Promises

Have you ever seen a TV drama in which a brave parent, policeman, or concerned adult makes a promise to a child:
     "I will not let anyone hurt you; I promise."
     "We will find the people who did this; I promise."
     "I will return before springtime; I promise."

I know, it's television, but I cringe every time I hear it: "I promise."

Can anyone make promises like that?

'TV Land' is not reality. In the real world promises are sometimes kept and sometimes not. It can be difficult to keep our promises to be on time or attend a child's activity. LIFE happens and we sometimes unintentionally break a promise.

When people make bold promises like the 'TV promises,' they seem more like fantasy, not reality. Yet, God made some astounding promises, and they are no fantasy.

Just think back to ancient Israel in the Old Testament and God's warnings against idolatry. Those warnings included His promised action against Israel if they persisted in their idolatry. In His warnings God actually promised Israel three chances to turn back and make things right. Ultimately, if they would not turn from idolatry he warned that he would give them over to a foreign power as captives: another promise. (Read His promises in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 4.)

By the time of Daniel God's promises of warning were history. God's people had been idolatrous and had been taken from their homeland by the king of Babylon...according to promise. They would remain in captivity for 70 years, yet another promise.

The 9th chapter of the book of Daniel is a beautiful prayer in which Daniel recognized the failure of his people because of their idolatry. A reading of the text makes it clear that Daniel had an intimate knowledge of God's instruction and His promises in the Law of Moses. Not only did he understand that the Babylonian captivity was a promise that God had kept, he also recognized that there was a solution based on promise.

O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open Your eyes and see our despair. See how your city--the city that bears Your name [Jerusalem]--lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.
--Daniel 9:18 (New Living Translation)

How did Daniel know to appeal to God's mercy? How did he know to appeal for forgiveness and restoration? Long before that time God had already promised that he would listen to such a plea.

God had not only warned the Israelites with promised discipline; He had openly shared with them the way to repair their broken relationship with Him. His solution was nothing less than promised acceptance and return to their land if they would return to him.

Many people merely see God as a rule maker. Yet the Bible is full of promises. Yes, there are strong promises of warning for those who turn away from Him. However, there are wonderful promises of salvation, acceptance and hope for those who respond to God in faith and humility. And God's promises are truly out of this world!

May we stand in AWE of our God who has given us promises; our God who does not lie!

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
--Proverbs 9:10

Mark Stinnett

Overlooked

Have you ever been overlooked?

I really wanted to ask if you have ever known anyone who was overlooked, but it seemed almost contradictory. You see, how would you know that they were overlooked if you had overlooked them? (It’s a puzzle.)

We might say that they have fallen through the cracks, or that they are lost in the mix. They go unnoticed because...well, because no one notices.

Few know their name.

When you are overlooked you kind of see yourself fading into the background of life, more and more as time passes. You see yourself as small and insignificant. You are not necessarily depressed. You don’t necessarily feel sorry for yourself. You are not necessarily angry at the world. You are simply small, and you know it.

Over time, a self-perception of smallness can take its toll. A person finds himself actually withdrawing from people, unknowingly making it more difficult for others to develop or maintain a relationship. He might become detached from reality. Feeling smaller and smaller, discouragement, disappointment and even depression can set in.

The Apostle Paul used a word to describe a person who sees himself as small when compared to others: Fainthearted.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:14 Paul instructed:

Encourage the fainthearted.

A person who is fainthearted needs to be included. He needs to see a smile and hear a welcome voice. She needs a hug of acceptance. She needs to know that you know her name; that she is appreciated.

When a Christian is continually overlooked by other Christians and becomes fainthearted, it can have a devastating effect. 

     "Do God’s people not care?"

     "Am I invisible to God as well?"

A person who is fainthearted can become weak in faith and struggle spiritually. The devil can more easily get a foothold when a person is fainthearted. Encouragement is needed.

Paul didn’t say feed the fainthearted or buy them supplies; rather, encourage. That means to put courage in the heart.

So, how do you put courage in the heart of a person who is fainthearted?

Perhaps helping with food and/or supplies will be a part of the encouragement. Perhaps a little face time is needed (and I’m not talking about social media). Individual needs will vary. So, respond to their needs.

However, when a person is fainthearted he needs to be reminded that his perseverance and endurance in the Lord are not in vain. God’s word assures the Christian of a glorious welcome into eternal life for those who remain faithful to Christ.

And by the way, Paul did not say, “If you have been overlooked, pout and complain.” It might be that YOU are the spark that will encourage the heart of someone else.

Look around today; who could use a little encouragement from you?

Mark Stinnett
December 23, 2018

One Thing You Really Ought to Know about Christmas

The Holiday

Yes, it is true. We really do not know the exact date of Jesus’ birth. Early Christian writers favored a date around December 25th because they held to the belief that Jesus was conceived at Passover. However, this view was held with no known evidence. A birth in the spring or fall is favored by many modern scholars. One writer has commented that about the only thing we know for sure is that Jesus was not born on December 25th.

The word Christmas does not come from the Bible, but from the Roman Catholic Church. It is a shortened form of “Christ’s Mass,” a celebration of Christ’s birth, a celebration which originated in about the 4th century A.D.

What are we supposed to do with this information? Some believers feel that Christmas should not be observed since it is not in the Bible. Other believers love the holiday and would prefer not to be bothered with facts. Some folks who do not believe in Jesus look at the facts and think Christians to be foolish for celebrating a made-up holiday. (Of course, for non-believers, all holidays are made-up.)

When we turn to the Bible the birth of Jesus brought joy to those awaiting the Messiah, and it brought praise to God for fulfilling His promise of salvation. Yet, as joyful a time as it was, the earliest Christians do not appear to have celebrated His birth, nor were they instructed to do so in Scripture. That said, Christians today are given the liberty to celebrate Christmas if they wish, as they wish, whenever they wish...even in July.

The Wise Men

Yes, it is true. No one really knows how many wise men visited Jesus; and no one knows their names. It is somewhat unclear from scripture whether Joseph and Mary had returned to Nazareth or stayed in Bethlehem when the wise men visited. (Compare Matthew's account with Luke's account.) It is also unclear how old Jesus was when the wise men presented Him gifts. About the only thing we know for sure is that Jesus was not lying in a manger in a stable when the wise men visited. He was inside a house with His mother:

“After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh." —Matthew 2:11

There are things we are accustomed to hearing and seeing at Christmastime, things we even expect: trees and stockings, fruitcakes and shopping; fa la la la laa, la la la laaaaa.

Whether you celebrate, or in whatever way you may celebrate, your Christmas traditions are yours: December 25th, the wise trio, manger & stable scenes, Tannenbaum and carols; the jolly, rotund, chimney sweep with a big bountiful bag; it is all up to you. But there is one thing you really ought to know about Christmas...

Peace on Earth

An angel announced the birth of Jesus to nearby shepherds. Then the heavenly host responded:

Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom he is well pleased.
—Luke 2:14 (NASB)

This was not a divine greeting, but a declaration. Peace on earth would be nice in any century, but God never promised everybody peace on earth. You ought to know that the only ones who will have peace are those "with whom He is well pleased." And that demands a response, not to the baby in a manger, but to the Christ upon the cross, to the risen Savior and reigning King.

Jesus, the adult Jesus, the one called Messiah, and Lord; the man that God acknowledged as his Son; He said that He had come to bring a sword (Matthew 10:34). His sword of judgment will one day separate believers from unbelievers for all eternity.

Jesus did bring peace to earth, but it was peace between God and sinful man. (Just read the first two chapters of the gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke and see for yourself.) Zacharias, the father of John said it; Mary said it; the old man Simeon said it; the angel announced it: 

Jesus came to bring peace between God and man...

            ...to those with whom He is well pleased.

Is God well pleased with you???
BELIEVE...

Mark Stinnett
(Revised: December, 2022.)

Is Faith Really Enough???

People in the world of Christianity throw around the words faith and believe quite a lot. “Believe in Jesus and you’ll be saved,” you’ll hear. Or, “All you need is faith in Christ, and everything will be alright.” Is faith really enough?

Emphatically, “Yes”...and…”Absolutely Not.”

To use the word faith without explaining how it is being used is sure to invite confusion. So, let’s first consider the ‘context’ of faith.

Have you ever heard someone ask, “Do you believe in dinosaurs”? More accurately, the question should be worded, “Do you believe that dinosaurs existed?” That is quite different from asking, “Do you believe in Jesus?” 

On the surface belief in Jesus addresses whether a person believes that Jesus of Nazareth was truly the Son of God, a divine being who was born in the flesh and lived a brief time on this earth. But it goes much deeper than the mere belief of the presence of deity in the flesh; it has everything to do with His purpose and whether He accomplished it.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotton Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 
—John 3:16

The purpose of Jesus was not to start an organization or propose a new philosophy of living. Rather, Jesus said that He had “come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:8)

The references to perishing and being lost describe mankind's severed relationship with God. Since God is pure and holy he cannot embrace sinful man; there is no fellowship with man. The Apostle Paul was very blunt:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. 
—Romans 1:18

Faith is a response to the claims of Jesus about salvation, or more specifically, salvation from the wrath of God. Faith is a genuine conviction that Jesus accomplished His purpose; that sinful man does not have to perish; that there is a remedy for sin so that man does not have to experience God’s wrath.

So, faith is first a belief that man exists in a broken relationship with God and is destined to experience God’s wrath, but that Jesus Christ came to mend that broken relationship, and that he succeeded. Faith is about accepting the reality of one’s sin and the need to be saved from the wrath of God. Faith is about the sinner making a faith response to Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

A sinner’s initial faith response mends the broken relationship between the him and God. The Apostle Paul reduces all this to one statement:

Having now been justified by His (Jesus) blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. —Romans 5:9

The text following that statement explains that once a sinner’s relationship with God has been mended, he must adopt a lifestyle in harmony with the character of God. After all, the sinner died to sin when baptized into Christ. At the same time the sinner was raised to “walk in newness of life.” (6:3-4)

So, in reality a sinner is cleansed of sin by grace through faith. Then, having been cleansed of sin he must maintain a relationship with God by faith, that is, by ’walking in newness of life.’ A person begins his walk with Christ in faith, and he continues to walk with Christ in faith through holy living and humble obedience to the word of God. Without continued faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). From beginning to end, it is all about faith.

So, 'Yes,' faith is enough. Faith is all there is.

Yet, faith without humble obedience to God's word is really no faith at all.

Mark Stinnett

How to Shame Your Mother

I’m in the local grocery store after work. My guess is that the other folks in the store are, like me, picking up something for supper. We are not rushing, but we are all in a hurry. Pleasant half-grins as we pass each other in the aisles.

Then it happens; the ear-spitting scream that awakens all of us from our after-work humdrum procession. One aisle over a little 30-inch monster has just cut loose on her mother, screaming for an item she passed by.

I want to throttle the little angel (and then exit quickly). I come around the display at the end of the aisle and enter the aisle of terror.

'Mom' looks like a bomb blew up in her face, a kind of deranged look: frizzled hair, face reddened from embarrassment, eyes about to burst with tears, or just burst. Still wanting to throttle the...
I want to offer to help, but do what?

This wasn’t the first time and it won’t be the last. She is lost in her moment of misery and a kind hug with, “It’ll be all right,” would be a lie.

Sure, kids eventually quit screaming. But only because their voices change and they learn to speak. Then their rebellion takes on a different sound and look. It is foolish to think that the rebellious nature of a child somehow just vanishes over time.

I have never heard anyone bemoan the fact that they had applied proper discipline to their child. My heart is heavy from time to time when I see Christians, believers who claim to honor God and hold to his divine instruction, yet who allow rebellion and disobedience in their home. I wonder why some Christians fail to embrace God’s teaching on the discipline of children. I can assure you that I am not being judgmental. The behavior is out in the open for all to see: open rebellion, open defiance, blatant disobedience; yet no form of discipline follows. If parents wait until ‘experience’ teaches the lesson, it will be far too late.

   The rod and reproof give wisdom, 
   But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.
   --Proverbs 29:15

The ‘rod’ refers to discipline of a physical nature. ‘Reproof’ refers to discipline of a verbal nature.

Years ago a friend of mine quipped, as we both watched his son disobey, "I was just like that when I was his age...but I turned out ok."

Assuming that my friend really was 'OK' (morally, spiritually), who would think that it was his undisciplined disobedience that made him OK? Rather, it would seem that something or someone had intervened to turned him around. A lack of discipline does not breed discipline; disobedience does not produce obedience. A child who gets his own way..."brings shame to his mother."

May God grant Christian parents the courage to...Believe!


Mark Stinnett

I Am Righteous...Are You?

Today's blog is a companion to the previous one entitled: “I Am Not Righteous...Are You?” They are meant to be considered together.

Jesus was described as “One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin,” (Hebrews 4:15) implying that the rest of us are not without sin. The Apostle Paul was more direct: “There is none righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:10)

Among other scriptures, these two tell us that humanity can only be described as evil. In fact, God looked at the world during the time of Noah and observed that “every intent of the thoughts of his (mankind’s) heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5) (I'm not saying that things are that bad today, but you get the idea...man tends toward evil.)

After the Garden of Eden, mankind needed a remedy for sin and unrighteousness. Many religious people have come and gone with ideas for a remedy for sin that are not found in God’s word.

• Saying lots of prayers never undid anyone’s sin and made them righteous.
• Punishing oneself never undid or paid for anyone’s sin and made them righteous.
• Doing lots and lots of good never undid or paid for anyone’s sin and made them righteous. 

Good does not cancel out evil.

Jesus actually did lots and lots of good works, but he never sinned. So, there was no sin in His life to make him unrighteous (evil).

I am thinking about the pure water illustration I used in my previous article. There are only two ways to obtain pure water:

1. Start with water that has never been impure.
2. Remove the impurities of tainted water to make the water pure.

Applied morally, Jesus began pure and was never tainted with sin. All other people, on the other hand, have been tainted with sin. The real problem with sin is that man, left on his own, cannot get rid of it. He cannot purify himself. The only thing he can do is pay for his sin, and the payment is quite steep: Death!

However, mankind is not without hope:

He [God] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

--2 Corinthians 5:21

This verse refers to the sinless Christ bearing the sins of mankind on the cross. The Apostle Peter wrote about souls that are purified through obedience to the truth. He explained purification by referring to one’s rebirth “through the living and enduring word of God” (1 Peter 1:22-23). The Apostle Paul described how the sacrifice of Jesus sanctified His church, “having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word” (Ephesians 5:26). The Apostle John wrote about the individual:

If we confess our sins, He [God] is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness. 

--1 John 1:7

I know that I cannot become righteous by praying a lot, by worshiping every week, by doing good deeds, or by punishing myself (or being punished) for my sins. Nothing can undo sin. Yet, God has promised to purify anyone who makes a proper faith response to Jesus. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you and I can be made clean. And understand this, we are not simply labeled ‘clean’ though tainted with sin. We who are in Christ...ARE TRULY CLEAN. We ARE the righteousness of God through Christ.

Mark Stinnett

I Am Not Righteous; Are You?

You are probably not going to like this blog—I don’t. It is the kind of blog that speaks the truth, but it is nothing anyone wants to hear. In fact, it is so objectionable that some folks will read the next statement and then stop in disagreement and unbelief. I’ll just say it and get it over with.

Humans are evil.

Let me be more specific: I am evil; you are evil; everyone you know is evil.

I did not learn that from my parents. Nor did I learn that from the preacher (when I wasn’t a preacher). I didn’t learn that from my friends or school. I came to that conclusion by studying the Bible.

You should know, however, that God does not hate humanity, not in the Old Testament, not in the New Testament, and not now. You see, I read the entire Book and there’s some really good news. But the fact remains, people are, by nature, evil.

Let me show you from Scripture:

There is none righteous, not even one. 
--Romans 3:10

The Apostle Paul was making the point that all people are tainted with sin and are accountable to God. You can read the verses before and after the verse quoted above and you will see that it has not been taken out of context.

Next, consider the surprising response of Jesus when He was identified as ‘good’:

As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.”
--Mark 10:17-18

Jesus was commenting on the way the man had evaluated Him. We know that Jesus was indeed good. However, the man that called Him ‘Good Teacher’ knew only what he saw externally. He could not see the heart of Jesus. So, Jesus commented on his external evaluation.

That also explains how we commonly evaluate people. We assess their goodness based on the things they say and the things they do. In general, if a person is not hateful in speech; if they are not criminal in their behavior; and if they are known to have done some ‘good’ deeds, then we generally feel comfortable in describing them as good.

Now, for an example for comparison…

Suppose that I have a glass of pure water for you to drink. Then I place one drop (only one small drop) of liquid in the water containing the Ebola virus. Is it still pure? (It was just one drop…would you care for a drink?)

The point is that we (people) are tainted with sin. When we sin, we are no longer pure, no longer good. Doing lots and lots of good does not remove the sin any more than adding lots of water to the glass makes it pure. (How much water should I add before you will drink the tainted water?)

Every time someone defends a sinner for their sin, and identifies them as ‘good’ because they have spoken well or done some good deeds, or even lots of good deeds, they are mistaken. Unless a person has been purified so that there is no sin, he/she cannot claim to be good or righteous.

Jesus was described as “One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He was like us (human), but different (sinless). What does that tell you about “us”?

We have ‘all’ sinned; we ‘all’ need a savior.

(more next week)

Mark Stinnett

Do You 'Love' Jesus?

I don’t know what you expect to read in a blog entitled “Do You ‘Love’ Jesus?"

There is quite a lot of paper and ink (and pixels) devoted to the biblical meaning of love. Perhaps you have heard/read material that distinguishes between different Greek terms for love in the New Testament: agape (pronounced: a-GOP-ay) and philos (pronounced: PHEE-los). Don’t worry, I’m not planning to go ‘Greeky’ on you, but it is a good idea to understand something about these words. After all, they are not exact synonyms but they are both translated into English as love. (What's up with that?)

Agape is sometimes referred to as a God-type of love. There is nothing wrong with that, but perhaps the following verses provide clarity:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…. 
—John 3:16

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.
—1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Some folks like to completely squeeze emotion out of agape. That is a mistake and not true to its usage. Yet, agape is not rooted in emotion (or intellect), but rather selflessness and self-sacrifice.

A good English word for philos is affection.

Oddly, the ‘kiss’ of Judas was literally, philos. When Jesus said, “He who loves father and mother more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37), ‘love’ is philos (affection).

Jesus rebuked the hypocrites who loved (philos) to be seen praying in public (Matthew 6:5); also those who loved (philos) the places of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogue (Matthew 23:6).

However, did you know that God loves (philos)?

The Father loves the Son. 
—John 5:20

The Father himself loves you because you have loved Me and have believed…. 
—John 16:27

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline….
—Revelation 3:19

The 'love' word In each of the verses above is philos (affection). How does that strike you that God has affection for Jesus!? God had an emotional attachment to Jesus just like any father would have for his son. He has an emotional attachment to all of his children.

But that's not all. Take a look at this...

If anyone does not love [philos] the Lord, he is to be accursed.
—1 Corinthians 16:22

Christians are to have affection for Jesus. Our love is incomplete without true affection and an emotional attachment to Jesus. We ought to anticipate eternal life with God with the same anticipation as going to Grandma’s house or going on one’s absolute favorite vacation...only far, far more. God is eagerly awaiting your arrival!

Christianity is not a philosophy that people adopt intellectually as if to say, “I prefer the ideas and teachings of Jesus more than those taught by Confucius, or Mohammed (Islam) or the pleasure-seeking lifestyle of hedonism.” Rather, central to Christianity is relationship. Jesus came to repair the broken relationship between God and man, not to organize something, not make arbitrary rules for living.

Organization and rules help our families run smoothly, but families are not built around rules. Families are based on relationships. The same is true of God and His family. God loves you (agape); and God loves you (philos).

Do you love Jesus, and love Him too?

Mark Stinnett

Did Jesus Ever Judge?

A woman who had committed adultery was brought to Jesus. Her accusers were trying to trap Jesus. The sentence under the Law of Moses was stoning. What would Jesus do? He openly said that he did not judge her. (John 8)

There is a terrible misunderstanding in our culture regarding ‘judgment.’ The example above is often used to rebuke Christians who appeal to the Scriptures regarding the immoral behaviors and lifestyles of many in our society. Unfortunately, the passage is misused. Jesus did not justify sin just because he did not judge her.

The problem is tricky, partly because of the broad usage of the term ‘judge’ in the New Testament. The core meaning of the Greek term for ‘judge’ was: to separate. It was the idea of distinguishing between things. It could even describe the activity of organizing things (e.g. separating forks, knives and spoons in your silverware drawer—judging your silverware; a little silly, but accurate). Of course we are more accustomed to thinking in terms of legal or moral judgment, that is, distinguishing between legal and illegal, or between moral good and evil.

I think people are easily offended in our society. So, the banner cries of “Tolerance” and “You can’t judge me” are often used to squelch descriptions of behaviors and lifestyles described in the Bible as immoral, evil or ungodly. That’s right, the Bible does make distinctions, not for the purpose of devaluing people, but for the purpose of instruction. That is the only way people will understand how to make a proper response to God in their lives. Now, consider a few verses from the Bible…

For God did not send the Son (Jesus) into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
—John 3:17

For not even the Father (God) judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son (Jesus)…. 
—John 5:22

He who rejects Me (Jesus) and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. 
—John 12:48

So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
—Hebrews 9:28

What does it all mean?

Jesus was first sent to deal with man’s sin problem by offering Himself as a sacrifice in place of sinners. (God demands payment for sin.) Yet, every person must make a response to this incredible gift...

He who hears My (Jesus) word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. 
—John 5:24

A person who does not make a proper faith response to Jesus WILL be judged, specifically by the words of Jesus. So, when Jesus returns, He will not come “in reference to sin,” that is, to deal with the sin problem of mankind. Rather, He will judge (distinguish/separate) between those who have made a proper faith response to Him and those who have not.

As for the adulterous woman that Jesus encountered (John 8); Jesus explicitly told her, “Go and sin no more.” So, while he did not judge (condemn) her at that moment, he most certainly distinguished her behavior as sinful and unacceptable to God. Then, from that point forward she had to decide whether she would follow Jesus or continue her lifestyle of sin and in the end be judged by the words of Jesus.

Mark Stinnett

Listen, but Do Not Follow (No. 2)

Jesus told his disciples one of the oddest thing I have ever read.

“Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach.” 
—Matthew 23:3 (The NET Bible)

That’s how I feel when I hear some of the voices of our day.

One of the banner cries of our current society is, “Tolerance.” Did you know that tolerance is taught in the Bible? It is an attribute of love. Let me explain:

The Apostle Paul instructed Christians:

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. 
—Romans 15:1-2 (NASB95)

The simple point is that Christians are at different levels of maturity in their faith. Each one should bear with (tolerate) those who are weaker. More specifically, the word ‘bear’ means to 'help carry the load.' Our task is to help, not just tolerate. (See also Galatians 6:12.)

What about our relationship to those who are not Christians?

If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 
—Romans 12:18

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 
—Philippians 4:5

These two verses encourage Christians to treat ALL people, Christians and non-Christians with a spirit of gentleness and with the goal of peace. That certainly involves a tolerant attitude. More specifically, aggressive attitudes that promote anger and encourage verbal or physical combat are not a part of the Christian life.

However…

• Jesus condemned anger (and murder); lust (and adultery); mistreatment of wives; deceit; personal vengeance; and hate (Matthew 5). 
• Jesus condemned hypocrisy (Matthew 6 & 23). 
• Jesus told the woman who had been publicly humiliated for her adultery to stop sinning (John 8). 
• The Apostle Paul rebuked the Christians in Corinth for tolerating an immoral man (1 Corinthians 5). 

Jesus and the New Testament writers clearly stood for love of mankind by promoting: peace, help for the needy, justice for all people, etc. Yet, they also stood strongly for the love of God through lives devoted to God in holiness, godly (God-like) behavior, and moral purity as defined by God. Jesus and His disciples never taught the tolerance of sin, as if to say, ”Let’s just close our eyes to sin, and it will be alright.”

What is all this about???

There are many voices of our day crying, “Tolerance,” claiming that they are echoing the teaching of Jesus. Some who advocate today’s tolerance teaching misapply the love of Jesus to the point that wrong is right, moral impurity is good, and a stance against sin is considered bad or hateful. There are some who use ‘tolerance’ to defend their own personal moral choices and lifestyle which are condemned in Scripture. Then, when someone points out the simple teaching of the Bible, they spew the venom of intolerance and cry out, “You can’t judge me!”

Things can get really confusing, unless...

When people speak the truth I can listen, but I will only follow Jesus. How can I discern truth?

My Bible is completely open...is yours?

Mark Stinnett

Listen, But Do Not Follow

Jesus told his disciples one of the oddest things I have ever read.

“Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach.”
—Matthew 23:3 (The NET Bible)

That’s how I feel when I hear some of the voices of our day.

One of the banner cries of our current society is, “Do not judge.” That happens to be a teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. Unfortunately, the meaning of this simple teaching is often misunderstood. Let me illustrate:

I was a public school teacher for a number of years. Can you believe that one of my students had the audacity to call me ‘teacher’? I shot back, “You can’t judge me!”

OK. That was sarcastic. Why would a teacher object to being called a teacher?

My point is that my student actually ‘judged’ me. At its heart, 'to judge' is to distinguish between things. My student judged me correctly by calling me a teacher. She distinguished me from a carpenter, a banker or other career choices. She identified me as a teacher.

One aspect of judging is that of identification.

Another aspect of judging is that of evaluation. As an example, another student parroted his dad, “Those who can do; those who can’t teach.” His quip was an assessment of those who enter into the teaching profession as being lesser than those who produce things. He had devalued teachers for not producing tangible, quantifiable things.

When Jesus warned, “Judge not so that you be not judged,” he was targeting the kind of judgment that evaluates others. How do I know?

Answer: By reading the whole text.

Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For by the standard you judge you will be judged and the measure you use will be the measure you receive. 
—Matthew 7:1-2 (The NET Bible)

Jesus’ instruction was about using standards to evaluate, not identification. So, what do we learn?

First, there is nothing wrong with identifying people according to obvious categories of distinction: Tall, Hispanic, rich, male, teacher, homosexual, murderer. It is perfectly fine to identify a teacher as a teacher; likewise, a juggler, gambler, athlete, or adulterer. In fact, it is not wrong to say that murder is morally wrong according to the Bible, because that is a factual biblical teaching. That does not assign less value to a murderer as a person, but it does identify the murderer as immoral (at least, according to the Bible).

Second, it IS wrong (according to Jesus) to evaluate people using an arbitrary personal standard. We should not look down on others for their choices, even if their choices are considered immoral by Jesus and the Bible. 

What is all this about???

There are many voices of our day crying out, “Do not judge me,” claiming that they are echoing the teaching of Jesus, yet they misuse His words. They identify themselves with Christianity while making obvious choices that conflict with the Bible. Then they defame anyone who points out their inconsistency by accusing them of being judgmental. Jesus called that hypocrisy.

So, when people speak the truth I will listen, but when they conflict with truth, I will not follow. How can I discern truth?

My Bible is completely open...is yours?

Mark Stinnett

Look! Look! Look!

Kids are so funny!

I'll bet you did it; I did too; and so did my kids.

"Look, daddy, watch this! Look!"

Children crave the attention of their parents.

They want the hugs and kisses. They want the treats and gifts. Without even a thought, they want a warm bed, good meals, and adequate clothing...and they desperately want attention.

Children want their parents to see their achievements whether it is balancing on one foot, coasting on their bike with no hands, jumping off the 'third' step, or flying (laying belly-down in a swing). "Look, mommy, I'm flying!"

Kids figure out how to make us turn and look. If we are uninterested in their balancing act, jumping, and flying, they might even try an assortment of misbehaviors. (Subconsciously: "That'll make him look up from his phone!") The fact remains, they want our attention and they will find a way.

Have you ever thought of yourself as a little child desiring God's attention? Have you ever felt a craving for God to turn and look your way, just wanting to know that he has noticed you? I think we intuitively understand that securing God's attention is good and beneficial. We know in that moment that we are accepted.

There was a famous 'governor' of Jerusalem who craved God's attention. It was a difficult time for the Jews. The people had returned to Jerusalem after being captive in the land of Babylon for 70 years. They had rebuilt the city, but her walls were still unfinished making the people vulnerable to their enemies.

Nehemiah, the city's governor, took charge and led the people in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. He was an unusual leader in that he did not demand the governor's food allowance but shared with the people. He was not arrogant when he prayed:

     Remember me, O my God, for good
     according to all that I have done for this people.
   --Nehemiah 5:19

Though a grown man and a great leader, Nehemiah approached God as if a little child, "Look! See what I have done."

To gain God's attention is a thrilling thought. He is far superior to kings and dignitaries; far superior to men and women of wealth; far superior to men and women of power...far superior to anything created.
God...Creator!

Call out all you want, "Look, God, Look!"; there is a way to get His attention. You will find it to be an almost 'knee-jerk' reaction from God. He tells us how to draw His attention, how to make Him turn and look:

     But to this one I will look,
     To him who is humble and contrite of spirit,
     And who trembles at My Word.
     --Isaiah 66:2

Mark Stinnett

Which of Jesus' Teachings Do You Follow?

“When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”
—Matthew 7:28-29

This description followed what we call ‘The Sermon on the Mount.’ There were similar reactions to Jesus' teachings later on.

For example...
Just a couple of days before the crucifixion of Jesus His religious opponents attacked Him with everything they had. The Pharisees plotted together to trap Jesus in what he said by putting Him in a politically awkward position. After Jesus’ had wisely responded…

“And hearing this, they were amazed….” 
—Matthew 22:22

Then the Sadducees posed a question, more of a riddle. They intended to embarrass Jesus with an impossible theological conundrum. Again He answered wisely.

“When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.”
—Matthew 22:33

The Pharisees challenged Jesus again, and once again He answered them. Then, He asked them a question regarding their interpretation of Scripture.

“No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.” 
—Matthew 22:46

(Some have called Jesus the Master Teacher, and rightfully so.)

Then, in the very next verse, or more accurately, in the very next breath, Jesus began to warn His disciples AND the crowds about the scribes and Pharisees. He publicly humiliated them, labeling them as hypocrites!

That’s right. In Matthew 23 Jesus pointed out the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees (the teachers of the people) and warned folks not to follow their example. Jesus was not guilty of name-calling. Yet, many in our current society would ‘crucify’ a person for lashing out in judgment like that! (They misunderstand.)

People today love the teachings of Jesus when He says, “Love one another”; when He tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan; the Beatitudes; when He says, “I will give you rest.”

However, some people cannot tolerate the strong stance of Jesus against sin:

• Anger brings guilt just like murder.
• Lusting for a woman is sinful.
• Divorce is almost always wrong.
• Lying is wrong (all the time).
• Retaliation is not God’s way.
• If you refuse to forgive another person, God will not forgive you.
• Religious activity is meaningless without a sincere heart.

These are some of the moral and ethical teachings of Jesus also found in the Sermon on the Mount.

The Master Teacher who amazed the crowds and taught love ALSO preached repentance saying that without upright, moral living “you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus even warned that there would be many who would claim to be His followers, who would claim to have done good deeds in His name, yet who practiced unrighteousness. We must embrace all that Jesus did and all that He taught.

Enter through the narrow gate...for the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. 
—Matthew 7:13-14

Mark Stinnett

How Important Is The Truth To You?

A coworker of mine once quipped, “You have your truth; I have my truth.” Translation: You can believe whatever you want and that belief will be what you call truth. Or said another way: “I am comfortable with the way I see things, so don’t be surprised when I don’t agree with the facts.” She wasn’t really interested in truth.

One man sighed, “What is truth?” That happened to be Pilate, the Roman governor who sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion. Perhaps he had been interested in truth at one time, but on the day that he questioned Jesus, Pilate despaired at the notion of the existence of truth.

Another man’s reaction to truth was rage! King Asa of ancient Judah made a treaty with a foreign king. (Isn’t that what kings are supposed to do? Well...NO! Not if you are the king of the people of God. You are supposed to consult God, trust in God.) So, God sent a seer (kind of like a prophet) with a message of rebuke to King Asa for his ill advised alliance. The king threw a fit and had the seer thrown in prison. Clearly, the king was not interested in truth.

Would you like for me to tell you a lie!?
Of course not!

Nor would I want you to lie to me; no white lies, no bending the truth, no bold-face lies, no deceptions. NO ONE wants to be lied to...
...yet...sometimes the truth is really brutal. Sometimes we want nice news; we want to hear what we like...or what we already believe…so badly, that we prefer a lie over the truth.

It happens in politics all the time. Some politicians will promise anything just to get elected. What if your doctor conducted his practice like a lying politician? What if he only told you what you wanted to hear: "You’re doing grrrreat!"? No one wants news of failing health; yet we KNOW that we will only benefit from the truth.

People hate it when others lie to them, but under the right circumstances, under pressure, many are tempted to lie...and give in.

How important is ‘truth’?

The Apostle Paul visited a congregation of God’s people who were known for their love for the truth. In fact, they accepted the preaching of Paul AND they were “examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11) You might call the believers from Berea ‘Truth Seekers.’ They verified what Paul said by going to the Scripture.

When Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32), many of those listening stumbled over the word ‘free.’ They started talking about never being enslaved. They completely missed ‘the truth’ part of what Jesus said. Jesus concluded a moment later that “My word has no place in you,” meaning, they had no real interest in truth. They were so angry with the teachings of Jesus that they wanted to kill him. They actually wanted to kill Him!!! Yet Jesus was presenting to them the truth which He had received from God.

There are a lot of people today, religious people, who talk about God, who praise Jesus, who claim to follow Jesus. Yet, in reality, they are simply re-labeling what they are already doing as ’discipleship.’ They are re-labeling what they already believe as ’the truth.’ But Jesus said:

“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.” 
--John 8:31

What is your source for truth: God or Man? How do make decisions concerning your marriage, rearing children, your career, caring for aging parents, your congregation, your life?

Truth assures life! 

Open The Book!

Mark Stinnett

Are You a Member of 'The Church of the Church'?

Americans, in general, do not know much about royalty, at least not from personal experience. So, I’m not sure how it sounds to you that a royal prince would dethrone his father to assume power as king. It is not necessarily unheard of, but that is not how things are supposed to go.

Yet, it just so happened that the most beloved king of Israel was temporarily dethroned by one of his sons. King David angered his son Absalom when he took no action to bring justice in a sinful situation involving Absalom’s blood sister. From that point forward, Absalom, his son, was filled with anger and hatred toward David.

When it was clear to King David that Absalom had won the favor of Israel, he fled Jerusalem to save is family and the people of the city. Then Absalom and his followers entered Jerusalem and he assumed the throne.

Absalom immediately asked, “Give your advice. What shall we do?” He was advised to send an army in pursuit of his father. He was assured that there would be peace in the land when the army returned victorious.

So the plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
-- 2 Samuel 17:4

How does that strike you? Did you know that Absalom’s chief adviser was also King David’s chief adviser? Had the elders of Israel not been among those who cheered the victories of King David as he defeated Israel’s enemies?

It is true that Absalom had been manipulative, but it pleased the people to dethroned David and set Absalom in his place.

• Absalom was not God’s anointed.
• His chief advisor did not consult with God.
• A sympathizer of King Saul mocked King David as he fled Jerusalem saying that God was behind it all. Yet, God was not.

When people rule God’s people, things always go very badly. Whether it was God’s chosen people in the Old Testament, Israel, or God’s chosen people today, the church, God is the true ruler of His people. The church of God must never be ruled by the church (the people).

God used men as prophets, priests, and kings to lead his people. Yet, Moses led by the voice and will of God. Gideon would not allow the people to make him king. David, God's anointed, always consulted God. Even when God first allowed a king over Israel, He knew that Israel had rejected Him as King!

In the ‘new Israel,’ God’s church today, He has provided roles of leadership: elders (pastors), deacons, preachers and teachers. However, Jesus Christ is the Head of the church and there is none other (Colossians 2:8-10). Even the great Apostle Peter referred to himself as a ‘fellow elder’ and Jesus as the ‘Chief Shepherd’ (1 Peter 5:1, 4). He held no position in a church hierarchy.

Many voices in God’s church today advocate change. Others are ready to fight to preserve the old ways. Who is right? Does it matter?

Whenever you hear voices promoting change which mirrors changes in American society, is that from God or man? If the majority voice insists on no change, but only to appease, is that from God or man? The church of God is a monarchy with Christ as King. We please the King.

Near the beginning of the Book of Revelation Jesus rebuked a church for being too conservative, for lacking love (2:1-7). He rebuked another church for being too tolerant (progressive) (2:18-29). What would he say to your congregation? Is your congregation just another self-ruled, please-the-people ‘Church of the Church’? 

The only way to answer is with an open Bible! 

What is the church? 

Open the Book! 

Read...

Think.

Mark Stinnett 

End Time Prophecy -- 09/23/2017 ???

This is the one-year anniversary of September 23, 2017.

That date might not ring a bell, but there was quite a flurry of activity on the Internet a year ago about a date that would usher in the 'beginning' of the end times. Today, on the anniversary of that date, I wanted to re-post my blog from a year ago that addressed how we (Christians) are to understand biblical teachings regarding the 'end of time' in light of the unending predictions that litter social media and other news outlets.

*** Reposted from September 25, 2017 (edited). ***

_______________________

Last Saturday, September 23, 2017, was, according to many prognosticators, a very significant day for Christianity. I personally found no one predicting the ‘end of the world,’ but rather, a grand event that would mark the ‘beginning’ of the end times. (If you missed all the hub-bub just look it up on the Internet.) 

One preacher claimed that the biblical statement that ‘no one knows the day and hour’ was about the end of the world, but applied only to people before Jesus ascended to heaven. He went on to say that anyone who disagreed with him was a scoffer.

So, how do people come up with specific dates like this?
Well, as one author put it, there are many ways to misinterpret the Bible. So, instead of trying to identify and untangle potential misinterpretations, why not just take a careful look at Scripture?

There are many claims being made these days concerning the 'end times.' Let’s consider two recent claims:

• Christians can figure out specific dates on which prophesied events from the Bible concerning the end of time will be fulfilled.
• September 23, 2017 marked the appearance of a sign that is found in Revelation 14, and that relates to our future (i.e. the end of the world).

1. Let's begin with Jesus' statement about 'the day and hour.' It is true; Jesus did warn the people of his day saying:

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. (Matthew 24:36)

What did He mean by that?
Luke recorded the exact same occasion in his gospel account. Comparing the accounts of Matthew and Luke is illuminating. And why is that?

• Matthew primarily targeted a Jewish audience who would understand Jewish terminology.
• Luke primarily targeted a non-Jewish (Gentile) audience using non-Jewish terminology that his audience would better understand.

So, Luke's record ‘decodes’ the Jewish terminology used by Matthew on the same occasion as the verse quoted above.

Matthew recorded Jesus saying that a future event would be marked by the "abomination of desolation." More specifically, He told his listeners to literally run to the mountains “when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet….” (Matthew 24:15)

Luke, decoded the words of Jesus for his non-Jewish audience, “when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is at hand.” (Luke 21:20)

The Roman army surrounded Jerusalem and laid siege to it ultimately ending with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. So, the 'abomination of desolation' was a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem and it took place in the lifetime of those listening to Jesus on that day. It is understandable then why Jesus also said:

This generation will not pass away until all these things take place. (Matthew 24:34)

So, Jesus’ statement in Matthew 24 about 'no one knowing the day and hour' applied specifically to the destruction of Jerusalem. And while no one knew the specific day and hour in advance, Jesus gave the people a warning sign that they could recognize.

So, is it possible that later Christians can figure out the ‘day and time’ of the end of the world?

Short answer: No.
Consider the following verse as explanation:

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10)

This verse is clearly refers to the end of the world in which everything will be burned up. The Apostle Peter wrote this to a Christian audience well after the ascension of Jesus into heaven. So, no one can claim that the teaching applied only to those at the time of Jesus. And whether God revealed the end of time date to the ascended Jesus, as some claim, is immaterial. Peter said the time will "come like a thief," meaning, a time that is unknown. 

Peter's statement applies equally to Christians today. So, the conclusion that Christians today can accurately calculate the date of 'end time activities' or the specific date of the 'end of the world' is based on speculative human reasoning and conflicts with scripture.

2. What about the Book of Revelation and the great sign of 09/23/2017?

Let's look at a few statements made at the beginning and end of the Book of Revelation.

At the beginning of the Book of Revelation John was instructed by an angel to write what he was told. At times he recorded the actual words of the resurrected/ascended Jesus. The following things were revealed to John at the beginning of the book:

• The things revealed in the book “must shortly take place.” (1:1)
• Blessed are the ones who read and heed the writing, “for the time is near.” (1:3) [So, the 1st Century reader was expected to read and respond to the things written.]

The following things were revealed to John at the end of the book:

• An angel was sent to show John “the things which must shortly take place.” (22:6)
• Jesus explicitly said to John, “And behold, I am coming quickly.” (22:7)
• John was told to NOT seal up (conceal, hide) the message of the book, “for the time is near.” (22:10)

These statements form what you might call 'bookends' to the entire revelation that John received...and what do they reveal?
Whatever people think about the prophetic imagery in the book of Revelation, John and his readers understood the message to be for them, in their time. So, from our perspective today, the events referenced in the Book of Revelation are history.

Conclusion:

Christians should anticipate the return of Jesus with readiness. That means that they must remain faithful to Jesus and follow His word continually. Then, whenever He returns, they will not be caught off guard and unprepared.

Spending time calculating the end of time is futile. In fact, when predictions fail, it teaches non-believers to stop listening to the message of the Bible! 

The gospel message on the lips of a true disciple is a much better message to non-believers than subjective predictions that breed contempt and, ultimately, unbelief!

Mark Stinnett