The Distinction of the Christian Life

Pastor Ruben L. Lumagbas preached on the bare essentials of Christian life however I felt like I want to write an entry on the third one, the distinction of the Christian life which I believe may need to be elaborated also in my very life.

I can remember the preachings of Pastor Armie F. Jesalva saying, "Well it doesn't mean that the majority wanted to free Barabbas that it was right to free Barabbas." How true indeed. Knowing this, the Lord Jesus Christ was an innocent man. Barabbas was a man worthy of the death penalty. The Jewish people chose to reject their Savior in favor of a man who cannot save them. Although the Lord Jesus Christ allowed it to happen to Him, still those people if they choose to keep rejecting Him will not be saved.

Also I can remember how the Catholic Church says, "We're the right church. There are more Catholics than there are Baptists." or how the Mormons will also say, "See we are getting bigger in numbers." However it doesn't make it right. With America now, does voting for a Muslim president make Islam peaceful? No. Did voting Joseph Estrada as President make him any smarter? No. This just goes to show that a majority vote doesn't make a wrong a right and a right a wrong. Now on to the topic.

A. Now for some examples of the area of Christian distinction of heroes in the Bible:

I. We have Noah and the people of his days (Genesis 7:1-5, Hebrews 11:7). It didn't matter to Noah if he would look like an idiot to the world. Our ancestor obediently followed God and if he didn't, we wouldn't be here today. Unfortunately many of us have broken Noah's covenant with God like Nimrod did at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9).

II. We have Abraham who didn't care what the others said about him going on a journey, he followed God anyway (Genesis 12:4-5, Hebrews 11:8). Abraham knew it was going to get him questioned by his relatives who were worshiping false gods. He followed God regardless what the others said and for that, he became the father of the chosen people- Israel.

III. Moses stood against the last incumbent Pharaoh of the affliction of Israel and still went on with his mission even if the Israelites were ready to stone him (Exodus 5). Also he made a stand during the golden calf crisis (Exodus 32) that regardless how many people danced naked near the idol, he didn't jump in but rather he did what he had to do- serious camp cleaning! He cared more about what God had to say than what the people thought about it.

IV. Joshua and Caleb didn't care about the murmurers either (Numbers 13-14). This was another of the huge distinctions when everybody was murmuring about the task to conquer Canaan, the other two spoke and said that their Lord Jehovah was with them. When it was Joshua's turn to lead the people and his life was coming to an end, he said in Joshua 24:14, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord choose yo9u this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your father served that were on the other side of the flood or the gods of teh Amorites in whose land ye dwell but as for me and my house WE WILL SERVE THE LORD."

V. Rahab in Joshua 2 helped the descendants of Israel when everybody was trying to kill them knowing that God was in charge. In fact, Hebrews 11:31 says that, "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them and believed not when she received the spies with peace."

VI. David took a stand against Goliath when everybody chickened out (1 Samuel 17:34-37). If one reads the whole chapter, NOBODY dared to fight Goliath. However David despite that everybody laughed at him, knew God was at his side.

VII. The prophets didn't care either. Elijah in 1 Kings 18:22 said, "I, even, I only remain a prophet of the Lord but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men." He was the only last one for the Lord Jesus Christ while four hundred fifty men worshiped the moon god Baal. Also in the days of the prophets especially Jeremiah, they didn't care what the majority thought even if Jeremiah for a time quit like Elijah did when everything went against them- however they still took a stand for the Lord.

VIII. The Apostles took a stand in the Book of Acts that regardless of how many people went against them, they just preached on and on.

B. The stand of Jesus Christ

The Bible awarns in Matthew 7:13-14 with the Lord Jesus Christ saying, "Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leads unto life, and few are they that find it."

See what the Lord Jesus Christ had said and it does make a point with, "So few are they that find it!" What does that mean? There are MORE people entering into the burning Hell than are they that enter into the joy of Heaven. In fact throughout His life, he didn't let the majority overwhelm Him, He took the stand as the Son of the Most High to do His Father's will no matter what the cost- and He did it so man can be saved when He was going to be put to death on the cross so sins will be forgiven.

Put Away the Old Nature

Here's a little illustration- reptiles when they get bigger and bigger, they have to do something nature would call molting. What is it? Well it's the process when a reptile begins to grow and the old skin cannot fit anymore and there's new skin underneath. So what does it do? It must get rid of the old skin because it's hindering its movements and that there is new skin underneath. Perhaps the slowest process can be that of the snake- when a snake molts, it rubs itself on rough surfaces like rocks for example, slowly, slowly but surely removing its old, dead skin as the new skin is now underneath leaving the old skin behind as it crawls on the ground revealing a huge mass of dead skin. When the old skin is shed, these reptiles can now move freely and securely rather than when the tight skin was still there.

Likewise the Bible also commands for Christians saying in Ephesians 4:22-44 saying, "That ye put off the concerning the former conversation of the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Looking at this, here's a picture- the reptile is a picture of the Christian's growth, the old skin represents the old self and the new skin represents the new self as the Christian grows in grace in the Lord Jesus Christ. Christians are prepared for holiness and they are to grow- and shed away the old and let in the new. Holiness means set apart for God.

Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship created unto Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath ordained that we should walk therein." Titus 2:11-13 also says, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." That means there is now the power to say NO to sin by the grace of God. The flesh is now in war with the Spirit of God in the Christian. The Holy Spirit reproves the saved believer of their sins.

Looking at the verses above, sin should have NO place in the Christian life. Why? Even if it has nothing to do with salvation still rewards can be lost at the Judgment Seat of Christ. God does not give a license to sin as He promises in Hebrews 12:5-8 saying, "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise thou not the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him; for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you with as sons for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons."

Rather the Bible commands to put away sin and malice for the Christian life. Like dead reptilian skin, the Bible says in James 1:21-22, "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls; but be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." and in 1 Peter 2:1 saying, "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings." Just looking at it, Hebrews 12:14 also says, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." That means with sin visible in the lives of Christians, how can people ever see God? Didn't the Lord Jesus Christ say, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." in Matthew 5:16?

That's why God has specifically put the rough path for the Christian. Philippians 2:12-15 says, "Wherefore my beloved as ye have always obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your OWN salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which WORKETH IN YOU both to will and do of His good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings- that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation whom ye shine as LIGHTS OF THE WORLD." That means every Christian should be responding to Christ in faith especially when trials come. Just like how one needs to gently exfoliate (removing of the dead skin cells) one's skin to get rid of annoying pimples and other skin problems, so is the need to clean one's life with the Word of God.

God didn't put trials to get the worse but to get the best as 1 Peter 1:7 says, "That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." Without fire there can be no removal of dross from the gold, without pressing there can be no extraction of olive oil and grape juice, without pruning there can be no room more more fruit and without rough surfaces like rocks and pebbles, a reptile can't shed its skin. And with these trials, slowly but surely, the old nature is being cast away in the walk with our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Most High.

Graven Images Fall Down Because God Hates Them!

The fact is I can't help but think how crazy people can be these days because they reject the truth that is in Jesus Christ and say it's wrong to say He is the only Way to Heaven. Folks- this is dead serious! I am TELLING the truth straight NOT from my mouth that has lied many times (Romans 3:4) but rather from the very Word of God. God hates graven images (Exodus 20:4-5) and that's it.

The fact is I have read of how an idol of the Queen of Heaven whom Catholics believe to be the earthly mother of Jesus Christ fell down. They were soon praising the idol but the idol had some damaged parts. Yes God dropped the idol not because He loved it, it's because He hated it. The Bible has a very similar scenario that happened. This time it happened on its own. It was a miracle from God- a warning that He hates idolatry! I am saying this with a painful heart because I want people to wake up from trusting their idols to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Unfortunately many Catholics still choose to trust their sexually immoral Pharisees who they call "father" (Matthew 23:9), these Pharisees who continue the work of Caiaphas with their religion, they have religion without Christ, it's all BUT their own efforts on matters of things. What's really very bad about it is when the priest says, "It's God's miracle and it proves He loves the statue." they believed him. Why? After all, their dogma teaches them to fear their Pharisees and
the Caiaphas of Rome, the unholy father the Pope rather than the Bible for doctrine.

Another incident had to be the fall of the Black Nazarene. Even if they claim it portrays Jesus but the Bible says in John 16:10 saying, "Of righteousness because I go to My Father and ye SEE ME NO MORE." That means the Lord Jesus Christ on purpose never left a sculpture of Him because He knew they would worship it instead of Him. The Black Nazarene is simply another idol. In fact, it made my day when out of the unexpected, it crashed down too! Unfortunately still many Catholics gathered in flocks to get pieces of it believing for its miraculous powers, believing that the Black Nazarene purposely crashed itself for them to get a piece of it.

Sadly none of the religious Catholics bothered to check their Bibles. See just how blind people can get into believing they're serving God while unknowingly supporting the Devil. Satan will NOT reveal himself fully as a two-horned monster as I imagine him to be but rather in the truth of God's word saying in 2 Corinthians 11:14, "And no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an 'angel of light'.". That's even in the Catholic Bible! Sadly they just keep rejecting God's Word while worshiping their celibate but sexually depraved Pharisees.

Now let's see for a Biblical example. 1 Samuel 5:4 says, "And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon fallen upon his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold. Only the stump of Dagon was left to him." One can argue that the idol had powers that's why it happened. Sorry- it was God's power that caused the idol of Dagon to be badly damaged. One can argue about the sculptures on the ark but they were HIDDEN from the public lest they be worshiped.

God all throughout the Bible hates the worship of graven images. In fact in Isaiah 42:8, He had declared, "I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." He is clear that NO graven image will share His glory with such. That means NOBODY can say, "We are not worshiping the image but God who's being portrayed." Puh-lease. These people reject the Bible to follow man's tradition (Mark 7:7-9).

Jeremiah 10:3-5 even makes fun of such practices by saying, "For the customs of the people are vain- for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold and fasten it with nails that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree but speak not: they must needs be borne because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them for they cannot do evil neither also is it in them to do good."

Just think about it, replacing God who made the wood with wood, replacing God who made gold with gold. They decorate their gods that are no gods. They choose to make their own gods. Inevitably, they end up selling these gods when God is NOT for sale. How can God be bought for a mere hundred pesos? Not at all! God made me, the materials, etc. These idols need to be carried because they CANNOT GO.

In fact the Lord Jesus Christ even stated about the right way to worship Him saying in John 4:24, "God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth." There is NO truth in the idols- they are just but a source of LIES and more LIES. Spirit and truth worship means you don't see God but you know He's there. It's TOO DIFFERENT from obeying authorities and refusing to obey them when they tell me to do something not right. There's a big difference that must be explained as well.

The Discipleship of a Believer

Pastor Mark Chapel had spoken a wonderful sermon on "The Real Meaning of Discipleship" which he illustrates the example of Peter and the Lord Jesus Christ together. Peter who once said, "Lord I will not deny you." ended up denying the Lord Jesus Christ. The text can be found in John 21.

The story here dealt with the fact that Peter was there, fishing and there was no fish. However the Lord Jesus Christ unexpectedly appeared. Fish were caught into the net and they were brought. It was when when the Lord spoke with Peter asking, "Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these?" which was asked three times. Peter was being asked by the Lord Jesus Christ three times just as he denied Him three times. He could only answer, "Yea Lord" and as for Jesus, He answered, "Feed my sheep."

It was here that Peter was once again tried by the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember once a disciple, always a disciple, once a Christian, always a Christian. It was in here that Peter learned what it meant to be a disciple. He was also told that when he is old, he will one day stretch out his arms which according to some, he was crucified upside down in Jerusalem (NOT Vatican Hill) because he said he was unworthy to die like his Lord Jesus. Here Peter could not look at Jesus out of shame.

So what does Dr. Mark Chapel want to talk to the crowd about? Here are they:

I. Discipleship in the Christian life requires HUMILITY

Pastor Ruben L. Lumagbas quoted Christianity as, "Christian means without Christ I am nothing." That means NO Christian is to stand in the power of their own flesh. That's why God humbles the proud Christian. Remember Samson? Judges 16 records his NOT so pleasant experience because of his one sin- pride! Solomon fell into severe backsliding because of his pride (1 Kings 11:1-6). That's why failures have to be there- to HUMBLE the person. Most failures happen for that reason for anyone. John 6:63 says, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

Just imagine how Peter wrote later on in 1 Peter 5:6-7, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; casting all your care upon him for he careth for you."

II. Renewed devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ

1 John 2:15 is clear saying, "Love not the world neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is NOT IN HIM." Thinking about it, many have weak devotion because they have their own idols in their Christian life like material possessions, finances, celebrities, etc. which are things given more priority than God. Note that God likens stubbornness and pride to the iniquity of idolatry (1 Samuel 15:13) when Samuel told Saul about his disobedience. Prideful Christians are guilty of idolatry even if they are saved.

The Bible however commands believers in Matthew 6:9 saying, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." That song should not be sung in vain but should be put in the heart of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Christian should also remember the commandment of the Lord Jesus Christ in John 14:15, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." Although obedience has nothing to do with getting saved, it's a result of getting saved (Titus 2:11-12) because the love of Jesus is already in them. And also lastly remembering this verse in 1 John 4:19, "We love him, because he first loved us."

With a renewed devotion, doing what He says is NOT a burden. It's His way having this attitude as said in Philippians 1:20-21 saying, "According to my earnest expectations and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be life or by death; for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." That means preaching won't become a burden because a Christian's Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just right there nearer than the next door neighbor, constantly everywhere.

Serve God His Way or Else!

The fact is people say, "You can serve any way you want." However what saith Scripture? Now I'd like to show an example of how God means it that you have to serve Him HIS WAY. The only way to show your love to God is in John 14:15 as it says, "If ye love me, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS." God ordained His laws NOT to oppress people but to protect them. Without laws, people would end up dead on the road!

Now let's take a look of what happens when people serve God their way:

In Genesis 4:1-7 we see the story of Cain and Abel. Cain brought his produce while Abel brought the finest lamb of the flock. Cain's offering was rejected and Abel's was accepted. The implication shown is that God wanted the offering of a blood sacrifice for sins. Abel humbled himself and Cain didn't. Cain's vegetables are a picture of man's own desire to serve God his way. As a result, Cain's offering was turned down.

In Exodus 32, we have one instance of people wanting to serve God their way. The people wanted their own worship system. What did they do? They prodded Aaron the older brother of Moses to build a golden calf for them, something that would soon spiral out of control because it went against God's rules for worshiping Him.

Levitucus 10:1-2 talks about two of Aaron's sons who decided to do things on their own. What did they do? Instead of follow the Lord's command to avoid ANY strange fire, they brought strange fire before the Lord and the Lord consumed them in fire. If God wants the fire He wants, God should get the fire He wants to be offered to Him.

In Numbers 16, Korah rebelled against God's way. They knew for well that God sent Aaron and Moses to rule over them but they rejected God's Way. Rather than conform to God's given principles, Korah with the brothers Dathan and Abiram challenged the authority of Aaron and Moses. However they were more than challenging God's appointed, they were challenging God! As a result, God in His anger opened up the Earth's mouth to swallow Korah, Dathan and Abiram with ALL who were there. The others died of the plague.

In the Book of Judges as well as the records of the kings in 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles and the prophetic books especially Isaiah and Jeremiah, we can see a LOT of examples. The people began to mix the worship of gods made of stone to the true and the living god. Was God open about it? No! In fact, He sent oppressors against them. Judges records that. In fact Judges 10:13-14 is right when God mocked the people saying, "Let your false idols save you if they could." It's what led to the sin cycles. People did what was right in their eyes, they thought they were pleasing God but they weren't.

When the believer King Solomon built worship centers for his pagan wives, God was SO ANGRY that He broke off the covenant with Solomon and split the empire into two (1 Kings 11) and Nehemiah 13:26 calls that there was no other believer king beloved of God yet he sinned because of outlandish women. When the wicked King Jeroboam the newly crowned king of the northern kingdom despised God's rules requiring the priests to be Levites, God showed disapproval (1 Kings 13:1-5). When the believer King Uzziah defied the Temple laws, he became a leper when he attempted to do priestly duties (2 Chronicles 26:19-20). This applies to ALL- believers and unbelievers alike.

The days of Isaiah and Jeremiah were already in that condition. The sorrows of the Lord were also in relation to people would not hearken to His voice, rather they chose their own paths. In Jeremiah, the people were already at their worst that God in His anger sent the Babylonians to ransack Israel and Judah and put them into exile for seventy years until the cup of Babylon is full. These people in Jeremiah 6:16 chose the path of destruction rather than the old paths of the Lord God in serving God His Way.

When one wants to argue, "That's just Old Testament." The same applies for the New Testament. Jesus Christ attacked the Pharisees for upholding their way instead of God's way (Matthew 23, Mark 7:8-9). The Pharisees were in fact rejecting Jesus Christ's free gift of salvation, the wanted to do it their way. Jesus Christ being the Son of God, God in the flesh who knew no sin attacked their sinister way of attempting to serve God their way. In fact, historians recorded that the Pharisees were operating by the Cabala system NOT the Old Testament but rather the satanic Apocrypha which teaches lying, suicide, murder and SORCERY. They were running their own path that was going against God. God does NOT give freedom of religion.

In fact the Book of Acts also contains one good example- the part of Ananias and Sapphira, two believers who were called to Heaven prematurely because they didn't do as they were told. Acts 5:1-10 says that when they didn't do as they were told which is they were supposed to sell WHOLE NOT PARTIAL, they did lie to the Lord. That's going to be my one last example of God saying, "Serve Me My Way or else!"