Month: April 2010

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jude 3-4

The phrase “very diligent” in the text above signifies a sense of urgency in the topic of Jude’s letter. His message is undoubtedly of great importance, and we are called to pay attention to it! So what is this topic that is so pressing upon his mind. It is “our common salvation.” The word “common” in this phrase is the same word translated “common” in Ac 2:44 which speaks of the way the early church shared all they had with one another. They had all things in common, i.e. it was shared among all. Thus, the “common salvation” is the salvation that is shared by all the redeemed. It is the same for every believer. It is the way all come to know God. He exhorts them to “earnestly contend for the faith,” that is, faith in agreement with this “common salvation.”

Jude was warning that this truth was under attack then, and it is now as well. There are those that have crept unnoticed into the church today that are denying the common salvation. Even among “Christians”, men are not confessing Christ only. They say there is more than one way to get to God. But how can one who accepts the Bible as God’s word think there is any way other than Christ? Can verses like Ac 4:12 be any clearer? “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Jesus is not a way to God; He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! If there is one area we must stand our ground, it is here. If we’re not declaring Christ alone, it is not Christianity! If we’re tolerant here, we are planting the seeds to send our children to hell! It’s just that serious! Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (Jn 14:6) He leaves no room for another route to God!

We find there to be one foundation in 1 Co 3:11, and we don’t have the option to swap it out for another! “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” If any man preaches otherwise, he’s preaching another gospel! We are called to “earnestly contend for the faith” and resist this false doctrine. This issue of the “common salvation” is important enough for us to openly withstand its opponents. It was so important that Paul even openly rebuked the Apostle Peter for his failure to declare it. He said “I withstood him to his face…before them all”! (Gal 2:11,14) What was at the center of the issue according to Gal 2:16? “…knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law…” Salvation is by Christ, Christ, Christ! That salvation is the “common salvation” and the faith “once for all delivered to the saints!”

Brothers and sisters, this truth is frowned upon and condemned as intolerant in our day. Men are falling like dominos as they give in to the pressure of political correctness. But salvation by Christ alone is not a side issue; it is the issue! Why did Christ send the disciples into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature if every man’s idea of how best to get to God was acceptable? (Mt 16:15) Simply put, only God’s way is acceptable which is why the next verse is so strong: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” The gospel we preach is not the message of the various religions of the world. It is a narrow way that it declares. As Rom 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” May we be just as bold and unashamed to declare the only true way of salvation. May we care enough for the lost and dying souls around us to point them to Christ alone.

Jamie

Freely you have received, freely give.
Matthew 10:8

I was recently asked by a co-worker for a short definition of faith, and an acroymn I had learned as a child came to mind. Forsaking-All-I–Trust-Him. We discussed many verses as we talked for a few minutes. We talked about faith being the gift of God (Eph 2:8) and necessary to please Him (Heb 11:6). We discussed how it is the substance of things hope for and the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1). But what I’ve really come to appreciate about the acronym as I’ve grown in the Lord is that it makes one thing very clear. The object of true faith is God alone. True faith forsakes every other option. It puts all it’s eggs in one basket. It simply trusts God!

What this co-worker told me the next day was that she had shared the acronymn with several others. As I considered how this simple definition was blessing others the way it had blessed me, I was reminded that when we give out what God gives us, He multiplies it and does far more than we ever imagined. He’ll take your few loaves and couple of fishes and feed thousands! Whoever shared this meaning of faith with me as a child probably didn’t even think it made an impact! I’m not even sure I realized it had made an impression at the time, yet now, 30 years later, that bit of spiritual bread is still feeding others and being multiplied. We plant and water, but wow–how God gives the increase!

God does not expect that which is beyond our ability. When Christ came to the defense of the woman anointing Him with a costly ointment, He pointed out, “She has done what she could.” (Mk 14:8) He requires nothing more than that, but He also requires nothing less! He expects us to give out what we’ve been given! We are to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God (Rom 12:1). What do we have that we didn’t receive (1 Co 4:7)? Give out what God has given you today, no matter how small it seems. We never know how far one little word will go. God does big things with just a little. Freely we have received, freely give!

Jamie

Acts 2:42-47

42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

What is the purpose of the church? How should she spend her time? There are a lot of answers floating around to those questions, but what does Scripture teach? Our text reveals what the early church was like in its purity just after God gave His Spirit on Pentecost. These Christians are an example to us, and we should measure our assemblies today by their standard. We find there are four things here in which the early church “continued steadfastly.”

First of all, there was a steadfast continuance in the “apostles’ doctrine,” i.e. the word of God. Many churches today have diminished their focus on faithfully teaching and preaching the word in favor of more entertaining forms of “worship”. Why? Because the people that gather have no heart for the truth! Paul warns of this day in 2 Tim 2:3 stating, “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.” Brothers and sisters, the time is here! We would do well to encourage our pastors and teachers to faithfully do what Paul tells Timothy in v. 2: “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”

Secondly, the early church was characterized by unity. They continued steadfastly in “fellowship.” They loved the brethren! Isn’t that how Jesus said everyone would know that we were His disciples? (Jn 13:35) Their unity is evident all throughout our portion of Scripture. V. 44 says “all who believed were together, and had all things in common.” V. 46 reveals they were in “one accord” and broke bread “from house to house.” In other words, the early Christians spent much time with each other, and enjoyed rich fellowship in the Lord. As Ac 4:32 further describes them, they “were of one heart and one soul”.

Next, we see they continued steadfastly in the breaking of bread. I think a couple of things are referred to by this statement. First, it reveals the practical way in which they lived. Their lives were characterized by simplicity, contentment, and care for one another. They didn’t seek lives of extravagance, desiring the delicacies of this present world, but were satisfied with merely the breaking of bread. Even as we are instructed to be in 1 Tim 6:8, they were content with simply having food and clothing. They “ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart”. (v. 46) And their care for each other is revealed in this breaking of bread for no one did without according to Ac 4:34-35. There was not “anyone among them who lacked,” and “they distributed to each as anyone had need.”

The second conclusion we must draw from the declaration of their steadfastness in the breaking of bread is a spiritual one. We can’t consider the phrase “breaking of bread” without numerous passages coming to mind concerning the Lord Jesus being the spiritual bread that sustains every believer. As Jesus declared in Jn 6:51: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever…” Christ was the bread that was broken and sustained the early church, even as every true believer is sustained today. He was their focus and desire. They hungered and thirsted after righteousness, and they were filled! (Mt 5:6)

Last of all, they were a praying people. This truth was the evidence that the Spirit of God had indeed fallen upon them because both Rom 8:15 and Gal 4:6 remind us that the one thing God’s Spirit within us will continually do is cry out “Abba, Father!” You don’t have to teach a child to cry out to his mother or father. It’s completely natural. It would be strange if he didn’t! Likewise, every true child of God cries out to his or her heavenly Father, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” (Eph 6:18)

I want to us to notice one more important point at the end of our text. This church grew, but how did it grow? They didn’t form an outreach committee to determine the best way to reach the surrounding population. They didn’t take a poll to determine what would attract the most people. They were focused on God. They simply lived in obedience to Him, “continuing daily…praising God.” And what was the result? God gave them “favor with all the people,” and “the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Such is the only way the true church can grow. Men can come up with creative ways to build assemblies, but only God can build His church. We can water and plant, but God gives the increase! (1 Co 3:6)

Jamie