It is so great that the Bible answers so many of the questions of life for us. We don't have to wonder what God wants from us. We know how He wants to be worshiped, where we came from, why we exist, where we are heading. We know what our attitudes should be toward so many things; how we are to live and how we are to treat others. And that brings us to today's discussion of inclusion.
The Bible, the New Testament, and Jesus Himself, make it clear that we are to be people who reach out to all cultures, all peoples. In this writing we will look at some Bible examples that give us clear instruction on the matter.
I always think of the Good Samaritan who went out of his way a lot to help a Jewish man, a man not of his people. Others had passed this injured man by, but not the Samaritan.
In Acts 6 we read of Grecian widows who were not having their needs met. The Jewish Christian widows were being cared for but not the Grecians. The apostles recognized that they did not have the time to see to every need so they appointed certain men to see out for this need.
In Acts 15 there were disagreements between Christians because some Jewish Christians were insisting that Christian men should be circumcised according to Jewish Law. This was settled by the apostles, taking away this requirement.
And we see the Corinthian church being instructed in 1 Corinthians 16 to send help to the Christians in Jerusalem who were in need. It didn't matter that it was Gentiles helping Jewish Christians, or for that matter, Jewish Christians helping Gentile Christians.
We know that the NT teaching is to do good to all men, especially those of the household of faith...i.e., Christians. So we see that we should treat all men alike for all are the same in God's eyes.
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26)
It all comes down to an attitude...an attitude of love. Thanks for reading. Have a great week....and feel the love!
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Which Denomination is the Best?
What is the answer to the best denomination to be a part of today? Fortunately, the New Testament gives the clear answer to the question so that we do not have to wonder about this. Let's look at 1 Corinthians 1 starting with verse 10:
"I appeal to you, brothers, In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, 'I follow Paul'; another, 'I follow Apollos'; another, 'I follow Cephas'; still another, 'I follow Christ.' Is Christ divided? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?..."
The answer is clear. There is no best denomination. In fact, there should be no denomination, realizing that the word simply means to divide. As Christians, we are one. We have one Lord, Jesus Christ. Unity is taught all through the Bible. Just before His death, Jesus prayed in John 17 that His followers would be united. And this passage in Ephesians 4 shows us the importance of unity:
"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--one Lord, one faith, one baptism....."
It is obvious that Jesus and Paul were very concerned about the unity of Christians. We might ask how we can be unified and is that possible. The answer lies in just being Christians, just following the teaching of the Bible, just being today what Christians were in the days of the New Testament. Meanwhile, while we make this journey to being what Christ wants us to be, we are to "be completely humble and gentle", as it says in Eph. 4, with one another; to love one another and seek the best for one another.
Let's just be Christians. Thanks for reading. Have a great week.
"I appeal to you, brothers, In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, 'I follow Paul'; another, 'I follow Apollos'; another, 'I follow Cephas'; still another, 'I follow Christ.' Is Christ divided? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?..."
The answer is clear. There is no best denomination. In fact, there should be no denomination, realizing that the word simply means to divide. As Christians, we are one. We have one Lord, Jesus Christ. Unity is taught all through the Bible. Just before His death, Jesus prayed in John 17 that His followers would be united. And this passage in Ephesians 4 shows us the importance of unity:
"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--one Lord, one faith, one baptism....."
It is obvious that Jesus and Paul were very concerned about the unity of Christians. We might ask how we can be unified and is that possible. The answer lies in just being Christians, just following the teaching of the Bible, just being today what Christians were in the days of the New Testament. Meanwhile, while we make this journey to being what Christ wants us to be, we are to "be completely humble and gentle", as it says in Eph. 4, with one another; to love one another and seek the best for one another.
Let's just be Christians. Thanks for reading. Have a great week.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
God Always Provides
All through the Bible we see that God loves His people....and He always provides for His people. Today's lesson shows the example of this principle when God provided manna and quails for the people of Israel. God had brought the people out of the land of Egypt, out of slavery and oppression, had helped them cross the Red Sea on dry land by parting the waters, and was leading them toward the promised land. God delivered them and thought they would be appreciative.
Soon, the people became concerned about the lack of food and started complaining. We learn from the Bible that God does not appreciate complaining. He was upset with His people, but He showed great patience with them and love, too. He gave them manna and quails. We read in Exodus 16 that the manna was a type of bread dough that they got from God in the morning and baked. Then quails were provided in the evening which they would boil for eating.
We read on in the Old Testament that the Israelites were so turning away from God that He made them wander in the wilderness for 40 years before going into the promised land, the land of Canaan, what is today the nation of Israel. Later in this period of wandering, God again became upset with their complaining. Numbers 11 tells, "Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp." They then began complaining about the lack of meat again. Apparently, the quails had been stopped for awhile and now they were unhappy. God provided them quails again but in such quantity that it made them sick.
There are many lessons to be drawn here. The main one is that God is extremely gracious to His people. He saves, He delivers, He wants to help them...and does. It is the same with us today who are His followers. He not only gave us His only Son, but He continues to give and to care.
Another lesson is that God doesn't appreciate complaining. He didn't like it then and He doesn't like it now.
In summary, we must first be sure that we are committed to Him, that we are a true follower. And we should know that He provides, He takes care of His own. And we must appreciate the care and love He gives us, not complaining in any way.
Thanks for reading. I hope your week is great!
Soon, the people became concerned about the lack of food and started complaining. We learn from the Bible that God does not appreciate complaining. He was upset with His people, but He showed great patience with them and love, too. He gave them manna and quails. We read in Exodus 16 that the manna was a type of bread dough that they got from God in the morning and baked. Then quails were provided in the evening which they would boil for eating.
We read on in the Old Testament that the Israelites were so turning away from God that He made them wander in the wilderness for 40 years before going into the promised land, the land of Canaan, what is today the nation of Israel. Later in this period of wandering, God again became upset with their complaining. Numbers 11 tells, "Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp." They then began complaining about the lack of meat again. Apparently, the quails had been stopped for awhile and now they were unhappy. God provided them quails again but in such quantity that it made them sick.
There are many lessons to be drawn here. The main one is that God is extremely gracious to His people. He saves, He delivers, He wants to help them...and does. It is the same with us today who are His followers. He not only gave us His only Son, but He continues to give and to care.
Another lesson is that God doesn't appreciate complaining. He didn't like it then and He doesn't like it now.
In summary, we must first be sure that we are committed to Him, that we are a true follower. And we should know that He provides, He takes care of His own. And we must appreciate the care and love He gives us, not complaining in any way.
Thanks for reading. I hope your week is great!
Saturday, July 5, 2014
King Josiah
King Josiah was one of the last kings of the nation of Judah. This occurs in 2 Kings 22 of the Old Testament. The overall nation of Israel had been split into 2 parts for many years; Israel in the North and Judah in the South. As we read through the OT we see that Israel went into captivity to Assyria as recorded in 2 Kings 17. And the reason that they were overcome was because they had left the Lord, not following His instruction, following after false gods. And during this period of the Northern and Southern kingdoms, there was not one single king who was faithful to the Lord.
We read that Judah held on longer and never fell to the Assyrians. This is because at least some of the kings and the people remained faithful to God. Thus, God spared them for awhile. Eventually we see that Judah falls to the dynasty of Babylon.....but only when the nation started following false gods and totally rejecting the true God.
Josiah became king of Judah at the age of 8 and reigned for 31 years. The High Priest at that time found the Book of the Law and got it to the king. King Josiah as amazed; this book had not been found or followed for a long time. Verse 13, the king speaks, "Go, inquire of the Lord for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us."
Verse 25 says of king Josiah, "Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor after him did any arise like him."
This kind of commitment to the Lord serves as a good example to us. We need to recognize the importance of God's instruction book to us, the Bible. To those people of old it was the Law of Moses, given by God, the Jewish Law. To us it is the instruction of the New Testament. And we need to see that God is serious about us following it.
And we can note that all through the Bible we read where nations that followed the Lord were protected by Him. When nations turned away from Him, there was a great fall. Pray for our nation.
Thanks for reading......and learning, or being reminded, about our Great God!
We read that Judah held on longer and never fell to the Assyrians. This is because at least some of the kings and the people remained faithful to God. Thus, God spared them for awhile. Eventually we see that Judah falls to the dynasty of Babylon.....but only when the nation started following false gods and totally rejecting the true God.
Josiah became king of Judah at the age of 8 and reigned for 31 years. The High Priest at that time found the Book of the Law and got it to the king. King Josiah as amazed; this book had not been found or followed for a long time. Verse 13, the king speaks, "Go, inquire of the Lord for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us."
Verse 25 says of king Josiah, "Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor after him did any arise like him."
This kind of commitment to the Lord serves as a good example to us. We need to recognize the importance of God's instruction book to us, the Bible. To those people of old it was the Law of Moses, given by God, the Jewish Law. To us it is the instruction of the New Testament. And we need to see that God is serious about us following it.
And we can note that all through the Bible we read where nations that followed the Lord were protected by Him. When nations turned away from Him, there was a great fall. Pray for our nation.
Thanks for reading......and learning, or being reminded, about our Great God!
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