The Spirit-filled life—a life of joy, fullness, and satisfaction—what Christian wouldn’t want to experience this type of living? Yet so many believers never seem to arrive at such a life. Why? I believe it’s because we struggle with the complete submission to God that the Spirit-filled life requires.
Born with a sinful nature that loves the instant gratification of sinful pleasures, we are often tempted to revert back to our old nature. We give ourselves to God at the point of our salvation, but as we are confronted with daily choices in life, we gradually take back ground that we had once surrendered. Ultimately, our unwillingness to completely and totally submit to God’s will is a reflection of our lack of faith in His wisdom and goodness. We know that God commands us not to lie, but a white lie doesn’t hurt anyone. Certainly, Jesus did say we should render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, but the IRS is far more unreasonable than Caesar ever was.
And so, if we continue on this path, little by little, we compromise the truth of God’s word and the goodness of His will for our lives, in favor of our own wisdom. We should hear the words of Proverbs 3:5-7: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”
When we choose our own wisdom, rather than submitting to the will our heavenly Father, we rob ourselves of the great blessing of the Spirit-filled life. As James told the early church: “7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:7-8). When you face moments of crisis in your life when you have to choose between obedience to God and gratification of self, choose obedience. For in denying yourself, you will be receiving a blessing far greater than anything this world has to offer.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Sermon: "Baptized with the Spirit"
Can a Believer Loose the Holy Spirit? (Sermon: Acts 2:1-4)
Many Christians have wondered if they could loose the Holy Spirit or their salvation. I believe that the answer to both of these questions lies within our understanding of the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8-9 reads: "8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast." If we can do something to loose either our salvation or the Holy Spirit then our possession of these gifts is dependent upon our merit and not God's grace.
The Bible teaches in Galatians 4:3-7 that we are sons of God: "4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."
Just as you were born physically into an earthly family, all children of God have been born into a spiritual family. You may not like some members of your earthly family, but they are still your family. Your earthly father will always be biologically your earthly father. You may disown him or refuse to claim him, but that will not change the fact the he is your father. So it is with the children of God. We may disobey God at times. We may even do things to break God's heart, but once we are born into the family of God we are always a part of the family of God.
Therefore, if you have been born again (John 3), then you have been given the Spirit of God and have been adopted into the family of God. Nothing can take that away from you, because God has given it to you. He gave it because of His love for you, not because you deserved it. Can a child of God loose the Holy Spirit? Absolutely not!
The Bible teaches in Galatians 4:3-7 that we are sons of God: "4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."
Just as you were born physically into an earthly family, all children of God have been born into a spiritual family. You may not like some members of your earthly family, but they are still your family. Your earthly father will always be biologically your earthly father. You may disown him or refuse to claim him, but that will not change the fact the he is your father. So it is with the children of God. We may disobey God at times. We may even do things to break God's heart, but once we are born into the family of God we are always a part of the family of God.
Therefore, if you have been born again (John 3), then you have been given the Spirit of God and have been adopted into the family of God. Nothing can take that away from you, because God has given it to you. He gave it because of His love for you, not because you deserved it. Can a child of God loose the Holy Spirit? Absolutely not!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
What Does the Old Testament Have to Say to New Testament Christians?
I remember as a child hearing someone ask my parents, "If we are supposed to live by the New Testament, why don't we just tear the Old Testament out of our Bibles?" I don't believe that this person was being disrespectful to God's Word, he was simply struggling, as do many new Christians, to understand how to relate to the Old Testament. Many people find the Old Testament confusing, irrelevant, and even boring. So what are Christians to make of this? I believe that as New Testament believers we must study the Old Testament. Here's why:
First, without the Old Testament, much of the New Testament appears confusing and irrelevant. How would we fully understand the need for Jesus' death without understanding the sacrificial system of the Old Testament?
Second, much of the New Testament is written to show how Jesus and the church fulfill the Old Testament. Paul writes, "For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed"
(1 Cor 5:7).
Third, the New Testament itself testifies to the relevancy of the Old Testament. Paul wrote to Timothy, "16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17). Remember that he wrote this when the only scriptures available to him were the Old Testament.
Finally, John ended Revelation with this statement from God: "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book (Rev 22:18-19). While this warning concerns the Book of Revelation, I believe we would be wise to carefully consider it for all of scripture.
Why then do so many believer struggle with applying the Old Testament? Because, to use a New Testament metaphor, much of it is meat not milk. You can't guzzle Leviticus, not and make any sensible application to our present lives. The meat of God's truth must be carefully considered. It is not irrelevant. It does not need to be made relevant. It simply needs to studied so that its relevance may be understood.
If you are struggling with an Old Testament passage, don't give up or pass it over--study and pray. And when you get discouraged remember Jesus' promise: "7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened (Matt 7:7-8).
First, without the Old Testament, much of the New Testament appears confusing and irrelevant. How would we fully understand the need for Jesus' death without understanding the sacrificial system of the Old Testament?
Second, much of the New Testament is written to show how Jesus and the church fulfill the Old Testament. Paul writes, "For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed"
(1 Cor 5:7).
Third, the New Testament itself testifies to the relevancy of the Old Testament. Paul wrote to Timothy, "16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17). Remember that he wrote this when the only scriptures available to him were the Old Testament.
Finally, John ended Revelation with this statement from God: "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book (Rev 22:18-19). While this warning concerns the Book of Revelation, I believe we would be wise to carefully consider it for all of scripture.
Why then do so many believer struggle with applying the Old Testament? Because, to use a New Testament metaphor, much of it is meat not milk. You can't guzzle Leviticus, not and make any sensible application to our present lives. The meat of God's truth must be carefully considered. It is not irrelevant. It does not need to be made relevant. It simply needs to studied so that its relevance may be understood.
If you are struggling with an Old Testament passage, don't give up or pass it over--study and pray. And when you get discouraged remember Jesus' promise: "7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened (Matt 7:7-8).
Monday, September 3, 2007
"The Imminent Judgment" Obadiah 1:15-18
Is all sin the same? (Sermon: Obadiah 1:15-18)
I often hear the comment that: “all sin is the same.” By this statement, people most often mean that no sin is any more serious or worse than any other sin. The argument is typically used to justify tolerance of sinful lifestyles. For example, if a person expresses concern about another person’s homosexual lifestyle, they may hear the response that, “a sin is a sin.” Therefore, homosexually is no worse than gluttony or pride (both of which many Baptist preachers are prone toward). How then can we remove the speck from our brother’s eye when we have a log in our own eye (Matt. 7:1–5)?
The verse that is typically used for support of this argument is James 2:10: “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” However, James is not addressing the severity of sins, but the condition that is brought upon humanity by even a single sin. His point is not that it does not matter what sins we commit or how many sins we commit. His point is that one sin makes someone a sinner. Let me illustrate. How many lies do you have to tell to become a liar? One. How many times do you have to steal in order to become a thief? Once. How many sins do you have to commit to become a sinner? One.
Look at what the Bible says about different sins. Proverbs singles out seven particular sins. "There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him" (Proverbs 6:16). John is very clear that not all sin is the same. “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death (1 John 5:16-17).
Also, consider how God dealt with David. The story of David and Bathsheba is one of the most well known passages about David (2 Samuel 11-12). However, David had certainly sinned against God prior to Bathsheba, but it was David’s sexual immorality and disregard for human life that brought God’s wrath upon him (2 Samuel 12:14).
Yes, all sin will separate us from God. However, not all sin carries the same consequences. Therefore, we should never use the unbiblical idea that sin is sin in order to justify our sinful choices.
The verse that is typically used for support of this argument is James 2:10: “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” However, James is not addressing the severity of sins, but the condition that is brought upon humanity by even a single sin. His point is not that it does not matter what sins we commit or how many sins we commit. His point is that one sin makes someone a sinner. Let me illustrate. How many lies do you have to tell to become a liar? One. How many times do you have to steal in order to become a thief? Once. How many sins do you have to commit to become a sinner? One.
Look at what the Bible says about different sins. Proverbs singles out seven particular sins. "There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him" (Proverbs 6:16). John is very clear that not all sin is the same. “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death (1 John 5:16-17).
Also, consider how God dealt with David. The story of David and Bathsheba is one of the most well known passages about David (2 Samuel 11-12). However, David had certainly sinned against God prior to Bathsheba, but it was David’s sexual immorality and disregard for human life that brought God’s wrath upon him (2 Samuel 12:14).
Yes, all sin will separate us from God. However, not all sin carries the same consequences. Therefore, we should never use the unbiblical idea that sin is sin in order to justify our sinful choices.
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