“You cannot secure the life of the church by any particular system. History shows that churches have prospered, as well as failed, under different systems. The fact is that forms of government have very little to do with the vital principle of the church. The reason why the church of God exists is not her ecclesiastical regulations, her organization, her formularies, her ministers, or her creeds, but the presence of the Lord in the midst of her; and while Christ lives, and Christ reigns, and stands and feeds His church, she is safe; but if He were once gone, it would be with her as it is with you and me when the Spirit of God has departed from us; we are weak as other men, and she would be quite as powerless.” ―Charles Spurgeon
“For this is what it means to be a king [or any leader]: to be first in every desperate attack and last in every desperate retreat, and when there’s hunger in the land (as must be now and then in bad years) to wear finer clothes and laugh louder over a scantier meal than any man in your land.” —King Lune in C.S. Lewis’ A Horse And His Boy
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“People outside the Christian tradition spend their time arguing the divinity of Christ. People inside the Christian tradition spend their time arguing the humanity of Christ.” —Jesus: A Theography by Leonard Sweet & Frank Viola
Our First Parents (Adam and Eve) listened to the tempting words of the devil, which caused them to sin against God. By this treachery, they handed over the dominion of earth to satan, and he has used that to keep people bound in deathly fear since that time (see Hebrews 2:14-15). But at the moment of sin—even as God was pronouncing judgment—there was an implicit promise made of the salvation Jesus would bring. God’s promise was that Eve’s offspring would crush satan under His foot (Genesis 3:15).
This is why it was so important that Jesus be totally human in His work on earth, that He share in our humanity in every way (Hebrews 2:14, 17).
The devil has three weapons he uses: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Notice how he used these in his successful temptation of Adam and Eve—
The fruit was good for food = the lust of the flesh.
The fruit was pleasant to the eyes = the lust of the eyes.
The fruit was desirable to make one wise…to be like God = the pride of life.
Because this was successful for him, satan tempted the Second Adam (Jesus) using the exact same strategy—
Turn these stones to bread = the lust of the flesh.
I will give you the kingdom of the world and their glory = the lust of the eyes.
Cast yourself down from here and angels will protect you = the pride of life.
Jesus didn’t overcome these temptations because He was God. Jesus overcame them as a Man anointed by the Spirit of God! Jesus used the same weapons that are available to us: the Word of God and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Not only do we have these two weapons, but we also have a victorious Savior who is helping us!
Because Jesus overcame temptation as a Man, He is able to help those who are being tempted (Hebrews 2:18).
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
Because Jesus overcame the temptations of satan as a man, you can too!
To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 24-25)
This is a weekly series with things I’m reading and pondering from Oswald Chambers. You can read the original seed thought here, or type “Thursdays With Oswald” in the search box to read more entries.
Heaven & Hell
Hell is the place of angelic condemnation. It has nothing to do primarily with man. God’s Book never says that Hell was made for man, although it is true that it is the only place for the man who rejects God’s salvation. Hell was the result of a distinct condemnation passed by God on celestial beings, and is as eternal as those celestial anarchists.
Jesus makes it quite clear that Heaven is my home— “…take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).
He makes it equally as clear that Hell was not made for mankind— “…the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).
Furthermore, Jesus is completely clear that He is the only way to Heaven, and that the rejection of the forgiveness that is possible by accepting His atonement on the Cross leaves only one destination for the unforgiven: Hell.
This is an important reminder. It reawakens me to be persistent in telling others this truth about Heaven and Hell.
Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and He sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve. (Proverbs 24:11-12)
And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others,but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. (Jude 22-23)
The prophet Jeremiah is often called “the weeping prophet.” Perhaps if we wept a bit more over the lost souls who are staggering toward Hell, we would be compelled to do more to rescue them.
What I love about Jeremiah is his identification with lost humanity. God called Jeremiah to be His prophet, so if anyone could have the opportunity to feel special or superior, it might be Jeremiah. But when the prophet heard about the approaching judgment, he called the residents of Jerusalem my people. Did you get that: MY people.
Not only did he call them my people, but his heart broke for them:
My heart is faint within me (Jeremiah 8:18)
I am crushed (8:21)
I mourn … horror grips me (8:21)
I weep day and night (9:1)
I weep and wail and take up a lament (9:10)
In Soul Work, Randy Harris has a passage that has been pounding on my heart—
Why don’t we cancel all those [church] meetings and make a field trip to the laundromat and the bars and the streets and listen to what makes sinners tick until we love them. I don’t mean try to convert anybody; I mean listen to them until we love them. Listen until we find ourselves in them. Listen to what they’re afraid of, listen to what they hope for, listen to what hurts, until we love them. And then we can try to be the church again. (emphasis added)
Or as C.T. Studd famously said:
“Some wish to live within the sound of Church or Chapel bell;
I want to run a Rescue Shop within a yard of Hell.”
This is a weekly series with things I’m reading and pondering from Oswald Chambers. You can read the original seed thought here, or type “Thursdays With Oswald” in the search box to read more entries.
Unconscious Blasphemy
For you to say, “Oh, I’m no saint,” is acceptable by human standards of pride, but it is unconscious blasphemy against God. You defy God to make you a saint, as if to say, “I am too weak and hopeless and outside the reach of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.” Why aren’t you a saint? It is either that you do not want to be a saint, or that you do not believe that God can make you into one.
To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)
Just before Joshua’s farewell address to the Israelites, he makes one final comment to sum up the whole campaign that secured Israel’s borders—
Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
Every one.
You can trust God! You can stand on His promises. They will not fail; they will all be fulfilled.
Dr. Robert Lockyear estimates that there are 7,457 promises of God in the Bible!
Which one are you standing on today? Get into God’s Word, and let His promises get into you. Write them down. Memorize them. Repeat them again and again. Believe that not one of all the Lord’s good promises will fail.
Here are a few you can stand on:
He forgets your forgiven sins.
He will give you abundant life now, and eternal life later.
Nothing can separate you from His love.
All things are working together for the good for those who love God.
He will never leave or forsake you.
He will continue to develop the best in you.
He will never place you in a situation where you cannot stand.
“We take away from this most precious promise, and, by refusing to take it in its fullness lose the fullness of its application and power. Then we limit God’s power to keep: we look at our frailty more than His omnipotence. Where is the line to be drawn, beyond which He is not ‘able’? Why should we pare down the promises of God to the level of what we have hitherto experienced of what God is ‘able to do,’ or even what we have thought He might be able to do for us? Why not receive God’s promises, nothing doubting, just as they stand?” —Frances Ridley Havergal
This Wednesday we’re starting an important series in our Impact youth group called “Spiritual Self-Defense.” Training our students how to defend what they believe. Jude wrote that we need to learn how to earnestly contend for the faith.
I’m also mindful of Peter’s instruction: But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy [and acknowledge Him] as Lord. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully.
As I’m preparing for this, here are a few things I’m trying to keep in mind. Perhaps you will have some additional things to share with me:
Earnestly means wholeheartedly. So I want to convey passion for biblical truths.
Faith means an added dimension beyond scientific proof. Not in place of science, but beyond it. Albert Einstein observed, “Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind.”
Focusing on the lordship of Christ is the primary focus of Christian apologetics.
I need to prepare to answer.
My answers need to be logical and well thought out.
My answers need to lead people to the hope that is only found in a personal relationship with Jesus.
My defense of biblical truths need to be courteous and respectful.
In addition to our training times on Wednesday, we’ll also offer “sparing lessons” in our weekly men’s and women’s Bible studies. If you’re interested to learn more, come and join us at 7PM over the next few Wednesdays.
Craig T. Owens 