February 20th 2022
Standing Up For What Is Right!
2 Timothy 2:2-3 (NIV)
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
Have you enlisted in the army of Jesus Christ? Martin Luther tried to unite the Church by getting them to adhere to the Word of God and eliminate the following of traditional ideas instead of teaching only from God’s Word as the only absolute truth. However, his attempt did not result in a uniting of the one church, it resulted in the formation of so many denominations it is likely no one knows how many types of Christian church groups there are now in existence. Each group has formed a separate church not based on God’s Word, but instead based on the opinions of one or more members of mankind! An old Methodist adage says, “If two or more of us agree on the Word, we will form a new church!”
This idea is certainly not a new idea, as God tried to impress upon His chosen people to teach the next generation so they could continue this Word from God. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so that the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. (Psalm 78:5-7). How can someone put their faith in the Word of God, if someone does not teach them what God’s Word says?
In this world there is going to be some suffering as it has been cursed by the entrance of sin. Therefore, it follows that all of us will, or certainly may, experience some problems. Peter became a leader in the early church although he denied he knew Jesus Christ three times. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:19-24).
As professing Christians, we have been instructed to work on becoming more Christ-like every day! Why would anyone follow such an instruction? Are you? Who first taught you about this idea? Paul wrote to the Jews about their need to follow the laws God gave Moses. Now you, if you call yourself a (Christian) Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: "God’s name is blasphemed among the (Non-Christians) Gentiles because of you." (Romans 2:17-24).
Certainly, there are many reasons why the majority of people in the world have not chosen to follow Jesus Christ. It cannot and should not be blamed only on the failure of professing Christians, but it seems the Church in the USA is failing to teach young people in their own families about the authority of the Word of God. I have taken some liberty to modify and modernize Paul’s writing to bring this teaching of his into a more modern view. It appears we in the Christian church in the USA, have failed to require their children to attend the church of their choice for many years now. The teaching of the Word of God must begin at each Christian home before it can go out into this world. This is true for Christians all over this world and the results of this failure to teach the next generation has become clearer in Europe where now only about three percent of people attend a church of their choice.
When Jesus was ready to ascend from this earth and go back to heaven, He gave us a command to teach! All of us who remain on this earth were commissioned by Jesus to teach! Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:16-20).
The eleven Apostles went to see Jesus on a mountain top, and Matthew wrote, “When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.” They worshipped Him, but ? Where do you stand on this issue of worship? Do you go to church just in case there may be some truth in the Bible about the salvation of your immortal soul!? Have you decided not to go to a church of your choice, because you cannot find one that teaches everything you believe? If you do not regularly attend a church of your choice, how will the people there learn what you have come to know, because you have studied the Bible. You should go there to teach, as Jesus Christ commanded!
Do you take Jesus’ Words as a suggestion, not really a command? Is regular attendance at a church of your choice just a means to having a better life? If you do not go there to worship God/Jesus, and to learn more so you can teach the next generation, then why? I recently heard someone on TV say that they were, “Standing up for what is right!”
God has told mankind what is right, and just to facilitate us being able to learn it, He had it recorded in a book, which is called the Bible. This is the only book in this world that God wrote! Every other book you can read and learn from has been written by a member of mankind, who lives in a cursed world that is marred by sin, and every member of mankind is possessed by a sinful nature. Therefore, if you are quoting another sinful member of mankind, as your basis of, “Standing up for what is right!” If you are not reading (studying) your Bible on a regular basis, and you are not attending a church of your choice on a regular basis, then you cannot know that whatever you are standing up for is truly right, as it is just another opinion of another member of mankind, and thus cannot be completely right!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
2 Timothy 2:2-3 (NIV)
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
Have you enlisted in the army of Jesus Christ? Martin Luther tried to unite the Church by getting them to adhere to the Word of God and eliminate the following of traditional ideas instead of teaching only from God’s Word as the only absolute truth. However, his attempt did not result in a uniting of the one church, it resulted in the formation of so many denominations it is likely no one knows how many types of Christian church groups there are now in existence. Each group has formed a separate church not based on God’s Word, but instead based on the opinions of one or more members of mankind! An old Methodist adage says, “If two or more of us agree on the Word, we will form a new church!”
This idea is certainly not a new idea, as God tried to impress upon His chosen people to teach the next generation so they could continue this Word from God. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so that the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. (Psalm 78:5-7). How can someone put their faith in the Word of God, if someone does not teach them what God’s Word says?
In this world there is going to be some suffering as it has been cursed by the entrance of sin. Therefore, it follows that all of us will, or certainly may, experience some problems. Peter became a leader in the early church although he denied he knew Jesus Christ three times. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:19-24).
As professing Christians, we have been instructed to work on becoming more Christ-like every day! Why would anyone follow such an instruction? Are you? Who first taught you about this idea? Paul wrote to the Jews about their need to follow the laws God gave Moses. Now you, if you call yourself a (Christian) Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: "God’s name is blasphemed among the (Non-Christians) Gentiles because of you." (Romans 2:17-24).
Certainly, there are many reasons why the majority of people in the world have not chosen to follow Jesus Christ. It cannot and should not be blamed only on the failure of professing Christians, but it seems the Church in the USA is failing to teach young people in their own families about the authority of the Word of God. I have taken some liberty to modify and modernize Paul’s writing to bring this teaching of his into a more modern view. It appears we in the Christian church in the USA, have failed to require their children to attend the church of their choice for many years now. The teaching of the Word of God must begin at each Christian home before it can go out into this world. This is true for Christians all over this world and the results of this failure to teach the next generation has become clearer in Europe where now only about three percent of people attend a church of their choice.
When Jesus was ready to ascend from this earth and go back to heaven, He gave us a command to teach! All of us who remain on this earth were commissioned by Jesus to teach! Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:16-20).
The eleven Apostles went to see Jesus on a mountain top, and Matthew wrote, “When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.” They worshipped Him, but ? Where do you stand on this issue of worship? Do you go to church just in case there may be some truth in the Bible about the salvation of your immortal soul!? Have you decided not to go to a church of your choice, because you cannot find one that teaches everything you believe? If you do not regularly attend a church of your choice, how will the people there learn what you have come to know, because you have studied the Bible. You should go there to teach, as Jesus Christ commanded!
Do you take Jesus’ Words as a suggestion, not really a command? Is regular attendance at a church of your choice just a means to having a better life? If you do not go there to worship God/Jesus, and to learn more so you can teach the next generation, then why? I recently heard someone on TV say that they were, “Standing up for what is right!”
God has told mankind what is right, and just to facilitate us being able to learn it, He had it recorded in a book, which is called the Bible. This is the only book in this world that God wrote! Every other book you can read and learn from has been written by a member of mankind, who lives in a cursed world that is marred by sin, and every member of mankind is possessed by a sinful nature. Therefore, if you are quoting another sinful member of mankind, as your basis of, “Standing up for what is right!” If you are not reading (studying) your Bible on a regular basis, and you are not attending a church of your choice on a regular basis, then you cannot know that whatever you are standing up for is truly right, as it is just another opinion of another member of mankind, and thus cannot be completely right!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
|
|
|