Irony of the Rainbow

Photo credit: Michael S. Williamson/ The New York Post

In Genesis 6, God became so angry with mankind’s wickedness and rebellion that he decided to destroy life on Earth. Fortunately for us, one man and his family found favor in God’s eyes.

Genesis 6:5-10 (NKJV)

“Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”

Fast forward to chapter 9 when the flood waters subside and God places a rainbow in the sky as a sign that He will never again destroy the Earth with water.  The rainbow became a majestic symbol of God’s power, grace, and decision to spare mankind who deserved complete eradication.

Fast forward to June 26, 2015, a day that I’m afraid will forever change the political landscape of our country and have lasting negative implications. On this day, SCOTUS made a decision on same-sex marriage, and rainbow flags emphatically waved throughout the country.  Social media sites were flooded with the rainbow, and even the White House was lit up in color.  (Side note: even if you support same-sex marriage, surely you agree that the President’s decision to rainbow the White House was, at best, distasteful.)

The rainbow, which is a symbol of God’s mercy on His creation, has been stolen and abused by people who glorify sin and make a mockery of God’s word. Isn’t it ironic? Just like in Genesis 6, it seems man’s thoughts are once again continually evil.  He arrogantly parades around, ignorantly carrying a representation of the rainbow that marked the end of God’s wrath on a wicked world, a world that no doubt embraced homosexuality. 

God has defined marriage as being between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24), and He has condemned homosexuality (Romans 1:26-27); however, the concern shouldn’t be with homosexuality only. Homosexuality is nothing new, and it will be around until the end of this earth. We should be more concerned with the fact that our nation seems to accept and embrace sin as a whole more and more each day.  Romans 1 places sins like gossip, disobedience to parents, hate, boasting, arrogance, greed, and lack of understanding in the same group as homosexuality – things that are worthy of death. It not only condemns people who do these things but also the people who approve of those who are doing them.  Christians should never show hate towards anyone, but we cannot approve of the sin surrounding us. The legalization of same-sex marriage is merely a symptom of a sick nation that wants less of God and more of sin.  It is our duty to live as lights in a dark world (Ephesians 5:8).  Love does indeed win - the love of Christ, not the love of sin. 

Isaiah 30:1 (NKJV)

“ ‘Woe to the rebellious children,’ says the LORD, ‘Who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;’”

Doesn’t this verse remind you of our current government and the latest decision from SCOTUS, in particular?  A concept already decided by God was left in the hands of nine lawyers, five of whom caved in to godless pressure. They took counsel and devised a plan not after God’s Spirit but after the spirit of sin.  A law already defined by God cannot be redefined by man, no matter what man and its government decide.

Isaiah 24:5-6 (NASB)

“The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed the laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.”

No matter how bad this country and world get, I’m thankful that God is patient toward us and doesn’t want any of us to be lost (II Peter 3:9). I’m thankful that He offers a way of repentance and forgiveness. I hope that you’ll take His offer of salvation before it’s too late, just as it was too late for those who were swept away in the flood.

I Peter 3:20-21 (NASB)

“who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you – not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Lessons from the Appalachian Trail

This past weekend, I was able to hike the Appalachian Trail (AT) with a few friends (and fellow members of the church).  We started at McAfee Knob and ended 13.5 miles later at Andy Layne Trailhead. We had perfect weather, and it was a great time I won’t forget. While trekking through God’s creation, I couldn’t help but ponder these spiritual lessons.

I.  Nature confirms the creator

Standing atop McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs, I felt closer to God. If you’ve never been to these places, I highly recommend going. The breathtaking views and peaceful tranquility at these peaks create a reverent atmosphere. Among the other hikers resting there, some were meditating, some were praying, and some were looking out in silence. I believe that all humans have an innate sense of wanting to worship a higher power. I believe this sense is strongest when we find ourselves among God’s magnificent creation.

“But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; and the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; and let the fish of the sea declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?” Job 12:7-10

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20

II. Life is full of ups and downs

The section of hike that we did was full of ups and downs. There were quick downhill stretches with switchback turns followed by brutally long inclines and level ridge walks. The same is true with the roller coaster of life. Happy times are quickly followed by sad times, then happy times again.  Ecclesiastes 3 speaks of the ups and downs in life – a time to cry, a time to laugh; a time to mourn, a time to rejoice; a time to live, a time to die. The question is how we handle these ups and downs.

Christ himself experienced every emotion while living on this earth.  He experienced times of joy, times of sadness, times of anger, and times of compassion.  Thankfully, he overcame his greatest and most terrible obstacle – his crucifixion and subsequent death.   Facing an agonizing death and being separated from the Father while he bore the sins of all of humanity, Christ refused to back down. Keeping this example in mind, how will you handle the valleys of life?

III. We all have to choose a path

On the AT, there are “white blazes” that keep hikers on the right path. These are white marks intermittently painted on the trees. Occasionally, there are double blazes that instruct the hiker to make a turn. There were several times during our hike that we encountered these double blazes, and in one instance it wasn’t very obvious which way we should turn. To the left, there was a trail that looked nice and wide, but to the right, the path was narrow and looked less inviting. Upon further inspection down each path, the wide and inviting way had no blazes, but the narrow way did.  Which bible passage does this remind you of?

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13

When we came to the crossroad, the wide path to the left looked the most appealing because it looked easy. However, we chose the narrow path to the right because it was marked with the blazes. We knew it would eventually lead to the end of our hike. We had no idea where the wide path to the left might lead, possibly to our being lost in the woods.

Life gives us the opportunity to choose a path. Will you choose the wide gate and broad way to destruction, or will you choose the narrow and difficult path to life? The vast majority will choose an easy life of sin. Will you be one of Christ’s elite who walks the difficult path of Christianity to eternal life?

Choosing the narrow path to life doesn’t simply mean believing in Jesus and calling yourself a “Christian.”  You have to believe in Christ (John 8:24), repent of your sins (Luke 13:3), confess your belief in Him before others (Romans 10:10), be added to the church through baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38,47), associate and worship with a local congregation of the one and true church (Hebrews 10:25), teach others (Mark 16:15), and live faithfully unto death (Revelation 2:10). 

Hiking the AT was an awesome experience. You should definitely do it if you get the chance. It just might give you the motivation to seek God and His plan of eternal salvation.

 

Life's a Vapor: A Letter to My Friend

The Bible describes life as being like a vapor that quickly vanishes away.  Before we know it, our lives have raced by, and we wonder where the time has gone.   In light of this inescapable fact, I’d like to write a farewell letter to my friend. No, I don’t plan on leaving this earth any time soon; however, I want to get some things out while I’ve got the chance. After all, none of us are promised tomorrow. 

Dear Friend,

I’m glad that you believe in God, and I’m glad that you are “religious.” This shows that you probably want to do what the Bible says, and you want to go to Heaven.  I’ve seen the pictures and videos of the worship services and other church events you’ve been a part of.  I’ve also read the inspirational Bible verses and devotional thoughts you’ve posted online.  Most of your other friends are probably happy or even inspired by all of these religious things going on in your life.  Sadly, I’m not.  I don’t mean to sound condescending or pompous. I just want to wake you up to the reality of your situation.  Waking you up to this reality has been one of the purposes behind my blog, which I hope you actually read. What I’m about to say comes from the heart, and I definitely don’t mean it as an insult to your intelligence.

It makes me sad that you put so much effort into vain worship.  In Matthew 15, Jesus accuses the Pharisees of vainly worshipping because they were teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.  That’s exactly what your church is doing. I’ve heard the sermons. Your minister would make a better inspirational speaker than preacher because his messages are sappy pep talks that play on pure emotion. There is little mention of actual Bible verses. The few verses that are mentioned are usually taken out of context, and their intended meanings are completely missed.  At your church, there is clearly an attitude of “what can I get out of being here, and how can I be entertained?”  I’ve seen the band and talented singers up on stage, rocking it out.  People are raising their hands and clapping along.  It looks just like a rock concert. I think that’s exactly what your “worship” services are – entertainment. Since when did God ask us to entertain ourselves when worshipping him?  Worship is about sacrifice, and it certainly isn’t about us! John 4:23-24: “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. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  Your church may have the “spirit” part down, but its worship certainly isn’t rooted in truth. Your church is much like those people mentioned in Romans 10:1-3 who were zealous towards God, but they weren’t doing what God instructed.  The New Testament only authorizes singing (without instruments) (Eph. 5:19, Col. 3:16, Mark 14:26), praying (1 Tim. 2:8), partaking of the Lord’s Supper (every Sunday) (Mark 14:22-25, 1 Cor. 11:23-29, Acts 20:7), giving back (every Sunday, only on Sunday) (1 Cor. 16:2), and preaching (Acts 20:7, Acts 2:42). Where is the authorization to have a rock concert? This is the point that you and millions of others miss: EVERYTHING done in a worship setting is to be done by the authority of Jesus (Col. 3:17).

 It makes me sad that you blindly follow a man-made religion that even calls itself by a man’s name. 1 Corinthians 1:12-13: “Now I say this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’ or ‘I am of Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”  Just like in the first century, many people today claim to be followers of Christ, but they are actually followers of men and their man-made doctrines (i.e. Lutherans, Calvinists, Wesleyans, Baptists (Smyth), Catholics (Pope), Mormons (Smith), etc). You may think a church’s name is a minor technicality, but it actually matters what church you’re part of because there is only one body, and that one body is Christ’s church (Eph. 4:4, Eph. 1:22-23).  Churches today will do whatever it takes to get people in the doors. They’ll come up with catchy, hipster names; they’ll put on extravagant shows; and they’ll tell you all you have to do is accept Jesus as your savior, and you’ll never be lost, no matter what.  Please don’t be fooled.  Compare their creed books with what’s actually in the Bible; you’d be surprised at the errors.

It makes me sad this letter will likely never accomplish its goal. I want you and everyone else I know to go to Heaven, but I’m afraid Satan’s got too tight of a grip on you.  He’s got you thinking that you’re a Christian and you’re making God proud. You’re comfortable where you are; it feels right.  Ephesians 3 talks about Christ’s church being the eternal purpose of God. God has known forever that salvation would come only through his son and his church. All of history points to Acts 2 and the establishment of Christ’s church. Don’t let people tell you it doesn’t matter what church you attend.  We can’t take some “pastor’s” word for what the church is and how we become a member of it.  Study the Bible with me, and I’ll show you what the true church is.  Don’t be like the people on judgment who professed to be Christians on Earth, but they end up hearing Christ say, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Mt. 7:23)

I hope this letter isn’t too harsh. I hope I haven’t driven you away.  God wants everyone to be saved (John 3:16, 2 Pet. 3:9), so please do your part in accepting his salvation under his terms. If you think I’m wrong about anything I’ve said, I invite you to show me why.  As a professed Christian, you have a responsibility to point out my error. Let me know if you want to talk about any of this or if you want to study the Bible together in general.  

God bless,

Your Friend

What About the Dots?!

One day last week, when I was walking downtown on my lunch break, I walked past a man on the street corner who was handing out religious tracts. He was a neatly dressed man, wearing a red ball cap with a cross on it.  He handed me a tract, and I read it as I walked.   About halfway through, I decided I’d turn back and ask him some questions. As I approached him, his interest perked up, and I could tell he was glad to receive some kind of response from someone.  I introduced myself, and after some small talk, I asked him how he’d respond to the question of what I have to do to be saved.  Basically he said all I’d have to do is believe in Jesus, ask him to save me, and accept him as my savior, just like the thief on the cross did. Knowing that’s how he would respond, I asked him what he would say to a verse like Mark 16:16: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned [emphasis added].” He said something to the effect of, “Well there are other verses about baptism, like Acts 22:16 and Acts 2:38, but they’re more of a figure of speech. They’re not literally saying you have to be baptized. You’re really just taking these verses out of context when you say you have to baptized.”  Since I had to get back to work, we didn’t get to talk much after that. I tried to point out some other scriptures about baptism as best I could in the short time I had, but it was clear he didn’t have much interest in my point. I thanked him and went on my way.

I kept the tract he gave me, and it wasn’t until after I got home that afternoon that I noticed something.  On the back, it gave some steps on how to be saved, and under the “Forgiveness” heading, it said the following:

“Acts 2:38 ‘…Repent…in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…’ Repent – to change one’s mind. You must agree with God that you have sinned against Him.”

So what about the dots (…)?

If you’re not familiar with Acts 2:38, I’m listing it here, and I’m bolding and underlining a VERY important part that the tract leaves out. I’m not sure what translation the tract used, so I’ll just use the NKJV.  “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

His tract, in my estimation, intentionally left out “and let everyone of you be baptized” in order to change the verse to support the view that baptism is not essential for salvation.  My argument is simple. If you’re going to include repentance as a necessary step of salvation based on Acts 2:38, then you MUST include baptism as a necessary step as well!  By replacing baptism with dots, you’ve completely changed the text, which is strongly warned against in Revelation 22:19. As a side note, remember that he told me all I had to do is believe in Jesus and accept him as my savior because there’s nothing I can do outside of grace?  Why then would his tract say I must repent?  Isn’t repentance an action I’m taking in order to receive grace? That’s a contradiction to his belief/faith only doctrine.  Like belief, repentance, and confession of Christ’s deity, baptism is an action we must do in order to demonstrate our obedient faith in God’s saving grace. All of these actions are important, and they must all be done in order to be saved.

Back to the dots.  Isn’t that something the religious world does quite often? Don’t people replace commands and statutes established by God with dots in order to make scripture fit a man-made doctrine they’ve been taught their whole lives? People may not do it intentionally, but they’re just as guilty as someone who intentionally alters scripture.

As a response to the dots in the tract, here are just a few (of many) points, backed by verses, which show the essentiality of baptism.

It’s the only way to BE IN CHRIST - Galatians 3:27

It’s the only way to WASH AWAY OUR SINS – Acts 22:16

It’s the only way to CONTACT CHRIST’S BLOOD while reenacting his death, burial, and resurrection – Romans 6

It’s the only way to be ADDED TO THE CHURCH – Acts 2:38-47

Be wary of peoples’ dots.   Look into the scripture, and let it speak. You’ll likely discover something that other people don’t want you to know.

Christmas Myths Exposed

Jess and I sent out Christmas cards yesterday.  When I got the stamps from Kroger, I asked for the holiday edition.  The only holiday stamp they had was called "Christmas Magi," and it featured a single star silhouetting three camel-riding magi.  Obviously, this stamp is referencing the wise men that visited the child Christ.  In hindsight I should have passed on those stamps and gone to the Post Office to get some with reindeer, gingerbread men, trees, or whatever, but I was too busy to do that.  I settled for the "wise men" stamps, but I immediately thought it would be a good intro to my next blog post.

So what's the problem with these wise men stamps?  For me personally, I think it sends the wrong message. It kind of sends the message that my family celebrates Christmas as a religious holiday. So what's wrong with that, you ask?     To put it simply, the Bible does not authorize us to remember Christ's birth in religious celebrations or commemorations.        Some churches will conduct special worship services where they have things like carols, tree lightings, and nativity reenactments.  The Bible definitely instructs us to observe the Lord's Supper every first day of the week (Acts 20:7), but nowhere does it instruct us to remember Christ's birth during worship.  Don't get me wrong, I'm very thankful for the birth of Jesus, and there is nothing wrong with reflecting on it, but you have to draw the line when it comes to introducing things into worship that God has not authorized.

John 4:24 tells us that "God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth."  Acting out the nativity probably satisfies the spirit requirement, but it doesn't meet the truth requirement; therefore, it is vain and unacceptable worship.  God has established a certain pattern for worship, nothing less and nothing more.  He commands first day of the week worship to include prayer, singing, preaching, observance of communion, and giving. Anything else is not authorized.

Here's another problem I have with the wise men stamp.  It's associated with many Christmas myths.  You know the story: On December 25th, Joseph and Mary are sent out to the barn with the animals because there is no room at the inn; Jesus is born and placed in the manger, and shepherds, angels, three wise men, and a star are all present.  This account, that is proudly displayed in nativity scenes across the world, is false.

Here's a run down of common Christmas myths (the account of what really happened can be found in the gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John):

- Jesus was born on December 25th
The Bible does not specify the date Jesus was born [possibly because God didn't want man to make a religious holiday out of it]. There was no indication he was born on December 25th, and most, if not all, scholars agree that his birth didn't occur in December at all.

- There was no room in the inn for Joseph and Mary
There was no inn, as in motel.  Mary and Joseph weren't trying to get a room at a local motel. In actuality, there was no room in the upper room of the house (likely the house of a relative) they were staying in because the yearly census was being conducted, and everyone was in town. Therefore, they had to stay in the animal stable on the lower level of the house.  The animals were probably vacated at this time to accommodate the extra guests. The greek word for "inn" is "kataluma," which by context and by other uses in the Bible, refers to an "upper room."

- Joseph and Mary had to stay in the barn out back.
There was no barn.  As mentioned, they were in the lower level of the house where the animals were kept.

- Three wise men visited baby Jesus.
The number of wise men is unknown. There were three gifts brought to Jesus, but that doesn't mean there were three wise men. The Bible doesn't specify the number.

- The wise men rode into town on camels.
The Bible doesn't comment on their mode of transportation.

- The wise men visited Jesus on the night he was born.
The wise men didn't visit Jesus at the time of his birth. By the time they arrived, they visited Jesus at a house, not while he was in the manger.  At the time of their visit, the Bible describes Jesus as a child, using a word that is different from the word used for a newborn.

-The Star of Bethlehem guided the wise men to the manger.
The star guided the wise men to Christ's location (likely Nazareth) many days or months later. The Bible simply refers to this star as "His star," and it did not appear over the manger at the time of His birth. An angel guided the shepherds, not the wise men, to the manger on the night of His birth.

These common misconceptions may seem like no big deal, but I think it's that mentality of not being concerned about exactly what the Bible says that has led to the thousands of different denominations in existence today. Anyway, the next time you see a nativity scene this holiday season, maybe it will inspire you to read the Bible's account of Christ's birth.  After all, it was His birth that lead to an even greater event - His death on the cross.

Pastafarians??

Here it is - my very first guest post.  Taking the spot of first contributor is my friend, minister, and mentor, Eddy Gilpin.  Eddy is the full-time preacher at West Side church of Christ, and he is the author of many tracts, books, and bulletin articles. The following article will appear in this week's Sunday bulletin.


If "One Is As Good As Another," Why Not Pastafarianism?
 
It was indeed an unusual scene when newly-seated Pomfret, NY, Town Council member Christopher Schaeffer was sworn into office in January 2014. Schaffer, you see, was wearing a colander on his head. Why? He is a "minister" of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Members of his articular organization refer to themselves as "Pastafarians."

According to the organization’s website the only "dogma" allowed in the Church of the FSM is "the rejection of dogma." There are no particular regulations, no strict rules, and no routine rituals. Some general things about their beliefs are:

-Pirates were the original Pastafarians, and they were peaceful explorers. Due to Christian  misinformation, they now have an image of being outcast criminals.

-They are fond of beer.

-Every Friday is a religious holiday.

-They embrace contradictions.

While this organization is ludicrous to the minds of Bible-believing individuals, it is recognized as a legitimate religious system by our government. It is yet another example of political correctness run amuck.

However, a more serious matter can be addressed from this story and this organization. If, as much of the religious world claims, "one church is as good as another," the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster would qualify just as much as any other. While in terms of governmental recognition and common sense we might see this organization as silly and ridiculous, religiously speaking it is no more ridiculous than any other religious group that claims to be legitimate and, yet, which cannot legitimately claim its origin in the New Testament. There is, after all, only one church that can do that—the church of Christ (Mt. 16:18; Acts 2:47; Rom. 16:16; Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:4; 5:23; Col. 1:18).

One can join the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster for a fee of only $20. One can join thousands of other religious groups free of charge. However, one cannot "join" the church of Christ. He has to be added to it by the Lord Himself (Acts 2:47). As foolish as "The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster" sounds, since Jesus purchased only one church (His church- Acts 20:28), it is just as foolish to think anyone can be a part of any other and still claim to belong to Him.

Become a Member

First off, I’d like to apologize for not posting in quite some time.  I finished a few projects, and I’ve got several post ideas cooking, so I should be good to go for the next few weeks. 

I checked the websites of several area denominations to find out what a person has to do to become a member of their church. One church conducts a class where you will “meet the Pastor, learn more about the church and its ministries, and fulfill your requirement for membership.”  Another church states that you can become a member either through baptism or through affirmation of faith. The third and final website instructs prospective members to attend a membership class, speak with a pastor, and accept God’s forgiveness through belief in Jesus.  I didn’t find this on the three sites I checked out, but I know another common idea of church membership is having a panel of current members vote a person in. Just like any other religious teaching, we should weigh these ideas of church membership against what the Bible teaches.

How do I become a member of Christ’s church?

Scripture is pretty straightforward in answering this question.

Acts 2 records the establishment of the church. It’s the day of Pentecost following Christ’s resurrection.  The Holy Spirit comes upon the apostles, and they begin speaking in the foreign languages of all those assembled.  Peter preaches a sermon, and about 3,000 people repent and are baptized.  Verses 41 and 47 say this: “(41) Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (47) Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”  So you see, those 3,000 people who were baptized into Christ were added to the church by Him.  There were no classes, no meetings with pastors, no affirmations of faith, and no votes. 

Once you’ve been added to the church, you’re expected to fellowship and worship with the local congregation (Acts 2:42-46; Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:2) overseen by elders, continue to grow in God’s word (I Peter 2:2), walk in the light as a Christian (I John 1:7), and live faithfully until death (Revelation 2:10).

To put it practically, if you were to visit our worship assembly, and you wanted to become a member of the church, you would have to follow these steps of salvation: hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe in Christ (John 8:24), repent of your sins (Luke 13:3), confess Christ as the Son of God (Matthew 10:32), and put on Christ in baptism (Galatians 3:27. After you’ve done these things, Christ will add you to the church (Acts 2:41, 47). All of these could occur after one visit, or after 20 visits; it’s personal decision you’d have to make.  But rest assured, you’ll never be voted in or out, and you’d never have to go through any other process to join the church.   In the words of Eddy Gilpin, “you can’t join the church to save your life, but you have to be added to it to save your soul.”

The Rapture Doctrine - I Wish It Were “Left Behind!”

I recently saw a video by Willie Robertson advertising the release of the movie Left Behind, which is based on the series of fictional books bearing the same name.   The Robertson clan has an enormous influence on the masses, so it was pretty disappointing to see this video.   You may wonder exactly why I found it so disappointing.  It’s simple – the Rapture doctrine is a false teaching! Not only is the Rapture a false teaching, but so is the millennium doctrine, which is the idea that Christ will return to Earth to establish a literal, physical kingdom, and reign for a thousand years in Jerusalem.

Religious groups differ slightly on their teachings, but most believe in a thousand-year reign, and many believe that prior to the reign, Jesus will secretly snatch away all the Christians, leaving behind a world of chaos and despair. Following seven years of tribulation ruled by the Antichrist, Jesus and his followers will then return to the earth to occupy the kingdom in Jerusalem. 

According to the Left Behind series, and those believing the lies, when the Rapture occurs, driverless cars will crash in the streets, pilotless planes will go down in flames, wives will turn to see their husbands’ recliners empty, and so on.  Sure, these scenes make for a good movie, but are they really scriptural?  What does the Bible really teach about the end of the world?

As with any Bible topic, you’ve got to keep things in context. Who is talking? Who is the audience? What’s being said, and why is it being said?  If we can answer these basic questions, we can avoid misapplication of the scripture.  Much of the teachings on the Rapture and the millennial reign stem from a misapplication and misunderstanding of the book of Revelation.

Revelation was written by John to the seven first-century churches in Asia minor. These Christians were being persecuted and were experiencing a terrible time of tribulation. It pertained to things happening then and there, to people who were desperate for immediate comfort. Revelation is full of symbols, signs, and figurative speech, and it’s not to be taken literally, especially when trying to make predictions about the “end times.”  For more insight on the purpose of Revelation, see this  article written by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Here’s what the Bible teaches:

1.)    Jesus will not return in secret.

He will return with a “shout,” the “trump of God,” the “voice of the archangel,” and with “blazing fire” (1 Thes. 4:16, 2 Thes. 1:7). In fact, “every eye will see Him” (Rev. 1:7).

2.)    Jesus will not return to Earth.

Faithful Christians will meet Him in the air (1 Thes. 4:17). The universe will be destroyed (2 Peter 3:10-13), and we’ll be given “a new heaven and a new earth,” which refers to the Heavenly home Jesus promised in John 14:1-6.

3.)    Jesus will not reign on an earthly throne.

“Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world…” (John 18:36).

It is impossible for Christ to rule as an earthly king on a physical throne. Why?  Because the Bible describes Him as spiritual PRIEST and KING. His throne has to be in Heaven because: a) an earthly king could not serve as priest, and b) an earthly priest had to be a Levite, which Jesus was not (Hebrews 8:1-4).

4.)    The kingdom has already been established.

In Acts 1, we see the resurrected Christ ascending to Heaven in a cloud after talking to the Apostles about the coming kingdom.  Picture yourself looking up into the sky as Jesus ascends and disappears.  In Daniel 7:13-14, we see the resurrected Christ coming into Heaven and God giving him rule over the kingdom. Acts 1 is Earth’s view of Christ’s ascension, and Daniel 7 is Heaven’s view of Christ’s ascension. 

“¹³ I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

¹⁴ And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”

You’ll notice that it was at that time – when Jesus ascended to Heaven – that He became ruler of the kingdom, the church. This isn’t some prophecy about a far-off earthly kingdom that Christ would inherit millennia into the future!

In Matthew 16:28, Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” To borrow a statement from Eddy Gilpin, “either there are 2,000 year old people walking around today, or the kingdom has already come.”  That’s just it – the kingdom has come. THE KINGDOM IS THE CHURCH. The kingdom that was promised to Peter and the apostles in Matthew 16:17-19 is the church that was established on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

5.)    On a day unknown to us, Christ will return, but not to earth.

There will be a mighty shout, an unearthly blast of the trump, and Jesus will come in the clouds.  The dead in Christ will rise, the living in Christ will be changed (translated), and they will ascend to meet Christ in the clouds. There will be a great judgment of every soul that has ever existed. The disobedient will receive their punishment, and the obedient will receive their reward. (I Cor. 15, I Thes. 4, Matt. 25)

So what about Matthew 24 where Jesus talks about there being wars, famines, earthquakes, etc.? It’s simple.  Jesus was answering two separate questions: 1) When will the temple be destroyed? 2) And what about your second coming and the end of the world? Jesus provides an answer to each question. In the first part of the chapter, Jesus is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans and 70 A.D.  That’s what the wars, famines, earthquakes, etc would be a sign of.  There would be obvious clues of the coming destruction. There would be great tribulation and persecution. Men, women, and  children would be killed by the Romans. He says in vs. 34, “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” Again, either there are 2,000 year old people walking around, waiting for earthquakes and wars, or the event Jesus prophesied about already happened.  

Then he contrasts the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. with the events of the last day when he returns. Verse 36: “BUT, of that day and hour [the day of his return] knoweth no man…as the days of Noah…one taken, and the other left…as a thief…therefore be ye also ready…” Unlike the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., the end and destruction of Earth will come silently, as a thief in the night, with no warning.  We’ll have no warning when he comes, but we will all surely know it when he does! The phrase, “one taken, and the other will be left” is referencing the idea that some will be saved and some will not. It is not a reference to a Rapture of any kind.

Since it got a little complicated, I’d like to make sure my message is clear. Conclusion:

1.)    Revelation is full of imagery and figurative speech

2.)    There will be no warning of Christ’s return

3.)    When He does come, it will be spectacular (not quiet like the rapture)

4.)    Christ will not return to the Earth because He rules His spiritual and eternal kingdom from Heaven

5.)    The kingdom is the church, which is already established.

Fore!

If you’re like me and unlike my friend Ben who shoots in the 70s and about smashes the cover off a ball, you don’t put a lot of stock in your score after a round of golf.  Golf has a simple objective – get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible.  You’d think it would be pretty easy to do that, but just ask any “golfer” you know, and you’ll quickly understand that it’s anything but easy.

So why is this simple game so difficult? For starters, it’s chock-full of choices. What type of ball will I use – hard, soft, more dimples, less dimples? Should I wear a glove?  4-iron or 5-iron from the tee? Oops, should have used the 5!  Long tee or short tee, wooden tee or plastic tee? Pitching wedge, gap wedge, sand wedge, or lob wedge? I think I’ll go with the lob wedge. Should it be the 60 degree or the 65 degree lob?   And so on…

It’s  also difficult because it takes a ton of practice. Unless I spend hours at the driving range and play a lot more often than once every couple months, I’ll never amount to much on the course.  It takes time and commitment to truly understand the game.

Finally, golf is difficult because it’s easy to lose focus and do things my own (incorrect) way.  When I play with Ben, he tries to teach me how to properly swing the club.  He does a great job explaining the mechanics of the swing, using analogies and metaphors, usually something about how a door swings on hinges.  He doesn’t know this (or at least I don’t think he does); sometimes I see his lips moving, but I’m not hearing anything he’s saying.  I’m tuning him out. My mind is saying, “Just go up there and hit the ball.”   But when I step up to the ball, I lose focus. I do things my own way, what feels most comfortable, and my ball usually flies WAY off target. If I paid complete attention to the instructions and studied the proper techniques, I’d hit the ball much better.

Being a true follower of Christ is much like playing golf.  The Bible presents a simple plan of becoming a Christian, a simple way of worshipping, and a simple way of living a righteous life. However, society and the religious world have a way of complicating simple concepts.

It’s difficult to be a true Christian because there are so many choices.  Christ established and died for one church (Acts 2:47, Eph. 1:22-23, Eph. 4:4-6), but the world will tell you that any of the 35,000+ “Christian” churches are just as good as another.  People have no idea what the Bible really teaches, and they go to church whenever and wherever they choose, oftentimes where their family has always gone, where they feel most entertained, or where it’s most popular to attend.

It’s difficult to be a true Christian because it takes a ton of practice. You can’t expect God to save you if you never do what He says (Lev. 22:31; John 14:15), if you don’t live as a Christian (1 John 1:7), if you never study His word (2 Tim. 2:15), and if you never teach anyone else (Mark 16:15-16).

It’s difficult to be a true Christian because it’s easy to lose focus and do things our own way.  Throughout the book of Judges, God’s people continually disobey His instructions.  I believe the root of their problem is seen in the last verse of the book (Judges 21:25): “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes (emphasis added).”  I think that’s the root cause of the disobedience in today’s religious world. Most people do what they think is right in their own eyes, never considering what the Bible says.

Thankfully, I’ll never have to answer to Christ for my terrible golf game.  But I will have to answer to Him for the way I live my life. In fact, we will all stand before Him in judgment (2 Cor. 5:10), whether we believe that or not.  If you haven’t put on Christ in baptism (Gal 3:27) for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) and been added to His one and only church (Acts 2:47), I encourage you to study His word and decide to do so ASAP.  After all, the only thing that really counts is the score we turn in after our round of life.  

In Christ Alone

Turn on the news or navigate to your favorite news site, and you’ll likely encounter headlines such as: “N. Korea Threatens U.S.,” “Russia Violates Treaty,” “Iraq Crisis,” “Fighting Intensifies In Libya,” “Militants In Syria Put Victims’ Heads On Poles,” “Japanese HS Girl Decapitates Classmate,” “Abduction of Cameroonian Official’s Wife,” and “MH17 Downing.” 

Evil is nothing new in this world. It does, however, seem like people are a lot crazier these days.  I’m sure it’s because our technology makes it easier for us to hear about bad things more often, but it still makes you wonder.  Every time I hear about mass shootings, murdered children, tortured women, terrorist attacks, corrupt governments, etc., etc., etc., it makes me worry about my and especially my children’s future.

A couple of weeks ago, soon after the Stay family was murdered by the crazed ex-brother-in-law, we sang a song during worship called “In Christ Alone.”  The murder was fresh on my mind that day, and I was particularly disturbed by the thought of those kids being so scared as they were tied up. When tragedies like that happen, I tend to imagine how I would handle it if my family and I were the victims.  As our congregation began to sing, the words of the song overwhelmed me and gave me an immediate sense of peace.

Click to hear the song.

In Christ alone my hope is found;

He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,

Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,

Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—

This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

"In Christ Alone"

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

The last verse: “No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand; Till He returns or calls me home – here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.”  That’s all the comfort I need – no matter what happens in this life, no matter what evils I may face, Christ has all the power in my life.

There will be times when I become depressed over the world’s tragedies, or I may even find myself smack in the middle of tragedy, but I know I can find strength and comfort in the fact that I’m a member of Christ’s body, and he’ll one day take us home.

If you’re reading this, you probably know me personally. If you don’t, I appreciate your interest all the same.  Either way, I sincerely hope you’ll search the scriptures to know how to become a member of Christ’s church so you too can find comfort in the words of this awesome song.

The Truth About Baptism

In the Garden of Eden, Satan told the first lie in history. God told Adam and Eve that they would die if they ate fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan simply added a single word to God's statement and told Eve that she would not die if she ate from the tree.  It was a simple three-letter word that changed the course of history and knocked mankind clean off the path of perfection.

Today, in the same catastrophic way, Satan has atlered another of God's statements simply by adding the word "not."  Have you heard it said or do you believe that baptism is not essential for one's salvation? Just like in the Garden, Satan has used a simple three-letter word to lie to much of the religious world and almost completely blockade the only entrance into the Lord's church.

As I've mentioned before, I in no way want to come across as a know-it-all, and I don't want you to think I speak in a condescending way.  With that said, the purpose of this post is to expose Satan as the liar he is and to help us better understand what the scriptures say about baptism.

There are varying views of what baptism is, how and why it's done, and who does it.  Instead of going over some of the views out there, I'll simply point out what the Bible says.

First and foremost, Jesus commanded baptism. 

Mark 16:16: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." 

Simply put, unless someone believes and is baptized, he/she cannot be saved.  You may point out that the second part of the verse says that if you don't believe, you'll be condemned; it doesn't mention baptism.  Look at this way: if I say, "he who eats and digests will live, but he who does not eat will die," you would understand that obviously the digestion is implied in the second part of the statement.  Likewise, if someone doesn't believe, he's not going to be baptized.  John 3:18 states that a person is already condemned if he doesn't believe. So the fact remains that if you don't believe and are not baptized, you have no chance of salvation.

Matthew 28:19-20: 'Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen."

It is Christ's blood that saves us, and we contact His blood through baptism.

Colossians 1:14: "in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."

Ephesians 1:7: "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."

Romans 5:9: "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."

No one I know would argue with the fact that without Christ's blood (death, burial, resurrection), we would have no hope of salvation.  Unfortunately, some people I know would argue that you can contact that blood in other ways than through baptism.  What does the Bible say?

Romans 6:3-4: "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

By being baptized we reenact his death, burial, and resurrection.  We're dead in sin (death), buried in water/baptism (burial), and raised out of the water (resurrection) to live a new life.  Without baptism, how else can we reenact this? If Jesus says we're saved because of his blood (death), and the only way to contact that blood is by being baptized, how can anyone say baptism isn't essential for salvation?

Baptism is referenced throughout scripture using analogies of washing and of water.

John 3:5: "Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.'"

Ephesians 5:26: "that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,"

Titus 3:5: "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,"

Baptism is the only way into the church, which is Christ's body.

Galatians 3:27: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

Acts 2:41,47: "⁴¹ Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. ⁴⁷ Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

If only the church will be saved, and the only way a person can be added to the church is through baptism, then how could baptism not be essential for salvation?

First century converts were baptized in order to become Christians.

Acts 8:12: "But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized."

Acts 8:36-38: "Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, 'See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? Then Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart, you may.' And he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him."
 
Acts 16:14-15: "Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, 'If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.' So she persuaded us."

Acts 16:33-34: "And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.  Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household."

Act 18:8: "Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized."

The Bible is straightforward in stating that baptism saves.

Acts 2:38: " Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" (emphasis added)

Acts 22:16: "'And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’" (emphasis added)

1 Peter 3:20-21: "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: " (emphasis added)


In short, baptism IS essential for salvation.  Along with hearing the word (Romans 10:17), believing in Christ (John 8:24), repenting of sin (Luke 13:3), and confessing the name of Christ (Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9-10), baptism is the culminating act that makes you a Christian. But it doesn't end there. You have to remain faithful until death to make it to Heaven (Revelation 2:10).

Satan's attack on baptism makes sense.  If he lied to Adam and Eve to prevent a perfect, sinless world, he would certainly use the same strategy to undermine God's plan of salvation.  If he could make people believe the lie that baptism is not essential, he would prevent people from being added to the church.  Interestingly, many denominations teach that you don't have to be baptized to be saved; however, they still practice baptism as an "outward showing of an inward grace/change." This kind of baptism is unscriptural and does nothing to save you. 

If Satan can successfully attack baptism, he can keep people from being added to the church (Acts 2:41,47), from putting on Christ (Galatians 3:27), from washing away Sins (Acts 22:16), from having sins remitted (Acts 2:38), and from being saved (Mark 16:16, 1 Peter 3:21). 

Don't let the father of lies pull one over on you.


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So what about the thief on the cross? A common thought is that since the thief on the cross was saved by Jesus without being baptized, then it's possible for us to be saved without being baptized.  Even if you were to put aside all of the scripture I mentioned above, this argument against the essentiality of baptism couldn't stand.  The explanation is simple:  Jesus and the thief were living under the Old Law. It wasn't until after Christ's death that the Old Testament was replaced by the New (Colossians 2:14). At the time Jesus saved the thief on the cross, the church had not yet been established, and the thief would not have been accountable to the commandment of baptism.  Further, Jesus (who was God on Earth) had the ability to change his will as long as he was alive.  He had the ability to save whomever and however he chose. The testator had not yet died; therefore, the New Testament (and requirement of baptism) was not yet in effect (Hebrews 9:16-17). Other examples of people being saved by Jesus (like the thief on the cross) are the sinful woman of Luke 7:36ff and the palsied man of Mark 2.  Again, these were at a time when Christ was on Earth prior to the New Law coming into effect.

So what about Cornelius?  Some believe that Cornelius was saved prior to his baptism because he received the Holy Spirit prior to being baptized. In Acts 10, we read about the gospel being brought to the Gentiles for the first time.  All Christians up to this point were converts from Judaism.  In order to make it clear to the Jewish Christians that the Gentiles were to be accepted into the church, God poured out the Holy Spirit upon Cornelius (and the other Gentiles with him).  This in no way meant the Gentiles were saved when they received the Holy Spirit. In verse 47 and 48, Peter commanded them to be baptized. Keeping all the scriptures we've already covered in mind, why would Peter command the Gentiles to be baptized if they had already been saved when they received the Holy Spirit?   Acts 15:8-9, "And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: 'Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,  9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.'"  I mention this verse to say this: God knew the hearts of the Gentiles, and he knew they would be obedient, so he gave them the Holy Spirit.  He didn't give them the Holy Spirit to save them; he knew they would be saved through obeying the command of baptism.

To prove that people can receive the Holy Spirit without being saved, take a look at King Saul in 1 Samuel 15, 16, and 19.  Saul, the first king of Israel was rejected by God because of his disobedience to God's commands (1 Samuel 16:14; 1 Samuel 15:23). Saul wanted to kill David (the new king), so he sent his messengers to capture David. However, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers, and David was able to avoid being captured (1 Samuel 19:20-21). The messengers of Saul receiving the Spirit was no indication of salvation; it was a sign from God that he was protecting David.

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Scriptural baptism is immersion in water of an individual who can comprehend the gospel command. It is not pouring, sprinkling, or christening. Every account in scripture is of a person at an accountable age being immersed; no babies/infants were ever baptized.  The greek word for baptism is baptizo, which means "to dip; to immerse."

Comments or Questions?

I really appreciate everyone's interest in my blog.  My last post generated a bit more traffic than usual, so I thought I'd give you the opportunity to respond. If you have any comments or questions regarding the last post, or any post for that matter, please feel free to use the "Contact Me" form at the bottom of the page. I look forward to hearing from you!

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord..." Isaiah 1:18

If Peter Visited Your Church

The Lord's Church, Part 2

In Matthew 16, Christ promised to give Peter and the other apostles the keys to the kingdom (the church). In Acts 2, we see Peter using those “keys” to open the doors of the church when he preached the first gospel sermon on the day of Pentecost. With his heart-pricking message, the doors were swung wide open, and some 3,000 people were added to the Lord’s body (the church) that day.

As an apostle and inspired writer, Peter would know exactly how to identify the Lord’s true church. Let’s suppose Peter came back to life and you ran into him at the local fish market. You wouldn’t dare pass up the opportunity to invite him to church. So what if he actually came to church with you?

Would he be confused by the name outside the building?

I picture Peter stopping at the sign and literally scratching his head. Many churches today are named after men like John Calvin, Martin Luther, and John Wesley. There’s even a local church named after Peter & Paul; he would definitely scratch his head at that one. I understand that these churches would call themselves Christian and say they follow Christ; however, the way you identify yourself to the community says a lot about what you believe and teach.

There is no distinguishing name for the church because Christ simply established HIS church, THE church. In scripture, the church is referred to as: the church of God (1 Corinthians 1:2), the kingdom of God (Romans 14:17), the churches (congregations) of Christ (Romans 16:16), the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22), the house of God (1 Timothy 3:15), the church of the firstborn (Hebrews 12:23), and the bride of Christ (Revelation 21:2).

Would he think it’s odd that money is collected every time the doors are open but the Lord’s Supper is rarely observed?

Most denominations have no problem taking up a collection on Sundays (and any other day of the week), citing 1 Corinthians 16:2. However, when the Lord’s Supper is at question, the frequency becomes sparse, even though “the first day of the week” is used in both instances. (Acts 20:7).

Would he wonder why your church is led only by “Pastor Bill" or "Reverend Bill" or "Father Bill" instead of a group of qualified elders (plural)?

God’s pattern for church “government” is the universal church, made up of local congregations, which are overseen by elders, with deacons carrying out works/tasks. There is no authority for one man to oversee a congregation.  Elders, who are all equal, are responsible for "shepherding the flock."   (1 Timothy 3, Acts 14:23, Acts 15:22, 1 Timothy 5:17, Titus 1:5, James 5:14, 1 Peter 5:1)

 

Would he be upset that your church is regulated by a creed book or other books of church laws?

The Baptist church has The Baptist Manual; the Pentecostal church has The Statement of Fundamental Truths; the Wesleyan church has The Discipline; the Mormon church has The Book of Mormon; The Catholic church has The Catechism of the Catholic Church; and so on. It's interesting that most of these creeds have multiple volumes and editions. Shouldn’t it be taken as a warning that the beliefs of these churches regularly change?

God’s word is unchanging (James 1:17), and it was once (and only once) delivered (Jude 1:3). The Bible alone provides all we need to know (2 Timothy 3:16). We flirt with danger when we add or take away from His word (Revelation 22:18). I briefly looked over each of the above-mentioned books, and all of them add to and take away from biblical instruction. There's nothing inherently wrong with a book outlining one's beliefs or a book that is used to supplement Bible study; however, when a book is not in harmony with what the Bible teaches, it becomes condemned by scripture.

Would he be baffled by the group dedication or baptism ceremony?

A common teaching amongst churches today is that a person is saved at the point of believing Jesus to be the Son of God and accepting Him as personal Lord and Savior.  It is further taught that once someone has accepted Christ, he/she is then, or oftentimes later, baptized as an outward showing of an inward change.  Many times, a certain day is picked out in the future for all of the recently saved individuals to be baptized. 

So what's wrong with this?  First off, in every conversion account in Acts, the individual being saved was baptized that moment.  It wasn't put off for a later time; there was a sense of urgency.  The Eunuch didn't ask Phillip to come back a month later to baptize him. He said, "Here is water. What prevents me from being baptized?"  After believing in Jesus, the Philippian jailor was baptized straightway.

Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, a person is not saved prior to being baptized. Acts 2:38 says, "Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (emphasis added). In the original Greek language, the word "for" is eis, which means "into; unto; in order to; toward." It expresses that which has not yet occurred and, thus, points forward. It never expresses that which has already occurred.  The use of eis in the verse cannot mean that one is baptized because his sins have already been remitted.  The meaning of the verse is this: Repent and be baptized in order to have your sins remitted.

It is not until the point of baptism that someone puts on Christ (Galatians 3:27), contacts the blood of Christ (Romans 6), has sins washed away (Acts 22:16), has sins remitted (Acts 2:38), and is saved (Mark 16:16).

There's a lot more that can be said about baptism, so I'll devote a future post to it.  I'll talk about things like the thief on the cross and Cornelius.

Would he scratch his head over the speaking in tongues?

In Acts 2, the apostles spoke in tongues. They didn't speak in some kind of unintelligible babble or gibberish like people do today. They spoke in the common languages of all the nationalities present on that day.  It was miraculous because they had no training or knowledge in those languages. It was the Holy Spirit that gave them the ability to do this.  The age of miraculous gifts, including speaking in tongues has come to an end.  The whole purpose of miraculous gifts was to confirm the word the apostles were teaching (Mark 16:20, Hebrews 2:3,4). The gifts were to continue until the Scriptures were completed and confirmed (Ephesians 4:8-13, 1 Corinthians 12; 13:8-10). When Revelation was completed, there was no more need for miracles to confirm the message. Hence, there is no longer a need for miraculously speaking in tongues, and no one has that ability today.

Would he be speechless about the female preacher?

1 Timothy 2:11,12: "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." This verse is pretty straight forward. Paul makes it clear that a woman could not serve as a preacher.  This does not mean that women are second-class citizens. Men and women have different roles in the church, and it is the man's role to hold positions of authority.  Jess and I have had in-home Bible studies with people, and she's been an integral part of them.  Men and women are both expected to teach the gospel, and I know many women who are very good at doing just that; however, women are not to hold positions of authority in religious contexts (i.e. worship,  teaching Bible classes with Christian men/young men present, etc.)

Conclusion

If Peter could answer yes to any or all of the above questions, he wouldn’t recognize your church as Christ’s true church. Honestly, I think Peter would be shocked and saddened to see just how far “Christianity” has strayed from the teachings of the apostles. He would be distraught over the fact that most churches in existence today are not the church for which his Lord and Savior died. 

Obviously, if Peter attended a worship service of the true church, he would be shocked to see things like electricity, padded pews, the audience sitting and the speaker standing (instead of vise versa), projectors, sound systems, etc.  There is nothing wrong with these expedients to worship, and he would only be shocked at the newness and strangeness of them.  On the contrary, I'm certain that Peter would be shocked to see the doctrinal error that has almost strangled out the church of the first century.

I really hope you'll investigate the history of your church and compare its teachings to what's found in scripture.  May God bless us all with wisdom in his word.

One last thought... Due to time and space constraints, I had to narrow down the list of questions above. It's not an all-inclusive list of doctrinal errors taught in denominational churches today.  I hope to mention other issues in future posts.