Habakkuk 2

Then the Lord replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Mere Talkers

Thursday, November 21, 2013, 6:00 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with the song “Draw Me Close to You” playing in my mind. Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 1 Timothy 1 (NIV).

Myths and Such

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. Vv. 3-4

A myth is “a widely held but mistaken belief” (Encarta). A myth can be based in stories passed on from generation to generation, or it can be based in family or cultural tradition, or it can be merely something that is believed by many people, but that is not true. Generally speaking, those who propagate these myths are people in positions of trust and/or in public positions of authority and/or respect, such as parents, pastors, teachers, public officials and the news media. This is why the Bible tells us that we should test everything, and why it often warns us against those who teach what is false, and why it encourages us to be discerning and to be seekers of truth, and why it says we should not put our trust in humans, but in God. Not everything that claims to be true is true.

One myth I know of that is widely believed, for example, is that the church building (physical structure) is the “house of God,” and that when we go inside the physical building we have somehow now entered into the house of God or into God’s presence, and that the sanctuary (physical room in the building) brings us more into his presence, and that Sunday, particularly Sunday morning, is the Lord’s day and the day we are to worship with other believers, and inside “God’s house,” too. Yet, scripture teaches that we, the Body of Christ, are the Lord’s temple, that his Spirit dwells within us, and that we are to worship God in Spirit and in truth every day, and that the early church met from house to house and in the temple courts daily. So, the presence of God is within each one of us, not inside a physical building, and we can meet with the Body of Christ any day in the week and anywhere for teaching, prayer, fellowship and the breaking of bread, and that is church.

The main “false doctrine” I believe that is being propagated in today’s church is one of “easy believism,” i.e. a false grace absent of true repentance, dying to self and sin, and being transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God (new birth); and absent of putting on Christ in his true righteousness and holiness, following Jesus Christ in surrender and obedience to his will and commands – all in the power of the Spirit of God within us as we yield control of our lives over to Christ for him to live his life in us and out through us. This false grace teaches a diluted gospel to make it more appealing and acceptable to the world, yet what it really teaches is a broad/wide road that leads to destruction, not the narrow road that few enter which leads to salvation and eternal life with God (See Matt. 7:13-14). By leaving out these critical components of the true gospel (See Lu. 9:23-25; Eph. 4:17-24; and Rom. 6, Ac. 26:16-18, et al), these false teachers are giving people a false hope of salvation based upon a lie, and they are condemning their adherents to eternity in hell, because they did not tell them the truth, so that they could be truly saved. The truth is:

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. ~ Titus 2:11-14

Some Have Departed

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. 1 Tim. 1:5-7

Some have departed (deviated; diverged; strayed; wandered; or digressed) from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. Instead they have turned to meaningless, empty, useless and/or mere talk and deception. They are rebellious people who follow after their own fleshly desires, rather than following after the Spirit of Christ. Some may give off a pretense of religion or faith in Christ, but they are professors only whose lives deny and reject Jesus Christ. They have a form of godliness, but they deny its power in their lives. Some lack true conviction, so they may be easily swayed by various differences of opinion of humankind and/or may go back and forth between truth and lies, as if on a see-saw. Some may speak the absolute truth, at times, yet not know from personal relationship or experience what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm, because it is mere talk (pontificating), and thus is deception and is hypocritical. They may just be copying what they hear others say. Scripture says: “They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good” (See Tit. 1:16; cf. Tit. 1:10). And, these are oftentimes the very ones who are teaching myths and false doctrines, so be careful and be discerning.

We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. Vv. 8-11

Shown Mercy

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. Vv. 12-20

Some of those who have “departed” from the true faith may be among those who are true believers in Jesus Christ but who have since strayed away from the truth to follow after the lies, and thus they need to return to their Lord in full assurance of faith and a good conscience. Yet, some of those who have deviated from a pure heart and sincere faith may be among those who have been taught the truth of the gospel, perhaps from infanthood, but who have never truly said “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and thus have never yielded their lives over to Christ Jesus in order to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the power and strength of His Spirit within them. In other words, they have not truly accepted the grace of God into their lives, but perhaps only a false grace. They may have a form of godliness in their lives, but it may be surface only. They are in need of a true relationship with Jesus Christ which understands that the gospel teaches we must die to our old lives of living for self and sin, and we must be transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God away from sin and Satan and toward following after Christ in his true righteousness and holiness. This IS the working of the Spirit of God, and not of our own flesh or good deeds, but we must yield to his work in our lives, i.e. we must cooperate.

So, if you know that you are truly in Christ Jesus, yet you also know that you have not been living what you say you believe, and you know you have been making compromises with your faith in order to please your flesh, I pray today that you will return to your Lord Jesus with a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith which honors God with your life.

Yet, if you know that you are a mere talker, who gives lip service only to your Lord, and you know that you lack true conviction, and so you go back and forth between truth and lies as if on a see-saw, and you know that your true lifestyle and behaviors do not match what you say you believe, then I pray today that you will turn your heart and your life completely over to God/Jesus Christ in full surrender to his will for your life, that you will die to sin and self and that you will allow the Spirit of God to transform you in heart and mind so that you can live a life that is holy and pleasing to God (not perfect, but yielded and submitted).

Draw Me Close To You / Donnie McClurkin

Draw me close to You
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear You say that I'm Your friend
You are my desire
And no one else will do
'Cause nothing else can take Your place
To feel the warmth of Your embrace
Help me find a way
Bring me back to You


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