How are You Measuring Up?

. . . These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; 

Acts 17:6

If the body of Christ is to be relevant in the world today, we have to take a stance that affects the world.   When Jesus ascended, He did what He promised and sent His Holy Spirit back.  

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.    John 14:26

The purpose of the Holy Spirit  is not only to comfort us and give us peace not of this world, it also gives us the power and authority to affect the world!

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.  John 16:17-18

We cannot effectively operate without the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority of the name of Jesus.  Before the body of Christ was instituted, Jesus told the disciples:

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.  Luke 24:49

When we receive the Holy Spirit, we are now equipped with power and authority and yet we sit passively by and look at the depravity and evilness which has created the gross darkness of the world today.

For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. Isaiah 60:2

We talk about it, complain about it, and preach about it but  do nothing to affect a change.  We are not saved; delivered from this world, to be silent!  God did not save us to sit passively by bathed in His holy light while the world perishes in darkness!  

We need to be energized as Jonah was when he single handedly turned Nineveh to God:

And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.  So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.  Jonah 3:4-5

To be "passive" means to be "unconcerned, inactive, unresponsive, indifferent, unemotional, or unfeeling".  How are you measuring up?  Are you "on fire" for God; are you actively leading people to the Kingdom of Light?  If not, you may be found in some of these common reasons why people are passive, why they are inactive, indifferent, and not involved in the work of the Lord:

   not under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

   have not grasped the meaning of the Great Commission.

   do not know their place in the Body of Christ.

   do not embrace the goals, vision, will and direction of God.

   lack singleness of vision. (They see so much to do and have no clear vision of their role, so they are discouraged and do not do anything.)

   are consumed by the cares and involvements of the world.

   are afraid their willingness to become involved will be taken advantage of by others.

   Authoritarian leadership that does everything to prevent involvement. This is a "personality based" ministry instead of a "body-based" ministry involving all members in the work of the Lord. (The pastor or spiritual leader is not to do all the work himself. He is to equip or mobilize the body for the work of the ministry.)

   live in the past. The Bible warns, "Remember Lot's wife". Looking back to the "good old days" or "how things were done before" prevents action in the present.

   walking in the flesh: When a person walks in the flesh, they cannot accomplish spiritual goals. The flesh prevents you from doing "that which you would do." 

 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.    Romans 7:15 

Frustration, division, and unresolved conflicts are all signs that a person is walking in the flesh. These and similar behaviors will render people inactive in the Kingdom of God.

   Sin prohibits the flow of God's anointing, His fire, glory, and revival. Since these are the mobilizing spiritual forces, a believer who continues in sin will soon lose his motivation.

   Discouragement causes passivity. A discouraged person is closed minded, has a need for power, control, and to get his own way. He avoids personal responsibility, blames others for problems, and wants to retaliate. He is unstable and disloyal.

   A "professional" attitude. This is a problem that often renders people inactive in the modern church age. This "professional" attitude is one that says "Let's hire it done".

Passive individuals result in a passive people corporately. Basically the passive church fits the description of the church at Sardis.

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.  Revelation 3:1 

They have a "name that they live, but they are dead".  Here is a "checklist for a passive people". How does your particular body measure up?

   Physical care of church facilities is below average and conveys an "I don't care" attitude.

   There is a heavy dependence on the pastor or paid staff to do the work of the ministry.

   There is a strong orientation to the past, believing that the "good old days" were better than the present time.

   There is declining membership; particularly among the youth.

   There are many inactive members.

   The focus is on music, children, and youth while the adults remain inactive.

   Economy is more important in decision-making than steps of faith.

   Communication is poor between members, pastor, and staff.

   A lack of attendance reveals a low level of concern.

   There is no spiritual joy.

   Policymakers and aggressive members are largely from the people who were members when the congregation started or from the "good old days".

   The minister views his ministry as in the past rather than in the future.

   The congregation is convinced that if they can find a "super pastor" to replace their minister, their problems will be over.

   The governing body of the congregation (board, council, etc.) tends to see its primary role as a permission withholding body to say what cannot be done. (In an active church, the governing body encourages creativity, innovation, steps of faith, and whenever at all possible, gives rather than withholds permission).

   New plans are met with arguments of "why that will not work here".

   The emphasis is on learning rather than doing.

   The typical member cannot call more than 5 people in the congregation by name.

   People are unusually critical about what is or is not happening.

   New members find it hard to gain a sense of belonging and to feel needed.

All of these items exhibit unconcern, indifference, and lack of involvement and should not exist in the body of Christ where motivation to ‘go to the nations’ is a commandment.

How are you measuring up?

(Biblical Studies)

12/07/13
06/10/15
08/22/16
01/31/19

10/08/20

08/15/22

Perfected Through Christ

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, 

forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are

 before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

Just as a good foundation is important to a building in the natural world, a good spiritual foundation is essential for the believer to progress in God.

Through the parable of the two builders,

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.   Matthew 7:23-27 

we know that our spiritual foundation must be built on the Word of God.  Hebrews 6:1-3 reveals that the foundation of the Christian faith are:

*  Repentance from dead works

*  Faith toward God

*  Doctrine of baptisms

*  Laying on of hands

*  Resurrection of the dead

*  Eternal judgment

These are the basic doctrines of the Word of God on which our spiritual life is built.

To the Hebrews, Apostle Paul gives an additional step which is necessary in building our spiritual life:  

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.  Hebrews 6:1

In other words, we don't stop there, we start there as we grow and mature in God.  Repentance from dead works, faith toward God, baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment are all principles of the doctrine of Christ.   Two extremes are common among believers. One is that they have a knowledge of the Word of God but do not apply that knowledge to daily living. The other extreme is that believers emphasize experience and ignore doctrine. Both doctrine and experience are important. A proper understanding of doctrine results in experience. But experience that is not based on biblical doctrine is not trustworthy.  You must not only understand the basic doctrines of Hebrews 6:1-3 but you must also experience them. Once we have built our life on these doctrines through knowledge of and experience, we must learn how to "go on unto perfection.”

The Bible uses the word "perfection" rather than "maturity" to describe a spiritually mature believer.  The word "perfection" is similar to the word "sanctification" or "consecration" which are also used in the Bible. "Sanctification" means holiness and "consecration" means to be set apart in righteousness.  A "perfect" Christian is one who has achieved spiritual maturity.  This means his body, soul, and spirit are under the control of the Holy Spirit.  They have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior.  

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 1:12

There are two dangers if spiritual foundations are emphasized without attention to perfection:

l.          One danger is to lay a good spiritual foundation and not go on to spiritual maturity.

2.         The other danger is to attempt to build a "superstructure" of perfection on a faulty spiritual foundation.

A foundation is not a completed building. A superstructure must be built on the foundation. A superstructure is that part of a building which is visible above the foundation. A good spiritual foundation is not the final goal for a believer:  

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.   Luke 14:29-30

Many people begin with God. They hear the Gospel, repent from dead works, and have faith toward God, but they never progress beyond this point. They never complete their spiritual foundation and go on to perfection.  A partial foundation in the natural world is not functional. You cannot construct a building on a partial foundation or it will collapse under stress. You must complete the foundation and then construct the building.  Believers who have not completed their spiritual foundations will have difficulty under stress. They will live "up and down" lives spiritually. Their spiritual building will not weather the storms of life. They cannot go on to perfection [spiritual maturity] because their foundation is incomplete.

In the natural world, a foundation alone is not very functional. It is the building constructed on that foundation that serves as a home, office, or school. The reason some people are spiritually immature is because they only lay a spiritual foundation and never finish the building by going on to perfection.  Apostle Paul spoke of these spiritually immature believers:  

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: For he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.   Hebrews 5:12-14

Apostle Paul told the believers to whom he was writing that it was time they should be teaching others the Gospel. Instead, they were having to be taught the first [foundational] principles of God.  He compared them to babies who could only drink milk. By "milk" he meant the first principles of God.  Milk is very healthy and brings growth, but there comes a time when a baby goes on to solid foods:   

Whom shall He teach knowledge? and whom shall He make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.   Isaiah 28:9

Just as weaning from milk is necessary in the natural world if a child is to develop properly, it is also necessary in the spiritual world. Believers must go beyond the first principles on to spiritual maturity [perfection]. Spiritually mature believers are able to feast on the meat, not just the milk, of the Word of God.  

®    Jesus calls His followers to perfection:  

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.   Matthew 5:48

®   This perfection reflects the presence of God:  

I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfect in one.  John 17:23

®   It results in spiritual maturity:  

Brethren, be not children in understanding. . . in understanding be men.   1 Corinthians 14:20

Perfection was a goal of the early church. Apostle Paul wrote:  

For...this also we wish, even your perfection...  ...Be perfect...  2 Corinthians 13:9 11

Individual perfection results in our being perfectly joined together with other believers in the Body of Christ:  

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no division among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.    1 Corinthians 1:10

Jesus is the example of perfection for believers:  

For even hereunto were ye called: Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.   1 Peter 2:21

For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Hebrews 2:10

And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.  Hebrews 5:9

God planned believers to be conformed [be made like] Jesus who is our example of perfection:  

For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.   Romans 8:29

The standard of perfection by which believers are measured is God's Word. 

Jesus was the example of perfection and conformed perfectly to the Word because He was the visible revelation of God's Word. God has set standards in His Word which are to govern our lives. The first standards He gave man were called the "law" and are recorded in the first five books of the Old Testament.  Much of the history of the Old Testament records the inability of man to keep God's laws. God knew man would not be able to keep the law through his own efforts. But God had some specific purposes for giving the law. One of the purposes of the law was to show men their sinful condition. Another purpose was to show them that they could not become righteous by their own efforts: 

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight:  For the law is the knowledge of sin.  Romans 3:20

God did not leave us in this hopeless condition. Through the law He promised the Messiah:

I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him.  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which He shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.   Deuteronomy 18:18-19  

In Acts 3:22-26 these same words are quoted by Apostle Peter and applied to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the Old Testament, various sacrifices were required by God for sin. After Jesus sacrificed His life for the sin of all mankind, the Old Testament sacrifices were no longer necessary:  

For the law having a shadow of good things to come...can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect... 

For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.   Hebrews 10:1,14

The purpose of the law is summarized in these words:  

But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  Galatians 3:22-24

Man could not keep the standards of a righteous God through self-effort. The law revealed the need for a Savior and led man to Jesus Christ. 

It is through Christ, not self-effort, that we are perfected.  

It is through Him that we are conformed to His example of perfection and to the standard of the Word of God.

 (Biblical Studies)



11/12/13
08/01/15
08/16/16
11/15/18
08/01/20

08/13/22

The Yoke of God -vs- the Yoke of Bondage

Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart and 

ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

God's desire is to bring you and I to an expected end:

For I know the thoughts I think toward you saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Jeremiah 29:11

That expected end is fulfillment of the vision, finishing the work of God:  

My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work.   John 4:34

Whenever we enter into something new, it always requires leaving the old. Birth requires leaving the security of the womb.

God is asking us to take a new step of faith:

Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.  Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. . .   Isaiah 43:18-19

You may have been bound by doctrine which claims the power of God is no longer for today. You may have thought the extension of the Gospel to the world was the responsibility of ministers or missionaries. You may have been bound by tradition or denominations which prevented you from joining hands with the rest of the Body of Christ in the harvest fields of the Lord.  But God is revealing His vision. We are becoming part of a new network of spiritual laborers bound together by unity of purpose.

The Bible records two separate incidents involving the use of a net in the natural world which illustrate a great spiritual truth.

The first event occurred at the beginning of Christ's earthly ministry and is recorded in Luke 5. The disciples had been fishing all night and caught nothing. Jesus told them:  

Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught. [Peter said:]  Master, we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing; nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.   Luke 5:4-5

When they let down the net they caught so many fish that it broke and they had to call their partners in another boat to come help them. The catch was so great that it filled both boats and they began to sink. Peter was amazed at this but Jesus told him:  

Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men.  Luke 5:10

The catch Peter was experiencing in the natural world was nothing compared to the great harvest he would reap in the spirit world as he became a fisher of men.

A similar incident is recorded at the end of Christ's ministry in John 21. The disciples had fished all night and caught nothing. At Christ's command they cast in the net and, once again, it was filled with fish. But this time was different than the first. The net did not break:  

Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three; and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.  John 21:11

These two events actually happened in the natural world, but they were parallels of a great spiritual truth. The first time the net broke but the second time it did not. What made the difference?

The first net was an example of the efforts of man. Peter was a fisherman by trade. He knew the natural methods and the tradition of fishermen. Through the broken net Jesus showed him that the efforts of man could not fulfill the vision and work of God.

When Peter realized the great work to which God was calling him he cried out:   

Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.  Luke 5:8

Peter would become a fisher of men. The old network could not accommodate the great spiritual harvest. Peter would have to abandon the traditions of man. He must cross the line of separation between Jew and Gentile. The old network must be broken and he must become part of a new network.

Jesus did not come to destroy the old, but to fulfill it through the new. 

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  Matthew 5:17

He did not destroy the law, but added new meaning to it. He did not abolish the blood sacrifice for sin, but fulfilled it through the shedding of His own blood for the remission of sin.

Jesus warned about putting new wine into old wine-skins. The old wine-skins would not be able to hold the new wine just as the net could not hold the fish. 

No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.  Mark 2:21-22

The challenge of the Great Commission cannot be accomplished with anything less than a new net in the spirit world.

Between the first and the second fishing trips, a new network had been created. These natural fishing incidents were parallels of what had happened in the spirit world.

This new spiritual network can accommodate the vision which Jesus gave. But to enter it, one must step from the old into the new. The old yoke must be broken. The old net must be destroyed in order for the new net to hold.

Yokes were used all over the ancient world to unite animals together to labor in the harvest fields. They may still be used for this purpose in many nations today.

Jesus spoke of the yoke when He said:  

Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me: for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.  Matthew 11:28-30

The vision He has given is of the harvest field. Today that field represents millions of people who have never received the Gospel message. . . And He tells us this challenge is "easy" and "light"?

That is exactly what He is saying. But the old network, the old yoke, cannot accommodate the vision. You cannot fulfill it in yourself. You cannot do it through the efforts of man. You must become part of the new network and be yoked together with Him.

We are all under a yoke of some type. 

You are either under the yoke of bondage or you are under the yoke of God.

The yoke of bondage is three-fold. You can be in bondage to either sin, self, or man.

  The yoke of sin:  

I am the Lord your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt [sin] that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.  Leviticus 26:13

The yoke of Egypt is parallel the yoke of sin. You must have the yoke of sin broken in your lives if you are to come under the yoke with Jesus.

  The yoke of self:  

The yoke of bondage can be a bondage to self:   

For that which I do I allow not; for what I would, that I do not; but what I hate, that do I. Romans 7:15

Selfishness and pride are examples of the yoke of self.

   The yoke of man:  

The yoke of man is bondage put on you by others:  

For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne and lay them on men's shoulders but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.  Matthew 23:4

The yoke of man can include the bondage of guilt, tradition, denomination, or impossible standards of behavior imposed by others.

The three-fold yoke of bondage of sin, self, and man speaks of imposed labor, heaviness, and restlessness.

The three-fold yoke of God speaks of a united labor instead of imposed labor. It speaks of lightness instead of heaviness. It is a yoke of rest instead of restlessness.  The three-fold yoke of God is easy, light and restful:

Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.   Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus provided three steps to bridge the gap between the yoke of bondage and the yoke of God. It is the way out of the old and into the new:

*  Come:    You must willingly come to Him. This destroys the yoke of sin.

*  Take:      You must take His yoke. In doing so, the yoke of man is destroyed.

*  Learn:    You must learn of Him in order to destroy the yoke of self.

The yoke of God is not simply imparted by God. It is shared by Him.

(Biblical Studies)




12/02/13
06/05/15
08/19/16
10/17/18
07/31/20

08/12/22