Confronting with Humility

“When men’s eternal souls are at stake, the church cannot be passive and indifferent. Nor can it hide behind false humility that fears being judgmental or behind false love that fears offending. Christ was supremely humble, yet He never called evil anything but what it was: evil. Christ was supremely loving, yet He never withheld a warning that might save His hearers from hell. And he had nothing but intense anger for those who by their false teachings led men away from God and directly toward hell.” John MacArthur

We may be very adept at identifying false teachers, but, what is our response to these people? I am afraid that too often I have been indignant and arrogant—not how Christ would react to them. Remembering the humble attitude of Christ helps me adjust my response to those who are in error. Jesus was never proud, yet He could speak directly concerning what was wrong and He expressed anger when the truth was twisted. What a great challenge for all of us to learn as we faithfully follow Him.

This Thursday morning we will be finishing up our Bible study time together for 2021 as we discuss together the second half of Lesson 11 in our books—”Know Your Adversaries.” I’m looking forward to seeing you. We are working on having our class online—if you don’t see it live, you should be able to watch it later under Livestream Ladies Bible Study on the church website. Last week’s class is posted there.

Know Your Adversaries

False teachers concerning God have existed for centuries and often have even flourished. As Peter wrote, “…there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.” 2 Peter 2:1b-2 Peter continued on to describe the character of these teachers in enough detail that we should easily be able to identify such deceivers.

I particularly like the word pictures Peter wrote concerning false teachers of the Bible from 2 Peter 2:17. Clarke gives great comments on those pictures.

“These are wells without water—Persons who, by their profession, should furnish the water of life to souls athirst for salvation; but they have not this water; they are teachers without ability to instruct; they are sowers, and have no seed in their basket. Nothing is more cheering in the deserts of the east than to meet with a well of water; and nothing more distressing, when parched with thirst, than to meet with a well that contains no water.”

“Clouds that are carried with a tempest—In a time of great drought, to see clouds beginning to cover the face of the heavens raises the expectation of rain; but to see these carried off by a sudden tempest is a dreary disappointment. These false teachers were equally as unprofitable as the empty well, or the light dissipated cloud.”

Do you “Know Your Adversaries?” Take some time to dig into 2 Peter 2 and come ready for a good discussion this Thursday morning at 9:30.

Also please note this message from Melissa Coots. There is a baby shower for Eunhye Edwards this weekend at Melissa’s house, Dec. 4, at 5 pm. She is new to our American tradition of having baby showers. Let’s shower her with love. Click here for the evite http://evite.me/1RVJuPVPng and to RSVP.

Giving Thanks to God for All My Days

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God, and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 5:20

What a wonderful day of celebration comes our way this fourth week in November. Thanksgiving Day gives us an opportunity to think more carefully than perhaps any other time of the year about being thankful. Two points that have gotten my attention in recent years about giving thanks; are we thankful for all things and to whom are we giving our thanks? Over 250 years ago one of my favorite Bible commentators, John Gill, gave this valuable insight into Biblical thanksgiving.

“Giving thanks always for all things,.... For things temporal, for our beings, and the preservation of them, and for all the mercies of life; for things spiritual, for Christ, and for all spiritual blessings in him; for electing, redeeming, sanctifying, adopting, pardoning, and justifying grace; for a meetness for heaven, and for eternal life itself; for the Gospel, promises, truths, ordinances, and ministry; and this is to be done always, at all times, in times of adversity, desertion, temptation, affliction, and persecution, as well as in prosperity:

unto God, and the Father; to God who is, and as he is the Father of mercies, and of all creatures; and as he is the Father of Christ, and of all the elect in him:

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; for all the mercies of God's people, both temporal and spiritual, come through him, and for his sake; and thanksgivings for them are only acceptable to God as they are offered up by him; nor is there any other way of bringing them to God, but through him: this duty, as it stands connected with the former, shows that praise and thanksgiving are the principal subject matter of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, to be sung; and that the manner of singing is with thanksgiving; and that the end of it is to give thanks to God.“

May this describe our thankful hearts this Thanksgiving.