Where Does the Social Gospel Come From?

Separating the Goats from the Sheep

“31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them {the sheep} on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren {the Jews}, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand {the goats}, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they {the goats} also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them {the goats}, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these {the goats} shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew 25:31-46).

This is a remarkable portion of Scripture detailing a prophecy by Christ of a future event. It is a prophecy with great detail, yet it is a prophecy that is greatly misunderstood. This is the central text used to establish what has come to be known as the Social Gospel. The Social Gospel is a movement within Protestant Christianity (primarily led by Presbyterianism, but followed by most denominations later, including Catholicism) that began to develop in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. It is more of a political movement than it is theological. It might be better called Christian Socialism.

In the context of an Amillennial world view, Liberal Theology began to adopt Karl Marx’s philosophies of Social Economics as its main emphasis in ushering in a utopian kingdom (thereby birthing the Social Gospel). Marx viewed the means of the sociological progression of the implementation of his economic theory through two eyes; sociological revolution and sociological evolution (this is what the word PROGRESSIVE means to a political liberal). Marx viewed society (the Social Economy) in two categories:

1. Proletariat is the lower class of producers; laborers or wage earners
2. Bourgeoisie is the upper/middle class of consumers that take capital or profit from what is produced by the labor class thereby exploiting the labor class for personal gain

Marx’s economic theory was primarily intent on equalizing the distribution of capital (Product) between all classes and thereby eliminating those classes (or equalizing them). Religious Liberals took up Marx’s PROGRESSIVE evolutionary economic theory and adapted it to their Amillennial view. They saw the scientific advances in the world as the means to the end of all poverty and sickness; a utopian Kingdom on earth advanced by humanity (Humanism). A Liberal, Socialist Baptist pastor, named Harry Emerson Fosdick in the Cole Lectures for 1922 delivered before Vanderbilt University (Christianity And Progress; a series of six lectures) said,

“When, then, we find the minds of men first throwing off their intellectual vassalage to antiquity and beginning to believe in themselves, their present powers and their future prospects, it is this new found mastery over nature’s latent resources which is the spring and fountain of their confidence.”

Marx’s REVOLUTION View for social change is known as Communism. His EVOLUTION View of social change is known as Socialism. The Revolution View proposed the radical and violent overthrow of the structure of a society in order to force the institution of this economic theory through a totalitarian governance of that society. His Evolution View (Marxist Reconstructionism) proposed the gradual institution of this economic theory through the Democratic process (Progressive; this is what is going on in Political Liberalism).

From this revelation, the Marxist Revisionism (Reconstructionism) of the late 1800’s began to develop. In the 1890’s Sidney and Beatrice Webb founded the Fabian Socialist Society. This was known as Federalism in Europe and New Dealism in the United States of America. Notice the key terms in their agenda:

“They avowed a NON-REVOLUTIONARY, GRADUALIST policy to attain a highly organized DEMOCRATIC state socialism by way of SCHOLARLY demonstration, brilliant PROPAGANDA, and PERMEATION of established political and influential organization.”

In Religious/Political Liberalism, Secular Humanism (Non-theism) married Marxist Reconstructionism (the evolution of Marx’s socialist economic theory). These two have been made “one flesh.” Religious Liberalism (Socialism) invented the Social Gospel as its means to achieve Marx’s evolutionary view for social change (Reconstructionism and Redistribution). This became a major part of what Religious Liberalism and Secular Humanism have come to refer to as Social Planning. This is progressively (gradually) moving societies toward Marx’s redistribution economic philosophy.

Matthew 25:31-46 has been singled out by theological liberals and misinterpreted to try to give Biblical credibility to this redistribution economic philosophy. Of course, they take this portion of Scripture completely out of its eschatological context in its primary reference to the Jews during the seven year Tribulation on earth.

In order to understand this text, we must see it in its proper timetable of future events. Then, we must identify the characters in the word portrait Christ paints before us. Matthew 25:31 tells us when and where this prophecy will be fulfilled. The timetable for the fulfillment of this prophecy is the second coming of Christ to establish His Kingdom. Therefore, this is not the Great White Throne and there is no resurrection of the dead involved. This is on earth just prior to the beginning of the 1,000 year reign of Christ on Earth. There are five phrases used to define the characters in the scene before us.

1. The Son of Man (referring to Jesus Christ, the incarnate, glorified Son of God)
2. The Holy Angels (the executioners of God’s wrath; II Thessalonians 1:7-10)
3. The Sheep
4. The Goats
5. The Brethren

The subject of the text centers around dividing the Sheep from the Goats by what they have done for the Brethren just prior to Christ’s return to establish His Kingdom on Earth. The world events just prior to the second coming of Christ are the events surrounding the rise of the Antichrist after the rapture of the Church Age saints. This is the seven year Tribulation that begins right after the rapture of the Church Age saints. Therefore, the first thing we must understand is who the Brethren are.

The Brethren could possibly refer to all Jews living during the Tribulation. The Antichrist, as the leader of the New Babylon (Muslim nations), will seek to annihilate the nation of Israel. The Brethren may refer more specifically to the 144,000 Jews sealed by Christ at about the middle of the seven year Tribulation. These 144,000 Jews, along with Christ’s “two witnesses,” will preach the gospel of the Kingdom primarily to the nation of Israel and the vast majority of the Jews will accept Jesus as their Messiah and will be “born again.” The Antichrist will make every effort to have them killed.

“1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel” (Revelation 7:1-4).

The Antichrist will seek to kill them by keeping them from being able to buy or sell. He will initiate an international identification system where anyone wanting to buy or sell must take a number in their hands or in their foreheads. Those unwilling to take the “mark” of the Beast will not be able to buy food, water, medical care, clothing, or housing/shelter. Those that will not take the mark of the Beast will be sought out to be imprisoned and, eventually, murdered. Many believers from all nations of the world will give their lives to protect these Jews from the Antichrist’s executioners. (Which nations execute people by cutting off their heads?)

“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4).

This text refers to the believers who died during the Tribulation. There will be many Gentile believers during the Tribulation who will somehow survive the last three and a half years when the Antichrist’s numerical system of identification will be instituted. These are the individuals Christ refers to as the Sheep in Matthew 25:33. They somehow will be able to develop some kind of underground networking to get food, water, shelter, clothing and medical care. Yet, even in this extreme situation, they will extend the love of God to the Jews (Christ’s Brethren) by providing them with food, water, shelter, clothing and medical care. Christ spoke of uniting Gentile believers with Jewish believers into “one fold” one day.

“14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:14-16).

At the second coming of Christ, Jesus will establish His Millennial Throne in Jerusalem. The first event of His Sovereignty on Earth will be the judgment of the nations. This refers to those who survive the seven year tribulation. During this seven year period of time, God will release His restraint upon the forces of evil in the world thereby releasing God’s wrath through this means. The “prince of power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2) will use this opportunity to try to annihilate mankind from the face of the Earth. Apparently, God will put His hand of protection around many of both Gentile and Jewish believers. For sure we know that everyone of the 144,000 Jews sealed earlier during the Tribulation are protected because we find them on Mt. Zion with Christ at His second coming.

“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads” (Revelation 14:1).

In all of this horror, we are reminded of Habakkuk’s prayer in chapter 3:2, “O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy." In God’s protection and restoration of the nation of Israel, He certainly does “remember mercy.” Yet, this mercy is magnified by the horrors of His wrath in Revelation 19:11-16 where we find those who have rejected God’s love and grace extended to them in the Gospel of Jesus and who “after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.” The “day of wrath” has come for those on the earth who rejected Christ during the Tribulation and who refused to give aid to His Brethren.

“11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:11-16).

The Goats will be separated from the Sheep and they will finally taste the wine of God’s wrath. God will separate the Goats from the Sheep and will slay the Goats with the “sharp sword” that goes “out of His mouth.” The Goats will be killed by the spoken Word of God coming from the mouth of Jesus Christ. The “beast and the false prophet” will be cast alive into the “lake of fire.” The Goats will be slain by the “sword” that “proceeded out of his mouth.”

“20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the remnant {the Goats} were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh” (Revelation 19:20-21).

The Christian and Alcohol

I would highly recommend this message by Dr. Chuck Phelps on The Christian and Alcohol.

Dr. Phelps is the President of Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Watertown, WI.

We thank the Lord for a man who is willing to be dogmatic about this issue when most of our schools are unwilling to do so. Many of the professed Young Fundamentalists are coming out of our Baptist Bible Colleges with a drink in moderation position.
Click Here to hear the message

I would encourage forwarding the link to others.

Christ’s Method of Dealing with Seekers

His Message to the Mixed-multitudes

“And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 14:25-35).

Very often, when I get together with a group of pastors, right after the handshake and the “how are you doing” question, the next question is, “how many are you running now.” They are asking how many people attend your church services. Although they may not realize it, they are keeping score and trying to see who is ahead. According to Christ’s statements Luke 14:25-35, He does not keep score the same way many pastors and most local churches keep score. In fact, we can readily say that His way of keeping score is radically different from what goes on it most of evangelical Christianity. We might go as far as saying that what Christ says in Luke 14:25-35 is a condemnation against the score keeping of most of evangelical Christianity. Sadly, the vast majority of modern day evangelical Christianity is savorless salt “neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill.” “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

I would imagine that just about every Bible believer would agree that, if we are going to adopt a purely Christian methodology for evangelizing the masses, we must adopt Christ’s methodology wherever we can. There are certain aspects of Christ’s ministry we are not able to adopt (although the Charismatics would disagree). For instance, we cannot go around healing diseases and doing miracles like Christ did, or even like the Apostles did (although God still answers prayer, heals diseases, and is working miracles). If healing were part of the ministry of the Church today, every local church would be a very small hospital with just a waiting room to see the Healer (there would be no need of any hospital rooms, surgeries, medical treatments, or Pharmacies).

What we are seeing in most of modern day evangelicalism is nothing at all like Christ’s example of dealing with the multitudes of Seekers. There are no definitive truths being preached regarding sin by most of modern day evangelicalism. In fact, much of what God calls sin is merely rationalized away or seldom spoken of lest someone be offended. This is what many evangelicals call Positivism. Even the prepositional truths that define the gospel message (the objective facts regarding Who Christ is and what He has accomplished in His death, burial, and resurrection that a sinner must understand, believe, and trust in) are no longer necessary to one’s faith. This is known as Inclusivism.

We can also see in Luke 14:25-35 that Christ had a definitive message to those professing to believe He was Messiah and now wanted to become His disciples. Within most of modern day evangelicalism, we never see anything close to resembling this kind of preaching/teaching to professing believers. In fact, because polls tell us that most professing Christians do not want to be preached at, Church services are set up to resembled large social gatherings where people from all lifestyles and religious beliefs can get together for discussion or conversation. The assembly is set up to be more of a group counseling center intent upon helping people feel good about themselves, regardless of how they might be living before God. Everything about these services is structured to take away the feeling of structure and to avoid the attendees’ memories of their bad feelings about Church from their childhood or since. There is certainly no direct confrontation of professing believers with Christ’s expectation of disciples like we find in Luke 14:25-35.

Most of modern day evangelicalism has seriously distorted evangelism as a whole. Today, unbelievers are invited to attend religious gatherings and participate in religious conversation (dialogue). These gatherings are where professionals deal with Seekers in non-confrontational unobtrusive ways. Conversion is more about accepting the group’s philosophy of religious beliefs and practices than it is about repentance of sin, false religious beliefs, and understanding what Christ has accomplished to save people, trusting Him and calling on Him to save. The acceptance of the group and faith in what the group is doing is more important than accepting certain religious dogmas. This is really the purpose of group assemblies; i.e. acclimating Seekers to the group through relationships.

What we want to see from Luke 14:25-35 is the general way in which Christ dealt with the multitudes or Seekers and is the general way He expects His Church to function. I think we will see that He does so in a way that is remarkably different from what has become the accepted norm within modern day Christianity. There are no psychological manipulations going on in Christ’s methodology. There is no masking of intent hidden behind some covert agenda. Jesus is obvious, direct, confrontational, and gives definitive statements that are ultimatums without exception clauses. It seems obvious that Luke 14:25-35 is a directive in the way He wants His local churches to function.

It seems obvious to me that there are some governing principles and methodologies in Luke 14:25-35 that should govern the way local churches do ministry. It also seems obvious to me that the vast majority of evangelical churches have seriously distorted the way Christ qualifies true disciples and, therefore, defines what constitutes membership within a local church congregation of disciples. Instead of a Sola Scriptura methodology for ministry, modern Evangelicalism has adopted methods determined mostly through philosophical rationalism, not Biblical exegesis. The central criterion for this rationalism is based upon the false premise that if the method produces numbers (multitudes), God must be blessing it and, therefore, God must approve the method.

It is difficult for modern day evangelicals to escape the pragmatic thinking that encapsulates it, captivates its thinking, and has led it down a road with a focus upon results (numbers of people). We would like to blame this all on New Evangelicalism, Post-modernism, Bill Hybelsism/Rick Warrenism (Purpose Driven Church), or the Emerging Church philosophies. The fact is, all of these philosophies of ministry evolved from the practices of mass evangelism that came out of the Billy Sunday/D.L. Moody (and their successors) types of campaigns or Bible conferences outside of the definitive Scriptural perimeters of the local church.

Under this methodology, the masses were invited through city-wide evangelistic campaigns to come to large tent meetings with benches and cedar saw dust scattered on the ground (to keep the mud from caking and to keep the smell of thousands of sweating bodies from becoming unbearable). In this environment, soul stirring hymns were sung, soul stirring messages from world renowned speakers were preached, invitations to repent of sin and receive Christ were given and thousands of people made professions. However, seldom were these messages accompanied with personal instruction regarding ecclesiastical and personal separation responsibilities (like found in Luke 14:25-35) once a person accepted Christ. Seldom were professions of faith followed up by giving new believers instructions regarding Christ’s expectations for putting off the old life and putting on the new. Evangelists believed their job was to persuade people to believe. However, because this was done outside of local churches, these individuals’ decisions were seldom followed up with solid discipleship.

Often many of these people returned to their apostate churches. Seldom was there any in depth discipleship of those making professions. Out of all of this, local congregations did grow in numbers and church attendance increased. However, there was also a shallowness of theological depth within many of these local churches as mass evangelism was emphasized and discipleship was superficial. This generation became known as the Christianity that was a mile wide and an inch deep.

Within certain circles, mass evangelism took a more Scriptural methodology in the bus ministry philosophies of Elmer Towns and Jack Hyles and what came to be known as Door to Door Evangelism. However, even this methodology began to degenerate with some serious aberrations. Soon, every service in these types of local churches became mini-evangelistic meetings. Soul-stirring hymns were sung and soul-stirring messages were preached with the emphasis on getting lost people to come to church services to hear great preachers preach and to get lost people to walk the isles to be pray the Sinners Prayer. Every message in every service was a salvation message.

Needless to say, even though many of these local churches had huge numbers of professions of faith and large numbers of baptisms, most of the people in these churches were never really discipled in “the faith.” There were often as many going out the back doors of these churches as were coming in the front doors. The philosophy of evangelism was merely to get more coming in than were going out. The large numbers of professions and baptisms merely added to the breadth of the numbers within professing Christianity, but the spiritual depth did not increase in any real substantial way. The River was growing wider, but the depth was not increasing much.

Discipleship in most of these Soul Winning churches involved teaching people to memorize the Romans’ Road and teaching them a methodology of witnessing that would produce the greatest numbers of professions. Sadly, even though the leaders in these churches denied it, this methodology was more about accounting (numbers) than it was about souls. It led to an unhealthy method of Score Keeping and the merchandizing of people in what might really be described as Empire Building (Pastoral Empires). Out of these types of Church Growth models evolved the various and diverse pragmatic extensions we see in modern evangelicalism of today; New Evangelicalism, Easy Believism, Only Believism, Positivism, the mega-pragmatism of the Carnival Churches and their message of Cultural Relevancy (Hybalsism/Warrenism), and the Easy Prayerism of Hylesism.

It has been said that when a person chooses the beginning of a way, he also chooses the end of that way. If I get on a road that ends with a hundred foot drop off into a ravine, unless I get off that road (repent and change direction), I will undoubtedly end up at the bottom of that ravine. The present Trinity of Pragmatism (Hybalsism/Warrenism/Hylesism) is the ravine. The reason the ravine does not appear as dangerous to the majority of professing evangelicals is that it has been created over the last hundred years by the river that is a mile wide and an inch deep. The vast majority of professing evangelicals do not have enough theological depth even to recognize the problem. They do not even know they are already in the ravine and part of the problem. They, in fact, have become defenders and propagators of the very philosophies that have put them in the abomination in which they exist. They may be in the Shallows, but they are stuck there nonetheless.

As we begin to address the philosophical failures, and establish and define a Biblical methodology from Luke 14:25-35, let me say I appreciate soul stirring hymns and soul stirring preaching. However, we must begin by Scripturally defining what soul stirring means regarding both worship music and preaching. There are two critical texts in the epistles that define what soul stirring music should be about.

“¹⁷ Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; ¹⁹ Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; ²⁰ Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God” (Ephesians 5:17-21).

“¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. ¹⁷ And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:16-17).

In Ephesians 5:19-21 and Colossians 3:16-17, God instructs us that “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” are to result in introspection and reflection. Introspection means that true “spiritual songs” will cause us to speak to ourselves in a way that leads us to consider our own internal spiritual condition as compared to God’s revealed will. Introspection turns our hearts to compare our spiritual reality with God’s Word.

Reflection means that “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” are to cause us to fix our thinking upon Scriptural Truths (Theological proclamations) that lead us to worship God in grateful admiration and praise for His goodness and grace in our lives. Introspection and reflection are the two main things that a true Christian should be involved with in singing “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” “Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” are not for our enjoyment or entertainment. If that is all they do, they are not “spiritual.”

Truly “spiritual songs” are intent upon stirring our thinking towards the things of God and stirring our actions and emotions towards worshiping God through joyful obedience to His commands and loving (self-sacrificial) ministry to the world. Using worldly music to make Christianity culturally relevant is an oxymoron because that is not the purpose of worship music. Spiritual music is not intended to make the church relevant to the cultures of the world. Spiritual music is intended to communicate the truths about God and the commands of God relevant to Christians.

I assure you, the communication of God’s truths and God’s commands is a purely spiritual endeavor that must be separated from worldly methods. The purpose of spiritual music in the discipleship process is not to make Christianity culturally relevant by integrating worldly aspects of the cultures into worship. This kind of integration thinking is what Roman Catholicism has done with pagan cultures for centuries. They merely incorporated aspects of pagan cultures and aspects of their pagan worship practices with Roman Catholic rituals and thereby absorbed those cultures and false religious practices. This argument for cultural relevancy is nothing more than an ancient Roman Catholic methodology integrationism (spelled COMPROMISE). It is a contradiction against spirituality in that the intent of discipleship is to eradicate worldliness from a believer’s life, not incorporate worldliness into the believer’s life.

Producing worship that results in joyful obedience to God’s commands and loving (self-sacrificing) ministry to the world should also be the objective of soul stirring preaching. Soul stirring preaching is predominantly about proclaiming what God says and what God wants in dogmatic terms intent upon persuading sinners to yield their wills to God’s will. Soul stirring preaching is predominantly theological and doctrinal. Soul stirring preaching is preoccupied with what God has said (His Word). Soul stirring preaching is about leading souls to spiritual maturity through incremental decisions of yieldedness. Soul stirring preaching is confrontational, uncompromising, to the point, and specific.

The predominant theme and purpose of soul stirring preaching is complete, absolute, total surrender to Jesus Christ and loving Him to the self-sacrificial degree that, by comparison, you “hate” your “father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and” your “own life also.” In fact, Christ says you cannot legitimately consider yourself one of His disciples until you BEGIN with that kind of commitment. He also says that before you begin, you better stop and count the cost of this expectation. The person understanding the purpose of preaching understands the commitment necessary to God’s intended benefit from that preaching. Without the initial commitment, the professing disciple will never realize the intended benefit.

We are not talking about salvation in Luke 14:25-35. We are talking about discipleship. Christ is telling us that when we accept the beginning of the way of discipleship, we are accepting the end of the way of discipleship. To declare one’s self a disciple of Jesus Christ is to accept the Cross as a reality in our lives (Gal. 2:20). Discipleship is death to selfishness. Discipleship is death to personal ambitions and worldly pursuits. Discipleship is a declaration of determination to “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly diving the Word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). Discipleship is the declaration to be a “living sacrifice” intent upon living or dying to the glory of God (Romans 12:1-2). If that is not the reality of your Christian testimony, your Christian testimony is a lie and you are a hypocrite.

There is another critical aspect to Christ’s methodology that few ever seem to see. This aspect of His methodology is a total contradiction to what we see as acceptable Christianity within the river a mile wide and an inch deep. WITH EVERY INCREMENTAL DECISION THAT CHRIST LED HIS DISCIPLES THROUGH, HE INCREASED HIS EXPECTATIONS OF THEM AND THEREBY LESSENED THE NUMBERS THAT FOLLOWED HIM. This is the normal progression in true discipleship and spiritual growth (progressive sanctification).

True discipleship refines the multitudes of professing believers and naturally purges out those failing the constant tests of faith by their own pathetic indecisiveness. It is through this refining fire that God determines those individuals He can trust with His glory and through whose lives He can produce fruit. God is exalted and glorified through His miraculous workings through the lives of the few, not in the lives of the masses. God is repeating the story of Gideon in every true Church of Jesus Christ. If we miss that truth, we have missed the message of Luke 14:25-35.

In the establishment of any local church, after the laying of a solid foundation of disciples of Jesus Christ, if those disciples end up raising up a banner to glorify some man instead of glorifying God, that man’s ministry has been a failure. If the ministry of any man does not result in disciples becoming a “city set on a hill” with all their “light” directing the world to look upon Jesus Christ, that man’s ministry has been a failure. Discipleship is not about building monuments to men. If that is the case, what is being called discipleship is not discipleship at all. Every local church is to be a monument to glorify God. Those of us intent upon making disciples better insure that we maintain that focus in our everyday ministries. We should never forget that there is a “great gulf fixed” between Empire Building and Kingdom Building and, we all had better regularly evaluate with which of the two we have involved ourselves.

Holiness: Living Godly Is Living Truth

“1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: 2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. 3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. 6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. 7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. 9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; 10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. 11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee” (Titus 2:1-15).

As we come to verse 11 of this text, we are once again reminded that “sound doctrine” is more than the transfer of intelligentsia from one mind to another. “Sound doctrine” is the communication of life changing truths. If the teaching of “sound doctrine” does not produce change in lives, it cannot be said that the teaching has been believed or accepted. The test of a person’s orthodoxy is not what he professes to believe, but what he lives both publicly and privately (what a person does in privacy is the real test of his orthodoxy). That is what is meant by the words “that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things” in Titus 2:10.

The word “purloining” in Titus 2:10 is from the Greek word nosphizomai (nos-fid'-zom-ahee). Servants are not supposed to embezzle from their masters (today, employers) by failing to work hard or by taking what does not belong to them. “Shewing all good fidelity” could be translated “demonstrating or displaying the faith (belief in the right doctrine) through the practice of life.” “The faith” is not a written doctrinal statement of our belief system. It is a living testimonial of our beliefs. So when the Word of God speaks of being “sound in doctrine” or “sound in the faith” it is not talking about what be believe intellectually. It is talking about the way we live out those beliefs in the everyday circumstances of our lives.

“13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. 15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:13-16).

The believers of every local congregation are commanded to live out this orthodoxy (manifested by a transformed life) in the various interpersonal relationships of life and they are commanded to admonish one another to live out this orthodoxy. That is what fundamentalism is all about. Fundamentalism is about translating the written, fundamental truths of the Word of God into the language of life changing, living truth. When I talk about fundamental truths I mean the truths of God’s Word, which must be lived and that are absolutely essential to being right with God. The ultimate goal of the translation of the spoken Word of God (preaching) and the written Word of God into the language of living truth is what the Bible calls “godliness.”

“6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (I Timothy 4:6-8).

The word “exercise” in I Timothy 4:7 is from the Greek word gumnazo (goom-nad'-zo). It literally means to exercise without clothing. The metaphorical use of the word means that the end goal of spiritual exercise (“godliness”) is achieved when we have stripped ourselves of everything pertaining to the carnal lust of our flesh. This word “godliness” defines both the goal and the struggle of the Christian life with the “flesh.” This struggle with the lusts of our eyes, the lust of our flesh and the pride of our lives (I John 2:16, the three avenues of sin into our lives) is detailed even further in Hebrews chapter 12.

“1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin” (Hebrews 12:1-4).

The instruction of Paul to Titus (and all pastors) is that no one is to be allowed to lower the standard of holiness. We are not to be pursuing closeliness. Every believer, regardless of his station in life, is to live in such a way as to make the teachings of the Word of God appealing to the lost.

The reality is that the Bible is an instruction book written from our loving, heavenly Father to His children living in a foreign land. It is a book about do’s and don’ts. It is also a book about trust. If we believe God is Who He says He is, we will accepts His do’s and don’ts because we believe He loves us and knows what is best for us. However, if we do not trust Him with our lives, we will be constantly complaining about the strictness of God and how much Christianity costs us in personal sacrifices. When that is our attitude towards God, we will be constantly struggling with His Word. One thing will be sure; our lives will not be a living appeal to the lost to become Christian.

If God’s expectations for holiness in your life are viewed as too restrictive on your lifestyle, the issue is not about the strictness of God’s commands. The issue is about your unwillingness to trust God with what needs to be done in your life so God can use you to maximize fruit production.

“1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:1-3).

Secondly, if living the way God commands His children to live is a great big hassle to you, the real problem is that you do not love the Lord. You love yourself more than you love God and therefore are more concerned about what gives you pleasure than about what you need to do in order to be a fruit bearer for God’s glory.

“1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (I John 5:1-3).

The word “for” in Titus 2:11 is a critical word to the meaning of the text. It draws together all the previous statements in the first ten verses and brings the potential for the reality of their fulfillment in the manifold “grace of God.”

The word “grace” is from the Greek word charis (khar'-ece). It refers to the merciful kindness of God by which He exerts His holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in the Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues. In the simplest sense, “grace” refers to the supernatural enablement of God in the believer’s life empowering the believer who has yielded his will to God’s will to live the way God wants him to live.

This enabling grace of God was fully made manifest in the life of Jesus Christ (Titus 2:11). The words “that bringeth salvation” in Titus 2:11 are from the Greek word soterion (so-tay'-ree-on), which literally means the embodiment of salvation. The words “hath appeared” are from the Greek word epiphaino (ep-ee-fah'-ee-no), the word from which we get our English word epiphany.

Jesus Christ was the visible manifestation of the enabling grace of God in human form. Jesus Christ was enabled by the Holy Spirit to translate the Word of God into living. Therefore, Jesus Christ is the personification of God’s enabling power to live out God’s commands in this life. God’s command for “godliness” is a command for all believers to be the personification of this enabling power (“grace”).

Just as salvation is a gift of God’s grace, the ability to live the Christian life is a gift of God’s grace. This enabling power of God is freely available to all believers. This happens when the believer cooperates with the Holy Spirit in a joint effort (as communicated by the Bible word “fellowship”).

The word “teaching” is from the Greek word paideuo (pahee-dyoo'-o), which means to train through instruction or chastisement. God’s continuing ministry in our lives, is a gift of His grace. Just as a Father is responsible in every aspect of his children’s training, God makes Himself responsible to train His children to be like Him (“godliness’). His grace constantly involves Him in our training through instruction (the Word of God) and chastisement when we fail or refuse to be obedient to His Word.

The first area of God’s instruction in our lives, according to Titus 2:12, is to train us (through the instruction of His Word and through chastisement when we fail) to deny “ungodliness and worldly lusts.” The word “ungodliness” is from the Greek word asebeia (as-eb'-i-ah), which refers to any practice or thought that is contrary to the nature and character of God and, therefore, manifests irreverence towards God. That is what grace teaching is all about.

Grace teaching is not about freedom to do anything we want in any way we want to do it. Grace teaching is about training believers to accept the gift of the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit that is available to enable them to do what God wants in God’s way.

The word “lusts” in Titus 2:12 is from the Greek word epithumia (ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah). It refers to a desire for things that are forbidden by God. Grace teaching teaches the believer how to say No to the carnal desires of his own sin nature in its desire for worldly pleasures. Grace teaching teaches the believer how to live victorious over sin and to maintain a right relationship with God through the continuity of the moment-by-moment discipline of self-denial.

To call one’s self a disciple of Jesus Christ is to acknowledge that you have submitted yourself to this grace teaching. To call yourself a disciple of Jesus is a commitment to learn how to say No to the kind of irreverent, purposeful ignoring of God and His will for your life that you had as an unbeliever and to say No to the constant pursuit after the so called happiness that comes from the pleasures of sin. Discipleship means training in self-discipline by God’s enabling grace.

To become a disciple of Jesus Christ is much more than calling one’s self a Christian. To become a disciple of Jesus Christ is a commitment to a way of living. Early believers were known as Followers of the Way before they were ever called Christians. Are you a grace living Follower of the Way?

Christmas: Christ Equals God in Flesh

“18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS” (Matthew 1:18-25).

This is the time of year when Christians regularly read the various gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus. In Luke 2:10, when the angel said “behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people,” the words “good tidings” are translated from the Greek word euaggelizo (yoo-ang-ghel-id'-zo). Twenty-three times in the N. T. that word is translated “preach” and twenty-two times it is translated “preach the gospel.” It is the word from which we get the word evangelize. It means to proclaim glad tidings regarding the instruction to people concerning the things that pertain to salvation offered in the Person of Jesus Christ. The angelic announcement to the shepherds of Bethlehem sets the stage for the pattern for all Christians. The Shepherds immediately began to communicate the angelic message.

“17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds” (Luke 2:17-18).

The words “they made known abroad” are from the Greek word diagnorizo (dee-ag-no-rid'-zo), which is the derivative of the Greek word graptos (grap-tos') meaning written and gnorizo (gno-rid'-zo), which means to make known. Therefore, we can conclude these were educated men (probably priests watching over sacrificial lambs) who recorded the angelic message on parchment and sent it to be read in the synagogues wherever a synagogue existed. Any celebration of the birth of Jesus demands that we too communicate the “glad tidings” of the birth of the Savior Who is Christ the Lord.

Matthew 1:18 says, “Now the birth of Jesus was on this wise.” The details of Jesus’ birth are significant to the “gospel.” It is important that we carefully consider the details of the birth of Jesus lest we begin to take these truths for granted. We hear these truths so often that they become mundane to us and no longer have the impact on us the way they should. As Luke 2:18 says, “And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.” The word “wondered” is from the Greek word thaumazo (thou-mad'-zo) meaning to marvel at something in amazement. That is the impact the message of the birth of Jesus should always have on each of us whenever we hear it.

In order for us to maintain the wonder and amazement that should surround the story of the birth of Jesus, we need to take our focus away from nativity scene, beyond Mary and Joseph and, beyond the wise men with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The story of the birth of Jesus will not continue to amaze us unless we look beyond the human events to see the spiritual realty of Who Jesus is and what He sacrificed in order to be born as this little baby in the manger of Bethlehem.

Matthew 1:23 tells us that the parents of Jesus were instructed to “call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

The first thing we need to remember and consider about the birth of Jesus is that He is God in human flesh. Apart from that reality, the birth of Jesus is little more than the birth of another great prophet of God. Jesus is much more than that. Jesus is God in human flesh intent to die to pay the sin penalty for all mankind. That truth should amaze us.

“5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11).

There are some amazing truths regarding the incarnation. In Philippians 2:6, the word “form” is translated from the Greek word morphe (mor-fay'), which means the external appearance by which a person or thing strikes the vision. When the eternal Son of God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, stepped out of the glories of Heaven, He stepped into the curse of fallen mankind. That should amaze us.

He stepped out of the “form” He had as God and stepped into the “form” of humankind. According to Philippians 2:7, He took the “form” of humankind the same way each of us began by conception and birth. Deity was united in humanity. That should amaze us.

Also, Philippians 2:7 tells us that the eternal Son of God choose to be born as a “servant.” Although he was the King of Heaven, He was born a carpenter’s son with the intent to be the servant model of what all Christians are to be. When we think of that fact, we should stand with our mouths open in utter amazement.

The birth of Jesus as one of humankind eternally united the Godhead with mankind. That incomprehensible and unfathomable truth should completely amaze us.

We do not comprehend the utter amazement of this truth because we do not understand the enormous difference between Who God is and who we are. It is the natural tendency for us to create God in our image.

When we think of God, we tend toward anthropomorphisms; the attributing of human shape or characteristics to God. When we think of God as wise, we tend to think of Him as a white haired, old men who has accumulated years of eternal wisdom. Of course, that is totally inconsistent with Scripture. That would mean God has evolved into Who He is. God has always been and always will be the same.

“For I am the LORD, I change not. . .” (Malachi 3:6a).

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

Who and What God is, is far beyond the human imagination. There is nothing to compare Him to or with because He is unique. Therefore, the sacrifice involved in the uniting of God in humanity is almost impossible to illustrate.

Years ago, our family was vacationing around the Gulf of Mexico. We were driving along the coast of Texas heading for Louisiana. We stopped one night just before dusk to walk along the beach and pick up seashells. We had parked our car and had walked a considerable distance from it when the Sun started to go down. As the Sun began to set, swarms of mosquitoes came out of the grass and began to attack us.

The mosquitoes covered us. As we ran back to the car, they filled our ears. When we breathed, they went up our noses and into our mouths. They bit through our cloths. When we opened the car doors to escape them, they filled the car. All we could think about was to slap them and kill them. We killed mosquitoes for the next hundred miles.

Compared to God, we are less then mosquitoes. Psalms 8:4 says, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” When those mosquitoes began to swarm and bite, I never once thought about whether or not they had eternal souls (they do not). I never once thought about becoming a mosquito so I could better identify with their trials, temptations and problems. I certainly never thought about becoming a mosquito (even if that were possible) so that I might die for the mosquitoes so they would not be condemned.

Human beings have such a sense of self-importance. Compared to God, we are less then what mosquitoes are compared to us. Yet, God loves each one of us so much He was willing to be born as one of us to take our death sentence for sin upon Himself and die in our place so that we might be saved from an eternal Hell and that we might be glorified and live with Him eternally. (Now read Philippians 2:9-11 again focusing on the word “should.”)

“9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”

Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Jehoshua. It means Jehovah is our Savior.

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

The Son of God stepped out of His glory as God to become a man in order to save us. The moment He was conceived in the womb of Mary, He was condemned to die on the Cross of Calvary. He knew that before He ever stepped out of His glory. Yet, He did not selfishly cling to His glory as God. Because He loves us, He became a man to take our death sentence upon Himself and to pay our “wages of sin.” Every time we say or hear the Name Jesus, we should think of all of this and we SHOULD bow our knee to Him; we SHOULD confess that He is LORD before men.

The Name Jesus immediately connects the manger to the Cross.

“16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:16-19).

According to John 3:19, men would rather hide in the darkness of sin then come into the “light” of God’s glory and truth because in that “light” they will see themselves for what they really are; mosquitoes at enmity with God deserving utter destruction. God loves us. He has shown us this reality through His incarnation, life, death and resurrection. What an insult it is to God for people to misrepresent Who Jesus is and reject His free gift of salvation. It is an insult to God’s love when we allow the celebration of His birth to be replaced with Santa Claus, Christmas trees and blue light specials.

About 2,000 years ago, the Son of God stepped out of His exalted, eternal glory to become a man in order to be our Saviour. He was born to die a criminal’s death on a cruel Cross, on a lonely hill outside of the city of Jerusalem. The eternal Son of God became a man to open the door for all men to become children of God.

“2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (I John 3:2-3).

“11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:11-12).

His Name is Jesus. To “believe on His Name” means to believe, trust and rely on every fundamental truth that His Name represents. Jesus is the incarnate Son of God eternally united with humanity. He has completely paid the penalty for every sin you have ever committed or ever will commit. Turn from your sin, your religious rituals and your attempts at self righteousness and turn to the living God incarnate in human flesh, dead, buried, risen and coming again.

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3a).

“See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven” (Hebrews 12:25).

The Spirit of Christmas

“1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way” (Matthew 2:1-12).

The baby Jesus was born into a hostile and wicked world. The historical backdrop for the birth of the Saviour was a particularly wicked time in Israel’s history. The King of Judea was Herod the Great (47-4 BC). He was a Gentile (Edomite or Idumaien) appointed to power by Rome. He began his political career as the governor of Galilee at the age of 25. He was appointed King of Judea because of his success in collecting taxes for Rome.

At the time of the birth of Christ, Herod the Great was in the declining years of his reign (14-4 BC). He had his two favorite sons (Alexander and Aristobulus) put into prison because he believed they were involved in plots to overthrow him. They were put to death by strangling after a trial (300 people considered to be their friends were executed as well). The last years of Herod’s life were lived in constant turmoil with his own sons in their attempts to overthrow him. It was into that historical turmoil of Herod’s life that Jesus was born.

Shortly before Herod’s death (4 BC), the Magi came to Judea searching for the new born King of the Jews. These “wise men from the east” carry further historical significance to Herod’s slaughter of the innocents (Matthew 2:16). The Magi were originally a hereditary priesthood who offered animal sacrifices to an un-named god. Although occultist in their practices of divination and such, they were essentially monotheistic and many of their beliefs and their religious practices paralleled those of the Jews. By the time these men appear on the pages of sacred history, the Magi had evolved into a powerful group. They held leading positions in a constitutional council known as the Megistanes whose duties included the election (or deposition) of a monarch. Therefore, they were considered to be divinely appointed king-makers.

Their coming in search of this new born King of the Jews must have struck fear into the heart of the corrupt, wicked and vile King Herod the Great who lived in constant fear of being overthrown. They would have come with all the pomp of their position, traveling with a large armed force to protect them. Had Herod tried to take them on, he would have risked war with Parthia. Instead he took his usual avenue. He just decided to eradicate the opposition by having all the children under two born in Bethlehem slaughtered.

Apparently two years has gone by since Herod’s initial contact with the Magi (Matthew 2:16). That is why he had all the children 2 years old and under, according to the time” he had talked with the Magi. In Herod’s corrupt, arrogant heart lay the pride of power. He would do anything to protect that position of power, even to the extent of having his own sons killed. From Matthew 2:1-12 we see two extreme examples.

* We see Herod the Taker.
* We see God the Giver.

We are all Takers by nature. It is part of our fallen natures. From the degree of our corruption in this area of our character will flow the degree of our selfish demands. The idea that it is “more blessed to give then receive” (Acts 20:35) is foolishness to the corrupted mind of a Taker. The spirit of Christmas is giving, but that seems to degenerate more each year into a season of getting and taking.

Let’s focus on God’s example, the example of giving. Christmas is the time of the year we celebrate the birth of the Saviour. We cannot separate the word Saviour from the love of God and the giving of God out of that love.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

We cannot separate the word Saviour from the love of God and the provision of the free gift of salvation to “whosoever will.”

“8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The spirit of Christmas is the spirit of extreme self sacrifice (love and giving). The spirit of Christmas is the desire to be a blessing to someone and being others-minded. The Magi brought their “treasures” to baby Jesus and gave Him “gifts” (Matthew 2:11). Before they gave, these powerful men (who caused kings to tremble) humbled themselves (“fell down”) and “worshipped Him.” They gave gifts as expression of their worship. They understood this little baby, lying in the feeding trough was God’s gift to the world, a Saviour.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

The shepherds were told they would find their Christmas gift all wrapped up in “swaddling clothes” and lying in a manger.

“And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12).

What a remarkable place to find the greatest gift ever given to anyone. The eternal Son of God was not only born into a hostile world intent on His death. He was born in humility and poverty. The God Who owns the cattle on a thousand hills gave of the abundance of His love was born in humility and died in humility to give us salvation and to teach us a way of life, giving of ourselves. Once we understand this, every believer should sing at the top of our lungs from the roof tops with the chorus of “heavenly host” to the glory of God.

“13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:13-14).

If we really understood the magnificence of the gift of God in Christ Jesus our song services would be filled with joy and rejoicing. We would shout out “glory to God in the highest” from the bottom of our hearts overflowing with gratitude. The songs of praise would burst forth from our hearts through our mouths directed to the glory of God.

Often we sing words put to music with little praise from our hearts and even less comprehension of the wonders of God’s grace in Christ Jesus. If we really understood our dilemma without God’s gift of a Saviour, we would better understand the wonders of that gift.

“6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

“While we were yet sinners,” prideful, hostile, God hating, takers of whatever we wanted without any consideration of the consequences, “Christ died for us.” The little baby boy, born in a manger, was born to die for us, to be our Saviour and to be God’s gift of salvation. In that gift are many gifts.

& In God’s gift of salvation, the sin penalty (death) is fully paid.
& In God’s gift of salvation, the believer is restored to a position of righteousness before God.
& In God’s gift of salvation, the believer is “born again” of the Spirit of God, removed from the condemned family of Adam and becomes a child of God.
& In God’s gift of salvation, He promises resurrection and glorification to all believers.

The key words here are gift and believe. Salvation is free to anyone willing to put their faith in what Jesus Christ accomplished in His death and resurrection and acknowledge His Lordship (Romans 10:9-10).

“24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this” (John 11:24-26)?

“Believest thou this?” God gave from His heart the most precious of gifts. He gave His only begotten Son. He gave because He loved us. He gave His best. He gave Himself. You can be saved if you will trust in the finished, substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ. “Believest thou this?”

Christmas: From The Darkness into the Light!

“16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. 17 And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion. 19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? 20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. 22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness. 1 Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. 2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. 3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. 5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 8:16-9:7).

So many people suffer under the false notion that somehow the world would be so much better if Jesus had not been crucified. Perhaps that is why so many professing Christians are so enamored with the baby Jesus in the manger. The manger scene is intended to depict the humility to which God was willing to stoop to become the Saviour of “whosoever will.” He could never become our Saviour if He did not die a sinner’s death. The majority of the OT prophecies regarding the birth of Messiah involve details of His death. He was born to die on Calvary.

Out of the darkness of God’s pending judgment upon the backslidden nation of Israel comes the glorious light of God’s promise of the birth of Messiah. Within this backslidden, chosen people of God there was a remnant of “disciples” (8:16). The word “disciples” in Isaiah 8:16 is from the Hebrew word limmuwd (lim-mood') referring to a group of people who were instructed in the things of God (meaning they were living translations of God’s truth).

The Theological Workbook of the Old Testament (R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, Moody Press) says the word “has the idea of training as well as educating.” The idea is that through education these people became servants of the Lord who used their tongues to proclaim God’s Word regardless of what it might cost them personally and whose ears were opened, ready to hear God’s message. The promise of Messiah as the ultimate suffering Servant is always at the forefront of the mind of the “learned” or the “disciple.”

“4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting” (Isaiah 50:4-6).

Obviously, the “learned,” the true “disciples” of the Lord, were not ignorant of the fact that Messiah would come as a suffering servant. Isaiah spoke of this more than any other prophet of God. The “disciples” of the Lord who lived at the time of Isaiah were fully instructed regarding the coming of Messiah as the suffering Servant of YAHWEH.

“1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:1-12).

Isaiah was not the first to reveal the suffering Servant of YAHWEH. David wrote of it in Psalm 22.

“1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. 5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. 6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. 9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. 10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly. 11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. 13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. 18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture” (Psalm 22:1-18).

The message of the suffering Servant of YAHWEH looks forward in time to the first advent of Messiah in Jesus Christ. Both the first and second advents of Jesus Christ happen in times of history when the people of God are living in the greatest darkness. The darkness in the world is not due to the wickedness of the world, but the wickedness, apathy and carelessness of professing believers.

In the first advent, the Cross of Jesus Christ was a place where this darkness was the most evident. Jesus came to those people who had been looking for His coming for thousands of years and they rejected Him.

“11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:11-14).

Jesus came to these people who had almost memorized the Law of God, but yet the darkness still overwhelmed their souls because the Truths of God’s Word never got beyond their dead externalism to bring light and life into them. Out of the darkness that encompassed the Crucifixion we hear the thundering voice of Jesus probably using the last few ounces of strength left in His body:

“45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me” (Matthew 27:45-46)?

We wonder at these words. Why would Jesus ask such a question as this? Surely He must have known why God had forsaken Him? Oh friends, this question is not for Him. It was a reminder to Israel of David’s words in Psalm 22. It was a reminder to Israel of the holiness of God for that was the Psalmist’s answer to the question in Psalm 22.

“1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:1-3).

Why does God not hear the cries and pleas of the forsaken? He does not hear because God is holy and because the forsaken are the forsaken because of sin, because of apathy, because of worldliness and because of carelessness. The world is in darkness because all these things exist in the lives of professing believers. God has already heard and answered the plea of the forsaken.

“1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1-3).

“27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:27-28).

The Cross of Jesus Christ was both a place of utter, stifling darkness and glorious, blinding light. For those lost in the darkness of sin and ignorance, the darkness must have been overwhelming. To the “disciples” of Jesus who understood the many Scripture references to the suffering Servant of YAHWEH, the light of that truth must have shown so brightly that they could do nothing more but to stand in awe as they looked upon their dying Saviour.

“2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined . . . 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:2 & 6).

Like the remnant of Israel at Christ’s first advent, we may be a people who walk in the darkness of a God hating, truth rejecting world, but we do not have to be a part of that darkness. We can be contributors to the light rather than contributors to the darkness if we will cast off our apathy, worldliness and carelessness and give our lives to be servants of YAHWEH.

“In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4).

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

If your life is filled with the darkness of despair and hopelessness, perhaps your need is “the life” that is “light of men.” You can have that “life” by simple faith in Jesus Christ. Turn away from your worldly pursuits and selfish motives in life. Come to the Light. It is shining in the darkness for you to find your way home. The Light of the world is Jesus!