Give no offense?

Maybe it is just a difference in style or maybe I am taking it out of context but I don't agree with what Paul is saying here.  Give no offense and try to please all men in all things?

That seems to be the direct opposite to what Jesus did.  Jesus was kind to people and tried to attract them to Him but there were times that Jesus did give offense and He didn't try to be all things to all people. 

1 Corinthians 10:32-33(NKJV)

Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 

just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

Now I think what Paul is saying here is that he doesn't want to drive a single person away from Christ so Paul is going to try and be all things to all people to avoid doing that.  Seems like a noble intention.  But is that how Jesus conducted His ministry?  And aren't we supposed to model Jesus?  After all, isn't the question, "what would Jesus do?".

There are several places in the Gospel where Jesus was deliberately offensive and refused to be all things to all people.  I'm thinking specifically of the times where the church leaders would question Him and Jesus didn't give a mealy mouthed answer trying to appeal to these people.  Jesus hit them right between the eyes verbally with some truth!  It offended them! 

I personally think that what Paul is advocating is part of what is wrong with the modern day church.  The message of Jesus continues to be watered down so as not to offend and drive people away. 

Now some might say that only Jesus has the insight and the ability to decide when to offend and when not to.  They might say that the rest of us, since we don't have that ability, should just do everything we can to attract people.

I again would disagree.  We do have the ability to make that discernment with some people.  Who might those people be?  Those who actively and belligerently oppose Jesus for one.  With those people we aren't making a judgement about them.  They have voluntarily identified themselves as enemies of God and are actively involved in trying to tear down Jesus.

I believe that we need to stand up to those people just as Jesus did.  I think it is important that other non-believers see that there are limits and standards. 

But what about "love your enemies"?  What about it?  I didn't say anything about hating these people.  In fact I don't think there is any better way of showing your love to them then to take them on with the truth.  If you truly love them then speak the truth to them, even if it offends and drives them away.  Why?  Because if they don't accept Jesus we know they are going to hell.  If you soften the message so as not to offend and they end up never believing, how loving was that? 

Your love is demonstrated in speaking truth to them and trying to save them.  If they chose to reject that love then it is on them.  But to avoid speaking the truth to them so as not to offend is wrong in my opinion.    

"…in righteousness He judges and makes war."

Have you ever seen the bumper sticker "War is never the answer!"?  I often wonder if the person with the bumper sticker is a Christian or not?  It is a nice sounding slogan and I get the appeal but as a Christian I have to disagree.

Why?

Revelation 19:11(NKJV)

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 

Because the Bible clearly tells me that sometimes war is the answer!  In the end the "Prince of Peace" (Jesus) is going to wage a righteous war. 

Think about that.  There are a lot of people out there who think that the "Prince of Peace" is going to forgive all wrongs and let everyone in to Heaven who is a good person because He didn't really mean all of that stuff about having to accept Him first.

I think they are in for a rude surprise! 

Who you going to listen to?

I believe that Scripture is very clear that when we accept Jesus we get the Holy Spirit to guide us.    As we get used to listening to the Holy Spirit we hear from Him more and more.  At first it was a little disconcerting but I've been listening to Him for so long that it seems perfectly natural. 

I have been amazed repeatedly how He will use the Scriptures to instruct me.  How things that had no special meaning the last time I read them all of a sudden take on new meaning the next time I read them.  It's like having my own personal tutor.  Which brings me to my question regarding this verse.

1 John 2:27(NKJV)

But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

You do not need that anyone teach you?  Hmm.  I'll bet there are many who find that statement troubling.  I'm not one of them.  Here is my take on it.

I don't think this means you don't try to listen and learn from other.  I don't think that is the meaning at all.  I think what it is saying is that as we study God's Word, primarily through reading the Scriptures but then reading and listening to others as well; we need to always compare what we hear and read elsewhere with what the Holy Spirit is telling us.

If the two differ, who do we listen to?  Why the Holy Spirit of course!

WE watched Joan of Arc a few months ago and the thing that struck me the most was that the one time when she listened to her church leaders (man) instead of the Holy Spirit was the time that caused her the most anguish.

I think it is a lesson we should all bear in mind.  Always, always, always listen to that inner voice which is the Holy Spirit!!! 

True worshipers?

Hmm, doesn't that determination require a judgement?  :)

But seriously, what do you think is meant by "true worshipers"?

John 4:23(NKJV)

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 

Here is my take.  There are a lot of Christians out there who think it is open minded and sophisticated to include stuff from other religions in their worship.  They don't think they are doing anything wrong and I don't think they have bad intentions.  But what do you think God thinks of that?

Based on this verse I think a case can be made that God is rejecting their worship.  It says that true worshipers will worship in "spirit and truth".  Where do we find God's truth?  In His Word. 

I think that those who go outside God's word to other religions are in effect saying that God's Word isn't the complete truth and quite frankly I think that offends God.  God is very specific that true worshipers are who He is seeking.  By logical extension I think that means God isn't seeking those who worship Him in anything other than the "truth".  Make sense? 

The word True only appears once in Proverbs

I don't know that this means anything.  I just found it to be an interesting bit of trivia.  Proverbs is full of folksy phrases and I guess I just through the word true would be used more in Proverbs.  :)

Proverbs 14:25(NKJV)

    A true witness delivers souls,      But a deceitful witness speaks lies.

I've got to disagree with Paul a bit on this one.

1 Corinthians 3:1-4(NKJV)

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 

I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 

for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 

For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

Here is my disagreement.  Do divisions among the church always indicate that we are "carnal and behaving like men"?  What about those who may be teaching a false doctrine that they believe to be true.  In other words I am not attributing any evil intent to them. 

Should we do as Paul says and sit idly by and let them continue to teach incorrect doctrine so that we are not creating "divisions among us"? 

I believe the answer is no.  Scripture tells us that one of the things it is used for is correction.

2 Timothy 3:16(NKJV)

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 

Correcting people is going to lead to division isn't it?  But if you are basing your correction on Scripture how is that "carnal and behaving like mere men"?

God is….Love

This was an interesting one.  I found myself drawn to verses that I think address the way that "God is love" is the most misused.  A lot of people, Christians included, like to use the "God is love" theme to excuse any and all bad behavior.  That God loves us all equally because He made us all.

Well let's take a look at some Scripture. 

Exodus 20:4-6(NKJV)

    “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 

you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 

but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Notice that God shows mercy to a select group.  Who does God show mercy to?  Those who love Him and keep His commandments.  Now God does love everyone but as you can see from this Scripture, that love doesn't exempt people from punishment.

It's no different than the way we deal with our kids.  In fact the whole idea of God not punishing people because He loves them is pretty childish in and of itself.  Think about it.  If your kids did something wrong that deserved punishment and they said "you wouldn't punish me if you really loved me." what would you tell them?  Well I believe God the Father sees things the same way.

Proverbs 8:17(NKJV)

    I love those who love me,     And those who seek me diligently will find me.

Once again we see God singling out a group for His love.  He loves those who love Him.  Here is how I see this one.  We read and hear about families where a person's kids or grandkids never come to see them anymore.  In a general way this person still loves their kids or grandkids but it probably isn't the same type of "active" love that there would be if those kids or grandkids had an actual relationship with the person.  Make sense? 

Isaiah 61:8(NKJV)

    “For I, the Lord, love justice;      I hate robbery for burnt offering;     I will direct their work in truth,     And will make with them an everlasting covenant.

I found this one interesting.  God makes a point of saying that he loves justice.  I think that there are a lot of "social justice warriors" out there who are seeking anything but real justice.  It'll be interesting to see how God deals with them. 

Oh and BTW, for all of those people who say "God doesn't hate anything", you are wrong.  Take a look at the green highlighted Scripture.

Daniel 9:4(NKJV)

And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 

This seems to be a common theme.  God's active love is again reserved for those who love God and keep his commandments.

1 John 4:8(NKJV)

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 

And finally we have this verse.  God is love.  Here is how I see this one.  I think there are different levels of love in play here. 

There is the general love that God has for everyone because He made them.  On the other hand there is a more personal and a more active love for those who love God and actively seek to build a relationship with Him.

When viewed through the paradigm of God the Father this makes sense doesn't it?

Notice it doesn't say "Grace be to all"!

This is Paul's writing.  Notice that he doesn't pray for grace for everybody.  Interesting.  What do you think that means?

Ephesians 6:23-24(NKJV)

Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

God is just so cool!!!!!!!!

I'm especially feeling the blessings of God today.  I marvel at how God weaves our life's story if we will only let him. 

I know some think that following God is boring and can take the fun out of life.  I would disagree totally.  If you will completely surrender to God's will and let Him take control He will take you on the most exciting rides of your life!

It's not always easy.  It can even be scary.  But it is ALWAYS worth it.  Do you have the guts to do it???

It all starts with accepting Jesus.  Asking Jesus to come in to your life.  Have you done that yet?  No better time than right now.  Ask Jesus to come in to your life.  Have a conversation with Him.  "Dear Jesus…."

Who shall separate us indeed?!

It's easy to be a Christian in the good times.  But what about when the hard times hit?  And trust me, no matter how "good" of a Christian you are there will still be hard times. 

Do those hard times separate you from Christ or draw you closer; or make no difference at all?

Romans 8:35(NKJV)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

Wait a minute.  Make no difference at all? 

Yep.  I guess what I am getting at is that for a mature Christian it really shouldn't affect your relationship with Jesus either way.  Ecclesiastes tells us that there will be good times and bad.  The New Testament gives us the same message.  It's just part of the cycle of life.  So with that knowledge we need to recognize it and not let it affect our relationship with Jesus.   
 

Does that make sense? 

Adultery of the Spirit!

This brings to mind all of those so called "enlightened" Christians who think it is OK to take bits and pieces from other religions. 

Hosea 3:1(NKJV)

Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.”

Is Romans 14 simply a long winded way of saying let your conscience be your guide?

Romans 14:1-23(NKJV)

Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 

For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 

Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 

Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 

He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 

For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 

For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 

For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 

For it is written:      “As I live, says the Lord,     Every knee shall bow to Me,     And every tongue shall confess to God.” 

So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 

Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 

Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 

Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 

for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 

For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 

Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 

It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 

Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

"And on some have compassion, making a distinction…"

Um, that would require a judgement wouldn't it?  :)

Jude 1:22-23(NKJV)

And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 

but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

Great reminder!

I've always loved the way these verses remind us that we all have different gifts.  But even with different gifts the key is highlighted in yellow.  :)

Romans 12:4-8(NKJV)

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 

so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 

or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 

he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

This is a bit confusing.

I never noticed this dichotomy between John and Paul before.

Paul gets quite deep in to the thing about living either by faith or by the law but not both and that the whole law can be summed up with "love God will all your heart and soul and love your neighbor as yourself". 

Now I come across these verses.

1 John 5:2(NKJV)

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 

1 John 5:3(NKJV)

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 

2 John 1:5-6(NKJV)

And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. 

This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

Here is what I find confusing about it.  In all three verses John refers to God's commandments.  In all three cases he uses the plural of the word commandment.  That makes me think that John is referring to the 10 commandments which puts us back under the Law doesn't it? 

Is John closer to the position of Jesus than Paul is?  It was Jesus who said something like 'I did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it'.  But was Jesus talking about continuing to live under the law or was Jesus referring to Himself fulfilling the law from the aspect of he was paying the final blood price for all of us?

Seems a bit ambiguous at this point but it is sure something to ponder in my daily study.  The one thing I do know and have absolute confidence in.  When the Holy Spirit decides it is time for me to understand this dichotomy, He reveal it to me. 

Trusting and following God is just so cool!

So this is where it is first said!

I finally found it!  The place where it first says "confess with your mouth…..and believe in your heart.".  Wouldn't you know it was written by Paul.  

As you may recall, this time through the NT I have been comparing what Jesus said about what we need to do to be saved vs. what the rest of the NT says.  What I have found interesting is that I can't find any place where Jesus said we had to verbalize anything.  With Jesus it seemed to be 100% a heart issue.

On the other hand here is the first place I have found where the "requirement" to verbalize is added.  Hmm.  Interesting.

Romans 10:5-13(NKJV)

For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.”  

But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”  (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 

or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’”  (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”  (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 

For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”  

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 

For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 

This seems odd to me. Wonder if it is in the translation?

This Scripture seems odd to me and I wonder if it is in the translation?  Take a look and then I will explain what I mean.

1 Peter 2:17(NKJV)

Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

All people?  Really?  Even rapists and murderers and thieves?  Honor them????

Now contrast that with other Scripture that tells us that we are to abhor evil.  That we are to stand against evil.  How and more importantly why would we honor people like that when Scripture tells us we need to stand against them? 

Maybe my confusion comes from the word honor.  Let's take a look at the definitions.

Honor

noun

1.

honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions:

a man of honor.

2.

a source of credit or distinction:

to be an honor to one's family.

3.

high respect, as for worth, merit, or rank:

to be held in honor.

4.

such respect manifested:

a memorial in honor of the dead.

5.

high public esteem; fame; glory:

He has earned his position of honor.

6.

the privilege of being associated with or receiving a favor from a respected person, group, organization, etc.:

to have the honor of serving on a prize jury; I have the honor of introducing this evening's speaker.

7.

Usually, honors. evidence, as a special ceremony, decoration, scroll, or title, of high rank, dignity, or distinction:

political honors; military honors.

verb (used with object)

13.

to hold in honor or high respect; revere:

to honor one's parents.

14.

to treat with honor.

15.

to confer honor or distinction upon:

The university honored him with its leadership award.

16.

to worship (the Supreme Being).

17.

to show a courteous regard for:

to honor an invitation.

18.

Commerce. to accept or pay (a draft, check, etc.):

All credit cards are honored here.

19.

to accept as valid and conform to the request or demands of (an official document).

From <http://www.dictionary.com/browse/honor>

Nope.  That doesn't help. 

Here is my interpretation.  I think it means be polite and respectful to all in our personal interactions.  As an extreme example a jailer deals with a lot of pretty dishonorable people.  But that doesn't mean he has to be disrespectful to them.  He can still treat them with dignity. 
 

But honor them?  Seems like the wrong word to me.  That is why I wondered if it was in the interpretation. 

Oh well, another one of those things to ponder.

Nice phrasing!

 

Zephaniah 3:17(NKJV)

    The Lord your God in your midst,     The Mighty One, will save;     He will rejoice over you with gladness,     He will quiet you with His love,     He will rejoice over you with singing.”

I just love the way that sounds!