Sun., Aug. 8 Bible Class notes – John 1:13, cont’d.

John 1:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

“but of God”

Things that will not save you:

     (in addition to blood, the will of man and the will of the flesh)

     Your desire to be saved (although desire should be there).

     Baptism (Mar_16:16)

     "The Sacraments" (Last rites, confession, penance)

      Saying or praying a prayer.

      Walking the aisle

      Making a decision for Christ.

      Keeping the Ten Commandments

      Doing good works

What is it that will save you: Jesus! Jesus saves!

[The following is from a forum that I participate in]:

To believe one possesses some volitional will to assent to the truth of the Scriptures despite their clear teachings is to assume one can believe without any initiative by God, that is, one is performing a work to save oneself. But the Scriptures are clear, in that the unsaved…

- is deceitful and desperately sick (Jeremiah 17:9).
- is full of evil (Mark 7:21-23).
- loves darkness rather than light (John 3:19).
- is unrighteous, does not understand, does not seek for God    (Romans 3:10-12).
- is at enmity with God (Romans 8:7-8)
- is helpless and ungodly (Romans 5:6).
- does not seek God (Romans 3:11)
- is dead in his trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1).
- is by nature a child of wrath (Ephesians 2:3).
- cannot understand spiritual things (1Corinthians 2:14).
- is a slave of sin (Romans 6:16-20).

We are not “born again” as a result of something we have done, but solely on the basis of God's sovereign will and power.

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The Father elects to salvation, the Son dies to procure salvation, the Spirit applies salvation

John 6:44         

Romans 9:15; Romans 9:16; Romans 9:18-26

Introductory Matter – Gospel According to St. John

The following matter are notes from which I taught my adult Sunday School class. They are posted here primarily for the benefit of class members who were not in attendance for the lesson.

Preliminary remarks:

I believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible. [see this Theopedia article for explanation). This means that I have a high view of Scripture. I believe that when John used certain words it was the design and intent of the Holy Spirit that John used that particular word. It also means we must handle the Word of God reverently, carefully, and honestly.

This is to be an exhaustive study of the Gospel. I anticipate that we will be at it two years or more, should God give us time. We are not in a hurry. I hope to post the more salient portions of the lessons in my blog for those that are absent, so you will be able to keep up and not miss out on much.

During the course of our study I will be using vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to you. Do not let me get ahead of you. I will try and define terms, but if I don’t — or if you have a question — do not be afraid to interrupt me. Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance can hurt you. So ask your question.

Some of you may have different translations than I have. You will forgive me, but I will be using the King James Version because I like it. It may not be the only translation and it may not be the best. But it’s the one I will be using.

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Author: John, the son of Zebedee and Salome

(Mark 1:16-19) Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

(Matt. 27:56)  Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children.

Cf. (cf. means “compare)

(Mark 16:1-2)  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.  (2)  And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

John was uneducated, which means that he was not rabbinically trained. He did not have a seminary education.

The book is written in a simple style. The vocabulary is meager, with many words and expressions being often repeated.

(Act_4:13)  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Close friend of Jesus

John was a cousin of Jesus. His mother and Jesus’ mother were sisters.

Only John, along with his brother James and Peter were present at the raising of Jairus’s daughter, the transfiguration, and witness to Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

John was “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” (John 19:26). It was John who leaned on Jesus’ chest at the Last Supper (John 13:23)

It was John who, at the foot of the cross, was entrusted with caring for his aunt and the mother of Jesus.

Ministry:

Supposedly lived in Jerusalem for 15 years after the ascension, until Mary died.

No record of him being in Jerusalem after A.D. 50.

Elder in Ephesus

Exiled to Patmos either during the reign of Nero or Trajan

Wrote three epistles: 1, 2, and 3 John

Wrote the Apocalypse (either before A. d. 70 (internal evidence) or around A.D. 90 – 95 (external evidence).

Died in the last decade of the first century, being in his nineties.

John’s Gospel is distinctly different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

John	Synoptics
Jesus often speaks of himself	Jesus seldom speaks of himself
Style is simple; vocabulary limited
Jesus’ birth not mentioned
Jesus’ baptism not recorded
Jesus’ divinity emphasized	Jesus’ humanity emphasized
No parables, except John 15	Parables common
No demons exorcised	Demons exorcised
Only one reference to scribes (John 8:3)	Many references to scribes
Ministry: 3 years	Ministry: 1 year
Locus of ministry: Judea & Jerusalem	Locus of ministry: Galilee
Includes miracles not mentioned in synoptics (Cana, Lazurus)
No Sermon on the Mount
No Olivet discourse

Purpose in writing: (John 20:31) But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Exposition of John 1:1 to be posted shortly, Lord willing.

Jesus must be Lord of all or …

One of the clichés bandied about in Christian circles is “Jesus must be Lord of all or he can’t be Lord at all.” As with many other trite sayings that are in wide circulation, this one has passed into the warp and woof of modern evangelical and fundamentalist Christianity without nary a critical thought or a moment’s contemplation. The statement is not true. It is false. It is a lie. All lies have as their source Satan himself. This cliché is meant to encourage people to live all-out for Jesus Christ, but in some cases it has the opposite effect of comforting people who are presuming they are Christians and on their way to heaven but who are, in fact, spurious believers destined for the Lake of Fire.

Now, I’ve been so brazen as to declare this a false statement. I’ve contradicted what more learned men than I have said. The late Adrian Rogers, an iconic figure among many Southern Baptists, has written on his blog, “There is no middle ground for the Christian: Jesus must be Lord of all, or He can't be Lord at all.” Interestingly enough, he in that same blog, takes my position. I’ll show you that a little bit later. The pastor of a church in Houston similarly states, “Jesus must either be Lord of all or of nothing. The choice is yours.” This idea is prevalent in modern churchianity, as a search in Google will show. That it is echoed by so many does not, however, give it legitimacy. Follow me to the Court of the First and Last Resort.

Let us be “more noble than those in Thessalonica” and search the scriptures to see whether those things are so.

The first thing I would like to point out is that we do not “make Jesus Lord” of our lives or anything else any more than a British subject makes Elizabeth II the Queen. Jesus is Lord. He is the Lord Jesus Christ. That is one of his titles. It means something. It is not a mere sentiment. This is how Paul and Silas referred to the Savior when they addressed the Philippian jailor and said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house (Acts 16:31). It is God that made (past tense, completed action) Jesus Christ to be the Lord: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ,” (Acts 2:36).

Secondly, we do not “accept” Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. (By the way, the idea of “accepting” Jesus was totally foreign to the apostles). The admonition that Paul gave the Philippian jailor says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” We cannot pick those elements of Jesus that we like while disregarding the rest. We must believe on “the Lord.” What does that mean? It means when we come to Christ we come with the recognition that not only is he the only Savior, the only way to God, but that he is also the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe and of ourselves in particular. His being Lord gives him the right to order us around, to send us where we do not want to go, to do the things that we do not want to do. It means we submit to him much as General Robert E. Lee submitted to General Ulysses S. Grant — unconditionally!

That brings me to the original thesis of this posting: The saying, “Jesus must be Lord of all or he is not Lord at all” is false. This bromide is, as I said above, supposed to encourage spurious saints to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Whether it is effective or not, I do not know. But God did not call us to be pragmatic. He called us to be truthful.

In Acts 10:36 we find these words: “The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:).” Notice the words in parentheses: “He is Lord of all.” That is a present tense statement. He is Lord of all. Note again, that he is Lord of all. There is nothing not subject to his dominion, his lordship. He is Lord of all!

Adrian Rogers agrees with me (not that it makes what I have written truth) and says in the same blog from which I quoted above,

In the dictionary, the definition of the word lord is one with absolute power, absolute authority. We often speak of commitment, but the real question is surrender. When you're committed, you're in control; when you surrender, you relinquish control. If a robber puts a gun to your head, you don't commit your wallet; you surrender it!

To understand that truth is the beginning of kingdom authority. He is called Lord no less than 747 times in the New Testament. You can't make Him Lord; He has already claimed the title. Your questions are, first, will you recognize His Lordship, and second, will you submit to it? He is Lord of all you have and all you do. Do you live by that Lordship?"

The quality of our new converts suffers because of our misuse of terminology. How much different do you suppose a new believer would be if he was told that he needed to demonstrate repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ? Our superficial evangelism does not allow for this, of course. Sinners are in rebellion against the Almighty. They are avowed enemies. When one comes to Christ one must abandon his self-centered and egocentric thinking and living and surrender to the rule of a new master, the Lord Jesus Christ. He (or she) must be told that when they come to Christ their life is no longer their own (1 Corinthians 6:15-20). Then, their conversion will give proof to their confession that “Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” (Philippians 2:11).

God Won't Make You Do What You Don't Want to Do

“God is a gentleman and won’t make you do anything you do not want to do.” This is the quote I mentioned in yesterday’s blog post. I considered in that post the first portion of the quote,; viz, God is a gentleman. Today I want to address the latter clause: “and won’t make you do anything you do not want to do.”

Again, we must examine the statement in the light of the Scriptures. What does the Bible have to say about that? Does the Bible make any direct statements supporting that quote? Does it allude to the possibility of it being true? Does it make any direct statements to the contrary? Does it allude to the possibility of it being false?

In yesterday’s blog I presented evidence that God is not a gentleman and, more than that, not always gentle. Today I will show that the second part of the quote is just as false.

Let us start with the book of beginnings, Genesis. In the first chapter of Genesis God created Adam and Eve. Did He consult with them and get their permission to bring them into existence? Did God consult with you and ask if you wished to be born? When Adam sinned and fell from grace, did God commiserate with him about leaving the Garden? Did He not summarily expel them? Did He ask Eve if she would like to endure agony during childbirth? Did He ask Adam if he’d like to pull weeds the rest of his life?

We look a little farther in Scripture and we come across the prophet Jonah. “Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me,” (Jonah 1:1-2)
Did God make Jonah go to Ninevah? You may answer, “No,” and you would be correct. God expects His people to obey Him. Did Jonah go? Sure, after God made him willing to go. Did Jonah do what he did not want to do? He sure did.

Now, let’s go to our day and age to people like you and me. Does God make us do things we do not want to do? He certainly does. Does anyone you know want to go through the torture of cancer? No one in their right mind would. Yet how many people experience the debilitating diseases of cancer? This is done against our will.

And how about death? All of us are bound to die. Just the other day a young man of my acquaintance died. He was having fun, living life to the fullest. His recreation was innocent enough yet it led to his demise. He had no desire to die. He had no anticipation of death. He did not know that his life would be required of him. He left behind a beautiful wife and an infant son. This was not what he wanted. God made him do what he did not want to do.

We forget that God is sovereign. He owns us. “Look, every life belongs to Me,” God says to the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 18:4). God owns us because He made us; He is our Creator. As our Sovereign, God can and often does make us do what we do not want to do. Sometimes God gives us the option of disobeying Him, as He did with Jonah, but makes us pay through the nose (or the whale’s belly) for our disobedience. In the end, God will have the final say, rewarding us for what we have done whether good or evil.

God Is a Gentleman — or Is He?

I cannot count the number of times I have heard preachers, Bible teachers, and others say, “God is a gentleman and he will never force you to do what you do not want to do.” Like so many errors, repeat it often enough and people will believe it.

Perhaps you believe this is true. Support your view with Scripture. Can you find one verse — or even one sentence in the entire Bible that will back you up?

Is God a gentleman? Let's see what He says about that. I think it goes without saying that a gentleman is first, foremost, and always a man. A gentleman is a gentle man or perhaps, a gentry man (gentry being derived from Old French for gentleman).

Before we can determine if God is a gentleman, we must first ascertain if he is a man. That answer is specifically answered in God's word, the Bible. “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19). Do you see that? “God is not a man.”

In case there is any doubt, or if you reason that that is just one verse, here is another: “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.” (1 Samuel 15:29).

The Scriptures are clear: God is not a man. If God is not a man, how then could He be a gentleman? To call God a gentleman is to dishonor Him, putting Him on a level with His creation.

We must think of God as He is or we are guilty of mental-image idolatry. We must worship God in truth. We do not have the liberty to misrepresent Him or to portray Him as He is not.

God is God. Is that to say that God is not gentle? No. God is often quite the opposite: “With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself unsavory,” (2 Samuel 22:27). Was God a gentleman when he chased the Canaanites out of their cities with hornets (Exodus 23:28)? Was God a gentleman when he killed in a mass slaughter all the firstborn sons in Egypt on the night of the first Passover? Was God a gentleman when he drowned Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea?

Will God be a gentleman when he comes back in the person of Jesus Christ “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (2 Thessalonians 1:8)? There is nothing in the Bible to warrant calling God a gentleman.

Thankfully, God is a merciful and a gracious God and acts kindly toward all those that seek His face and desire to do His will. To those whose hearts are bent toward honoring God, God is gentle, kind, and compassionate. To those whose hearts are contrary to God, God will show Himself contrary.

“Or do you despise the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (5) But after your hardness and impenitent heart you treasure up unto yourself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; (6) Who will render to every man according to his deeds: (7) To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life: (8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, (9) Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that does evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile,” (Romans 2:4-9).

Binding Satan

I received a prayer request via email the other day that asked me to pray that Satan would be bound with reference to a particular situation. That brought to memory a former missionary to Brazil who used the expression "binding Satan" with some regularity when I knew her some years ago.

Where does the idea of binding Satan come from? Is it suggested by the Bible? Is it a normative Christian practice?

I have searched my Bible from cover to cover and find only one reference to binding Satan: "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years," Revelation 20:1-2. I found no reference, even obliquely, to such a practice in the book of the Acts of the Apostles — the place one would most expect to see it. So where did the notion come from?

It is most probable that some have believed in this false doctrine which is nothing more than a superstitious rite for many years. However, it gained some advance with the advent of the charismatic branch of Pentecostalism and the so-called word-faith movement. It spread to evangelical churches through the fantastical writings of Frank Peretti, gobbled up and imbibed by Christians bereft of good sense and sound teaching.

The notion that we can bind Satan who, according to our Lord Jesus Christ, is already bound (Mark 3:27) is pure superstition. Superstition enters when sound doctrinal teaching exits. Pastors, teachers, and evangelists need to put their noses to the grindstone and study the Word of God and then teach that to their hearers. Hearers must listen and read with holy skepticism and search the Scriptures to see if what they are being taught is truly true (Acts 17:11)

Are You a Christian Weasel?

But let your communication be,
Yes, yes; No, no:
for whatever is more than these comes of evil.
Matthew 5:37

I listened yesterday to an interview with a graduate of Patrick Henry College on KPLU, an NPR radio station. Patrick Henry College, or PHC, is a Christian college that was started specifically to provide a college education for Christian home-schooled children. The school has accomplished much in the few years of its existence and its graduates are among the best in the nation.

The interviewer, in his closing question to this former student, asked if he knew the Dalai Lama, to which the young man responded that although he did not know him, he was familiar with whom he was. The interviewer then asked him if the Dalai Lama was going to Hell. The graduate replied by telling a story about a previous Dalai Lama who, when he had died, was found with a crucifix. From that he concluded that it is not our place to say such a thing because we never really know what a person really believes. As Charles Spurgeon once said, it would take India rubber lips to get around that answer.

Why are we afraid to tell the truth? Certainly, God has not set us as judges over our fellow man. However, to say that the Dalai Lama may not go to Hell is a lie. Interestingly enough, the other interviewee was a woman that had written a book about PHC in which the male had been highlighted. The author had a female PHC student living with her. One day the author’s husband asked the student, “Do you think I am going to go to Hell?” She hesitated, thinking, then said, “Yes, but I am not jumping up and down with joy over it.” She told the truth in a polite, considerate, and kindly way.

I learned long ago that beating around the bush or using weasel words only exacerbates the offense. When people realize that, in effect, you have lied to them, they will respect you and your message even less. Tact, politeness, kindness, genuine love and concern, along with a respect for the other person, will allow you to say things that are painfully truthful. Some will receive it the way it was intended; some will not.

One thing that is critically important for every person to know is that “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). About this there can be no equivocation. About this there can be no beating around the bush. There is only one way to Heaven: it is through faith in Jesus Christ, the only begotten of God. All other paths lead to Hell.

Certainly men and women who believe differently will take offense. That we cannot help. Some years ago I was witnessing to some men in a mosque and the conversation was congenial until I quoted Acts 4:12. Upon hearing that, the men became livid, excited, and for a few seconds I wondered if I would walk out of there without harm. Those men needed to hear that, though, and to have told them that if they were sincere in their desire to please God through their adherence and belief in Islam it would only rise up to judge and convict me of the most heinous and egregious cruelty at the last judgment. To have said, “Well, I really don’t know what is in your heart so maybe you’ll make it in the end” would not only have been a lie but would have served to further damn them.

The Bible gives us several examples in the book of Acts of how we should speak: Peter on the day of Pentecost, Stephen before the Sanhedrin, Paul before his tribunals. These men not only scorned weasel words, some of the things they said were blatantly offensive. But these men were filled with the Holy Spirit who gave them boldness. Maybe that’s the difference?

But let your communication be,
Yes, yes; No, no:
for whatever is more than these comes of evil.
Matthew 5:37

Why Am I Here?

The second of the three great philosophical questions is: "Why am I here?" or "What is my purpose in life? The first, "Who am I?" has already been considered. The third, "Where am I going?" will be answered in the next posting.

"Why am I here?" is a question most of us ask at least once. There are many ways to respond to the question. The answer hinges on first answering "Who Am I?" Once we recognize that we are created beings we also recognize that we have a responsibility to the Creator. If we are the product of chance mutations, we have no responsibility to any one higher than ourselves, for there are none; we also have no soul-satisfying reason for being here.

"Why am I here?" The Westminster divines answered that question by saying, "The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever." The Apostle Paul said, "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31)." Again, in Romans 11:36, he says, "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever."

"Why am I here?"

"You are here to glorify God."

"How do I glorify God?"

To glorify God is to do those things that he requires. Things like loving God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and body as well as loving your neighbor. Things like refraining from intentionally damaging your body by abstaining from tobacco products, overindulging in alcoholic beverages, eating too much, using non-medicinal drugs and using medicinal drugs for non-medicinal purposes. Things like providing for your family and not wasting your money on lottery tickets and other forms of gambling. Things like helping the poor and downtrodden and not laying on them burdens greater than they can bear.

Other ways we may glorify God are through artistic creativity, singing his praises, worshiping God both individually and gathered with others, using our minds to design and improve technology for the benefit of mankind, and recognizing that all that we are is a result of God's blessing on our individual lives.

The best and most meaningful way we can glorify God is to believe in the one whom he has sent, even Jesus Christ. That means we accept God's verdict on who Jesus is and believe the Biblical account of the Son of God. When you place your trust in and commit yourself and your future to Jesus Christ, you will not only be glorifying God but you also will be able to enjoy him forever.

It's Not That Easy

Last week I wrote an entry titled, "It's Not as Simple as ABC." I had intended for that to be the last word on the subject, but this morning I was directed to a missionary's web site on which there was a page entitled, "Becoming a Christian is as Easy as ABC." A search on Yahoo revealed many more similar pages. This error is worse than the first. Celebration Church in Blountville, Tennessee has a typical presentation. The heading says, "Becoming a Christian is as Easy as ABC," followed by the same ABC enumeration mentioned in my previous article.

I believe this presentation is not only unscriptural but sends the wrong message. After all, easy come — easy go. What is easy is, in most cases, of little value. Our churches are filled with so-called believers who do not value the salvation they claim to possess.

I know that no two salvation experiences are alike. I cannot judge the manner by which you became a Christian with the way I was introduced to Christ. Some, like Zacchaeus and Saul of Tarsus, appear to have been saved with little preparation or mourning for sin. Martin Luther, on the other hand, agonized for years until he finally found peace in and with Christ.

The plumb bob of Scripture does not warrant our saying that becoming a Christian is easy. Let's examine the Scriptures to see if this is so.

"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many," Jesus said, "will seek to enter in, and shall not be able," (Luke 13:24). Does this sound easy to you? Strive is also translated in other versions as "try hard," "make every effort," "exert yourselves." The Greek word from which it is translated is the same word that we get agonize from. It seems to me that Jesus is saying that getting in at the strait gate isn't easy at all. For one thing, the gate is strait (not straight). The American Heritage Dictionary says of the word in its noun form that it is, " A position of difficulty, perplexity, distress, or need." The context of the quotation bears that out for "many will seek to enter in and shall not be able."

In another place Jesus lays down one of the requirements to be his disciple:

"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first, and count the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, 'This man began to build, and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first, and consult whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends ambassadors, and desires conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that does not forsake all that he has, he cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26-33)

Does that sound easy to you? No, it isn't. Why don't we hear that from our pulpits? Because it doesn't preach. It doesn't build big churches. It isn't seeker-sensitive. It might chase off those we would like to reach.

To tell people that it is easy to become a Christian is first a lie. All lies have their origin with Satan (John 8:44). To tell people it is easy to become a Christian is to care more about the size of your church or the notches on your evangelistic rifle than to care about truth, Jesus Christ, or the souls of those that are misled by your attempts at getting them saved.

To tell people that it is easy to become a Christian is to set them up for a fall. It is easy to say A, B, C. It is much harder to become a Christian. It is easy to repeat a mantra; it is much more difficult to be a disciple of Christ. It is easy to join the Army: it is much harder to be a soldier.

Too often, we parrot that which we have been told without thinking much about it. Our desires and our motives are pure, but the message is faulty. We need to think biblically and we need to think critically. When we know the truth, we should tell the truth and let the consequences rest with God.

Preciseness

I read a lot — and that is an understatement. I read blogs, newspapers, magazines, bulletin boards (the bbs kind as well as those in supermarkets or wherever), and books. I also listen a lot — perhaps not as much as I should.

Some of the things I read and some of the things I hear really make me wonder about the intellectual capacities of the writers and speakers. I am not being an intellectual snob when I say that because some of the speakers and writers are far more intelligent and much better educated than I; however, for one reason or another they are not able to articulate their thoughts precisely.

Some do not use precise language because they believe they have to talk down to their audiences, addressing the lowest common denominator. Some of our modern Bible translations and versions are like that. I am thinking particularly of The Living Bible, The Message, and the Contemporary English Version. These are not alone, just representative. Even the more widely-used New International Version uses imprecise language, often noting the correct translation in the notes.

Others do not use precise language because they are careless. That is usually the case with me. One of my pet peeves in this area is the incorrect and improper use of me/I. Another one, of which I am more forgiving, is the confusion of who and whom. Those are common mistakes and do not ordinarily make any difference. However, when we make theological statements carelessly we can leave people with an erroneous understanding.

Some do not use precise language because their perceptions of what they are saying are different from ours. For instance, Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses will use the same terminology as we do (in some cases) but with different meanings attached. When "New Age" adherents talk about "the Christ within you," they are not at all speaking of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

I have, on occasion, corrected someone's misstatement by saying, "You meant such-and-such, didn't you?" only to have them reply, "Whatever." No, it is not whatever. If your physician talked to you like that, you would be incensed. If he told you the pain in your abdomen was a tummy ache, you would think he either had reverted to his childhood or thought you a child.

There is no room for error or misunderstanding in theological matters. Errors arise, often, out of misunderstanding. The key to preciseness is to know what you are talking about and how to communicate those ideas in understandable, and accurate, terminology. Unfortunately, too many believers don't know either one.