Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | April 19, 2016

The Church of the Expectoration

Are We in the Laodicean Era of Church History?

The last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, is a book with deep prophetic significance including the first three chapters. The first three chapters are devoted to a summary of the seven church ages and culminate with the age of Laodicea. This church age is described by the Lord in Revelation 3:14-22 where it is written:

“14 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:

15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. 19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.

20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.21 Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.

22 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”

I think we can all agree this is a rather scathing condemnation for that particular church age, wouldn’t you say? The Lord would spit it out of His mouth because it is lukewarm, neither hot or cold. I heard a preacher once refer to it as the church of the expectoration and thought that an apt description.

Also worth noting is the Lord’s description of the church as rich and self satisfied; even to the point of excluding the Lord Himself who is described as standing at the door of the church and knocking to see if anyone will invite Him in. This is a sad situation indeed, the Lord standing outside the church knocking on the door, waiting to see if anyone would invite Him in.

The Seven Church Ages

When Revelation was written John could refer to seven different churches that had distinctly different characteristics but were all active in the first century. The selection of these particular churches was in no way accidental but was part of the prophetic revelation our Lord was revealing to the church. Each church listed would also characterize a distinct era in church history.

While each of the church types would continue to exist throughout history the overall tenor of the age would vary and generally correspond to one of the seven church types and appear in the order presented in chapters two and three of Revelation.

The Lord does not specify the beginning and ending dates of the seven church ages but history provides us some insight into when these seven ages may have started and stopped. As with any study of history, eras of history may be more transitional in nature and not sudden, or abrupt. This is the nature of these changes with the exception of the beginning of the first age which started on a specific date, May 25, AD 33, Pentecost and the ending of the seventh age which shall terminate at the Rapture.

While I do not present the following dates as definitive and final, I have written them in the margins of my study Bible and believe them to be a close estimate to the years the seven ages started and ended with the exception of the final age which will be brought to a close by the Rapture of the Church.

  1. Ephesus, 33-100
  2. Smyrna, 100-312
  3. Pergamum, 312-590
  4. Thyatira, 590-1517
  5. Sardis, 1517-1750
  6. Philadelphia, 1750-1925
  7. Laodicea, 1925 to the Rapture

While year 33 is reasonably certain, based on the latest chronological scholarship, the other years are nothing more than rough estimates; the greater clarity of vision provided by hindsight would, however, suggest these dates are close approximations.

As with the first century, all seven types of churches have existed throughout church history but the overall age is characterized by the general characteristic of that particular age. Another factor to keep in mind is the regional variations to be found around the world. The church in the Middle East is a church under serious persecution such as described about the church at Smyrna.

Next time, a coming celebration and a coming judgment.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | April 8, 2016

Judgment Day is Coming!

Is There a Judgment Day in your Future?

Last week I wrote on the unforgivable sin and concluded that the rejection of Christ as Savior was the only unforgivable sin. If Christians are forgiven, and the Bible assures us there is now no condemnation for Christians, then what is all this about Christians having to appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ? In 2 Corinthians 5:10 it is written:

“10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.”

If all our sins have been forgiven then what is being judged at this point? There just happens to be a Biblical answer to that question, it is our works that are being judged, not us as individuals. As individuals we have been once and for all justified before God and have the blessed righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ imputed to us forever.

This Judgment Seat of Christ should, at least in part, be thought of more as a judge’s stand at a sporting event; the winners go to the judges stand to receive their rewards. Rewards are given for all works done in the power of the Holy Spirit for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Any works done in the power of the flesh for self glory are destined for burning. This is described in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15:

“11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.”

The gold, silver, and jewels represents works done in the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ; the wood, hay or straw represents works done in the power of the flesh for self glory. Keep in mind this is a judgment on a lifetime of works and may be a mixture of works done in the Spirit and works done in the flesh. The purpose of the Judgment Seat of Christ is to sort those out and reward those works done in the power of the Holy Spirit.

How do you Think you will feel at this Judgment?

I’m sure all of us can think of many heroic figures of the Christian faith that will probably be richly rewarded at this time. Each of us may wonder if we’ll receive any rewards at all; it can be very difficult to be completely objective about our motives for doing what we do.

While the Bible is not specific on the timing of the Judgment Seat of Christ it is generally believed it will take place shortly after the church is called to heaven by the Rapture. One vitally important change will have taken place in the lives of all Christians by that time; we will all have our resurrection bodies and be freed of our sin natures!

Most of us have had the good fortune to attend a key game and have our team win some sort of award or trophy. The award is made down on the field and a trophy is given to a member of the team. Meanwhile, in the stands, the supporting crowd is going wild with enthusiasm and clapping and shouting their excitement to whoever may be within hearing range.

No one in the stand is receiving anything, certainly not a trophy for winning the game but that in no way inhibits the volume of the shouting or the enthusiasm being expressed.

That is the way I like to think of this judgment; the church will be there, totally free of any sin nature and able to express their love and delight as each member of the body receives their rewards. I believe this will be a wonderful, happy time for all!

Have you ever felt a surge of joy and happiness as a family member received some sort of recognition, of course you have and you were able to do that even though you now have a sin nature within you. At the Judgment Seat of Christ you won’t have a sin nature to inhibit your joy and happiness in any form or fashion; you can rejoice for a brother or sister in Christ as they receive their reward without any reservation on your part; you’re excited and happy for the family!

A Refiner’s Fire?

In addition to rewards for work done in the power of the Holy Spirit, what then will our Lord be accomplishing by the use of fire regarding works done in the power of the flesh? We need to think in terms of renewal, a process of purification from dead works. The Lord will burn off the dross, the impure, to clear the way for the pure, the holy. Gold is refined by burning off the impurities; a field is renewed by burning off the old growth to clear the way for the new growth.

This is the picture that should be in our minds as we read these passages; although our souls and spirits have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, our works during our lives will be purified, refined by fire at this judgment. As this refining process proceeds all of our wood, hay, and straw will be refined out of our work history and all that will be left will be the gold, silver, and precious stones! By God’s grace even our works will then be exclusively to the glory of God!

A poem, “Only One Life” by Charles Thomas Studd, 1860-1931, a missionary to the Belgian Congo expresses his thoughts on this event.

Only One Life

By C.T. Studd

Two little lines I heard one day,

Traveling along life’s busy way;

Bringing conviction to my heart,

And from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past, 

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Soon will its fleeting hours be done;

Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,

And stand before His Judgement seat;

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice,

Gently pleads for a better choice

Bidding me selfish aims to leave,

And to God’s holy will to cleave;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years,

Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;

Each with its clays I must fulfill,

living for self or in His will;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore,

When Satan would a victory score;

When self would seek to have its way,

Then help me Lord with joy to say;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep,

In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;

Faithful and true what e’er the strife,

Pleasing Thee in my daily life;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn,

And from the world now let me turn;

Living for Thee, and Thee alone,

Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Now let me say,”Thy will be done”;

And when at last I’ll hear the call,

I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last. 

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | April 1, 2016

Is There One Unforgivable Sin?

There was a Change on April 3, AD 33 Which Affects Everyone!

Easter Sunday is the day Christians observe the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The preceding week had seen the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem, His death and burial as the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world.

At His crucifixion an amazing thing happened at Herod’s Temple, the heavy curtain separating the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place had been torn from top to bottom which was clearly a miracle from God. This symbolized the separation between God and man caused by Adam’s disobedience had been removed by Christ’s death on the cross; sin was no longer a barrier between God and man.

If Sin is no longer a Barrier then why is it still such an Issue?

Do you think it would be safe to say the entire world has a problem with sin? I suspect that each of us could start with ourselves and see a deep problem with sins of all shapes forms and sizes almost everywhere we looked.

My wife refers to the local news as the “local police report” as it seems to feature all of the crime and carnage of the day. The old saying, “if it bleeds it leads” seems to characterize the priorities of the media and with improved communications it can even bleed in Europe or elsewhere and lead in the USA.

All of us would agree, at least to some extent, that sin is harmful; the problem is the popular definitions of what is sin vary all over the place. If you look up a dictionary definition of sin there would likely be some reference to God or theology. Sin, as defined by the individual, is seen as a problem within that person’s perception of reality and can be very subjective.

Transgressions against society are more likely to be labeled as “against the law” or illegal rather than sin or sinful. They are more easily identified because some law had been written by legislators in a specific cultural environment declaring certain acts to be a violation of the law in that environment. It is illegal to drive 75 in a 20 mph school zone during school hours; while that would be a clear violation of the law it would probably not be labeled a sin.

Now Back to the Change

Our Lord was explaining an important point about the ministry of God, the Holy Spirit, to His disciples when He told them in John 16:5-8,

“5 “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.”

The Advocate, a reference to God the Holy Spirit, would minister to Jesus’ followers in a new and significantly different way after Pentecost; He would be in the disciples and not just with them as the Lord explains in John 14:17.

“17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”

The later is a reference to Pentecost, May 25, AD 33, when the Holy Spirit indwelt Christians for the first time. The Holy Spirit would also have a general ministry to the world concerning sin, righteousness, judgment and the restraint of sin.

In verse 9 our Lord identifies the world’s sin and tells His disciples; “9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.” John 16:9

Just think about that for a moment, the Creator of the universe is telling us that the world’s sin is rejection of Jesus Christ. Is there any shortage of evil acts being perpetrated against many; are there no more murders, rapes, or pillaging to be found in the world? I think we all know the answer to that question, there is no shortage whatsoever of evil, hurtful acts taking place all over the world and if anything they seem to be on the increase.

Why then would the Lord tell us the world’s sin is rejection of Christ, is there an answer?

Paid in Full!

In John 19:28-30 it is written:

“28 Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. 30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

At that point the penalty for all sins past present and future was paid in full, the debt was paid, and the redemption was complete. The work the Lord had come to do at the First Advent was completed and He was finished, our Kinsman/Redeemer had begun the restoration that would be completed at the Second Advent.

Sin, in all of its forms, was no longer the barrier between God and man; the only remaining issue was reception of Christ as Savior. That is why Christ could say the sin of the world was failure to receive Him as Savior.

Just Like Adam

When Adam was in the Garden of Eden there was only one sin he could commit and that was failure to obey the one commandment he had been given regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Today the world shares a similar situation, there is only one sin that was not fully paid for at the cross, only one sin that remains as a barrier between God and man and that is rejection of Christ as Savior. That is why Jesus could say, “The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.”

Does that mean all the atrocities we hear of today are all forgiven? Yes, that’s exactly what that means; there is no sin or misdeed that you have ever heard about from any news source that has not been forgiven by the shed blood of Christ. None of those are an exception to the rule, none of them will be charged against the perpetrator, Christ died for them too!

So Now What?

Since forgiveness of mankind’s sin is total and complete with only one exception, and the Bible assures us it is, then what should be emphasized in the church’s message to the world? May I suggest, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

 

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | March 25, 2016

Good Friday and Easter Sunday, the Beginning of the End

The End of What?

While Good Friday is the day we remember the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ; Easter Sunday is the occasion we celebrate His resurrection. A historic change in man’s relationship to God had occurred; by God’s grace the barrier between God and man that had been created by Adam’s deliberate sin of disobedience had been removed by the death of our Lord, the Second Adam from above.

You may recall in Genesis 2:15-17

“15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Unfortunately Adam choose to disobey God and when he ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he, and all of humanity present and future died in Adam. As I’ve observed before, that means that you and I and every human born of a human father are born spiritually dead. It is the sin of Adam that created the barrier between God and man and the primary reason the Lord Jesus Christ suffered death as our kinsman-redeemer.

The Tearing of the Curtain on Good Friday

God gave us a symbol of the removal of this barrier when, at the time of the crucifixion, the curtain between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies in Herod’s temple was torn from the top to the bottom; signifying that access to God was now open to mankind through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

By his death and resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ had paid the penalty for all human sin for all time; sin had been removed as a barrier between God and man. As hard as it may be to imagine, personal sin is no longer the issue; the only remaining issue requiring resolution is receiving the forgiveness of God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and God.

The Good News

Because of the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, the end had come for sin as a barrier between God and man. The church can now proclaim a message of hope, a message of reconciliation and good news for a suffering humanity:

BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND YOU WILL BE SAVED!

(First published April 3, 2015, revised and updated)

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | March 19, 2016

Palm Sunday 2016 and its Enormous Significance!

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday

Tomorrow we celebrate the entry of the Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem where He had come to die. This week was to be a terrible time of testing for the Jewish nation although they had no idea of the great significance of what was to happen from that point onward.

The exact date for this momentous event had been prophesied by the Prophet Daniel and that prophecy, among many others, was being perfectly fulfilled by our Lord as He rode into the city. I would say it was certain that among the tens of thousands present that day only the Lord understood the staggeringly wondrous truths that were being put into place.

Four hundred and eighty three years had passed since the beginning of the third and final group of three 490 year periods that had been given to Israel by God. The second group had ended with the Babylonian captivity and now the third group of 490 years had been put on hold at year 483 as also foretold by Daniel.

Israel was being set aside for an unspecified number of years while a mystery was revealed, the mystery of the church and the age of grace, the age in which we now live. The remaining 7 years promised to Israel would resume at a point yet future when Israel would sign a covenant with the Antichrist.

The Entry into Jerusalem

Contrary to what we customarily celebrate, the entry was on a Monday, not a Sunday and it was not triumphal for our Lord; it was a time of great sadness as evidenced by Luke 19:41-42 where it is written, “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

The particular Greek word used for wept means a loud wracking sob; our Lord’s body was shaken by His sobs as He entered Jerusalem. He is likely the only one who understood the enormity of what was happening; the Jewish nation was being temporarily set aside, their rejection of their Messiah was going to yield great suffering for centuries to come. Their judgment would be severe and is still in force today.

It is likely, in His omniscience, that Jesus saw the Jerusalem of 70 AD as destroyed by Titus and could also see the bodies of some of those welcoming Him as they lay silent in death. This was a momentous, tragic moment that was being recognized only by the Lord and the thought of what was going to befall Jerusalem and His people reduced Him to wracking sobs. I suspect His disciples were totally confused by His reaction to the sight of Jerusalem and the excited crowds.

There is another extremely touching aspect of our Lord’s entering Jerusalem on Nisan 10. If we examine Exodus 12:3 we read, “Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month (Nisan) each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.” This was part of the instructions given to Israel on the occasion of the first Passover in Egypt. The family would select a perfect lamb and place it on display in front of their dwelling so all could see they were offering the Lord their very best.

God’s Passover Lamb put on display

On March 30, AD33, the 10th of Nisan, the Father put His Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world on display for all Jerusalem to see that the Father was offering them His very best.

After the passing of that day Israel had been set aside for an undetermined number of years. Today we are at year 1,983 and still counting as Israel continues to suffer judgments until the return of the Lord they rejected.

The countdown clock on Israel’s last 490 years will recommence when Israel signs a covenant agreement with the Antichrist; this event and not the rapture of the church will be the trigger that starts their final countdown and the beginning of the Tribulation.

While this was an amazing week, filled with suffering and anguish for our Lord and judgment for Israel, it was the reason our Lord took on human form; that was necessary that He might die for our sins. The moment of triumph was coming soon, the following week our Lord would rise from the dead having perfectly paid the price of our redemption.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4

(First published March 28, 2015, updated and revised)

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | March 14, 2016

The Amazing Wonder of All Life

Life is Precious

Abby in Her New Bunk Bed

Abby Cat, Texas

In this world we are surrounded by life; an incredible diversity of life that can overwhelm the senses. Yet despite this abundance and diversity each life is precious; every life we see is a unique creation, a one of a kind never to be repeated living creature.

Nothing speaks to the grandeur of God more than this divine attention to detail; in nature nothing is mass produced as in a factory, each component of God’s creation is unique. I recall my wonder when I first heard no two snowflakes are identical; they are all different; what a wonderful God we have!

What a wonder that each living being, large or small is unique; a never to be repeated bundle of life that is an individual with it’s own personality.

Joshua

Joshua Mose, Kenya

A Shared Boat Ride

 What is equally amazing to consider is the fact that all of us have a genealogy that goes all the way back to Noah’s Ark; at a very critical point in the history of the world we all shared a boat ride on Noah’s Ark. As mankind we all narrow down to one father and one mother, Noah and his wife.

I don’t know how that makes you feel but it gives me a deep respect for the lives of every living being whether human or animal; their ancestry is just as long as ours.

A Job Given

In Genesis 1:26 we read:

“26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

What do you think God had in mind when he designated man as a ruler over all of the creatures named above? Does the Bible give us any clues as to how a ruler should behave? I believe it does in the story of the good shepherd where in John 10:11 we read:

“11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

I’m inclined to think this is the pattern of rulership the Lord had intended man to exercise over His creation; a rulership of loving care and protection over all God’s creatures great and small.

A Job Forfeited

The tragic story of Adam’s disobedience brought this chapter to a close with shocking suddenness. The position of rulership which God had planned for Adam was taken away and forfeited to Satan; the sad situation in which we find ourselves today.

There remains today a slight vestige of the loving care and protection for God’s creatures in the soul of man. Although distorted by sin, many still feel that loving concern for God’s creatures, especially perhaps, those whose spirits have again been brought to life by faith in Jesus Christ as Savior.

We see evidence all over the world of concern for the animal kingdom; there seems to be no shortage of groups who have developed a passion for the well being of different animal groups. Everything from the immediate concern for a small or even a large animal in a perilous situation to those committed to saving the whales exhibits this concern for animals.

I believe this is all a part of our being created in the image of God and even though severely damaged by sin this image is still operational to some degree. Stories of heroic rescues of animals abound in history as well as stories of mankind being rescued by animals. There is likely a relationship there which will only be restored by the Second Advent of our Lord.

A Better Future

We read of a time when God’s plan for His creation will be more fully implemented, in Isaiah 11:6-9 it is written:

6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
    the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together;
    and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
    their young will lie down together,
    and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
    and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy
    on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

We all have a dream of something better, a deep seated certainty that there is more to life than what we are experiencing now. The Bible reveals the truth of this dream and describes a time when love, peace and harmony will prevail. This is the scene alluded to in the verses above; a time when the distortions produced by sin will be suppressed. In Ecclesiastes 3:11 it is written:

“11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”

 We all look forward to that future time and can know with certainty it’s not a question of if, but when. As eternal beings we, as Christians, will have our full share of all God has planned for His children. I rejoice in the promise God has made to us:

“21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

20 He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | March 7, 2016

What is Baptism in the Church Age?

What does it mean to be baptized?

There seems to be a great diversity of opinion today on the subject of baptism; one hears of baptism by sprinkling, baptism by immersion, baptism of the Holy Spirit, the second blessing, infant baptism and other assorted variations.

It might be helpful to devote some time to the New Testament’s teachings on baptism during the age of the church.

The Greek word for water baptism used in the New Testament is transliterated into English as baptizo and implies immersion in water. With the act of baptism the born again Christian is identifying with the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord, this is described in Colossians 2:12 where it is written:

“12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.”

Baptism by immersion is clearly the only way to symbolically match the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord and is reserved for those who have received Christ as Savior and been born again.

Water baptism by immersion and after salvation is a command; while not a direct part of the salvation of the sinner it should follow as a result of that salvation. Water baptism should be seen as a time of joy and rejoicing in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ; it is a celebration of salvation in Christ!

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is an essential part of the salvation process. It is by the power of God, the Holy Spirit, that the new believer is baptized into the body of Christ, the church. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not something that comes later to special Christians but something that happens to every born again Christian at the time of their salvation. Paul speaks to this in Romans 8:9-11 where it is written:

“9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”

There is no Biblical basis for thinking in terms of a “second blessing;” if someone has been born again they have the Holy Spirit living inside them forever. This is explained in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 where it is written:

“19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

Infant Baptism

 Infant baptism does not save; only personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and the baptism of the Holy Spirit saves and all that is of God and not of man. The sequence of salvation is given in 1 Corinthians 3:5-9:

“5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

As Christians we can plant the seed of the gospel and we can water it but only God can give the increase!

 Where can Baptism be Celebrated?

I recently received a letter from a Christian who asked if one could be baptized in a swimming pool. I told him I knew of no Biblical restrictions on what sort of body of water was acceptable for water baptism; it just had to be large enough for full immersion to properly symbolize the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

I still have vivid memories of a baptismal service at a small church that had no built-in baptistry. Instead a very large watering trough for farm animals was brought in to the front of the auditorium and filled with water. Instead of sitting in their seats and watching from a distance the congregation gathered around the tank; they cheered and applauded the people as they were baptized and even hugged them as they emerged, wet clothing and all. This was followed by singing and rejoicing unlike anything I’ve ever seen before or since!

This baptismal service had turned baptism into the celebration of Christ that it should always be; a time of joy and rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ. I feel blessed to have been a witness to that inspiring occasion; my memories of that event still bring a smile and a chuckle to me as I reflect on it.

I’m confident those who were baptized at that service as well as those who were privileged to witness it will never forget it.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | February 28, 2016

A Surprising Discovery!

A Time to Celebrate

Disney World 2 1-12-14

I’ve made a discovery, a discovery that I hadn’t expected and really didn’t know it was available to be made. It is an important discovery and explains a lot I had never previously understood.

The catalyst for this discovery was my gradual progress toward my 83rd birthday which is today; I’ve never been 83 before so this is an entirely new experience for me.

What did I Discover?

I have observed others and watched the obvious physical symptoms of aging but really had no idea how much my perceptions of life would change as I aged. These changes were not something I had planned and in fact I had no reason to even expect them but nevertheless they have happened and are continuing to develop.

This has been of great interest to me as I begin to better understand the point of view I had observed in older people and could not really comprehend. When I was a much younger man I was asked by the national homebuilding company for which I worked to evaluate retirement living as a possible area of enterprise.

I joined national organizations, attended meetings and conferences all over the United States and made it a point to visit many retirement homes all over the country.

I was not able to understand how these older people could endure the limited lifestyles offered by even the finest of these facilities. How could they possibly think in such restricted terms? I could imagine them emotionally chafing under the restrictions imposed by their aging bodies.

God’s Grace in Action

What had totally escaped my attention was the fact their perceptions of their situation had changed as their bodies aged. Those in normal physical health for their age were not generally suffering with the increased restrictions imposed by their bodies but were largely at peace with them.

This factor, changed perceptions, has probably been my greatest surprise as I have aged; there are so many things that were important to me as a young man in which I no longer have any interest.

While I had taken no steps to initiate these changes, they have come regardless and now I see them as God’s blessings to His children as they age. I move a little slower these days but I’m at complete peace with that change; I see it as God’s grace in action!

What Does the Future Hold?

One of the many joys of being a Christian is the opportunity provided to simply trust in God for the future. Only the Lord knows how many more years He has planned for me and I am completely content to leave all of that up to Him! I have been blessed, by God’s grace, with reasonably good health and with the aid of dentists, doctors and surgeons have managed to hold it all together to this point.

Only the Lord knows how I will fare both physically and mentally in the remaining years He has appointed to me but I trust Him and have learned to lean on Him for the present and the future.

It is my greatest desire to always be available to my beloved wife to love her and care for her as long as she needs me and I pray to God that He will allow for me to do just that. I comfort myself with the sure knowledge that He loves her even more than I do and will always watch over her regardless of what may happen to me.

Please forgive me if you feel I sound somewhat sentimental in this essay; after all celebrating one’s 83rd birthday should provide certain liberties, don’t you think?

One last thought, another source of joy is the beautiful promise we all have from the Lord in Romans 8:28-30 where it is written:

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. 

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | February 22, 2016

The Image of God

You are created in the image of God.

A vitally important fact of our existence is often overlooked or ignored; we were created in the image of God. While the impact of that is not immediately apparent, it is, nevertheless, something we should consider as we think on our lives. The truth of the matter is all human beings are distinctly different from all else in creation as only we were created in the image of God.

Hardwired in our Brains

A recent article suggests that the image of God extends to the way our brains are hardwired; God is an inherent part of the way we think. I believe we can all agree this makes perfect sense since we are created in the image of God.

“Scientists Prove Your Brain “Recognizes the Reality of God” by Jessilyn Justice : Feb 17, 2016 : Charisma News

“Psychologists and anthropologists deemed that children left to their own devices would have some conception of God. Some attribute this to our innate sense of detecting patterns in the world (as to discern predators or prey in nature), while others propagate the notion of a ‘supersense’—or a cognitive tendency to infer hidden forces in the world working for good or ill,” says Shaheen E. Lakhan, who holds several doctorate degrees, including an M.D.

Even if you were never taught to believe in God, your brain could still recognize His existence. Such is the premise of Romans 1, and a roundtable discussion set to air on National Geographic.

According to National Geographic, fascinating new research has uncovered the possibility that believing in God may be hardwired in our brains.

Lakhan’s statements back up those of Andrew Newberg, who actively researches “neurotheology.”

More on this is available by clicking on the link below:

science-proves-your-brain-recognizes-the-reality-of-god-researchers-say 

You are going to Live Forever!

There is never a shortage of movies and TV shows about one or more characters who are eternals; it seems as if we are fascinated by the thought of living forever.

If you wonder in what other ways you bear the image of God one of those ways is the simple fact that you are a true eternal; there will never be a future time in which you are not present. The brief time you spend in your mortal body is nothing in comparison to the eternity yet to come.

 We are told early in Genesis that man was created in the image of God; in Genesis 1:26-27 it is written:

“26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.”

We are given further insight into this process of creation in Genesis 2:7 we are told:

“7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”

Up to that point all of creation had been spoken into existence but man was unique, man was breathed into existence by the breath of God; God was fulfilling His decision to make man in His own image.

The Image is Damaged but not Destroyed

We are told in Genesis 3:6-7:

“6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”

God had warned Adam that if he disobeyed the command that he would die and at the point of disobedience Adam died spiritually and caused the spiritual death of Eve and all future descendents that might be born of a human father!

Although the image of God had been damaged by disobedience, there yet remained a critically important part of God’s image that remained intact and that was God’s eternal life.

Every human being born has eternal life and will never die; every human being will have a living presence in God’s creation in both time and eternity. The most important question is where will that eternity be spent, what are the options?

Walking Down the Street

If we fully grasp this reality of life every human being we see on the street or elsewhere will be seen as an eternal being created in the image of God. The mortal body they occupy at the moment is only a temporary dwelling, one that will be left behind; the occupant of the dwelling is, however, eternal and must effectively deal with the eternal consequences of their decisions.

While this shift in perspective is difficult and contrary to popular opinion it is, nevertheless, the ultimate expression of reality and the best way to establish priorities for living that really matter.

The validity of all of our decisions must necessarily depend on the degree to which they relate to reality and as I have mentioned before in What is Reality  true reality is the Trinity, all else is derived and dependent.

The Consequences of Spiritual Death

It is clear from the Bible that all men have died once, a spiritual death brought about by the disobedience of Adam. God’s solution to that problem was the new birth, being born again by faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. Salvation by faith in Jesus Christ delivers the one born again from the dangers of the second death.

What is the second death, well that’s one death you want to avoid if at all possible. The Bible tells us of the second death in Revelation 20:11-15:

“11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

One of the most fearsome aspects of the lake of fire is its eternal nature; it is a punishment that will never end. Considering the extremely deadly consequences of misreading reality it becomes important indeed that we see reality as it really is, the Trinity.

I concluded my article on reality with the following paragraph which I present again for your consideration.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will have effectually and successfully responded to true reality; your life will have been a success regardless of whatever else may happen.”

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | February 15, 2016

Agonizing Over Past Sins

The Burden of Past Sins can Haunt our Memory

In my work with Global Media Outreach I get many letters from Christians who are deeply troubled by their memories of past sins. They can feel so troubled they question whether God could even love them or forgive them because of what they have done.

They even question their salvation; how could someone who is really saved have sinned so badly? This is further complicated by the fact that although they regret those sins they continue to fail and sin again; how could God love such a sinner, they wonder?

All of us can be burdened with this problem if we let our feelings take control of our minds. As Christians we are cautioned to proceed on the basis of our knowledge of Bible doctrine, not our feelings!

Much of this can come from a misconception of the sin problem; we have a painful awareness of our own personal failings and our inability to consciously and consistently live a holy life. We seem to think that God’s approval is reserved for those who live exemplary lives essentially free of the pathetic sins that seem to plague us.

Some may even try to measure their “goodness” with the perceived “goodness” of others and might, as in the case of the Pharisees, find themselves to be worthy of God’s approval.

The basic problem with all of this is a serious misunderstanding of the sin barrier between God and man. Is our personal sin the culprit in our alienation from God or is our personal sin only a symptom of a deeper problem?

The Bible goes to some lengths to explain the true nature of our problem; the problem started before the law was even given. Without the law, without a moral standard, can there even be a sinful transgression?

The Source of the Problem

The Bible makes it clear that the penalty of sin is death but if that’s the case why did people die before the law was given? How can something be wrong if there is no standard against which to measure an action?

The Apostle Paul explains this in Romans 5:12-14 when he writes:

“12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.”

Is Paul saying that all people were charged with sin because of Adam’s disobedience in the Garden? Yes, that is exactly what Paul is saying; the underlying sin problem between God and man is Adam’s sin, not personal sin!

Just as a fever does not cause the flu, but is only a symptom of the presence of the flu virus; personal sin does not cause our alienation from God but is only a symptom of the real cause, our spiritual death in Adam.

The Cross Changes That Too!

When Christ uttered the words, “It is finished!” things changed forever. Christ’s death on the cross paid the penalty for all of the sins of the entire world past, present, and future! The impact of 1 John 2:1-2 is far reaching:

“2 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

That is an enormous revelation, this means the penalty for all personal sin was paid at the cross. Personal sin is no longer the issue; the only issue remaining is receiving the forgiveness offered by Christ’s death on the cross.

All of this worrying over more or less personal sin is nothing more than a waste of time as far as the Christian’s place in God’s family is concerned; they were all washed away by the shed blood of Christ.

For reasons known only to God, it pleased God to save the soul and the spirit but not the body. The born again Christian still inhabits a mortal body with a sin nature; a body which can have no part in heaven and must be either discarded or transformed at the rapture.

Quenching the Power of the Holy Spirit

When Christians receive Christ as personal Savior they are  spiritually baptised into the church, the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. Additionally the Holy Spirit indwells each Christian and will never, ever, leave them. We are told in Romans 8:9-11:

“9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”

While the Holy Spirit will never leave the Christian the power of the Holy Spirit can be quenched by unconfessed sin in the believer’s life leaving the sin nature in control. In 1 John 1:9 we are told of confession of sin; confession of sin restores the power of the Holy Spirit in the Christian’s life and permits a Spirit led life.

The Challenges of Battle

I have written extensively on the spiritual war in which all Christians are engaged (To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War) so I will only mention it briefly here. In this context I only want to point out how the Christian’s success as a soldier of the Lord, as well as their general quality of life, will depend on keeping the Holy Spirit empowered in their lives.

Overcoming the evil forces of this world and our own sin nature requires a fully functioning and fully operational Spirit of God at work in the Christian’s life.

25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Galatians 5:25 NLT

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