Tuesday, December 22, 2015

I'll Give It to Him

A song that really hit me the other day. Sung by the Yoder Family in their album "In the Saviour's Hands". Their voices are amazing. They sound a bit like the Esh Family. A lot of feeling. So genuine!

Recommended! Find a copy at Living Waters Christian Bookstore.



I’ll Give It to Him
by Trevor Toews © 2002

Teardrops are falling and troubles are dragging me down;
Voices are calling, the devil is lurking around;
Downhill is easy, to yield only leads into sin;
Jesus is telling me I should just give it to him.

Chorus:
I’ll give it to Him
Who knows what I need;
Jesus the answer and joy of my life,
Whose yoke is so easy and burden so light.
I’ll give it to Him,
And He’ll make it right.

Dreams are all shattered and hope is forsaking my soul;
Things that once mattered are moving beyond my control;
Friendships are failing and loved ones are living in sin;
I have no comfort unless I just give it to Him.

Casting my care on the Lord, I am filled with His joy;
Peace and contentment that no earthly thought can destroy;
Life is a vict’ry that Jesus is helping me win;
I can be happy if I can just give it to Him.

Saturday, November 21, 2015

The Mix - The Big Lie

The forbidden fruit did not give discernment between good and evil. 
It provided a way to mix good and evil.
The tree and the fruit are very much alive today!


Friday, October 2, 2015

Is Communion, the Lord's Supper, the same as the Roman Catholic mass?

By tiramistudio from freedigitalphotos.net

This article by Light House Trails Research (Click here to read) explains the difference between the Lord's Supper and the Roman Catholic mass in the context of a report on the Roman Catholic Church's current evangelistic efforts to reach unbelievers and separated brethren, which are all those who are not part of the Roman Catholic Church.

It's important that we know the difference, and not fall into C.S. Lewis' serious misconception that Communion, Mass, the Lord's Supper, are all terms used to describe the same thing:

There are three things that spread the Christ life to us: baptism, belief, and that mysterious action which different Christians call by different names— Holy Communion, the Mass, the Lord’s Supper. At least, those are the three ordinary methods.
(C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity,  Kindle location 1123)

Note that Lewis, even as an Anglican, believed the Roman Catholic doctrine of sacramental communion, which taught that by participating in the Mass one receives "the Christ life". In fact, the Mass is a religious service in which an idol (the host) is set up in front of the congregation to represent Christ (Rome says it is in fact Christ Himself!), and everyone is invited to worship it.

But the Bible says, "flee from idolatry" (1 Cor. 10:14), and "What communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (2 Cor. 6:14-18).

Friends, love God and keep Christ's commandments. And love the Roman Catholics, and share Christ's truth with them!

A Vital Issue

Photo by prozac1 from freedigitalphotos.net
Friends, I'm convinced we live in a time where tares have been sown among the good seed. Few seem to notice, or care, and the good seed is suffering. I've been reading a book published in 1987, and I believe much of what it says has never been truer than today.

Following is an excerpt from the book, which summarizes a situation I think many churches face today. When the flock is not nourished, cared for, and led the way Christ commanded, the sheep look for other shepherds and vets. If each of us steps out, stands up, and speaks out in truth and love, we will be able to have a church whose Husband one day will come and find her pure and blameless in the sight of God. But if we neglect the Word and the flock, and walk about indifferently as if we have nothing to improve, nothing to repent of, and nothing more to learn as a church and as individuals, we will continue to have sheep without a shepherd, wandering in darkness, seeking for what they could have easily had if some of us would just quit playing church, and begin doing church as Christ commanded.

I welcome your comments and questions since you are not able to see the context of this excerpt. I am certainly not against counselling from the Word of God; in fact, I believe (as the author says at the end of this excerpt), counselling and discipleship should be as much a part of the ministry of the church as preaching and teaching, and many other things the church does. The Bible says that it pleased God to use the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe, but preaching, as essential as it is, is not a set of irresistible magical spells that change a person the moment it is heard. Preaching the Word must be followed by careful counselling and discipleship (and exemplary modelling). Otherwise, we will continue to be puzzled, and wonder why so many nice people throw up their hands and don't choose to stay in our church to make a difference in the right direction.


A Vital Issue

In summary, by accepting a “new interpretation” of the Bible that comes from outside and cannot be supported by Scriptures themselves, the church has embraced an alien gospel administered by a new class of priests supported by humanistic authority. With its own vocabulary and rituals and academic knowledge, this new clergy has gained authority over those who know only God and His Word and are thus no longer qualified to counsel from Scripture. That long-established function has taken on new meaning: It now involves the diagnosis of psychological problems and psychological solutions and must therefore be under the direction of those trained in this art. No one can appeal to the Scriptures as a means of correcting this new priestly class, because they alone hold the keys to a vital part of “God’s truth” that supplements the Bible.

In fairness to the Christian psychologists, most of them have been motivated by the genuine desire to help the many hurting people who are not receiving the care and guidance they ought to have from their brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. One of the most desperate needs within the church is for personal and family and marriage counseling—but it must be biblical and not psychological. For this need to be supplied, the church must be willing to support biblical counselors who can thereby provide the necessary help without charging for it. Many young people sense a call of God upon their lives to work in this vital area, but the only possibility for support is to charge a fee—which means that they must be licensed by the state and therefore conform to secular standards of education and competency. The church must provide adequate training in biblical counseling, yet at the present almost nothing of this nature is available. Christian colleges and seminaries have succumbed to the pressure to be accredited by secular agencies, and the academic courses in “pastoral counseling” are therefore generally heavily weighted with psychology.

It would be unthinkable for the state to license and impose such control over those who preach and teach from Scriptures. Yet we consider it normal for those whom we expect to counsel from the Bible to be regulated in this way. Only when the church considers counseling of individuals to be as important as preaching to and teaching congregations will biblical counseling take its rightful place in the church. Until then the best of sermons will unfortunately continue to turn to psychologists for lack of the real solution being put into practice by the local church.

The healing of broken lives, moreover, cannot be accomplished by an hour of counseling once or even several times a week. It can take place only in the context of the caring and loving family of God, the body of Christ concerned for the welfare of each member. There ought to be older couples, mature in the Lord and leading exemplary, Spirit-filled lives of leadership, who will give the time and expend the effort to take under their wing younger couples who may be having marital or financial problems. Again it is an individual matter: Revival begins with each of us. We dare not wait for someone else to say or do what is needed, but each of us before the Lord must step out in the leading and power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill that ministry to which God has called us. God’s Word enjoins us:
“Warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14).
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort therewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (w Corinthians 1:3, 4).
“Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

We are spending considerable time on this issue because it is vitally important that we understand how we got to the present impasse.  If we are to return to a biblical Christianity, then we must undo what has already been done. We must cease adding to and taking away from the Bible. God has specifically forbidden this and has prescribed heavy penalties for it, yet we have violated His command and are reaping the inevitable results.

-David Hunt, Beyond Seduction: A Return to Biblical Christianity.
Harvest House Publishing (1987), pp. 144-145


What do you think? Is any of this something you have seen in your experience? What are you doing to make a difference, and make the church more like what Christ intended it to be?

Sunday, August 9, 2015

My Sunday School Memories

This is something I shared at our church's Sunday School picnic on August 3, 2015.

Photo by Stuart Miles (freedigitalphotos.com)

          I used to be a little boy just like many of you here today. I played with toys, I had pets, and I loved biking and climbing trees. I loved to play with water and get muddy. And I enjoyed admiring nature—the tall trees that whispered when a storm was coming, the colorful birds that filled the trees and the summer skies, and the clumsy tadpoles that swam in a pond or ditch somewhere. And I also enjoyed hearing Bible stories and going to Sunday School.
At home, on Sheldon Ave. in Kitchener, we had a large mirror in the front entrance. I was probably five, and I remember going up to it sometimes, and making all sorts of ugly faces. I would stretch my mouth or my eyes, stick my tongue out, push my nose up. And I loved doing that. Why was that so much fun? I don’t know. But my grandma never liked it when I did it. When she’d catch me, she would say: “Edy, dejá de hacer eso, que te va a quedar así la cara”. (Stop doing that, or your face will stay that way!”) I don’t think I really believed her, but I wanted to behave, because I loved her bed-time stories.
         You know, even if today my mouth does not look like a frog’s, or my nose like a pig’s, there is a lesson to be learned from my grandma’s scoldings. As we grow older, some of the things we do as children can become bad habits that are hard to break. If we lie when we’re young, we will likely lie more when we’re older. When we get used to disobeying when we’re 6, we will likely disobey worse when we’re 12. But the things our godly parents and Sunday School teachers tell us as we’re growing up, can really help us develop good habits, so that when we are 10, 12, 15, it’s easier for us to turn our life to Jesus.
         For example, when I was very young, I had the bright idea that if I bit my finger nails, Mom would not have to trim them anymore. Ridiculous! Isn’t it? And yet today, at 31, biting my finger nails is a habit I have a lot of trouble shaking off. When I read something interesting, I bite my nails. When I’m nervous, I bite my nails. When I’m impatient, I bite my nails. It’s not a serious problem, but it’s not such a great habit. Let’s listen to our parents and Sunday School teachers when we are young. Believe me: life will be much better for you if you do!

My experience with Sunday School is divided into different periods, because our family moved several times. But today I will mostly focus on my earlier Sunday School years.
I was born in Canada, so my first glimpses of Sunday School were at the Apostolic Christian Church in Kitchener. The way they did it there (and still do), on Sunday mornings the young people ages 5 to 14 go to the basement for Sunday School. When you are finished at 14, they give you a thin book with the history of the Apostolic Christian Church, and with your name engraved on it. And then you get to go upstairs, and sit in church with the adults.
         In 1991, our family moved to South America. Argentina was where my Gutwein great-grandfather found refuge for refusing to take up arms in Europe. It was where my grandparents and parents were born. And it was where I lived for over 7 years until I was 14. I went to school there from Grades 2 to 9, and made a lot of Spanish friends.
The other week I asked my grandfather if they had Sunday School when he was young. That would have been around 1938, right before World War II. He said, “Yes, we had Sunday School. I remember when I was six, we had Sunday School and church in the country, which was where we lived.” He listed a few names of people that used to come. I asked him if there were any community people, and he said, “Yes, there were some”. And then he explained that in those days, the church group we belonged to brought their children to Sunday School at 11 am. And while the children had Sunday School, the adults had a member’s meeting. At twelve everyone had lunch, and after that, they had two services in the afternoon. That’s how they did it. You need to remember that way back, travel was more difficult, and it made more sense to do two services back to back, instead of one in the morning and one in the evening. And later they continued doing that for many years. That’s my theory. Later, they built a meeting house in town, where they more or less kept the same service format for many years. In 1991, when I was seven, it was still the same, except for the member’s meeting. And services were held later, starting at 5 pm.
        
Back in Argentina, a typical Sunday morning probably went something like this:
We got up in the morning and had breakfast early enough to be ready and waiting for the Sunday School pickup truck. Breakfast in our culture was very light. Later, when I came to Canada, it was strange to hear about eggs, and bacon, and potatoes for breakfast. That was like supper for us!! We had hot chocolate, tea, or milk coffee for drink. We were not used to sliced bread like here. We ate a lot of French bread—fat crunchy sticks, with soft, spongy dough on the inside. We ate it at breakfast, and often with food at lunch and supper. For breakfast, on the bread we spread butter, and fruit jam, honey, or as a treat, a sort of caramel milk spread called “dulce de leche” (milk jam). That was it. Milk and bread. Our family rarely had cereal.
         Soon, the Sunday School pickup truck came around. You see, since the Sunday School children were more than 60% community people, and mostly from poor families, the young men from church would drive around town picking everyone up. I wonder how different our Sunday School would be with 60% more children who came from non-Christian families. I remember jumping in the back of the pickup, choosing a spot on either side, and wiping the dust as I sat down on one of the padded benches. We probably piled up to 20 children in there. Sounds crazy, but that’s how we did it!
         Just picture bumping along some dusty road, like a motor-boat in choppy water, in the back of a pickup crowded with impatient, sweaty children. The benches were full, and I remember clearly that at times some of us had to crouch on the floor. It was not the most pleasant ride. I also remember that sometimes, when we could hardly take the heat and the bumps and the dust, the driver and his privileged passengers could hear a cranky little tune from the back that went like this: “¡Chofer, Chofer! Apúrese el motor, ¡que en esta cafetera nos morimos de calor!” (Driver, driver. Rev up the motor, that in this coffee maker we are dying from the heat!” (For some reason, “coffee maker” was used for a rickety old vehicle, but it also did fit the heat and stickiness of the ride).
        
         When we finally got to our little white church in town, we were ready to jump out, and run in. The iron gate would open. We would run into the small backyard and played until the rest of the children arrived. Down there it is common to see properties surrounded by brick walls, topped with glass shards to discourage people from climbing over. This is how it was at the church too. All sides were surrounded by a 7-foot wall.
         Before Sunday School, all the students lined up on the grass according to their grade. Sometimes we would struggle a bit to be the first in line, and I’m sure it was hard for the teachers to get everyone to stay still and be quiet. Once we were settled, we sang two or three songs. One song I remember singing was, “Soldado soy de Jesús” (I’m a Soldier of Jesus) (Tune: I’m In the Lord’s Army”)
Soldado soy de Jesús
Soldado soy de Jesús
Aunque no ande en la infantería
caballería, artillería;
Aunque en avión no vaya volando,
Pero soldado soy.

         The Sunday School hour was similar to what we’re familiar here. We did some singing, went through our Bible lesson, and gave money for the offering. We sang songs like, “Jonás no le hizo caso” (Jonah Did Not Obey), “Este es el día” (This Is the Day), and “Esta lucecita” (This Little Light of Mine). My teacher would pick up her guitar and we would sing:
Esta lucecita la dejaré brillar 
Esta lucecita la dejaré brillar 
Esta lucecita la dejaré brillar 
Brillará, brillará, brillará. 

En México y Perú la dejaré brillar 
Colombia y Venezuela la dejaré brillar 
Honduras, Nicaragua la dejaré brillar 
Brillará, brillará, brillará. 

We didn’t have individual Sunday School books like we have here. If I remember correctly, as adolescents we may have gotten photocopies of the lessons, with questions for us to answer at home. And then we would discuss them the next class. We sang songs like, “Mansión gloriosa” (I’ve Got a Mansion), “Tu fidelidad es grande” (Your Faithfulness Is So Great), and “Encuentro con Dios” (I Want to Have a Meeting With God). And this song I will leave for at the end.
        
         Here I would like to pause for a moment, and ask myself the question: What does Sunday School really mean to me? I’m sure my view of Sunday School changed over time, but today, what are my thoughts about Sunday School in general?
         To me, Sunday School is a place where we can find a deeper understanding of God’s will in God’s Word. It’s not really a place for entertainment, or a time to waste away with endless speculations, but it’s a tremendous opportunity to learn absolute Bible truths that cleanse our thinking, purify our speech, and transform our way of life.
         Sunday School is not a replacement for a father and mother’s duty to teach God’s Word to their children. It’s not babysitting (though it may feel like it sometimes). It’s not something we do simply because it’s part of the church program, and we have to labor hard to fill 20 or so minutes of time, and quickly move on to the next thing. 
         It’s a time for delving deep into the things of Christ. It’s a time for meditating on the greatness of God, on the seriousness of disobeying His commandments, and on the peace and joy we have when we live in His will. It’s a time for listening to others, and a time for sharing what God has taught us in His Word. It’s a place for encouragement, commitment, and growth.

         Back to the typical Sunday morning in Argentina: At the end of the Sunday School class, children were given a slip of paper with a Bible verse to take home, in hopes that their parents also would read it. Then, we returned to the church yard, and we lined up again for the second time. We sang a song, prayed, and everyone got a couple candies to eat on the ride home.
        
         The ride home! As you might have guessed, my brother and I were the last ones to get dropped off. So, at the beginning of the day, we got to see every spot on the bench get filled as we stopped at each house. And on the way back, we saw the benches get emptier and emptier, as everyone was dropped off at their homes, and finally, after one last bump on the road, we saw the big pine tree on our front lawn, the flat little house where we lived, and through the barred window, my Dad cooking dinner.
         Here I should explain that later on, my mom also came along and helped teach Sunday School. (At that time we rode in a nicer Volkwagen van, with comfy seats.) Since all services happened in the evening between March and November, my Dad stayed home while his family was gone, and had some good dinner waiting for us when we returned. Again, our culture was a bit different. We normally didn’t have roast beef and potatoes for Sunday dinner, like here. A delicious dinner was a homemade pizza, or spaghetti and sauce, or meat pie, or albondiga burgers and mashed potatoes. And Dad knew how to cook any of these dishes.
         The other day I reminded Dad about this, and he said, “Yes, I used to cook on Sundays, and at the same time I would take notes for the evening sermon.” I’m not sure if this is how our preachers do it here too. As long as they don’t confuse their sermon outline with their recipe instructions! Or else someone may end up having roast preacher for dinner!
        
         There would be many more things to say, but I think we’ll leave it at that. And now, the song I promised you earlier:
         The translation goes like this:
         In this happy day, in this holy place,
         I want to have a meeting with God.
         His love is for real, and his peace I will feel.
         I want to have a meeting with God.
                  I want to have a meeting with God,
                  In this holy place of prayer.
                  His love is for real, and His peace I will feel.
                  I want to have a meeting with God.

En este día feliz, en este santo lugar,
         Quiero tener un encuentro con Dios.
         Su amor es real, y su paz gozaré.
         Quiero tener un encuentro con Dios.
                  Quiero tener un encuentro con Dios,
                  En este santo lugar de oración.
                  Su amor es real, y su paz gozaré.
                  Quiero tener un encuentro con Dios.

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Ye Shall Never Fall

This is something I shared this morning at Livingston Manor in Listowel, ON.

Text: II Peter 1:1-11

This week I’ve been trying to memorize II Peter 1:3, and while looking for something to share this morning, this verse came to mind again. And as I read the context, I was deeply impressed by Peter’s message. Several statements stand out, and we will look at them shortly, but one that is very outstanding is found in verse 11: “If ye do these things, ye shall never fall”.

Do we really understand what this means? “Ye shall never fall”. The Bible promises that if we do what it tells us to do, we will never fall. Do I believe this? Do you? What does it mean to fall? And what is it that we need to do in order to avoid falling?

Let's read the text first (II Peter 1:1-11). And as we read, notice the words “through” and “whereby”.

The first “through” is found in verse 1. “To them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”. This tells me that true faith does not happen apart from righteousness. We cannot say that we have faith, that we are Christians, if we deny God’s righteousness; if we don’t live according to His righteousness. A person of faith is a person of righteousness —Jesus Christ’s righteousness.

Another important teaching found in verse 1 is that the Christian faith is obtained. We are not born with it. We can’t say we are Christians simply because we were born in a Christian home, or because we were baptized in a Christian church. Faith must be obtained by accepting God’s righteousness, and living by it. We must be born again in order to see the Kingdom of God. Faith is not inherited; faith is obtained by personal choice, by personal repentance, by a personal acknowledgment that we were born sinners, in utter need of redemption.

The second “through” happens in verse 2. It says: “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord”. Grace is the kindness God shows us, to save us from sin and hell, and to fill us with power to live a godly life. Peace speaks of tranquility and harmony in the soul. This verse tells me that if I want grace and peace, I will find it as I get to know God. The more I know God, the more grace and peace I will receive. The only way to know God today is by reading His Word and allowing God’s Spirit to teach us from it. The Bible is the only book that reveals who God is. The more I absorb God’s Word, the more I know God.

The third “through” is found in verse 3. It says that all things pertaining to life and godliness are given to us “through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue”. The Bible says that we have been given absolutely all we need to live a godly life. This tells me that we have no excuse for being failing Christians. God has provided everything —all the instructions and all the power— in order for us to live victorious and abundant Christian lives. He has given us absolutely everything we need to know in order to live above bitterness, above unforgiveness, above immorality, above every sin we might think of. It seems too good to be true. But it is true! The Bible says that we are “more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37). We must believe it. We don’t have to be saved by the skin of our teeth. We have been rescued to live full, abundant lives that radiate God’s glory and love to others. Am I, are you living in this way?

This verse says it again. All these things come “through” knowing Christ. Essentially, everything we need for an abundant Christian life is found in the Bible. We are deprived of nothing. The Bible informs us how to be saved, how to find forgiveness, and how to forgive. It teaches us how to relate to our parents, our children, our siblings, our neighbours, our enemies, and our government.  It shows us how to deal with real life problems, no matter how young or how old we are; no matter who we are, what job we have, or where we find ourselves in life. The Bible has everything. And if we read it, believe and obey it in faith, we will find the right answers to life’s problems.

The word “whereby” in verse 4, also means “through” (or “through which”), and it refers to the previous verse. Through God’s Word we receive great and precious promises, by which, in turn, we share God’s nature. This is pretty amazing! God loved the world so much that He gave us all the resources, and all the power we need for our daily life. And not only this; He enables us to share in His nature. We are able to reflect God’s love, holiness, and righteousness in practical ways. Man was created in God’s image, and sin marred that image. But today we can be restored to reflect that divine image and character.

As we read through these verses, we already notice that Peter is trying to impress us with the idea of “building up” or “adding on”, as we move from verse to verse. Faith comes through God’s righteousness. After faith, comes grace, peace, and everything in God’s Word that enables us to live a godly life. After this come God’s great promises, and the sharing of His divine nature.

And then we continue in verse 5, where Peter says, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue…” and we continue to see this idea of adding on, building up, moving up in maturity. In fact, he concludes the whole letter with the same thought: “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (3:18). The Christian life is way more than simply getting saved. It involves constant growth, constant upward movement, constant renewal. Romans 12:12: “..be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”.  

And so, to faith we must add virtue; to virtue, knowledge, to knowledge, temperance; to temperance patience; and to patience godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, charity or love.

Verse 8 is another of those astounding statements, that we just have to believe in faith, because it is humanly impossible outside of God’s enabling power: “If these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”. If faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, and so on, are in us and abound, we will be diligent and fruitful in knowing Christ. In other words, there will be no hindrance in getting to know Jesus.

Do I want to know Jesus? Do you? Then these things need to be a part of our life. Verse 9 is clear that if we lack these things, we are blind and shortsighted. In fact, we have forgotten the great miracle of cleansing God performed in our life at conversion. When we fail to grow in our Christian life, when we fail to add on to our faith, when we fail to build up ourselves on our most holy faith (Jude 1:20), we lose purpose in life, we lose victory, and possibly our faith in the end. Constant diligence is of the essence.

In fact, verse 10 brings this out. “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall”. It’s a promise. If we are diligent, we will not fall from the faith. If we are diligent, we will be fruitful and more than conquerors. And in the end (verse 11), “an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”; as Revelation also says, “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (21:7).

I would like to leave off with the words of a song, but first I want to say this. Through His Word, God has revealed Himself, He has given us all the instructions and the advice we need to get through life, He has given us the power to be more than conquerors, and has given us great and precious promises for this life and the next… What else do we think we need? When we experience trouble or grief in life, why do we turn to other things for advice, comfort, or help? Why do we keep searching elsewhere for what is all found in the Word of God?

Once, after being abandoned by many followers, Jesus asked His disciples, “Will you also go away?” And Peter said: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:67-68). When we have trouble in life, when we fear, when we think we are starting to fall away, come to Jesus, turn to His Word. He has the words of eternal life.

The song is called, What About Now?

You may tell me a date, and tell of a place,
When you walked an aisle, and you first prayed.
And you’ll quickly point to that moment in time,
If someone should ask what God’s done in your life.
I’m sure you’d agree that life’s where He lives;
There will be proof if we’re truly His.
So please hear my heart, and know I’m your friend,
But please take this moment to look deep within.
Are you loving God, and hating your sin?
Please don’t depend on some year way back when.

Do you take time to know Him? Is your spirit stirred
To hear and obey His Holy Word?
I’m not here to judge, or to cause any doubt;
Just want you to look at the faith you live out.
It’s not about a prayer you repeated one time;
Joining a church or tears that you’ve cried.

Do you love God and others? Are you drawn to His Word?
Do you feel convicted of sin? Are you sharing the Good News?
Forsaking what’s wrong? Have you stood faithful and strong?

Chorus:
What about now? What about now?
Is there evidence seen by those you’re around
That He’s your Savior, and your Lord beyond any doubt,
Not just somewhere in your past somehow?

What about now?

(Written by Jim Brady, Barry Weeks, Tony Wood; Brady House Publishing/New Spring/
SONY/ATV/Songs from Exit 71/Building Bridge)

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Any More from Heaven?

       The dictionary is a book with authority. If two persons have a disagreement about the meaning of a word, the dictionary has the power to settle it, because its definitions have been approved by language authorities. But one can see how the authority of the dictionary has been extended, enlarged, and changed over the years. A current dictionary has more words than a dictionary from a hundred years ago. The meaning of some words today is different than a century or two ago. The dictionary never seems to be complete, and it doesn’t remain current for very long. It must change as language changes.
     Unlike the dictionary, the Bible does not change with time, nor does it lose its authority or power. God said He would protect His Word so that no one could harm it. David said that God’s Word is settled in heaven forever (Psalms 119:89), a place where neither moth nor rust can cause damage, nor thieves can break in and steal (Matthew 6:20). This does not mean the Bible will only be preserved in heaven, because what good is God’s Message if man cannot have access to it here on earth? No, God also keeps His words safe here on earth from generation to generation. Today we have the same words God gave to holy men hundreds and thousands of years ago, and we can read them, and study them, and live by them. “Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever” (Psalms 12:7). Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).


     Although God revealed his will progressively over thousands of years, there came a time when He had said everything He needed to say to man. In the last book of the Bible, He says that if anyone dares to add to its words, or take away from them, He will punish him with terrible plagues, and take away his salvation (Revelation 22:18, 19). This is a terrible sin to commit. Since Revelation was the last book of the Bible, this meant there would be no more books, or chapters, or verses, or words to be added.
     The Bible declares that God’s Word is perfect and complete. It has all that man needs to please Him, and live an abundant and victorious life. Second Peter 1:3 is one such verse: “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” Another one is 2 Timothy 3:16-17: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
     The abundant life declared in these Scriptures is not just a nice thought, or an experience reserved for “super” Christians. This is for every single Christian who believes God’s Word and obeys it (Romans 3:22).  Isn’t this wonderful! God made sure the Bible had everything we needed today! However, we must not receive the words of the Bible as the words of men, but as what they really are—the Word of God. “Ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Ephesians 1:19 says that God’s mighty power will work with “exceeding greatness” in us if we believe.  The Bible that we hold in our hands today has enough power to change us and give us life abundant if only we believe it!
     While today the modern Christian counselling movement has sadly influenced many to believe that the Bible does not have all the answers we need to have an abundant Christian life full of joy, the Apostle John tells us that the things he had written were able to give us full joy (1 John 1:4). God said it. Do we believe it?
     The Bible shows us further that from the start God has given us through His Word everything we needed to withstand Satan’s temptations, and remain standing at the end of our trials. Read about the armour of God in Ephesians 6. There we find that God has already provided us with a complete armor. If we wear the whole armour of God, we will “be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” and “to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (verses 11 and 13). What more do we need? If God was able to make all grace “abound to every good work” for the early church believers (2 Corinthians 9:8), can He not do the same for us today? Sure He can, and He does! We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us!
     Therefore, God will not add any more content to His Word. He will not give us any further revelation than what He has already given us in the Bible. Unlike our dictionary, the content of this Book does not need to be changed or modified. In fact, it is the other way around. We ourselves must be changed and sanctified by it: “[Christ gave himself for the church] that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:26). Do you believe without a shadow of a doubt that God’s Spirit will use the Bible, and only the Bible, to cleanse you from every uncleanness and sin in your life if you are willing? Nothing else can do this for you.

What Is Adding or Taking Away?
     We tend to think that adding or taking away from Scripture only means adding or omitting words from the Bible. But it actually begins before that. Following the illustration in the introduction, how does a dictionary get modified? First, a group of people change the meaning of a word, and use it frequently in their speech. Next, other groups of people adopt it, until finally, the vast majority of people use the new meaning. This is when language authorities consider modifying the dictionary, because the new meaning has become so widespread.
     Something similar happens with God’s Word. When a person receives extra-biblical[1] information through a vision, a dream, or from an angel, it does not get added immediately to the Bible (that would be too obvious!), and seldom does this happen. It is spread to others by word of mouth, broadcasted through the radio and the TV, printed in books and magazines, and preached across the pulpits. But the fact that some Christians have visions, or receive messages from angels does not mean God has been communicating with them. Matthew 7:22 declares that hell-bound people can prophesy, cast out demons, and perform miracles. Many people in both Christianity and pagan religions receive messages from the spirit world, but that does not mean they come from God.
     The Bible says clearly, “If he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him” (2 Corinthians 11:4). There are three “anothers” here. The second and third “another” mean another kind (Gr. heteros) of spirit and gospel (e.g. different as in an apple and an orange). The first “another” means another of the same kind, which looks identical in many ways (e.g. another as in an apple and another apple). False teachers preach a Jesus who, at first sight, is identical to the real Jesus. The only Jesus we must follow is the Jesus of Scripture.
     Galatians 1:8 pronounces a curse on anyone, even an apostle or an angel from heaven, who preaches any other gospel. The verse can also be translated as follows. “Though we or an angel from heaven preach a gospel besides (Gr. para; as in parallel) that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed”. Therefore, a parallel gospel or word from God means extra-biblical revelation that agrees with Scripture! An example is when Satan tempted Jesus. He actually quoted Scripture word for word, but it stood for another parallel gospel meant to deceive. This should not come as a surprise, because “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
     Another example of this is the demonized man Jesus encountered in the synagogue. Evil spirits had revealed to him things that were true and agreed with Scripture. He said, “I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God” (Luke 3:34). That a vision portrays something that is true is not proof enough that it comes from God. The same applies to extra-biblical revelation that agrees with Scripture.
     Someone asked this question: “If the Devil only quoted Scripture, would you allow him to preach over your pulpit?” What did Jesus say to him? “Get thee hence Satan”. All this teaches us that we should not only reject extra-biblical revelation that disagrees with Scripture, but also reject that which agrees with Scripture. We are warned to contend for the “faith once delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3), lest we fall under God’s curse. It’s not speaking of a faith given to the saints once upon a time, but a faith that was delivered once and for all. No more revelation is needed.
     Suppose someone would say, “But this doesn’t mean we can’t receive other revelations from God, besides the Bible. We simply may not add them to the Bible” However, this seems to defeat God’s purpose for prohibiting additions to the Bible. God has given us all the instruction we need to find His will, and live a godly life. And to accept any extra-biblical revelation would be to deny the sufficiency of Scripture, and undermine the finality of biblical authority.[2] Dare we say that, while we may not add revelation to the “Bible” itself, we are free to publish it in another book on the side? Of course not; that would be absurd. God condemns all extra-biblical revelation. Claiming any further revelation as divinely inspired opens the door to the awful influence of deceiving spirits, and puts us dangerously close to the curse of Revelation 22.
     Are we in any way limiting God by saying that He does not give any further revelation? Not in the least. We must simply limit ourselves to what God has said in His Word.

Ways of Adding or Taking Away
     We know that adding or taking away from Scripture can mean altering the words of the actual Bible, as when a translator adds or omits words from it. But, as we have said a few paragraphs before, it can also happen when people accept and spread extra-biblical revelations that disagree with Scripture, as well as agree with Scripture.
     The obvious manifestations of adding or taking away are when people receive dreams and visions, or hear voices that teach things that disagree with Scripture. We may wonder who would fall for this type of deception. But surprisingly, there are many sincere believers who follow a Charismatic type of persuasion that actually believe this way. Some say they don’t worship the Book, that the voice of the Spirit is greater than the Bible, and that we shouldn’t limit God by a book (i.e. the Bible). In these circles, leaders caution people not to think too deeply and not to read the Bible. Amazing, but true! It is sad that so many sincere people are ensnared by this, and are in danger of God’s judgement.
     Other ways of adding or taking away can be more subtle. It can take the form of sincere believers, and even children, receiving dreams and visions that depict scenes in Heaven, Jesus, and concepts that do not necessarily contradict Scripture, but are not revealed in Scripture. This would fall into the category of extra-biblical revelation that seems to agree with Scripture. But as we have seen, this also is condemned by God. The Bible says that Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). Many are the things that could arise from human imagination or demonic suggestion that do not appear to contradict revealed truth, but cannot be proven or disproven. God deliberately chose to limit revelation, and gave us everything we needed to have life abundant. He does not reveal any more, because He has revealed all that is necessary.
     Furthermore, at a public level, and in a more indirect way, adding or taking away can occur when preachers, teachers, and authors twist Scripture to fit their own desires and lifestyles, and teach a gospel that suits the whims of their audience and readers. It happens when religious people refuse to take a stand against false doctrine, and ignore Scriptures that convict them of sin.
     It can also happen at a personal level. When an individual knows he is living in sin, or holds to a false idea, in essence, he can add or take away from Scripture, by ignoring or twisting the Bible where it doesn’t agree with his lifestyle. But the Bible condemns this very harshly:
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20-21).

Why Do People Add or Take Away?
     In 2 Timothy 4:3-4, God teaches us that a time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine. They will seek out teachers that will teach them exactly what they want to hear, and will not listen to the truth. They will turn to fables, or myths (muthos). And they will do this because of their own lusts. Evil desires are a very common reason why Christians turn away from the truth, and accept twisted teachings and false gospels. This is why they turn to made-up stories about Creation, the nature of man, sin, Heaven, and many other things.  Friends, this is happening today, and in our circles!
     Many Christians allow themselves to be in a tough predicament. They know that the Bible condemns current extra-biblical revelation, but they also sense the sincerity of those who have had them[3]. This becomes more apparent when the subject is a child. We assume that a child is innocent and sincere, and will not be touched by Satan. And understandably so, it is difficult for us to grasp why God would allow Satan to influence or possess young innocent children, but Scripture is clear that these things do happen. One example is found in Matthew 17:18. But we must not be deceived by Christian sincerity or childhood innocence. In Matthew 7:22, those who appeared before God said they had prophesied in His name, cast out demons in His name, and even performed miracles in His name. But God said, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity”. Sincerity and miracles do not prove that something comes from God.
     Another reason for accepting extra-biblical revelation may be simply a lack of faith. When we don’t believe that God carefully inspired His Word so that today we have everything we need to live a godly and victorious life, then we will tend to look for other things that make us feel more spiritual or more blessed. We will start to believe that seeing miracles or visions of angels and Heaven will increase our faith. But the Bible doesn’t say “blessed are those who experience miracles or see Jesus”; rather, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

     Not unlike the dictionary, the Bible is a book with authority. Each and every word in the Bible is what gives the Bible its authority. Its pages are full of different statements that speak to many subjects in life. It also contains repeated statements meant to give God’s words proper weight in their place and context in Scripture. Taking away any words, even repeated statements, is condemned by God. Likewise, adding any words, even if they agree with Scripture, comes under God’s severe judgment. The canon of Scripture is closed. Therefore, while the dictionary needs to be constantly updated, the authority of God’s Word is complete. We must only believe it in order for it to have power in our lives, for there is no more revelation from Heaven than that which has been given us in the Bible.
     “Unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Hebrews 4:2). May we be among those who mix God’s Word with faith, and someday will hear His blessed words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (Matthew 25:21).
-E.S. Gutwein




[1] Not to be confused with valid present-day used by God to encourage His children and show them His love and care. By extra-biblical revelation we mean additional information from the spirit world that apparently gives new insights not found in Scripture, claims to confirm details already revealed in the Bible, or gives personal instructions to people. And also, not to be confused with natural revelation (Romans 1:20).
[2] Very recently, it has been reported that Alex Malarkey, from “The Boy That Came Back from Heaven,” recanted the stories found in this book written by his father. One of the teenager’s statements were: “I said I went to heaven because I thought it would get me attention. When I made the claims that I did, I had never read the Bible. People have profited from lies, and continue to. They should read the Bible, which is enough. The Bible is the only source of truth. Anything written by man cannot be infallible.” (“Setting the Record Straight," www.gtycanada.org).
[3] The reality of these occurrences is not denied. These things happen—for real! Of course, some are common hallucinations, but others are true revelations from the spirit world. And there can be many logical causes: anesthetic drugs, extreme fatigue, high fevers, lucid dreams, demonic influence, demonic possession, etc.