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The world’s best-known evangelism verse is familiar to most Christian’s but I wanted to address what I think is an example of overzealousness. Sometimes.

Let’s look at the verse and see what it says and what it doesn’t say.

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15

We’ve heard this before, many of us have it memorized because if you run in evangelistic circles you must always be ready.  We should always, and forever be proclaiming Christ in every possible circumstance, passing tracts and leaving an aroma of Christ wherever we go and in everything we do, correct?

No.

I don’t believe that is what this text teaches us.  And in this, I believe at times it can actually bring shame to Christ’s name instead of glory.  Of course, I want to be careful here.

This is dangerous ground because I’m not saying we should “never” or “rarely” speak of Christ, we should “never” or “rarely” pass out tracts or “never” or “rarely” do evangelism work.  I’d say more fall into this camp.  But there is a sub-culture, and in fact, I’m part of that sub-culture that is so boldly geared toward evangelism that if they are not engaged in it, 24/7 they carry a burden of guilt.  This is where legalistic tendencies come into play.

They’ll quote Spurgeon, they’ll quote Calvin or Washer and justify boorishness in how they handle themselves.  Again, not always, but sometimes.  Discernment can be lacking.

I want to clarify, I’m not a Hyper-Calvinist.  I believe God uses the means of evangelism and it’s a God-given means to save sinners.  Yes, and amen, but there is also a tact to take at times.  A manner of decent behavior given a situation.  All of it flows from a trust in God to save His people, but a balance between our arrogance thinking it has to be “us” that are the means that saved someone.

While I believe and agree that an unregenerate person cannot be pushed further from God, I believe that our mannerisms can offend beyond what they were currently offended.  Yes, I’ve been accused of it.  And yes, I’ve probably done it countless times and such is a reason for this post.  Because as Peter said, it should be done with gentleness and respect.

This is really an amazing quote by John Calvin and in far less words and far more eloquently gives my thoughts:

…for we then really honor God, when neither fear nor shame hinders us from making a profession of our faith. But Peter does not expressly bid us to assert and proclaim what has been given us by the Lord everywhere, and always and among all indiscriminately, for the Lord gives his people the spirit of discretion, so that they may know when and how far and to whom it is expedient to speak. He bids them only to be ready to give an answer, lest by their sloth and the cowardly fear of the flesh they should expose the doctrine of Christ, by being silent, to the derision of the ungodly. The meaning then is, that we ought to be prompt in avowing our faith, so as to set it forth whenever necessary, lest the unbelieving through our silence should condemn the religion we follow.

Always being prepared doesn’t say we must always speak and herein lies the guilt and the sometimes over aggressive nature of those inclined toward evangelism.  By all means be ready, but if at times you go to a restaurant and don’t pass out a tract to everyone there or don’t preach the gospel at every family gathering it will be okay.  Sometimes you must simply behave like a Christian.  The way you live your life says a lot about you.  I will address the hypocrisy of life in a future post, but for now let’s exercise good discernment and still “always be prepared”.

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.  1 Corinthians 3:6-7

 

Kevin

Strange title right?

Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. Proverbs 14:4 ESV

The NKJV calls the manger a trough.

Have you seen those pictures around Christmas time of the baby Jesus in some sort of a wooden contraption with criss-cross legs and full of hay and such to look all cozy and comfortable?  It always looks so sterile and “folksy”.

A manger is a feeding trough for animals.  In the Proverb being clean is not a positive thing, it’s a negative.  Let’s think about that for just a moment.  When we have a clean barn, a clean trough, or even a tidy desk, so I tell myself, it means were not busy.  Nothing here is really happening.  It indicates a lack of activity.

If we look back to our verse the trough is dirty is because the ox must eat.  He must be fed in order to have the energy to do what is required.  This makes messes.  He comes into the barn, eats, leaves droppings along the way, you get the picture.

Christian ministry is messy.  People are messy.

I’m not implying that a Christian minister should make messes to be productive, but the reality is that it is a messy business.

Imagine a big, beautiful old church building.  Like you see in Europe.  They are pristine in design, architecture and from what I can tell well maintained.  But they are dead.  Dead religion, without activity.  They benefit no one.  Those troughs are clean.

Jesus Christ came into the world as a baby.  Born in the most humble of all circumstances, born in a dirty animal trough.  His mission was to seek and save the lost, and it was an underappreciated ministry.  In fact, so underappreciated they nailed Him to a cross to die a sinner’s death.

But through His life, we have access to redemption.  A way to be at peace with God.  Through the messy ministry of Christ, we can be cleansed from our sin.  We have access to God to restore a broken relationship that has been severed by our sin.

What a contrast.

And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”  Luke 19:9-10

 

Kevin

 

For the first time in a long time, my wife and I are traveling together.  It’s been a lot of fun.  We went to New Mexico for a quick visit but with the intent purpose to look at homes.  No guarantees at anything just yet, but there has been a desire to come back here for some time now.

I could tell the long story but that’s not the point.

The point here is about trust.  I need to trust God more than I could ever do in my own power.  It seems easy enough to go ride around, look at houses, pick one out and then make an offer, but it’s really not that simple.

I’m finding they are not as easy to find as I had hoped, but a good friend (Pastor Shaan) told me the other day, “It is a seller’s market in ABQ right now and the market has just heated up for the spring, but our God owns all the houses.”

Think about that for just a moment.  He owns everything.  Nothing is outside of an all Sovereign God’s control.  Not one single thing happens outside His intervention.

Why would I worry about it? I know the answer but I don’t like what that says about me.

Today, I need to turn my attention to trusting Him more because He does indeed, “Own it All!”

For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.  I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.  “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness is mine.   Psalms 50:10-12

 

Kevin

 

Not all that long ago a well known Christian leader stated something along the lines of we should un-hitch the Old Testament from the New Testament.  In essence, what he is saying is the OT is irrelevant to us today.  After all, we are living under the New Covenant so that old stuff is just that…  Old.

There are so many reasons why this is…  “hogwash”, but I want to suggest one very important consideration for this leader and others that may follow in his footsteps.

I’ve been slowly working my way through the Old Testament one chapter at a time.  I read the one chapter, contemplate it’s meaning or it’s relevance and then read a commentary or two on it and wonder where is the application?

I came across a profound truth this morning that is worth noting.

John Russell said this:

…let it be remembered that nothing directed to be recorded by the Spirit of God ought to be reckoned dry or uninteresting, and that “all scripture given by inspiration of God,” is meant and fitted to be “profitable unto for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousness.”  Can it be uninteresting to us with regard to whom so many prophecies and special dealings are recorded, and from whom has sprung, according to the flesh, the Savior of the world, “the light of the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel?” 

That’s important.  The Spirit of God has inspired all of scripture.  No detail is unimportant.  It’s all there for a reason and to un-hitch the Old from the New is not only a terrible idea, but it’s also ungodly.

The terrifying truth of the chapter I read this morning let me know that God is not casually sitting by and giving a pass to those that lead the Christian church.  Just the opposite.  He is holding them to the highest standard.  God will not be mocked.  His word is to be handled rightly.  With reverence and authority.  All of it.

May we never stop learning from those that have come before us.  Good or bad.

Follow the pattern of sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.  2 Timothy1:13-14

Kevin

What is a Christian?  I have a friend that wrote a really interesting blog today on lent.  He admittedly comes at it from a non-Christian point of view (If you are particularly sensitive beware).  This is a great guy by all standards that I can measure.  I met him years ago and when we first met we hit it off.  Like old bro’s that had common interests.

Trying to even remember back then I’m not sure if I was truly converted at the time or not, but I was certainly professing to be a Christian.

There are those that “profess” Christianity.  There are those that are truly Christians, they desire to serve the Lord, they do it with right intentions, sometimes failing miserably in their sin, but none-the-less they desire to serve Christ.

Then, of course, there is also the unbelieving world.  Those that have no interest.  They are fine to leave it alone.

I’m going to keep this very basic, not be too theological.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 

We must start here to understand Christianity.  God created all things by the power of His word.  There was nothing but God before creation, eternal, and self-existent.  No beginning, no end.  He didn’t create out of boredom or loneliness, He created to glorify Himself.

In the garden God allows Adam to make choices, shall we say, and Adam falls into sin by disobeying God.  That’s simple enough and sad as a representative of all mankind Adam has plunged us all into sin.  Paul affirms this through Romans chapter 5 verses 12-21.

Most people acknowledge their sinfulness in some respects.  We all know we are not “perfect”.  If you have children you know they are disobedient and self-centered.  This is the nature they are born with.  It’s not difficult to identify the truth of the Bible here if we are honest.  You know that if you leave your wallet sitting around someone will steal it.  That’s not a tough concept.

So what?  What’s the point?

The point is Jesus Christ.  He being God in the flesh came to rescue sinners from their sin.  Our relationship with God has been severed through sin.  We are born at enmity with God and because of this, we cannot be in a right relationship with Him.  This is the purpose of Christ’s mission which beautifully articulates the purpose of glorifying Himself.  The greatest act of love ever shown is to lay down one’s life for another.

And yet God, while we were sinners did this.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Corinthians 5:21

For our sake.  Not for everyone’s sake.  For those that believe sake.  God made Christ to be sin, who had never sinned.  The believing ones might receive God’s righteousness and goodness and receive a restored relationship with God.

That’s it.  That’s the simplicity of the message of Christianity.  No matter how “good” you are, you can’t be perfect.  That is the point.  You have to surrender your self-goodness to the goodness of another.  It’s a universal message of hope.

It’s not about a set of rules and do this, or don’t do that, it’s not about religious ceremonies or traditions.  It’s not about smearing some ashes on your forehead or giving up candy for 40 days.  Okay, maybe I should do that, but it doesn’t improve my standing before God.

True Christianity revolves around Christ.  Don’t miss that during this religious ceremonial time of the year.

 

Kevin