Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

 

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Phil. 2:11-13

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:21-23New King James Version (NKJV)

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10King James Version (KJV)

In my book Saints Made Merchandise: An Analysis of Tithes, Alms & Offerings I write, “When Paul points out in Ephesians 2 verses 8 to 10 that although works did not save us but that we are saved by grace through faith, that we were elected before the creation of the world to do good works for which we are called, the message becomes clearer. So when we walk by this faith we will naturally perform good works of which alms are a part. Interestingly, Ephesians 2 verses 8 to 10 makes a thought-provoking strong link between salvation by faith and God ordained works. John the Baptist once said to people who had just repented, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Produce fruit worthy of repentance.  9And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.  10The ax lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

These scriptures pass an interesting message. There is a serious misconception within the Christian community that since salvation is by grace through faith, actions or any form of deeds are of no consequence in the equation of salvation. What we seem not to realise is that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. (John 8:34) Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. Paul once wrote, “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:18-25.

Christ came to deliver us from the bondage of sin which is responsible for our failure to do that which pleases God. It is not true that God is not interested in our deeds. God is actually interested in our works. The apostle John once wrote, "The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. 9Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.  10By this the children of God and the children of the devil can be distinguished: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God" (1 John 3:8-10) Many fool ourselves by claiming that all you need is to believe in Christ and once you do so you remain saved. We call it once saved always saved; all our sins, past present and future are forgiven. This assumption is blatantly incorrect and an absolute abomination to the Lord.

Paul, the man who never believed in salvation through works once wrote, "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-22) To buttress this the Lord said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

 when we talk of salvation not being of works all we mean is that our works do not in any way bring to us salvation all have sinned and since we are all under the bondage of we can not do that which is good no matter how much we try. We will only be able to do good when we get delivered from sin and Christ begins to live in us. therefore one evidence that we have been saved when we start to live righteously in this present life.

 
On the other hand the Old Testament, prophet Ezekiel, addresses the subject in this manner. “When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: In his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. . . . When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die” (Ezekiel 18:24, 26). As if he was addressing the same topic, the apostle Paul wrote, "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and
envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-22).
The writer of the book of Hebrews weighs in by saying, "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (Hebrews 4:1-11) This is the same thought that Paul brings in the epistle to the Philipians when he writes, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Phil. 2:11-13) When we go back to the Old Testament, Ezekiel repeats his teaching by saying, "When I [the Lord] shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and committeth iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it...... “When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby” (Ezekiel 33:13,18).

What comes out clear here is that when one abandons his rigteusness he also loses the benefits thereon. This is the very reason Paul wrote, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Whilst warning about worldly lusts, Paul says, " But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.  I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." 1 Tim 6:11-19 

 

 

Dangers of sleeping in church

SIDE EFFECTS OF SLEEPING IN CHURCH.
A lady dozed off when the pastor was preaching. when she woke up, she head the pastor saying,
"stand up!". She stood up and the pastor said, "thank you mama, God bless you, remain standing..". The pastor continued," any one else who has been unfaithful to her husband? Pliz don't be shy, be like this sister, stand up!

By C Mugairi

GRACE WHICH BRINGS SALVATION

This post was originally posted on Monday, 16 May 2016. It is repeated here with some additions to explain Jeremiah 31..

 

   Titus 2:11 to 14, ‘For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world; looking for the blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous unto good works.’

Salvation comes from grace and not faith. Many a time we have taught or been taught that we are saved by faith yet that is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that we are saved BY GRACE through faith. In Eph 2:8 Paul writes, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” you see it is not faith that saves but it is the grace of God that saves us. Faith is just the tool or means we use to appropriate this salvation.

The Bible says that the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all mankind. This grace has not been sent to some but to all people. In other words grace has brought salvation to everyone. It is not any form of grace that brings salvation. It is the grace of God which brings salvation to everyone and not the grace of man. When this grace has brought salvation man must then use faith to appropriate the salvation.

Upon appearing to all and sundry with salvation the grace of God teaches the whole world to:

1.      deny ungodliness and worldly lusts,

2.      live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world;

3.      look forward to the blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Jesus Christ

4.      be eager to do good works

There is an abnormality in many Christian circles that once under grace there is nothing that we are expected to do. It is taught that unlike people who are under the law, people who are under grace are free and nothing more is expected from them. Surprisingly in Paul’s epistle to Titus we are told that grace in point of fact teaches us to do something. In writing to the Ephesians after elaborating that salvation is of grace and not works so no one has a reason for boasting, Paul goes on to write in Eph. 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.” In other words God has ordained good works which must be performed by people who are under grace.

Usually when we talk about not being under the law we make the wrong assumption that the law is no longer of any effect yet Jesus himself said in Matt 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place.” Some claim that Jesus spoke in such a manner because he was still in the Old Testament yet that is not entirely true. Jesus never operated in the Old Testament whilst on earth and that is why he was an enemy of the Pharisees, Seduces and the then priesthood. He was on record of having said, “ye have heard of old …. but I say …” In fact Jesus tells us when the Old Testament ended by saying in Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets were in force until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it.” The Old Testament was until John and the New Testament was ushered by our Lord and savior Jesus Christ because, “the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” John 1:17

Paul writes, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” Rom 7:7. Again in Gal 3:24 Paul writes, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” From these quotations it is clear that the law does not in any way provide salvation. The law merely shows that one is a sinner who is in need of a savior.

The law condemns a sinner and brings no salvation with it. Moses brought the law and through it by means of figures and symbols he prophesied about the coming of a savior who would wipe out the scourge of sin. Through the symbol of the brazen serpent he pointed out that the savior would become sin in the same manner that brass became a serpent but through that process bring salvation to slaves of sin. John 3:14-15; 2 Cor.5:21. Christ was aware of man’s predicament and the fact that apart from a savior man could not extricate himself from the bondage of sin. Christ therefore by grace brought salvation to man. Salvation is therefore entirely depended on the grace of Christ and not the works of the law. In any case Paul says that the law is our tutor, who brings us to Christ so that by the grace of Christ we may be justified by faith.

The apostle John once said in 1 John 3:4, "sin is the transgression of the law." . Had there been no law there would have been no sin because without the transgression of the law there is no sin. Adam transgressed God's law not to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil hence he sinned. Since the days of Adam no human has been able to fully observe and keep God's law because that law was not part of the human nature. When Moses wrote the law on tables of stone it still did not improve matters because then the law was still outside man. This was the main reason why God had to substitute the Old Testament with the New Testament.

Through the prophet Jeremiah the Lord said, "Behold, the days come ... that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Jer. 31:31-34. commenting on that scripture, the writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." Heb. 8:8-13.

The major difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament is that in the Old Testament the law was written outside man whilst in the New Testament the same law is written in man's heart and it thus becomes part of the nature of that person. It is for this reason that John says, "And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." 1 John 3:4-10.

 

So you see that a person in whose heart the law of God is written does not struggle to keep that law because that law has become part their nature and personality. The statement is clear that "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." Therefore those who call for the disregard of God's law under the pretext of not being under the law but are under grace greatly err because the grace of God teaches us to live godly lives as dictated by the law of God. Such living is not outlawed by the law of God hence people who live such lives cannot be said to be under the law.
 

A person who breaks the law is under the law but a person who does not break the law is not under the law. It is only thieves who are affected by laws which outlaw theft. They are the ones who are under such laws. People who respect the sanctity of other people’s property are not under antitheft laws because those law do not regulate the way they live because whatever such laws outlaw does not affect them in any way. In the same vein people who live righteous and godly lives are not under the law because they already live lives that are not outlawed by the law. This is the reason why the grace of God teaches us to:

1.      deny ungodliness and worldly lusts,

2.      live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world;

3.      look forward to the blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Jesus Christ

4.      be eager to do good works

When we deny ungodliness and worldly lusts we will start to live lives that are not controlled by anti-covetous laws. “Thou shalt not covet” applies to lustful persons. Prostitution, greediness, selfishness, corruption and all worldly vices stem out of ungodliness and lust hence all people who practice them are still under the law. In my book Saints Made Merchandise I point out that the apostle Paul says, ‘the good that I would do I do not: but the evil I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.’ Sin can therefore render our desire and ability to do good works powerless. When we get rid of sin, good must flow out of us freely and abundantly. That is precisely why Paul said the grace of God that brings salvation causes in us a passion for good works. Has Christ delivered us from the law of sin and death? If he has then we have no justification for not doing good acts. He thus has every reason to either commend us or upbraid us for not sharing with others that which we possess. It is thus imperative that we deliberately deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and because of that the grace of teaches us to precisely do that.

The grace of God does not only teach us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts but it also teaches us to live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world. Grace does not teach us to live soberly, righteously and godly in the world to come but in this present world. Righteous living is for now and not for the future. Jesus Christ became sin for our sakes so that we may become the righteousness of God in Christ. It therefore means that in order to live righteously we must allow Christ to live his life through us. When this happens good will naturally flow from our innermost beings according to the Lord’s plan for us. Again in my book Saints Made Merchandise I write, “Good works do not in themselves bring righteousness to a person but they are in reality a product of righteousness. Therefore it is not good works that produce righteousness but it is righteousness, which produces good works, and the good works are the evidence of that righteousness. Since alms are a by-product of good works it follows that alms deeds are acts of righteousness. In his doctrine our saviour and Lord said, ‘seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness … Sell that you have, and give alms, provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not…. And you yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord…. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching.’ Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:33-37…. Good works do not save and cannot produce righteousness, as has already been said, but arise from righteousness and the grace, which saves us through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore anyone who is unrighteous has no fellowship with the Lord. Even the righteousness that is by human standards is insufficient to please God. One prophet and writer of ancient years once said that all our righteousness is like filthy rags before the Lord. Even the righteousness which is by the observance of the law is inadequate on its own as was shown in the story of the rich young man who asked the Lord what he had to do in order for him to inherit everlasting life. It is said that the young man had observed and obeyed the law of God, given through Moses, since his childhood but Jesus indicated that perfection could only come after repentance. A teacher of the Law of Moses who was righteous according to the standards of the Sanhedrin was told that he had to be born again so that he could inherit the kingdom of God. In both cases Jesus was hinting that the righteousness of God is not the righteousness of men.

The righteousness that pleases God is the one, which is by godly standards. When God therefore noticed the shortcomings of men as far as righteousness is concerned he decided to impart his own righteousness to men. Jesus, the Word that became flesh, lived on earth for thirty-three solid years as human and with all human limitations. Of the thirty-three years he devoted three and a half to teaching the word of God doing good and healing all those who were sick. One Passover week he became sin, by bearing all our iniquities in his own body, so that we would become the righteousness of God through him. Since then all those who believe on him automatically become the righteousness of God through Christ. It is not of works but of faith.

The righteousness of human standards is of works while the righteousness, which is of godly standards, is of faith. Good works brings about human righteousness whereas Jesus Christ the righteous king himself brings godly righteousness and it produces the good works. Good works do not produce it. Instead of good works giving birth to righteousness, it is righteousness that must give birth to good works. God’s order is righteousness first and good works later. When we reverse the order we mostly end up in hypocrisy. According to Ephesians chapter 2 grace brings salvation through faith first, which salvation brings the righteousness of Christ, and then good works are expected later, an indication that genuine good works are a product of righteousness. Paul’s words in Ephesians 2:8-10 read, ‘for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.’

It is clear here that if our salvation was a result of our own good works, we would have something to boast about but that is not the case because our salvation and righteousness is dependent on God himself through Christ. It is further without controversy that verse 10 states that God predetermined us to do good works and walk in them. It follows then that all who believe in Christ must walk in good works. It therefore means that when God imparts his righteousness on us, the righteousness will lead us into good works which is the reason why James says that pure and undefiled religion before God will cause us to do good. I trust that is why the tenth verse of the second chapter of the apostle Paul’s epistle to the Galatians makes it a requirement of every Christian to do good works. I also suppose that is the reason why Paul claims, in his epistle to Titus that the grace of God, which brings salvation, teaches us to do good works. The righteousness of God will make us zealous of good works.

Those who claim that good works have no place in a Christian’s life greatly err because God expects us do good. Revelation 22:32 makes it clear that our rewards shall be according to works. Since alms deeds are part of good works it consequently means that they are a product of the righteousness of God. Alms giving was natural in the early Christian church because the righteousness of God had first place in the believers’ lives. Those who have the righteousness of God find out that giving is normal. It was because of this righteousness that early Christian believers gave each other in such a way that no one amongst them lacked. We do alms out of righteousness and not to attain righteousness which reason makes this form of giving a pleasure and a delight to the saint.” For more details concerning this book visit http://www.amazon.com/Saints-Made-Merchandise-Analysis-Offerings/dp/0797469141 or

Grace does not only bring salvation as it also brings us hope teaching us to look forward to the blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our savior Jesus Christ. The good news is that Jesus Christ is coming back again to judge both the living and the dead. We look forward to that great day when the last enemy, death, will be vanquished. That will be a great day when the dead in Christ will rise again and we who will be alive will be caught up to be with the Lord forever. The apostle wrote, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words. But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

The Word of God is profitable (Edited)

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

The above scripture is clear that the word of God is beneficial to the children of God hence it is imperative that every child of God must be adequately exposed to it. The Psalmist once wrote, “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.” on yet another day the Lord himself said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” John 15:3. To the child of God, the word of God is therefore very crucial.

The first point to take note of here is that all scripture is given by inspiration of God. In other words, every scripture is divinely breathed by God or is God sanctioned or is inspired by God. Scripture does not come from men but from God hence Peter once wrote, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:19-21. Scripture is thus divine and God’s gift to men.

Paul says that scripture is profitable for doctrine or is helpful and advantageous for doctrine or for teaching and learning. Scripture is thus important for our learning. The disciples of Christ in the New Testament were not only followers as some may assume. The term disciple refers to a learner, a student, an understudy, or a devotee follower of a principal. Primarily, disciples were not teachers but leaners. Interestingly, Christ once said to his disciples, “you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' because you have only one teacher, and all of you are brothers.” Mt 23:8. During Bible days, the term disciple related to devoted followers of an influential religious leader or teacher hence Isiah once wrote in verse 16 of his 8^th chapter, “Tie up the scroll as legal evidence, seal the official record of God’s instructions and give it to my followers.” Isiah, here, makes it clear that what he gave to his followers is exactly what he had learnt from God. In another scripture he says, “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. Isiah 50:4.

To one of his followers, Paul also wrote, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15. This shows that it is beneficial to study the word of God. When we approach the word of God, we must exert ourselves or give diligence to understanding the word of God. We must endeavour to understand and comprehend the teaching or doctrine of the word of God. Paul says we must handle aright the word of truth and when we do so we will then be able to teach the truth directly and correctly without being ashamed. In that way, the word of God will become profitable for doctrine.

The challenge we have in our day is that of conflicting doctrines amongst churches. This is primarily due to the custom of developing doctrines independent of scripture. Having formulated such doctrines, creators of those doctrine then hunt for scriptures to support their views. Such an approach is defective from the onset. The correct approach is to earnestly study scripture without any preconceived ideas. When we do so scripture will be beneficial for doctrine. We must read scripture to learn and not to formulate doctrine. Scripture on its on is enough doctrine and does not require any cosmetics.

When Paul writes, "rightly dividing the word of truth,” he refers to accurately teaching or applying scripture without being influence by man-made ideas, cultural perceptions, prevailing world trends or false teaching. He is referring to the accurate application of the word within the inspirational confines of the Spirit of God or of Christ. The interpretation of the word will not be influenced by societal trends but by what God wants achieved.

Approached from another angle, we could say that this is a job which stresses precise, straight and accurate or exact interpretation of the word of truth. In other words, a teacher of the word must diligently study God's word so that he will precisely and accurately interpret it such that his students will properly grasp and understand the word so that they will in turn teach the same word to their listeners also.

This does not mean crafting a teaching and then hunting for scriptures to back that teaching. Many teachers hide behind the excuse of revelation when they create such doctrines which they later seek to back with scripture thereby twisting scripture to their own whims. An example which comes to my mind is the salvation or redemption offering which is now collected in some African churches. Peter wrote, “…... you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Despite such scriptures, certain pastors “received a revelation” thereby introducing offerings of redemption and looked scriptures to back that teaching. The result is such teachings end up contracting scriptures such as 1 Peter 16 to 25 and a host of other redemption scriptures. Such behaviour is not interpretation of scripture but assassination of scripture for selfish gains.

Another interesting example of modern day revelation relates to 1 Timothy 6:10 wherein some teachers have boldly pointed out that it is the lack of money which is the root of all evil and not what Paul wrote there. Indeed, this is a doctrine created by worshippers of wealth to cover up for their great desire and love for money yet the bible teaches that we must trust in the Lord for both our defence and security.

One more thought-provoking doctrine is one which insinuates that because of grace, we can satisfy our essential desire to worship God, and at the same time, live the lifestyle that we want to live regardless of how ungodly it really is. It is considered legalistic when certain boundaries are set up for us. Indeed, “wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.” Mt 7:13. Surprising Galatian 5:19-21 sets boundaries yet we lie that boundaries for living are legalistic yet Paul himself, concerning those who breach boundaries, said, “and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

The foregoing teaches us that bible interpretation must come from the bible formulating what we must follow rather than formulating a doctrine and then looking for a scripture to vindicate our position. Properly interpreting the bible is of great importance for all Christians when reading or studying it. Bible interpretation is not as complicated as it sounds if we remain under the leading of the Spirit of God. In order to "rightly divide" the word of truth it is crucial that we do the following.

·         Prayer must be the starting point wherein we implore God to reveal through the Holy Spirit the truths of his word.

·         Start on an empty page and never bring in presuppositions because what we have been taught and learnt before might be incorrect.

·         It is important to remain within the context of the subject of study.

In my next post, I will proceed with the term “for reproof.”

 

The Word of God is profitable

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

The above scripture is clear that the word of God is beneficial to the children of God hence it is imperative that every child of God must be adequately exposed to it. The Psalmist once wrote, “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.” on yet another day the Lord himself said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” John 15:3. To the child of God, the word of God is therefore very crucial.

The first point to take note of here is that all scripture is given by inspiration of God. In other words, every scripture is divinely breathed by God or is God sanctioned or is inspired by God. Scripture does not come from men but from God hence Peter once wrote, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:19-21. Scripture is thus divine and God’s gift to men.

Paul says that scripture is profitable for doctrine or is helpful and advantageous for doctrine or for teaching and learning. Scripture is thus important for our learning. The disciples of Christ in the New Testament were not only followers as some may assume. The term disciple refers to a learner, a student, an understudy, or a devotee follower of a principal. Primarily, disciples were not teachers but leaners. Interestingly, Christ once said to his disciples, “you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' because you have only one teacher, and all of you are brothers.” Mt 23:8. During Bible days, the term disciple related to devoted followers of an influential religious leader or teacher hence Isiah once wrote in verse 16 of his 8^th chapter, “Tie up the scroll as legal evidence, seal the official record of God’s instructions and give it to my followers.” Isiah, here, makes it clear that what he gave to his followers is exactly what he had learnt from God. In another scripture he says, “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. Isiah 50:4.

To one of his followers, Paul also wrote, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15. This shows that it is beneficial to study the word of God. When we approach the word of God, we must exert ourselves or give diligence to understanding the word of God. We must endeavour to understand and comprehend the teaching or doctrine of the word of God. Paul says we must handle aright the word of truth and when we do so we will then be able to teach the truth directly and correctly without being ashamed. In that way, the word of God will become profitable for doctrine.

The challenge we have in our day is that of conflicting doctrines amongst churches. This is primarily due to the custom of developing doctrines independent of scripture. Having formulated such doctrines, creators of those doctrine then hunt for scriptures to support their views. Such an approach is defective from the onset. The correct approach is to earnestly study scripture without any preconceived ideas. When we do so scripture will be beneficial for doctrine. We must read scripture to learn and not to formulate doctrine. Scripture on its on is enough doctrine and does not require any cosmetics.

When Paul writes, "rightly dividing the word of truth,” he refers to accurately teaching or applying scripture without being influence by man-made ideas, cultural perceptions, prevailing world trends or false teaching. He is referring to the accurate application of the word within the inspirational confines of the Spirit of God or of Christ. The interpretation of the word will not be influenced by societal trends but by what God wants achieved.

Approached from another angle, we could say that this is a job which stresses precise, straight and accurate or exact interpretation of the word of truth. In other words, a teacher of the word must diligently study God's word so that he will precisely and accurately interpret it such that his students will properly grasp and understand the word so that they will in turn teach the same word to their listeners also.

This does not mean crafting a teaching and then hunting for scriptures to back that teaching. Many teachers hide behind the excuse of revelation when they create such doctrines which they later seek to back with scripture thereby twisting scripture to their own whims. An example which comes to my mind is the salvation or redemption offering which is now collected in some African churches. Peter wrote, “…... you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Despite such scriptures, certain pastors “received a revelation” thereby introducing offerings of redemption and looked scriptures to back that teaching. The result is such teachings end up contracting scriptures such as 1 Peter 16 to 25 and a host of other redemption scriptures. Such behaviour is not interpretation of scripture but assassination of scripture for selfish gains.

Another interesting example of modern day revelation relates to 1 Timothy 6:10 wherein some teachers have boldly pointed out that it is the lack of money which is the root of all evil and not what Paul wrote there. Indeed, this is a doctrine created by worshippers of wealth to cover up for their great desire and love for money yet the bible teaches that we must trust in the Lord for both our defence and security.

One more thought-provoking doctrine is one which insinuates that because of grace, we can satisfy our essential desire to worship God, and at the same time, live the lifestyle that we want to live regardless of how ungodly it really is. It is considered legalistic when certain boundaries are set up for us. Indeed, “wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.” Mt 7:13. Surprising Galatian 5:19-21 sets boundaries yet we lie that boundaries for living are legalistic yet Paul himself, concerning those who breach boundaries, said, “and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

The foregoing teaches us that bible interpretation must come from the bible formulating what we must follow rather than formulating a doctrine and then looking for a scripture to vindicate our position. Properly interpreting the bible is of great importance for all Christians when reading or studying it. Bible interpretation is not as complicated as it sounds if we remain under the leading of the Spirit of God. In order to "rightly divide" the word of truth it is crucial that we do the following.

·         Prayer must be the starting point wherein we implore God to reveal through the Holy Spirit the truths of his word.

·         Start on an empty page and never bring in presuppositions because what we have been taught and learnt before might be incorrect.

·         It is important to remain within the context of the subject of study.

In my next post, I will proceed with the term “for reproof.”

 

.”

A word from the author of Saints Made Merchandise

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pF9ES1btPjo

This book is available at https://www.amazon.com/Saints-Made-Merchandise-Analysis-Offerings/dp/0797469141/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494774565&sr=8-3&keywords=Saints+Made+Merchandise

THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES

THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES

 ‘He also that received seed among thorns is he that heareth the word; and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.’ Matthew 13:22 - KJV.

‘The ground covered with thistles represents a man who hears the message, but the cares of this life and his longing for money choke out God’s Word, and he does less and less for God.’ Matthew13: 22 – The Living Bible.

‘They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches: None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.’ Psalms 49:6-7.

One day the King taught in parables, one of which we all know as the Parable of the Sower. In the Parable of the Sower he said that when the sower went out to sow his seeds, seed that fell on the wayside, rocky ground and thorny ground did not produce fruit although some did germinate. Only that which fell on good soil bore fruit. It is interesting to note that the Lord never placed much emphasis on germination or growth but on fruit bearing. The Lord desires that we bear much fruit and not just any fruit but the right good quality fruit. He expects his disciples to bear the fruit of righteousness because we are called to produce such type of fruit. Read Romans 6:22; Galatians 5:22-23 & Matthew 7:17-19.

Satan knows very well that it is the Lord’s desire that we produce much good fruit and the devil’s greatest mission is to fail as many as he can from producing that fruit. The devil employs as many tactics as he can think of to prevent the children of God from bearing fruit and one of those tactics is the deceitfulness of riches.

The seed that the sower (Jesus Christ) went about sowing is the Word of God and the soil upon which it fell are the hearts of people. When a man receives the Word, the first thing that the Word does to him is to consecrate man to God. The word makes man clean because the fruit of righteousness can only be produced by a righteous being. This becomes possible because the sower (Jesus Christ) will live his life through the soil (men) in whom he died and resurrected thereby producing his own fruit in men. I say the sower died in the soil and rose in the soil because the seed is the Word of God and Jesus who also is the sower is the Word that became flesh. John 1:1, 2, 14; 15:1-15; 12:24. In other words Jesus Christ is the seed sown in us, which must be allowed to produce fruit. If Jesus Christ who is our righteousness is allowed to produce His fruit in us, we will become producers of the fruit of righteousness thereby pleasing the everlasting Father.

If everyone in the world were to produce the fruit of righteousness the world would be the most peaceable and enjoyable place to live in. Such a state of affairs is not what Satan looks forward to. He therefore seeks to frustrate it by preventing us from bearing fruit. Even after the seed has germinated he does not give up. He will only give up when we have borne fruit, because then, the damage will have been done.

His greatest tool in preventing fruit bearing, after germinating is the deceitfulness of riches. Firstly men are made aware of the cares of this life. The pleasures of this life are made to become man’s real concern. Men are made to believe that without fulfilling the cares of this life, they are only half accomplished. Over and above the basic necessities of life secondary and pleasurable wants are made to appear so important that without being satisfied, a man feels out of place.

To the Bible believer, these worries are elevated to a place of greater prominence than our salvation and hope. He is made to forget that he is only a pilgrim and sojourner on this earth. Rather than passing the time of our sojourning in the pursuit of holiness, the pursuit of wealth is substituted .The believer is made to see and admire the glitter of gold and not the glory of he who redeemed us. Avarice slowly takes control of the believer. Greedy and selfishness renders what little word the believer had left fruitless. When the believer becomes fruitless, fewer people are led into the kingdom and the devil considers the battle won.

This is the very process through which The Prosperity Gospel takes us through since its teachings cloud our vision and most followers of the doctrine see nothing more than money in their lives or as the reason for their living. Instead of placing emphasis on our pilgrimage and our conduct as sojourners emphasis is placed on our permanent residence on earth. Job said we brought nothing with us into the world and we shall leave behind the world with all that belongs to the world but the prosperity gospel says love the world and all that belongs to it. Of cause the language is not that outright, otherwise even the most hardened sinner would shun such a doctrine, but reading between the lines of its teachings that is exactly what every sane and sober man would read. Did it ever occur to you that the prosperity gospel is devoid of warnings against the vanities of worldly riches? Those many promises of wealth are designed to choke the good word in you so that you are unfruitful.

Before I explain how this is achieved let me first comment on the dangers of the treachery of riches in light of Matthew chapter 6 verses 19 to 34 and Luke chapter 12 verses 15 to 34. I beg you to read the two passages before continuing with the following comments. In both passages, which I suppose is one event being reported from two different angles by two different authors, the Lord was contrasting worldly riches and heavenly wealth. In Matthew he starts by advising us not to store riches where they are easily corroded or stolen but where they are safe from corrosion and theft. The Lord further says in Matthew 6:22 that if your eye is clouded your whole body will be in darkness. There is nothing closer to the truth of what we daily observe than this statement. If your vision is directed towards making money only, your entire being will be engrossed in the quest of riches and nothing else. You will think, eat, drink, sleep and live money all your life. The love and service of God will rank second to the search of uncertain riches. The Lord says that at that stage it will be very difficult to serve both God and mammon because the two have different and opposing demands. You will thus end up serving the one on whom your eye is fixed.

In Luke chapter 12 verses 16 to 21 he told a parable which shows that riches are not at all a guarantee for the future. The rich fool died the night he ended putting together a retirement plan or the night the plan matured. He never had time to enjoy his wealth gathered over a long period and possible hard work hence the preacher said all is vanity. How many among us engross ourselves in the search of wealth not realising that we may never have time to enjoy that wealth. In Luke 6:21 the Lord advises us to be rich towards God which is more noble than making worldly wealth. Do not get me wrong here, I am not saying that wealth is sinful but that engrossing oneself in the hunt of wealth is wrong and is what takes our vision from the things of God. Paul’s advice to Timothy in his first epistle to Timothy 6:17 to 18 cocerning people who God blessed with wealth is that they must not trust in uncertain riches but in the living Lord who gives us all things to enjoy. He further says that the rich must be willing to share with others thereby becoming rich in good works. That is how one becomes rich in God.

Someone might be saying how will we survive if we are not worried about the concerns of this life? God actually urges us not to be worried because he cares for us more than other creatures, which he never allows to starve. When we become rich in God we will not be worried about the cares of this life and our efforts will be directed towards the advancement of the kingdom of God. We will not hesitate to give for the cause of God’s kingdom. Our wealth will be used to promote the kingdom of God. Matthew 6:33 and Luke 12:31 implores us to seek God’s kingdom first. In closing the Lord said, ‘Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.’ Every person’s heart and life is always where his wealth is therefore it is important to know where to place your wealth.

Let me now turn back to how the gospel of making money turns us from the things of God by chocking the good Word of the Lord. Whilst you are in the world and lost, a messenger of God comes along with the good word of the salvation of Christ which you gladly receive thereby becoming a member and part of the family of God. The righteousness of Christ is imparted on you because the Lord says, ‘You are clean through the word which I have spoken to you.’ Suddenly you have hope, which you never had before and like Abraham of old you go about seeking for a city whose architect and builder is God and you consider yourself a pilgrim and sojourner on earth. 1 Peter 1:3; Heb.11: 8-10, 13-16. Because you now consider yourself a stranger, an alien, a foreigner or pilgrim on earth you begin to lose love for the things of this world. The corruption and greedy of the world becomes your first class enemy and this infuriates the devil who notices a crumbling of his kingdom in you as is reported in 1st John 2: 15 – 17.

The first thing that Satan will seek to do is to choke your hope so as to minimise any further damage you may cause to his kingdom. Through dubious means, he makes you to see and admire the glitter of worldly wealth but he must do so cunningly so that you will not become aware of the lie but you will see in your mind's eye that it is God speaking. Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 11:14 that the devil can transform himself into an angel of light in order to cheat the people of God. Bible scriptures are suddenly twisted to promote the corruption, greedy and love for the world in union with avarice that slowly creeps back into your life and you become a money worshiping Christian in the flimsy pretext of prosperity. Every scripture that speaks of blessings is misconstrued to mean opulence or dollars and cents and nothing else. Where it says you must guard against forsaking your God when your silver and gold is multiplied since it is he who causes you to be rich, the warning not to forsake your God is silently removed and the verse is changed to read, ‘when your dollars and cents have multiplied, remember that it is God who gave you power to get wealth.’ At times it is even made to mean God gives you power to get rich therefore you must seek to multiply your wealth. Whilst it is very true that the Lord gives us power to get wealth, it is equally wrong to just speak of the empowerment and omit the warning not to forsake him by turning to mammon and it is very wrong to omit the fact that he gives us that power so that he may confirm his covenant with us and that covenant is a covenant of love under which we will not allow our fellow men to wallow in poverty whilst we are swimming on lavishness. Sowing to the flesh and sowing to the spirit is out of the blue spoken of in terms of money and nothing else thereby rendering money the core business of your faith

It is extremely true that God gives us the power to get wealth, but it is absolutely wrong to make the pursuit of wealth your preoccupation. It is Satan’s vocation to stretch truth beyond elasticity. By stretching truth beyond elasticity I mean overextending reality. Truth is like a spring metal. As long as spring metal is stretched, bent or even deformed within the amount of pressure the spring can withstand, it has the ability to return back to its original shape. If, however, the force is too much, the spring may snap or break. The same can be said about rubber or any other material with the property of elasticity.

If truth is stretched beyond its limitations it may permanently be deformed or may break into two or more pieces and such type of truth is falsehood. Impaired truth is not truth at all but outright falsehood that Satan uses to fool people into believing that it is truth. Bible truths concerning the Lord’s providence and promises of plenty are daily deformed, stretched beyond their limitations and are either leavened or halved so as to fool the people into believing that they are the original Bible truths. I will now explain one way truth is deformed and distorted to cheat innocent people who may believe that the warped truth is the genuine truth.

One good example of scriptures that are distorted to mean something completely  different  from  what  they  mean  is Deuteronomy 8 verse 18. The mentioned scripture reads, ‘but thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee the power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore unto thy fathers, as it is this day.’ Even taken in isolation from the rest of the chapter, the most stupid of all fools will testify that the quoted scripture is a reminder of God’s caring attitude and a warning to men not to forsake God who is man’s source of blessing and prosperity. It is no secret that it is God who gives us the power, ability, capacity or means to get wealth. Even the Lord Jesus, during his ministry on earth, testified that God cares for men more than he is concerned for the lilies of the valley. So, in simple language, wealth is a blessing of the lord.

Deuteronomy 8:18 does not say that God gives us the craving to get wealth but the means, capacity or ability to get wealth. Desire and ability are not synonymous. They are poles apart. For example, Satan desired to be like the Most High but failed to attain that lofty status because he lacked the capacity to be like the Most High. The impotent man who had been ill for thirty eight years and had been at the pool of Bethesda for a long time desired to jump into the pool first after the waters had been disturbed by the angel of the Lord but could not because he lacked the power to do so. Moses desired very much to enter the Promised Land but did not because God denied him the power to enter. God gives the power and not the desire because it is the power that gets things done and not the desire.

 My own observation of the prosperity gospel is that it is the desire and not the power, which is preached and buttressed in most sermons. Deuteronomy 8:18 is preached to mean that God gives the desire to get wealth. The result that often occurs is that wealth is frequently elevated to the same and equal status with God. Preachers habitually create the impression that God has called us to be rich and consequently those who are exposed to that kind of doctrine end up preoccupied with the desire to be rich rather than the aspiration to attain the righteousness of God. Wealth unexpectedly becomes a god to many who may not even notice that mammon has replaced Jehovah in their minds and lives. All of a sudden the scripture changes its meaning to God makes me rich therefore I must fulfil God’s will in my life by becoming rich. The meaning and intention of the scripture swiftly disappears. May the Lord have mercy on all of us.

Deuteronomy 8:18 is not a catalyst for lust but a warning against making wealth a god and a defence. To me the scripture is a warning to those who may become rich to guard against making wealth a god but to remember that it is God who gave them the means to be rich and therefore they must seek to use the wealth in a manner that glorifies God. We are warned not to forget the Lord and are reminded that God gives us the capacity to get wealth so that he may establish his covenant that he swore to his early followers even as it stands today.

God does not give us the power to get wealth for the sake of making us wealthy, big and arrogant. Many people miss this point and that is why wealth becomes a snare to many and not a blessing. It is the main reason why it is easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. God gives us the ability to get wealth for one purpose and that sole intention alone, that he confirms his covenant with us. God swore a covenant to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and that covenant was a covenant of salvation, love and blessing. He said to Abraham, ‘in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed,’ and that statement also formed part of the covenant that God seeks to substantiate today. In his epistle to the Galatian church, Paul says that we who walk by faith are children of Abraham. Now if we are the children of Abraham, we must be a blessing to the families of the world. Our wealth must be used for the furtherance of the good news about Christ. By the furtherance of the Gospel I do not mean only sending an evangelist abroad and nothing more.

Furtherance of the gospel involves assisting an evangelist to travel to the field of operation, helping meet the local church’s bona fide needs and also helping the needy. To many the first two items present no problem but the last one is unacceptable and I will not cease to mention it time and again because it is as important as the first two. The Lord gave a certain young man the power to get wealth and indeed he became rich. One day the rich young man came to the Lord Jesus and said, ‘what shall I do to inherit life?’ the Lord looked at him and loved him and then answered, ‘sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.’ It is reported that the rich ruler became very sorrowful because he was very rich. See Luke 18: 18 - 27. I think I know why he became sorrowful. His wealth had become his god and he never could serve two gods, his wealth and the Lord. That is how deceitful riches can be; they can deny you everlasting bliss.

How does distribution of our wealth further the gospel? What does the gospel constitute? Sharing one’s wealth with others furthers the gospel in that when the world sees how caring the church is and how its members care and love others, the world will see the nature and goodness of the one the church believes in, serves and preaches. Even when the world sees love between believers, it will be convinced that Jesus is Lord of the church and who knows the number of those who turned to the Lord without a word preached but after seeing the love of Christ in action. To the second question I say the Gospel constitutes believing God and his doctrines, obeying God, doing what he commands and preaching it in word and action. Preaching alone is not the entire Gospel.

I hope I will not be carried away so much that I am led away from the subject at hand and the point I wish to put across. Deuteronomy 8:18 must not be taken in isolation but must be taken within the full context of the entire eighth chapter of that book. A closer look at that chapter will reveal that God was warning Israel against following other gods, which leads to forgetting the only true God.

It is unfortunate that many today have become followers of mammon rather than of God for lack of vision and knowledge. I am convinced that had Christ said to the rich young man of

Luke chapter 18, ‘sell all you have, and give me or the ministry and I will give you back whatever you give multiplied a hundredfold,’ the young man would have sold everything including the sandals he was wearing at that time. He would have closed his bank account, if he had any, and dispersed the money as instructed all in the hope that he would reap extra money and wealth a hundred times more than what he would have given. The reason why he did not do what he was advised by the Master is that the Lord had said that after distributing his wealth among the poor, he would have treasure in heaven rather than improve his earthly life. How could he dispose off what he had gathered for a lifetime all for the hope of getting wealth in an unknown world? I believe that must have been what went on in the young man’s mind. It also is the reaction of many today.

It is because of this attitude that many have become followers of mammon turning Jehovah into a mere wealth provider. Our sermons and literature are full of encouragements to desire money and wealth. We counsel people to give for only one reason, that they may force God into multiplying their wealth, because, we often claim, he is a slave to his own word. We do not give for the love of God but for the love and craving for money and wealth. Money takes centre stage whilst God is reduced to playing second place. I term that deceitfulness of riches.

It is out of this background that I call you to think about Deuteronomy chapter eight. A closer look at this entire chapter starting from the first verse will make it plain that God wishes to remain the most important person in our lives. He reminds Israel that he allowed them to suffer hunger and want so that they would learn to depend on him. He further reminds them that he preserved their clothes for forty years so that they would appreciate and acknowledge God’s caring love. After these reminders he goes down to give them the promise of plenty. The Lord would provide plenty minerals and agricultural products. Their flocks, herds, silver and gold would multiply and at that stage, the Lord reminds them in verse 18 not to put their trust in the resultant wealth since it is God who would have given them the capacity to get the wealth and for that reason they must trust him always. He then warns in verses 19 and 20 that should they forget the Lord and follow other gods, the Lord would forsake them. The most treacherous foreign god in our day is mammon who is being allowed free entrance into our churches. My heart bleeds when I see many being trained and conditioned to trust mammon and not God. Paul in his advice in 1 Timothy 6: 17,18 said, ‘charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy; that they may do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.’ The advice here is that we aught to trust in the living God and not in wealth as it is something that is uncertain. Preachers constantly tell their congregations that it is godly to lust after uncertain worldly riches all in the name of the so-called prosperity gospel. It is rarely mentioned that should God grant us the means to be rich, it is all so that we may use the wealth for good works. Instead people are constantly urged to desire wealth with an appetite that is never satisfied.

The greatest shock that I have come across this decade is the attack on I Timothy 6:10 and the unjustified change it has suffered at the hands of prosperity gospellers. This verse in the eyes of prosperity gospellers now reads, ‘for the lack of money is the root of all evil: which while some lacked, they erred from the faith.’ The more radical ones make it read, ‘the availability of money [not God] is the source of all good and success: which while some desired they have been strengthened in the faith.’ It is no secret that some readers have read or heard these two statements and to some they appeared godly and great statements of faith and positive confession. What many failed to observe is that neither of the two statements is godly and neither is a statement of faith and positive confession but are both diabolical gimmicks by the prince of darkness framed with the intention of turning unsuspecting saints away from the living God to mammon, the notorious god of gluttony. This is the reason why those who proclaim the two statements over and over again tell their followers that the first step towards the attainment of wealth, before they even think of tithing or giving offerings, is to desire money. It is a great craving and appetite for money that drives them and that is the very reason why they substituted love of money with lack of money. If they tell you to love money as a first step towards attainment of wealth whilst the Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil I need not tell you the source of that doctrine. The Lord said that it is easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle than for a rich man, not those who lack money, to enter the kingdom. If those who lack money stand better chances of entering heaven than those who have plenty of money, how then can the lack of money be the root of sin? No preacher has a right to tell you to love money but it is every preacher’s duty and obligation to urge you to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. Remember that each preacher preaches his own god whom he desires his congregation to follow and that god can either be Jehovah or mammon so you must be wise in all your dealings because the god you serve could end up not being the God of all creation hence whatever wealth you obtain might actually turn out to be of no value.

One very good example of a church that was very rich in material goods or monetary terms but miserably poor in the sight of God is the church which was at Laodicea during the days when the aged apostle John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos. Laodicea was located some kilometres north of the city of Ephesus and was a centre of commerce and finance. That town was famous for advancement in the medication and treatment of eye ailments that brought great wealth to it. By merely being located in such a famous financial city, the Laodicean church must have been constituted of wealthy members. A church made up of wealthy members is itself in turn rich also and that could be the reason why the Laodicean church was rich. To the modern day believer, the financial status of that church would have been misconstrued to mean that the Lord blessed the church. This would have been the epitome of the church portrayed by propagators and followers of the Prosperity gospel, a self-sufficient church that lacked nothing. A church so rich that it affords to send its pastors on expensive holidays abroad. If it was in our day the church building would have been a state of the art all weather building completely fitted with high-tech air conditioners and fully furnished with up to date pricey and comfort laden contemporary furniture. How can such a church have any unpaid bills? The church’s wealthy members will compete to settle unpaid bills. What can stop its pastors from driving the most expensive, latest and up to the minute luxury vehicles? Such a church can operate its own upmarket and classy play centres.

The Bible says that the Laodicean church lacked nothing yet the Lord said to it in Revelation 3:17, ‘… thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked.’ Before this verdict, he had weighed the church’s works and had found them to be lukewarm. This then shows us that wealth alone is not enough but works that display the righteousness of God are what matter. His advice in Revelation 3:18 to this rich but poor church was that it was supposed to buy gold tried in fire, put on white raiment and anoint its eyes with eye salve. It is interesting to note that from a physical perspective, Laodicea was famous for eye ointment and for that reason it was rich in gold which meant that its citizens were well dressed yet the Lord ordered the Laodicean church to obtain the three items, gold, eye ointment and clothing which from the human mind the church boasted of having in the flesh. Gold symbolises godliness elsewhere in many scriptures in the Bible. In this case I am persuaded to believe that Christ was directing this poor church to obtain godliness instead of temporary riches it boasted of having. This is the type of godliness tried and tested in the fires of perseverance and endurance in the midst of trials and tribulations. He was further urging them to put on the raiment or garment of righteousness as opposed to the material garment and to anoint their eyes with spiritual eyesight as opposed the famous Laodicean eye salve so that they could see properly. In the book of Matthew the Lord had indicated that eyes with blurred vision could dump the whole body into darkness. The Laodicean church’s eyesight was fixed on its wealth and goods and as a result it had shifted its focus from the Lord to its goods. It had thus been dumped into the darkness of spiritual poverty. It is this very danger that the modern church risks falling into. Where does the prosperity gospel teaching fix your eyesight on? Does it fix your visualization on the Lord or on wealth?

The solution to avoiding such dangers or to escape from the trap if we have already fallen prey lies in the following three ways: -

·         Putting on the godliness of God and his Christ in all our behaviours, ways of life and our religious convictions.

·         Putting on the raiment of the righteousness of Christ in our works and lifestyles by allowing him to live his life through us.

·         Shifting our eyesight from worldly goods or wealth and focussing that eyesight and vision on Christ thereby putting our full trust and dependence on Christ.

That was the only way the Laodicean church could have pleased the Lord. If its works had been found to be lukewarm, the church was supposed to refocus its hope and faith on Christ and start to live godly lives full of the works of righteousness that will never be indifferent.

Riches can be so devious that they will not only cloud your vision and service for the Lord but can actually terminate your love for God therefore each Christian must approach the subject with caution. Never spent the time of your temporary residence on earth in the pursuit of wealth because, ‘we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.’ Our time should, instead be spent in the pursuit of righteousness, love, hope and faith. If at all God gives us the capacity to get wealth, we must be grateful and use the wealth to the glory of God. If we are denied that power we must not be discouraged but must be satisfied with what we have and bless the Lord for all that we have. The most important thing is that we have treasure where no thief will break and no moth or rust destroy our wealth. Wealth or no wealth, the Lord is still on the throne and reigns supreme. Whether mammon loves it or not, Jehovah remains our God and our love and allegiance remain directed towards the great God of Israel. Prosperity or no prosperity we still share whatever we have because of the love of God. With or without money we must press on towards the mark of our high calling. The Lord Jesus Christ must remain supreme in our lives. Never allow the word sown within you to be chocked by whatever may so attempt.

 

This post is an extract from my book Saints-Made-Merchandise-Analysis-Offerings and I encourage you to get a copy for yourself so that you may understand the context whithin which this applies.