P2 - Traits of a Strong Christian: Prioritizes Spiritual Maturity

James 1:1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.

Yesterday we began exploring the traits of a strong Christian, noting that a Personal testimony is how one is able to maintain the personalized aspect of one's walk with Jesus Christ.  If we think of God's Word, prayer and God's people as cornerstones for how one grows stronger in Jesus Christ, keep in mind one's personal testimony will keep such a pursuit ever fresh.  Out of a personal testimony comes the second trait of a strong Christian: Prioritizing Spiritual maturity.  

What is spiritual maturity?
Spiritual maturity is not only concerned with how much I know as it is in applying what I know.  Its not merely about good moral living or right attitudes as it is in using my life and attitudes to point others to Jesus Christ rather than myself.  Spiritual maturity is not merely about strength and giftedness as it is excercising great strength and giftedness in the right measure and situation.  You can have a Christian who knows much, is eager to live morally right and have incredible talent, and yet still not be mature in their faith. 

Three passages come to mind when defining spiritual maturity:
a. Micah 6:8 - "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"   The word for "require" in the original language speaks of the Lord's sought-after desires for my life.  Thus spiritual maturity is measured by how well I line up the sought-after desires of my heart with God's sought-after desires outlined in His word.  Thus spiritual maturity is defined as simply desiring God.

b. Colossians 1:4 "since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints."  Not only is spiritual maturity defined by a desire for God, but secondly a delight in the things of God.  Do I love Jesus Christ and His people? My love for Christ is visibly seen in my attitude towards His Word.  My love for His people is also another indicator of whether or not I delight in the things of God - His Word and His people.

c. Hebrews 5:14  "But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil."

Spiritual maturity is when you and I desire God, delight in the things of God and discern good and evil.  How well we excercise ourselves in these three areas measures how spiritually mature we are. 

With spiritual maturity defined, lets see it illustrated in the life of James:

James desired God
The testimony of both scripture and history tells us that James prioritized spiritual maturity.  Both scripture and history testifies that James was regarded as a Christian who desired God.  For example in Galatians 2:9 Paul states: "and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised."  James is considered, along with Peter and John, to be a "Pillar" of the church. 

John, the beloved disciple who leaned on Jesus at the last supper, the disciple of love, is certainly somebody to look at when considering what it means to desire God.  Then who can forget Peter, who was so eager to follow Jesus that he was willing to die for Him.  Church history tells us that Peter willingly was martyred for His faith, counting it as a privileged, choosing to be crucified upside down for His Lord.  That's desire for God!

So too with James we read in the annals of church history that he was known as "James the Just".  So desirous for God was James that we are told his knees had callouses due to the long periods he spent in prayer.  Is it no wonder that he could be termed a pillar of the church along with Peter and John - since He desired God.

James delighted in the things of God
The golden verse (main verse) of James' little letter or Epistle is James 2:17 - "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself."  For James, true biblical faith is a working faith.  Delight in the things of God should be expected if one's heart is desiring God.  James' epistle is full of exhortations to delight in trials (James 1:3-4); God's word (James 2:8); God's wisdom (James 3:17); God's people (James 4:11) and prayer (James 5:16).  These are examples of the things of God.  Not all of them will appear positive (especially trials)!  However their value is measured in Whom they lead us to - God in Christ!  

Christians don't delight in the things of God merely for the sake of the things themselves as much as where the things lead us.   If I take a plane to see the Grand Canyon, am I excited about the plane ride only for the sake of the ride or the destination?  This is why my attitude toward the things of God is factored into how I measure spiritual maturity.  James no doubts exhibited this in his life.

James discerned good from evil
In the Jerusalem counsel of Acts 15 we see James presiding over the Jerusalem council in regards to how the predominately Jewish church was going to preach the Gospel to a pre-dominately Gentile world.  His wording at that meeting demonstrates the incredible ability to excercise proper discernment.  As I noted earlier - you can have a man who is incredibly gifted, knowledgable and powerful, and yet still not possess true spiritual maturity.

James had all three qualities, and he proved his level of maturity in knowing how to excerise all three in the proper measure and timing.  If too many restrictions had been issued at the council of Jerusalem - the church's mission would had been hampered.  Too little restrictions would had compromised the consciences and biblical foundations of the church itself.  If anything, James' desire for God and delight in the things of God cultivated in him an keen ability to discern.

May you and I grow in our Christian faith.  May we be those who prioritize spiritual maturity: Desiring God, Delighting in the things of God and Discerning good from evil. 

P1 - Traits of a Strong Christian: Personal Testimony

James 1:1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.

Lately I have been enjoying studying the book of James and the details behind the conversion and identity of James himself.  As you look into James' life, you discover a man who exhibited traits that mark a strong Christianity.  I don't know about you, but for me as a Christian, I'm desiring to be stronger in my walk with the Lord.  What does it take? What characteristics mark those who are strong Christians?  Can all Christians have such traits?  Today's blog is going to look at James' life as an example of a strong Christian.  Note the first trait of a strong Christian - A Personal Testimony.

Defining a personal testimony
When we speak of a Christian's testimony, every single Christian has one.  What is a testimony? It is the personal story of what your life was like before your salvation, what events led to your conversion and what life has been like following your faith in Christ.  2 Corinthians 5:17 gives us the pattern: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. "  Notice the three ingredients of a Personal Testimony:

1. My life before Christ - "the old things passed away"

2. My conversion - "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creature"

3. My life after Christ - "behold new things have come"

Meet the man who grew up in the same home as Jesus
If you want to see what James was like, you have to begin with Jesus.  In Matthew 12:46 we read - "While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him."  When Jesus had been conceived and virgin born, Mary and Joseph had other children.  In Matthew 13:55-56 we find the first mention of James, the half brother of Jesus according to the flesh - 55“Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56“And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”


James' life before his conversion - He knew about Jesus' identity but did not believe
As you begin to follow James' life throughout the Gospels, we come to a point wherein we are over half-way through Jesus' ministry. James would had been perhaps in his mid twenties.  John records in John 7:3-5 Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4“For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5For not even His brothers were believing in Him."  James would had been included in that number.  

James saw the miracles and heard the teaching.  We could say that out of all the people that should had believed from the beginning, it would had been the Lord's brother.  He grew up not merely in a "Christian home" or "in a preacher's home", he grew up with Jesus! Yet his unbelief prevailed.  
He knew about Jesus' identity, but he had not embraced such an identity by grace through faith.   

James' conversion - by grace through faith in the resurrected Christ James believes in Jesus for His salvation
So when did James' experience conversion?  When did He believe on Jesus Christ as His Savior, Lord and Treasure?  We understand in 1 Corinthians 15:7 that following Jesus' resurrection from the dead, He appeared to James: "then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles."  This post-resurrection appearance occurred on one of the 40 days following Christ resurrection up until the time Jesus would had ascended in Acts 1.  We know James had been converted because following Jesus' ascension, we read of him being with other believers in the upper room awaiting the promise of the Holy Spirit as spoken by Jesus Himself. 

Acts 1:13-14 records - 13When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

Clearly not only James, but the rest of Jesus' brothers also believed.  James' testimony, like every other believer in Jesus Christ, required the resurrecting power of Jesus Christ in grace to draw him to a saving knowledge of the truth (1 Peter 1:23).  I don't doubt that when James would later on write in James 1:18 about the new birth in salvation, he was thinking of his own conversion.

James' post-conversion life - the continuation of his personal testimony
According to the Apostle Paul in Galatians 2:9, James became known as a "Pillar of the Church" along with Peter and John.  We see evidence in Acts 12:17 and Acts 15 of James' leadership over the Church in Jerusalem.  Then of course we see how God used James to write the first book of the New Testament under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit - the Book of James.

Now you and I as Christians have a personal testimony.  We can or should be able to recount what our lives were like before salvation.  We should be able to in at least as much detail as possible recount what took place when we were converted.  Then we should be able to recount what life has been like following conversion.  A strong Christian personally connects to Christ by faith and in their on-going faith-walk.  Every Christian has a testimony, and every Christian has the opportunity to be a strong Christian. 

Proclaiming the Gospel amidst 21st century paganism/witchcraft/occult

1 Corinthians 8:6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

Brief definition of paganism
What is paganism?  According to Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner: "Paganism may be referred to as a religion of spirituality without any reference to an authoritative, revealed revelation.  It emphasizes the adoration and appeasement of spirits...it also generally involves superstitious folk rituals and other elements that attempt to charm and to acquire power for the Pagan or Wiccan."1

The Church, then an now, called to proclaim the Gospel amidst a Pagan culture
When we consider the background of the Corinthian church to which Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians, paganism was rampant.   According to the great Biblical commentator R.C.H Lenski, Corinth had the temple of the Roman goddess Venus (Greek equivalent Apophrodite) and several other temples devoted to Egyptian Deities.2  The Corinthians were a people of culture, of art and of education - but also of deep seated pagan superstitions and excessive immorality.  The church of Corinth was small and young, with converts saved directly out of the pagan background. 

The Paganism of ancient Corinth and the Paganism in 21st century, though different in form and detail, nonetheless have these 5 common traits:

1. Belief in multiple gods or impersonal forces that are limited in power and easily influenced by human beings or

2. Denial of an Ultimate all powerful, all knowing God

3. Denial of a centralized body of Divine revelation.  Authority resides more within the person or in a scattered collection of myths

4. No basis for objective right and wrong, hence a perfect atmosphere for increased immorality over time

5. Superstitious and fear based belief system that opens itself up to the demonic realm

No doubt Paul's word to the Church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 8 goes beyond merely dealing with food.  His issue is ultimately equipping his readers and present day Christians with the tools for combatting Paganism and asserting the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a Pagan Culture.


The Gospel that must be affirmed in 21st century paganized culture
We can note how Paul outlines in 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 the key points the church of today must communicate if she is to not only survive but thrive amidst an increasingly paganized culture.  Note how the three-fold emphasis of 1 Corinthians 8 answers the five traits mentioned earlier concerning the worldview of paganism/witchcraft:

1. Affirming that God is Personal and that knowing Him means knowing His Love. 1 Corinthians 8:1-5
This answers to point #3 above regarding paganism's denial of Divine Revelation or the need for centralized Divine authority.  Another name often assigned to paganism is the term "occult".  The term "occult" comes from the Latin "occultus" meaning "hidden".  When we describe Paganism as as being Occult in its understanding of things - we are chiefly describing how the Pagan or Wiccan acquires their knowledge.  Any survey of the literature tells us that an occultic worldview views knowledge as hidden, needing to be discovered by subtle means by select human beings operating apart from God.  Therefore knowledge and understanding is by nature hidden, with the discovery of it leading the pagan to possess power.

Occultism's manner of pursuit of "secret" knowledge leads to self-sufficiency, pride and incompleteness, since the person is viewed on an endless journey of trying to fulfill their drives and desires.  Generally, in paganism, power is valued more than love.  The Gospel on the other hand tells me that the only fulfilling pursuit is knowing God, and that God through scripture reveals Jesus Christ.  The end result is the discovery of God's great love poured out on the cross.  Paul reveals the Christian emphasis on knowledge and love in 1 Corinthians 8:1-3 "Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. 2If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; 3but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him."

2. Affirmation of God's Sovereignty. 1 Corinthians 8:6
This answers to points #1 and #2 above regarding Paganism's/Witchcraft's belief in various deities or impersonal force that can be controlled by people. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 8:6 "yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him."   The Bible affirms the existence and identity of the God of Revelation, while denying the interpretation assigned by paganism to the existence of multiple gods and goddesses.  Later on in 1 Corinthians 10:19-20 we see the true identity of the idols and deities worshipped by paganism - demons in disguise.  God and God alone is in control and on the throne.

3. Affirming objective morality being rooted in God's character and reinforced in the conscience. 1 Corinthians 8:7-13
This answers to points #4 and #5 above regarding paganism's views on morality and its vulnerability to the demonic realm.  Three times do we see reference to concern over ruining another fellow believer's "conscience".  When we speak of the conscience, the way I have described it is that it is like a superhighway between the mind and the heart.  The heart is the causal center of the human being, the sum of all the emotions and convictions.  The mind of course is the thinker of the soul.  In order for thoughts to become convictions of the heart, they have to travel by way of the conscience.  Conversely, in order for the heart to receive direction on which way to act in motivating the human will to choose, the conscience must link it to the human mind. 

Whenever a conscience is weakened by repeated overt violation of moral norms, the ability of the heart to act rightly is impaired and hardened.  In unbelievers, though they have a conscience and a heart, their mind thinks in a selfward direction.  Likewise the heart is inclined in a direction that aims to please self, even in people who are otherwise outstanding citizens.  Only conversion of the person by grace through faith in Christ can change a person from being self-ward to Godward in their outlook. 

Paul's point is to not to do anything that would hurt the conscience.  When a Christian harms the conscience, it will be very difficult to receive or apply spiritual truth from God's Word.3  It is in the conscience that we also see God's Law written, meaning that human beings possess an innate understanding of God's existence and judgment. (Romans 2:15) By suppressing that testimony, the person falls into greater levels of darkness and greater vulnerability to the kingdom of darkness. (Ephesians 2:1-2, 12)

Paganism insists that the person determines their own value of right and wrong.  Hence in the Pagan worldview there is a far greater opportunity to violate one's conscience.4  This is why the system is so hostile to the Gospel, since it denies the existence of an all powerful Creator, objective morality and need for Biblical revelation.  Furthermore, by denying objective right and wrong, Paganism denies the reality of sin and final judgment. 

Conclusion
More than ever the Gospel must be proclaimed, emphasizing God's Personal Revelation of Himself in loving redemption through His Son and His Word, His Sovereignty and how He alone is the Ground for objective morality - thus obligating human beings to repent and believe on Jesus Christ in order to escape the judgment to come. (Romans 5:6-10)

End Notes_____________
1. Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner. The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics. Harvest House Publishers. 2008 

2. R.C.H Lenski.  Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians. Page 11

3.  Paganism asserts among other things the one rule of their moral system summarized by what is termed "The Wiccan Rede": "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will". 

4.  A more thorough treatment of this subject is found in "The Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics", edited by Norm Geisler.  For sake of simplicity in today's post I used the term "paganism", even though the technical term is "neo-paganism". 

Let your light so shine: Reclaiming October 31st for Jesus Christ

Galatians 3:11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

In yesterday’s blog we began to explore what took place nearly 500 years ago when a monk by the name of Martin Luther re-discovered how a man is made right with God – faith alone. We noted that Luther was protesting the Catholic Church’s practice of selling various ways of accessing the ability to be right with God.  The movement which God sparked through his writing and preaching came to be known as the Protestant Reformation (since it "protested" the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church system).  Luther re-discovered from Galatians 3:11 that the “just shall live by faith”, meaning that a man is made right with God through faith alone.

What we mean when we say "By Faith Alone"

Being made right with God through faith alone was the first reason for rejoicing on October 31. Today we will briefly look at the four other biblical doctrines that came to be reaffirmed by Luther and others in the Protestant Reformation. It was not that the Gospel message had been totally lost in the 1500 years leading up to the Reformation - for there were groups and individuals whom God used to keep it and live it out.  Rather in terms of an organized and focus movement to push forth the much needed reform and to re-affirm in a clear way the Biblical Gospel, none had done it as effectively until Luther.  It is not by any faith alone, but by a specific faith, the biblical gifting of faith alone, that a person is made right with God. The core doctrine that characterizes “faith alone” is what we call “justification by faith”. The Bible tells us in Romans 4:3 that the Old Testament figure Abraham “believed God, and it was counted unto Him as righteousness”.

Another way of understand justification is by noting that it is God’s legal declaration of my innocence at the moment I believe the Gospel. Quite literally, when I am justified by faith, its “just-as-if-I” never sinned. Four other truths flow from this central feature of the gospel. Below we will briefly summarize them, since each of them answer a particular question about how a human being is made right with God.

1. How is a man made right with God? Faith Alone. Romans 3:4 “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

2. What leads a man to see his need to be made right? Grace Alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

3. Whose righteousness is counted to me for righteousness the moment I believe? Christ Alone. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

4. Where do I find out about being saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone? The Bible alone. 2 Timothy 3:15 “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus”

5. What is the purpose of being saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone of the Bible alone? For the Glory of God alone. Ephesians 1:12 “that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.”

Like five mountain peaks do these five truths stand to make visible God’s saving glory. What is clearly in the Bible, what was re-discovered by Martin Luther and what is perhaps the clearest summary of the gospel are five reasons for rejoicing on October 31^st, and every day. Have you received God’s gift of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone of the Bible alone for the glory of God alone?

Reclaiming October 31st for the Glory of Jesus Christ
With the above five statements, we can see why it is more effective to "light the Gospel candle than merely curse the darkness".  As we think about how many people in our culture observe Ocotober 31st, I believe this is your opportunity as a Christian to take what you have learned about the Reformation, and more importantly the Gospel, and let your light so shine.  Consider the verses below as we close out today's blog:

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Romans 13:11-12 "Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light."

Philippians 2:15-16 "so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain."

Reclaiming October 31st for the Glory of Jesus Christ

Galatians 3:6-9 “6Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” 9So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.”

I want to share with you today why I find so much joy over October 31st. One of the Greatest Revivals occurred almost 500 years ago, altering and realligning Christianity back to the Bible. In today's post I want to urge every Christian to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with at least one person over the next week.  We will be surveying what took place in a move of God that began on October 31, 1517 called the Reformation.  There are five reasons to rejoice over October 31st, the first of which I will mention below. 

A SYSTEM THAT NEEDED TO BE CONFRONTED
495 years ago the Roman Catholic Church had a repressive system of religion that had people buying what was in their minds a right standing with God. Over the centuries a whole system of church tradition had accumulated, telling people that in order to be right with God, they had to make pilgrimages to certain churches and make financial contributions to achieve salvation. In addition, the church also manipulated people to make contributions, alledging that once paid, their dead relatives would be freed from an imagined place called purgatory, and thus go to heaven.

ONE MAN HAD REACHED HIS BREAKING POINT
One man, a monk, a "holy man" in the Roman Catholic system of religion, was very troubled in his soul. He had dedicated his life to achieving the salvation promised by the Roman Catholic church. Despite his best efforts, he felt more guilty and alienated from God, even though he confessed to the priests, prayed hours a day and went on long fasts. That man's name was Martin Luther.

HOW PEOPLE ARE TRULY MADE RIGHT WITH GOD
Martin Luther was so troubled that he began searching the scriptures and read these words in Galatians 3:11 - "The just shall live by faith". God's Grace was at work, and suddenly Martin Luther saw that all of the pilgrimages, the contributions to the churches, the confessions, fastings, being baptized into the church, even being a Monk - all of it - contributed nothing to his salvation. Alas, Luther rediscovered the heart of the Christian Gospel that all but a faithful few had forgotten over the centuries - that a man is made right before God by faith alone in Christ Alone. After this discovery, Luther began to research

16TH CENTURY VERSION OF FACEBOOK
Luther did a 16th century equivalent of facebook - He made a post. Only this post was pen and paper nailed to the door of a church (much like if we were to post on facebook or announcements on a bulletin board). Luther wanted to make a public announcement for all to see, posting what was called his "95 theses" on a church door in Wittenberg Germany. These 95 reasons or "theses" aimed to protest the Roman Catholic system to which the Bible revealed to be corrupt. Luther did this on October 31, 1517, sparking the greatest move of God in the past 500 years - The Protestant Reformation.

FIRST REASON TO REJOICE OVER OCTOBER 31ST
Soon the then newly invented printing press was utilized to distribute copies of Luther's document all over Germany.  Out of the movement would come five phrases that would describe the gospel rediscovered by Martin Luther. The first phrase is the most fundamental - namely that a man or woman is made right with God by faith alone. This is the first reason to rejoice over October 31. Because of God's movement in the life of one man, the Gospel, preached by the prophets, Christ and the apostles, would once again shine.1  How is it that a man is made right with God? Paul states in Ephesians 2:8-9 that faith is a gift of God, that salvation is not earned by what one does, lest there would be grounds for boasting. Faith alone is sufficient grounds for receiving God's free gift of salvation. It is not faith plus baptism, nor faith plus church membership nor faith plus anything.

LET'S TAKE BACK OCTOBER 31ST, REJOICE IN GOD!

It is time to take back October 31, and use this day to proclaim the truth of scripture and the reformation, sparked on October 31, 1517.  October 31st has been for years by Wiccans and people of the Pagan/Witchcraft worldview to observe one of the so-called two "spirit nights" on their yearly calendar.  Rather than promoting a day of darkness and wickedness, witches and ghosts, Christians need to take a God-centered event like the Reformation and remind themselves of how God led His church back to the Bible and salvation through faith alone in Christ alone.  

The Reformation was about calling forth people from spiritual darkness into the light of Jesus Christ.  Someone once said: "It is more effective to light a candle than merely curse the darkness".  Lets light the Gospel light and shine the glory of the Gospel.  As Jesus said in Matthew 5:16 - “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."   Tomorrow we will look at four other reasons to rejoice over October 31, and look at the four other statements coming out of the Reformation. As you will see, these statements further clarify the richness of the Gospel message.

End Notes______________
1 As with all major movements of God, the Protestant Reformation was not without God having moved upon prior people annd groups who lived before Martin Luther.  Men like John Wycliff and John Huss, who both lived and ministered at the end of the 1300's.  John Wycliffe produced the first complete English translation of the Bible from what was then the prevailing Bible of the Roman Catholic Church - the Latin Vulgate.  John Huss preached 100 years before Luther came on the scene and ended up dying in Martyrdom.  Men such as these are referred to as the "morningstar" of the Reformation, since they signalled a precursor of the cry for Reformation that would ring throughout Europe in the 16th century.   

 

Evangelism Tool - F.A.I.T.H

2 Corinthians 5:20  20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Last week I shared with you a tool of Evangelism called "The Hand" that I had learned years ago.  Today I want to share with you another tool that was developed by the Southern Baptist Convention years ago called "F.A.I.T.H".  As you can tell, the letters of the word "faith" give you a five-point outline for sharing the Gospel.  This tool has proven to be very helpful in knowing how to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  May the Lord bless you as you think about those with whom God may be leading you to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

F.  Forgiveness.  Everyone has sinned and needs God's forgiveness.  Romans 3:23 "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."  God's forgiveness is in Jesus only. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace." Ephesians 1:7

A. Available. Forgiveness is available to all.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."  However, it is not automatic.  "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, not only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 7:21

I. Impossible. The Bible tells us it is impossible for us to get to heaven on our own. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

T. Turn.  If we are going down a dead end street, what do we do? We turn our car around.  To turn is to change direction.  Turn means to repent, to turn away from our sin and our self.  " Unless you repent, you will all perish as well."  Luke 13:3 Turn to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

"that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" Romans 10:9

H. Heaven is a place where we will live with God forever.
“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:3

It doesn't end at prayer.  To follow Christ and grow in the faith you need to find a good Bible believing church, read the Bible daily and have prayer times regularly. 

P3 - Biblically evaluating mediums, witchcraft and ghosts

1 Samuel 28:19 “Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the LORD will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!”

We have observed in the past couple of posts the following facts about mediums, witchcraft and "ghosts":

1. Mediums and Witchcraft flourishes in times of fear

2. Mediums and Witchcraft feed off of error

3. Mediums and Witchcraft fall prey to spiritual deception

4. Mediums and Witchcraft fail in accurately defining the supernatural realm

5. Mediums and witchcraft is flawed in its view of ghosts

We have been working our way through the account of King Saul's encounter with the witch at Endor in 1 Samuel 28.  In today's blog we aim to investigate the claims by mediums and witchcraft concerning the ability to predict the future.  We will see as with the other five points already explored that what the worldview of Witchcraft claims to deliver is simply not the case.
 
Mediums and Witchcraft fails to deliver accurate predictions
What Saul and this witch were doing was not talking to a departed Samuel, but a well-disguised demonic spirit whom God permitted to speak with words and disguise like Samuel. 1 Corinthians 10:19-20 states - "19What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons."

Many people today are fascinated by Mediums such as Sylvia Brown, John Edwards and Nostradomas for their supposed ability to foretell the future. It will be contended that the mark of a false prophet is either vague and explainable observations or predictions that are a mixture of demonic power with guessing and incomplete knowledge. Neither one constitutes genuine knowledge of the future leading to the glory of God as we see in true Bible prophecy. (compare the tests of true predictive prophecy and admonitions for discernment in Deuteronomy 13:6-14; Isaiah 41:21-23; Galatians 1:6-9; 1 John 4:1-4)  

As you go down through the text, the spirit named Samuel tells Saul in 1 Samuel 28:19 that not only Saul, but his sons and the entire army of Israel would be handed over to the Philistines. A prediction was made. However what took place? Saul was indeed killed in battle along with his sons. (1 Samuel 31) Saul killed himself and the next day the Philistines came and took his body, along with the bodies of his sons (beheaded of course). 

But now the armies of Israel fled from the Philistines, departing from their cities, contrary to the prediction given by this spirit. According to the spirit's prediction, it sounded like all of Israel's army would be destroyed. Instead, a large portion was destroyed - with the remainder fleeing. (1 Samuel 31:7) We find out later on in 2 Samuel 5 that King David and the army of Israel would actually defeat the Philistines - a detail that the spirit did not see. Scripture accurately relates the inaccuracy of witchcraft in knowing future events.

As we can see, the spiritual forces of darkness operating behind witchcraft and Mediums are limited to seeing no further ahead than the present moment. Scripture gives tests for determining whether a prediction of the future is from God or a wicked source, tests which reveal witchcraft and practices like it to fail and be found wanting. (Deuteronomy 13:6-14; Isaiah 41:21-23) Unless God granting special permission for any creature to see the future, no creature possess power enough to go beyond the limits of the immediate present. 

They can certainly give good guesses, since the demonic realm has had centuries to observe human beings and the trends of culture.  In still possessing an angelic nature (albeit a fallen one), they still possess superior cunning and insight, however warped. (Job 4:12-21; Mark 5:9-21; Ephesians 6:10-11; Revelation 12:4) Despite these facts, they do not possess comprehensively accurate knowledge of the future - God alone is all knowing. (Psalm 147:5; Romans 11:33-36)

Thus in mixing a part truth/part error message, we know that what Saul was talking to was not God, nor a prophet of God, but an evil spirit. God Sovereignly allowed these extreme circumstances to warn an unbelieving Saul of his demise - however it was already in Saul to ignore the fact He broke God's laws regarding the prohibition of witchcraft, as well as his own decree. (compare a similar account in 2 Chronicles 18:22-27)

Conclusion
Anytime people dabble in practices such as witchcraft, the ultimate end is deception and confusion. We have observed the following facts about mediums, witchcraft and "ghosts":

1. Mediums and witchcraft flourishes in times of fear

2. Mediums and Witchcraft feed off of error

3. Mediums and Witchcraft fall prey to spiritual deception

4. Mediums and Witchcraft fail in accurately defining the supernatural realm

5. Mediums and Witchcraft is flawed in its view of ghosts

6. Mediums and Witchcraft fail to deliver accurate predictions

As a final thought, it is vital to keep focused on the Sovereignty and authority of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 8:4-7 is excellent counsel in knowing how to deal with the world of Mediums and Witchcraft: "Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him."