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DiM | “Come Alive (Dry Bones)” by Lauren Daigle

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disapproveCCM Edition.

November 08, 2016. Today we’ll be taking a look at “Come Alive (Dry Bones)” by Lauren Daigle which currently sits at #18 on 20TheCountdownMagazine.

Lauren Daigle has one of my favorite voices to listen to on the radio. God gave her a beautiful voice. This post isn’t about Lauren’s voice. It’s about the song and the theology being presented in its lyric. There have been several emails and comments lately rebuking me for judging the hearts of the artists. That’s not what we are doing, we are examining the lyric and the theology being presented (or what’s missing from the lyric, namely the Gospel). Let’s begin today by watching how the artist describes what this song is about.

Come Alive (Dry Bones) | Story Behind The Song | Lauren Daigle & Michael Farren

Today’s song pushes the Word of Faith Heresy. The notion that God somehow requires us to speak things into existence for Him to move, or to save. The idea that faith becomes a sort of fuel that we use to empower our words. This is not how Scripture teaches prayer, faith, or the Salvation of God. Notice how smoothly the songwriters slide into narcissistic eisegesis, reading ourselves into Ezekiel, as if this Prophecy was about us or about some formula we need to follow in order to save others. Now the problem these two wanted to write a song to address is real. Their solution simply isn’t a biblical solution. The Biblical solution is to preach Law and Gospel, repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Let’s listen to the song, read through the lyric, and then discuss the theology.

LaurenDaigleVEVO

Lyrics (via K-Love)

Through the eyes of men it seems there’s so much we have lost
As we look down the road where all the Prodigals have walked
One by one the enemy has whispered lies then led them off as slaves

But we know that you are God, Yours is the victory
We know there is more to come that we may not yet see
So with the faith You’ve given us we’ll step into the valley unafraid

(chorus)
As we call out to dry bones come alive, come alive
We call out to dead hearts come alive, come alive
Up out of the ashes, let us see an army rise
We call out to dry bones come alive

God of endless mercy, God of unrelenting love
Rescue every daughter, bring us back the wayward sons
By Your Spirit breathe upon them, show the world that You alone can save
You alone can save

(chorus)
As we call out to dry bones come alive, come alive
We call out to dead hearts come alive, come alive
Up out of the ashes, let us see an army rise
We call out to dry bones come alive

So breathe, Oh breath of God now
Breathe, Oh breath of God
Breathe, Oh breath of God now breathe
Breathe, Oh breath of God now breathe
Oh breath of God
Breathe, Oh breath of God now breathe

(chorus)
As we call out to dry bones come alive, come alive
We call out to dead hearts come alive, come alive
Up out of the ashes, let us see an army rise
We call out to dry bones come alive
We call out to dry bones come alive

Oh come alive

Publishing: © 2014 CentricSongs (SESAC) / Word Music & Pocket Full of Rocks Publishing (ASCAP)
Writer(s): Words and Music by Lauren Daigle and Michael Farren

Discussion

There is so little clearly stated in this song lyric, that I decided to look up a “behind the scenes” type video. As a former NAR guy, I recognized the Ezekiel 37 theme immediately, and the entire thrust of the song is Word of Faith (WoF) false teaching. Hopefully you watched the intro video to see what went into the inspiration of the song. I’d like to reiterate, the problem they cited as their focus, that they wanted to write a song to comfort the mother of a prodigal child, is real. The theology in this song presented as a solution is utterly false, we’ll get to that, but know that I’m not in any way discrediting the stated goal, we want to reach out to the prodigals and their hurting families, but we want to do so Biblically. False hope is no hope at all.

Verse 1. The WoF Evangelicals don’t really have a solid grasp on the Biblical concept of sin, particularly original sin we’ve inherited from Adam. WoF folks like Creflo Dollar and Joyce Meyer are always pushing the “little gods” teaching that once we get saved we are now little gods who should be decreeing and declaring health and prosperity and authority and victory over sin. Joyce Meyer has even gone on to declare that she is not a sinner. So, she’s declared herself better than the Apostle Paul… made herself one of the super apostles Paul derides in 2 Cor 11-12. WoF is false, heretical, teaching. It takes our eyes off of Christ and onto ourselves changing prayer into spell casting and supplication into blasphemous demands. So when this segment has such a poor grasp on sin, one has to ask what is meant by prodigals walking away being led off as slaves. It’s heavily coded speech. WoF teachers have no vocabulary for sin, so they invent “word curses” and “soul ties” that (of course) require us to take authority over and break. They make sin to be something that clings to you externally in their false theology and thus something you need to break away from. You can’t look to Scriptures for clarity because none of this is taught in Scripture, you have to have one of these false teachers esplain[sic] it to you in one of their many books for sale at the local “Christian” bookstore.

In the parable of the Prodigal son, the prodigal is led away by his own sinful desires. There is no external tempter in that story, no externally driving force taking the boy captive. He sins from the heart, as do we all. As Christians, we are simultaneously sinner and saint. We are sinners in the flesh due to the corruption of original sin, and we are saints by Grace through Faith in Christ Jesus. The first three lines of this song demonstrate a lack of understanding of the nature of sin and our sinful nature.

The next two lines are generally true. God IS the victory. Jesus Christ literally IS our victory, in His Body and Blood shed for the forgiveness of sin. He IS the temple, He IS the Head of His Church, whom He washed by water with His Word to make Holy. The Victory was sealed at the Cross, when He declared “It is Finished”! There is more to come in this life than we can see, that is true, but our focus should be on what God has already revealed in Scripture, not in constantly hoping to see something new.

The last line of the verse shifts from the notion of the Prodigal over to eisegeting Ezekiel 37 for the chorus.

Chorus. As we call out to dry bones… What does this mean? The stated inspiration for this song is Ezekiel 37. Let’s read through the prophecy being hijacked here.

Ezekiel 37:1-14 (ESV) | The Valley of Dry Bones

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

Dear Christian, you are NOT Ezekiel. In fact, Ezekiel isn’t even doing what these WoF folks are claim this passage is teaching. Ezekiel isn’t mustering up something to declare, the LORD God took Ezekiel into the Valley, commanded Ezekiel to speak the Word of the Lord and then told Ezekiel exactly what to say to the dry bones, and then the Lord did the work of saving. This is NOT prescriptive of how we are to go about Christian prayer life. The LORD God explains what this vision is about, it is about the whole house of Israel being brought to life by God. It points forward to Christ, the Way the Truth and the Life, the Only way of Salvation.

Ephesians 2:1-10 (ESV) | By Grace Through Faith

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

This is the Salvation of the LORD. If we are crying out to dry bones, to those who are dead in trespasses and sins, we had better be crying out with the Word of the Lord that has already been breathed out in Scriptures, we had better be preaching Law (that all have sinned and fallen short) and Gospel (repentance and the forgiveness in Jesus’ Name).

So getting back to this chorus, there’s a WoF logic loop that we need to address. WoF teaching at face-value, we see what looks like us commanding God to do something we want Him to do. That’s blasphemous. But their response will likely take the form of “no, we are participating in what He wants to do in the Earth”. So He can’t just do it? No, we have to activate His Will in the earth by our words filled with faith (or something along those lines). It’s circular and not based in Scripture. As we saw in Ez 37, they can’t teach it from the actual text, they have to paraphrase very loosely and then just declare that this is how it all works.

There is also a line in the Chorus that seems to pull from Joel’s Army / Dominionism / New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) false teaching. What’s with all of this militant langauge? The New Testament is focused on the Church, the faith once and for all delivered to the Saints. We are told to Preach the Word so that those who hear it might be granted saving faith in Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:11-17 (ESV) For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Verse 2. I like this verse. It’s a good verse. It’s incomplete, but if the song had a good chorus and solid supporting verses this could be good. So, “spirit breath upon them” is odd but could be right in the right context. It’s odd because it seems to be asking God to save as He wills, which is a solid petition, but one that doesn’t truly fit the synergism that these artists, modern-day evangelicals, and the WoF teachers hold. God’s Word gives us the means through which the Grace of God for the forgiveness of sin is applied to us. He has been gracious enough to provide us with His Written Word in our own languages. As we saw in Romans 10:11-17, Faith comes by hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. Preaching of the Word is a primary means through which God grants us saving faith. Let’s look at how the Apostle Paul described scripture in 2 Tim 3:14-17.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 (ESV) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Instead of twisting, mixing, paraphrasing, summarizing, and supplanting Scripture… Preach the Word. The New Testament Epistles read like sermons. Let the Apostolic writings speak for God, for they are His Word. Stop looking for formulas and rituals and codes and prescriptions in the Old Testament… they weren’t written about you, they were written about Christ for you.

Hebrews 1:1-4 (ESV)  | The Supremacy of God’s Son

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

The rest of the song slides into new-age “presence” theology, emotional mysticism, trying to drum up a “feeling” of being in God’s presence. It’s self indulgent and it’s an empty solution to the mother of a prodigal child.

Conclusion

This song encourages the listener to eisegete Ez 37 through the lens of WoF heresy. In attempting to address a real problem, it fails horribly due to unsound theology and a twisting of scripture. The desire to comfort the mother of a prodigal is a good desire, but providing false comfort via WoF nonsense only adds insult to injury. What the prodigal child needs is the Law of God preached, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit of God unto repentance, and then the child needs to hear the Pure Gospel of Jesus Christ so that he might be granted Faith. This is God’s doing, and we have His Word given to us in the Scriptures.

To the mother of the prodigal, we share in your grief. For the Body of Christ is One Body, and we are all individual members of it. “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Cor 12:26 ESV). We pray, asking the LORD to bring the prodigal home. We reach out as the body of Christ to bring Law and Gospel to the prodigal.

James 5:19-20 (ESV)

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

But most importantly, we need to address the false teaching that is leading so many astray. The sort of teaching that ignores the reality of original sin, the danger of apostacy, and the ever-present need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sin. Christians need to hear the Gospel. In fact, the gathering of the saints on Sunday mornings is to gather together around the Preached Word of the Gospel of Grace. We need to preach the full counsel of God’s Word, both Law and Gospel, rightly divided. To those who think little of their sin, they need the Law Preached full-bore. To those who are crushed by the weight of their sin, we preach the Gospel of Grace for the forgiveness of sin. We trust God the Holy Spirit to continually draw His sheep, for He loves them far more than we can ever imagine. Our Hope is in eternity, our Hope is in the LORD. Salvation belongs to Him.

Revelation 21:1-7 (ESV) | The New Heaven and the New Earth

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Christ is our victory, He is the only begotten Son of God, and He is the Good Shepherd.

Revelation 22:20-21 (ESV) He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.
Amen.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
In Christ,
Jorge

 

Church History | A Man Named Martin

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frisermonNext Monday is known as Reformation Day. Today I thought I’d share this video series looking at the life of Martin Luther.

This is a great look at the history of Martin Luther.

Published on Sep 14, 2015
Lutheran Hour Ministries (2015) – In ‘A Man Named Martin – Part 1: The Man’ viewers encounter a 15th/16th-century religious reformer from Germany who broke ranks with the Catholic Church. This Bible study is the first of a three-part series devoted to Martin Luther — a monk whose Spirit-inspired grasp of God’s justification of sinners through faith in the Savior was the cornerstone of the Protestant Reformation.

In this five-session Bible study, Luther’s life and times are examined through the lens of history, religion and theology. Expanding on commentary from Rev. Gregory Seltz, Speaker for The Lutheran Hour, numerous scholars add their expertise and perspective to render an illuminating portrait of the life of this extraordinary human being.

The influence and impact of Luther’s life is the stuff of serious study. As a forlorn sinner feeling lost and desperate before a stern and exacting Judge, Luther desponded of all hope for eternity. But as one who came to cling to the Spirit-delivered truths of justification by faith and the liberty believers experience by God’s grace, he rebounded to become a triumphant ambassador for the Gospel.

The details of Luther’s life — his childhood with his parents Hans and Margaret, his university pursuits, his decision to become a monk, his protestation of Catholic practices, his voluminous and erudite scholastic output, his life in hiding, and his roles as husband and father — are all considered in this study. A Man Named Martin is a fresh and explorative look at an individual who, down through the centuries, has increased in importance and vitality to the Christian church.

To this day, Luther’s staunch faith and the extent of his outreach, remain a standard for Christ-centered living to believers in the 21st-century.

Among the scholars and pastors featured in this documentary are Mary Jane Haemig, Joel Biermann, Gregory Seltz, Ken Schurb, Paul Maier, Robert Kolb, Daniel Preus.

In Christ Jesus,
Jorge

Does John 14:12 teach that I am more powerful than Jesus?

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Wonderful article addressing Creflo’s bible twists and solid exegesis of John 14:12. Be sure to check out more of the Armchair Theologian’s blogs.

ACTheologian's avatarArmchair Theologian

creflo-dollar-600x338

Above is an image of Creflo Dollar, who I am singling out for this post on frequently twisted passages.  He like others I have also featured twists the Bible on the regular, and below I am going to analyze one of the verses that he does this to.

While Leaving Adventism one of the things that I studied was Pentacostal Theology.  Their teaching on this verse in John though is pervasive these days so I am going to address it plainly.  The way this is presented by the Pentacostals and Charismatics is that evidence of the Christian life is greater works.

By that they mean, if you are truly faithful and penitent, then you should be performing miracles.  Not just your garden variety miracles mind you, you must be outdoing Christ himself.  Not just you either, but the Church at large.  And if you don’t see that happening then you should be concerned…

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DiM | “Higher” by Unspoken

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CCM Edition.disapprove

September 12, 2016. Today we’ll be taking a look at “Higher” by Unspoken which currently sits at #19 on 20TheCountdownMagazine. This song is all about how awesome I am, or will be, because I’m committed to “lifting God higher”. It’s an anthem for “being committed to being a great Christian”.  It’s a Law song, with no Gospel.

Unspoken VEVO Lyric Video

Lyrics (via KLove)

I gotta try to do right when life’s doin me wrong
Gotta shake the dust off my feet and keep marching on

When trouble weighs me down brings me to my knees
Lord my needs are many but that’s a pretty, yeah a pretty good place to be

Don’t blame it on the preacher cuz the preacher done told
The devil’s got a target on my heart and my soul
But let me tell you brother what the devil don’t know
The lower I go the more I’m gonna lift you higher higher higher higher

(chorus)
I’m gonna lift you higher higher higher higher higher
God Almighty, You are Worthy higher higher higher higher higher

I may never get money
I may never have fame
But if I’m ever in the spotlight
I’ll point it back Your way
Cuz standing at the top was never ever my goal
But if you put me on a mountain then I’ll tell the whole world
Singin hallelujah, til I hit the dirt oh

(chorus)
I’m gonna lift you higher higher higher higher higher
I’m gonna lift you higher higher higher higher higher
God Almighty, You are Worthy higher higher higher higher higher

Hallelujah He is worthy Hallelujah He is good
Hallelujah He is worthy Hallelujah He is good
Hallelujah He is worthy Hallelujah He is good

Leave me in rags and ruins and I’ll praise you through it
Clothe me in glory and riches
I’ll praise you just the same
All that I have
All I’ve been given
All of my life’s ambition is to worship
is to honor is to bring you praise

(chorus)
I’m gonna lift you higher higher higher higher higher
I’m gonna lift you higher higher higher higher higher
God Almighty, You are Worthy higher higher higher higher higher
God Almighty, You are Worthy

Publishing: © 2016 Centricity Music Publishing (ASCAP) / CentricSongs & 2 Hour Songs (SESAC) / Jon Lowry designee
Writer(s): Chad Mattson / Seth Mosley / Jon Lowry

Discussion

The start of this song is the singer. This song falls more in the decree and declare camp than it does in the confession of Christ and Him crucified for our sins. What I mean is that this song is all about boasting of what the singer will do for God no matter what He throws at him. If we are going to boast in anything, it should be in Christ, not in we claim we will do for Him. I think this is largely due to a misunderstanding of Paul’s writing in 2 Corinthians 11-12. Paul is engaging in snark to explose the ridiculousness of the Corinthians buying into the lies of the so-called “super apostles” who abused them and took advantage of them. But the part that is being missed can be found in the following section:

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (ESV) Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

You see Paul was addressing the church that had bought into the boastings of the “super apostles” who presented Paul’s weakness, humble appearance and speech, even his charity as disqualifiers. Paul then points out that he has found contentment with his weknesses, because of the grace of God. So, while he does find strenght in weakness, it’s not his strength, it’s the Power of Christ through the Grace of God. Even then, he is boasting gladly of his weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon him. We see a similar concept taught by James.

James 4:6-10 (ESV) But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, butgives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts,you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Humble yourself. How is that done? Well, by meditating on the Law of God (draw near to God) which convicts us of sin by the working of the Holy Spirit unto repentance. The Gospel of God then forgives us of our sins and cleanses of unrighteousness. Rather than make bold declarations of what you’re going to do no matter what God throws your way… humbly spend time studying God’s Written Word, and trust God the Holy Spirit to work in you, building up your faith in Christ Jesus. God will lift you up. It is God who began a Good work in you, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit.

The best line in the song is Hallelujah He is worthy Hallelujah He is good, but even that refrain is masked by the simultaneous verse being sung… a verse that brings attention back to the singer.

Regarding the phrase I’m gonna lift you higher, and the repetition of the single word “higher” there’s a vague confusion about what that phrase means. You see, there is a sense of “lifting up your banner” which is turn of phrase for announcing your Name, or raising up the battle standard in a military formation, for identification and communication. But there is also the question of “higher than what”. Higher than all other things? Christ has already been lifted up above all things, all of creation is submitted under His feet, the heavens, the earth, and under the earth. Our praises don’t do any objective lifting up of His Name any higher than He has already been lifted up. So this line ends up turning back inward… I’m going to make God the most important thing in my life… higher, higher, higher. But the truth is, you won’t. You’ll fail. You don’t faithfully uphold the first commandment, your flesh is at war with the Spirit. You’ll need the Gospel in the very next few minutes of reading this. Praise the Lord that the Gospel will be still be there for you, for the forgiveness of sins.

Conclusion

If you’re convinced that the point of worship is to boldly make promises you can’t keep to God in hopes that makes Him happy with you, then this song is right up your alley. While we do fully believe there was nothing but good intent in the writing and performing of this song, it is confused and overly self-focused. Praise the Lord for Who He is and what He has already done for us, and for what He has promised He will do in Eternity. His grace is sufficient. Christ is already lifted up and seated at the Right Hand of the Father. King of kings, Lord of lords, the Alpha and Omega. In closing, let us read through Paul’s wonderful proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in his opening of the Epistle to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 1:3-23 (ESV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should beholy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will,according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestinedaccording to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you,remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

In Christ Jesus,
Jorge

CTT | Being a Citizen Christian

Faithful Stewardship 1 Comment

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned on twitter that I was working on addressing the elections and how Christians should consider the state of our culture, our U.S. Government, the politicians being put forward by the major political parties. I delayed that post because of all of attacks on police, the rioting, and lawlessness. Because of the frantic attempts by some Pastors and celebrity preachers to “speak to the matter” I was worried I wouldn’t be able to cover the issue well enough. That delay has lead to me trying to cover too much in one post at the risk of convoluting and complicating what is essentially a simple matter. As with most things, attempting to address the culture by addressing each of its talking points is a distraction and leads to frustration. That’s not what we are about here at Faithful Stewardship.

Instead, I thought we’d look to God’s Word first and see what God’s Word has already provided us with to address living as citizens of kingdoms in this fallen world. Christians are dual-citizens, in much the same way that we are simultaneously sinner and saint. When God the Holy Spirit breathed life into us, granting us saving faith through the Word of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, He sealed us with the Promise of the Resurrection that is to come. We’ve been bought by the Blood of Jesus out of the kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of Heaven, by faith in His only Son Jesus. We are saints, citizens of Heaven, by faith. However, we wait for the Promise to be delivered, for Christ to be fully revealed in the Last Day when we’ll finally be rid of this temporal, corrupt, fallen world. So, we live out our lives as both citizens of Heaven, and citizens of whichever earthly kingdom God has placed us in. I’m a U.S. Citizen by birth, in the flesh, and I am also a child of God adopted into the Kingdom of Heaven by Grace through Faith. God is indeed sovereign over all, but the kingdoms of this temporal world are fallen and the Kingdom of God is eternal. A day will come in the New Heavens and the New Earth when there will no longer be a separation between the kingdoms, but for now, there is indeed separation. So, as Christians, we need to rightly understand these two kingdoms and how Scripture informs us concerning living out this temporal life as dual citizens.

Romans 13 (ESV)

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

It is easy in our American context to dismiss the gravity of this chapter of Romans. For a long time, the church has lived in peace under the rule of law here. Indeed, some might be tempted to think of Rome during the Dark Ages, the “holy Roman Empire”. It is important to note that this letter was written at the time of the Roman Empire under the rule of Emperor Nero. This letter to the Romans preceded the height of Nero’s cruelty against Christians, and was no-doubt a source of comfort and guidance and encouragement in the Gospel of Jesus Christ for those who would be martyred.

The following account was written by the Roman historian Tacitus in his book Annals published a few years after the event. Tacitus was a young boy living in Rome during the time of the persecutions.

“Therefore, to stop the rumor [that he had set Rome on fire], he [Emperor Nero] falsely charged with guilt, and punished with the most fearful tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were [generally] hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of that name, was put to death as a criminal by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea, in the reign of Tiberius, but the pernicious superstition – repressed for a time, broke out yet again, not only through Judea, – where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also, whither all things horrible and disgraceful flow from all quarters, as to a common receptacle, and where they are encouraged. Accordingly first those were arrested who confessed they were Christians; next on their information, a vast multitude were convicted, not so much on the charge of burning the city, as of “hating the human race.”

In their very deaths they were made the subjects of sport: for they were covered with the hides of wild beasts, and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and when the day waned, burned to serve for the evening lights. Nero offered his own garden players for the spectacle, and exhibited a Circensian game, indiscriminately mingling with the common people in the dress of a charioteer, or else standing in his chariot. For this cause a feeling of compassion arose towards the sufferers, though guilty and deserving of exemplary capital punishment, because they seemed not to be cut off for the public good, but were victims of the ferocity of one man.”

source: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/christians.htm

The Apostle Paul was beheaded under the rule of Nero. Every time he writes in the Epistles concerning his chains, his imprisonment, remember the governmental authorities are the ones who imprisoned him and later put him to death. Take care in how you invoke scripture to justify anarchy. the Apostle Paul was a Roman citizen, officially, so he was put to death by beheading. The Apostle Peter was not a Roman citizen, and was also put to death under Nero, but he was crucified. Church traditions maintains that Peter was crucified upside down. What did the Apostle Peter have to say about submission to authority, even one as wicked as Neronian Empire?

1 Peter 2:13-25 (ESV) | Submission to Authority

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Peter 3:8-22 (ESV) | Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For

“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed.Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous,that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

1 Peter 4:12-19 (ESV) | Suffering as a Christian

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?And

“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Conclusion

As dual citizens, we understand that the Kingdom of Heaven is eternal, and that is where we will spend eternity through the Promise of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We also know that there exists no authority on earth apart from God, and that He has instituted government on the earth (Honor your Father and Mother). Man has fallen, and sinned, and is corrupt and hostile to God. Here in the U.S., the visible church has fallen into great confusion regarding the kingdoms of earth and the Kingdom of Heaven. It has bought into the lie that the U.S. is somehow in covenant with God like Israel was under the Mosaic covenant, and that simply isn’t true. This isn’t a Christian nation, it is a pagan nation that for a time granted freedom for Church to do its work. I’m sad to report that we haven’t done a good job of it. Regarding this present election cycle, I’d like to close with a couple of points:

  • It is our duty as citizens to vote, it is our duty as Christians to vote Biblically. We should be casting our votes in keeping with Biblical standards, not pagan pragmatism. In my opinion, to cast a vote based on the artificially limited options based on the media and lobbyists is dereliction of duties both to the U.S. and to Scripture. That is just my opinion.
  • The outcome of this or any election will in no way be an omen to be deciphered concerning God’s Will for the Church or for any of the earthly kingdoms. The world does what it does, and God’s Word on the matter has already been spoken and recorded for us in Scripture. The World hates God, the World stands condemned in sin and unbelief, the Gospel is the power of God to save men and women from this fate. Stop “prophesying” and attempting to divine the Will of God based on the government.
  • Scripture has made it clear that before Christ returns everything will get worse, not better. There will be MORE false signs / wonders / teachers, and they will deceive many, even the elect.
  • As scary as it may sound, the Church does not need the U.S. to even exist for her to carry out her commission.
    Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
    Jesus Christ is in no way waiting to see what the U.S. is going to do for Him to decide when its time to return in power and judgement.

We may revisit this topic from time to time, as this upcoming election season will no doubt be filled with fear mongering and paranoia, and a whole slew of blasphemous “prophecies” as folks try to eisegete the elections and the candidates. Don’t be tossed about by the winds of false doctrine and the spirit of the age. Stand on God’s Word. Keep the Faith, repent and be forgiven, and love our neighbors as yourselves. Pray for strength, pray for mercy, pray for forgiveness, and pray for the LORD to return soon. He is coming soon, and the whole world will know that Jesus Christ is LORD.

Hebrews 13:20-21 (ESV) Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will,working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

In Christ Jesus,
Jorge