Two Kinds of Believers # 2

The Lord said to me…”I will test my people with a Plumbline, Amos 7:8 (TLB)

The Plumbline is a blog to encourage the Body of Christ.

Two Kinds of Believers # 2

How can this be? The believers make up the Church or the “Body of Christ”. Isn’t a believer a believer?  What could the causes be for a differential in the church?  Therefore, creating two kinds of believers. After all doesn’t the Apostle Paul declare in - Ephesians 5:25-27 (NKJV) 25 ….26 that He might…present her to Himself A GLORIOUS CHURCH…This is Christ’s goal – a glorious church, no spots or wrinkles, but holy, and no blemishes. Paul further instructs us in Ephesians 4:30 (TLB) Don’t cause the Holy Spirit sorrow by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who marks you to be present on that day when salvation from sin will be complete.

Let’s look to the Word for the answers to this problem of two kinds of believers.

                                                                       

Two Kinds of Believers

 The two kinds of believers can be characterized as follows.

Number One: Spiritual Sons.

Number Two: Mature Sons.

Number Three: New Born Sons.

v  1 Peter 2:2 (NKJV) “…as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

v  Sons with knowledge: 1 John 3:2 (KJV) Beloved, now are we the sons of God,

v  Ephesians 4:13 (KJV) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

There Is a difference between being made a son and living as a son. The difference is knowing what is involved in sonship. The difference between being a babe and a son is spiritual knowledge or the Christ-Life. 

Number Four: Healthy Sons.

v  1 Corinthians 3:1 (TLB) “…I have been talking to you as though you were still just babies in the Christian life who are not following the Lord but your own desires; I cannot talk to you as I would to healthy Christians who are filled with the Spirit.

However, this was not true of all at Corinth. When Paul came and preached Christ to them, they believed. By faith they were justified and granted peace with God (Rom. 5:1-2). No doubt Paul taught them all the blessings that came to them as Christians, what Paul called milk. At that time their way of thinking and living was only beginning to be transformed (Rom. 12:2). They were still greatly influenced by worldly thinking and behavior—they were infants in Christ.

Number Five: Wise Son.

v  Ephesians 5:15 (TLB) …”So be careful how you act; these are difficult days. Don’t be fools; be wise.”

v  Matthew 7:24 (TLB)  "All who listen to my instructions and follow them are wise, like a man who builds his house on solid rock.”

Jesus presented the two options open to His listeners. They were now responsible for what they had heard and must make a choice. They could build on one of two foundations. One foundation was likened to a big rock and the other to sand. The foundation determines the ability of a structure to withstand the elements (rain and winds). The rock foundation represented the Lord Himself and the truths He had been presenting, especially the truth concerning inner transformation. The sand spoke of Pharisaic righteousness which the people knew and on which many were basing their hopes. In storms the first would give stability; the second would result in destruction. Thus hearing and heeding Jesus’ words is wise; one who does not is foolish. Only two courses of action are possible—two kinds of roads and gates (Matt. 7:13-14), two kinds of trees and fruit (vv. 15-20), two kinds of foundations and builders (vv. 24-27).

Two Kinds of Believers

The Lord said to me…”I will test my people with a Plumbline, Amos 7:8 (TLB)

The Plumbline is a blog to encourage the Body of Christ.

Two Kinds of Believers

How can this be? The believers make up the Church or the “Body of Christ”. Isn’t a believer a believer?  What could the causes be for a differential in the church?  Therefore, creating two kinds of believers. After all doesn’t the Apostle Paul declare in - Ephesians 5:25-27 (NKJV) 25 ….26 that He might…present her to Himself A GLORIOUS CHURCH…This is Christ’s goal – a glorious church, no spots or wrinkles, but holy, and no blemishes. Paul further instructs us in Ephesians 4:30 (TLB) Don’t cause the Holy Spirit sorrow by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who marks you to be present on that day when salvation from sin will be complete.

Let’s look to the Word for the answers to this problem of two kinds of believers.

                                                                             

 The two kinds of believers can be characterized as follows.

Number One: Spiritual Sons.

• Galatians 6:1 (NKJV…you who are spiritual restore…considering yourself…

• 1 Corinthians 2:15 (NKJV) …He who is spiritual judges all things…  

A person possessing the Spirit and guided by Him is able to evaluate and apply all things the Spirit reveals. The spiritual man can be judged only by God, not by unregenerate people or by worldly Christians. To have the mind of Christ is to be obedient to God’s revelation (Phil. 2:5-8), as were the spiritual people in the Corinthian church.

Number Two: Mature Sons.

•  Hebrews 6:1 (TLB) “…Let us go on…and become mature…”

• Philippians 3:15 (NLT) “Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things.”

• 1 Corinthians 2:6 (NIV) “We…speak a message of wisdom among the mature…”

In Paul’s disclaimer about his own brilliance he did not mean that God puts a premium on ignorance and rejects wisdom of any sort. There was a wisdom taught by the Spirit that Paul wanted his readers to grasp firmly. Some of his readers had done so (no doubt Paul hoped that someday all would do so). He referred to them as the mature, probably including the individuals mentioned in 16:15-18. My pray is that I would grow spiritually mature today.

The Touch of the Master

The Lord said to me…”I will test my people with a Plumbline, Amos 7:8 (TLB)

The Plumbline is a blog to encourage the Body of Christ.

Mark 1:41 (NKJV)  “Then Jesus…touched him."

The Touch of the Master

The Master

Moved by compassion (“having deep pity”), Jesus... touched the untouchable and cured the incurable. His touch showed that Jesus was not bound by Rabbinic regulations regarding ritual defilement. Both this symbolic touch (cf. 7:33; 8:22) and Jesus’ authoritative pronouncement—I am willing (pres. tense), be clean (aorist pass., decisive act received)—constituted the cure. It was immediate, complete and visible to all who were standing near by.

Bob Gass reminds us of a legendary illustration of a battered old violin being auctioned off. “It was battered and scarred and the auctioneer thought it hardly worth his while, to waste much time on the old violin so he held it up with a smile. ‘What am I bidden for this old violin? Who’ll start the bidding for me? A dollar, a dollar, who’ll make it two? Two dollars, and who’ll make it three? Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,’ but no; from the back of the room a gray haired man came forward and picked up the bow. Then sweeping the dust from the old violin, and tightening up all the strings, he played a melody pure and sweet, as sweet as the angels sing. The music ceased and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low, said, ‘What am I bid for the old violin?’ and he held it up with the bow. ‘A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two? Two thousand, and who’ll make it three? Three thousand once, three thousand twice, going, and gone,’ said he. The people cheered, but some of them said, We do not quite understand. What changed its worth?’ Then came the reply, ‘The touch of the Master’s hand.’

“And many a man with his life out of tune, battered and scarred with sin, is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin. A mess of pottage, a glass of wine, a game, and he shuffles along: going once, going twice, he’s going and almost gone. But the Master comes, and the thoughtless crowd never can quite understand, the worth of the soul, and the change that’s wrought, by the touch of the Master’s hand.”

A Very Special Day

The Lord said to me…”I will test my people with a Plumbline, Amos 7:8 (TLB)

The Plumbline is a blog to encourage the Body of Christ.

A Very Special Day

The First & Only Lady of My Life

Yesterday, March 13^th marks the sixty-first year anniversary of our first date together. I remember it well. During the first two years prior to this occasion, I carried Doris’ school picture in my wallet. Based on this you’ll be able to appreciate how I was feeling.

To add a bit more intrigue this was Doris’ first date. Our first date night was centered on our High School class play. Neither of us is able to remember the name of the production. But who cares it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

This gal of mine has a way of tracking these kinds of things to remember. We celebrated yesterday lunchtime meal by enjoying a “Hot-n-Ready” Caesars Pizza. For supper we went to Outback Steak House for a steak and lobster special. During the course of the evening the owner came by our table to chat.  During the conversation, she suggested that Doris spent a lot of time hollering at me. Doris responded, “Oh no he’s a minister and a gracious man..”

This coming June we’ll be celebration our 58^th wedding anniversary.

The Blessed Hope

The Lord said to me…”I will test my people with a Plumbline, Amos 7:8 (TLB)

The Plumbline is a blog to encourage the Body of Christ.

The Blessed Hope

Titus 2:13 (NASB)  looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

The definition of the term “Second Coming” is broad, used in at least two different ways. Sometimes this term is used of the total end-time drama, encompassing both the rapture of the Church and the revelation of Christ in triumphant glory (2 Thess 1:7), when He will stand on the Mount of Olives (Zech 14:4). Sometimes the term is used specifically of the revelation of Christ, in distinction to the Rapture, which precedes it. The first phase of the Second Coming, then, used in this broader sense, refers to the rapture of the Church. Abruptly and without warning, Jesus will catch away those who are prepared for His coming, but He will not descend to earth itself at that time (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 (NKJV) 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.; 2 Thess 2:1). Those “in Christ,” both those resurrected and those still alive, will together be “caught up” (Gk. harpagēsometha), “snatched away powerfully” in the clouds (possibly clouds of glory) for a meeting with Him in the air—above the earth.

Because Matthew 24:30–31 mentions the angels gathering the elect after it mentions all nations mourning when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory, some take this to mean that the Church will not be caught away until after Jesus comes to destroy the armies of the Antichrist at the end of the Tribulation. But Matthew 24 does not give events in the order of their occurrence. Jesus had no intention of revealing the day or the hour (Matt 24:36). The words “At that time” (“then,” KJV) in Matthew 24:30 translate a very general Greek word (tote), meaning that these events will all occur in the same general period of time, but not necessarily in the order given.

Jesus further emphasizes that when the Rapture takes place, everything in the world will still be going on as usual. In New Testament times, the economy was agricultural and men went daily into the fields. Since there were no tight containers to keep insects out of flour, a daily task of women was to clean the grain and grind fresh flour in the small stone hand mills for their daily bread. So when Jesus says, “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken [taken along to be with Jesus] and the other left [abandoned, left behind to suffer the judgments about to come on the earth], two women will be grinding with a hand mill, one will be taken and the other left” (Matt 24:40–41), This seems to indicte people will be going about their daily tasks when He comes again. Everything will seem to be “business as usual.” Then, without any special warning, one shall be snatched away to meet the Lord in the air, while the person by his or her side will be left to suffer the wrath of God that is about to be poured out on the earth. There is no indication whatever of the world being dominated by the Antichrist at this time or of the armies of the Antichrist being gathered for the battle of Armageddon. It seems obvious, therefore, that the Church will be caught away prior to the great judgments of the Tribulation period, so vividly pictured in the Book of Revelation.^7[1]

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^[1] Menzies, W. W. (1993). Bible Doctrines: A Pentecostal Perspective (S. M. Horton, Ed.) (216–218). Springfield, MO: Logion Press.

Hypocrites!

The Lord said to me…”I will test my people with a Plumbline, Amos 7:8 (TLB)

The Plumbline is a blog to encourage the Body of Christ.

Hypocrites!

The Perfect Master

Matthew 23:23-31 (NLT) 23 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. 24 Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel! 25 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. 27 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. 28 Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed. 30 Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.’ 31 “But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

Hypocrite is a word used by many as an excuse to steer clear of the church. A hypocrite is one who puts on a mask and feigns himself to be what he is not; a dissembler in religion. Our Lord severely rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy (Mat 6:2, 5, 16). "The hypocrite's hope shall perish" (Job 8:13). The Hebrew word here rendered "hypocrite" rather means the "godless" or "profane," as it is rendered in Jer. 23:11, i.e., polluted with crimes. Its not a very pretty picture.

It is interesting to hear Jesus with clear tones of rebuke as He addresses the “religious” leaders of His day with the pharisaic practice of meticulously tithing all their possessions. They went so far as to carry the practice down to the smallest spices from plants: mint, dill, and cummin. While meticulously following the Law in this area (Lev. 27:30), they failed to manifest the justice, mercy, and faithfulness demanded by the Law. They were majoring on minors, straining at a gnat, while minoring on majors, swallowing a camel. In the New King James Version, Jesus uses the word “hypocrite” FIVE times in nine verses of Matt 23:23-31 signifying His displeasure.

Marvin Williams, Our Daily Bread fame, wrote; “One night a clergyman was walking to church when a thief pulled a gun on him and demanded his money or his life. When he reached in his pocket to hand over his wallet, the robber saw his clerical collar and said: “I see you are a priest. Never mind, you can go.” The clergyman, surprised by the robber’s unexpected act of piety, offered him a candy bar. The robber said, “No thank you. I don’t eat candy during Lent.”

The man had given up candy as a supposed sacrifice for Lent, but his lifestyle of stealing showed his real character! 

“According to the writer of Proverbs, conduct is the best indicator of character. If someone says he is a godly person, his words can only be proven by consistent actions Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right. —Proverbs 20:11. This was true of the religious leaders in Jesus’ day as well. He condemned the Pharisees and exposed their sham for professing godliness but denying that profession with sin in their lives (Matt. 23:13-36). Appearances and words are deceiving; behavior is the best judge of character. As followers of Jesus, we demonstrate our love for Him by what we do, not just by what we say. May our devotion to God, because of His love for us, be revealed in our actions today! Conduct is the best proof of character.