What Do You Believe?

Over the last several years I have noticed that the church (I’m using that word very broadly) is moving further and further way from doctrine. What I mean by that is that whether in its preaching, teaching, or just in how it describes and defines itself, the church has become less clear, less dogmatic, and gives less emphasis to what the Bible teaches and where it stands in relationship to that teaching. While I’m sure there are multiple reasons for this trend, I fear that the church is trying desperately to appeal to a broad range of people, including those who do not know Christ as Savior. By watering down or eliminating doctrine the church strives to be more tolerant and more appealing, thinking that by doing so it will have a greater and more effective impact upon the world. To those that would follow such a strategy, I humbly point them to the words of Christ is Matthew 10:34-36. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.” Based upon what Jesus says, the message of Christ is often unappealing and in fact divides. To try to make the Bible more palatable is only to compromise and distort the very message that Christ declared and that He commanded His disciples to proclaim as well.

With pastors and churches trying desperately to avoid getting pinned down on what they believe and why, I find it necessary to declare my beliefs, not out of arrogance, but for the sake of clarity.

I believe the Bible is the inspired and inerrant word of God and because it is, it is only resource we need for life and godliness, II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:.

I believe that there is one living and true God and that He is both unity and plurality. While one is essence, He exists in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and is sovereign over all things. He is perfect in all His attributes and deserving of my worship and obedience, Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-7; Matthew 28:19.

I believe that mankind is born in sin and because he is, he stands condemned before a holy and just God, Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 3:9-18. His only escape from the power and penalty of sin is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, John 14:6. Apart from repentance of sin and faith in Christ, mankind will suffer God’s eternal and just judgment in hell, Revelation 20:11-15.

I believe the church is God’s primary instrument both for the evangelism of the lost and the edification of the saints. It is within and through this institution that believers find encouragement and accountability in their walk with Christ, II Corinthians 5:17-21; Hebrews 10:24-25.

I believe that one day, Jesus Christ will return to the earth to bring judgment upon sin and to establish His promised kingdom. In that day the promises to the nation of Israel will be fully realized, sin and Satan will be destroyed, and Christ will rule and reign forever, Revelation 21:1-8.

My list of beliefs is far from comprehensive, but you get the idea. In a day when the church is watering down or avoiding doctrine in order to be more appealing, I believe it is time to stand up and be counted, to be bold in our faith, and clear in our convictions. So let me ask you, what do you believe? Is your life grounded upon the Word of God and the work of Christ or something else? Remember, the wise man builds his house (life) upon the rock of Jesus Christ, Matthew 7:24-27.

- Ken

All Or Nothing

Because I’m so new to this blog thing, I’m not really sure how to get started this week, so I’ll just jump in and hope for the best.  Over the course of 28 years in ministry, I have occasionally had people express concern over my doctrinal beliefs or my personal practices based upon something I said or did in a sermon.  Now please understand, my goal in every sermon I preach is to be clear and honest not just about the text I am expounding but also in the illustrations I am sharing.  Of course, being a flawed human being, the thoughts and words don’t always come out the way I intend.  On more than one occasion my children have informed me of new words I have created or of ways I twisted my thoughts or words in some way.  
 
Having admitted my shortcomings, here’s the problem.  One sermon or one illustration is not the sum total of what I believe or of who I am as a person.  As every pastor knows, one cannot possibly say in a single message all that could be, or perhaps even should be, said on any given topic or passage of Scripture.  The same thing is true when it comes to a personal story or illustration.  For example, a personal story about a failure in parenting does not necessarily mean that failed parenting takes place all the time.  Taking one fact or one piece of truth does not necessarily define or describe the whole.
 
Sadly, and I believe tragically, what happens at the human level can and does happen at the divine level as well. 

This past Sunday, my small group was discussing the justice of God as part of a larger study on the attributes of God.  As the questions and conversation developed, we identified the fact that people often define or explain the events of life based on one aspect of God’s person.  For example, I shared with the group that recently I was sent an email that described the tragic events in Japan as God’s judgment upon that country for various sins and shortcomings. Now don’t misunderstand, God can and does use any means He desires to bring discipline and judgment to bear, but I also know that God’s purposes go way beyond bringing judgment.  One could only speculate as to all the things that God is striving to accomplish through pain and hardship in Japan including bringing people to Himself in salvation, growing the influence of His church, and bringing His people to depend upon Him in greater and deeper ways. The point is this, we need to be careful to take one attribute of God and apply it as if God was only that attribute.
 
I see that exact thing happening in another way (my primary reason for writing).  Recently a pastor in our area has come out with a new book entitled, Love Wins. Based upon some of the interviews I have seen (I haven’t read the book yet), he apparently believes that all people, regardless of their relationship to Christ, will end up in heaven. Based upon what I have heard him say, he believes this to be so because he cannot reconcile how a loving God could condemn anyone to hell.  Do you see the problem?  God isn’t just love! Among other things, He is also holy and just and because He is, not only does He, but He must bring judgment on sin.  To do anything less would be to violate His character.  
 
Please understand, I’m not seeking to critique the book as much as I’m really trying to warn God’s people.  When it comes to God, it is all or nothing.  Just as we can’t know a pastor from a single message, we don’t know God based upon one attribute.  And can we remember this as well?  God and His ways are far beyond us.  Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Let’s be careful. Though the voices around us may try to define God and His actions in simple or single terms, in reality He is far beyond our comprehension and I for one am glad He is!  

So Much Confusion

If you attend Harvest Bible Chapel in West Olive, MI, you know that I recently began a new sermon series on Sunday mornings entitled, Ready or Not, which focuses on the certainty of death and what follows it. With my attention on the subject of death, I have been noticing lately just how much confusion exists on this topic. Just the other night I was watching one of my favorite science fiction programs (okay if you must know—Star Trek the Next Generation) and in it two of the characters were discussing varying opinions about death. One saw death as the end of existence, while the other saw death as merely a doorway to what lay beyond. Of course, varying opinions about death and what happens to someone after they die is not unique to fictional television. For centuries now, theologians have likewise debated and disagreed over the nature of death and what follows it. Here in West Michigan one well known pastor is coming out with a book, in which, based on the reviews I have read, he asserts that after death all go to heaven. That view certainly flies in the face of others who staunchly believe that one’s eternal destination is determined by his or her relationship with Christ.

With so much confusion, how can anyone be certain what happens when someone dies? The answer lies in the authority of God’s Word. For many in the world, and sadly in the church as well, the tendency for many people is to latch on to someone who expresses the ideas and opinions that they are comfortable with. If I don’t like the idea of hell and suffering after death, I will follow those that express that belief. On the other hand, if I have definite beliefs about heaven and hell, I follow those that share those beliefs. Perhaps it goes without saying, but truth is not determined by what I think or feel or even by what the majority says. Rather, truth is found in the Word of God and if I am going to discover the truth about death and what follows it, I must lean upon its authority and mine its treasures by diligent study. In II Timothy 2:15, God commands us to be diligent students, who rightly handle the Word of God. Similarly, in Acts 17 we are encouraged to be like the Bereans who searched the Scriptures to see if what they had been taught by the apostle Paul was so. I wonder, do you do that? When it comes to hard and difficult topics like death, are you a careful student of God’s Word or do you simply draw your beliefs and conclusions from popular opinion?

In order to be that carful student, I would encourage you to take the following steps any time you study a confusing or difficult subject.

1. Start with the Word of God.

Forget public opinion and the flood of confusing and contrary voices. If you want God’s perspective and God’s truth, go the Word of God for your answers. In John 17:17, Jesus declared God’s Word to be truth.

2. Come to the Scriptures with an open mind.

Obviously, if you approach the Scriptures with your mind made up there won’t be much learning that takes place. Reserve drawing a conclusion, until you have heard from God.

3. Read all the passages on a given subject before drawing a conclusion.

Be careful to come to a conclusion too quickly. One or two verses on a given subject do not necessarily reveal all that God says on a given subject.

4. Consult additional resource material like a bible commentary to compare and evaluate what you have discovered with the insights of others.

While the Holy Spirit will be your teacher, He has also taught others. Taking the time to do additional study will confirm what you have discovered or perhaps reveal that you have additional work to do.

5. Remain teachable.

What I have learned over the years is that positions I once held often need to be modified or tweaked in some way for the sake of clarity and precision. Even after you are convinced as to what God’s Word says, be teachable and open to new ideas.

There is no doubt there is so much confusion when it comes to a long list of topics. That confusion can and should be greatly diminished by the careful study of God’s Word. If you are not already doing it, get into the Word of God on a regular basis and watch confusion melt away as you are confronted by and convinced of God’s truth.

Welcome to Perspective

Well, here it goes! For some time now the pastoral staff has been encouraging me to blog, and to be totally honest, I’ve been dragging my feet, not because blogging or technology scare me, (okay they do a little) but more because I really can’t fathom anyone caring all that much about what I think or say. In fact, at times it even seems a bit arrogant to put my thoughts “out there” for others to read and consider.

With those struggles on the table, let me take just a moment to introduce and explain the goal of this blog. In entitling my blog Perspective, I really have a singular aim. It is not so much to give my perspective, though that may be the case from time to time. Rather, the goal is to share and present God’s perspective as it is spelled out for us in the Word of God. As a follower of Christ, it is my duty and desire to live my life from God’s perspective and encourage others to do the same. That being the case, I want the readers of this blog to interact with the Word of God and from that interaction come away with what God thinks and wants, and in that process gain a greater perspective on who He is. To accomplish that goal, I am primarily going to expand upon the study I do each week for the messages I preach at Harvest Bible Chapel, West Olive, Michigan. I will share some of the personal insights and challenges that study brings to me (beyond what I share on Sundays) and present them for your consideration and hopefully your edification. It is my prayer that the end result will be that we all gain a clearer perspective of biblical truth and how it applies to life.

Are you ready for a little perspective? I look forward to passing on what God is teaching me and trust that you will find encouragement, hope, help, and maybe even some correction in the days and weeks that follow. See you soon with the first installment of Perspective.