Since I did not become to faith in Christ until I was 30 years old, there are a few things that have just never made since to me about the church. While driving the other day a couple of these things that I do not understand bounced around in my mind - one of the is very minor, the other one is more substantial.
The minor one first -worship. More explicitly, the term worship and how it is used in the church. It seems it is common practice in the faith community to use the term "worship" as a definition for the time we spend in song or music praise to God during our services. When I first heard the term worship used in this way as a relatively young christian - I didn't know what people were talking about. I thought worship was the entire package - the heart felt singing, prayer, discipleship, teaching, listening to sermons, bible study, accountability and on and on. It seemed very strange to me that worship in the church seemed to just refer to the song aspect. I looked up the word worship in the "New Bible Dictionary" and following is part of what it states: "WORSHIP - originally referred to the action of human beings in expressing homage to God because he is worthy of it. It covers such activities as adoration, thanksgiving, prayers of all kinds, the offering of sacrifice and the making of vows. Nowadays, however, 'worship' is used for any kind of interaction between God and his people, expressed in (but not confined to) cultic or formal activity by a religious group or individuals." The definition in the book I quoted says much more about worship, but above is the main points. Anyway, it still seems odd to me 15 years later when I hear the term worship applied only the time of praise in song.
For the second and more substantial item - the church being the church. What I mean by this, is the church being unified among believers and divided into small and separated congregations. When I became a believer in Christ, it made sense to me that I was tied in a special way to other fellow believers - and that is what Scripture told me. What I came to find out was that denominational and congregational separation was much greater than I could comprehend. Because of this realization, I have always been a proponent of a unified body believers in Christ and the church being all of the church! I sincerely believe that if the body of Christ - who believes he was God in the flesh, that we have a sin nature and he died to cover our sins, and that he rose again on the third day to take his eternal spot in heaven - agreed to disagree and some other issues that are not primary to salvation, a powerful revival would occur around the globe! I have been very fortunate to have a pastor and many friends who feel basically this same way. I sincerely hope that many others who have faith in Christ can be unified by the primary issues and work together for the Kingdom and break down many of those denominational and congregational barriers.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
"Signs & Wonders"
The thoughts and ideas of "Signs & Wonders" has captured my attention for a couple of weeks now (actually for a few years, but lately for a couple of weeks). The Signs & Wonders described in scripture are remarkable events or powers that are so strange that people stop to watch and observe, or they may be remarkable events yet to happen. It is obvious from scripture that the first century believers were given these powers by the Holy Spirit.
"The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people."
Acts 5:12
"Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the poeple."
Acts 6:8
"Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it."
Mark 16:20
So at the time of Pentecost (the ascending of Christ and the receiving of the Holy Spirit) the first century believers were given the power of signs and wonders. The scripture says at Pentecost the apostles (and probably the 120) were granted the ability to speak in tongues.
"All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
Acts 2:4
Later it appears that the first century Gentiles in Ephesus were given the ability to speak in tongues by the Holy Spirit though Paul.
"When Paul placed his hands on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied."
Acts 19:6
You might be wondering where this is all going. Here is the point - I have personally never spoken in tongues or even heard anyone speak in tongues. I have never personally been able to heal anyone on the spot with the laying on of hands. I have never personally been given a vision of prophesy of the future. To the extent I am aware, God has never spoken out loud to me.
So why is this? As you can tell, there are more questions being raised than I am currently able to answer. I have a Pentecostal or Charismatic ministry acquaintance who speaks to me about how God talks to him and the visions he has received. A few years ago when I first me this man, I wondered why I haven't had any of these encounters with God. For a period of the few months I prayed for God to give me a sign, a vision, anything that would help me understand or believe that these kind of encounters were real from the people I was hearing them from. To the extent I am aware, no sign or vision was given.
From Paul's first letter to the people in Corinth, it appears that each believer is given a manifestation of the Spirit.
"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Holy Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the Holy Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophesy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues."
1 Corinthians 12:7-10
So from this passage maybe I have been given the gift of wisdom, knowledge or faith for the common good of the body of Christ and not the gift of healing, miraculous powers, prophesy, distinguishing of spirits, tongues or the interpretation of tongues?
Finally, here are a list of possible answers to these questions that have been swirling through my mind the last couple of weeks. I would love for anyone who feels compelled to comment at the bottom of this blog with your thoughts!
- signs, wonders and tongues were just a gift given in the first century when miracles confirmed the word of God. Would this mean that those who I hear about signs and wonders from are deceived or deceitful?
- signs and wonders today only occur on the foreign mission field where miracles confirm the work of God. In the U.S. we have much access to the word of God and have either chosen to listen or not.
- I don't personally have enough "faith" in the reality of signs and wonders.
- I was given by the Holy Spirit a different manifestation (wisdom, knowledge or faith) and that the other manifestations are real today in the body of Christ, just not in me.
- I have not truly received the Holy Spirit. I don't believe this one based on my changed life, but it has to be listed as a possibility.
"The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people."
Acts 5:12
"Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the poeple."
Acts 6:8
"Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it."
Mark 16:20
So at the time of Pentecost (the ascending of Christ and the receiving of the Holy Spirit) the first century believers were given the power of signs and wonders. The scripture says at Pentecost the apostles (and probably the 120) were granted the ability to speak in tongues.
"All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
Acts 2:4
Later it appears that the first century Gentiles in Ephesus were given the ability to speak in tongues by the Holy Spirit though Paul.
"When Paul placed his hands on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied."
Acts 19:6
You might be wondering where this is all going. Here is the point - I have personally never spoken in tongues or even heard anyone speak in tongues. I have never personally been able to heal anyone on the spot with the laying on of hands. I have never personally been given a vision of prophesy of the future. To the extent I am aware, God has never spoken out loud to me.
So why is this? As you can tell, there are more questions being raised than I am currently able to answer. I have a Pentecostal or Charismatic ministry acquaintance who speaks to me about how God talks to him and the visions he has received. A few years ago when I first me this man, I wondered why I haven't had any of these encounters with God. For a period of the few months I prayed for God to give me a sign, a vision, anything that would help me understand or believe that these kind of encounters were real from the people I was hearing them from. To the extent I am aware, no sign or vision was given.
From Paul's first letter to the people in Corinth, it appears that each believer is given a manifestation of the Spirit.
"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Holy Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the Holy Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophesy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues."
1 Corinthians 12:7-10
So from this passage maybe I have been given the gift of wisdom, knowledge or faith for the common good of the body of Christ and not the gift of healing, miraculous powers, prophesy, distinguishing of spirits, tongues or the interpretation of tongues?
Finally, here are a list of possible answers to these questions that have been swirling through my mind the last couple of weeks. I would love for anyone who feels compelled to comment at the bottom of this blog with your thoughts!
- signs, wonders and tongues were just a gift given in the first century when miracles confirmed the word of God. Would this mean that those who I hear about signs and wonders from are deceived or deceitful?
- signs and wonders today only occur on the foreign mission field where miracles confirm the work of God. In the U.S. we have much access to the word of God and have either chosen to listen or not.
- I don't personally have enough "faith" in the reality of signs and wonders.
- I was given by the Holy Spirit a different manifestation (wisdom, knowledge or faith) and that the other manifestations are real today in the body of Christ, just not in me.
- I have not truly received the Holy Spirit. I don't believe this one based on my changed life, but it has to be listed as a possibility.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
SafeGuards
Those of you that know me, and as others can tell by this website, I operate a vineyard and winery. I have many opportunities to taste wine during the production and aging of the wine we make, and have many other opportunities simply to enjoy wine. I sincerely believe wine is a gift to us to be celebrated and enjoyed in moderation. There are many gifts that God has given us (such as wine, food, sex, sports - to name a few) that can offer great enjoyment in our life if used within God's perfect will. If these same gifts are used "outside" of God's perfect will, they can be enormous stumbling blocks into sin.
"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Ephesians 5:18
Because I choose to enjoy the gift of wine, I have to be careful to keep the enjoyment of this gift within the will of God. One of the safeguards I have set in place to help ensure this is that I do not taste of drink any wine during the month of January. I have set this time aside to make sure that I have not made an "idol" out of wine. We definitely have the capacity within us to make an idol, that comes before God, out of any of the gifts that He has given us. We all have different tendencies for sin due to our nature and hopefully we all know what our individual ones are. Therefore, we have to guard ourselves against them and not put ourselves in situations of temptation.
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
1 Corinthians 10:13
Anyway, we all hopefully know the tendencies of our sin nature. Set up some safeguards in your life to help ensure that enjoyable gifts from God are a blessing to Him. Try to avoid situations that you know will provide temptation, but if you are tempted, look quickly and adamantly for the back door that He will provide you
"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Ephesians 5:18
Because I choose to enjoy the gift of wine, I have to be careful to keep the enjoyment of this gift within the will of God. One of the safeguards I have set in place to help ensure this is that I do not taste of drink any wine during the month of January. I have set this time aside to make sure that I have not made an "idol" out of wine. We definitely have the capacity within us to make an idol, that comes before God, out of any of the gifts that He has given us. We all have different tendencies for sin due to our nature and hopefully we all know what our individual ones are. Therefore, we have to guard ourselves against them and not put ourselves in situations of temptation.
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
1 Corinthians 10:13
Anyway, we all hopefully know the tendencies of our sin nature. Set up some safeguards in your life to help ensure that enjoyable gifts from God are a blessing to Him. Try to avoid situations that you know will provide temptation, but if you are tempted, look quickly and adamantly for the back door that He will provide you
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