Unequally Yoked?

Prominent Christian authors often have books published by publishing houses that are owned by pagans. Is this a violation of Scripture? Here are some thoughts:

1. The Pharisees took a principle of their Old Covenant Scriptures (that one should not work on the Sabbath) and "extended" it even to ladies not having needles in their skirts, since that would be "work".

Pharisee-ism always takes good principles and makes them intoTaliban-like rules for everyone. This is bad enough under the awe-full Old Covenant, but even worse under the glorious New Covenant, wherein each believer has the Holy Spirit in them, guiding them.

2. There has never been a convincing exegesis of the relevant passages about being "separate" and not being "unequally yoked" that would universally forbid all believers from contracting with pagans for book deals. One's own conscience may lead in that direction, but it's a form of Pharisee-ism to "extend" the verse to book deals.

3. There are several Christian book publishers who would get a pass under the "extended" no-unequal-yoke rule, yet they practically specialize in Law-based Galatianism that puts, guilt and condemnation on those whom Christ has made free.

4. The whole discussion here, I believe, is missing the real point. That is, that our essential goal should not be outward, but inward. That we should seek close fellowship with Jesus Christ, seek to be filled with His Spirit, seek to walk by the Spirit. If we walk by the Spirit, He may lead us to renounce, or to embrace, a secular book contract. He will teach us and lead us into His mind regarding those separation Scriptures, and He may lead each of us differently.

5. Revival is not all it's cracked up to be. Jesus is building His church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. Ebbs and flows of so-called "revival" can be very deceptive, as in the Finney revivals which left unregenerate bodies strewn from Ohio to New York.

God's sovereignty is not an excuse for lack of vision, action, or exhortation. But it is a cause for comfort in the midst of what can be disheartening circumstances. It is God "who is at work in us both to will and to do His good pleasure".

6. A Spirit-filled man has love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.

Finding a man who is filled with the Spirit as a lifestyle sometimes seems like Diogenes with his lantern trying to find an honest man. Yet twelve such men "turned the world upside down", as God saw fit.

Take heart. He is working...through you, and me, and the heretics, and the donkeys.

7. The greatest of courage is not in demanding the presumed "duty" of others, it's in proclaiming the freedom of the gospel of Jesus Christ, in the midst of a self-righteousness performance-based church culture.

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." -- Gal. 5:1

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Lonely But Never Alone

Loneliness is a universal problem. But there is hope...

By Michele Rayburn

I never feel lonely when I spend time alone with the Lord, and when I practice His presence the rest of the time. When I am not "filled with the Spirit" is when I am the most lonely.

What a blessing it would be (what revival might even come) if all of us Christians would make it a priority to develop our Spirit life through close communion with Christ. Then our lives would be more fulfilling. And when we come together again, our fellowship with one another will be more fulfilling.

What the Church seems to be lacking today is the Spirit of Christ moving in our own personal lives the way God meant for it to be. We lack spiritual teaching that will draw us back to Christ. The teachings we often hear tend to be man-centered rather than Christ-centered.

We should keep our focus on Christ and imitate Him, instead of looking at ourselves and beating ourselves up about how imperfect we are. He’s not surprised by our weaknesses. Even before we were born, He knew how we would stumble. But we are "accepted in the Beloved". So we should keep our focus on Him. We should think on things like God's everlasting love for us, His total acceptance of us, and our security in Him.

I think that if we don't fully comprehend and receive God's love for us, we may feel unacceptable to Him when we fail. And that kind of alienation can also make us feel lonely.

When our own lonely heart is comforted by our communion with Christ, then we can fellowship with others in a way that will ease their loneliness.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

It's so important to be sensitive to the fact that as brothers and sisters in Christ, we really need each other.

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

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Christians Not Perfect, Just Forgiven?

I've never liked the bumper sticker that says, "Christians Are Not Perfect -- Just Forgiven". It's true we're not perfected yet, but it's not true that we're just forgiven. A lot more has been accomplished with our regeneration, our "new birth". We are a new creation. Old things have passed away, all things have become new.

He has made us "fearfully and wonderfully". There is sometimes a real pride in self-abasement How's that for an oxymoron? (see Col.2:18, "Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement...").

I have a couple friends who are so into self-abasement that they actually say that God didn't send Jesus to die for us because He loved us, but only for His own glory. He certainly did it for His own glory, but how absurd to deny the very clear John 3:16,"For God so loved the world, that...".

One friend even claims his favorite Bible verse is in Job 42, when Job says, "I abhor myself". When it's pointed out that "abhor" is an incorrect translation, he says it's still his favorite verse.

We need to be Christ-centered. Indeed, the more Christ-centered we are, I believe the more we will be amazed at what He has done in us. And the more Christ-centered we are, the more we will walk by the Spirit. Yet, I believe that, ironically, to deny what God has done in and to us, is a sort of unbelief that quenches the Spirit.

Glory and credit is another matter. Who should get the glory and credit for all this? Well, the one who did it all, of course. Whatever we are is by grace.

"What do you have, O man, that you did not receive?" (1 Cor. 4:7)"

"You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power;For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and werecreated." (Rev. 4:11)

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Should We Love Ourselves?

Should we love ourselves? We do, of course, in the natural sense. That's what Jesus was saying when He said to love others as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39). He wasn't commanding us to love ourselves, He was pointing out the obvious that we already do.

But should we love ourselves? That depends on how we define "love".

Let me give a working definition of "love", that sort of love that is the fruit of the Spirit, and is good. Here's the definition:

"Love is the fruit of the Spirit in which one desires the greatest good for the object loved, and acts accordingly."

I contend that usually we have to use our God-given "reason" or "common sense" in figuring some biblical things out. I admit that too much "reasoning" can get us into trouble, especially if we reason with unbiblical premises. But here's my point: If God repeatedly tells us to love, and if love is the fruit of the Spirit, does it make sense that we should NOT love ourselves?

Or to put it in terms of my working definition above: If love is the fruit of the Spirit, and desires the greatest good for the object loved . . . shouldn't we desire that greatest good for ourselves? I think it's obvious that we should.

But . . . that leaves open "what is the greatest good for us", doesn't it? And that's where I think the unbiblical notion that "we shouldn't love ourselves" comes in.

For example, would it be our greatest good to be a selfish pig, or a hedonistic worldling, or a self-centered narcissistic "me, me, me" person? Of course not. Would it be our greatest good to take on the philosophy, "It's better to receive than give"? Of course not.

On the other hand, would it be our greatest good to "not think more highly of ourselves than we ought"? Yes! Would it be our greatest good to be selfless servants of our families, our fellow man, and God? Yes! Would it be our greatest good to recognize that we "are fearfully and wonderfully made", yet also recognize, "what do you have that you didn't receive?"?

In other words, our greatest good is to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him. Our greatest good is for Jesus to live His life through us. Our greatest good is to believe Him that we are new creations, that old things have passed away, and all things have become new. Our greatest good is to reckon ourselves to be dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Our greatest good is to walk by the Spirit, and thereby to not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

If we truly love ourselves, we will love others greatly, because to not do so is to be clanging cymbals, and who wants that?

So, yes, we should love ourselves. To NOT love ourselves would be wrong. But first we have to understand what love is.

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Casting Crowns: The Trinity Rewards Conspiracy

I have a theory. The theory is that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have gotten together and cooked up a little conspiracy.

They have given us gifts and abilities. We are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14), but of course we can't take credit for that. After all, "What do you have that you did not receive?" (1 Corinthians 4:7).

Then the Lord works in us "both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13), so we will do good works. Then the Lord promises rewards (also know as "crowns") to us for those good works.

You with me so far? We do good works and we get rewarded for it, but it is God who gives us the desire, the ability, and whatever else is needed to get it done.

I tell you, it's a conspiracy to bless and reward us! He even made it "more blessed to give than receive" (Acts 20:35).

And so we know why, when we meet this blessed Lord face to face, we "cast our crowns" at His feet (Revelation 4:10).

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain --- not to mention the Father and the Holy Spirit. :)

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Why Performance-Based Legalism Is Harmful

I want to say a few words about that form of “legalism” which I call Performance-Based Christianity, as opposed to Grace-Based. It's that form of legalism that tries to earn God's favor or love by what we do.

There are several other forms of legalism, for example:

1. There is initial salvation by works;

2. There is the Seventh Day Adventist type of legalism, which speaks of initial salvation by grace, but it must be followed by law-works or you end up losing your salvation;

3. There is that extra-biblical type of cultural "legalism", such as "no lipstick", "no pants for ladies", etc.;

4. There is pure Galatianism, which mixes law-works with grace, which of course makes it not grace.

The Perfomance-Based Christianity type I speak of is, I believe, the most destructive to the spiritual walk of the Christian, because it does several bad things:

1. It makes a Christian think they are better or worse than other Christians, causing pride or despair respectively;

2. It encourages the Christian to be self-centered -- always examining his navel as to whether he is "measuring up" (and he never is, of course) -- instead of being Christ-centered, looking to Jesus and fellowshiping with Him;

3. It encourages Daisy Theology -- "He loves me, He loves me not", robbing the believer of that precious and total love and acceptance that God has for him in Christ;

4. Worst of all, it adds law to grace, which Paul points out makes it no longer grace, whereupon one "falls from grace", as the Galatians did in their foolishness, and gets on the ground of Law, which quenches the Holy Spirit, and inflames sin.

The problem with Law-based living is that the one who lives that way must, 1. obey all of it, 2. obey it continually, 3. obey it perfectly.

Sorry, but "Striving to obey God's commandments" won't cut it, and one who lives that way is cursed by his own paradigm.

"For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law to perform them.'" (Gal. 3:10)

But...We are "...servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Cor. 3:6)

And that New Covenant, of course, is in Jesus Christ, our Lawgiver, Lawkeeper, and Sacrifice Lamb, who became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God. What a Savior and Friend!

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What Christians MUST Obey

Someone wrote me the other day pointing out the obvious truth that the Bible has commands in it. So far so good, but he went on to say that the commands were "from Moses to Jesus to Paul" and that it is these commands "we must obey."

Now, if we're talking Moses, I could point out that there are over 600 "laws" in the Old Covenant, and most don't have anything to do with us under the New Covenant. But I have a broader point I'd like to make:

Whenever someone says that we Christians MUST obey some rule or law, two questions are raised in my mind:

1. To what extent MUST we obey? 10%, 50%, 99%? If you say 100%, you're correct. And thank God that Christ did it for us on the cross, 'cause we can't DO a hundred. As the song says, "I'm running trying to make a hundred...ninety-nine and a half just won't do."

2. We "must"? What if we don't? I mean, "must" is a pretty strong word. Well, the answer is, if we are a born again Christian, we are forgiven...period. Grasp that profound, radical truth! When you do, "must" becomes a moot point.

We "desire" to obey, in our very [reborn] spirit. And if we walk by the Spirit, we will obey. We will read His Word, desiring to know His heart, that we may walk in His ways. But if we walk by the flesh, all the "musts" get shaken off our backs like water off a wet dog. The key, then, is not the law, it's the Spirit. Walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

You wanna "strive"? Don't strive to follow the law. Strive to spend time in His presence, communing with Him, loving Him, basking in His love for you, talking to Him, listening to Him through His Word.

Then the fruit of His Spirit will rise up in you (love, joy, peace...), and the glorious law of Christ planted in your heart will make the written commands seem like mere shadows of a much higher glory, fulfilled in you by Christ, as He lives His life through you.

Mount up with wings, baby!

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Longings for Simple Worship and Fellowship

Some of the sweetest times in the Body of Christ that my wife and I ever had were back in the early 80's with a bunch of Plymouth Brethren rejects who gathered in an elementary school basement (about 25 to 35 of us, including kids).

We arranged some hard-as-a-rock steel chairs in a series of semi-circles with a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine in the center. Our goal was to be led by the Spirit. Let me say that again: our goal was to be led by the Spirit. Nothing "spooky", but we reminded each other of our goal regularly.

We would sing a song "randomly" called out by someone in the group, then maybe another, then someone would pray "as led", then maybe another song, then some exhortation or a request for prayer, then we'd sing again, etc., etc. The kids were included, so we sang "If You're Happy and You Know It", complete with hand clapping and stomping, along with "Majesty", often with tears.

When it "seemed right", one of the men would take the bread and wine (a common cup with a wiping cloth) and pass it around, with a brief word regarding the remembrance of the One who gave His body and shed His blood.

Then we took a 15-20 min. break, with chatting . . . sometimes d-e-e-p theology, sometimes small talk . . . coffee and maybe cake or donuts . . . and hugs.

Then we re-assembled (minus the kids, who were babysat or taught in another room), and one of the men would teach from a scripture passage. Pretty much always expository, but always with open comments from whomever.

Total time: 2-3 hours.

What's amazing, as I look back, is that there was quite a broad spectrum of theological beliefs, broader than I would be inclined to "tolerate" now, rightly or wrongly. Yet, we really were one in Christ, and full of love for one another and for Jesus.

We've never recaptured that, though we've since been in many churches around the country.

But we've never forgotten it, either.

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Is The Gospel In The Gospels?

Yes, the Gospel is in the Gospels, but there is a clear shift in the meaning of "Gospel" as we progress from the "Gospels" (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), to the epistles, particularly those written by Paul the Apostle.

The word "gospel" is used several times throughout Matthew, Mark and Luke (not in John). It essentially means "good tidings", or "good news", and usually refers to the good news that the Messiah has come, the Savior, the King and His Kingdom in some sense. And it certainly was Good News.

But there is much about the Gospel, as it is presented in the epistles, that is lacking in the Gospels. Why? Primarily because Jesus Himself lived on earth under the Old Covenant. Much of what He taught, He taught to Jews who were still under the Law of the Old Covenant. He was in a transition time, to be sure. He was beginning to herald something glorious beyond the Law. But He still had to live under the Law, in order to fulfill it, and be qualified as the perfect Lamb of God.

There were seeds of grace in His ministry. But those seeds had been planted even in Genesis, with the promise of the crushing of the head of the serpent. And in Jeremiah Chapter 31, where the New Covenant was promised.

The Gospel of the New Covenant, as it was expounded by Paul, for example, included not only a general faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, but faith in a complete Messiah and His work on the cross, and His resurrection. Even John wrote, "but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." (John 20:31) And this was in the only Gospel that didn't contain the word "gospel". But it lifts Him up, the Lord Jesus Christ, and calls us to believe in Him as Lord, and Savior.

Probably the clearest factual presentation of the Gospel content is in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, where it says,

"Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures..."

There is a principle of hermeneutics (Bible interpretation) that says that, all things being equal, Scripture tends to progressively shed more light on a given subject as we progress through the Bible. And sure enough, the gospel is really explained in all its glory in the epistles, not in the Gospels.

In fact, much of what Jesus taught seems to smack of legalism. And why not? He was teaching under the Old Covenant, which later was to become "obsolete" (Hebrews 8). There was some legalism, but it was righteous legalism, true and Biblical legalism.

My point is this. It is a mistake to go back to the Gospels to explain that Gospel of Grace which is so exalted in Romans and Galatians. It is a mistake, and leads to confusion, to proclaim "The Gospel According To Jesus". We are not saved under the New Covenant by "give all that you are for all that He is". First, that would be salvation by works as a reward, and second, it's a good thing that giving "all that you are" is not the condition for salvation, since I'm confident that no one has ever given all that he is. We are not saved under the New Covenant by "deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24). That "follow me" is in the present tense, and involves the linear action of a whole life of discipleship. But the Gospel of Grace says that "he who has the Son has life" now (1 John 5:12).

And out of that new life springs fruit. But the fruit comes from the life, not vice versa.

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The Primacy of Regeneration

People must "do" two things to be saved, though actually they may be considered one thing, part and parcel. The Scripture says it in various ways, but simply put, people must "repent" and "believe".

The essence of repentence is to change one's mind, or one's "beliefs", in this case regarding our sin and Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Changing one's mind includes at least some change in actions as well. One must believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord, or Master, and believe that He is alive, risen from the dead. And if one believes in Jesus Christ as their Master, they will at least to some extent live differently, as they follow Him. And believing in Him as Savior will ideally wipe away all faith in oneself as Savior, recognizing Him as the one who paid for sin, and said, "It is finished", then giving the righteousness of God to them as a gift.

So far, so good. But there is one little problem...

...People are born "dead in their sins and trespasses" (Ephesians 2:1). That means dead spiritually, and therefore they are unable to "repent and believe". Along comes Grace, in the form of the Holy Spirit, who "regenerates" some, gives them Life, gives them a new heart, gives them "the new birth", and they are "born again". Read John 3, where Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about this new birth, and one thing is clear. The Spirit, like the wind, blows where He chooses to blow (John 3:8).

And the newly "born again" ones are "new creations" (2 Corinthians 5:17). They are now "alive to God" (Romans 6:11), and with this new life, something amazing happens...

...They "repent" and "believe". They can't help it! It's been revealed, by revelation, and though they were blind, now they see! Their repentence and faith didn't even produce their regeneration, let alone merit it. Too often the cart has been put before the horse. Regeneration must come first. Jesus said that unless a man is "born again", he cannot even see(!) the kingdom of God [let alone believe in the King].

That's true Grace. All of Grace. All of God. The New Covenant, that glorious unilateral covenant in which God the Son becomes the sacrifice Lamb, then short-circuits any form of "works" salvation by giving new life to His children before they can do any "works". And they now believe in the One Who has been revealed to them. And as His new creation, the believer has all their sins forgiven, forever! So the Grace Goes On. And On.

Keep this Primacy of Regeneration in mind, and you will see many Scriptures opened up to your understanding like never before, I promise you.