I admit that since I was a child, I’ve had a fascination with the supernatural. Vampires, werewolves, warlocks, dragons, wizards and the such. And America’s fascination with the supernatural seems to be at a peak. When I was a kid, it was “Bewitched” that was a favorite of many. This show portrayed witches as generally good people. Interestingly, the use of magic usually landed Samantha in trouble, though it was also magic that got her back out of trouble.
Today, such shows as “Wizards of Waverly Place” and “Charmed” are popular. The Harry Potter series of books and movies are hugely successful, as is the “Twilight” series. I’ve seen previews of an upcoming remake of “The Wolfman” as well. And of course, Dracula has been remade many times.
Even Christian stories such as “Lord of the Rings” and the Narnia series are rooted in the supernatural. Though, the Narnia series is a Christian allegory. However, if parents don’t explain the allegory to their kids, the kids probably won’t understand that Aslan, the lion, is a representation of Christ. One interesting fact to note, whenever a human performs magic in “The Lord of the Rings” bad things happen. Gandalf is not a human, he is a Mithra, or a race of angels. Anyway, I digress.
I’m not one of those who thinks we should ban or even protest movies such as Harry Potter or “Twlight”. I believe it is up to the parents to educate their children about the supernatural and to both know and decide what is appropriate for their children to watch. However, I do believe there are two major consequences that result from our glorification of things from the occult. And yes, magic, witches, warlocks, etc. are of the occult. They are not sanctioned by God. The Bible is pretty clear on God’s stance regarding the practice of witchcraft:
“Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 18:10-13).
Therefore, when Hollywood or an author glorifies witchcraft, or makes witchcraft appear good, they are going contrary to the Bible. This, in of itself, is a problem, and thus parents should educate their children about what the Bible has to say about witchcraft.
Isaiah 5:20 says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” Movies do this all the time – glorify evil. Our children need to be educated on what is good and what is truly evil.
It is this portrayal of evil as good that is the first danger of our fascination of the supernatural. We are raising generations of children who may believe that witchcraft is good, that divination is good, and that even traditional icons of evil such as vampires can be good. People are attracted to evil. I believe this is the sinful nature inside of us, but I also believe the media shares some of the blame. And by the media I include fiction authors, movie producers, and television producers. “Wizards of Waverly Place” may be a cute, entertaining show, but one consequence of this show is to demonstrate to children that witchcraft is okay, fun, and even useful.
The second consequence of our current portrayal of the supernatural is actually somewhat of an opposite effect. It’s the trivialization of the supernatural. Remember, God is supernatural. The Bible has many many occurrences of supernatural healings, miracles, and other events. And not just through Jesus, but also through his disciples. And witchcraft as well as conversing with the dead is real, as seen in 1Samuel 28 when Saul asks the witches of Endor to consult with the dead spirit of Samuel. There is a natural world and there is a supernatural world. But, we are so bombarded with fictional portrayals of the supernatural that many people may have a tendency to shake off the entire concept as fiction. This, unfortunately, includes God.
I believe the saturation of the supernatural in fiction has a numbing effect on people, leading them to disregard the actual existence of evil supernatural entities (demons) and the actual existence of good supernatural entities (God and His angels). Ignoring either the evil supernatural or the good supernatural can have devastating consequences.
So, what’s the answer? Total censorship! No, that’s not the answer. The answer, as usual lies in the Bible: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6). Parents, train your children in the ways of the Bible so that they know fiction from reality and so that they know what is truly evil and what is truly good. Of course, if one way you want to train them is by not allowing them to watch shows that glorify evil, then good for you, that is your prerogative. Another way is to watch these shows and movies with your children and explain to them what the Bible says and why what they are seeing is both fiction and dishonoring to God.
And for all of us, we need to read the Bible so that we’re familiar both with what God says about things such as witchcraft and speaking to the dead, and to learn about both the good supernatural and the evil supernatural. We need to educate ourselves and that education should come from the Bible, not from Hollywood. 2Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The way to fight the world and its portrayal of evil as good is to be equipped with God’s Word.
Our fascination with the supernatural is not a bad thing. God is supernatural. We should pursue the supernatural. It’s just that we need to pursue the right path to the supernatural and we need to learn to call evil evil and good good.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Idol Worship
Well, here I am out of a job again, so I have some time to keep my blog updated. Prayerfully, the out of jobness will be short-lived. And prayerfully as well, I’ll try to keep the blog updated even when I go back to work.
There has been a lot of things going on lately, fodder for my theological ravings. The one I’d like to focus on today is the Tiger Woods incident. Yeah, I know, you’re all probably sick of hearing about it. But allow me to say just one more thing about this incident.
America is guilty of a great many sins. For starters, all of us as individuals are sinners. We do stuff wrong all the time. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But there seems to be one great sin that so many Americans participate in, Christians and non-Christians alike, and that is the sin of idol worship. We even have a television program called “American Idol”. The Bible is very clear on idol worship – we’re not to do it. The first two commandments of the Ten Commandments are: “You shall have no other gods before Me” and “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Deuteronomy 5:7-10).
Throughout the Old Testament, God continually chastises the Hebrews for idol worship. And yet, in America, a country where over 90% of the people profess to believe in God, we worship many idols. Rock stars, television stars, movie stars, and yes, professional athletes.
Tiger Woods is one of those idols worshipped on the throne of the American Dream. He’s one of those men held up to children as an example that we can accomplish anything if we just work hard at it. That anyone in America can succeed.
Looking up to others that have succeeded is not all bad. But here’s the problem. Tiger Woods is a great golfer. No doubt about that. Maybe the greatest ever. But Americans don’t want to stop there. We want to form an image of Tiger in our heads that places him on a pedestal and makes him a paragon of human virtue. We can’t simply accept him as a great golfer and admire his golf skills, but we must also assume that he’s a great person. Maybe he is and maybe he isn’t. Obviously, he’s made some dumb decisions in his personal life. But haven’t we all? Now, I’m in no way condoning anything he did. But, what I’m trying to say is that just because Tiger Woods is a great golfer does not mean he’s a man to be emulated in all facets of life. He’s not perfect. As we’ve seen. But what really floors me is the vitriol that comes out of people because he messed up. And it’s all because of idol worship.
I don’t know Tiger Woods’ spiritual state. I don’t know if he’s a follower of Jesus or not. If not, then his behavior is to be expected. Lost people act like lost people. There should be no reason to expect him to live a virtuous life without the only One who can empower us to do so. And if he is a Christian, then he has God to answer to, not us.
Movie stars, rock stars, and athletes can be admired for the talents they possess. However, we should not expect them to live lives of perfection. I think our rage at a star who falls is really a reflection of our own guilt. We know that we cannot live perfect lives and thus project onto our “heroes” the ability to do so. Therefore, when that hero fails, as they all do, we’re let down, we’re angry, we’re confused, and most of all, we’re faced with the fact that man, us included, is fallen and that makes us uncomfortable. Americans are prideful and we don’t want to accept that we need a Savior and that we’re incapable of living like we want on our own. Paul said in Romans 2:1, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” We expect our heroes NOT to do the same things that we do. And when they prove themselves to be human, we get angry.
There is only one hero who lived a perfect life and that was Jesus Christ. If we worship Him, we will not be let down. He will never mess up. He will never sin. He never did sin. He lived a perfect life and gave Himself up for us so that we, if we believe in Him, and submit ourselves to Him, can have assurance of eternal life. And in Heaven, there will be no sin, therefore, no one will let us down.
Worship Jesus, not the latest star of Twilight or your favorite NFL quarterback or even the next American Idol, for Jesus will never let you down.
Oh, and one more thing that I find strange with us Americans. We expect our athletes, rock stars, and movie stars to be such virtuous people and we’re angry when they let us down. But when a politician messes up, that’s just par for the course. Our priorities are completely out of whack. And I believe there’s coming a day of reckoning. God will tolerate our idol worship only so long. Go back to the beginning of this and read Deuteronomy 5:7-10 again.
There has been a lot of things going on lately, fodder for my theological ravings. The one I’d like to focus on today is the Tiger Woods incident. Yeah, I know, you’re all probably sick of hearing about it. But allow me to say just one more thing about this incident.
America is guilty of a great many sins. For starters, all of us as individuals are sinners. We do stuff wrong all the time. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But there seems to be one great sin that so many Americans participate in, Christians and non-Christians alike, and that is the sin of idol worship. We even have a television program called “American Idol”. The Bible is very clear on idol worship – we’re not to do it. The first two commandments of the Ten Commandments are: “You shall have no other gods before Me” and “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Deuteronomy 5:7-10).
Throughout the Old Testament, God continually chastises the Hebrews for idol worship. And yet, in America, a country where over 90% of the people profess to believe in God, we worship many idols. Rock stars, television stars, movie stars, and yes, professional athletes.
Tiger Woods is one of those idols worshipped on the throne of the American Dream. He’s one of those men held up to children as an example that we can accomplish anything if we just work hard at it. That anyone in America can succeed.
Looking up to others that have succeeded is not all bad. But here’s the problem. Tiger Woods is a great golfer. No doubt about that. Maybe the greatest ever. But Americans don’t want to stop there. We want to form an image of Tiger in our heads that places him on a pedestal and makes him a paragon of human virtue. We can’t simply accept him as a great golfer and admire his golf skills, but we must also assume that he’s a great person. Maybe he is and maybe he isn’t. Obviously, he’s made some dumb decisions in his personal life. But haven’t we all? Now, I’m in no way condoning anything he did. But, what I’m trying to say is that just because Tiger Woods is a great golfer does not mean he’s a man to be emulated in all facets of life. He’s not perfect. As we’ve seen. But what really floors me is the vitriol that comes out of people because he messed up. And it’s all because of idol worship.
I don’t know Tiger Woods’ spiritual state. I don’t know if he’s a follower of Jesus or not. If not, then his behavior is to be expected. Lost people act like lost people. There should be no reason to expect him to live a virtuous life without the only One who can empower us to do so. And if he is a Christian, then he has God to answer to, not us.
Movie stars, rock stars, and athletes can be admired for the talents they possess. However, we should not expect them to live lives of perfection. I think our rage at a star who falls is really a reflection of our own guilt. We know that we cannot live perfect lives and thus project onto our “heroes” the ability to do so. Therefore, when that hero fails, as they all do, we’re let down, we’re angry, we’re confused, and most of all, we’re faced with the fact that man, us included, is fallen and that makes us uncomfortable. Americans are prideful and we don’t want to accept that we need a Savior and that we’re incapable of living like we want on our own. Paul said in Romans 2:1, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” We expect our heroes NOT to do the same things that we do. And when they prove themselves to be human, we get angry.
There is only one hero who lived a perfect life and that was Jesus Christ. If we worship Him, we will not be let down. He will never mess up. He will never sin. He never did sin. He lived a perfect life and gave Himself up for us so that we, if we believe in Him, and submit ourselves to Him, can have assurance of eternal life. And in Heaven, there will be no sin, therefore, no one will let us down.
Worship Jesus, not the latest star of Twilight or your favorite NFL quarterback or even the next American Idol, for Jesus will never let you down.
Oh, and one more thing that I find strange with us Americans. We expect our athletes, rock stars, and movie stars to be such virtuous people and we’re angry when they let us down. But when a politician messes up, that’s just par for the course. Our priorities are completely out of whack. And I believe there’s coming a day of reckoning. God will tolerate our idol worship only so long. Go back to the beginning of this and read Deuteronomy 5:7-10 again.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
A New Command
Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him. (1 John 2:7-11)
The above passage is part of a letter the apostle John, in his later years, wrote to a church. Just prior to this passage John repeats what Jesus Himself said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” Then, John references an “old command.” What is the old command John is referring to? I believe it’s what Jesus said in Matthew 22:37 – 39. Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
In his letter, John is reminding his brothers and sisters in Christ that all of the law (the Ten Commandments) can be summed up in these two commands. If we have perfect love of God and perfect love of our neighbors, then we’ll be able to adhere to the Ten Commandments. This is the old command, one that every Christian should be familiar with.
So what is the new command that God, through John, is giving us? Later in the chapter, John talks about antichrists coming. An antichrist is anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ. And the church that John is writing to is under attack by those that would undermine Jesus as the Christ. He writes, “I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray” (1 John 2:26). In that day, it was the Gnostics who were trying to lead the Christians astray. I’ll not go into Gnosticism. I’ll leave that as an exercise for the reader. But the new command that John is issuing, I believe, is not really a new command in the sense that his readers had never heard it before. It’s not a new command in the sense that it’s not something that fits under the first two commands issued by Jesus. But, it’s called a “new” command because John is emphasizing it. He’s calling it out. He’s reinforcing that then, more than ever, and now, by the way, it’s important to follow this “new” command. What is the new command? It’s a call to Christian unity. A call to go out of the way to love our Christian brothers and sisters.
The apostle Paul issued a similar decree in Galatians 6:10. He says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Emphasis mine). John is saying the same thing. In 1 John 2:9-11 he uses the term “brother”. Generally, in the New Testament, when we see the term “brother” it means fellow Christian. John is saying that if we hate our own, our brothers and sisters in Christ, then we are walking in darkness, we are not walking with God. Because of the attack by unbelievers the church is under, John is rallying his troops and imploring them to unify. And the grand unifier is love for one another. Yes, we must love our neighbor, John is saying, but most of all, we must love each other.
In the Christian church today, we have a similar problem. There are many forces, many false prophets, and many dangerous philosophies trying to lead Christians astray. And what is the Christian’s reaction? We complain about the type of music being played in church. We fight and bicker amongst ourselves. We pick nits. And rather than following the commands of Christ we try to see how close to the edge of sin we can get. And when people within the church cross that line and stumble into sin, our reaction isn’t forgiveness and love, trying to restore them as we’re commanded to do, but it’s judgment and gossip and self-righteousness. Again, let’s look at what Paul said in Galatians 6:1, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.” Paul again uses the term “Brother”. He is addressing those of us who know Christ as Lord and Savior. And what’s he telling us? To not just love our neighbor, but to especially love our brothers and sisters in Christ.
John’s rallying cry needs to be heard today more than ever. We need unity in the Christian church. And that unity must cross denominational bounds. By the way, there are no denominations in the Bible. Yes, we must love our neighbors, but we must love most of all our Christian brothers and sisters.
What does this mean? It means when someone within The Church is down and out, we pull together to lift them up. It means when someone within The Church sins, we come alongside them to gently restore them, not judge them or shun them. It means that we care more about others than we do about ourselves. It means that we humble ourselves so that others may be exalted.
And here is something really radical. It means that we support fellow Christians monetarily by patronizing Christian businesses and using Christian tradesmen, even if it means paying a little more or waiting a little longer. We support Christian artists by buying their music even if it isn’t what we normally listen to. It means we go and see, rent, and buy Christian movies or at least movies that present a Christian worldview. Basically, we need to go out of our way to support those who are trying to win the world back to Christ and who are trying to live for Christ. It’s the least we can do since most of us wrap ourselves in our Christian bubble, secure in our salvation, but never telling anyone else about Christ, never going on mission trips, and rarely stepping out of our comfort zone to help someone in need.
The lost world is watching us. And when the church of Christ acts like those watching, there is nothing appealing to draw the lost to us. We need to clean our own house before we can expect to help the lost clean theirs. Loving our brothers and sisters in Christ is the first step toward showing the lost world what Christ is all about.
The above passage is part of a letter the apostle John, in his later years, wrote to a church. Just prior to this passage John repeats what Jesus Himself said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” Then, John references an “old command.” What is the old command John is referring to? I believe it’s what Jesus said in Matthew 22:37 – 39. Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
In his letter, John is reminding his brothers and sisters in Christ that all of the law (the Ten Commandments) can be summed up in these two commands. If we have perfect love of God and perfect love of our neighbors, then we’ll be able to adhere to the Ten Commandments. This is the old command, one that every Christian should be familiar with.
So what is the new command that God, through John, is giving us? Later in the chapter, John talks about antichrists coming. An antichrist is anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ. And the church that John is writing to is under attack by those that would undermine Jesus as the Christ. He writes, “I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray” (1 John 2:26). In that day, it was the Gnostics who were trying to lead the Christians astray. I’ll not go into Gnosticism. I’ll leave that as an exercise for the reader. But the new command that John is issuing, I believe, is not really a new command in the sense that his readers had never heard it before. It’s not a new command in the sense that it’s not something that fits under the first two commands issued by Jesus. But, it’s called a “new” command because John is emphasizing it. He’s calling it out. He’s reinforcing that then, more than ever, and now, by the way, it’s important to follow this “new” command. What is the new command? It’s a call to Christian unity. A call to go out of the way to love our Christian brothers and sisters.
The apostle Paul issued a similar decree in Galatians 6:10. He says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Emphasis mine). John is saying the same thing. In 1 John 2:9-11 he uses the term “brother”. Generally, in the New Testament, when we see the term “brother” it means fellow Christian. John is saying that if we hate our own, our brothers and sisters in Christ, then we are walking in darkness, we are not walking with God. Because of the attack by unbelievers the church is under, John is rallying his troops and imploring them to unify. And the grand unifier is love for one another. Yes, we must love our neighbor, John is saying, but most of all, we must love each other.
In the Christian church today, we have a similar problem. There are many forces, many false prophets, and many dangerous philosophies trying to lead Christians astray. And what is the Christian’s reaction? We complain about the type of music being played in church. We fight and bicker amongst ourselves. We pick nits. And rather than following the commands of Christ we try to see how close to the edge of sin we can get. And when people within the church cross that line and stumble into sin, our reaction isn’t forgiveness and love, trying to restore them as we’re commanded to do, but it’s judgment and gossip and self-righteousness. Again, let’s look at what Paul said in Galatians 6:1, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.” Paul again uses the term “Brother”. He is addressing those of us who know Christ as Lord and Savior. And what’s he telling us? To not just love our neighbor, but to especially love our brothers and sisters in Christ.
John’s rallying cry needs to be heard today more than ever. We need unity in the Christian church. And that unity must cross denominational bounds. By the way, there are no denominations in the Bible. Yes, we must love our neighbors, but we must love most of all our Christian brothers and sisters.
What does this mean? It means when someone within The Church is down and out, we pull together to lift them up. It means when someone within The Church sins, we come alongside them to gently restore them, not judge them or shun them. It means that we care more about others than we do about ourselves. It means that we humble ourselves so that others may be exalted.
And here is something really radical. It means that we support fellow Christians monetarily by patronizing Christian businesses and using Christian tradesmen, even if it means paying a little more or waiting a little longer. We support Christian artists by buying their music even if it isn’t what we normally listen to. It means we go and see, rent, and buy Christian movies or at least movies that present a Christian worldview. Basically, we need to go out of our way to support those who are trying to win the world back to Christ and who are trying to live for Christ. It’s the least we can do since most of us wrap ourselves in our Christian bubble, secure in our salvation, but never telling anyone else about Christ, never going on mission trips, and rarely stepping out of our comfort zone to help someone in need.
The lost world is watching us. And when the church of Christ acts like those watching, there is nothing appealing to draw the lost to us. We need to clean our own house before we can expect to help the lost clean theirs. Loving our brothers and sisters in Christ is the first step toward showing the lost world what Christ is all about.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
False Prophets
This is a follow up of sorts on the previous blog about ignoring the Bible. Only, this time, I’m going to discuss false prophets who twist the Bible. I’ve heard preachers say that today’s modern day prophets are preachers who expound upon the Bible. In a way, this makes sense, as they are delivering God’s Word to the people, much like the prophets of old did. I do wonder, though, why there are not still prophets receiving God’s revelation and telling us what is on God’s mind.
We could interpret Revelation 22:18-19 to be God’s last words to us: “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
However, we could also interpret these verses as applying strictly to the prophesies in Revelation.
We can also look to Proverbs 30:5 – 6 for a possible answer: “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.”
But, the point of this blog is not to discuss why there aren’t modern day prophets. There are many websites out there claiming there are. You can read those at your own leisure.
And over the years, there have been those who have proclaimed themselves to be prophets of God. Mohammed, Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, and others have tried to rewrite the Bible to their own ends. More recently, people like Jim Jones (Guyana and spiked Koolaid) and Marshall Applewhite (Heaven’s Gate – mass suicide and the comet Hale-Bopp) have proclaimed themselves prophets of God. These are the obvious examples.
But what about the not so obvious?
I’m reading through the book of Ezekiel and in Ezekiel 13, God addresses false prophets.
God says to Ezekiel, “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!” (Ezekiel 13:2-3)
He goes on to say, “Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, ‘The LORD declares,’ when the LORD has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled. Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, ‘The LORD declares,’ though I have not spoken?” (Ezekiel 13:6-7)
Let’s assume that the only revelation of God we now receive is the Bible. Therefore, if anyone proclaims something is from God, but it does not agree with the Bible, they are a false prophet. Incorrect interpretation of the Bible, intentional or not, is false prophecy. And there are many, many so-called evangelists today that twist and misinterpret the Bible. There may be, for that matter, many many preachers in obscure or not so obscure churches doing the same thing.
So, what’s my point? Two key concepts.
First, we have a responsibility to read and know the Bible ourselves so that we can discern when someone else is preaching something that is not truly from God.
Back in the days shortly following Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, the book of Acts records something we should all take to heart:
“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11).
Consider what this is saying. The Bereans are listening to the Apostle Paul, the greatest evangelist ever. We know via the modern day Bible that Paul’s words were inspired by God, but God shows us that even when Paul preached, the Bereans checked the Old Testament to make sure what he said lined up with what God had said. Therefore, we cannot accept at face value every word that comes from the mouths of preachers. It doesn’t matter if it’s your local congregation preacher, Billy Graham or the Pope. They are human, and thus fallible. We need to know the Bible so that we can discern when the Word of God is being misapplied or misinterpreted.
Second point. For those of us who teach the Bible, we have a great responsibility to understand what the Bible says before we try to teach others. If we’re not sure, we’re better off saying we’re not sure. And when we put our own interpretation into something, we need to make sure our audience understands that it is our interpretation and that it could be wrong. We need to encourage our audience to read the Bible for themselves and to allow the Holy Spirit to lead them to understanding. We should never become so arrogant as to think we know all the answers and that our interpretation of the Bible is THE interpretation.
James 3:1 warns us “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
Teachers of God’s Word will be held to a higher standard.
And for those that willingly falsify God’s Word, attempting to lead others astray, there is a fate for them that I cringe every time I read about it.
2 Peter talks about such people and I believe that today there are many of these people masquerading as preachers of the truth (especially on television).
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” (2Peter 2:1-3).
For these people, a fate worse than hell awaits. 2Peter 2:17 says, “These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.”
Peter goes on to say that, “It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.” (2Peter 2:21).
Christians have two responsibilities. Know the Word of God so that we may discern the truth when other people are supposedly speaking God’s Word. And be sure when we speak God’s Word, that we speak it truthfully.
Bottom line. Read the Bible, know the Bible, and tell others about the Bible.
We could interpret Revelation 22:18-19 to be God’s last words to us: “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
However, we could also interpret these verses as applying strictly to the prophesies in Revelation.
We can also look to Proverbs 30:5 – 6 for a possible answer: “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.”
But, the point of this blog is not to discuss why there aren’t modern day prophets. There are many websites out there claiming there are. You can read those at your own leisure.
And over the years, there have been those who have proclaimed themselves to be prophets of God. Mohammed, Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, and others have tried to rewrite the Bible to their own ends. More recently, people like Jim Jones (Guyana and spiked Koolaid) and Marshall Applewhite (Heaven’s Gate – mass suicide and the comet Hale-Bopp) have proclaimed themselves prophets of God. These are the obvious examples.
But what about the not so obvious?
I’m reading through the book of Ezekiel and in Ezekiel 13, God addresses false prophets.
God says to Ezekiel, “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!” (Ezekiel 13:2-3)
He goes on to say, “Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, ‘The LORD declares,’ when the LORD has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled. Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, ‘The LORD declares,’ though I have not spoken?” (Ezekiel 13:6-7)
Let’s assume that the only revelation of God we now receive is the Bible. Therefore, if anyone proclaims something is from God, but it does not agree with the Bible, they are a false prophet. Incorrect interpretation of the Bible, intentional or not, is false prophecy. And there are many, many so-called evangelists today that twist and misinterpret the Bible. There may be, for that matter, many many preachers in obscure or not so obscure churches doing the same thing.
So, what’s my point? Two key concepts.
First, we have a responsibility to read and know the Bible ourselves so that we can discern when someone else is preaching something that is not truly from God.
Back in the days shortly following Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, the book of Acts records something we should all take to heart:
“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11).
Consider what this is saying. The Bereans are listening to the Apostle Paul, the greatest evangelist ever. We know via the modern day Bible that Paul’s words were inspired by God, but God shows us that even when Paul preached, the Bereans checked the Old Testament to make sure what he said lined up with what God had said. Therefore, we cannot accept at face value every word that comes from the mouths of preachers. It doesn’t matter if it’s your local congregation preacher, Billy Graham or the Pope. They are human, and thus fallible. We need to know the Bible so that we can discern when the Word of God is being misapplied or misinterpreted.
Second point. For those of us who teach the Bible, we have a great responsibility to understand what the Bible says before we try to teach others. If we’re not sure, we’re better off saying we’re not sure. And when we put our own interpretation into something, we need to make sure our audience understands that it is our interpretation and that it could be wrong. We need to encourage our audience to read the Bible for themselves and to allow the Holy Spirit to lead them to understanding. We should never become so arrogant as to think we know all the answers and that our interpretation of the Bible is THE interpretation.
James 3:1 warns us “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
Teachers of God’s Word will be held to a higher standard.
And for those that willingly falsify God’s Word, attempting to lead others astray, there is a fate for them that I cringe every time I read about it.
2 Peter talks about such people and I believe that today there are many of these people masquerading as preachers of the truth (especially on television).
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” (2Peter 2:1-3).
For these people, a fate worse than hell awaits. 2Peter 2:17 says, “These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.”
Peter goes on to say that, “It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.” (2Peter 2:21).
Christians have two responsibilities. Know the Word of God so that we may discern the truth when other people are supposedly speaking God’s Word. And be sure when we speak God’s Word, that we speak it truthfully.
Bottom line. Read the Bible, know the Bible, and tell others about the Bible.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The Whole Bible and Nothing but the Bible
I recently finished reading the book of Jeremiah. And chapter 36 struck a chord with me. It’s interesting that each time I read through a book in the Bible, something new catches my eye. This is why we need to read the Bible and keep re-reading it. God will lay different things on our heart when we do, and through this process we’ll continue to grow in God’s wisdom that comes from His word.
Anyway, here’s the situation in chapter 36. Jeremiah is told by God to dictate to Baruch His words and Baruch is to write them down on a scroll. Jeremiah does this and Baruch reads the scroll in the temple. Some officials of the king of Judah hear the words that God has said to Jeremiah and insist that Baruch read the scroll to King Jehoiakim.
The scroll has some pretty harsh words from God. Basically it says that if Judah doesn’t repent of its ways and return to God, then he will send Babylon to destroy them. (Which God eventually does because both Judah and Israel do not repent and turn back to God).
Here is the passage when Jehoiakim hears the scroll.
Jeremiah 36:20-26 - After they put the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary, they went to the king in the courtyard and reported everything to him. The king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and Jehudi brought it from the room of Elishama the secretary and read it to the king and all the officials standing beside him. It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire. The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes. Even though Elnathan, Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the LORD had hidden them.
Basically, the king ignored God’s word. His burning of the scroll made no difference. God had Jeremiah dictate a new one and then did what He said He’d do anyway, plus made things even worse for Jehoiakim.
It’s easy for us to read this and think, “what an idiot, you can’t just ignore the words of God and think what He says will not be.” But don’t we do the same? Aren’t we often selective about which parts of the Bible we believe? Don’t we often ignore other parts of the Bible that we don’t want to accept as truth?
Though we probably don’t tear out the pages we dislike and burn them, like Jehoiakim we often brush aside or read certain passages and show no fear. It’s easy for us to embrace things like, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8). But when we read, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:2-3) we ignore that and when trials come, we complain and cry, “oh woe is me” and wonder how God can be so cruel to make us go through this stuff.
Guess what! We don’t get to choose which parts of the Bible apply to our lives. All of it does and all of it is The Truth. Therefore, we need to read the entire Bible, we need to ask God for understanding and wisdom, and we need to realize that all of it is relevant to us and all of it is God’s word, and all of it must be followed. We can choose to ignore bad news, but that does not make that news go away. And we can choose to ignore those scriptures we don’t like, but our ignoring them will not make them go away.
Read the Bible. Embrace God’s word. Live the Truth.
Anyway, here’s the situation in chapter 36. Jeremiah is told by God to dictate to Baruch His words and Baruch is to write them down on a scroll. Jeremiah does this and Baruch reads the scroll in the temple. Some officials of the king of Judah hear the words that God has said to Jeremiah and insist that Baruch read the scroll to King Jehoiakim.
The scroll has some pretty harsh words from God. Basically it says that if Judah doesn’t repent of its ways and return to God, then he will send Babylon to destroy them. (Which God eventually does because both Judah and Israel do not repent and turn back to God).
Here is the passage when Jehoiakim hears the scroll.
Jeremiah 36:20-26 - After they put the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary, they went to the king in the courtyard and reported everything to him. The king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and Jehudi brought it from the room of Elishama the secretary and read it to the king and all the officials standing beside him. It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire. The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes. Even though Elnathan, Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the LORD had hidden them.
Basically, the king ignored God’s word. His burning of the scroll made no difference. God had Jeremiah dictate a new one and then did what He said He’d do anyway, plus made things even worse for Jehoiakim.
It’s easy for us to read this and think, “what an idiot, you can’t just ignore the words of God and think what He says will not be.” But don’t we do the same? Aren’t we often selective about which parts of the Bible we believe? Don’t we often ignore other parts of the Bible that we don’t want to accept as truth?
Though we probably don’t tear out the pages we dislike and burn them, like Jehoiakim we often brush aside or read certain passages and show no fear. It’s easy for us to embrace things like, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8). But when we read, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:2-3) we ignore that and when trials come, we complain and cry, “oh woe is me” and wonder how God can be so cruel to make us go through this stuff.
Guess what! We don’t get to choose which parts of the Bible apply to our lives. All of it does and all of it is The Truth. Therefore, we need to read the entire Bible, we need to ask God for understanding and wisdom, and we need to realize that all of it is relevant to us and all of it is God’s word, and all of it must be followed. We can choose to ignore bad news, but that does not make that news go away. And we can choose to ignore those scriptures we don’t like, but our ignoring them will not make them go away.
Read the Bible. Embrace God’s word. Live the Truth.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Dan Brown's Conspiracies
Since "Angels and Demons" is in the theaters, I thought I'd re-post this blog of mine from 2006. I had originally posted it on MySpace.
“Those who truly understand their faith, understand the stories are metaphorical.” Robert Langdon in “The Da Vinci Code.”
“Religious allegory has become a part of the fabric of reality. And living in that reality helps millions of people cope and be better people.” Robert Langdon in “The Da Vinci Code.”
The statements above are but two of the idiotic things that issue from the misinformed, pseudo-intellectual mouth of Dan Brown’s character, historian Robert Langdon, in the FICTIONAL book, “The Da Vinci Code.” I don’t know about anyone else reading this, but I don’t believe in a metaphor. I believe in a living, physical God. The apostle Thomas didn’t believe in a metaphor, either. And he didn’t put his hand in the wound of a metaphor. He put his hand in the wound of the resurrected, and very real Jesus Christ.
Just because we don’t see something, doesn’t make it a metaphor. But, to cut unbelievers a break, this is the way they must explain things like true faith. You see, in their pseudo-logical and falsely rational minds, they just can’t believe that anyone would be gullible enough to believe that a man violated the laws of nature and walked on water. Or that a woman had a baby without having had sex. Therefore, they conclude, these things must be metaphors or allegories or stories to represent what we want to believe since we can’t face the harsh reality that we are all nothing but biological entities that live by instincts and then die into nothingness.
Hmm. Actually, the ones that believe in metaphors are those that chase after money, power, fame. These are metaphors, allegories, fables. For they never satisfy. They are ever elusive and never fully obtained. No matter how high a person climbs in wealth, power, or fame, they always want to climb higher. The top of the ladder is truly a metaphor.
But again, I have to cut atheists and agnostics a break because I was once where they are. I used to believe that religion, all religion, and yes, especially Christianity was nothing but a crutch for those who needed something to believe in, who needed a reason for their miserable, pathetic lives. The simple seeking of pleasure and self-centeredness that I had apparently wasn’t enough for some people, so they believed in fables, in a mythical God.
Or, those who had strong faith were those who had troubles in their lives that they just couldn’t explain or wouldn’t take responsibility for, so they “blamed” a supernatural power and clung to the myth that God had everything in control.
That was then, this is now. So, what happened? Did I have one of those experiences? Did tragedy strike and I needed a lifeline to cling to? Did I wake up one day and realize the pointlessness of my life? Sorry, Mr. Atheist, no such deal. The meaninglessness of my previous life only occurred to me after I realized that Jesus Christ was and is real and that He is who He says He is. My selfishness, my living only for myself didn’t drive me to Christ. No, Christ made me realize that’s who I was. There was no reason, other than the Bible is the truth, that I gave my life to Christ. Sorry, Mr. Pseudo-intellectual, but it was through rational, logical thought and study that I came to Christ.
It’s really sad to read a book like “The Da Vinci Code” and realize the world is populated with people like Robert Langdon, so anchored in what they think is reality that anything outside their pseudo-rational thought is simply fable, allegory, myth, or legend.
Our God is a rational God. He is a logical God. And when one studies the Bible and other historical documents, one can only come to this conclusion.
There’s a reason why the conspiracy in “The Da Vinci Code” has never come to light and never held any water. It’s not because the church is all-powerful and has squashed those who supposedly know the truth. No, it’s because The Truth is Jesus Christ and the conspiracy within Dan Brown’s mind is nothing but that, a fictional conspiracy.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tradition
“Tradition, tradition! Tradition!” Thus sings Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof, one of my favorite musicals.
The Christian church is filled with traditions. Is this a good thing? Let’s take a look at some of the traditions we have and see if there is a Biblical basis for those traditions.
Let’s start with one that is in my church, and that is the invitation. Usually at the end of the service, our pastor as do many pastors in the nation, invite people who may have just realized their need for a Savior to come forward. We then have counselors talk to them and help them with their decision. The person is then presented to the congregation.
Is this Biblical?
In Matthew 10:32 Jesus says, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.” This is public confession and an invitation is a way to publicly acknowledge Christ.
Is there any danger in this tradition? No, as long as we realize that there are other places to be saved other than in a church. And that acknowledgement before others can also take other forms. Just telling your family or friends of your decision is acknowledgement before others. And for many churches, it’s not even a membership requirement to walk the aisle, just encouraged.
Okay, here’s an easy one. Doing the Lord’s supper in church. This is definitely Biblical. Luke 22 is one of the Gospel chapters describing the last supper with his disciples. And in it, Christ commands us to remember him by breaking bread and drinking wine (we now use grape juice). And you can see in 1Corinthians 11 that this is an ordinance to be followed. The Bible does not tell us when we should do this or how often, just that we should. Oh, and it doesn’t have to be done in church. You can do the Lord’s supper in your own home.
Now let’s look at some that are a little more controversial as far as their Biblical basis.
Baptism. This is another command. It is the first command that we should follow after confessing Christ.
Acts 2:37-38 says, When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
I’m not going to get into the order of things or the causality of things, that’s a blog for another time, but you can see that baptism is commanded after salvation. The end of Acts chapter 8 shows the same thing. And other places throughout Acts shows that baptism is a command to be followed after salvation.
How are we to be baptized?
Matthew 3 implies full body immersion, as John was baptizing people, including Christ Himself, in the river. But that’s not the important aspect of baptism. The important part is that baptism must FOLLOW salvation. And salvation is a conscious decision on our part. Therefore, baby baptism is not Biblical. And not only is it not Biblical, it is dangerous.
Why? Because if a person grows up thinking that they are saved because they were baptized as a child and never commits their life to Christ, they are in danger of going to hell when they die. Baby baptism can lull someone into a false sense of salvation.
One final thing about baptism. It does not save a person. Again, baptism is an act we are to do AFTER salvation. It is an act of obedience. It does not save a person. It could be argued, as seen in Acts 2, that one does not receive the Holy Spirit until they are baptized, but that’s still not the same as salvation. Luke 23:40-43 is our evidence that baptism is not necessary for salvation.
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The thief on the cross was not baptized, but Jesus says he will join Him in paradise after they die. Baptism does not save.
What about baby dedication? This is different that baby baptism. And this is Biblical.
Exodus 13:2 says, “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal.”
Baby dedication extends this to not only the firstborn male, but every child. As parents, we should vow to raise up our children in the Lord.
Proverb 22:6 - Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
What about speaking in tongues? This one has been twisted and corrupted over the ages. One thing to remember about speaking in tongues, there should always be an interpreter as well. See 1Corinthians 12,13, and 14. The other thing to beware of with speaking in tongues is that no where in the Bible does it say that as proof of salvation, you will speak in tongues. Paul calls this a spiritual gift and each of us has different spiritual gifts. Acts 2 is often misinterpreted. Here, tongues is actually languages. There are people from all over the world visiting Jerusalem and the disciples are given the power by the Holy Spirit to share the Gospel of Christ in the languages of all the people visiting. This is a one-time event. Personally, I believe many missionaries that go to foreign lands have the gift of tongues (or languages) as they are able to pick up the language of the people group they work with quickly.
I’m sure there are many other traditions we could discuss. The important thing to remember about any tradition, whether based on Biblical principles or not, is that tradition cannot take the place of a relationship with Christ. We must guard against doing things of tradition and checking them off of our to-do list. Even going to church can become this way.
The last tradition I’d like to mention is singing songs of worship. This is definitely Biblically based – the Psalms are songs – but again, we must guard against thinking this is THE way we worship God. Everything we do should be an act of worship to God. Singing songs is just one small thing we do. And again, guard against this just being something you do on Sunday morning. Think about the words your singing and make it a true time of worship.
Tradition is good, but a living, dynamic relationship with Christ is better. Think of Jesus as a friend. Do you just tick things off a list for your friends?
In John 15:13-15, Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
Don’t let tradition replace relationship.
The Christian church is filled with traditions. Is this a good thing? Let’s take a look at some of the traditions we have and see if there is a Biblical basis for those traditions.
Let’s start with one that is in my church, and that is the invitation. Usually at the end of the service, our pastor as do many pastors in the nation, invite people who may have just realized their need for a Savior to come forward. We then have counselors talk to them and help them with their decision. The person is then presented to the congregation.
Is this Biblical?
In Matthew 10:32 Jesus says, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.” This is public confession and an invitation is a way to publicly acknowledge Christ.
Is there any danger in this tradition? No, as long as we realize that there are other places to be saved other than in a church. And that acknowledgement before others can also take other forms. Just telling your family or friends of your decision is acknowledgement before others. And for many churches, it’s not even a membership requirement to walk the aisle, just encouraged.
Okay, here’s an easy one. Doing the Lord’s supper in church. This is definitely Biblical. Luke 22 is one of the Gospel chapters describing the last supper with his disciples. And in it, Christ commands us to remember him by breaking bread and drinking wine (we now use grape juice). And you can see in 1Corinthians 11 that this is an ordinance to be followed. The Bible does not tell us when we should do this or how often, just that we should. Oh, and it doesn’t have to be done in church. You can do the Lord’s supper in your own home.
Now let’s look at some that are a little more controversial as far as their Biblical basis.
Baptism. This is another command. It is the first command that we should follow after confessing Christ.
Acts 2:37-38 says, When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
I’m not going to get into the order of things or the causality of things, that’s a blog for another time, but you can see that baptism is commanded after salvation. The end of Acts chapter 8 shows the same thing. And other places throughout Acts shows that baptism is a command to be followed after salvation.
How are we to be baptized?
Matthew 3 implies full body immersion, as John was baptizing people, including Christ Himself, in the river. But that’s not the important aspect of baptism. The important part is that baptism must FOLLOW salvation. And salvation is a conscious decision on our part. Therefore, baby baptism is not Biblical. And not only is it not Biblical, it is dangerous.
Why? Because if a person grows up thinking that they are saved because they were baptized as a child and never commits their life to Christ, they are in danger of going to hell when they die. Baby baptism can lull someone into a false sense of salvation.
One final thing about baptism. It does not save a person. Again, baptism is an act we are to do AFTER salvation. It is an act of obedience. It does not save a person. It could be argued, as seen in Acts 2, that one does not receive the Holy Spirit until they are baptized, but that’s still not the same as salvation. Luke 23:40-43 is our evidence that baptism is not necessary for salvation.
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The thief on the cross was not baptized, but Jesus says he will join Him in paradise after they die. Baptism does not save.
What about baby dedication? This is different that baby baptism. And this is Biblical.
Exodus 13:2 says, “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal.”
Baby dedication extends this to not only the firstborn male, but every child. As parents, we should vow to raise up our children in the Lord.
Proverb 22:6 - Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
What about speaking in tongues? This one has been twisted and corrupted over the ages. One thing to remember about speaking in tongues, there should always be an interpreter as well. See 1Corinthians 12,13, and 14. The other thing to beware of with speaking in tongues is that no where in the Bible does it say that as proof of salvation, you will speak in tongues. Paul calls this a spiritual gift and each of us has different spiritual gifts. Acts 2 is often misinterpreted. Here, tongues is actually languages. There are people from all over the world visiting Jerusalem and the disciples are given the power by the Holy Spirit to share the Gospel of Christ in the languages of all the people visiting. This is a one-time event. Personally, I believe many missionaries that go to foreign lands have the gift of tongues (or languages) as they are able to pick up the language of the people group they work with quickly.
I’m sure there are many other traditions we could discuss. The important thing to remember about any tradition, whether based on Biblical principles or not, is that tradition cannot take the place of a relationship with Christ. We must guard against doing things of tradition and checking them off of our to-do list. Even going to church can become this way.
The last tradition I’d like to mention is singing songs of worship. This is definitely Biblically based – the Psalms are songs – but again, we must guard against thinking this is THE way we worship God. Everything we do should be an act of worship to God. Singing songs is just one small thing we do. And again, guard against this just being something you do on Sunday morning. Think about the words your singing and make it a true time of worship.
Tradition is good, but a living, dynamic relationship with Christ is better. Think of Jesus as a friend. Do you just tick things off a list for your friends?
In John 15:13-15, Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
Don’t let tradition replace relationship.
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