Once again, who you gonna believe, Paul or Jesus?

Here is another example of where I believe Paul is contradicting Jesus.  In these verses Paul is essentially shun and separate yourselves from these sinners. 

1 Corinthians 5:9-13(NKJV)

I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 

Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 

But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 

But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.” 

Now let's compare that to these verse where Jesus spoke on the subject.

Mark 2:15-17(NKJV)

Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. 

And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Who you gonna believe?  I chose Jesus!

We all know people like this don't we?

Romans 10:1-4(NKJV)

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 

For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

This verse makes me think of all those people who think they will pick and choose all the "good things" from all the world religions and throw them all together to make their own religion. 

"…he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved…"

One of the clearest examples of the concept that we are saved by faith but our rewards in Heaven are determined by our works.  So many people think that once saved we all get equal rewards in Heaven.  Nothing could be further from the truth!

1 Corinthians 3:5-15(NKJV)

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 

So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 

According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 

each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 

If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 

If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

"If it is possible…..live peaceably with all men"

I love the way Scripture puts this.

Romans 12:18(NKJV)

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 

What I believe this is telling us is that sometimes it is out of our control whether we live peaceably with all men or not.  There are some men who it simply will not be possible to live peaceably with; because of their actions. 

If we have done all that we can to live peaceably with others then we have fulfilled our obligation.  It is not a sin to defend ourselves at this point.

After all, there is a reason that Jesus told us to arm up!

Luke 22:35-37(NKJV)

And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.”

Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 

For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’  For the things concerning Me have an end.”

The three most powerful words in the world!

1 Corinthians 1:8-9(NKJV)

who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

God is faithful! 

I have seen it over and over and over again in my life.  If you totally trust God, even when circumstances look like you shouldn't; God will always be faithful to His promises.  Always!

God is so cool!!!!!

Avoid them?

Is Paul really telling us to shun people? 

Romans 16:17-18(NKJV)

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 

For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. 

One of my problems with this passage is that it can too easily be misused to crush valid disagreement.  Let's take Martin Luther for example.  He caused divisions and offended some.  But he also turned out to be correct.  Should he have been shunned? 

Or how about all of those people who refused to believe the earth was flat.  The church used to burn people at the stake who refused to believe the earth was flat.  The round earthers were proven to be correct.  Should they have been shunned?
 

Just wondering. 

Abound in hope!

Romans 15:13(NKJV)

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Abound in hope.  I like the sound of that.  But notice that it isn't just any old hope.  It is hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.  It's the hope in the promises of Jesus that give us the power to keep on keeping on. 

Not with just a glimmer of hope or a sliver of hope.  Abound in hope.  We serve a great God.  There is a surplus of hope to go around if we will just grab on to it!   

How did God know?

How did God know?

Friday, November 17, 2017

7:55 AM

I find it amazing how accurately God predicted human behavior.  Check this out.

Romans 14:1-4(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.

While I don't despise vegetarians I do find them a bit weird.  And there are some militant vegetarians who are judgmental against those of us  of us who eat meat. 

Amazing how God predicted even that.

What a quandary!

And wouldn't you know.  It comes from something Paul has said.

Romans 13:1-2(NKJV)

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 

Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 

So all of the people who resisted Hitler brought judgement on themselves?  I don't think so!

I just don't buy this.  It doesn't fit the character of God that I have come to know. 

The reason it creates a quandary for me is that it was said by Paul.  So on the one hand I have no problem discounting it as just more of Paul's weird sayings, but on the other hand Paul was hand-picked by Jesus to be a disciple so is it right to discount anything Paul says? 

Oh well.  Something to continue pondering!  :)

 

Rejoice, patient, steadfast!

Rejoice, patient, and steadfast.  Kind of a restatement of one of my foundational verses.  Words are in a little bit of a different order but pretty much the same message.

Romans 12:9-13(NKJV)

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 

not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 

rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 

distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

"For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."

Romans 11:29(NKJV)

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 

The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable; whether we respond or not is still up to us.  That is why I say "when God calls, answer the call!".

Do a lot of Christians misinterpret the meaning of peace? I think they do.

Here is why I believe it.  Take a look at these verses.

Isaiah 9:6(NKJV)

    For unto us a Child is born,      Unto us a Son is given;     And the government will be upon His shoulder.     And His name will be called     Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Romans 10:15(NKJV)

And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:      “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,     Who bring glad tidings of good things!” 

Ephesians 6:14-15(NKJV)

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 

and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

The Isaiah verse is the only verse in the whole Bible that refers to Jesus as the Prince of Peace.

The other two verses are the only two verses in the whole Bible that refer to Gospel as the "Gospel of Peace".  They are both written by Paul.

Now consider the words of Jesus.

Matthew 10:34-39(NKJV)

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 

For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 

and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’  

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 

He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

Jesus specifically says He didn't come to bring peace (the absence of violence kind of peace) but to bring a sword.  Jesus says He came to cause conflict.  Jesus came to force people to decide if they are for Him or if they are declaring themselves enemies of God.

Here is where I am going with this.  I think many people interpret "peace" in the first three examples as absence of war and fighting and persecution.  I think that these verses in large part contribute to the vision of Kumbaya Jesus.  I believe that is an incorrect interpretation.  

In the first place it would make Jesus a liar in the Matthew verses above and I don't believe that Jesus is a liar. 

The second reason is that the Gospel has many verses with Jesus telling of the persecution and suffering that will be endured for His name.  So for me at least, this dispels the "absence of violence and persecution" view. 

So what is meant by "Prince of Peace" and "Gospel of Peace".  I think it is referring to metaphysical peace.  The feeling of being at peace in your heart or at peace with the world.  And more to the point, at peace with God!  Make sense?

God is….Able

This one was pretty self-explanatory.  God can, or "is able" to do anything He wants because He is God the creator.  I think Paul sums it up bet.

Romans 9:20-21(NKJV)

But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 

Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

Here are some other verses on able.

2 Chronicles 25:9(NKJV)

Then Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.” 

2 Chronicles 32:13-15(NKJV)

Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hand? 

Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand? 

Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you like this, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’”

Daniel 3:17(NKJV)

If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 

2 Corinthians 9:6-8(NKJV)

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 

Ephesians 3:20-21(NKJV)

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 

to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

What a wonderful assurance!

Nothing can separate us from God……except ourselves.  I find that very comforting.  I also find it a bit confusing.  Hard to understand why so many people do actually separate themselves from God.  Oh well.  Their loss! 

Romans 8:37-39(NKJV)

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 

nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What a bunch of gobbledygook.

As I have said before, sometimes Paul drives me nuts.  Romans chapter 7 is a great example.  It just sounds like a bunch of gobbledygook and justifications to me. 

Give it a read and see what you get out of it.

The essence of Christianity

Right here in one verse. 

Romans 6:23(NKJV)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isn't that it in a nutshell?  The gift is eternal life in Jesus.  Meaning an eternal life with a personal relationship with Jesus and God.  Think about that.

Many times in my prayer life I am just overcome with a joy that knows no bounds as I thank God for all that He has done in my life.  I know it sounds kind of hokey but I can't describe it any other way.  There is just this unbound joy!

What just occurred to me is how powerful that unbound joy is even though right now we are separated by Heaven and Earth.  Just think how much more powerful it will be when we are actually right there with Jesus!