The first verse of James 3 contains an interesting statement. “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.”  Why will teachers receive a stricter judgment? Here is a list of Biblical reasons why teachers of the gospel will be held to a higher standard.

1. Every word that is taught must have Biblical authority for it (I Pet. 4:11).

2. The gospel must be taught even when it is unpopular (II Tim. 4:2).

3. None of the teachings are to be mixed with man-made doctrines (Gal. 1:6-9).

4. Teaching must not be done for anterior (selfish) reasons (Phil. 1:15).

5. There is a risk of confusing the power of the gospel for the effectiveness of the speaker delivering the message (I Cor. 2:1-4).

6. Traditions of men are not to be confused with the gospel of Christ (Matt. 15:7-9).

7. Public teachers have wide influence and need to be careful about what they teach (Acts 18:24-26).

8. Being in such a position can go to a person’s head (Rom. 12:3).

9. One must guard against creating followers of men (I Cor. 1:12-17).

10. Teachers must choose their subjects wisely to avoid wasting time on foolish questions (II Tim. 2:23).

                                                                                               Chuck

Is the “rapture” Biblical?

As a follow-up to the first article, allow me to demonstrate how I would defend truth by using a subject I have been asked about in the past. How would you react if someone questioned you like this: “Chuck, I believe in the rapture. Can you tell me why you do not?”

Following our Lord’s example, I should first express that I will be happy to answer the question.  Indeed, I need to show that I am ready and willing to give an answer.  I should not be offended or bothered that I need to defend my belief.  On the contrary, I should be pleased tohave an opportunity to discuss a Biblical truth.

Still following Jesus’ example, I should seek to turn this opportunity into a two-way exchange. “I will show you why I do not believe in the rapture if you can show me one Bible verse that mentions the word rapture.”  The questioner will realize that they need to defend what they believe as much as I do. If they are not willing to search the Bible to support their position, then they are not genuinely interested in finding the truth about rapture. We need to remember that when opinions differ on matters of truth, we cannot both be right. Sadly, people often ask questions not to know the truth, but rather just to confirm that you believe differently from them.

I know for a fact that common Bible translations never use the word rapture, so an earnest person will likely come back with passages about the righteous leaving this world (I Thess. 4:13-18). It would then be my duty to point out that none of those verses states “rapture.” Then I would go over to John 5:28-29 and point out that not just the righteous will be raised but also the unrighteous. At no point should I make fun of the other person or try to put them down. I should be presenting these Biblical facts to help them grow in understanding.

Ultimately, the questioner needs to see that the “rapture” is a false doctrine. Christians do not apologize for the truth and are obligated to expose error when they can (I John 4:1). While more could be taught about the false doctrine of the rapture, the construction of my defense should help us see how to defend the truth.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Chuck                                                                                 

Handling brethren like Diotrephes

Local churches can face all kinds of hardships. Sometimes, a member will feel like the church should revolve around them. This is a person who elevates themselves above the rest of the members and wants the preeminence. This is not a theoretical situation – it is described in the Bible! In III John 9-10, we read about a man named Diotrephes conducting himself this way.

This article’s focus is not so much about recognizing the ungodly behavior as it is about learning how a congregation should deal with a person like this. In our text, we are told that such a person needs to be confronted. Letting a person continue with that kind of behavior helps no one. John said he was going to deal with this man when arrived (verse 10). Interestingly, the local church did not have to wait until John showed up. The verse stated, “And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church” (verse 10).

The fact the John used the word “brethren” indicates that there were some brothers and sisters who stood against Diotrephes. As a result, they were put out of the church by this man. While Diotrephes prevented them from assembling with their brethren, keep in mind that no man can remove you from the spiritual church which the Lord added you to (Acts 2:47).

Whenever a brother or sister transgresses, our goal is to act in love to try and get them to repent (Gal. 6:1; James 5:19-20; I Cor. 5:1-7). Those who stoop to the level of the transgressor are also guilty of sin. Saints must know how the Lord wants them to conduct themselves. This can be a genuine challenge when dealing with a self-righteous man like Diotrephes, but the faithful still have a responsibility to “take the high road” and not return evil for evil (Rom. 12:21).

We all need to remember that the church belongs to Jesus (Matt. 16:18). Let us all seek to put Him first both when things are going well in the local church and when challenges arise.

                                                                                               Chuck

Pssst, want to know a secret?

Do you ever wonder how Satan might convince someone to not be a member of a faithful church? Consider these arguments:

1. You do not have to answer to anyone. Well, Satan is partly right on this one. In reality, everyone answers to the Lord (II John 9). Still, when a person is not part of a faithful church, he/she does not have elders looking out for their spiritual wellbeing (I Pet. 5:1-3). They will not have members calling and checking in to see if they are okay (Gal. 6:2). Satan is right – if you are not part of the Lord’s church family, nobody will be following up with you.

2. You do not have to worship God all the time. Christians are commanded to come together as a church (I Cor. 11:17-18; Heb. 10:25). If one does not belong to a faithful congregation, he/she gets to go whenever they decide. They will also have extra cash in their pocket because they will not be financially giving as a member of the church (II Cor. 16:1-2).

3. You do not have to pray for other members or visit them when they are sick or have lost a loved one. If you do not belong to the family of God, you can be selfish and not care about the needs of those around you. Members of the church, on the other hand, care for one another (I Cor. 12:12-25; Rom. 12:15). Remember, Satan wants to convince you that your troubles are so great you cannot help others with their burdens.

4. You do not have to worry about church discipline. Here again, Satan is partly right. If a member of a faithful church wants to listen to Satan on the first three points, a local church is required to purge out the leaven (I Cor. 5:1-7). This is done to help bring the fallen back. A person who does not repent and rejoin the church logically cannot be withdrawn from again. Satan knows this and wants the fallen to find comfort in avoiding earthly discipline. Like children running away to avoid punishment, some will even avoid becoming a member of a local church just to prevent that from ever happening.

5. You do not have to feel guilty about sin. The devil knows that there is less and less guilt as one’s conscience becomes seared (I Tim. 4:2). A person who avoids a faithful church will become more and more comfortable with sin – just as Satan wants.

6. You do not have to evangelize. If someone does not attend a faithful church, than the effectiveness of their evangelism is greatly diminished. Perhaps even more important to Satan, they likely will not bother with evangelism anymore. On the other hand, the faithful Christian is always thinking of ways to encourage people to become part of Christ’s church (Matt. 16:18; Col. 1:18; Mark 16:15-16).

7. You do not have to pledge your allegiance to Satan or the Lord. Anyone who does not confess Christ will be denied (Matt. 10:32-33). However, Satan’s followers do not have to say that they follow him. Satan’s follows are being loyal to him by just by not following the Lord! As Satan knows, we can belong to him whether we intentionally follow him or not!

We all need to make sure we are not following the god of this world (II Cor. 4:4). Do you really want to be influenced by the one who has a lake of fire awaiting him (Rev. 20:10). “Pssst, hey, do not listen to Satan!”

                                                                                               Chuck

How do we do that?

Jesus was very much concerned that His followers not cause each other to stumble. “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea,” (Matt. 18:6). Knowing this, we need to make sure we are aware of what not to do, so we do not cause a fellow Christian to stumble.  Here is a short list:

1. Encouraging brethren to do anything that is against their conscience (Rom. 14:20-21).

2. Provoking brethren to anger instead of love (Heb. 10:24).

3. Considering certain members as less important (I Cor. 12:23).

4. Teaching things contrary to the gospel (II Pet. 2:1-2).

5. Playing the hypocrite (I Tim. 4:20.

6. Speaking things that are destructive rather than edifying (Eph. 4:29).

7. Only thinking of self (Rom. 15:1-2).

8. Rebuking a brother while you are walking in sin (Matt. 7:1-4).

9. Acting as if you are the head of the church (III Jn. 9-10).

10. Taking on the role of an elder, deacon or evangelist when not qualified (I Tim. 3:1-13; II Tim. 4:1-5).

11. Not helping to bear the burdens of your brethren (Gal. 6:2).

As we enter 2017, let us all focus on building up our fellow Christians (1 Thess. 5:11). Satan’s attacks have not slowed (1 Pet. 5:8), but our Lord remains in control (Heb. 1:8).

                                                                                              Chuck