And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. ~ Acts 19:1-6

In the reference above we read that Paul found certain disciples when he came into Ephesus. The text seems pretty explanatory that these were disciples of Jesus because Paul asks them if they had received the Holy Ghost since they believed. They were believers, and disciples of Jesus, but they recieved the Holy Spirit after being baptized in the name of Jesus, and having Paul’s hands laid on them.

Now, there are a lot of people who oppose the baptism of the Holy Spirit because they claim that you receive the Holy Spirit when you are saved and that there is no baptism of the Holy Spirit that follows salvation. Of course, it is true that we receive the Spirit of the Lord when we are saved, because the scripture says, “if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

However, if there is no second blessing (a baptism with the Holy Spirit) that is subsequent to salvation then what do we make of Paul’s question and his interaction with these disciples of Jesus?

Paul asks them Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? Paul does not ask them if they believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, nor does he ask them did they received the Spirit of God when they believed? Paul asked if they had received the Holy Spirit since they believed?

What in Paul’s doctrine would make him ask such a question? If there is no subsequent blessing of the Holy Spirit after our conversion, why would Paul ask such a question.

The way this question is worded, ought to be an indicator to us that Paul believed there was a blessing of God’s Spirit to be received after we believe. This becomes more evident when we see that it was after Paul laid his hands on them that the Holy Ghost came on them.  

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Was anyone, anywhere, ever saved in scripture by having hands laid on them? No! Salvation comes through believing, but we see in the book of Acts that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of hands. Consider the following from the 8th chapter of Acts.

But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. ~ Acts 8:12-17

I want you to notice that in this section of scripture that the people of Samaria believed the gospel that Philip preached and were baptized. That is by definition, a conversion, and we would call them saved if that happened today, in our time. Would we not? Yes we would.

Now, I want you to notice how the apostles at Jerusalem responded to the news that the Samaritans had received the word of God. They did not get a head count so they could report to their district leaders how many decisions had been made and how many had been baptized by Philip. Instead, they sent Peter and John to them, to pray for them and lay hands on them to receive the Holy Ghost.

Someone might argue that this was a blessing isolated to the apostles ministry, because this blessing was given when the apostles laid hands on the people. Well, that argument fails when we consider that God sent a disciple named Ananias, to lay his hands on Paul and and pray for him, which resulted in Paul being filled with the Holy Spirit.

And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. ~ Acts 9:17

Notice that Ananias refers to Saul (Paul) as Brother Saul. The story of Paul’s conversion experience seems to indicate that his conversion took place while on the road to Damascus, when he was blinded by the brightness of the Lord’s glory, at which time he surrendered to Jesus. Later, when Jesus instructed Ananias to go to Paul, Jesus told Ananias that Paul was a chosen vessel for him. Ananias was sent by Jesus to lay hands on Paul and pray for him so that he might receive his sight again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Take note of the language of the scripture, Ananias was sent so that Paul might be filled with the Holy Spirit. This filling of the Holy Spirit is consistent with what we read in Acts 8 and in Acts 19. In all three instances the Holy Ghost was specifically received, and in all three instances the Holy Spirit was received through the laying on of hands ( the writer of Hebrews refers to the laying on of hands as one of the foundational doctrines of Christ), and in all three instances those who received the Holy Ghost had already been saved.

No one can receive salvation by someone laying hands on them. Salvation comes through believing that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, but there is an experience that is subsequent to salvation that was ministered to believers in the book of Acts called receiving the Holy Spirit. All evidence leads us to believe that this experience is what John the Baptist, and Jesus referred to as being baptized with the Holy Spirit. 

Back in 1985/86, I had a friend who desired to receive the gift of speaking in tongues. He had been prayed for, but with no success. I will never forget when I prayed with him at the altar. He was trying so hard to receive the gift of tongues. I instructed him to not focus on tongues, but focus on receiving the Holy Spirit (i.e., the baptism of the Holy Spirit), he did, and guess what happened next?

The gift of tongues as well as all the gifts follow the baptism of the Holy Ghost. This second blessing (the blessing of Pentecost), belongs to every believer, and I can testify that the baptism of the Holy Spirit will enrich your life tremendously. We all have the Spirit of the Lord in a measure through the new birth in Christ, but God’s plan is to fill us to overflowing with the Holy Ghost. That is where we will find power, and joy in the Lord to live daily in his presence.

If you would like to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, go to God in prayer and humbly ask him to baptize you with his Holy Spirit, until you are filled to overflowing with His Spirit in your life. And don’t allow anyone to steal this blessing from you, and if you are a believer who has been baptized in the Holy Spirit but you need another infilling of God’s Spirit may this article provoke you as well to kneel before your Heavenly Father in prayer and seek a fresh infilling of his Spirit until you overflow with his good presence.

May God be with all of you who love the Lord in sincerity and truth!

There is a right way to correct error, and I am bothered more and more by what I see from some Christians who make videos “exposing” false teachers. Last night I came across three ministers critiquing the preaching of another minister. Now, I am no fan of the minister they were critiquing, but in the clip I watched there was absolutely nothing that I heard that would have given me pause from a doctrinal standpoint.

I watched as these 3 ministers sit in judgment of this person’s teaching, even though what he was saying is actually a scriptural truth that can be clearly seen throughout the Bible. One of them in particular came across as haughty and arrogant by the smirk on his face, as if he was looking down on this person being critiqued. That really upset me, because that is not how you do it. Such attitudes do not represent the Lord. If you are going to refute false teachers, at least have some awareness of the fear of the Lord in your presentation, knowing that you yourself could fall into error. Paul exhorted the Corinthians, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

The minister being critiqued was teaching regarding Psalm 91 (abiding in the Shadow of the Almighty), and in the clip they presented in their video they had an issue with him pointing out the promise of God in verse 15, He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

That sounds like a wonderful promise if you ask me. And it is!

The minister was emphasizing that when we abide in God’s presence, God promises that he will answer when we call on him. And they had a problem with that?!

Yep, they did, even though the scriptures have much to say along these lines, and there are many texts in the scriptures which speak of God hearing the prayers of his people who please him, and not hearing the prayers of others who rebel against him.

The Psalmist says, But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him. ~ Psalm 4:3

To the backslidden nation of Israel In Isaiah’s day, God said, when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. ~ Isaiah 1:15 

In 1 Peter we read, For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. ~ 1 Peter 3:12 .

The apostle John tells us, this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us:  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. ~ 1 John 5:14-15

Many more texts could be given, but anyone who just reads these scriptures ought to know that God hears some people because their hearts are towards God, and He refuses to hear others because of their wickedness. This can be easily understood from Isaiah’s words to his rebellious kinsmen in chapter 59.

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. ~ Isaiah 59:2

When God pronounced judgment on Judah, he said to Jeremiah,  pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble. ~ Jeremiah 11:14

There are so many texts that directly address this topic. Yet one of the ministers among the three decided that the minister who cited the text from Psalm 91 was attacking the omnipresence of God and the omniscience of God. He actually used that terminology (attacking) even though God chooses to hear the prayers of some, such as the righteous, the oppressed, the humble, etc., and not hear the prayers of the others like the proud and haughty. This is the clear teaching of scripture.

Now in closing, let me say that even though I am not a fan of the minister that these three were critiquing, I was provoked to defend the truth of God, and what he was saying was correct and they were wrong in their evaluation of him in that clip.

There is such a beauty in the truth that we have the promises of a God who hears us when we call on him. We also have the warnings that God resists the proud and turns his face from them. Pride is a sin that we all need to be on guard against and not allow to move us from the godly fear that we are called to walk in.

The irony of this, is that these three ministers (at least a couple of them) seemed to sit in the seat of arrogance critiquing what the  minister had said, even though what he had said was what God’s word reveals. That was bothersome.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. ~ Psalm 1:1-3

Do things the right way, or don’t do them at all.

From time to time certain things I hear will rub me the wrong way. That happened tonight as I heard an online preacher who seems to be running a multi-level marketing scheme, connect his good fortune in life to when he was radically saved.

Now, in the past I have heard others use this expression but it bothered me tonight, probably because I was of the frame of mind that this fellow may not even be truly born again. I will leave that to the Lord to decide, but using terminology like radically saved does seem to be self promoting if you ask me.

All who are saved are saved by the grace and mercy of God, and the moment you describe your salvation in a way that doesn’t align with how all are saved (by the grace and mercy of God) something’s a-miss in your understanding of what salvation is all about.

In the New Testament the apostle Paul (formerly Saul of Tarsus) had an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ in which he was blinded by the glory of the Lord. Paul immediately surrendered to the Lord and became a servant of Christ. In the New Testament Paul speaks of his salvation numerous times and never once does he use such hyper descriptions such as radically saved, to describe what happened. Paul always boasts in the grace and mercy of God. Here is one example:

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. ~ 1 Timothy 1:12-16

It would serve us well to guard against self promotion and learn to recognize it when it comes to the things of the Lord. Without the grace and mercy which is found in Christ Jesus, we would all be lost in our sins. It doesn’t matter if you were a drug dealer or a choir boy, we are all saved by the same power, and that is through God’s glorious grace.

May God give us all understanding.

The young and unseasoned in grace like to see themselves as more than they actually are. They like to see themselves as apostles or prophets, because these are special callings and if there were a title that superseded that of apostle, their desire for self promotion would lust for that title. Such was the case with the title Bishop in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Pastor wasn’t good enough, the title bishop had more shine to it.

These titles aren’t often a reflection of the call of God on a person’s life, but a reflection of their cry for relevance or quest for notoriety. The fruit is not that of a deep sense of surrender to the Living Christ, but their own fame and popularity. If someone were truly called to such a ministry, their would be a tendency not to promote themselves as such.

In Ephesians, Paul refers to himself as, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles… (3:1), 
As qualified as Paul was, he never once referred to himself as an apostle to the Jews. Though an apostle indeed, Paul never took it upon himself to boast as an apostle to his Jewish brethren. Paul did preach the gospel to the Jews, but his apostleship was limited to the Gentiles. Furthermore, Paul did not see his apostleship as something for promoting himself, but an as a prisoner arrested for Christ’s sake among the Gentiles.

Being a Jewish scholar, Paul was actually overqualified to be a minister to the Gentiles. Thus Paul had to rely on the grace of God to fulfill his calling to the Gentiles.

The sad truth is, many who refer to themselves as apostles or prophets have no real understanding as to what either ministry was about within the pages of the scriptures. For many, the title apostle or prophet is an opportunity to advance themselves. If they truly understood that as an apostle, they would be called as a missionary, and possibly called to a poor nation where they would have to work and minister to the people without any fame, many of them would never desire such a calling, True apostleship is not in them, to promote themselves is.

You cannot be an apostle, and pursue being a wealthy or celebrity preacher, which is what many of them are actually seeking after. The calling of an apostle is a call to a humble lifestyle without pomp and fame.

For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. ~ The Apostle Paul

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? ~ 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

Maybe you have never considered what I am about to tell you but it is important to know. According to Paul’s own words, this epistle which we refer to as 1 Corinthians, is spiritual milk and not meat. When I consider this in view of the theological gymnastics that some folks employ to discredit the spiritual gifts which Paul expounds on in 1 Corinthians 12-14, it truly is telling of the state of carnality within the modern day church. 

I recently watched a clip of a well known minister that some of you would recognize if I mentioned his name. He claimed that when Paul says, “he that speaks in an unknown tongue, speaks not unto men, but unto God” that Paul is referring to pagan false gods that the Corinthians once worshipped.

This is disturbing because there is absolutely nothing within the context of 1 Corinthians 12-14 that would lead any reader to reach such a conclusion. Even though 1 Corinthians 12-14 (which expounds on the gifts of the Spirit) is written in such an elementary way, this minister chooses to read it through the lens of his reformed theological indoctrination.

If your reformed theology won’t allow you to understand and receive the milk of God’s Word, your reformed theology needs reforming. If I sound a little perturbed, it’s because I am. I am sick of all the efforts by some to “expose” others while they themselves get away with embalming their listeners with unbelief.

This same minister refers to the gifts of the Spirit as apostlic sign gifts, which authenticated the ministry of the apostles. Yet, Paul explains the gifts of the Spirit as gifts that are distributed within the body of Christ to each member as the Spirit wills, and he does so in very simplistic terms, like that of feeding milk to a baby.

There is absolutely no excuse for any minister (who ought to be spiritual) to make such confusion of what is said in such simplistic terms in the New Testament. An unbeliever with good reading and comprehension skills could tell you that Paul is addressing the proper use of the gifts within the body of Christ (the church) and correcting the misuse and abuses of the same, especially tongues.

The Corinthians were carnal believers with envy, strife, and divisions among them and we ought to understand that if carnal believers in Paul’s time could misuse the gifts so can carnal believers in our day. There is a bigger problem within the Western church than false teachers, and that problem is carnality. Such carnality runs rampant among those who believe in the gifts, but it also seems to run rampant among many who want to expose the errors of others.

In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul says that tongues serves as a sign to the unbeliever. What exactly does he mean?

I recently heard someone attempt to explain this. They said that if they were to travel to Japan and began to speak to someone in Japanese about the truths of God, the person to whom they were speaking would know it was supernatural because he does not know Japanese.

Now, this is a terrible take if you ask me. Allow me to explain why.

If the person who gave this example were to travel to Japan and speak to someone there in Japanese, the hearer certainly would not think it was supernatural simply because he spoke the language. They would likely think he knows how to speak Japanese. In Acts 21 when Paul spoke Greek, it got the chief captain’s attention, but he didn’t think there was anything supernatural about it.

And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? ~ Acts 21:37

As an American, when I see an English speaking Asian, Indian, Hispanic, or any other nationality, I never think it’s a supernatural occurrence, because it isn’t. They simply know English. If I were in Japan and suddenly had the ability to speak Japanese (a language I can not speak), the only people who would know that it is a supernatural occurrence would be me and anyone traveling with me. However, if I spoke to them in their language words which revealed secrets in their heart, they would know that God had spoken to them.

Tongues are a sign to the unbeliever by the message it conveys. When Paul says that tongues are a sign to the unbeliever, he doesn’t say it in the context of speaking to foreigners in their native language. He says it within the context of an unbeliever coming into a church service.

Now, let’s unpack this a little more. First, consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 14:5, I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

In verses 2-4, Paul has said that the one who speaks with tongues edifies himself, and the one who prophesies edifies others (the church). It is in this context that he now says greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues. Paul wanted the Corinthians to desire the gift of prophecy so that they would edify others within the church. This emphasis on prophecy early in chapter 14 comes immediately after Paul’s emphasis on love in chapter 13, which he refers to as the more excellent way.  

The true gift of prophecy is an expression of love because it seeks to edify others, whereas speaking in tongues only edifies oneself, and in a public assembly this is inconsiderate of others. This is why Paul says, greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues.

Paul doesn’t stop there. He then adds, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. Paul is equating tongues and the interpretation, with prophesy. When interpreted, tongues serves the same purpose as the gift of prophecy which is the edification of others.

When reading 1 Corinthians 14 it is important to keep in mind that prophecy and tongues with the interpretation are one in the same, serving the same purpose. Let that sink in, because that is exactly what Paul is saying when he says, greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

Prophecy edifies others (the church), and so does tongues with the interpretation. Now, with this in mind consider Paul’s words later in this chapter.

Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. ~ 1 Corinthians 14:22-26 

Now these verses can be somewhat confusing if we do not keep in mind that Paul has established that tongues with interpretation are equal with prophecy. Paul says that tongues are a sign to them that believe not, then shortly thereafter he says, If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

If tongues are a sign to the unbeliever, why does Paul say that the unbeliever would say you are mad if they walk into a service where everyone is speaking in tongues?

It is because Paul is referring to tongues with no interpretation, in contrast to prophesy, and if we will keep in mind that tongues with interpretation is equal to prophesy, this section of scripture will make sense. Now let’s look at this section of scripture again with the mindset that Paul is referring to both prophecy and tongues with interpretation when he uses the word prophecy because they accomplish the same thing.

Wherefore tongues (tongues with the interpretation) are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues (without interpreting), and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if all prophesy (prophesy or tongues with the interpretation), and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. ~ 1 Corinthians 14:22-26

Now, notice what Paul says next.

If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. ~ v 27-28

Paul’s reason for instructing the Corinthians that there must be the interpretation if any speaks with tongues in a church assembly was for the benefit of those who were unlearned or unbelievers.

Now, using the example from the beginning of this article, if I were to fly to Japan and suddenly be empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak to someone in Japanese, the thing that would prove to them that God is speaking through me would not be my ability to speak Japanese. It would be the message spoken to them as it revealed the secrets of their heart.

This is how they would know God had spoken through me to them.

In closing, Paul says, But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. Notice the contrast. If no interpreter is present, keep silent in the church, but you may speak (in private) to yourself and God! This clearly underscores the truth that the gift of tongues can be used in prayer in our private devotion to God.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith… ~ 2 Timothy 4:7

Living for Christ is a marathon, not a sprint, and as believers we go through many changes and stages in our Christian experience. We must continue to grow and mature in Christ, or we will begin to wither away. Fiery zeal and passion is a trait that burns in the heart of the spiritually young, but as we grow older we ought to become seasoned in wisdom, grace, and love.

When I was 25 years old with the call to preach burning in me, I thought being spiritual was preaching, and having dreams and visions. Now I understand that it’s serving my wife and being a Christ-like example to my son, and walking in honesty, integrity, and truth. The funny thing is, the same Spirit of Christ that implanted a passion in my heart for sharing the Word of God is the same Spirit that prompts me to serve my wife.

When I was a senior in High School, I began attending a Bible Study that was held just up the road from where I lived. The man who led the Bible study became somewhat of a mentor to me over the next couple of years or so (I will refer to him as my friend the rest of the way in this post). Being hungry for the things of God, I spent a lot of time with him, and for those memories I am grateful. However, as time passed I witnessed a man who failed short of the grace he was called to walk in.

He and his wife eventually separated and his children became distanced from him. His wife later developed cancer and passed away. The announcement that he and his wife were separating coincided with his bringing an end to the Bible study. There were lots of good friendships developed among those of us who attended.

I can remember standing in the kitchen at his home and talking with his wife not long before the separation. She vented to me about his lack of doing simple things around the house which pertained to basic upkeep. I am sure she told me more, but this always stuck with me. He was a spiritual man, so I thought, but his spiritually had not translated to him rolling up his sleeves and making repairs to their home or at least calling someone who could do those repairs.

The prior owners of this home were friends of my family and it was a well kept home according to my childhood memory. Years later, it would go down hill as my friend failed to take care of it, and today it’s empty, rotting, with overgrown vegetation. It literally needs to be plowed down and cleared from the lot. The very same house that I had had so many discussions with him about the Lord is now dilapidated because he didn’t give it the attention and maintenance the home needed.

How sad.

This house truly speaks volumes to me about the Christian experience, and life in general. The sad reality is that it is a reflection of the spiritual value my friend placed on his marriage and it speaks volumes regarding his lack of growth in the grace of God he was called into. I can remember so many testimonies regarding dreams, visions, and other supernatural experiences he had claimed he had with the Lord, but when it came to real life, he couldn’t pick up a wrench and fix a leaking pipe of call someone to repair the bathroom floor that was caving in. This was his wife’s complaint if I remember correctly.

In the New Testament the apostle Paul wrote the following to Timothy:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The word of God makes the man of God thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Nothing speaks to the true character of Christ in a man more than how he values his wife, his children, and those that God has entrusted to him as family. In the book of Ephesians, Paul tells the men to love their wives as Christ loves the church and gave himself for her.

As me and my wife are in the early stages of our senior years this is something that really matters to me and because I made the vow to love my wife as Christ loved the church when we married, the conviction of the Lord abides continually in my heart to finish my race and to finish it strong. My walk with Christ and my love for my wife are inseparable, and if any man does not understand this, he does not yet understand the manner of man God has called you to be. 

Over the time I knew my friend, I noticed the flawed tendencies which aligned with what his wife had told me, and to my knowledge he never corrected them. They ultimately affected the most important relationships in his life, namely his family. When he died before he turned 60, he left behind his second wife that he had met on a mission trip to the Philippines, along with their son, a young boy. To my knowledge, his first son was still distanced from him, and to my knowledge his daughter was in the dark world of drugs and possibly prostitution. It was a bad road either way.

It isn’t supposed to end this way.

I do not write this to condemn him or anyone who has had a similar experience. My point is, the longer we serve Christ, the more like Christ we ought to become. And this Christ likeness to which we are called should show up first and foremost at home. No one knows us like those who live with us.

It’s one thing to have zeal for a season and to have a hunger for the things of God, but when the Lord calls you, it’s for the long game. It’s a marathon and not a sprint. The relationships we are intrusted with by God should not deteriorate if we are being conformed to the likeness of Christ.

If you have read to this point, I urge you not to finish like my friend. Instead, finish strong, and leave a testimony that you were faithful to God with the lives he entrusted into your care. Love your spouse, love your children, and care for the people that God puts in your life.

Everyone starts out wanting to win the world and reach the multitudes, but the reality is as we grow old, God is pleased when we serve Christ by loving those he entrusted to us.

Every year as we get closer to Easter, this teaching gets a lot of views. I have made a few updates.

WHY DID PAUL TELL THE CORINTHIANS TO KEEP THE PASSOVER?

The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick (living) and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. ~ Acts 10:36-43

This is the gospel message that Peter preached to Cornelius and his house. You may notice that it sounds quite different than many of the messages that are called the gospel in our time.

Did Peter just not know how to preach the gospel because it was so new, or have we strayed from the message that we ought to be preaching? Now, consider that Peter says that after Jesus was raised from the dead, he commanded those he ordained as witnesses of his resurrection to testify that he (Jesus) was ordained by God to be the judge of the living and the dead.

When was the last time you heard that preached?

Now, what’s missing in Peter’s sermon? Missing is the appeal to Cornelius that he needs to repent of his sin or he’s going to hell. Peter does not tell Cornelius that his sins have offended a Holy God but Jesus stepped in and took his place suffering the wrath of God upon himself so that Cornelius could go free. You won’t find the gospel preached in this manner anywhere in the book of Acts, and we have a lot of gospel sermons in the book of Acts.

Peter doesn’t emphasize Cornelius’s need for repentance because he is a sinner. Sometimes that may be necessary, but it wasn’t here because Cornelius was a devout man who feared God, and Peter acknowledges Cornelius works of righteousness, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. ~ v. 34-35

Now, I know that pointing this out may step on the theological toes of some, but we have to stop building theology with isolated proof-texts and calling such the gospel. Cornelius was not a totally depraved individual before hearing the gospel. He was a devout man who feared God, and as a result he prayed often, and gave much alms to the poor, but he did not yet know that Jesus is the Messiah. Cornelius was actually fasting when the angel of the Lord appeared to him and commanded him to send for Peter to tell him the words of salvation (v.30). 

In every gospel message in the book of Acts, the central focus of the message is that Jesus is the Messiah. It was not how much of a sinner the people were, or how to get to Heaven after death, or Jesus became their substitute taking the wrath of God which they deserved, etc. The message was that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, and this is why the gospel that was preached in Acts includes his ministry, his sufferings, his resurrection, exaltation and his glory as the righteous one by whom God will judge the world.

I challenge you to examine Peter’s message to Cornelius because God sent Peter to tell him those words and those words are the framework of the gospel we ought to be preaching.

The problem with our modern gospel is that we have often lifted the message of the cross out of the context of the gospel which proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah and placed it into another context surrounded with our proof texts. The cross belongs in the context of the gospel as was preached in Acts, not in the context of TULIP or any other theology devised by man.

Over and over again, the appeal of scripture in the New Testament is that we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, the Christ, the one ordained of God, and the only mediator between God and man. The appeal of the New Testament is to point us to the man, Jesus Christ, and when the cross is kept within the framework of the revelation of the person of Jesus Christ, it is correctly understood.

Peter declares to Cornelius the message that God sent to the children of Israel by Jesus Christ, and God’s anointing of Jesus, and how God was with him, and how Jesus was killed by the people, and raised again by God, and how he communed with his disciples after his resurrection, and instructed them to testify that he is the one appointed by God as the judged of all. Regarding all this, Peter then says, To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. ~ v. 43

The gospel is the revelation of Jesus the Messiah, from the baptism of John until the judging of the living and the dead. Between his introduction by John the Baptist and the judging of the world he revealed God to us, he gave his life for us, he conquered death and rose victorious and was exalted at the right hand of God.

May we all hunger more for the authentic gospel of Christ Jesus our Lord!

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake. ~ John 14:6-11

Jesus makes it a point of emphasis that he is in the Father and the Father is in him. Did this cease to be true while Jesus was on the cross? If God turned his back on Jesus, and Jesus became separated from the Father as some teach, we would have no other conclusion. However, Jesus never taught such things. If we consider the words of Jesus, there was never a moment of separation from the Father. In John 13, Jesus refers to his death and resurrection as the Father glorifying him and he being glorified in the Father.

Therefore, when he (Judas) was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. ~ John 13:31-32

Now consider these words in view of what Jesus said in John 12. Speaking of his death and resurrection, Jesus says, Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Jesus’s prayer regarding the hour in which he would be betrayed, condemned, and crucified was that the Father glorify his name, to which the Father replied,  I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. ~ See John 12:27-28

In John 8 Jesus said to the Jews, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. ~ v. 28

In John 10 Jesus says again to the Jews, Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. ~ v.17-18

The cross was not the separation of Christ from God, but the greatest work of Christ expressing his oneness and union with the Father. Jesus repeatedly said, if you have seen me, you have seen the Father. Did this change when Jesus gave his life for us? No! There was no pause of the truth of Jesus’s oneness with the Father when he died on the cross. Jesus’s death (his laying down his life for us) was the greatest revelation of God’s love, mercy, and grace that humanity has ever seen.

One cannot declare that Jesus was separated from God in his death without also saying that Jesus (at that moment) was no longer in the Father, and the Father in him. In John’s gospel the hypostatic union of God and Christ is a point of emphasis from the beginning to the end. John begins his gospel by telling us

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. ~ John 1:1-2; 14-18

This theme of the oneness of the Father and the Son is repeated over and over again in John’s gospel and never is there a break in this union. When Jesus was crucified, he was temporarily forsaken by his disciples who feared for their lives, but never was he forsaken by his Father. Shortly before Jesus was arrested, he said the following to his disciples:

Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. ~ John 16:32

At no point did Jesus ever teach his disciples that he would be left alone and abandoned by God. As mentioned above, Jesus said to the Jews, when ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Our Lord followed that statement by saying, And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

When our understanding of the cross is formed by the whole counsel of scripture rather than random proof -texts, the volume of what Jesus was teaching and doing comes into focus. Things such as his washing his disciples feet suddenly make more sense. He did this just hours before he was to stand trial, and he tells his disciples the following:

Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. John 13:13-20 

When these words are considered in view of the moment in which they were spoken, we cannot but understand that Jesus was teaching his disciples what the cross was about. He was their Lord and Master, but he would lay down his life for them. The Master was the greatest servant of all! The love that Jesus would demonstrate in laying down his life would not only underscore who he was, but would be the lead example of how we, his followers, are to serve in his Kingdom.

This lesson must have really impacted Peter in particular. When Jesus began to wash Peter’s feet, Peter objected at first.

Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. ~ John 13:6-10

Notice that Jesus tells Peter, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. And when Jesus says to Peter If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me, Peter’s response was not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Peter wanted no part of missing out on Jesus, and it shows in his response, but Peter did not yet understand what his Lord was teaching him. I am certain that the lesson that Jesus taught his disciples that night is what shows up in Peter’s first epistle when he writes, For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: ~ 1 Peter 2:21

Jesus taught that we are to take up our cross and follow him, and as we do we follow in Christ footsteps. This is the lesson that Jesus was teaching his disciples. The cross does not lead into a place of abandonment, it leads to glory. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.