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Redeemer Bible Church Blog

Reformation Day

Reformation Day
 

Reformation Day was this week on Tuesday, October 31st. This year is in fact the 506th celebration of Reformation Day! 506 years ago (1517 AD) in Germany, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the church door in Wittenberg and formally began the Protestant Reformation. Leading up to 1517 there were many men who labored to reform the church, but Luther is credited with bringing the snowball to the edge of the hill and pushing it down to gain speed and size. Luther was a Roman Catholic monk at the time, and through his own study and searching of scripture sought reform. He was convicted in his heart regarding the true Biblical teaching of justification. He was concerned with the pattern and teaching of the Roman Catholic church on the topic of justification and whether it aligned with scripture. In response, he took to pen and paper and wrote down his 95 grievances concerning how the Roman Catholic Church handled specific teachings and spoke of the growing corruption within the Church. He sought not only to reform the church, but to reclaim the Gospel and true Biblical teaching on justification. This reclaiming was to center the Gospel back on justification by faith alone (Romans 3:28).


It is by our faith in Jesus that we are justified – declared not guilty before God. It is not the good works that we do or keeping the tradition of the Church, but only by our faith in what Jesus has accomplished for us on the cross. This central point of justification by faith alone was the stone that rippled through the 16th century, and some 500 years later, we still see the effects of this stone. While justification by faith alone was the central issue for the Reformation, many will say the formal issue of the reformation related to biblical authority. Luther, and the reformers that followed him, held to the view that scripture alone was our final authority. The Pope placed himself in equal authority to scripture and positioned himself as having the authority to emphasize and dictate interpretations of scripture. Luther stood in opposition to this, claiming that scripture alone holds final authority.


Throughout the Reformation, the reclaiming of the Gospel and biblical authority struck the hearts of men and women through Europe, making its way to England. The establishment of the Puritan movement made its way over to America in the middle to late 17th century, and from that movement, this great country was founded. Not only can we trace the legacy and lineage of our faith from this great Reformation some 500 years ago, but also the freedoms we enjoy while living in America. We can gather each Sunday in worship, knowing that we have the true Gospel and that men and women for centuries risked their lives to fight for this reform in the Church. We have confidence in knowing that the Lord has worked throughout the ages to refine and build up His Church to preach and teach the biblical Gospel.


As an outpouring of the Reformation, many doctrines were solidified and brought to the masses. To help capture the heart of the Reformation, we look to five key doctrinal teachings that give us a summary of the theological gold that was mined. These are called the Five Solas of the Reformation. Sola is Latin for alone or by oneself. The Five Solas of the Reformation are the following:


1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone): Scripture alone is the sole source of divine revelation, the only inspired, infallible, final and authoritative norm of faith and practice.


2. Sola Fide (Faith Alone): We are justified by faith in Christ alone. Without faith it is impossible to please God. We are not saved by good works, we are saved by our faith in what Christ has accomplished for us.


3. Sola Gratia (by Grace Alone): Salvation comes by grace alone. Salvation is a gift of God by grace. This doctrine points to the fact that God saves us because of His mercy and goodness and not on the basis of anything we could do.


4. Solus Christus (In Christ Alone or Through Christ Alone): This emphasizes the role of Christ in salvation. It is through Christ’s penal substitutionary atonement on the cross that sinners are reconciled to a Holy God. His redemptive work on the cross is what brings the believer into right relationship with the Father


5. Soli Deo Gloria (For the Glory of God Alone): This brings it all together to show that salvation and God’s redemptive work is all for His Glory. It is not for the keeping of rules or our own interest, but we evangelize, we preach the Gospel and proclaim Christ as Lord for the sole reason that God deserves our praise and glory because of what He has done on our behalf. We should be doing all things to honor and give the Lord thanks.


My prayer this week is that we as believers in Jesus would look to the past and see how the Lord has worked and sustained the Church through uncertainty. The true Gospel will never be lost. One phrase that has stuck with me from reading and learning about the Reformation is Semper Reformanda (always reforming). We always need to look at the things we do in Church to make sure we are biblical and aligning ourselves to what the Lord has commanded for us to do. When we find ourselves outside of the Lord’s parameters, we must reform and reclaim God’s intention for worship and living. For further reading check out The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World,by Stephen J Nichols.


May we trust the Lord as He continues to build His Church,

Kelvy Donovan

Persecution: Normal and Expected

Persecution: Normal and Expected
 “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” – John 15:20
 

In a recent conversation with Pastor Vic regarding the church in persecution, he asked me to write the devotion knowing we would be hearing a message on this subject. After giving some thought, my mind was drawn to an article written by Nik Ripken, author of The Insanity of God. I was Nik and Ruth’s pastor in California during their overseas service in a closed country. Over a nearly ten-year period of travel around the world interviewing believers in persecution, the resulting stories made their way into that first volume. Having experienced Nik’s persecuted church workshop on several occasions, I decided to include exerts from that article.
 
When Nik began gathering these interviews and learned of widespread persecution on several continents, he was compelled to ask these pastors and lay leaders, “Why have you cheated us in the West? Why haven’t you written these stories down? Where are the books that chronicle your faith in persecution? These stories are worthy of a movie. These are Bible stories come to life! Why have you not shared these lessons learned?”
 
As the questions were asked, these men and women sat in stunned silence. Finally, one brother stood up, took the interviewer by the arm, and drew him to the end of the large room by the eastern window. Looking out he asked: “Sir, when your sons were growing up, how many mornings did you take them to the window and say, ‘Look, boys, the sun is coming up in the east this morning?’” The interviewer responded to the obvious silly question with “Well, I never once did that because the sun always comes up in the east!” Gently, the wise brother made his point: “Sir, that is why we talk little of our persecution and suffering. That is why we have not written our stories down. And that is why we have not made a movie. Our persecution is always with us. It simply comes as we walk with Jesus. It is like the sun coming up in the east.”
 
Normally, when we send a person or a group out on mission, we begin our prayer for their safety. Safety under daily circumstances, such as travel to/from the field and to be free from illness such as drinking contaminated water. However, we must understand that our mandate is to take the gospel to the ends of the earth and many times that will seem like the gates of hell. During my time at the International Mission Board, our department sent thousands of people to the mission field. I stood before them, especially the 20-something Journeymen and told them that I assured their parents that the IMB would keep them safe. I went on to say that was a lie. The fallen sinful world in which we live has inherent danger with some that we can guard against and some we cannot. But persecution is another story. Nik goes on to share three principles that we must clearly understand.
 
First, persecution is normal for those who follow Jesus. Scripture makes this point from beginning to end. It is, quite simply, like the sun coming up in the east. Persecution is neither good nor bad—it just is. Certainly, Christians are not to seek persecution. But, at the same time, Christians need not give in to it as a crippling fear with attempts to avoid at all costs.
 
Second, conversion is the primary cause of persecution. That may sound strange, but consider this simple truth: When people come to Jesus, persecution results. And the only way to stop persecution is to keep people from coming to Jesus. Conversion and suffering for the faith are simply two sides of the same coin. Many Christians in the West hold to a missiology of suffering that is, at the very least, biblically inconsistent. Believers in persecution ask for prayer that they be found faithful in the midst of persecution, that they be bold in their witness, and that God would use their suffering to bring others to himself. They do not ask for others to pray that their persecution end.
 
Third, even when missionaries do everything right, the result of a bold and culturally-astute witness will be the persecution, suffering, and martyrdom of others. That’s the result of “the mission enterprise.” Tertullian boldly proclaimed that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Church history has proven this time after time.
 

The Purposes of God? What do we do when Joseph is wrongly accused and thrown into Pharaoh’s prison? What about Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail? Practically speaking, what do we do when that happens today? We protest and contact governments and United Nations officials. We demand that the person be freed. We righteously claim that rights have been violated. We point out that no crime has been committed and we say that we will settle for nothing less than release. We threaten sanctions. And that’s all understandable.
 
But what if God has determined that he needs this person in jail for a season? Or, at the very least, what if God determines that he will use this time of imprisonment for some special purpose? What if we spring this person too soon—before it is understood that Joseph can interpret Pharaoh’s dream or that Paul’s jailer has heard the gospel? What if we rescue him, only to discover that we have been working against the purposes of God?
 
Of course, we dare not be careless here: no believer has the right to be silent when another believer is suffering! The Church in the West has no right to ignore the suffering of brothers and sisters around the globe. But even so, there is a God-given wisdom that will lead God’s people to understand that there are times to allow Christians to remain imprisoned for the sake of God and his kingdom. God can and will reveal exactly when those times come.
 
For eighty percent of the Christian family in our world today, persecution remains as common as the sun coming up in the east. Surely, persecution is never to be sought nor fearfully avoided. But when it comes, each follower of Christ is invited to embrace it, to see it as normal and expected, and to pray that God might somehow use it for his purposes and ultimate glory.
 
If you have not read The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken, I would encourage you to do so. We have copies in our church library.

We trust the Lord as we continue to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world,
Glenn Prescott

Israel, A Chosen People

Israel, a Chosen People

“I ask, then, has God rejected His people? By no means! … God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.”
Romans 11:1-2

               
In light of all that has recently happened in Israel, it’s important for me to write to you a reminder of the place of Israel in the purposes of God. It’s very important to remember that the conflict now erupting into full view of the world is as ancient a conflict as exists in the world. The struggle between Israel and the native people of Palestine, goes all the way back to biblical times of Israel struggling in armed battle with the Philistines. The struggle way back then was between basically the same two groups of people over the same piece of land.
             
The question that should arise in all our minds is, “How can the Jewish people still exist as the same Jewish people so many thousands of years later?” The Philistines, the Babylonians, the Assyrians, the Greeks, the Romans, etc. are all ancient history now. The people groups exist by hereditary line, but the cultures, customs, and religions have long since faded away. But not so with the Jews. They still exist as they basically did thousands and thousands of years ago, on the same land, and as a nation. There is much that could be said concerning the history of Zionism and the founding of modern Israel, but the basis of this modern and enduring existence is Romans 11. In Romans 11 Paul spends an entire chapter explaining how the “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). By walking through this chapter, we get a basic understanding of how, even in the post-resurrection church age, the people of Israel are still a chosen people. They will endure, by promise, until Jesus comes again. There is plenty of mystery here, but there is a basic reality that God will never allow this chosen people to be destroyed. He has purposes yet to save many of them for His glory. Let’s briefly walk through this chapter.

  • (v. 1-2) Paul makes clear that in adding/opening the salvation of God to gentile nations, He has not rejected His people, Israel.
  • (v. 3-6) Reference is made to the days of Elijah, when Elijah felt utterly alone – thinking he was the last godly person alive! This was false. God reminded Elijah, and Paul is reminding the reader here, that though most Jews had rejected Jesus as the Messiah, there was a “remnant” of Jews that did believe. Those Jews who were being saved, were not being saved by the law but by grace through Jesus as Savior. These Jews were being saved by grace in the same manner as Gentiles.
  • (v. 7-10) Those whose obtained salvation were of the elect, those chosen of God. This points to the reality that those who were saved from the Jewish nation were not those of standing, or those of highest education, or hardest working, or from the right family – the salvation of God is always unconditional. We bring nothing to God that can commend ourselves to Him. We bring our sins, and He is willing to forgive by grace – Jew or gentile.
  • (v. 11-16) Paul speaks to the trespass of the Jews (the crucifixion of Jesus, the Son of God) as opening salvation to the gentile world. But he does not give up hope for the salvation of more Jews. In a way similar to the past rebellion of the Jewish nation, the Lord never gives up seeking after this special people He has put His favor and promises upon. Paul indicates that the salvation of Gentiles through Jesus will cause some of the Jews to look again at the claims and promises of Jesus. But the salvation coming to Gentiles is not a new salvation. The covenant promises made to the Jews are the “root” of our salvation. This “root” grows up and is fulfilled and completed in the life and ministry of Jesus. What was symbol, becomes reality. What was hoped for is fulfilled. There is continuity between the covenant promises made to the Jews and the salvation extended to Gentile people in Christ.
  • (v. 17-24) This section speaks to our attitude toward the Jewish nation. Not all of the Jewish nation will be saved by grace, but still they are a favored and chosen people. Paul uses the language of “branches broken off” as the unbelieving Jews removed from the Kingdom of God, making room on the trunk for Gentiles to be added into the salvation of God. However, those who have been added in must not be arrogant, but thankful. We must not be spiteful toward the Jews, but thankful that we have been included in the promises and choosing that were at first exclusive. The later portion of this section speaks with hope of unbelieving Jews being brought again into the salvation of God. These later believing Jews are spoken of as “natural branches” grafted back into the salvation of God.
  • (v. 25-32) There has been a “partial hardening” of Israel while many Gentiles are brought to salvation. The indication is that when the full number of Gentiles chosen of God for salvation has come, there will be a fresh wave of Jews brought to salvation – and then the end of all things will come. We should consider Jews “beloved for the sake of their forefathers” (v28b). We remain hopeful, like the Apostle Paul, that unbelieving Jews will one day recognize Jesus as the Messiah. We pray that one day this chosen and favored people will look up from the law, culture, and rituals to see Jesus for who He is – and believe!
  • (v. 33-36) This closing doxology recognizes the mystery of what is at work, but praises God for His salvation!

             
The conclusion of these things is that the conflict in the middle east is not between two morally equivalent people groups warring for land and resources. This struggle has much larger spiritual realities at work. There is spiritual warfare at hand in this conflict. Hamas – as agents of militant Islam – have attacked Israel. These two groups are locked in an irreconcilable struggle with spiritual dimensions. As Christians we must side with Israel. We must recognize God’s preserving graces over the Jewish people. Though we pray for the salvation of Jew and Muslim alike, we must never side against the chosen people of the Lord.
 
Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God,
Pastor Vic

Renewing Your Mind with RC Sproul

Renewing Your Mind with R.C. Sproul

“Have no fear of them nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”
1 Peter 3:15-16

 
It’s very important that we are able to explain why we believe in Jesus as our Savior and Lord. It’s especially important that we are able to explain why Christian belief is distinct from other major world religions. Islam is one of the major religions of the world and is growing rapidly in certain parts of the world. I have included a link below to the “Renewing Your Mind” podcast. In this episode James Anderson gives an excellent presentation comparing and contrasting Christianity and Islam. I know you will find it educational and helpful in sharing Christ with those influenced by Islam. 
 
Podcast: Christianity and Islam
 
If you enjoyed this episode, please continue on with the rest of the week as Anderson covers other important issues in apologetics – making a defense for Christian faith and practice. 
 
Soli Deo Gloria,
Pastor Vic

Creation Ex Nihilo

Creation Ex Nihilo
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1
 
“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”
Hebrews 11:3 
             

In my sermon to you this past week I spoke about the necessity of believing in the biblical account of creation. I want to continue to press your faith and thinking in this area. I urge you to reconsider and reject the accepted thinking of western European culture that the origin of the world is evolutionary random time and chance. I will first explore some basic arguments related to intelligent / Divine design of the world, then connect these thoughts to some of the implications that you personally are not a product of random time and chance.
             
First, the biblical account of creation aligns with the scientific reality that matter is not eternal. All that exists had a beginning somewhere in the distant past. But science can give no reasonable explanation for how the world and everything in it went from not existing to existing. The Bible does. This is called creation ex nihilo, or creation from nothing. What is seen was not made out of things that are visible. God as Creator is the beginning explanation of the world. It’s not sufficient for secular science to put forth an explanation of the world that has no plausible beginning. This is not a step you can skip.
             
Second, in the progression of matter from non-living to living, there is again no reasonable or plausible explanation given within an evolutionary framework. The move from non-living to living is not a simple step-by-step progression. The simplest form of life is the single cell. It’s called “simple” because it is the smallest and most irreducibly complex, but it is not simple. Life progresses from the single cell to radically more complex forms of life, but the single cell has a threshold of life. The single cell can no more exist with half of its parts than you could exist with half of your organs. The single cell’s processes function as a system, similar to your body’s processes functioning as a system. Many years ago, when science was ignorant of the complex life processes of a cell, the smallness of a cell could pass for simplicity. In our day, such thinking is willful ignorance. There is again no reasonable explanation for how the life processes of a single cell could partially form, and the idea such processes would just “appear” by chance would be a leap of faith far more unfounded than believing in God. The Bible tells us that these processes were designed by God and put into motion by His living power. One Living Being creating another living being.
             
Third, even if you believe counter to reason that matter is eternal and that it is possible for all life processes of a single cell to click into place out of inorganic matter, you are left with the still enduring problem of humanity as a product of evolution. Early evolutionists were at least honest about where this struggle leaves us as human beings – facing the twin animalistic realities of survival of the fittest and natural selection. In evolutionary thinking human beings have risen up from the apes through an agonizingly long process of the weak and “unfit” dying off, while the smartest and strongest thrive and reproduce. This process has supposedly brought us to the high form of human development in which we now exist.

However, this animalistic view of humanity is impossible to square with the enduring human conscience and resident sense of natural moral law. The majority of human beings from every developed culture – those furthest from animalistic tendencies – know that it is morally right and good to live counter to natural selection and survival of the fittest. We have hospitals because we know in our hearts we should not just leave behind the sick to die. We have nursing homes because we know we should not just eliminate the elderly and infirm as a form of natural selection. We have rejected eugenics as a culture because we know in our souls it is immoral to breed human beings for better characteristics like we do cows and horses. Human beings relate to each other with a sense of morality and ethics in a way that animals do not. We have a sense of justice imbedded in our hearts that is not present in animals. Evolution has no explanation for our beginning, the origin of life, or the resident reality of moral ethics in the human heart.

Fourth, without question scientific laws indicate that the world is moving from order to disorder. The world is not getting better, it’s getting worse. Animal species are not forming but are going extinct. Ecosystems are not getting healthier; they are slowly decaying. In our day there is a strong sense of this decay, to the point that many fear an impending end of the world through ecological decline. However, this reality is exactly counter to the idea of evolution – that things are getting better and better. You can’t have it both ways. If we are in decline, at what point did the world shift from evolving to devolving? Why would this shift have occurred? The Bible explains these realities and gives an account of a designed world that began in goodness and moral innocence but has been in decline ever since the rebellion of humanity. The biblical account aligns with what we experience every day.

Next, are basic realities of the world we experience everyday that defy the idea that all around us, including ourselves, is a product of incremental, unguided, time and chance processes. The world is filled with animals that are “irreducibly complex.” This line of thinking is the same as the impossible leap from non-living to living. An irreducibly complex animal is one that cannot possibly have reached its current state through progressive development. It either exists as it does, or it would die. There is no possible, convenient, transitional form that would have gradually shifted from one state to the next. One of my favorite examples is the woodpecker. I’ll let you look this one up yourself, but the short of it is that without the completely unique tongue, brain, and eye structure it possesses it would die of starvation or brain damage. All three parts of this astonishingly intricate system must be in place for the woodpecker to eat and not kill itself beating its head against a tree. We hear these birds all the time in the woods around us, and their existence defies all evolutionary odds. There are countless other examples.

The artistry of the world must also be mentioned. I have spoken to the engineering and moral complexities of the world, but the world around us does not only “work” – it’s beautiful! God is the original engineer and artist. The artistry around us defies all explanations of the world rising up from random processes, and especially an explosion (bang). Nothing random displays the symmetry and artistry displayed everywhere in nature. Nothing beautiful ever comes from an explosion. Even after thousands of years of humanity carefully logging and studying the biology of the world, we are still discovering new flowers, birds, insects, and fish. We are surrounded in the world by expansive living beauty. It’s a beauty that we can steward and cultivate, but not a beauty we can replicate.

Lastly, I would like to speak to your place in this world and how vital it is to see yourself as created with purpose by God, rather than coming into this world by chance. The more you accept evolutionary thinking, the more you will enter moral and identity crisis. Evolutionary thinking sets you at odds with your own soul. We are all born with a moral sense and a sense that our lives have purpose, but evolutionary thinking tells you that you’re just an animal and morality is a social construct with no actual reality. Evolutionary thinking tells you it is by mere chance you were born as you are, but through medical technology and “advanced” cultural sensitivities, you can change who you are and become who you may want to be. You can evolve yourself to create your own reality. This sounds good, but just like standard evolutionary theory, it grates against reality in trying to press the God of the Bible out of your life.

The Bible teaches us that God not only created the world but caused you personally to come into existence. The Lord God is the author of life. By His purposes He has fixed certain aspects of your life that He providentially intended to be a part of your life and identity. These are not random accidents, but by divine providence. There are at least four things about each of our personal identities that spring directly from God as our Creator. God has caused you to:

  • Be born as the gender you were born. God intended for you to be a man or a woman by His choice, not your choice.
  • Be born with certain physical characteristics. Some tall, some short, some bald, some hairy, some light, some dark, etc. We do not choose our physical characteristics.
  • Be born to the parents you were born to. God placed you in your family.
  • Be born in the country and time you were born in.

The purpose of pointing out these things while discussing creation, is to firmly ground the idea that God has purpose for your life. You are not a random accident. Your personal meaning will not be created by your own doing, it will be found by coming into relationship with your Creator through Jesus Christ.
             
We all struggle with aspects of ourselves that we cannot change. Every person has things about their appearance they don’t like. The direction of our lives is often not clear. Sometimes we are at odds with our parents, and sometimes we grieve over the time and place we were born in the world. But there is purpose and direction through Jesus Christ. God has designed tremendous diversity into the world, and we ourselves are part of that diversity. Each of us as individuals, but with specific abilities and strengths. We will come to appreciate these differences and be at peace with who we are not by rebelling against God, but by drawing near to Him through Jesus Christ. In Christ we can rest and enjoy the fullness of creation around us, stewarding the world, and living in harmony with God’s will.
 
May we often consider the reality of God as Creator and give Him glory,
Pastor Vic

Guatemala Mission Trip

Guatemala Mission Trip – September 2023

“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’  How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?  And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching.  And how are they to preach unless they are sent?  As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” – Romans 10:13-15
             

My daughters and I just came back last week from a mission trip to Guatemala with our brothers and sisters from Redeemer Stafford.  Our brother Justin Woodruff led this trip of twelve folks and the group consisted of members from Redeemer Spotsy, Redeemer Stafford, as well as a brother in Christ from Charleston, South Carolina.  We spent a week in and around the city of Chiquimula, Guatemala where we had the incredible opportunity to work with a missionary and his wonderful team.  Daniel and his family have lived in Chiquimula as missionaries with Eyes Wide Open Ministries for approximately 15 years.  It was apparent soon after our team got to the mission center that the Lord has been working mightily through Daniel and his team.  The Lord has provided Daniel with the ability to build a network of local pastors who preach the good news of Jesus Christ in the surrounding towns and villages in the lowlands and the mountains around Chiquimula.
             
We spent four days driving to four different villages within an hour to three hour drive over a mixture of paved and narrow, rocky mountain roads to meet with pastors of local churches with whom Daniel has built lasting relationships over several years.  Upon meeting with these pastors, we split our team into several groups in order to visit the homes of both believers and non-believers within these towns alongside members of these local churches.  Whenever we visited these homes, we always took a package of an assortment of food to try to meet some of the essential needs of the people and their families.  However, the food was the least that we could share with them.  More importantly, we had the humble honor of encouraging other brothers and sisters in Christ with the sharing of verses in Scripture and with prayers to the Lord concerning the very real hardships that many of them faced on a day to day basis.  We also were able to thankfully share the gospel of Jesus Christ with those who never knew our Lord.  In several of these instances, the Lord worked the miracle of salvation in the hearts of individuals, both young and old, by the power of his Spirit.  It was an absolute time of celebration and joy each and every time we saw the Lord work in this gracious manner!
             
We also had the opportunity to visit the local hospital in Chiquimula where we were able to hand out clothing, toiletries, and pillows to men, women, and children who were being treated there.  As we spoke with and prayed over these folks, of whom many were in bad condition, we had the privilege of seeing the Lord call several individuals to repentance and salvation right there in their hospital beds.  Once again, it was an incredible time of joy for God’s goodness!  And finally, the men of the mission team were able to meet with a group of police officers who Daniel and his team meet with regularly to conduct Bible studies together.  We were able to give our testimonies and share about the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ from Colossians 1 with the group, many of whom were yet to be followers of Christ, before we prayed over them for the Lord’s hand of protection and blessing.
             
For me, what was so unique about this mission trip from the others that I have been on in the past is that the spreading of the gospel was at the forefront of the entire effort.  The gospel was preached in local homes.  The gospel was preached in the local church on two occasions.  On one of these occasions, our very own brother Justin was asked to lead the baby dedication of two local families.  The gospel was preached by the bedside of patients in the hospital.  And the gospel was preached in Daniel’s youth ministry, the local elementary school, and the local police Bible study.  In all of it, the saving grace of Christ was proclaimed and the Lord, in turn, manifested his loving grace by calling several to be his children.  This trip was a reassurance of the critical importance of Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:19-20 to “make disciples of all nations.”  I hope that we all may be able to go together as brothers and sisters in the near future to spread the good news of the gospel, for Jesus abundantly revealed that “all authority in heaven and earth has been given to [him].” (Matthew 28:18)  May we serve and follow our good Lord fervently!
 
 
May the Lord Bless and Keep You,
Paul Sok

Doing Good

Doing Good
“Brothers, pray for us.”
1 Thessalonians 5:25

             
It’s right that we pray for each other’s needs. It’s right that we ask God to intervene for good in each other’s lives. This is part of how we care for each other. Maria and I thank you for your many prayers for Myla over the past weekend. It was a roller coaster ride of two hospital visits, family helping, flights, and another brain surgery, but our Myla is home now and recovering well. An answer to our prayers! We praise the Lord for His mercy and for the loving kindness of the church, family, and friends.
             
No one wants to go to a children’s specialty hospital, because it means something bad is wrong with your child. This is now the second time we have spent days at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. We are always impressed with the level of medical care our child receives there, but we are also very impressed with the level of kindness, consideration, empathy, initiative, and hope that we find there. Each person – from the parking attendant to the neurosurgeon – clearly want to be there and is actively looking to serve and bless the patients of the hospital. It’s unmistakable and leaves an impression. For a place that marks so much tragedy of child disease and brokenness, the staff of this place does whatever they can to help – and they do help!
             
This very much set me to thinking about our lives everyday in the world, and our church in the community. Every week we encounter people that live broken lives, and every week people come through the doors of Redeemer that are struggling, weighed down with all manner of difficulty and brokenness. How do you interact with people every day? How do you interact with people at the church, especially people you don’t know? Are you intentionally working to carry out the rule of Christ to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12). Are you actively living with kindness, courtesy, and thoughtfulness for Jesus’ sake? In this harsh and angry world, if you choose to live with intentional kindness and courtesy, you will stand out!
             
I challenge you to consider some of these basic Christian ways of living and prayerfully strive to live them out this week in public, in the home, at work, and at church:

  • When you come to a narrow place, don’t press to be first. In deference, let the other person go first – and do it with a smile!
  • When you have the chance to open a door, or hold the door, for another person do it – with a smile.
  • Speak kindly to the people you encounter. Seldom is a harsh word truly necessary. Be one that deescalates tense situations.
  • Greet people you pass with a sincere “Good morning!,” “Good evening!,” etc. …
  • Drive with patience, not aggression – especially if you have a church sticker on your car!
  • Truly listen when people are speaking to you. It’s better to have a few meaningful conversations, than more meaningless brief encounters.
  • Show care and concern for the struggles of those you directly encounter. You don’t have to have the right words if your heart truly cares.
  • Do small acts of kindness to show you care – meals, gift cards, phone calls, notes, etc. They all matter.
  • Treat food service and retail workers with respect and kindness. Too often our impatience causes us to be harsh with people in these lines of work.
  • In public spaces, show kindness and respect by picking up after yourself. If you make a big mess and leave it for others to clean up, that’s the opposite of kindness and respect.
  • Give people the benefit of the doubt. Don’t start off assuming the worst about a person. Be filled with hope.

In a basic way, these things all flow from basic Christian character. They are basic outworking’s of the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self- control (Galatians 5). The world walks in some of these ways by the common grace of God, but Christians should LEAD in these ways by example. Common daily courtesy is surely a foundation for greater godliness. If we cannot walk in these ways, greater godliness will not come.
             
May we lay a strong foundation of care and love. May Redeemer be known by all who enter that we are a people who overflow with these things, because we are full of the graces of the Holy Spirit of God.
 
Praise the Lord for hearing our prayers,
Pastor Vic

Waiting on the Lord

Waiting on the Lord

“Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream …Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh.” Genesis 40:23-41:1, 14

 
“But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.” Acts 24:27

 
The Lord does not work on our timetable. All of us have had periods in our lives where we wished the Lord would move faster to meet needs, resolve difficulties, or change hard circumstances. However, it is the way of the Lord to move slowly and cause us to wait on Him. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him …” Psalm 37:7. It’s very important to note the passage of time in Bible narrative stories. I’ve cited two of my favorite examples above. The first  comes from falsely imprisoned Joseph. Though he has done nothing wrong, and has continued always to live in righteousness, he wastes away for two years in an Egyptian dungeon. Try to think about what you were doing two years ago. Now think about spending that entire time in a primitive dungeon, all the while holding fast to your godliness and hope in the Lord! This is Joseph. He has no real hope that he will ever escape this situation that came upon him for keeping his integrity. However, with zero notice he is summoned, shaves his dirty prison face, puts on fresh clothes, and is suddenly in front of the most powerful person on earth to represent the Lord God. Wait, wait, wait, GO!! But in his authentic godliness, Joseph is ready to speak wise truth and give glory to God no matter where he is – in a dungeon or before the Pharaoh.

We see this same pattern in the life of David. In 1 Samuel 16 David is anointed by Samuel as the next king of Israel. David is but a youth (1 Sam 17:33) somewhere in his mid-teens. David goes on to the glorious defeat of Goliath and then to become King Saul’s son-in-law, but quickly Saul’s jealousy grows until David is driven into the wilderness to live the life of a vagabond refugee. For approximately ten years David is fleeing for his life, living in caves and fields, poorly supplied and always in fear of his life. The situation eventually becomes so hostile he is forced to act like a crazy person and go live with the enemies of Israel to preserve his life. It’s a low point, where even those long loyal to him consider stoning David out of grief and frustration (1 Samuel 30:6). He is so very far away from the joyful day fifteen years ago where the now deceased Samuel, said he would one day be king of Israel. But according to the promise of the Lord, the winds of history changed, and David was soon taken from ashes to glory and crowned king after Saul’s death.

This same pattern was true in the Apostle Paul’s life. In the prime of his apostolic church planting mission – just at the time you would expect for the Lord to give Paul the widest audience through preaching and teaching – he was instead jailed for more than two years. Paul is left in a Roman prison for years as a political favor to powerfully connected Jews on the outside. The Lord’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts and purposes are higher than our thoughts. His purposes are greater than our purposes (Isaiah 55:8-9). Paul is powerfully used of the Lord to plant and build the early church, but in the end, Paul fades away that Jesus may get all the glory. It is Jesus who will build His church, not Paul.

In the end, the story is not about us. We are players in the tapestry of God’s history. A tapestry is a huge weaving that hangs on a wall and tells a story. The tapestry is made up of countless individual threads. Each thread bringing its own color and texture. Each thread placed in the tapestry where the weaver chooses to create a part of the grand overall picture. Sometimes the thread is visible, and sometimes it is hidden. Each thread overlaps with others. Each beginning and ending at different times. Our lives have many parallels to the threads of a tapestry.

God is working to glorify Himself in the world. He is working out one sovereign plan of salvation from creation to judgment. God has His good purposes, and those purposes will require us to wait on the Lord. I have had to wait on the Lord for many years and so will you. I encourage you to wait like the godly examples of old. Wait in faith and hope in the promises of the Lord. Know that the Lord has a beautiful purpose for your life. Wait in daily faithfulness that you may be prepared at a moment’s notice to step into what the Lord has for you.
 
The Lord is good, His mercies endure forever,
Pastor Vic

Bounds of Christian Liberty

Bounds of Christian Liberty

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Galatians 5:13-14

               
A few weeks ago I wrote to you concerning the significant problem of drunkenness and drug abuse in our day. This week I need to write to you about the bounds of Christian freedom. Does the reality of drunkenness and alcoholism mean that Christians should never drink alcohol? Should Christians refuse pain medication because abuse of such pain medication exists? Should Christians always forbid smoking because of cigarette addiction? These are important questions that need to be settled in the hearts of adult Christians so they can live their lives in accord with God’s command and in a state of Christian liberty.
             
There are two common responses in the Christian church. The first response is to ignore the issue. It’s assumed that drunkenness and addiction are sinful, and ministers naively act like the people in their church never consume alcohol. Most people do consume some alcohol. Ignoring the issue prevents Christian hospitality through people choosing to not host others in their home to prevent them from knowing they have wine on the rack or beer in the refrigerator. Rather than carefully addressing the issue, it is ignored.

Second, in many churches all forms of alcohol and smoking are forbidden as sinful. This second category is typical of Southern Baptist life. This category breaks down into two subcategories. The first is to say the church holds the conviction that no one should drink or smoke because it can appear sinful, cause the weak to stumble, and is a line drawn by the church. I respect this position because those who espouse it are clear that it is a position of the leadership of the church, not the position of God. The second category claims that it is God’s command that all people abstain from all alcohol and all smoking.

I disagree with this position because it is indefensible from scripture. We must never elevate our convictions to become God’s command. As was reviewed in the past, Scripture clearly and constantly condemns drunkenness, but it does not condemn alcohol in general. There are countless examples of Old Testament saints drinking some form of alcohol, most commonly wine. In the New Testament the first miracle of Jesus is the miraculous production of terrific wine for the continuation of a wedding feast (John 2). Wine was used at Passover and consumed by Jesus himself. Wine Is used by Jesus to symbolize His shed blood (1 Corinthians 11:25) at the last supper with His disciples. The parables of Jesus and the book of Revelation speak to feasting in heaven with Jesus, and feasting occasions in the Old and New Testament regularly include wine as a part of the occasion – not for drunkenness, but as a part of the feasting celebration and joy.

Churches forbid any consumption of alcohol for three basic reasons. First, by making strange arguments that somehow the wine of the Old and New Testaments did not actually contain alcohol – it was grape juice “called” wine. This is inconsistent with all the commands against drunkenness and the accusation of unbelievers in Acts 2:13 that the early church Christians were drunk “with new wine” instead of filled with the Holy Spirit. If wine does not contain alcohol, then how are people getting drunk? The Bible gives us a plain record of events that can be understood by those who read it. When it speaks of wine, it means wine. This word has meant the same thing since the dawn of humanity.

Second, that Paul’s commendation to not act in a way that causes the weak to stumble (1 Corinthians 8:7-13) should be universalized into a command that no one should ever consume alcohol. Paul is writing for Christians to be sensitive to the weak conscience of new believers. We should give deference to weak Christians in many matters and keep focus on the main issues of the gospel. We should not be arguing about food or drink when they are still struggling with the nature of Jesus and the forgiveness of sins. Paul could easily have condemned all alcohol consumption here, but he does not. He says it should depend on your context and audience.

Third, churches often forbid all alcohol consumption based on traumatic personal situations. People that fall into alcoholism cause much pain to those around them. Sin destroys. I’m most sympathetic to this position, but it does not give us permission to make scripture say something it does not say.

I believe this particular issue is of great importance due to the universal place of wine and beer at social gatherings. Every Christian will face the question over and over in their life, “Would you like a beer? Can I get you a glass of wine?” How we answer this question matters. If we say, in one way or another, that we cannot because it is forbidden by God, we have just said something that will dramatically undermine a person’s faith in the trustworthy nature of scripture. Any thoughtful person would ask you, “Where does the Bible forbid drinking alcohol?” You will not be able to show them, because it’s not there. Turning convictions into commands undermines the authority of the Bible. If you tell people, “Because the Bible says so…” when it doesn’t say so, you undermine biblical authority. If you choose to hold a no alcohol personal conviction, everyone can respect that, but don’t elevate your conviction to God’s will.

What the Bible does teach is Christian freedom. In Christ we are given a wide latitude of freedom to act as we choose in life. But this freedom is not meant to give opportunity to sin, but opportunity to serve one another in love. Let’s look at some basic important principles of Christian liberty.

First, as stated in 1 Corinthians 8:7-13 our behavior should not cause the weak in faith to stumble. This begins by being aware of your surroundings. This is most applicable at home with children. Our children begin weak in faith and our actions must always strengthen their faith in Jesus, never being a display of hypocrisy. If you become aware that some allowable action of freedom is causing a weak believer to stumble in sin, you should stop that action for the purpose of strengthening their faith.

Second, moderation in all aspects of freedom. Many things that fall into the area of Christian freedom can become sin apart from moderation. This is easily understood with food. We are allowed to consume foods of all types under the new covenant (Acts 10), but if we gorge ourselves leading to obesity, this is gluttonous and sinful. If we starve ourselves, this self-harm is also sinful. The self-control of the Holy Spirit helps us live moderated lives of a generally healthy diet. With alcohol, we must not ever cross the line of drunkenness, but exactly what this means will relate to each person specifically.

Third, we should give deference to other people and institutions in our lives. We choose to give up personal freedoms because of our love for them or because we are under their authority. Here are a few examples. If your spouse would rather you not drink or smoke at all, in deference of love to them, you should give up that freedom. Out of deference to parents, to honor them, we should be willing to give up freedoms. Youths must be subject to their parents’ convictions and the laws of the land concerning controlled substances. If you pledge for some reason that you will abstain from alcohol, you must keep your word and do so. We should pray for wisdom in all things.

In summary, my purpose in writing these two articles is to:

  • Keep us away from all drunkenness, which is sin
  • Help us to not confuse personal conviction with divine command
  • Help us to walk in joyful, Spirit-filled freedom, not in man-made, legalistic law-keeping

 
As you have questions, please do come by after service and ask.
 
May the Lord direct our steps as we live with the self-control of the Holy Spirit,
Pastor Vic

A Sober Life

A Sober Life

 “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” 1 Peter 4:1-5 
             

Getting drunk is nothing new. I write to you on this subject as reports and signs mount around us that America is increasingly drug addicted. Recent reports on alcoholism in America show that since the pandemic female alcoholism has risen sharply to match the already high rate of alcoholism in men. The mind-altering effects of psychedelic drugs and mushrooms have not only become common but are now recommended and openly spoken about among Silicon Valley business leaders to promote ‘mental creativity.’ Cocaine continues its prominence in the work hustle culture that presses people beyond human bounds of productivity. Drugs of every kind are more available, altered to be more powerful, and more accepted than ever before. Legal cannabis that is lab altered for far greater potency per unit is now widely available. Alcohol, vapes, CBD, and new products that appear regularly, are available on every corner to keep the buzz going around the clock. Pharmacies continue to leak prescription strength narcotics to the streets in quantities that make whatever is available in the pharmacy available on the street to anyone seeking. Drug use and addiction has consumed our culture.
             
It should be no surprise that there is a new epidemic of drug addiction among youths and young adults. These addictions fuel all types of ungodliness, societal breakdown, joblessness, homelessness, prison, and death. So many of the drugs consumed today are not naturally occurring in any way. They’re drugs that are carefully lab formulated to produce a high/buzz but also to maximize addiction.
             
I’m writing to you to remind you in no uncertain terms that as Christians we are commanded to live sober lives. When we become disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to leave behind drunkenness, drunken parties, and addiction to live a sober life marked by freedom in Jesus Christ. Here are some important verses related to this for you to read: Proverbs 20:1, 23:29-35, Luke 21:34-36, Romans 13:13, 1 Corinthians 15:34, Galatians 5:21, 1 Peter 4:1-5.
             
Let’s look at the basic problems related to getting high/drunk. First, getting drunk or high will result in sin. You can be sure of this because the Bible teaches us about fallen human nature. In the heart of every man, woman, youth, and child there is deceit and wickedness. You were born a sinner and will not be free of the effects of sin until heaven. In His grace, the Lord has put many barriers in place to keep your sin nature from running wild. Before salvation there is the common grace of conscience – a basic resident moral sense that brings a sense of guilt upon you when you sin. Structures in society and laws that set up guardrails keeping you from giving full vent to your passions. But, most importantly, is the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation, where we are born again and have the active shepherding of the Lord protecting us from sin and death.
             
When you get drunk or high it lowers your inhibitions and lessens your ability to think clearly. When you are drunk or high your actions tend toward sin and recklessness. It will result in broken marriages, wasted money, lies, law-breaking, anger, violence, and sometimes death (ex: drunk/high driving). Drunkenness never leads to godliness.
             
Second, addiction is the outcome of regular drinking and drug use. Habits and dependence develop that become very hard to break. If drunkenness/getting high results in sin, a lifestyle of this leads to destruction. Drug and alcohol addiction results in lost jobs, divorce, estrangement, homelessness, and prison every day in this country. If you think you can maintain addiction without these consequences touching you – you’re lying to yourself. Paul writes, “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated (enslaved/addicted) by anything” (1 Cor 6:12). Addiction relates to a habit that dominates your life and enslaves you. It controls you. You don’t control it.
             
Third, in a drunken or high state we are not prepared for the sudden second coming of Jesus. In Luke 21:34-36, Jesus warns us that a life weighed down by drunkenness does not leave us prepared for the second coming of Jesus. That is a shocking thought – being caught drunk or high at the time of the return of Jesus. Standing before the glorious Jesus, who has come to judge the world – trying to sober up. This same concept is referred to by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. A part of our daily Christian virtue is the vigilance of hope that Jesus will return again. In a very real sense, we must live prepared to face Jesus without shame.
             
Drunkenness and addiction can arise from many different sources, but it always relates in some way to a love for the pleasures of the world. However, a sober and clear-minded life has always been a mark of godliness. We cannot live for Jesus while also enslaved to a love of the world. Escaping drug culture and addiction first involves a true-hearted turn toward Jesus in faith. A genuine belief that in Jesus there is hope and eternal life, and that this world is in-fact on a broad road to eternal destruction. If you struggle with drug or alcohol addiction, reach out for help. The humility to admit that you have a sin problem and asking for help, is the first step toward recovery.

Please remember that the gospel is not about sinners cleaning themselves up and then presenting themselves to God. The gospel is about us calling out to Jesus from the depth of our sin and hopelessness, that He might free us, forgive us, and raise us up to new life. If drug culture and addiction is a part of your life, see it for the sin that is. Call out to Jesus today for new life and begin to leave these old ways behind!
 
Next week I will continue this topic speaking to the wisdom and bounds of Christian freedom in these areas.
 
May the joy of the Lord be our strength,
Pastor Vic