Month: August 2022

            A few years ago, in a Sunday morning sermon, I recalled a story told by one of our members in the Sunday Morning Forum class. She told of a person in her former church who asked if her husband was a new Christian. Of course, he had been a Christian for many years, but the question was prompted because on that Sunday he did not wear a suit to church. The assumption was that not to wear a suit was to show immaturity in the faith.

            We were amused by the story and we wondered where people get such ideas. They believe they are more spiritual or better Christians than others because of what they wear or other things they do, and they judge others inferior if they don’t meet their standards. We needn’t look too far for the source of these erroneous teachings, for as they say, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. The tree in this case is a pastor who teaches the church in ways that promote his power over them. This is termed spiritual abuse.

            This definition of spiritual abuse was given in an article I read recently: “Spiritual abuse occurs when an oppressor establishes control and domination using scripture, doctrine, or their leadership role as a weapon.” This is the methodology of rules-oriented ministries. They misuse scripture and develop doctrines to enforce leadership positions. This enables them to maintain control over their congregation.

            The spiritually abusive pastor over emphasizes authority. He is an authoritarian whose reach often penetrates the relationship between husbands and wives. In this way, the pastor rules the family. As he rules the family, so he rules the church. This authority is taken by virtue of the office he occupies such as when Jesus said the scribes and Pharisees “sit in Moses’ seat.”

            In this amusing yet all too common story, the pastor establishes rules to keep the standard he wants to enforce. Not to obey the pastor is to be judged an inferior Christian. The worst forms of this are when people are convinced Christ loves them more or loves less depending upon their performance. They are taught God is pleased or displeased according to their ability to keep the rules. This is a terrible misuse of scripture, of sanctification, and of salvation itself. Yes, it is true God wants obedience and He surely blesses our lives because of it. No, it is not true these blessings are guaranteed by keeping the laws that are power plays by the preacher. Neither does God love them because they keep these laws or any others. God loves us because of Christ. He sees us in Christ, and nothing increases or diminishes His love for us. He loves us because of what Christ did, not what we do. This is fundamental to understanding salvation.

            When spiritual abusers attack weak Christians by misusing scripture, it seems the attack comes from God. If the pastor sits in “Moses’ seat,” we respect his use of the word because we think it is the word of God. I remember a similar type story of spiritual abuse. When some members decided to leave the church, the pastor visited them and tried to convince them—even ordered them to stay. They were told they would be severely chastised for leaving and God’s judgment would be on them. After they refused to heed the pastor, he promptly went to the door and shuffled his feet on the doormat, telling them he was shaking off the dust of his feet against them. Does this sound like the pastor had heartfelt concern for their spiritual welfare, or was he angry because his authority was defied?

            Intimidation is the method of cults. God forbid that Baptist churches would use the tactics of cults. Yet sadly, the cult of personality and authoritarianism is alive and well in many independent fundamental Baptist churches. I am sad to report they are seriously ethically challenged because of misuse of scripture and unbiblical authority.

            Beware of these practices and understand your liberty in Christ. The church is a mutual body of fellowship. This involves the pastor’s respect for the members as well as their respect for the pastor.

                                                                                                Pastor V. Mark Smith

Psalm 72

            Last week in our study of the coming kingdom of Christ, I read from Psalm 2 which is a descriptive passage supplementing the return of Christ in Revelation 19. In reading the psalms, it is remarkable how the hope of the Kingdom continues to be a major topic of the psalmists. We can scarcely believe the Kingdom is a myth or that it is purely mystical or that the references to it are simply metaphors for spiritual blessings.

            It is readily apparent that the psalmists, the prophets of the Old Testament, and authors of the New Testament fully expected God would do precisely as He said and establish a kingdom on earth in which the Christ would be its glorious monarch. A most enlightening proof of the literal reality of this kingdom is found in verses 5 and 17 of Psalm 72: “They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations…His name shall endure forever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.” The first phrase of verse 17 says, “His name shall endure forever,” while the second says, “His name shall be continued as long as the sun.” These two phrases cannot speak of the same manifestation of God’s kingdom since one is eternal and the other temporal.

            The first phase of God’s kingdom is earthly. It is a time sensitive rule which lasts only as long as the current universe exists. We know the cursed creation has a short shelf life as God intends to destroy it and begin anew. Second Peter tells us, “The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). This will, of course, end the existence of the sun and all other heavenly bodies.

            We can see how this corresponds to the end of the Millennial Kingdom. It will last until this great cataclysmic event occurs, and at this point Christ’s kingdom on earth will end. However, this is not the end of the kingdom altogether. It is only the end of the temporal form as the kingdom will be transitioned into its eternal form. Thus, the first and second phrases of verse 17 are both wondrously true.

            In addition to this noteworthy proof, there are references in the psalm to the dominion of Christ, the servitude of all nations, the righteous character of the government, the economic prosperity, and the abundant provision of food. Each of these are repeated promises in multiple passages of scripture. In none of these is any indication they are purely symbolic.

             The last verse of the psalm says, “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.” This psalm must have been written near the end of David’s life, as the beginning of the psalm says it was written for Solomon. David was relying on the promise God gave him years before that his throne would be established as an everlasting throne. David knew Solomon’s rule would not be everlasting, so we see how the psalm quickly moves from Solomon to another King who has the power of endless life. The final King is the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

            The kingdom of Christ on earth is a real unmistakable event. Its focus is Israel as the fulfillment of the promise made to them. However, it is also a promise for Christians today. We will rule with Christ in this kingdom. The church is not a replacement for Israel—we do not take over their promises. Instead, we will stand side by side with her and praise the glorious King forever and ever!

                                                                        Pastor V. Mark Smith

Among the many interesting parts of the book of Romans is Paul’s remarks on the change that will take place in the entire creation when our Lord returns to establish His kingdom. In the 8^th chapter, Paul wrote, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” The subject of suffering occupied our afternoon sessions as we considered this question—is the suffering of the present worth the anguish we go through as God’s people? Paul was convinced there is no contest. Of course, it is worth it because future glory so far supersedes present pain.

            Another question we considered is the false teaching that suffering Christians are out of God’s will and their struggles are caused by lack of faith. According to these false teachers, suffering is abnormal for those who trust God completely. They say God does not want His people to suffer. We find this is distinctly the opposite of the apostles’ and our Lord’s teachings. Notice how Peter supports Paul’s position in Romans about the glory that will be revealed in us. He wrote in 1 Peter 4:12-13: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 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.”
            The tone of 1 Peter makes it clear that suffering for Christ is not to be unexpected. Peter says, fiery trials are not extraordinary for God’s people. It would be strange not to have them. The explanation for these trials comes in verse 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 easily discernable even if we don’t 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 He 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.

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. 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, “How depressing! Is it really worth it?” This is when you should remember both Peter and Paul’s answer to this question. 1 Peter 1:6 says present suffering 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 realize 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. The trials are there to prove your faith not to prove you don’t have faith.

If you don’t have trials, I would be very concerned whether you are born-again and living your faith. Why? Because the devil does not persecute his own. Much more can be said on the subject. To hear more, come to the Romans class. It’s hard on the flesh to get out on Wednesday night. If you can’t take that much conflict with your flesh, you surely don’t understand anything you’ve just read.

                                                                                    Pastor V. Mark Smith

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. (Psalms 36:9)

Recently, I was asked why I end each Sunday afternoon sermon with the phrase, Blessed be God for Jesus Christ. Each of the sermons on the tabernacle is to explain the beautiful pictures of Christ that are displayed in the types and figures of tabernacle worship. I am reminded of verse 9 in Psalm 36 in which David writes: “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.”The purpose of these studies is to open up this fountain of life in order to perfect our knowledge of Christ. We are not in the midst of an academic pursuit to merely fill our heads with useless knowledge, but it is our desire to be filled with the fullness of the knowledge of Christ. To know Christ is to love Him, so as we increase our knowledge of Him so shall we increase in our love for Him.

The doctrines of God’s word elucidate the work of Christ that we might know Him better. In 1671, the great Puritan, John Flavel, presented a series of messages entitled The Fountain of Life Opened Up. In these sermons, he sought to draw the truths of Christ together to present them in an orderly fashion so that his readers could see the interdependency of each doctrine to the meaning of the whole gospel. In the introduction to his work, Flavel wrote:

“A young ungrounded Christian, when he sees all the fundamental truths, and sees good evidence and reasons of them, perhaps may be yet ignorant of the right order and place of every truth. It is a rare thing to have young professors to understand the necessary truths methodically: and this is a very great defect: for a great part of the usefulness and excellency of particular truths consists in the respect they have to one another. This therefore will be a very considerable part of your confirmation, and growth in your understandings, to see the body of the Christian doctrine, as it were, at one view, as the several parts of it are united in one perfect frame; and to know what aspect one point has upon another, and which are their due places. There is a great difference between the sight of the several parts of a clock or watch, as they are disjointed and scattered abroad, and the seeing of them joined, and in use and motion. To see here a pin and there a wheel, and not know how to set them all together, nor ever see them in their due places, will give but little satisfaction. It is the frame and design of holy doctrine that must be known, and every part should be discerned as it has its particular use to that design, and as it is connected with the other parts.

“By this means only can the true nature of Theology, together with the harmony and perfection of truth, be clearly understood. And every single truth also will be much better perceived by him that sees its place and order, than by any other: for one truth exceedingly illustrates and leads another into the understanding. Study therefore to grow in the more methodical knowledge of the same truths which you have received; and though you are not yet ripe enough to discern the whole body of theology in due method, yet see so much as you have attained to know, in the right order and placing of every part. As in anatomy, it is hard for the wisest physician to discern the course of every branch of the veins and arteries; but yet they may easily discern the place and order of the principal parts, and greater vessels, (and surely in the body of religion there are no branches of greater or more necessary truth than these) so it is in divinity, where no man has a perfect view of the whole, until he comes to the state of perfection with God; but every true Christian has the knowledge of all the essentials, and may know the orders and places of them all.”

This is the reason we study the tabernacle. We must see Christ better through the systematic understanding of truth. In the tabernacle, we touch on every aspect of Christ’s work. And by the way, as if to stand back in amazement at each discovery in the unveiling of Christ, Flavel ended each marvelous exposition of the Saviour with these words: Blessed be God for Jesus Christ.

                                                            Pastor V. Mark Smith

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

For many weeks, we’ve studied the Day of the Lord and how God intends to end this world. Those without Christ should be frightened to face the Lord and indeed Paul said in 1 Thessalonians they will not escape the wrath to come. While we as Christians will not face God’s wrath, we do face hardships in life that sometimes make us think we are not in God’s favor but in His wrath. One of these problems is financial trouble.

You will notice in James 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 gives. Most in our congregation do not concern themselves 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 upside down. Why must God’s people suffer trying to make ends meet when there are unbelievers that are so rich, they can’t figure out how to spend their money? Some churches 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 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 troubles. 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 the faithfulness of God in respect to the reward. Many of the Christians James addressed would never see riches in their lifetimes 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.

            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 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