Free Robert Rodriguez

I just read this and think you should too: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/cuban.church.leader.on.trial.over.offensive.behaviour/22214.htm Christian Solidarity Worldwide thinks Cuba tried to hide the incident from the public.  If that’s true, I need to say something so their attempt will fail; but if the pastor has actually done something wrong, I hope that will come to the surface.

Relationship Versus Faith

This was originally Comment #62 on Condemnation by Virtue of Beliefs.  That post and its comments discuss the essence of salvation:  Is it primarily physical or intellectual?

Certainly, the relationship aspect of both the Fall and the Atonement, and the resulting works are important to theology. Any theology which lacks them is necessarily deficient, and any Christian who doesn’t live accordingly needs to be discipled. The perception of importance for this aspect increases with maturity, so only one who is fully spiritually mature (only Jesus) can claim any objectivity in the matter.

However, the faith aspect is also important, and it is often considered more important. This aspect is accurately perceived (insofar as we comprehend eternity), and is usually the primary reason that people seek a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

If I were to fully know God (a staggering thought in itself), which would I consider more important? Since no one but Jesus has ever reached such a height, we can never know for sure. But we can guess at Jesus’ priorities by reading His teachings. How often does He mention knowing versus obeying God? I’ve never performed such a Bible study, but even it would be limited in certainty by John 21:25.

On the other hand, some have proposed that they are actually the same thing – that is, that someone who doesn’t know God would necessarily be tormented in an eternity where He turns out, with all His holiness, to be real. C. S. Lewis, for example, offered such an explanation (or two, if you count the agony of being a ghost in the presence of light) in The Great Divorce.

But I think the entire discussion misses the point.  “For we know in part and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.”  (1 Corinthians 13:9-10, NKJV) Just as our works are a shadow of our faith, so too is our intellectual understanding.  I don’t know that either can be reliably tested, yet we must attempt such inside the Church as both are essential to the Christian walk.

Churches in the World

This is a Sunday School lesson I gave on January 4, 2009, as part of a rotation of teachers for a Baptist youth class.  I’d appreciate any comments and/or suggestions on the content and the lesson’s format/style.

This is a first for me, so please bear with any stutters of mine.  I doubt I’ll get through this whole lesson, but if I don’t then maybe I’ll have a chance to finish it.  And these two chapters are a great source of study material, so don’t think I’m coming close to exhausting them.

In the Revelation to John, chapters 2 and 3, seven types of churches are identified and their members encouraged by Jesus. Who here has already heard someone characterize evangelicals (that’s us) according to this passage? (Mark their names.) You won’t be allowed to answer questions, but you can help the others.

Out of these seven churches, one has nothing to be commended and is in a spiritual coma; two others are thriving and receive nothing negative, but one of them is about to suffer for its faithfulness.  (Mark the continuum below on the board.) Each of the remaining four has its problems but also some merit. I’ve marked them on the continuum according to my estimation; does anyone disagree with me? (Open the room for discussion.)

Sardis      Laodicea     Ephesus     Thyatira      Pergamos      Smyrna     Philadelphia
  |------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|
 Dead       Lukewarm     Loveless     Corrupt    Compromising  Persecuted    Faithful

Which state is [removed for publication] Baptist Church in?  Which one best fits your personal character?  (Open the room for discussion.)  To ask it another way, which epistle is your favorite?  My favorites are those to the Corinthians (the decision between first and second is a tough one).  The church at Corinth was approximately in the same state as at Pergamos: compromising.  I’ve concluded that I like all the rebukes to the Corinthians partly because I’m self-righteous.  I should learn to better enjoy the other epistles, particularly those to the Ephesians and Romans.  (Open the room for discussion.)

I think the state of a congregation reflects the percentage of its members who are saved.  If we’re lukewarm or loveless, does that mean we’re not all saved?  Are you saved?

As with all sin, the problem is pride.  The Ephesians are proud of their obedience, which is commended by Christ; but they are cheating on Him with His gift.  The Laodiceans are proud of their self-sufficiency: their Internet, physique, socialization, eloquence, and ideas.

Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

James 1:9-11

Nothing will ever take this love away
The grass will wither and the flower fade
These things don’t change

–Chorus to “These Things Don’t Change,” by Sherri Youngward

These are expressions of faithfulness and rebukes against lukewarmness.  The strong man, the beautiful girl, the wise mentor, the original artist, the smart intellectual, and the skilled crafstman all need to apply them.  We need to learn, deep in our heart of hearts, that we have no merit (especially righteousness), and that merit we do have comes only from him – for we were originally made in His image and those who repent are continually made in His image as much as they submit to improvement.  In other words, we need to accept the Gospel, or at least admit that we don’t really like it, to avoid being spat out.  The rich young ruler, when confronted with the challenge to give up the temporal, improved by becoming cold rather than lukewarm.  He went that much closer to admitting the problem, which is always the first step to solving it.

The loveless are in a different position than the lukewarm only because they idolize the Scriptures rather than worldly attractions, and the Scriptures point them in the correct direction.  So they are a somewhat more correct incarnation of the Pharisees – the folks who received Christ’s harshest words.

Now, how can we improve our position?  (Open the room for discussion.)  Those who are lukewarm must acquire a zeal for God’s word for their own sake, and then they’ll be loveless.  The loveless must further acquire a love for God, and develop a relationship with Him.  When we get that far, we will naturally discuss what we can do about it, because love prompts action.  If we don’t compromise after that, maybe we’ll be in the faithful church.