Bruce Jenner and a Reprobate Mind

Posted on by kevinjandt

bruce.longjump

I am not a social commentator, I’m a Christian.   I have no desire to be a social commentator, but I’ve found myself commenting on things in the news lately. The world we live in is a dark place, and it’s going to get worse and for those that are Christians we will find ourselves being more and more marginalized as society continues to degenerate.

I can remember Bruce Jenner as a great Olympic athlete, and not only an athlete, but a gold medalist in one of the toughest events in the Olympics, the decathlon. His commitment to achieve this level of “success” must have been hard to imagine.

And now he’s a she… at least in his mind. If you were to run into him somewhere you might think he’s a she also, but appearances can be misleading. As a Christian I’m a seller of truth. I only want to deal in truth, and my calling is to tell others about the truth.

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

This is true. This is what God did.

Then God said, “Let Us, make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the seas, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. – Genesis 1:26-27

God created man in His own image, and gave man an eternal soul. Man is valuable to God, as he is an image bearer of the Creator. Of all the creatures on the earth, man has been created with a soul that will live forever.   Bruce Jenner was created a man, and an image bearer of God, but what happened that caused a man to think he should be a woman? Isn’t that a legitimate question to ask ourselves?

Well, if you are a Christian, you should know the answer. But do you really know the answer, from the source of truth, and will you be prepared to have a conversation with someone when asked about it? Are you prepared to give an answer for the hope that lies within you?

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. – Genesis 6:5

There is a great battle that rages, and all of mankind seeks some meaning to life. Most seek some form of meaning through happiness. They believe they are called to happiness, and they even “deserve” to be happy. I would imagine, Bruce Jenner thinks becoming a woman will make him happy. Mankind seeks fulfillment through consumption. They desire to consume the joys of the earth whether that be entertainment, vacations, sex, or a bigger home. Man is always seeking the next big thing.

Man seeks to numb his pain, or consume through the use of some form of medication. He drinks himself into a state of no feeling. He brags about how much he enjoys strong drink and his prowess as an addict.

He doesn’t realize his problem is sin. He doesn’t realize there is joy in Christ, and God is in none of his thoughts, so he tries to rationalize his life, and he rejects the very God that created him in His image. He continues to reject the grace of God, and does all sorts of abominable things all the while declaring his own goodness. In the depraved mind of Bruce Jenner, he thinks he is doing the right thing and it’s proof that he doesn’t know the truth.

He doesn’t know that the truth could set him free…

He doesn’t know that when the Son sets him free, he is free indeed…

He doesn’t know that he will face God’s wrath unless he turns from his wicked ways…

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever, Amen. – Romans 1:24-25

Bruce Jenner, has been given up by God, and he has dishonored his body, and the Creator that created him. He has believed the lies that his sin will make him happy, and will offer a fulfilling life. He has served the created being, primarily himself. He doesn’t want to hear about it, because he believes he’s done the right thing. His mind and his heart are darkened. He has fully rejected the goodness of God.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting… – Romans 1:28

The King James Version says a “reprobate mind” which is a word used of metal that is cast away. It is unfit for use, unproved. It is a mind that has been so corrupted by sin, that it no longer thinks properly. The conscience has been so seared and hardened that it has lost its grip on reality.

The problem with God’s word, for most, is they won’t or can’t discern the truth from the lie. This is not difficult to understand, but it’s difficult to accept for those that don’t cherish the truth. This is an offense, and stumbling block to understanding Christianity. I expect this article will be an offense to many.

In the classic work “The Pilgrim’s Progress” on his journey to the Celestial City, Christian must face the trials of Vanity Fair. That place where sin and temptation run mostly unrestrained.   The word vanity connotes a smug or egotistical complacency joined with emptiness, futility and a touch of frivolity. It’s not ironic that the magazine we most associate with this title has Jenner on its cover. The wisest man to ever live, told us that it is all vanity and not to be pursued (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). He told us how worthless of an endeavor it really is. All will face the temptations of the Vanity Fair, and in Bunyan’s allegory, those that prove to be true Christians will face great trials and persecution over their desire for truth, but will strand firm in the face of adversity.

If you are a Christian or you profess to be a Christian, you must be prepared to stand for the truth. How you react to this and the countless other acts of depravity that will come, determine whether you are truly in the Lord. Make no mistake, this will be the line that divides the pretenders from the true believers. If you believe you are somehow being progressive in your thinking or supportive of this lifestyle you are deceiving yourself, and you risk death. You risk the same death and judgment that awaits Bruce Jenner, lest he turn from his sin and live.

who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. – Romans 1:32

Will you stand on truth or crumble under the weight of popular opinion? Will you be hated and persecuted for righteousness sake? Jesus said you must, or you’re not. A great dividing line is forming, and which side of it will you stand? Will you fear those that can kill your body, or fear Him that can kill your body and soul?

Jesus Christ came to this earth and fulfilled the law of God, that you and I have no hope of ever fulfilling. He suffered a brutal death on the cross, suffered the wrath of God that sinners can be declared righteous. That is the good news. We are all without hope unless we turn to Christ for the salvation that He freely offers, that stands true for me, it stands true for you, and it stands true for Bruce Jenner.

Seek the LORD while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. – Isaiah 55:6-7

Kevin

Hold Fast

Posted on by kevinjandt

paulwritinghisepistlesinprison

We’ve reached the end of a study that for me has been incredibly rewarding. It was a challenge that came out of the blue, so to speak, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to consider this topic and stand in amazement at the depth and richness of the Word of God. Each word has meaning, and each word was breathed out by God Himself, through the pen of each individual writer. Using their unique style and their own unique personalities that God caused to say exactly what He wants us to know.

I must ask you a very simple but hard hitting question. Do you believe that about the Bible? Do you believe that it is the inerrant, infallible, all sufficient, breath of God? Do you believe that it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that they man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work? And it is the only means by which God saves? Get this wrong and you miss the whole thing? Because then you’ve strayed from sound teaching. You’ve done just what Paul warned Timothy against.

Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. – 2 Timothy 1:13-14

Paul is telling us to hold on with dear life to these words, to cling to them, as if to let go would certainly mean death. Imagine being on the deck of a ship in a big storm and the huge waves will wash you overboard. You must cling to the railing or surely you will be lost at sea. This is the imagery that comes to my mind when I think of holding fast.

However, what do you cling to? If you cling to the wrong thing it might certainly break and give way, the importance of dearly holding on is secondarily important to what we cling to and we must hold onto something solid. Something that is immovable. We must cling to dear life to the sound words committed to Timothy by Paul.

Notice here that Paul asserts his authority. Imagine the arrogance of this man claiming that his words are sound. Have you ever had a discussion or an argument with someone that wants to dismiss Paul as a notch below Jesus? “Well those words are not in red”, they might say. No, let’s put that argument in the ground very quickly… “All” Scripture is breathed out by God… Paul says so himself right here, this is the Word of God and the “words” of God.

And he goes onto proclaim that they are in Christ Jesus. Jesus appointed Paul to be a minister of the gospel, not some lesser known author, or irrelevant part of what God’s Word says. Paul is authoritative, and his words carry the full weight of God. This is a slippery slope and you will quickly descend into apostasy if you believe this lie.

Finally, hold onto the good thing which was committed to you.

Is salvation a good thing?

In this day and age we have so much going for us. Most of us live in homes that are heated in the winter and cooled in the summer. We rarely if ever miss a meal. We have plenty of resources to entertain ourselves. We enjoy vacations and time for leisure. There is seldom a day that goes by that we don’t flop down on a comfortable chair and we have the opportunity to read a book or watch television. We really don’t think about eternity on a daily basis. We really don’t spend a lot of time considering the eternal souls of those around us. We seldom if ever tell someone they are in danger, and standing at the edge of a cliff being supported only by a very thin thread of life.

So is salvation a good thing? We think so little of it, because we are so arrogantly walking around as if God does not really exist. I realize this doesn’t apply to all of us. I also realize this doesn’t apply to all of us all the time. It does apply to all of us sometimes. And I would like to us think about having it apply to us less of the time.

Paul lays it out quite clearly, that the only way we grow in this grace, and that we recognize our condition is through the power of the Spirit of God. He is the “Helper”, and for God’s people, we have the ability that others don’t have. We have the Holy Spirit living inside us, sustaining our salvation, preserving us to live in His power; to do the work that we were created for. He is there to sustain, to chasten, to convict, and for some to save.

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight – if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. – Colossians 21-23

We are kept by the power of the Holy Spirit, to do the work, for which we have been called. Today, we have an opportunity to proclaim His name. We have the privilege to call on a power that is unknown to most of the world, and use that to bring Him glory. This is your purpose if you are a believer. If you are not a believer, then your purpose is to repent and turn from your sin, or you will perish in your sin. This mission is not complex. In fact it’s quite simple.

The only question that remains; will you be faithful?

Kevin

A Servant of the Lord must be GENTLE!!!

Posted on by kevinjandt

images

I’ve been considering lately how often I’ve failed in this command.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

When I first began to hear about a God I didn’t know, I was perplexed. It was almost a surreal feeling to hear preaching that dug deeply into the Word of God and exposed it. I remember my wife and I having discussions and wondering what was going on. I wanted to leave, but I couldn’t.

As God began to do a work in my heart, I began to have discussions with those around me that didn’t always go very well. I became quarrelsome and aggressive. I was impatient and unable to teach, arrogantly defending the truths of the bible that I was now learning, pushing people away from the truth.

I guess I hadn’t read these verses?

I certainly didn’t know what they meant…

One of the knocks on Calvinists is arrogance. Perhaps it’s misplaced zeal? Perhaps it’s a burning desire to show others an uncommon God, the God that we’ve been exposed to? I’m not sure, but there is truth behind it. I love the Bible, and I love the doctrines of grace, because they show God in a completely different light than what I grew up seeing and hearing about, the God of the Bible, not a concoction of my imagination. It knocked me off my horse, so to speak.

Wow…did I have a lot to learn!

I’ve certainly not arrived, but as I consider the words of the great Apostle the directive is clear. I’m to be gentle. I should not be quarrelsome. I must be humble. If I’m not those things I won’t be able to teach, because they won’t hear. I might know something others don’t know, but if I don’t present it properly they will never hear me.

What is the purpose of this?

So God will perhaps grant them repentance and they can know the truth.

Did you catch that word perhaps? There are no guarantees in evangelism. Salvation is of the Lord, no if’s, ands or buts… We can trust the Lord will do all His good pleasure, but as for MEEEEEEE!!!! I must be gentle.

I must also never compromise truth.

The call includes a directive to correct those in opposition. There is a balance to these verses. When someone is corrected, it doesn’t always “feel” gentle to them. Just ask my daughters. They don’t like being corrected, but it doesn’t say, “And be careful not to hurt their feelings”.

I’ve hurt people in my evangelism and for that I’m ashamed and I’ve sought forgiveness in the situations I’m aware of. I must continue to learn from the Lord how to be a better doulos (slave), I must be gentle, but I must also correct and ultimately that will bring God glory.

…And perhaps some will escape the snare of the devil, as they’ve been taken captive by him to do his will. This is an overwhelming thought to me. How many will perish, if God doesn’t grant repentance, and He can’t do that if we are not out sharing the Good News.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Kevin

What is truth?

Posted on by kevinjandt

Jesus-Pilate

This is a question that was asked by Pilot of Jesus over 2000 years ago and I would guess it’s a question still asked today. Although most don’t go around asking the literal question, because so many are completely blinded to truth. They will say they speak the truth, and would be offended if they were called a liar, but isn’t it “true” that we are all liars? (Romans 3:13)

Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” – John 18:38

Certainly we’ve all exaggerated the truth, or “stretched the truth”.

We all have told flat out lies in order to protect ourselves from something, so it’s undoubtedly true that all have lied and we are all in need of the truth, but I go back to the question, what is truth? Is it a noun or a verb? Is it something we can grasp and hold onto or just something we do or don’t do?

John 17:17-18 Sanctify them by Your truth, Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

In very plain language Jesus tells us the answer. The word of God IS truth!

This is unbelievable for most people, but Scripture reveals this to us throughout its pages and therefore, we must not take this for a true truth, or one of those things we just know and forget about. Like the truth that you woke up breathing this morning. Did you forget what a miracle that was? Or when you turned on the light switch, light just appeared? How often do we just forget the simple fact that God’s word is true?

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul…

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple…

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart…

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes…

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever…

The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold…

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb…

Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. Psalm 19:7-11

Before our souls were converted by the truth of God’s word, everything we held dear, every thought we had, every desire of our heart was wrong. That is a bold statement right? How can I say that?

Before salvation our hearts were wicked and unable to please God, so no matter how “good” your intentions, or no matter how noble your desires, they are unable to make you right for salvation. Your good intentions are still at best self-seeking and we are blind to the deceitfulness of our own hearts (Jeremiah 17:9).

We can’t even begin to get our minds around this because we like ourselves. We are deceived by sin.

Psalm 19:12-14 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

Only through the truth of God’s word can one be made right with God and bring wisdom to salvation. It’s the truth of the matter. As a wicked and dying world scoff and deny this truth, we beloved, have the opportunity to tell them what IS “truth”. We can share the good news, there is an empty tomb in Jerusalem, that death could not conquer God, nor thwart His plan. That’s the truth.

 

Kevin

…Pants on fire

Posted on by kevinjandt

exaggeration

Exodus 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

Would anyone agree that telling lies is a good thing?  Nobody wants to be called a “liar”.  Those are fighting words for most people.  I would assert even atheists think telling the truth, for the most part, is a good thing.  Although why they think this I don’t know because without God’s command there is no basis for truth telling.

God’s Word tells us repeatedly to tell the truth, and in fact it’s such a serious matter that it’s one of the seven things that are an abomination to God.

Proverbs 6:16-17 These six thing the LORD hates, yes seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue…

Ephesians 4:29-31 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth… Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

Paul tells us that it is contrary to sound doctrine (1 Timothy 1:10).  There is no doubt God hates lying.

Does anyone disagree?

I’m here to tell you today that we need to reform in this area of truth telling.  I know most of you are probably thinking, “I don’t lie”, at least not on purpose.  I think there is a very insidious way in which Satan deceives us into lying and allows us to wrap ourselves in our own righteous.  It’s called exaggeration.  It’s a subtle but evil form of speaking to your neighbor.

Here’s an example from my own life.

I return from a hard week of work and say, “Oh I’m so tired I put in 40 hours of work in 3 days”.  In reality I did work hard and I am tired but the exaggeration comes in the form of the “stretch” of how many hours I actually worked.  I might have been awake and actually doing something for 40 hours over the course of those 3 days but I wasn’t working the entire time.

In the business I work we get up early.  I may actually have worked 38 hours but there is always the pull to exaggerate, even slightly, to the amount of time or the amount of effort that was exerted.

Why?

I want to seriously ask myself this question, why would I do that?  If I’m telling someone about my long work days do they really care whether it was 40 hours or 38 hours; of course not, but in my mind that sounds more dramatic.  I have the tendency to think of myself a higher opinion.  “Boy I really did something this weekend!”  “Aren’t I special?”

I’m a legend in my own mind…

Don’t we all do this?  Tell the truth…  You know you do this and so do I.

I have a good friend that is an extraordinarily hard working guy.  I don’t distrust him when it comes to his work ethic or his ability to tell me the truth.  Yet he’s an exaggerator.  He has some liberty with the amount of emails sent in a day or the time he arises each morning and goes to bed each night to accomplish his tasks.  Again, I don’t distrust his work ethic but why the embellishment?

I know he’s busy, I know he works hard.  But did he really send out 100 emails today or was it more like 60?  I’m easily impressed so whether it was 40, 60 or 800 in a day I’m going to think he’s pretty special at his job.  He has my respect without the exaggeration.

God thought this was important enough to include this in the top 10 of Christianity (Exodus 20:1-17).  This word “false” holds a very deep meaning.

sheh’-ker

From H8266; an untruth; by implication a sham (often adverbially): – without a cause, deceit (-ful), false (-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, + lie, lying, vain (thing), wrongfully.

Notice how it says adverbially.  I really like this because it shows us how we use “verbal exclamations” to spin our lies in the form of exaggerations and all along it’s meant to deceive.  And then it goes on to tell us “without a cause”, there’s no reason for it.  Please let that sink in for a moment.  You have no reason to stretch that truth.  It does not profit you.  Ultimately it harms your credibility.

This article is meant to reform the minds and hearts of Bible believing Christians.  I don’t expect it will have any effect on the unregenerate but if God wills it might show someone their sin.  If you are a chronic liar you need to repent and turn from this abominable sin.  If you are just an exaggerator you need to repent and turn from this abominable sin.

Although I’d like to develop some other thoughts, that might have to be another day, but some common expressions Believers should not utilize are verbal exclamations such “I swear to God” or “I swear”, see Matthew 5:33-36.  You should never have to “convince” someone you are a truth teller.

We should also eliminate words like “honestly”, or “to be honest with you”…  This would indicate at other times you are dishonest.  As we begin to consider the meaning of our words and how important the words we use, we can become better communicators and better ambassadors for Christ.

Ephesians 4:14-15 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head Christ…

This is the ultimate goal, to no longer be children, we need to put aside the elementary principles of Christianity and “grow up”; for the glory of the One that deserves obedience and truth telling.

Kevin