DOES PAST TENSE MEAN IT’S OVER?

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HE LOVED ME                                                HE LOVES ME NOT

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26.

A Pastor asked, “if God so loved the world…” does it mean He no longer loves it? The word that troubled him was “loved.” “Since it is in the past tense, has God stopped loving the lost and does He now hate them.” I said, “If God hates sinners, must we also hate them to be Godlike? Also, should we be sending money to missionaries so they can preach the gospel to those they and God hate?” This striving about words is just one tacit of Satan to confuse and divide the brethren.

Now if past tense means it’s over, and no longer active, shall we apply it to the following? Does “loved” mean God no longer loves us and the lost of this world? Perhaps that explains the arrogant, condescending attitude of some preachers and evangelist. If God hates the lost and wants them to go to hell, what’s wrong if I have the same attitude?

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:37.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,” Ephesians 2:4

“And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” Ephesians 5:2

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;” Ephesians 5:25. Since he loved the church, does He love it now?

“Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,” 2 Thessalonians 2:16

“For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.” 2 Timothy 4:10. Since Demas left because he “loved” this world, did he cease to love it after he forsook Paul?

“Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” Hebrews 1:9. God “loved” righteousness. Does He love it now?  

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10. This verse suggests that God loved the sinner before He died for him, and that love was the reason He sent Jesus to die.

“Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” Mark 10:21. Here is a self-righteous lost young man, yet Jesus loved him.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1 John 4:11. If past tense means God stopped loving, at what point shall we stop loving one another”

“We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3. Does God love Israel today?

You may argue that the above is a reference to believers, and God loves them now. Then we ask, if God hates sinner, shouldn’t we also hate them in order to be like God? Does past tense mean it’s over?

Do you hate all sinners, or just the ones who don’t sin like you. God hates divorce. Does he hate the divorced? Why not? “For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.” Malachi 2:16. Should we have fellowship with divorces, if God hates them? Now, I don’t hate anyone. I’m simply putting out the test to prove that the brethren don’t hate all sinners;they are selective. Shame, Shame on you!

 

 

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PASTORS DRIVING IN THE FOG

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PASTORS WITHOUT GOALS OR OBJECTIVES

pastorsBy Ken Blue

The longer I live and the more I talk with pastors, the more confident I am that many of them are driving in a fog; if they are moving at all. We all know what it is like to try to drive in those blinding conditions. Sometimes fog lights help, but the fog line on the right side of the road may be the best guide. That line gives you some point of reference as to where you are.

It appears that pastors do not want a clearly defined purpose, or stated objectives for fear of failure. Perhaps they like being in the fog, that way no one can figure out where they are going. You would think they would be eager to establish these, and clarify them to their members.

What must a pastor do to get out of the fog and see clearly his purpose, objectives, and goals? First of all, he must have a stated purpose for the church. Can you put in a simple sentence why your church exists and what you believe God wants it to focus on; if not, you are still in the fog. An example of a purpose statement is that of Open Door Baptist church. “We exist to bring families from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity.” That statement is clear and defines what the churches main business will be. Everything else they do moves the church toward that purpose.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The purpose statement declares why you exist.[/perfectpullquote]

Once the purpose is established, clearly stated objectives must be put in place. The purpose declares why you exist. The objectives state what actions are necessary to carry out your purpose. Pastors should have no more that 5-7 objectives. Objectives are not goals. They are simply the major areas you must focus on to support your purpose.

Once the objectives are in place, goals must be set in each one of them. Some goals may be set for what you want the church to be in five years. Goals must be broken down to 12, 6, 3, and 1-month segments. They must be on the pastor’s calendar, and on your desk, or they will be ignored.

Also, goals have a beginning and ending date. They must be measurable, attainable and have ownership. From your calendar, you know what you are to do each week and every day. If you have done it right, your calendar will become your boss. You no longer are in the fog. If things get a little fuzzy, get your calendar out and bring yourself up to date.

Why do pastors ignore this kind of planning? One, it requires you to think and work. It won’t allow you to fly by the seat of your pants. It holds you accountable. It shows where you are failing, and the bottom line is fear.

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THE DANGERS AND JOYS OF STUDYING PROPHECY

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There is great interest in the study of Bible prophecy. This can be good, or it can be destructive. The key is how it is handled and applied.We are commanded to study the Word and rightly divide it. Nowhere, is this more important than in the study of prophecy.

Prophecy is the greatest proof of inspiration. The four gospels are a record of how the birth, life, teaching, miracles, death, and resurrection of Jesus are proofs that He is the subject of Old Testament prophecies.

It helps give a point of reference to the believer. The study and understanding of prophecy will give the Christian a solid reference point if he knows how to rightly divide the Word of God.

Perhaps the greatest error in the study of prophecy is the failure to understand that most of it is written concerning Israel and their kingdom. There is very little prophecy concerning the church. Most of the things said about the church have to do with trends within it in its last days. There is a world of difference between what is said about the last days of the church and the last days of Israel’s prophecies.

Most prophecy will be understood after its fulfillment. This gives credibility to Scripture. There are many things we could not have understood 75 years ago. But with Israel in the land, the movement of the nations against them, the advent of the computer and the interned; the Second Advent seems imminent. Hindsight is 20/20. As we approach the end of the age, our understandings of prophecy will increase.

We must exercise special caution and discernment when listening to how one interprets prophecy. The great danger is the belief that we have prophets in this dispensation to whom God is revealing the future. Rest assured it is not happening. Another danger is that of eager souls see fulfillment of prophecy in every event. Jesus warned us that Israel’s last days would spawn many false prophets. Jesus said to His disciples, “ And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Matthew 24:6-8.

We must not assume that current events are the fulfillment of prophecy. They may be; they may not. Time will tell. History is replete with accounts of preachers and teachers who preached and taught that the events in their time were sure signs of the end of the world. That does not mean we should not study, but it should warn us not to be blown about by every wind of doctrine.

We must never set dates as to when prophecy will be fulfilled. It ought to be evident to all that no one knows the time of the rapture. We should be living in the reality that it could happen today, I hope it does, but it may not happen for years to come. No one knows.

There is great joy, and danger, in the study of prophecy. Don’t get caught up in following those who make prophecy their special ministry. We are told to rightly divide the whole Word of God. Also, preachers are to preach the whole counsel of God. Study, but don’t go to seed on this subject.