Observe Them

The following is similar to a previous posting of mine entitled Keep My Commandments but I feel compelled to share. One of my co-workers and I often discuss the Bible and he often comes and just sits down in my office and asks, "what are you studying right now." These conversations are often very refreshing and lead both of us to deeper thought and understanding of both scripture and one another. I truly cherish these conversations.

One such conversation took place yesterday and he was discussing how he had been studying the book of Matthew lately. He pointed out a scripture, one that most Christians know by heart, the great commission, Matthew 28:18-20. He pointed out how one word had caught his eye in his latest studies and that word was in verse 20 in the phrase "teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." My co-worker believed that the word observe and obey were the same word and that Jesus was telling his disciples to teach people to obey everything that he had commanded his 12 disciples. He then took me to Matthew 10:5-15 in which Jesus sends out the 12 apostles to speak only to the Jews, showing the power that Jesus had bestowed upon them. In verse 8 of this passage, Jesus instructs the 12 "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons." My dear friend and co-worker was asking why in Matthew 28 would Christ instruct the 12 to teach others to obey his commandments, one of which was to do the things in Matthew 10:8 if those spiritual gifts were no longer able to be used today. This is a good question but one that can be easily dismissed upon further Bible study.

The word that my co-worker was confused with was the word "observe" in Matthew 28:20. This word observe that Christ used when speaking to the 12 in Matthew 28 is not synonymous with the word obey. Christ is not telling his 12 apostles to teach people to obey all the He had commanded and therefore is not teaching people to obey his commandment to do the miraculous spiritual gifts listed in Matthew 10.

The word observe used by Christ in this passage is the Greek word Tereo. The literal meaning of this word is "to attend to carefully, to guard, to take care of, to observe, or to keep one in the state in which it is in." That is not the same as obey. So the question then becomes what was Christ instructing his apostles to do here? Now that we have the original meaning of Christ's speaking, it is quite simple.

Christ is telling his 12 to teach people to keep what Christ commanded them safe. Do not allow it to be molested and twisted to meet the needs, wants, and desires of man. This would include false doctrine, taking away from Christ's words, and adding to Christ's words (the latter seeming to be the biggest problem in today's Christianity). Sadly, neither they nor we modern day Christian are doing too good a job of this. Fortunately, Christ only says to teach others to guard the truth of His words. As a survey of the New Testament shows us, it took less than one century for this problem to erupt and Christ's reasoning for his instruction to the 12 to become evident (read Galatians, 1 John, or 2 John to see this problem being addressed). John goes as far in 1 and 2 John to call people who fail to teach others only to observe the simple teachings of Christ as the Antichrist(s).

Is your Biblical teaching in line with Christ's instruction to his 12 apostles. Are you teaching others to simply hold sacred the words of Christ or are you teaching people to lead legalistic and completely obedient lives. Only one of those options is in line with Christ's teaching. Are we teaching people to accept Christ's love or to try and earn it? Sadly, I believe that a majority are teaching people to earn it. This is nothing more than fleeting vanity. May God help us to become Christians who teach others to guard Christ's teaching from corruption and selfishness.

Pilgrim's Map of the Day

Here is some of what is catching my eye today:

* My good friend Matt Thigpen has written a very thoughtful piece asking if your religion is a Wii religion.

* Keith Brenton has an excellent post that really sums up exactly what preachers should be preaching.

* Pay Attention to This:

Local Church of Christ Preacher Boldly Questions Relevant Church Part 3

Below is the third and final installment of Todd Clippard's three-part commentary on the relevant church movement taking place in Hamilton, AL at this time. I would encourage you to leave your comments regarding this matter and to review comments left on this blog regarding the two prior commentaries. There is an obvious disconnect somewhere. Enjoy:

Pentecostal Finger Pointing Part III

This marks the third and final installment of our series comparing the practices of present-day charismatics with Bible teaching. Modern day charismatics are without question a sincere and zealous bunch. Though they have only been in existence since the turn of the 20th century, their adherents worldwide now number more than 600 million. However, success in gaining adherents is not the standard of correctness (Matt. 24:11), also one would have to conclude that Muslims and Hindus were more correct as each has more than a billion adherents.

We have repeatedly and conclusively shown how the practice of modern charismatics stands in stark contrast and violation to 1 Corinthians 14, which written (was) by the apostle Paul to regulate the practice of genuine spiritual gifts. We conclude our examination by comparing their practices against three passages in this great chapter.

In 1 Corinthians 14:32 the inspired apostle penned, "the spirit of the prophets are subject to the prophets." In contrast to the obvious lack of control and discipline seen among modern-day charismatic practice, Paul noted that the exercise of spiritual gifts was not beyond the control of the one who possessed the gifts. But we again note the lack of self control and discipline as these modern-day practitioners jump around, jerk, twitch, roll on the ground, holler and babble "uncontrollably." One would have to be completely ignorant of the Scriptures to believe that the assemblies of the first century church in any way resembled what is seen today.

In 1 Corinthians 14:37 we read, "Let your women keep in silence in the churches, for it is not permitted for them to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says." Moreover, "the law" here invoked cannot be that of Moses, for there is no specific condemnation of this practice in the Mosaic Law. So, to what law does Paul here refer? It is the law of the creation order. Paul repeated this law in 1 Timothy 2:8-14 in forbidding women to take a leading role in the public teaching of the church. Yet in practice, do we see silence among the women of these groups? Hardly! Modern day charismatics and 1 Corinthians 14:37 - once again in violation of the Bible!

Finally, in 1 Corinthians 14:40 we read, "Let all things be done decently and in order." I watched an online video of RAMP attendees taking off their shoes and socks, then dancing around twirling their socks over their heads as the band parodied a popular rock and roll song. This one is a no-brainer... Pentecostals and 1 Corinthians 14:40 - as far apart as east is from west!

1 Corinthians 13:8-10 is the definitive passage teaching that spiritual gifts are no longer present today. But to be honest, if miraculous spiritual gifts did exist today, and one wanted to know how to exercise them according to the Scriptures, he would be no closer to the truth if he were to practice the very opposite of what modern-day charismatics teach and practice!

An old adage among churches of Christ is "do Bible things in Bible ways and call Bible things by Bible names." Our only desire is to practice Christianity as it is revealed in the New Testament and teach others to do the same. The Bible only makes Christians. Nothing more, nothing less. To be Christians only is our prayer and purpose.

Clippard, Todd. (2009, August 15). Pentecostal Finger Pointing Part III. Journal Record. p.3

BLAH!!!!

The title of this post was the sound I made today as I checked my e-mail and read through some of the Christian publications I receive. As I read many of these publications, thoughts and reactions regarding the death and subsequent memorials for Senator Ted Kennedy this past weekend abounded. I was more than ashamed to be this closely linked to such people. Condemnation, a lack of mercy, and vehement spite were all more than obvious in the lines of these writings. All for who? A dead man that your judgment or knowledge of the truth will not do any good for now was your target.

Was he a murderer? So was Paul the great apostle. Did he commt adultery? So did the great King David? Was he a "bleeding heart" liberal? Peter was viewed as such by the Christians in Jerusalem following his teaching of the gospel to the Gentiles. Am I stating that Ted Kennedy was as great or righteous as these men, certainly not. I am saying that by casting your judgment on this man you are placing yourself on the same level as the Pharisees who plotted and crucified the Lord Jesus Christ. Congratulations, you win the piety of the week award.

These people claim to be living and walking in truth and light but their judgment on this man proves differently. To cast judgment on this man's sins is to claim that you yourself are spotless. Are you? If you answered yes you are in direct denial of the fact that the Bible repeatedly tells us we are full of sin. Are your sins that much less than his or just less publicized? You celebrated Ronald Reagan at his death with no word of his divorce and remarriage yet you literally spit on the grave of Ted Kennedy. Trust me, I agree more politically with Reagan but since when do our political beliefs dictate how we represent the bride of Christ?

Can we call a sin a sin? Yes we can, but not like this. We have the right to use the law of God to point out man's sins when working hand in hand with the gospel. Nowhere in scripture are we given a post-humous license to point out the sins of others though. Last I checked, it is not possible to teach the gospel to a dead man. So then the question as to why to expose and relish in his sins publically or privately is felt needed or appropriate needs to be answered. I personally don't have that answer but I feel shame for being included in a group of people who believe they do. I thought I was only supposed to feel shame as a Christian from those outside the church.

As I type this I think of mistakes I have made in the past and people who may only know me from instances in which my sinful nature was rearing it's head. I wonder if I died today what judgment those people who barely know me would pass upon me and my soul's eternal resting place. Yet, even when thinking about the shadiest and lowest places I have been I can't imagine any of those people celebrating my death or damning my loved ones for memoralizing me. Yet, that is what "Christians" have done today. No wonder Christ preferred to hang out with what the public and most pious Jews cast away as trash.

Has any bill that Ted Kennedy passed ever affected my Christian life in a negative way? Possibly, I don't really know. More importantly though, has my Christian life ever affected Ted Kennedy's? I can answer definitley no. I have never ministered to him. I have never prayed for him. Therefore, my time and right to allow scripture to judge his sins has expired because I have no hope of using God's word to save his soul, if it needed saving. If you have prayed for him or did personaly minister the truth to him, God bless you and have faith that the seed you planted did not go without reaping of some sort. If you didn't, time's up. Just as you are incapable of saving yourself or a dead man, your judgment on this dead man will bring you no closer to God.

Local Church of Christ Preacher Boldly Questions Relevant Church Part 2

As promised in his previous commentary, Burleson Church of Christ preacher Todd Clippard has had published parts 2 and 3 of his thoughts on the relevant church movement in Hamilton, AL. Here is part 2:

Last week, I noted how modern-day Pentecostals were once satisfied to leave everyone else alone to their own practices, but that now a militant and belligerent attitude pervades among them, especially the younger generation. Now they point a finger at us and mock us as if we should be ashamed for not acting like fools during our worship assemblies. By way of reminder, there is nothing unkind or unbiblical about examining someone's teaching and practice in light of the Bible. I welcome such comparisons and questions. Furthermore, I made no accusations against the RAMP that cannot be verified by watching their own videos on YouTube.

As 1 Corinthians 14 is given to regulate the exercise of genuine spiritual gifts, (which in no way resembles the foolishness of practices seen today), it was noted how their practices violated 1 Corintians 14:22-23. This week we continue to compare their practices in light of what the Bible teaches.

Consider the practice of "speaking in tongues" during their assemblies. In the first century (when real tongue-speaking took place), this practice was regulated by 1 Corinthians 14:27-28....

"27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpet. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God." NKJV

How often have we seen the modern-day babblers all "speaking" at the same time? Pentecostals violate this Bible text in three ways: (1)it is more than two or three, (2) it is never in turn, and (3)I have yet to see the first interpreter. Pentecostal practice and 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 - - three strikes and you're out.

In an article regarding the practice of one of our local charismatic groups, the author and preacher spoke of a service as getting out of control. Worse still, he credited the Holy Spirit for the confusion and lack of control exhibited in the assembly. However, in 1 Corinthians 14:33 we read, "God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."

Are present-day Pentecostal assemblies noted for confusion or peace? Paul said peacefulness is the sign of the worship assembly of God's people (saints). Yet by their own admission, Pentecostal practice stands in direct violation and contradiction to 1 Corinthians 14:33.

Lord willing, next Saturday there will be a third article in this series of examinations. In the meantime, we welcome your comments and questions.

Clippard, Todd. (2009, August 8). Pentecostal Finger Pointing Part II. Journal Record. p.3