To me, the 2nd epistle of Peter is one of the most interesting books in the Bible. I am impressed with the absolute assurance Peter had of his faith in Christ and in God’s plan for the redemption of His people. I am reminded of the conversation Peter had with Jesus after Jesus told him Satan was hot on his trail or as He put it, ”Satan hath desired to sift you as wheat.” Peter told the Lord, “I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.” It was then that Jesus told him in that same night he would deny Him three times.

Peter is the apostle that Jesus prayed for that his faith would not fail, and after that fateful night when Peter did indeed betray the Lord he went out and wept bitterly. I believe it was at this point Peter was strengthened and poised to become a great leader of the faith. Soon he would see the risen Lord and his mission would become crystal clear. We see him in the first chapter of Acts as the “take charge” apostle and then in the second chapter as the fiery preacher that led three thousand souls to the Lord with one sermon.

This book was written shortly before his death and if we could sum up Peter’s desire in the last words that he wrote we can say he wanted to go out with a bang. His confidence in Christ shows up in the first chapter as he describes seeing a glimpse of Christ in His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. His fiery temper is apparent in the second chapter as he shows no tolerance for false teachers. And then in the third chapter comes the bang. He describes how Jesus Christ will return in power and glory and how in a great deafening noise the heavens and the earth as we know them will be destroyed. All is not lost however, because the promise of God is sure that a new heaven and new earth will appear and the righteousness of God will reign supreme.

Peter wrote this while knowing his death would soon come. Tradition says that he was crucified on a cross upside down. Whether or not this is true, we do know that Jesus said Peter would be carried by others to his death and his hands would be outstretched (John 21:18). Many believe this is an allusion to his death on a cross. It is clear this information did not shake Peter’s confidence. He was ready to die and he left his readers with a command to live in the light of Christ’s return. He wrote: ”Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (3:14).

Peter’s courage inspires us to wait for the Lord and to endure patiently any hardships we may face. The world is against us and believes we are utterly foolish to expect Christ’s return. The world is doing now as Peter describes; they mockingly ask “Where is the promise of his coming?” By and by, they shall see. God will end this world with a bang and the end will be the exaltation of His people with Him in glory!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. [2] And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (2 Peter 2:1-2)

The second chapter of 2nd Peter begins with a solemn warning for Christians in every generation. In the first century, the seeds of heresy were already beginning to grow as Satan was busily trying to tear down the work of the gospel and blind people’s eyes to the truth. The apostle Paul speaks of Judaizers in Galatians chapter 1 that taught a false gospel that opposed the teaching of pure grace and faith alone as the instrumental cause of justification. The apostle John spoke of antichrists that denied the incarnation and the full deity of Jesus Christ. Jude warns about deceivers that sneak into the church bringing heresies that deny the faith that was given through the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. This is a very common theme in the New Testament and one that we should be keenly aware of.

We may be tempted to think that false teachers will boldly announce themselves and it will be very apparent they are not teachers of truth. We might think we can easily identify them and thus protect the church from their harm. The language of scripture gives us a very much different picture. False teachers are subtle in their activity. Peter says they “privily shall bring in damnable heresies.” This means they come secretly and in disguise. Jude says they creep in unawares. The truth is they may be hard to detect. They bring just enough truth with their lies to be believable and if a Christian is not fully armed against them by having a firm foundation to his faith, he can be led down a path to destruction. While it is true that no born again believer can be destroyed in hell, it is just as true that Satan can ruin a Christian’s influence by undermining his ability to clearly articulate the doctrines of the faith. For this reason, we must be diligent students of God’s word. We must not only be able to state the doctrines of the faith, we must know why they are true. I am afraid this is where the vast majority of Christians fail. They know enough and believe enough to be saved but their personal growth is severely stunted because they attend churches that are unconcerned about teaching doctrine, and may not even have the correct doctrine anyway. Also, in the Christian’s personal life, there is very little to no study of the word.

This is the issue for the believer in the pew. How much more is a false teacher a destroyer of souls when he is dealing directly with unbelievers? A false gospel will never save anyone and will ultimately lead the person to the fires of hell. There are many people headed there that are very religious and believe their souls are safe. They have been deceived and have stopped looking for truth because they believe they already have it.

With the advent of Christ, the first century began the widespread revelation of the gospel of grace. It was also the beginning of a great effort to stop the advancement of the gospel and thus the growth of the church. In the ensuing centuries, the opposition has only grown worse. Today there are hundreds of denominations preaching just about any doctrine you care to hear. We cannot afford to be lazy and complacent and permit false teachers to continue without opposition. If you hear me mention a name or oppose a doctrine of a certain church or pastor, please do not think I do so to try and destroy Christian unity. It is my responsibility to identify the false and to teach what is true. If it takes naming names, so be it. This is part of the hedge of protection you receive by being in a church that is very concerned about doctrinal matters. If you pay attention and attend faithfully, God will protect you from destructive heresies. Try every word that is said by your own diligent study. God expects no less and neither do we.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: [13] But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:12-13)

As we have been reading through 1 Peter over the past few weeks, you should have noticed a common theme that underlies almost every section. After the salutation of the letter and the initial giving of thanks, Peter tells his readers to rejoice even though they are in the midst of terrible trials. The theme that underlies this epistle is suffering and affliction for the cause of Christ. This type of suffering is often addressed by the writers of the New Testament because of the terrible persecution inflicted upon them by an empire that was hostile to Christianity. When Jesus called twelve men to be His disciples, He warned them that following Him and witnessing for Him and remaining true to the faith would not be an easy path to follow. Although the gospel of Christ is the only hope for a world awaiting the wrath of God, people reject this message and they often do it with hatred and sometimes even with violence.

The tone of 1 Peter makes it clear that suffering for Christ is not to be unexpected. Peter says, “Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.” The explanation for these trials comes in 4:13 and is attributed to the sufferings of Christ. To paraphrase Peter, he tells these persecuted Christians, “Don’t be surprised when people hate you and want to kill you. If you desire to follow Christ, you will not receive better treatment than He received.” The reason for this should be easy to discern even if we do not consider the natural negative disposition of men towards the gospel. We can approach the problem from another angle which is simple deductive reasoning in the comparison of our lives to Jesus Christ.

What kind of man was Jesus? He was kind, compassionate, considerate, supremely loving, temperate, patient, self-sacrificing, perfectly righteous, and a dozen other superlatives that could be added. How was Jesus treated? He was abused, accused, told He was from Satan, and run out of town. He was called a glutton and a drunkard; He was accused of sedition and finally cruelly crucified. All of this happened to the perfect God-man, and yet He never struck back at anyone that wanted to harm Him.

Now consider your life. How do you compare to Jesus in any of these areas? I am sure you have some good traits, but each of us even at our best falls far short of Christ’s example. The indignation we feel when treated badly is just one more example of our inability to match His standard. So, how will we be treated being imperfect as opposed to the perfect Son of God? Not for a minute should we expect better treatment.

You may say now, “How depressing! Is it really worth it?” This is when you should remember Peter’s answer to this question. 1 Peter 1:6 says this is a temporary condition. In 4:13, he says Christ will appear in His glory and you will be exalted and honored with Him. The worst trial you face for the cause of Christ will be worth it when you come to the realization of your final salvation. Never fear what anyone can do to you. As Peter says in the last verse of the fourth chapter, you can commit the keeping of your soul to Christ. He is the powerful Creator who speaks the word and vanquishes all enemies!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. (1 Peter 4:7)

I am sure each of you are familiar with the cartoon of a man with long hair and beard standing on a street corner with a sign reading “THE END IS NEAR!” Usually, the sign flanks both the front and rear and some sort of funny caption is placed beneath. The idea is that anyone that thinks the end of the world is approaching is a fool. Every day we wake up to the same sunrise, we head off to work, put in our shift, and then make the drive back home. At night we watch a little TV, crawl into bed and go to sleep. The next morning it starts all over again and we do this 365 times per year and have done it for every year since we were born. Further, everyone we know has done the same routine with only slight variation and everyone we have ever heard of or read about in the history of the world has done the same. It is no wonder that when someone begins to sound an alarm for the approaching apocalypse he is considered a fool.

It has now been 2000 years since Peter wrote “the end of all things is at hand” and no doubt there were many that read his words and said he was a fool. Peter’s reference is to the Second Coming of Christ when God will destroy this universe and all that is contained therein. In his second letter, Peter spoke of scoffers that said “Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4). Are we to consider Peter a fool because Christ has yet to return? Is the Bible’s warning nonsense?

It is helpful to understand that although New Testament Christians believed in the imminent return of Christ, they were not date-setters. Peter did not imply he was certain tomorrow, or next week, or next month, the world would end. He followed the consistent pattern of New Testament teaching, especially that of Jesus, which said the Second Coming would be a sudden event that would occur without warning. The “end” refers to the consummation of the ages. “At hand” means the day is approaching. Every day we live we are one day closer to the time Christ will return. We are encouraged therefore to live in anticipation of the event. This does not mean to stand on street corners with signs, although we should witness of the event in a rational manner. It does not mean to neglect our daily routines in order to stare at the sky. It means to guard our personal lives so that we are a living testimony of faith. The closer we are to the Lord in obeying His commands the more it speaks to the degree of our confidence in the truthfulness of the scriptures.

The prophet Amos said, “Prepare to meet thy God.” Years ago I remember seeing signs along the roadway that said the same. The time of our life is uncertain and at every turn in life’s roadway there is a possible hazard that could end our lives. It is not as crazy as we might think to say, “the end is near.” One way or another we will meet God. It could be at the suddenness of the Second Coming or at our failure to breathe the next breath. No one knows the time of either. Are you prepared? In either event, you can be by placing your faith in Jesus Christ.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. (1 Peter 3:21-22)

Each time you enter our parking lot for services, you will pass our sign which denotes this house of worship as a meeting place for people called Baptists. Unlike many churches that are baptistic in doctrine and polity, we have not chosen to drop the name Baptist from our title. We believe the name identifies us doctrinally so there is no confusion as to the main tenets of faith that are taught to this congregation. We realize that many Baptist churches are not like us although we still hold to the same doctrines as those that were originally given this name. There are many doctrines we believe that have been abandoned by some Baptists, yet there is one doctrine that is common among almost all Baptist congregations. This is our belief concerning the doctrine of baptism. Baptists derive their name from this doctrine so it would hardly be fitting to maintain the name unless you also maintain the doctrine.

There are many that do not know our doctrine and they erroneously assume that since our name is derived from baptism we must believe that baptism is essential for salvation. In my experience, however, the Baptist church is more in danger of teaching that baptism is not essential for anything much less essential for salvation. I believe we need to emphasize strongly that baptism has its place among New Testament doctrines. It is commanded by Christ and is the first duty of believers upon reception of Jesus Christ as Saviour. To refuse baptism is to refuse to be obedient to Christ. If a person willfully rejects this command after having been taught properly concerning it, it is hard to see how that person has really understood what saving faith and real commitment to Christ means.

With this said, there is confusion about the doctrine, and some of it comes from 1 Peter 3:21. Some have used this verse to teach that baptism is a requirement for salvation. After all, Peter does say “even baptism doth also now save us.” If you lift this one phrase out of the context, it is easy to see how an erroneous doctrine can be built. Peter’s point is not that water baptism is a means of salvation. His reference is a comparison to the ark built by Noah, in which God saved Noah and his family from destruction (see vv. 18-20). The ark was a type of Christ and how that a believer comes into Christ for safety from the wrath of God and the destruction of hell.

Peter is also teaching that baptism is a picture (figure) of what actually does save us. We are saved by the gospel which is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Baptism profoundly presents the gospel of Christ in a living demonstration. When the believer is immersed in water, this pictures the burial of Christ. When he arises from the water, it pictures the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is also an expression of the change in the person’s heart. We have died to our old way of life and are raised to walk in the new life of Christ. Every believer is commanded to be baptized to show that he has publically identified with Christ in his belief of the gospel.

The Berean Baptist Church stands by this doctrine. We do not believe it is optional for those that have trusted Christ. No one is received into our membership without baptism from this church or another of like faith and order. Above all, we believe membership in the church requires commitment. If the first command given by Christ for believers is not obeyed, it is difficult to see how a person would be consistent in any other command, especially that of church membership.

If you are a believer and you have not been baptized, I hope you now have better understanding of how important it is to obey this command. We are commanded to be baptized and to be a part of the church. One cannot be had without the other. Consider carefully what Christ would have you to do!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands… (1 Peter 3:1a)

Let’s be totally honest with each another. As I sit here preparing to write this article, we both have to wonder why I would ever want to step onto burning coals; why do I want to open a can of worms; why do I want to load the guns for my own firing squad? Choose your metaphor because there are a number that can apply. This is a topic that rarely results in a favorable outcome—that is unless I am talking to godly people that want to honor the Lord more than anything they do with their lives.

Most people believe that a relationship between a husband and wife in marriage that requires the submission of the wife is a totally bizarre, archaic notion. In many homes, even Christian ones, the wife is the person in authority. Everything runs through her and husbands cower in the corner living with the axiom, “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” To be as blunt as I can be, this is rebellion against the word of God. We are fond of saying, “The Bible is our rule of faith and practice,” which in practicality is actually, “unless it rules against what we already practice.” In most marriage ceremonies, the vow for the bride which says, “I promise to obey” is often excluded, although it is not one that I allow to be excluded in any marriage ceremony I officiate.

The Bible clearly shows us that the husband is to be the head of the family. This is the divinely instituted order which began with the creation of the man before the creation of the woman. Woman was created to be man’s helper. Adam was given dominion over the earth which is an authority that was not granted to the woman. However, Eve was to support Adam in exercising this authority.

Perhaps the most convincing argument for submission is given by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 5. He said, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing (Eph. 5:22-24). The key to understanding these verses is to consider that submission of the wife to the husband is actually submission to the Lord. This is obedience to God’s order of creation. It does not mean the woman is inferior to the man. Submission has nothing to do with inferiority any more than Christ’s submission to God the Father implies that He is not co-equal with the Father. Submission is the willingness to accept the role that God has for each of us whether we are talking about the wife in the family, the children to their parents, or the man to his head which is Christ. We simply do what God has designed us to do.

These designations also hold true in the church. The reason women are not allowed in the pastorate is because it upsets the divine order. When women are made pastors, they are actually destroying God’s structure from the top down. While many people believe women pastors are uplifting and thought provoking, they are actually subliminally or otherwise destroying the church by destroying families that make up the church.

No matter how many centuries go by we are never going to improve on God’s order. The husband is the one in authority over the home. Time and space fail me to explain the use of his authority, but suffice it to say it should be exercised in supreme love (Eph.5:25) and not in insufferable lordship. A husband that loves his wife as he should will have a wife that willingly submits. If you want success in your home, don’t upset God’s order!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; [14] Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. (1 Peter 2:13-14)

In November of this year, Americans will go to the polls to vote for the person that will lead our country for the next four years. For those of you that follow politics, you know the incumbent president Barack Obama is running for his second term while the Republican Party is in the process of narrowing the choices of candidates to find the person that will run against him.

This year, as it has been for quite some time, Christians are faced with a list of candidates that do not reflect what we feel is the most important qualification of any candidate—does this person fear God and is he concerned about what is biblically and morally right for our country? While the economy is certainly a grave concern for all of us, Christians should be more concerned about social issues than economic ones. We do not feel comfortable voting for people that uphold abortion rights and/or support the homosexual agenda. These are very clearly against the teachings of scripture. This year is also somewhat unique in our history since we could have a member of a cult running for president. We simply do not have good choices, but this has been the case for many, many years.

Unfortunately, there are many compromises in politics and since politicians are more concerned about being elected than anything else, they will fudge their convictions for a few more votes. In my opinion, it has been a long, long time since we had someone that we could have full confidence in their honesty and integrity. However, should Bible believing Christians be distraught because of this? Should we overly concern ourselves with what government is doing? I believe it is the duty of Christians to vote with firm biblical convictions, but I am not overly concerned about who will become the next president.

1 Peter has a perspective on this. Consider the conditions of first century Christianity in the Roman Empire. At the time of the writing of 1 Peter, Nero was the emperor. There are few that could rival Nero for his despicable character, cruelty, and hatred of Christians. There was nothing moral or favorable towards the rapidly growing Christian community in his empire. Underneath Nero were many governors scattered throughout the provinces of Rome that imitated his licentious lifestyle. And yet knowing this and living through it, Peter encouraged Christians to submit themselves to their leaders. As long as those leaders did not require them to act against their faith and the commandments of God, Christians were to obey and do so cheerfully.

We do not find diatribes by Paul or Peter or the other apostles against Roman leaders. When Paul appeared before Felix and Festus, he was respectful to them even though he knew the wickedness of their hearts. There are many directions I could go in commenting on this, but I have space to address only one. The most important consideration for any Christian is not what human government does, but what God wants us to do as citizens of His kingdom. If we believe that God is our sovereign ruler, then we know that our government is not going to stop the advance of God’s kingdom. We haven’t even begun to see the wickedness that existed in the Roman Empire; we have never tasted the horrible persecution that Christians lived under in those times. And yet, the gospel thrived in that time; God’s kingdom made greater strides then than it has in any succeeding generation.

The cause of Christ is far better served by Christians demanding holiness and righteousness from the leaders of churches than the leaders of government. We are far better off being living testimonies of Christ rather than rabidly signing people up to picket, protest, and petition what is a godless government anyway. We will change the world with the gospel not government. We will do it the same way first century Christians did. Rome was brought to its knees and finally destroyed by the gospel, not by legislation.

So, remember this while you worry about who the next president will be. He has no effect—zip—nada—on the kingdom of God. Thank God for that!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. (1 Peter 2:7-8)

In the month of May, it will be forty-three years since Pastor Harry Buerer came to Rohnert Park and planted a new church which is now known as the Berean Baptist Church. When this property was purchased, there was no housing development and the church was isolated in a cornfield. Over the years the neighborhood has grown up and now our church sits on the corner of one of the busiest intersections in the city. This makes our property highly visible which attracts visitors that are looking for a church.

We love to have visitors and we hope that each one feels welcome when they attend our services. We are aware, however, that Berean is different from what most people expect. The modern church has gone to an entertainment motif which appeals to the senses and makes the crowd feel comfortable with an atmosphere they are used to. The message of the church is “feel good” and responds to the felt needs of the people. The problem with this approach is that felt needs are rarely if ever congruent with the gospel of Christ. No one “feels” like the description the Bible gives of them. Scripture says that we are dead in trespasses and sins and we are the enemies of God. This message is offensive, and if the church is seeking to make people comfortable, it is best not to give a clear biblical presentation of the gospel which includes a call to believe what the Bible says about our vile condition and to repent of our sins and trust Christ.

It is interesting that the Bible does not call Jesus “the ticket to heaven.” He is not “J.C.” the guy that wants to make all your dreams come true. Rather, as 1 Peter says, He is ”a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence.” If you want to know the truth, He came to “rock” your world not to satisfy your desires for good karma and raise your self esteem. This causes people to stumble on Christ. He is the boulder they cannot climb over because He stands in the way of self satisfaction. Christ demands that we give up our natural desires and live lives in dedication to Him. To put it bluntly, He cares nothing at all about the plan you have for your life. Most people think a church that teaches this kind of doctrine deserves to be out in the middle of lonely cornfield. Get that kind of church as far away from us as you can!

After forty-three years, Berean Baptist is still dedicated to the same simple message of the gospel. The community has grown up and times have changed, but people are still the same and their condition before God is still the same. We will not hide the message to make people feel better because we do not want them happily headed towards hell.

Perhaps Berean is not what you thought it would be. We are simple in our approach because the gospel has simple requirements. Why should we obscure it in the smoke of entertainment? Why should we make it harder to hold on to than an image in a mirror? We want you to hear a clear message so that rather than stumbling on Christ you will believe. ”Unto you therefore which believe he is precious…”

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (1 Peter 1:2)

Today’s congregational reading takes us to the beginning of the epistle of 1 Peter. I find myself perplexed trying to decide which part of the first chapter to use as the subject of this article. This chapter is jam packed with many different doctrines some of which go to the deepest part of God’s word. Most of you that know me well would expect that I would be drawn to the second verse in which Peter mentions one of my favorite subjects of scripture, the doctrine of election. Proper understanding of this doctrine is what I would call a sea change. It radically alters our view of self. The heart of man is naturally against it. We will not come to it easily and yet when God opens our eyes of understanding it begins to sink into the soul and overwhelms us with His graciousness. It is not popular doctrine because it is designed to take away our bragging rights. It removes any thoughts that in any way we have part in our salvation.

The second verse also contains the doctrine of sanctification. Not only is the sovereign God singularly responsible for His choice of lost sinners, but it is also His work alone to make them fit to enter into fellowship with Him. The scriptures teach that we are vile and wicked while God is perfectly righteous and holy. If I could put it this way, we cannot sit in the same room with God. His holiness cannot allow any sinner to approach Him. For this, we must be changed. We must be made holy in order to come into His presence. This is what the Holy Spirit does in our sanctification.

A third doctrine taught in this verse is the end to which we have been chosen. We are chosen to obedience. We are chosen to follow Christ and produce good works for His kingdom. We are chosen to obey the commandments of Christ which is the evidence of our salvation. The absence of these good works reveals that sanctification has not taken place—that we have not been purged from our sins. All those that are chosen, called, justified, and sanctified will be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29-30).

A fourth doctrine found in this verse is the means by which all of this is accomplished. It is by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. It is by His sacrifice on the cross that our sin debt to God is satisfied. We are released from the guilt of our sins and justified in the sight of God by this once for all offering that Christ made on the cross. All of the doctrines of God’s word are centered on this all important fact. If not for Christ’s blood, our election could not result in salvation. If not for the cleansing of His blood, we could not be sanctified in order to fellowship with God. If not for the power of His blood to change our wicked hearts, we would never have the desire to obey God.

This brings us to another wonderful doctrine that differentiates the chosen from all others on the planet. We have peace with God and we have the peace of God. Peace with God is achieved because we have been reconciled to Him. The hostility that exists between us has been removed. God’s wrath has been appeased and now we are considered children of God and recipients of His divine favor (grace). We have the peace of God—a calmness and quietness in our souls that tells us as the song says, it is well with my soul.

Isn’t it amazing that all this is found in just one verse? We haven’t even begun to consider the rest of the chapter! It is easy to see why I am perplexed about what to choose for an article since we will read the first twenty-one verses. What does this tell us? You need to do some investigation. Don’t let the congregational reading be your only venture into God’s word in this week. As Jesus said, “Search the scriptures.” There is much to be discovered that will thrill your soul!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. (James 5:8)

Today we conclude our congregational reading in the epistle of James. You will notice in the beginning of chapter 5, James gives one of the most scathing rebukes of the sins of the rich that can be found in scripture. While the Bible never says it is a sin to be rich, it does give strict warnings about the deceitfulness of riches and what God expects as stewardship of the resources He has given. Most of us in our congregation will never have to concern ourselves with the temptation to horde riches. It is a challenge for many of you to meet your normal everyday household needs. We find ourselves on the other end of the spectrum fretting about making the house payment or the rent for next month. For many Christians, this seems to be upside down. Why do God’s people have to suffer trying to make ends meet when there are unbelievers that are so rich they can’t figure out what to do with all of their money? There are some churches that have developed an entire theology to answer this question. Their conclusion is that Christians that suffer with financial problems and with health problems are living short of God’s intention for them. They suffer because they lack the faith to claim all of God’s promises.

This is where our featured verse brings such comfort. Those that are not wealthy ought not to think that God will right this perceived wrong during our sojourn in this life. James reminds his readers of the holy prophets that suffered affliction (v.10) and patiently endured it. Could we say the prophets suffered because their faith was lacking? He also reminds them of Job (v. 11) who is the Bible’s classic example of patient endurance. Job certainly did not suffer because of lack of faith. It was his great faith that caused God to allow Satan to test him to prove that he would never turn his back on God despite the harshest of circumstances. In the end, Job received the reward of endurance which was more than what he gave up at the beginning.

The point made by James in this example is not that Job received his riches in this life, which he did, but rather there is always faithfulness by God in respect to the reward. Many of the Christians James wrote to would never see riches in the present life because they were slaves. Were they to conclude as modern preaching says that their lack of faith was the cause? This is wild and crazy theology—even demonic theology that arrives at such erroneous conclusions.

So, when is the Christian living in hardships to expect relief? It comes when we meet Christ. Those that live in light of the return of Christ or in the hope of their immediate presence with Christ at death realize they have eternal life in the present. They are going through such a minute period of time in this life that it does not register on the scale of eternity. The hurts of this life are no more than a scab that will be healed and quickly cast aside. If we truly believe in the reward that is coming, we will endure until we reach it.

Another example James gives of this patient endurance is in verse 7. The farmer toils in the field plowing and planting. It is a necessary part of receiving the harvest. The harvest will come but he cannot rush it. At the same time, he is confident the hard work will have a happy result. I don’t think we have any farmers in the church, so think of it another way. How much hard work and schooling does a professional endure before he becomes established and successful? The hardships are first and then the reward. James is simply saying this life is the hardship; it is the proving ground, and then the payoff of faith in Christ will be ours in the eternal home of heaven.

So, be patient. Hold on a little longer and establish your heart in the faith because Jesus is coming!

Pastor V. Mark Smith