I keep seeing the question contained in the title of this article on Facebook posts. It is attributed to a well-known pastor, the late Tim Keller, and is presented as a slam-dunk proof of “unconditional eternal security” (also known as “once-saved-always-saved”).
It is to be regretted that someone as eminent and intelligent as the late Tim Keller could present such a silly question as proof for a particular doctrine when both Scripture and simple logic expose its obvious flaws.
Have you ever felt yourself getting fed up with evil people? Even burning with an inward rage against them? But then felt bad for your “un-Christian” attitude?
In truth, you should not be so hard on yourself. God has the same feelings. In fact, He has a similar inner conflict, constantly.
Obviously, mercy and judgment are two opposites that, if held together, must be held in tension. God is both just and merciful, as revealed from the Bible’s first to last page. For that reason, He holds both attributes in tension.
When He “withholds His judgment,” that indicates He is inclined towards justice, but has decided to continue to show mercy. As James wrote, “mercy triumphs over judgment” (Jas. 2:13). On the other hand, when God’s mercy ends, His judgment—rooted in His justice—begins.
“God…will render to each person according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life” (Rom. 2:5b-7).
Paul unmistakably indicates in the above-quoted passage that there is nothing wrong with seeking glory and honor for yourself. In fact, he declares that those who do are the people who will ultimately inherit eternal life. So, if you desire for God to grant you eternal life, according to Paul, the means to obtaining it is by seeking glory and honor. Read it again if you don’t believe me!
1.) When believers met during the New Testament times, what did those gatherings look like? Is there any information in the New Testament that gives us any insight into the answer to that question? If “yes,” am I leading a “New Testament church”?
2.) In the early church, was there a worship leader or a worship team or band that led worship from an elevated platform before the crowd of worshippers who were seated or standing in rows facing them? Is there any information in the New Testament that gives us any insight into the answer to that question? If “yes,” am I leading a “New Testament church”?
In January, I helped organized a gathering of disciple-making movement practitioners from New York and Pennsylvania. We met in Punxsutawney for a weekend of fellowship and learning together. We also went “into the harvest” on Saturday afternoon to share the gospel in pairs for a few hours.
One of those pairs were Logan and Andrew. Logan is a nurse at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester New York, and Andrew is a former Amish youth from my hometown. Andrew left the Amish community around 18 months ago, but not to serve God. He had seen the hypocrisy of the religion he was raised in and he wanted no part of it.
When he left, he turned to alcohol and women. He drank and partied and lived it up for a number of months. But, just like the rest of us who have lived in the world, Andrew felt dirty inside and without purpose. We kept sharing the gospel with him, but sometimes it felt hopeless.
Then one day Andrew, Marvin (a friend of Andrew’s who was already a believer), and I were sitting in my garage. I shared my story of how empty my life had been and how it changed when I met Jesus. I followed it up with a simple question that we have learned to ask after we share “our story”: “Do you have a story like that?” To my surprise Andrew replied “I sure do.” Unbeknownst to me, or anyone else for that matter, Andrew had given his life to Christ in the very recent past!
Andrew was baptized shortly thereafter, and since that day he has continued to mature in his relationship with Christ.
When Andrew and Logan were out sharing the gospel that Saturday afternoon, they went into a local thrift store. As they were talking to another pair from our gathering, a middle-age man walked in the front door. Andrew looked at him from across the store and said to his comrades, “I need to go share with this guy—he has a black cloud hanging over his head.” And so he did just that.
The Holy Spirit was obviously prompting Andrew, because that man, whose name is Daniel, was seeking for something. As Andrew engaged with him in conversation, he learned just how gloomy he actually was. Daniel told Andrew how his father had died about one year previously and how hard it had been since then. He told Andrew, “Six months ago I was in a car accident. I lost conscious at impact and did not regain it until I work up at the hospital. As I was regaining consciousness, I heard a voice say, ‘Can you hear me now?’ The doctor convinced me I was just imagining things. Then, just this past week, I was pumping fuel when I collapsed to the ground, again unconscious. And again, as I was regaining consciousness in the ambulance, I heard a voice again ask, “Can you hear me now?’”
Andrew also learned that Daniel was a recovering alcoholic and that his fiancée had recently passed away. “I am here (at the Good Will) because I am trying to stay away from the liquor store,” Daniel told Andrew.
After answering some questions and explaining to him who Jesus is, Daniel committed his life to Christ. Afterwards Logan said, “One of the first things Jesus calls us to do is be baptized. Would you like to be baptized today?” “Sure” Daniel replied. “Let me just call and cancel an appointment I had for this afternoon first.” Less than two hours after hearing the gospel, Daniel was baptized. And he was baptized by a formerly-Amish young man who has only been a believer for one year!
Daniel being baptized less than two hours after hearing the gospel.
Daniel has since attended our house church twice, and he is excited about continuing to grow in his relationship with God. As I was writing this update, he sent me this text:
Good morning. I just wanted to say thank you for the wonderful food, great hospitality and company. I had such a great time yesterday. I can’t remember the last time I smiled and laughed so hard that my face and sides hurt that much. Honestly the past two Sundays have been the highest points of my week, not just because we gathered to worship God but because of y’all as well. Everyone there and worshiping God the two reasons I look forward to Sundays. Also, the way I was raised is the cook doesn’t clean so I will always offer to do the dishes even if the answer is always no. Anyway, yesterday when I got home I walked my dogs sat in my arm chair and slept all night exhausted from the great time I had. Can’t wait to see what happens next Sunday
Daniel, (the tall guy in front of the cupboard) at our house church the day after becoming born again.
Thank you for making all this ministry possible through your prayers and financial support!
For God’s glory,
Jonas Kurtz
P.S. This monthly report is sent to those who have supported the Amish Outreach. Here is the link to make another donation: https://heavensfamily.org/awakening/. You can make a one-time or recurring gift there. Thanks again!
Those whose hearts are pure rejoice when they see God bless, or use, someone else. Inward resentment against God’s blessing that rests on others is resentment towards God.
The very first thing that love is not—according to the apostle Paul—is it is not jealous (see 1 Cor. 13:4). We cannot claim that we love anyone of whom we are jealous. Jealousy is fundamentally selfish.
It is possible, of course, to make the Bible say anything you want it to say, and that is something that is quite common in Christian circles. All that is necessary is to find a verse that seems to support your point, and then ignore its context—either its immediate context (of the surrounding verses), or its larger context within its passage, chapter, book or Testament.
Examples of this error are endless. Here’s one you’ve no doubt heard: Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount: “Do not judge so that you will not be judged” (Matt. 7:1). If that was the only verse in the Bible, we might conclude that Christians should never make a judgment about anyone. And that is what some professing Christians actually think. (I’ve even heard some claim that no Christian can serve on a jury, or earn a living as a judge.)
From an often-overlooked verse in Mark’s Gospel, we can learn something very valuable about Jesus’ character, and about ourselves. Here’s the verse:
Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them (Mark 6:48).
The incident almost seems a bit comical. The Twelve were simply trying to accomplish the task Jesus had given them. We can read just a few verses earlier: “Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida” (Mark 6:45). And off they went. As they obeyed, however, they ran into opposition. “The wind was against them.”
Imagine that you were one of the twelve men who spent three-and-a-half years following Jesus, seeing His every miracle and listening to His every word. Near the end of those years, you celebrate an annual feast with Him known as “Passover” that you’ve celebrated every year of your life and that has been part of your culture for hundreds of years.
At some point during that meal, imagine Jesus taking some of the bread (probably unleavened), blessing and breaking it, and then giving everyone pieces to eat, which He explains is “My body which is given for you” (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 14:24). He also tells everyone that they should do this in His remembrance (Luke 22:19). Finally, imagine Him then taking a cup of wine, giving thanks, and then similarly passing it around as He explains that it “is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28). What would you have been thinking? Years later, the apostle Paul would retell that story and its significance:
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes (1 Cor. 11:23-26).
Clearly, from what both Jesus and Paul said, the central symbolism of the Lord’s Supper revolves around Jesus’ sacrificial death. His body was broken and His blood was shed. And clearly, Jesus wanted all of His disciples to remember His sacrificial death, perpetually into the future, in the bread and wine. All Christians agree on those fundamental facts.
The title of “Lord”—which denotes someone who should be obeyed—is found over 350 times within the 3,180 verses of Romans through Revelation, and most often in reference to Jesus. So, at least one out of ten New Testament verses written to Christians mentions Jesus as Lord, that is, as one to obey. Remember Jesus once asked: “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:36).