DISCERNING SHEEP FROM GOATS AND WOLVES - IS IT AS EASY AS WE THINK?

Northeast Church of Christ, Cookeville, TN

 

        "Then you shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked, Between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him." Malachi 3:18, New King James Version

A couple of days ago, I read a story in an update from CBN about a foreign evangelist being deported from the U.S. He formed a group, the name of which intrigued me, sounding like one that takes a firm stand. I was ready to like his FB page, and support this brother who was unjustly treated by his native country.

However, I remembered what it said in Proverbs 18:17 - "The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him." Maybe this person is standing for the truth, and maybe he has false teaching. So I searched for other pages dealing with this individual and his group.

Fairly quickly I found a Facebook page focused on the false teaching. This meant one of two things: 

1. This "evangelist" was a false teacher, and the page was wisely warning against him, or 
2. The warning group were themselves false teachers, and they were trying to discredit a true minister.

So I looked at this page. If I scrolled down far enough, I may have found some doctrinal fallacy of this evangelist, but the posts I saw sounded more like, "I don't like this evangelist guy so he's a false teacher and if you're wise you'll take my word without checking me out." Sorry, but I did not sense a godly attitude in this "watchman."

Fortunately, as I looked down at other posts, I saw one by "Got Questions," which I find reliable in information and of a calm spirit instead of having an attitude. They pointed out what the implications of the group's name was, which basically means "The church got it wrong for centuries so I've arrived to straighten things out." They pointed out some of the theological thought of the group, one of which I considered a yellow light and the other was a red light. 

I've said for years that one of the biggest problems of the church is that we want to unite with those we should be divided from and divided from those we should be united with. True, I am an encourager at heart (I don't know if my reviews and interviews reflect that), but I also want to take a stand for truth. I'm aware that unity between believers is not necessarily uniformity, but I also want to take a firm stand for truth.

There are things that make me wary when I hear them. The "one true Church" mentality. Baptismal regeneration (meaning you need to be baptized by water to be saved), especially when coupled with a formula (e.g. "for the remission of sins" or "in the name of Jesus"). Claiming some of the apostles are false teachers (I've encountered people who blacklist either Paul or James). Biggest two? Denying Jesus is God come in the flesh and that our salvation isn't paid in full by Christ's sacrifice on the cross but that we need to earn through works (or obedience) salvation.

But God has not left us alone in trying to tell who's representing the truth and who's not. I believe there are three things that will help:

1. The Bible, where the plain sense meaning is trusted. If it is of God, it will agree with what's written in Scripture. Not just an isolated verse that might not even be a whole sentence, but passages in context and developed throughout Scripture. Experience may help, but it does not replace the written Word of God.
   
2. The indwelling Holy Spirit. He will guide you through Scripture and also help you stay on the right track. And if you're a believer, then the Spirit is indwelling you.
3. The local church. Yes, the local church is made of fallible humans. But if the pastor is regularly preaching Scripture, you'll learn what Biblical thinking is. Just as God did not leave us without His Spirit, He also has put us in communion with like-minded believers to  travel in the truth together, which is why we're commanded to stir up love and good works and not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, exhorting one another instead.

BOOK REVIEW - CHANGED INTO HIS LIKENESS: A BIBLICAL THEOLOGY OF PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION, BY J. GARY MILLAR

 

Why does it seem hard to make lasting change in our lives for the better? Is it impossible, or does it take, for lack of a better term, an act of God?

J. Gary Millar does an excellent job of dealing with the issue of personal transformation and what the Bible teaches on the subject in his book "Changed Into His Image: A Biblical Theology of Personal Transformation." He starts off with our desire for transformation but various reasons why we're not capable of it, including the influence psychology, neuroscience, quantum physics, and philosophical considerations.

He then goes into the Old Testament, pointing out that while there's a promise of transformation, there aren't any true examples. In the New Testament, Millar focuses on the Gospel and the Holy Spirit being the source of empowerment to be able to live a transformed life.

This is the sixth book of the New Studies on Biblical Theology series, and the second one penned by J. Gary Millar, both of which are among my favorites. I highly recommend this book.

You may realize that today is Maunday Thursday. Personal transformation is possible because Christ died for us, rose again, and sent His Spirit into those who put their trust in Him.

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 15 OF 22: SPIRIT OF GOD, DESCEND UPON MY HEART

 

Dove statue, Peace Garden, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;    

Wean it from earth, through all its pulses move;

Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art, 

And make me love Thee as I ought to love.

I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies, 

No sudden rending of the veil of clay,

No angel visitant, no opening skies; 

But take the dimness of my soul away.

Hast Thou not bid us love Thee, God and King? 

All, all Thine own, soul, heart and strength and mind.

I see Thy cross - there teach my heart to cling; 

O let me seek Thee, and O let me find.

Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh; 

Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,

To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh; 

Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love, 

One holy passion filling all my frame;

The baptism of the heaven descended Dove, 

My heart an altar and Thy love the flame.

NOTES ON HYMN

• This song is in the Worship and Service hymnal that was a major part of my life (used by two churches I attended while growing up and at chapel at Bible College) and probably in others also which I was unaware of until we sang it once at Arlington Avenue Baptist Church no sooner than 2018. It has become a favorite.
• The end of the song is called "modal." Typically, a verse/song ends on the root note of the key. For example, this hymn is in the key of C, and thus the root note is C. However, this song ends on the G note; it still ends with the notes of a C major triad (C,E,G), but not the root note. This is called a modal ending, and you'll notice a different tone because of it.
• The meter of this song is 10,10,10,10. Becky and I sing this to the tune of "Abide With Me." You can also sing it to the tunes of "Search Me, O Lord" (aka "Cleanse Me) and, if you want to add trumpets or not, "God Of Our Fathers."
  

PRAYING FOR THE CHURCH: LOCAL, ASSOCIATION, AND UNIVERSAL

A globe in a fountain, International Learning Center, Rockville, VA

Becky and I had the pleasure of being here twice, both with events connected with the International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention.

 

Many of you know that Becky and I are in a Southern Baptist Church. Maybe a few less of you know that the Southern Baptist Convention will be taking place in Nashville June 13-16, 2021. 

Outgoing SBC President J.D. Grear has called for prayer and encouraging fasting on the the three Wednesdays leading up to the Convention. Today is Wednesday #2. There is an on-line prayer meeting. They also posted a prayer guide.

In the first paragraph, I mentioned I'm a member of a SBC church. You may notice I didn't say I was a Southern Baptist. I have no problem being one, but those who know me know I've considered myself a Christian first and a member of a Denomination second. A large part of my life have been in two Baptist groups: The SBC and the Conservative Baptist Association of America (in which I went to a Bible College). However, I've been involved in various different churches, including General Conference Baptist, Independent Baptist, Assembly of God, Nazarene, Calvary Chapel, and independent churches varying from mild Charismatic to Fundamentalist. 

Thus, I'm sharing the areas of prayer and would welcome prayers for the Southern Baptist Convention. But could these requests be applicable to your local church, whichever denomination it is? Could it be a guide to pray for your denomination even if it's a different one? How about for the entire body of Christ across the U.S. and even around the world?

Here are the three areas of prayer they're focusing on:

1. FOR GREAT COMMISSION MOBILIZATION. Under this heading, they're asking for prayer for their missionaries and church planters. They're encouraging college people/young professionals to give two years for the mission of God either here or abroad. And the best part: they're praying that every church would judge success by sending capacity and not seating capacity. In other words, their goal is for each church to actively be involved in missions.
2. FOR UNITY IN THE GOSPEL. "Pray that our Convention would reflect the beauty in the diversity of all peoples in our nation." They also ask prayer to stand steadfastly on the inerrant and all-sufficient Word of God while celebrating our distinctiveness in geography, style, and culture, valuing all image bearers (Gen. 1:26-27). And again an important point: That we love one another as Christ commanded as a witness to the world of our redemption and reconciliation by Christ.
3. PRAY FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO ANOINT OUR MEETING AND OUR MINISTRIES AROUND THE MEETING. This quote is not from the prayer guide, but I believe Billy Graham said it: "If the Holy Spirit was taken from this world, 90% of church work would continue unaffected." That is not the desire of SBC leadership.

Please pray for your local church. Pray for your association, and if you feel led, for the SBC as well. Pray for awakening in the Church around the country and the world.

But finally, let me ask you three questions:

1. What are you personally doing to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8)?
2. What are you doing to promote unity among fellow Christians? (I've heard it said often that unity is not uniformity - we should be unified with all who are seeking God's Kingdom.)
3. Are you seeking to be filled and led by the Holy Spirit, to live for the glory of God?