Are we to “wrestle with sin,” or “rest in God’s grace”?

For my iniquities have gone over my head; Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
Psalm 38:4

For in You, O LORD, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God.
Psalm 38:15 

Are we to “wrestle with sin,” or “rest in God’s grace”?  Yes to both.  But that isn’t easy.  There is a tension between these two positions.

Wrestling with sin is evidence that one is saved, since the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin.  Conviction needs to lead us to confession and repentance, which (for the child of God) always results in forgiveness and cleansing.

When we have taken our sins to God for forgiveness, since He never withholds forgiveness from His children, we need to rest in His grace.  We must refuse to live in condemnation over what God has forgiven and taken away.

We all tend to be repeat offenders in areas of our own particular weaknesses.  When we commit a sin again, even after having been previously forgiven, we are convicted again.  That new conviction over an old and often repeated sin amps up the “wrestling with sin” aspect of the tension.  And it should.

But when we confess our sin, again, maybe for the umpteenth time, God forgives us.  Again.  And when He does, there is “therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1)

This is why the healthy Christian life is one of constant tension between wrestling with sin and resting in God’s grace.  Do both.  All the time.

God is omnipotent, gracious, and loving

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8

God has all power, by His grace, toward His people.  What a comfort to be reminded that there isn’t anything God cannot do because of a lack of power or ability (Matthew 19:26)!  And that power is graciously directed to, for, and through His people (those who trust in, and follow Jesus Christ).  Thank You God for Your power, the power of the gospel, graciously given to your people!

We therefore have all sufficiency in Him.  This has nothing to do with any sufficiency in us (2 Corinthians 4:7).  It is His sufficiency.  We are partakers of, and channels through which His sufficiency flows.  Thank You Lord for looking upon us in our weakness, and being pleased to fill us with Your strength in Christ!

For the purpose of accomplishing every good work.  God saves us, fills us, and uses us, not so that we can live for ourselves, but that we may perform the good works He has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).  Thank You Lord, for not merely saving us from sin and from the consequences of our bad works, but for saving us for the purpose of performing good works of righteousness for Your exceedingly abundant and eternal glory! 

We're all simple clay pots

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
2 Corinthians 4:7

Earthen vessels, or simple clay pots, are nothing special.  But what if something priceless is put into one?  According to Paul’s logic, the pot is still a clay pot—nothing special.  In fact the contrast between the simple clay pot and the costly contents draws our attention to ask the question, “Why would anyone put something so costly into an earthen vessel?”  Paul’s answer is so that the contents would not be confused with the container.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is more precious, more valuable, more costly than anything.  Yet God has been pleased to pour the gospel, Christ, and His Spirit into us—the simplest earthen vessels imaginable.  Why?  So that no one would ever confuse the contents with the container; the message with the messenger; Christ and the gospel with He has been pleased to save.

Let us therefore be careful not to think of ourselves as anything special because Christ saved us.  Remember, He came to seek and to save that which was lost; not for the healthy, but the sick, not the righteous, but the unrighteous.

Let us also be aware not to elevate our favorite teachers, preachers, or Christian leaders as though they are to be unduly admired.  They too are merely earthen vessels—vessels that contain, and through which that which is priceless flows.  “…that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.”

God's grace ahead of my troubles

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity…
Psalm 32:1-2 

Some have more. Some have less.  But everyone has problems.

Some problems are bigger.  Some problems are smaller.  But everyone has problems.

The great equalizer for those who are born of the Spirit and who trust in Christ for salvation, is that our transgressions are forgiven.  Our sins are forgiven.  Instead of iniquity, God has imputed the righteousness of Christ to our spiritual accounts.

Compared with that incredibly good news, our problems—regardless of their frequency or size—are manageable.  Our problems are still problems.  Pain still hurts.  Fear is still fearful.  But when we understand something of God’s amazing grace and the immeasurable gift of forgiveness and imputed righteousness, we can handle anything.  Problems, after all, are temporary.  Forgiveness and salvation are eternal.

Let us meditate more on God and on His grace, than on our problems.  It will not make all our problems disappear, but it will give us victory in spite of them. 

Worship by giving

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also:  2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.  3 And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem.  4 But if it is fitting that I go also, they will go with me.” 1 Corinthians 16:1-4

The primary reason to give is not to support the Church or the ministry of our ministers. Giving is primarily an act of worship.  If God’s people are faithful to worship God through giving, we can be assured that He will support His Church, His ministries, and His ministers. That is not to say that giving has no bearing on how God supports ministries and ministers. It does, but we give as an act of worship, and God uses what we give to support ministries and ministers.

Here are five ways to worship through giving:

1.   We are to worship by giving obediently.  “I have given orders… so you must do.” (v.1)

2.   We are to worship by giving regularly. “On the first day of the week” (v.1) indicates regularity, whether one gives weekly or bi-weekly monthly.

3.   We are to worship by giving proportionately. “as he may prosper…” (v.2)  The percentage prescribed in the Bible is a tithe, or 10% (Malachi 3:7-12).

4.   We are to worship by giving thoughtfully (v.2) rather than based on emotional or guilt-inducing appeals.  Let us thoughtfully determine what God would have us give.

5.   We are to worship by giving responsibly (v.3).  We are to entrust the money we give into responsible hands.

In all of these, let us give as an act of worship! 

A reason to rejoice!

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. 
1 Corinthians 6:11

The good news is that no matter where we came from, or what our lives were like when Jesus saved us, He has cleansed us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).  Backing up the page a couple of verses to 1 Cor. 6:9 & 10, Paul instructs us that our sin, no matter what sort, rendered us unfit for Heaven.  While some may look at the list and insist they were never one of those sinners, if we understand that sin begins in the heart—even if we do not act on our desires—we were all guilty.

Once again, the good news is that no matter where we came from or what manner of sin we struggled with, when we are in Christ we are cleansed.  We have been and are being sanctified, meaning that the Holy Spirit is continually cleansing us and growing us in holiness. Why? Because through faith alone in Christ alone we have been justified, meaning, declared righteous by God.

That, friend, is reason to rejoice and to walk in the holiness in which we stand!

Bonus question: Which sin listed in vv.9-10 do some people insist is not sin?  How can they do this in light of the clear teaching of scripture? 

God can be trusted

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. 8 They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright. 9 Save, LORD! May the King answer us when we call. 
Psalm 20:7-9

The one thing God wants from us more than anything is that we trust Him. Trusting Him shouldn’t be hard.  It ought to be a “no-brainer.”  After all, He is the Sovereign God of the universe who knows all things, has the power to do as He pleases—and He loves us.  We, on the other hand, are finite, fallible folk. 

Why wouldn’t we trust Him?  Because we are naturally (due to sin) stubborn and self-centered, preferring to trust in ourselves or in just about anything but Him. 

This is why God continuously reveals Himself in His Word. (There is no new revelation beyond His Word, since everything He has to say He has said in Christ and recorded for us in His Word, the Bible.)  What is the crux of His revelation?  (1) That He is God: holy, just, and good.  (2) That we are not; being finite creatures who are tainted with sin and rebellion, and therefore deserving of His righteous wrath.  (3) That Jesus is God’s one and only means by which we must be forgiven, and that we receive the benefits of the forgiveness Jesus secured on the cross—through faith in Him.  Faith.  Nothing else, just faith, which is trusting in Him—alone.

Of course if we truly trust Him, we love Him for who He is and for what He has done, especially in saving us.  If we trust in Him we will obey Him, not to get anything from Him—He has already given us everything in Christ.  We obey Him in faith, motivated by loving gratitude.

So do not put your trust in anything else—neither in chariots nor horses (symbolic of man’s strength found in weapons of war).  Instead, remember Him, and that He can be trusted.  While those who trust anything else will be crushed, we will stand in the Day of Judgment.  He will hear the cry of all who call out to Him for salvation.

Slaves of righteousness

But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.  And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Romans 6:17-18 

The Bible clearly teaches that those who have not been saved [redeemed, converted, born again, become followers of Christ] are slaves of sin.  That doesn’t mean that the unsaved are as sinful as they can possibly be.  Thank God for that.  They still have the freedom to choose to what degree they will sin.  The truth be told, however, when they are less sinful, it is because of the restraining grace of God.  Being a slave to sin means one cannot stop sinning altogether.

When we are saved, the bondage to sin is broken by God in Christ.  We still sin, but we are no longer slaves to sin, but we willingly obey an evil master (sin) who, because of Christ, no longer has jurisdiction over us.  Instead of being slaves to sin, God saves us to become slaves of righteousness. When we were slaves of sin, we had the liberty regarding the degree to which we sinned.  As slaves of righteousness, we have responsibility to choose how devotedly we obey our new master: Christ and righteousness.

Why do we who are Christians still wrestle with sin as we do?  Because we are used to sinning.  Because temptation still abounds.  Because at times, temptation deceives us into thinking, and then acting, as though disobedience will be more rewarding than obedience.  It never is.

How do we gain victory over these lingering patterns of sin? (1) Remind ourselves over and over again, and then believe what God’s Word says about no longer being slaves to sin, but to righteousness.  (2) Allow what we believe to dictate what we do.  (3) When we are aware that we have sinned, confess and repent immediately.  (4) Trust in God’s grace based on Christ’ performance—not on our works based on our performance.  (5) Praise God for grace!

The #1 reason to praise the Lord!

“I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.  I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”
Psalm 9:1-2 

This wonderful Psalm encourages me once again that praise is based on who God is and on His marvelous works, not on my circumstances, whether they be good or bad. 

While the psalm opens with two verses of unrestricted praise to God, the bulk of the rest of the psalm is about trials.  David speaks of enemies (v.3), oppression (v.9), those who sought to entrap him (v.15), wickedness (v.17), and the poor and needy (v.18).  Clearly the psalm is seasoned with undesirable circumstances—yet David praises God throughout, trusting that He is in control and He will avenge.

What is the take-away from this?  Praise God because of who He is and because of His marvelous works, irrespective of whether you are on top of the world, or the weight of the world is crushing you.  Remember, if you are in Christ, your sins are forgiven!  

On receiving Christ when it is "convenient"

Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.”
Acts 24:25

 Paul stood for trial before the Roman Governor of Judea, Felix.  As always, Paul seized even his trial as an opportunity to proclaim Christ.  The result in Felix’s heart was fear, followed by postponement.  The gospel troubled him, but because he was not willing to bend the knee to Christ. He said he would deal with it later—later when it is convenient.  We all know what usually happens to later: it never arrives.  And as for convenience, when is it convenient to renounce self to follow Jesus?  Never.

What happened to Felix’s later at a more convenient time?  Paul was all but forgotten in prison for two years!

When Felix was on his way out, and Festus was on his way in, Paul’s unsettled case came up again.  Festus, along with Agrippa and Agrippa’s wife, Bernice, ended up hearing Paul’s case and once again Paul proclaimed the gospel.

What happened to Felix?  He is referred to in Acts 25:14, but he had already departed, and we can assume that he never again considered the gospel—at least not in a way that resulted in salvation.

Be encouraged, Christian.  As you share Christ, even though some may be convicted, not all will surrender.  Do not be discouraged when people’s response is, “later when it is more convenient.”  Whenever the next opportunity arrives, be like Paul: proclaim Christ again, to whomever will listen.

Let us be Bereans, not Thessalonians

These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Acts 17:11

Paul and company, fresh from a quick stop in Thessalonica—where they met with passionate resistance to the preaching of the gospel—left hurriedly, traveling fifty miles to the southwest to Berea.  The Bereans were comparatively (and dramatically) more receptive to the preaching of the gospel than were the Thessalonians.

Why?

Spiritually, we must recognize that in the providence of God, some are simply more perceptive because God graciously opens blind eyes and softens hard hearts.  God gave them “fairer minds” and more receptivity.  Let us therefore pray for our unsaved family and friends that God would do a similar work in their lives.  Let us also pray for ourselves, that we would not harbor defensive attitudes to the Word of God when we read it or hear it preached.

God’s work in the Bereans made a difference.  They “searched the scriptures” to see if what Paul preached was in line with the Bible (they only had the Old Testament).  Let us learn to test all things by the Word of God (like the Bereans) instead of succumbing to emotional responses (like the Thessalonians).

Then let us resolve not merely to be hearers of God’s Word, but doers of it as well (James 1:22-25).

Lord, forgive any resistance to Your Word in our lives.  Grant us grace to be eager to hear what You have to say, and may Your Spirit grant us grace not only to hear, but also to do.

Two missing ingredients in too many churches

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
Acts 13:2-3

The church in Antioch was becoming the center of action for the early Church.  Two things stand out to me about what made that church a great church.

First, they were a church of prayer.  When Jesus cleansed the temple of the moneychangers, He said “My house shall be a house of prayer.”  The Church, besides being a place of preaching, worship, sacraments, and yes—fellowship, is to be a house of prayer.  If we want our church to be a place God is at work in and through, we must become a house of prayer.  I pray that you want to see God at work in our church.  If you do, are you praying as an individual?  As a family?  Are you committed to joining in prayer at church?  Let us join those who pray in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings from 9:45-10:15 am.

Second, they were an evangelistic and missions-minded church.  When evangelism stops or grows cold, the Church begins to die.  Dear saints, are you praying for and sharing Christ with loved ones?  Are you engaged in evangelistic opportunities with the church?  Are you praying for our missionaries?  Churches that reach out, grow.  Those that do not, implode.

Dear God, stir us up in the area of prayer, and evangelism & missions.

Miracles or the Word of God?

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37 

However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. Acts 4:4 

In the first few chapters of Acts, I am struck by the priority of the Word over miracles.  While the miracles happened and were wonderful, there is no record of anyone coming to faith because of them.  The people were confused by the “tongues” in chapter 2.  They were “filled with wonder and amazement” at the healing of the lame man in chapter 4.  But these signs and wonders caused the people to ridicule, find fault, threaten, and forbid the believers to speak in Jesus’ name.  Clearly no one was saved by seeing miracles.

Contrast that with the fact that when Peter preached the gospel in Acts 2, the people were “cut to the heart,” converted and added to the Church.  When Peter preached the gospel in Acts 4, “many of those who heard the word believed” and the Church grew.  Clearly people were saved by hearing the gospel.

What to learn?  “The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.” (Romans 1:16)  The gospel is contained in the Word and communicated through proclamation (whether preaching to a crowd or simply sharing the gospel with a friend over coffee.)  Therefore: (1) Let us not chase miracles or think they will convert anyone.  (2) Let us be faithful to proclaim the gospel.  Tell your testimony, invite people to church—but do not neglect to proclaim the gospel!  It is the way God is pleased to save people. 

The Christian Life: Worship (4)

Worship in Spirit and in Truth. John 4:23-24

Jesus said that there is a true worship, implying that false worship also exists.  He went on to identify true worship as being “in spirit and in truth” (v.23).  He said that because God is Spirit, He must be worshiped in spirit and in truth (v.24).  Emphasizing the importance of worship to God, Jesus said “the Father is seeking” true worshipers (v.23).  What is worship in spirit and in truth?

Spiritual Worship.  The opposite of spiritual is fleshly.  Spiritual worship is not fleshly.  Spiritual worship is led by the Holy Spirit instead of being led by the fleshly interests, ideas or emotions of worshipers.[1]  Spiritual worship is always in tune with the Scriptures because they were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and there can be no contradiction between what the Spirit led the human authors of the Bible to write and how He would lead worshipers to worship.  Spiritual worship that pleases the Father glorifies Jesus Christ.  It is not aimed at entertaining man, or giving glory to anyone or anything but God.  Worship that glorifies music, musicians, singers, or worship itself is fleshly and not spiritual.

Truthful Worship.  Worship that is in truth is worship that is led by the truth of Scripture rather than by the whims or dictates of people.  Scripture magnifies God and humbles man, and worship in truth does the same.  Worship in truth is Christ-centered (rather than man-centered) since He is the Truth (John 14:6).  In addition, truthful worship is honest, rather than hypocritical.

Heavenly Worship in Eternity. Revelation 4, 5, & 11

Revelation 4, 5 and 11 provide a wonderful glimpse into heavenly worship.  We cannot say that in Heaven, God’s people do nothing but sing for eternity.  There is evidence that there are other responsibilities in Heaven.  What we can say is that whatever God’s people do in addition to worshiping God in song, all that they do will be done in an attitude of worship that glorifies God without interruption for eternity.

Note:
[1] While emotionalism—or worship that seeks to manipulate one’s emotions—is not spiritual, worship is an expression of love and devotion to God that is often accompanied by emotions.  This is proper and should not be prohibited as long as all things are done decently and in order.

The Christian Life: Worship (3)

Worship was not man’s idea, but God’s.  Therefore, He alone is in a position to determine how He is to be worshiped.  The first four of the Ten Commandments can be seen as instruction regarding worship:  (1) Worship God only.  (2) Do not worship God using idols. (3) Do not worship God thoughtlessly (in vain). (4) The Sabbath is to be set aside as a special day for worship.[1]

In Deuteronomy 12, God instructed His people to worship Him only according to His instructions, expressly forbidding them to worship Him: (a) according to our ideas and desires (v.8), and (b) in any manner in which pagans worship their gods (v.30).  The principle for worship here is no less applicable to the New Testament Church than it was to Old Testament Israel.  We must search the scriptures to learn how God wants to be worshiped, rather than copy the ways of the world or try to come up with new and innovative ways to worship God.  The only right ways to worship God are biblical ways.[2]

What are the biblical ways to worship God?  (This is not an exhaustive list.)

Singing.  Singing has always been and will ever be an integral part of worship.  This is true not because music moves the heart and emotions (which it certainly can do), but because God has ordained music for worship.  The reason music moves the heart and emotions is because God ordained it to be so.  If anyone might doubt the place of singing in biblical worship, he has only to look at the book of Psalms, which is the Bible’s hymnal, and the largest book in the Bible.  Some have argued that vocal music is appropriate for worship while instrumental music is not.  While it is true that there is no instrument like the human voice with which to praise God, prohibiting musical instruments would require editing the Psalms to erase the numerous times instruments are mentioned and even commanded (e.g., Psalm 150).

The Lord’s Supper.  This special remembrance of Christ’s sacrificial death was instituted by Christ Himself (Matthew 26:26-28).  The Apostle Paul instructed the Church to observe the Lord’s Supper with all due reverence (1 Corinthians 11:17-34).

The Church is not unified regarding some of the particulars of how to receive communion or how often.  Differences arise over whether to use wine or unfermented juice, and leavened or unleavened bread.  Some observe the sacrament weekly, some monthly, or even less frequently.  What is right regarding these and similar questions appears to be left to conscience.  What is not allowed is using elements that have no relationship to bread and wine, downplaying the importance of the Supper by partaking with a lack of reverence, or a failure to observe the Supper with some measure of regularity and frequency.

Sacrificial Worship.  Old Testament sacrifices were the central means of worship.  While we do not offer the ceremonial sacrifices of the Old Testament—because Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is the once-for-all sacrifice for sin—we are to offer “the sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15).  This includes worshiping God in song when we do not feel like it, giving attention to the reading and preaching of the Word of God, giving our money sacrificially, and giving our time sacrificially.  The most important thing we can give the Lord as an act of worship is ourselves, including our bodies, which is our “reasonable act of worship” (Romans 12:1).

Notes:
[1] The Fourth Commandment not only commands us to cease from our normal labors, but to worship!
[2] Obviously the particulars of Old Testament temple worship (sacrifices, etc.) are obsolete as revealed in Scripture.  (See Hebrews 7-10.)

The Christian Life: Worship (2)

At the time of the Reformation (1600s), the Reformers knew that the Church needed to reform worship as well as soteriology (the theology of salvation).  Two camps emerged, led in part, but not exclusively, by Martin Luther and John Calvin.

Luther’s view came to be known as the Normative Principle of worship. The normative principle says that whatever is not forbidden in scripture is permitted.

Calvin’s view came to be known as the Regulative Principle of worship. The regulative principle says that whatever is not commanded in scripture is forbidden.

The Normative Principle allows many practices and traditions that are questionable, if not blatantly wrong, even though they are not expressly forbidden in scripture.  An example of this might be rosary beads.  They are not forbidden because they are not mentioned, but they are clearly not a biblical way to pray (Matthew 6:7).  Therefore the Normative Principle tends to approve of practices that are not biblical, routinely leading to serious error in worship.

The Regulative Principle, on the other hand, is intended to insure that worship is biblical and God-centered rather than extra-biblical and man-centered.  This is safer and greatly preferred over the Normative Principle.  A word of caution is in order, however. 

There are principles and there are particulars.  Principles regarding worship come from both explicit and implicit teaching of scripture.  Particulars might include whether we sing using hymnals or follow the song lyrics projected on a screen, gather in buildings or worship outdoors, sit in pews or folding chairs, and the use of musical instruments.  While biblical principles must be obeyed, particulars that are not mentioned in scripture—and therefore are neither commanded nor forbidden—need not be forbidden unless they somehow violate biblical principles regarding worship.

While we embrace the Regulative Principle rather than the Normative Principle, a biblically informed, sanctified, common sense approach to worship would not forbid particulars simply because they are neither commanded nor mentioned in scripture.  Let’s face it, even among Reformed folks who embrace the regulative principle, not every church that worships biblically does so in precisely the same way. Let us worship God according to His Word.

The Christian Life: Worship (1)

A.W. Tozer once wrote that God created mankind to worship Him, but when Adam sinned, mankind threw the gift of worship in the mud. When we are born again by the Holy Spirit, the gift of worship is restored.

What is worship?  Worship is (a) ascribing worth to someone or something, (b) feeling and demonstrating love and devotion to someone or something, and (c) showing honor, respect, reverence and submission to someone or something. (This definition is incomplete but adequate for this blog.)

What is the only correct object of worship? There are two categories of objects of worship: incorrect and correct.

First, Incorrect Objects of Worship.  John Calvin wrote that “the human heart is an idol factory.”  Man is instinctively a worshiping being because he was created by God to worship God.  When man fell into sin, the instinct to worship was not cancelled.  Instead, it was redirected.  People worship all sorts of false gods.  The stereotypical example of this is the worship of graven images (idols) made with human hands (Isaiah 44:9-19).  People worship hobbies, sports, and entertainment.  People worship money and material possessions.  People worship religion, religious rituals, practices, and even worship itself.  Man worships other people (whether celebrities, spouses, children, self, etc.)  Ultimately, man worships the creation rather than the Creator (Romans 1:24-25). All of these objects and potential objects of worship are false gods, are not worthy to be worshiped, and are an affront to the only true and living God, who alone is the correct object of worship.[1]

Second, The Only Correct Object of Worship.  God alone is worthy to be worshiped (Psalm 29:2, Revelation 4:11).  He is worthy to be worshiped (a) because of who He is (i.e., the great God, Psalm 150:2b), and (b) because of all that He has done (Psalm 150:2a).  God is jealous of man’s worship, demanding that He alone be worshiped (Exodus 20:3-5).

Note:
[1] Idolatry is not limited to worship idols instead of God.  It is also worshiping idols in addition to God, worshiping God using idols, and even worshiping God using the methods employed by idol worshipers.  (See Deuteronomy 12)

Associationalism (3)

Associationalism is like insurance—we hope we never need it, but boy are we glad we have it when we do need it! Serving on the board of FIRE, I have seen the association help churches that are in trouble.

Not long ago a small number of influential church members who had angst against their pastor launched a hostile coup against him. Word of these goings-on reached the FIRE board. The board immediately sprang into action—not simply to defend the pastor and his family, but to intervene for the overall good of the church. Numerous attempts were made too help mediate a biblical solution. The agitators who placed themselves in charge refused our repeated offers to help. Sadly, as a result if not accepting help, the pastor was ousted, church blew up, and for their unbiblical handling of the matter, the member churches of FIRE voted to remove the church from membership in FIRE.

Why share this story that ended badly? To highlight the fact that FIRE was there to help—even though in this case, help was refused. But let me share another story that ended well because of the association with FIRE.

Over twenty years ago, our church was experiencing trouble. Our deacons and elders sought help from FIRE. Three seasoned pastors (one driving nearly three hours each way!) met with our church leaders on more than one occasion to hear what was happening and to offer their counsel. Their biblical and objective counsel was followed to the ‘T’. Thanks to prayer and wise counsel from our association, Grace Bible Church lives on over twenty years later!

Associationalism is like insurance—we hope we never need it, but boy are we glad we have it when we do need it! Thank God for FIRE!

Associationalism (2)

One of my greatest concerns as a FIRE board member is that the people in FIRE churches are aware of being a part of an association. FIRE is an association of churches, not merely an association of pastors. Whether or not people in FIRE churches know this is really the responsibility of FIRE pastors.

Ways we seek to accomplish this include mentioning our FIRE membership in our church’s web page, social media accounts, and weekly church bulletin.

In addition we insert a half-sheet in our weekly bulletin a few times each month, reminding us to pray for sister FIRE churches. Of course we encourage everyone to pray when these inserts are in the bulletin—but even if you don’t pray (please do!), the insert is a reminder that we are a FIRE church.

An important mark of the FIRE Fellowship: Reformed, but loving and relaxed. Sadly, sometimes reformed folk (especially Reformed Baptists) come across as more “Reformed” than “Christlike.” A number of FIRE pastors and churches have come from rather heavy-handed Reformed Baptist groups, and have found a loving, safe haven in FIRE. This does not mean we are fuzzy on doctrine. We are self-consciously committed to the doctrines of grace, but are not unduly stuffy on secondary matters about which godly people may have differing views. From the beginning of FIRE, we have embraced the following adage:

On the essentials: Unity. On non-essentials: Liberty. In all things: Charity.

Next Time: How FIRE membership benefited our church 20 years ago.

Associationalism (1)

Every individual believer needs to be a functioning member of a local church. It is through local church life that many of the ordinary means of grace are administered and received: the sacraments, accountability, submission to leadership, and church discipline, to mention just a few. Without the local church, personal autonomy and even rank individualism run free

I believe with all my heart that in the same way, local churches need to be associated with other likeminded churches—for very similar reasons. Without some kind of associationalism, local churches are in effect little papacies under the control of one man (or a select few men). The modern rise of non-denominationalism (coming of age in the 1960s and 70s) has poured gasoline on the fires of spiritual anarchy and individualism.

Our church became a member of an old established denomination in 1985. In the mid 90s that denomination was trending toward spiritual liberalism. We, and a few other biblically conservative churches in that association, fought against that spiritual migration. Upon leaving that denomination we sought to unite with a handful of groups, but couldn’t find a fit. We started a small association with three member churches, but one turned in a profoundly different direction. With only two member churches, and no other immediate prospects, that association folded.

It was at that time (2000), FIRE (Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals) was forming. It was and is a perfect fit. We were officially welcomed into the fellowship early in 2001. There were fewer than 20 members at that time. FIRE has grown over the last 25 years having 125 churches in membership. Besides the annual international fellowship conferences, there are a number of regional fellowships that have smaller, more intimate, regional fellowship conferences. Our region, (Southwest) is the largest region. Our church has hosted several of the SW regional fellowship conferences.

In 2016 I was asked to join the board of directors. Our elders affirmed that commitment. A single term on the FIRE board is 3 years. A board member may be invited to remain on the board for a second consecutive term, and then again for a third consecutive term before “terming out.” If you do the math, you might notice that 2025 is the end of my third consecutive term. After nine years, I “term out” this May at the international fellowship conference in Atlanta (that Braden and I will be attending).

Though I will no longer be on the board, our church will continue in our solid commitment to FIRE. Pray, as we may be hosting the SW regional fellowship conference in October of this year.