My family and I recently spent two weeks at a Bible camp. We were able to minister to kids from a variety of backgrounds. Some of the kids were homesick, others did not want to go back home. Our boys were among those who were not real anxious to go home. They had a lot of fun playing on the playground, swimming in the lake, and watching the older kids play games. Many of the kids who wanted to say longer had similar reasons, but for some the reasons were not as pleasant.
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Anyone who has worked with large groups of children quickly realizes that not every child has a happy family life. It is heartbreaking to see tears in a child’s eyes because their parents are constantly fighting. Some children have learned that alcohol is more important to a parent than they are. Others have actually become the victims of physical and sexual abuse.
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As an adult, I would not want the stress of having to live in such an environment, yet many children have no choice in the matter. The scriptures have a lot to say about children obeying their parents- in fact the command to honor them is the first command with a promise (Ephesians 6:2), but they also have a lot to say about treating children with respect.
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Ephesians 6:4 says, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (NKJV) Colossians 3:21 warns, “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” (NKJV)
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Some parents simply view their children as an inconvenience to be tolerated. Jesus was very clear that children were important to Him. “Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:13-14 NKJV)
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Bible says that children are to obey their parents, but what happens when a parent uses that scripture to manipulate a child into sinning? They are ignoring that even Peter and the disciples said that they ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). Those who use scripture to manipulate children to sin should heed the warning of Matthew 18:6, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (NKJV)
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Though children should never be abused, they should be corrected. Such correction shows that the parents do care about them. “For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.” (Proverbs 3:12 NKJV)
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Parenting is not always easy, but it is important. To do it right we have to set aside selfishness. The two greatest commands of scripture- to love God and to love others- involve putting aside our own selfishness for someone else. This is especially true in parenting. We must invest time in our children to be consistent in training and loving them. Proverbs 29:17 says, “Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul.” (NKJV). But we must also make sure that we not become brutal in our correction so that it becomes abuse. “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” (Colossians 3:21 NKJV)
Friday, July 25, 2014
Saturday, July 12, 2014
The False Self Love Gospel
I recently met a man who told me that the way to heaven is to love yourself. I told him that Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6 NKJV) He then went on to say that he gets his teaching directly from angels rather than from the Bible. I reminded him that there are both good and bad angels- that demons are the bad angels.
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Sadly this man considered himself a reverend and said he was trying to help people with the messages he was receiving from these dark angels. You may ask how I know that they were not good angels. The apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 1:8-9, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” (NKJV)
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The message of loving yourself in order to get to heaven is a false gospel. “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” (Galatians 1:6-7 NASB)
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The gospel is summarized quite well in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Further clarity is given in I Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, (NKJV).
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Notice that Jesus died for sins. That means that we are sinners who need our sins forgiven (see Romans 3:23). Notice that not only did Jesus die, but He rose again. That means He is alive and that we believe in a risen savior. Believing in Jesus means we believe we need to have our sins forgiven and that He died and rose again in order to forgive them. But John 3:16 makes it clear that we must believe in Him in order to have eternal life. Consider John 3:18, "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (NKJV)
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The most important command for the believer is to love God and the next most important is to love your neighbor as yourself (see Matthew 22:37-40). As important as love is, loving yourself is not part of the gospel message. In fact, selfishness causes us to love ourselves more than God or others and we need to set aside that selfishness to put God first.
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2 Timothy 3:1-5 warns of those who love themselves, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (NKJV)
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Turn away from false gospels and false preachers, and turn to Christ. God loves you even though you do not deserve it. Having the love of the all powerful creator and sustainer of the universe is far more valuable than having a love for yourself.
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Sadly this man considered himself a reverend and said he was trying to help people with the messages he was receiving from these dark angels. You may ask how I know that they were not good angels. The apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 1:8-9, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” (NKJV)
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The message of loving yourself in order to get to heaven is a false gospel. “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” (Galatians 1:6-7 NASB)
-
The gospel is summarized quite well in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Further clarity is given in I Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, (NKJV).
-
Notice that Jesus died for sins. That means that we are sinners who need our sins forgiven (see Romans 3:23). Notice that not only did Jesus die, but He rose again. That means He is alive and that we believe in a risen savior. Believing in Jesus means we believe we need to have our sins forgiven and that He died and rose again in order to forgive them. But John 3:16 makes it clear that we must believe in Him in order to have eternal life. Consider John 3:18, "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (NKJV)
-
The most important command for the believer is to love God and the next most important is to love your neighbor as yourself (see Matthew 22:37-40). As important as love is, loving yourself is not part of the gospel message. In fact, selfishness causes us to love ourselves more than God or others and we need to set aside that selfishness to put God first.
-
2 Timothy 3:1-5 warns of those who love themselves, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (NKJV)
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Turn away from false gospels and false preachers, and turn to Christ. God loves you even though you do not deserve it. Having the love of the all powerful creator and sustainer of the universe is far more valuable than having a love for yourself.
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