OK for some but not for others?

I find this a bit odd.

1 Corinthians 8:4-13(NKJV)

4Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 

5For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 

6yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

7However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 

8But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

9But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. 

10For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 

11And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 

12But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 

13Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

What I find odd is the concept that some things are OK for one person but not for another based on each person's spiritual maturity.  It would seem to me that something is either wrong or it isn't.  Here it's saying that eating the meat of idols is no big deal for someone with the spiritual maturity to realize that there is only one God, our God, and therefore who or whatever the meat was sacrificed to is not really a god so it is OK to eat the food. 

However for someone else who doesn't have that understanding, if it will bother their conscience, they shouldn't eat the meat.  It would be a sin for them to do it.

That just seems odd and is something I am going to have to ponder. 

Have a great weekend!

Planting and Watering-Both Have a Reward

This Scripture reminds me of a story about R.C. Sproul if I remember correctly. 

1 Corinthians 3:5-8(NKJV)

5Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 

6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 

7So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 

8Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Dr. Sproul is a theologian, author, and minister.  He once told the story of being on a plane early in his career where he was seated next to a guy on a three hour flight.  Dr. Sproul proceeded to beat the guy about the head with his Bible (figuratively speaking) for those three hours.  And he couldn't figure out why the guy wouldn't accept Jesus.

It was after that when God smacked Dr. Sproul upside the head with a Bible and said "Dude, knock it off.  While you are part of my plan you ain't the whole plan!"

I think the above Scripture is a great example of what God was telling Dr. Sproul.  Our job is to plant and water.  In some case we will be planting the seed and others will do the watering.  Sometimes it will be the other way around.  Some of us will be better at one thing than the other but that doesn't relieve us of our obligation to do both.

Did I say obligation?  Yep.  This isn't one of those chip in and help if you want to kind of things.  How well we plant and water is part of what determines how comfortable we are in eternity.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15(NKJV)

10According 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. 

11For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

12Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 

13each 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. 

14If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 

15If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

One of the things that surprised me when I started writing this blog is the number of places in the Bible that tell us that all are saved by grace so all who accept Jesus get into heaven but once in heaven we will get different rewards based on the work that we did on behalf of God's Kingdom.  I used to think that everyone in heaven would be treated equally but that is Scripturally not correct.

Want proof?  Remember when the mother asked Jesus if her son's could sit on God's right and left (if I remember correctly)?  What did Jesus say?  Did he say no because everyone will be treated equally?  No Jesus didn't say that.  Jesus told the mother He couldn't promise that because those honors were not His to give.  Now if Jesus admits that those honors exist in heave that clearly tells us that not all will be treated the same.  Some will be honored more than others.

 The Scripture above is another example of what I am talking about.
 

Notice that it starts with a warning.  We are to take heed and evaluate how we serve God.  Are we building on the foundation of Christ?  Or are we building on a foundation other than Christ? 

Then it goes on to tell us that what we have built is going to be tested.  Another way to say that is judged by God.  If God finds what we have built acceptable, that is built on the foundation of Christ and helping to fulfill God's plan, then we will be rewarded. 

But look at the next line.  If God doesn't approve then the person who built it "will suffer loss".  Notice that God doesn't say "Nice try.  At least you gave it a good shot.  Just because you tried so hard I'm going to give you the same reward as the other guy."  Nope, God doesn't say that does He?  Verse 15 is very clear.  You will still be saved but you will suffer loss.  Your time in eternity isn't going to be the same as the guy who built what God approved of.

And again, who is held responsible for making the correct decisions?  You and I are.  Now do you want to make those decision's on your own and hope for the best?  Or would you rather have some good guidance.  How about guidance directly from God.  If He is the one you ultimately have to satisfy, wouldn't it make sense to ask Him what He would like you to do?

You can do that you know.  Go directly to God and ask.  He has even given us a helper so that we can hear directly from him.  That helper is called the Holy Spirit. And how do we get the Holy Spirit?  By accepting Jesus, God's son, as our personal Lord and Savior.  

That gives us the foundation of Jesus to build on and it gives us the Holy Spirit so that we can learn from God exactly what He wants us to do.  Would you like to have that?  Then just invite Jesus into your life.  Have a simple conversation with Jesus and ask Him to guide you.  "Dear Jesus…."

Now it is time to go plant and water in the ways that God is directing each and every one of us!

"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God"

I've written about this in the past because it is one of the things that just never ceases to amaze me.  I'm talking about those people who think they are so spiritually and morally superior because they don't believe in "just one religion".  Their theory is that they take the best from all religions and meld them together to form their own understanding of God. 

What do you think will be the results of their views?  Maybe this Scripture gives a clue.

1 Corinthians 2:13-14(NKJV)

13These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the £Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 

14But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 

Here is what this Scripture says to me.  I think the phrase "natural man" could easily apply to these people.  These are people that have heard the Gospel and have rejected it in favor of their own beliefs about God. 

This Scripture tells us that these people don't receive the things of the Spirit of God.  Why?  Because the things of God are spiritually discerned.  How does God help us discern His truth?  By giving us the Holy Spirit.  And how do we get the Holy Spirit?  By believing in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. 
 

So according to God's plan of how this should work, it is impossible for these people to know the things of God because they don't have the one thing from God that God said is necessary to understand Him.  The Holy Spirit.  Make sense?

"note those who cause divisions and offenses"

This is an interesting passage.

Romans 16:17-18(NKJV)

17Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 

18For 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. 

If you are on Facebook you see a lot of back and forth about religion.  Some of the back and forth is from people who truly want to know and some of it is from people who like to twist and pick and chose Scripture to try and make it mean something that anyone who can read knows it really doesn't say.

So does Scripture give us any guidance on how to deal with those people?  I think the verses above are a good place to start.  What does it tell us to look for?

"...note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned

Doesn't the Bible tell us not to judge?  Yes it does.  But the Bible also gives us instructions in several places that do require us to make a judgment.  The Scripture above is just one example.  As I've written many times, the Bible is a book of balance and has to be taken in it's entirety.

One of the things to note about this Scripture is that it gives us instructions on what to base our judgment.  "Note those who cause division and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned".

And what does it tell us to do with those people?  

Romans 16:17(NKJV)

17Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 

And why should we avoid them? 

Romans 16:18(NKJV)

18For 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. 

Because the folks who do that aren't serving Jesus.  And what does Scripture tell us about those who have rejected Jesus?  This isn't one of those live and let live, kumbaya situations.  Scripture tells us that when someone rejects Jesus they have become an enemy of God.

Those on the other side will scream "That isn't very Christian."  These people know how to twist Scripture to try and deceive.    They'll try to convince you that being a good Christian requires you to put up with their nonsense and continue to engage them and try to save them.

So let's examine that charge.  If it is un-Christian, what they are saying is that isn't something that Christ would approve of or do.  OK, fair enough.  Let's take a look at how Jesus handled a similar situation.

Here you have some folks that are questioning the authority of Jesus.  Jesus understands that these are not people who are truly seeking the truth but are people who have ulterior motives that are not in line with God's plan.   

Mark 11:27-33(NKJV)

27Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. 

28And they said to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?”

29But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 

30The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”

31And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 

32But if we say, ‘From men’”—they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. 

33So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus answered and said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Notice Jesus doesn’t play their game does He?  He turns the tables on them and asks them a question.  When they realize it is a trap they give a dishonest answer.  Does Jesus continue to engage with them?  Does he try to lovingly persuade them?  Nope.  He tells them to take a hike!

So much for the claim that we are being un-Christian when we follow Christ's lead.  Realize the situation for what it is.  You have an enemy of God trying to use you to make Christ look bad and discourage others from believing.  Jesus wouldn't indulge them and neither should we.

"For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food."

 

Job 34:2-3(NKJV)

2    “Hear my words, you wise men;      Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.

3    For the ear tests words     As the palate tastes food.

Love the word picture that creates.  As you read the Word of God, do you test the words?  Or do you just read and accept everything at face value and move on without any analysis? 

I would submit that it is vitally important that you test the words.  There is so much hidden in God's Word.  Scripture tells us that we have to diligently seek God's Word.  That indicates more than just casual reading to me. 

As you can see from the last two days, I test the words.  Not all the words make sense.  Don't be afraid to admit that.  Don't be afraid to question God a little.  Don't be afraid to challenge God a little.  He can take it! 

As long as it is done in the spirit of truly wanting to understand His Word better.  If on the other hand you are challenging Him arrogantly like you know better and He is wrong, then look out.  But as long as you are honestly seeking,  I believe God is just fine with us using our intellect.  After all, He gave it to us!

Confusion Week?

LOL, this must be confusion week because I'm going to write today about something else in the Bible I find confusing.  I have been reading the book of Job. 

Now I admire Job.  But at the same time I just find the book itself a bit hard to read.  It's in that Old Testament style that sometimes leaves me feeling like I'm reading a foreign language.  :)

Why do I admire Job?  How many other humans have found such favor in God's eye that God had the confidence in Job to allow Satan to attack Job?  Think about that.  Satan asks God if Satan can go after Job and God says "have at him.  You can do pretty much anything to him but don't kill him.". 

Would God have that same kind of confidence in you or me? 

Some compliment though isn't it?  Job's reward for being so true to God was that God let Satan attack him.  What the heck?  That's not the way it is supposed to be is it?  But that is part of being willing to be used by God in any way God wishes.

Which brings me back to why I admire Job.  I have always said "God use me any way you want.  Everything I have comes from you so it's yours to do with as you please.".  Job answered that call and came through with flying colors.  But as I look at Job I have to wonder, could I go through all that and still defer to and praise God? 

I hope so and in my heart I think I could, but I would prefer to not have the chance to find out.  :)

Have a great day folks!

The Hypocrisy of Paul

One of the things you can count of from me is that I try to be intellectually honest in what I write.  In that regard I am going to highlight some Scripture that to this day I don't get and I actually think is highly hypocritical of Paul to write.

Let's begin with the Scripture itself.

Romans 13:1-7(NKJV)

1Let 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. 2Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 

3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 

4For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 

5Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 

6For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 

7Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

So here is my question.  Is that what Paul did?  Did he just meekly do what the authorities in Israel told him to do?  No he didn't.  He appealed over their heads to Caesar. 

But wait a minute.   The Scripture above clearly tells us "
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 if all authority is appointed by God, why did Paul resist?  And by resisting was Paul sinning?  The above Scripture says yes.

This whole thing doesn't make sense to me for the following reason.  To follow the Scripture above would require us to support evil.  If it said something like Godly leaders receive their authority from God, it would leave open the option to resist evil.  But it doesn't say that does it?  It says ALL authority comes from God. 

There have been many evil rulers throughout history.  Hitler being the easiest to think of.  According to the Scripture above we should have supported him and it was a sin to resist him.  I reject that idea!

One of the central themes of the Bible is the eternal battle of good vs. evil.  Now to have a piece of Scripture that specifically tells me that in some cases I need to support evil I find extremely perplexing.