Was (and is) Jesus really a pacifist?

John 18:10-11King James Version (KJV)

10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

There has been a raging debate for centuries now. Some say that the people of God should never take up weapons for any reason. Some say that we should protect what we love- just as Jesus protects his church. 

The passage listed above has been used by many to "prove" that Jesus was against his people using weapons. But, is that true? Was Jesus the pacifist that many try and portray him to be? 

First of all, a careful look at this passage shows that Peter was, in fact, NOT rebuked for using a weapon. Indeed, in Luke 22:34-39, Jesus tells his disciples to buy a sword because things are about to get crazy. Would a true pacifist say this? 

Here, in John, Peter- wanting to protect the Lord he loves- pulls his sword and attacks one of the men who have been sent to capture Jesus. Jesus doesn't rebuke him for the sword. He doesn't tell him to throw away his sword and become a pacifist. Rather Jesus tells him to put his weapon away for now. The real rebuke is in the next statement. Jesus explains to Peter that in his actions, he was standing in the way of the holy plans of God almighty. In other words, Peter was told to stand down and  let God's plan play out. But, Peter was not told to become a pacifist. 

But, what about Jesus' other teachings? 

Yes, he told us to "turn the other cheek," but cheek is not plural, it's singular So, how many times are we to allow ourselves to be slapped? Yes, Jesus took lots of stripes, many punches, a crown of thorns, two nails, lots of insults, and a spear in his side. But, this was also on his way to redeeming us. He was the Lamb of God. He had to be slaughtered and his blood shed in order to buy our redemption. 

On the other hand, when Jesus saw the ungodliness of the money changers in the temple, he made a whip and used it! He beat the money changers, let loose the animals, turned over tables, etc. He was a one man wrecking crew! Was this the actions of a pacifist? I think not. 

Some point to Matthews account in Matthew 26: 51-54 and say, "See, we are supposed to be pacifistic. Jesus says if we take up a weapon, we will die by that weapon." Is that what he really said? The context of the verse shows again that Jesus didn't say there was never a time for us to use a weapon. Indeed, Ecclesiastes 3:8 says there IS a time for war. 

But, in Matthew he tells Peter (unnamed in this scripture) to a) put up his sword (a pacifistic Jesus would have told him to throw away his sword). Evidently, there was a use for the sword at a later time. This was just not the right time or reason.  

B) He tells Peter, "don't you know I have the authority and power to stop all this right now?" (My paraphrase). In Johns account of this, when Jesus told the soldiers that "I am he," his words released enough power to knock them
all to the ground. He then used that show of power to make sure that his disciples were free to go. The clear implication to his captors being that "I am allowing you to take me, but I will protect my followers if you don't let them go." 

C) He then tells Peter that if he did stop it by going to war (as Peter was trying to do), then God's plan for the salvation of man could not happen. 

The correction against Peter was not that he used a sword. The correction against Peter, again, was that he was interfering in the salvation of mankind at that moment. The timing was wrong, not the fighting.

In truth, Jesus was fighting a spiritual war for our souls. A war in which he gave his life for us. 

Paul tells us to love our wives as Jesus loved the church and died for us. A man who is not willing to fight (and die, if necessary) for his wife and family to protect them is not a Christian man and doesn't truly love his family as Christ loves the church. 

There are many warrior word pictures painted for our instruction in the Bible. 

Ephesians 6:10-18 talks about putting on the "whole armour of God." Yes, it's a spiritual lesson, but, if the spiritual lesson is true, then isn't the physical picture he's using to teach by also true? Shouldn't we, as men of God, be willing to literally go to war to protect our loved ones? 

Romans 13:4 recognizes the validity of the governments armed forces and police. Are Christians supposed to be wimps and not take part in those institutions? 

Indeed, 1 Timothy 6:12 states that we should, "fight the good fight of faith." If we are to be willing to spiritually fight, shouldn't we be willing to physically fight if the situation warrants it? 

Yes, we are told to "resist not evil," but that's the same passage that tells us to turn the other cheek. But, also, how do we square this with the command to "resist the devil"- the ultimate evil? Evidently, as Ecclesiastes says, "there's a time for every purpose under heaven." 

So, how do we know when to fight and when not to fight? By following Jesus. If he tells us to fight, we fight. If he tells us not to fight, then we take what comes. HE, not we, is the ultimate arbiter of justice and he decides when we do or don't fight- and how we fight. 

How many times in scripture does God tell his people to fight? MANY times. The God of the Old Testament became flesh in the New Testament to pay for our sins and make a way for us to have a relationship with him. But, he hasn't changed. Sometimes he will tell US to act. Sometimes he will tell us to let HIM act. 

But, we MUST be willing to fight- in whatever form he tells us to. Whether that fight is spiritual, or physical, or both, is entirely up to him. 

There are dark days ahead. If we aren't willing to stand and fight, who will? 

But, Jesus is no pacifist. And neither should we be.  

  

It's never too late for you!

33 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:

2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.

3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

4 Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.

6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:

8 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.

9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.

10 And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.

11 Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,

13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.

14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.

15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

16 And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.

17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the Lord their God only.

18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.

19 His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.

20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

We live in a day and age where most people judge someone by their past. Many has been the person who started life badly. They developed a reputation for being bad. But, watch what happens when that person turns their life around and begins to live for Jesus. Most that either know them, or know of their reputation, will usually say, "Yea, right! I have a hard time believing that one." 

In today's passage, we have a young king who took all the wrong steps. He had all the right tools. His father, Hezekiah, was a great and godly man. He led his kingdom to live for God, made much needed reforms, and did not tolerate evil. Tall shoes indeed for a twelve year old boy to fill. 

But, one thing about young boys, especially in their teen years, is that they tend to rebel against their elders. Some of them come to their senses. Some never do. As soon as Manasseh (whose name means, "causing to forget." He was named after Joseph's son who was so named for God's blessings causing Joseph to forget being sold into slavery by his brothers, wrongly accused by a harlot, and being forgotten in prison.),he began to stretch his royal wings and take the country in directions that his godly father never would've agreed with. 

His life was the poster child of ungodliness. He allowed and encouraged his country to become "multicultural." Everyone who wanted to serve their foreign idols were not only allowed to do so, but aided in doing it by the young king's government. 

"Oh how wise you are," said one of the young king's advisers. "Be more inclusive and the rest of the world will love you," said another. "If you want to show how truly great you are, and how great our nation is, you must allow people to follow the truths that they were raised to believe," said his religious adviser. "Imagine how the international community will love you if you stop all this religious exclusivity, your highness,"

Listening to these voices, Manasseh allowed all manor of ungodliness into his kingdom. Alters were built to idols in the mountains and the valleys. Groves were built. This was a place where the worshipers of Ashtaroth (a fertility goddess) could go and (for a small fee) sleep with one of her "priestesses" in order to gain a blessing for their crops and/or help their wives to conceive a child. (Makes sense, huh? Sleep with one woman in order to help your own wife become pregnant? SMH) 

They had their own version of abortion on demand, too. They threw their children in the unholy fires of Molech, seeking the blessing of the false god. (Much as America kills millions of babies every year for the "blessing" of personal freedom.)

The young king even started practicing sorcery and witchcraft! He became so full of himself that he placed altars to his own handmade idols in God's own temple! (Boy won't that preach today?) He had -and therefore the kingdom had- no fear of almighty God at all. If a nations leader(s) have no fear of God, the nation won't fear him, either.

God sent prophets to warn the king and the nation to repent of their evil ways, but to no avail. 

Finally, the one, true God had had enough. 

He sent the mightiest nation in the world (and the world's first terrorists), Assyria, against King Manasseh and his country. God didn't back his people. He allowed them to be overrun and the king to be taken captive. He was stripped of his finery, placed in chains, taken back to Assyria as a captive and thrown in a dungeon to rot.  

His story could have tragically and sadly ended there. He could have died in that dark and dirty place, never to be seen or heard of again. 

But, king Manasseh began to think on his life. He remembered how things were before all of his glorious "reforms." He remembered how peaceful and wholesome things had become under his god-fearing father's reign. He recalled the truth's that his father had taught and championed and how blessed the country had become by following them. 

Slowly, it dawns on Manasseh just how foolish he had been- and just how evil his advisers advice (and his following them) had been. He remembered the prophets that God had sent to him to try and warn him to repent. 

He's overwhelmed and cries out in real repentance. 

How long this process took, we're not told. How many times the enemies whispers of "It's too late for you, king," kept him from crying out, the scriptures do not say. 

All we know is that, at some point, he makes up his mind and cries out in spite of the voices, "God forgive me!" 

If God were as harsh and unforgiving as many people try to say that he is, Manasseh would've died in his hell hole. But, rather than giving Manasseh the fate he deserves, God reaches down and forgives this ungodly man- even in his prison cell. 

Still, that could've been the happy ending of Manasseh's story. "Evil King repents, is forgiven, and dies in prison." Most of the religious folks would've have told that story of a loving God's mercy for years to come! 

But, it doesn't end there. Nope! 

God not only forgives him, but he sets him free and restores him to the same position he held before God had passed judgement on him! Oh, the forgiveness of our God! 

But, here comes the real test for Manasseh. 

The city gates are open wide. No expense has been spared. The king is returning! The streets have been cleaned. The riff-raff have been run off. The advisers have spruced themselves up. The religious leaders are prepared to thank their god's for the return of the king. 

The truly pious aren't in the mood for celebration. To their minds, here comes more of the same ungodly policies.

Trumpets blare and the king enters the city in his chariot. The people applaud!

The king waves and his feet touch the ground in his beloved city. You can almost see him fall to his face and kiss the ground he never thought he would see again. When he arises, there are tears in his eyes. He's so glad to be home! 

But, looking around as he had entered his country and now his capital, he became more and more aware of the awesome tasks that were set before him. For a truly repentant heart cannot allow things to continue as before. Changes must come. And they must come as quickly as they can possibly be made. 

The king calls his counselors together and begins to explain what he has in mind. The more he speaks, the more alarmed his counsel becomes. "Does he really want to undo and destroy all the progress we've made through the years?" 

When it becomes apparent that's exactly what he intends to do, an outcry arises. "King, you can't do this!" "My lord, the people will revolt!" A cacophony arises that is full of objections. 

The king rises to his feet and silences the room with one cry, "Silence!"

Gone is the timid boy who could be sweet talked into ungodliness. Gone is the young king who's baser instincts could be appealed to to convince him to make the reforms they wanted. 

In their place stands a man of God, full of the power of God. His mind is made up! His advisers are fired and replaced. His word is full of the wisdom of God and his will is made of iron. 

He strengthens the defenses of his nation and begins to tear down and destroy the idol places that he himself had helped to set up. 

You can almost hear the religious folks saying, "Who does he think he is? He helped set all this up." "It's true we prayed for reformation, but he can't be the one! His past is too bad to be God's man for this hour!"

If Manasseh had listened to these voices, the revival of his country wouldn't have happened. 

But, Manasseh remembered the God of Grace and Mercy that had given him a second chance when he was in his dark and cold prison cell. He remembered the voice that he heard in that hopeless place and spoke life and purpose back into his life.    

So, Manasseh ignored the naysayers. He ignored the finger pointers. He just focused on God and the task that he had been assigned. He didn't let the talk bother him. Manasseh had a mission from God and he was going to accomplish it- even if it killed him. 

True repentance is much more than saying, "I'm sorry." Real repentance is a change of heart and mind that connects the ungodly sinner to the God of mercy. It changes the sinner into a willing vessel. It opens the door for a miraculous change that will effect many more people who see the evidence of Jesus in the life of the penitent soul. 

My friends, if you are trapped in a prison created by your own sin, it's not too late for you. If you feel that your life is over and God cannot use you, you're wrong. Repent, and watch God work!

But, when the naysayers arise, ignore them. Hold on to what God has told you. Go about the work he has sent you to do. And above all else, don't let your past dictate your future. "He whom the son hath set free, is free indeed!"  

     

What exactly are we celebrating on Christmas?

Isaiah 9:6King James Version (KJV)

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

John 1:14King James Version (KJV)

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Merry Christmas to you all! This is the day that the majority of believers in Jesus Christ celebrate his birth. While some say, "there's no record of the early church celebrating Jesus' birth," I say, "there's no record of them celebrating their families birthdays or anniversaries either. Are you going to say that it's a sin to do so when the Bible clearly does not say that it is?" Incidentally, when the Angels sang on the day of his birth, wasn't that a celebration of his birth? When the Shepherds went to see him, wasn't that an acknowledgement of his glorious birth? When the wise men brought gifts (probably 2 years later) on his birthday, wasn't that a celebration of his birth? 

Some say, "Christmas has pagan roots and we shouldn't celebrate pagan things." If we were to cut out every pagan thing in our culture, we'd have practically nothing left. By their argument, why don't we go back to the Jewish calendar? After all, even the days of the week on the Gregorian calendar we use in the western world are all named after pagan gods. 

Finally, some say, "Jesus wasn't born on December 25th, so we shouldn't celebrate his birthday on that day." To these I say, "we don't know his birth date, so December 25th is as good a day as any other." 

Why cannot we Christians just except the good in some things instead of saying everything short of breathing is a sin? Relax! Jesus came, in part, to bring us joy everlasting and life eternal! Isn't that worth celebrating? 

But here's the most amazing thing to me. 

In the Old Covenant, before the first temple was built, the Jews worshiped God at a glorious tent called the tabernacle. It was at the altar near this tabernacle that the sacrifices were made by the priests for the sins of the people. It was in this tabernacle that this blood was taken, by the high priest, into the Holy of Holies, to sprinkle it onto the mercy seat in the midst of the ark of the covenant. 

The Holy of Holies was also where the presence of God dwelt. God is holy! No one unholy could enter there. In fact, they tied a long rope with bells on it to the ankle of the high priest when he went in. Why? Because if he had not repented right, if he had not sacrificed right, if he had not used the right amount of sacrificial blood on himself and his clothing before he entered the presence of God within the Holy of Holies, he would be struck dead by the holiness of God! 

For centuries, between the tabernacle and (later) the first temple, God was pretty well inaccessible to the vast majority of human beings. The laundry list of requirements to the people, the priests, and for the high priest himself, is astounding to read (found in Leviticus-Deuteronomy)! If a man had a small blemish on his skin, he could not be the high priest. 

If anyone tried to enter the presence of God in the Holy of Holies, they would be struck dead by God himself! 

The people lived in fear and wonder of God. Yet, they were separated by sin from the one thing both God and man desired- a close relationship with almighty God! 

Then, an amazing thing happened. Mankind could do nothing to fix the situation, but God could. 

God himself became a man!

Read Isaiah 9:6 above. This baby that was born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago was God himself! He was "the everlasting Father" in human flesh. He was the "wonderful Counsellor" (Holy Ghost) in a human body. He was "the mighty God" in a frail, human form. 

John puts it in an even more amazing way in John 1:14: "the word was made flesh and DWELT among us..." The word for "dwelt" there comes from the Greek word "skenoo", which means, " 

1. to fix one's tabernacle, have one's tabernacle, abide (or live) in a tabernacle (or tent), tabernacle
2. to dwell                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  So, "on that first Christmas morn" (as some folks word it), GOD made his own tabernacle- his own Holy of Holies, and dwelt there!

  

Now, for the first time since Adam's day, common men and women could walk and talk with God! They could touch God! Shepherds who could never have come into his presence before, were able to actually touch him! Even the wise men would never have been able to give gifts to and touch and interact with God before this day. But, now they could! 

This was God reaching out to a lost and dying world in a magnificent way. He touched people now that he could never have touched before the incarnation. He talked with common sinners and forgave them (without requiring them to kill a sheep)! He showed love and compassion where he couldn't do it before. 

Why? Because he knew that soon even THIS new tabernacle's veil (his own flesh) would be torn on a cross on a hill called Calvary and HIS OWN BLOOD (ACTS 20:28) would be shed to cover the sins of these (and every person) people he was now touching. 

God made a plan before time began to buy us back! And that plan (his word) was made flesh and put into action on that "first Christmas morning."

What an amazing God we serve! 

Jesus Christ, not just the son of God, but the God of the whole universe all by himself, made flesh in order to purchase a people with his own blood.

Oh, what a savior! 

That's why I celebrate Christmas. It's not about the gift giving (though there were gifts given on Jesus' birthday). It's not about the family time so much (though we do enjoy that and thank God for the blessing he has given us in each other). 

It's all about the ultimate gift that God almighty gave by tabernacling himself in a human body to pay for the sins of us all! So, I will celebrate Christmas because it's the one day a year that nearly everyone celebrates him. AND I CHOOSE TO USE THIS DAY TO TELL THEM JUST HOW SPECIAL THIS DAY REALLY IS! And, they need to know how special they are in his eyes: so that they can see his nail-scarred hands reaching out to them in the hope that they will obey his plan of salvation (Acts 2:38) and come to him. 

The God of the universe became man, so that man could have a relationship with him. 

Won't you respond to him today? 

Merry Christmas to you all!       

Work in progress

Philippians 1:6King James Version (KJV)

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Ephesians 2:10

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

1 John 3:2

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth notyet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Romans 8:20-23King James Version (KJV)

20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

In Apostolic Pentecostal circles, we put a lot of emphasis on holiness, much of it misdirected (albeit well-intentioned.) While it is true that holiness is necessary, many paint holiness out to be a long list of rules and legislation. Indeed, to hear some tell it, we can work ourselves into heaven simply by going to church, paying tithes, obeying the leadership, dressing and acting in certain ways, etc. 

This week is Christmas, where we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Stop and think about it. Why did he come? Why did he robe himself in flesh and become a man? Consider this powerful answer: 

Isaiah 64:6 [Full Chapter]

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

The word "filthy" here comes from the Hebrew word, "idda." It means, "menstruation." And the word "Rags" here comes from the Hebrew word, "beged," and it means, "treachery, deceit, garment." 

In other words, for all our worship, for all our praise, for all our effort, for all our giving, for all our towing the line of standards, our righteousness is as worthwhile to Jesus as a used Tampon. (Yes, I said it! But, God said it first through Isaiah.) 

We can be the most accomplished and seemingly successful Christian leader in the world, but for all our accomplishments in the eyes of mankind, we fall so very short of what God himself calls righteous. 

But, he became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God. Therefore, we can stand before him washed in his blood as his children, enjoying the full love and devotion of God towards us.

Yet, when we declare to the world that we are the children of God, they begin to nit pic us to death.

"I thought you were a Christian, Christians don't do that."  

In our flesh we can do nothing. However, WITH GOD LIVING THROUGH US, we can do all things. Just as humans have different levels of development, so do children of God. Just as we don't expect a new born to walk, or a toddler to iron their clothing, neither should anyone expect a Christian to be perfect. 

Over time, we will "grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." But, will we achieve sinless perfection? Not in this life. But, the trick to being Holy is not following standards and being religious. The trick is in allowing Jesus to live through us. The more we allow him to, the less sins we will commit and the more like him we will become. 

But, for all the fruit inspectors out there who are investigating "God's people," looking for signs of sin:

Please bear with us, we are, after all, truly a work in progress. 

The trouble with the "Apostolic Pentecostal" movement.

First of all, I'm sorry for having been away for so long. We've had a lot on our plates and our minds. Life is hard. Life is frustrating. I work 60+ hours a week. I am a full time college student. I have a wonderful wife, two grown daughters, a grand daughter, and 4 animals at home to care for. Granted, they do as much caring for me- if not more- as I do for them.

Yet, we live in a fallen world. We live in a world that, in Paul's words, is "wax(ing) worse and worse." 2 Timothy 3:13

Terrorism is on the rise. Entertainment is where people hide. "Me first," is the people's cry! Politics, for the most part, has become a push to give out "candy" to people in order to gain votes and stay in power. We are on the brink of WW3, as ideologies war for control of the world, and our politicians don't seem to want to stand up for anything at all.

What's worse, people are looking to Government programs and education to fulfill their inner needs. They jump from bed to bed, trying to find "the love of their lives." When all that fails, they turn to drugs and alcohol and sex for the sake of fulfilling their own desires.

In the midst of all of this, stands the church. An entity that is supposed to care for people in every way. We are supposed to care not only for the souls of people, but for their physical needs, as well.In the heart of every true believer is a desire to worship the one true God in the midst of a gathering of our fellow believers. So, we get in our cars and take our families to buildings where "the church" is supposed to meet for the glory of God. And the vast majority of the time, we wind up leaving disheartened and discouraged. Why is this?

Rather than being encouraged to operate freely in the spirit of God- and as part of the body of Christ- God's people are told to sit down, shut up, and let the real ministry (translated as titled preachers and singers) operate. Rather than being challenged to go deeper in the Lord and let him teach us through the power of the Holy Ghost, we are told to "be on the same page as the church leadership." In other words, get our beliefs from the professionals who are better than we and just blindly obey.

We are told that God loves everyone. But yet, in practice, we are shown that God seems to love some of us more than he does others. The rich, or well off, are allowed to get away with things that those of us in the poor masses would never be allowed to get away with- and still stay active in "the ministry" by virtue of their "giving heart". When people are sick, they don't even get a phone call, much less a personal prayer- unless it is a big tithe payer.

Preachers now are either spiritual cheerleaders who tell us that God is a spiritual Santa Claus who can't wait to bless us from his bag of goodies- thus eliminating God's judgement from the scriptures, or they are so hardcore that they add to the word and make everything- including wearing certain colors- a sin. Some are too educated for us common folk and only speak with high sounding words that few can comprehend. Others only know four sermons and go back and forth between these four from differing angles to the point where people leave because they're spiritually starving from lack of getting all the spiritual nutrients needed to feed their spirit man. Some pastors are egomaniacs. Some are control freaks. Almost none allow the spirit of God to have full reign in a service. much less the lives of their flocks.

We are told that God is a forgiving God. We are told that when we are born again, ALL things are made new. Yet, in practice, if a man doesn't have a family Pentecostal pedigree (or a large bank account), the "leadership" of the church will use their past sins to keep them out of the calling God is laying on their lives.

We claim to be the book of Acts church. But are we really?

While it is true that the early church taught and practiced Acts 2:38 salvation (as we do), and they taught and believed in only ONE God (as we do), yet, we are not having the same world changing results that they did. Why is that?

The early church reached out to the lost and the hurting- going so far as to sell all they had and trust the spirit's leading of the church leaders to care for the needs of everyone. We, on the other hand, take up special offerings to fix up a perfectly good bathroom so that it looks pretty to the upcoming conference goers- while at the same time, talking down to the folks in the church that are in need of food, rent, utilities, and a good friend.

The early church stood up to political leaders and spoke the word without fear or favor. We kiss up to political leaders and push our convictions under a rug, all so we can keep tax free statuses and favorable zoning for our properties.

The early church gave their lives to Jesus and their all to people. We can barely push away a plate, much less spend hours tarrying at the altar for the sake of lost souls.

The early church cared for the needs of others. We seem to care only for the needs of the building and the privileged few.

The early church practiced holiness by getting as close as they could to Jesus and allowing him to live through him. We "practice holiness" by proclaiming man-made and barely if at all scriptural rules.

The early church practiced a definite leadership structure that lifted up the family structure (God-husband, then wife, then children). We tell people that Structures were a cultural thing and not for our now enlightened society.

The early church had men preaching and teaching to all and did not allow women to preach at all, while they could teach other women. (1 Corinthians 14:34, 1 Timothy 2:12, Titus 2:1-5, etc)

Rather than encouraging Sunday school teachers to pray and seek God to tell them what to teach their classes (thereby letting God use their gifts), they are given programmed books that skim the surface and make it "easier" to teach. Many preachers now would rather download a sermon from the internet than seek God for a fresh word to help their hearers.

If we are ever to see the results that the early church saw. If we are ever to actually BE what we say we are, then we need to hit our faces, repent, and make wholesale changes to nearly everything we do. We need to study out and learn the principles and actions of the early church and then let God use as (as HE sees fit- not as religions says) to reach out to a very lost and very dying world. Then and only then, will we have a book of Acts revival.

                                            Image from www.restlesspilgrim.net

When the way becomes slippery, hold onto the safety line.

Psalm 94:18-19King James Version (KJV)

18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.

19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

Philippians 1:6 [Full Chapter]

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Before I begin here, let me explain to you that I haven't changed my position. I still believe that God gave us a free will and he wants us to choose to love him and follow him. I still believe that we can willfully walk away from our salvation- after we are born again- and be eternally lost. 

However, I think that sometimes we Apostolics can become so focused on trying to get others (and ourselves) motivated to hold on no matter what, to willfully choose to walk in the ways of the Lord, to follow "the rules", that we can make it seem that it is our own works that saves us. We seem to overemphasize "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" and downplay that "in (our) flesh is NO GOOD THING" and "(our) righteousness is as FILTHY RAGS."

Why do we do this? I think, in the end, it's about pride. We forget where the Lord brought us from, look at our rule following, and think, "I'M a good example of a good Christian." After a while, we begin to look down on others because they don't follow ALL of our rules like we do. 

The end result is that we find ourselves praying like the man in Luke 18:9-14, "Lord, I thank thee that I am not like other men..." Why? Because we have become a Pharisee, too. 

For all of our Bible Study, going to church, and learning the ropes, we have replaced Jesus with idols. Idols of religion. Idols of rules. Even the Bible itself, if read without the spirit of God, can become an idol. Even though Acts 2:38 IS the Biblical plan of salvation, if we focus on the verse, rather than on the giver of the verse, then it has become an idol. 

Because the truth is that we all fail. We all have fallen short of the glory of God. We forget that Paul, arguably the greatest Christian to ever live, said of himself that (he) "die(s) daily" (1 Cor. 15:31) and "I keep under my body, and bring it under subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

Why did he say this? Because he knew that he could not live a true Christian life in the power of his sinful flesh. We may be born again, but we still must completely rely on God for our salvation.

He is the potter and we are the clay. He is the builder and we are the building. If the work of God (salvation) is going to be finished in our lives, it is going to be finished BY JESUS, the master builder and not by our religious rules. 

Our part of the deal requires us to submit to God's workmanship. The key to it is in the submission to the spirit of God, not in following the rules. When we find ourselves about to give in to temptation, we need to follow Psalms 94:18 and say, "Lord, I'm about to fall here." When we do, in his mercy, he will reach down and help us NOT to fall." Put another way, 

1 Corinthians 10:13King James Version (KJV)

"13 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."

We are to submit to God and resist the devil and then he will flee (James 4:7), but when we fail to submit to God and try to fight the devil with our religion, rather than in the power of God, we will fall. When this begins to happen, we need to cry out to him to help us in our unbelief. He will reach down and provide a way out and the strength to follow the path he provides. 

So, if you find yourself on a slippery path (and we all do at times), then reach out and grab ahold of the safety line. God will provide it- if we ask.