The Corinthian Agenda (1982, 2004) by Michael Green, Summary-Review

 The Corinthian Agenda (1982, 2004) by Michael Green

“The apostle [Paul]’s love for his wayward church at Corinth is very obvious,” concludes the late Dr. Michael Green, an author, evangelist, and theologian. “He had after all found it. He had visited them at considerable inconvenience on numerous occasions. He had poured out his heart in letters to them and sent colleagues to help them. They were very dear to him. And yet, like any good father, he has to correct their failures and weaknesses. I am thankful he did. For what he has to say is of enormous value for the contemporary church, if only we will heed it.” I agree. God’s church in Corinth was very privileged in the early New Testament times. Paul testified: “I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts He has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through Him, God has enriched your church in every way…” and “you have every spiritual gift you need…” (1 Corinthians 1:4-5, 7).

But with all of these gifts, it doesn’t guarantee that the church is all well. The issues within the church in Corinth were very serious and yet it is a blessing for us today. Why? Because without them, we won’t know how to think theologically and handle practically based on the Scripture the same issues facing the church today! So we should thank God for using Paul to give us these two sacred letters - 1 and 2 Corinthians. These letters (the scholars suggest that perhaps Paul have written at least three or four letters to the Corinthians, two of them completely or partially lost) are a remarkable record of the relations “between the greatest of church planters and one of the most influential communities [Paul] founded and cared for.” In the period of reading this book, I also took time to read 1 & 2 Corinthians in the New Living Translation (NLT) and listened to audio Bible in King James Version (KJV) read by the legendary voice of Alexander Scourby. In this way, I can get the most from the Scripture and the book. I recommend this practice especially if you’re reading Bible commentary!

In this book, Michael Green (1930 - 2019) selected some very important issues or major themes and devoted a short chapter for each. This is not a verse by verse commentary but the author just wants to show how “Paul speaks directly to us over a broad range of issues in the Christian life, and speaks with an incisiveness, clarity, and authority that are rare.” There are 3 parts (The Church, The Members & Authority) and 17 short chapters on Mission, Baptism, The Lord’s Supper, Body Life, Love, Worship, Prophecy, Intellect, Freedom, Giving, Sex, Suffering, Death, Leaders, Women & Apostles. As you can see, some of these themes are still hot issues nowadays and very much debate between and within the Christian denominational circles. Of course, I don’t agree with everything Dr. Green writes but if I only read books that I agree with, what benefits will I get? For sure, he was very passionate for the word of God, always trying to provide a balanced view on difficult issues, making sure that important points have Scripture references, and aim to be as plain and practical as possible so that we can apply these truths or principles in our everyday life. The Corinthian Agenda (first published as To Corinth with Love) is a good overview of these sacred letters. But if you want to study in-depth I suggest getting a set of 1 & 2 Corinthians MacArthur New Testament Commentary and those from The Bible Speaks Today commentary series.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #MichaelGreen #TheCorinthianAgenda #GodsChurch #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Ashamed of The Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World (2010, Third Edition) by John MacArthur, BOOK REVIEW

Ashamed of The Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World
(2010, Third Edition) by John MacArthur

Our Lord Jesus Christ reminds the disciples: "Whoever is ASHAMED OF ME and OF MY WORDS in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also BE ASHAMED when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38). The apostle Paul reminds the church: "I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16). And almost at the end of his life, he reminds his timid protégé, Timothy: "Therefore DO NOT BE ASHAMED of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God... which is why I suffer as I do. But I AM NOT ASHAMED, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me" (2 Timothy 1:8, 12).

John MacArthur argues that the American Church is heading - in fact here and now, even worst - back to the Down-Grade Controversy* during the time of Charles H. Spurgeon. Progressive theology, liberalism, (post) modernism, pragmatism, seeker-sensitive, and the worldliness of the churches today are getting worst and worst. Shocking but not surprising since the Scripture already warned us in 2 Timothy 3. I figure whatever happened to the churches in America will eventually happen here in Malaysia. I have observed it here already. Instead of God-centered, our churches become human-centered. Instead of Word-saturated, the pastors preach on self-motivated. Instead of the Gospel of Christ, the people crave entertainment and organize miss world a.k.a. ratu cantik di gereja. Sometimes I cannot see the difference between the church and the world. Generally speaking, we are ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL.

As usual, MacArthur tackles these issues with grace and firmness, the balance between exposing the falsehood and the exposition of the truth of God's Word, outlining the bankruptcy of show-time religion and the power of God unto salvation. I've read this book once and now that I read it again, I found many unnoticed treasures. It encourages, reminds, and warns me if I ever compromising the truth (Lord, am I ashamed of your Gospel?). I can finish it earlier but I deliberately reading it slowly and sometimes repeatedly to savor the nuggets of truth found in this finely written classic. Read it! 📖💪😊 #ServeToLead #1Book1Week #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #AshamedOfTheGospel #JohnMacArthur #CharlesHSpurgeon

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3F [Fellowship, Faith, Forerunner] Lessons I Learned from Luke 1:57-66 (Short Bible Study)

Open Your Bible to Luke 1:57-66 (NLT):

When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.

When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”

“What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.

Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.

3F Lessons:

#1 The Need for FELLOWSHIP

#2 The Power of FAITH

#3 The Call to Be FORERUNNER

Want to Watch Previous Videos?

Episode #1: https://youtu.be/PVorOCQqOVM

Episode #2: https://youtu.be/F5Kp-JU-c90

Episode #3: https://youtu.be/1h56S9IGvf0

Episode #4: https://youtu.be/2fQYRCvIn5k

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From Ruth to Rich: Churches Need to Deal with Sin Compassionately and Wisely

As I read late Billy Graham’s Just As I Am (1997) autobiography, I’m encouraged by his wife, Ruth Bell, for her life, support, and works in the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association ministry. About Ruth, Billy writes, “God gave Ruth many, many gifts, one of which was writing.” I agree. In this series, I try to imagine (one of God’s greatest gifts to humankind) what would Ruth Bell says to encourage young man like me – and perhaps, you. I hope you enjoy it!

Dear Richard, my son,

My pet rabbit died abruptly (as pet rabbits have a way of doing). As a forlorn 8-year-old, in China, I buried him in our yard, lovingly digging a hole and covering him. Every day I dug him up to see how he was getting along. The last time I saw him he was green.

While I was growing up in China, someone in our greater mission family sinned, and I remember how quickly, quietly and effectively that situation was dealt with. Then the principle of “love covers” was applied. Not, like my pet rabbit, dug up again. And through the years in our own family, situations on occasion had to be faced, dealt with and buried. Churches need to deal the same way, wisely and compassionately with sin, and then love covers: “[Now] instead you should rather forgive and comfort him. This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair” (2 Corinthians 2:7).

However, my son, in those situations where some heresy, cult or con game operates under the name of Christianity, they need to be exposed so as to warn others and dealt openly! That is something different. But for those believers in God’s family, sins need to be dealt with promptly, compassionately, privately. Then silence, under the principle of “love covers.” Confront sin, yes, but also demonstrating God’s grace and mercy to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Do you understand this? I hope you do…

With love,

Ruth Bell Graham

(1920 – 2007)

THINK BIG.  START SMALL. GO DEEP.

                  

When the Church is Not a Building But People (Small-Group In the New Testament)

In Acts 20:20, the apostle Paul said to the Ephesus’ Christians, “I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house.” The early church followed Jesus’ pattern of discipleship and spiritual family life. They broke bread from “house to house” and had large corporate meetings:

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper) and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshipped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity – all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42-47).

God’s people gathered at the temple and met in small groups in homes. Hey, all of this happened in homes! Peter evangelized Cornelius by meeting him and his family and friends at home (see Acts 10:22-48). Some met in the house of Mary, John Mark’s mother, and experienced small-group life (see Acts 12:12). The believers in Philippi met in homes such Lydia’s (see Acts 16:30-34 and 16:15, 40). The believers in Rome met in Priscilla’s and Aquila’s home (see Romans 16:3-5). Apostle Paul sent his greetings to the household of Aristobulus and Narcissus (see Romans 16:10-11). Paul also once wrote to his friend Philemon and sent his greetings to “the church that meets in your house” (Philemon 1:2). All of these references are from my past studies, all give the evident that the early church met in small groups in homes.

Reading church history, I found out that in A.D. 323, almost 300 years after the birth of the early church, Christians first met in a church building. That was when many problem arises. We should probably ask ourselves this question: Has our focus on buildings and church programs caused us to lose the simplicity and the power experienced by the New Testament church?

Around A.D. 312, it was Constantine, the emperor of Rome that made Christianity an official religion by institutionalized and professionalized it (in my own words). Faith become cheap, forgiveness can be bought, leaderships for sale! The small-group lifestyle and all-serve-one-another ministry that was taking place in people’s homes was replaced by respectable groups that met weekly and led by ordained ministers only. Average believers sat passively while elite church leaders running the show, sometime solo.

In my observations, the church more or less lost this New Testament component of meeting in small groups and give more (or only) attention on the physical building churches. Sure, “temple” ministry is important when it comes to corporate worship, united witness and celebration. But perhaps more than ever the Lord wants us to see the Church as people – you and me – and not as a place where believers meet. Could it be, in the midst of shallow Christianity even in Malaysia today, the Spirit desires us to focus on small-group again? The church meet in smaller groups – at homes, schools, campuses and universities, offices – and led by everyone, average believers with each unique kind of spiritual gifts. As each small group love and obey our Lord Jesus and His Word, the entire church will have a powerful effect on our communities! Oh yes!

In the end of the day,
“each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Letters to Annie: Let's Attend Church Together

Dear Annie,

            I miss you so much. There is no line and internet coverage here, so I write a letter to you. It’s been awhile, I don’t know what to say at first, but surely, what come to my mind first is this: I love you.

Annie, I think it’s time for us to get more serious in our relationships. I don’t mean that we’re not serious before, but I think that we should start discussing more deeply about our faith and probably we should start attending church together. Someone once says: “Christians are like coals of a fire. Together they grow – apart they grow cold.” I don’t want to just grow old with you. I want to glow in Christ together with you.

We live in a world that is teeming with temptations and distractions – a world where good and evil struggle in a constant battle to win our hearts and souls. Our challenge, my sweet Annie, of course, is to ensure that we cast our lot on the side of God. One way to ensure that we do so is by the practice of regular, purposeful worship in the church (And outside church buildings too). When we worship God faithfully and fervently, we are blessed. When we fail to worship God, for whatever reason – our busyness, distant or works – we forfeit the spiritual gifts that He intends for us. “We are co-workers in God’s service” (1 Corinthians 3:9). Thus, as we start to attend church together, we should make an effort to serve Him in the church.

Love, every day provides opportunities to put God where He belongs: at the center of our lives and our relationships. When we do so, we worship not just with our words, but also with deeds, and that’s as it should be. I pray and I insist [as your man] that Christ comes first. Always first. I read your shared post on Facebook: “Nothing will bring two hearts closer than two hearts after the heart of God.” Cool! How true! As I read the Scriptures, I can be sure that God really loves His church and that’s where His heart is. Where there are Christian fellowships, there is “the heart of God.” So dear, to “bring two hearts closer” – mine and yours – we should start attending and be involved in church together. This is not the only way, for sure, but it is the best way J

Hug 

Your man,

Richard

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

God made Us for Relationship: Not for Self-Sufficiency (Genesis 2:18-23)

“The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’ Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky… But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man’”

(Genesis 2:18-23, NIV).

Throughout the Creation story, a phrase repeated over and over again: “God saw that it was good.” The day was good. The night was good. The seas were good. The dry land was good. The trees, the plants, the mountains, the rivers, the birds, the animals, Adam – God saw all of it and saw that it was good.

So it is a surprised for me when I read God declares that something is not good. “It is not good for the man to be alone,” God says. He was not pleased to see Adam’s loneliness so He created a companion – a helper – for the man out of his very bone and flesh.

“At last!” Adam said (Genesis 2:23, NLT). That little exclamation is telling. The world was freshly made. This was before the Fall, remember. Adam was living in the beautiful Garden. He had the full presence of God. And yet in the absence of another human being with whom to share it all, Adam couldn’t truly enjoy it all. And then, God created another human being like Adam. Thus, Adam exclaimed: “At last!” No more loneliness.

We were made for relationship, not for self-sufficiency.

You’re not alone. You shouldn’t be alone – God wants us to be in fellowship.

It is not good for any of us to be alone.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Holds Us Secure: Three Great Assurances from God (1 John 5:18-21, End)

“We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with the Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts”

(1 John 5:18-21, NLT).

The Apostle John highlighted three important “we know” statements at the end of his letter. First, we know that we can be freed from the power of sin. This doesn’t mean that we never sin but we “do not make a practice of sinning” or habitually sinning anymore. We do not have to be helpless slaves to sin; it does not have to be a constant habit. Even though in reality the devil is dangerously active in this world and his power is great, we are assured that Jesus is more powerful and greater! He is with us and for us, no matter what happens. Jesus holds us “secured,” and that is why “the evil one cannot touch” us!

Second, we know that we draw our very existence from God. God is like our life support system. We receive all that we are and have from God, even though we know that Satan has tremendous power in “the world around us” (for a while). Many people are under the influence of the evil one. They have chosen to live their lives apart from God. Know that the Bible only divides the people of the world into two groups: light and darkness. Either a person chooses to live with and for God, or for the powers of evil in this world. There is no third choice. So, with God on our side, there is really no battle too great or disappointment too large that can cause us to be defeated. “We are” – after all – “children of God.”

Third, we know that we believe in the true God. There certainly are many counterfeit gods today. But we know that through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we can “know the true God.” One way we know this is that our God does not make us feel confused, instead, He gives us “understanding.” In other words, being a Christian doesn’t mean that we have to put our minds in neutral and commit intellectual suicide (or blind faith or simpleton faith). Nor do we have to be obsessed with unanswerable issues (complex theological and philosophical arguments). The truth of God and about God requires faith-understanding, and thus it stimulates our thinking so we will know what is fundamentally right (or wrong) and true (or false), especially as we face false teachings and false gods. But notice that we not only know God, we are also “live in” God. It means we not only have an acquaintance with God but also live in fellowship in/with Him and He in us. This is a much deeper experience than a mere passing acquaintance might be. “We live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with the Son, Jesus Christ.”

Then John ends his letter with the affectionate phrase: “Dear children…” John’s love reflects God’s love for all of us, His children. This is wonderful! He then challenges us to “keep away from anything that might take God’s place in [our] hearts” (In Greek it translation simply: “Keep yourselves from idols”). In John’s time, it mainly refers to physical images of false gods but today it can also refer to the influences of false faiths around us; in education, religions, social media, etc. John wants us to avoid counterfeit gods – anything or anyone that claims our values, our time, our relationships, and our hearts from “the only true God.” We must avoid anything that denies Jesus Christ of His full deity and humanity, any human idea that claims to be more authoritative than the Bible, or any royalty that replaces God at the center of our lives. Therefore, “Keep yourselves away from idols!” with the exclamation mark “!!!”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus's Perfect Love = No Fear of God's Judgement and Punishment (1 John 4:17-18)

“[As] we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love”

(1 John 4:17-18, NLT).

Early in the Apostle John’s letter (1 John 2:28), he talks about the confidence we will have when Christ returns because of our faith in God. At that time, people who have turned away from God will feel afraid and helpless. It will be too late – nothing more can happen. The opportunities people have had to understand God’s Word or to accept Jesus – the Son of God – as Lord and Saviour will be gone, and unbelievers will be speechless and unable to move because of their fear. True Christians, on the other hand, will feel strong and sure; they have put their belief in God.

Fears and anxieties are powerful emotions. Whether we feel fear (when we know what we are afraid of), or anxiety (when we feel afraid but we’re not sure what is causing it), such feelings can make us want to back off, withdraw, run or hide. We will often feel unsure or powerless when faced with a certain situation or person. And running away may seem like the only solution. Some of us may feel that our fears are controlling us; all we can think about is being afraid. Sometimes we even get afraid of being afraid, so we avoid certain situations to keep from becoming so strong that they overwhelm us.

But here is the great news (!) for coping with our fears: “As we live in God, our love grows more perfect… Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.” As we walk in God’s light and live with God, our fears are banished. There is no room for fear in love. It is like oil and water – the two will just not mix. Love and fear are like that; they are not compatible. God calls us to be strong, courageous persons, not weak, cowardly nerds. “Love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.”

Friends, let’s go back to the confidence we will have as Christians when Christ returns. We know that “we will not be afraid on the day of judgment” or “fear of punishment” because we have accepted Christ (if not, you’re sure to be afraid). Jesus Christ Himself is on our side, His blood covers us – and God’s Spirit lives within us. As we believe and have confidence in God about the future, we can learn to cope with our fears on a day-to-day basis. We need to recognize and deal with our fears rather than avoid them. Then we can pray that God will help us face those situations that make us so afraid, to give us the courage to walk towards our fears rather than away from them. Well, walking through our fears may feel like walking through a long, dark tunnel. If we think about how long the tunnel is we may be tempted to give up. But if we take one step at a time, soon we feel stronger and our fears begin to lose their power. Soon the light at the end of the tunnel gets brighter and brighter, and we can find our way more easily than before. No fear.

The Apostle Paul reminds us that “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). That is a gift God has given us. But it’s like a Christmas present. If we put a present away and don’t unwrap it, the gift won’t do us any good.  And the gifts of courage and love won’t be ours until we claim them and ask God to change whatever habits have been giving us problems. And this love we experience with God becomes more and more perfect (or mature and complete). “As we live in God, our love grows more perfect.” It just keeps getting better and better toward perfection in Christ.

So the next time you feel like running for your life, stop! Remember the courage God promises to give you. Make use of it. Face your fears. Claim God's promises and words. And your fears will do the running instead of you. Amen?

Come let us “fully experienced his perfect love.”

With Christ. No fear.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Is the Embodiment of "God Is Love" (1 John 4:7-8; 13-16)

John the disciple of Jesus, was known as "the son of thunder" had become "the Apostle of love."
Love effects

“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who love is child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love”

(1 John 4:7-8, NLT).

This is the third (or more) time that the Apostle John brings up the subject of “love”. So it must really have been a great concern for him – especially God Himself. But each time John talks about love, he doesn’t just repeat himself but talks about love in a deeper way, that is why I love God’s Word because it is never boring. How John knows about “love” so much? Because John had lived with Jesus physically on earth and after the resurrection, Jesus lives in him (and all of us) thru the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the embodiment of God, love in action. So John can say with confidence: “God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love” (1 John 4:13-16). John is not talking about theory or principle, but the reality of love – John has seen Jesus and he knows that “God is love.”

From our previous studies we have already seen that love and hate are like light and darkness. And that we show people that we are God’s children by the way we treat other people. But here John ties the subject of love into the very essence of who God is – “God is love.” John says that love begins with God. Since the very beginning of time, God has cared about the world and people. The Bible says, “For God loved the world so much…” (John 3:16).

[Basically, there are three ways the word “world” is referred to: 1) the physical world, 2) the world's evil system, and 3) the people of the world. We are to love 3) and care for 1) but to hate 2) totally.]

Way back in the Book of Genesis, we read that God created people in His image – in the likeness of God (see Genesis 1:26). We are different from the tigers and monkeys, the pigs and the fish. We are special and different from everything else that God has made. And to be created in the image of God, we must love, since God is both the source and origin of love. It is just God's nature to love. Thus, by knowing Jesus we know God (John 14:7), we then learn to love; and by loving other people - especially our brothers and sisters in Christ - we learn to know God and His Son. It works both ways. The word “know” here is more than just a head or intellectual knowledge. To know God is to share our lives with God. It is the deepest kind of friendship or relationship – the best kind of all.

“Let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.

Anyone who love is child of God and knows God.”

And Jesus says, “If you had really known me,

you would who my Father is” (John 14:7).

Do you know who God is? Do you know what love is? Know Jesus.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus, the Righteous King Shall Return: Be Courageous and Do What Is Right (1 John 2:28-29)

“And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame. Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children”
(1 John 2:28-29, NLT).

The Apostle John urges us to live continually (“remain”) with Jesus Christ as we wait for His return. John here uses the expression to describe the return or visit of a king. Just as an earthly king makes appearances to his subjects, Jesus Himself the King of Kings will make a final appearance visibly and personally, powerful and with authority to everyone on earth. Are you ready?

The Scriptures talk about two reactions that people will have to the second coming of Christ. First, some people will be ashamed. They are those who are not ready for His coming. Maybe they do not really believe in Christ or that He will return. Maybe they had heard the words of Truth again and again but just were not able to follow it. Maybe they were doing wrong. So they are caught off-guard or feel guilty for their lack of faith (read Matthew 22:11-12; Revelation 6:15-17). That is how some people will respond when Christ returns. People have been told again and again to be ready for this great event even though we are not to sit around and relax and think only about Christ’s coming, we are to keep busy for God’s Kingdom with one eye out for what is to come. Some people will be embarrassed or ashamed because of their lack of faith.

Other people will be able to respond with “full of courage” and “not ashamed” – confidence. The Scriptures tell us that we need not approach God with fear (of guilty and embarrassment) anymore. As “God’s children” we can be bold in sharing our feelings and needs with Him (read Hebrews 4:16; 10:19). If we obey God we will grow in our confidence to live as the people God wants us to become. Overcoming our fear is certainly an important part of our growth as believers. Only “remain in fellowship with Christ” and know that “Christ is righteous.”

And then, John reminds us that we can prove that we “remain in fellowship with Christ” by the way we live. The proof of this fellowship is not merely our having the right beliefs but showing loving actions as well.  What we need to remember is that our loving actions (righteous acts) – “do what is right” – are the evidence, not the cause of our salvation in Christ. There are certainly people who believe that if we just live a little better we will be closer to God and be Christians. No! Jesus made it very clear that our actions do not save us – it is our faith that makes the difference (read Romans 3:27; Ephesians 2:8-10). But a natural and spontaneous outgrowth of our “fellowship with Christ” is the kind of living that reflects God’s love and is pleasing to God. Thus, John writes, “We know that all who do what is right are God’s children.” Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Sends the Holy Spirit to Live within Us (1 John 2:26-27)

“I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. But the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true – it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ”

(1 John 2:26-27, NLT).

As I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, the Apostle John is presenting two safeguards to help believers keep from being led “astray.” The first safeguard is to keep living according to the Word which has been heard about Jesus Christ from the beginning of the Christian church (1 John 2:24). Use this Word as an anchor or reference point. Now John mentions a second safeguard to help us prevent a disaster as far as our faith is concerned: to remain in a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ because of the work of the Holy Spirit who “lives within us.”

On the second safeguard, John mentions here that we have all “received the Holy Spirit” or translated as “anointing” in the Amplified Bible. He is referring to the fact that, back in the Old Testament times, anointing was only for the privileged few, such as kings or prophets. Since Jesus came, this anointing is for every believer because of what He has done for us. There has been some question regarding what the actual anointing means. Some people think that anointing refers to our baptism. Another interpretation – and the one which seems to make the most sense in this context to me – is that the anointing is the coming of the Holy Spirit into our lives when we become Christians. So it is more a symbolic (of a spiritual) anointing than a literal anointing with oil or water. But it is nevertheless a real anointing.

When Jesus’ disciples were upset and confused about why Jesus had to die, He promised that the Holy Spirit would live in all who believed in Him: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him because he lives with you now and later will be in you… But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative – that is, the Holy Spirit – he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you” (John 14:16-17, 26). This is what makes the Christian faith so special and different from all other religions. We believe in a God who has personally shown how much He loves us by sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins and be our Saviour – and give us the Holy Spirit to “lives within us.”

But we not only believe in a God “out there” or “upstairs,” we believe in a God who “lives within us”, who moves into our lives once we confess and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. And God then continues to lead and guide us to know what is right and true, as well as what is wrong or false. The more the Holy Spirit teaches us and helps us understand how to live as God’s children, the more we become rooted or stabilized in God. Back in the Gospel, John refers to Jesus as the true vine and to believers as the branches (read John 15:1-11). Without being part of a vine, a branch will quickly wither and die. So we need to continue to be rooted in Christ Himself to keep on growing and receiving the nourishment we need.

Notice, John, ends this section with the same challenge with which he began it – to “abide” or “remain in fellowship with Christ.” In other words, as we are confronted by people seeking to lead us astray, or when we feel discouraged or like giving up, hang in there; stay rooted – remain with Christ. When we feel pressured, unsure, doubted, or knocked down, in those times of growth, we are not alone. The Holy Spirit lives within us. God is with us to guide, direct, and encourage us. So friends, hang in with God. God won’t let you down. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Promises Fellowship and Eternal Life, If You... (1 John 2:25)

“So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us”

(1 John 2:24-25, NLT).

The Apostle John reminds us of a great promise God has given to us if we “remain faithful” – that we will live forever with Him. “Eternal life.” To some people, that may sound so foreign to them, but let’s take a look at what it will be like for us to live with God.

The Scriptures tell us that when we live with Christ eternally, all of the weaknesses and problems we face in this life will be over. If we, for example, feel ugly, poor in studies or sports, unpopular, or handicapped, whatever the problem is, it will be gone; we won’t have to live with it ever again. Whether you’ve been poor or depressed, rejected or lonely, all that will be gone forever! Hallelujah! In the Book of Revelation, John recorded this promise: “They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:16-17). Imagine: no more hungry, no more thirst; no more tears, no more frustrations; no more crying, pain, or death (see Revelation 21:4). Everything will be made new. It’s hard to imagine, isn’t it?

All believers will be living in a new version of Jerusalem (Revelation 21), which will be quite unlike anything we have ever seen. John describes it as looking like a very special jewel, surrounded by a wall made of precious jewels, and the city itself made of pure gold. Even the streets will be made of pure gold! Not only will we live in such a perfect place (like the Garden of Eden) and enjoy all of its beauty (like Genesis 1), but it will last forever. And no sin can ever pollute its purity. The best of all is – God will live with us. This is almost impossible for us to understand since everything we know about has a beginning and an end. Every human being has a birth and a death; the same is true in the animal kingdom and nature kingdom (but the reality is that our souls are eternal). The idea of “eternal” life is a mind-blower to me, what about you? But it’s true!

Remember, “Eternal life” doesn’t begin when we die; it begins when we become members of God’s family. It begins when we “believe in” Jesus Christ. Because of Him we “will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). We can begin to enjoy that quality of life right now. Yes, right now! True, we may still experience sorrow and pain in this life, but we have a Resource – Jesus Christ – who has promised to help us cope with these challenges during this life. He will always be with us in the present time and time to come. Therefore, if we “remain faithful”, we “remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father… and… enjoy the eternal life he promised us.” That’s a BIG deal! Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Is the Original Message: Remain Faithful to Him (1 John 2:24)

“So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us”
(1 John 2:24-25, NLT).

The Apostle John was concerned that some people may be led astray by those who do not love God or live as Christians. Same concern as I have for my students and youths today. In the Bible verse above he mentions a safeguard to help us when we’re not sure what to do or where to turn: “Stay with what you heard from the beginning, the original message” (a paraphrase). In other words, we should remember to “remain faithful” to what we have learned since we first heard about God – the Good News about Jesus Christ, the original Message (see John 1).

If we’re not sure about the truth of a particular religion, we should compare it to the message about Jesus Christ that we read in the New Testament, in the Christian Bible. Not the kind of quoting-verses reading but full-context reading. This is the best and most accurate test to see if it is true or not. The Apostle was seriously concerned about people who were interested only in the ‘latest’ spiritual ideas – the religious fads. I know many such people in person and thru social media. They are excited and very passionate to share these ‘latest’ spiritual ideas but once the ideas are outdated, they find something ‘new.’ They run from church to church or religion to religion to listen to something ‘new’ or to find a new spiritual ‘high’, especially in terms of feelings. They never seem satisfied with what they have or what they believe.

The other Christ’s disciples, such as Dr. Luke, as well as the Apostle Paul, were quite concerned about people who were searching for new ideas all the time. For example, the people in Athens were described by Luke as “seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas” (Acts 17:21). Paul also challenged the early Christians in this way: “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you” (2 Timothy 4:3-5).

There are countless cults and other religions around us today, even in Malaysia. You can find articles and books on them, as well as people trying to share these beliefs at shopping center malls, local bookstores, restaurants, and food courts. Many of them even go from table to table, door to door to try to find converts. Stay away! Some of them even use our terms such as “God”, “sin”, “grace”, “Bible”, even “Jesus” etc. but their interpretations and meanings are very different from the true Biblical teachings. Some of their beliefs may be quite spectacular or unusual and arouse some interest in us. It’s one thing to learn about other religions to see how their beliefs are different from our own. But it’s more dangerous to consider making another faith our own.

Gently but firmly God reminds us to stay with what we have learned and heard “from the beginning” of the Christian faith. If we remain true to that message we “will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father”; to wander around in search of something else is to give up our faith in Christ. Brothers and sisters in Christ, stay close and remain faithful to Jesus, Your Lord. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus' Message: Love and Light Belong Together (1 John 2:9-11)

“If anyone claims, ‘I am living in the light,’ but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness”
(1 John 2:9-11, NLT).

Here Apostle John makes one point very clear: we either love or hate our Christian brothers and sisters. Indifference is impossible. We are to love those who live near us – those we see in our neighborhoods, at school or college, at work, or wherever – and not just those who are far away. Our attitude towards others should not be one of superiority (I’m better than you) or seeing others as a nuisance (If it weren’t for you, my life would be much simpler). We are to make the needs of other people our needs; their concerns, our concerns (But at the same time don’t be too obsessed with the concerns).

So this is it: love and light belong together as do darkness and hatred. We must show the genuineness of our faith by having the right relationship with God and His people. We can’t hold a grudge against God and keep growing as a believer. The same is true with other people – if we have an unforgiving attitude toward others, we harm ourselves the most. Why is that? Because our bitterness and unhappiness spread like cancer until the only feelings we seem to have are those of anger and revenge (If you hurt someone, ask for forgiveness. If the other person won’t forgive you, at least pour out your bitterness to the Lord in prayer. Never keep it to yourself).

There is an obvious difference between merely saying and actually doing. We may talk a good line (or update a Facebook status) about being loving Christians, but it’s the doing – the practical part – that is the true test of our faith in God (see John 13:14; Romans 14:13; Galatians 6:2). Love helps us make progress in this life but hatred stops growth. Love makes us balanced in our thoughts and actions, it helps others and “does not cause others to stumble.” Hatred, on the other hand, fogs our vision and is blinding. Hatred will cause us to dislike someone, wish evil on them, and even be glad when it happens. Hatred causes people to stereotype other people (put people in boxes) because of their origin, race, or sex. We can see how distorted such an attitude really is and how much we need – the love of Christ – to help us have the best kind of attitude toward others. “Anyone who loves… is living in the light.” Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.