In Acts Chapter 22 the Apostle Paul is telling the story of how he went from being the lost, hell-bound Saul of Tarsus, to being the saved, Heaven-bound man of God. Having been struck blind on the road to the Damascus by the overwhelming glory of Christ Jesus Himself, Paul is taken to a devout Jewish man named Ananias. We pick up the story in Verse 13:

…Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

Acts 22:13-15 (emphasis added)

In these three verses there are five references to the gift of sight. Saul had received a great gift from the Lord – the ability to see again. However, that gift was not given just for the purpose of being a gift. It was a gift given for a reason. The reason was so that Saul could see the Just One, Jesus Christ, and then tell others about Him, and so that others might see Him, too.

Eyesight is one of the greatest earthly gifts of God there is. However, we have an amazing ability to receive earthly gifts from God, and then make those gifts, rather the Giver of those gifts, the objects of our attention, affection, and even adoration.

The same can be said of spiritual gifts. Have you been given the gift of being able to be forgiving? Then, rejoice! But do not think of yourself as an expert on forgiveness, and revel in pride over how forgiving you can be. Think of forgiveness as a gift given to help you understand how much it cost God, and how much He must have loved you, to forgive you. Forgiveness is a gift that removes a barrier so that you can see God better!

Have you been given the gift of victory over sin to the extent where you are able to live a more pure and holy life? Then, rejoice! But do not think of yourself as an authority on personal purity and holy living. Think of purity and holiness as a gift which allows you into the intimate presence of the Pure and Holy God, so that you may see Him better! (Matthew 5:8)

Have you been given the gift of spiritual insight? Then, rejoice! But do not rejoice that you have become the person that people seek out when they have spiritual questions or problems, and do not expect the praise or compensation of men, when you are able to help them. Instead, think of spiritual insight as a way to better know God!

Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Ahora al anochecer el fatídico pronostico y temor ya nos ha alcanzado, llueve, llueve, sigue lloviendo y seguirá lloviendo. La lluvia propicia el encuentro, el debate, el refugio, la búsqueda del contacto, el anhelo de la piel, la suavidad de la lana, el calor de la lumbre, la infusión caliente, la mirada perdida en un oscuro cristal mojado y frío al tacto. Hoy el cielo retumba y en su cansancio le sustituye el viento, relevado en turno inmortal por el infinito batir de las olas contra los graníticos escollos que al estallar forman la mas blanca. Turno tras turno, los elementos no cesan en su acompasado martillear digno sonido de la fragua del ingenioso Hefesto, de no ser por el frío húmedo que hace que al respirar se acompase un vaho que se torna del tibio al gélido. Templo el lar, sacrifico al benefactor fuego los trozos del anciano roble, que levantan ascuas para hacer estallar la húmeda corteza del pino. Arranco mi instrumento de escritura que ha de enviar las señales que conforman una libreta de rutas, mientras el sistema operativo calienta su estructura, mientras tanto ensueño en pinceladas las evocaciones de nuestra invitada de hoy. Evocaciones provocadas por el común nombre que los profanos le asignan . Evoca pues mi penumbroso recuerdo en primer lugar una laberíntica escalera en llamas, una escalera que comunica el escritorio con la misteriosa y abundante biblioteca, a la que se accede subiendo por esa laberíntica escalera por la que solo se puede acceder mediante el conocimiento, solo el conocimiento revela el conocimiento en el laberinto. Unos peldaños llenos de humo y fuego, en el que un fraile franciscano acompañado por un imberbe novicio pretende salvar el conocimiento, situado en el nivel superior de una torre medieval. Una torre enclavada en un monasterio emplazado sobre un elevado cerro, un monasterio cautivo de una alta muralla, un amurallamiento cuartelero, desde cuyas almenas la caridad alimenta el hambre de los despojados con despojos. Un incendio provocado, que sera relatado por Adso de Melk , pupilo en aquel entonces de Guillermo de Baskerville. Un incendio acaecido por estas fechas hace unos siglos en una poderosa abadía italiana cuyo nombre omitiré a posta. Solo diré que en ese incendio desaparecieron obras maestras y únicas de Aristóteles , Virgilio, Agustín de Hipona, Orígenes, Hypatia y tantos otros . Libros que alguna hora fueron salvados de ruina de la biblioteca que era iluminada por la isla de Pharos. Fueron tales las perdidas que la mas necia y orgullosa bibliotecaria se torna en sumisa plañidera descarnada con un humilde pesar. Los trágicos y funestos hechos ocurridos en la misteriosa abadía relatados por Adso de Melk , fueron recopilados y novelados por el semiotico italiano Umberto Eco en una singular obra posteriormente llevada al cine.
La segunda evocación a la que me recuerda nuestra invitada a la bitácora, me transporta a un universo de aromas, de colores, de tacto. Aromas como el humo del tabaco turco especiado con manzana, el clavo, el cardamomo, la canela, el regaliz, la pimienta, el curry, agua de rosas y un largo sin fin. Colores como el índigo, el pan de oro, el cobre pulido, el azafrán, el verde esmeralda, el agua marina, los nácares, así como el mas basto arco iris inimaginable por la pupila. Los tactos del cuero curtido y pulido, la seda de Cypango, la porcelana de Tokoname, la lana de Cachemira perdiéndose así en la mas suaves caricias. Un lugar que bien podría ser el fastuoso zoco de Damasco, esa ciudad que tiene a orgullo el ser la ciudad mas antigua continuamente habitada donde hace 6500 años los humanos comenzamos a intentar civilizarnos. Donde religiones cristianas como la católica conviven con griegos ortodoxos, melquitas y jacobitas así como con musulmanes sunnis, chiitas, alauís y drusos. Una ciudad donde se pueden las huellas del tiempo y de las culturas que allí habitaron son visibles y habitables, puedes vivir en un foro romano , visitar una de las iglesias mas viejas de la humanidad la capilla de Ananías aquel que convirtió a Saulo de Tarso en Pablo. Una ciudad donde hay que descalzarse para entrar en un templo arameo , posteriormente latinizado, reconvertido a templo cristiano, actualmente una de las mayores mezquitas de la humanidad y con toda posibilidad la mas hermosa. Un templo de templos , un lugar sacro desde que los humanos discernieron entre lo sacro y lo profano, un templo mausoleo que custodia un cráneo decapitado que en su día fue ofrecido en bandeja de plata a la pérfida Salomé la Idumea. Un templo rodeado del mas voraz y regateador comercio existente, pujante en su laberíntico zoco donde se pueden encontrar todas las mercancías imaginables,de ritmo marcado por los buriles de las forjas. Un zoco donde el gremio de los plumistas y floristas, tiene pasado ,presente y futuro. En una húmeda maceta hermana del barro en el que la humanidad coció sus primeros ladrillos podemos encontrar a nuestra invitada de hoy creciendo en lozanía y vital esplendor . Crece la Malvaceae que nos ocupa hoy hasta los cuatro metros de altura con porte erguido y ovalado, cuando el invierno es duro su hoja cae. Gusta de terrenos bien drenados y ricos en humus con frescura en sus raíces y una exposición soleada . Introducida en Europa desde las cruzadas primeramente cultivase con fines medicinales a fin de su poder para cicatrizar ulceras y llagas tanto corporales como del alma, hoy en día esta siendo investigado como anticancerígeno. Yo únicamente lo cultivo con fines ornamentales y en días como hoy con alerta de temporal me alegra las pupilas mi rosa de Siria cuyo nombre veraz es Hibiscus syriacus. Post dedicado a Ari antaño marino sirio, hoy tabernero gallego en la ciudad en la que nadie es forastero.

Acts 9:15
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man [Saul of Tarsus] is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.”

Usually, the story of Ananias is used to illustrate the unwilling messenger who is obedient ultimately and delivers the message of God. Courageous Ananias spurns reason and goes to the appointed house to lay hands on the most notorious anti-Christ of the time, Saul of Tarsus. I believe he went with fear and trembling, but he went with faith.

One thing, however, that Ananias does not really do: he doesn’t tell Saul the whole story. Oh yes, Ananias lays hands on Saul who then receives his sight. And this laying on of hands brings the anointing of the Holy Spirit. But Ananias does not drop the bomb that Saul (eventually changed to Paul) would be the one to carry the name of Jesus to the Gentiles. This would have been a huge deal–a shock!

At this point in the story, the Gentiles were not anywhere in the equation. Ananias was really the first to hear and record this fact: the Son of God manifested for everyone, not just the Jews.

That is no less true today.

The way of Christ is not a mandate but an opportunity. It’s far-fetched and far-reaching. It’s not about race, nationality, or religion. God is sovereign and His Son no less so.

Oh, if we could just walk the essence of His message. Truly, the lion and the lamb could live together.

All these men knew full well the command of the Lord Jesus to preach the Gospel and then baptize those who believed the message.  Each of these men had received definite instructions from the Lord to go to certain places, meet certain people and tell them about Jesus.

It is certainly not reasonable for us who are far removed in time, and lack so much in power, to question their understanding of the words of Jesus.  We would all be well advised to be less prone to argue and more diligent to give earnest heed to their testimony.

Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,

3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

There are many today who do not quite believed what Jesus had to say, so of course they are not diligent to do what He said to do.  It was the same during the time He was here on earth.  In fact, many religious experts of that day missed the message entirely.  THeir hearts and minds were so taken up with debate and their theological reasoning that their spiritual senses were deadened.

Luke 7:29 And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John.

*rejected God’s purpose for themselves (NIV)

Some Jews from Asia had seen Paul in the temple at Jerusalem.  They accused him of defiling the temple and stirred up a crowd who wanted to kill him.  This  is his testimony to them.

Acts 22: 6 “Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.

7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’

8 So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’
9 “And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.

10 So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’

11 And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 “Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there,

13 came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him.

14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.

15 For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.

16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

The message concerning baptism is very clear.  remember that Jesus had said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.? Acts 9:6 Being baptized was part of the instruction he received from Ananias.  Paul did not put it off.  “and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.” Acts 9:18 The record of the Scripture shows that he was a willing “witness to all men of what he had seen and heard.” Acts 9:15 As he later told King Agrippa, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” Act 26:19

Although he did not personally baptize very many lest they should say they had been baptized in the name of Paul; he faithfully taught about it.  I Corinthians 1:13-17 We will note some examples from the record of his ministry, and later from his letters to the churches.  In every case he was careful to see that the new believers were baptized.

In the ninth chapter of Acts, verses 1 through 31, we find the account of the conversion of Saul and some of the events that followed soon after.

We have already talked about how the Holy Spirit spoke through Peter on the day of Pentecost.  Also, He was with Philip at Samaria and with the Ethiopian eunuch.  In all these events, as soon as the people believed on the Lord Jesus, they were baptized in water.

The same thing happened to Saul after Jesus spoke directly to him from heaven and then in a vision to Ananias.  It was the same message He gave when He was on earth: Believe and be baptized!

Acts 9:3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.

4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.  It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Saul went without food or water for three days after being led by the hand into the city of Damascus.  meanwhile, the Lord was speaking to a disciple named Ananias about Saul.  He revealed to Ananias that Saul was a chosen vessel and what he must do.

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.

12 “And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

14 “And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

16” For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

After this dramatic experience Saul was a completely changed man.  Instead of persecuting the believers he was preaching to the Jews that Jesus was the Son of God.

20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”

22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Some years later, Saul, who was now called Paul, told some of the events of his conversion on two different occasions.  The first was before an angry mob in Jerusalem.  The next was when he gave his defense before King Agrippa.

“I am the Lord your God who brought you up out of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it (Psalm 81:10).”

The land of Virginia to which I have now moved is steeped in history. It is the home of many of America’s Founding Fathers. 

Several Virginians participated in the Constitutional Convention in 1789 that formed the United States.  But what people don’t necessarily realize is the doubt that accompanied this convention.  George Washington was elected president of the convention, but he almost didn’t attend. His brother was sick, he was also ill, and he needed to manage his estates at Mount Vernon.  In addition, many people thought the convention might fail and Washington had to think long and hard about having his name associated with it.

George Mason was disappointed with the results of the convention.  He wanted a bill of rights to protect citizens from the same kind of tyranny Americans experienced under the British.  Mason had written a similar document for Virginia, and although his ideas were eventually used to create the Bill of Rights Americans enjoy today, at first his proposals were not accepted.

Thankfully the fathers of our country persevered. They were the best minds on government of the day, and they kept at it until they came up with a “more perfect union”.   The key man in bringing that about was Virginia’s James Madison.

The Bible has its own James Madison.  Paul describes Ananias as a highly respected Jew and a devout observer of the law of God.  He was instrumental in bringing Paul to Christ and giving him a mission.  Perhaps Paul was a bit reluctant or dazed after he heard the pronouncements of Ananias regarding the salvation offered to Paul and the words about his life’s purpose because Ananias said to him, “What are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name (Acts 22:14-16).”

For the sake of all Christians, it was a good thing Ananias was there to put Paul in the right direction. Paul was the greatest Christian mind of all time and wrote a good part of the New Testament.

We too can’t either believe or accept the overwhelming blessings God offers us. But we all need to know God  is just waiting to dump a truckload of His love, care, compassion and generosity on us. What are we waiting for? It’s time to grasp this truth and act on it.

Source: National Archives Constitution site

Acts 5:3a
Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit…”

Whoa! Ananias is not the only one who is doing this. Oh forgiving God, be merciful to me.

These are the dangerous internal lies, the lies to myself. These are the lies that no one may ever know I have said or thought. These are the traps within that prevent me from having an unfettered relationship with God.

Give or don’t give, but don’t pretend to give.

In my mind, Ananias and Sapphira held back some of the money and laid the rest at the Apostles’ feet for several reasons: to appear totally committed to the gathered believers, to copy Barnabas, and to protect their personal interests. In the end, it was a lack of trust.

Forgive me for holding back a tithe for fear of not having enough to pay bills… forgive me saying I will help someone and then not show up… forgive me for saying I will pray for someone and then not do it… forgive me for justifying my mistakes and passing the blame to others in my mind… forgive me for lying to the Holy Spirit.

If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord … [Psalm 130:3-6a]

Thanks be to God.

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. (Genesis 4:3-7, KJV)

It would seem this would be a simple question with no answer: Why was Cain’s offering not acceptable? Why did God “not respect” Cain’s offering? Looking only at the passage (as so many Bible critics do), there is absolutely no reason given why Cain’s offering causes God to intimate that Cain “does not well.”

However, if you look at the whole passage, you see that Cain brought “of the fruit of the ground” while Abel “brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.” The passage does not mention anything about Cain’s offering being special. He does not bring of the firstfruits of the ground. In other words, it appears that Cain put little thought into his offering.

The passage also does not indicate that this was any kind of “sacrifice” to God. This was, rather, an offering, probably to worship God. While God wants us to worship Him, He wants our offerings to be given freely, not grudgingly.

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

When David began plans for the temple of God that his son Solomon was to build, the Bible says that

Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly. They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. Any who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the LORD in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly.(1 Chronicles 29:6-9)

To translate, the leaders gave 190 TONS of gold, 380 TONS of silver, 675 TONS of bronze, and 3,750 TONS of iron. Gold recently traded at $1,000 per OUNCE. So, in today’s dollars, the gold itself would have been worth $6.2 BILLION, “given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD.”

On the other hand, consider Ananias and Sapphira from the book of Acts.

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, ² And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³ But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?  ⁴ Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. ⁵ And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. ⁶ And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. ⁷ And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. ⁸ And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. ⁹ Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. ¹⁰ Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.” (Acts 5: 1-10)

This couple was not killed because they kept some of the money from God. As Peter said, after the property was sold, the money was still under the couple’s power…they could do whatever they wanted to do with it. They were killed because they lied to God about the money. In other words, they did basically what Cain had done all those centuries before…they didn’t think about God when providing an “offering.” Instead, they thought first of themselves.

Most churches believe that people are required to give a tithe, or ten percent, of their income to the church (or to the “work of the Lord”). There are many arguments about tithing: do we tithe on gross or net income? Do we tithe on gifts we receive? Do we tithe on tax refunds?

While I believe that tithing is important and that it is required of God, these questions cause tension and even dissent in the church. Kind of makes it hard to be a “cheerful giver” when you’re stressed about all the nuances involved.

So what is the right answer? I don’t know. But I know that I can (and do) ask God what he wants me to give. And if I’m giving based on anything but a wholehearted desire to serve God, then am I really giving to God at all, or am I cheating him?

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts (just be nice!).

God Bless.

Regular Joe

Can you imagine getting drunk Saturday night and then going to church the next morning? Can you imagine rolling out of a bed you share with your live-in lover, getting dressed, and going to church? Can you imagine attending a Sunday night service with beer on your breath? Can you imagine refusing to pay a bill you owe and then trying to worship with the person to whom you owe it?

As a pastor, I’ve had church members do these things. Each time I was left to wonder about the mentality that could create such a situation. I’m sure that Ananias and Sapphira would have some thoughts on this subject. They lied about their level of commitment to the Lord and were struck dead after bringing their offering to the apostles (Acts 5:1-11). Nadab and Abihu would have some thoughts too. They were devoured in flames as they attempted to perform their priestly duties while under the influence of alcohol (Leviticus 10:1-11).      

The hard, cold truth is that if God still imposed such high standards for worship, we’d be seeing a lot of funerals in our churches. The current status quo reminds me of the worshippers of Amos’ day. Even though the northern kingdom of Israel was wicked to the core, the people still faithfully attended their worship services at Bethel and Gilgal. Amos sarcastically mocked these “worship” services by saying, “Come to Bethel and transgress. At Gilgal, multiply transgression” (Amos 4:4).

Far too many Christians seem to have the idea that sprinkling church attendance onto their sins makes those sins more acceptable. A rotten egg is still a rotten egg no matter how much sugar you pour on it. Oh, sure, going to church might ease your conscience and make you feel better about yourself. But God isn’t impressed or amused. Honestly, you can attend a hundred different services in a hundred different churches, but you won’t do any real business with God until you repent of those sins that characterize your life Monday through Saturday.

1 Samuel chapter 15 will preach. God spoke through Samuel and commanded King Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites. That meant every man, woman, child, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey. But Saul didn’t do that. Instead he took Amalek’s king as a prisoner of war and spared the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, and lambs.

When Samuel came out to see Saul, Saul said, “I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” With words dripping of sarcasm, Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of oxen which I hear?” Saul answered that he planned to offer them as sacrifices to God. But Samuel told him, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than to sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.”

Samuel was teaching Saul that no amount of “worship” can make up for rank disobedience. You can “play church” all you want, but God will never ignore the fact that He hears the bleating of sheep and the lowing of oxen in your life. As Saul described the spectacular sacrifices he was going to offer up as “worship,” Samuel might as well have said to him, “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you because the fruits of your disobedience are drowning out your voice.”

1 Peter 4:17 says: “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God…” Peter wrote those God-inspired words sometime between A.D. 63-65. That is over nineteen centuries ago! If he could truthfully make that statement in his day, how much more so can we make it today?

Maybe it’s the pastor coming out in me, but I’m tired of Christians who live like hell through the week and then sing the joys of heaven on Sunday. I’m tired of them coming to church to learn more Bible when they flatly ignore the book’s most basic commandments and moral principles. And I’m definitely tired of having to explain the wrongness of the situation to them. If I have to tell you what the problem is, THAT’S part of the problem!

Our churches have become infected with ”sloppy grace.” We’re so scared that somebody will quit, or that somebody else will think poorly of us for letting them quit, that we just wink at all kinds of blatant sin. This, of course, kills our testimony and credibility with outsiders. You see, when personal holiness became optional in the lives of church members, we lost our power. Lost people don’t need another club or organization to join, even if it’s a religious one. They need for the church to be different. They need for it to be what it’s supposed to be. They need for it to be holy ground.  And as things stand now, it isn’t. We’ve got far too much bleating of sheep and lowing of oxen for that.

Text: Ephesians 1:1b

         Acts 9 opens to pounding hooves that have beaten against the earth for six straight days.  The rider of this exhausted, dust-saturated horse is a notorious assassin who is “still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.”  Zealous Saul, infamous for his hatred and violence against those who believe in Jesus, is on one of his death-missions when all his plans go haywire!  Right as he was nearing Damascus, “suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.”  The killer falls off his horse and hits the ground like a sack of rocks.  This is the moment when our man is introduced to Jesus…and the course of his life is drastically altered.  Permanently. 

         However, this transformation is not unique to Saul.  The simple truth is that Jesus changes lives.  To know Jesus personally is to be transformed into His likeness, to be changed from the inside out.  The pulse of your old life flatlines as your heart begins to beat anew with Jesus.  “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me (Gal. 2:20).”  His desires become your own.  His words consume your speech.  His story, your history.

         Perhaps you have never met Jesus personally.  Saul would be the first to tell you that Jesus is for real; that He died to be your Savior; and that He is alive and in pursuit of your heart. 

         Now, having met Jesus, the risen Messiah, Saul needs someone to come along side of him, to help and encourage him in this new phase of life.  The curtains have just fallen in act one of Saul’s life, but now the stage is black (literally).  Saul needs a friend to guide him to part two.  This friend would be Ananias.  Despite his murderous reputation (v.13-14), Saul was about to experience what it felt like to be the recipient of “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:44).”  The Bible says that Ananias found Saul, laid hands on him, prayed for him, and then called him “brother”!

         Perhaps there is a lesson or two here for us…  One that comes to mind is to be careful of casting judgment on others.  It is likely that Ananias had long-since written off Saul as “the enemy”, all the while Jesus had written Saul as “a chosen vessel.”  Jesus never wrote off Saul just as He never wrote off Jonah or Rahab or Moses or David or…or… or.  Satan thought he had an ace up his sleeve with this passionate assassin, but the King of Hearts was still the winning hand.  Just as a blacksmith molds a vessel for a particular purpose, so God had skillfully molded Saul’s life for a particular purpose: to carry the name of Jesus Christ to “Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel (v.15).” 

         Is there a certain person in your life whom you have given up for lost?  A friend, family member, a certain government official?  Don’t relinquish your hopes for them just yet.  Remember, the trophies are handed out at the finish line…not before.  And you just might be “the friend” that leads this unlikely person to Jesus in part two of their life!

         That brings us to Ephesians 1:1a: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ…”.  This verse reminds me of my highschool basketball days when the announcer would give the starting lineup.  “And now the starting lineup for the Redstorm, at guard, a 6’2 senior…Jeremiah Knoop.”   (Team, position, height and name.) 

         The exact same stats are here in verse 1.  “Paul”; so far we know his name.  Now, any guesses on what his name means?  “Little” J  So now we also know his height!  His position is “an apostle”.  And Paul’s team…“of Jesus Christ.”  And just as the athlete “puts on” his jersey so spectators know his team, so Paul “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14), so that when others looked at him, they saw Jesus.

         What about me?  Is it impossible to miss Jesus when people look at me?  And what will be said of me when my time on the court is over?  Will I have represented my team well?

         …One day, on a broken road to Damascus, a man known as Saul met Jesus.  And as a result…his life was never the same.  He exchanged his old jersey for a brand new one.  One that read “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ.”

Acts 5:1-11

There had been a great generous spirit within the early church which supported the people and the work of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Some may in fact have given out of jealousy and envy; like the ones we see in chapter 5 (4:32-37).

TWO IN THE CHURCH SOLD A POSSESSION OF LAND, THEN LIED ABOUT THE AMOUNT (Acts 5:1-2).  There was no pressure for anyone to give.  Barnabas one who sold all he had and gave to the Church was blessed by the Lord for doing so, but that was not his reason for giving.  I am sure he had a pure motive, which would and did glorify God.

The only pressure which Ananias and Sapphira experienced was the pressure of envy, or jealousy.  These two things can bring ruin into a life and a church.  It can also be the ruin of many a family, a business, a city, or any other government.  The attitude of these two was probably “Keeping up with the Joneses” as is the problem with people of two thousand and eight.

This couple had saw an opportunity to express themselves, receive a few accolades from the others, and keep back part of the proceeds from the sale for themselves; maybe put it back for gaining interests, or a rough, rainy period or something like that.  There was nothing wrong with the only giving a portion of the proceeds to the church; what was wrong was their deceit in the giving, and declaring that they were giving it all to the church; when they did not.  They, Ananias first, lied to the Spirit of God.

SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT THROUGH THE APOSTLE PETER CONFRONTS THE SINNING ANANIAS (vv. 3-4).  Spiritual discernment is greatly needed in our postmodern era.  We have lying teachers and “prophets” and I use the term “prophets” loosely.  These are ‘prophets’ of doom in the future, leading people into the fires of eternal torment.

We are not told what gave Peter a clue to the lie.  It was by the Spirit  of God definitely, however, there are sometimes clues people give to telling lies, if we have the discernment to make that determination.  Have you ever been told, “You’re not even a good liar”?  That is really a compliment.  That would be something someone says to you after you have made a statement in jest, or “Pulling the leg” as I have often heard said.  I am not questioning whether the Spirit of God was the discerner of the eventful lies, but wondering what Ananias did that gave Peter a heads up.

It would seem that Peter is wondering how a man can lie to God, and think that God would not know.  One thing is for certain, we see that the Spirit of God is upon and within Peter and all the apostles through this event.

Every Christian is to use the gift of discernment.  We can discern whether a word is from God.  We can discern whether the words a man or woman speaks is from God or the contents of their own thoughts and heart.  We can discern whether seeming miraculous events are of God or manipulations of things, thoughts, and torments of men.  We must practice spending time with God in His written Word, in prayer and when God leads in fasting.  We must also practice the principles of godliness, holiness, righteousness in life.  When one is saved these things become the desires of our hearts.

Spiritual discernment does no good if it does not confront that which is wrong and evil.  That is what Peter did on this day which would change the Church for years to come.  What if Peter, even though the Spirit had revealed this sin of Ananias to him, would have overlooked the sin, received the gift, and never said a word to Ananias?  Don’t you love “What ifs”?  Peter did confront it.  He didn’t have any other choice before God.  It was not Peter who struck him down.  It was in fact the power of the Spirit of God.

UPON HEARING HIS SECRET WAS OUT, REVEALED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, ANANIAS DIES A SPEEDY DEATH IS CARRIED AWAY AND BURIED (vv. 5-6).  Something we might very well consider at this point is that the Church being new, had much to learn, concerning sin in their lives.  Lying is not good, and never is when you lie to God.  There are other times in the Bible where God judges immediately due to sinful behavior.  Take these for example:  the sons of Aaron – Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-3); then you have Ahio escorting the Ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem who was slain on the spot for touching the Ark (2 Samuel 6:1-10).  Both of these events were the beginning of a new era; a new time of hope.  During those times God’s people still must learn to remember that you cannot violate the holiness or the law of God.  The message concerning Ananias and Sapphira is the same.  Just because we are in the New Testament does not negate God’s wrath upon disobedience to His Law, nor His holiness.

THE CONSPIRIACY OF THE LIE IN SAPPHIRA IS DISCOVERED AND JUDGED (vv. 7-10).  There was a deliberate act to deceive.  There was a conspiracy between a husband and wife, and that conspiracy was against God.  Who would dare conspire against God?  A hypocrite.  Do you think that God does not know your heart and mind?  He knows, O, man the very hairs of your head.  He knows, O, woman every thought that you think no one else knows.  God knows.

This is clearly a planned act to deceive.  It is clearly a planned act to lie and conspire against the Church, the apostles, and especially against God.  I wonder how far they really thought they would get with this “little lie”.  Who will it hurt if we keep part of it for ourselves?  Will it hurt anyone?  Yes!  It will hurt someone.  It will, first of all, hurt the liar.  It will hurt their fellowship with God, with the church family, it will hurt the ministry of the church, and repercussions will go on and on.  God will judge sin.  As Moses has written, “Be sure your sin will find you out”

AN EARLY JUDGMENT IN THE CHURCH LETS US KNOW THAT GOD WILL STILL JUDGE SIN (v. 11).  It is written elsewhere is the New Testament, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31), and “For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:29).

Those who can read the New Testament and come away with the idea of God being only a god of love without wrath, comes away with a false deity who is powerless, and unworthy of worship.  It is in the gospels we learn of His great love and His wrath.  It is through His divine Son Jesus Christ we learn of that love and wrath.

It was Jesus who bore His wrath for our redemption.  He paid the price that should have been ours to pay.  Our paying the price of our sin would have meant eternal torment, eternal separation from the Creator, eternal wrath by His own hands.

These early believers had on display the wrath of God against lying to Him.  Though the two liars thought they were just deceiving the church, they were in fact lying to God, and He took vengeance on them,  and it brought the “fear of God” on the church.  Do churches do themselves, the people who sin, or God any favor by refusing to deal with sinful behavior by those who are members of their church?  It really only continues to invite sinful behavior within the church.  It is a sin for the church, the pastor and congregation not to deal with, and discipline for confession, repentance and restoration of that member.

It is still a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  He is still a consuming fire.   Maybe this early judgment upon members of the church is only unique to remind us of God’s holiness and power; and that we cannot fool Him.  Maybe it should cause us to realize that even if we are His, He will not let us get away with sin.

-Tim A. Blankenship

These are study notes for a sermon preached at Carr Lane Baptist Church on October 19, 2008.

If you’re in the sandals of Ananias, what will you do? Run away? Ignore what you just heard? Rebuke God’s voice?

Looking at Ananias’ account in Acts chapter 9, he sure was in a tough situation.

For one, the Lord Jesus, in a vision, appeared to Ananias, commanding him to go to Saul, who was staying in a house in Straight Street.

If I were to recreate the scene in the 21st Century setting, it probably would have gone something like this…

Click the link for more…http://richavady.com/2009/09/12/following-ananias-footsteps/

These are some of the presents I got for Teachers’ Day. The first gift I got was from Yu Min, a little girl I kinda adore because she’s mature for her age but still very child-like she gave me a pink flower like one of those in the pictures. Then, Nigel and Nicole gave all the teachers a Lock-Lock tupper ware, nicely wrapped and pasted with a photo of the two siblings. Nigel is one good natured P4 boy and very much one of the most obedient. The same goes to Nicole, whom I think will grow up to be a beautiful girl  their cousin, Miki gave us a photo display holder cum mirror set. Miki always has her hair tied up in two small pony tails.. like mickey/minnie mouse really.

The supervisor gave Miss Lim and I got a day off on 31st Aug and the centre was closed on 1st Sep so we didn’t get to celebrate teachers’ day together with the kids (because Mr Tan was gonna be around). When we went back on 2nd Sep, we received some of the belated presents from the children  Thanks children~~ Eunice and Weiqi gave me a pink and purple flowers respectively and Eunice even packed along some small goodies — a red pen, notebook and sticky pad. The sisters; Xin Yu and Si Yu gave me a clothes peg specially decorated. I had tuition with Meiyi on 1st Sep and she gave me a handmade card. I’ve already tutored her for 2 and a half years, so when she is sec 3 it will be our 4th year. Wow!

Today Vic teaches from Acts 5 looking at the account of Ananias and Sapphira……do we see God punishing this couple or is something else happening…..listen to the message on the Podcast, read the Scriptures and make up your mind….

Beware of Paul Washer

Paul Washer’s Washed-up Gospel

Paul Washer’s FALSE GOSPEL!

Apparently the Jesus-Is-Savior people disdain all the talk about true Biblical repentance. Looks like another Calvinist/Reformed versus fundamentalist Arminianism debate. The latter is true because in their article denouncing Washer, they endorse Harry Ironside. About this Ironside:

Ironside was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to John and Sophia (Stafford) Ironside, who were both active in the Plymouth Brethren. From a very early age, Ironside showed a strong interest in evangelical Christianity and was active in the Salvation Army as a teenager before later joining the “Grant” section of the Plymouth Brethren. in 1924, Ironside began preaching under the direction of the Moody Bible Institute. In 1926, he was invited to a full-time faculty position at the Dallas Theological Seminary, which he turned down, although he was frequently a visiting lecturer there from 1925 to 1943. After a series of sermons presented at the The Moody Church, in Chicago, he was invited to a one-year trial as head pastor there in 1929. Almost every Sunday that he preached there, the 4,000 seat church was filled to capacity. While there, he continued traveling to other US cities during the week for preaching engagements. In 1932, he expanded his travels internationally. Ironside preached at the 1935 funeral of Billy Sunday, at Moody Church. In 1930, Wheaton College presented Ironside with an honorary Doctorate of Letters degree, and in 1942-06-03 Bob Jones University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. Along with others such as Cyrus Scofield, he was influential in popularizing dispensationalism among Protestants in North America.

This is just an American version of the age old Baptist-Wesleyan (Methodist) dispute of post-Reformation England. In America, the Methodists basically won the debate, with Baptists co-opting many of their doctrines, and premillennial dispensationalism apparently playing a large role in that. It has reached the point where prominent fundamentalists openly denounce historic Protestant doctrines as heretical, while Wesleyan doctrines on soteriology and sanctification are now called the “Biblicist” position, as if Charles Spurgeon, George Whitefield, John Bunyan, and Augustus Strong were ignorant of scripture or something.

The dispensationals refer to the doctrines of Washer to be “Lordship salvation.” Another site directly compares the teachings of John MacArthur to dispensational pioneer and giant Charles Ryrie. On Lordship salvation: “Its basic premise, that Jesus cannot be one’s Savior without also being his Lord, has been taken by some to mean that salvation is attained by works rather than by God’s grace.” The “some” who take this position are falsely distorting Reformed Baptist soteriology, building a straw man and knowingly making a false accusation. “Those who reject lordship salvation (e.g., Ryrie), believe that someone may have genuine faith in Christ, but the fact that he continues in his sin demonstrates that he has not made Jesus his Lord, only his Savior. According to Ryrie, just because someone sins or acts in disobedience (even habitually) doesn’t mean he doesn’t have saving faith.” So, it is the dispensational Ryrie who rejects “faith without works is dead.”

Check out what Ryrie claims. “Second, there is a repentance that is unto eternal salvation. What kind of repentance saves? Not a sorrow for sins or even a sorrow that results in a cleaning up of one’s life. People who reform have repented; that is, they have changed their minds about their past lives, but that kind of repentance, albeit genuine, does not of itself save them. The only kind of repentance that saves is a change of mind about Jesus Christ. People can weep; people can resolve to turn from their past sins; but those things in themselves cannot save. The only kind of repentance that saves anyone, anywhere, anytime is a change of mind about Jesus Christ. The sense of sin and sorrow because of sin may stir up a person’s mind or conscience so that he or she realizes the need for a Savior, but if there is not change of mind about Jesus Christ there will be no salvation” (p. 94, SGS).

“The only kind of repentance that saves is a change of mind about Jesus Christ.” Intellectual regeneration, confessional regeneration, decisional regeneration. Not only that, but a truly radical form of this doctrine that combines both conversion and repentance, which the Bible and historic Protestant doctrine hold refer to two related but separate things, into the single act of decison. Their position – what can be called the modern Wesleyan one that is the basic position of American evangelical Christianity (whether Baptist, Pentecostal, or nondenominational)  is that the free will decision for Jesus Christ is the primary and controlling factor where salvation is concerned. Now in theory – i.e. for systematic doctrinal purposes – the free will decision is not the sole factor. But IN PRACTICE, the decisional regenerationists do not wish to countenance anything that would challenge the  idea that the person who has made a decision for Jesus Christ has to be considered born again.

Now this is the rub. Their objection to those like Washer and MacArthur is not in a SPIRITUAL or DOCTRINAL sense. Objecting in a spiritual sense, where humans can claim to profess with 100% certainty that someone is born again when the Bible says that God knows the heart, is not the sort of Roman Catholic thing that these people are after. And they are also not creating or defending any doctrine to the effect of “if a person accepts Jesus Christ AND REALLY MEANS IT then he is saved.” Instead, their objection is in a practical and ecclesiastical sense. As far as practice is concerned, well listen to enough sermons by Paul Washer, John MacArthur and their fellow travelers long enough and it will be difficult to continue relying on the sinner’s prayer and similar evangelism methods (even if Ray Comfort, who largely shares their beliefs, still does). And in an ecclesiastical sense, their doctrines make it extremely difficult to put someone on a church roll after a decision for Jesus Christ. Washer and MacArthur (if not necessarily Comfort) demand a little more effort, a little extra step out of their evangelism methods and before people are allowed as members of their church in good standing. And even after requiring a little more, Washer and MacArthur regularly and frequently acknowledge that many members of their own churches are not born again.

That is offensive to someone who really, truly believes in decisional regeneration, which quite honestly does teach that a person is regenerated by the Holy Spirit upon their heartfelt decision for Jesus Christ. People who make a decision for Jesus Christ and remain unsaved; their only recourse is to claim that the decision was false, insincere, made without adequate understanding, etc. Further, one cannot spend too much time thinking about just how often these “flawed decisions” (decisions for Jesus Christ that did not result in true conversion) because having to consider a large number of flawed decisions means working out how decisional regeneration works in practice (i.e. methods of producing decisions for Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit will always – or at least almost always – honor) and incorporating that practice into evangelism and ecclesiology.

Now in times past, meaning the earlier Wesleyan and fundamentalist movements who A) taught that one could lose his salvation and B) had a strong moral/ethical/works component, this was not a problem. In those cases, you were dealing with a person who had lost his salvation and needed to confess and apologize for his sins and make a new confession of faith, and further the emphasis on morals and ethics (called “legalism” by some) acted as a control on church culture that reduced the need to have to deal with this unpleasant situation. However, as the modern movements have adopted more Biblical positions concerning the preservation of the saints and on grace, they cannot simply deal with this tough issue by saying “Well he made a valid decision for Jesus Christ, lost his salvation, and needs to be saved anew.” Instead, the position has to either be “he was never saved in the first place because his decision for Jesus Christ was flawed or ineffective” or “he is saved based on his decision for Jesus Christ, but he still has problems with sin.” Now as stated earlier, choose the former and the “decision for Christ” doctrine and the church systems based on it have real problems. So, they have no choice but to choose the latter, even if it means explicitly embracing the idea that a decision for Jesus Christ results in Holy Spirit regeneration in even the absence of Biblical repentance (what the Bible means when it says being “pricked in the heart” in Acts 2:37 and similar) and/or rejecting the Lordship of Jesus Christ (despite the fact that it is plainly impossible to make a decision for Jesus Christ when you do not know the identity or nature of the Jesus Christ that you are making a decision for or what Jesus Christ requires of you; anything less is making a decision to a false Jesus Christ, which is a false god or idol that does not exist and is no god at all).

By making decisional regeneration – or more accurately decisional conversion – the agent that results in the Holy Spirit’s justifying and regenerating a sinner, it makes the human free will decision of Jesus Christ a sacrament, a human ritual or action that imparts God’s grace (or results in God’s deciding to impart grace by honoring the initiative and actions of man). This can be compared to the sacramentalism of the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church claims that by being the body of Christ indwelt by the Holy Spirit (yes, the Roman Catholic Church does teach that the very institution is the body of Jesus Christ and contains within it the power and sovereignty of Jesus Christ) it has vested within it the power and authority to perform rituals that confer grace through its appointed representatives. So, the Roman Catholics believe that rituals performed by their priests save people, because through the ritual the priest is dispensing the saving grace using the Holy Spirit that the indwells the church. In other words, the ritual performed by the Catholic church saves you because the Catholic church is the body of Christ, contains the Holy Spirit, and as a result has the authority and the ability to dispense saving grace through its sacraments just as Jesus Christ had the ability to tell the paralytic man “thy sins are forgiven” and tell the penitent thief on the cross “this day you shall be with me in paradise.” (Consider in the last case, Ryrie’s position is that the thief in question never had to repent of his sins – which he plainly did when he confessed them and stated that he deserved the punishment of death for them – or call Jesus Christ Lord and submit to Him on that basis, but rather that the thief only had to ask Jesus Christ to save Him.)

However, the decisional conversion-regeneration position states that a person acting on his own power and authority can make a decision that the Holy Spirit (indeed the Holy Trinity) is unconditionally bound to honor, and further that the Godhead must accept that person’s decision even if that person rejects repentance and the Lordship of Jesus Christ. So where the Roman Catholic position is that as the Body of Christ being indwelt by the Holy Spirit it has the sovereign prerogative and ability to confer grace and the regenerative workings of the Holy Spirit on a sinner (Catholic sacramentalism), decisional conversion-regeneration holds that a person outside fellowship with Jesus Christ (and indeed is at emnity with Jesus Christ, spiritually dead, no interest in spiritual things, and all the other things that the Bible says about his condition of original sin and totally depraved state – doctrines which again the original Wesleyans and Arminians somewhat denied but modern dispensationals have mostly adopted) can perform a sacrament that dispenses grace upon himself.

While I do not take the position that Wesleyan dispensationals are in a false and heretical apostate movement and hence cannot be considered Christians – which incidentally is the position that I take with Roman Catholics – allow me to say that at least Roman Catholicism have an explanation for how it is possible for their priests to perform sacraments that dispense grace to sinners: that the priests are acting as representatives of the body of Christ that is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and therefore have the necessary access to the Holy Spirit and its grace to give to sinners. (Please note: the Roman Catholic Church actually holds in theory that it institutionally has the right to deny salvation to sinners, but it is exceedingly rarely done in practice, especially in modern times. However, in times past there was this pope who excommunicated the king of Britain until the king caved to the pope’s political demands. The pope kept this king waiting outside begging in the snow for days before the pope decided to allow this king back into heaven. Again, do not mistake this for an endorsement of Roman Catholicism in any way.) However, decisional conversion-regeneration holds that a sinner unreconciled with God and thus not part of the Body of Christ (note that I capitalized “Body” with respect to Protestants and not Catholics, and yes it was by design) and hence is not indwelt by the Holy Spirit is able to impart saving grace upon himself – or to be more accurately compel the Holy Spirit that does not indwell him to impart its saving grace – through the “decision for Christ” sacrament. Now I am not going to say that the Catholic position is more Biblical or that it even makes more sense (especially when you consider that Catholic sacramentalism cannot be taken in isolation, but must be considered in the context of their other mystical, pagan doctrines) but at least the Catholics have an explanation for how a priest can save someone by sprinkling him or giving him a communion wafer. The modern Wesleyan evangelical has no explanation for how the decision of an unpenitent sinner who rejects the Lordship of Jesus Christ places the Holy Spirit under unconditional compulsion to save the sinner. The reason for this was stated earlier: deep consideration of the issue of salvation resulting entirely from human initiative, from human intellectual decision, can only result in serious problems for the entire doctrinal system. So, in order to prevent such examination from taking place, their only recourse is to call Paul Washer a heretic for insisting that Biblical repentance is a requirement for salvation, and that salvation results in a person becoming a new creation whose evidence is a changed moral character that reflects and communicates God’s holiness.

When boiled down to its core, the system of Ryrie, Ironside, and Jesus-Is-Savior.com holds that becoming a new creature simply means switching allegiances, changing minds. Then again, as this doctrine rejects Biblical repentance and submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, becoming a new creation simply means deciding to allow Jesus Christ to save you. And since it is the sinner who decides to allow Jesus Christ to save him, then it is the sinner who performs the new birth, the new creation through the exercise of his free will, or the changing of his free will. Now of course, the people holding the doctrines similar to Ryrie and the folks at Jesus-Is-Savior.com are not in the business of admitting this fact to people. As a matter of fact, they haven’t even admitted this fact to themselves. (I am serious … they really, truly have not taken this doctrine to its logical conclusion, of thinking about what salvation based on the free will decision of a sinner who rejects repentance and the Lordship of Jesus Christ really means as opposed to what they desperately want it to mean.) So rather than come to grips with the horrible conclusion that their doctrines teach that the sinner accomplishes his own rebirth through the exercise of his intellect, they must accuse those whose preaching challenges their doctrines like Washer and MacArthur of teaching “works plus faith justification” and “legalism.”

The good news: in practice the free will evangelicals do preach that Biblical repentance and the Lordship of Jesus Christ are necessary for salvation. Lots of Reformed/Calvinistic types claim that they do not, but I have listened to far too many evangelical free will Baptist, Pentecostal, and nondenominational sermons. Also, the link which evaluates the statements of Ryrie acknowledges that Ryrie actually ultimately endorses the very positions of MacArthur that he wrote “So Great Salvation” to attack in the first place (and questioned the integrity of Ryrie for failing to admit it). The problem only occurs when people such as Washer and MacArthur repeatedly and directly challenge the “decision for Jesus Christ” doctrine. It is only when that happens that such people as Ryrie and the folks at Jesus-Is-Savior.com are forced to manifest a sort of double-mindedness (I will not use the humanistic psychological term “schizophrenia”) about what they actually believe concerning soteriology.

It is interesting that the “Lordship salvation” opponents use Ananias and Sapphira as well as the Corinthian man living in fornication as examples to demonstrate that the doctrines of Washer, Comfort, and MacArthur – where they demand Biblical repentance and submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ – are false. First, scripture never states that Ananias, Sapphira, and the Corinthian fornicator did not repent and submit to Christ’s Lordship at the time that they were saved. It merely states that these people fell into sin after salvation. It is an argument from silence, true, but it is still completely consistent with what the apostle John writes about Christians who fall into sin in at least 3 of his epistles (1 John, 2 John, Revelation). Also, the people who reject “Lordship salvation” do not ACCURATELY deal with the issues raised by Simon Magus, Simon the magician! Why? Because Simon Magus made a decision for Jesus Christ without repenting of his sinful desire for power and wealth, and without submitting to the Lordship and sovereignty of God! Simon Magus was using sorcery to control people and make money before he made his decision for Jesus Christ, and not only did he want to continue doing those things after he made his decision for Jesus Christ, but he wanted to force the sovereign Holy Spirit to do his bidding! Correlating Ananias and Sapphira and the Corinthian in the sexual relationship with his father’s wife with the Johannine epistles – interpreting scripture with scripture – confirms what they call “Lordship salvation” rather than denying it. And further, the case of Simon Magus makes it explicitly clear that there is no other salvation but “Lordship salvation!” Otherwise, wow, it would be possible to go to heaven without your knee bowing and your tongue confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11), and not only your Lord but Lord of all!

So, we must pray in the Name of Jesus Christ that the people who have adhered to and are disseminating false doctrines on this matter would open their hearts to the truth and begin teaching the truth instead of a lie. Jesus-Is-Savior.com, this means you, and you are by no means alone.

A quick word before I share some of the wonderful things I’ve done and seen in the past week.  It is with great sadness that I share the news I just received – the passing of my beloved grandfather, Cecil Smith III, who for years wrote for the LA Times and instilled in me a love for writing.  It is in memory of him and his love of all things global and adventurous that I write this brief update.

- Arrive in Amman: check.

- Rent a car, purchase a “map”, and drive the winding and Arabic-signed streets of Jordan cities and villages: check.

- Wander along the Jordan River and visit the site where Jesus was baptized: check.

- Take in the expanse of the Promised Land, from where Moses did atop Mount Nebo: check.

- Get lost in random Jordanian village, only to be led by an overly friendly village man to a delicious Turkish meal and tea in the back of his hardware store.  Throw roadtrip schedule out the window: check.

- drive through the WILDERNESS: check.

- wander the majestic rock carvings and canyons of Petra, by candlelight: check.

- make friens with other tourists: check.

- drive through the WILDERNESS: check.

- watch the sunset over the red sands and mountains of Wadi Rum.  Camp under the stars in the Jordanian Desert: check.

- drive through the WILDERNESS: check.

- eye the Red Sea as we drive through Aqaba: check.

- float in the salty waters of the Dead Sea.  Rub mineral-laden mud all over me.  watch the sun set over Palestine: check.

- wander the souqs of ancient Damascus, stroll Straight Street, visit the house of Ananias where Paul was healed of his blindness and the part of the wall where he was lowered down in a basket to escape the Jewish leaders who were after him: check.

- enjoy the Middle East: check.

Cualquier similitud es pura coincidencia y esta historia que cuenta la Biblia me parece tan acertada para explicar la manera en que el Estado ahora nos ataca.

La historia de Ananías narra cómo este hombre muere “de vergüenza” luego de ocultar las ganancias de una propiedad que le pertenecía.  En esa época, las ganancias y la venta de las propiedades era colectiva y los réditos de cualquier transacción eran administrados por la Iglesia.  La “vergüenza” a la que se refiere la Biblia no es más que una figura para representar el castigo de la Iglesia y sus miembros luego de que Ananías hizo valer uno de los derecho más importantes, el de propiedad privada y el derecho a lucrar con la venta de la misma.

Actualmente, por fortuna, la Iglesia ni ninguna institución religiosa tiene el control para robar las ganancias obtenidas de nuestra propiedad; pero, en su lugar, el Estado se ha convertido en el albacéa de ese control impuesto.  El pago de impuestos forzosos sobre las rentas de los ciudadanos y la expropiación de la propiedad en nombre del bien público es un reflejo actual y preocupante de la manera en que el Estado viola uno de los derechos de acción más importantes: lucrar de nuestra propiedad privada y trabajo.

Los dejo con la espeluznante historia bíblica de una muerte anunciada,

“Un hombre llamado Ananías, junto con su mujer, Safira, vendió una propiedad,  y de acuerdo con ella, se guardó parte del dinero y puso el resto a disposición de los Apóstoles.  Pedro le dijo: «Ananías, ¿por qué dejaste que Satanás se apoderara de ti hasta el punto de engañar al Espíritu Santo, guardándote una parte del dinero del campo?  ¿Acaso no eras dueño de quedarte con él? Y después de venderlo, ¿no podías guardarte el dinero? ¿Cómo se te ocurrió hacer esto? No mentiste a los hombres sino a Dios».  Al oír estas palabras, Ananías cayó muerto. Un gran temor se apoderó de todos los que se enteraron de lo sucedido.”

Hechos de los Apóstoles 5:1-5

In Acts Chapter 9 Saul of Tarsus meets Jesus Christ. When this happened Saul was charging down the road to Damascus like an angry bull. Why was he angry? His conscience was being pricked. He was under conviction. He had seen the witness of Stephen. Saul was very intelligent. He was very well-educated. He was very zealous for the Jewish faith, and very angry about anything that threatened it. He was very focused on his job, as a hunter of heretics. He was very self-righteous.

Saul had “wasted” many churches.

But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?

Acts 9:21

For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

Galatians 1:13

But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

Galatians 1:23

The Jewish council trusted him to go as far as Damascus. The Gospel had spread to Damascus – possibly because converts had fled there to escape persecution in Jerusalem. Saul had no doubt in his mind that Jesus of Nazareth was dead. In his heart? We don’t know.

Saul is commonly portrayed in Bible story books and church art as riding a horse just prior to his Damascus road experience. The fact is, the Bible does not tell us that Saul was riding a horse to Damascus, but if he was, the Lord knocked him off his “high horse,” so to speak.

And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

Acts 9:3-4

This light was so bright that it was bright at midday (Acts 26:13). All the men with him heard the sound of speaking, but only Saul understood the Words. Know he knew that Jesus of Nazareth was alive. He had to re-think everything he believed in – everything for which he stood. In an instant, Saul became a new creation.

And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

Acts 9:8-9

He went from being an angry bull to being a docile lamb. For three days he fasted and prayed – and probably tried to sort out what this meant.

The Lord sent Ananias to him. (This is a different Ananias than the one who was killed for lying to the Holy Ghost.) All the Christians knew who Saul was, and feared him. He received his sight back, and he received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 9:15 sort of summarizes Saul’s/Paul’s life and ministry: “But the Lord said unto him [ANANIAS], Go thy way: for he [SAUL] is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:”

Now the hunter became the hunted. And the hunter of men became the master soul-hunter.

Saul was at first rejected by the Jewish Christians because of his reputation and because of their experience with him. Also, by the time he was presented to them as a Christian, it had been three years since his conversion. He had probably been in Arabia during this time, being taught of God, witnessing, and suffering persecution.

Barnabas was the one who convinced the Jewish Christians that Paul really was an Apostle. Paul began to witness to the same Jews who had killed Stephen – so they plotted to kill Paul.

In Acts Chapter 10 we meet Cornelius, a Roman centurion and a “God-fearer.” Cornelius wanted to please God, so God sent him an angel. The angel told him to go and see Simon Peter.

We might ask ourselves why the angel didn’t just give him the Gospel message himself. The angels can carry God’s messages, but they have not experienced God’s grace in the same way that Christians have. The Gospel is not the same good news for them that it is for us. They have not been redeemed, and it is God’s plan that men share and preach the Gospel, not angels.

Peter was living in the home of a tanner, a person who worked with dead animal skins. This was remarkable for a Jew like Peter.

It is humorous to see that Peter was hungry, and he had a vision about food.

And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

Acts 10:10-15

Peter preached the Gospel to Cornelius, and he believed, and immediately the Holy Ghost fell on all them who believed. This was a special event. Now the Holy Ghost had been given to the Jews (Pentecost), the Samaritans (when Peter went after Philip preached), and the Gentiles. Peter the Apostle went to all three ethnic groups, and was the instrument through which God gave the Holy Ghost. Peter is the one to whom Jesus had given the “keys to the Kingdom.”

Note that these Gentiles received the Holy Ghost before they were baptized in water.

The other Apostles and Christians were a little upset with Peter when he got back, but he told them the whole story.

When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Acts 11:18

And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

Acts 11:20-21

Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire, after Rome itself and Alexandria. The movers and shakers of Rome came for business and pleasure. This was the only city where the streets were lit at night (which would turn out to be kind of ominous for the Christians.) Antioch had a main street paved with marble. In such a cosmopolitan locale, you might expect the preaching of the Gospel to fall flat. Yet the witness of the Holy Spirit, through Godly believers preaching the Word, was very effective.

The church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas (whose name meant “the son of encouragement”) to encourage these gentile believers.

And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Acts 11:26

“Christian” has become such a common word today that it has lost some of its valuable impact. The people in Antioch used it the way we might call someone a “Little Christ.” It was a combination of the Hebrew Word for “Christ” with the Greek suffix “ian,” meaning “belonging to the party of.” It was an insult back then, but it was not a “vulgar” (common) term like it is today. When non-believers called them “Christians,” they knew that they had repented of their sins, believed the Gospel, and believed in the resurrected Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God, and as the One True and Living God. Today, “Christian” is a vulgar term: It just means somebody who goes to church, at best – or somebody who is not a pagan, agnostic, or professing atheist, at worst.

Barnabus got Paul to help, knowing that he had been called to preach to the Gentiles. With a famine affecting Jerusalem, the gentile Christians in Antioch sent a special love offering back to the church in Jerusalem, from which had come the message that saved their souls. We need to remember to always try to provide for the physical needs of those who reached out to us when we were lost, and those who helped us grow in the faith.

Acts 9:10 – 25

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”  And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

So the Lord said to Him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.

“And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

“And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

“For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

So when he had received food, he was strengthened.  Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”

But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him.

But their plot became known to Saul.  And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him.

Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.

Me

That line, “for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake,” really strikes me.  It also strikes me how important it is that Saul has spent these past three days in prayer and fasting.  His three-day catechumenate ends in baptism which is immediately followed by a breaking of the fast.  I know that the earliest version of Lent was a three-day fast for those awaiting baptism; Saul’s catechumenate seems to anticipate this practice.  And his dramatic conversion and repentance are incomplete until the laying on of hands and baptism by Ananias, who by most standards is a lesser hero of the Church than Paul.

I’m also reminded of the importance of the “lesser” saints– Paul’s ministry would have been impossible without the support of countless others, and even his conversion relied upon the courageous ministrations of Ananias.  And the fearless ministry of the nameless disciples who lowered the apostle out of the city in a basket.  Some Christians get wide recognition and fame, but the work of the Church is accomplished mostly by those who go unmentioned.

Chrysostom

Chrysostom notes that Ananias was not a particularly brave Christian; instead, he needed reassurance that visiting Saul would not be walking into a trap.  He also notes that Ananias’ role was not so much that of a teacher or catechist– Saul “needed no other teaching : that which had befallen was made teaching to him.” (130)  Yet although “the giver was no great one” (131) Ananias’ ministry was necessary for Saul’s conversion to be sealed by baptism.

Saul’s immediate proclamation in the synagogues was not “Christ is risen” but rather, “Christ is the Son of God.”

Chrysostom praises St. Paul’s zeal to die for the sake of the Gospel, and exhorts his listeners that this ought to be the desire of every Christian: “Nothing is more frigid than a Christian, who cares not for the salvation of others.”  He gives a list of excuses– poverty, lowness of birth, lack of education, enslavement, physical infirmity– and provides examples of great saints who overcame each of these setbacks.

Unfruitful trees, warns Chrysostom, are often strong, beautiful, and of great height.  “But if we had a garden; we should much rather have pomegranates, or fruitful olive trees: for the others are for delight to the eye, not for profit, which in them is but small.” (133)

To be a Christian is to be engaged in the salvation of others.  To be otherwise is to not be a Christian.  “Say, if the leaven being mixed up with the flour did not change the whole into the nature, would such a thing be leaven?” (133-4)  In fact, to claim that it is possible to be Christian without evangelizing is to insult God:

To say that the sun cannot shine, would be to insult Him : to say that a Christian cannot do good, is to insult God, and call Him a liar.  For it is easier for the sun not to give heat, nor to shine, than for the Christian not to send forth light : it is easier for the light to be darkness, than for this to be so.  Tell me not that it is impossible : the contrary is the impossible.  Do not insult God. (134)

There are many things that I know a lot about.  Some I have forgotten, like Star Trek trivia or comic book history (insert nerdy joke here), others have stuck with me.  One thing I don’t know much about is make-up, sure, I used some in High School for the musicals (before 3 famous movies made them somewhat cool) but not enough to be an expert.  There are a variety of cosmetics to fulfill their main job in different ways, that job being: making people look good. We had some of our gentlemen Middle Schoolers agree to have themselves made up by some of the ladies in the youth group, enjoy. 

Whatever kinds of make-up there are, the way they work is by covering our blemishes and highlighting other features.  But sometimes, that is just not enough, and more drastic steps are required.  Just check out this video about the pursuit of looking good.

There is quite a bit of technology that goes into the appearance of beauty.  In the end, what we are actually doing is hiding, or covering our “ugly” spots.  This is not just how we think of beauty, but it is an approach to life.  Everyday we censor ourselves to control how people think of us.

There are covering the ugly thoughts we have, the lies to cover our mistakes, leaving true things out so people will assume better about us, all different “make-up” tools so people will love us.  The problem is that at some point, we will be found out.   And when we are, there will be consequences, just look at the story of Ananias and Sapphira.

God loves you just as you are.  He wants you to see your true beauty, as He does.  When we do that, we have the strength to withstand anything, because our identity is secure.  When we fail, He still loves us.  At our ugliest, He loves us no less.  When we succeed, He rewards us.  Don’t believe the lies that try to steal your joy, make you weak, and believe you are not worth being loved.  In the end, when we hide behind “life make-up” we are creating a fake person, that doesn’t exist, by wearing a mask that people love instead of loving who we really are.

Here is some of our people with the masks they made that night.

²⁷Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?”

 ²⁸And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

 ²⁹“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much,[NIV- a hundred times as much] and will inherit eternal life.

^{30 “}But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.” (Matthew 19:27-30)

 As a man who follows closely what God speaks to me, I can most definitely appreciate this passage. Being of the character that allows one to step out in faith what one believes he is hearing from God, one comes under scrutiny.

The disciples had good cause to ask this question. They had left their lives to follow a miracle-man, a teacher and a prophet, as far as they knew. They followed Jesus for three years, and had no idea what would eventually come of it. Imagine you are at work, doing your job. Fishermen, tax collectors, Pharisees, and prostitutes. These are just a few of the “careers” Jesus interrupted. What about you- on your next shift? Baristas, nurses, machinists, sales clerks, police, priests, pastors, prostitutes and fishermen. All of these He still calls. What if the next time you are at work a man walks in and performs a miracle, saying no more than, “I am from the Father. Follow me.”? Will you? Maybe He supplies enough food for everyone out of enough for only one, or fills the till to overflowing with dimes. Maybe He has you look at the paperwork and it’s already done, or heals someone right in front of you. Will you follow?

That’s exactly what these people did. Simon-Peter, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him. So I wonder how many are actually willing to do what Jesus calls us to, however simple or complex or impossible it may seem. These twelve men did follow Jesus and at the point of the verses in Matthew above, they wanted to know what they were going to get from it.

Take for example the fishermen. Their entire livelihood is their boat and nets. When Jesus said, “Follow Me,” He promised nothing. He gave no reason, other than the feeling that there was more to this man than just mere flesh. Sure, He had caught a bunch of fish, but it could’ve been coincidence, couldn’t it? Most assuredly not. So Jesus tells them what is in store. They would sit on twelve thrones and have the honor of judging Israel.

This is great for those twelve men, but it’s the next line that caught me. Everyone who leaves his home, family or farm (I take that to mean property) for the sake of Jesus will be rewarded many times over and will receive eternal life. This is nothing to take frivolously. It is a great promise for a life of difficult decisions and much willful loss.

Case in point- I have heard the voice of God. He first told me I was to go to Africa in 2005. Upon His telling me this, I was in disbelief at what I had heard, but there is something about the presence of God that causes you to check your disbelief. God knows what He says, and to whom He says it. So I went that next year, in 2006, having everything fit exactly as He said it would. There, I went out to a great hill overlooking a distant, picturesque valley. I began to pray, thanking God for this “once in a lifetime opportunity to serve.” Suddenly, I was cut short by the immense feeling of heaviness by what I’d just said, particularly the phrase “once in a lifetime.” The same feeling of a Holy presence was there with me. I knew I was before God Almighty once again. He spoke, telling me that I would return. Foolishly, I was in disbelief, until a Maasai man confirmed the statement. He had been nowhere nearby when this conversation with God had taken place. I was immediately humbled, wondering why God hadn’t just struck me down for my disbelief in His perfect Word.

In 2007, I was married. My wife knew full well God’s call on my life. She, too, was informed by God of my trip, and several other things, in a similar way. In the first few months of 2008, there was great bloodshed in Kenya, my destination, following a presidential election in that country. I asked God to confirm the call for me to go there, as many Christian churches were burned and believers killed. God told me to face my fears and to go to Kenya as Ananias went to Saul, a Christian-killer who later became Paul, the writer of the majority of the Bible’s New Testament. (See Acts 9:1-19) Ananias was afraid to face the man known for killing believers. On top of that, God wanted Ananias to go and pray for Saul, which would reveal Ananias as a Christian. In the same way that God assured Ananias, He did for me.

Trouble is, there are a great number who tell me how unwise it is. This is what I’ve been told:

• Don’t go there alone.
• Don’t go there without a church (which wants membership and/or your tithes).
• Don’t go at all.
• It isn’t economically sound.
• It isn’t practical.
• It isn’t safe.
• It isn’t necessary.
• It’s wrong to leave your family.

Some of these things may be true, but they are not excuses. When it comes to God’s command, there is never an excuse to neglect it. Allow me point out a few details about our Biblical heroes:

• Noah built an ark: Not necessary (there was no rain).
• Lot followed two strangers command to get out of Sodom: Foolish by today’s standard.
• Abraham took his son up to an alter to kill him: Today he’d be arrested and committed.
• Jacob worked 14 years in a field for a woman. Today, I think he’d be accused of all sort of sin, from burning lust to insanity.
• Moses held up a stick several times, each resulting in a miracle. The Israelites still complained, but today I think they wouldn’t have let him get as far as he did. They might wander for 140 years!
• Esther risked her life for an audience with the king. That’s not safe.
• The fishermen dropped their nets, left their boats (their livelihood) and families and followed Jesus. That’s not economically sound and today would show “poor family relationships”.
• Peter got out of a boat to walk on water with Jesus. Not very practical.
• Daniel prayed openly to God, despite a law prohibiting it. Many would say that his prayers weren’t necessary.
• Jesus died for the sins of everyone-for YOUR sins. Even Peter told Him not to. Jesus’ response? “Get behind me Satan!” Jesus pointed out to Peter that that wasn’t God’s will; it was the will of man.

All of these and SO many more are men and women we call heroes. We look upon them in such high esteem, in such regard. Yet, if any of them were a man or woman in a typical congregation, they would be rebuked for their faith, cast aside, insulted, talked down or outright ejected from the church! We no longer hold in high admiration the strong, enduring faith of such believers, but we try to reason them down as the world would. We attempt to explain away the impracticality of the deed they wish to do. With this continuing on, there is little hope for the church.

No wonder the Bible calls for a great falling away of the faith. These people have no faith left, just religion. Religion that is accompanied by lighting, sound systems, meetings, décor, “group activities”, busyness, hyped up music and user-friendly preaching. They have laid aside Spiritual gifts and teaching that rocks the boat. They refuse to offend a sinner, and in result the Holy Spirit is boxed up, gossip is labeled as “keeping informed for the purpose of prayer”, adultery is a simple and often mistake, sin is allowed so long as we pray later, and there are no prophetic words, no deep soul cleansings, no demons cast out, no healings, no miracles, no Jesus. There is no Jesus is these churches, just the use of His Name, powerless by the covering up of sin and the list of convenient excuses.

What a contrast between the Bible’s definition of a believer and the current worldly church. Jesus made a promise to reward those who will leave something behind and follow Him. It seems so simple. Who wouldn’t want to go out in Jesus’ Name and receive an eternal reward? Given the current religious climate, I can see why it is a rewardable and rare practice.

Justin Lessard

May 2009