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STRIVING ABOUT WORDS

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STRIVING INSTEAD OF GETTING OUT THE GOSPEL

By Ken Blue

 

“Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. 2 Timothy 2:14.

 One way to discredit an individual is to give a word an alternate meaning from its intended context. There are several such words; and the brethren who use them have been segregated into a class of their own. I am reminded of the man who said, “Thou art stubborn; he is obstinate, and I am persistent.” Each word has much in common, but who wants to be thought of as stubborn or obstinate? “Persistent” always sounds more acceptable.

One word that has fallen into ill repute among the brethren is the word fundamentalist. The reason is its connotation and use. Fundamentalist have been associated with terrorist, fanatics and Kooks. This is unfair and unfortunate, but it is the way it is. Thus, many Bible believers, who embrace the fundamentals of the faith, are reluctant to be associated with some who call themselves fundamentalist. The fundamentals must be embraced, some fundamentalist need the boot.

Another word is the word share. One argument is that it isn’t a Bible word. Are we going to confine our vocabulary to words found only in Scripture? I don’t think so. We know the words rapture and trinity are not found in the Bible, yet we use them constantly because we know those truths are taught. The same principle is found in the word share. This truth and example is found from Genesis to Revelation. Perhaps a dictionary definition will help some. “share: A part or portion belonging to, distributed to, contributed by, or owed by a person or group. To accord a share in (something) to another or others: shared her chocolate bar with a friend. To have a share or part: shared in the profits.” This attack is another nail in the coffin of unity between believers.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Be careful when preaching to the Pharisees! To stay out of trouble, you must be political![/pullquote]

A young college student criticized his pastor because he used the word Philosophy. The pastor had pastored for about 15 years; the student had been out of college about six months. Below is a list of synonyms from the American Heritage Dictionary on the word, philosophy: “A system of belief, principles, or opinions:  • creed • dogma • faith • religion • doctrine • credo • canons • gospel.” All these words are used by pastors and no one complains. But if you say the word philosophy, you are related to the Antichrist. This is nonsense. It is the world’s philosophy one must reject, not the word!

The word Liberal is anathema among Bible believers. However, the word does not always have a negative connotation.  “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” Proverbs 11:25. “Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;” 2 Corinthians 9:13. Wouldn’t you like to have these liberals in your church? Our objection should be against those who take liberty with the Word of God and deny its teachings and Truth. Again, the word liberal is not a negative word, like all words, it depends on how it is used.

 Do you know what a fag is? Let me give you a dictionary definition. “1.a. A student at a British public school who is required to perform menial tasks for a student in a higher class. b. A drudge. 2. Chiefly British. Fatiguing or tedious work; drudgery. 1. To work to exhaustion; toil. 2. To function as the servant of another student in a British public school. –tr. To exhaust; weary: Four hours on the tennis court fagged me out.” American Heritage Dictionary.  Sodomy is the sickest sin on earth. So call it what it is, and stop trying to be “cute.”

The word Contemporary is another word that we must abhor. How contemporary are you? Some time ago I visited an Amish village in Illinois. All tools were of wood, carts were pulled by horses, and electricity was rejected. Are the Amish more in line with Scripture than you, since you are more contemporary? There was a time when all musical instruments were rejected by the church, and most of the music in your hymnal was rejected because it was contemporary at the time.  This is not a suggestion that you throw all caution to the wind. However, we need to stop acting like a donkey when it comes to words and methods.

The final word under fire is the word Entertainment. When used in relation to the church, it means that you must not have certain musical interments, Power Point, quartets, solos, songs under 100 years old, and more than one special.

Pastor, if you don’t entertain your congregation, you will lose it. All speakers and singers are trying to entertain and edify their listeners. That is why they use the style, words, and methods when presenting their message. I am aware that prayer, the power of God, the Word of God, the love of God, and the grace of God must be present. But, let’s stop hiding behind these, while pretending that the human element is not important. Many pastors need never worry about entertaining church members. Even the Devil would sleep through their service; everyone else is.

I have also discovered that you may quote certain leaders and get a course of “amen’s.” Just don’t mention the names of the men you quote. You may use their words, but you must know your crowd, or they will treat you like the Jews at Jerusalem treated Paul when he mentioned the word Gentile. So, be careful when preaching to the Pharisees! To stay out of trouble, you must be political!

RICK WARREN’S HEALTH PROGRAM

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By Ken Blue

 I am the last person in the world qualified to write about diets, health foods, and weight loss. I break all the rules and it is evident. I eat what I want. I don’t take vitamins and I don’t exercise. I am overweight; I have heartburn, and high cholesterol. So you see, you don’t want to follow my advice or example when it comes to healthy living.

However, when it comes to the brethren, I don’t need a stethoscope or a microscope to understand their health. Most of them love those who join them and despise those outside “their camp.”

Rick Warren has fallen under the wrath of some because of his new health objectives for his church members. Now, I have no interest or intent to defend Rick Warren. My objective is to point out the hypocrisy and inconsistency in our own “camp.”

Over the years I have been inundated by evangelist and preachers attempting to sell me, and our church members their diets, vitamins, supplements, and barleygreen, while “our camp” has been as quiet as a cemetery. Something is rotten in Denmark, and it ain’t the cheese.  

Some will purposefully distort my intent and accuse me of defending Rick Warren. I am not! He makes a big target, so go ahead, and shoot. However, don’t be a hypocrite and ignore the little foxes in your own backyard. You don’t get as much attention when you shoot them, but it should be done.

THE WEEPING SAVIOR

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By Ken Blue

 

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35.

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Luke 19:41

“Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;” Hebrews 5:7.

The key to each account of our Lord’s weeping is found in the context. Each one revealed the human side of Jesus Christ.  

 In John 11, the Lord is in Bethany at the tomb of Lazarus. Our lord is not weeping for Lazarus. He is about to raise him from the dead. However, when he looks about and sees the sorrow and brokenness of those He loves, He cannot constrain Himself. His is not the loud wailing usually associated with funerals in that part of the world, but a silent weeping of a broken heart. Let us take comfort that He weeps with those who weep.

The second account of our Lord’s weeping is recorded in Luke 19:11. There we see him weeping over the city of Jerusalem. He is weeping for them because of the impending doom awaiting them, their city, and their temple. Their ignorance was willful, and thus they closed their eyes to their Scriptures and their visitation of salvation. This led to a blindness, which hides the future and present to them as a nation to this day. This passage reminds us of the lamentations of Jeremiah over Jerusalem. Our Lord’s vision of the destruction that was soon to be inflicted by Titus moved Him to great weeping and wailing.

The third account of His weeping is found in Hebrews 5:7. We are confident these three are not the only times our Lord wept. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. However, the Holy Spirit had His purpose for recording these.

The weeping in this account took place just prior to our Lord’s death on the cross. This entire passage must view Jesus from His human nature. He was made man that He might taste death for every man. He is not praying that He would not die. He came for that purpose and knew it. Jesus was praying that He would be resurrected out from among the dead. It is very difficult to reconcile His humanity with His deity, but both are true, and He must be seen in the capacity of a man. Again, we suggest that the entire chapter in Hebrews be read for fuller understanding of why our Lord wept and prayed in the garden.

Jesus did not do any miracles that could not be done by the Twelve, whom He had chosen. The Twelve were only men, yet they were empowered to perform mighty miracles. Jesus laid aside His deity and served the Father as a man, and always obeyed Him. This should help explain His prayers and weeping prior to His death.

THE CIRCLE OF REASON

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By Ken Blue

 

Every person has a circle of reason. I am not talking about circular reasoning, but the circle or circumference of one’s reasoning. When we allow ourselves to be pulled into the other mans circle, we are at his mercy and under his rules. A Christian must not fall for this tactic.

Faith that God exist helps us believe the Bible, and faith in the Bible helps us understand and believe God. The starting place is that God exists.

I am reminded of a situation in a science class at a secular university. The teacher drew a circle on the board and proceeded with his questions and diagrams to “prove” to the students that God could not exist. A student raised his hand for permission to speak. It was granted. “Professor, the problem with your argument is that you have confined God to your circle. God is outside your circle of reason and intellect.”

And so it is. If you can believe in a God of creation, you can believe the Bible, and if you believe the Bible, you will understand the God of creation. Don’t allow yourself to be confined to the circle the atheist, the agnostic and the scoffers have drawn for themselves. God is outside the puny little world of man’s reason which they have drawn for themselves.

WOULD I USE OTHER BIBLE VERSIONS

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Under what conditions would I use other Bible versions?

By Ken Blue

Recently I was asked if I would use any Bible other than the King James Version if it meant reaching someone for Christ. My response was that I would not. However, my answer was in the context of my pulpit ministry.

As pastor of Open Door, I always believed and used the King James Bible only. However, I never insisted that others agree with me to be my friend, or for fellowship.

Under what conditions would I use other versions? Let me give some hypothetical situations. Let’s suppose I was in the home of a Catholic and was given permission to present the gospel to them. However, they had a large Catholic Bible on the coffee table, and ask if I would use it. In that situation, I would have no problem showing the gospel to them in their Bible. It is there.

If I was a missionary in another country and they did not have a Bible in their language true to the King James, I would present the gospel from their Bible and attempt to win them to Christ. Where their version deviated, I would correct it as needed. “ For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;” 1 Corinthians 9:19-20.

Many, who will not bend to win a soul to Christ, think nothing about quoting or singing songs written by those who taught you can lose your salvation, sprinkled babies, and did not embrace the infallibility of the King James Bible themselves. Since we cannot be consistent, let’s hope God will cut us a little slack when trying to keep a lost person from going to hell.