How We Should View The Ordinances, Ceremonies, And Sacraments Of The Church

For I have not shunned to declare unto you all 

the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves 

enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

 Also of your own selves shall men arise, 

speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. therefore watch, and remember, 

that by the space of three years I ceased not 

to warn every one night and day with tears. 

And now brethren, I commend you to God,

 and to the word of His grace, which is able 

to build you up, and to give you an inheritance 

among all them which are sanctified. I have

 coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. 

Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have 

ministered unto my necessities, and to them that 

were with me. I have shewed you all things. 

how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak,

 and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, 

how He said, it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Acts 20:27-35

     It may seem strange that I am writing from the book of Acts and not from Revelation. It is not! For as I began yesterday I must continue to address what I said when I spoke about the fact that Jesus did not mention, baptism, or the Lord's Supper, or apostolic succession of ministers, and about Churches that hold far hard on liturgy, and sacraments and hold them as the first business for the minister as they minister to their Church. It would seem that I have a problems with them but that is far from the truth. Paul, as in the opening verses shows his feeling, and mine that important, and they are important if their observances, ceremonies, and forms are built upon faith, repentance and holiness. Paul definitely spoke about Church being administered by him and the importance of this ministry. Notice this, Paul did not say one word about the sacraments, and Church government and is not a time to do so,  yet he did not. 

     Why not hold those things above as a first importance? I do not preach the bishops, and the Prayer Book, or ordinances more that I do is not that I do not hold that they do not have value, they do. I value them, and am thankful for them, as you so should do. But, I and others, believe that repentance towards God, faith towards our Saviour Jesus Christ and holy conversation are more important as subjects for without them no man can be saved. These things are the most important, the weighty matters and on these we should spend our time, thoughts, and meditation. I am urging you to not rest on Church membership and Church privileges and be satisfied because you showed up and Church on Sunday, or that you participated in the Lord's Supper. You are not an Authentic Christian due to outward appearances or works, you must be "born again," and have faith that works in you to love, and you must demonstrate by your life that you are a "new creation: all this by the power of the Holy Spirit. We must have the mind of Jesus Christ. This Jesus did when John wrote to those seven Churches in Revelation and if we hold to those things we will not err. 

     Some Churches rely on feelings, emotions, but it matters little what you feel and about your view on the sacraments, ordinances, baptism, and Church government. What matters is you do not try yourself by your feelings. You must belong to the true visible ecclesiastical Church. No matter, though, how ecclesiastical your Church is and sound it may be, the final truth is whether or not you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, this personal faith in Jesus Christ and your repentance between you and God and your communion with the Holy Spirit in your soul. No Church, that is you, all members of your Church, those who attend your Church will flourish unless there is repentance, faith, conversion, and that the work of the Holy Spirit are the main subjects of those ministering. Too many Churches are more of an emotional release station, one in which a person loses themselves in euphoric emotion and the Gospel is lost on them and no matter what good work they do, it has as it motives themselves and not to God. Ministers must preach the Gospel, not what the Church has as its Constitution.

      The next blog I will return to Revelation and those seven Churches and examine them to see what Jesus has for us in His inspiration to John.

Every day Iwill bless thee;

     and I will praise thy name

for ever and ever.

                     Psalm 145:2

Examine your motives for your worship

Richard L. Crumb

How To Apply The Letters To The Seven Churches Of Revelation

Write the things which thou sawest 

and the things which are, and the things 

which are to take place after these. 

The mystery of the seven stars which thou

 sawest in my right hand, and the 

seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars 

are the angels of the seven Churches:

 and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest 

are the seven Churches.

Revelation 1:19-20

     I stated when I began this study that I would take time to carefully examine the Scriptures to ensure that I would not miss out on the richness of these words, and that I would not succumb to any speculation or false interpretation. So then, I am rewriting those verses because it is important to understand that they were written by the last living of the twelve disciples of Jesus. John writing on the island of Patmos was at least 100 years old. I believe then that we must take those words of John to be very important as he writes the final conclusion in regards to God and His people, and about those who are not It important that we know whether or not our Church is built upon the Rock, Jesus Christ. It is probable true that those who read this blog are members of some visible Church. It is also true, I suppose that you attend the public worship of some visible Church, that which is made of professing Christians. 

     Due to this letter being the last letter inspired to be written and is written in much symbolic language we must take time to pay special attention to the verse of Scripture because what is written are words that concern you, and are for your learning. So then the words of Jesus are this: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" (Revelation 3:22). Those words are repeated seven times in the second and third chapters of Revelation. 

     God is all and is in need of nothing and all that He does is perfect in all His works and does nothing by chance. Yes man has caused imperfection due to sin but God makes lemonade out of lemons. He had this letter written so that we may know His dealing, to be able to trace His design, His purpose, and plan. There is design and purpose for every verse in the Bible and a design for every repetition of a verse as in Revelation 3:22). They all have meaning and that meaning is for to observe to know what God has intended. The fact that those verses were written to those seven Churches then we as Authentic Christian believers are take particular notice of the things that were spoken to and about those seven Churches in Revelation. In those words are leading truths which they teach, truths for all time, for the time we live in, and truths for days to come, those latter times. All this would be good for us to know and better for us if we do.

     First, we must notice that Jesus speaks of nothing but matters of doctrine, practice, warning, and promise. There in those seven letters to those seven Churches it is to be found that Jesus finds fault with false doctrines and ungodly inconsistent practices and has sharp rebuke towards them. Also it is true that Jesus at times praises faith, patience, work, labour, perseverance and bestows on these graces high commendation. It is also true that Jesus admonishes true Christians to return to their first love. At times Jesus enjoins repentance and a renewed application to Himself and all that He has taught. 

     Now, it is also very important that we understand that Jesus did not give specific instructions about Church government or ceremonies. Jesus says nothing about them the sacraments, or ordinances, liturgies, or forms, or baptism, or the Lord's Supper, or apostolical succession of ministers. The sacramental system is not forwarded to any of the seven Churches. Why speak about this? Because many of the Churches today, those professing Christianity, would have us believe these things mentioned above are of first, of cardinal, of paramount importance. Many of those Churches hold to a belief that no Church can be without a bishop, and there can be no godliness without a liturgy. This they say is the first work of the minister and gives them the ability to keep their Church together so it is the first business of the minister. 

     Why dwell on this? We cannot come to truth without understanding how it applies. Before anything about the future is written Jesus addresses the Church, those seven Churches that represent all of Christianity. Therefore it is of first and foremost important to all who strive to live Authentic Christian lives. I will continue this conversation in the next blogs. Read these verses, read them and pray over them, meditate upon them, and be blessed as you are led to the truth by the Holy Spirit that indwells in you.

He will regard the prayer of the destitute,

    and not despise their prayer. 

This shall be written for the generation

    to come: and the people which shall

be created shall praise the LORD.

         Psalm 102:17-18

Blessing come when you study His word

Richard L. Crumb

      

What Does It Mean: Lose Your First Love: And Who Are The Nicolaitans?

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, 

because thou hast left thy first love. 

Remember therefore from whence 

thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works;

 or else I will come unto thee quickly, 

and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, 

except thou repent. But this thou hast, that 

thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, 

which I also hate. He that hath an ear, 

let him hear what the Spirit saith unto

 the churches; to him that overcometh will I give 

to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst 

of the paradise of God.

Revelation 2:4-7 

      The Church at Ephesus was doing good things, in fact they had good works, patience, and they labored, that is they detested evil, those evil men who called themselves apostles but taught another gospel. All this was done in the name of Jesus so on the surface it seemed all was good, that they were a faithful Church. Yet, there was something wrong: they left their first love. What is meant: "first love?" Speaking to the Church at Ephesus we are led to the Garden of Eden where there was the Tree of Life in the middle of the Garden so we then look at that narrative in the garden to understand "first love." Adam and Eve lived a pure and simplistic life, they walked and talked with God in the garden and yet they left their first love, that love for God that all of God's children are to have and practice. Eve, then Adam were beguiled by Satan by just slanting ever so slightly the words spoken by God and by this they left their "first love." "First love," is demonstrated to us by the illustration of a man and woman who are married, their love for one another, to have an unselfish love without thought for another, a response of love to love. This love is self-denying, to be abandoned, committed to the one they love. 

     Adam and Eve lost their first love and by this loss they were cast out of the Garden of Eden, this pure and simplistic life to a life of hard work, just to be able to live. God cast them aside. This should be a warning to us that if we leave our first love that God will remove that candlestick, the Church from His presence. We might even understand that this "first love" has meaning for a man and a woman, married and are under vow to each other. When divorce occurs it means that one or the other has left their love for the other to give to another this love that was to be committed to just their spouse. God will not bless that new union. Some rely on the Scriptures that give a right to a divorce when the other has committed adultery. Paul adds to this reason to have the right to have another spouse is the non-believer leaves and has not intention of coming back to the marriage. Too many have used these verse to divorce another but there is no command that a person should do so, in fact the offended one has the right to forgive the offender and if the offender has repented, not just feel sorry, but truly has repented then that marriage is to continue. The offender must overcome this lack of purity and simplicity and return to their first love, their spouse, and better yet their first love for Jesus Christ. He is our true "first love," that is if we are Authentic in our Christian Faith. If Adam and Eve had overcome their fallen act they would have remained in the Garden of Eden and would have then tasted what the tree of life would give to them. If we would overcome and return to our "First Love," that love for Jesus in all its purity and simplicity and not rely on our works, programs, meeting, or other acts of works that we place ahead of our simple love for Jesus, the Gospel, then w too will overcome and have God give to us the ability to eat of the tree of life, this tree of life that is in paradise with God. 

     Who are the Nicolaitans? Much debate and theories have arisen over this name, so, I will give what will at least aid you to understand why God and the Church at Ephesus hated the Nicolaitans. Jesus spoke about the chief priests and even the temple officials that they had corrupted the truth of God with the doctrines of men. These false teachers were blinding the minds of men and making them their converts. This is apparently what the Nicolaitans were doing by their false man-made doctrines. The word Nicolaitans is derived from three Greek words: Nikos, Laos, and Ton. Nikos means "a conquest, victory, triumph, the conquered and by implication to have domination over the defeated. Laos means people, and Ton means which is the genitive case plural in all genders. The apostle Peter give us this: "The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:  Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; NOR AS BEING LORDS OVER THOSE ENTRUSTED TO YOU, but being examples to the flock" (1Peter 5:1 - 3).
     There are those who believe that the original Nicolas was Nimrod who conquered people and who put himself in the place of God (Genesis 10:8-12). Others thing that Nicolas mentioned in Revelation is the man called Nicolas a proselyte from Antioch who was ordained as a deacon (Acts 6:1-6). Writing from that time state that he later came to follow Gnostic teachings and became an ascetic causing many to follow his doctrines. 
     We have many Nicolaitans in our world today, in some of our so-called "Christian" Churches who are teaching false doctrine and conquering the minds and souls of those who listen to him. We are to hate them, to teach against them, to expose them in all the things they do that are contrary to our "first love." This the Church of Ephesus were doing, but they too were cooling off, so to speak, and allowing in their Church what should never be allowed and this was causing them to lose their "first love," the love for the truth, the Gospel. Do not allow this in your Church for you too will cool off and if not stopped there is a great chance that you will be misled into a doctrine of man and lose your true pure and simplistic love of God, for our Savior Jesus Christ.

Moreover all the chief of the priest, 
   and the people, transgressed very much
after all the abominations of the heathen;
     and polluted the house of the LORD
which He had hallowed in Jerusalem. 
     And the LORD God of their fathers sent
to them by His messengers, rising up betime,
    and sending; because He had compassion
on His people, and on His dwelling place: but
   they mocked the messengers of God, and 
despised His words, and misused His prophets,
    until the wrath of the LORD arose against
His people, till there was no remedy.
                                 IIChronicles 36:14-16

Do not lose your "First Love."

Richard L. Crumb