Holding Fast The Profession Of Our Faith

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith 

without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 

and let us consider one another to provoke unto 

love and to good works: not forsaking the 

assembling of ourselves together, as the manner 

of some is; but exhorting one another: 

and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.

 For if we sin willfully after that we have

 received the knowledge of the truth, 

there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

 but a certain fearful looking for of judgment 

and fiery indignation, which shall 

devour the adversaries.

Hebrews 10: 23-27

     Hebrews 10:25 is probably one of the most known and quoted verses in the Bible. Yet, to often that is the only verse known or quoted: this in to not be reminded of what the context states. Yes, we are to meet together and from the earliest time of Christianity it was on the first day of the week: Sunday. To force another doctrine that will not admit this fact is to force a false understanding of the history and facts of Christianity. It is true that any day used as a Sabbath is not wrong, but to state that only a day, Saturday, as some teach, is to hold to wrong thinking.    

     One would think that setting aside one day for the purposes shown in Scripture would not be problematic. The problem is that it is not properly understood. The Sabbath is a great blessing for those who attend the Sabbath and worship with others in worship that is pleasing to God and and not to man. Some people attending the Sabbath at their place of worship are worshiping practices that are not Scriptural even though they claim that the are Scriptural. The Sabbath day is a time and opportunity to reflect and to adjust, a day to correct errors that have crept in during the week, a day of joy, of love and harmony. Many abuse the Sabbath through a sense of obligation, or they just ignore the Sabbath filling the day with other pleasures or desires. Some attend Church and there needs be a person with a hole punch to punch their attendant cards so that they can prove that they did attend Church, or to have some form of merit for attending Church. Some find Sunday to be a day to finish work that they begun during the week rather than plan to either finish them before Sunday, or to finish after Sunday. People will find ways, excuses, to do tasks that are really not all that important. I have done this: have you? Not any longer, for my studies have shown me that only that which is necessary should be done on Sunday: i.e., travel that can be changed to another day, or emergency needs such as home repairs that are causing or will cause a major repair, etc. so there are things that must be done, but the priority is to plan, to attend Church for the right reason. Sunday is a day to have thought, a special thinking time for God. If you know this cultural thinking has crept into your life it is time to make the change so that you are a "faithful and discreet servant of God." 

     Authentic Christians seek the virtues of Christian living, to strive to please God and not to fulfill self-centeredness. There are those in your Church that need you. There are those who fill left out of the conversation, or are timid to join in, who need fellowship, who need love, and kindness. Authentic Christians take the time to be that loving person, who is manifesting agape, God's principled love, towards others, to not get caught up in a "click," or to only speak to your inner-circle. Take someone home and make lunch for them, spend time with others, show the love that God has shown to you by dying on the cross so that you can have His blessing of eternal life. Do you want to be blessed? Well, there is the metric to be blessed. All you have to do is follow the metric, the rubric of God's desire for His children. 

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart

    is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery

    and harp: I myself will awake early.

I will praise Thee, O Lord, among the

    people: I will sing unto Thee among 

the nations.

                        Psalm 57: 7-9

  Be blessed: serve others

Richard L. Crumb

The Sabbath: Keeping It Holy

And He said unto them, The sabbath made for man,

 and not man for the sabbath: therefore the 

Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Mark 2:27-28

     A term "to speak out of both sides of the mouth at the same time" is probably known by most people. How often we speak in that manner. We say one thing only to say the opposite in the next breath. For instance: we say that we keep the Ten Commandments and speak of not murdering, nor stealing, not committing adultery, or bear false witness, even not to cuss using God's name (I am not sure how that applies in using God's name in vain), as God has more than one name that is used in Scripture to define and reveal Him. Cussing is not a good way to speak, but to use a name in vain is to misuse the name for in the "name" the "power" of the name, that which the name infers in a bad or hurtful manner is to use the "power" of the name in vain. You may not covet, yet there are some of the Ten Commandments that are hardly, if ever, used or spoken of as that which we are to keep. So, I guess we have less than Ten Commandments, at least we only use or admit some and leave out others. We say that we follow the words of Jesus: "Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled. Whomsoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:17-19). Jesus adds: "And He said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:17). Jesus simplifies the Ten Commandments by breaking them into the two parts: Our responsibility to God, and our responsibility to others: "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hand all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40). God's original words: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy....wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it" (Exodus 20:8;11b). 

     Here is a problem: it is hard to distinguish between Authentic Christians and cultural Christians; the sabbath has lost it meaning and purpose. Both camps say one thing but do another, or speak excuses as to why they are not following the command of God to keep the sabbath holy. This may not be true of all Christians but it is generally true within Christendom. Authentic Christians must not allow themselves to be prone to the former objects of their desire to have influence. Authentic Christians guard over their hearts and minds and work at increasing their knowledge and love of heavenly things. Both theological camps go to Church, sing songs, worship in some way to God and even do philanthropic things, but in the most: Sunday is really just another day of the week even if it contains some sort of worship. 

     Is not the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, or one day out of seven to be a day, is the day, that God Himself set aside to be a special day? Scripture says that it is! The sabbath, that according to the Jewish calendar and practice was Saturday, and after Jesus came, died on the cross the sabbath, or that special day to be reserved for the Lord became the first day of the week, or Sunday. Sunday is the one day out of seven that is called: the Sabbath, a day to focus on God, on His Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, to lay aside work, the business and cares of this life, to spend time with God. Can the sabbath, the day of rest commanded by God be any other day of the week? Yes! Some are needed in health care, or police work, or other work that necessitates that a person work on Sunday. This does not mean that they can avoid the sabbath, no, they still can set aside a special time, a special day to focus on God, to set aside the cares of this world, to meditate upon God, upon His son, to renew their spiritual life. 

     Sunday, or the sabbath is not to be a day to do whatever a person desires to do outside of allowing that day to be a special day, to follow the commands of God and focus on Him. How can this be done? There are many ways to do this, and spending time with family to speak about the sermon just heard, to fellowship with family, even with friends by having a special day to be with them, make the sabbath be a joyful day. Ever think about preparing for the sabbath before the sabbath arrives? Maybe preparing ahead a lunch, or a time to spend just with family, maybe with friends, to not go out and spend money, time, in restaurants, or playing golf, or doing things that would keep a person from spending focused time with God. Think on this: to go out and eat in restaurants is to make others to by your servant and to keep them from being in Church, or being with family, or spending time just with God. Restaurants and not health care, or police, or military, or anything of some sort of emergency, they can close on the Sabbath allowing their  workers to keep the sabbath. Oh! if they do work they still can have a sabbath, but will they? Most often not if the sabbath does not have a special place in their hearts, that is, if God does not have a special place in their hearts. Do you, Authentic Christian us this time, the sabbath seeking to serve the kingdom of God? Or, has some sort of worldly culture influenced you? 

      You either speak the truth, to not speak out of "both sides of your mouth at the same time" or to do the will of God: Which will it be? There are others ways that I have not listed by which you can worship God and keep His commandments, but do not make excuses allowing you freedom from the commands of God allowing you to find ways to not do His will. Cultural religion can find a way to enter into a person's spiritual life that is contrary to the will of God. Weed it out! Make God your priority! Man, or cultural Christians may not understand, but who cares? It is your relationship with God that matters, not man. Read again the will of God in regards to the sabbath. It may just change your life! Are you ready? If not get ready for you will answer to God at the throne. 

And Moses said unto the congregation,

     This is the thing which the LORD

commanded to be done.

                            Leviticus 8:5

Remove the stain of culturalism

Richard L. Crumb

      

Resurrection Day: A Day Of Commemoration

But now is Christ risen from the dead, 

and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 

For since be man came death, by man 

came also the resurrection of the dead. 

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ 

shall all be made alive.

1Corinthians 15:20-22

     I must take a step aside from my current blog subject and turn to the most important event that ever occurred in the history of man. That event was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It can be spoken of that the Great Flood was the greatest event, and it was a great event, but not the greatest for all but eight humans died due to sin and only by the grace of God did eight humans survive. Yes they were faithful men and women of God and believed in Him, but they were sinful and only by the grace of God their sins did not keep them from being saved from the horrible event. 

     Why did Jesus have to die? The answer most often given is to pay for our sins. This is not wrong but not entirely correct. Some will say: "To call the elect." This is not wrong for God calls the elect. There are those who say that Jesus came to show us God: they are correct. Others will point out that Jesus came to destroy Satan and all those who follow him, both the angels, and sinful man: they are correct. A question asked often is: Why did Jesus have to become a man? Good question! It is said to be the equal to Adam who as a sinless man sinned and died, and Jesus a sinless man never sinned and died, Adam brought death to this earth by his sinning and death, and Jesus brought life by His sinless life and by His death death was destroyed. This is correct! John the Baptist seeing Jesus declared: "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Notice: The word "sin." It is singular in the accusative voice: so what is the "sin" of the world? God made man in His image, that is, man was given the ability to know God and to worship God, to live forever under the providence and security of God. Man failed and by his failure a debt was secured by man to God. The debt? Death! Sin brought death into the world a debt man owes to God. Man cannot by anything that they do to pay this debt for if they could then they would have to die having lived a sinless life and die sinless. Man cannot do this so man cannot pay this debt. Oh! What are we do to do? Is this life, death all there is, a life without hope? No! God paid our debt out of His own "pocket" and the debt was paid, no longer held against man, but there was and is a price that God had to pay, this was not some moving of numbers on an accountant page. That price, cannot be calculated for it cost God His Son Jesus Christ, not another god, as some believe, but Himself for Jesus Christ is God: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). You ask: How can God die? He cannot! If God dies then all the world that He holds together would be destroyed, gone. God created all things and not be reassembling existing parts, no, God created the parts necessary and this out of Himself, that is from nothing, so if God can do this, could He not also prepare a way to save His creation, mankind made in His image? Yes! From the foundation of the world God knew all that would occur, knew what needed to be done and this He did by preparing salvation, to pay this debt and knew that He had to pay it, so He sent the Second Person of the Trinity to become incarnate so that He could live sinless, as fully man, to live sinless, and to die sinless. The debt was and is paid. What does this mean: "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12). That paid debt opened the way for man to also have death removed and be able to live forever without the threat of death. The faith needed is given freely (Ephesians 2:8-9) and by that faith, Authentic Christian Faith a man is declared to be an adopted son/daughter of God. Yes, you will die, die from the earthly diseased by sin by death, but you, your soul, that which is you, will live forever for death has no hold on you. Death did not have hold on Jesus for He rose again on the third day, all was completed. God has not taken away from us the ability to choose God, to choose His Son Jesus Christ and we can find that faith, both in the preaching of His truth, and by power of the Holy Spirit that by His word, you can have the faith to believe. You did not do this on your own, for only by the power of God can you have this faith, you cannot work for it, or do anything other than believe so that you can have that paid debt applied to you. 

JESUS IS THE GREATEST GIFT! There is a second gift. Will you receive the first Greatest gift? Will you receive the second greatest gift? It is up to you!

             Christians if asked: what is the greatest gift given to man by God would answer: Jesus Christ. They would be correct for Jesus Christ is and will always be: the greatest gift given to man. Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise given to Adam, reinforced to Noah, and to Abraham. This gift was known be the Hebrews even before they were a nation as this gift of a promised Messiah was know by their forefathers and especially to Jacob (Israel): “And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And He said. Here am I. and He said, I am God, the God of they father: fear not to go down into Egypt: for I will there make of thee a great nation” (Genesis 46:2-3). When Jesus came into this world as a babe the angels spoke: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests” (Luke 2:14). No doubt: Jesus is the greatest gift to man. Is there a second great gift from God? As the first great gift from God was rejected outright by even those who called themselves believers in God, and by those who treated this gift with little worth (He was nothing more than another seer), so too, the second greatest gift has had the same problem: it was, and is rejected outright or has been so changed by men and women who call themselves “Christian” that it has little effect on the lives of people that much of it has been called into question or changed to meet a doctrinal or theological position of men. It is not that many people outright reject this gift, they simply ignore it as this gift sits on the shelves getting dusty, or dusted off so that they, when they go to Church look as though they read it. This second gift to man from God is the Bible and yet for too many the Bible is a book that remains mysterious, a mystery. This lack of knowledge and understanding of this Second Greatest Gift from God has led to, not only heresy, but for people to become cultural Christians, nominally Christians. 

THIS WEEKEND WE ARE COMMEMORATING THE DEATH, RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, NOT EASTER, NOT JUST A PARTY TIME, RATHER TO TO SEE WHAT THIS DAY MEANS: A DAY THAT SERVES AS A MEMORIAL OR REMINDER, TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF JESUS CHRIST AND THIS IS WHAT WE DO WHEN WE OBSERVE THIS DAY PROPERLY. THIS DAY IS NOT JUST A CELEBRATION, A DAY OF FESTIVITIES, IT IS A DAY WE SHOULD MEDITATE UPON WHAT THIS GREAT EVENT MEANS TO THE WORLD, TO ALL WHO BELIEVE. TEACH THIS TO YOUR CHILDREN, TO ALL YOU COME INTO CONTACT WITH. YES, ENJOY THE DAY, FOR IT IS A DAY OF GREAT JOY.

HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY!

Our debt is paid: receive it!

Richard L. Crumb