1 Peter 5:8 calls the devil a roaring lion prowling around seeking someone to devour. It is obvious that Peter’s readers would have seen or at least heard about these kings of the jungle for the analogy to make sense and be practical. Lions lurk, longing for lunch.
In the savannas of East Africa, their meal of choice is usually either the wildebeest or zebra. Despite this, these two animals continue to graze and migrate together. In fact, because they are chief prey of the lion (and other big cats), they need to stick together. Various observers and experts give different explanations for why. Zebras have great farsightedness and the wildebeests have excellent peripheral vision, but each are poor at seeing what the other sees well. Others explain that wildebeests have mouths better suited for short grass while zebras’ are made for the long grass that grow intermittently together on the plains. Still others point to the zebras superior memories, recalling the safety routes of the previous year, and the wildebeests uncanny ability to find water even when such is scarce. Probably, it is the combination of these facts that cause the symbiotic relationship between these two large mammals. They do not all survive, but the vast majority do. The reason is because they utilize their own abilities but also because they rely on the abilities of others.
In a letter where Peter is addressing a people who were at times spiritual prey, he does more than use the simba simile. He urges Christians to stick together and look out for one another. He calls for sincere, fervent, from the heart love for one another (1:22; 4:8). He urges complaint-free hospitality toward one another (4:9). He commands serving one another (4:10). He teaches there to be mutual humility displayed toward one another (5:5). He ends the letter exhorting an affectionate, loving greeting of one another (5:14). As much as anything, this is a recognition of mutual dependence.
If we understand that we are not at home in this world (2:11) and are living and longing for the inheritance in heaven (1:4), we should come to understand our mutual need of each other. That does not just mean looking for others’ help, but also giving it. This is by God’s design. Notice, for example, the proactive protection we provide each other by being “harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead…” (3:8-9a). Right before the lion passage, Peter talks about different groups looking out for and helping each other (5:1-6).
Any of us, through suffering, temptation, doubt, or some other factor, could drift away from the safety and security of the fold. Let us be more than mindful of each other. Let us depend on each other to survive the hunt and make it to eternal safety. I will face the lion many times in this life, and I depend on you to help me survive.
It is easy for us to overlook the importance of a single word, even of a single letter, as we speak. An illustration of this is shown in the adage, “The only difference in united and untied is where ‘i’ is found.” One single letter moved one space totally changes the meaning of a sentence where it is found. This is why it is important to take time to look at individual words/letters as we read the Bible.
Two Lists
Look at these two lists and see if you notice how one letter changes the word of God. The Bible speaks of: His doctrine (Matt. 7:28); the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42); your doctrine (Acts 5:28); the doctrine of the Lord (Acts 13:12); sound doctrine (1 Tim. 1:10); the doctrine of Christ (Heb. 6:1); etc. Now, look at the second list: the doctrines and commandments of men (Matt. 15:9; Mark 7:7); the commandments and doctrines of men (Col. 2:22); the doctrines of devils 1 Tim. 4:1); and strange doctrines (Heb. 13:9). Did you see the difference? It is the letter “s” to show a distinct difference between the word doctrine and the word doctrines. The Bible uses the plural, doctrines, to refer to false teaching, but it never uses the plural to refer to the teaching from heaven. It rarely uses the singular to refer to teaching coming from the heart of man, and every time it does, it clearly identifies its origin.
The One Doctrine
The Importance of One Letter
On any Bible subject there is only one teaching. In our society, we have the concept that one doctrine is as good as another. That is why people say, “That’s what you believe about it. Let me tell you what I believe about it.” This language ignores the fact that our God is one and when He speaks it is always singular. There is no way that He, who cannot lie, can teach one thing in one place and a contrary thing in another.
The One Faith Paul says that there are precisely the same number of “faiths” as there are gods. “There is one body, and one Spirit…one hope…one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God…” (Eph. 4:4-6). The Bible does not make provision for me to have one faith and you have another faith. Our faith comes from the doctrine we are taught, and the Bible never, even one time, speaks of the doctrines of God.
Religious division mocks the prayer of Jesus for unity among His followers. If I believe and teach the only doctrine found in the Bible and others teach only the same doctrine from the same source there will be unity. There is a vast difference between doctrine and doctrines!
Published with permission from ‘http: //www.ChurchOfChristArticles.com
Years ago, Wes Autrey sent me a copy of the “Idiot Report.” To this day, I still wonder why he thought of me as he read something with that title. I found all the entries hilarious, but one attributed to a Wichita probation officer was particularly funny. This august report said, “the stoplight on the corner buzzes when it’s safe to cross the street. I was crossing with one of my coworkers, who asked if I knew what the buzzer was for. I explained that it signals blind people when the light is red. Appalled, she responded, “What on earth are blind people doing driving?” Hopefully, you get where she missed the purpose of the corner buzzer. If not…
How many miss the point of Christianity? The decision to become a Christian is the best and most important decision this side of time. Living the Christian life is the best life to live. Worshipping the living God is a privilege that is awe-inspiring and of unsurpassed joy. Prayer is a lifeline without which none of us should feel equipped. Bible study with an eye toward applying its truths is vital to growing stronger and closer to God.
To go through life as a Christian filled with fear, sadness, anxiety, envy, anger, apathy or resentment really misses the point of what it means to be in Christ. That does not mean that we will automatically be immune from any of these feelings and attitudes. In fact, all of us will be confronted by them throughout life. But, if we spend a lifetime given in to these things, we have missed the point! Being in Christ means having the only true access to courage, happiness, trust, satisfaction, peace, zeal and acceptance that there is. We could go so many places in the New Testament which affirm this, but just look at Ephesians one. In Christ are the faithful saints (1:1), every spiritual blessing (1:3), election (1:4), grace (1:6), redemption (1:7), all-sufficiency (1:10), hope (1:12), the seal of the Holy Spirit (1:13), and strength (1:19-20). We have a forgotten past, a purposeful present, and a hopeful future in Christ!
The world’s values and thinking are backward (cf. Isa. 5:20). Do not fall prey to their convoluted way of thinking. We are Christians! We know why we are here and where we are going! That’s the point!
Matthew 7:7-11 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Do a Greek word study on each of the action verbs commanded of us in verse 7, and you’ll see that the verse would be better translated like this: “Keep on asking… keep on seeking… keep on knocking…” In other words, persevere. Don’t give up. Start by asking, by simply making an inquiry of God. But don’t stop there. Start seeking out his will. Continually study the entirety of his Word (Ps. 1:1-3; 119:160). But still don’t stop. Start knocking. Here’s where real perseverance comes in. Put into action and application what you find his Word to tell you.
Every single day, be asking for God to guide you, be seeking out his guidance in the Word, and continue to knock on Heaven’s door by active, penitent, continual obedience…and what will happen?
The will of God shall be given to you. You will find what you seek. The door shall be opened.
God is not our enemy. He is the best Friend we shall ever have. He is our Father, our Heavenly Parent. He blesses us every single day in more ways than we can count or even know in part because we’re so used to them that we take them for granted. The best gift of all which he offers is the gift of salvation freely given through his Son (Rom. 6:23). All believers ask for this salvation. Keep asking. True believers will seek it. Keep seeking. The saved will knock on his door, and it will be opened to them…because they choose to obey his Word (Matt. 7:21-27; Heb. 5:9).
It’s all about persistence, friends. Perseverance (Luke 11:5-8; 18:1-8). Not giving up. It’s the middle of February right now. Perhaps that New Year’s Resolution made a few weeks ago about studying your Bible every day is getting a little hard to fulfill because right about now in your quest to read the Bible through in one year you’ve now gotten to the latter part of Exodus or the book of Leviticus…which, admittedly, is pretty dry reading. Perhaps you’re being tempted to give up your efforts to bring the gospel to lost souls because no one has jumped into the baptistry yet after one study with you. Don’t give up. Persevere in your Bible studies, and you’d be surprised at the blessings which come (Ps. 119:97-104). Keep on sowing evangelistically, and you will reap (Gal. 6:9).
Keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking…
Published with permission from ‘http: //www.ChurchOfChristArticles.com’
Yesterday, John and Carla Moore, Kathy, and I worshipped with the church of Christ in Nazareth. We have been there a few times, but there was something extremely special about yesterday. In attendance was Wissam Al-Aethawi, an Iraqi and Muslim-born brother in Christ whom I first met at Polishing the Pulpit. What was so special is that this man, who explained that he has been a believer for 20 years and a New Testament Christian for 10 years, was able to worship in his native Arabic tongue for the first time ever.
Can you imagine being a child of God for a decade before you ever had the opportunity to sing, pray, or hear preaching in the language you were born and raised to know?
Every Lord’s Day, most of us have the privilege to worship God in our native tongue. In fact, such is probably an afterthought if a thought at all. I got the sense that brother Al-Aethawi would relish the idea of being able to worship in Arabic each week, and there’s no doubt he would not take it for granted.
But do I appreciate that privilege? Does worshipping God mean so much to me that I prioritize it over everything else? When I am in attendance, do I pour my heart and soul into it? Do I let the words of the songs touch me, the prayers reach me, and the sermon change me? As I am able to stimulate the others to love and good deeds with words that come naturally to me, do I appreciate the blessing of fellowship felt before, during, and after worship?
What a shame if I let the glory of praising God seem so ordinary that I fail to treasure each service! What if we approached each time as if it was the first time we were able to worship God with the people of God? What a difference it would make to the energy and passion of worship, if each of us did that. Wissam
“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” – 1 Corinthians 10:12
This is a warning many Christians would do well to think about from time to time. After all, God urges Christians to “present (our) bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is (our) spiritual service” and to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of (our) mind” (Romans 12:1-2). He wants His followers to give their entire lives (twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week) to Him through the renewing of their minds. Christianity is more than just going to church on Sundays. When Christians start thinking otherwise, they are in danger.
Do you know where you stand? How sure is your foundation?
Throughout the entire Bible, you can read of the problem of sin. Jesus warned, “If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned” (John 15:6). The writer of Hebrews warned Christians twice of the dangers of falling away from God through evil, unbelieving hearts (Hebrews 3:12) and willful, unrepentant sin that makes Christ’s sacrifice for sins invalid as far as they are concerned (Hebrews 10:26-31). This is why disciples of Christ must always be looking out that they are truly righteous in the sight of God and have not fallen away from his ways.
So what is the solution? The beginning of the answer to this question can be found by examining what Jesus did when he was tempted by Satan in Matthew 4:1-11. Satan tempted him the first time, and he said, “It is written…” (v. 4). Satan tempted him a second time (this time using Scripture taken out of context), and he replied, “On the other hand, it is written…” (v. 7). Satan tempted him a third time, and he came back with another “It is written…” (v. 10). Jesus had knowledge of the word of God, and that kept him from being tricked by the deceitfulness of Satan’s temptations and succumbing to sin. Knowledge of the word of God is the first step (Isaiah 5:13; Hosea 4:6; Acts 17:30).
However, knowledge alone does not solve the problem of sin. James wrote that “faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself” (James 2:17). He went on to say that “one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Once again, this is a problem many within the church face. How many Christians can be confident they have knowledge of the truth of God’s word…and yet do they apply those biblical precepts to themselves? When a matter is being preached scripturally from the pulpit, how many say “Amen!” in agreement to what is being preached and yet do not practice that truth in their lives? It is like if you’re sick, and you go to the doctor. He gives you a prescription, you fill the prescription, take it home, read the instructions, understand them…and yet do not follow them. Even though you have knowledge of what to do in order to get well, will you well without USING that knowledge? It is the same with having knowledge of the word of God, my friends. We must practice what we are taught. Otherwise, falling away from the faith and back into sin is unavoidable…and eternal hell is that much closer.
Therefore, I’d like to join Paul in encouraging us all to “take heed that we do not fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Friends, take advantage of every single opportunity to grow in knowledge of the Word. Assemble with the Church. Make sure that you are using the knowledge of God’s word you have every single day. When that happens, you’d be amazed at how quickly a Scripture will come to mind when Satan tempts you to sin, and that will make it that much easier to, like our Lord, command Satan to leave.
Published with permission from ‘http: //www.ChurchOfChristArticles.com’
