Update the Gospel?

 

William Barkley, in his commentary on 1 Thessalonians, states that during the period of the Roman Republic, the Romans had not one single divorce in a 520-year period. However, as they moved away from the Republic into a more of socialistic empire, things began to change. Although they had previously conquered the Greeks militarily, the Greeks “Grecianized” the Romans in terms of morality. The fornication, homosexuality, and related sins of Corinth are an indication of this Grecianization in the first century.

Similarly, the American Republic has also moved further and further away from personal responsibility toward more collectivism – arrangements whereby we are subject to many more laws, regulations, institutions, and bureaus designed to do what was previously done by individuals. We are now suffering the same dissolution as did ancient Rome: our morals, our patriotism, our self-esteem, our productivity, and our homes have deteriorated.

We live in a day and age in which everything seems to be changing constantly. Because of this, some claim that the gospel must change to keep in step with the times. They say, “Time does not wait for anybody. It leaves behind those who do not keep step.” Is this true? Should the gospel be changed; can it be changed and still be the gospel? All will admit that we live in a society in which things change constantly. But I will hasten to add that everything does not change with time. One’s need for food, clothing, and shelter are the same, in that we still need such to survive. Also, sin has not changed. Eve sinned when she transgressed (disobeyed) the law of God (Genesis 3:1-6). Today men sin when they transgress (disobey or over-ride) God’s law (1 John 3:4).

[Galatians 1:8] Now if sin is still the same, why should the remedy (the gospel) be changed? The apostle Paul makes it clear to the Galatians that the gospel could not be changed and still be the gospel (Galatians 1:6-7). Jude, writing concerning the common salvation that came by the way of the gospel, exhorted the brethren to, “…earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). Jude speaks of the faith which comes from the preaching of the gospel (Romans 10:17) and says that it was once delivered. The gospel is complete and needs no changes. It gives all things that pertain unto life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). It finishes one completely with the spiritual diet unto every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The gospel is the “…power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16). It is the Word of God that we will be judged by (John 12:48). Since the gospel will save and it is that by which we will be judged, then why would we want to change (over-ride) it? All we must do is recognize the gospel for what it is - The TRUTH (Colossians 1:5). Obey it as written or be lost (1 Thessalonians 1:8; Romans 1:16)!

There is little individuals can do to change a major tide of history, but we can form our families and our characters according to the ancient standards of God, as recorded in the Bible. We do not have to go along with the crowd. We do not have to salivate like Pavlov’s pups simply because the culture in which we live rings a bell of conformity. We can resist the fornication, lies, indolence, and dishonesty around us. We can form marriages with like-minded Christian people and live faithfully ever after. We can nurture our children in the chastening and admonition (discipline and character) of the Lord.

Of course, as Lot can tell you, it’s difficult to keep our family standards intact in Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet, it’s not impossible. Remember, “…He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (Satan)” (1 John 4:4). And “…if we walk in the light (God’s TRUTH) as He is in the light …the blood of Jesus Christ …cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:5-9).

Are You Hungry?

There is no telling how many times I have made a visit to someone’s house and been asked the question, “Are you hungry?” This normally occurs if the visit is made around mealtime. The lady of the house will have prepared something for her husband and children, and she will politely invite my appetite to be quenched. I have found that eating is also a way of bridging the gap of silence between people. You know… those moments of silence we have when one looks at the other and says, “Let’s get something to eat.”

I want to ask you something today. “Are you hungry?” If you are, I know some things you are going to do to satisfy the craving you might have. First, you will plan a meal; next, you will make preparations; then you will come to plight (a pledge; an engagement); and finally, you will be pleasured. Keeping in mind the desire and hunger we ought to have for the Word of God (Matthew 5:6; 1 Peter 2:2), I think we might find some spiritual applications in the following scenario.

Plan Your Spiritual Meal – Have you ever heard, “Are you trying to cool the entire neighborhood?” Whenever my parents would walk into the kitchen and see me staring into the refrigerator, I would hear those exact words. I was planning my teenage snack around what we had to eat. There was no sense in my trying to cook a hamburger without any ground beef in the house. The same is true with fulfilling our hunger for God’s Word. We need first the plans to study; however, our plans will be for naught if we cannot find our Bible or if we do not even own one.

Prepare to Eat – We should next prepare to eat; that’s right, prepare to eat. If you have ever had a snack before a meal, you might have gone to the table with less of an appetite than you would, had you stayed away from the little bites. I must prepare myself to study God’s Word by being focused on my mission. I will not be able to study with thoughts of sin and worldliness on my mind (Isaiah 59:1-2; James 4:7-10).

The Plight – When the dinner bell rings, which way do you run – toward the food or away from the food? If you answer, “It depends on who’s cooking,” you are exactly correct! There was once a lady who loved to cook but was no good at it. She thoughtfully made a widower a pie one time; and after she delivered it to him the man took one bite of it, as desert following his evening meal, and threw it all in the trash. The next Lord’s day, the lady asked how he liked the pie, and the man responded, “Pie like that won’t last long around my house!” If Satan has cooked up a dish of some sort of false doctrine, we need to run the opposite direction of that plate. If God is serving a dish through sermons, Bible study class, or private Bible study, we need to come a’runnin’ (Hebrews 4:12)!

Be Pleasured – There’s nothing like the last bit of chicken-n’-dumplings or a juicy cherry cobbler! Yum! Yum! How much joy do we receive from our studies of God’s Word? Christ, the Word of God (John 1:14) said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). Truly, one who dedicates oneself to the study of God’s Word will be satisfied with their findings.

“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40).

Let us all strive to be filled with knowledge and grow in wisdom by studying God’s Word. Plan your next spiritual meal and make the preparations necessary to attend it, make the plight – indulge without prejudice, and enjoy the pleasures that will be afforded you – be filled to overflowing with the love of God and spread His Word. Bon Appetit! 

Shake It Off and Step Up

 

A parable tells of an old dog that fell into a farmer’s unused well. After assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the dog but decided that neither the dog nor the well were worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he planned to bury the old dog in the well and put him out of his misery. When the farmer began shoveling dirt into the well, initially the old dog was hysterical. But as the farmer continued shoveling, the dirt hit the dog’s back, and a thought struck him. It dawned on the dog that every time a shovel of dirt landed on his back, he should shake it off and step up. This he did blow after blow. “Shake it off and step up, shake it off and step up!” he repeatedly encouraged himself. No matter how painful the blows or how distressing the situation seemed, the old dog fought panic and just kept shaking it off and stepping up! It was not long before the dog, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of the well. What seemed as though it would bury him actually benefited him – all because of the way he managed his adversity. If we face our problems and respond to them positively, refusing to give into panic, bitterness, or self-pity, the adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the potential to bless us! Forgiveness, faith, prayer, praise, and hope are some of the Biblical ways to shake it off and step us out of the well in which we find ourselves.

Pray for God’s mercy and love on those buried in the suffering of the California fires.

[Isaiah 41:13] “For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’” I love the story of the first grader who stood in front of his classroom to make a speech about, “What I Want to Be When I Grow Up.” He said, “I want to be a lion tamer and have lots of fierce lions. I’ll just walk into the cage, and they will roar.” He paused for a moment, thinking about what he had just said and then added, “But of course, I’ll have my mother with me.” What a difference it makes when we have someone we trust by our side. The presence of our Shepherd is a source of great comfort to us. A sheep doesn’t feel safe because it says, “I am stronger than the lion;” or “I am able to escape from the bear;” or “I shall always be able to avoid the wolf.” A sheep feels safe because “Your rod and your staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). And sheep need to be comforted because they are very easily frightened. If one sheep gets startled and runs away, all of the others will follow behind it with fear, not waiting to see what frightened them. But nothing quiets a flock of sheep like seeing their shepherd in the field with them.

Like sheep, we also are easily frightened. We live in an uncertain world. We’re concerned about so many things that have happened and that could happen. But nothing quiets our souls like knowing that our Shepherd is near. As Jesus promised, “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). That doesn’t mean we won’t have enemies, or we won’t pass through dark valleys; Psalm 23 makes that clear. The comforting promise in Scripture is not that we will be protected from disappointment and pain; rather, it is that our Lord is a Shepherd who will never abandon us in those dark moments. “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

A man traveling through the countryside noticed that a weathervane on the roof of a farm building bore the phrase, “God Is Love.” He asked the farmer, “Do you think that God’s love is as changeable as that weathervane?” “You missed the point sir,” replied the farmer. “It is on the weathervane because no matter which way the wind is blowing, God is still love.” “And we have known and believed the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16). Praise God for His love.

Never Die Easy

 

2025 - I AM THE NEW YEAR. I am unused, unspotted, without blemish. I stretch before you 365 days long. I will present each day in its turn, for you to place upon it your imprint. I AM THE NEW YEAR. Each hour of each day, I will give you 60 minutes that have never known the use of man. I will present each of them white and pure. It remains for you to fill them with sixty jeweled seconds of love, hope, endeavor, patience, and trust in God. I AM THE NEW YEAR. I am here – but once past, I can never be recalled. Make me your best!

Walter Payton ranks second on the NFL list of all-time leaders in rushing yards. Through thirteen seasons as a Chicago Bear, Payton was tackled and knocked down thousands of times. He built an extraordinary career, not by getting knocked down, but by not staying down! He was knocked down the final time when he died on November 1, 1999, 45 years old. Payton had a motto in life – “Never Die Easy” – which he attributed to Bob Hill, his coach at Jackson State University. Payton refused to deliberately run out-of-bounds and always sought to resist would-be-tacklers instead of going down or giving in without a fight. “Never Die Easy” is also the title of Paton’s posthumously published autobiography.

The words “never die easy” and the approach to life they represent have an application far beyond the football field. The Christian life requires that we commit to “never die easy.” Jesus lived and died that way. One place that makes that clear is John 19:30 where, in His dying moments on the cross, Jesus cried, “It is finished.” The context reveals that although He is nearing death, He did not die easy. He was scourged, beaten, spit on, mocked, stripped, and nailed to the cross (John 19:1-18; Matthew 26-27; Luke 22-23). Surrounded by a hostile crowd that taunted, jeered, and insulted Him, Jesus hung on to God’s plan and purpose for His life even as He hung on a rugged cross – held there not by metal spikes but by a love even stronger than those spikes – a love His foes could not beat or crucify or shame or shout out of him. In the midst of that gut-wrenching kind of struggle Jesus said, “It is finished” – not a cry of defeat but of victory! Notice the Lord did not say, “I am finished,” but “It is finished.” Precisely what “it” was is made clear back in John 17:4 when He prayed to His Father (a few hours before dying on the cross), “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” By His death on the cross Jesus completed God’s wonderous plan to save man, a plan born in eternity, carried out over thousands of years, and culminating in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. As he prepared to draw His last breath, in awful circumstances that included shedding His blood for our sins, the Son of God said, with a cry of triumph, “It is finished.” He went on to die but then got up from the grave three days later!

As a Christian are you taking the easy way out, or have you committed yourself to “never die easy?” Some marriages die too easily, with little or no fight to save them. Some Christians leave the faith to easily. Some get tired of serving and just pitch in the towel. Others are let down by someone in the church and just quit the Lord. How many begin the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12) only to give up far before they finish? Are you close to quitting? Are your circumstances discouraging? Are you weary and heavy-hearted? Pessimistic about your job? Have your dreams not materialized? Are you tired of the daily grind? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Do you find yourself wanting to give up? Don’t do it! Heaven will not be for those who die easy. Let us, like Jesus, commit to finishing God’s will and work for our lives no matter what comes our way. Never die easy! 2025 is going to be a great challenge for everyone. Pray for courage and strength.