Are You Awake?

Over the course of the last 20 years, I have tried to teach and apply the Scriptures of our faith. I enjoy preaching, leading in studies, and sharing insights about the Bible. One of the tools that I have used over the years is what we call word studies. This is where we go into the original language to ensure that we get a correct English translation. People tend to enjoy a good word study...at least...until it changes what they believe.

This may sound crazy, but I like knowing why I believe what I believe. I want to take everything that has been passed down to me and study it for myself. I'm going to dig into the verses, look into the original language, and come to the best understanding that I can. I want what I believe to be a part of me.

Unfortunately, not every Christian goes through this process. They simply believe what is being passed onto them. They believe in the people who are sharing with them, they trust them, and it makes it a whole lot easier to just agree. I don't say this to shame anyone, I'm just saying that this is the normal process. I don't know many people who came to an understanding of the entire Bible all by themselves. Did we not learn what we have learned in Sunday School, church services, or Bible Studies? Have we not been educated by our friends, tv preachers, and podcasts? I'm not against any of these methods when it comes to our growth, however, I do believe that we need to follow up with ourselves.

Let me give you a for instance.
I have lived my entire life in Southwest Virginia. I have been involved in church my whole life. If there is one thing that I have heard over and over again is that there is only 1 true translation of the Bible. That would be the Authorized King James Version. I have been involved with churches that preach only from the KJV, will only allow you to teach from the KJV, and have placed that belief in their by-laws. Countless books have been written on the subject, sermons preached, and bookstores established touting the only authorized version of the Bible. I remember this becoming a big issue when I was a child. I remember people talking about the "Good News Bible" and the dangers of people actually reading it. This was something that would continue through my development as people began to blast new versions of the Bible.

Why is this important? It's important because in the information age of today, there is no reason to carry around this type of ignorance (please don't be offended at the word - it simply means unlearned). We have so much information at our fingertips. Most homes have a computer, tablet, or a smartphone. Information is being streamed into our lives on a continual basis. We have the necessary tools to find out the truth if we are willing to look for it.

The reality of the KJV is that scholars now believe that it is not the most accurate translation of the Bible. We honor the work of the people who created the translation, but there are just too many errors. One of those is found in Acts 12 when talking about Peter being apprehended by King Herod. The KJV says that the King had determined to bring Peter to trial after Easter. However, the original language here is clearly the Greek word for Passover. While that many not be enough to rattle the cage of a KJV proponent, it should be enough to get us thinking. There are many other places where the KJV translators inserted words into the text rather than simply translating what is in the original. I've shared with you in this blog how the word translated as "baptism" isn't a translation at all, but rather is a transposing (cause two or more things to change places with each other). The Greek word baptizo should be translated as immerse.

I'm not sharing all of this to bring up a debate about the KJV, but to show you how easy it is for us to get caught up in a line of thinking without questioning truth. This happens when we talk about Bible translations, styles of worship, and the varying beliefs of the different denominations. It's time for every believer to wake up. Take the time to know why you believe what you believe. Rather than simply argue with someone because they view something differently than you do, take some time to try and understand where the difference comes from. Most people don't even realize that there is such a thing as Eastern Christianity because they have been raised in Western Christianity. If your background in church life comes from Catholicism or the churches that came after the Reformation, then you have probably been indoctrinated in a western form of Christianity. Have you ever asked what our Eastern brothers & sisters believe?

Is any of this important? I believe so. If TRUTH is TRUTH then it can handle my questions. Not only that, but the Holy Spirit has been given to "guide us into all truth." What I have discovered is that truth can be found in the history of the church. And what I desire more than anything, when it comes to what I believe, I want them to line up with what the early church believed. I want that fire that burned in the belly of the Apostles. I want that confidence that the 1st Century church carried in the midst of horrible persecution. I want to know the resolve of the Apostle Paul as he stepped out of Pharisaic Judaism and into the Freedom of Christ. I want to understand the Gospels through a Jewish mindset. I want to celebrate with the Gentiles when they discover that God included them in the death, burial, resurrection, & ascension of the Son. I realize the cost of this journey. However, I also realize the liberty that it brings me into.

Are you awake yet? Has any of this caused you to think for yourself? Are you at least willing to have the discussion? It may mean junking some theology. It may mean losing some friends. It may mean stripping yourself down to the plain confession that Jesus is Lord & start over. I'm not saying that everything you believe is wrong. I'm simply saying that we need to be honest with ourselves. We need to give the Holy Spirit the right to change what needs to change & keep what needs to be kept. I will warn you that there was a time where I asked myself, "What do I really believe?" In that moment, Jesus became my only confession. I believed in who He was. I believed in what He did. And I determined to make my life about the person of the Lord. I wanted Him to teach me. Of course, He will use others along the way. People that are on the same journey as you. They will encourage you. They will point you to Jesus over and over again.

This journey has caused me to look into a lot of things that I though were solid, only to find that there were many holes in my theories. This journey has taught me to trust fully in the Holy Spirit to lead, to speak, and to reassure me. This journey has allowed me to have compassion for those who want to argue because I've been where they are. This journey has taught me the power of forgiveness because I don't want to burn bridges. I have asked (and continue to ask) some serious questions. But I believe this is the journey of a son. To quote Morpheus from the Matrix once again: "This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes."

Wake Up [insert name here]...

Hope Evolving...

We took a glimpse at Romans 15:4 yesterday. I felt the need to remind us of these powerful words as we head into the weekend. "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." I pray today is an encouragement.

Over the last couple of years, I have started seeing the Bible in a different light. While I believe it to be inspired by God, valuable for doctrine, instruction, and correction; I also see it as a lens through which we can honestly view life. I see that many of the stories we read, while literal, also prove to be excellent object lessons. I discover the wisdom of the ages hidden within the pages.

Paul stated in his letter to the church at Rome that everything that was written in the earlier times was written for us. In particular, he was pointing towards the Torah (collection of Scriptures held by the Jews). Found within these writings were instructions, the history of Israel & God's dealings with them, and the prophecies concerning the Messiah. All of these things were meant to provide encouragement for the early church. Of course, today, we have the New Testament as well. Therefore, I believe that it is necessary for us to apply Paul's own words to his writings as well. There is so much to be learned from these 1st Century believers.

I have never believed the Bible to be outdated. However, I have found some of our understanding to be archaic. Think about it. Almost 2,000 years since the death of Jesus and we still struggle to understand what freedom in Christ is all about. We may not argue about circumcision anymore, but only because we have a longer lists of things we believe are to be done in order for someone to be accepted. Rather than finding encouragement through the Scriptures, we often find ourselves bewildered.

God had a plan to redeem His creation. He had a plan, before the foundation of the world, to do what needed to be done to redeem & reconcile humanity. The Old Testament Scriptures are full of this understanding. I would encourage you to go back & read through some of those pages with this understanding: Everything God did in those days was to preserve the Seed that He had promised to Eve. The Seed that would destroy the hold of the evil one upon this creation. The Seed that would bring restoration. Paul mentions this Seed in Galatians 3 & then in 4 talks about the fullness of time coming - God sending His Son - born of a woman. The promises of righteousness restored. The promises of a nation delivered. The promises of God even upon the Gentiles. All of these were wrapped up in the Seed. And the Seed was none other than Jesus.

The coming of the Seed meant the promises of God being fulfilled. When we talk about the finished work of Christ, we are talking about the things that were accomplished through the life, death, burial, resurrection, & ascension of Jesus. He would be the One who would do what Adam did not do. He would be the Son of God who walked in obedience, in faith, in righteousness. He would be the Son to restore the children of God to their rightful place. He would be the One who would shine the light of God into our darkness. He would become the summation of ALL THINGS, according to Paul's writings in Ephesians 1. All of these things were written for our instruction and our encouragement, so that we would have hope.

Paul takes this idea of hope a little further when he says that it is "Christ in you" which is "the hope of glory." It is Christ in you which speaks of the fullness of time. It is Christ in you that gives you a future & a hope. It is Christ in you that allows you to rest in God's unconditional love. It is Christ in you that causes you to trust fully in the grace of God. Your life is hidden with/in Christ. The glory that comes out of your life is due to His indwelling work. He allows you to hope. He allows you to persevere in the midst of great difficulty. He is the One in whom we live, and move, and have our being.

What does this mean for us now? I believe it means we can begin to look back at the writings of Scripture, see them in their historical context, and trust in the goodness of God for today. I believe the instructions found within, help us to formulate our understanding of the Lord and His church. I believe that the way in which Jesus did life is something for us to emulate. We see His confidence in His Father. It should be ours. We see His trust in the heart of God. This should be ours. We hear about His confidence in prayer. This should be our confidence. This same Jesus, looked at His disciples and said, Greater works than I have done - you will do. We should believe that. It may take a little patience on our part to see the things come to fruition in our lives, but that is what the Scriptures are for: "That we, through patience and the encouragement of the Scriptures might have hope."

What God has said about who you are in Christ is true. Be patient to see it developed. Don't lose hope. You are the righteousness of God in Christ. Believe it. Walk in it. And if you struggle to see it manifest in your life, be patient. This life of faith is not a sprint. It's an opportunity, everyday, to believe in the finished work of Christ in your life. KEEP GOING. And by all means, ENJOY THE JOURNEY.

Seeing Through the Glass, Darkly...

Romans 12:3, "For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith."

The more I learn, the more I realize I have a lot to learn. While I have confidence in what I believe to be true, I also recognize that we only see through a glass, darkly, but one day we will see face to face. How will we handle the light that breaks through the darkness?

I often find myself in the position of needing to be the one with all the answers. I'm often questioned about the Bible, faith, life, and many of the mysteries that we as human beings struggle with on a daily basis. While I don't have all the answers, I trust in the One who loved me & gave Himself for me. I am confident in Him.

Consider the words of the Apostle Paul, "We know in part...prophesy in part...we see through a glass, darkly..." What an honest assessment of spiritual life. I want you to consider that much of what we think we know is only commentary. While we may be convinced that we have a great handle on the truth, we find ourselves struggling with thoughts/ideas that the church has wrestled with for nearly 2,000 years. Are we humble enough to admit it?

Have you ever found yourself in a darkened room with just a little light pouring in? While we cannot see everything, the light coming in helps us to discern shapes, objects, etc. We do not see clearly, but we see clearly enough to make out certain things. I want you to consider that this is a lot like the life of faith. We are still seeing through a glass, darkly. Each of us have enough light pouring in to have discernment, but it takes others on the journey to enable us to see things more clearly.

The Church should be a place where this type of thinking is encouraged. A place where we can give expression to the light we have shining in our lives. A people of honest evaluation, who know they don't have all the answers, and are confident only of the Father's love for them. Unfortunately, our structure doesn't always allow for this type of honesty. We elevate a particular person into a place of having all the answers. He's the one who is supposed to see through the glass clearly. He's the one who is supposed to have a close enough relationship with the Lord to not have any questions. His commentary becomes the truth in our lives or it becomes the argument against our own way of thinking. I've said for some time now that I wish many of our churches would put a sign out front that said, "Come & seek the answers with us."

This is the beauty of the Body of Christ. Made up of various members, all with their particular perspective, working together to possess a greater understanding. I believe our problems arise when we think we have a corner on the truth. We find ourselves arguing against others who are simply seeing through the darkened glass. We forget about the humility that is exemplified throughout the Scripture. We erroneously believe that since we have the Bible that we have all the answers, and yet the Bible never makes that claim. These things were written for our learning that we through patience and the encouragement of the Scriptures could have hope [see Romans 15:4].

What if we all came to the table with the simple confession that JESUS IS LORD?
What if we all carried the humility that said we don't have all the answers?
What if we all chose to have a discussion on where we are, what we are learning, and how we can have unity?
This is what the church desperately needs in this hour. We don't have to possess all the answers. We simply need the humility that says we are all seeking the answers together.

Have you ever heard this statement in church: "The Bible clearly says..."? According to several studies on the matter, this is one of the statements that is actually driving the next generation away from the church. In the age of information that we live in, they understand that the Bible isn't particularly clear on every subject. What if we said, instead, "This is my understanding of what the Bible is saying."? Could this simple approach make a huge impact? Would people then feel invited to bring their portion of light to the table? I believe so.

My encouragement for you is to not lose heart when you only see in part. Simply seek out the wisdom of others. Listen to their individual parts of knowledge. Seek to bring together these collective pieces. And watch how God puts the puzzle together. Not only is the church a bit of a mosaic, but our understanding is a mosaic as well. When all of our parts come together it creates a beautiful picture of the Lord in our lives. It's a reminder of how we need each other. We need each person's portion of light. We need their understanding. We cannot afford to stand alone with all of our answers anymore. We need every member of the Body of Christ. This is how we begin to see face to face. I believe, God in His wisdom, did not give one person all of the answers. I believe He gave to every person what the collective whole needs in their understanding of Him. While the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, the relational nature of God keeps us all in a place of needing to relate to one another. Jesus is the Head. We all have our place in the Body & we must work together.

We see through a glass, darkly. Humility allows us to see face to face. What a beautiful journey.

What If We Lived Without Fear?

1 John 4:18 clearly states, "There is NO FEAR in love because perfect love casts out fear..." With that being said, why is much of the preaching/teaching of the church fear based? Why are many of the "faith based" movies nothing more than fear based? And by fear, I don't mean healthy reverence...I mean straight up scared to death type stuff. This has got to change.

We have become so fear driven in much of our thinking that we are afraid to think differently. So fear driven, in fact, that our perception of the love of God is perverted. The lack of confidence in the love of God within the church is astounding. Is it any wonder that we struggle to convince those outside of the church that God really loves them?

The Good News of the Gospel is L-O-V-E. A love that, quite honestly, took the world by surprise. A love that exceeds any of our understanding or expectation. A love that was/is completely grounded in the nature & character of God. It was this message of love that propelled the first century church in the midst of the Great Tribulation (that is how they referred to the persecution they endured from the Jews & the Romans). Jesus told His disciples not to lose heart. "In the world you will have tribulation, but I have overcome the world." There was no fear in His message but a reassurance of all that He had accomplished. This love enabled them to grow, to expand the Kingdom of God, the boldly proclaim the salvation of the world through Jesus Christ. They did not shrink back. They knew who they were in Christ and who the Father was for them. They understood that NOTHING could separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus. No nakedness. No famine. No peril. No sword. They were OVERCOMERS!!!

So why all of the fear based preaching? Why do we still uphold messages like Johnathan Edwards "Sinners in the hands of an Angry God"? Is that really the heart of the Father? When I read the Gospels, I see Jesus in the hands of Angry Sinners. And I hear Him say, "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing." I realize the Good News of the Gospel can seem like fantasy, but the reality is that the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit loved their creation so much that they were will endure the "hostility of sinners against [themselves]."

Instead of fear, Jesus promoted GOOD CHEER, FAITH, JOY, & LIFE. He wanted His disciples to know what it meant to have the same confidence in His Father that He possessed. What we know about church history is that they were fully convinced. They carried the message in the midst of severe persecution. They continued to travel the world carrying the message. They faced imprisonment, loss of property, scorn, ridicule, & even death. However, they did not relent. They followed in the footsteps of their Master. Some of them to a cross, some to a chopping block, & some to imprisonment. Why? Because they saw something that many of us have not seen. They saw the end of the age upon the horizon. They knew the Old Covenant system was coming down. They knew that Jerusalem was going to come under fire. They advanced the Gospel well beyond the borders of the Holy City to ensure they would not be stuck when the time came to flee.

It's this misunderstanding of Scripture that causes many good believers to carry fear. What we read in Matthew 24 & Luke 17 is not a description of our future but theirs. Jesus is describing the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem which occurred around 70 AD. If you read through Josephus' history of these events, you discover that not one Christian was killed during the Roman invasion. Why? Because they left the city. This is why we need to read these verses in context. What was Jesus talking about? Who was He speaking warning? When would these things take place? What generation would see these things come to pass? Jesus tells them what they would endure, what actions they would need to take, and that THIS generation would not pass away until these things came to pass. Why is this important? It's important because when we take these verses out of context, we create a fear driven message for our generation that was not intended.

Our Gospel message is one of peace, love, and confidence in the love of God. Our covenant is not the Old Covenant of the letter (the Law) but the New Covenant of liberty (in the Spirit). We don't have to carry fear of the future, fear of an impending judgement, or fear of the wrath of God being poured out on mankind. God has already displayed His judgment against sin - it was at the Cross. What we see in the death, burial, resurrection, & ascension of Jesus is God restoring mankind back to the original design. The world is ours for the taking. This is not a world that we should be trying to flee but a world that we should by trying to fill with the knowledge of God.

I want you to consider some serious "What If(s)?":
What if our understanding of eschatology (view of end times) is wrong?
What if our understanding of the finished work of Christ has been flawed?
What if the way we have applied & interpreted certain Scriptures is faulty?
What if we knew that much of the modern "end time" preaching we hear today did not arrive until around the early 1500's?
What if Revelation was written for the 1st Century church rather than the 21st Century church?
What if God really did judge all sin for all time in Jesus?
What if God was really as good as I have tried to communicate?
What if God wanted you to carry a future & a hope?
These are just some questions to consider. These are meant to stir you to study for yourself, and to ask this one last question: "How would I live if I did not live in fear?"

Regardless of what the future holds, I want you to consider the statement made by Jesus to His disciples: BE OF GOOD CHEER, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD. Fear may produce a few converts or a few followers, but faith produces true Sons arising in the Earth. I ask you, what was God's intention? What is the Earth groaning to see revealed? May the sons of God take their place. May we be perfected in His love. May we live in unbridled confidence.

What About Love?

Maybe, since it was the Beatles, we dismissed the message. Maybe, because the word was perverted in the 60's, we thought it wasn't legitimate. Maybe, since it was Jesus that introduced us to the concept, we thought the idea was too lofty. Regardless of our reasoning, what is it about love that we do not get? What is it about love that we have failed to embrace? With all the current ideas about creating cultures within our churches, seeking out the latest "discipleship" methods, and forming new purposes statements, the question I have to ask is: What About Love?

Here it is in black & white: "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things...So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." [1 Cor. 13:4-13]

Without going into detail about each of the attributes listed above, I just want you to read through them again and ask the question, what is not covered in LOVE?

Considering the shame, condemnation, & judgement that gets hurled at the world - what about love?
Considering the running around in circles within the church trying to get everybody to believe the exact same thing - what about love?
Considering the amount of fear based gospel messages - what about love?
Considering the amount of apocalyptic thought in the world today - what about love?
What is it about this word that leaves us thinking LOVE is not enough?

Jesus used this word as a way of describing our connection with Him. The Apostle John used this word is his description of the very nature of God. Paul felt that love was an important enough topic to designate a significant portion of his letter to the Corinthians to describe what love looks like in our midst. Jesus summed up all the Law & all the Prophets with love. When will we get the picture?

I think (and I mean this is totally my thinking on the matter) that we are afraid that love doesn't do enough. That love tends to let people off the hook. That love doesn't deal with the issues at hand. That love will not confront or love will not challenge. In particular, I think we believe that love doesn't punish. And even though we are grateful that God hasn't dealt with us according to our transgressions (that is biblical theology), we really want Him to deal with everyone else according to theirs (that is not biblical theology).

It's our sense of justice that is not satisfied with the idea of love. If that is the case, then we have a godless view of justice. If God is considered just, and He is, and He has not dealt with us according to our sins, then what would make Him just in dealing with others according to theirs? Does love not cover a multitude of sins? Has God commanded us to love our enemies while He hates His? Is God asking us to be more righteous than He is in Himself?

What has been lost in all of our understanding of love is that LOVE is the greatest purifying agent on the Earth. Think about the times that you encountered TRUE, AUTHENTIC, CHRISTLIKE, AGAPE (unconditional) LOVE. What did it do in your heart? How did it change your life? To be sure that it may have taken some time but when love has you in the cross-hairs, it does not miss. How many people's lives have been changed through this type of love? Brought back home because of the love of a parent/grandparent? Sought to change their lives because they wanted to live fully in the love that has been given to them? Love purifies. This is the consuming fire of our God.

When our understanding of the nature of God becomes centered upon love, it changes everything. When our Gospel becomes centered around the love of God for the entire world, rather than the judgement of God upon sin, it alters the way we preach the finished work of Christ. We begin to see sacrificial love for what it truly is. We see the Father's heart for us. We see the compassion of Jesus for His brethren. We finally take notice of the redemptive love that is found at the Cross. The freeing love that is within the Resurrection. The inclusive love that is seen in the Ascension. It is there already but we have allowed our minds to be cluttered with other things. God is, always has been, and forever will be L-O-V-E. Can we believe that?

What about love? Will the church, once again, be persuaded that this is the greatest possession that we can share with the world? Will we allow ourselves to be molded by, purified in, and practiced in the power of love? It's one of the greatest questions of our day. The world needs intentional love. Will we be intentional?