Learning To Stand For The Truth Of God

…eternal life to those who by patient continuance

in doing good seek for glory, honor,

and immortality; but to those who are

self–seeking and do not obey the truth,

but obey unrighteousness––indignation

and wrath, tribulation and anguish,

on every soul of man who does evil,

of the Jew first and also of the Greek;

but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who

works what is good, to the Jew first

and also to the Greek.

Romans 2:7–10

            Our God does not speak to us in words that are not human, that is: words that can be taken, in more than one-way. Some think so, and even attempt to use words of Scripture out of context and are not the words or intent of God. God speaks to us in propositional and those words disseminated propositional are to be dealt with, as those words are that which must be dealt with, affirmed or denied, and by doing so those words are determined to be of a character as either false or true. We have that work so that we must study His word and this in context, context, context; furthermore, it is important to understand the language in which it was written. If in Hebrew or in Greek, and in some small cases, Aramaic, if those words written are not understood grammatically, then we are apt to misuse Scripture and allow false teaching and unrighteousness to enter into our thoughts, our lives, and in our Churches. An example is one of the most famous verses: John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Does God love the “whole” world? Some say yes, and they believe that everyone can be saved, if they so desire; that is, that man has enough good in him so that if he so wishes and wills to be saved, he will be saved. Is that what the Bible teaches? Does this Scripture meet the standard of what the Bible teaches that man is elected, drawn, and enabled by God? Some say yes, and that when they hear the word of God and certain circumstances surround a person they are then drawn by God, they believe and they are saved. Faith does come by hearing the word of God: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). If one believes that man has enough good in him to believe God when hearing the Gospel and be saved is to ignore that man has original sin, and that a sinner deserves death due to the justice of God. So man is not totally depraved, he has some remnant of good that was not destroyed by Adam’s sin and that sin passed down to all of his progeny. So, then, by this man is not totally bad, and if not totally bad then really does not deserve the punishment of God, death. Let us again look at John 3:16 in the Greek and see if this is what is taught: I will insert the English transliteration:

 Οὕτως so γὰρ for ἠγάπησεν  loved ὁ the θεὸς God τὸν the κόσμον world ὥστε so as  τὸν the υἱὸν son τὸν the μονογενῆ only begotten ἔδωκεν He gave, ἵνα in order πᾶς all ὁ the πιστεύων believing (note: this word is: nominative, singular, masculine, participle, present tense; so then it is the one presently believing, and not anyone far off or future) εἰς into αὐτὸν Him μὴ not ἀπόληται perishy ἀλλὰ but ἔχῃ have ζωὴν life αἰώνιον etemal. It is then by the grammar that the one who is saved is presently believing now, and in the future; this is conversion. The word “world” seldom means the entire world, and often is used to mean the evil world, or some special people. Does this meet then context and Scripture? Peter says: “To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galata, Cappadocia, Asia, and bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (1Peter 1:1b–2; cf. Romans 8:28–29; Ephesians 1:4). So, then, according to Scripture you did not choose God, God chose you, and this before you were born, before you did anything good, or bad, God chooses His elect; therefore it is not the “whole” world, as in everyone, it is those who God chose, elected who hear the word of God and believe due to the faith that was freely given them: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not yourselves; it is the gift of God,, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8). It is then our disposition that determines, whether or not our conversion to God or only believe in God that is only a hope that you will be saved, even if you are sincere. Sincerity and $1.50 might get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks for people all over the world are sincere in their beliefs. Yes we are sincere, and yes we believe, and yes we hope, as do all the world, and yet we have that one thing that is missing in all other beliefs: we have the sure word of God. It is this written word whereby God revealed Himself to man; first to the Jews a special elected people to demonstrate to the world the glory of God. They failed, God will judge failure, and we too must be concerned that we are not failing by allowing false teaching to disrupt our faith and teach us to do things that are not of God. So often, we look for the thrilling, and this is so opposite of God’s word and is an intense failure and form of selfish interest. This self–interest assumes what God does not teach and we then allow unrighteousness in our lives and Churches. Self–seeking is not to obey the truth: God will allow this, and God will judge this on the Last Day before the judgment seat.

            Live today for Christ; live for the truth; stand for the truth, in every circumstance. This is the will of God, and those believing and are converted do not fear man, they fear to disobey their Father and His Only Begotten Son, and fear to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Your blessing is not just in this world, for we have the greatest of all blessings: WE WILL LIVE ETERNALLY WITH GOD!

O that blessed birth , a virgin gave birth to our salvation,

with giving birth pregnant with the holy Ghost,

the Redeemer of the world and the boy revealed His sacred face .
These will be the height of heaven, all the angels sing,

sing to the praise of God anywhere , whatever there is of virtue :

there is no silent tongues , the voice , and all the consonant .

Hymns of: Prudentius, Aurelius Clemens (358-413 A.D.) Be In Prayer Today: Communicate With Your God Richard L. Crumb

           

How Are We As Christians Judge Others?

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever

you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another

you condemn yourself; for you who judge

practice the same thing. But we know that the

judgment of God is according to truth

against those who practice such things.

And do you thing this, O man, you who

judge those practicing such things, and

doing the same, that you will escape the

judgment of God?

Romans 2:1–3

            How many times have I heard that we as Christians are not to judge others. Is this what the above Scripture teaches? Somehow as Christians we are to tacitly approve by our not judging unrighteousness as though by not judging we are showing Christian love. Is this right? The opening Scripture clearly defines what we need to know: we are not to judge others when we might be doing the same thing. Usually a person condemns that which is either a sin that is occurring, or one that he has a propensity to do. Paul is clearly speaking to Christians that we are not to condemn when we are in sin and if we do so we condemn ourselves. If we do not end the sin that is besetting us, or acquiescing to allow others to sin and not speak up against that sin, we are liable to give God and answer for our laziness towards the will of God. To have, and be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ. Paul writing to the Corinthian Church reminds us: “But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioners–not even to eat with such a person” (1Corinthians 5:11). It is clear that we are to judge, and that judgment begins in the house of God. Do we not judge those outside the Church? Yes! We are to condemn all unrighteousness and to make corrections as are needed by first not associating with those outside the Church: “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits” (1Corinthians 15:33). It is clear, it is plain: “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you are truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ our Passover, was sacrificed for us” (1Corinthians 5:6–7). If you cannot clear out the leaven from your Church: LEAVE! Find a Church that does not allow sin called good. If you are associating with those outside the Church: LEAVE! What about family members who are sinning, living in fornication, drunk, taking illegal drugs, and will not listen to the truth and will not change? Jesus makes this so very clear: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37). Oh! You cry! I cannot do this; it is my son, my daughter, my nephew, my niece, etc., and I just cannot see how God would require this of Me. Well, did Jesus not say those words I just quoted from Matthew? Did He not make this very clear and plain? Yes! Furthermore, Jesus said: “Therefore whoever

confesses Me before me, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before me, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Do not thing that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:32–34). Those words of Jesus are frightening, for He will deny us before God the Father, and we will have no confession that we might use in our defense. Is this hard? Yes! Is it what is required? Yes! Jesus said: “And he who does not take his cross, and follow after me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38). Jesus did not come to earth to make our life easier, to just be as some vending machine to give blessings, to answer all our requests. Jesus came to earth to divide the tares from the wheat. When we allow sin to enter in and to reside in our Churches and in our lives and we are not making sure our election, our salvation, we are fighting against God Himself. Who do you think will win? Paul speaking to the Christians at Corinth and to us: “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds’” (Romans 2:5–6; cf. Psalm 62:12). Paul did not end at this point: “eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self–seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness––indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who des evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, and honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 2:7–10).

            Is it not time to take inventory of your faith, your walk with Jesus Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and not guided by this world and its unrighteous culture? Will you take the first step to do what is required of you as a child of God, a bride of Christ? You are not alone, there are others who too are taking this conversion for Jesus Christ seriously, and you will and can walk with them. Associate with those of like mind for Jesus Christ. You will be blessed, if not in this world, you will be in the life hereafter. Praise God!

Lovely, then, is the virtue of modesty, and sweet is its grace!

It is seen not only in actions, but even in our words,

so that we may not go beyond due measure in speech,

and that our words may not have an unbecoming sound.

The mirror of our mind often enough reflects its image in our words.

Sobriety weighs out the sound even of our voice,

for fear that too loud a voice should offend the ear of any one.

Nay, in singing itself the first rule is modesty,

and the same is true in every kind of speech, too,

so that a man may gradually learn to praise God, or to sing songs, or even to speak, in that the principles of modesty grace his advance.

Ambrose.

You are justified, Sanctified by God

Richard L. Crumb

Controlling Our Passions: Not As The World: As Christians

Do you not know that the unrighteous

will not inherit the kingdom of God?

Do not be deceived. Neither fornicator,

nor idolaters, nor adulterers,

nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,

nor thieves, nor covetous,

nor drunkards, nor revilers,

nor extortioners will inherit

the kingdom of God.

1Corinthians 6:9–10

            How can these words be twisted? Yet, there are Churches that do just that and allow such as condemned by God, those who will not inherit the kingdom of God to infiltrate the Church at every level. Are not those words plain and clear? Yes! It seems that there are those, who suggest that God’s standards, for Christians are somehow different from God’s standards as for the Hebrews in the Old Testament. That God has two standards, one for the ancient Old Testament Hebrews, and one for New Testament Christians. Those who would oppress the plain teaching of the Bible violate the moral law given to man by God; the Ten Commandments. These Ten Commandments apply to everyone on earth, not just the Jews, nor just Christians; they apply to pagans as well for God demands justice on the earth and to not adhere to His moral laws is to do injustice. There is a defiance of God and His Laws. Many are so caught up in the culture of this world, even those who are attending Church, every Sunday, and do many good works, are still caught up in this immoral culture of this world. They engage in beast like activities as pointed out in the opening Scripture. God demands justice and will not allow those who continue in injustice to inherit His kingdom prepared for those who are the Bride of His Son Jesus Christ. Solomon writing states: “I say, ‘ Keep the king’s commandment for the sake of your oath to God. Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him’” (Ecclesiastes 8:2–3). Those words apply to even government. DO NOT STAND FOR AN EVIL THING! Your say: “I don’t stand for evil!” Yet, you tacitly approve of evil. How? By watching movies, TV shows, reading rag tag magazines, and may even allow such unrighteousness to exist in your home or in your Church and say nothing about it or do anything about it. Maybe it is watching MMA as men and even women pound each other bloody, and do not stop hitting there opponent even when that opponent is unable to defend him/herself. How in such thing is the knowledge of God retained and witness too? Paul writes: “”….God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting” (Romans 1:28b). Take for instance a MMA fighter who boasts of his ability and strength, strutting around the ring, standing on the ropes of the ring to show himself, proud and in an evil God dishonoring way. Yet, some Christians will not turn the channel or even turn off the TV. Paul adds: “Being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil–mindedness; they are whisperers (The Greek is whispering in a mean manner) backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful” (Romans 1:29–31). Does this not describe our culture, our world? Yes, and as time has progressed those things that were affecting the Church in Paul’s day have proliferated. It is not that the world does not know God, or that Christians don’t know God; God is known, and His laws are in the soul of every man and has the power of those who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit to know God as do not heathens, and yet there is an abandonment of God. Paul does not mince words: “who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:32). This ought to sober a person up: deserving of death, those who practice evil, and those who approve of evil being practiced by the unrighteous.

            It is so easy for Christians to condemn the world as though they are inexcusable. Their judgment comes not from their lives which are at enmity with God as with some who are allowing unrighteousness to continue or worse are practicing such unrighteousness before repenting from their sins and by doing so turn away from sin, now and in the future. No excuse! It is not enough to say that you are a sinner. You Are! You have been save by grace and not of yourself. God requires that we examine ourselves, even before taking of the Lord’s Supper, or Communion. Otherwise, you are just as Paul wrote: “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you are judge practice the same things” (Romans 2:1).

            The GOOD NEWS! God forgives! God will teach you and lead you from sin into a life whereby you can grow in your faith and sanctification. You can become more and more in the image of our Savior Jesus Christ. Happiness and blessing are for those who do the will of God. May I suggest? Get on your knees before God and pray earnestly to God for you have, if you are engaged in sin, actively, or tacitly, that He will forgive you for sinning against your Holy God. Peace, joy, happiness, all are waiting upon you.

“There are three things to be noticed in the actions of our life. First,

our passions are to be controlled by our reason;

next, we ought to observe a suitable moderation in our desires;

and, lastly, everything ought to be done at the right time and in the proper order.

 All these qualities shone forth so conspicuously in the holy men of Old Testament time,

that it is evident they were well furnished with what men call the cardinal virtues.”

                                                                        Ambrose Chapter 24: Selected Works of Ambrose

Live Today, Everyday: For God and Our Savior

Richard L. Crumb