A Good Report – Blamelessness
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
Abstain = to keep oneself back; voluntarily do without.
This principle of Christianity is pretty straightforward, for two important reasons: (1)Things that don’t look right are an open door for things to happen that are not right. (2)To be associated with that which doesn’t look right, has the appearance of wrong doing in the eyes of others. A person will bring reproach upon their own reputation and discredit their Christian testimony for doing things that have the appearance of wrong doing.
The proud, defiant, self-willed, and forward spirit says, “It’s nobody’s business, but mine. It’s my life, I’m in charge, and I know what I’m doing.”
But when a person is saved by God’s grace, they are bought with a price–they are no longer their own, but God’s. They are responsible to God to diligently do what will best glorify God in both their body and spirit, which are God’s, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
We are responsible to avoid the appearance of evil, so as to be blameless and give none occasion for others to question our Christian integrity and morals. “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” 2 Peter 3:14 “Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.” 1 Peter 3:16
Our church covenant expresses our common duty unto and for the testimony of the church, the name of Christ, and the principle of godliness: “We also engage…to walk circumspectly in the world” = careful attention to all circumstances that may relate to an action, conduct, etc.; “faithful in our engagements” = what we set out to be and do is to uphold godly standards; “exemplary in our deportment” = serving as a model and example for others.
Things that have the appearance of evil project just the opposite of our obligations to our Redeemer and to the Body of Christ, and unto all others to see it.
There is nothing more valuable than a good reputation. To have it, we must guard it by abstaining from all appearance of evil. Separating from the appearance of evil is the practical safeguard against being caught up in evil.
SHARING
Christian Conversion
“Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3
CONVERT = to change from one position, opinion, etc., to another.
Just as faith without works is dead, a sinner’s belief in Christ apart from conversion is fruitless. From Cain on, man has insisted on believing in God, without being converted from his way unto God’s way. Man’s purpose driven religion prioritizes coming up with a religious mixture suitable to man, that requires no real conversion from sin and self unto faith in God’s righteousness.
The first principle of non-converted religion is denial. Not self denial, but a denial of all that is disagreeable to self. Like Cain, man continues to deny that his likes and dislikes are wrong and sinful, unto rather denying any and all religion that does not accept him on his own terms. The denying of any and all preaching of God’s Word that disagrees with man’s views and preferred interpretations, amounts to rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit that would convict him that man’s ways and thoughts are not God’s ways and thoughts.
By man denying that he has a sin condition that comes short of the glory of God, he allows for no conviction of sin that will lead him to real repentance. Without a Holy Spirit-wrought broken and contrite spirit over his lost condition, there will be no complete change of mind about one’s self before God, unto the acknowledgment of God’s truth.
Without coming before God as the publican did (Luke 18), “God be merciful to me a sinner“, unto being justified through repentance and faith, the sinner asserts himself as if he is one of God’s own, like the Pharisee, glorying in what he is in and of himself, but without being justified from his sin before God.
A very subtle position has emerged in highly esteemed fashion, that propagates a supposed salvation by grace, that ignores conversion. Rather than take the Biblical position, “that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), they receive any and all as they are, in the name of God’s love. They hold no position true to conversion, that those who identify with Christ are to bring forth fruits meet for repentance.
The most disgraceful of all ideas is that since we are not under the law, being under grace, that it is all right to live contrary to the principles set forth in and by God’s laws. But anything that abandons conversion, is not true to grace. To approve of living contrary to God’s laws, is a defiance to the authority of the inspiration of all scripture, not only rejects God’s righteousness, but also violates grace, which elevates the sinner to justification from sin and imputed righteousness, that the sinner cannot attain to himself, being sinful. (Romans 6:1-2)
Under grace, the transgression of God’s law is still sin. 1 John 3:4
SHARINGWhat Does “Born of Water” Mean?
–See John 3:1-12
I. A WRONG THEORY: Some teach it is being immersed in water baptism. WHY THIS ISN’T TRUE?:
(1.) Because baptism isn’t under consideration in this scripture. Nothing indicates that baptism was being discussed.
(2.) If baptism was implied, then Jesus contradicted himself by putting salvation upon the basis of faith, John 3:16,18,36.
(3.) To assume that baptism is being set forth as the way into salvation, is to deny that salvation is “by grace through faith…not of works” Ephesians 2:8-9
(4.) To say baptism is here presented to be essential to salvation, is to make the New Testament teach two ways of salvation. For certainly the thief on the cross was not immersed. Cornelius was saved before he was baptized. These cases bear out that salvation precedes baptism. Those who teach baptismal regeneration are saying that Christ and His work must be added to with water and works. But salvation is not by “waterworks”.
II. ANOTHER THEORY: The idea here is that water is a symbol of the Word of God. This would make the passage read, “except one be born of the Spirit and the Word”. But we do not believe this to be what the passage is saying. Why?:
(1.) Because we believe if Jesus had meant the “Word” (or baptism), He would have said so plainly.
(2.) Because they were not talking about the Word.
(3.) Because such a conclusion requires that one go outside this scripture for the key to its meaning, whereas we believe the key to the passage is right in the passage itself.
III. WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE THE CORRECT MEANING: We believe that a person must be born of the flesh (naturally) and of the Spirit (supernaturally) in order to enter the Kingdom of God; that the spiritual birth is just as real in producing spiritual life, as the physical birth is in producing physical life.
(1.) It is a stated fact that one must be born twice to enter God’s Kingdom.
(2.) In the very next breath, Jesus makes plain that He is speaking of two births (whereas baptism pictures death, burial, and resurrection, NOT birth), the two births being of the flesh and of the spirit. For He says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” He clearly gives His own explanation as to what He meant.
(3.) Because the point of confusion in Nicodemus’ mind was the matter of contrasting births, John 3:4. Jesus had to say to him in substance, that the new birth was distinctly in addition to the physical birth, a spiritual birth into spiritual life, that which the physical birth did not provide.
(4.) Any physician can confirm the natural birth to truly be a “water birth”.
(5.) We believe that the obvious and simple meaning is in this case, as generally, the true meaning.
–Edited and copied from Grace and Life
SHARINGForget Not The Exhortation
“My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.” Hebrews 12:5b
To be rebuked for sin, or chastened for it, or both, is the matter of God loving His children, Hebrews 12:6. This is understood in the physical parent-child relationship, Hebrews 12:9.
As children grow up, they are endeared to parents for training and discipline that developed right thinking and conduct. As God’s children mature spiritually, they, too, appreciate this process God uses for their spiritual success, Hebrews 12:10-11.
God uses His local New Testament Church ministry to reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine, through the uncompromising preaching of all scripture as the means for reproving and correcting, 2 Timothy 3:16-4:2.
Carnal thinking repudiates the use of sound doctrine for either the message or the method of the ministry, since it disagrees with the preferences of man’s carnal nature, 2 Timothy 4:3-4.
When and where the objective is to fight the good fight of faith, rather than be overcome by sin and Satan, then God’s Word must be sounded out that sin might appear sin…that sin by the commandment of God might become exceeding sinful, Romans 7:13.
Sin never reveals itself to be sin, but requires the exposing power of God’s Word to unmask it, Hebrews 3:13, lest we be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. To not expose sin, results in man’s willful darkening of his understanding regarding sin. Should sin not be exposed as being offensive to, and at enmity with God, man will then become accustomed to viewing sin as being an acceptable way of life.
The awful result of sin not being reproved unto appearing sinful, is that it obscures God from being recognized by the sinner. It took the message from Nathan the prophet (2 Samuel 12) to jar King David’s awareness of his sin against God. This conviction led him unto repentance and reconciliation with God.
Beware of the acceptance of sin: “…and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.” James 1:15b-16
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