Tag: Meditation/Devotional

“What the Spirit Says…Diligence and Discipline”

Word of Encouragement- The Church of Pergamum- “Diligence and Discipline”

 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”- Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22

 

“…We make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God…”- 2 Corinthians 5:9b-11a

 

Dear Beloved of the LORD at KCPC: I am writing short messages on the seven churches for our Word of Encouragement so that we might better assess where we are spiritually as a congregation, show us areas that need to be realigned with God’s Word, and how we might more effectively and sincerely make it our aim to please the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

If you would like to read the introduction to this short series, you may read here: Word of Encouragement

 

What are our strengths and weaknesses as a congregation? How can we ask God to better search and know us corporately? How are we doing at KCPC as a visible manifestation of Christ’s Kingdom on earth? Are we loving God and others as we did when we were first saved and gathered as Christ’s flock?

 

We will focus today on Jesus’ message to the Church at Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17)

 

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

 

As we learned in our introduction to this series, it is important to remind ourselves that these seven congregations of the Revelation were real historical churches at the time that John the Apostle wrote his Revelation of Jesus Christ.  However, we want to understand that they are also symbolic of the entire church age between Jesus’ first and second coming.

 

This means that what Jesus says to the churches, we need to consider soberly for ourselves.  Jesus is still speaking to us (Hebrews 12:25).  Jesus is particularly speaking to His people in these letters as a corporate body and congregation of confessional Christians, and not merely as individuals. This is why it is good to use these letters to be assessed by Christ as we seek to grow in him as a body.

 

We should understand that through the reading and preaching of the Word in public worship, we at KCPC are also recipients of this important letter.  Jesus is addressing us, too!

 

Dear Ketoctin Covenant Presbyterian Church…Dear Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, in Purcellville, Virginia:

 

“Dear Pergamum”: Jesus’ primary message to the congregation at Pergamum is:

 

A church must be diligent in following Jesus even to death, and must practice biblical disciple because there are ferocious wolves from without and wolves within (Acts 20:28ff).  A church must diligently endure persecution but also reject false teaching.  A Church must attend to the means of grace God has provided and practice Biblical discipline.

 

Final Prophet with Two-Edged Sword

The letter is addressed from the Lord Jesus Christ described particularly as “the Christ who has the sharp two-edged sword”—these are HIS words (v. 12; cf. v. 16; 1:16).  The sharp two-edged sword is symbolic for Christ’s Word to His people.  The two-edged sword is the sword of prophetic salvation and judgment.  As Isaiah said:

 

ESV Isaiah 49:2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.

 

Christ is revealed as the Great and Final Eschatological Prophet of God at His right hand. Christ speaks like a two-edged sword that cuts two ways a two-edged message to His people: blessings for those who hear and believe, and curses for those who reject Him and His message.  The Apostle Paul describes Christ’s Word as the “sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17).  The Word of Christ cuts deep; the Word of Christ speaks salvation to those who believe and condemnation and judgment to those who reject it.  Christ’s Word is living and active upon our sinful hearts, penetrating deep to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12-13).

 

The Risen-Ascended Christ having the two-edged sword reminds us that the Book of Revelation is a book about the triumph of God’s Truth over Satanic lies and illusions and error and idolatry.  Christ’s words are truth and they condemn those who deny the truth.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life no one comes to the Father except through Him! (John 14:6).

 

Church Planting Near the Beast and Harlot’s Neighborhood

Jesus reminds us of His care for us: “I know where you dwell…” (v. 13a).  Isn’t it comforting that the LORD Jesus knows exactly where we live; what time period we are a part of, what our particular struggles are, etc.? The LORD knows those who are his and knows intimately where they live and move and have their being; God never leaves for forsakes his people.

 

This congregation at Pergamum dwells or has been planted or established “where Satan’s throne is” (v. 13a).

 

What does it mean that Pergamum is the location of “Satan’s throne”? The City of Pergamum was located about fifty miles north of Smyrna and the church had to contend against extremely strong pagan forces.  Pergamum was the location of the oldest temple devoted to idolatry that was first erected for the purpose of worshipping Caesar Augustus.  This very old temple in Asia Minor continued for the purpose of worshipping the Emperor of Rome.  Pergamum was the Roman capital of the Province of Asia; the city was like an ancient Washington D.C. in that it was the seat of Roman government for Asia Minor.

 

The congregation at Pergamum had to learn to fight the good fight in this world in the midst of both persecution and wickedness of all kinds.  As we learn in the larger Book of Revelation, the Church of Jesus must always be watchful and praying, learning to contend against “the Beast” which is a terrible image of government that exalts itself against God and persecutes believers in every age, as well as “the Harlot” who deceives folks through sexual immortality, wealth and the riches of this world (see chaps. 17-19).

 

Our congregation still faces today “the Beast” and “the Harlot”. The Beast is an image of Satan to cause Christians to compromise; the Beast is any threat of government opposition to the preaching of the Gospel; this may be more subtle in North America, but nevertheless, we do struggle against different types of persecution from the Beast. The Beast wants to cause Christians to compromise under its power. The Harlot is the sexual immorality, wealth and riches of the world that distract us daily and even on a moment by moment basis to give ups pursuing heaven and settle for the pitiful “pleasures of sin” for a season in this age that is passing away. Let us never forget that whether Satan attacks us with His power or with prostituting ourselves with the world, we are tempted to compromise; LET US STAND in the whole armor of God! (Eph. 6:10ff).

 

Government was instituted by God as his servant or “minister” (Romans 13) to wield the sword on behalf of God.  However, government can also be a tool or instrument used by Satan to hinder the Gospel and oppose Christ’s Church.  Pergamum was a great pagan city full of wickedness and idolatry and from the looks of things, from a limited perspective, Satan’s “throne” there seemed to have had much more power and authority than Christ’s Church.  The Church was to live by the Truth that proceeded out of Christ’s mouth rather than stumbling because of the way things seemed from their finite perspective.

 

The good news is that Christ is the Risen-Ascended-Enthroned King and although it may seem that like Satan’s throne is more powerful, the Gospel of Jesus will break through and possess the hearts of His Beloved people.  This is the hope for anyone called to preach the gospel in the midst of strong satanic paganism- -Christ’s throne is greater- -and He possesses as King of kings and Lord of lords all authority in heaven and on earth (Phil. 2:9-11; Matt. 28:18-20).

 

Later in the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John shows to us the reality of Christ’s power and throne over Satan:

 

Revelation 11:15-18: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. 18 The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants,1 the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

 

As we proceed through the Book of Revelation we will see the Triumph of the Lamb who sits upon the throne as He overthrows all of His and our enemies.  The Book of Revelation is how the Lamb who sits upon the throne as King of kings and Lord of lords destroys all competing thrones that set themselves up against God and His Anointed One (Psalm 2).

 

Because of Christ’s intimate knowledge of His people, they can be assured that come what may, he will never leave them nor forsake them as the King who sits upon God’s throne! We can be confident that Jesus is our King and rules and reigns over heaven and earth.

 

Hold Fast and Be Faithful to the End!

Commendation of the LORD Jesus: Although Pergamum is located where Satan’s throne is they “hold fast” to Christ’s Name and they have not denied their faith in Jesus; even when persecution was so bad that Antipas was martyred as a faithful witness as a sacrifice before Satan’s throne, they did not deny Jesus (v. 13b).

 

The congregation of saints were walking by faith and not by sight; they were holding to the promises of God in the midst of tribulation (cf. 1:9).  Although they had suffered from being in a central pagan location, they had nevertheless been faithful to preaching the Gospel of Christ.

 

In fact, even though they lost one of their members named Antipas, perhaps even the pastor of the congregation, they did not deny Jesus.  Although they Kingdom of Satan dealt them a harsh blow, they kept the faith and did not back down from making the truth known.

 

Antipas as martyr is identified with Jesus Christ as he is called the “Faithful Witness” or “Faithful Martyr”- -to be a witness for Christ and to receive persecution for Christ’s sake is to be identified with him and to be blessed:

 

ESV Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

 

Matthew 5:11-12: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

But there were some things out of order that Jesus addressed to them so that the congregation through repentance might align themselves with Christ’s Holy Word!

 

Humble, Biblical Discipline is Necessary!

Correct/Rebuke to congregation from the Lord Jesus Christ: “But I have a few things against you…” (v. 14a).

 

What should we learn from Christ’s correction and rebuke from Jesus Christ as a congregation?

 

Jesus says that the congregation should have practiced humble, biblical discipline: You have as part of your congregation some who hold to the teaching of Balaam who taught Balak the king of Moab to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel… (v. 14b). By not removing the sinful teaching and behavior, it was putting a stumbling block before others in the congregation, causing them to stumble in their doctrine and life.

 

What does Jesus mean by “teaching of Balaam”?  You wil remember back in Numbers 22, Balaam gave Balak advice that led Israel to worship false gods and practice sexual immorality; Balaam advised King Balak to lure the Israelites into apostasy (Numbers 25:1-4; 31:8, 16).

 

ESV Numbers 25:1-4: While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. And the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang  them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.”

 

ESV Numbers 31:16 Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the LORD.

 

When Israel went astray in the Book of Numbers God told Moses to discipline the people and remove all of the sinful folks from the visible church through death.  Although this is not how discipline is practiced in the New Covenant era, the message is the same: remove the sinful leaven so that the loaf of the congregation will be holy unto the LORD.

 

The congregation at Pergamum did not practice discipline as they should have; they had allowed certain elements of unbelief and paganism to contaminate the congregation (this was a threat to the Gospel of Hope in that dark city).  If the sinful leaven is not removed, it will work through the whole batch and the light of the Gospel will be forgotten and lost.  Jesus’ rebuke is similar to the Apostle Paul’s words about discipline in the congregation at Corinth:

 

ESV 1 Corinthians 5:1-5: It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

 

These in the congregation are teaching some of the congregation that they can eat food sacrificed to idols and to practice sexual immorality (v. 14c).  Jesus is saying that within a congregation gross idolatry and fornication are not to be tolerated.  Behaviors like this are inconsistent with the profession of faith in the visible Church and must be removed.

 

Secondly, Jesus corrects and rebukes the congregation because they also tolerated some who held to the teaching of the Nicolaitans (v. 15).  Jesus ‘hates the works of the Nicolaitans’ which was a threat to the Church at Ephesus as well (Rev. 2:6).  The Ephesian Church was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans as Christ hates their works (2:6), but Pergamum was tolerating their teaching as well as the sexual immorality.

 

Jesus teaches to all congregations the importance of church discipline and why it must be humbly practiced in conjunction with the Word of God preached and applied to men’s souls.  Christ’s address to this congregation reveals that the Reformation teachers were correct when they made discipline in the visible church one of the key and foundational marks of the True Church along with right preaching of the Word and the proper administration of the Sacraments.

 

Many congregations then and now could be commended by Jesus for not denying the faith, and for faithfully preaching the gospel, but who would be rebuked by the Lord Jesus for not disciplining those who were idolaters, sexual offenders and false teachers within their pale. This is another reason why the Book of Revelation is so important for those who read it (Rev. 1:1-3). As churches between the first and second comings of Jesus, we can find out more particularly pleases Him, and what we will have to face at the Judgment Seat of Christ if we do not face it now.

 

We must remember that godly discipline in a congregation is to promote purity in life and doctrine for all the members. Discipline is to threaten in such a way that it will hold members accountable to Christ’s Word.  Discipline is a corrective and can restore sinful offenders back to fellowship with God.  When discipline is properly practiced, it can save souls from hell, and restore the repentant to full communion with the saints so that the person disciplined might grow in their assurance and joyfully await the return of Christ (rather than dreading it!).

 

Repentance and Forgiveness!

A call to repentance for the congregation: “Therefore repent!” (v. 16a).  God is not willing that any of his people should perish but for all His Beloved people to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).  There is always opportunity for true repentance so that we might experience the full and abundant life of being in joyful fellowship and communion with God! God is good to His people when they leave their sins and return to their Lord Jesus in order to follow His two-edged teaching with more sharpness and more carefully!

 

Consequences for not hearing what the Spirit says to the churches (v. 16-17): “I will come to you soon and war against the false teachers with the sword of my mouth” (cf. v. 12; 1:16).  This shows by way of inference that what elders here bind on earth in the visible church by correctly disciplining according to God’s Word, it is bound in heaven; what elders loose on earth according to God’s Word is loosed in heaven (Matthew 18).

 

If discipline at Pergamum is not faithfully carried out, then Christ himself will come from heaven and discipline the offenders.  The implication is that if the pastor-elders use the Word of God to discipline the Nicolaitans in the congregation, then he won’t have to come in judgment- -it will have already been accomplished.  How would this happen?

 

Jesus is not promising to come back and judge, meaning the end of time when he returns to save and judge in his Second Coming.  Rather, Jesus is speaking of a providential acting with circumstances that will bring judgment upon the Nicolaitans and the congregation in general (Acts 5).

 

Blessings for All Conquerors in Christ!

Promises for those who hear what the Spirit says to the churches (v. 17): “To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it” (cf. 19:12; also 3:12; 14:1; 22:4).

 

The hidden manna is Christ’s promise of the abundant life.  In contrast to the pagan meals that some were a part of the idolatry in Pergamum, the believers could partake in Christ’s meal: Christ’s life given to them by faith NOW; the life of Christ communicated to them by faith in the Lord’s Supper NOW; and one day the Wedding Supper of the Lamb with Christ Himself for eternity (Rev. 21-22).

 

While idolatry and sexual immorality create the illusion of satisfying sinful mankind, Christ will feed his people physically and spiritually with his LIFE and Spirit now and for eternity.  Manna was kept in the Holy of Holies or Most Holy Place in the tabernacle (Exodus 16:33-35; Heb. 9:4).  This symbolized Christ as the Bread of Life that feeds and nourishes His people.

 

ESV Exodus 16:33-35: And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the LORD to be kept throughout your generations.” As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept. The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan.

 

ESV John 6:32-36: Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”  Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

 

The promise of the white stone: We should remember that white is the Biblical color for purity and holiness (cf. 7:13).  The white stones were white marble that was very valuable in Pergamum in the ancient world.  Christ is promising to give something of great value, more valuable than all of the riches of Pergamum, that will reveal his intimate knowledge of His people: He knows his people by name.

 

ESV Isaiah 62:2 The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give.

 

Christ loves his people and the reason for this letter (as well as the letters to the other 6 congregations) was to teach Christ’s Church in the Inter-Adventual period to continue to persevere by His grace.

 

Christ’s Word is a means of grace, or a means by which Christ tells His people who he is, what he has done for them, and how they can persevere by faith.

 

Those who persevere to the end will realize that they are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:31-39), but by His grace they must realize this every day as they persevere to the end keeping their eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfector of their faith.

 

Let us at KCPC make every opportunity to seek Christ’s means of grace to persevere.  May we continue to hear and believe and trust Christ’s Word as He continues to lead us to the Promised Land.  Let us partake of the Sacraments, knowing that we are partaking by faith of Christ, the Bread of Life, the Manna from Heaven, and He will satisfy the longings of our hearts, and feed us with heavenly food.

 

Let us practice as a congregation biblical discipline so that we might remain pure as the people of God, and that sinful offenders in life and doctrine might repent and be restored to fellowship with God before it is too late.

 

May these devotional studies of assessment from Jesus using the letters to the seven churches of the Revelation cause us to better align ourselves with His truth, and encourage us all to make it our aim to please Jesus who died for us while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:6-8).

 

May we live daily as a congregation before the face of Christ and so before the Judgment Seat of Christ. When we all arrive at our destination and we stand as the congregation KCPC before Christ’s Judgment, may these short devotions have better prepared us, so that we can stand confident and encouraged in the Lord Jesus’ presence.

 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”- Jesus Christ

 

In Jesus’ love,

 

Pastor Charles

 

10/14/11

 

“You May Not Sin”- Our Spiritual Aim and Goal

Word of Encouragement

 

ESV 1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

 

If you are a Christian, you should rejoice that you are free from slavery to sin! You are free to walk in newness of life because of the love of Christ for you!

 

Sin is evil and offensive against our Holy God, and a great and grave danger to our souls. Sin has an enslaving power to make us obey it and so it is wonderful news to find out that in Christ we are free not to sin!

 

We are called in Jesus Christ to realize that we are dead to sin and alive to God. This means that when Christ died on the cross, taking the wrath of God upon Himself for our sins, believers died with Him. When Jesus was raised from the dead, we were also raised to newness of life. The Apostle Paul writes:

 

ESV Romans 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

 

The Apostle Paul says to consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ. Why? Our old self was crucified with Christ and we are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:6). The death we died with Christ on the cross we died to sin once for all, so that we could serve God (Romans 6:10).

 

The Apostle John is teaching the same liberating truth in 1 John 2:1. Notice how John addresses believers as his “dear children”. Like a loving father to a child, so the Apostle John writes to believers so that they may not sin.

 

But you say: “May not sin?! Certainly, the Bible does not teach perfectionism! Surely you are not saying that the Bible tells me that Christians are to be perfect, are you?!” No, the Bible does not teach perfectionism. In fact, the Apostle John has already addressed this false teaching and misunderstanding in chapter 1 of his letter:

 

ESV 1 John 1:8-10: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

 

We must never say that we “have no sin” (1 John 1:8), or that we “have not sinned” (1:10). If we say that we have no sin or have not sinned, then we are liars and call God a liar. We have a need for the forgiveness of sins, and to be cleansed from all unrighteousness as we walk by faith in this world (1:9). As long as we live in this world, believers will have a need to confess our sins to Jesus and to be forgiven, and Jesus is more than willing to receive our confession and to forgive us. God is faithful and just to forgive us.

 

What great hope we have as Christians. But John goes on to teach in 1 John 2:1 that he writes his letter so that we “may not sin”. This means that it should be our spiritual aim and goal not to sin against God.

 

Jesus Christ is the only “Righteous One” (1 John 2:1b). That means that Jesus Christ is the only man who ever lived who was righteous in Himself, or without sin. We have sin, but in Christ we have died to sin, and we should live as if we are dead to sin and alive to God, and to seek not to sin by God’s grace in Christ.

 

The Apostle John’s balance is most helpful: “I write these things to you that you may not sin, but if anyone does sin we have Jesus.”

 

There is always grace for sinners in Jesus, but in Jesus Christ, we should fight the good fight against sin, seeking not to sin. May it be our daily prayer that we “may not sin”.  John is teaching the same truth as the Apostle Paul in Romans 6 but in his own unique way.

 

“Dear Children, I write these things to you that you may not sin…” (1 John 2:1b).

 

Because of God’s love for us in Christ, let us no longer make excuses for our sins, but let us hear the truth of God’s word and seek the spiritual goal of not sinning by His grace. I know you are thinking: “But pastor, I will sin, I just know it.” But is this the spiritual aim and goal God has commanded you in the Bible to live out by faith? Yes, indeed you will sin, John says “if anyone does sin…” and then provides all Christians a wonderful Savior to go to, but the point of the passage is that Jesus’ work for us is also to promote our resolve to seek not to sin.

 

How should believers live seeking not to sin?

 

Let us have a deep hatred for our sins. We must have a deep hatred for our sins. We should begin by understanding that all of our sins are first a great offense against  a Holy and Just and Kind and Merciful God. We offend God when we sin; we grieve God when we sin; we hurt Him in His Holy heart (Gen. 6:5ff), and that is a good start for Christians to understand the Godward offense of our sins so that we will seek not to sin.

 

Sin was the reason Jesus came to save us. Jesus came to set us free from slavery to sin, to release us from the dominion and rule of sin. Jesus says graciously: “If the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed!” – -Free from sin! (John 8:31ff). In Christ, we are no longer slaves, but dear children (1 John 2:1a).

 

As dear children, we realize that sin crushed our precious Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. “He was crushed for our iniquities” (‘iniquities’ are sins against God’s person and commandments, Isaiah 53:4ff). God crushed Jesus for our sins. “He who knew no sin became the sin-bearer for us that we might be made righteous in our union with Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).

 

Let us hate sin because it is crushed the perfect and holy, meek and gentle Jesus. This will help us seek not to sin.

 

Let us pray for a holy hatred for our sins against God. Sin is lawlessness. John writes:

 

ESV 1 John 3:4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

 

Lawlessness is a complete disregard for God and His most Holy Law. Lawlessness is doing what we want rather than what God wants us to do. It is foolishness, and it leads to death. There is absolutely no good that comes from sin which is lawlessness. That is a promise from God Himself! The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Lawlessness describes those who will be rejected by Jesus Christ on the last day; it is the character of the anti-christ; it grows and increases into more lawlessness as it is practiced; it is the desperate situation from which God saved us by His grace the Bible teaches us (Matthew 7:23; 23:28; Romans 6:19; 2 Thess. 2; Titus 2:14).

 

Let us hate sin because it is lawlessness. This will help us seek not to sin.

 

When we see our sins, let us ask forgiveness from God and deep repentance. Let us see our Advocate before God, Jesus the Righteous One (1 John 2:1b). Where we lack righteousness, Jesus is sufficient as Savior-Advocate (one who pleads our case before God by His blood), to cleanse us. He is also able by His Spirit to keep us from sinning. Jesus’ death takes away our penalty for sin, but also grants us power over sin (1 John 1:7-9).

 

Let us resolve by God’s grace in Christ by His Spirit that we will not sin. But how can we achieve this? God has provided us some answers in His word. Here are a few ways to seek to do this, although we will fail at times. But what is your main aim, and spiritual goal? To be like Him; to seek not to sin.

 

Stay far from temptations. If you know something tempts you, or causes you to sin, seek to live far from it. Don’t go near it, even if it is lawful in and of itself. If it causes you to sin and stumble in your walk, then avoid it with all of your heart. If you are tempted to seek satisfaction in something or someone other than God, make sure you don’t fall into a temptation. This will help us seek not to sin.

 

Live in God’s grace and duty against sins. Go to worship, and hear preaching of God’s Word, take part in the administration of His sacraments; these are all means of God’s grace to communicate His love and power to you as you receive Christ by faith. Pray often all kinds of prayers for yourself and all people (Ephesians 6:18ff). This will help us seek not to sin.

 

Don’t doubt and distrust God (Romans 4:18-21). Has God ever let you down? Has God ever been unfaithful to you? No, and He never will let you down or be unfaithful to you in Christ. Trust God’s Word to you, believe His promises. Build yourself up in your most holy faith (Jude 24), seeking to believe what God says in true, particularly as He promises you that you may not sin. This will help us seek not to sin.

 

Be suspicious of carnal self-love. Watch your self-centeredness, and constant focus on yourself rather than on Christ. Be suspicious anytime you become self-aware and wonder why people are treating you in a certain way, or when you are too self-conscious about what others are saying, and you become overly defensive. Carnal self-love will focus you on yourself, rather than on Christ and your service to Him. This will help us seek not to sin.

 

Kill sin at the root. Know the master sin-roots. Master sins are ignorance of God’s word in general and God’s promises specifically. Unbelief, selfishness, pride, lust, hard-heartedness against God. All of these are master sin-roots that grow all kinds of dangerous and toxic weeds in your garden and the congregational garden of your local church. If you’re not constantly weeding your garden, then the weeds are constantly growing! This will help us seek not to sin.

 

Keep your conversation and thoughts above focused on Christ (Colossians 3:1-4). You have been raised with Christ, fix your mind on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:1). Watch your negative and cynical and pessimistic conversations and thoughts that you have that are veiled and subtle unbelief against God’s Word. Seek godly companions to talk about God’s goodness and grace. This will help us seek not to sin.

 

Be watchful and prayerful at all times (Matt. 26:41).  Apart from Christ you are dangerous; your heart is self-deceptive and evil by nature. You do not by nature know how to do anything but sin. You know this experientially in your own life, unless you have learned to self and to God (see 1 John 1:8ff). Remember the importance of asking God to search and know your heart, your thoughts, etc. (Psalm 139:23-24). This will help us seek not to sin.

 

God’s Word should be your only rule. This will help us seek not to sin.

 

Seek God’s will each day at the Throne of Grace (Hebrews 4:14-16). Jesus Christ the Righteous One will grant you mercy and give you grace to help you in your time of need. This is a promise. Why would you not seek this Throne of Grace daily? Why would you not start each day at Christ’s feet? This will help us seek not to sin.

 

Go to Him know, confess your sins, your carelessness, your lack of watchfulness and prayer. Confess to Christ if you have not tried living for Him as dead to sin and alive to God. Confess to Jesus that you have not even tried to make it your spiritual aim not to sin if this be truth. This in itself is a blatant denial of God’s Word, and is usually fueled by one of the mother root-sins such as ignorance that God’s word teaches this, or unbelief that God would give you strength to live in this way. This will help us seek not to sin.

 

God requires perfect righteousness of all mankind. All mankind must be perfect if they are to ever hope in heaven and being a recipient of eternal life (Matt. 5:48). Because we are conceived and born in sin, we have no righteousness before God, and can never do anything in this life that is not actually tainted by sin (Psalm 51; Romans 3).

 

Our only hope is to find the perfect righteousness that God demands of us and that we so desperately need in Jesus Christ alone. This is why Jesus alone is described as “The Righteous” or “The Righteous One” (1 John 2:1b). Only Jesus who was both God and man has attained a perfect righteousness.

 

Jesus died for sinners, and he died so that we might live for God. Jesus died for sinners so that we might be set free from slavery from sin and live unto God.

 

The perfect righteousness that God requires of all mankind, God also provides for us in Jesus the Righteous One, and this is received by faith.

 

Now hate sin. Ask Christ to help you to hate it more. Jesus did not leave you in your sins. He did not allow sin in your life to continue to offend God Almighty, and to destroy your life and soul. He came so that you would have life in Him and to experience abundant life that is without the horrible rule and reign of sin over you, making you a slave with only death as your hope to be set free.

 

Jesus Christ has overcome sin; he has done for you what you could never do by His power and grace; because of His love for you!

 

And then go and seek not to sin.

 

But if you do sin, you have an Advocate before the Father, Jesus the Righteous.

 

ESV 1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

 

Ponder the love of God for you.

 

IN Christ’s love,

 

Pastor Biggs

 

PS I will have more later this week on our WOE study from how we can be Assessed, Aligned and Aim through studying the seven churches of Revelation.

“Has God Forgotten Me?”- Psalm 77

Word of Encouragement

 

ESV Psalm 77:19-20: Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

 

Dear Congregation of KCPC,

 

Have you ever asked these questions: “Has God’s steadfast love toward me ceased?” or “Has God forgotten to be gracious to me?” (Psalm 77:8-9).

 

Honestly, have you ever wondered if God has forgotten you?

 

Do you have times when you think because of the difficulty you are going through that God must not love you?  Are you tempted to despair and discouragement because you are so overwhelmed?

 

Perhaps you confess that God is great and good, and you confess that God is Sovereign, but in reality, in the actual way you are living from day to day, it seems that your situation looks so hopeless that you are often living functionally as if there was no God? Perhaps you’re being tempted right now to believe that God could not love you and you feel so overwhelmed by your circumstances, and you’re even tempted to question the way God has led you.

 

This was the concern the Psalmist had as well (Psalm 77). As a believer, you’re not alone and Psalm 77 has been God-breathed out by the Holy Spirit to encourage you today.

 

In Psalm 77, the Psalmist wondered if God had forgotten him. He wondered if God had forgotten His graciousness, and had shut up His compassion toward him in anger (Psalm 77:9). The Psalmist wondered if God had forgotten His steadfast love toward him. He pondered in prayer if God had come to the end of keeping His promises (Psalm 77:7-8).

 

Sometimes God’s people can be so troubled by present circumstances that we can forget that the LORD’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). We must remind ourselves that the way the LORD leads us is “through the sea” (Psalm 77:19).  God shows His power and love and faithfulness to His people by leading them His way “through the sea”. When the Psalmist speaks of “the sea” in this Psalm, he is referring to God’s people when led through the Red Sea from slavery to the place where they would experience God’s greater presence and learn to worship and serve Him. God taught His people by bringing them “through the sea” that His ways are better ways, although they seem extremely difficult at times.

 

God brings us “through the sea” not to discourage us, but to encourage us to greater trust in His Word and Works on our behalf. He calls us to go “through the sea” not to discourage us but to humble us, so that we might learn to better depend upon Him, and so that we can experience His greater presence and learn to worship and serve Him more wholeheartedly. God’s purposes are for His glory and our good (Romans 8:28). We can rejoice because although the situations God leads us through can seem overwhelmingly difficult, we can walk through them as we know that He leads us and shepherds us as our kind and loving Lord.

 

Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, was led “through the sea”. The LORD Jesus Christ on our behalf was led by God the Father and with the power of the Spirit’s presence through the pain of suffering the torment of crucifixion, being crushed by the wrath of Almighty God, so that we could be forgiven by the shed blood of Jesus for our sins. Christ was led the way of the cross “through the sea” for us so that we could be reconciled to God and to trust and walk with God all the days of our lives and for all eternity.

 

Israel in the Old Covenant was led through the sea, from slavery and death to sonship and life. The New Covenant reality this pointed to was for God’s people to be led through the cross from death to life in union with our Savior, the precious Lord Jesus, who delivered us from slavery and made us sons in Him (Colossians 1:13-14).

 

The imagery that the Psalmist uses in Psalm 77:20 is important for our encouragement today. We are told that the Lord “led your people like a flock”. The important truth is that although God’s paths, God’s ways are higher than our ways, and not the way we would take, these ways are ordained for our deliverance and salvation. We have yet to be fully conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, we have yet to fully make it to the Promised Land, and so God’s way is “through the sea” (Psalm 77:19). It is “through the sea”, now in Christ through carrying our cross that the Lord Jesus accomplishes, perfects, and prepares us for the place He is already preparing for us for all eternity (John 14:6).

 

Although we feel forsaken, we are actually be shepherded by the Lord Jesus Christ through sanctification. We are His flock the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100).

 

So when you look around you today and you are led into circumstances that may frighten you, or test your faith, or cause you to wonder if God has forgotten His graciousness toward you, remember the God who works wonders, and who delights in revealing His power and might through our weakness. Listen to the hope of the Psalmist that is ours in Christ Jesus:

 

ESV Psalm 77:11-14: I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.

 

Remember God’s love for you revealed in Jesus; remember the perfect deeds of Jesus Christ who earned the righteousness for you that you could never attain and freely gives His perfect righteousness to you by faith. Remember God’s “wonders of old” (Psalm 77:11) throughout redemptive history, but especially as you focus on the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, and ponder this work, meditate on God’s mighty deeds. Remember that God’s way is holy; it is perfect.

 

Then worship and praise Him in the midst of your circumstances knowing that God is faithful to you and will never forget His people!

 

If you are being pursued by evil one himself, being persecuted for your faith and all that you can see before you is a great sea that you must cross, ponder God’s ways, remember that He is leading you this way, and that He will shepherd you as your sweet Lord; confess this: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not ever need anything but Him” (Psalm 23 paraphrased).

 

If you are being led to carry the cross of Jesus Christ, and you are being crucified and have cried aloud to God, and your soul refuses to be comforted, and even your thoughts of God are causing you to moan because of your trouble (Psalm 77:1-4), ponder the death and resurrection of your Savior who has gone before you, who has died and been raised for you.

 

Ponder the love of God in Christ Jesus and how he calls us to follow Him carrying our cross because He is the Great Shepherd who has sought us and bought us and redeemed us by His precious blood!

 

When you ask the questions: “Has God’s steadfast love toward me ceased?” or “Has God forgotten to be gracious to me?” Look to Christ on the cross for you and behold His love for you! See on the cross of Jesus Christ that God’s steadfast love can NEVER CEASE; God can NEVER FORGET to be gracious to you. You have His word; you have His works shown to you in Jesus.

 

And if you are still wondering how you might live praising Him in the midst of your particular way “through the sea” look to how God did not forget His Son.  Christ came to live and die for His dearly beloved people. Christ laid down His life for us, and after being crushed by God’s wrath for our sins, in our place, Jesus was placed in a tomb. The way of the tomb is not hopeful; Jesus remained under the power of death for our sins for three days! In this situation, the way looks hopeless and impossible. Unless God Almighty, our Great God and Savior is the Shepherd. Then even the way through the tomb cannot stop God from shepherding us to victory!

 

God remembered Christ and on the third day He rose gloriously from the dead. Through the sea, Christ received the victory of resurrection and glorification. We too who believe, although our paths are fraught with difficult times and circumstances, will also see the glory of the Lord in the Land of the Living and be resurrected and glorified.

 

Let us hope in God.

 

Build your faith today, beloved congregation of Jesus, by pondering the words and works of God in Christ for us.

 

His way is through the sea. You haven’t lost your way for He is shepherding you. He says to you: “Follow me” and “Trust me”.

 

You may not feel His presence right now, and you may not see His footprints, but you can be confident in Jesus Christ that He is carrying you every step of the way.

 

ESV Psalm 77:19-20: Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

 

Ponder the love of God for you.

 

IN Christ’s love,

 

Pastor Biggs

 

PS I will have more later this week on our WOE study from how we can be Assessed, Aligned and Aim through studying the seven churches of Revelation.

“What the Spirit Says…Orthodox and Loving”

Word of Encouragement

 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”- Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22

 

“…We make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God…”- 2 Corinthians 5:9b-11a

 

For the next couple of weeks, I will be writing short messages on the seven churches for our Word of Encouragement so that we might better assess where we are spiritually as a congregation, show us areas that need to be realigned with God’s Word, and how we might more effectively and sincerely make it our aim to please the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

If you would like to read the introduction to this short series, you may read here: Word of Encouragement

 

What are our strengths and weaknesses as a congregation? How can we ask God to better search and know us corporately? How are we doing at KCPC as a visible manifestation of Christ’s Kingdom on earth? Are we loving God and others as we did when we were first saved and gathered as Christ’s flock?

 

Jesus is Lord of His Church. He knows us by name at KCPC. He knows our strengths and weaknesses, our virtues and vices, and the seven letters to the churches in Revelation teach us three important truths that I want to consider with you for the next few weeks: Assessment, Alignment, and Aim. Jesus makes assessment of His churches; Jesus teaches us through His Word by His Spirit so that we would be aligned with His revealed truth; and Jesus has died for us and loved us so that we will make it our aim to please Him.

 

As prophet, Jesus speaks; as priest he is Mediator before God, assuring the churches of his continuous presence and his availability for them to come and seek forgiveness when they repent; as king, Jesus rules and reigns over his people, providing them instruction, protection, blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.

 

Let us look first at Jesus’ message to the Church at Ephesus. It is important to remind ourselves that these seven congregations of the Revelation were real historical churches at the time that John the Apostle wrote his Revelation of Jesus Christ.  However, we want to understand that they are also symbolic of the entire church age between Jesus’ first and second coming.

 

This means that what Jesus says to the churches, we need to consider soberly for ourselves.  Jesus is still speaking to us (Hebrews 12:25).  Jesus is particularly speaking to His people in these letters as a corporate body and congregation of confessional Christians, and not merely as individuals. This is why it is good to use these letters to be assessed by Christ as we seek to grow in him as a body.

 

We should understand that through the reading and preaching of the Word in public worship, we at KCPC are also recipients of this important letter.  Jesus is addressing us, too!

 

Dear Ketoctin Covenant Presbyterian Church…Dear Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, in Purcellville, Virginia:

 

Our letter is from Jesus Christ, who is described as: “He who holds the seven angels and walks among the seven golden lampstands” (2:1b). Our Lord Jesus addresses us. More particularly, our great Lord and Savior who addresses us in Revelation 1 as a gracious and loving Savior who has died for us:

 

“Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come…from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us by His blood…” (Rev. 1:4b-6a).

 

Jesus presents to us the Gospel good news that He is our hope for grace and peace from God and with God, and that Jesus loves us and has saved us from our sins. Rejoice!

 

Jesus goes on to speak: “I know your works” This should cause us all to consider soberly Jesus’ loving assessment of His churches. But there is always grace from our Lord in our time of need (v. 2a).

 

Jesus says: “I know your toil and patient endurance” (cf. 1:9; v. 2a). The Church militant lives between the tension of new creation and consummation (already- not yet) that is characterized by tribulation. Although there is great peace and joy in Jesus, our pilgrimage as Christians is characterized by tribulation (see John 16:33; cf. Revelation 1:9).

 

Jesus says: “I know how you cannot bear with those who are evil” (v. 2b). Ephesus was a faithfully confessional church, holding to the truths of Christ and Holy Scripture. They “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1).

 

Jesus says essentially to Ephesus: “I know you take doctrine seriously” (vv. 2c, 6). Your love for my truth is obvious in the way you live.

 

Jesus says: “I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake and have not grown weary” (v. 3). The congregation is continuing to fight the good fight and persevere by God’s grace as a people. Your patient endurance is commendable.

 

This was an outwardly orthodox congregation of Jesus Christ.  Faithfulness on the surface, and outwardly standing against evil; the congregation takes doctrine seriously; they were patiently enduring.

 

Outwardly this is a faithfully solid and conservative conversation of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Although this congregation is walking before God rightly outwardly, inwardly their hearts have turned away from Jesus.  Because their hearts had turned a bit away from Jesus, their loving hearts had grown a bit cold, even unloving.

 

The congregation was no longer as loving as it once was.

 

We should evaluate ourselves in light of this as Christ continues to speak to us. God has granted us a great deal of love for God and one another at this time in our congregational life, and this is apparent by God’s grace. But we must always understand that there is a danger of letting our hearts grow cold, although outwardly we are doing many good works for Christ. Notice…

 

Jesus says: “But I have this against you…” (v. 4a)

 

Through Jesus’ word, there is always room to grow, always room to learn, always room to be more reformed by and through the words of our Risen-Ascended Glorified LORD!

 

Jesus says: “You have abandoned the love you had at first” (v. 4b).

 

The point of this is that we as a congregation in Christ’s True Church might be reformed and ever reforming as Christ speaks to us through Scripture.  We should desire to and strive together as disciples to be the congregation that God has called us to be in Christ.  We must do this together in reliance upon God’s grace.

 

This takes love.  1 Corinthians 13:4-8 reminds us of the definition of biblical love for one another:

 

ESV 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.

 

Is this what characterizes our congregation?  I think we strive to be faithful, healthy, holy, even theologically astute and accurate, but are we loving? Do we have love for Jesus in our worship, in our devotions, in our prayers, in our service and affection for one another? Do we show love to others who may disagree with us, while we correct them gently, speaking the truth in love? (see 2 Tim. 2:23-25).

 

Ephesus was overall a pretty good congregation.  The Lord says good things about them.  However, they lacked love; they had abandoned the love they had at first.  There had been a gradual coldness because the congregation neglected to assess themselves and continually align themselves with the Gospel of grace.

 

This temptation to grow cold seems to be a scriptural echo of what Jesus had said in Matthew 24:12-14 about the visible Church when he returns:

 

ESV Matthew 24:12-14: And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

 

You may remember that the Apostle Paul had started the Church at Ephesus as a mission church.  He had remained at Ephesus for three years preaching, teaching and training disciples.  He left Pastor Timothy to continue what he had started; Timothy was the first called and ordained pastor of the congregation as it went from mission status to a self-supporting, self-governing, self-conscious, and self-propagating congregation of Christ’s Church.

 

The Apostle Paul had warned the elders that threats from within and from without would threaten the life of the Church (Acts 20:17ff).

 

The Church at Ephesus was one of the exemplary model “flagship churches” of the Churches of Asia Minor.  When Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesian Christians he had commended them for their great love for one another:

 

ESV Ephesians 1:15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your lovetoward all the saints…

 

The Apostle Paul had taught the Ephesians to live a life of love rooted in God’s eternal love for them in Jesus Christ.  Through a meditation and daily realization of God’s love for them in Christ, they were to live a life of love; walking in love, speaking the truth in love to one another and those outside their congregation.

 

ESV Ephesians 3:17-19: …so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith- that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

 

ESV Ephesians 4:2 …with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…

 

ESV Ephesians 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

 

ESV Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 

Marriages were to be characterized by husband and wife loving one another, and children showing love by honoring their parents (5:21-6:4).

 

But something had changed since the first.  Some of the gains that the Ephesian Christians had gained by God’s grace had been lost because of a lack of love. Can you see how easy it is to get out of step with the truth of the Gospel, to shift from the hope of the Gospel, and to drift from the message of the Gospel we have heard?!

 

When we get out of line with the truths of the Gospel as a congregation, we want to be realigned quickly by God’s grace. The Bible teaches that we can get out of step with the truth of the gospel, shift from the hope of the gospel, and drift from the message of the Gospel we have heard (see Gal. 2:14; Col. 1:23; Heb. 2:1).

 

Jesus says to Ephesus (and to us!): “Remember” (v. 5a).  This is an “eschatological remember”.  This means “don’t forget” the grace of God and the mercy that should lovingly motivate your theology to make Christians like Christ in knowledge and actions. “Remember” in Scripture is a recollection to action. Here they are to remember the Gospel grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and to go and love likewise.

 

Jesus says: “Repent” (v. 5b).  With Jesus there is always the opportunity to repent, to turn and find mercy with our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:16); Jesus is always calling us to the Mercy Seat! Let us hear what the Spirit says in our need for daily repentance!

 

Jesus’ commendation to Ephesus:  “You hate the works of the Nicolaitans that I also hate” (v. 6). Jesus is saying: “This you have right; you must be loving, yes, but being loving does not mean to compromise with error. To be loving does NOT mean to compromise truth; this you have right.” No one knows much about the Nicolaitans, but it is obvious they were a heretical group who taught false theology and whose practices were immoral and impure.  They were probably those from within the congregation that were compromising with the world of paganism in the City of Ephesus.

 

Jesus says: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (v. 7a).  This is how judgment begins at the household of God (cf. 1 Peter 4:17) as we allow Jesus to assess us by His most Holy Word, then to align ourselves by His grace to His Word, and then to aim to seek to please Him as a congregation.

 

The “judgment” we receive as Christ’s congregation is admonishment for what we are not doing biblically, and we are to be disciplined by this word of judgment as God’s dear children (Heb. 12:5ff), and to repent and seek to be obedient and make it our aim to please Him (2 Corinthians 5:9).

 

“He who has ears to hear” is from the Prophecy of Isaiah (Isa. 6:9-10).  In Isaiah’s prophecy, Isaiah was sent to preach to congregations of Israel.  Those who had ears to hear and repented in light of God’s Word were the remnant, the true elect of God; those who rejected and had no ears to hear were the unbelievers (even if they were in the visible Church). Jesus also used this language in his parable of the sower during his earthly ministry to make a distinction between different kinds of hearts (soils); some of the hearts who heard were hardened, some were shallow, and some were distracted by worldliness. Those who heard were abundantly fruitful (see Matthew 13; Mark 4).

 

Preaching God’s Word is the way or means Jesus with the double-edged sword of his word brings straightness and aligns God’s people with God’s Word and Will (Heb. 4:12-13).  For those who have ears to hear there is salvation even in judgment because they become more like Christ through discipline.  For those who reject the message of Christ through His Word by His Spirit, there is judgment. Let us seek to be fruitful by seeking Christ to have hearts that hear and obey God’s Word. Let us seek transformed hearts that will be transformed through Jesus’ love for us.

 

To the conquerors: “I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (v. 7b).  This is one of the great benefits of being heirs of God with Christ (Romans 8:15ff).  The sacrament Tree of Life that appeared in the Garden of Eden and was denied our disobedient parents, is present now not in Eden, but in the New Jerusalem where Jesus is preparing a place for us (John 14:1-6).

 

By God’s grace in Christ, we are invited to partake of what this sacramental tree symbolized in Jesus Christ alone.

 

The Tree of Life is a sacramental tree symbolizing the eternal life found in Jesus Christ for those whom he loves.  Those who partake of the Tree of Life will never die but live at Shalom-Peace with God in the New Heavens and New Earth for eternity.

 

Though for now they may experience the Kingdom of God in the tension with tribulation and suffering, they are to remain patient (1:9), and seek the life of the Kingdom in Jesus Christ even now (Matthew 6:33), awaiting the full revealing and Revelation of this Kingdom when Christ returns. This should increase our love for God and each other that would naturally grow cold, but through grace is warmed and overflows into service and mercy to others.

 

For now, we as the Church of Jesus Christ at KCPC must hear and respond obediently to Jesus’ letter to the Ephesian Christians, understanding it is a letter addressed also to us.  We must love in response and reliance upon God’s grace and we must not compromise truth.  We must speak the truth in love and know that we may be persecuted for it.

 

For now, even as we live under tribulation, and we suffer, and we struggle against false doctrine and impure practices that God hates, we must seek to be patient in our endurance, fight the good fight, and to love one another as we did at the first.

 

And Christ enables us to do that by granting us the life now that we need that is found in Jesus Christ.

 

As Jesus addresses not only Ephesus, but also KCPC, how are we doing in our love for God and each other? Let us assess ourselves before the Throne of Grace; let us align ourselves with the Gospel Word of Christ; let us seek to make it our aim to please Jesus who died for us (2 Cor. 5:14-15); let us be controlled and constrained by His love!

 

Let us end with Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian Church.  Let us turn to Ephesians 3:14-21 and pray together:

 

ESV Ephesians 3:17-19: “…That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith- that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

 

May these short devotional studies of assessment from Jesus using the letters to the seven churches of the Revelation cause us to better align ourselves with His truth, and encourage us all to make it our aim to please Jesus who died for us while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:6-8).

 

May we live daily as a congregation before the face of Christ and so before the Judgment Seat of Christ. When we all arrive at our destination and we stand as the congregation KCPC before Christ’s Judgment, may these short devotions have better prepared us, so that we can stand confident and encouraged in the Lord Jesus’ presence.

 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”- Jesus Christ

 

In Jesus’ love,

 

Pastor Charles

09/09/11

 

“Fear Not, for I am with You.”

Word of Encouragement

 

“…Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand…For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”- ESV Isaiah 41:10, 13

 

Beloved congregation of God, remember the promises of our great God to us! We grow in our faith as we trust in and believe God’s promises.

 

The battle can be difficult and hard and we grow weary so easily. In fact, we are often surprised by how weak we actually are and this can contribute to our frailties and fears, drawing the life out of our prayers and good intentions to live for Christ.

 

Yet God is faithful and comes to us and says multiple times in Scripture: “Fear not!” This is the most frequent command of God found in Scripture: “fear not” usually followed by some form of “I am with you.”  “Fear not” is God’s covenantal greeting to His people from the very beginning to Abram (Gen. 15:1). “Fear not” is a covenantal greeting because it is from our God of grace and mercy to needy and weak sinners. God knows we are timid and by nature fearful (since the fall we have been running in fear from the presence of God: “Where are you?!” asks your God!).

 

Yet God pursues us and seeks we after those who are so prone to wander, and God is graciously and convenantally committed to us through the Lord Jesus Christ in calling us, in saving us, in making us like Himself.

 

This is our hope. We have nothing to fear.

 

Why do we fear? Many different reasons, but the fountain of fear is unbelief. Fear is our failure to believe God’s promises to us in Jesus Christ.

 

Puritan John Flavel wisely wrote: “To the extent that our souls are empty of faith, they are filled with fear….If people would dig to the root of their fears they would find unbelief.” Fear weakens the act of faith in God and His promises and we must endure in this life “seeing Him who is invisible” (Heb. 11:27). Fear through unbelief severs the soul from its refuge in the divine promises. Unbelief can leave our dearest interests and concerns in our own hands (and no matter how much we boast, we know we’re weak creatures). So we by faith must commit to God all that is precious and valuable to Him alone.

 

We must confess our unbelief before God. Often we realize we are sinfully fearful, but we don’t recognize the fount of unbelief from which our fears are flowing. As teacher Jerry Bridges says, unbelief is a “respectable sin” so it is often not easily recognized (as is bitterness, unforgiveness, stealing, malice, gossip, etc.). Let us seek to find our unbelief in God’s promises, confess our unbelief as sin to God, then we will see our fears diminish and our faith grow.

 

God is the one who helps our faith grow. God promises to His believing people in this passage from Isaiah 41 that he will “strengthen us” “help us” and “uphold us”.  God promises to strengthen us in our battle, to teach us as we trust in Him that we can have trust in Him and confidence in His power and goodness. God promises to help us in that He wages war with us in our battles; he is alongside us, fighting with us, never leaving us nor forsaking us. God promises to uphold us and this is very good news for the tired, achy, and weary of heart. He will uphold us so that we will endure to the end; so that during the struggle and the wrestling we will not give up, but continue to fight the good fight by His grace.

 

Our Savior, Jesus Christ knew these words of promise from Isaiah 41 and believed them on behalf of His people.

 

Jesus during His earthly ministry on our behalf had to be tempted and tried in the wilderness, He endured the torments and anguish of Gethsemane, He experienced the disappointment of weak-hearted, selfish followers who denied Him in His time of need, and He had to go the way of the heinous and abominable cross to secure our redemption and salvation.

 

Jesus needed to hear the words “Fear not” often; Jesus had to trust in His Heavenly Father for our sakes and for our salvation! Jesus needed to know that His dear Heavenly Father would strengthen, help and uphold him as He endured all of the forces of hell, and the wrath of God for our sins, so that we could be saved- -and endure, too!

 

And He overcame through God’s promises, as we can overcome in Him!

 

Do not grow weary in the battle today. God has met you with His promises.

 

“Fear not” and know that God is with you in Christ to help you to endure and grow in grace.  You are united to Jesus Christ who has already believed God’s promises and overcome the threats and torments of the enemies of God by His grace on your behalf. He is now safely in heaven at God’s right hand, fully secure and strong in might to ever be with you and to strengthen, help and uphold you by His Spirit and His prayers (Heb. 7:24-29; Romans 8:31-34).

 

Christ is with you; He is your Savior and loves you dearly. Believe.

 

Jesus says to you: “Fear not, I am the One who helps you.”

 

Pray for one another: Father, by your strength in Christ, by the power of our union with Him, grant us courage as your people to have trust and confidence in Christ and your promises. By your help we are thankful you come along side of us and fight the good fight with us. We thank you that by your righteous right hand you uphold us and prevent us daily from sinking under the difficulty of the conflict, and to endure to the end. We are more than conquerors in Jesus who loved us and gave His life for us. We are not to fear- -but will have courage and hope in Jesus. Amen.

 

Love in Christ,

 

Pastor Biggs

07/21/11

“Knowledge of Ourselves, Knowledge of Our Savior”

Word of Encouragement

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

How discouraging it can be to see what evil still dwells in our hearts! How we pray and long to be more like Christ, and to see more of Him in us. What weaknesses we feel within us, particularly in our hearts that are so slow to love, to pray, to follow Christ obediently.

 

What are the purposes of the LORD in allowing our sins to remain within us (although they do not reign over us)? Why does He not remove every ounce of the poison and venom of indwelling sin all at once? The LORD wills that we feel our depravity and weakness, so that we would know Christ better.

 

“They would not have known so much of Christ, if they had not known so much of themselves.” Hear the very wise John Newton:

 

“If the evils we feel [within our hearts] were not capable of being over-ruled for good (Rom. 8:28), God would not permit them to remain in us. This we may infer from His hatred of sin, and the love which He bears to His people…But God has gracious purposes in giving us a sense of our sinful weaknesses, so that when we feel our depravity, we may also see the power, wisdom and faithfulness of Christ, our Savior.

 

Hereby the Lord Jesus Christ is more endeared to the soul; all boasting is effectually excluded, and the glory of a full and free salvation is ascribed to Him alone!

 

The righteous are said to be scarcely saved, not with respect to the certainty of the event, for the purpose of God in their favor cannot be disappointed, but in respect of their own apprehensions, and the great difficulties they are brought through.

 

When, after a long experience of their own deceitful hearts, after repeated proofs of their weakness, willfulness, ingratitude, and insensitivity to others, they find that none of these things can separate them from the love of God in Christ, Jesus becomes more and more precious to their souls.

 

They love much, because much has been forgiven them.

 

They dare not, they will not ascribe anything to themselves, but are glad to acknowledge, that they must have perished (if possible) a thousand times over, if JESUS had not been their Savior, their Shepherd, and their Shield.

 

When they were wandering, he brought them back; when fallen he raised them; when wounded he healed them; when fainting he revived them. By Him, out of weakness they have been made strong: He has taught their hands to war, and covered their heads in the day of battle. In a word, some of the clearest proofs they have had of His excellence, have been occasioned by the mortifying proofs they have had of their own vileness and sinfulness. They would not have known so much of Him, if they had not known so much of themselves!” – John Newton

 

As we recognize what we are as people from the heart, it is humbling. The humbling that we understand, experience and feel is good because God is particularly close to the broken and contrite in spirit (Isaiah 57:15; Matthew 5:3).  God is pleased to humble us so that we will depend more on Christ.  Our experiences are the Lord’s school to us where we learn wisdom. Even the sinful mistakes we make, and the folly that we find in our poor decisions, are part of the “all things” that work out for good for us, that also glorifies God (Romans 8:28).

 

When we are humbled, we truly understand that apart from Christ we can do NOTHING (John 15:5), and so we seek Him more, and want to learn of Him more, and we realize we have more of a need for Him. We realize that He loves us more than we at first understood, because he loves unconditionally and contra-conditionally wicked sinners by nature who have lived to offend God.

 

As we understand our need, so we may come boldly (and quickly!) to the Throne of Grace, and find help for us in every step of our Christian lives. Because of Christ Jesus, we are forgiven, loved, accepted in the Beloved, and nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:31-39). Amen.

 

ESV Hebrews 4:15-16: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

Love in Christ,

 

Pastor Biggs

07/09/11

“Are You An Idolater?”

Dearest Congregation of the Lord Jesus,

I desire to share with you a challenging sermon I read recently and have been deeply meditating upon since last week. I realize you’re very busy, but I hope you will take an opportunity to read this for yourself, and if head of the household, that you will share this with your own family. I have edited this sermon for you so that although you may not have access to or time for reading of this sermon, you might benefit from the Biblical exegesis, theology and application. The sermon is by David Clarkson, entitled ‘Soul Idolatry Excludes Men from Heaven’ (from Works of David Clarkson, Vol. 2, Banner of Truth Trust).

Would you take time prayerfully to read this convicted and excellent sermon so that we might grow together by God’s grace? Would you take time to go over these thoughts and questions of application so that you might have more assurance of God’s love and forgiveness of your sins, so that you might be more humble and truly repentant? As your pastor and friend, I ask you to read this, ponder the powerful questions below, and seek the LORD while He may be found!

Repentance should define our daily Christian lives. Repentance is daily realizing our sins before a holy God and turning by faith away from them to the grace and power found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance is a constant turning, navigating oneself away from sin, and toward the loving Savior who will embrace us as we run to him by faith. But not all folks live repentantly; neither the arrogant nor the ignorant do this important work. Although repentance is what should characterize the entire Christian life, many arrogant folks think they do not need it, and many ignorant folks neglect it.

May this sermon by David Clarkson encourage you to a deeper repentance and stronger faith in the Lord Jesus. As your pastor, I have been praying a lot for myself and our congregation that we might experience a deeper repentance and greater work of grace in our lives. In order to know a deeper repentance what must happen first?

We must be aware of a deeper problem of our sins; we must come to see the depth of our problem, and see our sinful problem as not merely inconvenient to our lives, but horribly disgusting, odious, and filthy in the face of God. When we recognize at a deeper level our own sinfulness and how we aggravate God in our transgressions, then as we realize through repentance our greater need for a Savior, so we walk more closely, watching and praying, so that we do not fall into temptation.

You have heard me say it before, and I will say it over and over again if God gives me the strength: If you are yet to realize that you have a sinful problem, and you haven’t really thought about the depths of yours sins, then you’re a dangerous person. Only if you see your problem can you truly understand God’s solution to you in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus for you.

This sermon is offered to you that you might ask God to search your heart, and if there are grievous sins and ways in you, that by God’s gracious Spirit, He might lead you into the way that is everlasting, with a deeper and more profound knowledge of the saving work and graciousness of Jesus!

Let this be our prayer as a congregation:

ESV Psalm 139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

If we all start with our own hearts, how gracious, compassionate and serious about both sin and grace we will be as a people!

Prayer Meeting this Lord’s Day, 6 pm: This Sunday evening is our monthly prayer meeting, and we will be using this study to help us to seek the LORD. Our theme for prayer will be a deeper repentance and grasp of the grace of God in Christ, as well as the hard work that we are called to as God’s people in putting to death our sinful nature (Romans 6). Even if you’re unable to make the prayer meeting (and I hope you can!!), I strongly encourage you to read this as a member of KCPC so that we can all be on the same page, as we are seeking after God.

Read this sermon prayerfully and carefully, and ask God to grant light and fire by His Holy Spirit. Good things are happening; good things are coming; we will reap a great harvest if we do not give up; do not allow yourself to be foolish, slothful, and/or presumptuous as a Christian!

Title of Sermon: “Soul Idolatry Excludes Men from Heaven”

Author: David Clarkson (d. 1686)- Colleague of John Owen, and the minister who preached and ministered to Owen’s flock after John Owen’s death (yes, Pastor Clarkson was in the shadows of a greater man—but both were great men!).

Text from Scripture: ESV Ephesians 5:5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ( that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Edited sermon and updated for modern readers by Pastor C. R. Biggs:

Reigning and Ruling Lusts?
Every reigning lust is an idol, and every person in whom it reigns is an idolater. What are your reigning and ruling lusts?

Pleasures, and riches, and honors are the carnal man’s “trinity”, and these become gods that make men idolaters: ESV 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions- is not from the Father but is from the world.

In Satan’s kingdom, every one bowing himself to his lust worships it as an idol. When the mind is most taken up with an object, and the heart and the affections most set upon it, this is soul worship, and this is what is due only to God.

Secret and soul idolatry is when the mind and heart is set upon anything more than God; when anything is more valued, more trusted, more loved, etc.

Soul idolatry will exclude men out of heaven as well as open idolatry. He that serves his lusts is as incapable of heaven as he that serves, worships idols of wood and stone.

Can Christians Commit Idolatry??
The danger of soul idolatry is that we often do not notice as easily inward, soul idolatry, and we fail to recognize the dangers of it as we do outward idolatry. Many fine Christians would never bow the knee to wood and stone idols, but many fine Christians bow down from their souls to other idols that are unseen, yet as idolatrous and displeasing to God.

The following are the acts of soul worship so that you might prayerfully consider each one and if found an idolater in God’s sight, you might ask Him to forgive you and restore to you the joy and love of your salvation.

Are you an idolater? If so, remember God gives more grace in order that you might humble yourself through repentance and confess your sins to Him, knowing that He is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (James 4:6ff; 1 John 1:7ff):

1. Esteem: That which we most highly value we make our God. Estimation is an act of soul worship. What we most esteem we make our God such as high opinions of self, our accomplishments, what folks think of us, how we dress ourselves up before others, our possessions, etc. Whose opinions do you esteem the most? At the end of the day who has power over you to judge you “guilty” or “non-guilty”? God or other men? Who do you live your life before? Whose opinions do you “need” to make you someone important?

2. Mindfulness: That which we are most mindful we make our God. What do you think about the most often? When we should be thinking about God and we’re thinking about other things, we are revealing what we love the most. Are our thoughts seeking to follow after God’s thoughts? Do you set your minds on things above where Christ is? (Col. 3:1-4).

3. Intention: What is our greatest longing and goal in life? God and nothing else must be our chief end. If our chief end is to be great, safe, rich, powerful, famous, when it is our own pleasure, credit, profit, and advantage, this is soul idolatry. What do you get up each day with a mind of accomplishing and doing?

4. Love: That which we most love we worship as our God. Do we love riches, possessions, family, and/or friends more, or equal with God? Love, whenever it is inordinate, it is an idolatrous affection.

5. Trust: What do I trust in? Who do we trust, and/or depend upon the most? Where is our confidence? Trust God “with all of your heart” (Proverbs 3:5). Do you trust in your wisdom, strength, intellect, handgun, abilities, etc? Do you trust ultimately in riches, how much you have in your savings account and/or retirement; do you trust ultimately in your friends? Do you boast in yourself, and in your own wisdom or boast in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:29-31).

6. Fear: What we fear, we worship as our God. That is our god which is our fear and dread: ESV Luke 12:4-5: “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Those therefore who fear other things more than God; who are more afraid to offend other people than to displease God; who fear more to lose outward enjoyments than to lose the favor of God and His Spirit; who fear outward suffering more than God’s displeasure and wrath.

7. Hope: Ask yourself: What is my hope? Christ alone should be our hope as Christians; he is our hope and righteousness. What excites your hope each day helping you to get through the day?

8. Desire: That which we chiefly desire is the chief good in our lives, and what we account as our chief good is our god. To desire anything more, or so much as the enjoyment of God, is to idolize it, to prostrate the heart to it, and worship it as God only should be worshipped. What is your heart prostrated before in worship? Pray with the Psalmist that God alone would be your chief desire: Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:25-26). Pray for the Holy Spirit to grant you not merely to “do” for God, but that you might will and desire to do good (Phil. 2:13- “to will and to work for His good pleasure”).

9. Delight: Delight is an affection that in its height and elevation is called “glorying”. What do you “glory in”? To take more pleasure in any way of sin, uncleanness, temptation, intemperance, gluttony, drunkenness, earthly employments or enjoymnets, than in the holy ways of God, than in those spiritual and heavenly services which we may enjoy God, is idolatry. Would you rather be “glorying” in other things (even lawful and good things) rather than worshipping God and fellowshipping with His people? How do you keep the Lord’s Day? How do you spend your money? Are you generous? The answers to these questions will reveal your idolatry or love for God alone.

10. Zeal: What are we zealous for? Are we zealous for ourselves, our plans, our vacations, our dreams, our agendas more than God? Are we fervent for ourselves and our own good and glory, and indifferent, lazy, and lukewarm in our zeal for God and His Kingdom? Are we more zealous for political parties, persons and/or teachers in the church or in our communities than we are in God and His Church? Do we spend more time thining about, and planning our vacation and retirement than we do in preparing ourselves for worship of the Living God and to appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ?

11. Gratitude: What are you most thankful for? Do we honor “diligence” or “luck” or “prudence” or “fortune” more than God’s goodness? In response to compliments, and/or other offering you respect do you give glory and thanksgiving to your “diligence” or your “luck” more than God?

When our care and industry (hard work) is more for other things than for God, we are idolaters. No man can serve two masters!

How Many Masters Do You Have?
When you are more careful and industrious (hard working) to please men, or yourselves, or your children and posterity, than to be servicable, useful and faithful to God; if it is more important to you to provide for yourselves and your family more than to serve God; if you are more careful what you shall eat, drink, and wear more than how you may honor and glorify God you have a hateful and burdensome master who is not God: ESV Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other….ESV Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

To live like this is to idolize the world, yourselves, your lusts, your relations, while the God of Heaven is neglected.

We must remember that the Bible defines true conversion to Christ as “turning from idols”: ESV 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10: For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. Does this characterize your life? You “turned to God from idols to serve…to wait for His Son…”

Have you experienced true conversion? How do you know if your affections of your heart and your actions seek something more than God; if you’re an idolater- -how can you be assured of your knowledge and relationship to Christ?

Who then shall be saved??!!

Where is the heart in which some idol is not secretly advanced? Where it that soul that does not bow down to some lust or vanity? Where it that person that does not give that soul-worship to the creature which is due unto the Creator alone?

Who then shall be saved??!!

On the one hand, we find in Scripture that the people of God can be guilty of this and fall into incest, lying, drunkenness, murder, adultery, denial of Christ, and blatant idolatry itself (Abraham and the patriarchs, Noah, David, Solomon, Peter, etc). On the other hand, how can this be consistent with the state of grace when this is blatant spiritual idolatry that is offensive to God??!!

Answer: There is an aptness and still a propensity in every saint of God to be idolaters, just as much there is a propensity and aptness toward other sins. In fact, idolatry as a sin is a root and foundational sin to all the others in the heart. The corruption of our natures in Adam consists of proneness to all abominations, including idolatry.

Grace is imperfect in this life and only corrects this corruption in part. Grace weakens the disposition and desire to idolatry, it does not completely abolish it. That is why we must be aware of it, and constantly be fighting to kill it in its first motions, and thoughts to sin. We must watch and pray that we do not fall into temptation.

It is true that those folks, those natures that are most sanctified on earth are still a seminary (seed bed) of sin; there is in them the roots, the seeds of atheism, blasphemy, murder, adultery, apostasy, and idolatry.

This disposition to idolatry remains more or leass in the best, while the body of death remains. Remember the Apostle Paul’s struggle and great frustrations for his own sins (Romans 7:20-25):

Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Is Paul’s Struggle Familiar to You?
Is the Apostle Paul’s struggle familiar to you? Do you have a fight, a conflict within your soul against sinfulness? Is your alliance with the Spirit of God warring against your flesh? Are you hopeful of being delivered by Jesus from the body of death?

Love in the regenerate still may be inordinate, therefore the other affections, desires, delights, desires, fears, zeals, etc can give way to actual sins of idolatry in their actions.

With that said, we must still understand the power of Jesus Christ, and the fact that true believers have been united to Christ and take part in not only the removal of our penalty for sin, but we are empowered by God’s Spirit to live as more than overcomers (Romans 8)!

Are You Habitually Idolatrous?
The regenerate will still have a disposition toward idolatry, but they will not be guilty of habitual idolatry. The unregenerate and unbeliving are guilty of constant and habitual idolatry, the regenerate will not be. True Christians are not habitual idolaters; idolatry does not characterize their lives.

Believers will not yield to these idolatrous notions knowingly, willingly, constantly as unbelievers do; these idolatrous desires are not tolerated or allowed, but rather fought against because they have the Spirit that wages Holy War against the flesh (Gal. 5:16-26).

Believers resist idolatry by living watchfully, prayerfully, carefully, and fully and constantly dependent upon God’s strength and grace in Christ. True believers in Christ will resist, lament and pray against idolatry; they are neither arrogant or ignorant of their remaining sinfulness, but they know that sin shall not reign over them as their master:

ESV Romans 6:11-14: So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Are you a habitual idolater? Has arrogance made you neglect it? Has ignorance caused you to overlook it? Is your life privately characterized by idolatry?

Are you still a slave to sin? Does sin have dominion over you? Has it mastered you?

Begin with your private life. Begin with your heart. Ask God to search you and know you. Is your private life characterized by idolatry as sketched above? Are your hearts and minds filled with idolatry? Do you have a private life with God? Honestly, are you a fake in need of repentance?

If you are characterized by habitual idolatry, you cannot claim the assurance of the knowledge of salvation in Jesus nor can you have assurance that you are empowered by His Spirit.

How can you be assured of your faith in Christ that it is truly a saving faith?

True believers fly to the blood of Christ for pardon; they run desperately and violently as possible to Christ and His power to overcome sin and idolatry! When believers see sin, they run to Christ to confess it.

Believers are diligent to mortify or kill their idolatry when they find it in their hearts and minds so that they can please Christ in their daily duties.

The idolatry that the saints united to Jesus are prone to is not the same as reigning, habitual idolatry of the unregenerate and the unrepentant. None are more ready to disclaim this idolatry than those who are most guilty! Those who are most guilty of idolatry reject any need from God or others.

Our proneness to idolatry is the reason why we must all be neither arrogant nor ignorant toward the remaining sin that is within us. We must seek the LORD and ask Him through watching and praying that He would deliver us more and more, and grant us a deeper repentance and trust in Jesus Christ.

The more we understand what we have been delivered from, and from what we are being delivered, and just how much it has eaten us up inside like a cancer, the more diligent we will be in exalting the grace of God found in Christ Jesus, and running to Jesus for His cleansing blood to purify and empower us over our sins.

Do you live a life of repentance, asking God to search your hearts and minds to cleanse of all of your idols?

Are you an idolater?

What is your hope?

If you realize how deeply your idolatry goes, wouldn’t it behoove you to use your time more wisely in seeking Christ, and seeking Him to make you pure as He is pure? The root to all of the believer’s fruitfulness is found in union with Jesus and we grow as behold the gracious face of God each day in our prayers and in our walk:

ESV 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Our only hope is in our Savior Jesus Christ! So be strengthened by the grace that is in Jesus (2 Tim. 2:1); watch and pray that you fall not into temptation (Matt. 26:41); be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might (Eph. 6:10); resist the devil, draw near to God (James 4:6ff). Remember the words of James; if we need grace, God will grant it as we ask for it:

“…[God] gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

Prayer: Lord and Father, help me to watch and pray against idolatry in my heart. Keep my heart pure and clean, and my focus fixed on Christ! Grant me grace to be self-aware of my sin, leading me to repentance; make me Christ-aware as I keep my the focus of my affections, feelings, emotions, will and mind on Jesus and not on my base and sinful lusts. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Biggs

“Courage with Endurance”- John Newton

On Fortitude in the Christian Life by John Newton

Psalm 119 says in verse 67: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.”

What is fortitude? It has been defined as ‘courage with endurance’. When God sends and allows afflictions in our lives, we need fortitude to persevere by his grace- – we need courage with endurance.

We must find this fortitude in Christ Jesus by the power of His Spirit.

Have you ever asked God to grow in grace and then your life seemed to fall apart? Have you ever prayed that God would make you more like him and allow you to give up some of your self-centeredness and pet sins and he placed what seemed at the time to be great pressure and unbelievable difficulty upon your life?

Have you ever had to trust God by faith in His “yes and amen” promises in Jesus Christ, even though it did not seem he was keeping His promises to you in your finite estimation.

If you have, then you have had to believe and hold on by faith using fortitude by God’s Spirit, or “courage with endurance”.

The below poem written by John Newton captures this biblical truth of fortitude extremely well. John Newton lived in the 18th century and has been remembered for writing the hymn ‘Amazing Grace‘.

The poem below displays another aspect of God’s amazing grace.

“I asked the Lord that I might grow

In faith, and love, and every grace,

Might more of his salvation know

And seek more earnestly his face.

/

‘Twas he who taught me thus to pray,

And he, I trust, has answered prayer;

But it has been in such a way

As almost drove me to despair.

/

I hoped that in some favoured hour

At once he’d answer my request,

And by his love’s constraining power

Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

/

Instead of this, he made me feel

The hidden evil of my heart,

And let the angry powers of hell

Assault my soul in every part.

/

Yea, more, with his own hand he seemed

Intent to aggravate the woe,

Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,

Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

/

‘Lord, why is this?’ I trembling cried,

‘Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?’

‘Tis in this way,’ the Lord replied,

‘I answer prayer by grace and faith.

/

‘These inward trials I employ

From self and pride to set thee free,

And break thy schemes of earthly joy,

That thou mayest seek thy all in me.'”

– John Newton, ‘Collected Writings of John Newton‘, Vol. 3, Olney Hymns, Book III, 36; Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust.

Stop now to pray, and thank God for His grace and mercy in your life.

In Christ’s love,

Pastor Charles

Thomas Brooks on Humility

We are taught in Scripture “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”- James 4:7

This outstanding quotation from Thomas Brooks will grant us a better understanding of what this means. He commented:

“Humility is both a grace, and a vessel to receive grace from God. There is none that sees so much need of grace as humble souls. There is none prizes grace like humble souls. There is none who improves grace like humble souls. Therefore God singles out the humble soul to fill him to the brim with grace when the proud is sent away empty.”

“Why are the best men the most humble men?”

1) Humble souls are great debtors to God for His grace because they know of their great need of more of Christ.
2) In this life humble souls have only a taste for God more than anything else.
3) Humble souls are in touch with their own sinful hearts and know that their hearts deceive them and so listen and gain wisdom from God and others, while the proud are often self-deceived and foolish.

Love in Christ,

Pastor Charles

Meditating on the Future Life with Cyprian and Perkins

In the day-to-day, never ending blinding blitz of lightning-fast bandwidth, bustle, busyness and buzz, do not allow yourself to forget to be hopeful of heaven. Meditate on the future life. Take time to think about heaven and your future home. Think on your Savior and the reality that he is awaiting you.

Today’s quotations on meditating on the heavenly life are from Cyprian and Pastor William Perkins.  Cyprian was a Latin church father who converted from paganism a little more than 12 years before he was martyred for his faith in Jesus in AD 258.  He has had a great deal of influence in what was a very short ministry.  Perkins was a Puritan preacher and pastor at Cambridge in England, who died in 1602.

In these quotations, both men are encouraging us to have abundant hope concerning the Day of Christ’s return.  Cyprian teaches us to “meditate on the future life” as Calvin later put it so well, and Perkins encourages all people in this world to give heed to the fact that Jesus said: “I come shortly.”  As the people of God, are we watching soberly and alertly for Christ’s return?  Do you anticipate it?  Our constant struggles with our sins can cause us to cling all the more tighter to Christ’s forgiveness and awaken our our desires to hope passionately for the Day when we can permanently put off our flesh and be like him- – fully redeemed!  (1 John 3:1-3). These struggles with sin and difficult frustrations in our life help us to be homesick for our true home!

In the day-to-day, never ending blinding blitz of lightning-fast bandwidth, bustle, busyness and buzz, do not allow yourself to forget to be hopeful of heaven.  Meditate on the future life.  Take time to think about heaven and your future home.  Think on your Savior and the reality that he is awaiting you.

Cyprian of Carthage

“Let us consider, beloved brethren, that we have renounced the world, and are passing our time here as strangers and pilgrims.  We embrace the day which assigns each to his home, which restores Paradise and a kingdom, us who have been plucked from the world and set free from worldly snares.  Who would not hasten home?  Paradise we count our fatherland, and the patriarchs our fathers (Heb. 11).  Why should we not hasten homewards to salute our parents?

There the mighty multitude of dear ones await us- -the crowd of parents, brothers, sons, longs for us, already secure of their own safety….  How great the joy to us and to them, of beholding and embracing each other!  What the blessedness of these celestial realms; without fear of death, and possessed of an eternity of life, how supreme and abiding the joy and felicity!

There the glorious choir of apostles; there the crowd of exulting prophets; there the innumerable throng of martyrs crowned because of victory in conflict and suffering; the compassionate rewarded, who, obeying their Lord’s command, transferred their earthly inheritance to a heavenly treasure-house.  To these, brethren most beloved, with eager desire let us hasten, longing to be speedily with them and with Christ.  These our desires and purposes, let our God, and our Lord Christ, behold, who will give the larger reward of His glory to those who after Him have had larger desires for it.”

William Perkins

“The daily persuasion of the speedy coming of Christ is of notable use; for, first, it will daunt the most desperate wretch that is, and make him tremble in himself, and restrain him from many sins.  And if a man belong to God, and yet be a loose liver, this persuasion will rouse him out of his sins and make him turn to God; for who would not seek to save his soul, if he were persuaded that Christ is now coming to give him his final reward?

Secondly, if a man have grace and do believe, this persuasion is a notable means to make him constant in every good duty, both of piety to God and of love towards his brethren.  Thirdly, this serves to comfort any person that is in affliction and painful struggles; for, when he shall believe that which Christ has said, I come shortly, he cannot but think but that his deliverance is soon at hand; for at His coming He brings perfect redemption to all His people.”

“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book…. The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”- Revelation 22:7, 17

In Christ’s love,

Pastor Charles