Pastor Buddy’s Blog

Journal,

The conversation goes something like this –

“What do you believe?”
“I believe what my church believes.”
“What does your church believe?”
“My church believes what I believe.”
“But what do you and your church believe?”
“We both believe the same thing together.”

I realize this sound quite humorous. Yet it reflects more truth than many care to admit. How many people? can? intelligently tell you what they? believe without parroting something they’ve heard from a pulpit. How would these people know that what they are hearing is true to the Scriptures? if they themselves are not students of the word?

Paul did not say? that people are saved by foolish preaching. The apostle? said that God was well-pleased through the? foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.? In Paul’s day the preaching of the cross appeared as a? foolish message to both the? Greek philosophers? and to the ’sign-seeking’ Jews. And yet the preaching of the cross carries in it both the power and the wisdom of God.

What some folk do not realize is that the gospel message is designed to reach our hearts by way of our minds. The very word ‘repentance’ literally speaks of a? change of mind.

The gospel has intelligent design to it. It is not a message that requires a leap into darkness. It is a message of life. The gospel requires a decision to accept or to reject Jesus as Lord. There can be no salvation until a person? actually accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

The word ‘conviction’ in the Greek language speaks of a moral conquest of the mind. It is a judicial term.

When we hear the? gospel message preached, the Holy Spirit opens our minds to understand the message. Out of the opening of the mind we come to realize our lostness and our need for a Savior. This is why true salvation always involves repentance and a ‘confession’ of faith in Jesus Christ.? The new birth experience is a? work of repentance. (Which is a gift of God.)

There is a Bible designed for teen-agers? entitled, ‘Don’t check your brains at the door - Know what you believe and why.’

The title is very catching. But what is being said is not only for teenagers. The title also sends a message to churched people. Contending against false teaching remains? a major battle zone for the church.

Many today? are being led away from the beauty, from the simplicity, and from the power of God’s message of the cross.? These same folk are being turned into spiritual junkies.

Ever notice with some preaching? it is always about ‘the next revival’, or, ‘the next move’, or ‘we are right on the edge of something great,’ or, ‘God is fixing to do? something new.’ Stop and think about what all these terms are saying. They are saying that Jesus is never enough in Himself. They are saying that no believer can stop and rest.

I realize this sounds a bit negative, but it is important to understand that we are living in an age of spiritual junkies. Metaphysics is replacing the message of the cross.

Metaphysical teachings? undermine the? Lordship of Jesus in a person’s life.? An example of metaphysics is the teaching? that you can create with your words. If you can create your own world, then why would you need Jesus as Lord? (This is not simply an issue of learning to bless with your words. Metaphysics speaks of control by learning to manipulate divine forces.)

Did you know that the apostles never taught a striving after the next move. They taught the Lordship of Jesus. What they preached is our fulfillment? in Jesus Christ.

It is through faith in Him alone that we enter into His rest. Did not Jesus Himself say, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heaven-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt11:28)

Did not John say, “For of His fulness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” (John 1:16)

Paul told the Corinthian church, “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” (2Co11:3)

James said, “But the wisdom (fruit of the gospel) from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17)

The gospel message is not a message of ’striving.’ It is a message of peace and rest.

So what did the apostles preach?? Listen carefully to Romans 10:8-10;

“But what does it say? ‘The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart,’ that is, the word of faith which we are preaching …

…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

The apostles taught the principle of Lordship. We don’t only receive Jesus Christ as our Savior. We receive Him as Lord of our lives.

So, do you understand the gospel?

Think about it.

Blessings,

Buddy