the homes and have them pass it along to further generations.

During the release year, the Book of the Law was brought out and read in order to both teach and remind of God’s person and work with the idea that He be feared, and as a result be properly revered and worshiped. This assisted the fathers in their duty to teach their children and establish His word in their homes.

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deut 6:6-9)

This discipleship program worked well as long as the priesthood were faithful to scripture. When they cut corners or otherwise failed, the families broke down as well.

The church today has no less of a mandate to accurately and faithfully communicate God’s word. Those with oversight are to faithfully feed the flock as good under-shepherds (1 Pet 5:1-4) and entrust the teaching to faithful men (2 Tim 2:1-2), assisting heads of homes to be teaching the next generation. To ensure thorough instruction and reminder, a regular curricular cycle should be in place to teach the whole counsel of God.

Conclusion
When the people returned from the Babylonian captivity, after the temple and city walls were rebuilt, the people asked Ezra

to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lᴏʀᴅ had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. (Neh 8:1-3)

The Feast of Booths properly began on the fifteenth of the seventh month (Lev 23:34), but instead of waiting those two weeks, the people demonstrated their contrite hearts by asking for it early. Notice especially that the people were attentive “from early morning until midday” as they were hungry to receive what had been missing for decades. It brought both pain and refreshment to their souls.

This famine of God’s word came about because it had been snubbed and disregarded. The shepherds of Israel were guilty of dereliction of duty in making it correctly known. His shepherds today must remain faithful to teach, reprove, correct, and train in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). They are those who are to instruct and guide the sheep.
 Regular, faithful instruction builds up the body of Christ more than teaching on trendy topics or stroking the egos of the hearers. We are called to know and understand what God has for us in Christ. May we be passing this along.

Copy That!

In radio speak there is a phrase, “Copy that!” to inform the broadcaster that you received the message.  Maybe that should be used by church leaders in response to God.  What do I mean?

There is a prescribed ancient practice that should be undertaken when recognized for spiritual oversight of a local assembly.  As Moses addresses the people of Israel before crossing over into the land of promise, he gives instructions to kings recognized over the people.  As first order of business upon coronation, the king

shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests.  And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.  (Deut 17:18-20)

This is a remarkable requirement: the king is to make his own copy of Torah to read and study.  Moses’ instruction appears to state that “he king himself copy the covenant out by hand to impress it more deeply upon his memory.”*  Israel, as a nation called of God, was to be distinct from other nations in its administration,† therefore the administrative head needed to be on top of what He requires.  Since the king was not required to understand the minutia of Levitical practice, only the book of Deuteronomy would need to be copied, as it sufficiently summarized all the Lord required of the his people.

Of course, we cannot directly equate the king of Israel to the pastors or overseers of a local assembly, but the practice of hand-copying a document would cause the message to be instilled into the copier’s life.  There is no way the message could not have an affect.  Our overseers (plus deacons and any other teachers) should do the same.

You may ask why I would want a New Testament leader to write out the book of Deuteronomy.  First, the Pentateuch is the foundation of the Bible.  If our leaders do not know those five books intimately, they do not understand the purpose of the church as the Body of Christ and how it functions.  Those books are basic.  Second, I do not trust those in position to study it on their own, or if they do, that it be done properly.‡ Although these men may be otherwise trustworthy, they are still susceptible to sin and skirting sound doctrine.

This is a taxing requirement, but God’s people are to be led and served by those who can rightfully handle the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15), shepherd the flock of God (1 Pet 5:2), and speak/serve in the strength as God supplies (1 Pet 4:10-11).  They need to know the basics of the Bible, and such a practice would help.


*  Raymond Brown, The Message of Deuteronomy, 180 .  He continues that this may simply be ordering the ruler to makes sure scribes create a copy for him, however the force of the language seems more pointed.
†  J. G. McConville, Deuteronomy, 295.
‡  I am not being negative but understanding how the latent sin nature interferes with our intentions.

The Holy Spirit Builds Using God's Word, not Feelings

But this is the meaning and substance of this addition: I believe that there is upon earth a little holy group and congregation of pure saints, under one head, even Christ,* called together by the Holy Spirit in one faith, one mind, and understanding, with manifold gifts, yet agreeing in love, without sects or schisms.†  I am also a part and member of the same, a sharer and joint owner of all the goods it possesses,‡ brought to it and incorporated into it by the Holy Spirit by having heard and continuing to hear the Word of God,§ which is the beginning of entering it.  For formerly, before we had attained to this, we were altogether of the devil, knowing nothing of God and of Christ.‖  Thus, until the last day, the Holy Spirit abides with the holy congregation or Christendom,¶ through which He brings us to Christ and teaches and preaches the Word to us.Δ  By the Word He works and promotes sanctification, causing the congregation daily to grow and become strong in the faith and its fruits, which He produces.◊

Martin Luther, Large Catechism: Apostle's Creed, 51-53

*   Ephesians 1:22
†   Ephesians 4:5-8, 11
‡   Romans 8:17
§   Galatians 3:1-2
‖    Romans 3:10-12
¶   John 14:17
Δ  John 14:26
◊  Galatians 5:16-24

Who Has the Keys?

And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah!  For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt 16:17-18)

This is not the property of Peter alone, but it came about on behalf of every man.  Having said that his confession is a rock, he stated that upon this rock I will build my church.  This means that he will build his church upon this same confession and faith.  For this reason, addressing the one who first confessed him with this title, on account of his confession he applied to him this authority, too, as something that would become his, speaking of the common and special good of the church as pertaining to him alone.  It was for this confession, which was going to become the common property of all believers, that he bestowed upon him this name, the rock.  In the same way also Jesus attributes to him the special character of the church, as though it existed beforehand in him on account of his confession.  By this he shows, in consequence, that this is the common good of the church, since also the common element of the confession was to come to be first in Peter.  This then is what he says, that in the church would be the key of the kingdom of heaven.  If anyone holds the key to this, to the church, in the same way he will also hold it for all heavenly things.  He who is counted as belonging to the church and is recognized as its member is a partaker and an inheritor of heaven.  He who is a stranger to it, whatever his status may be, will have no communion in heavenly things.  To this very day the priests of the church have expelled those who are unworthy by this saying and admitted those who have become worthy by repentance.

Theodore of Mopsuestia