Daily Passage on Works: Day 8

Posted on 10/24/2013 by Paul Pavao

I am conducting an experiment. I am going to post one verse or passage a day for as long as I can that addresses works for the Christian. I’m guessing I can keep it up for at least six months. I won’t stretch any passages out by dividing them into individual verses. If a whole passage is discussing works, I’ll use the whole passage that day.

I am doing this because “works” has become a taboo word in many Christian circles. Every time it is used, an apology must be given, and someone must explain that we are not saved by works. This happens despite the fact that James said that we are “justified by works” without any apology or explanation. If he can violate our social taboos, we should, too.

These will be short, so they’re not in place of regular posts. If you entered on this blog’s home page, make sure you look at the second post, too, which is probably more important.

Day 8: Seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue, by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises, that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. Yes, and for this very cause, adding on your part all diligence, in your  faith supply moral excellence; in moral excellence, knowledge; in knowledge, self-control; in self-control, patience; in patience, godliness; in godliness, brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love. For if these things are in you and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotting the cleansing from his old sins. Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble. (2 Pet. 1:3-11)

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Why?

Posted on 10/24/2013 by Paul Pavao

I saw a video the other day that explained one of the reasons I’m such a terrible salesman and marketer. I suspect it will be life-changing for me. It talked about products or ideas and the what, how, and why of those ideas.

He drew this illustration. (This is my drawing, not his, so don’t blame him for the chicken scratch writing.)

why-drawing-10-2013

He said most companies begin with “what,” and they may explain “how,” but they never get to “why.” Then he said people don’t buy what you have to sell. They buy what you believe. It is most important, he said, to tell them “why” you believe what you believe, not what you want your audience to receive.

I can’t really explain why that “clicked” for me.

I’ve always been told that I need to know who my audience is when I write. I’ve also been told that I need to write in such a way that my readers know what’s in it for them rather than just what I want to tell them. It’s about the reader, not about me.

I’ve never been able to get that. I kept thinking, “My audience is anyone who will listen to me. The message I have is important. How do I narrow that down?” I thought, “What does the reader get? The reader gets what I’m talking about. Usually, I’m talking about the church, about church life, and about the truth the apostles handed down to the church. I’m talking about preserving that truth. What could be more important than that?”

Somehow, I realized that because I’m stuck on “what” and my readers often don’t understand “why” I’m saying what I’m saying. As a result, they don’t really even understand “what” I’m saying. I’m rambling all over the landscape, talking about all sorts of things to them. To me, however, I’m always talking about one thing …

The Gospel as it was given by King Jesus to the apostles, and then by the apostles to the church.

The ramifications of pursuing that Gospel are phenomenal because we have lost so much of it.

Yes, we are doing good things. Yes, people are getting saved. Yes, there are some phenomenal, powerful Christians and churches in our day.

Yet, just because those things are true, do we really want to ignore the fact that 60% of Americans who think they are Christians admit they are either static or backsliding in their spiritual life? Do we really want to ignore the fact that the world sees Christianity as representing the height of division when Jesus said that our unity is what would prove he is the Son of God? (Jn. 17:20-23). Do we really want to ignore the fact that 90% or so of those who make a profession of faith, walk the aisle, or pray a sinner’s prayer are going to fall away? Do we really want to ignore the fact that most of our pastors have no close friends and that many need counseling as a result?

I could go on and on, but one primary issue that touches me is that God has promised to set the solitary in families, and we usually offer to set them in an audience. In best case scenarios, one person follows up on them in a mentor capacity.

When I write such things, I am not complaining. I am making a case for returning to the faith once delivered to the saints. It addresses every one of those problems without directly addressing any of them. Return to the faith the apostles preached, the Gospel that was lived out in their churches, and every one of those problems I just listed will disappear like a thick fog burned away by the sun.

We would have new problems instead. The kind of problems Paul, Peter, James, and John wrote about in their letters. The apostles writings would come alive to us because we would be reading them in the same environment they wrote them in.

The last thing the man in the video said was that our audience is the people who believe what we believe.

I believe that there is nothing greater than to continue daily in the apostles’ teaching, the breaking of bread, prayers, and fellowship. I believe there is nothing greater than sharing all things and being part of God’s family, headed up by King Jesus, love pouring down from heaven as the perfect bond of unity, and being taught together by the Lord God himself.

Everything I write is toward that purpose. To that I am willing to commit myself.

And if I am alive from the dead, living a second chance of life after recovery from a normally fatal disease, then that is what I am alive for. I will fight to my last breath for the faith once delivered to the saints because it delivers to the saints all the promises of God.

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Daily Passage on Works: Day 7

Posted on 10/23/2013 by Paul Pavao

I am conducting an experiment. I am going to post one verse or passage a day for as long as I can that addresses works for the Christian. I’m guessing I can keep it up for at least six months. I won’t stretch any passages out by dividing them into individual verses. If a whole passage is discussing works, I’ll use the whole passage that day.

These will be short, so they’re not in place of regular posts. If you entered on this blog’s home page, make sure you look at the second post, too, which is probably more important.

Day 7: If you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, then conduct yourself throughout the time of your sojourning here in fear. (1 Pet. 1:17)

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The Taboo Scriptures

Posted on 10/23/2013 by Paul Pavao

I was asked today by a friend, and a couple days ago on Facebook, if the Scriptures that I claim are “taboo” to American Christians all concern faith and works.

The answer is that verses on works comprise the majority of taboo verses, ones that modern Christians may know are in the Bible, but we’re not supposed to repeat them … at least not without explaining why they don’t mean what they say.

Today, though, I had a little time to think, and here’s some other categories:

The following verses are taboo. You can read them, but do not say them without explanation, and certainly don’t be deceived by what they say!

Note: Some of my choices of subjects below are going to make you think I’m “Church of Christ.” I am not, and if I were, I’d have my own list of ignored or explained away verses, especially ones having to do with walking in the Spirit.

Baptism:

  • 1 Peter 3:21: “… baptism now saves us”
  • Gal. 3:27: “As many of us as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
  • Acts 22:16 “Why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
  • John 3:5: “Most assuredly, I tell you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
  • Titus 3:5: “Not by works that we have done, but according to his mercy he has saved us, by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.”

Trinity:

  • Col. 1:15: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation”
  • Prov. 8:22: “The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before ever the earth was. When there were no deeps, I was born. … Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was born.”
  • John 17:3 (Jesus praying): “This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and King Jesus, whom you have sent.”
  • 1 Cor. 8:6: “For us, there is but one God, the Father … and one Lord, King Jesus, the Son of God.”

Money:

  • Luke 18:24: “How hard it is for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God.”
  • Luke 12:32-33: “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have, and give alms. Provide yourselves with bags that do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail … for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
  • 1 Tim. 6:9: “Those that want to be rich fall into temptation and a trap, and into many foolish and harmful desires, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”
  • Luke 14:33: “Whoever of you does not forsake everything he has cannot be my disciple.”

Fellowship:

  • Heb. 3:13: “Mentor one another day by day, while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
  • Acts 4:32: “And the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul, nor did any of them say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

Miscellaneous:

  • 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 (head coverings)
  • 1 Tim. 3:15 (church is the pillar and support of the truth)

Not all churches ignore 1 Corinthians 11:1-16. Some address it, and they explain it as cultural. Not all churches ignore Acts 4:32. They say it only happened in Jerusalem. (History says that’s not true.)

I don’t want to fault people where their interpretation is reasonable. Paul and James both talk about rich people in the church, so how could they have shared everything? Where churches are addressing those questions in some reasonable way, even if they disagree with me, I’m not complaining.

However, I think every other Scripture mentioned here, outside of the two I just addressed, are usually ignored like they don’t exist or dismissed with an excuse. I don’t want to honor those excuses by calling them an explanation or an interpretation. They are not. They are so pitiful that it is clear that the people making them do not care what Jesus or Paul or Peter or James or God himself is trying to tell them through that verse.

Really, though, that last paragraph is off subject.

My Point

My point is that these are verses that we just don’t say, except to explain them away. We direct them at no one. There is no situation where we would say to anyone the words of any of these verses.

When it is taboo to repeat things apostles said, or when we cannot think of any circumstance in which we would say or do what Jesus and the apostles said and did, then we have a problem.

Borrowing a phrase from the Declaration of Independence, I declare that truth to be self-evident, at least for “Bible-believing” Christians.

For any of you that feel I have my own list of ignored verses, you would only be doing me a favor if you pointed them out to me.

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Daily Passage on Works: Day 6

Posted on 10/22/2013 by Paul Pavao

I am conducting an experiment. I am going to post one verse or passage a day for as long as I can that addresses works for the Christian. I’m guessing I can keep it up for at least six months. I won’t stretch any passages out by dividing them into individual verses. If a whole passage is discussing works, I’ll use the whole passage that day.

These will be short, so they’re not in place of regular posts. If you entered on this blog’s home page, make sure you look at the second post, too, which is probably more important.

Day 6: Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. … For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angers, and then he will render to everyone according to his deeds.” (Matt. 16:24,27)

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Emphasis on Works: Why?

Posted on 10/22/2013 by Paul Pavao

This post is to respond to a question—a good one that needed to be asked—left in a comment.

What is going on in American Christianity that would make me and others talk about emphasizing works?

Well, here’s my answer.

“Works” has become a taboo word in modern Christianity. In most contexts, you have to apologize for saying it. Even Mike, the person who wrote the comment, who clearly believes that Christians need to do good works, was careful in his comments not to cross the invisible line.

The invisible line …

Don’t let “works save us” slip from our mouths or our attitudes or be interpreted from anything we’ve said.

Never mind that James said it …

… we are justified by works …

Peter said something similar that we don’t like …

… baptism now saves you …

But, but, but, but, but, but, but …

I’ve heard many buts, and none of the have been valid because none will admit that the apostles said what they said.

I have my own interpretation of both those verses. Well, it’s not my own. I have the early churches’ interpretation of both those verses. I have to, you see, because I have to also be able to say …

For by grace are we saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.

I can say that.

However, when I say we are justified by faith apart from works, no one is bothered. I don’t have to explain myself. No one argues with me or asks me what I mean by that.

They should, though, because I don’t mean what they mean. If I did, I would be like them, not able ever, in any situation, to say “we are justified by works and not faith alone.”

Ah, now I have to explain myself. Now everyone wants to know what I mean.

Let me tell you what I don’t mean. I don’t mean, “We are justified by faith alone but not by faith that is alone.” That sounds so very discerning. Try writing James 2:24 so it actually says that.

You see then that a man is justified by works, that is by faith alone, but not by faith that is alone.

You’re okay with doing that to the text?

Apologetic Exhortations

Paul tells us that Jesus died to obtain a people “zealous for good works” (Tit. 2:13-14). What has he gotten?

He has gotten a people that apologize when they exhort and feel obligated to explain that salvation is not by works every time they mention works.

In some sense, friends, salvation is by works. If you don’t do good works, or if your works are evil, you will …

  • not inherit or enter the kingdom of God (Matt. 7:21; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5; 2 Pet. 1:8-11)
  • reap corruption and not reap eternal life (Gal. 6:7-9)
  • die and not live (Rom. 8:12-13)
  • be disqualified (1 Cor. 9:27)
  • fearfully look for judgment and fiery indignation (Heb. 10:27)
  • rise to a resurrection of condemnation (Jn. 5:29)
  • depart into everlasting fire (Matt 25:31-46)
  • have a last end that is worse than never having heard the Gospel (2 Pet. 2:20-21)
  • have your name blotted out of the Book of Life and not be allowed to walk with Jesus in white (Rev. 3:4-5)

All these things are clearly tied to that taboo word: works.

I want it to stop being taboo. It was not taboo in the early churches. It was beloved. It was talked about all the time. Jesus died to purchase a people who were zealous for good works. We are his workmanship, created for good works.

Jesus did not die to produce a people who apologized for talking about good works. He did not die to produce a people who were scared that others would think that good works would be required to go to heaven.

Get right! Get grace from God so that you are his workmanship, created for good works. Don’t grow weary in doing good works because if you keep doing those good works and don’t lose heart, you will reap eternal life (Gal. 6:9; really, it says that).

Salvation by Faith Apart from Works

Of course, there’s a couple verses before that which tell you how a life of continual good deeds is possible. You have to sow to the Spirit. It’s by the Spirit that you can put to death the deeds of the body.

And that’s not possible unless you have the Spirit. You can’t be created for good works, until you become a new creation.

The Bible calls this incredible, transforming, life-giving power of the Holy Spirit … grace. There is only one route to grace. There is only one route to the forgiveness of sins. You will never work you way out of your slavery to sin and into grace. It’s impossible. You’ll only frustrate yourself or produce a self-righteousness that God (and most everyone else) detests.

There’s only one who can save you. You have to come to him in faith. He can cleanse your sins. He can give the Holy Spirit. He can give you grace.

You can bring your works with you when you come, but you should only have those along to repent of them. Jesus isn’t interested in your righteousness. He has his own to give you, and it is far better. His righteousness is God’s righteousness, and if you let him put it inside of you, it will transform you.

When you have that, all you have to do is continue in it. Those of us, however, who have received that incredible grace all know that the path does not suddenly become easy. We have an enemy, a spiritual enemy, who goes around like a roaring lion looking for people to devour. We live in a body that has not yet been redeemed and that regards its own pleasure as more important than God’s. By the Spirit, you must put to death the deeds of the body, or you will perish.You are not alone. God sets the solitary in families. Your entrance is not onto path that is meant to be trod alone, though our bravest soldiers have at times been required to do so. Your entrance is into a family, the very family of God, who will nurse you, instruct you, comfort you, rebuke you, and above all, love you and join you to themselves in a spiritual union that nothing can break if we will simply maintain it.

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Daily Passage on Works: Day 5

Posted on 10/21/2013 by Paul Pavao

I am conducting an experiment. I am going to post one verse or passage a day for as long as I can that addresses works for the Christian. I’m guessing I can keep it up for at least six months. I won’t stretch any passages out by dividing them into individual verses. If a whole passage is discussing works, I’ll use the whole passage that day.

These will be short, so they’re not in place of regular posts. If you entered on this blog’s home page, make sure you look at the second post, too, which is probably more important.

Day 5: Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father in heaven. (Matt. 7:21)

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John 20:23: How Do I Interpret it?

Posted on 10/21/2013 by Paul Pavao

I’ll give you both my video and email response to this question sent by a reader.

Video first:

Then the email:

I think John 20:23 says that the church has a lot more power than we usually think.

The apostles were to carry the Gospel to the world. They did that by starting churches. Churches were the vessel to hold the teaching of the apostles, the Gospel of Christ, and were to demonstrate the life of God that flourished and grew from the seeds of the Gospel.

As the apostles spread the Gospel and raised up churches, they did some things that then became the churches’ responsibility. Not “the church’s” but “the churches.'” It was the responsibility of each individual local church, not the responsibility of some organization claiming to be the church.

Jesus taught us to go to an offending brother ourselves, then bring one or two with us if we couldn’t get through, then bring that person to the church. The church, there, could remit that persons sin or retain it. If it was retained–and the only reason for retaining a sin is unrepentance–then the person was treated as a non-Christian. In extreme cases, the person is to be shunned, not even to be eaten with (1 Cor. 5).

That’s the context I put it in. A person who does not repent should not receive the remission of sin that the church can grant by readmitting that person to fellowship. A person in unrepentant sin should fear this because in John 20:23 Jesus is saying he’s going to back up the church.

I know he is saying that to the apostles, and the apostles as the custodians of the Gospel, had that authority. They have that authority to the churches they founded, not to new individuals (like the pope or priests).

It is true that the church needs leadership, even strong leadership. In many cases, it’s possible that the church’s authority is carried out just through the elders (the experienced, trusted brothers who have earned that right by proven character, not by a meaningless seminary or Bible school degree). In extreme cases, requiring disfellowshipping someone, that should be done with the knowledge and approval of all the men of the church, not just the elders. Novices should know that if they are the only ones who dissent, they will be rightfully ignored as acting in human sympathy rather than in the holiness of God.

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Daily Passage on Works: Day 4

Posted on 10/20/2013 by Paul Pavao

I am conducting an experiment. I am going to post one verse or passage a day for as long as I can that addresses works for the Christian. I’m guessing I can keep it up for at least six months. I won’t stretch any passages out by dividing them into individual verses. If a whole passage is discussing works, I’ll use the whole passage that day.

These will be short, so they’re not in place of regular posts. If you are on this blog’s home page, make sure you look at the second post, too, which is probably more important than this one.

Day 4: Let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 5:16)

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To Whom Will the Lord Not Impute Sin?

Posted on 10/20/2013 by Paul Pavao

The apostle Paul tells us, “Blessed is the one to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Rom. 4:8).

I think we all would agree such a person is blessed! The question is, who is that person?

I love the answer given by Justin Martyr in AD 155 or so:

If the Word of God foretells that some angels and men shall be certainly punished, it did so because it foreknew that they would be unchangeably [wicked], bot not because God created them that way. If they repent, all who wish for it can obtain mercy form God, and the Scripture foretells that they will be blessed, saying, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
This means a person may receive remission of God only if they repent of their sins. It is not as you [Jews] deceive yourselves [into thinking]—and some others who resemble you in this— saying that even though they are sinners, as long as they know God, the Lord will not impute sin to them. THe proof of this is the one fall of David … which was forgiven when he he mourned and wept in the way that it is written. So if even to a man like this, no remission was granted before repentence, and only when this great king, anointed one (Gr. christos), and prophet mourned and conducted himself in this way, how can the impure and utterly abandoned, if they fail to weep, mourn, and repent, entertain the hope that the Lord will not impute sin to them? (Dialogue with Trypho 141)

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