WAS JESUS EVEN A CHRISTIAN?

 AS my pastoral ministry at Legana rapidly draws to an end it is my hope that I leave a deposit in your soul that encourages you to also Love God with all your mind as well. Using your mind in your worship involves being thoughtful about what you read and hear; and, it also involves being sceptical. It may surprise you that these qualities are exhorted in the Bible for all believers (as I will point out in a moment). It is my contention that with increasing screen addiction to social media — where viewing “memes” and watching celebrity YouTubes — are being confused for factual information, that even believers maybe susceptible to deception. I want to offer some ways to guard what might be being allowed into your soul.

Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
Second Timothy 2:7

 Normally I would not discourage anyone from dismissing someone’s claims or ideas merely because they belonged to a different group to them. Philosophers refer to this as “the genetic fallacy” (based on dismissing the origin or ‘genesis’ of where the claim or idea came from). However, I do want to point out that even though someone claims to be a Christian, it is not their claim which verifies that they are a Christian – it is based on what they are claiming or the ideas they are expressing which verifies it or not. For example, someone could say, “I am a Christian” but then they dismiss that the Bible is God’s authoritative revelation, or that Jesus was the incarnate eternal God! Someone else may claim that they are a “progressive Christian” which may sound like they are a ‘contemporary’ Christian – but this actually means that they are a “theologically liberal Christian”. This is someone who does not believe in the authority of God’s Word, the miracles of the Bible, the deity and virgin-birth of Christ or Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. I am not encouraging you to necessarily dismiss someone out-of-the-gate who introduces themselves as a ‘progressive Christian’ (this would be committing the “genetic fallacy”). Instead, I encourage anyone to consider another’s claims or ideas for its truthfulness despite how they identify. This is applying First Thessalonians 5:21.   

But test everything; hold fast what is good.
First Thessalonians 5:21

HOW TO TEST ANY CLAIM OR IDEA FOR TRUTHFULNESS

  To “test” a claim involves asking three questions: (i) How do you know that?  (ii) How did you come to that conclusion?  (iii) How do those who disagree with you see this differently? These questions are important to distinguish between an ‘assertion’, which could simply be someone’s unfounded opinion; and, an ‘argument’, which is more likely based on facts and sound reasoning. It is important to remember that all people are equal; but, not all ideas are equal.

 

CASE STUDY #1,
A PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIAN DECLARES THAT THE CHRISTIANS HAVE GOT JESUS ALL WRONG ABOUT SEXUALITY, REPRODUCTION RIGHTS, AND SALVATION, BECAUSE JESUS WASN’T EVEN A CHRISTIAN!

  Alisa Childers, (the daughter of Chuck Gerrard who was featured in the film, Jesus Revolution) was a member of the Christian girls’ band, Zoe Girl. When she married her husband and came off the road to settle in Nashville and raise their family, her and husband connected into a local church. Touring for so many years and travelling the world to perform, Alisa was unable to enjoy a college education. The pastor welcomed the Childers family into the church and asked Alisa to join his weekly Bible study where, he claimed, she would be receiving the equivalent of degree-level theological education. Alisa was naturally excited about this opportunity but as she went each week she became increasingly disturbed by what she was hearing from her pastor. One night after coming home from this Bible study, she was particularly disturbed and told her husband. What the pastor had been teaching was undermining Alisa’s faith in Christ and His miracles, the authority of the Bible, and even the gospel itself. Alisa’s husband announced that they would no longer be attending this ‘progressive’ church. After leaving this church and finding another more theologically sound church, Alisa began to research what progressive Christianity actually taught. I strongly recommend reading her book which resulted from her research – Another Gospel.

Last week I was sent a link to a 2020 YouTube video featuring James Talarico who is a charming, popular, and very likeable American politician who described himself as progressive Christian. Oddly, his claim that “Jesus was not a Christian” has been repeated by many other social media influencers who are opposed to classical Christianity and have persuaded some to abandon the traditional beliefs of Christianity. I know that many godly Christian thinkers have responded to Congressman Talarico’s rather odd claim that most Christians are wrong about their traditional values because: Not even Jesus was a Christian. I would like to reiterate many of these responses and add my perspectives as well.

What is a Christian? Before someone makes an attempted ‘gotchya’ claim like Jesus wasn’t even a Christian – we should ask for a definition of a ‘Christian’. Put simply, a definition of a Christian (based on the Bible) is – A person who has been redeemed by Christ through their trusting-faith and is now metaphysically connected to Christ in which they are now “in Christ” and Christ is in them. Note Galatians 2:20 and Romans 8:1 which undergird this definition:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

¶ There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1

  Once we establish the biblical description of a Christian as one who has been redeemed by Christ and now lives in Christ with Christ in them, it should become immediately obvious that the ‘gotchya’ meme that Jesus wasn’t even a Christian is literally a nonsense because Jesus was the Redeemer and not ever the One in need of redemption! And since Christians are those redeemed by Jesus who follow Him it is simply not true that being a Christian is opposed to what Christ taught! Perhaps some may object that there are people who claim to be Christians but don’t seem to live like one? In which case, I share their concern. But if their objection comes from a genuine Christian upholding the genuine moral teachings of Christ which are largely objectionable in today’s licentious culture (as it also was in the Greco-Roman culture of the first-century in which Christianity was birthed), then I do not share their concern. We should not shrink back from the uncomfortable teachings of Christ (Matt. 15:19-20; 6:15; 7:26-27; 16:27-28; 19:4-6; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 13:3; John 6:65; 14:6) — instead, we should lean into them!  Do not be embarrassed by Christ’s weird supernatural acts or revelations. Ponder C. S. Lewis’s encouragement not to be persuaded by liberal (‘progressive’) Christians (written over 60 years ago) :

Don’t, however, misjudge these “liberal Christians.” They genuinely believe that writers of my sort are doing a great deal of harm. They themselves find it impossible to accept most of the articles of the “faith once given to the saints.” They are nevertheless extremely anxious that some vestigial religion which they (not we) can describe as “Christianity” should continue to exist and make numerous converts. They think these converts will come in only if this religion is sufficiently “de-mythologised”. The ship must be lightened if she is to keep afloat. It follows that, to them, the most mischievous people in the world are those who, like myself, proclaim that Christianity essentially involves the supernatural. They are quite sure that belief in the supernatural never will, nor should, be revived, and that if we convince the world that it must choose between accepting the supernatural and abandoning all pretence of Christianity, the world will undoubtedly choose the second alternative. It will thus be we, not the liberals, who have really sold the pass. We shall have re-attached to the name Christian a deadly scandal from which, but for us, they might have succeeded in decontaminating it.
C. S. Lewis. 2015 (1963). Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer (Lewis Signature Classics). Distributed Proofreaders Canada. Kindle Edition. Chapter 22, pg. 69.

 

CASE STUDY #2,
A BLOGGER CLAIMS THAT CHRISTIANS HAVE GOT JESUS ALL WRONG, AND  JESUS NEVER SAID TO FOLLOW CHRISTIANS, HE SAID “FOLLOW ME.”

Did He? There are many things that Jesus the Christ told His original disciples that He has never told us. Consider His statements to His disciples about seeing Him crucified to death then three days later seeing Him risen from dead (Matt. 20:18-19). It would be poor exegesis if such a passage was interpreted as if this was said to all generations of believers everywhere. Consider Christ telling His original disciples to go into Jerusalem and find a donkey for Him (Matt. 21:2) – no-one would suggest that every Christian down through every age should make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to find a donkey for Christ! Christ told His disciples to literally follow Him (Matt. 4:19; 9:9), as a test of another man’s declaration of allegiance to Christ (Matt. 8:22), and to a rich young noble (Mtt. 19:21). Christ certainly gave His disciples the cost of following Him which they were to preach as part of their gospel message:

¶ Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
Matthew 16:24

It is mischievous to claim that Jesus didn’t say “Follow Christians.” Jesus appointed His messengers (called apostles) to have His authority (Matt. 28:19; John 15:16). This authority given by Christ to those He calls within His Church includes the responsibility to rebuke and correct (1Tim. 4:11; 2Tim. 3:16; Titus 2:15). And if these Scriptures are not emphatic enough, then consider Hebrews 13:7, 17, which reveal that Christ has placed shepherd-leaders within a church who must be honoured. Naturally, Christ expects and requires that these appointees do so with gentleness, care, and love. Over the past twenty-nine-years, this is how I have striven to pastor those that God has placed in my charge. Please pray for me to continue to do so in an even greater way over these next seven weeks until finish up at Legana and hand the shepherd’s mantle over to Harry.

 

THE NEED FOR GODLY & LOVING DISCERNMENT

An aspect of my pastoral prayer for you and our church is that you each continue exercise and grow in your love for the Lord and each other, with a heart for those in our community who are in darkness. I am supplementing this prayer with the petition to the Lord for you to be discerning about what you hear and watch on social media, and on your guard about celebrities who are mistaken for experts, and memes which are mistaken for trustworthy. Remember to ask the three discernment questions mentioned earlier. Strive to follow Christ prayerfully, thoughtfully, studiously, and don’t be intimidated by those who appear to confidently denounce the Bible and Christ’s Church with empty slogans and witty internet memes. 

Your Pastor,

Andrew

Let me know what you think below in the comment section and feel free to share this someone who might benefit from this Pastor’s Desk.

MALACHI Part 4 - What Were The Priests Doing That Upset Malachi So Much?

 Over the past twenty-nine years of pastoring Legana, I have generally preached through biblical books verse-by-verse. These biblical books series have been interspersed with various shorter topical series (which is why it took me eight years to preach all the way through the Book of Jeremiah). As I now commence my last biblical book teaching series, through Malachi, I hope to leave a deposit in your souls about the value and authority of God’s Word and how we need to worshipfully approach it. While we all want to “cut to the chase” and “get to the point” when we approach God’s Word we must do so carefully. This takes time. “Time” is what most people complain they do not have. This is why I am doing so much background work on this often-neglected book so that you can take advantage of my time investment on your behalf. In this series so far, I have introduced the context of this book, discussed who Malachi was, explored where Malachi was, and examined who was Malachi’s immediate audience. I am now considering why Malachi was so profoundly upset and what we can learn from his passionate love for God and His Table.

¶ “And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honour to My Name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.
Malachi 2:1-3

Malachi was the last of the Old Covenant era prophets. Although we can read the first three verses Malachi chapter two and see that Malachi was really upset – after all, how descriptive is the expression: if you will not listen I will spread dung all over your faces! To answer the question, why was Malachi so upset? we have to realise that he was upset because God was upset.

Consider this. Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets. His message would be the last message that God would deliver to His people Israel through a prophet before He began to initiate the New Covenant four-hundred or so years later! God had something important, urgent, and profound to say to His people. The people, and especially the priests, did not realise this. What they were doing, and were neglecting to do, was putting in jeopardy the entire plan of redemption – not just for Israel, but for the entire human race!  

The Lord intended for Israel to be the people who would make His Name known and revered among the nations. But Israel had not only neglected this, they had actively undermined this divine mission! The prophet Jeremiah had warned them repeatedly that the curses within the conditions of the covenant they had agreed to with God would be enforced unless they humbly repented and were reconciled with God (Jer. 26:13). But Israel did not repent. The warnings of covenant violation were enacted and God came to judge the covenant-breakers by sending the Babylonians to invade, conquer, exile the inhabitants of Judah, then destroy its capital city Jerusalem along with its sacred yet defiled Temple (Jer. 25:9). But Jeremiah also prophesied hope for these exiles that their captivity in Babylon would only last seventy-years, then the Lord would restore the survivors back into His land (Jer. 24:6-7). After the seventy years of exile was completed, the prophet Daniel read the prophecies of Jeremiah and prayed accordingly:

¶ In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. ¶ Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking Him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession
Daniel 9:1-4

Malachi arrived on the scene close to a century after the first few returning exiles and their descendants had entered the ruined city of Jerusalem. The lessons that should have been learned about why they had been exiled and lost their homeland in the first place were soon forgotten. The priests who had been expected to live as role-models for the Jewish settlers were living as hypocrites. They mocked the Temple, they mocked the required sacrifices, they mocked the observances, they mocked the ceremonies, and worst of all – they mocked God!

But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table [the sacrificial altar] is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised.
Malachi 1:12

No wonder Malachi speaks of God smearing the faces of the priests with faeces – because this was essentially how they were treating God! But these priests responded to Malachi with, and I paraphrase, “Oh Malachi! Stop being such a bore! Take a chill-pill. You’re wearing us out!” The way the English Standard Version translators render it is:

But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 1:13a

Malachi does not respond to these apostate priests (‘apostate’ means ‘a person who was dedicated to God but has now turned his or her back on God). But God does through Malachi:

You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD.
Malachi 1:13b

When the nation of Israel was being formed, God had used Moses to rescue them from slavery in Egypt. After fleeing through the Red Sea they were led into the Sinai wilderness where Moses was asked by God to come up the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments. It was while he was away for nearly six weeks that his older brother Aaron was coerced by the people to offer them a different god to the One Moses claimed he was hearing from. The result was that Aaron built a golden calf as an idol for them to have as their god. When Moses returned down the mountain with the Ten Commandments, he was devastated to find this apostasy led by his own brother! Of all of the twelve tribes, it was the Tribe of Levi which had not joined in with this apostasy. This resulted in God declaring that the tribe of the Levites would be the tribe from which God’s priests would come. After another incident sometime later, the clan of the Aaronites were selected in particular to be the priests with the rest of the Levites appointed to assist them in serving in the tabernacle, then later, in the temple.

God expected the Levitical priests to model obedience, adoration, and respect for God by listening to God’s Word and teaching it.

¶ “And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honour to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart.
Malachi 2:1-2

Instead of the priests of Malachi’s day fulfilling their covenanted responsibilities, they had become corrupt – extorting financially from worshipers, and telling people what they wanted hear rather than the truth that they needed to hear! As it turned out, around the time of Malachi, the Persian Empire had ceased to financially support the Temple and its priests in Jerusalem. Rather than trusting and obeying God, the priests neglected their faithful serving of God and became more concerned about their own survival. This led to them distorting God’s Word, defiling God’s altar, and denouncing God’s Name (His character and authority). We can read what the heartbroken Malachi declared to these corrupt and careless priests. I suspect I know what the apostle Paul would have said to these priests as well if he had been alive at the same time as Malachi:

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
First Timothy 6:3-8

One of the things that Pastor Phil Hills said to Kim and I as young pastors echoed what Malachi was rebuking these priests for, and what the apostle Paul was warning ministers of the gospel against: “If you keep money out of your heart, God will keep money in your pocket!” Kim and I took these words from Pastor Phil very seriously and have tried our best to live by them.

What do we learn from this section of the Book of Malachi? Firstly, God still calls His servants to gladly, delightfully, make Him known to the world. Secondly, God still calls His servants to model heartfelt love of God to the world. Thirdly, God still calls His servants to be shepherds of His people who love with God’s love. And, fourthly, God still calls His servants to sacrificially and cheerfully serve Him as their act of worship. This is worshiping with God’s people in and as the church should never be a wearisome drudge for the servant of God. Church should never be neglected by the servants of the Most High Lord of Hosts!

May you never grow weary of loving God’s people or neglecting to fellowship in worship with them each Sunday. And may we each do this together as a witness to the world that God’s Name is indeed very great!

Your Pastor,

Andrew

Let me know what you think below in the comment section and feel free to share this someone who might benefit from this Pastor’s Desk.

FINDING JOY IN YOUR CHURCH THROUGH HUMILITY

 ¶ For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body,though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

First Corinthians 12:12

What is a church? Whatever it is, based on what we read in the Bible, it is an institution that can bring tremendous joy to Christ’s followers and provide a source of great grace. I have previously written about the ten distinctives of a local church which distinguishes it from what it is not – namely, a: (i) Bible study group, (ii) a para-church organisation, or even (iii) a ‘ministry’ (such as an evangelistic association or regular conference). At its core, a ‘church’ is a spiritual organism of the Body of Christ which is comprised of believers who are “in Christ” (Rom. 8:1). This is a point that Sam Allberry has made in his latest book, One with My Lord: The Life-Changing Reality of Being in Christ. Being “in Christ” means that every believer is intimately connected with Christ. This is profound. This realisation should cause a believer to regard such things as partaking of Communion together in an overwhelmingly different light. Thus, when we, the body of Christ, partake of the Bread, the Body of Christ, and the fruit of the vine, the Blood of Christ, we who are “in Christ” then have “Christ in us” through ingesting this sacred meal. It is, as the Church has long declared, “a visible act of receiving the invisible grace of God.” But there is something else more wonderful about the local church experiencing Christ together in this way: we do this as a new family. Just like in any family the church family is a means of God for each believer to minister to each other believer God’s grace in its ‘manifold’ forms which enables a believer to be strengthened and helped, resulting in and from — joy. This tremendous blessing though can only be administered and received when it is done so with humility.

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
First Peter 4:10-11

It is the work of the Holy Spirit in each believer to “place them” into a local Body of Christ and to knit them together as a “dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the Cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22

This means that in the wisdom of God He will bring together people from different nations, cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds and experiences and make them a united family.

This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Ephesians 3:6

But this comes with great risks. Bringing people together from such diverse backgrounds who may not have yet been instructed in the ways of Christ and His Church can quickly degenerate into enmity, factions, and schisms. This is why Christ has ordained that His Church be both ordered and led so that “the unity of the Spirit” can be intentionally upheld without compromise (Eph. 4:1-4).

 

The Role of Local Church Leaders

We noted in the opening biblical reference from First Corinthians twelve that the church is like a human body. Just as the parts of the body including its internal organs have a particular function and work together to enable the body to function as a unity, so it is with the church. Thus, Christ gifts members of His body with abilities which they are to use for the benefit of the whole body. This is the point that Paul made to the Romans (who were , based on Romans 16, meeting in many separate ‘house churches’ around Rome).

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Romans 12:4-8

In writing to the Corinthians he uses even stronger language to the describe the place of leaders within a local church (note that First and Second Corinthians was specifically not addressed to any leader or group of leaders – partly because there were so many people claiming to be the leader!). Paul counters the claim of his proud opponents at Corinth that he had no right to tell them what to do, by pointing out that Christ ordained that His church be led, “first” by apostles:

That there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together. ¶ Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
First Corinthians 12:25-28

The unknown writer to the Hebrews writing about AD 63, told them that:

¶ Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith….Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Hebrews 13:7, 13

This anonymous writer tells the Jewish believers in Jerusalem that their support and cooperation with their leaders should result in joy for their leaders. It it reasonable to see how this would also result in joy for the congregation as well since their shepherds would be leading with joy, care, courage, as they taught, prayed for, discipled, trained, and equipped those in their pastoral charge. This then leads to us considering the posture of a congregation in a joy-filled church.

The Role of Local Church Congregation

In Paul’s climax in his Epistle to the Romans, after he has spent eleven chapters explaining the gospel and what means to be saved, he then describes the posture of a believer. They are to “present their bodies as a living sacrifice” to God (Rom. 12:1). They are “not to be conformed to this world, but be transformed” in their thinking (Rom. 12:2). In additional to this, he introduces their essential virtue necessary for a local church to be functional rather than dysfunctional: humility.

¶ For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
Romans 12:3

From this foundation the apostle spells out what humility within a local church for each believer looks like as he continue in Romans 12:9-21 (see the small-group Bible study teaching series I have written on this important passage- Building a Covenant Community of Believers).

I encourage you to consider this list of twenty-seven fruits of the humility virtue and see for yourself that none of them are possible without being committed to the local church where Christ has placed you. Here is the conclusion to this observation: it takes humility to surrender to Christ as you Saviour. It takes humility to be a member of a local church family. It takes humility to cooperate with a godly caring leader-shepherd within that local church. It takes humility to serve others within your local church with the gifts and ministry the Holy Spirit has given you. But the pay-off, your great joy and your church’s, is unattainable if you don’t.

Your Pastor,

Andrew

Let me know what you think below in the comment section and feel free to share this someone who might benefit from this Pastor’s Desk.