January 29, 2012
Fact, Fiction, and Guesswork in Bible Study
“And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel… and his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment” (I Sam. 8:1, 3).
FACT: Samuel was a good man. Dedicated to God by his parents, he grew up at the tabernacle and “ministered before the Lord, being a child” (I Sam. 2:18). Years later, when he was “old and grayheaded,” he defended his character before the men of Israel (I Sam. 12). They admitted that he had been honest and fair (v. 4). Samuel had lived a good life that was above reproach. When the prophet Jeremiah centuries later wanted to cite examples of righteousness, he mentioned two names: Moses and Samuel (Jer. 15:1).
Samuel had two sons, Joel and Abiah (I Sam. 8:2). They were not like their father. In fact, they were just the opposite. Samuel was just and truthful, but his sons were greedy and corrupt.
FICTION: Samuel’s sons inherited sin from their father. They were born in sin just like Samuel was. All men are by nature sinners because the sin of Adam is passed down to all men of all generations.
The doctrine of original sin goes against the Bible. Sin is the transgression of the law (I John 3:4). It is something you do, not something you inherit. Sin is a choice that every person makes for himself. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him” (Ezek. 18:20). This means Joel and Abiah were responsible for their sin. Samuel was not.
GUESS: Samuel was not a good father. Maybe he was so busy with his ministry that he neglected his family. Maybe he was like Eli and failed to discipline his boys. Perhaps the mother was to blame. She is not mentioned, and it could be that nothing is said about her because she was not a good woman.
Why do Bible readers come up with these ideas? Why do Bible classes drift into these discussions and consume the time? Why can’t people just stick with what the Bible says? There is plenty of what the Bible does say for us to study without speculating about what it does not say. Those questions may sound interesting, but curiosity can lead us in the wrong direction. What is the benefit of turning a Bible study into a guessing game? If the Bible speaks on a matter, then that matter is settled. We should study what it says carefully and honestly and apply it to our lives. If it does not address a question we are asking, then we are in the realm of opinion and it is time to get back to what the Bible says.
—Kerry Duke
January 22, 2012
Is Sin Really Sin Anymore?
The preacher for the largest church in the country said homosexuality is a sin. Joel Osteen said in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that he believes the Bible shows it to be a sin. In a time when megachurch ministers rarely mention sin, his statement may have sounded surprising or even encouraging—until you hear the rest of the story, that is.
The Bible is clear about what happens to people who die in sin. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites...will inherit the kingdom of God” (I Cor. 6:9-10). Sodomites will suffer “the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 7). They will go to hell.
Not so, says this popular preacher. When he was asked directly if gay people will be accepted into heaven, he said, “I believe they will.” The Bible says they won’t but Osteen says they will. The contrast couldn’t be more striking.
This man does not believe what the Bible says about sin. The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), and those who die in sin cannot enter heaven (John 8:24). In fact, his doctrine would make the death of Christ pointless. Why would Jesus need to shed His blood if sinners can go to heaven without it? The thing to remember, of course, is that preachers like him are more interested in saving people from poverty and low self-esteem than in saving people from their sins.
The Bible talks about sin, but God is not going to do anything about it. That is what this kind of teaching says. The question that should have been raised is: “Do you believe in hell, and do you believe anyone is going there?” That is the real issue. If the Bible says homosexuals will go to hell but they actually won’t, then what about murderers? The logical end to this thinking is either universal salvation or the annihilation of the wicked after death.
Osteen said addressing this topic is a hard thing because “I’m for everybody. I’m not against anybody.” Preaching like this may fill large auditoriums, but it will not lead people to heaven. God loves sinners. He proved this by giving His Son to die. The only way for those in sin to be saved is to repent and obey God (Luke 13:3; John 3:5; Acts 2:38; I Cor. 6:11).
—Kerry Duke
January 15, 2012
Special Forces Needed
Much has been said recently about the Black Regiment of the American Revolution. Sometimes called the Black Robe Brigade, these men were both hated and feared by the British. Who were these patriots? They were preachers, and they became known as the Black Regiment not because of the color of their skin but because they wore black robes. They preached that Americans should defend their freedom. They lit fires in the hearts of the colonial militia. The British blamed them for the rebellion and historians have given them some credit for the success of the Revolution. Either way their influence is undeniable.
Politicians and their causes come and go. Campaign promises are short-lived. Laws change, and nations rise and fall. But there is one battle that never ends. It is a conflict between God and Satan. It is a battle between good and evil. It is a war between heaven and hell, and Christians are in the heat of the battle. We must "fight the good fight of faith" (I Tim. 6:12) lest we be taken captive by the devil (II Tim. 2:26).
Where are gospel preachers in this battle? Are they feared by the forces of darkness like colonial preachers were feared by the King of England? Are they heeding the words of the prophet, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and declare unto my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins" (Isa. 58:1)? Do we remember the words of Ezekiel? He said, "When I say to the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand" (Ezek. 3:18). Do preachers take seriously Paul's last charge to the young preacher Timothy? "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (II Tim. 4:2-4).Preachers should be on the front line of battle, stirring the hearts of Christians and exhorting them to take up the sword of the Spirit and fight until their dying breath. They ought to denounce hypocrisy and playing politics in the church. They should rebuke the evils of drinking and fornication. They should cry out against abortion and gay marriage. They should expose the false beliefs of denominationalism, Catholicism, Mormonism, Islam, and Judaism. Is this what our preachers are doing, or are they at ease in Zion?
We need a black and white regiment in the church - a brigade of preachers who will proclaim the law of God as it is found on the pages of the Bible in black and white.
—Kerry Duke
January 8, 2012
WHEN SIBLINGS COLLIDE
Some of the greatest lessons and the most profound truths are found in the opening pages of the Bible. Consider the story of Cain and Abel.
These two brothers were raised in the same home, but they were different. Abel tended sheep and Cain tilled the ground (Gen. 4:2). Children inherit traits from their parents. Boys imitate their fathers and girls are like their mothers. We say, "Like father, like son." The Jews said, "As is the mother, so is the daughter" (Ezek. 16:44). the similarities can be striking. It is also surprising how different children can be from their parents and from each other. Like Cain and Abel, children have their own personalities and preferences.
Cain and Abel were different in their religious convictions. Abel offered worship to God by faith and Cain did not (Heb. 11:4). God accepted Abel's offering but He rejected Cain's (Gen. 4:3-5). Why should it surprise us when children today raised in the same home and the same church grow up to have conflicting attitudes about religion?
Religious differences can cause great animosity. Cain was furious when God rejected his offering, but he took out his resentment on his brother. Jesus said there would be division in families because of the gospel (Matt. 10:34-37).
Though there is often fault on both sides of conflict, this is not always the case. Abel was right and Cain was wrong. there may be two sides to every story, but that does not mean that both sides are always to blame.
Few things are more common among brothers and sisters than jealousy. Cain resented his brother. that is why he killed him (Gen. 4:8). there is no need to look for some deeper psychological cause for his actions. The Bible plainly tells us why he did it: "And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous" (I John 3:12). A good understanding of the Bible and a little common sense go a long way toward helping us to see what the problem is between brothers and sisters. Many times it is just plain envy. This spirit may not end in murder, but it will always cause trouble. It will cause backbiting. It will cause cutting remarks. It will divide families and cause hard feelings. There is almost no end to the harm that jealousy brings. "For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work" (James 3:16).
Though Abel's life was taken from him, the influence of his good life was not. Cain's jealousy got the upper hand, but Abel's faith won out in the end. His good example still lives: "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh" (Heb. 11:4).
—Kerry Duke
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