Cheap Grace?

Any one of us could benefit by reading the life and history of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  It is one of those accounts that often draws forth the gamut of emotions.  Joy, sorrow, envy, frustration; all of these things can result from learning about what he went through.  Bonhoeffer (as some of you may know) was a renowned Christian scholar and philosopher.  His writings still permeate the mindset of many Christians today, in both the academic realm, as well as the secular world.  It must have been difficult not to like him.  At the age of twenty he wrote a book about the Christian faith that impressed even influential theologian Karl Barth.  In 1935 he helped establish an underground church in the middle of Hitler's rise to power in Germany.  In 1941 he become part of a Jewish rescue operation, smuggling people to safety.  And in 1945, he is eventually executed at the hands of the Nazi party in a concentration camp.  You get the idea; he did not believe in soft soaking Christianity or lukewarm living.  

And this leads us to next discuss one of his most famous books.  'The Cost of Discipleship' was first published by Bonhoeffer in 1937, after his seminary was closed by the Gestapo.  In this book, he writes, "That is what we mean by cheap grace, the grace which amounts to the justification of sin without the justification of the repentant sinner who departs from sin and from whom sin departs.  Cheap grace is not the kind of forgiveness of sin which frees us from the toils of sin.  Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves." 

Cheap grace, in this sense, represents  what we often do to comfort ourselves in the midst of sinning.  "Just a few more times disobeying God," we might think, "God will be okay with it, after all, I'm covered under His grace."  It is true, the born again soul is indeed saved by grace through faith.  But let's look at what Jesus has to say about lukewarm living in the book of Revelation.  Rev 3:15-16 says, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth."  Here, Jesus reminds us not to waste His grace.  Not to accept the gift of salvation, only to turn around and keep it to ourselves ... never taking a chance, and never taking a stand for the God we say we love.  

The stakes were real for Bonhoeffer.  His generation saw one of the most powerful political and military forces of our time search out and destroy people who held God sacred.  Repentance was always the work at hand for the true believer, at least in his opinion.  And repentance is the work of you and I also, even now.  It means simply to turn from sin, and choose what God has to offer us instead.  Easy to write about, difficult to do.  But there is good news.  We need not repent perfectly all the time.  Hopefully your church teaches this truth alongside the others as well.  When it comes to eliminating sin from our lives, we will need God's help.  Even then, we will drop the ball sometimes (maybe a lot of the time)!  I prefer to think of success through repentance as long term trajectory, rather than short term perfection.  Sanctification is often a painful and imperfect process as well, as opposed to an impressive dossier to look back at with pride or arrogance.  I hope that understanding the difference between being called to a more perfect life versus being perfect helps you.  I know it has for me.

I pray that we do not take God's grace for granted.  I pray that we don't think or say things like, "I can do whatever I want, and then just ask for forgiveness at the very end."  This is salvation as fire insurance I think.  And if you are living that way, ask God to show you those areas you need to change, and then He can help you going forward.  We are not all meant to be a Bonhoeffer, or to stand up for our beliefs in a way that gets us martyred.  But we are all called to stand up.  If you belong to God, then you are stamped with His image and likeness.  And that image is not to be trifled with or shelved away.  Instead, allow His goodness to overflow from your heart and out into the world.  Live in such a way that other people talk about your faith, and that they can see the light which is in Christ also resides in you.

I will conclude with a rather famous Scripture from 2 Corinthians 5:17.  It says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"   Be a new creation.  Live up to it, and own it.  God's grace is sufficient for you and I; it always has been.  Live into your new freedom in Christ, things go better that way.  It will not always be easy, but at least it will not be 'cheap.'  Costly grace feels different - and it looks different also.  But don't catch yourself trying to be the perfect penitent, as there was only one of those.  Jesus shows us how to live, we follow Him through the Spirit, and God works it out through us in the end.  Cheap grace is a waste of time.  God's crucified Son died for so much more than that.  Now go embrace your life as a new creation.  There is nothing cheap about you. 

 

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Watching God from a Distance

In the book of Exodus in the Bible, there is an account of Moses walking into a tent to speak directly with God about how to lead the Israelites.  It was called the tent of meeting (eventually referred to as the Tabernacle), and it was always a certain distance outside of the main camp.  What a curious thing it must have been for Moses to actually hear the audible voice of God and get advice directly from Him.  Scripture also says that a pillar composed of clouds would show up each time this happened - it has been referred to as the glory cloud in later generations.  It further says that God would speak to Moses 'as if to a friend.'  Astonishing, isn't it?  The creator of all things choosing to speak directly with a mortal man.  

Exodus 33:9-10 says, "As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses.  Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent."   The Israelites watched and waited as Moses received instruction from the Almighty.  What a sight it must have been to see the cloud, and come to the realization that God was with them in physical form. 

We love to watch what God is doing, don't we?  We enjoy the idea that He may be speaking to certain people here and there through the Holy Spirit.  But it always seems more comfortable to watch and wait from our own tents I think.  It's much safer that way.  Let the pastor or the priest go out and receive divine instructions, then they can bring it back to camp later.  Maybe we can even see the faint outline of the glory cloud from a distance if we squint.  But that’s as close as we want to get. 

So, I believe the question for us could be phrased as such: where is God's presence at work today?  I think that we can answer this successfully in three ways.  God is present with us in churches, in the mission field, and in His people.  In all of these ways - if you look closely enough - you will see His love expressed through both faith and action.  The Bible says the gates of hell will not prevail against the church.  I take this to mean that no matter what is going on around us, we will still have at least the teaching of the Christian church to fall back on.  It will be communicated in some way, even in the end times during severe persecution and martyrdom.  God will be at work in what the church is doing, and who they are serving.

The second idea is that God will be present on the mission field.  This can occur of course to those for whom the Lord has pressed upon their hearts to travel overseas and build homes or  cultivate farmland.  For these 'harvest workers,' you can never spend enough time in other countries where the faith is just beginning to take hold.  It is rewarding beyond compare for those whose heart points in this direction.  To hear them recount experiences in the field can be both mesmerizing and contagious. 

Finally, I do think that the presence of God shows up in the hearts and minds of His loyal followers and believers.  When one person forgives another for example, the divine nature is on direct display for all to see.  It is most definitely not human nature to forgive, much less to do so easily and quickly.  No, I'm afraid that most of us, if left to our own devices, would rather hold on to a grudge or hurt feeling until the very end.  But with God in the mix, we are commanded to forgive as many times as it takes.  It is truly God at work. 

My advice then, is to walk with God into our own version of the Promised Land.  Follow the pillar of cloud in conjunction with the church, mission field, or the people.  You might be surprised where it takes you.  One thing remains certain however - if you never leave the threshold of your own tent, then most likely nothing miraculous or faith sustaining will ever happen.  Instead, you will keep wondering what God wants from your life and where your place in this world might be.  You will never leave the confines of the dugout and step out onto the ball field. 

You get an inkling of something special and supernatural from time to time, because you can see something over there that resembles divine activity.  But it's hard to make out from a distance.  Easier to watch other people trust and follow God.  But if we live this way all the time, we will miss out on countless divine opportunities that were put in our path since the dawn of time, before we were even conceived.  We will forfeit our chance to partner with a loving and caring God.  In short, we will give up our own personal Mt. Sinai experience.  We will continue being content with a golden calf instead. 

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Guided by the Holy Spirit

People by and large, are looking for someone to follow who will guide and mentor them.  Someone they can trust.  Politics can often fail us in this regard.  Bosses and organizational leaders may let you down from time to time also.  After all, they are only human, just like we are.  But what is it like to try to listen to God's voice in the midst of all the other voices out there competing for our attention?  How can we allow God to faithfully guide us by His Spirit?  Or to ask the question another way: how do we zero in on His voice alone.  

Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  Do you believe this?  Do you agree that each and every one of us has been hand-crafted in order to accomplish something important for the kingdom of heaven here on Earth?  I do believe it myself, and I hope you do also.  It is entirely possible, however, that a creature intended for good can lose his or her way and end up performing evil.  I also don't think this acts to discredit the notion that people have a special meaning and purpose from God.  The Bible says that even the Devil himself used to be beautiful and lofty above all other angels, right up to the moment he pridefully rebelled against the Creator.  

Bear with me a bit longer, and look at Psalm 32:8: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you."  This is one of God's many promises to us from the Old Testament - that if we keep our eyes fixed on Him, He will guide us along the right path with love.  And so these two ideas come together quite nicely to form the following axiom: all of us have been created with purpose and meaning, and God will help guide us to complete these good works for which we were originally created  This remains true as long as we stay engaged with what He is so often trying to tell us through our conscience, and through other people.  It is always possible to ignore Him of course, and many people do.  

This raises a question, and doubtless some of you might already be wondering this as you read along.  How do we know for certain it is God that is counseling us in any given situation?   It's an excellent question, especially given that false teachers abound these days.  Some of us might remember that David Koresh used spiritual trust to ensnare many people into following him into the Branch Davidian cult.  You may also remember it was a pretty big news story out of Waco, Texas back in 1993.  Things didn't end well for those poor people, and they didn't end well for Koresh either.  

The key to deciphering whether or not you are following the Holy Spirit is to stay in the Bible, and stay in fellowship with other Christian believers.  Do not isolate and leave yourself vulnerable to misinterpretation.  I must mention here also, that it doesn't hurt to stay in prayer with God either.  Had Harold Camping (a false prophet telling people that the second coming had a set date) clung to Scripture in this way, I believe he would have seen the command in Matthew 24 telling us that no one knows the day or the hour that Jesus will return.  Attempting to calculate when the end of all things will occur simply isn't possible (or Scriptural).  It was a basic misstep by an extremely intelligent and charismatic individual.  

Likewise, if we suspect that the spirit of God is nudging us to do something, please do run it past other believers.  Feel free to ask your pastor about it.  Run it by your friends in the church (people you trust, not just those who you know will agree with you automatically).  Allow common sense to prevail, and wisdom to kick in.  Give yourself enough time to discern what is really going on.  

If it really is God guiding you, watch for little pointers and signs all around.  Little nudges telling you to stay engaged, and stay with God.  If you are reading the Bible and talking through Scriptural truths with fellow believers, then you are headed down the right track.  Do not try to do your faith journey alone; it was never meant to be that way.  Instead, open your eyes to what is going on around you, and then open your heart to what God might be telling you personally.  It can be a wild ride, but it also won't violate the Bible. 

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An Abundance of Knowledge for the New Year

As we enter into the New Year, I reflect on the notion that much has changed in the past twelve months.  From politics to the economy, nothing ever seems to stay the same.  That being said, however, I believe that there is one thing we can always count on.  It is the fact that God never changes.  In fact, I think we have an overabundance of knowledge at our fingertips when it comes to studying the timeless truths of Holy Scripture.  We can pull up an article about the various ways that archeology has vindicated Biblical accounts from history, for example.  Five minutes spent in an easy chair with the NIV study Bible, and anyone can sound like an armchair theologian.  It is almost too easy; we are spoiled.

By grace of God, this wealth of knowledge also extends to the question of how someone can be rescued by Christ, no matter what their circumstances are.  Or as some like to phrase it: becoming born again.  It is an important topic, and I dare say it may be one of the most important topics.  Even the non-believer can see that something changes within a person when they accept Jesus.  They are not the same as they were before.  It is the pivotal point where a person decides that it is okay to want more than this world has to offer, and to understand at the same time, that we are imperfect beings in need of grace. 

My favorite piece of Scripture is Romans 10:9.  It is simple, straightforward, and heartfelt.  To argue about its meaning is silly, and to ignore its implication is equally foolish.  It says this, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."  This is our rescue opportunity friends!  There are no peripheral statements that go along with this edict.  It is too simple to misinterpret, and too important to ignore.  Rom 10:9 provides us with an embarrassment of riches, at least as it pertains to eternal salvation. 

What do we do then with this information?  Especially since it is so easily accessible?   I suppose it is possible to ignore it for some people.  We could - if we really wanted to - go through life pushing Romans 10:9 away.  Maybe when we die the lights go out, and that's it.  Maybe all of this excitement about God and Heaven ultimately comes to nothing.  Some people do hold to this philosophy, by the way.  Yet the question of our own significance in this universe is always there, waiting on the sidelines.  It never really goes away.  “Why are we here in the first place.”  You cannot reason your way out of this question or talk yourself free from it.  Truth be told, I really don't think you can push the big questions of life away for any prolonged length of time. 

We may never fully understand the atonement (Jesus going to the cross for our sins).  God’s grace is often like that.  Much of it remains a mystery – something profound for our little minds to wrestle with.  So I humbly suggest that we embrace this abundance of Scriptural availability.  I believe God is ready to take in anyone who is willing to commit Romans 10:9 to their heart.  If this wasn't so, He would not have inspired the Apostle Paul to write it.  The simplicity of salvation is God's gift to us.  It is His way to connect more deeply with you and I.  To accept Christ into our lives, to profess Him to others, and be baptized in His name.  So accept God’s gift of saving grace now, while you are thinking about what 2026 might have in store for you.  It will be the best decision you make all year.

 

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It's Christmas Time Again

It's hard to believe that the holidays are once again upon us.  Our recent snow storm the end of November, has reminded me of the Advent season and our liturgical calendar.  A time of anticipation for the coming Christmas holiday.  So, I have taken to reflecting on what changes and events have transpired over the course of this last year, and how Christmas and the New Year might look a little different than past holidays. 

The first observation is that our culture and society are in desperate need of a savior, perhaps now more than ever.  People are sad, angry, anxious, and often scared.  Everything they used to know and trust is changing.  The Bible forecasted this of course; the apostle Paul talks about it in his letters to the various churches two-thousand years ago.  He says there will be false teachers and false teaching in the last days, and that our faith would be tested.  As the old saying goes: "The times, they are-a-changing."  Turn on any television show or streaming service and you will see a constant diet of sex, violence, and bold challenges to Christian morality.  They don't even try to hide it anymore.

I believe this pervasive spirit of blasphemy has led to a host of mental health disorders as well.  According to the National Institutes of Health and Sciences, almost one in four people in the United States now suffer from some type of anxiety disorder.  Things such as GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), depression, and other maladies run rampant in our culture; and are often under reported or undiagnosed.  If you think I'm overexaggerating, step into any public school classroom in America, and spend a couple hours with the students.  My heart goes out to all of them (especially the teachers, who are doing what they can).  

Another thing I have noticed is a direct assault on the Christian God Himself.  In many government institutions for example, all public expressions are allowed, except items directly related to the cross or Jesus Christ.  In fact, our Lord and Savior's name has become one of America's favorite slang curse words.  Hostility is often shown to churches and the people in them, resulting in backlash behavior and political strife.  Five pastors in Chicago were recently arrested for preaching Scriptural truth in the name of Jesus.  People are choosing sides more frequently, and the safe position of "neutral" isn't acceptable anymore.  It seems as though you must profess some type of stance on something (and hopefully we are standing for God).  But often people are not.  

But I am also grateful in many ways, that God has seen fit to preserve America for another year.  We ebb and flow, move and breathe under His mantle of forgiveness and love.  Forgiveness - because some of His children are building false idols and rebelling against Him.  And love – because He continues to put up with it, and allows us to live in relative peace as opposed to war here on our own soil.  I pray about these things quite often.  How long, I wonder, will a benevolent God put up with people worshipping created things but not the Creator Himself?  For one more year I suppose – if we are lucky.  

There are still small acts of joy in the world that hold promise for me.  A mother's love for her children, strong Christian pastors and leaders upholding the Word of God in the Bible, and families getting together over robust dinner tables on Christmas day to pray and eat together.  

Christmas was built on sacrificial love.  The baby in the manger two-thousand years ago was born to a virgin, and the rest is history.  And it has nothing to do with shopping at Walmart for last minute gifts, or spending money online.  But rather, to worship and remember that the reason we celebrate these things at all, is because God first celebrated His relationship with us.  Even when we were yet still sinners separated from Him, and then even now, when people sometimes forget why they come together each year.  It’s easy for us to get caught up in all the hustle and bustle of the holiday machine.  But in light of God's sacrifice on our behalf, I think we can rejoice - for God is still here with us (Emmanuel).    

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Worshipping Our Own Version of God

I believe it is a truism to say that we often think we know something, when in reality, there is still much yet to learn.   If we think about the concept of God for example, different people can have a multitude of ideas about what this being is really like.  They are pretty confident that the deity they are praying to is the embodiment of whatever concept they have envisioned in their own mind.  But that is often the catch ... it is a created concept they are worshipping.  It may not be grounded in Scripture or solid Christian teaching whatsoever.  Even the notion of 'solid teaching' can sometimes differ, depending on who you talk to.  

Let us take a look at the example of Jesus resting next to Jacob's well with the Samaritan woman.  The Gospel of John lays out a picture of a tired and thirsty Messiah who arrives in Samaria with nothing to draw water from the well.  After a quick discussion about spiritual things, John 4:22 records this statement: "You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews."

You will note here that Jesus was not making a statement about racial superiority, but rather, he was trying to help this woman understand that the concept of God that she had adhered to was not one-hundred-percent accurate.  It's hard to argue with the son of God on the subject of who the Father really is.  Easier to debate God with each other I suspect (and in fact we often do).  This is why I've always found it so funny to picture the Pharisees debating Jesus about Old Testament law.  Who would know better than Christ?

The question still stands today - are many of us worshipping a fictional God that we have created ourselves?  Do we really know who we are praying to?  Do we understand who we are coming together each Sunday to worship?  This revelation can be both frightening and freeing at the same time.  I believe one example of this fictional God is very popular today.  It basically builds a case that God is some type of politically correct being who doesn't require repentance from sin.  In other words, a senile type of older man with a white beard who doesn't really care what we do with our personal lives, as long as everyone is happy and healthy. 

This is an easy God to love, because He requires no sacrifice on our part.  This fictional version of God makes no demands upon our lives, has nothing to say about the great issues of our time, and will never judge us or become angry.  This version of God doesn't care or comment on same sex marriage, abortion, or make any comment in either direction about morality or ethos.  He is more like a fun uncle who shows up at the house every once in a while with ice cream or candy.  Not anything like an omniscient, omnipotent creator.  

But there is hope.  If we seek out knowledge from the Bible concerning who God really is and what He actually did, then the picture becomes much clearer.  The tide begins to turn.  First, the true God of the Bible hates sin.  I know because He tells us so, and Jesus does also.  Multiple times throughout the Scriptures we are commanded to turn from our sin and repent (both as a nation and as an individual).  The idea of sinning without any notion of sanctification over time, is not a luxury we are afforded if you read though the actual text.  

Second, the true God of the Bible is long suffering.  Scripture shows us time and time again that before a prophet would bring a judgement upon a country or nation, hundreds of years would pass by.  In other words, if God corrected a people group, chances are they had been refusing to repent for a long, long time.  It isn't like how human beings become angry at the drop of a hat and fire back at each other.  God is much more patient and long suffering when it comes to dealing with us. 

Finally, the true God of the Bible extends the offer of salvation to anyone who calls on His name.  It's no good trying to assert that certain people are more holy than others, and therefore deserve God's love more.  I think we do a disservice to the Scriptures if we think or act in this fashion.  The offer of eternal life from Jesus stands for anyone at any time, we need only repent of our sins, accept Him as lord and savior, and put our trust in God and become baptized.  

The Bible says that He knew us before we were even born ... the least we can do is take the time to learn a little about Him as well.  Not so much what culture might tell us, but what Jesus actually said and did.  If you take the time to do that, you will be blessed beyond your wildest dreams.   

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God's Still, Small Voice

Who doesn't love a good Old Testament story from the Bible?  I remember one in particular about a prophet named Elijah. You may remember that he went to Mount Horeb (later called Mt. Sinai), to hide in a cave out of fear and desperation.  Something that I think many of us feel like doing from time to time. In this particular case, however, there was a death threat against him and the other prophets of God. He refused to commit idolatry and bow down to Jezebel's false god.  Worship of false gods and idols was very common in those days, and Elijah wasn't the only one affected.  But he was the only one left still alive at this point, so he was quite discouraged. 

1 Kings 19:11-13 says this, "Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 

I think the first question we can ask from this passage is: what is our proverbial “cave?”  Where do you and I hide out? Are we too busy with too many extracurricular activities? Do we hide in a relationship, and bounce from partner to partner perhaps?  Or maybe we hide behind religion, attending every church service - but never praying or growing as a Christian.  The details are not that important. 

But do we find time to talk to God regardless? To meditate on His Word? In other words, do we take time to listen for that still, small voice of the Lord?  Personally, I want to hear His voice; I never really get tired of it.  It always seems to have that same ring of truth to it.

I believe an example was set in my Bible study group at work years ago.  A collection of us met regularly during lunch, and each week it was someone else's turn to bring a piece of Scripture and a lesson.  A very rewarding experience I would add!  As it happened, I worked with a lady that was caught in the 'wind and the earthquake and the fire' mentioned in the passage above, for most of her life. We will call her Kim. It’s not her fault of course, things happened to her in her life that were out of her control.  Things that would lead any sane person to wonder if God was really up there.  Things that shouldn't be allowed or condoned in our society ... but yet they still occur. 

At one point during one of our lessons, Kim made the decision to accept Jesus and see what all the fuss was about.  We prayed a prayer asking God to come into her heart, and she was actually saved and born again right there in that small office.  You could feel the Holy Spirit in the air.  Both heavy and comforting. 

I've lost track of Kim over the years, I hope she is doing well.  I hope that she has weathered all of her storms also, and that she continues to search and learn about God.  Through the driving force of suffering and tragedy, Kim sought out a holy God.  A God who whispered in a still, small voice ... just loud enough for only her to hear.  She counts herself lucky, actually.  So is anyone who takes time out to hear the voice of the Lord.

 

 

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Biblical Faith vs. Culture

Evangelist and author Dr. Erwin Lutzer tells a fascinating story when asked about the difference between current cultural norms and Scriptural values.  He begins describing a time when he went to a country club to play golf with a friend.  They were standing next to a pond, and Lutzer noticed a mother duck's nest, partially hidden behind some brush.  When he walked over and took a closer look, he noticed that the nest contained a single golf ball!  The poor mother duck had mistaken it for an egg, and would soon be in for a disappointment after months go by, and no baby duckling emerges.  

Although humorous, Dr. Lutzer's point was that the mother duck had been deceived early on, and adopted what she considered to be the genuine article.  It equates to people thinking that they are worshipping the real God in Heaven, but finding out later that a false, culture-produced version of the Lord isn't going to save them.  In the same way that this poor duck was convinced she was going to be a mother someday - people all around us are guarding and nurturing a faith that may not be Scriptural or true.  

There is very real pressure for churches in the West today to begin making allowances and accommodations in order to let in fashionable beliefs.  For example, some pastors may think that if their church doesn't bend to current cultural norms, they may lose parishioners.  Or take for example the extremely popular liberal ideology which says that we shouldn't ever judge sin, so people can do whatever they want as long as it doesn't hurt someone else.  In this version of theology, God is more like a fun uncle than a loving parent.   

2 Thessalonians 2:15 says, "So then brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter."  Here the apostle Paul is exhorting his readers to remain faithful, and not to let any false doctrine or tradition supersede what Jesus actually said and did.  Apparently, this type of thing happened two-thousand years ago also, and required several letters from Paul to help keep believers on track.

And I think this is where the modern church finds itself today.  Many have gone apostate and shifted from Christ's commandments altogether, in order to begin reflecting the passions of our current time (pro-choice abortion ethics, religious universalism, veneration of sexual sin, etc.).  

A good many other churches have begun the slow but steady process of leaving the faith one small step at a time, through a series of little concessions.  "It's okay to compromise on this or that, as long as we don't go too far" you might hear them say.  But one step in the wrong direction often invites other steps to follow, and before long, the entire congregation may become spiritually lost.  Such is the power that pastors and church leaders possess.  

If you are in a Biblical church that follows a Scriptural pastor, then take a moment now to give thanks and praise to God above.  If you aren't sure, then test what is taught in your church against the Bible itself.  Never take a leader's opinion as the ultimate truth, unless it lines up with what the Word says in print.  Faithful Christians will need to stay strong and stick together during these coming times of lukewarm religion and false teaching.  Remember always: the pulpit is designed to preach Scripture - not politics, opinion, or cultural trends.  

Not long ago, my own church engaged in an old tradition known as an alter call.  The pastor asked anyone in the congregation who wanted to accept Christ to come forward and kneel.  It was an awesome thing to behold.  In my heart I felt joy.  Not just for those who came forward that morning, but because I was confident about the type of faith they were accepting.  It was the Scriptural Jesus, and the Christian God.  I hope and pray the same for all of you who are reading this today.  May the true God of the Bible bless you and cover you.  Jesus didn't die on the cross for a "golf ball religion."  He died for you and I, so that we wouldn't be abandoned to sin.  

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Walk Boldly in the Faith

Our source Scripture for today is from Acts 21:12-14.  It says this, ^“When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.  Then Paul answered, ‘Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’  When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, ‘The Lord’s will be done.’”  

This Scripture describes a discussion between a local prophet and the apostle Paul.  You will notice here, that Paul rebukes the warning of this person coming to steer him away from Jerusalem.  Would you and I do the same in the face of certain persecution?  It’s difficult to say.  Typically with modern Christianity, it seems to me, that we can often find ourselves going through trials or persecution without a choice.  We are the innocent victims of bad things happening to good people. 

But this situation is different.  This is an instance where Paul knew that all he had to do was avoid going into town, and he would be safe.  But he chose to go anyway.  And that difference is what I want to begin unpacking with you now.  How do we walk the walk when it comes to following Jesus and obeying God, in an intentional way.

Scripture also tells us that the Father seeks a certain type of worshipper; the type who gives back to God in both spirit and truth.  But what does worshipping in spirit and truth really mean?  Ideally, when someone praises and worships God there is a combination of passion (spirit) along with an accurate view of who the Lord really is (truth).  If both of these stipulations don't exist at the same time, then we are falling short when it comes to returning praise to the Father.  We may walk boldly through life, but we won’t be doing it according to the Word. 

In order to understand our right relation to God and the Holy Trinity, we must first understand how the Bible depicts this concept of boldness through Spirit and Truth.

If we don’t, then we are in a similar position to the local prophet who warned Paul not to go into town.  We don’t have all the facts about who God is, so we underestimate Him.  Let’s now take a moment to discuss what this kind of lukewarm, misdirected worship might look like when people don’t really know the God of the Bible.  When they walk according to their own wisdom (and not God’s wisdom). 

I once heard a story about a large congregation.  On any given Sunday they would pack in a few thousand worshippers.  It was a huge building, complete with a small restaurant and coffee bar just outside the sanctuary.  A bookstore on the upper deck as well.  They would pray from time to time, and then the preacher would deliver a sermon.  But when it came time for the singing, God couldn't hear them. 

Peoples' mouths were moving, but it was as if nothing was coming out.  Something was missing at these church services.  There was no connection to the real, living God.  

Although this scenario is a metaphor, it’s not the experience that God desires for you and I.  God wants us to actually connect with Him.  To be bold in the faith, and in the confidence that we carry His message.  And the best way to do that, is to both study His Word so we can understand who He is … and also to bring our whole being and emotion to the forefront when we praise Him.  We must give glory to God in both spirit and truth. 

The Gospel often calls us to walk boldly in the faith.  Not to give in to a spirit of fear, but rather, to courageously reach out to God in times of trial and trouble.  And sometimes, to go into that place that we are afraid to go.  

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Am I Going to Heaven?

I think many people today wonder if they are good enough to get into Heaven.  It's an honest question for a thoughtful person, and it deserves some attention.  Many groups throughout history have pondered it.  Many have tried to live by what I call the 'Graceless Gospel' for example.  The idea that you must earn your way to heaven based on good works and proper moral living all on your own.  That we have to be continually obedient to God and live good lives, and only then will God stamp us Approved.  

Or how about using grace as fire insurance for salvation?  In other words: I will live however I want to, and then claim the blood of Jesus on my deathbed.  Based on this philosophy, any liar, cheat, or sociopath can be perfectly confident of their salvation - as long as they say the “sinner's prayer” at the very end, right?  Here there is an overabundance of assurance based on a misunderstanding of how both faith and good works go together.

Some have also claimed holiness by association.  In other words, because they have an uncle, parent, or friend who is a pastor or deacon for example ... God's gift of atonement will somehow rub off on them as well.  They believe that they don't need to go to church or accept Jesus personally, but rely solely on the relationship with that other person in order to get the spiritual job done.

And finally there exists a fallacy that we will have plenty of time to decide what to do about Jesus.  The idea that I will live out my twenties or thirties happily doing and living however I want to at the time, and then when I am eighty-five years old and in poor health, then I will come to God.  If only we were all lucky enough to live eighty-five years on this planet, that method might work.  But of course, no one knows how much time they really have.

All of these strategies have one thing in common.  They still allow the seed of doubt to sneak in.  "Am I really good enough?"  "Will God really accept me when it's my time?"  They all neglect the personal component of a relationship with Jesus.

Take for example something often known as the Roman Road to Heaven.  It is a simple guide - constructed of short Scripture passages from the book of Romans - that outlines how you and I might become born again.  It goes something like the following: all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23).  But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8).  The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 6:23).  Therefore, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Rom 10:9).  So then, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom 10:13).

Thanks to the apostle Paul, servant of God, for laying this out so succinctly for us.  It applied to people two-thousand years ago, and it applies to us today.  And it leads us inexorably to this fantastic truth from Romans 8:1-2, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death."

It appears (gratefully), that God no longer holds our sins against us if we trust Jesus with our salvation.  In fact, if we have traveled the Roman Road to Heaven, we actually can have assurance.  We need not wonder all the time if we are good enough. 

I would much rather have my Roman Road reservation intact, with an assurance that in Christ Jesus, there is no longer any condemnation.  To be certain that God is there for me, in ways that I cannot understand or quite yet fathom this side of heaven.  In ways that lead me successfully through the confusion of this world, and into His waiting arms on my last day.  Doesn't this sound like a better way to navigate life? 

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Therefore, Go and Make Disciples

What a different and strange religion Christianity would be, if Jesus had directed us to build stronghold churches and then just wait for people to show up.  Yet in many ways, I believe this is what a lot of churches in the West are doing much of the time.  The old adage from a famous baseball movie rings in my head: "If you build it, they will come."  But are parishioners actually coming? 

It's fascinating when we look back at the life and times of our Lord and Savior.  For much of his life, God's son had a mobile ministry.  We recall that before Jesus was even born, his parents were called back to Bethlehem to the place of Joseph's ancestry in order to fulfill an order for the Roman census.  Each family had to return to their place of origin to be counted.  Although the Biblical text glosses over how difficult this must have been, some manuscript scholars have theorized it was close to a ninety-mile trip.  Mary was very pregnant, and this was before trains and automobiles.  The trip was difficult I'm sure, and the landscape was often dangerous.  

After Jesus got older and formally began his ministry, Biblical texts give an account of him traveling all over Galilee and going to churches and homes to preach.  Matthew 4:23 says, "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people."  

Once again, we have this notion that in order to get the word out ... Jesus had to move around and take the initiative.  He didn't wait for the people already in the synagogue or out on the streets to come to him; instead he went on a kind of sanctified tour.  It is also worth mentioning that he preached with such authority that it completely baffled the Jewish ruling party.  The Pharisees couldn't wrap their heads around how someone who hadn't studied with them could end up knowing so much about God.  Almost as if he had an inside scoop (which of course he did)!

Finally, you will notice also that Jesus' disciples and followers had the same challenge.  The book of Acts records the followers of Christ moving from place to place.  The Gospel accounts record that occasionally Jesus and his followers would become so overwhelmed from the work of ministry that they had to escape and get away to a 'quiet place' where the Lord could pray and meditate.  

The apostle Paul famously traveled around and began defending Christianity as well.  He stood before kings and procurators, always willing to testify and lend credence to God's incarnate son.  Sometimes this would even land him in prison, and once in a shipwreck!

We are accustomed to hearing about the Great Commission.  Indeed, it is more or less the mission of the modern church.  Matthew 28:19-20 recounts this narrative quite well.  It says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

We would have an entirely different religion if the Great Commission commanded us to "build it, and then just wait for them to come."  This would be a faith of waiting and watching.  Instead, what we are called to do is be proactive in our approach.  Yes it is wonderful when people come to us, but think back to your own life for a moment. More often than not, didn't someone have to come after you first?  Be that person who invites others to Sunday morning service. 

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