Be Careful About Filling In The Blanks

Ex cathedra is a Latin phrase meaning "from the chair," referring to authoritative teachings made by the Pope on matters of faith or morals, which are considered infallible. This concept is rooted in the belief that the Pope, when speaking ex cathedra, is protected from error in his role as the leader of the Catholic Church.

However, this post is not about the Pope - but something similar - it is about something that I have noticed over the years - and has regained my attention again very recently. When you read the Bible - and I hope you do - there are some things that are not definitive or clear - leaving questions. Sometimes the reason is that I am not as well versed in the entire Bible as I should be. Other times it is because the Bible is silent on the matter. I hope I don't stir a hornets nest - but I do want to stir your thinking. 

For example let's look at these verses.

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in [this mortal] body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from [this mortal] body and to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:1-8

Now let's look at what is made plain.

1. We will have a body in heaven. God has made provision for it and promised it by sealing us with His Spirit.

2. When we die a natural - physical death we will be present with the Lord.

And Jesus said to him (the thief on the cross) , 'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise' - Luke 23:43

Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it -  Ecclesiastes 12:7.

OK that is clear right? If we have been born again by the Spirit we will be in heaven with the Lord when we die a natural death.

 Read on.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. - 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

Let's look at what is made plain.

1. If we die before Jesus return - we will rise to meet Him in the air before those Christians who are alive at the time.

Wait - what?  Aren't we already with the Lord? Aren't those verses at odds with each other? No - but the fact of the matter is that we don't fully understand what will happen.  That is why Paul wrote

For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. - 1 Corinthians 13:9-10

In other words, we don't fully understand now, but there will come a time when we will.

Since we don't understand completely we should not use our imaginations to fill in the blanks but trust what has been revealed in part. If you have doubts about what you hear then like the Jewish Bereans (Acts 17:10-11) - search the scriptures to see what God has revealed. A danger is that when someone who is recognized as a spiritual authority is "filling in the blanks" you may not know it and accept it as Truth when in fact it is conjecture. Remember Ex Cathedra? 

OK - One More example - Do you remember the song "Will The Circle Be Unbroken"?

I was standing by my window, On one cold and cloudy day When I saw that hearse come rolling For to carry my mother away

Will the circle be unbroken By and by, lord, by and by There's a better home a-waiting In the sky, lord, in the sky

No where in that song does is say that the family unit will be restored in Heaven - but that is the suggestion, implication and hope. I have even heard it preached with authority. But what did Jesus say about marriage in heaven - in other words the preservation of the family unit that we enjoyed on earth in heaven?

Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.” Jesus answered and said to them [the Sadducees], “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. - Matthew 22:28-30

The angels are not married - although we will not be angels - rather sons and daughters of  God, our relationship with each other will be like the angels relationship with each other. Marriage on earth is a reflection of God's intended relationship with His creation - mankind. When people expect the natural to persist in heaven it is a reflection of their love for others - not a bad thing, but something that exists only in this natural life - be careful that you not follow after Lot's wife who looked back at Sodom with longing when God was leading them to a better place.  Be careful that you are not speaking what you would like it to be - when what you would like it to be is nothing more than wishful thinking on your part.

I do not mean to minimize the emotion and the feeling of great loss when people we love pass from this life. But our hope must be in Jesus and our confidence must be that all who are in Christ will share in the joy of being in the presence of God and all who call Jesus Lord one day - that is in the Bible.

Satan asked Adam and Eve - "Did God Really Say?" when God really did. Just be careful when someone says "God really said" when He really didn't.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

The Problem With An Uneven Yoke

O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people. Therefore Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.” - 2 Cor 6:11-18

When I think of an uneven yoke the picture comes to mind of an ox and a donkey yoked together to a plow. I am not a farmer, nor are you if I were to guess. But ... I think both of us could come to the same conclusion - that partnership between the ox and the donkey was not going to work. Have you ever been in a three legged race. Where two runners have their opposite legs tied together and then they must run a race against another team. It works if both runners are about the same height and are somewhat coordinated. Otherwise the race will not go well for them. It's the same idea as the ox and the donkey.  

Well, Paul was writing to the church in Corinth about spiritual yoking. Where one person is a Christian and the other person is not. "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?" Jesus was called a friend of sinners and confronted by the Jewish faith leaders about it - 

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. - Matthew 9:10-13

So what is the difference between being yoked and associating with unbelievers? Well, on the one hand - the Christians in Corinth were embracing the practices and preferences of those who were lost. On the other - Jesus was introducing the lost to the grace and mercy of God without embracing their practices and preferences. The difference was the motive for the association. Recognizing the sins of others but not participating in that sin. In the first letter to the Corinthians Paul wrote - 

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” - 1 Corinthians 15:33

Have you ever heard the justification of some action "All my friends are doing it." To which the parent replied - "If your friends jumped off of the bridge would you jump to?" That was a rhetorical question of course - but it probably didn't change the child's desire to be accepted by their peers. Which meant to do what they do and think what they think. By the way, that pressure does not get better with age. King Solomon wrote - 

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. - Proverbs 4:23-27

Listen - the temptation to yield to others who you can see rather than the Spirit of God who you cannot see can be very strong.  I will leave you with two more verses that you can "chew or meditate on".

Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. - James 1:14-15

It is far too easy to yield to the idea that something is OK when it is not as you work out your salvation in a world headed for hell. That is the temptation of the devil - "Did God really say?" 

to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.- James 4:17

How will you know? The Spirit will tell you unless you have hardened your heart to His voice.

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left. - Isaiah 30:21

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Losing Your Witness

‘Jesus says, in effect, “Don’t worry about whether or not you are being treated justly.” Looking for justice is actually a sign that we have been diverted from our devotion to Him. Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will only begin to complain and to indulge ourselves in the discontent of self-pity, as if to say, “Why should I be treated like this?” If we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we have nothing to do with what we encounter, whether it is just or unjust.’ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

When you read those words, does it seem right to you?  I mean shouldn’t you be shown kindness?  Shouldn’t people that treat you poorly be dealt with – divinely?  Wouldn’t that make you feel better?  What did Jesus have to say about it?

But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. - Luke 6:27-31  

If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.  But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.' - John 15:24-25  

Most of us will agree that concept is good .. but when you are being treated poorly how do you feel .. what is it that you must control?  I sometimes say, tongue in cheek, ‘I don’t want to lose my witness’ .. what I am really saying is I don’t want to act on what I am feeling and wanting to do.  You know what?  It’s too late at that point.  I have already missed it (the mark).

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. - 1 John 3:15  

We love Him because He first loved us.  If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?  And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. - 1 John 4:19-21  

You see it is the attitude of your heart .. it’s the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).  You don’t have to act on your sin to sin.  Thinking that so long as you didn’t do what you were thinking has stopped short of sin is not right thinking.

You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.'  (28) But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. - Matthew 5:27-28  

Remember David on the roof?  He had already sinned before Bathsheba ever entered his house.  Pretty high standard isn’t it.  It cannot be achieved through determination .. will power .. or won’t power … but only by the power of God in us.  Are there things in your life that you have been accommodating? Pretending that they didn’t matter .. Get your heart right … do not sin … James says that sin begins in our heart when we are tempted (James 1:12-15).. that is where it must end … It is only when we are spending time in the Word and with the Lord will we be able to stand against the temptation, but … that is another devotion for another day …

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

The Spirit Of God Is In You

 "Abide in Me…" —John 15:4

“In the matter of determination. The Spirit of Jesus is put into me by way of the atonement by the Cross of Christ. I then have to build my thinking patiently to bring it into perfect harmony with my Lord. God will not make me think like Jesus— I have to do it myself. I have to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). “Abide in Me”— in intellectual matters, in money matters, in every one of the matters that make human life what it is. .... You say, “Yes, Lord, just a minute— I still have this to do. Yes, I will abide as soon as this is finished, or as soon as this week is over. It will be all right, Lord. I will abide then.” Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

“When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”  - Ephesians 1:13-14

The Holy Spirit enlivens your new self toward God.  You put your faith in Jesus and God puts His Spirit in you.  The very same Shekinah Glory that led the Children of Israel in the desert … the very same that resided in the Holy of Holies in the temple.  Now you are the temple … and that Spirit leads you, or will if you will follow.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” -  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Think about how amazing that is.  Now think about the reverence that you show with respect to that amazing fact of your new life in Christ.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was some physical – visible change when you accepted Jesus .. .when you were born again by the Spirit?  

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” - John 3: 4-8

Nicodemus didn’t understand because even though he was a teacher of the precepts of God, he only had a natural understanding of the facts he was teaching.  Be careful that you don’t make the same mistake.  The Spirit of God will give you understanding but only if you seek it.  If you rely on yourself and your culture you will miss it and struggle in your Christian life.  

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

God With Us Is The God Who Saves Us

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14

As I listened to a sermon recently, and it was if pieces to a puzzle were being fitted into place. It was not something that I did not know, but something that I did not see - until that moment. Of course, the verse in Isaiah is a prophecy about Jesus or should I say Immanuel - meaning God with us. Not God, the Father, that no man has seen. (John 1:18) It was His Son that the Father sent that the world has seen. (John 3:16) 

"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” - Luke 1:30-33

His name is Immanuel and His name is Jesus - Yeshua - God who is our salvation - Jesus - God with us Who is our salvation. The two names go together like a hand in a glove. Do you see the puzzle pieces fitting together? Perhaps that is old news to you. To me is was old - but newly refreshed news. But like the TV commercial says, "Wait - there's more!" 

Jesus returned to the Father after His resurrection.

"And I [Jesus] will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans." - John 14:16-18

Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born again of the Spirit. Something that could not and would not happen until Jesus had ascended and the Spirit had descended.  The Spirit is in every one who confesses the name of Jesus. The Spirit of God is the seal of God's promise of salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14) and the means by which we are connected to God the Father by faith in God the Son. 

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." - John 14:25-26

So we celebrate God the Father sending His Son (John 3:16) so that we might be saved from the penalty of sin and adopted as children of God. To be adopted means that Someone who is not your father has adopted you as His own. 

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." - 1 John 3:1-3

Now that is something to celebrate!

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Not Called To Do Everything But Called To Do Something

For Christ did not send me [Paul] to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. - 1 Corinthians 1:17

Paul said he was to be all thing to all men (1 Corinthians 9:22), but that did not mean that he was to do everything that came to mind but to be aware of what God had called him to be and do. He was called to preach the Gospel. There were other things that he could do but should not do because that was not in his God-given swim lane.

So - do you know what your purpose is? We each have one you know. I think each of us has a primary purpose in the body of Christ. 

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. .... But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. - 1 Corinthians 12:7,18-20

What that means is our new life in Christ is more than being saved - born again. As if that were not enough! That is only the beginning. We each have a place in the Body and corporately we are a testimony to the world. Witness to God's love and provision for eternal life by faith in His Son. 

So don't be content with being a Christian in name only - but find your place and purpose to fulfill your calling. 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11

For many the question is not are they staying in their swim lane - the question is - "Are they swimming?" There are many that never get their feet wet - they just watch from the bleachers. Just because you are not a preacher or a missionary does not mean that you don't have a purpose in God's plan. 

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ....For the body does not consist of one member but of many.  If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?  But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. - 1 Corinthians 12:4-7,14-18

So my encouragement to you is to jump in - the water's fine!

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Living Way Different

And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship - Acts 19:23-27

The WAY is what the Christian faith was called before people who professed Jesus as Messiah were called Christians in Antioch. Recall Jesus words.

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. - John 14:5-6

So what were the men upset about? They were going to lose money because people were no longer worshipping false gods and that was the source of their livelihood.

So what does it mean to live according to the Way? To follow Jesus. It is contrary to the consensus of the culture you live in.   There is so much that the world says is right that God says is wrong. 

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [what the world loves]. - Matthew 6:24

Don't believe the lie that you can do both. No - you must abandon one to embrace the other.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. -  Matthew 16:24

So what does it mean to deny yourself? That is to deny your old nature. Those things in your life that are contrary to the Word of God. Are there things in your life that you know are contrary to your new life in Christ that linger? Things that you are comfortable with? We are to take up our cross. So what is the Cross that we are to carry? Remember what Paul wrote in Romans 12?

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. - Romans 12:1-2

Paul wrote to the church in Galatia

For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. - Galatians 2:19-20

That is an intentional or deliberate act. It is something that you think through and then die to your old nature. It is not something that you can do on your own.  Only by the power of God in you. By faith and submission to the Spirit of God. You live in the Way by the spiritual power you received on the day you were born again. It is the only way you can do it. It is not a "one and done", but something that you do everyday - maybe every hour or minute or second. Be alert! Your old nature is waiting for the opportunity to rule - to reassert itself. 

As a Christian you are to live Way different.

I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,  that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ [is] confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 1:4-8

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone