Month: November 2012

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. (Revelation 1:8)

Today’s congregational reading takes us to the first chapter of the book of Revelation. Recently, we finished nearly four years of study in this book which is one of the most interesting in the Bible. Previous to our study, I had more questions about Revelation and more interest in beginning a study in this book than in any other. At that time, I warned everyone that usually more people are interested in the Antichrist and what he will do rather than in the real Christ who is the subject of the book.

The first chapter piques the interest of God’s people almost immediately as John writes there is a blessing for everyone that reads and hears the words of this prophecy (v. 3). Despite this promised blessing, many Bible teachers have avoided Revelation because it seems so mysterious. As we learned, much of Revelation is demystified by taking a literal approach to the material rather than making nearly every verse a symbol for something else. For example, the climax of the book is in the 19th chapter in which Jesus Christ appears as the rider on a white horse. He is called faithful and true (19:11) and the name written on His garments is KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS (19:16). This appearance of Jesus is the beginning of His millennial kingdom on the earth.

This kingdom is a literal kingdom that will be a golden age in which Christ will reign over the entire earth in perfect righteousness. He will sit on the throne of David as Israel’s last and greatest King. This is the kingdom promised in the Old Testament and is not to be confused with the church, or the time we are living in now. It is a real future event and cannot be explained away as being merely a spiritual kingdom.

As redeemed, born again believers in Christ, we live in anticipation of this kingdom. If we are living when Christ returns, we shall be immediately changed to receive a glorified body (1 Cor. 15:51-53). If we have died and our spirit is in heaven, our bodies will be resurrected to rejoin our spirit in a glorified body (1 Thess. 4:14-17). At that time, we can accurately predict the beginning of Christ’s kingdom on earth. After seven years of purging the earth through a terrible time of tribulation, Jesus will establish His authority as the Almighty King.

We love to read and study Revelation because it comforts us in the assurance that God has a predetermined plan for the final exaltation of Christ. There is no need to fear the wickedness of the world or be distraught when it seems the demons of hell have control. Revelation tells us how all believers will triumph in the victory of Christ. The earth is His and the fullness thereof (Psalm 24). He is the “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending…which is, which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

Pastor V. Mark Smith

And of some have compassion, making a difference: [23] And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. (Jude 1:22-23)

Last week in my comments on the epistle of Jude, I spoke of Jude’s encouragement for believers to stand firm in the faith. “The faith” is the whole body of Christian doctrine that has been given to us through the pages of the Holy Scriptures. We are told in verse 3 to contend for the faith and in verse 17 to remember the words spoken by Jesus and the apostles when they warned about those that mock and subvert the faith. When they reach their final stage of apostasy they are to be put out of the church (Titus 3:8-11).

Jude follows numerous verses of warning about subversives with an interesting comment in verse 22. He asks for compassion in dealing with them because there are some that can be brought back when they are handled with loving care. Some have been deceived without realizing it and if they are treated correctly the Holy Spirit can use us to bring them back to the truth.

As I read this passage, my eyes were fixed on the word compassion. This is a word that means we are affected deeply within. If I could put it in another way, it is the willingness to show mercy from the deepest, kindest affections. The word is applied in these verses toward the wayward that we desire to see come back to the faith, but I also thought how it can be applied to those that are helpless and hurting and suffering. We have a few people in our congregation that are going through some really tough physical illnesses. We place their names on the prayer page, but I wonder how many of us really feel their suffering as if it was happening to us? Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12 that members of the church should have such care for one another that when one member suffers all the members suffer with him.

It is easy for members of the same church to forget the problems of others especially when so many people are consumed with self. Many times we are just “acquaintances” of people at church and there is no feeling of closeness to them. There is no sense of family which would lead us to genuine care and concern for others. This is part of the function of the church. Our church should be a place of camaraderie, of people that are going to the same place and are living with the same desires. When you see words like compassion, forgiveness, and love in scripture, remember these are words that are also applied to God. When we are told to have compassion, it means as “God is full of compassion” (Ps. 86:15). Forgiveness is to forgive “as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph.4:32). To love others is as “Christ also hath loved us, and given himself for us…” (Eph. 5:2). These are characteristics of God that are intended to be a part of the person recreated in Christ. Colossians says we have put off the old man (old desires and way of life) “And have put on the new man, which is renewed after the image of him that created him” (Col. 3:10).

Think about God’s expectations from His people whenever you hear about another member that is hurting. Be ready to give aid with a kind compassionate heart. Jesus said “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matt. 25:40).

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 1:3)

Today in our scripture reading we turn to the epistle of Jude, a short letter that was written by the half-brother of Jesus. In the message today, Jude will be mentioned along with the other brothers and sisters of Jesus that were children of Mary and Joseph. Jesus was related to them through Mary but not Joseph since Mary became pregnant by the seed of the Holy Spirit while she was still a virgin. While Jesus and Jude grew up together in the same house, Jude did not believe Jesus was the Messiah until after His resurrection from the dead. As we see in the first verse of this letter, Jude became a Christian and was unwavering in his faith that Jesus was the Christ.

Although this letter is short, it is packed with encouragement for believers and with stern warnings for unbelievers. Believers are encouraged to remain steadfast in the faith because truth was being attacked from all sides. “Earnestly contend for the faith,” is not a command about personal faith even though it may apply, but rather a command to defend the entire body of Christian faith that was given by Jesus to the apostles. We often categorize biblical doctrines as essential and nonessential. I cannot find anything in scripture about nonessential doctrines. I know there are preferential positions that may not be concretely supported by biblical texts, but there are no doctrines of the Christian faith that are nonessential.

It is important to note that Jude believed the entire body of faith had been given. It had been given once, meaning given once for all time, which is tantamount to saying, the revelation of the faith was complete. Some of the New Testament was written after Jude wrote this letter, but no parts of it modified anything that was previously given. The faith was settled; Christian doctrine has no new parts that have been established since the completion of the New Testament canon. The scriptures are the pillar and ground of the truth and no church tradition can alter the written word of God.

Thomas Manton (1620-1677), perhaps the ablest commentator on the book of Jude, wrote the following observation about scripture: “The mercy of God appeareth in preserving it, that it may be delivered from one age to another. No doctrine so ancient as the doctrine of the scriptures; it describeth the whole history of the world from the very creation, and the original of all things. Where are there records so ancient? And yet they have been preserved even to our time. We have some ancient writings of the heathens, though nothing so ancient as scripture; but these are not contrary to men’s lusts, and have been cherished by them, and yet they have felt the tooth of time, and are in a great measure mangled; but the word of God hath been maligned and opposed, and yet it continueth; and holdeth up its head in the world: not only the main doctrine of the scriptures hath been continued, but no part of the word hath been falsified, corrupted, destroyed: the world wanted not malice nor opportunity; the powers of the world have been against it, and corrupt persons in the church have been always given to other-gospelling, Gal. 1:6,7; 1 Tim. 6:3; but still the scriptures have been wonderfully preserved, as the three children in the furnace, not a hair singed, not a jot and tittle of truth perished.” (A Commentary on Jude, Thomas Manton)

I believe part of the importance of verse 3 is that not only is God’s word preserved, but also the proper interpretations of it are kept intact by faithful “contenders.” The world will not fail to have a witness of the true gospel as long as it shall stand. God providentially protects a pure stream of gospel preaching even though at times it is very difficult to find. In times past, persecution drove the church underground, but the gospel was never lost. In our time and in our city, Christianity is mostly “Christ-less” with its emphasis on self help. A new faith has been delivered that will quickly change as soon as the church growth gurus figure a different and better method to fill the pews. And yet, Berean Baptist Church is here fighting the good fight of faith and contending for the entire body of faith that was once delivered unto the saints.

The “faith” was not popular in the time of the apostles and has never been popular since. The cross was an offense then and it still is today. We do not seek to be popular by giving people a watered down poisoned version of the gospel. We are not interested in “other-gospelling” as Manton called it. We have the “faith once delivered unto the saints” and we will preach it while hated by the world, and yet loved by God’s saints!

Pastor V. Mark Smith