Quite the Contrast

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Darkness and light. Love and hate.

Could the contrast be any plainer?

How then do so many miss seeing the sharp distinction?

John does not take the time to explain why some people see shades of grey where only black and white exist, but he sharply attacks the problem head-on.

The love of the world is darkness, no matter how you attempt to explain it away. And, if you hate your brother, (and we could also say – as Jesus did, “If you love your brother less,”) then you are in darkness, and it doesn’t matter how often or how strongly you may say you are in the light.

John is the apostle of love, but he is also a preacher of reality. Stop deceiving yourself, he says.

Here he provides the evidence for those who would take the time to examine their lives according to the evidence he provides about life in Christ.

You say you know Jesus? What does that mean to you? Do you keep His commandments? Do you treat His commandments as commandments, or do you view them as pretty good suggestions for most occasions?

Is Jesus THE answer, or merely one of many possible suggestions in a menu of choices for you to consider, when a problem or need arises?

John encourages abiding in Christ. He was there when Jesus presented to concept to His disciples as being absolutely essential to eternal life, not merely an option to be considered. Every thought, every action, every deed, every word must be considered in the Light of Christ, according to His Word. This is what it means to abide.

All else is darkness.

-Pastor Bill

Its Personal

1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-- 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

When Jesus challenged each one of us to go and, “make disciples,” what did He mean?

Surely, He is the ONLY One who can MAKE a disciple, so what gives? Actually, that is exactly the point – we ARE to give.

Give what? Give how? Answer: We are to give of ourselves. Translation: Be selfless.

It is amazing to think Jesus has entrusted us with building His church. Why would He do such a thing? Could He not do that work on His own? Why has He called us to that responsibility? (And it is a HUGE one, considering the eternal destiny not only of man – but of all those who live in proximity to each one of us.)

Do I somehow bear responsibility for the eternal destiny of those who live near to where I live? I believe the answer truly is: Yes.

But isn’t every man responsible for his own eternal destiny – according to God’s Word? The answer to that question is also ‘Yes.’

What am I to do? John provides both the answer and the instruction: Share what you know and Who you know. (No one can contradict you about your own personal experience.)

When we think about evangelizing anyone, the first thing that occurs to us is fear. The enemy makes certain of this by accusing us of being inadequate and uncertain of what we are to do and who we are to do it for.

Am I only evangelizing someone to make myself look good? To make a notch on my belt? That is indeed what my flesh may lead me to think, especially as Satan gets involved. (Rest assured, when the gospel is preached, God is directly involved, and Satan is directly involved.)

In part, this is why Jesus has commanded us to do this. He understands the necessity of each individual believer standing in that place between heaven and hell, and how each believer is strengthened in that place.

Now, go and make disciples.

-Pastor Bill

Wait For It…

2 Peter 3:1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;

If you KNEW Jesus Christ would come for His church at any moment, how would it affect your life?

This is the perspective with which Peter writes, even exhorting us. Obviously, there is a dramatic affect when we are at work and we know the boss might appear. We tend to work harder in those moments, and we certainly would not be deliberately slacking, or paying attention to something that had nothing to do with work.

Peter joins a chorus of New Testament authors advocating a position of “actively waiting” for the return of Jesus Christ. (Remember, Peter was one of those who literally heard Jesus say He would return, and then he also heard the angels declare Jesus would return, “in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11.)

This is not fanciful, wishful thinking for Peter. This is Peter declaring with certainty what is certain. There is no doubt whatsoever in Peter’s mind and heart that Jesus is coming just as He said He would. The only question is when?

As Peter declares it, though no one knows the day or the hour, we will know the time is near when scoffers arise. Though we pray the return of Jesus would be soon, we also rejoice together in His longsuffering patience which allowed us to be saved prior to His return. When the last person who will be saved is saved Jesus will come for His church.

-Pastor Bill

Tares

2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)-- 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.

The most insidious threat to any entity or a person always comes from the inside. It is the unknown, unseen, hidden enemy that has the potential to cause the most damage.

For any person, it is the hidden disease, which becomes firmly entrenched before presenting any symptoms. For any establishment, it is someone seeking their own agenda over and above the goals of the group.

Worse is when the enemy appears as a friend, using familiar terminology, and calling you by name.

All of these things are bad when we encounter them in the world. But, as Peter relates, when the consequences involve eternal life – then we are talking about something else entirely.

Who would associate themselves with the church, and then begin to teach the church in ways which undermine faith and lead to eternal damnation? What would be the draw for that person to undertake a knowingly false cause?

These are the questions Peter answers, because he knows it is bound to happen. Jesus said there would be tares in the church, and Peter heard Him say it. If there will be tares in the church, it shouldn’t surprise us there can also be one in a pulpit.

Peter calls them out before they can do harm, and tells us to do the same.

-Pastor Bill

The Fullness of the Indwelling

2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Ivory soap, (is that still around?) used to be famous for being “99 and 44/100ths percent pure.”

I always wondered, “What’s in that other 56/100ths?” (That’s how my mind works.)

And there is an importance in that wondering. It may seem silly to focus on the small percentage rather than the larger one, but in terms of purity, why would we settle for less than 100%?

Anything less than pure is an alloy. While some alloys are indeed stronger than their individual parts, (steel being one,) the Bible refers to any alloy of the mind and heart as being displeasing to the Lord.

The reason God hates an alloyed mind and heart is because of the impurity which remains, especially when the potential for total purity is present. I don’t know what prevents the Ivory Soap people from getting out that last 56/100^th bit of impurity – but I do know what prevents me from being 100% pure – and that is me.

What percentage of lust is permissible for me? How much lust can I safely handle?

What Peter says is that by what we add to our lives in the Spiritual sense, we subtract from our lives in the arena of lust. If you take a vessel which is filled with impurity, and you add what is pure to that vessel, than you drive out that which is impure. The more you fill the vessel with that which is pure, the less of that which is impure remains.

Many of us seek to deal with lust by focusing on the lust. Peter teaches us to focus on adding that which is pure, and the lust will disappear of its own accord.

-Pastor Bill