Posted in Bible • Hermeneutics • Theology • Whole Bible Christianity book

The Word Reveals God

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‘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.

Posted in Daily Living • Repentance • Whole Bible Christianity book

Repentance

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‘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)

Posted in Idolatry • Whole Bible Christianity book

Mixing

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‘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.

Posted in Bible • Church • Daily Living • Whole Bible Christianity book

Relative Truth

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‘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?

Posted in Gentiles • Identity • Israel • Jews • Messianic Movement • Whole Bible Christianity book

Our True Identity

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‘Whole Bible Christianity,’ chapter 10, ‘Our True Identity’

In Matthew 15:21-28 Jesus resists a little bit giving help to a Gentile woman (a Syrophoenician is a Canaanite) asking for healing for her daughter. He tells her it’s not right to give the bread of children to dogs. She has an amazing response, saying that even dogs get crumbs from the table. Jesus is so impressed with her faith He heals her daughter. Her faith was shown by her humble submission and obedience.

At first it might seem off-putting that Jesus would regard her (or me) as a dog. But I think this was more of a statement of where He was focusing His work at that time (“to the Jew first and also to the Gentile”) rather than a judgment against either the lady or me. Although Canaanites were historically pretty ‘doggy’ too (Ephesians 2:12, Hebrews 11:6). Those who by nature do what God requires, even if non-Jewish, belong to Him because of their faith, and aren’t dogs at all. But even if it’s true that my identity (in the eyes of some) is that of a dog in the kingdom, I’m okay with it. He made me and can assign me any place He chooses. I’d much rather be a dog in heaven than a lion in hell.

Posted in Faith • Jesus • Salvation • Whole Bible Christianity • Whole Bible Christianity book

Having Jesus

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‘Whole Bible Christianity’ chapter 2 ‘Having Jesus’

Having Jesus, or salvation, is about regaining the intimacy with God that we lost in the Garden. It is not just about mouthing some words, or ‘going forward,’ or attending a meeting at least twice a year on Christmas and Easter. We simply do what He says in love. Fruit (all kinds) will come if we really have Him. It’s like, if we were to grab hold of a live electrical wire, we would certainly act differently than we would otherwise! (Disclaimer: do not try this at home.)

He is like a live electrical wire, and when we really get a hold of Him (or He gets hold of us) we are certain to act differently. If He gets a hold of us that means His life flows through us causing actions in line with His Word. By acting different, He doesn’t mean wearing the name Christian, going to church meetings, or being “emergent.” It’s not ‘speaking in tongues’ or healing services. Holy-looking actions, without His Word being present, are like empty songs.

32“Behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them. (Ezekiel 33:32 NASB95)

If we want true sensual and spiritual satisfaction, if we want to be truly Spirit filled, we need actions in keeping with His Law. We know Him because we keep all His commandments.

3By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. (1 John 2:3-6 NASB95. Deuteronomy 10:12-13.)

The way to become saved is to repent of going our own way and go His way instead. We don’t need ‘four spiritual laws’ or ‘sinner’s prayer’ (neither of which is biblical). We don’t need membership in a club (church, synagogue). We don’t need to be accepted by any group for that matter. We don’t need approval from modern-day Pharisees and Sadducees.

Posted in Bible Verse • Daily Living • Law • Whole Bible Christianity book

Law Still a Tutor

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‘Whole Bible Christianity’ chapter 8 section ‘Still a Tutor’

Some people think and teach that if we have the Christ, then we “don’t need the Law” (there’s that lucky rabbit’s foot again). “Having Christ” to these teachers’ means to like Him a lot. Or ‘believe’ without action. Or to think that He’s a great teacher or prophet and nothing more. There’s a technical term for the “we don’t need the Law” teaching, which is ‘horse hockey.’ If we have the Christ, we have God, and we get God’s Words, including the Law. If we reject the Law, we are rejecting God’s Word to His people, which would show that we do not ‘have Christ.’ It’s a package deal.

If we say we “have Christ” yet do not do what the Christ says, then we are nothing more than clashing gongs and clanging cymbals (1 Corinthians 13:1). And that not even in time with God’s music. When we pick and choose through the Word for what we will do and what we won’t, it does not jive with the example that Jesus set. He did it all, and perfectly. He expects us to do the same. And ‘perfectly’ means confessing and repenting when we make mistakes instead of looking for excuses or rationalizing.

We need to understand that the Law still functions as a tutor to lead a person to the Christ. It tutors anyone on their way to maturity with God. This means that God still uses it to draw people to His Son, and by living it, we can draw people to Him, too.

Further, the Laws do not go away just because we are now old enough or ‘have Christ.’ When I was a child I learned not to stick the wrong object into an electrical socket. But when I ‘grew up’ that law did not cease to be. I just graduated to the proper use of the socket without having to be told. I still don’t stick the wrong object in the socket. In the same way, when we graduate to Christ, the Law still functions. It’s just that I don’t need to be told. It is written on my heart. Having reached maturity, the Law does not cease to function. Instead, it is written on my heart so that I do what it says automatically. The Law becomes ‘second nature.’

Posted in Authority • Church • Daily Living • Whole Bible Christianity book

Power Failure

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‘Whole Bible Christianity’ chapter 1, section on Power Failure

No church machine that I know of encourages believers to avoid pork and shellfish (Leviticus 11, Deuteronomy 14) simply because God said. We can diet for any reason, as long as it isn’t God’s. The entrée of choice for the pagan feasts we’ve stolen is pig’s flesh (Isaiah 65:4; 66:17). Sabbath, the last day of the week blessed and given to us by God after He rested from creation (Genesis 2:3), is no longer allowed to be a day of complete rest. What we are to set apart as holy has slipped and slid into “ceremonial” or a “shadow” or “the same as every other day.”

I know what some of you are thinking now. Go on. You can say it out loud. You know you want to. “Those are just small things. They’re not important at all.” But the Bible has an answer for that, too. He who is faithful in little is faithful in much. The church who isn’t faithful in little won’t be faithful in much (Luke 16:10). Faith is not about size or quantity. It’s about doing what God says in all things, whether we think they are big or little.

I submit that we cannot, in fact, claim to be faithful in the big things while sitting in judgment on His Word for (alleged) small things. Jesus tells us not to ignore the lighter commands while placing proper emphasis on the weightier ones (Matthew 23:23). The Bible makes no split between salvation issues and non-salvation issues. I can’t find any biblical proof that some of the Law is not worthy of our attention. A loving relationship with God does not have room for judging what we are willing to do and what we are not. He gave us everything including the blood of His only begotten Son in boundless love and grace. Returning that gift with partial effort and picky sentiment doesn’t reflect a new heart.

Posted in Daily Living • Whole Bible Christianity book

Tassels

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‘Whole Bible Christianity’ chapter 10, section on Tassels

Numbers 15:37-38 tells us about wearing tassels with one blue thread on the four corners of our garments. Some people want to make an issue about what is a corner (has to be a right angle in their opinion) and what shade of blue should be on the thread. This is too nitpicky if you ask me, and can’t be sustained from the Word.

The earth is round, and yet it has four corners. Any circle has at least four corners. All you have to do is draw a plus sign, like the crosshairs on a rifle scope, on the circle to see where they are. I’m round, so I must have four corners too! That’s why I wear tassels on my pants in four spots. I tie them myself in the Jewish prayer shawl style in order to identify with Israel, but you can have any kind you want. I’ve seen rainbow colored (just make sure to include a blue one) short ones and long ones. The more different kinds we have the better it is I think.

We wear the tassels as reminders to follow God’s ways instead of our own. You might think that wearing tassels is no big deal, but it helps more than you know if you haven’t tried it. They don’t guarantee you won’t sin. They only work as well as you allow them to work.

Sometimes, after I’ve messed up (again) and said or done something I shouldn’t, I look at them and think, “Well, at least I’ve done one thing right.” And from that, I can rebuild, remembering all the things God has done for me. I refresh myself by touching Him through this command. Wearing tassels as He instructs helps me feel I am surrounded by His love. I renew my love for Him by a determination not to fail again.

Posted in Daily Living • Law • Whole Bible Christianity book

The Purpose of Law

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‘Whole Bible Christianity,’ Chapter 8, The Whole Purpose of Law

Another blessing from the Law that could use a whole book is justice. Everything God gives us is connected together and balanced, and justice is right there in the mix, with love and mercy. Micah tells us this in a summary of the Law, which is similar to the ‘two commands’ and many other summaries.

8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 ESV)

His Law teaches us real justice, which is mixed with mercy, love and humility. Everyone has some sense of justice. Anyone who has raised children, or been a child, knows the laser-like focus on justice a child has when mom is handing out deserts and a sibling has a larger slice. Generally, though, our innate sense of justice is very self-centered and lopsided. God’s justice, outlined in the Law, is much more balanced, holy, loving and merciful.

Many, many blessings flow from learning and applying His brand of justice in the Law. Sadly, in modern culture, justice is falling by the wayside. Lawyers tell me that juries convict on feelings rather than testimony and facts. Jail has replaced paying restitution. The death penalty is taking a holiday, but the blood of innocents aborted cries out for justice, and surely deafens heavenly watchers. Murderers, kidnappers and rapists go free, but tax problems get you jailed.

The church is right in there with modern culture in what it approves. We do not make thorough investigations (Deuteronomy 13:14, 17:14, and 19:18). We judge by appearances (John 7:24). More weight is given to a wealthy person’s opinions over a poor person’s (Exodus 23:6). In general we do not speak out against abortion, homosexuality, adultery, witchcraft, drugs, and other behavior as we should. Nor do we restrict it in our assemblies. Matthew 18 is never applied correctly to my knowledge. Well, maybe to thin out the disagreeable. To make us feel better we throw a coat of ‘social justice’ over the gaping mud holes made by ignoring His real justice, and call it good. At least until we step in the hole and find ourselves up to our armpits in alligators.

Remember, the root of blessing is the presence of God. A curse, at its root, is the absence of God. Creation is under a curse, meaning that God has withdrawn to some extent. That’s why we have thorns and poisonous critters to fight all the time. If we reject the Law, we compound the curse with a lack of justice, and God will not allow injustice to continue forever.