Watch Out!

In 2 John 7-11, John warns against allowing false teachers to gain ground. The church should be a place that is inhospitable to false doctrine and false teachers.

Second John 7, compels us to remember that deceivers are lurking about. John is speaking specifically about teachers who teach that Jesus didn't come in the flesh, but his words apply to other false teachers as well. False teachers not only deceive, but they also function as the antichrist. They are empowered and employed by the antichrist. They serve his ends.

For this reason, John compels his readers to keep themselves from being carried away by such doctrine. He points out the danger of doctrine that "runs ahead," or teaching that "does not" continue in the apostolic teaching. False teachers usually have some extra-biblical knowledge that gives them insights into deeper meaning hidden in the texts or opens all new texts to them. John says too much is at stake to be carried away by their false doctrines.

The only practical solution is to ignore unbiblical teaching. In fact, John encourages us to create an inhospitable environment for false teachers. We are not to let them into our homes or churches. He tells us not to even say, "Hello." People might see us speaking kindly to false teachers and assume that we agree with them.

This passage has a lot to say about how the church should respond to false teachers. Some of the implications for us are:

1. We must know the truth. We come to know the True and Living God though Jesus Christ the      Truth as the Spirit of Truth applies the Word of Truth to our hearts.

2. We must walk in the truth. It isn't enough to know it, we have to live it.

3. We must be vigilant. If we ever let our guard down, it could lead to grave consequences.

4. We must despise all false teaching. Although we should oppose all false teaching and false teachers, we must be gentle in our approach toward those who have been caught up in that teaching.

Spiritual Songs: "The Only Thing (That's Beautiful in Me)" by Rush of Fools

I'm prone to pride. I can be brutish and hardheaded. I shudder to think what would happen if my appetites were given free reign. In spite of all I know about myself, I still like to consider myself a "good" guy. I try to put others first, try to keep a reign on my baser instincts, I try to be nice. Yet none of that sounds like the gospel.

The gospel teaches me that I am sinful and in need of a Savior. It warns me that my heart is sick beyond repair and needs to be replaced. The message of Christ reminds me of the fact that God in his grace has pursued me with an everlasting love. He sent his One and Only Son to die in my place, to be buried, and be raised again on the third day. By his grace, I live through faith.

Rush of Fool's "The Only Thing," reminds me that God has brought beauty into and through my life. The good that is manifested in my life is a sign of God's work in me. To paraphrase Paul, I know that nothing good dwells in my flesh (earthly nature). But the Spirit works in us to bring about the beauty of God. I hope you enjoy the video:

FAQs Mondays: "What Do We Do with the Ten Commandments?"

Last week, we answered the question, "What do the last six commandments teach us?" You can read that post here.  This week we finish our look at the commandments.

Can anyone keep these Ten Commandments?

Nobody since the fall of Adam, except Jesus, ever did or can keep the Ten Commandments perfectly. Note: Younger children can be prompted to give a shorter answer like, "No one, except Jesus."

Of what use are the Ten Commandments?

They teach us our duty and show us our guilt and our need of a Savior.

What do we do with the commandments? We learn from them. They teach us of God's expectations of humanity and humanities inability to meet those expectations. The commandments drive us to seek shelter in Jesus Christ. Next week, we move on to part 3 which deals with salvation. We will seek to answer the big question, "How do we get saved?" Feel free to comment. I would love to hear from you.

Sunday Recap 5-22-11

Morning: The sermon, "Love/Hate Parenting," focused on Proverbs 13:24. In this passage, Solomon warned that failure to discipline is a sign of hatred. We are reminded that our actions speak louder than words as Solomon encourages parents to discipline their children. Failure to discipline is called hatred because,

      1. Folly is bound up in the heart of a child (and correction is needed),
     
      2. Folly leads to death (both physical and spiritual),

      3. Spiritual death is eternal.

Therefore, failure to disciple is called hatred because it leads to hell. Loving parents discipline their children. They teach them right from wrong, and continually point them to Christ. The goal in discipline is to correct and redeem. Discipline should expose the sinful heart that is behind the behavior, and invite that heart to find forgiveness and strength in Jesus Christ.

Evening: At 5:00 PM we had VBS Clinic for Day 3: Connect to Trust. Discipleship training focused on John 3:1-18 and 19:38-42 where Nicodemus learned how to trust Jesus.

Thursday Humor: Unbelievable Dog

I'm sure you have seen this a dozen times already, but I think this is pretty funny. Sophia didn't know what to think about a talking dog. She kept saying, "What'd he say?" Enjoy a little laughter.

Praying for Arnold

Like most boys in the '80's, I grew up watching Arnold Schwarzenegger films. His powerful physique was matched by his heavy Austrian accent. Whether he was playing the "bad guy" in Terminator, or the "good guy" in almost every other film, he exuded toughness. His menacing edge was blunted by comedic one-liners that often lightened the mood in otherwise dark and violent movies. I loved watching him punish the bad guys.

I have kept up with Arnold through the years, reading articles here and there. Thanks to the VCR, Arnold was a big part of my childhood. Having spent so much time with him in my formative years, I have thought of his as a friend. Of course, I realize that he doesn't know me, and in light of recent revelations, I realize now that I never knew him either.

Schwarzenegger was always larger than life. I viewed him as a hero. The characters he played always seemed to have a moral code, and I assumed that it was the same code I lived by. In hindsight, his characters lived by a "might-makes-right" code of ethics. You can hear that ethic echoed in most of his interviews. It's the will to power.

Over the years, I hoped that his marriage would last. I hoped that he and his bride would be able to navigate the dangerous waters of celebrity. After all, he was my friend. As silly as that may sound, I hurt for his wife and children. I hurt for the others he has dragged into this firestorm of shame and disgrace.

As I read the headlines, I am reminded of past interviews I have read. Interviews where he openly questioned the existence of God, and ridiculed those of faith. Read through biographies, old interviews, or other resources, and you will discover Schwarzenegger's self worship. He has been, and apparently still is, highly impressed with himself. To hear him tell it, he is the determinate shaping force in his life.

I wonder what he thinks of the shape of things now. He doesn't have the strength to heal this rift, but it can be healed. For that to happen, he will have to find a strength that he has yet to display--humility. The only hope for salvaging his family is for Arnold to find salvation. Schwarzenegger must humble himself, acknowledge God's existence, and seek God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

He is no different that anybody else. His sins are more visible only because there are dozens of individuals who dedicate their lives to ferreting out "the truth" of celebrity lives. Should a mob of unscrupulous investigators descend upon any one of us, terror would seize us. I don't write these words in order to condemn Arnold Schwarzenegger, but voice my hope for his redemption.

There is a lesson in this tragedy: we cannot hide sin indefinitely. It will always come out. It is always destructive. The season of pleasure sin promises is always followed a season of death. How many dreams were killed by this infidelity? How many hearts torn in two? These are questions that, most likely, went unasked ten years ago.

But these are questions we must ask daily. When temptation strikes, will we be prepared? Will we terminate temptation? Or will temptation terminate our dreams? We must be vigilant, watch, and pray because temptation has promised, "I'll be back!" Pray of the Schwarzenegger family. Pray for your family, too. May God open eyes to the greatness of his glory through this tragedy.

Spiritual Songs: "Praise You in this Storm" by Casting Crowns

This is one of the most powerful songs I have ever heard. The Lord used it to minister to me through very difficult times. Every time I hear it, I feel compelled to acknowledge his greatness. Even in the storms of life, God is worthy of our praise. If we forget that truth, the storms will overwhelm us. But if we live that truth, we will see the Lord enthroned above the storms. He is glorious and mighty. May his name be praised. Enjoy the video.