Learning The Meaning Of Authentic Christianity

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having

compassion one of another, love as brethren,

be pitiful, be courteous; not rendering

evil for evil, or railing for railing;

but contrariwise blessing; knowing that

ye all our thereunto called, that ye should

inherit a blessing.  For he that will love

life, and see good days, let him refrain

his tongue from evil, and his lips that

they speak no guile: let him eschew evil,

and to good; let him seek peace, and

ensue it.

I Peter 3: 8 -- 11

     Christians have the responsibility to endeavor to be of one mind of the great truthful points of faith.  Christians have the responsibility to exercise real affection in their Christian practice.  Far too often Christians, denominations, nature on the minor points of doctrine.  There is a problem within the Christian community that holds matters of indifference to be matters of difference when in fact they are not, for example: some churches will use wine in the communion, others will say this is wrong and will only use grape juice and then give some sort of reason which is nothing more than an excuse to hold out what they are doing is a greater Christianity doctrine.  I have seen where some churches get mad when crackers are used instead of a loaf of bread for communion.  Often prove scriptures are given for the reasons why they do what they do when in fact scripture is silent not just for those things but for other matters of indifference that people make it be important differences.  Is this what we are called to do and to be?  No!  Is it not true we are called as brothers in Christ to be? No!  I am not suggesting that every denomination must be the same in all matters for this would be inconsistent with human nature.  Christians cannot be of one mind for all things at all times but they should be the same with all the greater doctrines of faith.  First, love the brother and have compassion on them and don't rail against them as though they are sinners or even worse heretics.  When there is truth that they are in the wrong according to Scriptures then as Authentic Christians we are to address those wrongs that are wrong according to the truthful faith of Scripture.  Paul in writing to the Romans stated:"Now the God of patients and consolation grant to you to be like minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 15: 5 -- 6).  All true servants of God inherit a blessing from God and as a blessing is infallible making you to have full possession of heaven. 

     To many churches today preach a very soft cuddly Christianity with words that one could hear by listening to psychologist for they sound good and easy to swallow but do not teach true Gospel faith. Do you desire to live comfortably on earth, or are you desire to possess eternal life in heaven?  If you desire have an idea must bridle your tongue from wicked, abusive, or deceitful words.  Jesus spoke to us that we must deny ourselves even if that denial means to deny family members or friends.  Yes we want to have and see peace for all men but not towards those who are openly persecuting Christians and practicing all sorts of evil.  As an Authentic Christian you must flee from such ones.  For those Christians who practice righteousness and follow the true faith of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are copying the example of Jesus Christ and His essential goodness we are not to cause any harm or evil towards them.

     The antidote against being one who is acting contrary against true and Authentic Christianity is to arm yourself with the word and rules of holiness.  An Authentic Christian will look for ways to be zealous in their progress in the ways of holiness.  Arm yourself with others of like mind who will advance you in your growth of your faith and by their advice and example you will not wander from the narrow road that Jesus spoke about whereby His bride would travel. 

     To suffer for the sake of righteousness is an honor and it does bring happiness in the midst of all the pain and sorrow that it also can bring for as a child of God your delight is in something greater than this immediate torment.  The fear of God turns away fears leaving no room and brings to you a quietness.  The fear of God is your ease for your heart to have got one thing to deal with in the midst of a multitude of carnal fears, those things that vex the soul. 

     You have the support of your Christian friends and the support of the holy spirit living within you, therefore, keep your eyes on the prize for you have been called by God to receive this prize of ever lasting life. Sunday is coming, the Sabbath which we are told to keep and that keeping is outlined for us in Scripture.  There at your church you will meet your Christian friends so be involved, show love and compassion for this is your Authentic Christianity. you will be blessed in ways that you will not understand it may not even know what God will bless your faith.

Every word of God is flawless;

     He is a shield to those who

take refuge in Him.  Do not add

     to His words, or He will rebuke

 you and prove you a liar.

                 Proverbs 30: 5 -- 6

Show Christian love: someone needs it!

Richard L. Crumb

 

Rendering Respect To God And To All

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection

to your own husbands; that if any

obey not the word, they also may

without the word be won by the 

conversation of the wives; while

while they behold your chaste 

conversation coupled with fear. 

Whose adorning let it not be that

outward adorning of plaiting the hair,

and of wearing of gold, or of putting

on apparel; but let it be the hidden

man of the heart, in that which is not

corruptible, even the ornament of a

meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight 

of God of great price.

IPeter 3:1-4

     The old English has use of words that we speak but not with the same meaning, as in: "conversation" used and does not necessarily mean to speak for the Greek means "conduct." Peter, as did Paul, speak these commands and words about husbands, wives, children, even slaves as how to conduct themselves so too then Peter addresses this problem and gives the answer as how to correct the problem. Let us, and I will write some very serious observations, examine what it means to have "good conduct." 

     Television, movies, etc., promotes sexuality going so far as to make it "recreational sex." All one has to do is watch television, those "sit-coms" and hear and see that all that is being said, and even attempting to make it funny, is to jump into the bed to have sex. Comics more often than not use sexual innuendo as well as actual scenes of couples in bed either before or after sex. Men are shown mostly undressed and so are the women. Advertising uses "sex" to sell their product. So the question is: Why so much to do about sex? The clothing industry, especially Victoria Secret with their advertising shows women undressed in their underwear that has very little cloth and are very revealing to sell their product. This so-called swimwear that women wear today is not swimwear for all it does is allow women to be undressed showing as much skin as possible and covering very little of their genitals, which requires waxing of their genitals so they can have their lower "swimwear" worn below their pubic bones, and breasts that cover mostly the areola. Men are just as bad for they wear little as well, "speedos," that will little imagination a person can see their genitals that protrude from their "swim" suits. 

     We see hair in all sorts of design: i.e., spiked, spiked that extend long and the need to shave off hair under the spike, or color that is unnatural, such as, reds, not natural red hair but color that is unnatural, blues, green, and shaved by women, all to show their independence and the "right" to be themselves. Ok! but is this really what a Christian should be involved in? What is worse is that I see women, in church who call themselves "Christian" and wear their tops so low that their breasts are exposed, not just some cleavage, but their breasts showing with little covering. How about this: when it is cold outside one can see men wearing long pants and coats but this is not true of many women for their, in the cold, wear short pants, exposed legs, and then a coat. Are women not affected by the cold or is their another reason to show as much skin as possible? 

     Respect for oneself, and for others, and for God have been tossed out the window. Men come to church looking like they are going to the park to play or to go fishing, or, or or, but they, those especially who have the money and probably in their closets suits that are formal and show respect. I found men wearing those suites to work, to events, even when their are celebrating a special event in their lives, but when Sunday comes, that is if it is not Easter, or Christmas, they wear "play clothes."  Is this how we portray Christianity? Is this how we show our faith? Is this pleasing to God? Yes, if a person does not have the money to have such still can wear good clean clothes and even other who have money can help them have more formal clothes for such a time as going to Church. We have people of the world who are watching and I am afraid they do not see Christians as much different from themselves. Do you know the difference between a drunk and an alcoholic? Drunks do not have to go to meetings. 

    You may say: "Richard you have gone to far." Did Peter? Did Paul? Peter gives us the answer that combats this worldly culture to not enter into the Church, into a person's life destroying their witness: "For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, an are not afraid with any amazement" (IPeter 3:5-6). How did those women adorn themelves? "even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." (IPeter 3:4b). If you are a Christian you have a responsibility, first to God, then to your husband, and then to your children, and finally to the world. What are you teaching your children and what does the world see about you? Are you afraid to go against this world's culture? 

     Men you are not left out for Peter goes on to write: "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life: that your prayers be not hindered" (IPeter 3:7). I know that this being called the weaker vessel is anathema to a woman for in this world's culture women are doing everything to show that they are just as smart as men, and they are albeit they have a different intuition, which is not bad, as do men. Men are divorcing their wives, and wives are divorcing their husbands for just about any reason: there is no real commitment. There is real abuse going on against women and even against men, both physical and mental: this must stop! Men are you willing to have your prayers hindered? Well if not then you have a responsibility to be the leader and this responsibility for a married man is to his wife, to treat her with respect for she too is more that just your wife, she is a partaker of the heavenly kingdom, a child of God. Treat her as such and this advice is for women as well.

    To live as a Christian is hard in this world that is set against Christianity, but if one is to be an Authentic Christian they will do what it takes even if it is hard. The question for both men and women, even children: will you stop being part of this world and be a true Authentic Christian?

In that day the LORD will snatch away

    their finery: the bangles and headbands

and crescent necklaces, the earrings and

    bracelets and veils, the headdresses

and ankle chains and sashes, the perfume

    bottles and charms, the signet rings and

nose rings, the fine robes and the capes and

    cloaks, the purses and mirrors, and the linen

garments and tiaras and shawls.

                      Isaiah 3:18

Dress nice, respectful as to God

Richard L. Crumb   

The Cross: The Basis And Way For Man To Get Into Communion With God

Servants, be subject to your masters

with all your fear; not only to the

good and gentle, but also to the

froward.  For this is thankworthy,

if a man for conscience toward God

endure brief, suffering wrongfully.

For what glory is it, if, when ye be

buffeted for your faults, ye  shall

take it patiently, this is acceptable

with God.  For even hereunto were

ye called: because Christ also

suffered for us, leaving us an example, 

that ye should follow His steps: who

did no sin, neither was guile found in

His mouth: who, when He suffered,

He threatened not; but committed

Himself to Him that judgeth righteously:

who his own self bare our sins in His

own body on the tree, that we,

being dead to sins, should live unto

righteousness: by whose stripes ye

were healed.  For ye were as sheep

going astray; but are now returned 

unto the Shepherd and Bishop

of your souls.

I Peter 2:18 -- 25

     The word "froward" is the Greek word where we get scoliosis a disease where the spine is crooked, curved and this is the meaning of the Greek word: "crooked." Peter under the direction of the Holy Spirit has given us how we are to react and act then others come against us to harm us in some way.  No level of income, status, is left untouched by Peter to tell us that in no matter what ever our situation is we are to be in subjection.  This subjection is to bring glory to God and not to ourselves for having been under subjection as though we have done something spectacular.  To be in subjection as Peter has outlined for us is to simply be doing what God requires of His children. It is like a person doing the secular work and has done what the supervisor has asked is one who has done nothing more than what was required, therefore there is nothing spectacular and that exercise of subjection.  Jesus Christ left us an example for he was patient under all the trials even going to the cross to die an innocent man for us to follow.  That term "in His steps" reminds me of the book entitled "In His Steps" and I would suggest reading it for you will be touched to do what has been asked of us and that is to do what is acceptable to God which means to be in subjection.  We are not too retaliate or threaten others because of what they are doing to us, rather we are to be in subjection and this does not mean to just allow atrocities, but when there is no other way we are to be in subjection. we must never forget that Jesus is God, albeit, He was also The Son of God, the Wisdom of God sent to die on the cross for sin.

     When you see the cross of Jesus you are seeing God's revelation and judgment on sin.  The death of Jesus was not one of martyrdom and we are never to think of the crucifixion in this way.  The cross of Jesus was an example of a superb triumph over sin.  By means of the cross of Jesus there is nothing more certain in time or an eternity than what Jesus did on the cross for He switched the whole human race back into a right relationship with God. No, this does not mean that all men are saved so that they have eternity without actually believing upon the Lord Jesus Christ.  What this means is the sin that besets the human race from the fall of Adam until the return of Jesus Christ on the last day, a sin that no man can pay has been paid by God Himself, now by means of the Holy Spirit teaching that gospel man has the ability to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is not that man can work in any way to earn salvation, but by the hearing of the Word of God and of faith that comes by actually hearing, having ears to hear, they can place this faith upon the sheer fact of the redemption paid for by Jesus Christ.

     Think of this: by the cross man can come into a right relationship with God for Jesus made the redemption the basis of human life and what this means is that He paved the way for every man to get into communion with God. unfortunately many men will not choose to believe even after hearing the gospel.

     Do not be one who misunderstands the cross for it did not just happen to Jesus for the cross was the purpose for why He came. Do not be as those who teach in theology that Jesus is a created being formed by God, and Angel, even some calling Michael the Archangel, for this is incorrect and they must be aware to separate God manifested in the flesh from the Son becoming sin. Remember the incarnation was for the purpose of redemption.  God did not put away our sins so that we can have some sort of self-realization. No, the cross is the center of time and eternity and is the answer for both.

     The cross is not the cross of a man at the cross of God, and the cross of God cannot be realized in human experience.  Do not forget this one very important fact; the cross is God exhibiting His nature, and it is the gateway whereby any person of the human race can enter into a union with God.  Coming to the cross we do not go through the cross, that is, it is not something esoteric, which means to understand that it is only for a select few have special knowledge or interest, but it is for man.

     The cross of Jesus is the very center of salvation, and is the reason that one can obtain salvation.  The cross of Jesus cost God much for He became the bearer of sin, our sin.  The cross of God is the very point were sinful man can merge into a way of life and that way of life is the heart of God. The question for each of us to answer is: Will we after hearing the gospel and receiving the faith that comes by this hearing follow God?

 Though He slay me, yet will I
     hope in Him.  I will surely
defend my ways to His face.
     Indeed, this will turn out
for my deliverance, for no
     godless man would dare
come before Him.  
            Job 13: 15 -- 16

Exhibit and your life the Cross

Richard L. Crumb