Family Matters in Malachi 2:14 ~ Part Two

Having learned in part one of this post that a family begins with a man and a woman, we then see that marriage concerns a godly offspring. At this time in Israel men were divorcing their wives against the Mosaic Law given by God in Deuteronomy 24. This sobering passage links this to a treacherous spirit in 2:14. Treachery is doing harm to another person. Treachery is the ultimate in human hatred. Treachery is the total opposite of kindness. Kindness seeks to do good and to bless. Treachery seeks to hurt and harm and ultimately to curse. In the case of marriage, these men desired to curse their wives by forsaking them, divorcing them. But some did not. They apparently were not many, but a remnant. But the reason they did not act treacherously was because they had a remnant of spirit or sense. Verse 15 in my Bible translates it as the Holy Spirit, but it could be a reference to the human spirit because verse 16 says “take heed to your spirit.” I think this is what it means. It could not mean that those who loved their wives had a little bit of the Holy Spirit, just enough to make them do the right thing. No, they had a lot of godly sense. They took heed to their attitudes and those seed thoughts that eventually rise up into monster attitudes and devilish actions. 

And the sensible thing about these men was that they had a concern for a godly offspring. Notice this also 2:15. A more accurate translation is simply He sought a godly offspring. He was concerned to have a godly offspring. He was more concerned about the effect of his spirit and his marriage on his offspring than about his own personal feelings about his wife. The others, the many, had everything upside down and twisted about. These men had everything right side up and straight. They had sense. Though I do not think that 2:15a is a reference to the Holy Spirit, I believe that these men had sense because they had the Holy Spirit. 

Some practical advice and warnings. To married men and women I say your marriage is meant to have an impact on your children. Your marriage cannot save your children, but your marriage need not be an excuse for your children not to believe in Christ and live by His teachings. Your marriage is not the answer to their sin problem, but your marriage can show them how the Gospel solves the sin problem. Right next to the priority of maintaining the covenant relationship that you have with your spouse is the priority of raising a godly offspring. Our ministry as parents is not to see to it that our children are fashionable in the world and as much like them as we can allow them to be to avoid any reproach, it is to show them the necessity and beauty of godliness. We care more about their love for God than anything else. We can’t turn them into converts, but we can make the Christian faith attractive, enjoyable, while maintaining its distinctives in a world where anything goes. I ask you men whether or not you are more concerned about each of you children’s state in godliness than you are about you own lusts and passions? And do you realize how inordinate lust and passion is poison to your seed. I ask you mothers whether you are more concerned about raising a godly offspring or about giving your offspring the best that this world has to offer. 

Third, everything depends on a person’s spirit. The evil taking place in family life at this time in post-exilic Israel had to do with a treacherous, malicious spirit. And these guilty ones just kept right on bringing their offerings to the Lord and expecting the Lord to look favorably on them. And when they had an inkling that the Lord was not pleased with them, they just pouted and wept tears and groaned like little children because the Lord did not accept their offerings (2:13). So the prophet gives the solution to them. It is simple and straightforward. Discernment is needed to see the profound simplicity of this divine solution. Here it is: “Take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously (2:16)!” What does it mean to take heed to your spirit? 

First it means to take a good hard look at ourselves and our lives and make a sober, scriptural assessment. Many people are afraid to do that because they know they will need God’s help to change. Or they are afraid of the consequences of coming clean with their sinful habits or actions. But if we care about others more than ourseves, namely, our companion and wife by covenant and agodly offspring, no amount of self-denial will be too great a cost for us to pay for those whom we love. 

Second, it means to take a good hard look at where our attitudes and actions are likely to lead us in the future. Attitudes are not like games we play. They are seeds that grow bigger and spread further. The Gospel gives us many attitude replacements for life that enable us to get along with all of the imperfections and disappointments that come even from those within our families. Our family is the most precious gem that wewear closest to our body. That closeness must be preserved in attitude and action. 

Finally, taking heed to your spirit means that we must have the baptism, filling, fullness, and fruit of the Spirit to have a human spirit that is different from the rest of fallen humanity.  As a Christian who is in Christ and Christ in me, my spirit is actually the most amazing possession I have. Because in my spirit dwells and abides the Holy Spirit of the eternal God and His Son Jesus Christ. In marriage and family counseling I remind people about the four pillars of Christian marriage and the Christian home. Pillars hold up marriage and the family. The pillar of God the Father, the sovereign will of God; the pillar of God the Son, the Savior who poured out His life-blood to save sinners from the wrath of God; the pillar of the Spirit of God who fills us and gives us fruit; and the pillar of the church of God. the new creation, the new family to which I am joined in a covenant relationship. Another way to say this is to say that I take heed to amazing truth that I am a temple of the Holy Spirit. 

Marriage and family books can be extremely helpful and sometimes they are essential to getting things right and on track again. God gifts many of His people to write warmly and well about the pressing issues of family. I thank God for many works that I can recommend and personally enjoy about marriage and family life! But never forget that we have the indwelling God in our spirits, transforming our spirits, challenging our spirits, rebuking and re-invigorating our spirits at other times. Take heed to what God is doing there, so that wenever act treacherously toward our spouses, our children, or our parents.

Pastor John Reuther

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by cbclumberton on March 10, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Our Children, Our Marriage, Our Spirit Indwelling

Posted by cbclumberton on March 10, 2012

http://cbclumberton.wordpress.com/2012/03/10/family-matters-part-two/

Family Matters in Malachi 2:14 ~ Part One

Family matters. When something matters, it get’s top priority. Your health matters. Take care of yourself. Your soul matters. Come to Christ and be saved. Family matters. Family is one of life’s most important relationships and stewardships. Your wife matters. Your husband matters. Your children matter. Your parents matter. The whole family structure matters. Each relationship matters. Your attitude toward your family matters.

The Bible is a book about the family of God, but it does speak to family matters in certain key texts. Malachi 2:10-17 is one of them. Many Christians may recognize Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3 as the Bible’s top family passages, but it would be a serious omission not to include this one as a top passage. This passage has elements in it that make it a unique Old Testament contribution to our view of and life in families.

Even though the passage speaks about the family it has a national frame of reference. See how it talks about Judah and Israel as brothers (2:11), yet they are tribes. And see also how the passage talks about their offerings in 2:12 and 2:13. But even though the nation is the bigger backdrop, individual families in Israel are the subject matter here.

I simply want to point out the most obvious things this passage teaches about family matters. First, family starts with a man and a woman. Malachi 2:14 says “….she is your companion and your wife by covenant.” Nowhere else in the Bible do we have such a statement as this about what marriage is by nature from the God who designed it. Husband and wife are companions who are joined in a covenant relationship.

When marriage was first instituted God said that a man was to leave his father and mother and cling or cleave to his wife (Gen. 2:24). Here we find that the new relationship of husband and wife which is now separated from the relationships previously held in the family authority and structure is severed and a covenant entered into. Of course, the relationship is changed drastically but not severed totally. Children are commended to honor their father and mother in the 5th commandment even when they are married. But they do not have the same relationship of command and obedience which that relationship once had. So father and mother can no longer command their married children and hold their authority over them. The period of nurture is over and a new relationship is in place.

But the covenant of marriage is a binding, permanent, inviolable, union in the eyes of God. Hence God says in 2:16 “I hate divorce.” This does not mean that God has nothing to say about certain situations in which divorce is allowed by God. That subject is not my purpose now. I am bound to my wife, and she to me. We are yoked for life. We must look to each other in that yoke and keep saying him alone, her alone. She is mine; I am his. We are one, we must be one. We must get along. We must find a way.

This covenant of marriage is, of course, based on the way God relates to us. He enters into covenant with us. He binds Himself with an oath and He will not relent or change His mind. God’s covenant with us makes us very happy. We are equally happy to be in a covenant relationship with our spouses. That relationship gives us safety and security in life. And with this legal (in the sight of God) bond of union we can freely enjoy the other element of marriage which this passage presents.

We are companions. We are conjoined not only in a legal yoke or a working yoke. We are conjoined in a bond of companionship which means friendship and happiness together. Ecclesiastes 9:9 says “Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.” Sounds very practical doesn’t it? Life is hard. Marriage eases the burden. Life is full of sorrow. Enjoy your marriage.  

Some practical advice and some mild warnings. If you are married, don’t let yourself become so burdened with life’s cares that you miss God’s immediate means to lift those cares, that is, your companion. Another piece of advice is don’t dwell on your companion’s faults and foibles so much that you are unable to enjoy the gift that God has given you. Perfectionism in marriage relationship is not compatible with the companionship of two un-glorified saints, or a sinner and a saint. In other words, you must bear with your companion rather than bear down on your companion. Also, in life’s busyness and financial pressure, find times just to be together, go places together, and do some special things simply as companions. And when you do these things, try not to talk about all the problems that you talk about every day.

Malachi has two other family matters to talk about, so watch for the next installment of this article next week.

Pastor John Reuther

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by cbclumberton on February 26, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Our Children, Our Marriage, Our Spirit Indwelling

Posted by cbclumberton on February 26, 2012

http://cbclumberton.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/family-matters-part-one/

Crosses Everywhere

The cross has become the most significant religious symbol of the Christian faith. Crosses in antiquity were constructed in different ways so that the exact form of the cross on which Jesus died is not fully known. But crosses are everywhere, in church buildings, outdoor shrines, electrical fixtures, bulletins, advertisements, earrings, necklaces, chains, etc. It is not uncommon for churches to have many crosses displayed throughout their buildings. Some religions have Christ still hanging on the cross. 

I was asked recently why our church building did not have any crosses displayed, why no light fixtures with crosses on them, etc. This short tract gives the essence of my answer to that question. There is no sin committed in displaying a cross, or wearing the cross on our person. But there are some compelling reasons why we should rethink not making the cross a religious icon or symbol in buildings, on literature, or on our person. In the end this will be a matter of Christian liberty and we should be careful of judging a brother. 

The first reason is that we do not want to domesticate or tame the cross. The cross was cruel and bloody. Crucifixion was a horrific punishment. Victims were tortured and subjected to inhumane indignities, as Jesus was. Furthermore, many in the true Christian family in the first few centuries were crucified, as were some of the original twelve apostles. Hengel states: “By the public display of a naked victim at a prominent place—at a crossroads, in the theatre, on high ground, at the place of his crime—crucifixion represented also his uttermost humiliation…..this form of execution, more than any other, had associations with the idea of human sacrifice. Crucifixion was aggravated further by the fact that quite often its victims were never buried…..food for wild beasts and birds of prey” (Crucifixion, Martin Hengel—Fortress Press, 1988, p. 87). 

Another reason is that we ourselves want to display by our godly lives that we are living out the reality of the cross. The Christian life is the way of the cross, and that cannot be signified by an icon of the cross displayed in buildings or worn by us. Jesus made this a qualification for being one of His followers. He said: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Paul said “I have been crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). A true Christian is not one who wears a cross (though wearing a cross does not mean that a person is not a Christian), but one who lives the life of the cross by denying himself and putting sin to death because He trusts in the merits of Christ’s cross. If you do not know anything of this life I urge you to seek and come to Christ. 

Third, God wants the cross to be preached. “We preach Christ crucified” (1 Cor. 1:23). The symbol itself does not convey the truth of Christ. This is one of the reasons why many seek security in the symbol alone though they do not have the reality. The Bible explains the  meaning of the cross. A biblical church which preaches Christ week by week will keep the cross before our eyes. And the gospel is more than the cross, though the cross is the basis of being made right with God. It is the incarnation, the life of Christ, the empty tomb, the exalted Christ, Pentecost and the pouring out of the Spirit.

 

There may be someone reading who agrees with these three perspectives but uses the symbol of the cross. I write to speak to the abuses of making the symbol of the cross a substitute for the reality of saving faith, and to expose the emptiness of much that bears the name Christian just because it displays a cross. But perhaps you will be encouraged to think about the cross so that the cross will be the means of your salvation: “And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. (1Pet. 2:24).

 Pastor John Reuther

 

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by cbclumberton on January 29, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Our Lord Jesus

Posted by cbclumberton on January 29, 2012

http://cbclumberton.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/crosses-everywhere/

The Birth of Jesus Luke 2:1-20

Nothing brings more joy at Christmas than reading about the birth of Jesus the Savior. On Christmas Day, December 25th, we are going to center our worship service around this comforting portion. Many of our favorite Christmas Carols are taken right from this account of Christ’s birth. So we will read through the birth account and then sing the related carols along the way. Look on the Bulletin Tab above to see the order of reading and singing.

Then we will open up the birth account in the morning message. There we will see three wonderful parts of the story of His birth. 

First, we will talk about “The Hidden Hand of God” in Luke 2:1-7. God was at work “behind the scenes,” as we often say. He was arranging everything for the Savior to be born at just the right time and in just the right place. That’s our God! He is sovereign, and because of this we can have comfort. 

Then, we will consider “The Majestic Voice of God” in Luke 2:8-14. God doesn’t always hide Himself! At the right time and for the right reasons He speaks. He appears! The birth of Christ was such a time in history. 

Finally, we will hear about “The Good News of God” in Luke 2:15-20. Those shepherds knew that there was something that they had to go and see. After they saw for themselves, they then had something to tell. 

Join us this Christmas Day at Covenant for a real celebration of Jesus’ birth. What a perfect combination – it only comes around every 7 years – Christmas Day on the Lord’s Day. Join us at 10:30 AM for some refreshments before the service! We’re looking forward to a wonderful morning here at Covenant.

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by cbclumberton on December 22, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Our Lord Jesus

Posted by cbclumberton on December 22, 2011

http://cbclumberton.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/the-birth-of-jesus-luke-21-20/

Just Look at the Extent of God’s Plans!

We have telescopes to aid us in seeing distant galaxies. We have microscopes to aid us in seeing organisms too small for the naked eye. How can we see what God is doing? We read in the Bible that He has marvelous plans. But we wonder what the scope of His plans is. How far does it reach? How much does it include? How detailed is it? These questions remind of us a question we asked in an earlier article – What does it mean to be God? If God is God, then does that mean that He is in control? If He is not in control, then we are in trouble! If He is in control, just how much control does He have? And then we wonder about man. Surely, we may think man has some control in life. After all, man makes plans too. He works and accomplishes and sees many things happen which he originally designed. 

The Bible has its simple answers and its more detailed answers to questions like these. Let’s look at the simple answer for now: “His purpose, who works all things after the counsel of His own will” (Ephesians 1:11). That says it all, and that is a lot. Some say that God plans the big things, but not the little things where human agency is thought to be working. God plans for the ship to get from point A to point B, but everything that happens on the ship is the free action of those on it. The problem with this illustration, and of limiting God’s planning and control only to the big or major milestones of history is the possibility of a mutiny on that ship! If everything that happens on the ship is the free action of the people on it, then the potential is there for the ship not to make it to its destination. In addition, this kind of illustration fails to take into account that sometimes the smallest factors in history often bring about great results. 

In this article I want to demonstrate that the scope and reach of God’s plans extend all the way from the macro (the things you need a telescope to see) to the micro (the things you need a microscope to see), to everything in between – we’ll call this the intermediate. To put it more simply, God’s plans are universal – taking in the farthest reaches of the universe, historical – comprehending all of human history, and personal – including the smallest details of our individual lives. There is one verse in the Bible which I believe summarizes all of these levels of life. It is Acts 17:28 – “In God we live and move and exist….” All of existence is rooted in God. 

God’s Plan is Universal

Isaiah shows how God’s control extends to the universe. “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and marked off the heavens by the span, And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in a pair of scales?” (Isa. 40:12). God is portrayed as physically handling the elements of the creation. Psalm 93:4 says “In whose hands are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are His also.” God asked Job “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?…….Who set its measurements……Who stretched the line on it?…….Who enclosed the sea with doors?…..When I made a cloud its garment and thick darkness its….band. And I placed boundaries on it and set a bolt and doors, and I said ‘Thus far shall you come but no farther…….” (Job 38:4-11). 

God wants us to know that He is bigger than the creation; He stands above it, outside of it…..He can measure it, move it, manipulate it, and make changes to it. He has a plan for it. He will ultimately destroy it and make it new (Isa. 65:17, 2 Peter 3:10-13). The universe demonstrates planning, design, structure, order, and purpose, because God made it. God’s response to Job’s trial took him first to the macro level of human existence. Job wanted detailed answers on the micro level. So also do we want to know the reason why things happen to us. We feel that God owes us an answer for the events, especially the difficulties, that happen in our lives. But God demonstrates His wisdom on the macro level of creation. Job drew the right conclusions after God’s response to him, and he repented in dust and ashes. 

God’s plan for the universe supports us in all of our troubles. If He plans what will happen to the world and He determines the future of the universe, then He will take care of our lives. “My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:2). 

God’s Plan is Historical

We can barely manage a household, a business, or a church. But “nothing will be impossible with God” (Lk. 1:37). With difficulty does a nation seek to administer justice, but He directs history. The Bible pulls back the curtain on the secret, hidden activity of God and makes it known to mankind that “The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.  The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation” (Ps. 33:10-11). “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand” (Prov. 19:21). 

Which is the higher authority, the plans of man and counsel of nations, or the counsel of the Lord? Whose will wins the day? Who, or what, determines human history? God makes definitive pronouncements about this. “This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers and the decision is a command of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Dan 4:17). “Until you (Nebuchadnezzar) recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes” (Dan. 4:25). “And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth” (Rev. 1:5). 

God’s control of history is seen not only in His pronouncements, but in the great number of prophecies which He has spoken throughout history which come to fulfillment in their time. Out of the Bible’s 31,124 verses, 8,352 contain predictive material.[1] That is 27 percent of the Bible! God has a lot to say about history because He has planned it and He controls it. It is also seen in the reality of miracles which He performs at strategic times in history. Miracles are tied to major historical movements of God such as the time of the Exodus when God was forming His covenant nation, and the time of Christ and the Apostles when God was establishing His spiritual kingdom and church in this generation. This does not mean that God does not work miracles in all ages. I believe God works wonders in all generations. We cannot command Him to do miracles, we can only ask. And we recognize that this age is not like the Gospel and apostolic age where miracles were validating the Person and work of Christ. 

The greatest evidence of God’s control over history is the coming and crucifying of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. And in order for Him to come and die “in the fullness of time” (Gal, 4:4), the sovereign God had to control every detail of history. Acts 2:23 says “This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.” Men did the evil deed, but God planned it from all eternity. What great comfort this affords the child of God in a world that often seems out of control. Rest in Him and be at peace. 

God’s Plan is Personal

God’s plans reach high (universal) and home (personal). How do we know that God works His plans on the personal level? He says so! Look at this overwhelming testimony in Scripture. “For I know the plans I have for you” (Jer. 29:11). “Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us…..” (Ps. 40:5). “I will cry to God…..who accomplishes all things for me” (Ps. 57:2). “The Lord will accomplish what concerns me…..” (Ps. 138:8). “The God who girds me with strength…” (Ps. 18:32).  “He who began a good work in you” (Phil. 1:6). “For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You” (1 Chron. 29:14). “He has made everything appropriate in its time…” (Ecc. 3:11).– “all things are Your servants…..” (Ps. 119:91). “….works all things together for good…..” (Rom. 8:28). “All things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matt. 21:22). “He gives to all people life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:25).  “God….who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17). 

Another great evidence of the personal scope of God’s plans is the reality of prayer. Prayer speaks of His personal plans for us. God told Israel and Job to look up and out and away to see God’s immensity and infinite power. Prayer tells us to look at the myriads of ways in which God is involved in our daily lives through our prayers. Prayer is the stuff of the micro level of God’s plans. This is where we see God’s plan unfold in the minutest details of our lives, in answer to our prayers.

Prayer is aligning ourselves with God’s plan. Prayer is asking God for our needs and desires. Therefore prayer is solid evidence that God has a plan for life’s minutest detail, and that every detail of our lives can be subject to prayer. “Our Father who is in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:9-10).­ In the Lord’s prayer we see God’s plan for the universe brought down to His will for the earth. He is near to us in our prayers! As stated earlier, all three levels of existence, the universal, the historical, and the personal, are brought together “In Him we live and move and exist” (Acts 17:28).

So if you are a child of God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, behold your God! The scope and reach of His plans and His control reaches to the skies, to the world around us, and to our individual lives and cares.

Pastor John

[1] J. Barton Payne, Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1973), p. 13.

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by cbclumberton on November 30, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by cbclumberton on November 30, 2011

http://cbclumberton.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/the-reach-of-gods-plan/

We Are God’s Pilgrims

Our Thanksgiving Day feasts bring us back in our thoughts to those daring pilgrims who braved ocean and frontier in search of a new world and freedom to worship God. Men like William Bradford, John Carver, and Myles Standish were men of vision, undaunted by difficulty, disease, or even death. It’s hard for us to imagine today what it is like to set out on a life-changing journey to a new land. Anyone want to be a pilgrim today? Sorry, “no vacancy!” All lands have been discovered.

Christians are God’s Pilgrims, and have a great heritage of pilgrim life. David is just one of God’s people who understood this. He said in prayer to God “For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow…..” (1 Chron. 29:15). In this prayer, David expresses what all of God’s people understand about their faith and life in God’s kingdom. David understood that he came from a rich heritage of pilgrims. He mentioned “all our fathers.” He was thinking of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, even Boaz his great grandfather. These men lived on the earth, but their hearts were with God in heaven. 

Heb. 11:13-16 explains their view of life on this earth. “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” 
 

David understood that “our days on earth are like a shadow…..” Another Thanksgiving is upon us. Last Thanksgiving seems like yesterday. Christmas, and our next birthday…..all coming fast. We say time flies, but how many of us assess and arrange our lives by God’s word and requirements because time flies? Only God’s pilgrims do this. Our Old Testament pilgrim fathers were in God’s pilgrim school. As they arranged their lives around the temple worship and sacrificial system, they were learning that the nearness of God was their greatest good, and being in a right relationship to Him was more important than their daily bread. 

Then we pass on into the world of the Gospels and the New Testament and find our Christian pilgrim fathers, and they also teach us much. These are all those who walked with Jesus, the Twelve, the other disciples, men, women, and the growing multitude that were saved after the Day of Pentecost.  Many of them lost their lives as martyrs for their faith in the fateful years of the church’s persecution before Constantine. They were all taught by Jesus who also lived the life of a pilgrim; a pilgrim who came from Heaven  to lead us to our eternal dwelling in “the Father’s house” (John 14:1-3).

Peter, a pilgrim himself, wrote to these believers in 1 Peter 1:1, and 2:11 addressing them in this way “to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia…….aliens and strangers…….” Christians understood that they were called out of the world while kept in the world to live their lives with a love of heaven. They were fully engaged with life in the Empire for that was their lot in life. But they were not engrossed with that life, but indwelt with the Spirit of the new life now and the life to come. There was a Spirit in them – not the spirit that is in sinners, but the Spirit who is in God’s people. Therefore they were a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession….to proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called….out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). 

Our Christian fathers were taught to set their minds on things above (Col. 3:1), to value their heavenly citizenship (Phil. 3:20) to lay hold of eternal life (1 Tim. 6:12), to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4). They were a people always hearing the call to go deeper, to go higher, to stick to the narrow road that leads to eternal life. They were a people always steering their way safely through the world. They were following Christ and fixing their eyes on Him. On Christ all of their hopes were pinned. Christ had changed their world. They were already beginning to sense that Christ had changed history before their eyes. They were committed to this new way and courageous in their witness. 

When we consider that we are God’s pilgrims today, there are a few important thoughts that should be prominent in our minds. The first is that we always want to remember our true Christian heritage. As much as we love our United States of America and find great delight in recounting the history of our pilgrim fathers, our pilgrim heritage is rooted in Bible history and God’s salvation work in Christ our Lord. Ours is a heritage to study and to honor. As we live our Christian lives day by day and Lord’s Day by Lord’s Day, let us study and hear God’s word preached with great interest and delight – because we are God’s pilgrims today! 

Another thing that we must do is clearly establish our pilgrim identity. We must declare, by what we say and how we live, that we are Christian pilgrims just passing through this life. This is not our permanent home. We live in the world but we will not be rooted in the world. When the world tempts us to settle into its worldly ways and enjoy its pleasures to the exclusion or marginalizing of our God, we will declare, as David did, that we are strangers and tenants! And in addition to this, we will develop our Christian pilgrim life. We will explore and enjoy it. Are you finding delight in being a Christian and living the Christian life? 

Finally, we are to maintain a true pilgrim worldview, and this requires careful thinking and choosing on a regular basis. There is no letting up. David VanDrunen states in his excellent book entitled Living in God’s Two Kingdoms (2010), a book that is must reading for Christians today. 

If you are a serious Christian, you probably think about the Christianity and culture question on a regular basis, whether you realize it or not. Every time you reflect upon what your faith has to do with your job, you schoolwork, your political views, the books you read, or the movies you see, you confront the problem of Christianity and culture. When you consider what responsibilities your church might have with respect to contemporary controversies or economic development, you again come face-to-face with the Christianity and culture issue. It is no accident that so many of the greatest minds in the history of the Christian church have wrestled with this problem and that so many books have been written about it. Just think how much time, energy, and passion topics like religion and modern science or faith and politics generate in the Christian community. Even so, this subject is about much more than simply these overtly “cultural” topics. Developing a coherent view of Christianity and culture demands wrestling with some of the most fundamental truths of the Christian faith. (p. 11, 12) 

And this is what all Christian pilgrims must do. We must think carefully through moral issues and how God’s Ten Commandments, from first to last, all inclusive, apply to our relationship with the world and culture we live in. And we will have to make some hard choices in the way we worship God according to His word, on His appointed Lord’s Day Sabbath, in relation to our parents, authorities, and every other area of life made holy by the divine commandments. We must think carefully through educational issues and if we find ourselves in an educational environment, whether elementary, High School, or college, that is not “Christian” or overtly anti-Christian, we must live as God’s true pilgrims and make many hard choices that may earn us the scorn of our peers. Even so-called “Christian” institutions set temptations to compromise before us. We will of necessity have to deal with social issues like friendships and choosing a life-partner in marriage, all as Christian pilgrims seeking to pass through this life with the ultimate aim of pleasing God by a life of trust and obedience. Finally, we will need to work hard and prayerful think through our political involvement as we fulfill our important duties as citizens in this world kingdom. We must get involved in the political process, be engaged with our government leaders, but also be sure to remember that the pure preaching of the Gospel is this world’s, and our nations, only hope. Van Drunen’s book has some very helpful material on how to do this at the end of his book. Again, I encourage you to secure a copy of this new book and consider it carefully. 

So this Thanksgiving, bless God if you are a Christian pilgrim! 

Pastor John Reuther
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by cbclumberton on November 23, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by cbclumberton on November 23, 2011

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Christmas Community Evangelism Coming!

Covenant Baptist Church will be gearing up for our second 2011 blanket of the Lumberton community in just a few weeks. We will be enlisting church members to join in a distribution of invitations to our Christmas Evangelistic Services on Christmas Morning, the Lord’s Day, and possibly Christmas Eve, Saturday Night. We earnestly want to bring the good news of Christ to our neighbors in Lumberton and will fervently pray that God will bless this desire. We’ll be posting more detailed information about this evangelistic outreach in the next couple of weeks. But for, now, plan to join us for the distribution, and of course, for the services. We will be dividing up Lumberton into 7 zones and looking for men and women, boys and girls to “pound the pavement” to deliver them directly to the doors of our neighbors. December is a busy month, as we all know, but we trust that there will be a willingness to do whatever we can to make this a reality and see the Gospel go forth and the church reap the harvest. Pastor John

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by cbclumberton on November 16, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by cbclumberton on November 16, 2011

http://cbclumberton.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/christmas-community-evangelism-coming/

Normal Church Life Seems Radical to Many Part II – A Normal Household

Normal, that is Biblical, church life is best understood and pictured through the imagery of a household. In fact, this precise word is used to describe the church of Jesus Christ in 1 Tim. 3:15. A household is a domestic establishment, a family, of those who dwell under the same roof and work together to benefit from the design intended by the Creator of families. Consider your own household, where you grew up, or where you are seeking to raise your children.

First, a household has a structure of authority. The father is the head of the household (1 Tim. 3:4), and the wife is his crown (Prov. 12:4). He exercises loving, servant leadership in wisdom (Eph. 5:23-29), and she is a submissive helper (Gen. 2:18) who contributes her household and childrearing wisdom to him and to the children (Prov. 31). Together they work, under this beautiful design, to create an atmosphere of love (Titus 2:4), discipline (Eph. 6:4), family life (Job 1:4-5), fun (Ps. 128:2), and not least, holiness and godliness (Eph. 3:14-16). Children love the home because they see the security, love, and happiness that is there for them, even in the daily chores and “rituals” which they sometimes would rather see eliminated!

Second, a household is a place of learning and growing, vision and sending. Parents raise their children up for their future life and service to God. For this reason, family gatherings are vital for carrying on the work of training and correction, teaching and equipping. Children show up for all the meals and family events. It’s just natural. That is where they are fed physical food, have fellowship with the entire family, and talk about life and situations learning from the wisdom of their parents.

Third, a household is an entity which God wants to use for the building of His kingdom. Parents can only teach the word and exhort to faith in Jesus Christ. They cannot save their children (Jn. 1:13). Parents evangelize from childhood (2 Tim. 3:15) and live as examples of self-denying, humble followers of Christ themselves so that their children will see Christ in them. They never assume that their children are saved simply because they live in a Christian home and receive a Christian education. Rather, they recognize that their children must be born again into the family of God and eventually be baptized and become members themselves of the church of God when they are mature enough to assume those responsibilities in the “household of God” (1Tim. 3:15). Christian parents raise their children in the earthly family with a view to their incorporation and participation in the spiritual family the church. And so, faithful and full participation in the life of their local church is as important as every other nuclear family activity, if not more.

So, how then is the Church like a household? It’s simple. Christ exercises His cosmic rule (universal authority) through the elders of the each local church. The church gathers at the appointed times to conduct the affairs of God’s household. Even a cursory reading of the New Testament will show us that there are numerous activities that God has designed for His individual church families which will require a portion of our time and energy and prayerful involvement. For example, the church is a body of students seeking to be instructed in the teachings of Christ and the Bible, and will need to gather specifically to study (Mt. 28:20). Also, the church is a body of worshipers who passionately desire to identify with God’s people in regular worship and hear the preaching of the word in a healthy diet of systematic preaching (2 Tim. 4:2-3). Needless to say, the people of God are to be a praying people (Rom. 12:12), praying together and making His house a house of prayer. Mutual encouragement (such as is necessary in our individual families) is a major part of church life (1 Thess. 5:11) so that Christians want to spend time with other Christians getting to know them and their needs better. The church and Gospel work of evangelism and missions and church-planting require finances (2 Cor. 9:6) and so God’s people tithe and bring their offerings as God has prospered them so that the household of God will not lack any supply. Church members open their homes in Christian hospitality (Rom. 12:13) and are on the lookout for benevolence needs as they arise.

The household of God is simply beautiful. Membership in the church of Jesus Christ is the greatest privilege on earth, and participation in a full-orbed church life is nothing short of exhilarating and empowering (1 Cor. 3:16). From an OT perspective, Christians also say “I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord” (Ps. 122:1).

But there is a serious question for each and every Christian: Is your church life “normal,” that is, “biblical.” We may find that family members or other Christians who just pop in and out of their churches think that we are radical, when we are just seeking to be biblical. Remember that “radical” is normal, because radical simply means thoroughgoing, or pertaining to the root of the matter. We must be convinced from Scripture that faithful participation in all of the weekly affairs of God’s household is normal, healthy, required by Christ, and the only way to glorify God in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So many professing Christians are missing out on the good things that Christ has for them simply because they do not have a normal church life. And, in addition to this, they are not following the Savior as He lovingly commands. I urge you, if you need to hear this word of exhortation, return to God’s way of spiritual growth and Gospel participation in the local church, if you are not doing it today. Let’s think more about a normal church life in future posts.

Pastor John

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by cbclumberton on November 12, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by cbclumberton on November 12, 2011

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Normal Church Life Today Seems Radical To Many – I

If Christians understood what Christ and the Apostles taught us about the church, two things would happen. First, we would understand what a “normal” church life is. Second, we would not think that such a church life in the world today was in any sense “radical,” at least as many people use that term.

By “normal” I simply mean biblical. We’ll be using the word normal to describe what God expects of His people in Christ. The Bible is normative for our life and practice, just as the doctrines of the Bible form the content of our faith. So when we say that sound doctrine is essential to nourishing the life of faith, we must also say that a normal church life is essential to our life and practice, like living our lives in our own homes and family. “The household of God….is the church of the living God” (1 Tim. 3:15).

By “radical” we simply mean extreme; this is the popular understanding of the word. But radical is actually a good term which simply means thoroughgoing,  pertaining to the root, or fundamental. So in one sense “normal” and “radical” mean the same thing! But in people’s minds, a person who is devoted to his or her church today is considered radical, i.e., over-zealous or imbalanced. In an age of superficial Christianity (a concept to be totally renounced), people name the name of Christ but scrupuously avoid being too devoted to Him, His church, or His cause. They look for a church which will require the least of them. Church, yes…..but in moderation, like everything else.

When you really think about it, the demands of Christ are quite “radical” in every sense. First, they pertain to the root of the matter. Christ came to put away sin by the offering of Himself (Heb. 9:26, 1 John 3:8). Christ calls us to make a decisive, thoroughgoing break with our sins. This is the meaning of repentance. Christ always takes us to the root of the matter. He always shows us how to conquer and be victorious in this warfare against sin. Second, His demands are extreme because they go to every length to be effective. You can see this in the part that He played in securing salvation for God’s people. He gave up His very life in death and shame. And He calls us also to take up our cross and follow Him (Lk. 9:23). This is the only way we can be effective. Third,  they are extreme because they are so unlike the world. Christians are meant to stand out from the world because of their godliness. When we are truly living as God’s people should we will be noticed, talked about, made fun of, and possibly even persecuted in one form or another (2 Tim. 3:12). A normal, biblical, church life will make us stand out in our neighborhoods, schools, and with unconverted family. But this is an effective witness.

Now what does this simple study of “radical” tell us about our church life? It reminds us that we don’t just go to church, we are the church! And as the church, our commission is to live a normal (yes, radical) church life. Christians need to get to the root of the matter in their understanding of “church,” and shed all pre-conceived notions, undisciplined practices, and personal preferences. That means we will need to study the Scripture and see what a normal church life looks like. Once we see what that is, we’ll pray for a willing heart and offer ourselves as living sacrifices acceptable to God in Christ and in our local church. Imagine what changes we would see in local churches if more Christians pursued this path!

Perhaps you cannot envision yourself as a consistently devoted churchman or woman. Perhaps you have thought that to be a little “radical,” overmuch. I urge you to return when we post our next article and learn with me that the normal church life is radical, and radical is not so bad after all, because Jesus calls us and shows us how to get to the root of the matter.

PJR

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by cbclumberton on November 5, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by cbclumberton on November 5, 2011

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God’s Marvelous Plans

In the previous posts we learned about the glorious Godhood of God as seen in the exercise of His divine prerogatives to create, to choose, and to reveal or hide. Now we turn our thoughts to the plans of God. Since God is God, and can do whatever He pleases (Psalm 115:3), we expect to find that God does indeed formulate eternal plans which He works out in history. We will soon see that God’s plans range from the macro to the micro, and everything in between, that they are universal, historical, and personal. Or, to put it in even simpler terms,  they control the universe, human history, and our individual lives. But before we embark on that study, we must consider something that Isaiah said about God’s wonderful plans! “O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” (Isa. 25:1)

John Oswalt captured the beauty of Isaiah’s words when he said: “The singer says ‘I want a being like you for my God. I want to belong to one as powerful and faithful as you.’”[1] Notice some of the major points of Isa. 25:1. First, we see personal attachment to the God who wonderfully works His plan. Then, we find that His plans themselves are wonderful, thrilling, exhilarating. Third, we learn that His plans are ancient, i.e., eternal.  Finally, we see that His plans are personal and faithful. In sum, they are nothing short of perfect. We have a great and glorious God. Safety and security belongs to those who are “in Christ Jesus” through repentance and faith. “There is nothing more orderly and regular than the control of a person, all of whose actions are governed by intelligent purpose, directed to an end.”[2]

Jeremiah 29:10-14 talks about the glory of God’s plans for Israel. “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:11). God’s plans are like the stars of heaven! Sometimes people assume that God is there to take all their joy away, to choose them and then hem them in. We will not deny that the call of the Gospel to forsake the world in order to gain eternal life involves self-renunciation and self-denial (Mark 8:34-38),  but whatever losses we sustain in forsaking sin are amply compensated for in the gain that we have for having God as our God. Because God is God, He has already planned our lives. But, and here is an important question…… If God has already planned my life, what’s left for me to do? 

First, let’s look at just a few passages in the Bible which indicate that God has already planned our lives. “Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them” (Ps. 139:16). Notice in this verse how David confesses that God created Him. He knew him in the womb. This speaks of God’s immanence and involvement in our conception and creation. It reminds us that we are God’s creatures. We are special in His sight. Job asked God “Your hands fashioned and made me altogether, and would You destroy me? (Job 10:8). The proper response of any human being is to confess “God, You made me. I am yours.  You must have a purpose for me. Lord, show me Your purpose.” He also confesses that God made plans for Him. God is described as having a book in which He writes down the future for David. He describes them as days, and explains that even before those days transpire, they proceed according to the divine ordination. The Hebrew word used here means the fashioning of the potter, planning and establishing. 

But Solomon wrote about the question I asked a moment ago when he said “Man’s steps are ordained by the Lord, How then can man understand his way?” (Prov. 20:24). Solomon understood the fact of God’s wonderful plan(s) for our lives, and properly concluded that there is much about our lives that we simply cannot understand, and shouldn’t try to. There is a certain mystery about our way that we just cannot understand. But there is no mystery to God. Solomon speaks of God’s plans for man’s steps. God is the author and God is the director of the script of our lives.

Now we observe something in these verses that should not be missed. Notice that the writers are extremely happy about this wonderful pre-ordained plan which God has for them. They aren’t struggling or wrestling with it. They’re not speaking about it as though it were “a difficult doctrine,” or that it contains “a theological tension” of some kind. Isaiah was very happy to have a God like this who had wonderful plans for Him. He was not at all unhappy to have God at the controls.  Why do confessing Christians struggle with this today? Why is there resistance to the truth of a God who plans, even all our days? 

  1. Christians who struggle with this do not understand Godhood. They are thinking of God with traces of manhood. They simply do not grasp that Godhood brings with it the prerogative to choose, ordain and control. Otherwise, God is simply not God. 
  2. Christians who struggle with this do not have freedom. They are bound in many respects to this world, to manhood, holding to a cherished idea of human freedom or autonomy which in reality is enslaving not liberating.
  3. Christians who struggle with this lack Biblical wisdom and a Biblical worldview. Proverbs 28:5 tells us that “those who seek the Lord understand all things.” Yes, we can understand mysteries – things too high for us. In other words, embracing the Godhood of God empowers us to simply do our duty each day and leave the explanations of what is happening to us and why it is happening to God. So on the one hand “how then can man understand his way” (Prov. 20:24), but on the other hand we “understand all things” (Prov. 28:5).

Knowing that God ordains all of our days is the bedrock for making choices and living our lives every day. As creatures we instinctively know that we are designed for action, choices, and judgments. We must be informed about God’s will and ways. We must be confident that He is in control. And yet we face real choices and must make tough decisions. We are very conscious that we can make a mess of our lives. We know of tragic life stories that we would never want to happen to us. We know that evil is present in the world and temptations abound. So what do we do? We follow God’s basic life commandment in Proverbs 3:5-7. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” And from a New Testament perspective of faith and life, we know that Jesus is Lord and so we follow Him as God. When we obey the Lord Jesus and follow Him, He assures us that He will safely lead us to His heavenly home (John 14:1-6).

The truth of the wonder of God’s plans leaves us with some questions to ponder. Are we growing in the knowledge of His plan for us, for our family, for our church, and for the world? NO IGNORANCE.  Are we united with His plan as it is revealed to us in the Bible, without any rebellion in our hearts? NO REBELLION. Are we happy to have God as our God and to hear Him assure us that He has our life planned for us? NO WRESTLING. Are we content with the providence of God as He unfolds the details of our lives day by day?  NO DISPUTING. Oh the happy lot of the Christian man or woman, boy or girl. This blessedness is rooted in God’s marvelous plans!

 Pastor John Reuther

[1] NICOT – Isaiah 1-39, 460.

[2] Loc. Cit.

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by cbclumberton on October 30, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Our God

Posted by cbclumberton on October 30, 2011

http://cbclumberton.wordpress.com/2011/10/30/the-wonder-of-gods-plans/

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