But I AM INNOCENT!!!

Ever used phrases like: “It just isn’t right…” “It’s not fair…” “He/she doesn’t deserve THAT…” “You don’t know what it’s like to be treated like this…” “I don’t deserve this!”? Consider 1 Corinthians 4:2-4…

It is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.

We ALL believe ourselves to be innocent. We ALL think the OTHER person is guilty. EVERYONE sees themselves as the martyr… the one who is RIGHT… the one that IS misunderstood… and being treated unfairly. There’s just one problem and Paul (The Apostle) points it out (If we’ll not be defensive and listen to the Spirit inspired Word we might learn something)…

Just because we think we’re innocent doesn’t mean we are innocent (4:4). Just because we are convinced we’re right, doesn’t mean others are wrong. Just because a person has another perspective doesn’t mean they are an enemy. Sometimes I think about myself and ask… “I see your point Ron, but have you considered that YOU HAVE contributed to this situation AND that in all this God has lessons for YOU to learn?” That’s a hard concept to embrace.

NO ONE is completely innocent… ever (Including me). NO ONE really is perfectly pure… holy… righteous… or RIGHT (Ever). In every situation and/or event, no matter how minute or miniscule, there ARE things we shouldn’t have done… should have done differently… and/or could have done better. The problem is our hearts are so infected with sin we justify and rationalize our behavior to become the martyr while casting others as evil… most every time. So what is my point?

In every event… situation… circumstance… or problem, we need to ask God: “Father… what lesson do you have for me about myself in this?” “Lord… show me my blind spot(s) so that I may be more like your Son.” “Father God… reveal to me what I need to repent of, ask forgiveness for, and change so that I don’t cause others to stumble because of this.” “God… please show me what I need to do that honors You regardless of what anyone else says or does…” (Phil 1:27; 1 Cor 10:31).

Any person who believes they are completely innocent… absolutely guilt free… or did everything perfectly in a situation is massively deceiving themselves (1 Cor 4:4). Paul the Apostle recognized this and wrote about it in Romans 7…

15 I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 18 I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 23 In my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Doing Church Right (Part 2)

Click here to read the introduction to this post.  Today I will suggest a few things that are essential, if not required, for a group of believers to honor God as a congregation.  These are ruminations from observation and experience as a pastor of over two decades.  These thoughts tend to be pragmatic and are not in order of theological or practical importance.  Clicking on the links in each point will be helpful since they are Scripture references that support each thought.

Note: Below are the things I’ve observed in place at churches that are growing and honoring God.

Dissension, Division, Gossip, Backbiting, and Divisive People Are NOT Tolerated. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, will quench the Spirit and prevent a church from prevailing against the gates of hell than when people undercut, gossip, and slander one another or their leaders!  This is the #1 tool being used by Satan against churches.  Too often people in church talk ABOUT others rather than taking TO them.  The healthiest churches are those that refuse to let people in the fellowship be divisive or cause division… and sometimes that means helping them find another place to worship. Consider the Scripture: Romans 16:17-18; Titus 3:10; 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15; Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

Church members trust and follow the Shepherd God sends them. The reason a man goes to serve God as the pastor of a church (Did you catch that?  If not, read it again.)… the reason a man goes to serve GOD as the pastor of a church is to lead them to follow God’s call as a congregation.  Sadly, there is a spirit of distrust toward the pastor and staff in many churches.  People in churches distrust… malign… and oppose the shepherd God calls to lead the fellowship (See point above).  By contrast the churches I’ve observed that are being used mightily for the Kingdom trust their shepherd and follow him as God’s man.    People and congregations that do not follow God’s man are treading in dangerous waters.  Consider the Scripture: Hebrews 13:17; 1 Timothy 5:17-19 (Note verse 19 closely).

Ministers are faithful in fulfilling God’s call in the local church. One reason some people don’t trust their shepherd is because shepherds have not dealt gently with the sheep… they’ve experienced shepherds who were prideful, arrogant, egotistical, harsh, and/or mean.  People have been burned by the very ones who were called to lead and feed them.  Shepherds that do not serve faithfully are treading in dangerous waters.  However, one shepherd’s failure is not an excuse to oppose and write off every shepherd. Each Shepherd must carry out the call to serve God’s people as found in Scripture.  That means Shepherds…

Will first and foremost of all be faithful to seek God’s direction for the flock through diligently praying, studying God’s Word, preaching, and teaching (Acts 6:2-4; 1 Corinthians 4:1-5).  This is the NUMBER ONE way a shepherd can prove his love for the congregation… to deliver God’s Word to them faithfully.

Serve God’s people with the attitude of humility and love (1 Peter 5:1-5).

Will follow God rather than answering to men… (Galatians 1:10).  Refer to 1 Peter 5:1-5 above for how this is done.

That is enough to think over for today.

Ways To Destroy A Church (D.A. Carson)

I am burdened for the church in America.  I believe Jesus when He said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it,” but I’m struggling to put my arms around His truth and what I see.  I know that the world will know we are Christ’s followers “by our love one for another,” but I’m troubled that not many are meeting the test.  God is doing something and whatever it is, I want to be a part of healing… restoring… and building the church in any way I can.

Maybe part of where I am is to bring in a very small way some realization of the church’s condition.  A good physician tells people what their symptoms mean, so maybe the churches need to hear messages that are more prophetic about how church is supposed to be conducted.  The first step is to herald a warning… to yell “fire” so that those who are sleeping can wake up.  If that’s the case, maybe these few posts might make a slight difference at least in some believer’s understanding of what is going on in the church in America.

Consider how it is possible for a church to lose its effectiveness from Dr. D. A. Carson…

“The ways of destroying the church are many and colorful.  Raw factionalism will do it.  Rank heresy will do it.  Taking your eyes off the cross and letting other, more peripheral matters dominate the agenda will do it–admittedly more slowly than frank heresy, but just as effectively over the long haul.  Building the church with superficial ‘conversions’ and wonderful programs that rarely bring people into a deepening knowledge of the living God will do it.  Entertaining people to death but never fostering the beauty of holiness or the centrality of self-crucifying love will build an assembling of religious people, but it will destroy the church of the living God.  Gossip, prayerlessness, bitterness, sustained biblical illiteracy, self-promotion, materialism–all of these things, and many more, can destroy a church.  And to do so is dangerous: ‘If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple (1 Cor. 3:17).  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Reasons NOT To Go To Church

I found this on a friend’s blog and thought it worthy of posting it here.  It is from Josh Harris.  Make sure to note the reasons NOT to love the church… those are good!

Do you love the church? Romans 12:10 tells Christians to “Love one another with brotherly affection.”The affection and love we’re to have for fellow-Christians is to be based on the work of Jesus Christ for us. It’s not about elitism, it’s not because Christians are better than anyone else, it certainly isn’t because Christians are necessarily more lovable. We love the church because we love the Savior who redeemed the church.

Acts 20:28 tells us that Jesus obtained the church with his own blood. Is this what your love for the church is based on? If it’s anything less, it won’t last long.

Don’t love the church because of what it does for you. Because sooner or later it won’t do enough.

• Don’t love the church because of a leader. Because human leaders are fallible and will let you down.
• Don’t love the church because of a program or a building or activities because all those things get old.
• Don’t love the church because of a certain group of friends because friendships change and people move.

Love the church because of who shed his blood to obtain the church. Love the church because of who the church belongs to. Love the church because of who the church worships. Love the church because you love Jesus Christ and his glory. Love the church because Jesus is worthy and faithful and true. Love the church because Jesus loves the church.

Keep these things in mind as you prepare to worship God this coming Lord’s Day…

Spiritualizing Preferences

Preferences are the source of debate, and sometimes arguments, in churches. This may not be an issue where you worship, but there are still a few churches that struggle with these things.  Preferences are not the same as Biblical truth… but some try to raise them to that level.  For example…

What kind of dress or attire does God require at when the church meets… a tuxedo, suit, business casual, or dresses with hats and gloves ?  Consider 1 Samuel 16:7b.

What kind of music does God prefer… Southern Gospel, Contemporary, or Hymns?

When should the offering be received in worship… at the beginning, in the middle, or the end?

When God’s people sing, does He care if a hymnal is used or the words are projected on a screen?

When is the church supposed to gather for worship?  Sunday at 11:00 AM AND Sunday night AND Wednesday night… or is Sunday morning and Wednesday acceptable?  Note: Paul addressed this in Romans 14:4-6a.

Interestingly, the church in America chose to gather at 11:00 AM on Sunday because that gave the farmers time to feed their animals.  Churches started meeting on Sunday night in greater numbers because electricity gave them the ability to better do so.

The purpose of the church gathering for worship is to glorify God.  It isn’t to judge a person based on their style of dress… music they prefer… or even when or how often a person chooses to worship.  It is much more important that we focus on God rather than minor issues that have nothing to do with how much a person loves God and is following His will for their life.