Month: March 2021

“Abstain from all appearance of evil.”  1 Thessalonians 5:22

When it comes to sin, we sometimes see how close we can come without going over the edge.  We flirt with wrong doing supposedly keeping ourselves just out of reach of what someone might call sinful behavior.  But that will always be a failing effort, and there are two very important reasons why we should avoid this kind of risky behavior.

The first reason is most apparent.  If we play with fire long enough, we are bound to get burned.  We seldom jump headfirst into temptation.  When I go swimming, I am not one of those who can leap into icy water taking the brunt of the cold all at one time.  I am one of those embarrassing slow-pokes who gets in and inch at a time, allowing a little strip of my body to get used to the water and moving slightly so another section can adjust a few minutes later.  Eventually, my whole body is ready to go and probably everyone else is ready to go home!

When it comes to entering into the waters of temptation, very few take a plunge right in.  They slowly work their way into it, getting used to things just a little bit at a time. But this is dangerous.  Behavior which used to be abhorrent slowly becomes acceptable.  We adjust just like the proverbial frog in the boiling water and eventually we find ourselves in a situation we can’t get out of.  All along the way, we will have excuses that allow us to go to the next level and then, one day, we are at a place we would have never thought of treading just months earlier.

So we know, by the Word and by experience that playing footsy with sin will get us in big trouble eventually, but there is a second reason we should avoid temptation.  Paul tells us to avoid all appearance of evil.  Why?  Because our actions affect others, even if it is not readily apparent.

If others see our sin, it reflects badly on our Christian walk and that in turn can affect another’s Christian walk or even their desire to become a Christian. We have to decide if the sin in which we are engaged is “fun” enough to cost our witness with others.  Is what we are doing worth the risk of influencing someone else away from The Lord Jesus?  Is the behavior so rewarding that if it led another astray, it would be worth it?  Of course, when we slowly enter into sin, we don’t ask ourselves those questions because self gratification becomes the main goal and we don’t want to be bothered by unnecessary negatives. We don’t want to be confused by the facts.

Not only is our sinful behavior a bad witness, others will be impacted because they will feel the consequences as well.  Anyone who thinks he can be involved in sin without its reach affecting others is in denial. We should avoid sin because it will eventually bring others into its tangled web.  There is a saying that “no man is an island,” and I would say that “no sin stays on an island,” as well.  Even if we have a secret sin, it will have its effects.  It will affect the way we look at others and look at ourselves, treat others and treat ourselves, and that is a given.  And, most likely, the sin will eventually raise its ugly head and be discovered and the domino effect will touch the lives of all those around us.  Like a pebble tossed in a pool, the ripples make their way outward.

So if falling to temptation is bad for us and for those around us, how do we prevent the slow move to accept more and more into our lives.  How do we avoid sin while it is just a flickering flame instead of trying to get free when it is a roaring fire?  How do we keep from doing test runs with temptation?  If we avoid all appearance of evil, we will assure that we will not reach the point where we are defending our bad behavior. We must intentionally avoid sin if we are to escape its tempting pull.

Here are some steps we can take to make sure we are not slowly entering the cold pool of sin an inch at a time.  First, evaluate our lives.  Are things that would have shocked us even months ago passing us by with little notice.  Do our minds wander to places they shouldn’t when we are not caught up in an activity?  Do we read, watch, or listen to things that are in opposition to righteous living?  Do we frequent places or take up friendships that will hinder our Christian growth?  On the other hand,  do we intentionally spend time with other Christians and involve ourselves in Christian service.  If we are like many, we might realize that we are doing things or are avoiding things that are not beneficial to our Christian walk. If that is the case, we will usually add the word “but” right after we admit it (even if we can admit it at all).  “I wouldn’t do this normally, but…. or “I would do this, but…” becomes our reason (oops, excuse) for our behavior.  People say we fall into temptation like it is all accidental.  Unfortunately, it is less of a fall (which seems out of our control) and more of a leap (which we slowly, but purposely initiate).

We have all heard the story about the little boy who was told not to swim in the canal, but when he comes home to his father the boy is all wet.  When ask why he swam in the canal when we was told not to, he said , “I looked at the canal and looked down at my swimming trunks, and the combination of the two was too tempting.”  His father ask why he would even take his swimming trunks, and the boy answers, “Well, in case I was tempted, of course.”  We sometimes make all the preparations we need to follow through with temptation, just in case we are tempted.  We plan for temptation, but not to avoid it, but to step into it.

God will give us the strength to avoid temptation.  As we are told, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13).  If we want to fall, however, we can by ignoring the strength He gives us. So for the sake of others and for our own sake, we must stay out of the “sin” pool.  There are probably signs somewhere that say, “Danger. No Swimming,” but we need to look for the signs before we think about getting into the water.

“That is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

It is a mess out there!  There has always been dissension between religions, but now there is confusion and chaos between denominations as well.   Deceivers within the church are as cunning as deceivers outside the church.  Deception is hallmark of Satan’s rule on this earth, and if we let down our guard, he will take advantage. What kind of people surround us?  The apostle John lets us know, “You are of your father the Devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of liars.”  (John 8:44).   Satan is a liar, so those who work for him are liars, too, but how do we discern truth in such confusing times.

We are told that God is not the author of confusion, “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints”   (1 Corinthians 14:33), but we are surrounded by false and confusing doctrines that do not come from God so how do we keep from being deceived?  The deceiver began his enlistment in the garden and has not stopped yet. He even finds pastors ready to serve as his accomplices in preying upon the weak rather than praying for the weak. Dr. Luke tell us to, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.  I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.” (Acts 20:28-30).  So we are surrounded by deceit, confusion, and conflict.  What are we to do?

In 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12. it says that the people deceived by Satan’s craftiness “did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” It is not sufficient to know about the truth, we must also accept the truth and love the truth.  We might academically understand the Bible, but the Bible is more than just an academic pursuit. My first couple of years at Douglas I took over a class called New Testament literature (I know, hard to believe that a class like that existed). When the principal talked to me about teaching the class, he emphasized that I needed to keep myself reigned in and teach it strictly as literature and not try to change anyone. I will admit, that was tough. But unfortunately, that is the way that many approach the Bible today. They read it, but they don’t allow it to change their lives and then are as easy prey for the devil as those who don’t read the Bible at all.  So our first defense is to allow the Word into our hearts.

Another thing that Paul tells us in this verse is that they “had pleasure in unrighteousness.” When we read the Bible strictly for the literature, but don’t allow it to affect our behavior, we will be easily decieved. If we are looking for excuses to justify sin in our lives, we certainly won’t study the Bible with honest and open hearts.  Sometimes we might use the excuse that asks, “Where in the Bible does it say that I cannot . . .,”  but more often than not, the Bible spells out what we should not do and we just ignore it. We become like the carnal man who Paul talks about in Corinthians and reach the point where we lose all discernment. “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Why do we so often fall into lies of the devil or his disciples? Because truth carries with it responsibility.  Truth demands that we make transformations in our lives, and maybe even give up some of our evil desires.  Too often, we “can’t handle the truth.”  So we peruse the Word but don’t pursue its truths.  We read it and are left without the Word of God imprinted on our hearts. We are left defenseless in a world that is overrun with false messages. We are left to try to figure it all out on our own, and unfortunately we will not be able to.

In 1212 a French shepherd boy by the name of Steven claimed that Jesus had appeared to him disguised as a pilgrim. Supposedly  Jesus had instructed him to cross over the Mediterranean to take a letter concerning Christ to the Holy Lands. His story became widespread and he gained quite a following.  Soon a group of 30,000 children accompanied him on his journey, expecting to miraculously reach the Holy Lands. When they reached the edge of the water they expected the sea to be parted to let them pass, but it did not happen. The misguided boy and his many followers were distraught.  But while stranded by the sea, they met two men who claimed to be so touched by the story that they offered to transport the children for free across the mediterranean.  The children boarded seven ships triumphantly, believing that God had answered their prayers, but instead of heading for the Holy Lands, the course was set for North Africa.  When they arrived, they were sold into slavery in the Muslim marketplace.  Few returned to France, none made it to the Holy Lands.

There are hosts of wolves prowling around to take advantage of our naiveté if we do not accept the Word and love the Word.  If we know the Word, we will recognize the wolves, if we don’t know the Word, they will recognize us. False preachers can be motivational and false teachers can sound logical, but only the truth can set us free.  These type of men say they can set us free, but only for a fee.

Matthew warns us, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.   Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.”  (Matthew 7:13-16a)  We will not recognize the narrow gate or ravenous wolves if we don’t know the Word.  Like the young boys in the story above, there will always be those who will prey on our ignorance.  The cults are populated by well-intentioned but deceived followers whose ignorance of the Word led them to the broader gate.  Stay alert. Stay armed. Stay safe. Stay in the Word.

“We pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

This sums up the gospel in just a few lines. Christ died on our behalf, paying a debt He did not owe, the one we owed but could not pay. On the cross, Jesus took our sins on himself, and God treated Jesus as if he had lived our lives. All our sinful thoughts, dishonest deeds, and selfish ways were put upon Christ and he was punished as if they were his own thoughts and deeds and ways.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5.) Jesus was our substitute; he took our place on the cross, but just as importantly, He gave us His righteousness. In the eyes of God we have the very righteousness of Christ Himself. So because Jesus went to the cross undeservedly, we go to heaven undeservedly. But wait, it is not underserved because it is now as though we have lived Jesus’ life! Our rap sheet is as white as snow- there is nothing there. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

In a wonderful but heartbreaking book by Ernest Gordon, Miracle On The River Kwai, he tells stories of courage among the Scottish soldiers who were forced by their Japanese captors to labor on a jungle railroad. Over 80,000 men died in the construction of the railroad, over 350 deaths per mile of railroad built. Under the strain of captivity, brutality, and starvation the men had degenerated to barbarous behavior. But as is the case in every critical situation, men of character rose to the occasion. In the midst of the daily degrading conditions, acts of sacrifice and love influenced the camp. On one occasion a man who seemed near death had his blanket stolen and his meager rations stolen. A man named Agnus gave him his own blanket and everyday would take a portion of his rations to give to the weak and emaciated man. As the man grew stronger, Agnus grew weaker until the man had recovered…but Agnus had died. Men who watched the daily sacrifice were deeply moved by the act of selfless love.

However, it was another man whose act of sacrifice succeeded in changing the hearts and minds of the camp as a whole. One afternoon in the daily tool count a shovel was found missing. The officer in charge demanded that the shovel be returned and the culprit show himself. When no one came forward the officer threatened to kill everyone on the spot and he walked up to the first man in line and put a gun to his head. Immediately a man stepped forward from the line admitting guilt. The officer beat the man with his gun and then with a shovel and then ended his tirade by kicking the lifeless body over and over. When he was done, the soldiers picked up their bloody friend and carried him away. As they did the shovels were counted again. No shovel was missing. Indeed, there had been a miscount the first time. The man, seeing the situation was futile, sacrificed himself for the rest of his comrades.

The word spread like wildfire through the whole camp and the incident had a profound effect. . . The men began to treat each other like brothers. When the victorious Allies swept in, the survivors, human skeletons, lined up in front of their captors and instead of attacking them or insisting on their deaths they said that death and hatred must be left behind and replaced by forgiveness. Only sacrificial love has that kind of transforming power. We, ourselves, can experience that transforming power. Though sacrifice at Kwai was great beyond imagination, the greatest act of sacrificial love was when Jesus stepped forward for crimes he did not commit and hung in our stead on a lonely cross on Calvary. If the sacrifice of one soldier could change a camp, surely the sacrifice of Christ on the cross should change the whole world. At the least, it should change each of us.

Although the above story is a impactful one, there is one important difference. We have stolen the shovel and Christ still steps in and takes our punishment. Jesus steps in before we are frisked and are caught dead to rights. He becomes the thief for us and stops the search and saves our lives.

In 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 Paul begs us to be reconciled to God, for God has done the impossible and a way has been made for us- corrupt and faulty sinners that we are – to have complete, unhindered access to and communion with the holy God. God’s wrath (which should have been reserved for us) was spent on Christ. His death brought (and brings) reconciliation to all who believe on Him. This is the message we must spread, both through our words and deeds. Any other message we can share pales in the light of this great truth.

There is an apologetic book called The Fifth Gospel and I think the premise of the book is very interesting. In a word, it states that believers are the Fifth Gospel. There are hundreds of people who will never open the Bible to read the gospels, but they read us every day. If we are not totally incognito, there will be many people around us who know we are Christians. We are then, to them, the Cliff Notes version of the Word. For one reason or another, they will not read the word but instead will look at someone who has read it and assume that that person reflects what is written. We need to ask ourselves, “Do our actions steer someone to the Word or away from it.?”

Let’s look at it another way. If I were to say that tomorrow the people around me were going to read either Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, or Rick, and the percentages were with the latter, maybe would I act a little differently. We all know people who want to see a movie over reading a book. Watching how we act is a much easier task than picking up the Word daily and reading if for themselves. Mark Twain once said, “Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.” There is truth to this statement. Our actions should, in this day and age, be as striking to people as the words of the gospel. 

I had a young man in class a few years back who was a freshman in high school and had never read a book. I gave him a Louis L’amour book, and he loved it. A few weeks later I asked him about how his reading was going and he told me he had about ninety more L’amour books to go, but that he was going to read every one of them.

Hopefully, when we expose the Good Book our to others through our lives, they will want to read the same Book by the same Author. Our lives should encourage others to say, “What I have read so far is so good, I want to read more.” If our lives do not reflect the gospel accurately, then others would have little reason to explore God’s Word further. They might say, “Yeah, I saw a movie by this God-author and I wasn’t impressed. Don’t think I will keep His book on my Kindle.”

If we are the Fifth Gospel, then our daily actions are critically important to spreading the message of Jesus Christ. Charles Spurgeon once said that people “reckon our deeds as dollars and our words as pennies.” I think that is very accurate. As believers we are representing more than ourselves every day. Our actions or inactions to reflect Christ can result in others action or inaction to get to know Him better.

I think I might have heard a collective sigh on that last statement. Surely we cannot be responsible for another’s pursuit of the gospel. That is their personal decision, not ours. Well, we can say that, but unfortunately the world does not work that way. Our good or bad actions do affect others, good or bad. We can say as Charles Barkley the ex-NBAer said, “I ain’t no role model,” but we would be kidding ourselves as much as he was. Paul told young Timothy, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12) When addressing the Philippians, Paul went so far as to say, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:9) Can we say that to others? Can we say that imitating us will give others peace? If we can’t, we need to reevaluate the example we are leading. There may not be any sadder words to hear than, “I was thinking about doing this Jesus thing, but I have been watching you and I think I will skip it.”

We can be bitter about the fact that there is more pressure on us as Christians to live a life of “rightness” or we can accept it, embrace it, and do it. If we take our responsibility seriously, it will empower and enrich us. 

There once was a small fishing town in California that was a pelican’s paradise. The fishermen would come in with their catches, gut their fish, and toss the offal to the birds. Consequently, the pelicans got lazy and stopped fishing on their own. Eventually, the fishermen found other uses for the offal and the pelicans supply dried up. Many of the birds began to starve to death. It looked bleak until the fishermen brought in birds from another location. The new pelicans set the example, started doing their pelican thing, and after a short time the native birds began to fish and get healthy again. There are a lot of spiritually starving people around us. People who will someday notice their need for nourishment. At that time they will look around and ask themselves, “Who seems to have the nourishment they need? Who seems satisfied?” Hopefully, they may look at us and see that person. Their next question should be. “Why are they like that?”

Titus 2:7 says, “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity.” When people feel weak, they look for those who are strong. If people can read our lives and they see them as positive, they will seek out what we have. It will lead them to the Word and the Word can lead them to the Lord. In Matthew we read, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Many years ago a young author was commissionedby the government of China to do a biographical book discrediting Hudson Taylor, a courageous and godly missionary. As the young man researched the life of Taylor, he was moved by the man’s charity, love, and convictions. He finally put his pen aside and could go no further. At the risk of his own life he abandoned the task that he had been instructed to do. He consequently accepted Christ as his savior. He looked at the life of a good man and was drawn to it. People around us are examining our lives. Will they be inclined to abandon the lives they live to experience the life they see in us? Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and us. Four necessitate a book. One just necessitates a look. Who will look at us today?

I was listening to an interesting debate the other day.  It was between an atheist and an evangelical.  One of the atheists defenses for social evolution apart from God was his belief that our society has grown beyond the violence of past centuries.  He went on to say that the 20th century was the most peaceful century in history.  I guess he was sleeping in History 101 when they covered WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the other 27 Major conflicts of the 1900’s.  Historian Eric Hobsbawn said in his book on the 1900’s, “the 20th century was the most murderous in recorded history. The total number of deaths caused by or associated with its wars has been estimated at 187 million, the equivalent of more than 10 per cent of the world’s population in 1913.”  He went on to say that the century experienced very few periods of worldwide peace.  It seems to me that the twentieth century isn’t the best time period to reference while extolling the peaceful progress of humanity.

In fact, as I examine history, I see not the progress of humankind, but the plight of humankind and that is just another reason why I believe the Word of God.  History portrays more realistically the Bible’s explanations of man and the world around him than any atheistic philosophy I have ever read.  The idea that this world, life, and culture are evolving for the better in any way is a pipe dream. Peace on this earth can only be found in one place, and that is in the Lord Jesus Christ.  All other peace is fragile, fleeting, and in the long run, fake.  In Jeremiah 17:9 we are told,  “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?”  Later in Matthew 15:19 we see that man has a heart problem, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.”  These comments on man seem to match what I see in the news a lot more than an atheistic view that we are building societies of peace and justice.

It seems to me that atheists are caught in the middle of their own beliefs.  They assume that Godlessness will lead to more order, more peace, more ethical societies, but why should it?  If we are just organic with no real moral compass, why shouldn’t we press for power?  Why shouldn’t the biggest, strongest, most powerful be in charge.  If the meanings of such words as life, murder, rights, and more are allowed to change from generation to generation, culture to culture, place to place, then there is no standard of right and wrong and everyone can make his own rules.  If everyone can make his own rules, why wouldn’t he make rules that benefit himself.  

On the other hand, if there is some kind of altruism that sometimes is found in humans, why should it be there?  Would we, people just made of matter, without spirits, without souls, without a creator, ever choose to be decent in this survival-of-the-fittest world we live in. Conscience does not evolve but is part of our inborn knowledge that there is something, no, Someone greater than we.  Either we are a soulless part of the animal kingdom and have excuse to be selfish because we rightfully fight for power (see Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, etc), or we are separated from the animal kingdom by a conscience not found in any other creature because we are “fearfully and wonderfully” made.  Sidney Harris, prolific reader and writer once said, “Once we assuage our conscience by calling something a “necessary evil,” it begins to look more and more necessary and less and less evil.”  We are evil by nature, but we try to live in a state of denial. 

There is a sign on a fence out on a Texas plain.  It says, “STOP. I know you’re thinking about crossing this gate. What you should know is that if the Coyotes, Cactus, Mesquite, Heat, Dust or Rattlers don’t get you, I will.”  There is a fence at the edge of our bad behavior.   Before we start to step over that fence there are warnings.  Satan knows that our indiscretions  will lead to dangers on their own. Broken hearts, broken spirits, and broken lives await like dangers in the desert.  Beyond those dangers Satan and his minions await if they are needed to finish us off.  They allow our own sins to destroy us and wait to add the finishing touches if necessary.   We do most of satan’s work for him by just being ourselves.

Romans 10:3 is right: “There are none who are righteous, no, not one.”  That is pretty plain.  Romans also tells us that,  “All have sinned and have come short of the glory of God” and “the wages of sin is death” but the good news is-  “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  We will not evolve into “good” people and we will not evolve into a “good” society.  We can only replace the bad nature with a good one, and that only comes through Christ.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, all things have become new.”  Until all things become new through Christ, this world will not get better.  The bottom line is this: We are created with a knowledge of right and wrong but without the power within ourselves to enforce it.  We will continue to ignore what is right until we are filled with the. Spirit of the One Who is right. That is not evolution of our world, but revolution in our souls.  We must go against our natural tendencies for evil and be filled with that which is good.  Until then our world’s progression is nothing more than regression.