religion as idolotry

"For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven." (Matt. 5:20)

Religious acts of righteousness may be more an addiction to morality and pride than they are actual kingdom building. Jesus told the Pharisees their righteousness was missing the point (Matthew 23:23). We are condemned by the law, not saved by it. The gospel proclaims a new order- that we are saved not by works but by grace. Our works do not save us, they reveal us. The fruit does not give the tree life, it reveals what kind of tree it is. God told the church in Laodicia, I would rather you be hot or cold, if you are luke-warm, I will spew you out of my mouth! (Revelation 3:15).

There is nothing worse than false religion that lures a person away from authenticity and enables hiddenness. This form of idolotry is the antithesis to the gospel. It inoculates people to the truth.

Religion is the invention of the devil. The world has taken out the patent. We humans have mortgaged our souls to the product, and think we have gotten a good deal. Religion is the most dangerous energy source known to humankind. (Lawrence Crabb).

Discipleship that leads to spiritual maturity is never accomplished in hiddenness, but church life without kingdom life can become an environment where mask wearing is the accepted norm.

It is a strange thing in a religious environment, that we can learn the language, the culture and the social norms, and unless there are specific challenges to our developing status quo, we can do all the right stuff to pass as a dedicated church member, and at the same time live in such hiddeness that although we may be in spiritual darkness, no one around us has the least suspicion.

So, every now and then, a couple at church blows up their marriage and everyone is shocked. "I didn't know they were having problems!" people will say. Someone commits suicide and no one who attends their Sunday School knew the depth of their struggle. A man wrecks his family because of some addiction and not a single person who goes to church with him has a clue about what is really going on in his life.

We are dreaming of a church in which this is not the norm. We dream of dynamic community where masks come off and life change is normative and mission is focused. We are dreaming of a church that is serious about kingdom building priorities and that wholly rejects the bland emptiness of churchiosity that can lead to empty religion and practical atheism.

the end of boredom

I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."(Romans 1:14-17)

The center of the church’s purpose is the gospel. The way you view the meaning of the gospel in this context will affect the way you view the meaning and the mission of the church. C.S. Lewis makes the point in his book “Mere Christianity” that the essence of Christianity is to be drawn “into Christ” and that the purpose of His church is to help people live lives that are “in Christ”.

“The church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other purpose!” (C.S. Lewis, “Mere Christianity”)

But is this our experience with the church? Let’s be real- people can come to a church building week after week, year after year, and be perfectly comfortable and feel completely satisfied with living in spiritual mediocrity. In fact, when the church stops becoming a kingdom building movement it actually perpetuates this kind of mediocrity. “Churchiosity” is not a guarantee of life in Christ.

The journey Christ calls us to is nothing short of radical kingdom building and a world changing mission. To be in Christ is the end of boredom. We all have a mission! We are all involved in building the kingdom. The role of the missionary is not just a mission in some remote country in another part of the world, but of reaching people in our own mission field. In the one we enter every morning; in our neighborhoods, businesses and schools. He has called us to be salt and light, to be witnesses to our Jerusalem (where we are) as well as Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:7). He has called us to live lives that have eternal impact, that altar lives and change communities. Our mission at CRBC involves two significant and purposeful strategies; 1) Loving all people to Christ and 2) Helping them on their journey.

the present and future reality of the kingdom of God

Life in Christ is a journey, not merely an event or destination. Christ came to set us free from our sin; but in the bigger context, He came to welcome us into a new kind of life, a “kingdom building” life.

The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy, but I have come that you might have life to the fullest (John 10:10).

Jesus clearly teaches that He has come to change our situation not just at some time in the future, but starting right now: "I have come that you might HAVE life" (present tense). That you might live the very best life possible... starting today. Not "I have come that you merely can escape hell at some point in the future," but that your life will be above the norm, that it will be transforming and the transformation will start right away. Christianity is not just about going to Heaven when you die!

I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me HAS eternal life and is not condemned. (John 5:24)

The gospel is not merely a "get out of hell free card." This kind of misunderstanding can lead to disappointment in the Christian experience and even legalism and spiritual bondage. It is not just about standing before God some day, but about a lifelong walk influenced by the rule of Christ that culminates into an eternal reality from the day you receive Him into your life. Eternal life and the Kingdom of God are both a present reality.

I can't emphasize this point too strongly- your Christian life is not just an event or a destination- it is a lifelong journey that begins now and moves on into eternity. It is a present reality AND a future destination.

Consider how the wrong kind of thinking cheapens the Christian experience Christ intends for us. Jesus came proclaiming the "gospel," that is to say, the "good news." And what was that "good news"?

Read the following scriptures carefully:

"The time has come," He said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15 NIV)

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, (Luke 8:1 NIV)

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, {2} and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. (Luke 9:1-2 NIV)

After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3 NIV)

Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 28:31 NIV)

It is clear that when Jesus talked about the gospel, he was talking about the Kingdom of God. What is the Kingdom of God? It is where the King reigns. It is BOTH a future and present reality as long as that rule is in place. It is that place that God reigns in my present reality as much as it is a description of heaven where God’s uninterrupted rule in my life will be a future reality. It is a right now/not yet tension between this present age and the age to come.

So, when Jesus talked about the "good news," He was not just talking a bridge to heaven as much as He was bringing us the message that God wants to put people on an awesome journey that will put us in touch with eternity, and that He has brought this to bear by saying in effect, "I have got good news for you and the good news is that the kingdom of God is available to you right now!"

why church membership?

When a person comes to faith in Christ, he immediately enters into the "invisible church". This is the church that only God sees and knows. J.I. Packer states plainly,

"Invisible means, not that we can see no sign of its presence, but that we cannot know (as God, the heart-reader, knows, 2 Tim. 2:19) which of those baptized, professing members of the church as an organized institution are inwardly regenerate and thus belong to the church as a spiritual fellowship of sinners loving their Savior"

But why is it necessary to join the local, visible church? Some will say that this is not necessary in light of our membership into the universal Body of Christ. In this post, I seek to remove this obstacle to what I believe is a very important step in obedience.

Ten reasons:

1. Scripture teaches that not only are we to be members of the invisible church (past, present and future) upon our salvation, but we are also to identify ourselves with other believers in physical assembly (Hebrews 10:23-25) and in that assembly we are to "hold fast" to our public commitment WITH other believers. "Let us, without ever wavering, keep on holding to the hope that we profess" (Williams). The plain teaching here is that we, as the physical visible church must "spur one another on" in our faith. The Bible does not contemplate a faith lived in aloneness, but one that is committed to others as we are committed to Christ.

2. Although scripture does not specifically teach that a person should join a local church, it is apparent that scripture assumes that if one is a Christian, they are a member of a local church. As an example, in his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul teaches the exclusion of a member of that church. Exclusion from a church presupposes inclusion:

You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midstÂ….Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificedÂ… I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or witidolatorsrs, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or aidolatorer, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler - not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves (1Cor 5:2, 7, 12-13).

One cannot be excluded from something that he was never included in.

3. In 2 Cor. 2:6-7, Paul talks about "the majority" which implies that there was a definite number of those who were identified with the local, physical church in Corinth. 6The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. 7Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

4. The local churches in Paul's day apparently kept a list of widows. It would be impossible for the churches we learn about in the New Testament to distinguish between leadership, new believers and widows and orphans in need if there was no system of accounting (1 Timothy 5:9).

5. God keeps a list of the true members of the visible AND invisible church. Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life (Phil 4:3). And nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into [the New Jerusalem], but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life (Rev 21:27).

6. Local church membership is the public endorsement of a body of believers of a person's salvation and forward movement in discipleship. Jesus taught the church is to "make disciples", the first step of which is baptism. New believers need nurture, care and discipline that is provided for in the local assembly of believers. In scripture, the assembly (ecclesia) was established as a community of faith both in the old and new testaments in which specific responsibilities of spiritual community and discipline are spelled out. Scripture, in other words, does not contemplate spiritual aloneness.

7. Scripture teaches that the church is the "Bride of Christ". It is understood that this in the fullest sense represents the universal church past present and future as stated in the book of Revelation. But there is a specific application to the local church in Ephesians 5, as Paul is writing to a local physical body. This relationship implies commitment and identity as a Bride identifies with her husband in a covenant relationship, binding herself to Him and taking His name. As there is a local physical understanding of this metaphor used is scripture, logic would say, "if I love Christ, I will love His bride!"

8. The Church in the New Testament is reflected by the nation of Israel in the Old. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with Gods people and members of Gods household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (Eph. 2:19-22 ) As such, the Old Testament priests, sacrifices, and sanctuary are superseded by the mediation of Jesus, the crucified, risen, and reigning God-man (Heb. 1-10), in whom believers now find their identity as the seed of Abraham and the people of God (Gal. 3:29; 1 Pet. 2:4-10). The word "assembly", translated "ecclesia" in the Septuagent is found throughout the Old Testament and identifies the gathering of the people of God in worship and spiritual community. The disciples identified the church in this same way, and as such saw themselves as the physical gathering of a people identified with each other and responsible together to live out their faith as a people of God. There is great power in the words, "a people belonging to God". Membership is the language of belonging.

9. The Bible commands that we submit ourselves to spiritual authority. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves (Hebrews 13:17). One who does not commit to the local Body in membership has in affect said, "I will not submit myself to any authority".

10. I will let Packer make the final point: The New Testament assumes that all Christians will share in the life of a local church, meeting with it for worship (Heb. 10:25), accepting its nurture and discipline (Matt. 18:15-20; Gal. 6:1), and sharing in its work of witness. Christians disobey God and impoverish themselves by refusing to join with other believers when there is a local congregation that they can belong to.

tagged again

Per Marty Duren's tag:

1. One book that changed your life: Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis
2. One book that you’ve read more than once: Desiring God, John Piper
3. One book I’d want on a desert island: Other than the Bible, Desiring God
4. One book that made me laugh: Reformissionary by Mark Driscoll
5. One book that made me cry: With All Your Mind by Yandall Woodfin (because I didn't understand a word.)
6. One book that you wish you had written: Let the Nations be Glad by Piper
7. One book you wish had never been written: With All Your Mind (see above)
8. One book that you are currently reading: The Rebels of Ireland by Rutherford.
9. One book that you’ve been meaning to read: God of Promise by Michael Horton.

I tag Thabiti Anyabwile, Ed Stetzer and Jayme Thompson

the greater issue lost

The greater issue lost in all the chatter and blog-counterblog of the past few weeks is the importance of regenerate membership in our churches. We simply must find ways to deal with the enormous problem that has arisen as a result of the pragmatism of the past 20 years.

While many of us have pontificated and beat our chest over a decision of one church to accept members who are not baptized, we have perhaps turned a blind eye to the high percentage of people who join our churches each week who do not know or serve Christ. Many argue that membership itself is becoming a sham.

Thabiti Anyabwile, an associate pastor at Capital Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C. has recently posted some thoughts on the benefits of a regenerate membership:

1. A regenerate church membership promotes unity in the church. When a significant proportion of a church's membership is made up of carnal or unregenerate persons, factions, cliques, disputes and strife are bound to result (1 Cor. 3:1-4). Moreover, a threat to church unity grounded in gospel truth is nothing less than a threat to the integrity of the gospel message itself (John 17:17, 19-21). Preventing unregenerate members from entering the number will strengthen the unity of the church and strengthen the church's evangelism.

2. A regenerate church membership protects the reputation of the local church. The members of a local church should desire a testimony of "simplicity and godly sincerity" (2 Cor. 1:12). Our conduct should put to shame those opponents with evil intent toward the church (Tit. 2:7,8). However, the conduct of non-regenerate persons puts the testimony of the local church in jeopardy with the unbelieving, unchurched world.

3. A regenerate church membership advances the work of the local church. When the people of God are pure from vessels of "wood and clay" made for dishonor, then the remaining vessels are "for honor, sancitified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work" (2 Tim. 2:21). "Those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works" (Titus :8). The people of God are saved for good works (Eph. 2:10) and the local church is to equip them for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:12). But the unregenerate will either be hindrances to the work of the church, poor imitators of that work, or workers who do good things but obscure the truth and power of the gospel with non-gospel-centered motives. How many of us have had first-hand experience of this at some carnal, conflict-filled member's meeting?

4. A regenerate membership spreads love in the congregation. The love with which the Father loved the Son is to be in the followers of Jesus (John 17:26). This love is the new commandment and a sign of genuine discipleship (John 13:34, 35). Members of the church are to love one another as Christ has loved us, laying down our lives for each other (John 15:12, 13; Eph. 5:2). This love is supernatural. If we would have churches that are not just friendly after services but truly marked by a God-like love, then we must have churches with members born from above, regenerated by God's Spirit.

5. A regenerate membership causes the church to grow in the proper way. The main purpose of the public church gathering is the edification of the church (1 Cor. 14:26). The main purpose of spiritual gifting is the edification of the church (1 Cor. 12:7; 14:12). The church is to be built up into spiritual maturity and strength. Edifying the body is made more difficult when a church takes into membership persons who may not be regenerate. Significant amounts of time will be given over to problems and concerns stemming from that portion of the membership whose self-interest trumps the collective interest of a mature and growing church.

6. A regenerate membership submits to the word of God. The life of the local church is immeasurably improved when its members submit themselves to word of God. Such submission provides the basis for unity, mission, conduct, and doctrine. The spiritually-minded are to acknowledge and receive the Scriptures as commandments from the Lord (1 Cor. 14:37; 1 Thes. 2:13). But discerning spiritual things in this way is not possible for the "natural" or unregenerate person (1 Cor. 2:14). And those who do not obey the Scriptures are to be marked and avoided (2 Thes. 3:14). When we prayerfully identify and avoid those who rebel against the word of God--those who are likely not to be regenerate--the local church is aided in her submission to her Head, Christ Jesus the Lord.

Should these points be obvious to us? The fact that they are exceptional to us speaks volumes of where we have come.

the blessing of controversy

I am sitting at the Richmond Airport awaiting my flight home from our IMB meeting reflecting on the blessing of controversy.

I know that this is a strange thing for a pastor to say- we shepherd types tend to like the green pastures and still waters. But my life this far has taught me that really good things often emerge out of troubled waters.

On his last birthday, we showed our son Taylor the video of his birth. He got up and left the room when we got to the part where his mom starts screaming.

I had forgotten that part.

I thought about how much a pain my children have been, starting with their births. But everytime I look at them my heart wells up with such joy and love and pride. They bring me such happiness. Such turmoil. They are struggling through adolescence, often clumsy and naive, but I see wonderful young adults emerging from that struggle.

My daughter was born on one of my worst days of ministry. I fired an immoral and deceitful staff member in the morning and held my newborn daughter in the afternoon. The pain of both those events have taught me more than most painless experiences I have ever had.

So, here's to the trials of many kinds. Here's to the joy perseverance brings!

I and many others have struggled of late with issues of baptism, private prayer language and membership. I certainly have not sought out these controversies, but I am grateful for what I am learning.

I had a chance to visit with Dennis Newkirk and some of the other elders at Henderson Hills the other day. I told them I believe something really good will come out of their struggle. I for one am grateful for the thoughtful discussion that has come from the issues they have raised (courageous on their part, by the way). It has caused many of us to think with more clarity about the issue of baptism. I know that this has been very difficult on Dennis, the elders and the entire Henderson Hills body. I am praying every day that God would lead this great church to find the mind of Christ in this situation. They are a part of our SBC family and we have a responsibility to hold them up in prayer, support them, and seek earnestly to understand their struggle.

Their position makes a very good point about the meaning of membership. They are attempting to address the issue of candidates for membership who get baptized for no other reason than an initiatory rite. That is not scriptural baptism they rightly point out.

They have correctly put their finger on the fallacy of empty tradition, void of scriptural substance. Although I disagree with their proposed solution, I have no argument with their point. People who commit their life to Christ should be correctly baptized the way scripture describes. They should do it only once and it should be their public profession of faith. It should not be simply a physical act to satisfy a man made rule (for church membership or IMB candidacy for that matter).

But should we give people who are not ready to take this step full membership? I would say certainly not, that indeed there is enough scriptural evidence that their immersion is an imperative to membership.

But what do we do with those people who have been sprinkled in another church as a sign of their profession of faith in a Bible believing pedobaptist body? The truth is there are many pastors who will say to this candidate, "just do it as a requirement for this church, even if it is not really baptism to you, what does it hurt? After all, it is only a symbol."

That baptism is a sham. It is non biblical and it should not happen. The elders at Henderson Hills are absolutely correct in making this point.

So do we turn them away and not make them full members? Could something else be worked out for them short of full membership while they are working through the true meaning of baptism? I know the argument some will make here- "This is easy, just turn them away, the answer is no, sorry, find another church."

But is that the VERY BEST answer?

I don't know, but I am glad that we are struggling for it. It is a very real issue that should be given a lot of thought. Could there be another way to help people identify with the church without being a full fledged member? Many Baptist churches have this in place anyway in the form of "watchcare membership."

I really believe that some very strong ideas will be born out of this labor.

This issue is not just a Henderson Hills one by the way. As denominational lines are frayed, more and more people with varying theological backgrounds will seek membership in our churches. Baptists must figure this out. We need a reformation in our definition of membership, it seems to me.

Some strong minds and passionate hearts need to struggle through this and give us prayerful solutions. I believe Dennis is attempting to do this. There are many of us who are saying, "it's hard to embrace your ideas so far, but keep struggling."

There will be blessings from this controversy.

Maybe you wonder why I write so much of controversial issues. Why not stick to the quiet water stuff? Remember that the name of the blog is "The Road We Travel" and it's objective is to "prepare the road and remove the obstacles". Obstacle clearing is messy. The road is not always smooth.

One only needs to follow the life of Jesus to see the truth in this.

Last Sunday I taught on John 2:1-12 where Jesus changed the water into wine. This Sunday we will learn about John 2:13-24 where Jesus cleared the temple.

That's the way it goes, it seems, when you follow Jesus. Sometimes He is the Lord of the wine, sometimes He is Lord of the whips. Sometimes He calms the waters. Sometimes He stirs them up.