Author Archives: expreacherman

This was originally posted in April 2006

HE IS RISEN!!
Which event is the most important, (1) the death or (2) the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah? Of course there would be no resurrection of Jesus had He not been crucified… but He was crucified. But what if, after Jesus was crucified, dead and buried, He had not resurrected from the grave? There would be no salvation.. There would be no proof that Jesus is indeed God in the flesh and that is Satan’s message. We see such a lie has been touted by “liberal” theologians from the time shortly after Jesus was put to death by the Roman court.

• Matthew 28:1-8
  “In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers [guards] did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word.”
• Luke 24:6-7
  “He is not here, but is risen: remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

“Great Joy” would be an understatement!! Imagine their circumstances, the Person they trusted, worshipped and followed had just been humiliated, crucified, had died and was buried. They come to the tomb expecting to complete their mourning. Then they see the tomb empty and hear the words, “He is not here: for He is risen.” HE IS RISEN! Imagine the JOY!

• Then in Matthew 28:11-14
  “…some of the watch [soldiers, guards of the tomb] came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole Him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you [keep you out of trouble].”

This is amazing. The soldier guards knew Jesus had arisen from the tomb even though it was tightly sealed and this happened while they were guarding the tomb. A Roman guard who failed in his duty was liable for the death penalty thus they would move heaven and earth to see their duty was completed. So here we see the origin of the lie, perpetuated even until today, from those who deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For centuries books and expose’s have been written trying to disprove the Resurrection… all to no avail. HE IS RISEN!!

Often, religion tends to dwell on the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus to the neglect of the resurrection. YES, the horrible crucifixion of Christ is a vital part of the Gospel of our Salvation.. But religions too often ignore or de-emphasize the fact — HE IS RISEN!

By His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled the Messianic promise outlined in the Old Testament.

The Gospel (Good News) is not good news without the Resurrection of Jesus. Jesus is alive but Mohammed is dead, Buddha is dead, Confucius, Mary Baker Eddy, Joseph Smith, etc are all dead. Every religious leader throughout history has died. The only One to rise under His own power is Jesus the promised Messiah.

The following has been called “The Gospel in a Nutshell”:

• 1 Corinthians 15:1-6
  “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, ….. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once….”

Witness after witness after witness: this is evidence of His resurrection.

Salvation by God’s Grace is understanding that we are imperfect. God calls this sin. Our sin requires a death penalty.. But God with love beyond infinity, loved us so much that He sent Jesus Christ to make that death penalty for the whole world, to the Jew first and then the Gentile, that all who would believe or trust in Jesus would have everlasting life in Heaven with Him. Jesus came and fulfilled the law and paid the death penalty we humans owe. He did that and arose from the grave just as He predicted. Now the responsibility is upon us. Do we trust Jesus alone as our Savior, our complete Savior, apart from our good works? If we do trust Jesus alone, we HAVE everlasting life, guaranteed.

• John 3:16-18
  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.
  He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Dear friend, at this time of year when we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, perhaps you do not know for sure you have eternal life in Christ. If you are not sure, please trust or rely upon Jesus alone as your Savior to deliver you to Heaven, to give you eternal life. It is not by an organization, church or your good works, simply Jesus. I pray you will make this decision as it is the most important one you will make during your entire life on this earth.

I pray you will!!

Click here — Find out how to be absolutely sure of Heaven.

A good friend of mine, David Wyatt, has begun posting on his own blog. I know him well enough to assure you that each of his postings will be clear, insightful and Biblical in content.

Drop over and visit David. You will be glad you did.

David’s Blog is: Hallelujah ‘Tis Done

Click here — Find out how to be absolutely sure of Heaven.

Today ExPreacherMan Jack and Sweet Wife Shirley became happy Great-Grandparents by Jack’s Granddaughter, Anna.

The newborn young lady is Georgia Leone and beautifully and healthily entered into the real world at 12:25 PM CDT. October 16, 2007. She weighed in at 7 pounds and is 20 inches long (and looks like she has been around for months). 😉

Look at that picture, taken less than a hour after birth. What a beautiful baby! God’s miracle in action. We thank The Lord for this healthy young baby girl.

We will appreciate your prayers for Georgia and her parents, Anna and Steve. But more specifically — that when she is old enough to make a decision to trust Christ as her Savior, she will do so without any hesitation.

In Christ happily and eternally,

ExP(Jack)

Click here — Find out how to be absolutely sure of Heaven.

That’s Not Fair

My good friend Dean Chollar, the blind evangelist, sent this short PodCast.

You should listen to the answers to Dean’s questions from a Muslim and a CHINO (Christian In Name Only).

Have you ever tried to share with someone your faith in Christ, and they respond, “Well, as long as your good works outweigh your bad works, everything will be fine.”? They have a world view and an understanding of God that trivializes His justice and holiness.

I shared the following short, 5-minute illustration with two individuals on a recent trip to Europe and was surprised by their answers — as I think you will be, too. It was interesting to see that both the Muslim and the Christian-in-name-only had the same worldview and understanding of God.

Click Here – Listen to THAT’S NOT FAIR !!

Click here — Find out how to be absolutely sure of Heaven.

Forty three years ago this December, my dear friend, Dr. A. Ray Stanford made the Gospel so crystal clear and understandable to this former atheist that I accepted that Bible truth and made the decision to trust Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.

Today, Monday, 9/23/07, Ray is in the hospital in Florida, undergoing an operation that he prays will slow his progressing cancer. One kidney is shut down, the other is in bad shape, metastasis has invaded his clavicle and ribs.

In true “Ray” fashion, he is concerned that this “minor” setback may cancel or delay his trip to Egypt (UPDATE – My Error, Lord willing, Ray is scheduled to leave for Egypt, November 19th.) where he will assist in growing the Bible seminary there. He is expecting to teach over 100 Bible believing native pastors how to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ clearly and then encourage them to be Biblical soul winners in a land of treachery.

Ray is determined to go to Egypt. Pray for the Lord’s will for Ray in his mission for the Lord, the lost souls in Egypt and especially pray for his concerned family.

Oh, by the way, Ray is 90 years old!

Click here to be sure of Heaven.

As I scanned over Dan Kimball’s comment on my Blog below, I was sidetracked and waded through some of the links and side-bar advertising he’s promoting. These items for sale include a quartet album with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash.

These men are not heroes of the Faith. To be promoting and advertising these four singers is not my idea of a Biblical promotion of the faith.

Kimball also advertises an album by Roy Orbison, who is considered to be the father of Rock and Roll. Some of Orbison’s more memorable works are “Ooby Dooby,” “Only The Lonely,” “In Dreams,” “Oh, Pretty Woman,” “Crying,” “Running Scared,” and “You Got It.” Draw your own conclusions about how these songs fit in with a Biblical Church ministry.

Kimball includes, on most of his web pages, a photo image of Ersel Hickey – a rockabilly/pop singer from the late 1950’s. He seems obsessed with non-Christian Rock music.

Our conclusion must be that the ECM methods are superficial, shallow and are degrading our Biblical faith by trying to mold the “church” into a part of the pop culture. Disheartening to say the least.

ECM is shallow and superficial.. yet attractive to the youth of the world.

1 Timothy 1″19 “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck”

In the interest of full disclosure, back when I was Pastor of my church, we held a regular Tuesday “Ranch Meeting” night in a church member’s homes. We encouraged our young people to bring their Bibles and their lost friends. Some of our kids played guitars and we sang:

• “Can You Hear the Savior Calling You?”
• “Precious Lord”
• “Where Could I Go But to The Lord”
• “Just a Little Talk With Jesus”
• “Christ Is All I Need”
• “Amazing Grace”
• “My God is Real”
• “I’d Rather Have Jesus”

And many. many more. These young people loved the music and the message.

We would give a good clear Gospel message and encourage them to trust Christ as their Savior.

The young people, saved and unsaved were excited and we saw hundreds and hundreds of them trust Christ as their Savior. We then encouraged new and old believers to attend a good Bible believing, preaching Church.

However, when Sundays and Wednesdays came around, our regular services were normal preaching, teaching services with singing of the old-time hymns. These youth learned to love the Lord, our fellowship, our hymns and our church.

Many of them joined our church. A large number of them graduated high school and then enrolled in Bible College.

We never let our church services devolve into a youth magnet, but they loved the fellowship of our believers!

A Church does not need rockabilly bells and whistles in the services to be a scriptural fellowship of believers.

1 Cor. 14:40 “Let all things be done decently and in order.”

Click here to be sure of Heaven.

From The Berean Call newsletter, September 2007 issue is an article on “Weaning Evangelicals Off the Word – Part 3” It is interesting in that it names names and organizations who are involved in the “Emerging Church Movement” and enumerates the errors that are “emerging.” This is almost the article in its entirety however there is a link at the end so you may go and check out the full content and footnotes. I highly recommend that, while you are visiting The Berean Call, you will subscribe to their excellent, accurate and informative email Newsletter for the discerning Christian.

I apologize for the length of this article but it is well worth the read. My emphasis is in bold text.

UPDATE: The more I contemplate these errors of the Emergent Church, the more it appears that the ECM’s progression into liberal theology will translate into a liberal political mindset. This, in turn, has or will impact the foundation of our wonderful America, which was formed on the Judeo-Christian ethic of an all powerful God Who has spoken..

The previous two parts of th[e] series made some observations that should be of great concern to those who consider themselves Bible-believing Christians. Paul warned that there would come a time when “sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3,4) would give way to what “seemeth right unto a man” (Proverbs 14:12) in determining what is true. There will be apostate “teachers” who advance an experiential mode that panders to the lusts of the flesh, promoting self-serving “fables” or myths. Furthermore, these “deceitful workers” and lying “ministers of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:13,15) would draw upon the teachings of “seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” (1 Timothy 4:1) Paul certainly had such teachers in mind as he warned the Ephesian elders that after his departing “grievous wolves” would enter among them and teach “perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” (Acts 20: 29,30) There is no doubt that these verses are being fulfilled in our day.

Although there are far too many examples of apostasy influencing the church today to cite in this brief series of articles, there is one spurious trend that encompasses nearly all of what the above verses address. It’s called the Emerging Church Movement (ECM). The ECM is a development among evangelicals that appears to have some worthwhile goals: 1) It professes to speak to today’s culture about the relevancy of Christianity and the value of the gospel of Jesus Christ; and 2) It desires to keep young evangelicals continuing in the faith. The movement involves a number of churches (mostly non-denominational), some supportive ministries and parachurch organizations, and the support of a number of prominent evangelical leaders and authors.

The ECM has no official organization or leadership, although some of its adherents have “emerged” as recognized leaders and spokesmen. For many of those helping to promote the movement, their motivation to “try something different” grew out of the frustration of their own very limited success in evangelizing and discipling young people. Some of the leaders were in seeker-sensitive and purpose-driven churches, and they saw firsthand that their church-growth marketing schemes were not effective for drawing those in their late teens, 20s, and early 30s. The main fare of most consumer-driven churches features contemporary music with shallow, repetitive choruses, topical 30-minutes-or-less sermons (mostly psychology-based), a host of social programs to attract the lost (and the fleshly nature of Christians), and “Bible studies” that address everything but the Bible (see “Consumer Christianity I & II”, TBC, 2/05 , 3/05 ). For a surprising number of young adults, that was a spiritual turnoff.

In his book The Emergent Church (with contributions and endorsement by Rick Warren), Dan Kimball relates his own breakthrough in overcoming the frustrating experiences in trying to motivate the young people in the evangelical church where he was youth pastor. He tells about watching a concert on the youth-oriented MTV network late one night that was a candlelit, all-acoustic performance. Recognizing that MTV certainly knows its audience and the youth culture, he refashioned his church’s youth room into a subdued, “catacombish,” candlelit environment and had the worship band use acoustic guitars, forgoing their usual flashing light show and loud electric music. He was delighted by the reaction of one usually unresponsive teen who said, “I like this. This was really spiritual.”

That was an epiphany for Kimball. As he expanded the service with what he considered more “authentic Christian” elements and liturgy, it attracted hundreds, young and old alike. He is convinced he’s found what the church of today needs: “As the emerging church returns to a rawer and more vintage form of Christianity, we may see explosive growth much like the early church did.”

On the contrary, the “explosive growth” in the early church came from an approach that is almost nonexistent in the ECM. Peter’s confrontational address to the crowd on Pentecost in Acts chapter 2 is directly at odds with the modus operandi of the emergent leaders. In the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter’s preaching brought conviction of sin, repentance, and belief; 3,000 came to Christ that day. Kimball’s “vintage form of Christianity,” featuring rituals, ceremony, candles, incense, prayer stations, and images to create a spiritually experiential atmosphere for evangelicals is “vintage” only in the sense that it is an imitation of the later unbiblical Eastern Orthodox and medieval Roman Catholic liturgies. The early New Testament church knew nothing of this idolatrous and sense-oriented worship.

Ironically, emergent churches around the world, in their attempt to “reconstruct” the church, are passing each other like ships in the night. Kimball’s efforts at spiritual stimulation by introducing to young evangelicals the liturgical bells and smells of Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, and high-church Episcopal and Presbyterian rituals, stands in contradiction to some European cathedrals and churches going emergent. Europeans are trying to revive their congregations, deadened by centuries of imagery and ritual, by covering their gothic interiors with decorated drapery, exchanging the organ and traditional hymns for electric guitars and contemporary choruses, and adding throw pillows for comfortable seating to create a seeker-friendly environment. These churches are abandoning the very things that are “spiritually” alluring to American emergent evangelicals. Regarding both sensual approaches, Scripture tells us, “the flesh profiteth nothing.”

In reading the works of the ECM leaders, we would agree with many of their criticisms of current Christianity. There is plenty to oppose as apostasy and the abandonment of the Word increases in Christendom. The ECM’s corrections, however, rather than having restorative value for the church, are just as contrary to the Scriptures. Even worse, they go far beyond subtly “weaning evangelicals off the Word” to rendering the Bible and its doctrines as the enemy when it comes to drawing the world in general and, specifically, our postmodern culture, to the love of Jesus.

The Emergent Church Movement claims to desire—above all things—to show the love and life of Christ to a culture that is distrustful of the Christianity it perceives as oppressive and absolutist. We’re assured by ECM writers that “numbers of postmoderns are attracted to Jesus but detest His church” and can therefore be reached by the emerging church approach. It professes to be more amenable to the culture, more viable in its practice of Christianity, and truer to what Jesus had in mind for His church on earth.

Admirable—but let’s see how true it is to the Scriptures. As Isaiah exhorted, “To the law and to the testimony [i.e., God’s Word]: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

First of all, one has to wonder what a postmodern—a person characterized chiefly by his or her general disdain for authority and absolutes, particularly those dealing with moral issues and religion—thinks about this “Jesus” to whom he or she is supposedly drawn. The critical question is “Jesus who?” Is it the biblical Jesus they like, the one who declared absolutely, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6)? What about the authoritarian Jesus, who announced, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love” (John 15:10)? His words weren’t referring only to the Ten Commandments but rather to every instruction He gave. Is that the Jesus a postmodern desires? What about the Jesus who gave mankind an ultimatum: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36)?

The biblical Jesus certainly does not accommodate postmodernism, which is one more example of humanity’s rebellion against its Creator. The good news is that Jesus offers deliverance from the delusion of postmodernism, as well as all the other man-centered isms: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31,32). The bad news is that the emerging church approach attempts to accommodate Jesus and the Scriptures (actually “another Jesus” and a corrupted and emasculated Word) to our postmodern culture.

Although some regard the Emerging Church Movement as nothing more than a passing spiritual fad among young evangelicals, its potential for shipwrecking the faith of our next generation (should the Lord not yet return for His saints) is staggering. Here are just a few of the faith-destroying beliefs as espoused in the writings of the emergent leaders. First of all, foundational to the ECM is the subversion of the Bible. It’s akin to Satan’s scheme to destabilize Eve’s trust in what God commanded: “Yea, hath God said…?” (Genesis 3:1). They give lip service to the importance of God’s Word while undermining its inerrancy, authority, and sufficiency.

Rob Bell writes in Velvet Elvis, following 22 pages of weakening the authority of the Bible (making statements such as “It is possible to make the Bible say whatever we want it to, isn’t it?” and “With God being so massive and awe-inspiring and full of truth, why is his book capable of so much confusion?”): “[L]et’s make a group decision to drop once and for all the Bible-as-owner’s-manual metaphor [i.e., God’s specific instructions for mankind]. It’s terrible. It really is….We have to embrace the Bible as the wild, uncensored, passionate account it is of experiencing the living God.”1 No! “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21).

His view, common to most emergent writers, is that the key to the authority of Scripture is one’s interpretation, and that is most authoritative when the interpretation takes place in a community and validated by a “group decision”: “Community, community, community. Together with others, wrestling and searching and engaging the Bible as a group of people hungry to know God in order to follow God.”2

Although we find thousands of times throughout the Bible clear, direct, and absolute commands prefaced by phrases such as “Thus saith the Lord” and “The word of the Lord came to me,” we’re now told that understanding and obedience to what God said are subject to a community’s interpretation. Consequently, ECM churches disdain preaching and authoritative teaching, yet they delight in discussion, causing some to dump the pulpit in favor of a dialogue-led Starbucks environment. As the goals of the community change, we’re told the interpretation may also change.

The claim that the ECM approach has not jettisoned sound doctrine is either a delusion or an outright deception. This becomes clear when one asks for a biblical position on an issue. Kristen Bell acknowledges in a Christianity Today emerging church article, “I grew up thinking that we figured out the Bible…that we knew what it means. Now I have no idea what most of it means, and yet I feel like life is big again—like life used to be black and white, and now it’s in color.”3 Brian McLaren, the most prominent of the emergent leaders, echoes Bell’s “doctrine” of avoidance regarding what the Bible says about homosexuality:

Perhaps we need a five-year moratorium on making [doctrinal] pronouncements. In the meantime, we’ll practice prayerful Christian dialogue, listening respectfully, disagreeing agreeably. When decisions need to be made, they’ll be admittedly provisional. We’ll keep our ears attuned to scholars in biblical studies, theology, ethics, psychology, genetics, sociology, and related fields. Then in five years, if we have clarity, we’ll speak; if not, we’ll set another five years for ongoing reflection.4

TBC has received numerous letters from parents and evangelical pastors who find their young people seeking out emergent churches for the “new” experiences, which they offer in abundance: religious art (primarily impressionistic images of “Jesus”), “biblical” films, rituals based upon Catholic/Orthodox liturgy, community, personal relationships, contemplative spirituality and mysticism (some include yoga), Bible dialogues, ecumenical interaction with “people of faith,” a social gospel, plans to save the planet, restore the kingdom, and so forth.

Regarding the seductive nature of such things, few evangelicals, young or old, have a defense. Too many function as biblical illiterates, meaning they know some things about the Bible and are capable of reading it but simply haven’t made any effort, outside of following along with their pastor’s teaching on Sundays. They are the spiritual con man’s delight.

Satan’s seduction of Eve began subtly, “Yea hath God said?” It was a confusion tactic, setting her up to believe his lie and reject what God had said: “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” That was his punch line to destroy the human race. Eve fell for it; Adam went along.
One finds a strikingly similar approach in the writings of the ECM leaders in regard to destroying faith in the gospel: Brian McLaren leads with doubts about what God had said:

The church latched on to that old doctrine of original sin like a dog to a stick, and before you knew it, the whole gospel got twisted around it. Instead of being God’s big message of saving love for the whole world, the gospel became a little bit of secret information on how to solve the pesky legal problem of original sin.5

He says elsewhere, “I don’t think we’ve got the gospel right yet. What does it mean to be saved?…None of us have arrived at orthodoxy.”

British emergent leader and Zondervan author Steve Chalke delivers the punch line that unabashedly rejects the essential gospel belief that Christ paid the full penalty for the sins of mankind necessary to satisfy divine justice. Incredibly, he condemns that doctrine as a form of “cosmic child abuse” and a “twisted version of events morally dubious and a huge barrier to faith.”6 This is where these emergent pied pipers, wittingly or unwittingly, are seductively leading our youth.

Hopefully, the above will move you to prayer and action regarding the biblical strengthening of your own children and the youth in your fellowship. If you need more motivation (this brief article allowed me to give you only the tip of the “emerging” iceberg), see our TBC Extra page (page eight) with multiple emergent leaders’ quotes helpfully compiled in Roger Oakland’s latest book Faith Undone: The emerging church…a new reformation or an end-time deception?

[The Berean Call, — Weaning Evangelicals Off The Word]

Click here if you want to know God’s way to eternal life.

My blogging has been blogged down here of late.

As I sit here thinking about my Savior Jesus Christ, the Words of this Hymn came to me as being more appropriate than anything I could write. I reflect on the modern trend toward contemporary music and wonder… how can anyone not love the old hymns, especially this one? What has happened to believers in Christ that we would abandon such beauty?

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Isaac Watts 1674-1748

From Cyber Hymnal

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross (Midi rendition)

Click here if you don’t know you are Heaven bound.

Christians have said to me, “I am not afraid of death. But how I get there concerns me.” The Apostle Paul wrote to those who have understood the Gospel and made the decision to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior:

2 Corinthians 5:8 “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

We believers in Jesus Christ have God’s guarantee that when we leave this earthly body by whatever means, we will be instantly in Heaven with Him. “absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

My Sweetheart wife read me a short piece from a book that I thought was appealing and appropriate. John and Betty Stam were missionaries with China Inland Missions in 1931. Betty’s favorite verse was Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” They were captured by the Chinese Communists and as they knelt side by side, they were decapitated for their faith in Christ. (Yes, the Islamo-Fascists are not the only ones who behead Christians).

This poem and the story of the Stams was published in the book “Women Who Loved God” by Elizabeth George.

Afraid? Of what?

To feel the spirit’s glad release?

To pass from pain to perfect peace,

The strife and strain of life to cease?

Afraid — of that?

By author Rev. E. H. Hamilton, missionary of the China Inland Mission

HOW TO KNOW YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE

I have been known to be narrow-minded — and, believe it or not, some have even accused me of being “picky.” What? ME?

Guilty as charged, but in a nice way. This is not a deep theological dissertation but just an observation, begging for clarity and simplicity when we write or speak.

Frequently we hear believers in Christ say, “My relationship with Christ is not what it should be.” Or, “I am looking and trying for a better relationship with Christ.” Many organization’s Statements of Faith infer something like, “Obedience leads to a better relationship with Christ.”

These all sound nice, but could be more accurate and much clearer.

Dictionary.com says: “…the preferred usage of ‘relationship’ is for human relations or states of relatedness); “the relationship between mothers and their children”

The word “relationship” does not appear in the KJV Bible but is implied in this and many other verses:

John 1:12 “But as many as received Him (Jesus Christ), to them gave He power to become the sons of God, to them that believe on His name:”

Our relationship with Jesus Christ begins the moment we trust Christ as Savior. It is unchangeable and eternal, never to get better or worse. One who trusts Christ as Savior is a son of God forever. Never a lesser son, never more of a son. For a believer in Christ, relationship to God never changes.

However, a believer (son of God) who disobeys, rebels against or ignores his Savior Who bought him “with a price…” is still in perfect Father/son “relationship” with God. His fellowship with his Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ and other believers suffers greatly.

Ephesians. 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. “

1 John 1:3 “…and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

In I Corinthians, chapter one, the Apostle Paul pleads for the believers not to have contentions or divisions which were ruining the fellowship within the Corinthian church. He stresses the difference between their standing (perfect, eternal relationship in Christ) and their fellowship (their abhorrent behavior). He emphasizes that their behavior should reflect their perfect standing in Christ.

Relationship — A believer’s standing is Eternal in Jesus Christ — and once settled by his faith in Christ, it will never change.

Fellowship — A believer’s state or condition, fluctuating day to day, moment by moment as we are obedient or disobedient to God’s Word.

Let us use language easy to be understood as we write and speak about our Savior. Is that “picky?”

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