Salvation Confusion

If you listen to one preacher give an invitation to "invite Jesus into your life," he might lead you in a prayer. If you listen to another preacher prodding you to become a Christian, he might be telling you to be baptized. Yet another preacher might tell you to "Believe in your heart" and you will be saved. If these preachers are all Christian, Bible-believing men, then why the confusion? Why are they offering what appears to be conflicting invitations? I'm glad you asked.

Salvation in the Christian faith basically comes down to 2 things: The act of Jesus Christ on our behalf and our decision to accept it. Here is a chart showcasing what Jesus did along with what we must do. 

What Jesus Did	What Man Does
Shed His blood - Acts 20:28 Gives grace - Acts 15:11 Gave us mercy - Titus 3:5 Reconciled us with God - Romans 5:10  Justify's us - Galatians 2:16,17 Forgives our sins - Acts 2:38 Died on the cross - Philippians 2:8	Hears the Gospel message - Romans 10:17 Believes in Jesus - Mark 16:16 Repents of his sins - 2 Corinthians 7:10 Confesses Jesus is the Christ - Romans 10:9,10 Calls on the Lord - Acts 22:16 Is immersed (baptized) - Mark 16:16 Endures in the faith - Mark 13:13

Jesus' part of our salvation was completed when He died innocently on a Roman cross over 2000 years ago. His blood was shed. The Jewish law was fulfilled. Death was conquered. Grace and mercy was now available to all mankind. 

Man's part of salvation is sometimes confusing because we put pockets of time between the different elements. These have been called mistakenly "steps" of salvation and that is confusing. Rather a better term would be the "act" of salvation. Believing, repenting, confessing, calling, and being baptized is what a person does to be saved. Pastors do a great disservice to people when they offer an invitation to salvation and only require those who respond to say a prayer (Confess, Call). Likewise a preacher who only invites people to be baptized is equally in error by omitting belief, repentance, confession, and other elements of the salvation act. 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his classic Christian book, "The Cost of Discipleship," coined a term "cheap grace." He described it as an invitation to Jesus without any effort on man's part. Forgiveness without repentance. Confessions without commitment. Baptism without denial of self. In summary, Dietrich was describing a faith that cost Jesus everything and cost us nothing. Essentially, cheapening God's grace. 

God's offer of salvation - eternal life in heaven with Him through Jesus Christ is priceless. Let's not lessen our part in obtaining this salvation by leaving out clear scriptural elements on the part of the believer. 

Be Still

"Be still and know that I am the LORD" - Psalm 46:10

God does His best work in us when we are still. When we cease our activity, God is there. 

You may think that since this verse is in the Psalms, it was written by David. But you would be wrong. The author of Psalm 46 is attributed to the "sons of Korah." 

Remember Korah? He led the rebellion against Moses while they were wandering in the Wilderness. God made the earth open up and swallowed him along with all his followers. Yes, that's Korah. 

Now we see the sons of Korah writing the words, "Be still and know that I am the LORD." What a 180 turn-around. Instead of leading a prideful revolt against Moses and Aaron, the sons of Korah are now peacefully promoting patience and remaining calm. While their father may have been advocating his own agenda, the sons are listening to the LORD. 

Regardless of your family connections, you can still devote your life to God by being still and obeying Him. It was Korah's pride that lead to his downfall (way down), but complaining is also dangerous when you are trying to follow God.  Check out what Moses and Aaron had to deal with. 

After Moses lead the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, they found themselves encamped between Migdol and the Red Sea. Pharoah had changed his mind and sent his chariots after them. The Israelites were pinned in with no way to escape. They said, "It would have better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" Moses answered the people saying, "The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." It was after those words, that God parted the Red Sea so the people could walk safely through it. 

Does your pride ever get in the way of following God? Are you more apt to complain than compliment? Is your life just a blur of busyness? Do you quietly cringe when someone invites you to yet another event? Do you turn off your cell phone occasionally or are you subject to endless notifications? If so, maybe you need to put on the brakes and learn how to be still. 

It's difficult in our world today to simply be still. To turn off the noise. To clear out the clutter. Yet, once we allow our pulse to rest, we can begin to know the LORD. 

Exploring ChatGPT from Openai for church

Today I received an article in my email inbox titled, "5 insanely practical ways for churches to use AI." That is ironic because I was going to try to use the most popular AI, called ChatGPT to write this week's E-News article.  ChatGPT is self-defined as "an AI-powered language model developed by OpenAI, capable of generating human-like text based on context and past conversations."

ChatGPT can literally carry on a conversation with you, teach you a new language, write copy for advertising, summarize an article for you, and so much more. Its capabilities are just now being discovered as more companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Adobe incorporate it into their products. 

So, just for fun, let's see how ChatGPT does in helping write this E-News article. I'll type in what is called a "prompt" and will share with you what the response is. 

My Prompt: "What Bible passage should we look at for a weekly e-news article?"

ChatGTP Response: For a weekly e-news article, you may consider exploring various Bible passages based on the theme or topic you want to address. Here are a few suggestions for popular themes:

• Hope and Encouragement: Romans 15:13 - "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
• Faith and Trust: Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
• Love and Compassion: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 - "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
• Wisdom and Guidance: James 1:5 - "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."
• Gratitude and Thankfulness: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 - "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

My Prompt: "Could you elaborate on #1?"

ChatGTP Response: Certainly! Let's delve deeper into Romans 15:13, which is a powerful verse that conveys a message of hope and encouragement. Here's an elaboration on this passage:

Romans 15:13 - "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

In this verse, the apostle Paul addresses the believers in Rome, expressing his desire that they experience the fullness of hope, joy, and peace through their trust in God. Let's break it down further:

• "God of hope": This phrase emphasizes God's nature as the source and embodiment of hope. It signifies that God is the ultimate foundation and provider of hope in our lives."
• Fill you with all joy and peace": Here, Paul expresses his wish that God's abundant joy and deep peace would permeate the lives of the believers. It highlights the transformative power of God's presence, which brings inner contentment and tranquility."
• As you trust in him": Trusting in God is essential for experiencing the fullness of joy, peace, and hope. It involves surrendering our worries, fears, and uncertainties to God, relying on His faithfulness and promises."
• So that you may overflow with hope": Through trusting in God, believers can experience an overflow of hope. This surpassing hope goes beyond mere optimism or wishful thinking. It is a confident expectation and assurance in God's promises and purposes, even in the midst of challenges and difficulties."
• By the power of the Holy Spirit": The Holy Spirit plays a vital role in the believers' lives, empowering and enabling them to experience the abundant hope, joy, and peace that God provides. The Holy Spirit works within individuals, guiding, comforting, and transforming them.

In summary, Romans 15:13 encapsulates a prayerful desire for believers to be filled with hope, joy, and peace through their trust in God, leading to an overflow of hope in their lives. It reminds us that our hope comes from God, and as we rely on Him, He empowers us through the Holy Spirit to experience a deep sense of joy, peace, and hope in all circumstances.

My Prompt: "How can I apply Romans 15:13 to my everyday life?"

ChatGPT Response: Applying Romans 15:13 to your everyday life involves incorporating its message of hope, joy, and peace into your thoughts, attitudes, and actions. Here are a few practical ways to apply this verse:

• Cultivate a mindset of hope: Remind yourself regularly that God is the source of hope. When faced with challenges or uncertainties, choose to trust in His promises and His faithfulness. Fill your mind with positive and uplifting thoughts that align with God's Word.
• Seek joy and peace through God: Make it a priority to spend time in prayer and reading the Bible, seeking God's presence and guidance. As you deepen your relationship with Him, you'll experience His joy and peace that surpasses understanding. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in you, transforming your thoughts and emotions.
• Practice gratitude: Develop a habit of gratitude by intentionally focusing on the blessings in your life. Express thankfulness to God for His goodness, provision, and the people around you. Gratitude helps cultivate a positive outlook and enhances your experience of joy and peace.
• Trust in God's sovereignty: When faced with challenges or uncertainties, surrender your worries and anxieties to God. Trust that He is in control and has a purpose for everything you encounter. Choose to rely on His wisdom and guidance, even when circumstances may seem difficult.
• Share hope with others: As you experience the hope, joy, and peace that God provides, extend it to others. Encourage and uplift those around you who may be going through challenging times. Share your testimony and the ways God has worked in your life to inspire and bring hope to others.
• Reflect God's hope in your actions: Let the hope you have in Christ shine through your actions and interactions with others. Be a source of encouragement, compassion, and support to those in need. Reflect God's love and grace in your relationships, demonstrating the transformative power of hope.

Remember that applying Romans 15:13 is an ongoing process that requires intentional effort and reliance on God's strength. By incorporating these practices into your daily life, you can experience the fullness of hope, joy, and peace that God desires for you.

I'm blown away by what ChatGPT can produce. And it does so in seconds. This is definitely one way of using it in the church. Now, I'm going to read that article and see what ways it suggests to use AI in the church, which I've come to learn, was written by ChatGPT too!

Faith in action - The Sheep and the Goats

The Sheep and the Goats - Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus tells a parable in the gospel of Matthew about Judgment Day when all the nations will be gathered before him. He says this will happen when the "Son of Man" returns to the earth. In essence, He is saying, "Ok. Time's up. Game's over. Let's see how we did." 

The King, Jesus, proceeds to separate all the people from every tribe, tongue, and nation into two groups. One, the "sheep" or the righteous, are the good group. And the other, the "goats", are the bad group. His criteria for dividing the groups is interesting. It isn't based on talent, status, or finances, but rather based on how people responded to those in society that were the least, the lowest, and the weakest. 

King Jesus addresses those on His right and says, I was hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, and in prison and you cared for me. You met my needs. You took me in. You visited me. Looking at the King, the righteous ask when they would have done that for Him. 

To their amazement, Jesus answers them with words that transcend our understanding, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."And then He added, "Enter into your heavenly rest." 

Then He says to those on His left, the goats, I was hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, and in prison and you did nothing for me. Again the question is, when? After all, we wouldn't have passed you by, Jesus. His response was, "I tell you, whatever you failed to do for one of the least of my brothers of mine, you failed to do for me. Depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." 

The righteous will go on to eternal life; but the complacent, into eternal punishment. 

This is the only description of judgment day that we have in scripture. Does it jive with other teaching in the Bible? Yes, I think so. 

James, the brother of Jesus writes about a deedless faith in 2:14 says, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?" 

Paul writes in his letter to the Galatian church that a Christian living by the Spirit of God will demonstrate "Fruits" of the faith. Namely, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22,23). These "Fruits of the Spirit" are best displayed through acts of kindness such as caring for the least of these. Those who cannot easily care for themselves. 

How do we care for those around us who need it?

• See them - We don't live in a culture where we "see" each other very well. You can go through your entire day and never "see" another person even though they are all around you. But simply observing someone, and watching what are they doing, where they are going, their facial expressions, etc, will give you hints about their condition. Strike up a conversation. Get to know them and their life.  
• The needs are visible. It's written on their face, it's in their voice. Nakedness, sickness, and being in prison are all very visible conditions. As you observe people, you will notice their needs. Chat with them and take an interest in them and what they value. It's likely they will share their needs with you once they feel comfortable with you.
• Ask if you can help. Be humble. Be kind. If you can meet a need, ask the person if they are open to receiving your help. Some may say, "Thank you, but I'm okay." Even if that is their response, you can leave the door open by saying something like, "Well, if you ever need something, let me know."

If you will look and SEE people, their needs will become visible to you. Ask if you can help and see the incarnate Jesus in them by serving them.

How Old is the Earth?

This was the question I received to answer on a recent Basecamp panel. The men had been asked to write down questions on 3x5 cards and turn them in. I thought this is a good question to address here as well.

If you would have asked a scientist in the 1800s how old the earth was, they would have said between 20 and 400 million years old. This is based on famous Irish physicist and mathematician Lord Calvin's calculation of how long a molten mass, such as the earth, would take to cool. Today, scientists agree that this estimate is wrong. 

Decades later scientists measured the age of the earth using relative dating and came up with millions of years. 

Today radiometric dating is used to suggest that the earth is 4.54 billion years old. Evolutionists love to hear this number because it allows time to support their theory of evolution. 

Many Christians today have embraced the idea of evolution as well. They are called the old-earth creationists. Day-age creationists believe that the "days" in Genesis do not represent a 24-hour period, but could be representative of millions, even billions of years. This allows them, they believe, to reconcile the Bible with science. 

Other modified old-earth creationist theories are day-age creationism, gap creationism, progressive creationism, and theistic evolution. Each has a modified version of how God was involved in creating but through the means of evolution. 

Scripture, if taken literally, indicates the earth is around 6,000 years old. This number is calculated by using the time of Jesus' birth to today equal to about 2,000 years. The time in Genesis before Abraham was about 2,000 years. And then following the genealogies in the Old Testament, you come up with about 2,000 years between Abraham and Jesus. 

The issue with the days in Genesis should be addressed. The Hebrew word, "yom" for day in Genesis is always a 24-hour time period anywhere else it appears in the Bible. So why wouldn't it represent 24 hours in Genesis 1 as well?

Also, after God created each day, he would proclaim, "there was evening and there was morning, the first day." And so on with each day. The implication is consistency in the timing of each day. 

Then finally, probably the greatest argument against theories that suggest the days in Genesis were not 24 hours long is found in Exodus 20:9-11. Here we find Moses giving the law to the nation of Israel. This particular commandment is regarding rest on the Sabbath day. It reads:

"Six days you shall labor and do all your work...For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day..."

The parallel is clear that man is to work during the first 6 24-hour days and then rest on the seventh, Sabbath 24-hour day.  It also clarifies that creation took place on those first 6 24-hour periods called "days."

An additional problem our old-earth creationists have to deal with is the concept of living beings like plants, animals, and mankind existing before the Genesis account when we read the story of sin and the fall. It was in the fall that sin entered the world along with death, decay, and weeds. Now the whole gospel story of sin, the fall, and redemption fall apart. 

Could man be wrong in their measurement of the age of the earth? It's possible. For more studies on this topic and others in Genesis, check out HTTP://www.answersingenesis.com. 

Ecclesiastical Expectations: What does the Bible Say?

This is the third post or article of three articles regarding church expectations. In my first article, I asked "What do you expect from the church?" In the second article, I wrote to answer the question, "What does your church expect from you?" 

In this post, we look at what the Bible says in regard to church expectations. If you have heard of the phrase, "paradigm shift" then you'll understand that this is nothing like what my first two posts talked about, but is rather a whole new way of understanding ecclesiastical expectations. 

First, it must be said, that Christians are the church. Straight and simple, followers of Jesus Christ are the Biblical church. The church meets in a building on Sundays and many times, during the week, but the building is not the church. The building is just a gathering place. (1 Corinthians 12:27; Romans 12:4-5; 1 Peter 2:5)

Next, the Bible refers to Christians in the original Greek language as the "ekklesia." Ekklesia means "The Called Out Ones." These are those who are called out from the world and have devoted their lives to their Lord and King, Jesus Christ. (1 John 2:15-17; 1 Peter 2:9-12)

So, acting as the church and living as one "called out" we can condense the expectations to these two principles.

1. A Christian takes on the character of Jesus Christ. The character of Christ is directly opposite to the character of the world. In other words, we're "called out" from the world to live differently. The Christian reflects Jesus just like the moon reflects the sun. Sheldon wrote "In His Steps" and asked the question, "What would Jesus do?" because we want to follow in his steps. Paul writes in Romans about being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2). When people see us, they should see Christ because Christ lives in us through His Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16; Philippians 2:5).
2. A Christian should be fulfilling Jesus' mission to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). We should live our lives "on mission." The passage also says, to go, baptize, make disciples, and teach. This isn't something only the pastor does but is a call for all Christians to do. We are meant to witness to the world what Christ has done in our lives. The early church members were scattered by persecution and took the gospel everywhere they went. Ironically, it was the apostles, who stayed home in Jerusalem while the believers spread near and wide (Acts 8:1, 4). 

The Bible teaches that the church is made up of people who have taken on the characteristics of their leader, Jesus. And they are going out everywhere - workplace, school, community, etc - and replicating themselves by making more believers or disciples. 

So how do church attendance, tithing, Bible reading, volunteering, and the plethora of events and ministries swirling around your local church building mesh with the biblical expectations of a Christ follower? They actually mesh quite well, in that they are a by-product of our living in the character of Jesus and doing His mission of reaching the lost with the gospel. 

Church attendance, whether it be Sunday morning or mid-week, Bible reading, Bible study, Life Groups, and more all lend to developing the character of Jesus Christ within each one of us. Volunteering, helping with events, and connecting with other Christians all can be a means to making disciples. 

Ecclesiastical Expectations: What does your church expect from you?

Last month I posed the question, "What do you expect from the church?" You can read people's responses here in a previous post. They suggested finding a safe place to worship, serve the community, fellowship together, serve others, and teach and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

This month we will flip the script and ask the question: "What does your church expect from you?" Notice we're asking about "your church" because we are assuming you are a member of that particular church. If you ask most churches about expectations from non-members, they would say they don't expect anything from them. Expect maybe the opportunity to share the gospel with them. But otherwise, there are usually no strings attached.

Your church expects you to see you on Sunday

This is probably the primary expectation of your church. Because basically if you don't show up, there is no church. The church is the people. If there are no people, then you have no church. Simple as that. For most churches, the Sunday morning worship service is the main meeting each week. There are usually several other opportunities during the week to meet, fellowship, study and serve with other Christians, but the Sunday meeting is the main meeting.

Your church expects you to grow spiritually 

While you are probably "fed" the word of God each week by attending the Sunday morning worship service at your church, you should also be "feed" yourself from the Bible. Think of it this way. You might go out occasionally to a restaurant and eat. But most days, you are home and fix your own food. The Sunday morning sermon or message is like eating out. It's good food. But you need to eat more than once a week. Same with your spiritual life. Your church expects that you have a daily intake of reading, meditating, and studying God's word, the Bible. It is this steady intake of spiritual "food" that will help you grow spiritually.  

Your church expects you to volunteer

If your church has a building or a membership of over 3 people, there need to be people who will serve. The days are long gone when the "super pastor" did everything in the church. It's not possible and it's not healthy either for one man to do everything needed to operate a church. People are needed to lead worship, watch children, clean the building, lead groups, and much more. According to 1 Corinthians, the church is like a body and everyone has a part just like the body has different parts and purposes. If you aren't serving somewhere in your church, then your church is missing a vital part because every part is important. 

Your church expects you to give

This may be a hard topic to talk about, but it is important. Your local church depends on your donations to operate. There is no other source of income for a church but from its members. Funds are needed for staff, building operations, ministries, and missions. Good leadership ensures that those funds are smartly stewarded. Your personal giving gives insight into your priorities. Jesus says that where a man's treasure is, there his heart will be as well. 

Your church expects you to act like Jesus

Finally, your church expects you to live and act more like Jesus and less like the world. When you became a Christian, you declared that Jesus Christ was your Lord. In other words, you committed to living according to his teachings and principles in the New Testament. Your life should reflect this commitment. Much damage to the church has been done by people claiming to follow Christ, but showing no lifestyle change from allowing Him to live within them. 

Where I worship, our mission statement is "helping people journey with Jesus." We chose that because we know that living the Christian life, and following Jesus is a process. It happens over time. It is a journey we invite people to take with us. The expectations listed above don't happen overnight. They will take time to put into practice. But someone seeking to lean into the church and the Christian life should display more and more of these expectations. As always, I welcome your feedback and comments.