Church

Once Saved, Always Saved?

Those who say that since we chose to become saved we can choose to walk away. They are applying human thinking to the equation, thinking it makes sense that it should work that way. But there is no Biblical support for that opinion. In fact, as we’ve seen, it’s not the case at all. As bond servants of the Lord we gave up our right to self determination when we surrendered our life to Him. (Jack Kelley, “Bond Servant”).

In both the “What We Believe” section on Jack Kelley’s[1] Grace Thru Faith website, and in one of his articles entitled “Union and Fellowship Expanded,” Kelley’s stance for predestination becomes clear. He believes in a union and a fellowship with God. He states that we can never lose salvation (union), but we can lose our fellowship with God. In short, our actions do not affect salvation, but rather, they affect our day-to-day relationship with God. In part, I agree. We as humans have a sinful nature, and we sin every day. This doesn’t automatically mean that we lose our salvation. We must confess on a regular basis to maintain right-standing with God, which Kelley seems to agree with (although he says it’s so that we can have blessings from God). But there’s still a problem. What if someone decides to never confess once he’s received salvation and chooses to sin continually after coming to the knowledge of Christ? From a free will perspective, and with much prayer and consideration, I have endeavored to answer this question.

Free Will

Jack Kelley’s article “Bond Servant” focuses on the idea of what a bond servant represents (Ex. 21:1-6); basically that once he has made the decision to stay with his master, he is with his master for life. Kelley transfers this idea to Christians and how each of us is a bond servant as long as we accept Christ. We can never leave this path once we’ve chosen it. Kelley writes:

“In effect, a bond servant enters into the relationship voluntarily with the understanding that it’s a lifetime commitment, with no provision for release.”

“It was the servant’s choice to enter into a bond servant relationship with his master, but once the agreement was made he could not choose to undo it later. It was a lifelong commitment.”

“We also had a debt we couldn’t pay and chose to enter into a life long relationship with the Lord in exchange for having the debt forgiven. It was our choice to do so but once we made the choice, we gave up the right to undo the arrangement later on. In effect, we put aside our own interests and agreed to dedicate our life to the pursuit of His interests.”[2]

Kelley repeats these ideas in order to establish that a person cannot undo being a Christian once he/she has made the choice. In addition, his quote written at the beginning of this post declares that there is no biblical support for the argument that Christians can choose to walk away. Throughout his article, he reiterates the same slogan: “Like the bond servant of Old Testament times, we belong to our Master and are not free to walk away.” While these statements may sound good, they deny a God-given right to humanity: free will. Kelley is saying that we no longer have a choice. In one sense, we are aware of the truth and are accountable to that truth. People with such knowledge and experience shouldn’t want to walk away from all that is good and holy. But how many of us know people who were close to God at one time, and now they are no different than the world? Maybe something happened that they blame God and have chosen to walk a different path. Some may turn back to God; some may not. Free will is a wonderful gift, but we are held accountable for our choices. While I agree that making the decision to follow Christ is a voluntary endeavor, it does not take away my free will. Simply stated, if I make the free will choice to follow Christ, I can make the free will choice to walk away. Do I want to do this? No, indeed! But does that mean everyone has had the same experience or desire? Is it really possible that no bond slave in ancient Israel ever rebelled/ran away from his master? We cannot dismiss the importance and uniqueness of free will.

As Genesis testifies, humans were created differently than the rest of the world. We were made in the image of God. Part of being made in His image means that we were created with the ability to choose which continued after humanity fell into sin. As Genesis 3 demonstrates, humans do not always choose the path that God desires. Yet, God chose to send a Savior (Himself) to save us from the consequences of our decision. Unfortunately, humans (believers and non-believers alike) still make mistakes. Looking at the world around us, life would probably be better if we didn’t have the ability to make those mistakes again. But then who would we be? Does God want robot-like humans to love Him? What is love without the freedom to choose to love or to run away from it? Think about Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. He spent years teaching both followers and mockers about the kingdom of God. Many of them, including His disciples, still didn’t get it. One of them was even about to betray Him. Yet, what He prays in Matthew 26:39-44 reflects the choice He makes on our behalf, “39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” In between this conversation with the Father, Jesus finds His disciples, the very people He is preparing to die for, sleeping. “42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Again, Jesus finds His disciples sleeping instead of being alert as Jesus asked. “44 And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.” This passage demonstrates His choice to follow the Father’s will: “Not as I will, but as You will.” This is also a reflection of the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done” (Matt. 6:10). To further illustrate His love, Hebrews 2:9-18 is a powerful passage about Jesus and the sacrifices He chose to go through on our behalf: “14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 16 For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. 17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” Hebrews 3:5-6 continues talking about the faithfulness of Christ but then adds believers to the conversation: “5 Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; 6 but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

“7 Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,

‘Today if you hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me,
As in the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tried Me by testing Me,
And saw My works for forty years.
10 ‘Therefore I was angry with this generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they did not know My ways’;
11 As I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’”[3]

Jesus chose to be faithful to the Father and sacrifice His life for ours. We, as believers, still have the responsibility—the choice—to “hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.” To say that our ability to choose ceases to exist once we accept Christ is not evident in Scripture; rather, it denies our very nature as beings created in the image of God—created with the gift of free will.

Christian Behavior

Along with the idea that we can no longer walk away, Kelley asserts that once we are saved, our actions have no affect on our salvation:

“But they [Paul and other New Testament writers] never said our salvation depends on us obeying their instructions, or that our failure to perform would result in our arrangement with the Lord being canceled.”

“We are saved by grace through faith and not by works (Ephes. 2:8-9). While the New Testament contains numerous admonitions to live our lives in a manner that’s pleasing to God, none of them have been imposed upon us as our part of the bargain. They are presented as things we can do to express our gratitude for what the Lord has unconditionally done for us. Our willingness to do these things is what Paul called “living up to what we have already attained” (Phil. 3:16). In other words, we don’t do them in the hope of qualifying for eternal life, but as our way of saying thanks because we already have it.”

“So the base line of our relationship with the Lord, below which we cannot go, is forgiveness for our sins and eternal life with Him. Anything we do out of gratitude for that brings extra blessings.”[4]

I agree with Scripture and Kelley that it’s not our works that save us; however, I have to argue with the idea that none of the things instructed of us are things that we really have to do. What sets us apart as Christians? Not just our words but our actions. What is the purpose of Scripture? To strengthen the body of Christ, to teach how to live a life worthy of a Christ, to call out false teachings and teach truth, to establish fellowship among believers from different locations and ethnic backgrounds. I’m sure you can insert more points. Second Timothy 3:16-17 declares, “16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”[5] If all we have to do is say “I believe” and we’re “in,” what is the importance of such instruction? While our works do not save us, they are evidence of our faith and righteousness. James 2:19-26 declares,

“19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”

In the context of Philippians 2, Paul explains the humbling experience that Christ chose to go through in order to become our perfect sacrifice. With this in mind, Paul exhorts the Philippians to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (vv. 12-13). Because God is at work in us, we ought to strive to live in a way pleasing to Him. Why wouldn’t we want to do this for the One who literally gave up everything for our sake? Our actions declare who we truly are and whom we truly serve.

They Were Never Really Saved?

One of the most professed arguments for why Christians “turn away” is that they were never really believers in the first place. While people have quoted verse after verse in attempts to support this belief, the book of Hebrews leaves no room for doubt: There have been Christians who have been fully converted and have chosen to fall away. Before I expound on this statement, it is important to understand the audience of this book. The audience is Jewish Christians which is evident by their knowledge of the Law, who Jesus is and His role as High Priest and Savior, and the sufferings they have faced after choosing to believe and follow God. Here are some Scriptures to support these claims:

Hebrews 2:1– “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.”

The author[6] inserts himself along with his audience when he advises not to drift away from what they have heard. By this we know that the author is a believer, and that all of them have heard the same things. Therefore, we can conclude the audience is also a group of believers.

Hebrews 3:12– “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.”

The term “brethren” (or “brothers”) connotes that the writer is talking to believers since this term is used throughout the NT to refer to “believers.” “Falls away” comes from the Greek ἀφίσταμαι, which according to Louw and Nida, means “to abandon a former relationship or association, or to dissociate (a type of reversal of beginning to associate)—‘to fall away, to forsake, to turn away.’”[7] In order to abandon a former relationship, you have to have been in the relationship to begin with; thus, these people are currently in a relationship with God.

Hebrews 5:12– “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.”

The audience ought to be teachers, which is more proof that these are believers; however, they are not maturing as they ought to be. This is what leads to the writer’s warning in Hebrews 6.

Hebrews 10:32-35– “But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.”

The audience has undoubtedly faced suffering because of their commitment to Christ, which is why the writer seems adamant about encouraging them to press on.

Now that we have established the audience, let’s look at Hebrews 6:1-6, a passage not to be dismissed nor taken lightly:

“1        Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

2        of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

3        And this we will do, if God permits.

4        For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

5        and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

6        and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.”

Verses 1-3 restate the truth that this audience needs to mature in the things of God rather than focus on the foundational teachings. In short, being a Christian is more than understanding and believing the basics. In vv. 4-6, the writer warns about what has happened to believers who have not heeded the examples set by the ancient Israelites and have fallen away. I’m sure some of you are thinking, How can you be sure that the writer is referring to true believers? Not to get too technical, but word choice and verb tenses are major indicators. In vv. 4-5, the verbs are past tense (aorist), passive[8], participles. For example, “have once been enlightened” could be translated “having once been enlightened.” In The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews, With Notes and Introduction, F. W. Farrar writes that in the Septuagint (the translation of the OT into Greek), φωτισθέντας, “to illuminate” (or “enlighten”), “means ‘to teach’ (2 Kings 12:2).[9]” This seems to also make sense in the Hebrews 6 context because of the Jewish audience. The idea of “light” throughout the NT tends to portray the idea of truth versus remaining in darkness. In summation, verses 4-5 seem to be written as a progression of Christian conversion. First, people have been “enlightened” or taught the things of God. Second, they have tasted (or experienced)[10] the heavenly gift. Although people debate on what gift this is referring to, it seems to fit within this context and with other NT passages that the heavenly gift is salvation. Third, following Peter’s instructions in Acts 2:38, once people have repented and been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (become partakers of the Holy Spirit). No one can receive the Holy Spirit without truly accepting Christ. Lastly, to taste the good word and the powers of the age to come seem to indicate the gifts of the Holy Spirit which are both personally experienced and witnessed in others.

In The Superiority of the New Covenant: Hebrews, Robert James Utley offers his understanding of these verbs in vv. 4-6: “All of these PARTICIPLES are AORISTS, while v. 6b begins a series of PRESENT TENSE VERBS. These are such strong statements. The meaning seems to be clear: they knew God, but they left God.”[11] He further provides a list of people throughout Scripture who were once of God but something changed. In response, he writes,

“We rarely think about these texts because our systematic theology (Calvinism, Arminianism, etc.) dictates the mandated response. Please do not pre-judge me because I bring up this subject. My concern is proper hermeneutical procedure. We must let the Bible speak to us and not try to mold it into a preset theology. This is often painful and shocking because much of our theology is denominational, cultural or relational (parent, friend, pastor), not biblical. Some who are in the People of God turn out to not be in the People of God (e.g. Rom. 9:6).”[12]

David G. Peterson also makes a powerful statement regarding these verses:

 “The stern warning of these verses (echoed in 10:26–31; 12:15–17) is for those who fall away or commit apostasy (cf. 3:12), because they cut themselves off from the only sacrifice for sins under the new covenant and the only hope of eternal life in Jesus Christ. Such people are crucifying the Son of God all over again, rejecting him as deliberately as his executioners did, and subjecting him to public disgrace, openly putting themselves in the position of his enemies. Nothing is impossible for God, but he offers us no hope of reclaiming those who take a continuous and hard-hearted stand against Christ. As noted in connection with 3:12–13, those who harden their hearts against God may reach a point where they are ‘hardened’ beyond recall. The writer does not accuse his readers of being in this position, but the fate of apostates is something they and we should not forget. In its context, this passage stands as a warning about where sluggishness could lead.”[13]

Farrar wrestles with the meaning of the individual expressions in vv. 4-5; however, he confidently states that “nothing can be clearer than the fact that, but for dogmatic prepossessions, no one would have dreamed of explaining them to mean anything less than full conversion.”[14] Jack Kelley argues that once we are saved, we cannot undo our decision. Setting our own personal and denominational views aside, can we honestly say that these verses are not talking about people who truly converted to Christianity and fell away? In Hebrews 3:14-19 the author shows a clear comparison between the ancient Israelites and the church. After God saved the Israelites from Egypt (salvation), they were heading towards the promised land (like our journey to eternal life); however, they rebelled/disobeyed and did not enter God’s rest (eternity). First Corinthians 10 also refers to ancient Israel’s same mistakes: “Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved” (v. 6).

There is yet another warning passage that gives me chills every time I read it: Hebrews 10:19-39. The message is powerful and clear. Ironically, Kelley mentions Hebrews 10:5-7, which talks about Christ’s once for all sacrifice for sin, but he neglects the rest of the passage concerning what happens to a believer who willingly sins after coming to the knowledge of the truth:

Hebrews 10:19-39 (NASB)[15]

“19        Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

20        by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,

21        and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

22        let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

23        Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

24        and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

25        not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

26        For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

27        but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.

28        Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

29        How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

30        For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’

31        It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32        But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings,

33        partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.

34        For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.

35        Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

   36        For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

37                For yet in a very little while,

He who is coming will come, and will not delay.

38                But My righteous one shall live by faith;

And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.

   39        But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”

Throughout Hebrews, the writer has defined who Jesus is and what He has done for us. This was especially significant to Jewish Christians who understood the concept and necessity of sacrifice. The idea that Jesus, God Himself, became the one sacrifice that took away every sin forever is astounding and humbling. It is a true representation of God’s love and grace. Receiving and embracing this truth is taken seriously and requires a change in lifestyle. As verse 26 states, anyone who has knowledge of the truth and continues to sin willfully will be judged in a severe way. The writer shares the same warning in Hebrews 6, but he ends with an encouraging thought in 10:39: “But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”

Before ending his letter, the author of Hebrews has a final warning for his audience in Hebrews 12:25-29[16]:

“  25        See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.

26        And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.’

27        This expression, ‘Yet once more,’ denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28        Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;

29        for our God is a consuming fire.”

Prior to these verses, the author describes the awesome scene of God descending on Mount Sinai in Exodus 19 and 20.  In Exodus 20:19 the people say to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.” Moses responds in v. 20, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.” Does this not testify to the greatness of God? Are these writers of the Old and New Testaments not also mouthpieces of God? The author of Hebrews is telling this audience that God has spoken and continues to speak to them. There is judgment for those who refuse to listen. If turning away from God once we are saved is impossible, then such warnings would be pointless, along with moral instruction.

Even Jesus Himself teaches those who believed in Him about the importance of being ready for His return in Matthew 24:42-51. Notice the focus on the slaves’ actions and the justified results:

“42 Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.44 For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. 45 Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?46 Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. 47 Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; 50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, 51 and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

It is not the slaves’[17] words that indicate their faithfulness (or lack thereof) to their master. It is their actions that testify. It’s important to understand Jesus isn’t speaking to unbelievers but rather to His disciples (believers). He warns them to be like the slave who is found faithful doing what the master has asked and expects them to do even when he is not physically there. The evil slave puts off his duties and acts wickedly, believing that there’s still time to do what he’s supposed to do. He acts this way while fully understanding what he’s doing and what is expected of him. These disciples who hear this message, who become the founders of the church, reiterate these warnings in the NT letters to the body of believers.

There are numerous Scriptures written to Christian audiences that provide warnings against “falling away” or “going astray”- in essence, walking away from God.[18] To deny this teaching is to deny Scripture, and I daresay, God Himself. How can a person justify being a Christian and not be compelled to change his/her lifestyle to reflect that of Christ? How can we say that following the instructions from the early church leaders, many of whom walked with Jesus or knew people who walked with Jesus, are just to be adhered to in order to receive extra blessings as Kelley suggests? Where is the reverence and awe for the Almighty God and the sacrifice He has made so that we can be free from the chains of sin that held us bound to Satan and his world? Where is the accountability for one’s sinful behavior?

I can imagine that some people reading this are wondering, Lauren, do you want us to go to hell? Of course not! In fact, I write this because I don’t want that. As Christians we are to motivate one another to demonstrate Christ in the way we speak and act. Being a Christian isn’t about barely skirting around hell. Our lives are to be offered as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1) devoted to God because of what He has done for us. Like Paul writes in Philippians 2:12-13, we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (v. 12). Why? Because God is at work in us (v. 13). God Himself, His Spirit! This truth alone should be enough to spur us on to behave in a manner worthy of being called a Christ-follower (Eph. 4). Why did the writer of Hebrews warn his audience? To condemn them? No! Rather, it was his apparent love for them that he encouraged them to endure hardships and remain faithful to the end: “But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Heb. 6:9-12). Notice what he says: “God is not unjust as to forget your work…and the love which you have shown…in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.” All of these bold words demonstrate action. While the ancient Israelites never reached the promised land due to their disobedience, the author of Hebrews desires to see his fellow believers remain faithful and reach the goal of eternity with God. When we walk in a Christ-like manner, our faith being made evident through our works, we can have assurance of salvation.

The Simple Truth

The notion that we cannot undo our relationship with God is a blatant lie. This belief denies the free will given to us at creation and is in direct opposition to Scripture as demonstrated above. Too often the warnings and instructions we are given are viewed as a curse or a weight on our shoulders. Are we really expected to act this way? In truth, they are a blessing from God! How many times have we said, “I wish God would speak to me”; or “I wish I knew what God wanted me to do”? But He has spoken to us and told us exactly how we ought to conduct our lives. We don’t have to play a guessing game. We have been given absolute truth, which is why it’s so important that we remain faithful to it, not only in words but in our actions. And when we fall short—which we will—we are blessed that we can repent and be forgiven. No longer do we have to provide imperfect sacrifices.

The Grace Thru Faith website seeks to make Scripture simple and clear, but it already is. What we really need to do is be honest with ourselves. Does our life reflect Christ or the world? If it reflects the world, are we willing to change it? If we desire to change, we have a guide book to show us exactly how to do that. God doesn’t make the Christian walk a mystery, and He doesn’t treat our relationship with Him casually. Think about this for a moment. How many of us can say that we have a friend that we claim to put all of our hope and trust in but rarely, if ever, talk to? In fact, we might do or say some bad things against this friend. Not only that, we expect that when we actually do good things for this friend we’re going to get all kinds of blessings from him. If we have a friend like that, how do we expect him to respond? I don’t know about you, but if I was that “friend,” I’d be long gone. So why do we treat God like that? Living a life devoted to the Lord isn’t easy, which all of the warnings in Scripture attest. There are going to be tribulations and suffering. Some Christians may experience them more than others. But living this life is a privilege and a joy because we know the cost paid for us, and we believe in and press on to the reward of eternity with our Lord. The fact that we have the choice to stay on the narrow road and endure these hardships makes all the difference.

©Lauren Heiligenthal

 

 Footnotes

[1] Jack Kelley passed away in 2015 from cancer, and his wife maintains his website. As their website states, all of the teachings have been written by Jack Kelley at some time in his life. In this post, I speak of Kelley and his article in the present tense to provide clarity to the message. The idea of “once saved, always saved” isn’t new, and Kelley was not the only person to write about or preach it. I chose his article because of its blatant statements that Scripture does not support that a Christian can choose to walk away from God. I believe that Scripture provides numerous warnings against apostasy, clearly indicating that losing salvation is possible.

[2] Bold print added for emphasis

[3] Bold print is added for emphasis. Also, italicized words in Scripture verses are written that way in the NASB because they are not part of the original language; they have been added for ease and/or clarification of reading.

[4] Bold print added for emphasis

[5] Since the New Testament (NT) wasn’t in existence as a collection of writings yet, Paul is referring to what we call the Old Testament (OT). Since we have been blessed to receive the NT writings, I believe we can now view 2 Timothy 3:16 in light of both OT and NT.

[6] Although I personally believe that the writer of Hebrews is Paul for a number of reasons, I will refer to the writer of Hebrews as “the writer” or “the author,” so as not to divert from the task at hand.

[7] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 448.

[8] Only the verbs “enlightened” (φωτισθέντας) and “to be made” (γενηθέντας) are passive. The other two verbs are not passive since it wouldn’t make sense to say “having been tasted” in this context. However, the aorist tense indicates that all of these things have actually occurred in the past.

[9] F. W. Farrar, The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews, With Notes and Introduction, Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1893), 82.

[10] 90.78 γεύομαιc: (a figurative extension of meaning of γεύομαιa ‘to taste,’ 24.72) to experience, probably focusing on personal involvement—‘to experience.- Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 807.

[11] Robert James Utley, The Superiority of the New Covenant: Hebrews, vol. Volume 10, Study Guide Commentary Series (Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International, 1999), 62.

[12] Robert James Utley, The Superiority of the New Covenant: Hebrews, vol. Volume 10, Study Guide Commentary Series (Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International, 1999), 63.

[13] David G. Peterson, “Hebrews,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 1334–1335.

[14] F. W. Farrar, The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews, With Notes and Introduction, Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1893), 83.

[15] Bold print added for emphasis

[16] Bold print added for emphasis

[17] The Greek word for slave in this passage is δοῦλος, the same word that Kelley translates as a bond servant in his article. Note that it is used to describe both the faithful slave and the evil slave.

[18] To name a few: 1 Tim. 4:1-5; 2 Cor. 11:2-3; 2 Tim. 2:15-18; Heb. 4:1, 9-11; 1 John 2:3-6, 28-29; 1 John 3:7-10

Tending the Garden (Re-Post)

I read an article recently titled “The Bond Servant” written by Jack Kelley.  Its contents basically drive at the “once saved, always saved” teaching, which is nothing new but has seemed to grow. I’ve made it clear in previous posts that I disagree with this viewpoint. In fact, I believe it to be heretical. The plan for my next post is to tackle the article point by point. In order to do so properly, I will be taking more time to write my rebuttal. In the meantime, feel free to read Kelley’s article, comment on it on my blog, and/or ask questions that you would like answered. Below is a quote from the article that really provoked me to respond:

“Those who say that since we chose to become saved we can choose to walk away. They are applying human thinking to the equation, thinking it makes sense that it should work that way. But there is no Biblical support for that opinion. In fact, as we’ve seen, it’s not the case at all. As bond servants of the Lord we gave up our right to self determination when we surrendered our life to Him.”

There’s a lot to tackle in that one statement, but more will be coming. For this week’s post, I have re-posted “Tending the Garden,” written a year ago. It is especially fitting since I spent 6 hours pulling weeds today. As awful as that may sound, it was surprisingly refreshing. Not only did I get some quiet time in the spacious outdoors, but it was satisfying to make things beautiful again. Are our lives not also refreshed when we get rid of the ugly and choking things that seek to destroy us?

I hope you enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Growing up, I helped my mom with her yard work. She has always had a knack for implementing different landscaping ideas, planting beautiful gardens, and maintaining it all to perfection. Unfortunately, I still don’t have a green thumb. I suppose I didn’t pay attention as well as I should have while she worked. However, one thing I did learn well was pulling weeds and other encroaching, undesirable plants. The most important part about pulling weeds is that you never just remove what you can see; rather, it must be fully uprooted. Some weeds are easy to pull up. Just a slight pull and up it comes. Others need a little more attention with a shovel and some digging—and much-needed gloves for the prickly ones. If a person constantly checks his or her garden, the weeds don’t have much chance to grow, and there’s less effort involved. If the garden goes unchecked, the process can be overwhelming, and there’s more of a risk of missing or breaking off substantial roots. These roots can then wrap around the good plants, causing them to wither and die.

As Christians, we can look at our spiritual life as a garden. When we are just starting out, our garden is made up of little seedlings with the goal of bearing fruit for the kingdom of God. But it’s not a matter of if weeds will sprout, but when. Alongside our little saplings, we might notice a little weed here and there—little thoughts from the enemy that start to grow—“Don’t forget about that mistake you made yesterday”; “Do you really think you can change?”; “You’re worthless and will never make it as a Christian.” As Christians, we may still struggle with some sins and face new temptations. With some quick attention to these issues and asking God for forgiveness and help, those weeds—temptations/sins—can be uprooted and no more.

But what happens when we only check on the garden once in a while? We go out and discover larger weeds, maybe some prickly ones that make the task difficult. It’s tempting to just cut the tops off so we don’t have to see the ugliness. No harm, right? Now we can see our beautiful flowers again. But the danger still lies beneath: Roots. Roots can be parts of the past that linger and start to kill our spiritual fruit. To dig deeper means having to deal with the real issues, the underlying weaknesses that we are afraid to see. Maybe they are sins that we are too ashamed of: anger, sexual promiscuity, jealousy, self-harm, stealing, lying, homosexuality, etc. Maybe they are lies that have taken a hold of us, making it difficult to see any truth: unworthy, ugly, useless, could never be forgiven, [insert thought here]. The stronger the weed roots become, the weaker the good plant becomes, hindering it from bearing fruit.

What happens if we neglect our garden altogether? It will never grow to its potential. It will be overcome by the enemy. And eventually, it will die. What if it gets to the point that every good thing dies? Scripture refers to two options. First, if the person doesn’t desire to change or pursue God, the garden remains dead. That person has made the decision to walk away from God (Hebrews 6:4-6). However, with the second option, there is hope for the one who has lost his or her way but still desires to follow the Lord (Luke 15:11-32). What must be done? Repentance. Everything of the enemy must be uprooted and exposed, and the seeds of truth and righteousness must be replanted. Without a doubt, it will be painful, but God’s forgiveness, grace, and strength make it possible. Once it has been restored, the responsibility for maintaining the garden remains.

Being a Christian takes hard work. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that we must examine our spiritual lives and be honest with ourselves. Are we being attentive to the little weeds/thoughts/sins that are starting to take root? Do we have deep roots that need to be dug out and exposed to the light? Is our garden overrun by all sorts of dangers that seek to choke out anything good? We have been blessed with having the Holy Spirit within us if we have made that decision to follow Christ, but we still have to listen. We are responsible for what’s growing in our spiritual gardens, but the Lord is there if we call upon Him for help.

Consider Paul’s instructions to the Ephesians regarding their Christian walk:

“So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” ~ Ephesians 3:17-24 NASB

Let’s gather our gloves and shovels and get to work!

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal

**Photo from https://www.pinterest.com/explore/garden-ideas/?lp=true

 

The Beloved Tree- The Lord’s Message of Faith

It has been almost a year since I was prompted by the Lord to write “The Beloved Tree” and post it on my blog. I was unsure about writing it at first because I had never completed a fictional short story before. I reread and reread and believed that it was just right. A week ago, I read the story again (after many months), and I discovered something that has impacted me greatly: The story the Lord helped me write was a prophecy about my own life.

About three years ago, I graduated with a Master’s in Biblical Studies. I should have been confident to go out and find a job related to this degree. I even had my thesis in the process of being published (which eventually happened), but my old enemy stepped in: fear. I had never had a job outside of working at my parents’ coffee house. It wasn’t because I was a snob or spoiled, but I used my scholarship money to help me get through my undergraduate degree so that I could fully focus on my studies. So I had very little work experience, and even though the Lord was with me, I doubted myself. At different times of my life, I heard from fellow peers and professors, “You should teach.” But I was afraid. I was afraid to speak in front of people. I was afraid of not having all the answers. I was afraid that I would say or do the wrong thing. I eventually found odd jobs, that operated at all hours of the day, to make some money. I now have inventory, test scoring, coffee-making experience, and honestly, I’m grateful for it. Even though I swerved from my destined path, the Lord allowed me to meet people that would help me get back on it. I gained experience and confidence with different tasks, just not teaching…yet.

I finally got to the point when I knew my family was going to move, and I needed to make a change in my life. I needed to become the me God made me to be. I applied for a tutoring position for English Language Learners in a public school district, and even though I thought that the job slipped through my fingers, the Lord opened the door, and I stepped through (scared out of my mind!). It was tough at first, but I persisted and began to view myself as a teacher—almost. When the next school year came around, I felt that I needed to do more, be more challenged, so the Lord gave me an opportunity that I did not feel equipped for: working as the 6th Grade Exceptional Teacher at the district middle school. Middle school, behavior issues, lots of attitude, numerous parent meetings and writing Individual Education Plans—all the things I’ve said “No” to in the past. The Lord opened this door, I walked through…and I dreaded it afterwards. Up until three weeks ago, my attitude was usually pessimistic, tears were my “friends,” and I wanted to quit on a few occasions. I can say with certainty that the Lord was not pleased with me, not because I dreaded the job, but because I was dreading my life due to lack of faith. This was His intended lesson—a lesson of faith that I’ve only grasped a few times in my life and let it slip away. When I got sick with bronchitis three weeks ago, I was forced to slow down. I chose to do personal devotions (something that had been lacking), and I was amazed that the Holy Spirit pointed things out to me that I didn’t notice before. My passion for the Lord was returning. Then it happened. I finally wrote a poem (Faith Over Fear). That may seem small, but it had been SO LONG since I’ve written much of anything. Writing has always been my special way of conversing with the Lord. Then that night I prayed. In truth, I have a tendency to fall asleep when I pray in bed, but this time, it was raw and real. My passion was returning, as I often prayed it would. I could hear the Lord again, and this time tears were welcomed as they reflected the cleansing of my heart.

Since then, the Lord has given me love for those tough students that I couldn’t reach before. I have experienced such joy that it’s been so hard to contain. My life has been renewed! Now I have become a teacher. Become. My word for this year and the cry of my heart, to be on the path that God has carved out for me.

Last week I read the story the Lord had me write last year, as the third year since I graduated is approaching. I realized that not only was I (like the beloved tree) on the path of being cut off from God’s perfect will for me due to clinging to fear, but He also showed me the hope that overcoming fear would allow me to finally bear fruit for Him.

I can’t wait for what’s next!

_____________________________________________________________________________

The Beloved Tree- originally published 4/14/18

“Chop it down!” the landowner decidedly shouted as he stared at his beloved apple tree. If one didn’t know him, he might think the landowner to be cruel and unjust. In truth, those three words brought him immense agony. This was no ordinary tree. The landowner himself planted the seed that would become the fame of his orchard. He nurtured, fertilized, and pruned it when necessary. The fruit was incomparable to anything else his land produced. Beyond monetary value, it was the landowner’s pride and joy. From its seeds, his land was riddled with generations from his prized tree. But then one year the beloved tree bore no fruit. The landowner was puzzled and concerned. Was there a disease? An infestation? Surely it will produce next year, he thought. After three years, the tree remained barren, a skeletal centerpiece that had once outshone all the rest in his orchard.

The landowner’s son listened in anguish to his father’s cry. He was there when his father planted the seed; it seemed so small and insignificant. But he knew and believed in his father’s vision. “This tree will bear fruit that will last for generations,” he had declared. After years of careful preparation, the apple tree began to fulfill this vision. As the son reflected on these memories, he looked around at all the evidence around him. Trees resembling the beloved apple tree were flourishing as far as the eye could see. He loved each one, yet his soul was stirred for the one that had forgotten its purpose. With his heart still filled with hope, he ran with determination to his father.

“Wait! Don’t chop it down yet, Father!” the son cried as the ax was prepared to make its incurable mark.

“Son, I have waited for three years. Each year there has been no fruit. You cannot expect me to leave something that wishes to be barren in my orchard. It uses up the nutrients that my other trees should have.”

The son tenderly replied, “Your words are true and just. I only ask this of you. Let this tree stand one more year. I will take sole responsibility for its care. Just as you cared for it as a sapling, I will nurture, fertilize, and prune it. If it wishes to bear fruit, so be it. If it chooses to be barren, we will cut it down next year.”

The father looked at his son with all the love in his heart and declared, “So be it!”

Although it may sound strange to some, the son understood the soul of each tree; his life was connected to theirs. He knew that in the depths of this tree there was a will to fulfill its purpose. The son dug around the tree and filled the ground with the best fertilizer, and he cut off the dead branches where insects had decided to take up residence. The tree’s appearance changed as piles of dead limbs were hauled away for firewood, but the son didn’t mind the change. In fact, he welcomed it; all that was dead was gone. What remained brought him hope!

Then the son did something that, if anyone was watching, seemed a bit bizarre. He slowly climbed the tree, found the perfect sitting spot, and began speaking to it.

“Beloved apple tree, did you know that my father picked you out as a seed? Oh, indeed, he looked at other seeds, but you were the one who could fulfill his vision. When he looked at you in his hand, he didn’t just see one tree but generations that would bear fruit for him.”

The son climbed to the top to show the tree all its descendants. For the first time in years, the tree gave a slight rustle of its leaves, its way of speaking to the son. The son took this as a good sign and continued,

“It is not your time to stop producing, beloved tree. Why have you stopped? Where has your faithfulness gone? If you continue to remain dormant, we will have to get rid of you forever. Don’t you want to live?” The tree felt ashamed and stayed silent.

Every day for a year, the son nurtured the apple tree and reminded it of its purpose. While all the other trees flourished, the beloved apple tree still bore no fruit. The son was saddened by the tree’s choice. In three days, he and his father would have to chop it down.

The morning of that fateful day arrived, and a mighty gale arose. The wind howled and rain plastered the windows. No one spoke as the storm provided a fitting description of what they felt in their hearts. When the storm had passed, the father and son made their way to the beloved tree. The son himself grabbed the ax and just as he was about to swing, a ray of light sneaked between the blackened clouds. As his eyes rested upon the alighted view, the son began to jump for joy; for there, on the beloved tree, was a single apple—the first of many.

~~~

Inspired by Jesus’ parable in Luke 13:6-9:

“‘A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ ‘And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’”  (NASB)

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal

 

 

Tending the Garden

Growing up, I helped my mom with her yard work. She has always had a knack for implementing different landscaping ideas, planting beautiful gardens, and maintaining it all to perfection. Unfortunately, I still don’t have a green thumb. I suppose I didn’t pay attention as well as I should have while she worked. However, one thing I did learn well was pulling weeds and other encroaching, undesirable plants. The most important part about pulling weeds is that you never just remove what you can see; rather, it must be fully uprooted. Some weeds are easy to pull up. Just a slight pull and up it comes. Others need a little more attention with a shovel and some digging—and much-needed gloves for the prickly ones. If a person constantly checks his or her garden, the weeds don’t have much chance to grow, and there’s less effort involved. If the garden goes unchecked, the process can be overwhelming, and there’s more of a risk of missing or breaking off substantial roots. These roots can then wrap around the good plants, causing them to wither and die.

As Christians, we can look at our spiritual life as a garden. When we are just starting out, our garden is made up of little seedlings with the goal of bearing fruit for the kingdom of God. But it’s not a matter of if weeds will sprout, but when. Alongside our little saplings, we might notice a little weed here and there—little thoughts from the enemy that start to grow—“Don’t forget about that mistake you made yesterday”; “Do you really think you can change?”; “You’re worthless and will never make it as a Christian.” As Christians, we may still struggle with some sins and face new temptations. With some quick attention to these issues and asking God for forgiveness and help, those weeds—temptations/sins—can be uprooted and no more.

But what happens when we only check on the garden once in a while? We go out and discover larger weeds, maybe some prickly ones that make the task difficult. It’s tempting to just cut the tops off so we don’t have to see the ugliness. No harm, right? Now we can see our beautiful flowers again. But the danger still lies beneath: Roots. Roots can be parts of the past that linger and start to kill our spiritual fruit. To dig deeper means having to deal with the real issues, the underlying weaknesses that we are afraid to see. Maybe they are sins that we are too ashamed of: anger, sexual promiscuity, jealousy, self-harm, stealing, lying, homosexuality, etc. Maybe they are lies that have taken a hold of us, making it unable to see any truth: unworthy, ugly, useless, could never be forgiven, [insert thought here]. The stronger the weed roots become, the weaker the good plant becomes, hindering it from bearing fruit.

What happens if we neglect our garden altogether? It will never grow to its potential. It will be overcome by the enemy. And eventually, it will die. What if it gets to the point that every good thing dies? Scripture refers to two options. First, if the person doesn’t desire to change or pursue God, the garden remains dead. That person has made the decision to walk away from God (Hebrews 6:4-6). However, with the second option, there is hope for the one who has lost his or her way but still desires to follow the Lord (Luke 15:11-32). What must be done? Repentance. Everything of the enemy must be uprooted and exposed, and the seeds of truth and righteousness must be replanted. Without a doubt, it will be painful, but God’s forgiveness, grace, and strength make it possible. Once it has been restored, the responsibility for maintaining the garden remains.

Being a Christian takes hard work. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that we must examine our spiritual lives and be honest with ourselves. Are we being attentive to the little weeds/thoughts/sins that are starting to take root? Do we have deep roots that need to be dug out and exposed to the light? Is our garden overrun by all sorts of dangers that seek to choke out anything good? We have been blessed with having the Holy Spirit within us if we have made that decision to follow Christ, but we still have to listen. We are responsible for what’s growing in our spiritual gardens, but the Lord is there if we call upon Him for help.

Consider Paul’s instructions to the Ephesians regarding their Christian walk:

“So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” ~ Ephesians 3:17-24 NASB

Let’s gather our gloves and shovels and get to work!

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal

**Photo from https://www.pinterest.com/explore/garden-ideas/?lp=true

 

Do Not Be Double-Minded

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” ~ James 1:5-8 (NASB)

The Word of God is an encourager, a teacher, a guide. It is also an admonisher for the body of believers. Sometimes we want to look past words like “judgment,” or in this case, “double-minded” because we think it’s talking about other people in the world, mainly unbelievers. But the Scriptures weren’t written for the world. They were written for the followers of God (e.g., 1 Cor. 10). Each letter written in the NT was for the church. Within those letters are topics that the church no longer wants to tackle because of our culture’s stance on political correctness. We tread lightly when it comes to homosexuality. We dismiss discussions of theistic evolution. We don’t even dare consider that Scripture talks about the father/husband being the head of the household. We reinterpret Scripture to accommodate the world’s understanding of morality. And we have convinced ourselves that these interpretations are true, or even worse, that we cannot know what truth is.

According to the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains, to be double-minded (δίψυχος) is to be “uncertain of the truth of something.”[1] In the passage above, James is encouraging the scattered Jewish Christians to not doubt when asking the Lord for wisdom. He equates lack of faith with someone who is double-minded. The Dictionary of Bible Themes describes double-mindedness as being “Indicative of insincerity and hypocrisy. God requires wholeheartedness and sincerity from all people, both in their dealings with others and in their worship of him.”[2] James uses this term again in James 4:

“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.” (vv. 4-8, emphasis added)

Even in the book of Revelation, John is asked to write messages to the seven churches, one of them being Laodicea. In Christ’s words to the church, He describes the believers as being lukewarm:

“‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.  So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”  (Revelation 3:15-22, emphasis added)

James and John (or rather Christ in the context) make it clear that there are two choices: to have faith in God and submit to Him or to doubt God and be friends with the world. It seems straightforward with no room for gray areas.

~~~

So why did Peter, Paul, John, and James write some (what we might think are) harsh words to the church? Were they being judgmental? In a way, yes. Why? Because the church is called to righteousness. Because the church needs discipline. Because we wear the name of Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul calls out the Corinthian body of believers because they let sin continue among them. Someone had taken his father’s wife, which was something that Paul had not even heard of among the Gentiles, the non-believers. Paul says to the church, “You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst” (v. 2). But how can Paul be so harsh? Aren’t we supposed to love and accept people even when they sin? Paul makes his point clear in vv. 9-13:

“I wrote 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 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.” (emphasis added)

We are all guilty of sinning, but should we willfully continue to sin? The Corinthians knew what was going on, but they said or did nothing. They let it continue, which means that the one who was guilty of such an act was unrepentant. Hebrews 10:26-31 also addresses this issue to Jewish Christians:

“For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Some people argue that this passage is talking about people who haven’t really accepted Christ. However, to reiterate what I said in the beginning, the NT letters were written to believers. Hebrews is written to a Jewish Christian audience. In verses 19-25 the author (I believe to be Paul) addresses his audience with the inclusive pronoun “we” while talking about holding “fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful (v. 23).” He continues to use “we” in the beginning of v. 26 which indicates that he is talking about Christians. The author further clarifies the statement about sinning willfully by adding, “…after receiving the knowledge of the truth…” So we know that the author is talking about Christians who have knowledge of the truth, and yet willfully continue to sin. What is the outcome for such a person? A brief scolding? Give him/her a hug because all we should do is demonstrate acceptance? The text is clear that such a person has regarded the blood of Christ’s sacrifice to be unclean. He/she has spit in Christ’s face along with the gifts of salvation and grace. This person faces a great judgment (vv. 30-31).

We as Christians are held responsible for what we know. The Word of God has been preserved for us. Do we have faith that what it says is true? If we do not understand something, are we willing to ask God in faith for wisdom and knowledge of His truth? And when we ask, are we willing to see the truth even if it may go against our culture or current beliefs? Paul (when he was Saul) had to face the truth that his zeal for God was not acted out in the right way. He believed that persecuting Christians was right because he loved God. But when Jesus appeared to him, Paul found out he was really persecuting God. Peter doubted while walking on water. He denied Jesus three times. He even excluded Gentile Christians for a time having been influenced by other Jews, and he had to be rebuked by Paul. These men confessed their sins and turned away from them. They wrote to the church having experienced hardships themselves. They wrote as fathers/leaders who sought to help their spiritual children bear fruit for God’s kingdom. The path to righteousness takes faith and hard work as we war against our flesh daily. We will stumble at times. We will be tempted and even persecuted. But we have each other for encouragement and admonition. We cannot allow the church to become synonymous with the world no matter how much we might be hated. Instead of being unsure about truth like double-minded people, let us ask God in faith for wisdom and understanding. If we seek Him with all of our hearts, He will be faithful to lead us.

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal

 

Footnotes:

[1] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 370.

[2] Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).

Trust and Obey

“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

(From the hymn “Trust and Obey,” written by John H. Sammis, 1887)

 

These are simple words, but the truth behind them is powerful. As Christians we have made the decision to follow God wherever He may lead. This requires our utmost obedience and trust in the Father who knows the perfect path for us—a path that leads to true joy which the world cannot begin to offer. But sometimes following this path means facing our fears.

~~~

Do you know where God is leading you, but you’re having a hard time trusting Him? Is the path one that scares you? Do you doubt your ability to fulfill the task? If this is you, you are certainly not alone.  Not only are there other brothers and sisters out there who feel the same way (including me), but there are some significant Bible figures who went through the same experience. Let’s take a look at one of them.

In Exodus 3, Moses has quite an unusual encounter with God as he approaches an inconsumable burning bush. The Lord entrusts Moses with the task of freeing his people from their oppression in Egypt, and He reassures him that He will work wonders to make it happen. Even though Moses knows the plan, he has some fears.

“Then Moses said, “What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’” (Ex. 4:1 NASB)

“What if?” I am guilty of starting many excuses with these two little words. This phrase assumes the worst and reveals doubt–doubt in God and doubt in myself. In Moses’ situation, he is worried about what people think. Despite what God has shared with him and the right answers to give, Moses doubts. In truth, I can’t blame him. To walk into another nation and speak to the highest authority there who has continued to enslave his people is not an easy task. But God in His mercy provides a solution. He changes Moses’ ordinary staff into one that demonstrates the miraculous power of God and gives Moses the gift of performing miracles so that His people might see and believe (Ex. 4:2-9, 17).

Yet even with such amazing gifts of power, Moses has another problem. He doesn’t speak very well.

“’Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”’ (Ex. 4:10).

Even after the Lord reassures Moses that He will be his mouthpiece, Moses still wants the Lord to send the message by someone else. At this point the Lord becomes angry (v. 14). And why shouldn’t He be? He’s revealed Himself to Moses, chosen him for this task, told him what’s going to happen, assured him that his people will be set free, and gifted him with miracles. Yet how many times has the Lord worked in our lives and then when a new task comes along, we doubt? We are not so different from Moses. Moses wants to be a perfect messenger, one in whom his people can place their trust, but he feels inadequate. And in the world’s eyes, he is. However, throughout Scripture God repeatedly works through human weakness. In 2 Corinthians 12 God conveys to Paul that power is perfected through weakness. His grace is sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9). The only One we should boast in is the Lord, not ourselves. That’s what the Lord is telling Moses in Exodus 4: “Trust Me.” So Moses decides to take his family to Egypt and meet Aaron who will be his mouthpiece (still with God’s help). Together, they meet with the elders of Israel and share God’s words and miracles. The Lord has heard His people’s cries and is ready to act!

Even with a rocky start, Moses becomes the leader God created him to be. As we know, the rest of the story involves trials and many plagues demonstrating God’s power and glory. Yet Moses’ trust in God brings about a new age for Israel. They are finally free after four hundred years! This is just the beginning of what Moses will do on Israel’s behalf. The Law God gives to Israel through Moses becomes the foundation by which Israel is judged and remains as such until Christ’s death and resurrection.

~~~

I can’t imagine what would’ve happened had Moses turned away from God after “What if?” Perhaps God would’ve chosen someone else. It’s something we can hardly speculate. However, we can look at our own lives. Has God ever asked us to do something, and we didn’t do it? Conversely, have we followed God’s instructions and now can’t imagine what life would be like if we had disobeyed? In my own walk with God I can answer affirmatively to both of these questions.

Sometimes the opportunities that were once presented before us are no longer there. We can’t dwell on them, but what we can do is place our trust in God and ask Him for another chance. Our hearts must be willing and sincere to follow no matter what the task may be. Remember, the Lord works through our weaknesses so that He may be glorified. The Lord will not make Himself look like a fool.

There have been moments in my life when I had no doubt what God was asking me to do. I knew the task would be hard, but I made the choice to trust Him and take those steps. I couldn’t see the outcome, and at times I feared the worst, but God remained faithful. These choices have truly changed my life despite trials and hardships. I wouldn’t change them for anything. Yet even now I face another task, one that for some would be easy: teaching. Like Moses, I feel inadequate, but as we just studied in Scripture, that’s the best time for me to give it all up to God.

I recently heard on the radio that the thing that scares us the most is often what frees us. I think there is truth to that. The enemy would like nothing more for us to be enslaved to fear. He wants to use our weaknesses to destroy us and our faith in God. God wants to use our weaknesses to bring glory to His name. What will we choose today? Who do we want to become? What do we have to lose if we have God and each other (like Moses had Aaron) to lift us up?

Let’s trust and obey.

 

“But we never can prove the delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.”

(From the hymn “Trust and Obey”, verse 4, written by John H. Sammis)

 

For more encouraging words about trusting and obeying God, please check out a wonderful post written by Karina from the blog Karina’s Thought: https://karinasussanto.wordpress.com/?s=trust+and+obey.

 

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal

The Joy of Sacrifice

 

“Adversity is unavoidable in life, but it does not necessitate defeat. The Word of God never promises Jesus followers a comfortable and secure life. It promises that, despite the inevitable storms of life, God is bigger than such storms. ‘In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33).”[1]

Adversity. Sacrifice. Tribulation. From the world’s perspective these words are devoid of hope. However, this is not the case for thousands of Christ followers around the world. They not only view trials as honorable sacrifices, but they embrace them with joy knowing that the Lord is on their side. Whether God leads them to escape or comforts them until the end, their joy is real and encourages others to ask themselves, “Who is this Christ?”

The Voice of the Martyrs recently released a book called I Am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremism. As I was reading story after story the other day, I knew I had to share and encourage you to read this book. With the way Western culture is right now, political correctness has become more important than truth. People are criticized or even persecuted for saying anything negative about Islam, and the media only reinforces such actions. I Am N cuts through all the facades and focuses on real people with real stories of salvation, grace, persecution, and sacrifice.

We are the body of Christ called to uplift our brothers and sisters around the world. The stories in this book provide insight into what has been escalating over the last decade in the Middle East and Africa. These are people who either grew up Muslim or grew up in a Muslim culture and were without hope. The love of God and His mercy drew them to their knees knowing that trials would be the result. Like the book of Acts, their stories illustrate how God is being glorified even in the midst of some of the most heinous situations. Disowned by their families, beaten, tortured, imprisoned, they have persevered, some even unto death. I am amazed by the strength and courage of these men, women, and children, which they attribute to the Lord. What is even more inspiring is their forgiveness. Forgiveness for those who imprisoned them. Forgiveness for those who tortured them. Forgiveness for those who beheaded children to punish the parents’ decision to follow Christ. They bless when they are cursed. They spread the gospel knowing the cost. As a result, even persecutors (like Paul) have come to know the love of God.

These beautiful Christ followers have accepted that their lives will be hard because that’s exactly what Jesus said it would be. They follow because Christ is their reward. Let us praise God for using them mightily in the darkest places of the world. May we be steadfast and ready to give up everything for our Savior and bring light to those without hope!

Chosen Sacrifice (Inspired by reading these stories)

In the midst of doubt

You have revived me.

In my moment of fear

You have given me peace.

You have shown me the beauty

Of the cost,

The result of wanting more

Of You—

Only You.

I can hear the joy of the persecuted,

Of those ready to meet You.

I stand in awe of their courage,

Their insatiable need to speak the name

Above all names, Jesus.

Hope is only found in Him.

True life is from Him alone.

“To live is Christ;

To die is gain”—

The slogan of the persecuted,

The embraced gift,

The chosen sacrifice.

 

I am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremism can be purchased at Amazon.com at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012Q8TJ1Y?keywords=I%20am%20N&qid=1457728857&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1

Or at The Voice of the Martyrs website:

https://secure.persecution.com/giftslip/default.aspx?cmp=GS0316&source=WEBC0316E

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal

[1] The Voice of the Martyrs, I Am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremists (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2016), Kindle edition Location 1639.

The Faith of a Shepherd

Have you ever read a Bible story that gave you the chills? Have you ever been moved beyond words? I feel this way every time I read David’s response to Goliath’s defiance (1 Sam. 17). A sense of awe washes over me. Our God is the Almighty God, and David had such faith and reverence for Him that he was willing to take a stand without question. Let’s read what he says:

“David asked the men standing near him, ‘What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?'” (v. 26; emphasis added)

“David said to Saul, ‘Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.’ Saul replied, ‘You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth. But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.’ Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you.'” (vv. 32-37)

Here’s the part that really moves me:

“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.'” (vv. 45-47)

David had no doubt in his mind that God would have the victory. He had no doubt that the Lord God is the true God. He had no doubt that slaying this enemy was necessary because Goliath and the rest of the Philistines were defying God by coming against Israel.

Do we have such faith today? Are we a church that recognizes the holiness of God? The world defies Him. There are enemies coming in from every direction. But how many Davids are there? In 1 Sam. 17 the Israelite army was terrified. For forty days, not one soldier took a step forward. It took a bold shepherd to make a stand. But it only takes one to make a change.

Will we stand for truth and righteousness or shake in fear when the enemy seeks to terrorize us?

All we need is the faith of a shepherd.

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal

A Message for the Bride (Updated)

Over ten years ago, I wrote a poem called “Bride of Christ.” The same call that the LORD cried out to ancient Israel who was unfaithful to Him also rings out to the church, the bride of Christ. Will we be friends with the world or become strong disciples of Christ, knowing and living truth faithfully until He returns? Below is the original poem, followed by a link to a song version written with the help of AI. I hope you are both challenged and encouraged as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Bride of Christ

Where have you gone, My bride?

Whose foreign arms have you sought?

Have I not been faithful?

Did I not incline My ear towards you?

~

Before you were ready to be called Mine

I knew you.

I knew the trials you would face

And the temptations of the world.

~

Therefore, I gave you My Word.

Even My Spirit I placed within you

To lead you back to Me,

Your King, your Savior.

~

Yet with all of My blessings

You have forsaken Me for another;

For one who is not worthy,

Who leads you down the wide path of destruction.

~

Wake up from your slumber!

See where you are and choose.

Call upon Me, and I will restore you.

Tarry, and you will be lost.

~

Trim your wicks.

Get the oil ready.

Return to Me as a spotless bride

And remain faithful until I come.

~

Song Version: Bride of Christ

© Lauren Demuth

Interpreting Scripture Through a Tainted Lens

No one is without bias when reading and interpreting Scripture. We all come from different cultures, backgrounds, and denominations. Some of us have learned certain biblical teachings since childhood and have held onto them with deep conviction. But what if some of these teachings are wrong? Have we dared to ask this question? Conversely, what if some of these teachings are right, and they have now been compromised? As an American, I have seen my culture drastically change over the last two decades, and the Western church has often sailed along with it. It is possible that we do not even realize it, but that is the ultimate problem. In many ways, it has become more important to be politically correct than to uphold truth. Social justice has taken the place of meeting the needs within the church. Feminism has caused dissension within the home and the church. Homosexuality has become acceptable within certain denominations, and even practiced by some leaders. Why are these changes occurring? Is it because we are reading Scripture through the tainted lens of our culture, seeing what we want to see? Do we place the constant change of culture above the Word of God? It is necessary to consider that what may seem controversial to us may be clear in Scripture, and what may seem foreign and supposedly sinful may be acceptable in Scripture.

While many controversial topics have been heavily studied in light of Scripture, polygamy has received little scholarly attention. If you read a commentary on passages involving polygamy, you will often discover that the verdict is clear from the start: polygamy was never God’s intention. It’s stated as a fact and rarely debated. But what about polygamous men and women in the Bible who are described as being righteous? It’s as if their spiritual quality is overlooked or written off as less important compared to their foreign (or barbaric) marriage practice. However, I ask you to consider if God calls just anyone righteous? In reading the Old Testament it is obvious that God’s chosen people did not act righteously most of the time, and they were judged and punished many times over. There’s no gray area for God when it comes to sin. He is merciful and gracious, yes, but when people live a lifestyle of disobedience they are severely disciplined and eventually cut off if no change occurs. So why not David? He had many wives but was blessed and protected by God. He is not judged harshly by God until he decides to commit adultery with Bathsheba and murder her husband to keep it quiet. (Adultery and murder, not polygamy.) As a result of his sin, his first child with Bathsheba dies and his household is filled with strife from that day forward. But David repents as soon as he is confronted with his sin and is described as a man after God’s own heart. He is a man concerned about his spiritual condition and that of his household. Is that not something worth considering when searching for biblical truth?

Consider a different cultural example. According to the law of Moses, Jews were not supposed to eat certain kinds of meat because of the impurity of the animal:

“Nevertheless, you are not to eat of these, among those which chew the cud, or among those which divide the hoof: the camel, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you. Likewise, the shaphan, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you; the rabbit also, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you; and the pig, for though it divides the hoof, thus making a split hoof, it does not chew cud, it is unclean to you. You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.” ~ Leviticus 11:4-8 NASB

This may seem preposterous to us because, really, what would we do without bacon? But the Jews were to follow these instructions to the letter. These animals (plus many more, keep reading in Lev. 11) must not be eaten. These instructions became so ingrained in Jewish culture that God uses them to teach Peter a life-changing lesson in Acts 10:

“On the next day, as they (people from Cornelius’ household) were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. A voice came to him, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat!’ But Peter said, ‘By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.’ Again a voice came to him a second time, ‘What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.’ This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.” ~ Acts 10:9-16 NASB

The Lord knew what Peter considered to be unclean because He Himself gave the Jews their law. But not only is the Lord declaring food to no longer be unclean, but more importantly, He’s declaring that the Gentiles are no longer to be considered unclean because He has cleansed them. At the moment Peter receives his revelation, members of Cornelius’ household (who is a centurion) are on their way to speak with him. They had received a message from the Lord, and Peter was the one that God called to teach them. Peter even says to Cornelius and his household, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me” (Acts 10:28-29). God had provided guidelines and cleansing rituals in the law to prevent the Jews from getting sick and spreading disease. However, such guidelines became a point of contention with Gentiles who practiced and ate “unclean” things, and in truth, the Gentiles were viewed the same way as unclean food. But God declared otherwise. Were the Jews wrong for following lawful instructions? No. But it became so ingrained in their culture that even when God told Peter to do something different, his first instinct was to say “no.” Peter was appalled by God’s command to kill and eat what he saw in his vision. Yet, does God ever command people to sin? Surely not! Peter witnessed firsthand that what he thought was unclean (the Gentiles) could also receive the Holy Spirit, the seal of God.

In Mark 7 Jesus was also confronted with this same issue by the Pharisees. Jesus’ disciples were supposedly eating food with unclean (or unwashed) hands, and the Pharisees took the opportunity to question Jesus about it. Rather, they wanted to discredit their ministry because they weren’t following the teachings of the elders. But Jesus, knowing their intentions, declared that they have neglected the command of God in order to follow teachings of men (vv. 8-13). He further explained to the crowd that “there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man” (v. 15). Of course, Jesus’ disciples had a difficult time understanding this teaching so He graciously provided an explanation:

“‘Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?’ (Thus He declared all foods clean.) And He was saying, ‘That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.'” ~ Mark 7:18-23

Jesus’ words were quite controversial. Why? Because they were all still under the law. The law says “unclean” but Jesus says “clean.” How can this be? Is Jesus violating the law? As Paul would say, may it never be! Rather, the Jews became so obsessed with following the outward instructions that they neglected their inward spiritual condition. They appeared holy on the outside but inside they were unclean. And what’s worse is that they didn’t even recognize it.

So what does a discussion about unclean food have to do with biblical polygamy? More than polygamy, it’s about seeking biblical truth. Cultural teachings have become so embedded in the church that we have called rotten fruit good and good fruit rotten. Why? Because we have lost the ability to tell the difference. We are no different than the Pharisees who pointed out unclean hands and couldn’t see that they neglected the command of God for teachings of men. The church cries out for God’s justice to be done in the world without realizing that we have sealed our own judgment because of our own lack of understanding. Why was David a man after God’s own heart? Because he obeyed when God commanded. He yielded his spirit to follow God’s will. He did what most of us would not be willing to do. And when he failed he poured out his soul to God in anguish and grief and did not shake his fist at God when he experienced judgment. He understood that God was just in giving him what he deserved.

So what about the church? At this moment are we worthy to be called the body of Christ? To be an extension of our Savior who gave up everything for us? How can His body stay intact when its members fight each other and run in opposite directions following their own understanding of truth? The church is full of gaping wounds but we fail to see it. We claim to follow Christ but serve our culture, and we interpret God’s Word accordingly. What’s more is we teach newcomers who seek truth to do the same thing.

Each one of us is accountable because we have access to the Word of God, and we have the ability to understand it if we have His Spirit and ask for the Lord’s guidance and wisdom. Don’t rely on other people’s interpretations. Ask God yourself. He is ready to share it with those who have ears to hear. But what will we do when we are given instructions like He gave Peter? What if He asks us to do something so countercultural that it seems wrong? How many of us have dismissed instructions because they were exactly that: countercultural? The church cannot be effective in the world if the body is dying from the inside out. Why is it dying? Because the cancer of the world has metastasized throughout its members except the head which is Christ. The head is sending messages to the members of the body but very few receive them.

How will we respond? We still have the opportunity to act like David and pour out our souls in anguish for our own failure. We have ignored our spiritual condition for the sake of cultural relativism, and we will destroy ourselves if the church does not repent. This is the moment where the church determines if she will face a spiritual exile. God has been patient, but He is also just. His interaction with ancient Israel is a testament to these things.

The world is rapidly changing, but truth remains the same. Which one will we choose?

© Lauren Heiligenthal