It's In There...

 

Rom 3:19 ESV Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

Spheres of Government, Home, Church, State: He owns it all!

  • Psa 24:1 ESV A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,
  • Psa 89:11 ESV The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
  • Col 1:16-18 ESV For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. (17) And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (18) And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

Life: He’s “Pro” :)

  • Jer 1:5 ESV "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
  • Isa 49:1 ESV Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.
  • Lev 18:21 ESV You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.
  • Psa 106:37-39 ESV They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; (38) they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood. (39) Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds.

Marriage: One Man, One Woman

  • Gen 2:24 ESV Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
  • Gen 1:27 ESV So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
  • Mat 19:4-5 ESV He answered, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, (5) and said, 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?
  • Lev 18:22 ESV You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
     

Economics: Equal rates/no favoritism or regarding anyone higher or lower; family inheritance, free exchange of goods, work

  • Exo 30:15 ESV The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD's offering to make atonement for your lives.
  • Num 18:21 ESV "To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting,
  • Exo 20:15 ESV "You shall not steal.
  • Lev 19:35-36 ESV "You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity. (36) You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
  • Pro 13:22 ESV A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.
  • Deu 2:6 ESV You shall purchase food from them for money, that you may eat, and you shall also buy water of them for money, that you may drink.
  • 2Th 3:10-12 ESV For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. (11) For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. (12) Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
     

Government Scope: Defense, Justice

  • Rom 13:3-4 ESV For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, (4) for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.
  • 1Pe 2:13-14 ESV Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, (14) or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
  • Luk 12:58 ESV As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison.

Care of the Poor: Family & Church, and all voluntary

  • 1Ti 5:8 ESV But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
  • 1Ti 5:3-4 ESV Honor widows who are truly widows. (4) But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
  • 1Ti 5:9-12 ESV Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, (10) and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work. (11) But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry (12) and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith.
  • 1Ti 6:18 ESV They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
  • Lev 19:9-10 ESV "When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. (10) And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.
  • Act 6:1-3 ESV Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. (2) And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. (3) Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.
  • Act 4:34-35 ESV There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold (35) and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
  • 2Co 9:7 ESV Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Education

  • Deu 6:6-7 ESV And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. (7) You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
  • Col 2:8 ESV See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
  • Pro 1:7 ESV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
  • 1Jn 4:3 ESV and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

 

The Program Problem

 

The Program Problem

Ok….major opportunity for misunderstanding here! Warning! LOL

We have too many programs.  Seriously.  Toooooooo many.  In fact, if a church is not laden with programs…many think that church needs to get with the program!

A program for youth.  A program for adults.  Twenty-somethings.  Singles with kids.  Singles without kids.  People who like cars.  People who like boats.  Zumba for Jesus!  Woodworking for Jesus!  Painting 101 for Jesus!  Toy-train sets for Jesus!!!!!  LOLOL

I’m kidding around.  Really.  But underneath the joking around there may be an issue: we can’t seem to solve life’s problems with just prayer, fellowship, the power of the Holy Spirit, the preached Word, and our bibles anymore. Simple faith and perseverance aren’t enough.  We need experts to coach us.  Every day.  All day.  Until the end of time.

In reality we are just copying culture and what we see in government: nothing can really be solved without a program.  It makes one wonder how the people of God survived until the 20th century!  Other than food distributions…there were no programs…or very few…in the majority history of the church.  There was prayer, family worship, personal bible study, personal evangelism, and the gathering of the saints on the Lord ’s Day for the Lord’s Word and the Lord’s Supper.  People had to actually talk to each other (face-to-face!) and walk with each other.  Christians who had been through a hard time had to read bible verses, trust them, pray, and keep living, discipling, and worshipping with the knowledge that their “on earth” healing wasn’t the issue: eternity was the issue!

And that mindset in and of itself helped reduce the self-focus.  With the rise of psychology in the 20th century, all that changed.  I’ve said this before: in many ways, our focus on self-help is counter-productive.  It keeps one SO focused on his or her problems that that itself becomes the problem.  Nobody is ever really healed because we keep them in programs focused on their healing! :)  The transforming power of the Holy Spirit that breaks yokes, renews, rebuilds hearts, imparts faith, explodes the power of the enemy, conforms our thoughts, enables forgiveness and gives us "move on" power from problems, and also assures us of our eternal sealing and healing?  Nah…we need a class!  Give us classes! (Again, a light-hearted joke...)

It really comes down to this: what God established for the growth of His people isn’t really sufficient for most of us: rigorous prayer and personal study, the preached Word and the counsel of elders, faith and perseverance, pouring your life out personally discipling and serving others, the blessing of Holy Communion, walking closely with family and Christian friends, and one of the most powerful mindsets of all...looking forward to being with Christ...an eternal perspective!  I suppose I could be wrong.... 

Oh well, as is obvious…I am rambling.  I guess I’m tired.  Shucks…I have one or two programs myself.  I’m a hypocrite.  Please forgive me!  But somewhere in these incoherent thoughts there might just be a shred of truth….maybe. ;)

(NOTE: For any of you who have been hurt by pastors/churches...please forgive us.  Some of this is surely caused by our failures.  We must do better.  And we will!)
 

Just an Observation...

 

...and surely a very fallible one at that.  However....

I've noticed that the more people read the WHOLE Bible systematically (yes the Pentateuch and Prophets too, not just the Psalms), the more they appreciate the gravity of sin and its remedy: grace.

By contrast, I've also noticed that the more one jumps around the Bible looking for "breakthrough narratives," and the more topical one tends to be with the Scriptures in personal devotions, the more one is intolerant of the whole counsel of God. 

Again, this is just my experience; you may not have noticed this at all.  But what I'm saying is that if one doesn't make a practice of reading Isaiah or Ezekiel or Leviticus or 1 John or Revelation or Romans or Psalms or Matthew ALL THE WAY THROUGH and just kinda cherry-picks the popular verses, the less likely one seems to be to tolerate the preaching of the Laws of God, any ethical standards, or any sense of an absolute.  On the contrary, this situation seems to produce a love of "grace" without that grace being suitably and contextually magnified by the reason it came: our inability to keep the Law and our utter sinfulness and wickedness before a Holy God.

As Ray Comfort said, "nothing magnifies Calvary like Sinai."  Because for the most part the Old Testament precepts (not its narratives) are ignored, our understanding of mercy and grace tends to be more circumstantial: jobs, relationships, encouragement during difficult moments, etc.  Sure, there is much grace there (thank you Lord!), but the best grace saves the soul from hell.

It's worth pointing out again that Jesus didn't come to abolish the Law; He came to fulfill it (Matt 5:17).  In fact, He came because the sin that became known because of the Law (Rom 3:20) had us all trapped and bound (Gal 3:22).  It still holds the whole world accountable to the holy standards of God! (Rom 3:19)

Like John the Baptist (one of if not THE greatest of the Old Testament prophets) "prepared the way for the Lord" (Luke 3:4), it is the preaching of God's moral laws that paves the way for a biblical and powerful uplifting and understanding of the grace God demonstrated in Jesus Christ...

Gal 3:19-26 ESV:

Why then the law?  It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. (20) Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.  (21) Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not!  For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.  (22) But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.  (23) Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.  (24) So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. (25) But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, (26) for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

Let's read all the Bible....not just parts of it...in church and at home.  Let's take our time and read not only John and Romans, but also Jeremiah and Ruth.  Page after page of the Old Testament points to our desperate need for Christ.  Verse after verse demonstrates the holy character of God.  How does one truly understand the love of God in Christ Jesus without understanding his own unworthiness?  How does one truly repent without a thorough explanation of his own lawlessness?  (1 John 3:4)  No, we are not "under the Old Covenant," but it's almost impossible to truly appreciate the New without it.

So please understand we don't preach the Law or quote the Old Testament to cause pain or hurt others' feelings; we do it because it is the best way to point people to their need for a Savior:

1Timothy 1:8-11 ESV - Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, (9) understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, (10) the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, (11) in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

Amen.

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