Where Are You, Spiritually?

      One of the most interesting parables Jesus told reveals the spiritual condition of every person in the world.  It is known as the Parable of the Sower and is related in Matthew 13.  The parable describes four different kinds of soil upon which seed is sown.  The productivity of the seed is directly related to the condition of the soil in which it is sown.  The seed represents the word of God (Lk. 8:11) and the soil represents the heart of man.  Usually the parable is applied to the non-Christian and his response to the gospel.  It also has merit in its application to Christians.  Let’s examine the parable noting the reception given the gospel.

      The WAYSIDE soil represents those who are so hardened by sin that the seed of God’s word cannot penetrate (Matt. 13:4, 19).  The human heart can be so hardened by pride, prejudice, inactivity, lethargy, mental laziness, or mental arrogance that the gospel is not allowed to bear fruit.  Christians who fall away from God can even become so hardened they cannot any longer be touched by the compassion of God or the appeal of the gospel (Heb. 6:6).  At one time in their life, they were moved by the saving message of the gospel and obeyed it.  Over time, they have allowed sin to so desensitize them that they cannot be reached (Heb. 3:13).  How sad!

      The ROCKY soil represents the superficial hearer who lacks spiritual depth (Matt. 13:5-6, 20-21).  A tree with a vast root system pulls moisture from the soil.  The spiritual root system of a Christian is developed in private Bible study, prayer, and faithful attendance to the worship assemblies.  Some Christians fail to make these activities a part of their life and, thus, fail to develop spiritually.  Like the Galatians (Gal. 5:7), they started out well, full of excitement for the cause of Christ, but they did not grow and develop.  They are spiritually malnourished.

      The THORNY soil represents the crowded heart, that is the heart that has become so concerned about the things of the world that the word of God has been relegated to the background in life (Matt. 13:7, 22).  If you have ever raised a garden or planted a crop, you know that it is not necessary to cultivate weeds.  They grow without any attention being given to them.  In fact, you constantly have to be pulling or hoeing them to prevent them from taking over.  In his application of this parable, Jesus mentions a trio of antagonists that will take over a person’s life if attention is not given to preventing their development.  (1) “The worry of the world” refers to a score of interests which are legitimate in themselves, but which are allowed to dominate life to the exclusion of God.  Participation in sports activities, hobbies, and career advancement are among them.  (2) “The deceitfulness of riches” squelches the spiritual appetite of many.  Materialism is, indeed, deceitful.  It entices one to believe that the accumulation of material things in life will produce happiness, a reduction in worry, and a generally care-free life, but it most often produces unhappiness and greater stress.  It crowds out spiritual pursuits and leaves a vast emptiness behind.  (3) Luke’s account of this parable adds a third antagonist, “The pleasures of life” (Luke 8:14).  There are many things in life that are pleasurable, but that doesn’t mean they are righteous.  Simply because something may make a person feel good does not mean that it is the right thing to do.  This is not to say that serving God is not a pleasurable experience.  It is the most pleasant and joyful thing a person can do.  However, pursuing the pleasures of life can dull spiritual sensitivity and crowd God out.  Christ warns his disciples of the dangers these “weeds” present.

      The GOOD soil represents those who receive the gospel, continue to grow and produce spiritual fruit in their lives (Matt. 13:8, 23).  These are the people who have committed themselves to the Lord and do not look back (Lk. 9:62).  They steadily pursue developing those attributes that will make them fruitful in the service of God: virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (2 Pet. 1:5-8).

      The Samaritan woman in Sychar (John 4) illustrates all four kinds of soil.  At first, she was antagonistic to Christ (vs. 9).  The shallowness of her spiritual understanding becomes evident in verse 15.  Her crowded heart (vs. 19-20) grew into a good heart when she acknowledged faith in Christ (vs. 25).  She bore much fruit by telling her fellow citizens about Christ (vs. 29-30).  As a result, many of them became disciples of Jesus (vs. 39-42). 

      At different times in our lives we may be represented by any one of these types of soil, but we can change.  Where do you fit in the story?  Where are you, spiritually?  Is it where you want to stay?

What Should One Bring to the Marriage Altar?

In Scheswig, Germany, a girl proves she is ready for marriage by being able to jump across a certain stream of water.  In Nepal, a young girl must hike two miles uphill with a baby on her back to show she is ready to be a wife.  In many cultures, however, there are no preparations or requirements that must be met before marriage is entered.  An individual must prove his capability to drive a car before obtaining a driver’s license.  A person is required to meet certain regulations before he is licensed to fly an airplane.  One must complete certain course requirements and a residency before he is allowed to practice medicine.  However, many people conclude that letting “nature take its course” is all the preparation needed for marriage.  This conclusion is faulty as evidenced by the number of marriages that end in divorce.  What are some qualities that need to be brought to the marriage altar?

A firm commitment.  A young man wanted duplicate copies of his girlfriend’s picture; so, she took the photo to a photographer to have copies made.  The photographer noticed the following inscription on the back of the picture: “My dearest Tim, I love you with all of my heart.  I love you more and more each day.  I will love you forever and ever.  I am yours for eternity.”  Signed, Diane.  “P.S. If we ever break up, I want this picture back.”  Unfortunately, many enter marriage with no firm intention to make it last.  Their thinking is that if things don’t go well, the marriage can be dissolved and the same process can be repeated until the “right one” comes along.  Zane Alexander wrote a book, the title of which expresses the faulty view many take regarding the commitment of marriage, Till Death Do Us Part or Something Else Comes Up.  Jesus affirmed God’s design for marriage from the beginning when He said that a man is to leave his parental ties and cleave to his wife (Mt. 19:5).  One husband who understood this commitment said to his wife, “I will never leave you.  Others may come and go in your life but I never will.  For any reason.  Ever.  If you wrinkle, I will love you.  If you fail, I will stay with you.  If you get sick, I will feed you, bathe you, sit up with you – anything – except leave you.  I will never leave you.”  That kind of commitment produces long, happy marriages.

Adequate financial support.  It has often been stated that the number one cause of marital unhappiness is due to the stresses that result from financial strain.  It is true that “two can live as cheaply as one” provided one doesn’t eat!  Learn to live within the limits of your income.  Count the cost (Lk. 14:28) and budget your expenses.  Discipline yourself to live within your means.  Don’t become a victim of easy credit.

A willingness to forgive.  All of us make mistakes.  We sometimes make thoughtless comments that injure or hurt the feelings of our mate.  The family often becomes the object of our frustration due to problems experienced elsewhere.  In such times we need to learn to ask for forgiveness as well as be willing to forgive (Eph. 4:32).  One of the most important phrases of a successful marriage is, “I am sorry.  Please forgive me.”

When considering marriage, it is important to find the right person.  However, it is more important to be the right kind of person yourself.  If you will bring that to the marriage altar, you’ll have greater success.

The Rupture of the Rapture

You’ve seen the slogans on bumper stickers: “In case of the rapture this vehicle will be unmanned…The rapture: the only way to fly.”  The concept of the rapture is on the lips and in the thoughts of many people today.  Proponents of the dispensational view have boldly and widely preached it.  Many have come to accept it as being true.  Hal Lindsey, author of The Late, Great Planet Earth, described the scene associated with the rapture in these words: “There I was, driving down the freeway and all of a sudden the place went crazy…cars going in all directions and not one of them had a driver.  I mean it was wild!  I think we’ve got an invasion from outer space.”  Richard DeHaan, another proponent of the rapture, described it as a bewildering scene of people who suddenly disappeared without warning.  He said these individuals were snatched (or raptured) by Jesus from earth into heaven.

Dr. Robert Strong provides a concise statement of the rapture doctrine: “By the rapture is meant the sudden and possibly secret coming of Christ in the air to snatch away from the earth the resurrected bodies of those who had died in faith, and with them the living saints.”  It is believed that the saints will be raptured for seven years while sinners on earth experience a period of tribulation after which Jesus will come with His raptured saints and establish an earthly kingdom over which He will reign for one thousand years.  There are several reasons why the doctrine known as the rapture should be rejected.

The Bible does not teach that Christ’s second coming will be in secret.  The secret coming of Christ is a major tenet of rapture proponents.  The Bible declares that when Jesus comes again “every eye shall see him” (Rev. 1:7).  Rather than a secretive event, His second coming is described as a “revelation” and an appearing (2 Thess. 1:7; Heb. 9:28).

The Bible teaches that Christ’s return will be accompanied by audible phenomena.  The trumpet of God shall sound (1 Cor. 15:52), the voice of Jesus will be heard, along with the voice of the archangel (1 Thess. 4:16), and the heavens shall pass away with a great noise (2 Pet. 3:10).

The Bible teaches that Christ’s return will initiate the general resurrection in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come forth (Jn. 5:28-29).  His coming will be marked by the resurrection of both the Christian and the non-Christian at the same time (Acts 24:15).  Rapture advocates proclaim that the resurrection of the just and unjust will be separated by a period of seven years.

The Bible teaches that the preaching of the gospel would continue until the end of time (Matt. 28:19-20).  This could not occur if the rapture doctrine is true.

At Christ’s return the earth and everything in it will be destroyed (2 Pet. 3:10).  There will be no earth for a so-called tribulation period to occur.  Neither will there be an earth left upon which Jesus could reign for a thousand years.

At Christ’s return the Judgment will occur (Matt. 25:31-33).  Everyone will be changed from possessing mortality to immortality (1 Cor. 15:51-53).  Both the living and dead saints and sinners will be rewarded according to their deeds (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 2:6).  The non-Christian will be consigned to hell while the child of God will be welcomed into heaven (Matt. 25:34, 41).

The doctrine of the rapture is the result of man’s vivid imagination.  There is simply no biblical support for the teaching known as the rapture.

Facing Depression

What causes depression?  Chemicals?  Physical imbalance?  Selfishness?  Who knows?  Wish we knew.  I know a remedy, though.  Think about it.  A man was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.  He consulted a friend who was very spiritual.  Neither knew the cause of the man's depression.  The wise friend had the solution.

He said, "Try this and I will guarantee you will improve your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health.  Make a list.  List all the people living who have blessed your life.  Then call, visit or write them one by one.  You will never believe what will happen until you try it."

The sick man tried it.  He made a list of over 500 names.  The first was his favorite school teacher...he wrote her an appreciation note.  Then his first boss...his service station attendant, etc.  A letter from his teacher arrived soon, telling him that out of all her students, in 41 years of teaching, his was the first letter of appreciation she had ever received.  She read it daily.  It was about the only "bright" thing left in her life.

Then another letter came, and another.  Soon he was so busy in contact with his friends that he forgot whether he was lonely or not, was depressed or not, sick or not.  He was having a wonderful time "DOING GOOD."

There are three basic needs of any human being and meeting these needs helps to overcome depression:  (1) Self-worth; (2) Intimacy with others; and (3) Intimacy with God.  This curative trilogy can be found entire in one passage (Matthew 22:36-39).  The Lord intended that we love ourselves, love our God, and love our neighbor.  This will help overcome depression because our OUTLOOK would have UP-LOOK and our attention would turn from the INWARD to the OUTWARD.

Who Is The Holy Spirit?

 

Is the Holy Spirit simply an influence emanating from God?  Is he a power or illumination that God imparts to us?  Or, is he a divine person?  A proper understanding of the identity of the Holy Spirit is critical to properly understanding his work.  A careful study of the Scriptures will bring us to the conclusion that the Holy Spirit is a divine person in the Godhead and should be referred to in that manner.

The Holy Spirit possesses all the attributes of personality.  He is not a mere influence, power, or illumination.  The apostle Paul referred to the knowledge the Holy Spirit has concerning the things of God (1 Cor. 2:10-11).  Reference is made to the mind of the Spirit in Romans 8:27.  The affection of love is attributed to the Holy Spirit in Romans 15:30.  We learn he can be grieved in Ephesians 4:30.  The Holy Spirit has the capability of speaking (1 Tim. 4:1) and teaching (John 14:26).  Paul declared that the Holy Spirit can lead (Rom. 8:14).  On one occasion as least, the Holy Spirit forbade Paul to travel to Asia and Bithynia (Acts 16:6-7).  The Holy Spirit exercised authority in selecting Barnabas and Paul to engage in mission work (Acts 13:2).  It is not the purpose of this article to study the manner in which the Holy Spirit accomplished all these tasks, but merely to point out that these endeavors demand the conclusion that he is a personality and not a glorified “IT.”  It is entirely appropriate, then, to refer to him with personal pronouns, such as “he” and “him.”

The Holy Spirit also possesses the nature of deity.  He is as divine as the Father and the Son are divine.  When Ananias and Sapphira lied regarding their donation to the church, Peter said they lied to the Holy Spirit whom he described as God (Acts 5:4-5).  His deity is affirmed by his possession of all the attributes of deity.  For example, the word eternal is used to describe him (Heb. 9:14).  The Holy Spirit, like the Father and the Son, has neither beginning of days nor end of existence; he is eternal.  As deity, he possesses all knowledge (Jn. 16:12-13), all power  (Lk. 1:35) and is omnipresent (Psa. 139:7-10).  Not only does the Holy Spirit possess all the attributes of deity, but he also performed distinctly divine works.  These attest to his divinity.  For example, the Genesis record relates the Spirit’s involvement in creation (Gen. 1:1-2).  The plural personal pronoun was used when God made man (Gen. 1:26).  This is not to suggest that there was more than one God involved in creation, but that there was more than one personality of the Godhead involved.    Other passages bring to light the Holy Spirit’s role in creation (Psa. 104:30; Job 26:13; 33:4).  Also, the authorship of divine prophecies is attributed to the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21; 2 Sam. 23:2-3).  The Bible, then, is not the result of special insight and wisdom from religiously minded men, but is from God as men were “moved by the Holy Spirit.”  The Holy Spirit’s name is coupled with other members of the Godhead (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14), suggesting equality with them.  His distinction from the Father and the Son becomes clear at the scene of the Lord’s baptism (Lk. 3:21-22).  The incarnate Son was baptized by John in the Jordan River at which time the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove and the Father spoke from heaven.  While all Three possessed the divine nature (deity), they are distinct divine personalities.

The personality traits as well as the works, attributes and achievements of the Holy Spirit show him to be a personality and not an impersonal force.  They also provide clear testimony to his divinity.

Who Is The Antichrist?

 

Over the years there has been a proliferation of statements from various religious leaders warning men of the coming of the antichrist and the end of time.  A popular description of the antichrist suggests that Christ’s return to the earth will be immediately preceded by the appearance of some powerful political personality who will make a dramatic appearance in history.  One advocate said, “Overnight, he will become the by-word of the world.  He is going to be distinguished as supernatural…He will have a magnetic personality, be personally attractive, and a powerful speaker.”  Through the years the antichrist has been variously identified as Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, Kruschev, Castro, Kissinger, and Hussein, among others.  There has never been agreement among proponents as to his identity.

However, the Bible plainly identifies the antichrist and he doesn’t fit the description commonly attributed to him by various religious leaders of today.  The term antichrist is found only five times in scripture and they are all in the epistles of 1^st and 2^nd John (1 Jn. 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 Jn. 7).  Note the description found on the pages of divinely inspired literature.

First, we learn that the antichrist is a contemporary with the apostle John.  John says that “even now many antichrists have arisen” (1 Jn. 2:18).  He further states, “and now it is already in the world” (1 Jn. 4:3).  John did not speak of him in terms of a person or organization that would exist in some remote future.

Second, we learn that there were many antichrists who lived in John’s day (1 Jn. 2:18; 2 Jn. 7).  Present-day proponents try to attach a single mysterious figure, political ruler, or dictator of our modern era to the identity of the antichrist.  Such attempts are in error.

Third, we learn that the antichrists are former Christians who left the faith.  John mentioned that the antichrists “went out from us…” (1 Jn. 2:19).  In other words, they were individuals who had at one time been of God’s spiritual family, but were no longer so.  They had renounced the gospel by which they were saved.  Thus, the antichrist is not some world political leader who is yet to come.  They were people who were alive in John’s day and had turned away from the Lord’s church.

Fourth, we learn that the antichrist was one who denied the deity of Jesus.  John asks, “Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?  This is the antichrist…” (1 Jn. 2:22).  Any person, then or now, who denies Christ’s deity is against Him.

Fifth, we learn that the antichrist was one who denied the incarnation of Christ.  John said the person who did not confess that Jesus is come in the flesh is the antichrist (1 Jn. 4:2-3; 2 Jn. 7).  One of the most amazing facts of the redemption story is that the divine Son of God was born of the virgin Mary, lived as a human and died as a human (Phil. 2:5-8).  To deny the humanity of Christ is to be at odds with divine revelation.

Christians need not fear the political, economic, or military developments of the present day.  The Bible does not speak of a world political figure that will suddenly appear on the scene in advance of the second coming of Jesus.  In fact, there will be no “early warning system” in advance of Christ’s coming.  We are urged by Christ to “be ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matt. 24:44).  Just live each day as if it were the last.  By so doing, we prepare ourselves for the end of time.

A "Good" Man Who Was Lost

Two men went to the temple court to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector (Lk. 18:9-14).  The Pharisee would be viewed as a pillar within the community, an ardent patriot, and a respected citizen of the highest character.  On the other hand, the tax collector would be viewed as a traitor to his fellow Jews and the off scouring of his community.  However, it was he who was justified rather than the Pharisee.  Why was the Pharisee lost?  Why did God not accept him?

He was lost because he trusted in his good character to save him.  His prayer was an essay in self-congratulation.  He first congratulated himself on his virtues of omission – that he was not a robber, an evildoer, an adulterer, or even as the tax collector.  Having listed his abstentions from wrong, the Pharisee next informed heaven of his virtues of commission – he fasted twice a week and gave tithes of everything he gained.  Measured by other men, he towered above them.  It had not occurred to him to measure himself by the sky.  A mountain shames a molehill until both are humbled by the stars.  The Pharisee’s virtue was so cankered by pride that it was almost rotten.  Good character is an important part of the Christian life, but it is not the basis of justification before God (Isa. 64:6).

He was lost because he trusted in the performance of religious observances to save him.  The Pharisee fasted twice a week though the only obligatory fast was on the annual observance of the Day of Atonement.  It was believed that Moses ascended Mt. Sinai on Monday to receive the Ten Commandments and descended on Thursday; thus, many Pharisees set these two days aside as days of fasting.  In like manner, many people today trust in religious observances to justify themselves before a holy God.  To many, it matters little that the observances may only be mere inventions of men.  The only thing that matters to them is that the activity has a religious emphasis.  Like Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10) they fail to see the importance of doing what God says in the way He says it is to be done.  In the case of others, they are careful to observe only that which is authorized by God.  However, they do not possess the right attitude or disposition of mind in their observance (cf. 1 Cor. 11:27-31; John 4:24).  Both are wrong.  Merely engaging in the observation of certain religious acts does not justify a person before God (cf. Amos 5:21-24).  We must be careful to only engage in religious activities authorized by God and to do so with the proper motivation.

He was lost because he trusted in his good deeds to save him.  Good works are absolutely essential to a vital faith (Jas. 2:26).  It is one thing to do them, but quite another to depend upon them as the basis of our justification (Eph. 2:8-9).  The mercy of God as demonstrated in the gift of His Son is the foundation of our salvation (Tit. 3:5).

All that can be said about the Pharisee’s goodness is that it was negative.  Even his fasting and tithing were negative things because they consisted in giving up certain things.  That is the reverse of true goodness.  Sadly, the religious life of many people consists entirely of prohibitions.  Such results in a negative life and is only half the story.