The only hope I find in my time of loss

Hebrews 12:22-24 "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel."

Introduction
As I write this post for today, I am beginning a new chapter in my life of living out the rest of my days on this earth without my dad being on it. My beloved dad passed away at 12:55 a.m on Tuesday (yesterday) January 13, 2015. Death's cold fingers and chilly waters had no sting as my dad breathed his last. He has traveled with angelic accompaniment the incalcuable distance from this world to the one beyond the stars and endless galaxies. (Luke 16:22; 2 Corinthians 5:6) Christ His Savior achieved the guarantee of death having no sting in the passing of the Christian from this life to the next. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). 

The above text brings much comfort to me in this hour of mourning and I hope today will equip readers with comfort or with the ability to comfort others with the hope of Jesus. We need hope in hours such as these. My daddy loved Jesus with all His heart (and still does, only moreso now!) More than ever, we must realize that the only hope found in eternal life, this life and the after-life is Jesus Christ. I dedicate this post in part to my dad and will refer to him quite a bit in developing the main thoughts I glean from the above text. May the Spirit give me strength to write and you the reader strength to read.

How the gift of eternal life brings the hope of Jesus Christ
When my father was 16 years of age, an evangelist came to do a series of revival meetings at the church where his father (my grand-daddy) pastored in Kentucky. As the evangelist preached and as my dad came under conviction, he gripped the back pew ever so tightly. For years my grand-daddy begged and pleaded with my dad to trust in Jesus as his Savior and Lord and told him that if he didn't do so, my dad would spend an eternity in torment. My dad as a young lad would ignore my grand-daddy's tearful pleadings. However the day my dad heard that evangelist make his appeal, the words of that preacher were attended by the Holy Spirit's inner working in his heart. It was not the preacher's voice that won my daddy to Christ; rather the Spirit Himself convincing him to trust in Jesus. According to what my daddy relayed to me, the day he trusted in Jesus, my grand-daddy literally lept the front pew where he was sitting. Finally! Prayer had been answered and a lost son was won to the faith!

What happened to my dad on that day? The Lord brought to him the gift of eternal life in saving faith. What is eternal life? John 17:3 "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." How is this miracle working of God in salvation received? John 3:16 answers: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." The Spirit of God brought home to him the reality of Hebrews 12:22-24, which I would classify as the clearest explanation of the miraculous truth summarized by John 3:16.

Hebrews 12:22 begins: "But you have come to Mount Zion". Now order to "come to some place", there first had to been a place from whence one derived. If you read the verses prior in Hebrews 12:18-21, the scene is that of Mount Sinai, historically signifying the giving of the law of God and symbolically picturing the place of God's judgment. All the descendants of fallen Adam stand around the base of the Mount of judgment - thinking that they can get to the Judge on their own merit. No one can ever be reconciled to God by the law - since the law can only demand and not supply rightousness. The sinner has to be sentenced and pronounced spiritually dead at the judgment bar of God by the law of God. Furthermore, the sinner must be brought to see the awfulness of his sin by the Spirit of God and agree with the sentence by faith and repentance.

My daddy had this occur in his life some 56 years ago. He was "brought from" that place of well-deserved judgment (which all of us deserve) by the Spirit of God moving in his heart. The moment my daddy forsook his own merit and trusted in what was earned and acheived by Jesus by faith alone, he "came to" the gates of paradise in salvation" or "Mount Zion". God intervened in his human timeline and used an old evangelist preaching the only book that can convert the sinner to a saint to win my dad to Jesus. (Psalm 19:7; Romans 10:17) My dad was credited with Jesus' achievement and began walking as a new creation, a child of God by faith.

How the gift of eternal life gives hope for the remainder of life in this world

For 56 years my daddy walked and talked with Jesus. He poured over his Bible every morning and gradually developed into a man of prayer. Literally my daddy had the reality of Heaven-sent, God-called salvation brought to him and he was as-it-were brought into contact with the glories of heaven in his soul. A Christian who walks this earth walks with a growing home-sickness. When a person is converted in saving faith, the drama and reality of the Spirit of God bringing Jesus and that person into contact with one another at saving a faith is a miracle. The remainder of one's Christian walk is spent understanding and living out what took place at that moment in time. Such a verse as Hebrews 12:22 tells us that the Christian is made a heavenly citizen and participant in the Heavenly kingdom populated by myriads of angels. (Also see Philippians 3:20)

How the hope of Jesus Christ gives hope about the after-life
Now notice Hebrews 12:23 "to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect." When I read that last clause in verse 23, I marvel at the fact that those Christians who have passed on in Jesus are perfected in their immaterial spirit and soul. My daddy is among that company! What is the writer of Hebrews talking about here? We can think of the hope of salvation as a series of four stages: regeneration, sanctification, glorification and resurrection.

First, at saving faith in regeneration or the new birth, the spirit or innermost being of a person is set free from the penalty of sin. (Romans 5:1; 8:1).

Secondly, for the remainder of time here on earth, the process of sanctification sets the soul of the Christian (made up of the mind, emotions, will) free from sin's power. That is to say, though Christians retain the residual effects of sin's corruption in their soul in this life and will choose to sin, the point is they don't have to. Romans 7:14-25 captures the Christian's wrestling match with inner sin on the one hand and the desire to live for Jesus on the other hand.

So at salvation the Christ is set free from sin's penalty and in sanctification the Christian is set free from sin's power. With that understanding, we see thirdly that at death the Christian is set free from sin's presence - and event called glorification. Believers who die in the Lord go on ahead to be with Jesus and await the time He returns and they are re-united with a gloriously, resurrected, transformed version of their physical body. (2 Corinthians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

The fourth and final stage will be the resurrection at Christ's return, wherein Jesus will rapture and resurrect those believers who died in Him, followed by the saints still alive here on the earth. Thus at resurrection, the putrification of the body caused by death will be reversed and annulled, rendering Christians with a glorified resurrected body likened unto Jesus' own. (1 Thesslonians 4:13-18)

My daddy is now in that company of glorified saints. His journey on this earth ended yesterday, however the next leg of his journey with Jesus is only beginning. He is among that company of saints who being perfected in their spirits await resurrection. He is rejoicing in who he is with and is experiencing the dimensions of Christ's glorious presence that no preacher nor any pen can hope to capture. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Hebrews 12:24 gives the greatest hope: "and to Jesus...". The same one Whom my dad was brought to in salvation is the one with Whom he is with right now. I find such hope in these verses because at salvation - heaven is tasted and glimpsed by faith and at death is enjoyed and experienced. Heaven is heaven because Jesus is there. My question to you dear reader: do you have this hope in Jesus? Unless you receive such hope by faith, you will not get to have eternal life. Nor will yoy have any remianing hope in this life. Nor can you expect to have hope in the after-life. Only in Jesus by faith can we have the hope of eternal life, have remaining hope in this life and have hope for the after-life. It is in this hope I cling and it is because of Jesus that I know I will see my daddy once again.

A,B,C's of spiritual warfare - Confidence in spiritual warfare

Ephesians 6:13 "Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm."

Introduction and review

The last couple of days have served to unpack the A,B,C's of spiritual warfare. In this short series we have noted that when approaching spiritual warfare, we need to be Spirit filled and word filled, per what we looked at in Ephesians 6:11. Carnal weapons of the flesh have no place in spiritual warfare (2 Corinthians 10:3-5), and thus God's supplied word and He in the Person of the Holy Spirit is the only way we can approach our daily warfare as Christians. Then we noted yesterday the "B" of the A,B,C's - Believer's three common enemies. In considering 1 John 2:14-17 and Ephesians 6:12, we saw that the Devil (via his demonic network), the world and the flesh are the three main enemies we deal with in spiritual conflict. Today's post aims to show the confidence we have in spiritual warfare.

The Confidence in Spiritual Warfare

Ephesians 6:13 states - "Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." A brief unfolding of this verse, one phrase at a time, will show why it is we as Christians can have confidence in spiritual warfare.

Divine provision of spiritual armor

Paul writes first of all: "Therefore take up the full armor of God...". In the days that Paul wrote this letter, he was chained to a Roman soldier who was likely a member of the elite Roman unite called the "Italian band". When a Roman soldier went into battle, they had behind them the entire Roman Senate and authority of the Emperor. Furthermore, the possessed what was then the finest armor of any army in the world. The word translated "full armor" could just as easily be translated "full array". The Roman soldier had everything he needed, and then some, to defeat his enemy. Christians have at their disposal the entirety of God's provision of the spiritual armor. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit Himself indwells the Christian. No demon, no desire the the flesh and no influence in the world is great than the Spirit of God. (1 John 4:4). We also have the authority of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ Himself, behind and in us. (Colossians 1:27). We have the Father's favor watching over us. (James 1:17) Indeed the Christian as the provision of God when it comes to fighting the good fight of faith. So there is the Divine provision, but notice secondly....

Divine power to fight

Ephesians 6:13 says next - ..."so that you will be able to resist in the evil day...". To know that we as Christians have God's very power available to resist temptations, overcome fear and resist the Devil ought to increase our confidence. 1 Corinthians 10:13 reminds us - "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." Oftentimes I will hear Christians worry about whether or not they would be able to take a stand for Jesus if the situation demanded it. My answer to them is a resounding yes! These texts, and many others (Hebrews 12:3; James 1:3-4; 1 Peter 1:5-7; 1 Peter 4:10-11) speak to the fact that we have the Divine power to win spiritual battles and Divine provision, but notice lastly...

Divine guarantee of victory

Ephesians 6:13 says once more - ..."and having done everything, to stand firm." The verb translated "having done everything" is the same exact verb found in Philippians 2:12 - "So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Will the fight of faith be immune from troubles and pain? No. We must literally "work it out" in the exercise of our faith in prayer (Jude 1:20); the scriptures (2 Timothy 2:15) and church attendance (Hebrews 10:24-25). We must "work it out" by ways of loving our enemies (Matthew 22:39); watching our speech (James 1:26-27) and enduring hardship (2 Timothy 3:12). Yet we know that God is the One working forth in us His perfect and pleasing will and a glory that cannot compare. (2 Corinthians 4:18; Philippians 2:13). The victory has already been won by Jesus, we are as it were running our victory lap for the King of Kings. (Hebrews 12:1-3) 

Thus Divine provision, power and guarantee comprises the confidence Christians have in spiritual warfare.

Closing thoughts

We have explored the A,B,C's of spiritual warfare these last few days. We have seen that our approach must be as Spirit-filled and word-filled people. Believers have three enemies: the world, the flesh and the Devil. Then the confidence we have in spiritual warfare is the Divine provision of the spiritual armor, Divine power to fight and Divine power to win. 

A,B,C's of spiritual warfare - Believers 3 enemies

Ephesians 6:10-11 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."

1 John 2:16-17 "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world."

Introduction:

Today's post is all about identifying the three common enemies every Christian faces in the daily spiritual warfare talked about in scripture. In the opening passage above we see them underlined: "the Devil", "the world" and "the flesh". The contexts of both scriptures indicate the following:

1. Common Enemy in spiritual warfare is The Devil.

2. Cravings that contribute to our spiritual warfare is the flesh.

3. Context in which our warfare occurs is the world. 

Enemy #1: The Devil
Ephesians 6:11 warns the reader of the "schemes" or "methodologies" of the Devil. Who is the Devil? A brief sketch of his resume reveals the following:

1. He was originally a powerful, angelic being named Lucifer (Ezekiel 28; Isaiah 14). Lucifer may had been one of the Cherubim or "bearers of the throne of God". He occupied a seat of influence among a group of high ranking created, spiritual beings called "the divine council" (Psalm 82) and elsewhere called "the sons of God" (Psalm 104; Job 38). Whatever exactly Lucifer was, he was a high-ranking created being that who got his eyes off of God and focused on his own beauty. Shortly after the creation week, scripture records how Lucifer, now Satan or the Devil, led 1/3 of the angelic hosts astray. Although the details are few, the indication is that Satan influence both high ranking and normal ranking angelic beings alike. This cosmic fall in heaven resulted in the myriads of demons occupying the various orders of the kingdom of darkness (Ephesians 6; Revelation 12). 

2. The Devil or Satan is a creature who is a liar (John 8:44), a deceiver and prince of the power of the air who blinds the hearts of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:1-4). As a creature, the Devil communicates his malevolent intentions through the vast network of demonic hosts we see mentioned in Ephesians 6:12.

3. We know the Devil tempted Jesus on three occasions in Matthew 4, and the Devil's aim is to do all he can to discourage and divide the church (Matthew 16:18).

4. According to 1 Peter 5:8, The Devil is a roaring lion prowling about seeking whom he may devour. 

This sketch lays out for us why it is the Devil is the believer's common enemy in spiritual warfare. Now notice the second enemy...

Enemy #2 - The World

1 John 2:16 warns us about not loving "the world". The Greek word behind this word (kosmos) is the word from whence we get our terms "cosmetics" and "cosmology" and "cosmopolitan".  A "kosmos" or "world" refers to a certain orderly arrangement or system. For example, cosmetics are products designed to help someone arrange the colors and appearance of their face. If someone were to take up the study of "cosmology", they would be concerned about studying the arrangement of things in our universe. When reference is made to a "cosmopolitan person", that person is typically a traveler, a "person of the world", who dresses in the finest clothes and keeps up with the trends of things worldwide. 

Whenever the Apostle John refers to the term "world", he is talking about the organized system of thought that is under the authority of Satan. We have seen in this study that The Devil is the common enemy of the believer. Other than Adam, Job, King David and Jesus, no other person has ever had to deal with Satan directly, but moreso indirectly. Satan wields his influence through his vast network of demonic hosts (Ephesians 6:12) and through the network system known as the world.

The physical body gathers its understanding of reality through the five senses. It is by the five senses that the influence of the world imposes itself upon the Christ follower. This is why John warns his readers to "not love the world". Elsewhere in the New Testament, we read about the influence of the world and the need to be cautious of it. Romans 12:2 states -  "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." James 1:27 gives this insight - "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." Jesus gave this simultaneous warning and encouragement in John 16:33 - "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Now notice the third enemy...

Enemy #3 - The flesh
Notice what the Apostle John writes in 1 John 2:16 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world." What is meant by the term "flesh"? The term "flesh" can have one of two meanings in the New Testament. 

The first meaning of "flesh" refers to the physical body of a person, whereas the second meaning describes the expression of our soul's drives in cooperation with the remnants of sin in the soul. Galatians 5:19-21 gives the fullest definition of the flesh in the New Testament: "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

The flesh is an "expression", a "reaction" to certain conditions whereby the inborn drives of a person are set aflame and decisions are made to feed the hunger. The indwelling Holy Spirit aims to teach the child of God to "put on Jesus Christ, make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts." (Romans 13:14) 

Therefore, when we are dealing with spiritual warfare, the flesh and the inward desires that go unchecked are among the most damaging of the three enemies. Unlike the Devil and the World, which attacks from the outside, the flesh works inward to outward. 

Closing thoughts for today
We considered in the last post the approach one needs to spiritual warfare: namely the filling of the Holy Spirit and being filled with the word. Today's post served to unfold the believer's three common enemies: the world, the flesh and the Devil. In the next post, we will consider the confidence the Christ has in spiritual warfare as we conclude this study on the A,B,C's of spiritual warfare.

A,B'C's of spiritual warfare - Approach to spiritual warfare

Ephesians 6:10 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might."

Introduction:

The subject of spiritual warfare is of perennial interest among Christians. Understanding Christian spiritual warfare is vital in breaking Christian people out of a spiritual "civilian" mindset to their true identity as "soldiers of the cross". Spiritual warfare explains the tensions we feel between living for God in this world and the opposition from the world in which we live. Ephesians 6:10-13 spells out what I call: "The A,B,C's of spiritual warfare". Today's post will deal with the first of these, namely the approach to spiritual warfare.

The approach to spiritual warfare - Spirit and the Word

Ephesians 6:10 gives us two ways in which one can approach spiritual warfare in the Christian life. The first is by being filled with the Holy Spirit and the second is maintaining one's exposure to the Word of God.

Ephesians 6:10a states - "Finally, be strong in the Lord...". The underlined words indicate an imperative command that is coined in the passive sense of dependency upon someone. To "be strong in the Lord" refers to depending upon the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. With the Person and work of the Holy Spirit, we cannot exercise discernment. Discernment is necessary when fighting the good fight of faith. (Ephesians 1:17) Ephesians 3:16 proves that the source of such strength comes from the Spirit: "that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man." This strengthening of the Spirit comes insofar as we are filled or influence by Him (Ephesians 5:18) and are giving ourselves to Him in prayer (Ephesians 6:18). 

But now we notice the second phrase of Ephesians 6:10 that gives us the second and final way of approaching spiritual warfare, the Word of God - "and in the strength of His might." How do we know that "the strength of his might" is most likely referencing the scriptures? 

1. First, the word of God itself is the offensive weapon of the otherwise defensive armaments in the spiritual armor of Ephesians 6:14-18. 

2. Second, Hebrews 4:12 ties together this concept of God's might and spiritual warfare - "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." 

3. Then thirdly, 2 Corinthians 6:7 alludes to carrying forth spiritual weaponry in the right hand and the left, which in context includes the word of God.  

This then is the two-fold approach to spiritual warfare: namely being filled with the Holy Spirit and being in His Word. 

More next time....

P2 - Envisioning a more awesome church that is saturated with scripture

Acts 2:42 "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."

Introduction:
What is it about the Bible that sets it apart from all other books? For one thing, it was the source of the Apostle's doctrine that so captivated those early Christians. The word of God saturated the thinking of the early church because it saturated Jesus Himself Who had came to fulfill every word recorded in the Old Testament. Inasmuch as Acts 2 is about the coming and the arrival of the Holy Spirit to birth forth the church, it can be equally said that the Word of God was at the center of everyone's heart and mind. The events of Acts 2 and following demanded explanation. The events could only be explained by one source - the scriptures; and the only method deemed acceptable - preaching. The church was birthed by and centered around the Word of God. Their devotion to the Apostle's doctrine came as a result of their devotion to the Word of God. We began focusing yesterday on why should churches and Christians be characterized as those who know the Bible? We gave two answers: the Bible's contents and its power to change lives are reasons why it is a more awesome book. When scripture saturates the hearts and minds of God's people in the church - the result will be a more awesome church. Today we want to consider a third reason and some final thoughts and applications. The third reason a more awesome church must be saturated with scripture is because....

The Bible creates unity in the church
How can a book literally transform a body of different people into one, unified church? First and foremost, is such a reality possible? Consider Acts 2:44-46 "And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart." Not only in this key text, but other passages throughout the New Testament link the activity of the Holy Spirit through the Word as the reason for the unity of the church. (Acts 4:30-31; 17:11-12; Eph 4:12-13; Col 3:15-16; 1 Thess 1:6-7; Jude 1:3)

One of those scriptures, Ephesians 4:11-12 states - "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ." God has given to the church a five-fold ministry connected to the Word of God that, when actively working, produces unity. Apostles for instance are those who lay the foundation for the Gospel wherever they go, corresponding today to missionaries who carry with themselves the Apostolic Gospel. These said apostles are not the specific Apostles of Christ that had accompanying signs and wonders, but are more so the "apostles of the church" sent and commissioned in the name of Jesus to spread the frontiers of the Kingdom. (see 2 Corinthians 8:23 KJV) Prophets are those who speak the Word of God to the church at large and have the ability to communicate God's big picture from the standpoint of God's Word bearing on a given situation. There are undoubtedly various preachers today who have been given an unusual anointing by God to have a platform that addresses and influences large segments of Christ's body and at times speak to the culture.

The remaining three offices: evangelist, pastor and teacher, have to do with the ministry of the Word on a more local level. Evangelists are awakeners of God sent to stir the sleeping church. Pastors serve local congregations to feed the church. Teachers within the churches serve to inspire and stretch the minds and hearts of God's people. All five of these offices are connected to the scriptures and when they are working - unity comes. The scripture of course is the catalyst used by the Holy Spirit. Such unity cannot be worked up in the flesh, programmed or manipulated. Such unity is the outcome of both preachers and members surrendering themselves under the yoke of Christ's Lordship as expressed by the Spirit through the Word of God. 

Closing thoughts:
So why does a more awesome church need to be saturated with the scriptures? The Bible's contents, changing power and ability to create unity comprise the reasons behind why any church, aspiring to be more awesome for Jesus' sake, needs to be saturated with the scriptures. 

P1 Envisioning a more awesome church saturated with scripture

Acts 2:42-43 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

Introduction:

We have a hope chest at our home where we store our most treasured memories. Among those items is a small box where love letters between my wife and I are stored. Those letters record the blossoming of the love that was developing between us in those early days when we first met. I remember the summer of 1995 when we wrote back and forth each day. Every time the mail would come I would be waiting at the mailbox. I would read and re-read each sentence, clause and phrase. You could not pay me anything to give away those letters. To me the love that we have 20 years later is far more profound than it was then - and as well as it should be! To me that fits in the category of more awesome!

When it comes to the written word of God, the Bible, we ought to as Christians have an even greater passion and desire to pour over every word. The late evangelist Leonard Ravenhill observes: "There are just 3 types of people: those who are afraid; those who don't know enough to be afraid and those who know the Bible - L. Ravenhill." What is it about the Bible that sets it apart from all other books? For one thing, it was the source of the Apostle's doctrine that so captivated those early Christians. The word of God saturated the thinking of the early church because it saturated Jesus Himself Who had came to fulfill every word recorded in the Old Testament. 

Inasmuch as Acts 2 is about the coming and the arrival of the Holy Spirit to birth forth the church, it can be equally said that the Word of God was at the center of everyone's heart and mind. The events of Acts 2 could only be explained by one source - the scriptures; and the only method deemed acceptable - preaching. The church was birthed by and centered around the Word of God. Their devotion to the Apostle's doctrine came as a result of their devotion to the Word of God. True doctrine is a by-product of the scriptures and the Holy Spirit's illumination. Today's post aims to conceive of a more awesome church saturated with scripture. Why should a church and a Christians be characterized a those who know the Bible? Consider the following reasons why more awesome Christianity demands scripture saturation:

1. Contents of the Bible are more awesome 

As we strove to explain in the last two blogposts, the Apostle's doctrine centered around at least eight central truths: authority of the Bible, Jesus Christ, God's Sovereignty, Holy Spirit, salvation, church, missions and second coming. Those truths are not just headings or dry dead dogma. When strung together they communicate a powerful narrative of God's redemptive workings. God is ever at work revealing Himself generally in creation. We know about God by way of the vastness of the universe, the smallness of the atom and the paradox of mankind's smallness and bigness. This same God has also chosen to disclose His will and intention by way of words: 419,687 of them in the Old Testament (number of words in the Hebrew/Aramaic behind our English trnaslations) and 138,162 in the New Testament (word count in the Greek text behind our English translations). 

The very words of the Bible as originally revealed bear the imprint of Divine authority. They being from God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2) are without error (i.e inerrant) and incapable of failure (i.e infallible). The central Person of the scriptures is the Person of the Son - Jesus Christ. His virgin birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension culminate the 419,687 words of the Hebrew Scriptures and are the focal point of the message of the 138,162 words of the New Testament. (Luke 24:44; Hebrews 1:1-2). Jesus in His humanity ever remained God and thus when He came He fully revealed the Sovereign God. 

This Sovereign One - the Father - sent the Holy Spirit in the Son's name. The Spirit would be the one responsible for convicting sinner's in their salvation and one by one calling those chosen by the Father into the fold of the church. (see Ephesians 1:1-11) As a result of each converted sinner responding by faith, they would as part of the church be involved in carrying out the great commission issued by Jesus. (Matthew 28:18-20) God's inbreaking into history and life would ever alter how we view human history. To realize that there is an ultimate purpose - God's glory - gives hope to the hopeless, light in the darkness and healing of the soul. Christ's second coming represents the endpoint of history that will carry all the redeemed into eternity. Judgment will be sadly meted out upon those who knowingly rejected the Gospel presented to them. Throughout all eternity, God's grace will be ever revealed through the Son by the Spirit to His people. 

The contents of scripture are more awesome than any other book. No other book can back up the claim of being divinely inspired. There is a second reason as to why a more awesome church needs to be saturated with the scripture...

2. The change brought about by scripture is more awesome

Two main changes that are impossible for men to do are noted clearly in Acts 2:38-47. The first is the change of the human heart in salvation (Acts 2:38-41a) and the second is the continuing on of such change in ongoing sanctification (Acts 2:41b-47). No person in the natural realm can bring about salvation and no natural effort can perpetuate ongoing change in sanctification. Jesus notes in John 3:5-8 "Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” By what means were the 3,000 converted on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:38-41? Was it by their human effort? Religiosity? Water baptism? John 1:12-13 reminds us that no human effort can bring about the New birth. Second, Titus 3:5 reminds us that no amount of religiosity can bring about the new birth. Third, despite what some groups may teach today, there is no evidence of the baptismal waters affecting salvation. The people were saved by One agent - the Holy Spirit, affecting them to freely believe as the result of one agency - the scriptures. Truly the scriptures are more awesome than anything because spiritually dead people are raised to life. (1 Peter 1:3-5, 23)

The scriptures, as already noted, are more awesome because of how the Spirit uses them in our sanctification. Apart from scripture - the Christian will not grow. Period. David Wells writes on page 103 of his book "No Place for Truth": "This same correlation (between doctrine and practice) is forcefully presented in John's first epistle, in which three tests are developed for discerning the presence and authenticity of a biblical spirituality: believing the right doctrine (2:18-27; 4:1-6, 13-21), obedience to the right doctrine (2:3-6; 2:28-3:10), and giving right expression to right doctrine in a life of love (2:7-11; 3:11-18; 4:7-12)." Where does such life changing and ongoing life changing doctrine derive? The Bible. So the contents and change brought about by scripture are what makes for a more awesome Christianity. However, there is one more reason why more awesome Christianity needs to be saturated with scripture. To find out what that reason is, please return tomorrow....

The importance of sound doctrine in the Christian life - change and unity

Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Yesterday we considered the importance of sound doctrine in the Christian life as it pertains to its content. To review, based upon Peter's inaugural sermon at Pentecost in Acts 2:14-40, we can define the contents of "Apostle's Teaching" in Acts 2:42:

1. Authority of Scripture

2. Jesus Christ

3. God's Sovereignty

4. Holy Spirit

5. Salvation

6. Church

7. Missions

8. Second Coming of Jesus

Those eight teachings comprise the heart of the Apostolic doctrine and define the core of the Christian message in regards to the Christian faith and practice. Various church groups may differ of course on the nuance and details of each, as well as perhaps stating other doctrines that fall under secondary and tertiary importance. Nonetheless the eight truths above are found consistently throughout the scripture. 

With the importance of sound doctrine defined by way of its content, we now need to consider today how the doctrine of scripture are vital in terms of the change they bring and their creation of unity.

Sound doctrine is important because of the change it brings

Acts 2:40-41 states: "And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls." As a result of the preaching of God's word that is the basis for Apostolic teaching, great change came about. Sinner's were converted by the Word of God and the exposition thereof and saints immediately grew in their obedience and commitment.

Other scriptures in the New Testament testify to the necessity of sound doctrine for bringing about true spiritual change. The Apostle Paul speaks on this subject by inspiration of the Holy Ghost in Titus 1:9 "holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict." 1 Timothy 4:13-16 "Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. 14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. 15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. 16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you." 2 Timothy 3:16-17  "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."

Another Apostle, the Apostle John, states clearly the importance of sound doctrine from God's Word as bringing about necessary change and retaining such. 1 John 5:13 "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." 2 John 1:9  "Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son." 

Then of course we come back to the Apostle Peter who wrote the following some 30 or so years in 2 Peter 3:20-21 after that inaugural sermon: "You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." It is abundantly clear the sound doctrine that flows from the preaching and teaching of God's Word is necessary for spiritual change and growth. But now notice also a third reason for the importance of sound doctrine in the Christian life (remember the first two reasons: content of it and the change it brings)...

Sound doctrine is important because it creates unity

Notice the unity enjoyed by the early church in Acts 2:44-46 - "And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart." What was it that caused this church to be unified? Two principle realities: The Spirit and the Word. When sound doctrine is accompanied by the Holy Spirit's working, the church cannot help but to be unified. We see evidence of this for example in Ephesians 4:1-3 in regards to the Spirit's working: "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." In the same chapter in Ephesians we see the agency of God's Word, expressed in sound doctrine, as the source of unity in Ephesians 4:4-6 "There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." The Person of the Holy Spirit is the uncreated fire of Deity and His Word is the sweet smelling incense of the unity of the church. The Spirit of God will not do His work apart from the scriptures right preached and taught. Without a doubt the Bible ever is and ever will be the Word of God, with the Spirit ever being associated with its words. Conversely, whenever the scriptures are used apart from reliance upon the Holy Spirit, they will come off as a dead letter. If a church or individual grieves the Spirit, He will mute His voice and illuminating ministry until which point their is repentance and return to Him and humility around the cross. (see Ephesians 4:30-32). 

The church today must re-emphasize sound doctrine

These last two posts have labored to show the importance of sound doctrine in the Christian life. Far from advocating "classroom" churches that make members fat and lazy, sound doctrine sanctifies and exhorts the church to be the church and proclaim the life changing power of Jesus Christ. We know that a word-centered, Spirit anointed church is of utmost necessity today as it was in the days of the apostles. In closing, consider these words from Ephesians 4:11-17 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love."