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Pentecostals|Help Me Help You

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helpmehelpyouToday I want to speak to the Pentecostal (and/or) Charismatic audience. If the case for Pentecostalism is truly Biblical, then should we not be fully submitted to Scripture? The 5 Solas of the Reformation serve as a return to the Bible as the only source for Truth. It doesn’t mean that the Protestant denominations fully achieved it, nor does it mean they preserved it, but at least we affirm Sola Scriptura. I grew up as a Christian under the Pentecostal tradition. Sure, the names change and not every Pentecostal denomination calls themselves Pentecostal, but the doctrinal distinctive relating to the Gifts of the Spirit remain.

I’d like to begin by plainly stating that those of the Pentecostal and Reformed camps do a poor job of characterizing each other’s doctrines. Honest research is exceedingly and exhaustively replete with ad hominem attacks, straw-man arguments, and mockery… from both camps.  Both sides engage in some proof-texting while accusing the other of the same. I’ve read a great deal researching Lutheran and Reformed theology from sites like Monergism.com. Pentecostalism isn’t nearly as historic, only dating back to early 1900s, but one resource for that movement’s history is Dixon Pentecostal Research Center. For all of the zealous antagonism between them it can be easy to forget their commonalities: both camps point to the same Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Both acknowledge God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. Both understand that salvation comes by grace, through faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and both hold to the same Bible as the Word of God. There are major differences, and they are not negligible; therefore, we should address them humbly, faithfully, lovingly, and truthfully according to the Written Word of God.

Is the Pentecostal “Speaking in Tongues” the same thing that happened at Pentecost?

No, it isn’t. Pentecostals point to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that took place on the day of Pentecost, and the filling of the room by the presence of the Holy Spirit is central to their form of worship. Let’s look at what took place at Pentecost just before Peter’s sermon:

Acts 2:1-12 (ESV)
1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

The non-Christians (though devout Jews) understood what they were saying. What where they speaking? They were declaring the mighty works of God. They were proclaiming the testimony of God. Some have argued that this miracle was of interpretation, that God opened the ears of the hearers so that they could understand what was being spoken. That doesn’t fit the text. While one of the gifts of the Holy spirit is indeed interpretation of tongues, the Holy Spirit hadn’t fallen on the masses, He filled the saints, the Christians, who were following the Lord’s last instructions before He ascended into Heaven. The miracle here, is in the speaking not in the hearing. Notice in Peter’s sermon when he quotes Joel 2:28-32a:

Acts 2:16-21 (ESV) 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

What happened on the day of Pentecost was not how modern-day Pentecostals should claim as “speaking in tongues”, for Peter recognized it as prophecy. What did they prophesy? The mighty works of God. What did Peter preach?

Acts 2:36-40 (ESV)36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

Of whom did Peter bear witness? of Jesus the Christ. What was his exhortation? Repent and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. The key here is not in some hidden meaning of “other tongues”; rather, in that the others understood what the Holy Spirit was speaking through His disciples, the Word of God, Testimony of God’s greatness, leading to the Testimony of Jesus Christ. As we are told in Revelation 19:10 (ESV), “Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.“

Notice that in all of Acts 2, the only thing being taught is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Everything else in that section is descriptive, a testimony of what God the Holy Spirit did on that day. God moved through His people, to give testimony of His Son, Jesus. If you want to prescribe any Christian doctrine from this text, let it be the testimony of Jesus Christ found in the sermon uttered by Peter who was filled by the Holy Spirit. To God be the glory.

What is the Pentecostal “Speaking in Tongues”?

What the Pentecostal refers to as “speaking in tongues” comes from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, chapters 12-14. How does the Apostle Paul describe it? Let’s look briefly in 1 Corinthians 14.

1 Corinthians 14:1-5 (ESV) 1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

So, in a sense, the Pentecostal should desire to prophesy as Disciples did on the day of Pentecost. However, that is not to say that every time the tongue fires off in unintelligible speech that they are prophesying. In fact, if there is no interpretation, they are decidedly NOT prophesying, for no one is being built up. Paul goes on to say that if the Holy Spirit doesn’t grant them understanding of what the Spirit is saying, then their mind is unfruitful. Therefore, Paul explains that he prays both with his mind and in his spirit.

Now, here is the part where today’s title comes into play. While I can see in God’s Written Word the basis and the instruction for the Gifts of God the Holy Spirit, I find it difficult argue on your behalf in most cases. Why? Because of the very same abuses Paul was addressing in his letter to the Corinthians. We cannot wave the first half of 1 Corinthians 14 as a banner of justification while simultaneously ignoring the latter portion of the very same chapter.

Help me, Help you.

While I do plan on eventually addressing doctrinal concerns I have with Reformed and Lutheran theology, but given the current state of the visible church and the pervasiveness of Mysticism and False teaching, I need to first address (biblically) the most obvious problems.

1. “Speaking in Tongues” in a loud voice for all of the congregation to hear (sometimes in a microphone) is NOT prophecy without the interpretation. The church is NOT edified by it. God is NOT glorified by it. It only serves to draw attention to the speaker, whose mind is unfruitful if he is not granted the understanding of what was uttered.

1 Corinthians 14:13-19 (ESV) 13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

2. Understanding is not a matter of a level of faith; therefore, there is no benefit to pretending you understand what is being uttered without interpretation. It’s not “a faith thing”. Either God is speaking, or He isn’t. We don’t just accept it as the Word of God without testing it against Scripture. The first test is this, “is there an interpretation?”. If there is an interpretation, is it Biblically sound? Does it point to Jesus Christ?

3. Pandemonium, chaos, and sensuality do not bring Glory to God or edify His church.

1 Corinthians 14:26-32 (ESV)26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. 27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

Why did I include sensuality? Well, it’s the only way I can cover things like the “drunk in the spirit” or the “high on Jesus” or the “holy laughter” manifestations. It is a craving for an experience measured by the senses rather than by the Word of God. I’ve witnessed the full gambit of these experiences growing up, and I’ve never seen discernment exercised. I’ve been in church services where the preaching of the Word of God was cancelled due to 3 hour “Praise and Worship”, where the worship was either the same song being played over and over with long instrumentals, or a lot of “spiritual (tongues) worship” is sung or spoken or declared without interpretation. I’ve seen what amounts to “open-mic night” where everyone is claiming to prophesy, well beyond the two or three limitation provided. Sure, some might say “well, that’s why we have special services apart from church”. Paul didn’t say “when you meet on Sunday mornings”, he said “When you come together…”.

4. God the Holy Spirit is not the only spirit; however, He is the only True God. There are evil spirits, as well as the fact that our flesh is sinful and actively works against the Spirit of God. Even within Christians, the war wages on between our flesh and the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5). The ONLY way we know we are hearing from God is by His Written Word. Your emotions are tied to the flesh, and the flesh is weak and sinful. Faith is a gift from God, and comes by hearing the Word of God. God has given us His Written Word. Start there. You cannot skip over the written Word of God and expect to just “know” or “recognize” the voice of God or to feel which spirits are of God and which are of error. You cannot rely on goose bumps… pagan films can elicit the same response. Without interpretation, you have no idea what is being said “in strange tongues”… none; therefore, you have no way of knowing if it is indeed the Holy Spirit or if it is man, or demon. If it is of the Holy Spirit, He will submit to the Written Word of God, for He is unchanging. John 1 tells us that in the beginning the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh, Jesus Christ. This isn’t “putting God in a box”, this is identifying what might be God by comparing it to what we know is God (His Word). Refusal to submit to Biblical discernment is a HUGE red flag.

5. God will not reveal something of Himself now that He hasn’t already revealed of Himself in Scriptures. When Jesus walked the earth, He fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, and then He established a New Covenant with His Apostles before ascending into Heaven. He granted John the final Revelation and then warned not to add to or take away from that Book. Any prophecy that makes a completely new claim about God, His Son, His Spirit, or His return that cannot be found in Scripture is false. That excludes the vast majority of prophetic visions turned into marketing campaigns for profit we see today. God the Holy Spirit is sovereign, and may grant a word of wisdom, knowledge, or insight for a specific people. Such a word, however, MUST point to Jesus as God and Savior and must be tested to see if it is true. If it doesn’t come to pass IT WAS NOT GOD. If it does come to pass, but the prophet preaches a different gospel, IT IS NOT OF GOD. If it comes true, is biblically sound, and Jesus Christ is glorified, then rejoice in the Word of the Lord and proclaim His kindness and mercy.

6. God’s primary language isn’t KJV. I say this, because I have heard a lot of “prophecy” spoken in King James English despite the speaker NOT quoting scripture. If you are quoting scripture and you’ve memorized most of it in KJV, fine… but if you aren’t quoting Scripture and are speaking words given to you by the Holy Spirit, why the KJV? It would be like an Arabic-English interpreter putting on an Australian accent to let folks know which words he’s translating from Arabic, and then dropping the accent to signify that he’s speaking of his own accord. Just odd. Additionally, just because a scripture was quoted does not mean it’s God providing the prophecy. Satan quoted scripture in his temptation of Jesus Christ. His twisting of scripture was quite subtle compared to what we hear these days. Which brings me to my final point.

7. If the person claiming to be anointed of God, His prophet, His apostle, or messenger demonstrates an inability to rightly handle Scripture, then we have no reason to believe he is speaking prophetically. The Written Word of God IS the Word of God. One who has mishandled the written Word of God cannot be trusted to rightly handle the spoken word of God. Now, God is still God, and He is still sovereign over His gifts and callings. Yes, God opened the mouth of Balaam’s donkey, but the donkey didn’t deliver the Word of the Lord, the Angel of the Lord (Jesus) did.

Lately, I’ve come to realize that the vast majority of the Pentecostal / Charismatic church has lost its way. Before writing this, I spent some time reading through the Way articles from 1906, and saw so much focus and attention on the “gifts” and so little on Jesus Christ. I read through popular charismatic teacher Facebook pages, and saw so very little scripture. Lots of appeals to “trust the spirit” and “experiencing power” and “soaking in His presence” but so very little teaching from the Scriptures. Is that what Paul would support based on his teaching in 1 Corinthians 14?

The reformed camp has its problems, too. If Pentecostals struggle with mysticism and winds of doctrine, then the Reformed struggle with legalism, particularly of the Law ► Gospel ► Law variety. They preach law to convict of sin, then Gospel for the forgiveness of sin, and then burden the Christian with Law to prove themselves “true” Christians. The error in both camps ends is the same, the error of Peter on the water, the error of taking our eyes off of Jesus Christ and placing them on ourselves, our works, or our own righteousness.

This ended up being much longer than I had intended. If you feel I’ve misrepresented Pentecostalism, feel free to contact me. In closing, I leave you with the exhortation of the Apostle Paul in the closing of his first letter.

1 Corinthians 16:13 (ESV) 13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

May the Lord Bless you and keep you,
In Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior,
Jorge

“Almost Right” is Still Wrong

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illustration-to-book-of-job.jpg!Blog

Illustration to Book of Job by William Blake

From time to time, we run into well-meaning Christians who take issue with discernment ministries when they point out errors in what might otherwise be considered sound doctrine. They have little issue with calling out overt paganism as unbiblical, but when we exercise discernment regarding a beloved pastor’s sermon or a 200-year-old hymn, allusions to “straining at gnats” or “eat the meat and spit out the bones” start to arise as well as blanket accusations of being “divisive” and “mean-spirited”. While there is definitely something to be said about the manner of speech and the need to speak in humility and love, it is also important to point out the wrong, however slight it might seem now, so that what is almost right, can be made completely right rather than completely wrong. We are not aiming for a level of Truth that has not been revealed, for only God is capable of such Truth. What He has revealed of Himself in His Word is knowable, and must be pursued, lest we stumble and fall. In my opinion, no where do we see this truth more beautifully displayed than in the Book of Job.

If you’ve never read the Book of Job, I encourage you to do so. Some interesting background on the book, scholars believe that it was written before Moses for several reasons. The clearest indication found within Scripture is the fact that Job offered sacrifices for his family rather than a Priest or Levite. Therefore, Job lived sometime after Noah and before Moses.

For today, I want to dive right into the advice given to Job by his friend Eliphaz.

The Prosperity Gospel of Eliphaz

Job 4 (ESV)
Eliphaz Speaks: The Innocent Prosper
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?  Yet who can keep from speaking?
3 Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands.
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees.
5 But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed.
6 Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?

What a way to start, eh? It’s like starting out with, “don’t get mad at me, but I just have to get this off my chest”. Now, in a single day Job got word that all of his kids died, and everything he owned was gone. Then, he was made so sick that he was nearly unrecognizable to his friends. They wisely sat in silence with him for seven days, because of his obvious suffering. Job finally speaks out of despair wishing that he had never been born. Before we judge Eliphaz too harshly, are we not taught to speak up, and not hold our tongues whenever we hear indications of potentially suicidal behavior? Job broke the silence, and was despondent… would you have held your tongue? Even if you know where this story is leading, I implore you not to fully disengage with what is happening here. It is important to note that this account predates any Scripture in written form (Moses recorded the Law). Unlike us, no one in the Book of Job has the written Law, the Prophets, or the New Testament from which to draw reference.

Job 4:7 “Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?
8 As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.
9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
10 The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The strong lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

Eliphaz begins with empirical (experiential) knowledge. His first comments betray his conviction that Job’s affliction must be a result of his sin. He starts by charging Job to Remember: who that was innocent ever perished  and I have seen that those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. Is this correct? Is this so-called “principle of sowing and reaping” being applied correctly here? By the breath of God they perish… who? those who sow iniquity and trouble. Make no mistake, Eliphaz is pointing to Job as the reason for his affliction, and he is claiming that it is God who is afflicting Job as punishment for his iniquity. Rather than ask Job a single question, or provide any verbal encouragement whatsoever, he has judged Job guilty, because in Eliphaz’s experience no one who is innocent faces judgement. In today’s public church, this is what the underside of the “prosperity gospel coin” looks like. If being a child of God guarantees prosperity, then the lack of prosperity and especially the afflictions of this world bear testimony that you are not a child of God.

What happens next is not uncommon today. We have the written Scriptures today, and yet we still hear folks rely on a direct revelation rather than the Word of God. Eliphaz now shares with Job knowledge he claims to have obtained from a spirit, a whispered word,  a voice from the silence.

Job 4:12 “Now a word was brought to me stealthily; my ear received the whisper of it.
13 Amid thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
14 dread came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.
15 A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh stood up.
16 It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice:
17 ‘Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?
18 Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error;
19 how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust,
who are crushed like the moth.
20 Between morning and evening they are beaten to pieces; they perish forever without anyone regarding it.
21 Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them, do they not die, and that without wisdom?’

Yikes. This unidentified spirit, who brought dread and trembling upon Eliphaz spoke to him. What did this spirit say? Was it of God? It pronounces judgment against all of mankind, and declares of God that He puts no trust in His servants, and charges his angels with error. Is this a statement of Praise to the Lord God, or an accusation? I think now is a good time to look back to the first chapter of Job, to see what God actually had to say about Job prior to his afflictions.

Job 1:6-12 (ESV)
Satan Allowed to Test Job
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

There is no higher praise a mortal man can receive from the Lord God. Satan asserts that it is God’s blessing that is to blame for Job’s fear of God. When you think about it, what an odd accusation, given all that we’ve read thus far. If God rewards the righteous, how then can God’s reward be the cause of their righteousness? Satan is accusing God of being either ignorant or misleading. He swears to God that Job’s fear of the Lord God is superficial, and merely a result of having been granted unusual favor in God’s sight. Take away his blessings and Job will surely curse God. Yet what we see at the close of the first chapter is, “In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong” Job 1:22 (ESV). Satan lost the first bet, but wasn’t finished. Was Satan after Job? No. He was gunning for the Lord God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth.

Job 2:1-7 (ESV)
Satan Attacks Job’s Health
1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 3 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” 4 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” 6 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.” 7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

This is the testimony God presents concerning Job. So, what can we say about the spirit from whom Eliphaz drew his knowledge and counsel? We can safely say that it is not of God. Whether a fleshly fabrication from his own sinful heart, or from a spirit of error in service of Satan we need not declare. Only that it was not the Spirit of God speaking. There was no reason for on Job’s account for the loss of his property and children. None. The accusation of Eliphaz against Job is without merit. His appeal to “sowing and reaping” was faulty, though it might have been right had Job indeed plowed iniquity or sown trouble. But he was wrong. In Chapter 5, we see Eliphaz prescribe for Job what he thinks would fix the problem. We also see a fresh twist on his charge against Job.

Job 5 (ESV)
1 “Call now; is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2 Surely vexation kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple.
3 I have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling.
4 His children are far from safety; they are crushed in the gate, and there is no one to deliver them.
5 The hungry eat his harvest, and he takes it even out of thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
6 For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground,
7 but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.
8 “As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause,

Woah, and Eliphaz unloads on Job. To which of the holy ones will you turn? Really, Eliphaz? But as for me, I would seek God... in other words, “I don’t know who you’ve tried to seek out or to whom you’ve plead your case, Job, but I would seek God.” So, Eliphaz, did you seek God when a dreadful spirit visited you and spoke accusingly of God and the angels and of His servants? Did you seek God before judging Job guilty of iniquity, of foolishness, and before implying that he might not seek God? As troubling as this portion of his advice was, this isn’t the twist I mentioned. What remains of his advice would be praiseworthy on its own. However, in this case, it is Eliphaz demonstrating piety while judging Job of iniquity.

Job 5:9 who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:
10 he gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields;
11 he sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.
13 He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime and grope at noonday as in the night.
15 But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth and from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.
17 “Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.
18 For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal.
19 He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you.
20 In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
21 You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes.
22 At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the beasts of the earth.
23 For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
24 You shall know that your tent is at peace, and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.
25 You shall know also that your offspring shall be many, and your descendants as the grass of the earth.
26 You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, like a sheaf gathered up in its season.
27 Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear, and know it for your good.”

On it’s own, this portion rings true. I hear echoes of various Psalms and Proverbs. Some of these things are indeed true. But notice the string of true statements Eliphaz has assembled. He engages in parallelism that honors the poor, the lowly, the needy while judging the crafty, wiley, and those wise in their own craftiness. Eliphaz has now judged Job’s former blessings from God as the evidence of his iniquity, his craftiness, and his wiles. He then commands Job to rejoice in his reproof, for now that Job has been made lowly, poor, and shattered, God can bind up his wounds and heal his hands. If all that had befallen Job were indeed punishment for sin, this portion would ring true. I hope you will take the time to read through the rest of this book. In addition to what Satan does to Job, he must endure also the counsel of his wife, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Eliphaz fully unleashes his accusations against Job in chapter 15 and again in chapter 22. Each time he speaks harshly against Job, urging him to submit to God and he will be healed. Almost right advice, but completely wrong, for Job was not being judged by God for iniquity. He rebukes Job for not confessing his sin (of which Eliphaz has no proof, except for his own prosperity-gospel view of God) and accuses him of iniquity due to the reality of Job’s affliction.

But what did God have to say at the end of this time of tribulation? Let’s skip ahead to end of the book and see.

Job 42:7-9 (ESV)
The Lord Rebukes Job’s Friends
7 After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

The anger of the Lord God burned against Eliphaz and his two friends. They were wrong. They had not spoken right of God. Almost right, is still completely wrong by God’s standards. There were times when Job speaks more boldly than perhaps he ought, and the Lord answers very strongly. But in the end, we see that Job also learned a great deal about the Lord God. We see it in his confession at the beginning of Job 42.

Job 42:1-6 (ESV)
Job’s Confession and Repentance
1 Then Job answered the Lord and said:
2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

Job has seen the Lord God of whom he had only heard before (and was faithful to unlike anyone else) and in seeing the Lord God with his eyes, he despised himself, and repented in dust and ashes. This draws me to an account in the Book of John

John 9:1-7 (ESV)
1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him,“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered,“It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva.Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

Thankfully, we have Jesus Christ, who gave of Himself to bear the price of our sin so that we might be covered by His righteousness.  In closing, I urge you brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, to humbly bear each other’s burdens in love. Encourage one another and lift each other up in prayer and thanksgiving. Be slow to judge, and quick to forgive. Be gentle and loving if you witness or suspect sin, but do so humbly, knowing that by the same measure you judge others will you also be judged. That is not a prohibition, but a caution.  We dare not base our judgement on our experiences alone, nor on the whisperings of unidentified spirits, but only on the Word of the Lord.

May the Lord bless and keep you firmly in His Grace and Mercy,
In Christ,
Jorge

The Parable of the Good Samaritan | Law & Gospel

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??????????This week I had the good pleasure of hearing 2 sermons on this parable from pastors with whom I was unfamiliar. While one sermon was vastly superior to the other, I gained insight from each and thought this would be a good topic for us to discuss today. From time to time you will see me talk about the need to preach both Law and Gospel. In the today’s church we seem to find some emergent/seeker-driven churches attempting to skip Law and only focus on Gospel. The problem with that (aside from not teaching the full counsel of Scripture) is that without the Law we are not convicted of sin. Without a conviction of sin, we cannot fully appreciate or grasp the Gospel. Other churches tend to err in the other direction. They consider Gospel just what you need to “be born again” and then they teach all Law… this is also dangerous, for the Law convicts us of our sin… and we live in a sinful world and our flesh is sinful. We still sin, and we need the Gospel every day of our lives. For we walk by grace, and we need to be reminded of the power of God’s grace every day of our lives, lest we slip into condemnation for our lack of perfection. Our primary text for today comes from Luke 10, and we will see how a single parable effectively teaches both Law and Gospel. 

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37 (ESV)
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

For a little bit of context, Jesus had just pronounced Woes to the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida for their unbelief and unrepentant hearts. The seventy-two disciples who had been sent out returned praising God and giving a joyful report. Jesus was careful to refocus their excitement away from the fact that the demons were submitted to them and onto the fact that their names had been written Heaven. Jesus then praises God aloud and I think we should look at this portion before diving into the parable.

Luke 10:21-24 (ESV)
21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” 23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

And let it be known that we are recipients of that blessing, for by the Grace of God we now have the record of these events in God’s Holy Word, Amen. Look at the excitement in Jesus’ praise. Notice that he turns privately to His disciples to call them blessed. I mention this because I do believe that the events that take place in verse 25 take place soon afterward. Luke doesn’t specify a time-frame, but he does write “and behold” so I think this Lawyer’s test of Jesus came suddenly.

The Lawyer’s test

Now we are not talking about a Lawyer in the sense of a trial lawyer; rather, he was most likely an expert in the Law of Moses. Now, the lawyer was asking Jesus how he might inherit eternal life. Notice, however, that Luke clearly identifies this as a test (ESV) or that he tempted (KJV) Jesus with this question. He was looking for Jesus to give an unlawful answer. What kind of answer was he looking for? We don’t know, because Jesus turned the answer back onto the lawyer, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it”? Let’s look at the answer the Lawyer gives. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus commends him for his lawful answer to the question and then tells him that if he does that he will live. Jesus confirmed the Law of Moses, and the Lawyer stood convicted by it. Let’s examine 2 portions of the Law related to the mans answer.

Deuteronomy 6:1-5 (ESV) 1 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly,as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Leviticus 19:9-18 (ESV) 9 “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. 10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God. 11 “You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another.12 You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. 13 “You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning. 14 You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. 15 “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord. 17 “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Now immediately we are presented with the greatest and second commandments. In Matthew, Jesus was asked what the Greatest Commandment was and His answer to them was the same. Now the first commandment is one that is easier to claim (and harder to disprove) than the second. This lawyer might have been willing to claim ownership of the first law; however, in order to justify himself, clearly he needed a favorable definition of “neighbor”.

The Parable at Face Value | Law

This parable of the good Samaritan simultaneously teaches Law as well as the Gospel. Let us first see how the parable teaches the Law of God. This is how it would most likely initially have been interpreted by the Lawyer and those present at the time.

Luke 10:30-32 (ESV) 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

The hearers of this parable would likely place themselves in the position of either the victim, the Priest, or the Levite. This lawyer probably pictured himself as either the Priest of the Levite due to his level of study and expertise in the Law. At this point in the story, however, it is not clear that what either of these character did was wrong. That might be hard for us to understand but remember, the Law had specific rules regarding cleanliness and the dead. This takes place on the road between Jericho and Jerusalem (city of the Temple). When the scripture describes the man as being “half dead”, it is saying that he appeared to be dead. One would have to inspect him, check on him to determine if he were dead. This presents a Legal dilemma for the Priest and the Levite. Let’s turn for a moment to Levitical Law.

Leviticus 21:1-3 (ESV)
21 And the Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, No one shall make himself unclean for the dead among his people, 2 except for his closest relatives, his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother, 3 or his virgin sister (who is near to him because she has had no husband; for her he may make himself unclean).

So, a Priest would not touch a dead person unless it was clearly one of the aforementioned exceptions. The High Priest is afforded no exceptions at all. The Law acknowledges that we are incapable of keeping it, and even specifies purification rituals. Let’s look at those in Numbers.

Numbers 19:11-13 (ESV)
11 “Whoever touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days. 12 He shall cleanse himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so be clean. But if he does not cleanse himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not become clean. 13 Whoever touches a dead person, the body of anyone who has died, and does not cleanse himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from Israel; because the water for impurity was not thrown on him, he shall be unclean. His uncleanness is still on him.

Yikes. This portion of the Law applies to Priests and Levites, so it includes both passers-by in the parable. Touching a dead body, even to see if he might still be alive, would make them unclean for seven days. They’d have to wash on the 3rd and 7th day to be made clean again and not to defile the Temple of the Lord. In order for the Priest or the Levite to assist the half-dead man, they’d have to be willing to give up their Legal cleanliness, for if the man is dead they would have been made unclean while still not being able to do anything for the dead man. Therefore, they passed by on the other side of the street (probably as a part of tradition) to fully demonstrate their acknowledgement that they must remain clean as they continue walking. “Someone else will take care of it”… someone not baring the responsibility of being a Levite or a Priest. After all, they have important business to attend to, they have a “calling” that does not include touching dead bodies. There are plenty of others who can render aid or bury the dead without jeopardizing their calling. This is Law. Let’s continue.

Luke 10:33-35 (ESV) 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’

Now, the Samaritans weren’t simply a “lower class citizen”, they were outsiders, foreigners, gentiles. They were mixed in blood (due to the Assyrian defeat and occupation of the northern kingdom of Israel) and in religion (they worshiped in the “high places” those that were built to other gods). Remember what the law says about this sort of thing, they are to be cut off. The Samaritans were not granted access to the Temple in Jerusalem. The Samaritans were well aware of where they stood in the eyes of the Jews. This animosity, this separation was lawful. For us to better understand this, let us look to John Chapter 4.

John 4:7-9 (ESV) 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

John 4:19-20 (ESV) 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”

John 4:22 (ESV) 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

Remember, that the man who half-dead in the road is assumed to be a Jew. Jesus merely says “a man” but given the context He wouldn’t need to identify the man as a Jew, for that is the norm. Jesus identified the Levite and the Priest for a specific purpose. He also identifies the Samaritan for a purpose. He is an outsider and regarded as hostile. Jews have no dealing with Samaritans. Yet, this Samaritan had compassion on the half-dead Jew. Forsaking everything he had planned for that day, this man took the time to bandage (to bind up) his wounds, washing and cleansing him with oil and wine, and lifting the man and setting him on his own donkey and taking him to an inn and continued to care for him. Notice, that it isn’t until the next day that the Samaritan leaves his side, but he does so having paid for the inn and securing care and provision for the man while the Samaritan is away. He urges the inn keeper, the designated caregiver, to do what is necessary to care for the man with a promise that he will return and will repay any expense that wasn’t already covered. This Samaritan not only bandaged, washed, anointed, and carried the man out of the street, he brought him to a place of rest having paid the price for him to live and to continue healing.

Luke 10:36-37 (ESV) 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Here, we have the Legal answer to the question, “how do I inherit eternal life”? There are no loopholes, no caveats in the law. To love your neighbor as yourself and to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind is a high mark, who can pass this test? According to the Law? No one born of Adam. It isn’t enough to be justified in not taking action as in the case of the Levite and the Priest, for in doing so, you fail the commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself.

The Parable of the Samaritan | Gospel

Now, let’s take a slightly different look at this parable… one that likely didn’t resonate with the Apostles until long after these things took place, possibly not until God the Holy Spirit was reminding them of all that Jesus had taught. What if the first man in our story represents all of mankind, who had fallen to robbers and been left for dead? And we being dead in sin and trespasses, were too unclean to be rescued by the Law (Priests and Levites) for its requirements for cleanliness kept it on the far side of the road? What if the Samaritan in this story, is Jesus Christ? Who, having looked upon us in our mortal condition of sin… and loved us enough to bind up our wounds, wash away our iniquities, and pay the price that we could not pay, to enter in His rest. Not only did He pay for our healing, He promised to return again and will pay whatever expenses remained, and he didn’t leave us alone, but left us in the care of the Inn keeper? Let’s look at what the Scriptures say of Jesus Christ.

John 10:9-11 (ESV) 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Isaiah 53:1-6 (ESV)
53 Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
    and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men;
    a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
    he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

John 14:18-19 (ESV) 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.

Hebrews 9:27-28 (ESV) 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Matthew 5:17 (ESV) 17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Praise the Lord. The Law of the Lord is perfect, but we who are dead in sin cannot find salvation by works of the Law, because the Law convicts us of our sin and separation from God. I’m sure you felt it as we worked through the legal implications of the Parable. But how beautiful is the Gospel once we’ve been confronted by our sin?

Romans 3:20-26 (ESV)
20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Amen. The beauty and wonder of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is brought into clear focus when we examine the Law and the Prophets. How gracious is our God. How Wonderful is His Gospel.

Revelation 22:10-17 (ESV)
10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus, come. May the Lord bless you and keep you,
In Him,
Jorge

What is your Testimony?

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Growing up in Evangelical churches, we heard often from folks who wanted to share their testimony with the church. A lot of weight was given to the sharing of one’s testimony. In fact, it was weighted so heavily that many times I heard caveats that both disturbed and discouraged me in my faith. Caveats such as, “well, my testimony isn’t nearly as powerful as that of brother so-and-so” or “I don’t have much of a testimony, because I grew up in a Christian home”. Such rubbish. This is NOT Biblical, and I want to end the week by looking at what our testimony is.

Your Testimony isn’t about you

We will look at the Biblical definition of what a testimony is, and what our testimony is supposed to be in a minute, but I want to point out that the major flaw in the caveats I mentioned is that they betray a fundamentally flawed view that a testimony is about the person giving it. It isn’t. Have you ever heard someone give their testimony and start to get a little uncomfortable about how they keep going on and on about how bad they were? We get into weird competitions over who was the “most bad” person was before they were saved.

Everyone born of man is born equally dead in sin. Sin isn’t a merely list of wrongdoings, it is a state of being.

Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV)
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 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— 3 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.

Romans 3:9-20 (ESV)
9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;
11     no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14     “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law,so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Apart from the Gospel, no one is righteous, nor can they be made righteous or justified in God’s sight, even by the Law. Man’s need for Jesus Christ is Universal. In the same way, all who have come to the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ share in that same testimony, that we all need Jesus. We don’t need to add to our sinfulness to amplify the Gospel. On some levels, we want people to know that the Gospel finding ME was such a super big deal that no one should ever doubt in it. But that isn’t the focus of the Gospel, it is a blanket truth for all of mankind. Unless the Gospel of Jesus Christ finds you, you have no hope of salvation. And that is why we preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our testimony isn’t supposed to glorify our sin; rather, it is supposed to focus on the Word of God.

Now, let us take a look at some Biblical foundations of what a Testimony truly is so that we might have a better understanding of what it means to share your testimony.

The Ark of the Covenant

If you remember in a post from earlier in the week I made reference to how the Passover Lamb pointed to Jesus on the Cross, as an atonement, the final atonement for all our sin. How in the Israelites leaving Egypt points to our being rescued out of the kingdom of Darkness, and how their passing through the Red Sea points to our water Baptism which represents joining Christ in His death and burial and resurrection to a new life in Him. We also compared the wandering of Israel for a generation in the wilderness to our living in a fallen and sinful world as we make our way to the Promised Land which in our case is the Kingdom of Heaven by the blood of Jesus Christ. In keeping with that same imagery, let us now turn to Exodus 25, when God commanded Moses to build an ark.

Exodus 25:10-22 (ESV)
10 “They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. 12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on itsfour feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. 13 You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. 15 The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. 16 And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you.

17 “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 18 And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. 20 The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. 21 And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. 22 There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.

Now, outside of the Law of Moses, this ark is most commonly referred to in the Bible as the Ark of the Covenant. What we see in Exodus and in Numbers, though, is that it is referred to several times as the Ark of the Testimony. I hadn’t noticed that before, so it’s very exciting for me to read now. We see here God instructing the building of the ark, and he tells Moses that he will be giving him a testimony that should be placed into the ark. Before we get to that, notice where the mercy seat of God is placed… over the testimony. We can already see here, that the Mercy Seat of God rests atop the Testimony that God will give. Let us move ahead a bit as we follow the instructions regarding the ark.

Exodus 26:31-35 (ESV)
31 “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. 32 And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. 33 And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy.34 You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place.35 And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table, and you shall put the table on the north side.

This veil, is the one that was found split when Christ died on the cross. Notice that before Christ, the veil separated God’s people from the mercy seat except for certain times, and then only by proxy (the High Priest). Now, let’s jump ahead a bit (Moses was given a lot of instructions here) to chapter 34.

Exodus 34:27-35 (ESV)
27 And the Lord said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” 28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30 Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. 32 Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai.33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

34 Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, 35 the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Praise the Lord. The testimony is the Law of God, the 10 Commandments. They were given to Israel as a testimony to His Covenant with them. If you read from the beginning of the chapter, you see God instructing Moses to bring 2 fresh tablets to replace the ones that he smashed after seeing the sin of Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai. Those, too, were called the tablets of the testimony.

Exodus 31:18 (ESV)
18 And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

Exodus 32:15-16 (ESV)
15 Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. 16 The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

Exodus Chapter 40 concludes the instructions given to Moses regarding the tabernacle and the ark.

Exodus 40:16-21 (ESV)
16 This Moses did; according to all that the Lord commanded him, so he did. 17 In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected. 18 Moses erected the tabernacle. He laid its bases, and set up its frames, and put in its poles, and raised up its pillars. 19 And he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent over it, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 20 He took the testimony and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark and set the mercy seat above on the ark. 21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Day of Atonement

Now that we know that the testimony Moses was to place inside the ark was the two tablets of the testimony. They were placed into the ark of the Testimony, upon which rested the Mercy Seat of God, and all of it was behind the veil. Let us skip ahead to Leviticus to see the Ark of the Testimony and the Mercy Seat.

Leviticus 16:1-5 (ESV)
1 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died, 2 and the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.3 But in this way Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on. 5 And he shall take from the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

Leviticus 16:11-16 (ESV)
11 “Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. He shall kill the bull as a sin offering for himself. 12 And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and he shall bring it inside the veil 13 and put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is over the testimony, so that he does not die. 14 And he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat on the east side, and in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.

15 “Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. 16 Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins. And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses.

We see a great deal going on here, but I wanted to point out this Day of Atonement and the special place of the ark of the Testimony and the Mercy Seat, and the blood of the atoning sacrifice. All of this points to Christ.

Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant*

In closing, I recommend reading the book of Hebrews. The writer of Hebrews explains the 2 covenants beautifully, and when you read through it, take the time to cross-reference the Old Testament passages.

Hebrews 8 (ESV)
1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

8 For he finds fault with them when he says:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah,
9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds,
and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more.”

13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

And the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, is that this new covenant is available to all people, not just the Jew. And our testimony, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 19:9-10 (ESV)
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Amen. Whenever you share your testimony, know that what you are sharing is not supposed to point to you; rather, it is to point to a risen Savior, whose blood was shed on your behalf, so that you can stand before the Mercy Seat of God without fear of judgement.

Hebrews 10:19-25 (ESV)
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Grace and Peace to you in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
Jorge

The Humility of John the Baptist

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john-baptistWhile writing yesterday’s post, I was so moved and encouraged by the second half of John chapter 3 that I knew I wanted to share it today. Not only do we see John share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but we also see John the Baptist humbly reminding his disciples of who he is and who Jesus is. Let’s pick up where we left off yesterday in John 3 verse 22:

John 3:22-30 (ESV)
22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).

25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

It is so easy to forget your place in God’s plan, especially for those with a special calling. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from the time he was in his mother’s womb. Even before birth he bore witness to the as yet unborn Jesus Christ in Mary’s womb. John didn’t just decrease to a secondary position, he knew that he had to decrease and step away from the limelight completely. The bridegroom had arrived, and his job was fulfilled. That isn’t easy… it takes humility to accept that your job is over, and you will no longer take part. Notice that John the Baptist didn’t transition into being a Disciple or Apostle of Jesus Christ. He continued proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven and pointing to Jesus as the Christ, as was his calling. Since John notes in verse 24 that this was before John was put into prison, let us look to when John sent word to Jesus asking for confirmation. For indeed, John was a man and needed encouragement for his time was drawing short.

Matthew 11:1-6 (ESV)
11 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Very simply, he encourages John’s messenger to report to John as a witness of Jesus, the Promised Messiah. Notice the encouragement at the end… blessed is the one who is not offended by me. John undoubtedly took great encouragement in both knowing he had served his purpose and calling, and knowing that many are blessed. Notice what happens next in Matthew… Jesus testifies of John.

Matthew 11:7-19 (ESV)
7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written,

“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,

17 “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

John the Baptist was more than a prophet, he was God’s messenger sent to prepare the way of God the Son, Jesus the Christ. John the Baptist will die at the hand of Herod (the kingdom suffering violence) before the cross. Peter later understood this truth and shared it in his epistle:

1 Peter 1:10-12 (ESV)
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

Which brings us back around to John 3, resuming in verse 31:

John 3:31-36 (ESV)
31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the Christ. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever receives His testimony declares that God is true. Notice that whoever does not obey the son doesn’t get a fresh punishment; rather, the wrath of God remains on him. Remember that we are all born in the sin of Adam, and are therefore deserving of the wrath of God as punishment for sin. We don’t start out in some “neutral state”, we are born sinners. Death is our inheritance from Adam. But by the Grace of God, who sent His Son (the Word of God made flesh) to fulfill the law and the prophets and bear the full price of sin on His shoulders, so that all who believe can find forgiveness and eternal life.

I pray the Lord bless you and keep you,
In Him,
Jorge