A Study in Revelation Week 3

Revelation 4:1-11

We saw the PERSON of Jesus Christ in chapter 1.

In chapter 2-3, we saw the POSSESSION of Jesus Christ: the church.

In chapter 4 we see the beginning of the PROGRAM of Jesus Christ

Verse 1 – “After this (KJV: these things) I looked.” John looks into heaven. What he sees is the subject of the book of the Revelation from here on out. It is the vision of the battle that is to take place between Christ and Satan. Christ, Himself, calls John “…up here (KJV: hither). It is both an invitation and a command. Christ will show John the things that are going to take place. Some of it will take place in Heaven, some on Earth.

Verse 2 & 3 – The Holy Spirit is revealing to John what he could not see with physical eyes. He sees a throne, signifying a kingdom…not just any kingdom, John sees the throne of the Kingdom of God. It is surrounded with unimaginable splendor and light from what John sees as a rainbow, reminiscent of the Noahic Covenant, but with an even deeper meaning.

Verse 4 – Twenty-four elders surrounded the throne in blazing white garments. Some think of these as angels. More likely they were the 12 sons of Jacob and the 12 disciples. Either way, this is a picture of those who are close to God as a result of faithfulness.

Verse 5 & 6 – From the throne of God came flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder. This is about the glory and power of God. The seven lamps signify the Holy Spirit, in all of His perfection.  The seven fold Spirit of God includes: 1) The Spirit of Truth; 2) The Spirit of Power; 3) The Spirit of Love; 4) The Spirit of Self-Discipline; 5) The Spirit of Wisdom; 6) The Spirit of Judgement; and 7) The Spirit of Life.

The sea of glass magnified the glory of God. Imagine God’s full glory magnified! What a MIGHTY God we serve!

Verse 7 – The word “beasts” used in the KJV is better translated “living creatures” (GK: zao, to live). To indicate beasts, the Greek word, theris, would have been used. This harkens back to Ezekiel 1:5. When we studied Ezekiel, we referred to Revelation 4:7.

The lion may be understood to mean strength and power. The calf may symbolize service. The man symbolizes reason. The Eagle symbolizes speed. This is not the interpretation of all scholars, but whatever they are, they are all in servitude to God.

In the Talmud the rabbis wrote, "There are four primary forms of life in God's creation...man, calf, lion and eagle." And they felt that creation was represented in those four. In the camp of Israel, three tribes gathered under each of these four banners...several tribes gathered with Reuben, symbolized by a man, several tribes gathered with Dan symbolized by an eagle, several tribes gathered with Ephraim symbolized by the ox or the calf, and several tribes gathered with Judah symbolized by the lion. Thus the living creatures may be understood to symbolize all of created order.

These living things are involved in judgement and in worship.

Verse 8 – In this chapter and the next, there are five hymns of praise in which the size of the choir gradually increases. First here in verse 8 you have a quartet...a quartet of four living beings. You move down in to verse 10 and you add twenty-four elders and you've got a choir of twenty-eight voices. You move in to chapter 5 of verse 8 and you've got twenty-eight voices but added to them, according to verses 8 to 10, are harps, the orchestration comes in. You go down in to chapter 5 verse 11 and added to the twenty-eight voices and the orchestration come all the angels. And then by the time you get to verse 13, every created thing in heaven on earth and under the earth, on the sea and all things in them is added to it.

So here the music begins, praise to God. And it continues through Chapter 5!

The song these beings sang began with a quartet, but by the time everybody was involved, it had grown to a crescendo of loudest praise. 

The song was:

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come!

You are worthy, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power,

For you created all things and by your will they were created and have their being.

You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,

Because you were slain and with your blood you purchased me for God

From every tribe and language and people and nations.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,

And they will reign on the earth.

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth

And wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise.

To him who wits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor

And glory and power for ever and ever!

Here begins a side comment:

Much of music today is “milk-toast.” It substitutes musical Pablum for musical power. It substitutes musical simplicity for musical strength. It substitutes musical mayhem for musical meaningfulness. It substitutes emotional reaction for Godly reason. It substitutes mindless dogma for sound doctrine.

As has gone music, so has gone much teaching in the church. We have substituted feel-good for truth. We have substituted shallowness for depth. We have substituted milk for meat. We have substituted opinion for sound Biblical doctrine. We have substituted flippancy for meaningfulness.

If you can read chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation and not come away awed, humbled, and overcome by reverence; if you can come away with anything less than the Greatness and Majesty and Power of God; if you can come away without an overwhelming appreciation for what Christ has done for you at the cross of Calvary, you need to take a close look at your own salvation.

SUNDAY SOUNDS OF PRAISE-Oh What a Savior-Charles Billingsley

A Study in Revelation Week 2

Revelation 2:1 – 3:22

Remember, the Book of the Revelation is about Jesus Christ. It divides itself into three parts:

1.  The PERSON of Jesus Christ

2.  The POSSESSION of Jesus Christ — the church in the world, Chapters 2, 3

3.  The PROGRAM of Jesus Christ

In this lesson we will look at the Possession of Jesus Christ: the church. The Book of the Revelation deals with seven churches, the church in: Ephesus (2:1-7); Smyrna (2:8-11); Pergamum (2:12-17); Thyatira (2:18-29); Sardis (3:1-16); Philadelphia (3:7-13) and Laodicea (3:14-22).

Each of the churches have characteristics that the bible describes as positives and negatives. There are characteristics that Jesus loves and those He hates.

Ephesus

What Jesus loves: hard work, perseverance and the rejection of false teachers.

What Jesus hates: They have “left their first love,” the gospel…even Jesus Christ Himself.

What Jesus promises: eternal life to those who overcome through Him (their first love)

Smyrna

What Jesus loves: Their spiritual richness in the face of slander.

What Jesus hates: those who rail against the church.

What Jesus promises: the faithful unto death will receive the crown of eternal life.

Pergamum

What Jesus loves: they have remained true to Jesus in the face of satanic influences

What Jesus hates: infiltrators who engage in idol worship, sin and compromise with the world (Nicolaitans).

What Jesus promises: a white stone with a new name written on it. In Revelation 19:12 we learn that this is a reference to the Word of God…Jesus Christ.

Thyatira

What Jesus loved: their love, faith, service, perseverance and growth.

What Jesus hated: Jezebel, the false teacher and adulteress and her ilk in the church.

What Jesus promises: spiritual authority and Himself, the morning star (see Revelation 22:16).

Sardis

What Jesus loves: their excitement.

What Jesus hates: that their excitement is fake; they are really “asleep at the wheel” and dead .

What Jesus promises: to the few who are real, Heaven and security in the Book of Life.

Philadelphia

What Jesus loves: that they have kept His Word and have exalted His Name.

What Jesus hates: that they have allowed Judaizers into the church…those who want to blend the Old Covenant (Jews) with the New Covenant (Christianity).

What Jesus promises: protection from the future “hour of trial” (tribulation), His soon return and a role in the new Jerusalem.

Laodicea

What Jesus loves: not much.

What Jesus hates: that they lack fervor for the Word; their sense of spiritual narcissism. They are dull and spiritually lifeless.

What Jesus promises: if they will repent, he will enter their congregation and feed them spiritually and they will experience salvation.

Lessons for our churches

Our churches’ focus must be Jesus. Some ethereal concept of “God” is unacceptable. Our first love must be Jesus Christ and His gospel in everything that we do.

Our churches must withstand persecution by being absorbed by the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary.

Our churches must collectively repent when we stray from the gospel.

Our churches must guard against all false teaching wherever it is found.

Our churches must be alert, energetic and awake.

Our churches must patiently wait on God to do His work in us through Christ.

Our churches must be hot for Christ. He must be our in-all, of-all, through-all, and by-all of everything we do and stand for.

SUNDAY SOUNDS OF PRAISE-He Touched Me-Gaither Vocal Band

A Study of the Revelation Week 1

Let's get one thing straight from the get-go: There is no such book as "Revelations" in the Bible. The book is "Revelation..." singular. From Chapter 1, verse 1 to Chapter 22, verse 21, there is only ONE revelation. It is the revelation of Christ's ultimate triumph and the events leading up to it, the events surrounding it and the events to follow it.

The Greek word for "revelation" in verse 1 is  apokalupsis which means "an uncovering" or "unveiling."

The old King James version titles it "The Revelation of St. John the Divine." That is categorically wrong. The NIV calls it simply, "Revelation." That also is wrong. The book names itself in the very first verse: The revelation of Jesus Christ.

Why have self-proclaimed scholars missed that point? You got me. I have no idea. It is so clear that you almost don't need the Holy Spirit to reveal it to you. (But trust me, you DO need Him to get it right.)

So get it straight. This book is the revelation of Christ given to John.

The second thing to learn is that The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is not about churches in Ephesus, Thyratira, Sardis or anywhere else. It is not about strange beasts, black and white horses, lamp stands or who is or is not sealed. It is about Jesus Christ.

The third thing to learn is that The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ was not given to tell us about how "end times" affects or will affect us. The prophecies contained in the book are there to show the superiority of Christ and His ultimate victory. (Praise God! We get to share in it!)

If you are immersed in white robes, trumpets, angels and dragons and miss Jesus, you have misinterpreted the book.

The final thing to learn is that there are NO mysteries in the book. Everything in the book is explained in the book, and any attempt to ascribe to its content anything but the supremacy of Christ is heresy.

Many, many...far too many TV preachers have complicated the book in order to make themselves look smart, scholarly or insightful. Do not listen to them. They are false prophets of the kind Jesus warned about in Matthew 7, that Paul spoke of in Galatians, 1 Timothy and other books, and that John addressed in 1st. 2nd and 3rd John.

You might have noticed that I listed four things to learn. In reality, there is only one, and His name is Jesus Christ.

So...let's get to it.

The Book of the Revelation Chapter 1

Verse 1-2 - Here the book is named. Here we also learn that God gave this revelation to John. He gave it to John to show to His servants. (More on this in a moment.) He gave it to John because John is the only disciple who was present for ALL of Jesus' ministry, right up to the cross and the resurrection. He gave it to John because John "testifies to everything he saw - that is the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Verse 3 - We who read this book (prophecy), hear this book and take it to heart (that is, accept its protagonist: Jesus Christ) will be made deeply satisfied (blessed). The time of Christ's triumph was, is and always will be. It is near right now. As the song writer once penned: He's as close as the mention of His name.

Verse 4 - No debate here. The earthly author of the book is John. This is John the Beloved. This is John who watched the crucifixion. This is John who ran to the tomb to witness the resurrection. This was John who was present at the ascension.

He proclaims Christ's grace and His peace. He calls Christ the one who is, who was, and who is to come. He also claims to bring greetings from the "seven spirits" before the throne of Jesus.

Scholars do not agree on who or what these seven spirits are. Three interpretations prevail:

1) they use a biblical number of completeness or perfection (7) to signify the Holy Spirit;

2) they are angelic beings like the seraphim or cherubin;

3) they are the seven spirits listed in Isaiah 11:2 [ (1) Spirit of the Lord; (2) Spirit of Wisdom; (3) Spirit of Understanding; (4) Spirit of counsel; (5) Spirit of Power; (6) Spirit of Knowledge and (7) Spirit of the fear of the Lord.]

I personally lean toward #1, but can also see #3. I cannot accept #2.

Verse 5 - Once again, the issue is not who the spirits are, but who Christ is: the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

Verse 6 - Christ loves us, He died for us and He makes us into a kingdom of priests. This is not the first or only reference to Christians being priests. Check out 1 Peter 2:5; 1 Peter 2:9; and Hebrews 7:11, 7:12, 7:14 and 7:24.

A priest is one who has access to God. You are a priest, not just figuratively, but in every sense of the word. Our very purpose is single-fold: to serve God, who is glory and power forever. AMEN!

Verse 8 - Jesus was a member of the Godhead in the beginning, during His life and from now throughout eternity. He says of Himself that He is the "Alpah and Omega, who is, and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

"The almighty!" Can there possible be any clearer that Jesus and God are One?

Music for Congregational Singing

Here is an outline of what music, particularly congregational music, should be:

A. Music should be easy for the congregation to sing.
     1.  A “new” song might not be a good song if it cannot be sung by the participants.

     2.  Most hymns and many choruses fit the bill.
     3.  If you want the congregation to engage in worship and praise,           make it possible for them.

B. Music should invoke a range of emotions, including:
     1. Joy
     2. Confidence
     3. Certainty
     4. Life’s difficulties and Christ’s solution

C. Music must center on God through Christ, not on ourselves.
     1. He must always be the point of our singing.
     2. He must always be exalted in our singing.
     3. He must always be revered, honored and glorified in our singing.

D. Music must not feel like a performance
     1. Performance puts the focus on us instead of Him.
     2. Performance emphasizes the wrong values.
     3. Performance ignores our unworthiness outside of Christ.

E. Music must be well done.
     1. Excellence as an offering to God should be the goal of our music
     2. Perfection will never be reached but must be sought.
     3. Well done music requires practice and repetition

F. Music must not have an overpowering accompaniment.
     1. Accompaniment must not hinder worship and praise.
     2. Accompaniment must fit the lyrics
          a) One would never accompany “Be Still and Know that I Am God” with loud brass and cymbals.
     3. A cappella music should be tried occasionally.  

G. Music’s lyrics must be doctrinally sound.

     1. Many hymns are doctrinally sound, but some are not. Know the difference.
          a) Are we to cherish the cross or the one on the cross?
          b) Do we have to invite the Holy Spirit to be present? Isn’t He already here?

          c) Should “I” be the focus of the song?

Curses for a Christian's Disobedience? That's a Heresy.

Does God ever curse a Christian?

No.

Does He ever correct a Christian's behavior?

Yes.

But He never curses a Christian.

Jesus bore the curse for us on the cross.

I didn't just make that up.

Paul wrote about it in Galatians 3:10-14

"All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.' Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because 'The righteous will live by faith.' The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, 'The man who does these things will live by them.' Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.' He redeemed in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit."

The most joyous statement in that joyous statement is: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us..."

Notice also that He did so in order that we might receive the blessing of Abraham, that is: the blessing of uncountable additions to the family of God through Christ and the blessing of God's presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit..

That word blessing is important. It is often said that it means "happy." But in the original language it is used to denote deep spiritual satisfaction.

The beatitude in Matthew 5:3 could read: "Deeply spiritually satisfied are those who recognize their need for Godly spiritual enrichment."

I have heard Christians say, "God has blessed me with a nice house," or "God has blessed me with good health," or "God has blessed me with a comfortable retirement" or many other attributions of the physical to God's blessing.

Are there no Christians who are poor, homeless, or sick? Are there no Christians who struggle with having to work beyond retirement age? If a Christian is poor, homeless or sick, is he under a curse while those who prosper are blessed by God?

That is pure Jewish thinking. In the Jewish mind, blessings were physical. The Judaisers of Galatians thought the same thing.

Consider this: If you need some sort of blessing beyond the blessing of Christ's atoning death on the cross and subsequent resurrection, then the blessing of Christ's atonement was insufficient to bless you adequately.

So God has blessed us in Christ and He is all sufficient. God will never curse one of His own. Christ became the curse for us.

Enjoy the blessings of your salvation!

1st, 2nd and 3rd John Week 6

Like all lost people, the false teachers called Gnostics needed to know the gospel. They need to know who God is. They need to know about sin. They need to know about repentance, They need to know that sin separates. They need to know Christ, the one who saves us from our sin. They need to know His love.

1 John 5:1-12

Verse 1 - The phrase "born of God" is a reference to the virgin birth of Jesus. If we are to love God, we must love Christ.

Verse 2 - Be clear, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. That curse, according to Paul's letter to the Romans, is sin and death. But Paul also says that Christ has redeemed us from the law. Jesus fulfilled the law.

Some take that to refer only to the ceremonial law. If that is the case, we are not saved. It is not from the ceremonial law that we have been saved, it is from the Mosaic Law. Ceremonial law did not condemn us, the Law of Moses condemned us. The book of Hebrews is clear, the Old Covenant is no longer relevant to us.

Remember, though, that Jeremiah and Hebrews teach that God's Law would be written on our hearts. We know what is right and wrong by the leading of the Holy Spirit who indwells us. And because we know God and have Him in our hearts, we keep His commandments...not as some kind of ritualistic behavior, but as an out-spewing of His Law of Love in us.

Notice that verse 2 does not say that others will know we are Christians by how we follow God's commandments. It says that we will know we are Christians by how we follow God's commandments.

Verse 3 - God's commandments are not grievous. They are joyful. They are fulfilling. They flow out of us from within.

Verse 4 - That which comes from God overcomes the world. Remember, the Gnostics sensed that the world is evil, but they reacted to its evil in an inappropriate way. John does not suggest that we do away with the world, but that we overcome it.

Verse 5- The only ones who can overcome the world are those who believe that Jesus really, truly is the actual Son of God.

Verses 6-8 - In a direct confrontation to the false teaching of the Gnostics, John proclaims that Jesus was physically born (water and blood). The Holy Spirit gives testimony in our hearts to the reality of Jesus. He also testifies to the physical nature of Jesus, who was 100% man and 100% God.

Verse 9 -In a court of law, man's testimony is accepted. John tells us that God's testimony is greater than man's. Men's testimony might contradict itself. God's never will.

Verse 10 - If you believe in the Son of God (another reference to Jesus' physicality), Jesus Christ, He lives in your heart. God gave testimony to His Son in the Old Testament Scriptures. He testifies to His Son today in the hearts of His people.

Verse 11 - God's testimony is that in Christ we are given eternal life, and that life is in Christ.

Verse 12 - You either have eternal life or you don't. There is no half-way. There is no "I guess so" or "I hope so." If the Holy Spirit is not testifying to your salvation, you are not saved. You need to repent of sin and turn in faith, trusting in and only in the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary. If you do not, you are dead in your sin.

Happy Birthday America! May Your Banner Always Wave!

1st 2nd and 3rd John Week 6

John 4:7-21

John has just finished a scathing indictment of the Gnostics' world view and revealed that their spiritualistic view of everything is actually a worldly philosophy. There was also something else missing from their world view: real love. And so, John sets out to define what is meant by real love.

Verse 7 - The Greek work for love here is the well known agape and its verb form agapao. As you know, this is Godly love. It bears no relationship to erotic love (eros), friendly, sometimes called brotherly love (phileo), or the love of family (storge). Agape is kind of love God exhibited toward us when he allowed Jesus to fulfill His own statement: Greater love has no man than this; that he would lay down his life for a friend.

John admonishes us to have agape love for one another. He proclaims that this kind of love can only come from God. And if we are born of God (that is: born again; saved) we know God.

Verse 8 - Those who do not demonstrate agape toward one another do not know God. God, in all of His being, in all of His intervention in history and in His giving of His only Son, is the very essence of love.

Verse 9 - Here John wraps agape up in one package. He proclaims that God's love was manifested in Jesus, whose act of agape at Calvary brings life.

This message would have been foreign, even threatening to the Gnostics. To them, love was an abstract concept, spiritual in such a way as to be ethereal and unreal.

Verse 10 - Agape originates with and by God. It is not that we loved God so much that He sent Christ as some sort of cosmic reward. It is that He loves us and sent Christ to die for our sin.

Verse 11 - Here is John's logic: if God loved us that much, we should then love each other in the same way, that is, we should be ready and willing to lay down our lives for one another. That's heavy duty!

Verses 12-13 - In John 4:24 this same John had written, "God is a spirit and those who worship Him bust worship Him in spirit and in truth." He reaffirms this truth in verse 12. His reference here is to God the Father. The way we know that we know God in Christ is to have God dwelling in us, which will result in us loving one another.

Verses 14-15 - To the Gnostics then and now John testifies that he and his compatriots have seen Jesus, whom God sent, in the flesh to be the Savior of the world. The Gnostics denied that Jesus was the Son of God. John says, "Oh, yes He is." And those who are willing to confess (agree with God) that truth have God living in them.

Verse 16 - John connects knowing and believing. He states the connection by reiterating that God is love and God's love is testified to by how we love one another.

Verses 17-18 - "Herein" is John's way of drawing his conclusion from what he has said. Agape love is perfect. It won't let you down, it won't let you go and it won't let you off. It is sufficient for the final judgement. When God looks at you, He will see you through the perfect, completed love of Christ.

You do not need to be afraid of love, you do not need to be afraid to love and you can be sure that fear of death and its consequences are taken care of by God and do not need to be feared.

Verse 19 - If Christ had not come, lived, died and risen from the dead, we would never have reached up for God's love. Israel tried to gain God's love by good behavior, but they never reached up to Him. In the final analysis, it was God who reached down to us first. Then and only then could we respond to Him with love.

Verses 20-21 - Agape love must be consistent. We cannot love God and mix it with hate. John's logic is that if we can't love our brothers in Christ, whom we have seen, we cannot possible love God, whom we have not seen.

Jesus' commandment was for us to love one another. When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus told us to love God completely and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This sums up the entire law, according to Jesus.

All of this might have irritated the Gnostics, but it should fill us with joy and excitement.

Rightly Dividing 01

This begins a series of posts dealing with commonly misused and misapplied Bible verses.

We have many good Bible teachers and preachers in our churches. Sadly, we have many bad ones, too. Many Christians, pastors, leaders and laymen alike, treat Scripture as though it is a collection of proverbs. The book of Proverbs is a series of proverbs (though if properly understood it is the story of Godly growth), the rest of the Bible is not.

The trouble begins with context. For example, "Then I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me." (Matthew 25:45) This verse is often taken to mean that we should provide welfare for anybody in need. That is a misapplication of the verse.

Did you notice that Jesus describes the one of whom He speaks as "brothers of mine?" That identifies them as other Christians, not just generic poor, hungry, homeless, sick and imprisoned people.

Jesus has such intimacy with His followers that whatever is done to them is the same as doing it to Him.

You see, it is not true that "there is one interpretation, many applications" of Scripture verses. Taken out of context, Matthew 25:45 seems to speak of charity; hand-outs. But in context it speaks of His relationship to His own.

Applied this way the verse fits with and complements Acts 4:32, "All the believers were of one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had."

That verse is often misapplied to justify government entitlements; welfare. Sometimes it is used as an example of communism in the Bible. In truth, it has nothing to do with either. It is an expansion of Jesus' words about how Christians relate to Him and to one another.

To use a Bible verse generically, without knowing its context and relevance to the rest of the Bible is to commit, however innocently, a heresy. God spends a lot of time in Scripture warning against false teachers and their heresies.

In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul laments that he cannot feed the church members the meat of the Word, but must confine himself to the surface "milk" of the Word.

It behooves us to dig deeper into the Word to understand its passages in terms of the chapter they are in, the book they are in, the testament they are in, the Covenant they represent and the Bible as a whole.

In other words, it makes absolutely no difference what a verse or passage "means to you." What is important is: what did God mean when He wrote it?

Let's learn to "rightly divide the Word of Truth." Teach our teachers, pastors and lay leaders to treat God's Word as it deserves to be treated and not like a series of parables to be applied in any way they see fit.

SUNDAY SOUNDS OF PRAISE-God Is-Holly Starr

1st 2nd and 3rd John Week 5

As we journey through 1 John, keep in mind that there was a heresy being taught in the church called Gnosticism along with it's corollary, Docetism. Sunday school teachers were teaching that everything  physical in the world is evil because it is physical and that Jesus was not really a man, but a spirit.

Where do heresies originate? The short answer is that they come from Satan. That's true in the ultimate sense, but there is a sinister path they take on their way to being spoken. Heresies are born in something the Bible calls "vain imaginations." Paul spoke of them in Romans 1:21. The word for imaginations in the Greek is diologimos. You can see the word "logic" in it. In 2 Cor 10:5 Paul speaks of casting down imaginations. Here he uses the Greek word, logimos. You can see the word "logic" even more clearly here.

Man has always thought he could figure things out on his own. But the Bible says "thinking themselves wise, they became fools." (Romans 1:22) It also says, "There is a way that seems right to man but its conclusion is always death." (Proverbs 14:12) Heresies arise when men think of something that seems logical and then turn it into a doctrine, dogma or other teaching.

Chapter 4

Verse 1 - In some circles, if something sounds good or smart or has a modicum of truth to it, it is accepted as Godly. John warns that we are to fearfully watch out for preachers and teachers of false doctrine.

Verse 2 - Did you notice the phrase "...that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh...?" The Gnostics taught that He had not come in the flesh but was only spirit. John is directly and forcefully contradicting that teaching.

Verse 3 - If you teach that Jesus was spirit only and had no flesh, you are one with antichrist. John tells us that antichrist has already come.

Verse 4 - The "them" in this verse is a reference to the antichrists. Through Christ we have overcome them. This is a very rich and complex verse. It tells us that the very ones who thought everything good is only spiritual and that the world is evil, are the ones who, themselves, are of the world.

Verse 5 - John reveals that the antichrists (Gnostics/Docetists) are in the world and that is why they speak as the world and are heard by the world. They seem wise and philosophical, but they are wolves in sheep's clothing.

Verse 6 - Because of the New Covenant (who is Jesus), we are of God. Because we are of God, we recognize the spirits of antichrist. God's Truth is written in our hearts. We speak the truth of the gospel of  Christ. With the Holy Spirit in us, we can know the difference between the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error (antichrist).

If we need some special theosophical formula to discern what is true and what is not true, we do not have the New Covenant in our hearts. Even the Bible itself is not there to act as a list of behaviors that are of God and those that are not of God. Indeed, the New Covenant in our hearts enables us to rightly divide the Word of Truth.

If you cannot know the difference between what is of God and what is not of God, you are either unsaved or still a baby in Christ, no matter how many years you have been saved. Isn't it time to delve deeper into the Word of God and find its most precious riches?

Isn't it time to absolutely demand that our teachers, preachers and leaders teach right doctrine and only right doctrine? After offering training in right doctrine to those who are not teaching it, is it not time to evict them from our presence. Can we read 1 John and think it is OK to suffer the teaching of wrong doctrine?

Abraham's response of gratitude

Abraham and Melchizedek

The Old Testament book of Malachi was written about 450 BC. Coins used for money appeared about 700 BC. But money, some form of tangible symbol of worth, was used as far back as 2200 BC. It took many forms: salt, minerals, stones, shells and many others. Money was developed to assuage the use of perishables in the business of trade.

You may have been taught that in Bible times people used grain for money. Not really. They used grain for barter; the trading of goods for something of perceived value. The problem with using perishables for the exchange of value was three-fold. Perishables do what they do...they perish. They are also a bit bulky in quantity. Finally, if you went to barter for something, say for a nice garment and the vendor already had all he needed of  the perishable you were offering, you were out of luck.

For those reasons most societies used nonperishable money (salt, minerals, stones, shells, etc.) instead of perishables.

Abram defeated Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, Melchizedek (prominent in the book of Hebrews) brought out bread and wine and blessed Abram. Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of what he had plundered, the spoils of war. It was not a tenth of his own belongings. It was a tenth of what he had taken.

Abraham's giving was an act of worship. Notice also that it was incidental, not institutional. In fact, in 14 chapters of Genesis regarding Abraham, this is the only time we read of him giving any specific amount of either the spoils of war or of his own personal possessions to anybody. And furthermore, notice that the gift was not of perishable items but of nonperishable.

Abraham's giving was neither levitical nor obligatory. It was an arbitrary amount that came straight out of his heart.

"Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God love a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Preaching and teaching The Word, instead of the word.

In 1 Corinthians 3:1-4, the apostle Paul speaks to the brothers in the First Baptist Church (you may insert whatever church you wish here) of Corinth. He borders on the insulting as he says, "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly - mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready."

What does it mean to give somebody the milk of the word and not solid food?

I hear so many pastors and teachers brag, "I just preach the word."  And (arrogantly), "We believe the Bible is the infallible, inspired word of God." And then they preach by reading some verses, sometimes in some iota of context, sometimes not, followed by a rewording of what they have read while adding some interesting (or not) illustration(s) from their own life.

Pastors and teachers who preach and teach like that are feeding their people spiritual pablum. Their preaching is shallow and unproductive. And they wonder why, blaming it on "the way things are with people today."

Did you know it is possible to preach and teach the word without preaching and teaching The Word? It is and it's wrong.

The Word is not type on a page. The Word is The Word who was in the beginning, as revealed in John 1:1. The Word is the one who is the giver of life. The Word is not a scattering of proverbial truths to apply willy-nilly to any and all situations in life. The Word is none other than Jesus Christ, Himself.

The Bible is The Word of God, not the word of God. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible leads us to The Word and only to The Word. Messiah is the subject and the promise of the Old Testament. Christ is the subject and the revelation of the New Testament. (Christ being the translation of Messiah into the Greek language).

To rightly divide The Word means going deeper than just reading and commenting on a portion of the Bible. To rightly divide The Word of Truth means to seek God's meaning in the passage.

Take 1 John 1:5-7, "This is the message that we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and to not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son, purifies us from all sin."

If we go below the words on the surface we will see that this is a perfect rebuttal to Gnosticism, which was beginning to plague the church. John was telling the Gnostics that their message was wrong and that ours is right. He said that their claim to salvation by intellect was wrong and that our claim to salvation through the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary is right.

In others words, God intended for us to use 1 John 1:5-7 not to tell Christians that they have salvation in Christ. They already know that (or should). He intended to provide for us an apologetic to use against false teachers in the church, regardless of their position in the church, pastor, teacher, deacon or whatever.

Are there false teachers in your church? Probably. Every church seems to garner its share. Our job is to use The Word to ferret them out and rid the church of them. That can be done by re-training them, if they are willing to be re-trained, or by expelling them.

Let me provide you with some things to look for that indicate that a pastor, teacher or other leader might be a false teacher with a Gnostic outlook.
1.   Gnostic leaders believe that a Biblical worldview is “spiritual” and has little or no value to either culture or the world.

2.   Gnostics would teach that the corporate, organizational and structural elements have little or no place in Christianity. Christianity is all about some ethereal, mystical relationship to the exclusion of the physical “trappings” of organized worship. To the Gnostic, the physical is evil.

3.   Gnostics would teach that there is no relationship between what happens in the world today and what happens in the post-church age. There will be no bodily resurrection, since the body is evil and God would never raise it physically.

4.   To the Gnostic, institutional faith and representational activities are at odds with spiritual matters and if we engage in institutional activities we are denying the spiritual nature of Christianity. that speaks to the celebration of the Lord's Supper and to Baptism.

5.   Gnostics believe and teach that the body should not be used to express human reaction to spiritual things. Hands should not be raised. Clapping is out of place. Dancing is taboo.

6.   The physical world is of no interest to God.

7.   Certain rhythmic patterns and styles of music are “satanic” because they appeal to our body rather than our soul. This one qualifies because it sees rhythmic patterns, unconventional beats, and other such music as arousing to the base nature of the physical. 

(On this latter point: the type of music you like is up to you and is between you and God. But to ascribe some evil nature to a particular form of music is pure Gnosticism...a philosophy the Bible plainly condemns. That is NOT to say that some things that pass for Christian music are not appropriate for worship. Some music contains bad doctrine and must be avoided on that basis.)

Let's remember that when we preach or teach The Word that we must introduce our people to the deeper meanings of the passages we use. We must wean them from "spiritual milk" and lead them to a deeper understanding of Him who is The Word of God. 

"For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

SUNDAY SOUNDS OF PRAISE-Love Will Overcome-Steven Curtis Chapman

Hello friends,
It's with a very heavy heart that I come to you with this post. As I have prayed for and grieved with the people of Charleston SC there's one part of this terrible and tragic story in particular that continues to stir me. It's the fact that Rev. Pinckney and the other believers gathered at Emanuel AME Church to worship, pray and study God's Word opened their hearts & made room in their "circle" for a stranger...unknowingly but willingly inviting in the very one who would take the lives of many in their circle. They chose to love...and Love never fails...Love always has the last word! As I read Romans 12:18-21 I'm struck with how profound those words are in this situation. Ultimately evil has been and will forever be overcome with good...and there is no more powerful "good" than the love of God! As we continue to pray for comfort and peace to fill the hearts of all affected by this terrible tragedy may we be inspired by the love and the lives of Rev Pinckney and the others in that circle...& may we remember that the story is far from over. Love cannot and will not fail!
With that thought I wrote this song for the people of Charleston...and to remind all of us...Love conquers all!
With a heavy but hopeful heart,
scc

1st 2nd and 3rd John Week 4

1 John 2:15-27

Verse 15-16 – The Gnostics were teaching that everything physical is evil. Here John, having acknowledged the reality of the world, tells the Gnostics that he is not advocating loving the physical world. In fact, he says that if we love the world, the love of God is not in us. Although the world is real, it and its trappings are not to be the focus of our lives.

Verse 17 – John reminds us (and the Gnostics) that the things of this world will deteriorate and disappear. He is not denying that the world is antithetical to Christ. He is saying that we must not allow the things of the world to be our focus.

Verse 18-19 – Gnostics are considered by John to be little children. He lumps us in there with them.

John declares “it is the last time.” This is a unique reference to the time between Christ’s first coming and His second coming. We’re in it…we are in the last time. It is the time when antichrist will arrive.

Antichrist can (and will) refer to a particular person. It also refers to anyone who opposes the truths of God in Christ. In verse 18 John recognizes that there is one antichrist and that there are many antichrists. It is to these latter antichrists that John speaks of. They are those who fall away from orthodox Christianity. The Gnostics would have been included in this group.

Verse 20-23 – Here John borders on insult. He premises that Gnostics know better than what they teach. He also says that the saved “know all things.” “All things” is a reference to the sufficiency of Christ.

John teaches that the Gnostics actually know the truth, they just refuse to acknowledge it. He declares that there is no lie in the truth. That seems obvious, but John often uses the obvious to solidify his message.

Since the Gnostics denied the reality of Jesus, they were enemies of the gospel. They and their ilk are antichrist. 

Believers, in contrast, are blessed with an anointing from God. Deniers of Christ will never know God. Those who have the Holy Spirit living in their hearts not only know God, but have Him.

Verse 24-25 – Christians have received the message of the one who was present at the beginning, Jesus Christ. We are to allow Christ to live in us. Our part of the bargain is to live in the reality of Christ in our hearts and to dwell in Him. God has promised that if we do we will receive what He has promised us: eternal life.

Verses 26-27 – John restates the reason he wrote this book. It was to give you confidence to refute what the false teachers were teaching. Because Christ lives in us, we have the ability to know-that- we-know the truth of Christ. We can revel in the Truth. When we do, there is no man’s teaching that can sway us. We shall abide in Him with Holy assurance.

We will be able to say with Paul, “…I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12)

What Does the Bible Say about Preaching the Gospel?

I am not one for "proof-texting;" using Bible verses proverbially to prove a point. There are too many aberrant consequences, heresies and apostasies that result from it. Proof-texting has been used to justify just about every cult and false doctrine in the world. I can prove absolutely anything you want me to prove by selecting certain Bible verses and thus "prove" that what you want me to prove is true "according to the Bible."

Having said that, there are certain things that occur so often in God's Word that they had best not be ignored. As someone once noted, if God says it once it is important. If He says it twice, it is very, very important. If he says it more than twice, you had jolly well better perk up and pay attention.
So it is with preaching the gospel.

Far too often we concern our preaching with matters of character, social ills, politics, raising money, even a generic kind of faith and all sorts of things other than the gospel.

Here are ninety-nine (99) references to preaching the gospel in the New Testament. That's more than two, so I think we might do well to pay attention. We might even reconsider what we ought to be preaching.

Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom

Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom

Matthew 26:13 Verily I say unto you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world,

Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Matthew 24:14 …this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

Mark 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

Mark 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,

Mark 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

Mark 14:9 Verily I say unto you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world…

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Luke 3:18 Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people,

Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Luke 7:22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

Luke 9:6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere.

Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets 'were' until John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and every man enters violently into it.

Luke 20:1 And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,

Acts 8:25 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

Acts 8:40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

Acts 14:7 And there they preached the gospel.

Acts 14:15 "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them;

Acts 14:21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

Acts 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Acts 16:10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

Romans 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

Romans 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Romans 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

Romans 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.

Romans 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

Romans 15:19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Romans 15:20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:

Romans 15:29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

  

1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

1 Corinthians 2:2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

1 Corinthians 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

1 Corinthians 9:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

1 Corinthians 9:18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 Corinthians 2:12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,

2 Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

2 Corinthians 8:18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;

2 Corinthians 9:13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

2 Corinthians 10:14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:

2 Corinthians 10:16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.

2 Corinthians 11:4 For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

2 Corinthians 11:7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Galatians 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Galatians 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Galatians 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

Galatians 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

Galatians 2:5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

Galatians 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the circumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

Galatians 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, lives after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compel thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

Galatians 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

Galatians 4:13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. 

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Ephesians 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Ephesians 3:7 of which I was made a servant, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.

Ephesians 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Ephesians 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Philippians 1:5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

Philippians 1:7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

Philippians 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel…

Philippians 1:16 ...the one 'do it' of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel;

Philippians 1:17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel.

Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becomes the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Philippians 2:22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel

Philippians 4:3 And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life.

Philippians 4:15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

Colossians 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

1 Thessalonians 2:2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

1 Thessalonians 2:8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

1 Thessalonians 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: for laboring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

1 Thessalonians 3:2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

2 Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

1 Thessalonians 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which tries our hearts.

So, if you dared to read this far, did this get your attention?

2 Thessalonians 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 1:11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

2 Timothy 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

2 Timothy 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: 

So, as a pastor, teacher or leader, does this in any way convict you?