Christianity

I Am a Christian

“For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” John 17:19-23 (NASB)

I always love reading this passage in John which recalls part of Jesus’ prayer to the Father the night before His crucifixion. In those moments, He not only prayed for the cup to be removed from Him, yet the Lord’s will be done (Matt. 26:39, 42, 44), but He also prayed for His disciples, both those with Him then and for those who will become disciples. I believe that He, being God, knew what would happen with the church: division, arguments, dissension, differing teachings, etc; therefore, He prayed for unity among the disciples. More specifically, He prayed for such a unity that exists between Him and the Father with a significant result in mind: that the world would know Jesus Christ and the Father’s love for all mankind. The unity in the body is meant to be a testimony of God’s love and sacrifice. 

Yet, not long after Jesus ascended, disagreements arose between Jews and Gentiles regarding salvation and who was a follower of whom. It wasn’t until Peter’s vision in Acts 10 and the salvation of Cornelius’s family that the church realized that “God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18). Paul and Barnabas also met resistance from the Jews on their first missionary journey together, responding to their jealous and blasphemous words, “‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the LORD commanded us, ‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles, that You may bring them salvation to the end of the earth.’’’ These words not only reflect Old Testament prophecy from Isaiah 49 but also Jesus’ words in John 10:16: “‘I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.’” Going even further back to the promise given to Abraham, the Lord always intended for the Gentiles to receive salvation: “‘And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed’” (Genesis 12:3). God made His intentions clear from the beginning, but sin, historical animosity and cultural norms and practices crept in to create division. Luckily, those whom the Lord put in charge were able to see the truth when the Lord revealed it to them. Guidelines were given to all the churches regarding what should and should not be imposed upon the Gentiles (Acts 15:28-29). 

Then Paul had to address some issues that had arisen in the Corinthian church (and was perhaps happening elsewhere since letters were shared amongst the churches). He writes in 1 Corinthians 3:1-7:

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos,’ are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”

In our modern culture, we could easily understand this verse when we say, “I am of Augustine” or “I am of Calvin” of “I am of Luther” or “I am of Wesley.” The list of early church figures and theologians goes on and on. The five churches on one street composed of various denominations prove it. Paul continues in verse 18 in the same chapter:

“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, ‘He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness’; and again, ‘The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.’ So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.” 1 Corinthians 3:18-23

Whether we want to admit it or not, we have become a divided church, and part of the problem is that it is no longer sufficient to say that we are simply Christians. The word “Christian” does not carry the same weight as it did in Antioch where people became disciples in the face of persecution (Acts 11:19-30). We are a church that still needs milk instead of solid food, and instead of coming together to demonstrate God’s love to the world (as Jesus prayed in John 17), we’ve doubled down on hypocrisy and given into our culture to change the church rather than the church changing the culture. Instead of “Christians” we are Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Church of Christ, Pentecostal, Non-denominational, Baptists, etc. We often use emotionalism to create converts and wonder why the fire doesn’t last. We spew theological terms and have theological arguments which have further splintered the church. I don’t believe it’s a coincidence when Jesus says to those who accused Him of having a demon: “‘Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? So they will be your judges’” (Luke 11:17-19). The same logic applies to the church: If we are divided, the church will not stand. Do you question what it means to be a Lutheran or Baptist or Pentecostal, etc.? Do you understand the church history behind the change and the beliefs that are a part of your denomination? Or have you been born into your current tradition, and therefore, there you will stay? What I find so powerful in Acts when the apostles and other disciples are sharing the Word of God is that they preach and teach directly from the Scriptures. To the Jews, this reminds them of what they should have already known and missed. To the Gentiles, it brings hope and life (see Acts 8:25-39 and Acts 10) because they didn’t know and the mystery has been revealed to them. It should mean something when I say, “I am a Christian.” Demons should tremble because I have the Spirit of God  inside of me. The world should wonder why I’m different because the love and light of Christ is evident in both my words and actions. It was enough for Jesus to choose men who were mostly uneducated and give them His power and authority, saying, 

“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me. These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” John 14:23-26

Luke also shares Jesus’ words regarding the Holy Spirit in Luke 21:12-15: “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.” Mark writes it this way: “When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11). 

Why say all this? I believe that many Christians hide behind the guise that because they aren’t theologians, ministers, or Bible teachers that they can’t have full understanding of the Word without someone else telling them or without reading a guidebook or topical book to help them. That’s a lie! In my experience, some of those same “teachers” get stuck in their own theology that they struggle to see the truth when it’s staring them in the face. Even Jesus Himself wasn’t born as a scribe or Pharisee or any kind of teacher of the Law but as a carpenter’s son. He relied on the Father to teach Him, which I believe was on purpose so that we also may follow His example to rely on the Father. The Father gives the Holy Spirit, but we aren’t to pray to the Spirit (as many have become in the habit of doing). We are to pray to the Father who hears and gives wisdom and insight into His Word. Too many “Christians” are satisfied with sitting in a Sunday and/or Wednesday service and being taught without questioning the teaching. Too many “ministers” and “teachers” are OK with that. And if leaders are questioned, they often take offense instead of bringing it before the Lord to see if there is some validity to the questions. A unified body edifies and admonishes, meaning that it’s not always a party. Sometimes hard questions need to be asked, answers need to be sought by the Father, and people need to be honest about the result. Traditions of men should not be above Scripture. It should be enough to bear the name “Christian” because Christ is the one who died for us, not Luther or Calvin or Wesley, or Aquinas, or Augustine. These are mere men who have given contributions to the church and exhibited faults. But bearing the name “Christian” should be worn with honor while also knowing that it invites the enemy to persecute us. That should encourage us to be in the Word all the more so that when persecutions come, we already have faith that the Spirit will call to our remembrance all that we have learned, and it is the Lord God who will come to our defense. The disciples didn’t have scholastic degrees, but they had a hunger to learn from Christ Himself. If we have been saved and baptized, we have received the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38); therefore, we can also learn from Christ Himself for we are His temple as Paul says to the Corinthians: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). 

Do you believe that you are a temple and the Spirit of God lives in you? If so, don’t you want to make sure that everything you’re taught aligns with the Spirit (1 Timothy 4)? Remember that no matter what position a person may hold within the body, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ called to both encourage and rebuke when necessary. Only when we come together in truth can we be united. It’s not about being under the theological leanings of a man or woman. It’s coming under the headship of Christ and following His Words that will bring us into the unity Jesus prayed for before He made the ultimate sacrifice for us. Let us honor Him by declaring that we will follow Him alone. Let us boldly proclaim: I AM A CHRISTIAN!

© Lauren Demuth

Discipleship: A Call to Serve

If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, no doubt you’ve learned about discipleship or at least have heard the term. We read about the disciples of Jesus– both the chosen Twelve and other faithful followers– in the Gospels, and learn from their examples, and yes, mistakes. As I’ve been reading through the Gospels again, the Lord brought to my attention what Jesus said to His disciples before the feeding of the five thousand. In the context, Jesus had just learned of John the Baptist’s death and went in a boat to a secluded place, but the people followed Him on foot (Matthew 14:13). When He arrived at the shore, Jesus had compassion on the people and healed them (v. 14). In Mark’s Gospel, he writes that Jesus “felt compassion for them because they were like a sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34). Let’s look at what happened in Matthew 14:15-20:

“When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, ‘This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!’ They said to Him, ‘We have here only five loaves and two fish.’ And He said, ‘Bring them here to Me.’ Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets.”

“You give them something to eat!” In Mark’s Gospel, the disciples ask, “Shall we go and spend two hundred denarii on bread and give them something to eat?” (Mark 6:37). A denarius was about a day’s wages so that would be at least 200 day’s worth of food! How often do we think of worldly issues over what God tells us? At this time, Jesus’ chosen Twelve had been with Him and witnessed many miracles, yet instead of thinking about the people’s needs first, they wanted them to go and take care of themselves. Now, this doesn’t sound unreasonable. A crowd full of 5,000 men (not including woman and children- see v. 21) would be quite overwhelming. But Jesus doesn’t say, “I’ll give them something to eat.” Rather, He presents it to the disciples as their responsibility. Jesus is teaching them what it means to be a disciple of Christ. It is not meant to be a lofty position but one of service.

 “He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.” After Jesus prays over the meager amount of food, He doesn’t hand out the food but gives it to His disciples to share it with the people. They not only physically served, but they had to have faith that the food would continue to multiply. The amazing miracle is that they had even more leftover than when they started! As disciples, we are called to be servants to those God calls us to and trust that if God asks us to do it (this is important to note), He will meet us there and provide. Jesus didn’t always feed every crowd, but in this case, He not only taught His disciples that the Lord can supply physical needs but spiritual ones as well. 

In John’s Gospel, the people who were fed followed Jesus and His disciples the following day to where they were ministering (John 6:22-25). Jesus used this opportunity to teach the people about Him being the bread of life. While food is important, it is only temporary; however, the Bread of Life provides salvation leading to eternal life. He later makes this incredible statement in vv. 53-55, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.” Just as Jesus was teaching the crowd, He was also teaching His disciples, separating the true followers from those who would go astray for they sought the temporary rather than yearning for spiritual truth and understanding. John writes in vv. 66-69:

“As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, ‘You do not want to go away also, do you?’ Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.’”

Being a true disciple is focusing on the eternal. If people are given food, but their soul is going to hell, what benefit is it? If we are worried about the temporary issues of life, how do we expect God to do miracles? The people that were fed didn’t just eat a little. They ate and were satisfied! How much more will we be satisfied if we eat and drink the truth of His Word and understand who the LORD- Father, Son, and Spirit- truly is? What if we were dialed in to what the will of the Lord is that we were able to use the spiritual gifts God has blessed us with? 

When Jesus sent out His disciples to the cities to preach and perform miracles, He didn’t sugarcoat the trials that would come. He said things like, “I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matt. 10:16). He continues in vv. 21-23:

“‘Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.’”

If we think that this was only for the Twelve, we are mistaken. Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane right before death about His current disciples and the disciples who had yet to come: 

“‘I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.’” John 17:14-21

Being a disciple is accepting that the world hates you. It’s a matter of light versus darkness, flesh versus Spirit. As a person who has sought man’s approval my whole life, this is an area of struggle for me. I don’t like to be disliked or hated. But if I am doing everything that a disciple ought to be doing (and this is an ongoing process of growth), then that hatred is cause to rejoice because I am following the Lord. 

As stated earlier, being a disciple is not one who holds himself or herself in high esteem but rather is humble. Jesus’ disciples had to understand this as well. Luke writes in Luke 9:46-48:

“‘An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, and said to them, ‘Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.’”

Discipleship is the opposite from what the world teaches: wealth, fame, superiority. Is it wrong to be wealthy? Contrary to what some may teach and preach, the answer is no. Wealth becomes an issue when it comes before God and is sought after like an idol. The question is, if God asked us to give it up, would we? In Jesus’ response to His disciples, He uses a child to demonstrate who the greatest is. A child is the very image of humility and dependence on those in authority over them. Therefore, as disciples, we also are supposed to be humble and rely on our Heavenly Father.

Jesus also set the example of staying in communication with the Father. Throughout the Gospels, the writers convey that Jesus would often find a secluded place after being with crowds in order to pray. Sometimes He would take His disciples, but other times He went alone. Even though Jesus is God, He demonstrated the importance of talking with the Heavenly Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He asked the Lord to remove the cup of suffering from Him, “‘Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will’” (Mark 14:36). He prayed this three times demonstrating to His disciples (including us) that we can ask the Father for anything, but it must be in line with His will. The Father didn’t take the cup from Jesus, and He suffered as no one ever has. Yet, it was for His glory and for our salvation. As disciples, we have the blessing to approach the Lord before His throne and ask anything, but we always need to have a heart that desires His will. 

Scripture is full of examples of what discipleship should look like, but the main criteria from the passages discussed are: servanthood, faith, focus on eternal and spiritual truth, humility, and a lifestyle of prayer. There are more qualities to add to this list, but this is a challenging start. As we are about to enter into a new year full of possibilities, let us pray for our lives to become more like the disciples of Christ He desires for us to be. May we set ourselves apart for His service and glory so that those who are lost may be found in Him. 

~~~

Father, we thank You for another new year and all the blessings You’ve given us. We also thank You for being with us through the hardships. Help us to keep our focus ahead to eternity and live humble lives in service to You. Let us have ears to hear Your voice and minds to understand Your will and truth. May we live to gain Your approval alone. Thank You for your patience and grace You give us each day, even when we fail You. Thank You that You are a Father who never fails. We love You and pray for a wonderful year ahead. May Your will be done. Amen.

Jesus: Born to Die

“But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3:23-29

As I’ve written in recent posts, I’ve been reading straight through the Old Testament again and just finished. It has been an amazing journey because so often we lose sight of the wholeness of the Gospel. We serve a God who is not only Creator but a loving and disciplinary Father. He never changes (Malachi 3:6) and is always faithful. He keeps His promises, but that doesn’t mean humanity doesn’t face consequences for their sin. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, the LORD GOD, Yahweh, made the promise of redemption for those who would follow Him. Genesis 3:15 foreshadows the triumph of Christ over the enemy, but as we know, that didn’t happen right away. As Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 3:9 regarding Christ’s return and the Lord’s judgment, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” The majority of the Old Testament illustrates the failure of humanity; namely, the failure of His chosen people to be faithful to Him. Since being led into the wilderness in Exodus, Israel failed to be the people God called them to be. They were swayed by the world, by the nations around them who worshipped false, man-made gods. They forgot what had been done for them, and they forgot the Law that was to keep them holy before the Lord. And if God’s people failed, what hope is there for the rest of humanity?

It’s true that most of the Old Testament demonstrates humanity’s unfaithfulness, but more importantly, it illuminates the Lord’s grace, mercy, and compassion. He was angry but not forever. He disciplined and punished but only for a time. Why? To turn His people’s heart back to Him. Every time His purpose was to reestablish His relationship–His covenant–with people who chose to be faithful to Him. And He gave the promise of the Righteous Branch, the Messiah:

“‘Behold the days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness.’’” Jeremiah 23:5-6

In the midst of being warned of Jerusalem’s fall and Judah going into exile, the people receive this amazing message of hope. God is not done with them yet, and He will keep His promise that He made since the beginning of the world. Even Abraham, although no Law was given yet, knew about the coming Messiah. Jesus speaking to the Jews says,

“‘Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’ So the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.’” John 8:56-58

What a powerful moment! Throughout history, God has put His truth in the hearts and minds of those who would be faithful to Him. The promise to Abraham was for ALL the families of the earth to be blessed (Genesis 12:3). This was before Israel even existed; therefore, God’s intention was always for ALL of mankind to be blessed in Him. The Law was given to the Israelites because God chose them to be His people, and the Law taught them how to be holy and remain in right-standing with Him. But they continually broke, ignored, or forgot the Law. In Jesus’ day, the Jewish leaders became self-righteous, claiming to be adherers of the Law when they continuously violated it:

“For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.” Romans 2:25-29

When Paul wrote this, he knew the gravity of what he had written. As he says in Philippians 3:4-6, he knew the Law and followed the Law to where he could boast in his flesh if he wanted to. But in truth, everything comes down to the intent and motive of the Law, which Jesus simply teaches to anyone who has ears to hear:

“‘In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.’” Matthew 7:12

“But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:34-40

The purpose of the Law was to love God and love others, and in this, Israel failed. In fact, we all have. No earthly sacrifice is great or lasting enough to keep us in right-standing with God because we continue to fail and fall into sin. But the Lord God already knew this, and Israel’s failure became the rest of the world’s gain as Paul writes in Romans 11:5-15:

“In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; just as it is written,

‘God gave them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes to see not and ears to hear not,
Down to this very day.’

And David says,

‘Let their table become a snare and a trap,
And a stumbling block and a retribution to them.

Let their eyes be darkened to see not,
And bend their backs forever.’

I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”

Jesus becomes the bridge between the Jews and the Gentiles, bringing them into one flock as the Good Shepherd (John 10:16). Those who are called by God are not those who look a certain way outwardly like the Jews thought. They are those circumcised of the heart, living their lives in repentance and faith. All of that is possible because our Heavenly Father sent His Son, the Righteous Branch–the Messiah–as a baby in human flesh. He was (as is) fully God and fully man so that He could be the perfect sacrifice for our sin. This was planned from the beginning, and even after seeing all the unfaithfulness, hypocrisy and egregious sin, He STILL came into a sinful world in the most vulnerable state of being: a baby. He learned, lived, and asked questions. He was ridiculed not only by outsiders but His own family, all the while knowing His purpose was to die for them. Jesus was born to die for a world who hated Him. But love compelled Him. He came to dwell on this earth at precisely the right time. He died at precisely the right time. He was raised at the right time. You have come to learn and hear about Him at precisely the right time. Because the Lord knows all, is through all, and is above all (Ephesians 4:6). Nothing is done without His knowledge and purpose. And His purpose is to love you, His creation, and to be loved by you in return. 

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” Romans 5:6-11

The entire Bible–both Old and New Testaments–is ONE message, ONE love letter from our Creator and Heavenly Father to His children whom He desperately desires to be His for eternity. As any book is meant to be read as a whole from beginning to end instead of cut apart, I encourage you to take the time to read the entire Gospel message. The Lord’s Word is for all who seek God and His truth, and you WILL understand it if you ask Him. It is not just for Sundays and Wednesday nights to listen to by a preacher. Know it and learn it yourself, and you will be amazed to discover who God is and how He speaks to you through His Word.

As Christmas approaches, may our hearts and minds be in right-standing with the Lord. May this time be an opportunity to be a witness to our families and friends who may not know the real Jesus. May our lives and actions speak more than our words, and may His truth pour out of us with His love. We have been given the greatest gift in Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection. Let’s share that gift with anyone who desires to receive it.

~~~

To emphasize the love of God in His Word, here is a song/poem originally written in 2021 called Love Divine.

© Lauren Demuth

Be Still and Know

I had my own plans today. I wanted to keep looking back through old poems and songs and continue to create music. But as soon as I started, it wasn’t right. I knew it in my spirit. I knew my motive wasn’t right, and I finally did what I should’ve done in the first place: ask God. As soon as I asked Him, I knew that I was being told to write something new. As I’ve mentioned in recent posts, I’ve been reading through the Old Testament, and I’ve currently been in the prophets. All of them have the same overarching message to Israel and Judah: “Return to the Lord God.” They fell into the sin of idolatry and were often compared to being adulteresses. They were unfaithful to the one true God and sought other man-made gods and nations. All of these books and stories have been passed down to us so that we would learn from them (1 Corinthians 10). But bluntly stated, we haven’t. Our idols may not look exactly the same, but we have plenty of them. James’ words in James 4:1-10 are reminiscent of the prophets words to Israel and Judah:

“What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” (Bold words for emphasis)

James wrote this to believers in the church. Specifically, he wrote it to Jewish believers who had been scattered amongst the nations (James 1:1). Sound familiar? I know I’m guilty of befriending the world. As much as I’ve tried to fight it my whole life, I still seek man’s approval. Even when I genuinely want to write something or create something for the Lord, there is still a part of me that wants to know what people think. American culture has made that even more difficult with our electronic devices and social media. It feels impossible to balance it all out and remain in right-standing with God. The Lord deserves everything we have to give because He gave it all for us. Our faithfulness cannot be wavering if we are to be the bride He desires us to be. As James instructed, the church needs to humble itself and mourn for our unfaithfulness.

In response to the Lord telling me to write something new, I wrote a poem called “Be Still and Know.”

“Be still and know Me;
Know My peace, know My rest.
Stop running around.
Slow that pumping in your chest.
This world is full of idols
To entrap and ensnare.
Some may seem innocent,
But it’s still an affair.”

Harlotry, idolatry, adultery
Committed against my King.
My covenant should be with You alone,
But I’ve made the world’s voice my everything.

Nakedness exposed,
You uncover the ugly truth
That I’ve sought man’s approval
Ever since my youth.

Temporary joy,
Words tickle my ears.
Flattery inflates what’s already inside:
My sin of pride.

Like ancient Israel, I’ve fallen into idolatry
Forgetting what my King has done for me.
I deserve to be exiled from His throne,
But instead, My forgiving Father calls me home:

“Be still and know Me.
Obey My commands.
Know My everlasting truth.
I’ll lead you to the Promised Land.
The world will hate you if you follow Me,
But your crown is for eternity.
My sacrifice is worth it all
So let your idols fall.
You are My bride,
My beloved one,
Return faithfully to Me
So you can behold My majesty and glory.”

His words wash over my shame,
Cleansing me from within.
He gives me a new name,
“Redeemed Daughter,” He has spoken.

I take off my ring,
And hurl it at the world,
Divorcing myself from its sin
So that I can become whole with my Beloved again.

Bride of Christ, do not tarry;
Do not wait!
Repent from your idols or face your fate.
Learn from His Word;
Remember His rage.
He is a jealous God who no one can tame.
Return with a whole heart or be cast away.
For He doesn’t want second-hand praise from those who go astray.
Be hot or cold;
Make your choice today.
Be still and know:
He won’t delay.

~~~

Here is a song version of the poem: Be Still and Know

© Lauren Demuth

“For I Know the Plans that I Have for You…”

“‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’” Jeremiah 29:11 (NASB)

Christians love Jeremiah 29:11. It’s a life verse for many people which they display on t-shirts, mugs, wall decor, and journals. It is positive and hopeful, getting people through rough times in their lives. While it is encouraging, this verse often gets pulled out of its context as if God spoke it to us in the 21st century. What makes this verse even more hopeful and powerful is understanding it in the time that it was written and the people for whom it was written. If I were to ask a group of Christians what the book of Jeremiah is about and who Jeremiah was, I would probably get a response similar to “It’s a book of prophecy” or “Jeremiah was a prophet.” These are correct statements, but what is this book of prophecy about?

The Lord appointed Jeremiah to be a prophet in his youth during the reign of king Josiah as is written in Jeremiah 1:1-10. In verse 6, Jeremiah claims that he does not know how to speak, being a youth, but the LORD says in verses 7-8:

“But the LORD said to me, ‘Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,’ declares the LORD.”

In verse 9 Jeremiah explains how the LORD touched his mouth and declared that He put His words in Jeremiah’s mouth, saying in verse 10: “‘See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.’” Because Jeremiah 29:11 is such a positive verse, people may assume that Jeremiah was a beloved prophet, but it was the exact opposite. He was hated because of the message he was given to speak to Judah. Judah had been repeatedly warned by God that punishment was coming because of their unfaithfulness to Him. They worshipped other gods, especially Baal, and were unrepentant in their behavior: “‘For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:13). He continues in Jeremiah 2:19-22:

“‘Your own wickedness will correct you, and your apostasies will reprove you; know therefore and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the LORD your God, and the dread of Me is not in you,’ declares the LORD GOD of hosts. ‘For long ago I broke your yoke and tore off your bonds; but you said, ‘I will not serve!’ For on every high hill and under every green tree you have lain down as a harlot. Yet I planted you a choice vine, a completely faithful seed. How then have you turned yourself before Me into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine? Although you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your iniquity is before Me,’ declares the LORD GOD.”

The entire book of Jeremiah is about Judah’s harlotry and unfaithfulness to the LORD, and the LORD is warning them that the king of Babylon is coming to take Judah into captivity just like Assyria carried away her sister Samaria. Rather than learning from the mistakes and consequences of Israel, Judah doubled-down and brought God’s wrath upon themselves. And He will not relent. Is it because He is unforgiving, wishing for their destruction? No! Rather, the nation of Israel was warned in the very first commandment of Law after the LORD rescued them from Egypt that they should have no other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3). In Exodus 20:22-23 the LORD speaks to Moses saying, “‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven. You shall not make other gods besides Me; gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves.’” After Moses explained more details of the Law given to him by God, the Israelites declared, “‘All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!’ (Ex. 24:3)” Yet right after this event, while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the stone tablets of the Law, the Israelites wavered in their faith by creating their own idols and worshipping them. How quickly promises are made, and how quickly they are broken. Thus is the pattern of Israel throughout the Old Testament, and the LORD has had enough of their disobedience (see Jeremiah 15:1-9). 

In the book of Jeremiah, God constantly reminds the people who He is, the Creator of everything who knows all and sees all. Yet the people do not fear Him as they should, and they worship man-made idols that have no power or wisdom. Not only has the nation failed, but also its priests and prophets, men who are supposed to spiritually lead the people on the right path:

“‘An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; and My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?” Jeremiah 5:30-31

And why do the people love it so? Because the prophets and priests are telling them what they want to hear: peace and safety. Jeremiah not only had to share a very difficult message to his own people, but he had to contend with other supposed spiritual leaders who spoke the exact opposite message, claiming that it was also from the LORD:

“‘But, ‘Ah, LORD GOD!’ I (Jeremiah) said, ‘Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’ Then the LORD said to me, ‘The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds. Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who are prophesying in My name, although it was not I who sent them–yet they keep saying, ‘There will be no sword or famine in the land’–by sword and famine those prophets shall meet their end!’” Jeremiah 14:13-15

The people chose to listen to these prophets because they liked the idea of peace and safety. Who doesn’t? But this is an example of why John exhorts the church to test the spirits in 1 John 4:1: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Paul also shares a similar message with Timothy regarding his leadership in the church in 2 Timothy 4:2-4: 

“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

As Solomon would say, “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Just as the ancient Israelites wanted their ears tickled by false prophets, the church is also in danger of having its ears tickled rather than face the consequences of disobedience and faithlessness. In truth, I argue that many people have already succumbed to listening and believing in false teachings because they make people feel better about themselves and the decisions they’ve made. Rather than fall into that temptation, I encourage us to be more like Jeremiah. He was human and struggled with what God called him to do, but he also could not deny that the LORD indeed called him and would not leave him:

“Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me as a man of strife and a man of contention to all the land! I have not lent, nor have men lent money to me, yet everyone curses me…You who know, O LORD, remember me, take notice of me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away; know that for Your sake I endure reproach. Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:10, 15-16

The fifty-two chapters of Jeremiah are filled with messages of death, destruction, and captivity. Although many people in Judah will die by famine, pestilence and the sword as Jeremiah prophesied, the LORD also promised Judah that a remnant will return to the land. In Jeremiah 29, Jeremiah sends a letter to the exiles in Babylon, telling them to make a life there by planting gardens, building families and seeking the welfare of the city where they have been sent (vv. 4-7). He continues in vv. 8-14:

“‘For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream. For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,’ declares the LORD. For thus says the LORD, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’”

Putting verse 11 in context makes its meaning much more powerful. God, as both a loving Father and a wrathful holy God, sent His children into exile as consequence for their sin. A couple generations go by, thereby weeding out those who committed the adulterous sin, so that a new generation, rooted and grounded in the LORD GOD of Israel could return to the promised land. THAT is the future and hope. God is always faithful to fulfill His promises, and for the sake of His great name, and for the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David, there was a remnant in Israel which eventually resulted in the “Righteous Branch” (discussed in Jeremiah 23:1-6 and 33:14-18), that is Jesus, who is the everlasting King and Priest. 

Since creation, God knew what would have to be done to atone for humanity’s sin. Yet even in all of Israel’s faithlessness (and ours) toward Him, the LORD did not forget His promise to save us from our sins. While we are not exiles in a foreign land like the Israelites were (though this world is not our home), we do have a hope and a future because of the blood of Jesus Christ and the Father’s gifts of salvation and grace. The message to the church is the same message to the ancient Israelites, for God does not change:

“‘But this is what I commanded them (the people coming out of Egypt) saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’” Jeremiah 7:23

Obedience. This is what God asks of every person who desires to follow Him. It is simple, but like all children, our flesh desires for us to rebel against our parents–in this case our Heavenly Father. We think we know what is best for us, but we have no clue. While some people may argue that the Old Testament is irrelevant, I argue that mentality is contrary to Scripture. If we have little to no understanding of the Old Covenant, we cannot understand who God is, the importance of sacrifice, and the necessity of discipline and being set apart for the sake of holiness. We also cannot fully understand Jesus, His mission and ministry. I believe Paul would argue the same as evidenced by his message in 1 Corinthians 10:1-14:

“For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.’ Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” (Bold print added for emphasis)

Our hope and our future is in Christ. Our mission in life is to obey the Lord, and trust Him that where He leads us He will meet us there. Jeremiah had a difficult task, but his obedience trumped his fear, sadness, and loneliness. He feared God more than men who tried to kill him, and God intervened on his behalf. When people preach or teach messages that keep you in your comfort, test it against the truth of Scripture. The New Testament is full of messages that talk about the hardships of following God and being a Christian. Just look at Paul’s life once he made the decision to follow the Lord after persecuting Christians:

“Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern? If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.” 2 Corinthians 11:24-33

The Christian life is not easy. It is not for the fickle-minded. It is not for those who seek comfort, peace, and safety as the Israelites did. It is about forsaking the ways of the world while living in the midst of it for the sake of the gospel of Christ and the great name of the Lord God, our Creator, who saved us with His own blood. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:16: “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.” As Christians who have been given the truth of God’s Word, we are under compulsion to preach the gospel, not only with words but with our very lives. We should not look or act like the world. Rather, we are called to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). Are we walking in faithfulness to the Lord, or are there idols in our lives keeping us from being obedient? If so, we are called to repent and turn away from that which keeps us from Him. Our minds should be fixed on the eternal rather than the temporary for everything will one day be gone. Ask God with sincerity of heart to reveal the things in your life that are keeping you from Him. I can say from experience that He will tell you if you seek Him earnestly. But that’s just the first part. The Israelites asked the Lord for His guidance, and He answered them. However, they often didn’t listen because it’s not what they wanted to hear. I encourage all of us to have ears that want to hear the truth and the will to follow Him even when it’s hard—and it will be hard sometimes. It may even cost us everything in this world, but righteous fruit will last forever. 

Father, give us ears to hear, eyes to see, and minds to understand Your truth. Help us to learn from the unfaithfulness of ancient Israel and to choose today to be obedient to You. When we seek You earnestly, may we find You. When we stumble and repent, may You forgive us that we may remain in right-standing with You. We thank You for the love and patience You have for us, Your children. We do not desire to be lukewarm, being spit out of Your mouth, but we want to be flames in this world for Your glory. Give us the strength to endure and the wisdom to speak and act your Word truthfully. Amen.

© Lauren Demuth

“Jesus said…” (Repost)

I originally wrote this post 10 years ago, and as I read it again it became obvious that the message is even more pertinent for today’s church. In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells a parable about a widow beseeching an unrighteous judge for legal protection from her opponent. She persisted in her petition, and the unrighteous finally granted her request. Jesus says to His disciples in v. 8, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” That question is often overlooked, but it’s meant to be taken seriously. Will Jesus find His bride faithful when He returns, or will we be reminiscent of the world? It’s time for repentance and change in the body of Christ.

~~~

The Supreme Court’s decision regarding gay marriage shouldn’t have been as shocking for Christians as it seems to have been. Why should we be surprised when the world acts like the world? What has bothered me this week is not so much the gay marriage ruling but the number of various biblical interpretations thrown out there with the postmodern attitude: “All interpretations are right and justified.” It’s the mindset that interpretation is in the eye of the beholder, and that’s OK. I’m not talking about unbelievers who use Scripture against Christians. I don’t put any stock into what they say because a person cannot understand the Scriptures without the Spirit. How can I say that, you may ask? Let’s take a look at 1 Corinthians 2 (NASB):

“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written,

‘Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,

And which have not entered the heart of man,

All that God has prepared for those who love Him.’

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (Bold print added for emphasis)

An unbeliever may seem knowledgeable about spiritual matters and talk about Scripture all day long, but unless he or she has the Spirit, his or her words are meaningless.

Back to my original point, what has bothered me are various interpretations given by people who claim to be Christians. How can people who claim to have the same Spirit (which people are indeed doing if they call themselves Christians) proclaim opposing biblical interpretations and divide the church even further? Is the Spirit of God divided or confused? Of course not! So the only answer is that there’s something wrong with the church.

I read an article the other day called “I’m gay, liberal, open-minded–and a convert to Christianity.” I read the article not because I thought I’d agree with the author, but I was more curious about how he was going to justify his choices. The content made my blood boil. Here’s a few excerpts from Jonathan Elliott (author) with bold print for emphasis:

“But last October, I – a 33-year-old, progressive, openly gay man who spent much of my twenties as a crusading atheist and curious agnostic – was baptized and confirmed in the church. I’m unafraid to proclaim myself a disciple of Jesus Christ.” – He is open about his homosexuality and his proclaimed Christianity. The church has placed its stamp of approval upon him.

“I’m still the person I was before I became a Christian, and a baptism isn’t a brainwashing. This change in my life didn’t turn me into a raging nutball – at least, I’m no more of one than I ever was.” – So are other Christians transformed into raging nutballs? Supposedly accepting Christ and being baptized didn’t change him. There’s apparently no need for change. How many of you Christians would say that you are the same person before coming to Christ and have had no conviction to change or repent?

He was diagnosed with diabetes in 2010: “I joined a support group for other newly diagnosed folks, and the therapy involved with this was rooted in a belief in a higher power. Initially, I resisted wholeheartedly. I’d been raised without any faith experience, and to even open up to the possibilities of God was a frightening and conflict-ridden concept. But ongoing discussions with this group made me realize that I was angry at what had happened to me – specifically, angry at God. And that meant I believed.” – It’s not until he feels angry towards God that he believes. OK, so even if this is how someone starts believing in God, you would think that there would be some sort of interest in learning more about Him, right?

“I spent the next two years bouncing back and forth between nearly 20 congregations of different denominations, serial first dates with church communities. And while I often found comfort and positivity, none felt like home. Sometimes I’d engage a pastor during the post-service coffee hour and find a bit of theology I couldn’t agree with; other times, I didn’t feel wholly welcomed.” – Searching for the right theology, which is…?

“Then, in 2013, I took a job as communications director for the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey.” [Elliott] “found that the church had the openness, diversity and the clear sense of tradition I sought. It was also strongly inclusive of the LGBTQ community, and welcomed both women and men as clergy members.” – Not sure what the “tradition” part means for him, but it seems that he found a place which supported his lifestyle. He didn’t have to change.

“Our priest preaches sermons that incorporate everything from transgender rights to the theological leanings of Dr. Who.” – What? And how is this preaching exactly?

“And though the fundamentalists scream loudest, there are progressive and inclusive new forms of church springing up around the country, like Capital City Church in DC. Christian businesses like Elevation Burger use faith as part of their culture to inform great products and practices, without aspersions or judgment (take that, Hobby Lobby and Chik-Fil-A).” – Again, welcoming division within the so-called church.

“I acknowledge that Christianity is often countermanded and corrupted for heinous and spiteful things. But I refuse to accept that as the status quo. At the end of the day, I’m a Christian because faith, and our openness to God and to one another, make us stronger and more willing to engage the world as it unfolds and changes around us.”

Not once is Christ mentioned. There is no talk of salvation or Scripture. But the concepts of openness and finding the right fit rise to the surface. There’s no need to change; just be open to God and one another. How is this Scriptural? Does this not bother anyone else? Either the world hears (supposed) condemnation from the church or full acceptance of behavior, which is more politically correct. How has the church arrived to this point? I believe the issue tends to derive from biblical interpretation and the church’s unwillingness to distinguish good from bad fruit.

When discussing biblical interpretation for modern issues, a number of arguments start with “Jesus is in the New Testament, and He says…” Somehow the Old Testament gets tossed aside or is spoken of as barbaric. What most people forget or have not realized is that Jesus is still under the old covenant before His death and resurrection. Sure, someone wrote up a page that said “New Testament” and placed it before the Gospels, but it’s not until after Jesus dies and resurrects that the new covenant begins. A covenant cannot be established unless blood is spilled, and in this case, Christ’s blood (Heb. 9:13-18). So when people try to argue that Jesus is changing the Law with His teachings, they argue in ignorance. How can He uphold the Law and change it at the same time? What is more, why would He violate His own character since God does not change? There is either a lack of understanding or the unbelief that Jesus is God. John testifies to Jesus’ beginning with God (John 1). Jesus Himself testifies that He was before Abraham (John 8:58), and declares in John 17:5, “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” Since Jesus is God, why would He oppose His own instructions?

As I’ve argued before, would not Christ, who has always been with and part of the Father, understand the Law perfectly? Would not, then, His teachings reflect the intended motivations behind the Law rather than change the Law itself? It is true that we (Christians) are no longer bound by the Law since Christ is the fulfillment of the Law, yet Jesus makes it clear that the Law is not abolished even now: “Do not think I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.“ If the Law is the tutor which leads us to Christ (Gal. 5:23); if the Law and the Prophets are witnesses to the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:21-22); if Jesus is One with the Lawgiver; and if He is under the Law while He teaches, how is it Christians argue that Jesus opposes the Law?

Many people want to see Jesus as a social justice campaigner, reaching out to the lowest of the low because they’re oppressed. They declare that He changed the role of women. That He simply loved people for who they were no matter what. That He condemned the rich men. Well, if that’s the case I must be reading a different gospel. Because I see Jesus as the holy Son of God who spoke to the self-righteous, rich, and lowly alike. He ate with and taught all of them. Many of the self-righteous, like the Pharisees, ridiculed Him and sought His death. They should have known the truth and taught the sheep, but instead they acted like wolves. Their own arrogance and desire for power and riches from the world drove them away from the Messiah they were supposedly waiting for. Some rich people, Jew and Gentile alike, sought Jesus for wisdom, truth, and healing, and those who had faith received what they asked for. For others, the cost of following Jesus was too high. Jesus interacted with the lowly and outcasts because they didn’t know the truth. They were sheep without a shepherd, the lost and spiritually sick. Those who were supposed to teach them had no understanding even with all of their knowledge, who burdened them with their own additions to the Law and man-made traditions. So Jesus taught them, and many came to believe in Him. And despite what many people are spouting nowadays, they changed because of the truth they came to know.

Zaccheus (a rich, tax collector) no longer stole from people, but gave half of his possessions to the poor and vowed to return four-fold to those he defrauded (all of this given from his heart, not compulsion). Mary Magdalene was no longer possessed by demons but served the Lord (some scholars propose that she is also the sinful woman who wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair in Luke 7:36-50; John 11:2 seems to support this). Jesus told the woman who was caught in adultery to “Go and sin no more.” He also told that to others whom He healed. The power of God was manifested so that they would believe, but they were instructed to no longer live in sin. Many of Jesus’ disciples who heard the teaching, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him (John 6:56),” decided to turn away from following Jesus. Scripture explains they left because of their unbelief (John 6:53-66). Jesus came to bring life to anyone who would heed His words of truth and follow the Father’s will. Salvation is a gift for all, poor and rich, Jew and Gentile alike. This is what Paul means when he writes, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise” (Gal. 3:27-29). Anyone who claims this to be about social justice or equality is a fool. Such a person takes this teaching out of context which is talking about faith. Any of us who have made the commitment to follow Christ and carry out this commitment are one in Him. We are the body of Christ with each member serving its own God-given purpose so that the body may function properly.

Anyone who says that no change is necessary as a Christian is a liar and not a believer. This goes beyond the discussion of homosexuality. It’s about all sin. If I’m aware of sin in my life, and I do not repent and change, I remain in sin before God. If Israel received wrath from God while He continued to fulfill His promises to them (Psalm 78; 1 Cor. 10), do we think that we would not incur similar judgment if we remain in sin? Paul writes in Romans 6:1-7,

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.”

He continues in vv. 11-18,

“Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

If there are people who claim Christ but don’t acknowledge sin, they do not speak the truth. For what is the purpose of coming to Christ if we don’t believe we need to be saved from our sinful ways? If we believe we live rightly before God, why (as in Jonathan Elliott’s case) would we seek God since there should be no fear of eternal judgment?

Here’s another word from Paul regarding so-called believers who choose to continue in their sin: “But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler–not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves” (1 Cor. 5:11-13). Paul’s not talking about unbelievers who are coming to the church to learn about God. He’s talking about people proclaiming to be Christians but continuing in sin without repentance. It is the church’s job to rid itself of people who profane Christ’s name by choosing to live wickedly (knowingly).

Jesus says to His disciples,

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the world that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.” John 15:18-24

He continues His teaching by talking about the Spirit to come (Whom we now have as believers):

“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” John 16:7-15

We either follow the teaching of the world or the teaching from the Spirit. If we proclaim to be Christ followers we should no longer live according to the world’s sense of morality (if it has one). If we are one body in Christ our understanding of truth must be the same. We may disagree on music styles or small church vs. big church (the petty things we fight over; read Romans 14), but the essentials should be the same. How we understand sin should be the same. Do we want Christ to see us as a bride defiled by the world, or a pure, spotless bride?

When we encounter the lost our hope should be that they want to change to be more like Christ. How can we remain the same when we’ve been given so great a salvation? Is not His abundant mercy and grace reason enough for us to fall on our faces and repent because of our own wickedness? “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him (Romans 5:6-9).” If we know that there is wrath to come for those who do not believe (who are slaves to sin), why do we think that this wrath will not come upon us if we ignore sin, whether our own or that within the church? Is this not taking advantage of God’s grace, thereby slapping Him in the face?

The gospel of Christ will offend those who desire to be part of the world, but for those who seek new life, it is freedom from sin. It is eternal life. It is hope. We should not be ashamed of the gospel and fall in line with the world. If we follow the world then we are worse than unbelievers because we know the truth and turn away from it. Instead, may we serve God with the same Spirit, with the same understanding of truth.

Jesus said,

“I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” ~ John 14:6

 © Lauren Demuth

Beware of Emotional Spirituality

“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.” Jeremiah 17:9-10

“He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered.” Proverbs 28:26

“Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

“If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” James 1:26-27

How many times a day do we say “I feel”? How many times have we said, “I will follow my heart”? How many times have we said these things when we are talking about our relationship with God? Having grown up in the Pentecostal church for many years, emotionalism became almost synonymous with spirituality. It was an expectation as a Pentecostal Christian to outwardly show one’s love and dedication to the Lord. And yes, Scripture talks about how our actions should show our love for Christ. But I’m not referring to that. It was about receiving the gift of speaking in tongues (and not the actual biblical kind referenced in Acts- see my blog post about Speaking in Tongues here) and joining the chorus of other babbling believers. It was about watching people being “slain in the Spirit” (not a biblical term anywhere in Scripture but this was the terminology used). It was about who can raise their hands, jump, shout, dance, and sway. Now is it wrong to rejoice? Is it wrong to show God outward adoration? Of course not! But it was about motive. Why are we doing these things? Why are people babbling with words no one can understand? Why are people falling down? Why are the same Christians running to the altar to pray for salvation again? Why do we have to shout out prayers as if volume holds authority? Why the spectacle? Emotionalism became a type of spiritualism, which is dangerous and fickle. How many times have we seen people “on fire” for God (as seen by outward behavior such as those mentioned above) and then they return to the same (or new) sins with their flame snuffed out? Emotions are extremely powerful and persuasive tools that the enemy loves to twist for his own glory and for our own downfall. Emotions cloud our judgment and cause us to react without wisdom. We tend to seek a feeling more than the truth because truth brings us back to the reality that this world is not our comfort or our home. It is a battleground, a fight against good and evil that needs a clear, focused mind on the truth of God’s Word. 

Scripture is our guiding lamp as the famous verse says in Psalm 119:105-106: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn and I will confirm it, that I will keep Your righteous ordinances.” EVERYTHING the church does and says should be tested and held in scrutiny by the Word of God. Just because someone claims to be a Christian does not mean that he or she is: 

“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. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit…Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:15-17, 21-23

What an eye-opening passage! Just because people perform the work of a Christian does not mean that they know God. Such people can bring hype and emotionalism, and they’re usually praised by everyone for their work, but what does the fruit look like? Can these things happen by Christians? Yes, absolutely! But too often, they’re not. They’re showmen and showwomen who eventually fall. They are Pharisees parading around their emotionally-driven spirituality to draw crowds and “likes” and viral moments, but they are white-washed tombs. Jesus addresses this very behavior in Matthew 6. Verse 1 begins with the overarching lesson: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” It doesn’t say that we can’t show outward signs of righteousness. As Christians, we should be demonstrating righteousness because Christ is in us, and we have put on the new self. Rather, Jesus addresses one’s motive: to be noticed by them. As a teenage Christian in a Pentecostal church where emotional spirituality was expected, I know I showed “righteousness” to be noticed by others. I sang loudly so people would hear my singing voice. I spoke in tongues with the rest of them, believing that it was real for a time. I loved being on the worship team, but my motive was not always pure. I wanted to be seen and loved for my goodness, yet I didn’t want to be known as the “good” one either. My attitude and behavior didn’t always reflect that outward “righteousness” I put on display. Emotionalism goes both ways, and I lived my life in an angry, reactive manner, without wisdom and without holiness. In truth, I was the average American Christian who lived like the world but slapped a Christian label on. And to be honest, getting emotions under control is still a struggle. Yet, thanks be to God for His grace and mercy and the thousands of chances He’s given me since. 

Continuing with Matthew 6 and Jesus’ command to beware practicing righteousness in order to be seen by men, Jesus addresses the importance of giving to the poor in secret (vv. 2-4). Giving publicly and noticeably in order to be seen is the final reward. Giving in secret so that only the Father sees brings a reward that only He can give. And guaranteed, it is way better. Also, regarding prayer, Jesus says to not be like the hypocrites “for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men” (v. 5). Again, doing this is its own temporary reward. Rather, Jesus instructs His disciples to go and pray in secret and the Father will reward you. Does that mean we shouldn’t gather together in prayer? By no means! The book of Acts demonstrates many times where people were gathered together to pray. Rather, it’s about the motive. Are we praying in a way so that others will hear us and admire our piety? Or are we truly seeking the Lord? Verses 7 and 8 are very poignant, especially in this discussion about emotional spiritualism: 

“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people, especially in Pentecostal circles, talk about praying the same things over and over as if it has more effect. Or that if we pray something long enough and “speak it into existence” that it will happen. The Lord already knows what we need. He just wants us to ask Him and have faith. Yes, we should be persistent with our prayers as Luke 18 demonstrates, but it’s not a mantra. Saying the same thing over and over does not have power; rather, it shows that a person is trying to place power on themselves rather than place it appropriately with God. Our words are meaningless if our motive is not right with God. Jesus is even so kind as to demonstrate what prayer should look like in vv. 9-13 (see this post for further discussion on the Lord’s Prayer). It is clear and simple. There is no babbling. There is no pleading hysterically. No one is falling over or pushing people on the forehead until they fall over. As David writes in Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

Many times in my Christian walk the Lord has addressed me sternly because of wrong motives. And when I have wrong motives, the telltale sign is that I become more negative and hostile in speech and behavior which does not honor Christ. When we have wrong motives, we let our flesh rule in us because we desire to please ourselves and others rather than God. That’s what it boils down to: Who do we want to please? Paul writes in Galatians 5:16-17: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” He lists deeds of the flesh in vv. 19-20: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing. Yet the fruits of the Spirit are the counterpart to flesh-driven emotions and behavior: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and SELF-CONTROL (Galatians 5:22). 

If anyone says that they cannot control themselves in a spiritual sense, that is a lie, and what is happening must be checked with Scripture. I heard this quite a bit in Pentecostal circles that a person was not in control of himself or herself, but the Spirit just takes over. There is no evidence of that in Scripture unless a person is demon-possessed. As outlined in 1 Corinthians 14, God is One of order and peace, not confusion. Therefore, if anyone who claims to be of God is not being peaceful or is causing confusion, especially in a church setting, that person’s behavior should be examined in accordance with Scripture. Too often people say, “I shouldn’t judge.” But they missed the part about not judging those in the world but rather those in the church. When addressing an issue in the church in 1 Corinthians 5 (a person had taken his father’s wife), Paul makes this point very clear:

“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler–not even to eat with such a one. For what I have to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

Is Paul being too harsh here? No! He has the entire Old Testament Scriptures to back up what he wrote. We are called to be light. We are called to be holy as Christ sanctified us with His own blood. Are we going to sin? Yes, everyone sins. But the issue is that the church knew about this sin, the person was not repentant, and the church did not address it. They let sin stay in their church, and that was the problem. In 2 Corinthians 2, Paul addresses this same issue again and talks about forgiveness and bringing that person back into the church after he repented. The point is that the church needs to clean house, and it starts with us examining ourselves and seeing if there is sin reigning in our own lives. When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, one important part was asking the Lord to forgive us of our sins, not just when we came to Christ, but asking all the time. We must remain in right-standing before God, and as a church, we’ve neglected that. We are too fearful of hurting people’s feelings. We are too fearful to make changes to our theology when hard topics come up because it can lead to discomfort or even a break from the congregation we attend. We place “pastors” on a pedestal they were never supposed to be on. We often place more emphasis on the outward aspects of church rather than the inward condition of our spiritual lives. Why do we often not see miracles like occurred in Jesus’ day? Has God changed? No! Rather, the church has become like the crowd of the 5,000 who, after receiving food miraculously, continued to follow Jesus to see more signs and obtain more temporary food. But what does Jesus say to them? 

“‘Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.’ Therefore they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’ So they said to Him, ‘What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’ Jesus then said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.’ Then they said to Him, ‘Lord, always give us this bread.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe…I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.’” John 6:27-36; 48-51

This teaching was too hard for most of the crowd, and they left. Emotional spirituality seeks temporary signs and moments to “fill us up” spiritually. We want to feel God’s presence in a tangible way, forgetting that we already have His Spirit, and His Word is living and active. We have the Bread of Life that is constant and always filling us during the valleys and the mountains. We always have access to the Father. We should gather with other Christians and praise the Lord and unite together in our love for Him. But we need to build up our relationship with God outside of that too. We need to be vigilant in the Word and prayer so that we can test what is true against all the false narratives the world, and yes, the church, throws at us. We can easily become caught up in discussions, podcasts, famous leaders, and other “Christian” resources that we neglect the truth of His Word. I specifically address Pentecostalism in this blog because I spent many years following those teachings, but Christians from all denominations need to examine what is being taught. We are not called to be lazy and simply listen to whatever a leader says (and if there is only one leader, that is already a violation of Scripture as shown in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus where groups of elders and deacons are appointed for the teaching of Scripture and building up of the church). We are accountable for what we know, and in America, we have access to Scripture in a hundred different ways. And yes, I’m going to say that if there is a female leader in your church teaching men, then that is in direct violation of Scripture as well (1 Cor. 14:34-35; 1 Tim. 2:11-15- see my blog post here). We can’t say that we follow Scripture when we violate some of it and teach others to do the same. We either follow Christ whole-heartedly by following His Word to the best of our ability, or we don’t. There is no gray, yet the church has become all shades of gray. Will we take a stand for truth? Will we be courageous to lay aside our emotions, look truth in the face, and make the decision to change our way of thinking for the sake of Christ and His sacrifice? Women, this means laying down your spiritual leadership role (if you’ve taken that mantle) and being submissive to your husband. Men, this means taking up the mantle (if you haven’t already) and being in prayer over your family, leading them in the Word so that they can be lights and witnesses in this dark world. It’s time to live the truth of God’s Word rather than rely on emotionally-driven experiences. The Lord’s message has always been the same, as David shared with his son, Solomon:

“Know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.” 1 Chronicles 28:9

© Lauren Demuth

Do We Really Want the Truth?

My family and I just got back from visiting the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum in Kentucky. I had visited both places about a decade ago, and it was great to be there with more family members this time, learning about the truth of God’s creation and to see a close replica of the ark that Noah and his family had built. If you have never been there, it is beyond astonishing! The size and magnitude is something to behold as well as all the potential ways the decks and animals could have been arranged. The dedication and faith it took to accomplish such a feat is almost incomprehensible. To be in a world surrounded by immense sin, yet to remain faithful to God’s command for decades before the flood came is a story to encourage every believer to stand strong. It seems that such a time is happening now where a line has been drawn, and professed Christians and the rest of the world are being challenged to choose whose side they will be on. There are many messages being taught—do we really want the truth?

When we think of prophecy, we often find it exciting and mysterious. But if we look at Scripture, a prophet was a messenger of God that often had to deliver a harsh message due to disobedience and unfaithfulness. While the faithful followers of God held a true prophet in high esteem, I believe it’s safe to say that they were not usually popular, especially among disobedient rulers. Micaiah is one such prophet that made waves. In 1 Kings 22, Jehoshaphat was a righteous king of Judah, and Ahab was a wicked king of Israel (Samaria). Both kings desired to join together to take back Ramoth-gilead, but Jehoshaphat required Ahab to inquire of the Lord whether they should fight. Ahab gathered 400 prophets together and asked if he should go to battle, and all of them replied that the Lord will give it into the king’s hand (v. 6). But Jehoshaphat, knowing that these were not prophets of the LORD, asked Ahab, “Is there not yet a prophet of the LORD here that we may inquire of him?” (v.7). Ahab responds in verse 8, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” While waiting for Micaiah to be summoned, all the prophets were continuously telling the kings that the Lord will give Ramoth-gilead into their hand (v. 12). Even the messenger who gets Micaiah tells him to speak favorably since all the other prophets did the same (v. 13). Yet Micaiah says, “As the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that I shall speak” (v. 14). Being a messenger of God is not about pleasing man but about relaying God’s message, however difficult, to His people. At first when Ahab asks Micaiah what he should do, Micaiah repeats the message of the other prophets, but the king responds, “How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?” (vv. 15-16). It seems that the king knows Micaiah is one who speaks the truth, yet he desires to listen to all the other prophets. First, Micaiah relays a message about Israel being scattered like sheep without a shepherd (v. 17). Then he provides some interesting insight to what was actually happening in the spiritual realm in vv. 19-23:

“Micaiah said, ‘Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left. The LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this while another said that. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, ‘I will entice him.’ The LORD said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You are to entice him and also prevail. Go and do so.’ Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you.”

Ahab commands Micaiah to be put in prison and to feed him sparingly with bread and water until his safe return from the fight. Micaiah makes the comment, “If you indeed return safely the LORD has not spoken by me” (vv. 27-28). Both kings go up to fight against Ramoth-gilead, not heeding the word of the LORD. Ahab tried to be clever and disguise himself so he would not be attacked, but Scripture says that a man drew his bow at random which struck Ahab in a joint of the armor (v. 34). God’s plan would not be thwarted despite Ahab’s best efforts. Ahab died that evening, and the dogs licked up his blood that flowed from the chariot, as the LORD had already told him would happen (1 Kings 21:19).

Ahab could have listened to the word of the LORD and been saved. Some people may question why God would send a spirit to entice Ahab. Isn’t He a loving God who doesn’t want harm? God’s love was demonstrated through Micaiah, the prophet who told Ahab the truth, but God knew Ahab wouldn’t listen. There was still a choice, but Ahab was going to do what he desired. He delighted in flattering lips more than a warning that would save his life.

So what is the point of sharing this? Right now we have many messages coming at us from politics, social media, family, friends, churches of all denominations, the conservatives and the leftists. But only God’s truth will prevail. That truth is not warm and fuzzy. It often does not align with our personal desires and plans. The LORD God is the only true God who seeks out faithful followers—people who are not afraid to speak His words of truth even if the world hates it. And it will hate it. If we are honest, we often think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. I know I have made that mistake, thinking that being a Christian for almost 30 years automatically makes me wise. Rather, it makes me more accountable for the things I know, and that accountability comes with a price if I don’t live up to it. God is loving, kind, and merciful, and we know this because of Christ and His sacrifice. But He is also wrathful and will take vengeance on the wicked because everyone has been given the opportunity to know the truth. Especially now, as the gospel is being preached for the world to hear, no one is without excuse. Are we willing to ask God for the truth about ourselves and what we must do to become the instruments He created us to be for His glory? Are we willing to change our lives—possibly even careers and relationships—to live the life He has called us to live? There are times I don’t want to ask God for the truth in a situation because, like Ahab, I don’t want to hear it; but deep down I already know the truth. I can either choose to keep doing what I want and ignore God’s word, or embrace it and trust that it is the best way even though it may be hard. I can say with confidence that trusting God brings freedom. In John 8:31-32, Jesus says to the Jews who believed Him after preaching about Himself (refer to vv. 12-30),

“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

We live in a fallen world with temporary pleasures, but our desire as Christians should be for the eternal rewards that can’t be burned away (see 1 Corinthians 3:11-15). We may have to make difficult choices that other people in our lives may not understand. But if we know that we are following God’s will, those choices are the right ones. We cannot fail if we listen to Him. The line has been drawn. Will we follow the way of Ahab or the way of Micaiah?

God has given us the choice, and His truth is for anyone who desires to understand it. But don’t delay, as James writes in James 4:14: “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

Father, forgive us where we have fallen short. May the church, Your bride, glorify your Name and demonstrate Your love and truth to the world. Thwart the plans of the enemy so that all those who will choose You will come to the knowledge of Your truth and become part of Your kingdom. Help us to follow You even if it means making difficult decisions so that our faith and hope can be strengthened. Open the eyes of the spiritually blind and the ears of the spiritually deaf, and use us to bring Your truth to them. Thank you for your everlasting grace and mercy and Your willingness to save us in our sin. Help us to fight evil with truth and to prevail because You are with us. Amen.

©Lauren Demuth

Culture’s War on the Biblical Family

It’s time to get real. The enemy has been in the business of causing division and strife within the family since creation. Eve, knowing what God had said about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was still deceived and ate from it, believing that she would be like God in wisdom. Adam, also knowing the word of the Lord, still ate when Eve offered him the fruit. Thus sin entered the world, and Adam and Eve were removed from the perfect Garden of Eden to face the consequences of their actions. Then we read about Cain and Abel where Abel gives an offering pleasing to God, but Cain’s offering was less pleasing than Abel’s so Cain murdered his brother. Jacob and Esau were rivals since birth, yet Jacob, being younger, gained Esau’s birthright and become the father of the nation of Israel. Skip ahead to the modern age and now we have homosexual and transgender families paraded around our culture as lampposts for the modern family. Divorce has become expected rather than being the exception. Movies, television shows, schools, social media, businesses, and news media have normalized these kinds of families to where we have become numb, or even worse, afraid to speak out. We have become complacent and think that this is just how life is supposed to be. What we forget is that mankind, since creation, has had the gift of free will.

Eve chose to eat the fruit knowing God’s warning, and Adam chose to follow his wife instead of God. In Genesis 4:7, Cain was warned by God that sin was at his door desiring him, and he must master it. But instead Cain chose to kill his brother. In Genesis 25:23, the Lord revealed to Rebekah that she had twins in her womb—two nations—and the older (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob). As they grew up, Esau became the hunter, but Jacob was peaceful. One day Esau came home famished and desired the food Jacob made. Jacob asked Esau for his birthright first, and Esau swore it to him (Gen. 25:31-34). Therefore, Esau had no regard for the blessing given to him. He chose to give away what was his over his temporary desire for food, and in the end he became the nation of Edom, separated from Jacob’s family, the nation of Israel. In everything, there is a choice. As the church, we can choose to remain silent about what has happened to the biblical family, or we can stand up for what is right, knowing that it can cost us dearly on earth. As Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Do we treasure the spiritual well-being of our home and the church over the riches and stature given to us in this world by remaining silent?

The main problem is that the church does not know how to defend the biblical family because it doesn’t know what the family is supposed to look like. We spend more time engaging with the world and its message rather than the truth of God’s Word. The average Christian can quote John 3:16, Jeremiah 29:11 and Philippians 4:13, but can he or she recall what Ephesians 5 says about marriage? Will a Christian woman say that a wife is commanded to submit to her husband as the church submits to Christ (Eph. 5:22-24)? Will a Christian man say that a husband is supposed to love his wife as Christ loved the church, giving Himself up for her (Eph. 5:25-30)? Will a Christian woman adhere to Paul’s instructions to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:9-15?:

“Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.”

In addition, after writing about the proper order within church gatherings, Paul instructs the church in Corinth (a letter that would have been read at other churches as well) about women: “The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church (1 Cor. 14:34-35).” If we say we adhere to Scripture, why do we overlook these passages? These passages also imply that husbands should understand the Word of God in order to be able to provide answers when asked. In 1 Corinthians 14:37-38, Paul makes an important statement: “If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.” He is referring to everything written to the Corinthians about the proper order in the church, including his instructions about women. Although Paul writes the letter, the message is from the Lord and is a commandment to be obeyed.

Will leaders in the church adhere to Paul’s message to Timothy in 1 Timothy 3:4-7?:

“He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

How many times have we heard of pastors’ kids going off the rails or becoming estranged from their parents? Scripture tells us that if a leader in the church cannot manage his own home, he should not be a leader. And that brings me to probably the most controversial point—there is no mention in Scripture of female leadership in the church. Older women should teach younger women (Titus 2:3-5) and mothers should teach their children (Proverbs 1:8), but Paul is clear that a woman should not teach over a man (1 Timothy 2:12). It violates the order of submission within the church and home. The church has become disobedient to the Lord in that area, which has led to many women trying to be the spiritual leaders of their own homes. Yet there are plenty of roles for women in the church. Scripture talks about spiritual gifts being given to all members of the church, including women. We also know of prophetesses in Scripture such as Anna in Luke 2:36 and women who supported Jesus’ ministry and early church ministry (Matthew 27:55; Luke 8:2-3; Luke 10:38-42; Acts 16:13-15; Romans 16:1). The Lord created men and women and loves both equally; however, each one has his or her proper roles in the home and in the church.

The enemy knows all of these things and has used our culture to normalize what is not from God. He has caused the people of God to fear man more than fearing God to the point where not only has marriage been targeted but also our children. Innocence has been stripped away to normalize sexual behavior and deviance among children. If we cannot get our homes straight and back on the spiritual track to obeying God and His Word, the church will also fall apart. Each home is a mini church where the husband/father leads the home in truth, and the wife submits to him out of obedience to the Lord, and the children submit to their parents out of obedience to the Lord. The world will hate us for it, but Jesus already prayed to the Father on our behalf even before we decided to take the name of “Christian”:

“While I was with them (the disciples), I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that Scripture would be fulfilled. But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them in the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” John 17:12-23

Jesus spoke these words to the Father right before He was arrested and later crucified to take away our sins, even the ones we are now committing in the church. If we, as the church, want to be presented to Him as holy, spotless, and blameless when He returns (Ephesians 5:27), we must ask for forgiveness and remove the sin that we’ve allowed in the church. We must ask God to help us restore our families and our churches according to His Word and His order for how can He work through us if we have chosen to follow the world? It is our time to choose.

©Lauren Demuth

Wives, Submit to Your Husbands

I can already sense the raised eyebrows and crossed arms. Submit?! We can often handle the word “respect” but “submit” is too much. However, this way of thinking is not Spirit-inspired but rather culture-inspired. In Western cultures, it is rare to hear anyone in society support the notion of hierarchy and submission within the home. And if we’re honest, the church has done a poor job teaching Scripture’s truth on the roles of men and women in the home and in the church. I would argue that the majority of the church has succumbed to culture’s viewpoint rather than the Lord’s. So what is the Lord’s will for the church and our families?

Creation is where everything began for humanity. Genesis 1:26-30 provides a general overview of the creation of man and how we were made in the image of God. We were created male and female and were given dominion over the earth and commanded to be fruitful and multiply. God created all that we would need to survive. Genesis 2 gives us a bit more detail on the creation of man. In verse 7 we read that God formed man from the dust of the earth, breathed life into him, and set him in the garden that He created for man to cultivate. But the Lord saw that it was not good for man to be alone (v. 18) so He decided to make a helper suitable for him. Nothing in creation was suitable for Adam so that Lord caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep. He took one of his ribs and created Woman from it (vv. 21-22). Verses 23 and 24 state:

“The man said,

‘This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.’

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

We cannot deny from these passages that God created Adam first, and Eve was created from a part of him. We are unique from the rest of creation in a number of ways, but I believe this facet is one of the most striking. Man and woman are joined physically in bone and flesh hence the phrase “they shall become one flesh” in verse 24. 

Fast-forward thousands of years to the time of the early church. In Ephesians 5, Paul writes about relationships, and specifically in verses 22-33, he writes about husbands and wives. I have heard professors and preachers use verse 21 to promote mutual submission between husband and wife because it says, “and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” If that was the end of the discussion, I could see how this would lead to the idea of mutual submission. But the rest of Paul’s message provides an explanation to verse 21. Let’s read vv. 22-33:

“Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.”

What I love about this passage is how marriage is compared to the relationship between Christ and the church because it shows what love should look like and leaves no room to doubt that there is a hierarchy within the home. In explanation to verse 21, wives are instructed to be subject to their own husbands. In plain language, Paul explains that the husband is head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. The church subjects itself to Christ; therefore, the wife is to subject herself to her husband. We wouldn’t say that Christ submits to the church so why do we say that husbands should submit to their wives? Scripture clearly denies this notion. Rather, it should be noted that husbands have a bit more instruction than the wives do because they are to emulate Christ and His love for the church. They ought to love their wives as their own bodies (going back to the creation account in Genesis) and to love sacrificially as Christ did, giving Himself up for the sake of the church. Husbands are given great responsibility in regards to their wives and families. In the same way we submit to Christ because of the love He has demonstrated to us, wives also ought to submit to their husbands. 

As we know, no marriage or relationship is perfect. We are sinful beings striving to live righteously in a sinful world. Peter writes to the church in 1 Peter 3:1-7:

“In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”

Again, I want to reiterate that Peter, just like Paul, is writing to the church. They are instructions for believers and are not condoning abuse in any way. Rather, if a woman’s husband is not in right-standing with God, she’s not being told to point her finger at him and remind him of his faults as our culture often demonstrates. Instead, it is his wife’s behavior- respectful, gentle, quiet, modest- that can help him turn back to God. No words need to be said. We are not supposed to be self-seeking, boisterous, gossiping, nagging women. Often people get bent out of shape when they read “live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman.” It is not meant to cause offense, but in truth, emotionally and physically we are weaker. We are led too often by emotions rather than wisdom, which can bleed into how we walk spiritually. When people continue reading, they would see that a husband’s behavior towards his wife is important for his own spiritual life: “show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.” That’s quite a powerful statement. If a husband is not doing his part in caring for his wife and being the spiritual leader that he’s meant to be, God may not give heed to his prayers until the situation has been reconciled. Husbands and wives are both responsible to fulfill their God-given roles. 

It’s easy to laugh at comedians who talk about husbands fearing their wives because of their many moods and whims. We even hear such quips from the pulpit. We laugh because we see this behavior in our own lives. As the church, our relationships are often not reflections of Scripture but of the world. If wives are not submitting to and respecting their husbands as the head of their household and husbands are not loving and caring for their wives like Christ loves the church, why should we expect God to move in our families and in the church? What example are we setting for non-believers when our lives look just like theirs? How many marriages have ended in failure and how much of that could’ve been prevented just by following God’s Word? Wives, it is not our job to be the spiritual head of the household. It isn’t. Should we pray? Absolutely! Should we cover our husband and children in prayer? Yes! Should we be in the Word and lead by example? Yes! But men in our culture have been told that they’re toxic and that they’re unwanted and not needed. They have been emasculated by the media, politics, and yes, even the church. So how can we expect them to be leaders when they’re told just the opposite? We need men like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, etc. They were not perfect, but they strived to be men of God, leading the people of Israel in strength and righteousness. Isn’t that the kind of husband you want leading your family? As women, don’t we want to honor God by how we treat our husbands? We have to stop caring if the world is offended by our behavior and get our hearts, minds, and attitudes back to the truth of God’s Word. 

The world needs to see real love. Christ is the ultimate demonstration of that love, and our marriages should be a reflection of Christ’s love to His bride.

© Lauren Demuth