Setting a Plumb Line

If you enjoyed my previous post 'Christianity in Pieces', come join me as I explore the differnces and similarities in teachings of the various branches of Christianity.

In the next few days we will attempt to understand how the simple gospel taught in the New Testement could lead to the development of varied viewpoints that call themselves Christian but are unable to agree, often on crucial issues. Why do these conflicting issues exist to this day? Can they be resolved?

Biblical Christians approach the Bible with reverence and respect, for they believe it is true, authorative and contains God's very words.

We begin our journey by identifying a plumb line for comparing the different faiths. A plumb line for measuring the difference between biblical Christianity and other faiths is 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. Here Paul wrote:

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (NIV). We find three key points here:

1. Person and Work of Christ - who He is and what He did for us
2. Mankind's major problem - all are sinners in rebellion against God and in need of a savior.
3. Truth and reliability of Bible - divine inspiration of Bible

These are foundational truths we as christians, must be well aware of. In the next post we will explore these exciting key points.

Christianity in Pieces

Question : Why is Christendom so splintered?


Answer : Throughout the Church’s history biblical truths have been challenged and denied by all kinds of groups, some within and some without. The story of how the Church dealt with everything from heresy to holy wars is inspiring and heart rendering. From the very beginning, Christians have fought a battle to believe the faith once delivered to the saints.

In the first century, Christ’s apostles founded the Church, which spread quickly from Jerusalem out into the entire Mediterranean world despite persecution from (1) the Jews who did not accept Christ as the Messiah and (2) the Roman government, which branded Christians outlaws because they insisted that Jesus, not Caesar, was Lord.

Many Christians were martyred, but their blood became the seed that spread the Church even more. As the Church grew, however, an even greater threat came from within its ranks in the form of heresy, particularly Gnosticism, which threatened to corrupt and twist the Gospel just into another pagan religion or philosophy. But the Church fought off this threat as well, particularly through the work of men called apologists who wrote and spoke the truth.

By the second century, the Church founded by the apostles developed into the Catholic (universal) Church; and early in the fourth century persecution of Christianity was ended by Constantine who became the emperor of the western Roman Empire after winning a battle in which he believed Christ gave him special help. Christianity soon became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire, and eventually the Church included five patriarchates – four in the East (Constantinople, Jerusalem, Alexandria and Caesarea) and Rome in the West. Distance, difference in language and culture, and conflicting theological opinions were all reasons for serious disagreements between the East and the West.; but the chief cause of division was a continuing insistence by the Church at Rome on supreme power and authority over all of Christendom. The rift came to a head in 1054 when a major split created the Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Orthodox Church in the East.

After the split, the Roman Catholic Church gained even more power and continued to add more doctrines not found in Scripture. In addition, the Roman Catholic Church became more and more corrupt, which finally led to the Protestant Reformation, led by a Catholic monk named Martin Luther. In the beginning, Luther, intended to reform the Roman Church by making the Bible the only authority. But Church leaders, particularly the pope, rejected his views and he was forced out.

The Reformation spread throughout Europe, and those who protested against the teachings of Rome came to be recognized as a new form of Christianity called Protestant. From one Christian church, then, came three major branches: Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant, which further divided into many different denominations.

Seperation from the world

A ship in the sea is all right; but the sea in a ship is all wrong! The church in the world is alright but the world in the church is all wrong.

Blessings of Money

God’s desire is to bless you and to bless you abundantly. God has a system, intended to pour out His blessings upon you.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work… Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God. (2 Corinthians 9:8, 10-12 KJV) (the King James version is used here due to its literal translation which is closer to the original meaning)

God has ordained five blessings of money:
1. As seed for the sower
2. To provide bread
3. To multiply the seed that is sown
4. To increase the fruits of our righteousness
5. To give

God’s Principle of Multiplication

• The seed that God multiplies is the seed that has already been sown. He doesn’t multiply the seed that you keep. You have to sow it first, then it is multiplied.
• You only reap what you sow!
• You only reap after you sow!
• You always reap more than you sow!
• God’s kingdom operates through giving and receiving multiplied manifolds!
• God gives us seed for our need. We move into supernatural abundance only when we follow His principle of sowing and reaping.

Purpose for Abundance

• God’s purpose for abundance is not to increase the size of your bank account or the amount of seed that you plant, but He is concerned about the size of your heart!
• God does not need your money. He wants your heart, for that indicates what you treasure.
• As you follow God’s system of sowing and reaping, God’s kingdom expands and you partner with Him by taking the Gospel to the nations.
• Money is not to be hoarded or hidden.
• Plant into good soil.
• Expect a return on the seed that you plant. In fact, plant it with a specific expectation!
• God’s heart is to bless you.
  God’s goal is not merely to meet your need. His goal for you is abundance so you can meet the need of others out of your overflow.

Thank You

DEAR GOD:

I want to thank You for what you have already done. I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards; I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better; I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears; I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves; I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet; I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job; I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief; I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed;

I am thanking you right now. I am thanking you because I am alive. I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties. I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.

I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better. I'm thanking you because FATHER, YOU haven't given up on me.

- Anonymous

Who can Pray with Us

Question: Catholics when challenged about praying to Mary often say that they do not pray to Mary but only ask her to pray for them just like other Christians ask others to join them in prayer. Is this the official teaching of the Catholic Church. Is it right?

Answer: The official teaching of the Catholic Church is for them to ask departed saints to intercede for them. Many Catholics, however, are not aware of this. Still it is a thin line between praying to and asking for intercession even for those who have been catechized well.

The question ‘Should Christians seek the prayers of those who no longer live on earth’ remains yet unanswered. Catholics would argue "yes." The passage they cite to support this view is Hebrews 12:1, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Using this scripture they will assert that we are all part of God's family, whether living here on earth or living with the Lord, so it is proper and good to ask those recognized by the Church as saints to pray for us since they are closer to God than we are.

The scripture portion quoted above does not tell us to ask the cloud of witness to pray for us. The term "cloud of witnesses" is an analogy the Hebrew writer took from the Olympic Games. Some translate this term as "those in the grandstand." The picture the writer gives is of those who have finished running their race and are now in the grandstand. We know that those in the grandstand cannot run the race for us. Those that are alive are the ones running the race. Those who have died in the Lord have "ceased from their labor." They have already "finished the race." (see Rev 14:13 and 2 Tim 4:7)

Besides, the Word of God is clear about consulting the dead. Deut 18.9-13 says, “…. do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations. Let no one be found among you who … interprets omens, ……, or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, ……… You must be blameless before the LORD your God.”

What’s more, Jesus has told us clearly who can pray with us. In Matthew 18:19, He said, "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven." Notice the important clause "on earth." The people who pray together must be "on earth." This definitely rules out those who have left this earth.

When Jesus taught the disciples to pray, He never encouraged the disciples to ask Abraham or Moses or Elijah to pray for them. Asking the deceased to pray for us is unheard of in the Bible, and contradicts the teaching of the Bible.

Walk with God

Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul. Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground (Psalm 143:8-10).

It is okay to feel discouragement. It is part of the process of grieving and working through times of pain. But God wants each of us to allow Him to walk with us in these places. If you find yourself in one of these places, do what David did. Ask God to show you the way and let Him bring the word of His unfailing love to you.

The Emmaus Road – Part Three

On the day of His resurrection, Jesus enters into conversation with two disciples who were still wallowing in self pity and disbelief. After a brief but strongly worded rebuke, Jesus explains to them clearly from the beginning starting with Moses and all the Prophets everything recorded in the Bible concerning Himself.

The disciples listened to Jesus with hearts set on fire. He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. Even then the disciples did not recognize Him. As they approached the village they constrained Him to stay awhile longer with them and He did so.

That night during supper Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. At that moment their eyes that were blind to the knowledge of Him was opened and they truly recognized Him. Then Jesus disappeared from their sight. When their inner eyes opened to recognize Jesus crucified and resurrected, it was no longer necessary for Jesus to be physically present.

In the garden of Eden the conniving devil convinced our Adamic parents that their eyes will be opened when they ate of the ‘Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil’ but instead it blinded them to the grace of God. The knowledge made them hide from their loving God. Now under the new covenant, when we partake of the ‘Lord’s Table’ the scales that blinded our eyes from seeing God falls off and we are enabled to see Him as He is. Like the disciples in this incident we too are set on fire - Fire that begets Fire.

The Emmaus Road – Part Two

On their way to Emmaus, two disciples encounter Jesus but were kept from recognizing Him. In fact in Luke 24 verse 19b they testify about Jesus to Jesus Himself, “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.’

They went on to explain how they had placed their hope in Jesus to redeem the people of Israel and how the religious and political leaders put Jesus along with all their hopes and aspirations to death. At last they admit that it has been three days since all these happened and they have heard strange but unbelievable facts about Jesus’ resurrection from believable source (the apostles)!!

The greatest miracle had just taken place (the resurrection of Jesus) and they were unbelieving. They believed that Jesus could be the prophesied messiah but they could not accept the prophesies of a messiah who would suffer, die and raise up on the third day. They wanted to believe what was acceptable to them. In fact they were trying to fit God into the box they had imagined.

Jesus rebuked them on their unbelief. Verse 25- “how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” Jesus reproaches them for being foolish enough to doubt the Word of God. He is displeased with their hardened heart that does not allow them to believe what is promised in the Bible. Jesus considers unbelief high on His list of sins. Jesus was not satisfied with just admonishing the disciples. He followed it by giving them the best Bible study class ever. For faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of God.

Let us remember Jesus’ words to turn and become like children who will believe without reserve. Even when you do not ‘feel’ that you believe, be determined to believe everything that the Lord has promised in His word. Let your heart’s cry be, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.” He will surely rescue you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers and under His wings you will find refuge. You will trample the great lion and the serpant. You will call upon the Lord in the day of your trouble and He will deliver you and honor you.

The Emmaus Road - Part one

On the day of the Resurrection, two disciples of Jesus were on their way to Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. One of them is Cleopas and though the other is unnamed, many biblical scholars believe it could have been Luke himself. We are told that the two disciples were discussing the events surrounding Jesus death. It is also apparent that they were greatly disappointed in the turn of events for they had hoped that Jesus was the promised Messiah send to redeem the people of Israel.

Lk 24.14-15 says, “they (the disciples) were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed Jesus himself came up and walked along with them”. We see the disciples were talking and discussing Jesus among themselves. Every time two or more believers meet, their interests and conversation focuses around Jesus and His Kingdom. When that happens, there is the tangible presence of God in their midst.

However, we are told in Lk 24.16, “but they were kept from recognizing Him”. Many a times when the going gets rough, despite all our prayers and supplications we fail to recognize His sweet presence among our midst. Occasionally this is because he is taking us through a training period where He teaches (sometimes repeatedly) us to put our trust not on our feelings or emotions but rather on His immutable Word.

The walk through the road to Emmaus, represents our walk through life’s disappointments and despair. Nevertheless, the good news is that, if our focus is on Jesus, He will come alongside of us and neither leave us nor forsake us. For Jesus has promised in Matthew 18.20 “…where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” That is a definite promise.

So if today you are passing through the valley of darkness, fear not. Be of good cheer. For our God is not man that He should lie. He has given us His word that He is for you and not against you. His very thoughts are about you. God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear. Though every circumstances and situations look bleak we know that God will help us and deliver us from all evil.

So fear not. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in Jesus.

Not to Scold, but to ...

But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. Luke 2:10 (NLT)

Some people are so afraid of God they get nervous just talking about him. You know why? They feel guilty, and then they start thinking, “If I get close to God, he’s going to lecture me. He’s going to remind me of all the things I’ve done wrong, and then I’ll feel even worse!”

Nothing could be further from the Truth. Jesus said, “I did not come into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” In effect, Jesus is saying, “I didn’t come to scold you, I came to save you.”

Jesus came to save us, not to scare us. That’s why when the angel was telling the shepherds about the birth of Jesus, the first thing he says is: “Don’t be afraid!”

In fact, God's messages to people are often prefaced with the words : “Don’t be afraid.” There are 365 messages from God in the Bible that begin with the phrase, “Fear not!” Which means that for every single day of the year you have God's word that says , “You don’t need to be afraid. I am for you; I am with you; I love you.”

Any better reason to celebrate the birth of Christ within us?

Minister to Whom?

“I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to minister to Me.” Exodus 29:44

To Minister to Me (the Lord)– Wow! Aaron and his sons are not ministering to the people. They are consecrated to the Lord and ministering to Him. Their entire focus is centered around worshipping God.

Given our current view of ministry, this does seem a bit strange. Can you imagine going to church and watching the pastor worshipping God? What do you think church would be like if the role of the “clergy” were only to serve the Lord, not to provide the sermon, chair the committees, run the staff or develop the programs?

In Hebrew, the word translated “to minister” is kahan. The word kohen means “priest.” Therefore, the translation should really be, “to act and serve as priests to Me.”

The concept of ministry, so popular in our view of church, really doesn’t fit here. After all, God doesn’t need counseling, sermons, praise and worship teams, or Sunday school curriculums. If Aaron and his sons were consecrated by God to act and serve as priests to Him, what does that really mean? Most importantly, why does God need priests anyway?

In the past we thought of priests as intermediaries between us and God. Now we believe that each one of us acts as a priest and we discover from Exodus that this concept really isn’t new. It was established the day that God chose Israel to be a kingdom of priests. The priestly role that all of God’s children play is directed toward those outside the Kingdom. We act as intermediaries for those who have not yet been grafted into Israel. We are God’s hands and feet to the lost.

Okay, but what about the the role that Aaron and his sons play. After all, Israel is not lost. Israel doesn’t need to be grafted in. Israel is already elected. So, why does God establish the Levitical order?

David tells us what they do (see 1 Chronicles 15:2). Moses tells us when they do it (Exodus 32:26). And God tells us why (Deuteronomy 10:8). (Read Numbers 1:50-51 and Numbers 3:6-10 for more details).

God establishes His priests before Him because they were passionate about who He is. They are God’s official praise team. They bless God. In the process, they are living examples of active obedience and submitted worship.

So does God need priests who run the local church? Hummm! I’m not so sure that’s what He had in mind. I wonder if there really is any other kind …… Just thinking.

Christmas: Celebration!

“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10 (NIV)

The great joy spoken of is based on three things: (1) God loves us; (2) God is with us; (3) God is for us. Can you hear the celebration in that?!

Fruit That Ripens Slowly

In John 12:24, Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (NIV).

Check our these steps for spiritual growth:
Water yourself with God’s Word: I know you’re already doing this, but it helps you remember He is at work when you read the promises of God, again and again. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV).

Cooperate with God as he prunes: Pruning hurts but that's when God is at work in your life. Remember “he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more” (John 15:2 NLT).

Spiritual growth is often like the growth we see in nature – the best fruit ripens slowly.

The Lamb of God

Interestingly when God instituted Passover (Exodus 12), He told the Israelites to take a lamb. In the next verse He tells them to take the lamb. Then finally in verse five, He tells them to take your lamb. You can see a progression in this scripture passage of how a person comes to see Jesus:


First, Jesus is a lamb.

Secondly He is the lamb.

Then finally He is your lamb.


Coming to Christ first begins with our recognizing that Jesus is some kind of religious figure . We're not really sure of His significance. We may have a general respect for Him, but it's from a distance. He simply is a lamb.


Then there comes a moment in our lives when we recognize that He's more than a prophet, more than a teacher. He is actually the Son of God—deity in human form. He becomes the "Lamb of God," as John the Baptist said, "who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).


Later we go a step beyond, and He becomes our lamb. We receive Him as our Savior and as our Lord.


There are many people today who acknowledge that Jesus is God but they have not yet embraced Jesus as their Savior. It is not enough when we recognize Jesus died. It is only enough when we recognize that Jesus died for our sins, then we repent from our sins, and finally, we receive Him as Lord. Only then is Jesus your lamb.

More Than Crumbs

"God blesses everyone except me.” “Maybe I am more of a sinner than they are.” “They are the favoured ones. Who am I, just a nobody. Why should God consider me above others?" "Perhaps God is trying to teach me a lesson." Sounds familiar? Have you or someone you know murmured like this against God when things did not go the way you thought they ought to? If you have ever wondered at such seeming injustice then this is for you, my friend.

The scripture passage in Matthew 15:21-28 and its parallel in Mark 7. 24-30 tells us how we also can be part of the in-group that receives the Kingdom gifts.

The incident these two passages portrays is a Greek- Syrian Phoenician woman's indomitable faith in Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter.

Jesus leaves Gennesaret and enters the area near Tyre and Sidon, two gentile towns. He enters a house and remains there not wanting to publicise His whereabouts. He had recently fed over 5000 thousand miraculously and He knew people would follow Him where ever He went. Nevertheless, a gentile woman hears that He is in the vicinity and came to Him. Her persistent crying out disturbed the disciples and they asked Jesus to sent this woman away. What happened next is one of the two longest recorded conversations that Jesus had with a woman.

This Cannanite woman addressed Jesus as "Son 0f David", one of His Jewish Messianic title. Despite her confidence that this Jewish person could heal her daughter, she approached Jesus as an outsider. Jesus’ says, “I was sent to the lost sheep of Israel”. Now interestingly the woman kneels (a word in the Bible that denotes the act of worship) and cries out, “Lord (Master – a word that denoted relationship), help me”.

In a matter of seconds she identifies herself as part of the ‘lost sheep of Israel’. She does this by changing her attitude (from supplicant to a worshiper) and in her relationship to Jesus from ‘Son of David’ to ‘Master’. The Jews understood the ‘lost sheep of Israel’ to be the exiled Jews but Jesus ministered to the despised, broken in spirit, tax collectors, prostitutes, sinners, Samaritans, poor, handicapped, the Temple outcasts, lepers – sheep without a shepherd.

This time Jesus replied a lot more harshly. He said, "First let the children eat all they want, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” In effect He says she has to wait her turn till the children had their fill (of Kingdom blessings which includes healing) and adds insult to injury by calling her a dog. (This was in concurrence with the then Jewish rational.)

Hmm.. So is Jesus – God incarnate- racist? Is not God Love? How can Love speak so harshly? Surely the woman despite her urgent need may be excused when she takes offence in Jesus words.

Let us take a moment here to study the word offence. Offense is the act of provoking, annoying, irritating, or causing pain or injury. It is also the feeling of resentment, anger, or indignation of the reaction the offense produces, which can lead to breach in a relationship. In short offense is a hurt held onto.

Those who remain offended at Jesus remain in their sin and will be lost. This is why Jesus said "Blessed is the one who is not offended by me (Jesus in Matt. 11:6).

It is interesting to note Jesus’ response regarding the Pharisees who were offended at his words in Matthew 15:12-13 ‘Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?"
13He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.”

So according to Jesus, one recognizes who belongs to God and who does not, by their reaction to the Word. Obviously this woman though a gentile ‘dog’ was a plant planted by the heavenly Father. So instead of taking offence at Jesus’ reply she answered Him, “ Yes Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

Her answer was a classic example of faith that overcomes all obstacles. Her answer revealed her humility and her readiness to accept Jesus as her master. She was not offended by His words instead His words prompted her to scale greater heights of faith. The faith that says “though He slayeth me I will follow Him”. Jesus response is equally grand. This is one of the few instances Jesus lauds an individual’s great faith.

The gospel writer mentions the healing of the woman’s daughter as a mere after thought for the focus here is what this gentile woman needed to receive the blessing of the Kingdom of God in Jesus. In hindsight we can see that Jesus had a specific one woman mission for entering the gentile area. Soon after this incident the Bible tells us that He left and ‘went along the sea of Galilee’ and there He feeds the four thousand. This is so reminiscent of the ‘lost sheep’ parable of Jesus. We are not told why this woman of great faith could not go in search of Jesus to neighbouring towns but obviously she could not. So Jesus goes in search of this ‘lost sheep’. Like salvation that is freely available for anyone who asks, Jesus waits till the woman asks and receives her miracle and then moves on to resume his preaching ministry. (Revelations 3.20)

The Bible teaches us repeatedly that even in the OT times ‘when people lived under the supervision of the Law’, men and women were justified only by faith. The Law was ‘put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.’ The gentile woman in the incident above teaches us the same message of justification by faith.

Jesus died for the sins of ‘all men’, however, salvation is only for those who are willing to humble themselves before Jesus and receive it freely.

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,” and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message—(offended at the message) which is also what they were destined for. 1 Peter 2:7-8