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Tag: teachers

  • James – Teachers and Wisdom – 5

    James – Teachers and Wisdom – 5

    Worldly Wisdom~Biblical Wisdom

    the thinker statue with backdrop of blue sky and top of museum

    Wisdom? σοφία sophia

    Who comes to mind when you read or hear the word, ‘wisdom?’

    Perhaps Aristotle or Plato or maybe even Solomon come to mind.

    Did you wonder, who’s the smartest person I know?

    Perhaps a contest of quick recall or someone other than our letter writer comes to mind.

    Our contemporary thought quickly dismisses wisdom. Yet the Lord gives us all multivarious knowledge and wisdom.

    The Greek philosophers who lived and died three centuries before Christ at the time of Alexander the Great had lasting influence on the world. Their worldly approaches emanated from their beliefs in many gods, idols and man-made myths.

    Does the wisdom and discernment of the Holy Spirit factor into our answers of the Christian life?

    Did Jesus come to mind?

    Mark 6: When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. “Where did this man get these things? ” they said.

    “What is this wisdom that has been given to him, and how are these miracles performed by his hands?

    Mark 6:2

    Read just a bit further in the Gospel of Mark and you will discover another who questioned the wisdom and teaching of Jesus.

    Teachers and Preachers

    My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

    James 3:1 NKJV

    James, although raised in the same household as Jesus, did not believe before the Lord revealed himself in the resurrection. He now writes to the churches about the wisdom from Jesus, who IS the One God.

    He must have thought as a young man that he knew the Lord while failing to recognize the righteousness of his brother, the rabbi gaining notoriety in cities throughout Galilee. Now after the Lord’s resurrection, James cautions against teaching anything other than what Jesus taught.

    Some time ago I embraced this verse from Job.

    I will teach you concerning the hand of God;
    That which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

    Job 27:11 ASV

    To this, most everyone I know would say, “Amen.”

    Although I include teaching as one of my gifts, speaking for the Lord is a high calling which James addresses.

    James 3:

    Wisdom from God

    13 Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.

    Certainly James had experienced the perfect conduct of Jesus, yet previously he had not believed.

    Who could the Lord’s brother think of any more gentle and humble than his own brother? He now suggests this model of Jesus in the teaching of wisdom from the Lord.

    17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.

    Wisdom from Satan

    Don’t miss the seriousness of the contrast James presents if you fail to discern false teaching from some who do not follow Christ.

    14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.

    The church both then and now hears many teachings; some faithful to scripture and the Lord and also wisdom opposing the true fruit of repentance and salvation in Christ Jesus.

    James asks us to examine our own hearts and evidence of the hidden motives of teachers who would lead the sheep of Christ to the slaughter of Satan.

    Jesus had taught:

    “You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

    “So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.

    Matthew 7:16,20

    16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.

    James implies without saying, the fruit of your works clearly demonstrates if you or any are for Christ or opposed to the Lord.

    Skirmishes for our Souls

    He continues this thought (after the page turn of Chapter 4):

    What is the source of wars and fights among you?

    Have you ever been drawn into a skirmish of influence in your church? Battles abound both then and now in churches small and congregations larger than a pastor can manage personally. How does a believe discern who is right and who is wrong. James suggests again, look at their fruit (and don’t forget to examine the classification of your own fruit).

    Quarrels and Conflicts

    πόλεμος – polemos – war, fight, battle, dispute, strife, quarrel

    James uses a greek word for quarrel used nine times in the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John. The Apostles share in warnings to the churches against the sins which cause all sorts of evil, a clear suggestion that our battle is spiritual.

    2 Don’t they come from your passions that wage war within you?

    Conflicts among you, James warns, come from violations or trespasses of God’s Law, citing various Commandments.

    4 You adulterous people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?

    James 4:4a CSB

    Satan is an enemy of God. Our temptations, passions and pleasures become tools of the enemy when we casually befriend the world. You may recognize the greek word root for these pleasers of self: ἡδονή,hēdonē and its philosophy embracing every evil.

    So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God.

    Judging Christians

    James’ question for the church is simple and related to the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of sin. Which do you see in a fellow ‘christian’ and first, which fruit do you see in the mirror?

    The Lord is a jealous God.

    7 Therefore, submit to God...

    8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

    James appeals to us to look to the Spirit: repent of every sin and be saved.

    Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

    James 8b-9 CSB

    Though his words sound harsh, James, who grew up with Jesus, follows with hope. Be like Jesus, who humbled Himself, even to die on a Cross for our sins.

    10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

    Who are you to judge?

    11 Don’t criticize one another, brothers and sisters…

    Other versions say, ‘Do not speak against one another.’

    Suppose others hear a follower of Christ speaking against another Christian? James warns of the effect:

    Speak evil against a brother and you judge him, and you speak against the law and judges of the law, and you are not a doer of the law but a judge of the law.

    What does James mean by “doer” or “fruit?” Evidence of our faith in Jesus.

    12 ‘There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save,’ James assures us. It is Jesus, humble Savior and victorious judge who will return. Then he again contrasts as he did in speaking of our untamable tongue.

    3:10 Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.

    … Jesus is able to save and to destroy. 

    The Lord Jesus IS the One Lawgiver, able to save you or to destroy you. James asks us:

    But who are you to judge your neighbor?

    This second time in his letter James again reminds us the command of the law confirmed by Jesus, “Love your neighbor.”

    To be continued...
  • The Pervasiveness of Sin

    The Pervasiveness of Sin

    If you perceive the pervasiveness of sin,

    you will pour forth great gratitude for God’s grace

    and the cross of Christ.

    Revelation 18:  For your merchants were the greatest in the world,
    and you deceived the nations with your sorceries.
    24 In your streets flowed the blood of the prophets and of God’s holy people
    and the blood of people slaughtered all over the world.”

    … all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.

    So warns Christ’s Revelation to John of Babylon, a home for demons – the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit. Even Ezekiel had warned Jerusalem of these same evils (perhaps appropriate warning to a 21st c. church).

    3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

    Disclaimer & Caution

    Researching the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John reconfirms a need for a note of caution to the reader.

    MUCH false teaching, speculative interpretation and agenda-driven preaching will easily mislead and confuse most believers, except believers well-versed scripturally in apologetics. Perhaps one of the greatest dangers is to accept an interpretation of just one man on the many important symbols John presents in Revelation – especially in the following chapters.

    The following is a continuation in my series on Revelation, begun with the Letters to the Seven Churches and now continuing from much later in John’s apocalypse in Chapter 17.

    May I suggest that you take my interpretation of scripture (or anyone’s interpretation) under consideration of:

    • the Holy Spirit
    • Scripture (including, possibly root meanings of the Greek or Hebrew)
    • prayerful consideration of application to your life and those in your life

    Roger Harned

    Central

    to the Judgment of Christ Jesus

    in the Apocalypse of John.

    Revelation is misunderstood and much misrepresented. Will the deception of these last days not increase with the pervasiveness of sin?

    BABYLON, the Harlot Queen,

    sits upon the scarlet beast –

    Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.

    SIN is pervasive!

    Revelation begins with warning to the churches. Should the churches of these last days not heed the warnings of a time so near?

    The Apostle John describes Heavenly visions (none of which I will describe today):

    • The Scroll and Seven Seals (ch. 4-7)
    • Seven Angels with Seven Trumpets (ch. 8-11)
    • Seven Symbolic Histories (ch. 12-14)
    • Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath (ch. 15-16)

    All of this leads up to the drama of punishment, with its great symbolism. All of Revelation leads to a drama:

    CENTERED ON EVIL vs. GOOD

    SATAN vs. CHRIST JESUS.

    Though the FINAL BATTLE does not take place until Revelation 19, the familiar opponents of God confront the believer and unbeliever alike with the great symbolism of Revelation 17 and 18. What Jesus reveals is what our Lord has always revealed to those with ears to hear.

    Matthew 24

    dome and wall

    English Standard Version (ESV)

    Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

     

    Signs of the End of the Age

    3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

    4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.

    6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

    9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.

    egypt-violence-eu11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

    14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come…

    wolf23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.

    24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

    25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

    Do NOT be deceived:

    1 Corinthians 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality {note: The two Greek terms translated by this phrase refer to the passive and active partners in consensual homosexual acts.}

    2 Timothy 2:12-13 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

    1 John 2:26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.

    Do you with ears to hear understand how the world is being deceived?

    Do you sip from the cup of the Harlot?

    Hear and understand the wine of her cup.

    … all the nations were deceived by her ‘pharmakeia’ sorcery.

    Heed the warning of the punishment for those who partake of the sorcery of the Harlot:

    Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, G5332 and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

    Let us continue to proclaim Christ crucified; for He IS and He will return in victory over Satan, the Harlot, and all the armies of evil which surround the believer every day.

    We have Great Grace in Christ Jesus and His Blood of the Cross, where by His death and resurrection we are victorious over sin and death.

    Christ Jesus our Lord has defeated the enemy. These last days will end and the faithful will be most thankful for the grace of the Cross.