Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV)
Verse for Today
You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (2 Peter 3:17–18, ESV)
Prophet’s Message
Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading. (Lamentations 2:14, ESV)
The job of the prophet is not only to foretell, but ‘forth tell’ the Word of God. False prophets say what you want to hear; true prophets speak the whole Word of God. False prophets “see false and deceptive visions which do not expose iniquity to restore your fortunes.” True prophets, wielding the sword of the Word that Jesus gave, cut away the false front of pride so that we might have a chance to humble ourselves and submit to the Lord God Almighty that He might restore our fortunes.
Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the LORD. (Ezekiel 13:4–5, ESV)
This explains our avoidance of His Word. We prefer the numbing narcotic of lying visions like modern movies, best-selling books, and favorite TV shows over the sometimes painful but necessary application of the Word of God. Medical treatment is painful too, but if we do not endure the pain we will not be healed. In fact, a lot of times without treatment wounds will fester, bad microbes will infect, and we will die. Better to endure a little light pain losing our pride than to suffer eternal agony with other festering sores. Um, people.
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord GOD. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord GOD. Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out. (Ezekiel 13:8–11, ESV)
May you seek and grab hold of the whole truth of God’s Word, removing iniquity and building up walls that will stand in battle on the day of the Lord. A day which is coming soon.
Naaman and Simple Bible Messages of Whole Bible
Naaman was a mighty man and the head of Syria’s armies during the time of Elisha, successor to Elijah. He was also a leper. A five year-old slave girl taken from Israel was in his household and told him that Elisha could cure him. Naaman goes to Elisha, and Elisha tells him to dip himself in the Jordan seven times. At first, Naaman thought this was stupid and was enraged, because he had better rivers where he came from. He expected a dog and pony show from Elisha, maybe waving his hands around and calling on the name of his God. His servants encouraged him to listen to the man of God.
Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” (2 Kings 5:13, NASB95)
Naaman humbled himself, did what the man of God said, and was healed.
I have been criticized because of my simple message – read the Word, and do it as if it was life. When I lead a Bible study, I usually use the Manna reading schedule and we read the 10 or 12 chapters first. We let God talk, and then if there’s any time left, we get to talk. This is not the extent of Bible reading for us all. It is just a touch point. We should be reading large chunks of the Book of Life every day, for it is our life. For something so simple though, we don’t do it. God’s Word has the answers to what might be bothering you. Much more than my words. Reading and heeding is simple, but many go away from me enraged and thinking they have better ways of doing things than that.
If I waved my hands around and told them to read the lousy ‘The Purpose Driven Life’ in the name of God, they would probably plunge right in. If I recommended any other book, it would probably be received the same way. ‘The Shack’ is a terrible book, but it has sold over 18 million copies. Telling people we just have to read His Word and do it angers people because they think they have all sorts of “better” books or videos or movies or whatever. But they aren’t reading the One Book that gives life. Hmm.
The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house. (Ezekiel 12:1–2, ESV)
We are a rebellious house. God has taken great pains to provide us with a Book that conveys all of His Will for us at the moment, and we look down on it like Naaman looked down on the Jordan river. We want a dog and pony show to tickle our ears and amaze our eyes, like the latest blockbuster movie. We spend hours and hours every day doing what we want, watching what we want, and reading what we want. And we can’t spare a few moments for the living oracles of God?
Reading does not mean a couple verses posted on Facebook every once in a while either. Where is the heart of the new covenant in that? Read His whole Book, cover to cover. Then read it again. And again. Do what you read as best you are able. Devote yourself to finding and doing His Will, seek His Kingdom, and the other things you seek will be added. I could talk and wave my arms around until I’m blue in the face, and it wouldn’t come as close to helping as would one Word from Him. Stop rebelling against Him. Read His Word and do what you read. It’s simple.
I’m sorry I don’t have a flashy presentation that feeds the ego instead of the soul. I might be able to make a lot of money that way. But it’s better for all if we just use our eyes and ears, read what He tells us, and do it.
Which Law?
‘Whole Bible Christianity’ chapter 1 ‘Which Law?’
Some people limit The Law to the first five books (the Pentateuch), which they call the ‘Law of Moses.’ Other people will divide the Law of Moses into three (unbiblical) sections (civil, ceremonial, and moral) and say only the ‘moral laws’ count. There are the people who think there are ten Laws, and those who think there are only two laws now (love the Lord and love each other). Then we’ve got the red letter people, telling us to pay attention to only red letters. Lastly, there are people who think the Law is imaginary, or merely spiritual, and as long as we think we are obeying then we must be really obeying.
Whole Bible Christians, as the name implies, say that every word from the mouth of God is Law (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4). It is plain to us that The Law is every word that He speaks from Genesis to Revelation. We believe “all of the above” when it comes to His Law. It is more than just three sections or five books. It’s all moral. Red letters, black, purple, or whatever, don’t matter. Every word is read and followed literally as much as we can.
His Words (and Law) are intimately woven around history and God’s dealings with men. There is no avoiding the Word, whether we call it Law or something else. Most of this book is about the Law because most of His book is about the Law. The subject of His whole Law (commands, statutes, charge, ordinances, etc.) is mentioned thousands of times in the Word, as well as related subjects such as obeying His voice (Genesis 22:18, 26:5; Exodus 19:5), hearing His voice (John 10:16, 27, 18:37; Revelation 3:20), ears that don’t hear and eyes that don’t see (Jeremiah 5:21, 6:10; Ezekiel 12:2; Mark 8:18). His Word and His Law is the same thing.
You’ve heard it said that the Law isn’t for Christians. That it’s been ‘fulfilled’ by Jesus and therefore eliminated. That we “can’t do” the Law. Or maybe just “the Ten” apply (or maybe just 9 or 8 or 2). I cover a bunch of those anti-biblical teachings in chapter 6. But when you read the Word, the whole thing seems to be directed at every believer. Now you’re thinking, “What in the world is going on?” because you’ve been told so much different.
I understand. It happens a lot. But let me assure you – all of His Law really does apply to everyone, all the time, everywhere (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Jesus talked a lot about the Law. He gave it, established it, and lived it. He did not abolish it (Matthew 5:17-19). It is part of the gospel (Hebrews 4:2), and it is unequaled as a lifestyle and discipleship method. We don’t have to follow the Law, we get to. The message of the Bible, from the Garden to Jesus to you and me, is do what God says.
46“For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. 47“But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:46-47 NASB95)
Teachings of Paul
‘Whole Bible Christianity,’ chapter 7, ‘Teachings of Paul’
If the Law had been ‘fulfilled,’ (twisted to mean ‘eliminated’) then the following is a very curious thing for Paul to say.
1It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. 2You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. (1 Corinthians 5:1-2 NASB95)
Why would he care about a man who marries his stepmother? Wouldn’t all marriages be okay? According to the modern church, isn’t everything and everyone clean? Why would Paul appeal to the Law at all (Leviticus 18:8; Deuteronomy 22:30 and 27:30)? Why also would Paul appeal to the fact that this is something even Gentiles didn’t do?
There might be a thin argument here for the fictitious ‘moral law.’ Except how do we pick and choose what is ‘moral’ and what isn’t when God speaks? Isn’t everything He says by definition ‘moral?’ Could it be that the congregation had changed the law to say that ‘everything was clean?’ Were they perhaps practicing their ‘freedom in Christ?’
Paul doesn’t make up any new commandment here. He certainly doesn’t cherry-pick nor does he apply only the law he chooses. Not only does he say that the Corinthians should be following this Law, he implies it is a natural fact everyone (even the non-believing Gentiles) knows. In other words, God’s people should at least have the sense God gave a pagan. He also gives the punishment for the sin outlined in Torah (“remove the evil from your midst”). Later, it looks like they were “obedient in all things” (2 Corinthians 2:5-11).
The Word Reveals God
‘Whole Bible Christianity’ chapter 4 ‘It Reveals’
During the Reformation, in addition to ‘faith alone,’ another of the mostly forgotten truths that were brought up is in Latin called ‘sola scriptura.’ This means ‘Scripture alone,’ and reinforces the point that Scripture, by itself, is the first and final authority in a believer’s life (Matthew 4:4). Scripture overrides and transcends a priest’s word, or a pastor’s commentary, a rabbinic ruling and even a pope’s bull. One reason this truth (among others) had to be recovered, and now repeated, was that many teachings of men (then and now) obscure the plain meaning of God’s Word for everyday people. Another reason is that church (or Jewish) traditions drift into overriding the Bible after a while.
There are good writings from many good teachers that help us understand more about the Bible. Talmud (the ‘oral law’) for instance, has a great deal of good commentary. The apocrypha has some interesting insights. But they are not the Word, and do not carry the same authority. No extra-biblical writing measures up to the Bible. Even the good ones just repeat what is already in the Word. As Solomon says, there is no new thing under the sun.
Many times the extra writings just lead away from the Bible. Papal bulls, the efforts of so-called ‘prophets’ (Edgar Cayce, Ellen White, Charles Russell etc.) and almost all other extra-biblical writings just obscure the plain meaning of His ancient message. People keep trying to trump God’s Word with other writings. The Nicolaitans use their education to scare us and stifle dissent. They fool some of the people some of the time, but they can’t fool all of us. Whole Bible Christians understand that there are many sources for learning, but only one with Authority.
Repentance
‘Whole Bible Christianity’ chapter 2, ‘Repentance’
Repentance and love for God go hand in hand. We can’t have one without the other. If we repent, we stop doing bad things and start doing good (1 Kings 8:47; 2 Chronicles 6:37; Job 42:6; Jeremiah 8:4-13; Ezekiel 14:6; Matthew 11:20, 21). The first recorded word out of the mouths of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2) and Jesus (Matthew 4:17) for their public ministries was ‘repent.’ If we are going the wrong way on a road, we would change directions once we realized our error.
‘Feeling sorry’ for what we have done or are doing, yet continuing to go the wrong way, is not repentance. It is certainly not love. A lot of times, ‘sorry’ feelings are very strong, to the point of weeping or other expressions of anguish. But the feelings are not true repentance if they don’t produce a change in behavior (2 Corinthians 7:9-10). True repentance is when we change what we are doing (Matthew 3:8; Luke 3:8). We go from ignoring His Law to following it.
Biblically, repentance also means restitution. According to the Word, when a thief repents, not only must he stop stealing, but repay what he stole plus a penalty amount (Exodus 22:2, 7). Zacchaeus (Luke 19) restored four-fold what he might have defrauded, and gave half his goods to the poor. We do not follow through with this in modern times. A lot of times “feeling sorry” is the limit of repentance. But feelings of sorrow, by themselves, are not enough by God’s standards. If we repent, we make things right as much as we can.
10For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:10 NASB95)
Mixing
‘Whole Bible Christianity’ chapter 2 ‘Mixing’
When Israel was judged by God in the golden calf incident, it was not only because they made an idol, but that they also called the idol ‘God.’
3Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 32:3-4 NASB95)
All sin makes God angry, but this sin of mixing really seems to set Him off. When God’s things are mixed with anything that is not God’s, it gives the glory rightfully due Him to something else. When we mix God’s things and our things, such as when we dilute His Word with our own knowledge or tradition, we turn lukewarm.
15‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16 NASB95)
Lukewarm water is hot and cold mixed together. Notice in these verses that deeds are equated to the quality of the individual. If deeds are lukewarm, the person is lukewarm. Idolatry is mixing hot things (God’s) with cold things (idols). God does not want to share His glory with another. He doesn’t want something that is not Himself getting credit for His own actions. We rob God of glory when we mix His works with idols, including the idol of self-will.
8“I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images. (Isaiah 42:8 NASB95)
Mixing God’s things with things that are not God’s has always been popular, but especially so in modern times. People are mixing teachings from the Bible with teachings of men all the time. Mixing is a sure fire method of trying to hide or make the Mark bigger, so we can convince ourselves we are hitting it even if we aren’t.
Relative Truth
‘Whole Bible Christianity’ chapter 1 ‘Relative Truth’
The first evidence of enabling a part Bible church is that most Christians are falling away from belief in, and practice of, God’s Word as absolute truth. And I’m using the term “falling away” (Matthew 24:10) on purpose, because in part humans want to avoid truth. Studies done by Christian research group’s show only 11% of generic Christians, or 25% of those who are ‘born again,’ think the Bible is absolute truth. Don’t believe studies? Ask around. It’s clear that most people using His name almost believe Him.
Let me restate the study results a little differently. A little more than one out of 10 Christians, or only 1 out of four of those who claim to be born again, believes the Word is absolute truth. Of every 100 people in a church, about eleven believe God’s Word completely. In a church of 2,000 maybe 220 think the Word is completely true. A church of 300 has around 33 who really believe God, and 267 who do not. If everyone in that group says they are born again, only 75 believe God while 225 do not (all assuming a linear distribution). Is it any wonder we have drifted so far?
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17, ESV)
We prefer relative truth, meaning truth that is relative to our own way of thinking. Sort of like ‘the majority rules.’ We want to vote on truth, and veto God’s definition if it’s not comfortable. We’re filled with pride; submitting comes hard, and God’s Law is an objective standard without wiggle room. And we like to wiggle. Ever since Adam and Eve wiggled into fig leaf garments and wiggled into the bushes at the approach of God, we’ve tried to wiggle away from His holiness. Chips off the old Adam and Eve blocks. We want what He has (blessings and eternal life) but not what He is (thrice holy, perfect and just, sovereign and righteous King of Kings). When He approaches, now in the form of the Bible, our instinct is still to hide. Or try to get Him to just go away and leave us alone. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it?