What Is This Church Of God?

Paul, prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy 

our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, 

and fellow laborer, and to our beloved Apphia, 

and Acrchippus our fellow soldier, and to the 

church in they house: Grace to you, and pace, 

from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon 1-3 

     Salvation is an individualistic event and yet it is also social, that is a person has communion with God, there is communion between you and God, therefore your salvation is social. While salvation, even worship of God is individualistic we are to also have communion, or social, with other person who also have accepted Jesus Christ. Therefore Christianity, Authentic Christianity is both individualistic and social. We are not to go off into some cave and live like a hermit, or to cordon ourselves in some monastery (as good as things came about due to some monasteries), we are to live and to live among others, both those who are of the "church" and those who are not of the "church." Our priority of our social life is first with our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. True, Authentic Christians must everywhere be untied in the brotherhood of the Christian Church. Yes, it is true that Christianity is interested in social institutions. It is in these Christian institutions that education and even maintenance of our Authentic Christian Faith takes place. The writer of Hebrews gives us this important admonition: "We should hold fast the confession of the hope unwavering: (for He is faithful that promised): and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" (Hebrews 10:23-25). Salvation is individualistic (not that God deals separately in His salvation, rather that you deal with your salvation individually, but not alone), and in need of others so as not to be left alone as this will have a greater chance to falter and allow you to be alone with your own devices. The Church has as its priority the spreading of the Gospel. It is not the spreading of the Gospel that is not to be done without a reason for this evangelism. It is to bring to the world the words of Jesus Christ and to show them the way to salvation and then to guide them into maturity in Jesus Christ. Maturity in Jesus Christ is not to give warrant not to aid others in your Church, in your family, and even in friends and if called by God to go to the uttermost part of the world and bring this life giving message: the Gospel.

     The Greek word we translate "church" has this meaning: "the called out ones." You by the call of God are called to believe in the One Whom He sent forth, Jesus Christ and then to join together with other believers aiding each other in whatever way besides teaching them the word of God; to aid them in their struggles in this life. God is calling and you and I have the responsibility to answer this call (or not). The brotherhood of Jesus Christ seeks to bring all men in and this is not limited to the household of faith: all men, whether they are Christian or not, even those who are our neighbors in need. Authentic Christians are not to be content with the binding up of their wounds or rendering some aid as our main business is to grow in our faith and to bring others to the Savior of their souls. The Church, you, the "called out ones," those who have answered the call of God, have the answers to the social needs of man. This does not mean that we accept all thing, especially those things that are in contradiction to Scripture, but, we can do what we can do to aid others to conform to Scripture. We start with ourselves first and the extend to others. 

     Liberalism has similar beliefs about brotherhood yet Authentic Christianity differs in the way which the transformation of society is conceived. Example: The Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. will allow homosexuals to be part of the leadership, and will allow abortion, among other things that the Bible does not give warrant to and in fact condemns. This is liberal Christianity at its worst. It is a blight upon Authentic Christianity. Yes, they do help in many ways those in need, but the truth of Scripture is veiled by their unScriptural actions. Other Churches do the same thing by making their differences to be what is considered truth. Do those things and you will belong to that Church. Do those things and people will think that you are godly. Some think by doing those non-warranted actions that they will somehow receive special favor or grace from God. 

     This is not Authentic Christianity, it is worldly Christianity by doing that which Jesus never intended for His bride to do or participate. If, and this is the word, "if" not a subjective "if" but a definite "if" you desire to be an Authentic Christian, and "if" you do what is plainly warranted in Scripture, and "if" you continue to develop your individual relationship with Jesus, then, and only then, will you have the grace of God given to you. You cannot earn salvation, but you can earn the grace of God. It is your changing from the Inside/Out, from the culture of the world that has infected too many Churches, and you begin to live as Jesus commanded us to live, then God will give you grace, grace to meet every circumstance of life, to be a person of special worth to others in your congregation, your family, and friends. 

     Authentic Christianity, Authentic Christian Faith is all about having a right relationship with God, with His Son Jesus Christ. Start now, commune with God, do this as an individual, and the to continue to commune with God in a social manner towards your brothers and sisters. Extend this Authentic Christianity towards others, but never do this alone, join in with others who have the same Authentic Christianity. This is the only way that you can have the power to thwart the darts of Satan. Oh! Once again: you have a choice in the matter: God will not force you, you must do it!

Hear, I beseech Thee, and I will speak:

    I will demand of Thee, and declare

Thou unto me. I have heard of Thee 

   by hearing of the ear: but mine eye

seeth Thee. Wherefore I abhor myself

   and repent in dust and ashes.

                     Job 42:4-6

You are individually the Church of God

Richard L. Crumb

 

Finding Meaning

Blessed are they which do hunger 

and thirst after righteousness;

 for they shall be filled.

Matthew 5:6

     Today, especially today, people are looking for ways to have enjoyment, not just enjoyment but mere enjoyment. Do you know the difference? It is to have enjoyment for any and all reasons, and often it means to not care about the consequences, or, even to care why such and such brings enjoyment. Everyone wants to be blessed! Is this Authentic Christian belief? No! How can it be for Authentic Christianity and about heaven is simply communion with God and with the One Whom He sent: Jesus Christ. Authentic Christian Faith is where a person seeks after righteousness. This means then that personal beliefs must be converted from self-centered to have our center be God and His Son Jesus Christ. The opening Scripture speaks about hunger and thirst and this is not speaking about physical needs, rather about spiritual hunger and thirst. We seek after righteousness not for our own sake, rather for the sake of God. Who holds the priority in your life? Yes, this world is full of trials and temptations and is an imperfect world in many ways (I say many ways for God set forth all that is occurring: i.e., shell fish, trees, vegetables, animals, etc., all acting according to the nature God implanted in them), unfortunately man has and is doing much to harm that which God set in motion. This brings upon a person dissatisfaction. Are you dissatisfied? Is your dissatisfaction a holy dissatisfaction or just because you are inconvenienced in some way? Authentic Christians have a holy dissatisfaction of this present world, does this drive you to a holy dissatisfaction because this world is not in harmony with what God intended? God looks down, that is if He had eyes like us, but He does have eyes, eyes of God who knows all things, past, present, and future and He does see that the world is operating in such a way to bless: i.e., carrots are growing and we can eat those carrots and receive nutrition, or nuts, that give certain amino acids, that we need for our life, fish to clean the bottom of the sea, or lakes, rivers, bacteria that give us protection (yes there are a few that will not give us health, but they are very few in number), clouds that bring rain, water, water that all living things need to be alive. As bad as this world is, and it is bad, not due to nature being bad, rather that man has placed his opinions, his reason, and will above that which causes life to have problems. Man then becomes the center of their life. Authentic Christians are those who do not put themselves as the center of their life as they seek after righteousness and that can only be found in God. 

     I heard this formula: D=S+M: Despair=Suffering+Meaning. What does this mean? Your Despair is only as great as the Suffering you are experiencing and your Suffering is only as great as your Meaning. We determine how much we suffer. We have Despair only as great as Suffering is allowed to determine our Despair and Suffering is only as great as to the Meaning that we apply to Suffering. When people take their Meaning to be something other than God then they attempt to find Meaning in things of this world. Here then is a problem: This world is cold, unloving, hard, and we life in a life of conflict. Therefore to find our Meaning from and in this world we will not find true Meaning and our Suffering will be great, and our Despair will be great. Think of the many suicides that occur every year. These are people that do not have Meaning in their life and their suffering (no matter what has caused this suffering) Despair drives them to suicide. It is our Perspective that is important if we are to have Meaning that is a real Meaning and if our Perspective is to be of this world then our Meaning will be of this world, and here is where there is much conflict. What or who holds your Perspective? 

     We are separated be a veil, a veil of sin, living in a world that has been tossed upside down and not operating in ways (as good as the world is operating) that are beneficial. Does this mean that we cannot find Meaning? No! If you, or I, seek after, hunger after, thirst after righteousness we will be blessed and have a hope of heaven, a life that eternal. Authentic Christians have hope! This hope is not some wishful thinking, no, it is a hope based upon the sure word of God. Well....that is true if one takes the time to read His word, and then apply what God has given us to be able to have a sure hope, to have Meaning, to lessen Suffering and Despair. This is there for you: well....it is if you are seeking after righteousness. What does it mean to seek after righteousness? It is to seek God, His Son Jesus Christ who is the One God sent to pay this debt of sin and then for all who believe on Jesus Christ, not just the Person Jesus Christ, no, upon the reason Jesus came to this earth to die as an innocent man. Here is real Meaning! It is there for you all you have to do is reach out for this free gift of God, this faith that God is freely giving to all who seek after His righteousness. 

     Christianity is not a function! Authentic Christianity is one of Authentic Christian Faith! Authentic Christians place their faith in God, in His Son and not upon rituals, dress codes, or other such things as gifts, or some internal voice of God that cannot be proved to be of God by Scripture. Authentic Christians do not find their Meaning on dates, times or seasons, upon types of baptism, or songs, or anything unless those things have not Meaning found in Scripture. 

     Here is a formula: Righteousness=Meaning: Meaning <Despair & Suffering.  What is your Perspective towards this life, towards God, towards Jesus Christ and is your Perspective aiding you to find true and righteous Meaning? Oh...the choice is yours!

Remove far from me vanity and lies:

     give me neither poverty nor riches;

feed me with food convenient [that is needful] for me:

     Lest I be full, and deny Thee, and say,

Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor,

     and steal and take the name of my God 

 in vain.

                 Proverbs 30: 8-9

Find your Meaning in God

Richard L. Crumb

              

Faith, Hope, Love: The Hallmarks Of Authentic Christianity

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, 

these three; but the greatest of them 

is charity.

1Corinthians 13:13 

     I have been writing these blogs for over three years and the reason, the goal, the motive is to aid others to examine their faith, and if necessary to change, and this change can only be a change from the Inside/Out. The question always remains as to whether or not a person is willing to change if they have come to know that their faith is either not in a true Scriptural basis or in some other form that is self-satisfying, or even maybe just apathy not willing to "rock the boat" going on with little growth in your faith. I believe that if you are reading these blogs you do want to examine your faith and make whatever changes necessary to grow your faith and to continue to change into the image of Jesus Christ. I pray that is the case!

      I must point out that the word "charity" is an English word meaning to be generous in your actions towards the ill, the poor, the needy or helpless. It is to have a benevolent feeling towards others, to even be lenient in judging others, to have forbearance. The Greek word "agape" means to have a love that is based on the principles of God. Charity is a good word but we must understand that the love of God is more than just charity, it is LOVE. What do I mean? God is LOVE, not just an attribute of God. I do not think we can fully realize or understand the depth of God's love. In English the word "love" means to have deep passion, to be profoundly tender, to have deep affection for another. This is what God is yet He is more than what our English word means: GOD IS LOVE! If God did not be LOVE then He would not have any concern for anything that He would create. If God was not LOVE then we would have no hope. To love is not just some sexual attraction, no, it is Love based on the principles of God that causes us to have deep affection for another, the poor, the helpless, the needy and is this not what God has done by His Love? Yes! 

     We are to have Authentic Christian Faith is we are to be pleasing to God but the Christian life is more than faith, it is a life to be lived in hope. What is hope? It is a feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out well. Hope is to believe, to desire, to feel that something will happen. Hope has a basis and that basis if your hope is to be true hope, to have more than just feelings, is a hope based on the truth of Scripture. Not some man-made doctrine, no some liturgy, some ceremony, rather it is based on the truth as found in Scripture. How do you get this truth? Simple! Read God's word! Apply God's word, first in your life, in the life of your spouse, your children, extending to your friends and to other around the world. No, you cannot be in another country necessarily, but you can aid those who are doing this work of spreading the Gospel, the truth of God's love.

     Sunday Christians, they are everywhere! The Sunday Christian goes to Church but God has little with them during the week. The Sunday Christian does not even take time to read the Bible, or "God forbid" go to any Bible study (they find to much else to do for that time). Now, you do not have to go to every Bible study, but do you read the Bible? Do you pray with your spouse, with your children, and most important, do you pray alone? 

     This will be accepted by everyone: the world is full of trouble and you find often yourself being affected by this trouble. If you are not in the word of God building up your knowledge of what God has had recorded for you, well.... your chances of winning this war against your soul may be a lost war. Here then is where Authentic Christian Faith, Authentic Christian Hope comes into play: This hope which Jesus Christ has given to us is His victory over death, His intercession for all who believe in Him, and by this we can stand against the struggles of this world and this Authentic Christian Hope will lead to the glories of heaven. This Authentic Christian Hope will run all through your Christian life. The thought of eternity will engross your every being: nothing can touch you against the LOVE of God, the HOPE of God. 

     Well.....As it is with Christianity, your life, it is up to you to heed the call of God, to change from the Inside/Out. Will you?

For since the beginning of the world

    men have not heard, nor perceivd

by the ear, neither hath the eye seen,

    O God, beside Thee, what He hath 

prepared for him that waiteth for Him.

                        Isaiah 64:4

Today is the day to make a decision

Richard L. Crumb

 

      

The Liberty Of The Gospel

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the 

Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

2Corinthians 3:17 

     I hope that your Christmas was a good one, fun, time with family, and friends, and most of all a time to reflect why we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

     Freedom....Freedom.....Freedom..... a cry heard, shouted from the rooftops, in the waves of rioting people, and with those who have had past ancestors in slavery or bondage. Everyone wants Freedom! So do I! Even the Church speaks about freedom, about liberty: but, do you really know what is freedom, what is liberty? To a person who wants to abort a fetus is desiring freedom, a freedom to not be enslaved over having to deal with a child. An addict likes the freedom they get by being high and having an altered mind. An adulterer wants freedom to have sexual intercourse with another than their wife. Fornicators want freedom to have sexual conduct with another person. A car speeding down the highway over the speed limit is a person that wants freedom from the law of speed limits. Everyone wants Freedom! 

     What is the apostle Paul speaking about when he speaks and writes about freedom, or liberty (the Greek word can be translated either way)? Paul never speaks primarily about spiritual religion over against ceremonialism, rather, He speaks and writes as to the free grace of God against human merit. Let us take a look for a moment at those who believe in Pentecostalism, or Charismatic doctrines. You need not look very hard to see that "works" are foremost: i.e., speaking in gibberish sounds as some spiritual language, going about attempting, either by prayer or the laying on of hands to heal people, to be involved in some euphoric attempt at true worship. Even the music is played by men and women that look and act more like some atheistic rock band than to bring the Gospel in peace to the congregations (I think money has a play in their music). I am not one the believes that only the Psalms must by used in Church. In fact, there are many great songs, hymns, and spiritual songs that can be used in the Church (I think motive has much to do with what songs are used). Liberal Churches believe and teach that a person is free, free to worship as they please. Well.... in some way that is true but freedom to do what you would like to do is not freedom: it is to be in bondage to something else: i.e., speaking in gibberish tongues, shouting in some euphoric manner, to sway and swoon as though touch by the Spirit of God, etc., that is to be doing something even if it is not warranted by Scripture. 

     Freedom, freedom that the Bible speaks about is all about the grace of God and not by "works." The grace of God is something that liberal Churches reject. Oh...they may speak about such as the grace of God, but in actuality they perform what their doctrines produce: slavery, bondage, even bondage to the law of freedom. This is nothing more than an attempt to establish a person' own righteousness as a ground of acceptance by God. To be emancipated from the will of God will always involve a bondage to some worse taskmaster. 

     The Liberty that the Bible speaks of, is a liberty to be found only in the Gospel and is only a free gift of God, a gift that a Christian receives when reborn into the family of God. This liberty, this Freedom involves justification, that is, the removal of the guilt of sin and an establishment of a right relationship, or new birth, that makes a person a new creature. You cannot earn this gift of freedom of liberty it is not yours to acquire, it is yours only by the grace of God who will give you freedom, liberty, but only as it pertains to His will and commands. Salvation is not given because you have become free, to have liberty, no, you are free is you follow what you have come to accept: Jesus Christ, His precepts, His commands, His life, and in every way grow into His image. 

     It is a truth: many who have come to be saved and accept Jesus Christ as Savior do not live this freedom so the question may be asked: Are they really New Creatures? Does not seem so because they still look like the same old conditions of life before the believed and there is not an obvious change. What did you expect? When a person is saved they do not put on an incorruptible or immutable body, a new mind free from their old life. There is no outside change: but there is an inside change as become as Paul: "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the  Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the  Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you. therefore, brethren we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:8-14).

     There is no reason, no way to rationalize behavior that is not warranted in Scripture, not twisting of Scripture to meet a person preconceived God, or practice towards God. We are free, we have FREEDOM! We have a new life, we do not need to be in bondage of the old life. Yes, it will be hard for we are still not complete in this life as we will be when Jesus returns for His bride. We need not to be disheartened, we have the Holy Spirit within us and we can choose to be led by the Spirit of God. This is true freedom, this is true liberty. In this world you are in bondage to this world and whatever freedom it will allow you to have, but this is not so in Jesus Christ. We are not in bondage to Jesus Christ, we are free in Jesus Christ to live a life that follows His commands and follows His word as it has been handed down throughout the ages. 

     This time of year, Christmas to New Years Day, we often take the time to reflect. Well....reflect on this....are you living a free life in Christ?

Restore unto the joy of Thy salvation;

     and uphold me with They free Spirit.

Then will I teach transgressors They ways;

    and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.

                         Psalm 51:12-13

Who holds your freedom?

Richard L. Crumb

Why Celebrate Christmas?

Forasmuch then as Christ has suffered for us 

in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with 

the same mind: for he hath suffered in the

 flesh hast ceased from sin; that he no longer 

should live the rest of his time in the flesh 

to the lust of men, but to the will of God.

1Peter 4:1-2  

     I thought this was Christmas, a time set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is! Jesus did not come into our world to live in our world, no, He came with a purpose. The Old Testament foretold of One who would come to save people from their sins, and Jesus manifested that He was the One foretold. It is noteworthy that we have nothing written about the life of a young boy named Jesus. Oh, some Apocryphal writing: i.e., The Infancy of Jesus found in the Apocryphal writings accounted to the Gospel of St Thomas a Gnostic writing of Thomas the Israelite, the Philosopher concerning the works of the Childhood of Jesus Christ. Was this Thomas a brother of Jesus Christ? Who was he? The Coptic manuscript discovered in 1945 at Nag Hammuadi in Egypt contains 114 sayings attributed to Jesus. The early Church fathers determined whether a book was truly inspired by the Holy Spirit. !. Was the author an apostle or have a close connection with an apostle? 2. Was the book being accepted by the Body of Christ at large? 3. Did the book contain consistency of doctrine and orthodox teaching? 4. Did the Book bear evidence of high moral and spritual valies that would reflect a work of the Holy Spirit? the gospel of Thomas fails in all these tests. The gospel of Thomas contains many teachings that are in contradiction to the biblical Gospels and the rest of the New Testament. The gospel of Thomas does not bear the marks of inspiration by the Holy Spirit. The gospel of Thomas is a Gnostic gospel, espousing a Gnostic viewpoint of Christianity. It is heretical! It is interesting that the Mormons think highly of this gospel and there are many websites that promote their approval of this Gnostic gospel, as it should be as much of what they teach is Gnostic. 
     I have taken this time to write about this problem. The problem is some have given authority an approval of Apocryphal writings and those being taught this are being led away from the truth of Scripture. When there is so much taught about the birth and life of Jesus, His young growing up days, then, and is so true: the reason for His birth is overlooked and faith is placed upon events that may or may not be true but have nothing to do with the "real" Jesus. Jesus came to die! This He had to do as a man. If man was to be saved, to have salvation from sin, their sins as well, Jesus had to come and this was prophesied years before He came and then when on earth He manifested that He was the Savior promised. His death is more important than His birth, His infancy, His young growing years. It is when Jesus came to be a man and according to Jewish Law the age of 30 was considered adulthood, that He could fulfill all the promises about Him. 
     Many would and do attempt to turn you away to fables and things that have nothing to do with Jesus, His birth, His life, and His death, resurrection and ascension. They sound good to ears that want to be tickled, but are only lies. Gnosticism was a problem for the early Church and is still a problem today. I hope that some knowledge will aid you to turn your faith to Jesus, the Jesus that is recorded for us in the Bible, that which has all the marks of being inspired by the Holy Spirit: not the Book of Morman, not the Aprocryphal books, not the mistranslations such as with the Jehovah Witnesses, nor the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, or Ellen G. White, or those today misuse Scripture for gain. 
     It is Christmas time, this special time of the year to celebrate the fulfillment of the promises of God by the birth of Jesus Christ. We have enough in Scripture about His birth, and even an account of Him as a 12 year old boy, but more, we have an account of Him as a man who would die for sin to pay this debt you and I cannot pay, this debt called death, sin, and by this you have a way to have salvation for your sins. This is where you are to take time to celebrate. Jesus gave us the Eucharist (Communion) to remind us, not of His birth, no, but His death until He comes again. Celebrate His birth, but dovetail into your celebration why we celebrate.

One generation shall praise Thy works
   to another, and shall declare Thy might acts.
I will speak of the glorious honor of Thy majesty,
   and of Thy wonderous works.
                         Psalm 145:4-5

Humble yourself before our God and Savior

Richard L. Crumb