Never read A Bible verse.

If I had a dime for every time I heard someone recite Matthew 7:1 (Judge not, lest ye be judged) or talk about the log in a person’s eye who was making a distinction about something…well, I wouldn’t be rich, but I would have a lot of dimes! Next to John 3:16, this is perhaps the most misquoted verse in all of God’s Word. People wield it like a light sabre, cutting down (with judgment, mind you) all those who would dare to make a judgment about them or something or someone they agree with. Just the mention of those words (judge not) usually puts people on the defensive and quickly turns the tide in a discussion. To be sure, it is an effective tactic. But what does the Bible really say about making judgments? Are we, as Christians, to make distinctions between doctrines and teachings? Are we, as Christians, even to judge our fellow Christians?

Scripture is pretty clear on this one. Consider the words of Paul:

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler–not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” – 1 Cor. 5:11-13

Greg Koukl, of Stand to Reason, is perhaps the best when it comes to reading Scripture in its context and applying logic (by the way, the two really do go together). HERE is a video of Koukl discussing the oft-misquoted “Judge not, lest ye be judged” passage. It is worth watching. Here, too, is the Matthew passage in proper context:

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. – Matt. 7:1-5

If you hold to free-will salvation, I challenge you to listen to this message from John MacArthur on the subject of the depravity of man and his unwillingness and inability to come to God. This message was given at the Together for the Gospel Conference, 2008 (I’m still looking for someone to join me in going to the T4G 2010 Conference). Here is an outstanding declaration on the doctrine that is perhaps the most hated among men (sadly, even Christian men). Please take the time to listen to this…

Fifty years ago today – Friday, November 20th, 1959 – my mom and dad were married. The video below is just a small sample of the one I am trying to put together for them when they return from their anniversary vacation in San Fransisco. Going through all the images of them together and thinking about all the years between then and now has led me to one conclusion…their faithfulness to one another and to their family can be attributed to nothing but the grace of God in their lives. What a testimony to me they are in that respect! I pray the Lord will grant to Pam and myself the same mercy and grace that He has poured out on them.

Mom & Dad…Happy Anniversary! Your tribe has certainly increased! I love you both, and want you to know that your faithfulness and perseverance with respect to one another and to the Lord is a great example for me. May you both continue to fight the fight and run the race that is set before you.

Who’s the greatest evangelist of all time? Many people would probably say Billy Graham was, or some other person like him. Hopefully, most of the readers here would immediately respond by declaring that none other than Jesus was the greatest evangelist ever, and I would agree with that. Not only was He the best proclaimer of the good news (the evangel), He WAS/IS the Good News! Being the greatest evangelist ever, then, makes His response to many of the people who came to Him all the more strange. Oftentimes, people would believe in Him and He would turn them away, or even run them off! Now, I’m no expert in the ways of present-day evangelism, but it seems to me that actions such as those run just a bit contrary to the mentality the church has today regarding how to react to those who profess to believe in and follow Christ. Today’s methodology seems to be, “Get ‘em in, get ‘em converted, get ‘em serving” (notice how the order is to bring people in before they are even converted!), whereas the biblical method appears to be, “proclaim the gospel, trust God to do the rest”.

Many today who think they are involved in the latest and greatest church-growth propaganda technique from Lifeway or Rick Warren may be shocked to see what Jesus often did in response to those who came to Him professing faith. Those same people may be even more shocked to see what Jesus says His response will be to a great number of those who not only profess faith, but have the evidence of a changed life to back up their profession. Let’s check out a few of Jesus’ seeker-slapping moments:

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. – John 2:23-25

Why did Jesus not receive them to Himself? They responded to his miracles. Weren’t they intended to show the people that He was the Messiah so that they would respond by coming to Him? These people came to Jesus because of His remarkable works, yet Jesus turns away from them. They may have believed in Him, but He didn’t believe in them! I used to pass a church sign near my house that read, “Believe in the God who believes in you”. This response from Christ seems to turn that on its ear. Let’s look at another example.

In this next passage, Jesus is not performing any miracles. He is merely declaring Himself to be the Messiah, saying things like, “I am the light of the world”, “the Father who sent Me testifies about Me”, and “unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins”. The reaction to all of this truth is that “many” came to believe in Him. To get the full force of what is happening here, you really need to read from John 8:12 down to the end of chapter, but we will just look at a few key exchanges.

As he was saying these things, many believed in him. So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:30-32

Jesus said to them [those who believed in Him], “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.” – John 8:42-44a

Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you [who believed in Me] do not hear them is that you are not of God.” – John 8:47

By the end of this “new members class”, those who had come to believe in Him took up stones along with the rest of the Jews in order to stone Him to death. So much for a seeker-centered mentality in the early church!

Finally, we will end with Jesus’ prophetic words concerning what will happen to many who not only profess faith in Jesus, but who have the works to back up that profession. R.C. Sproul considers these to be the most terrifying words in all of Scripture, and I am inclined to agree. All I can do is pray, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, a sinner”.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ “ – Matthew 7:21-23

This is the Jesus most Christians don’t know.

(HT: Thabiti)

This may come as a shock to many people who profess to follow Christ, but Jesus did not have all people in mind as He was getting closer to the cross. The whole human race was not in view with respect to what He was about to accomplish. In a stunning prayer that was both discriminating and exclusive, Jesus makes it clear to the Father that He has only a certain group in mind as He moved closer to His execution. Here are some portions of that prayer to the Father:

Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. – John 17:1b-3

There are at least four key things in this passage, which I will put in the negative:

1. No flesh is outside Jesus’ authority
2. No one receives eternal life unless Jesus gives it
3. No one receives eternal life unless they were given by the Father to the Son
4. No one receives eternal life without knowing the Father AND the Son

Here is another portion:

I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word…I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours…I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. – John 17:6, 9, 20-21

Consider these key things from this passage:

1. Jesus revealed Himself to the ones the Father had given to Him
2. These ones given to the Son belong to the Father
3. Jesus prays only for them
4. Jesus goes out of His way to make clear His prayer is NOT for the world
5. Jesus prays, not only for those around Him at that time, but also for those who would later come to believe through them

Now here is where the rubber really meets the road for those of you who insist on maintaining that Jesus came and died for everyone and paid for the sins of all people – If God “so loved the world” that He sent Jesus to save them, then why would Jesus not pray for them all? And why would the Father not have given all the world to Jesus, since it is specifically to those whom the Son gives eternal life? These are tough questions, but they must not be ignored. This is the Jesus of Scripture. This is the Jesus most Christians don’t know.

(HT: Adrian)

Sitting on my desk as I write this is a book that may well become one of my most treasured earthly possessions. It is a new edition of the classic allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress, recently published by Crossway Books. I must confess here that I have as of this moment not yet read Bunyan’s great work all the way through. In my own progress of watching Christian’s progress, I am just now at the place where Christian meets up with Faithful after passing through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

If you have read Pilgrim’s Progress before, you may be wondering what the need is for yet another edition of this story. Well, Crossway’s desire with this new publication is to reach a new generation of readers with Bunyan’s clever tale that, I believe, no Christian should go to heaven without first reading. Yes, the story is the same as in other editions (though only ever so slightly updated when appropriate to remove any archaic or difficult wording), but there are some other features that have me loving this particular version. First, it is a hardback edition. Second, it has thirty new paintings created especially for this edition, and they are magnificent. Third, throughout the book there are notations to the specific Scriptures from which Bunyan is pulling truth. And fourth, there is a whole section in the back filled with editor’s notes that further explain the many details of what Christian encounters on his journey. In a nutshell, this is not only a great edition of Pilgrim’s Progress, but it is also a wonderful resource of biblical truth.

Finally, the thing that I perhaps like most of all about this book is that I am not only reading it myself, but I am also reading it aloud to my family. What a joy it is to be the voice of this great and godly story to my wife and kids.  I love reading it out loud! The only thing I have to be careful of is getting too involved in the story and becoming a bit emotional as Christian goes on his journey. But hey, a little emotion about the things of God is not bad, is it? I sure hope not. Please consider acquiring this new edition, if not for you, then perhaps for your family. You won’t be disappointed.

Following Dr. Al Mohler’s comments on Twitter has got me thinking about attending the Together for the Gospel Conference next year. It will be April 13-15 (Tuesday-Thursday), and take place in Louisville, KY.  Here is a quick blurb from the T4G site:

The (Unadjusted) Gospel. That’s a topic worth thinking about for several days together with several thousand other pastors and church leaders. Don’t you think?

The good news does not adjust. It’s always the same and it’s always good. Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, proclaims a message that’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. So should we.

We hope you will join us in Louisville April 2010 to think about that message and why it’s the heart of ministry.

Speakers will include:

Thabiti Anyabwile
Mark Dever
Ligon Duncan
John MacArthur
C.J. Mahaney
Albert Mohler
John Piper
R.C. Sproul

Anyone else thinking of going?

If you profess to be a Christian, then watching this video is mandatory. It is without a doubt one of the most powerful messages I have ever heard. The occasion was Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Chapel Live service that took place this morning (11/12/09). The sermon was given by Matt Chandler, of the Acts 29 Network. His text was Hebrews 11:29-12:2. Even though the audience was seminary students, it applies to anyone who names the name of Christ. If you do not watch or listen to anything else online for the rest of the year, watch this message! Is that strong enough for you? May those who hear what Matt says through his preaching be edified, convicted and changed, and may his tribe increase.