Who is a Spiritual Father?

WHO IS A SPIRITUAL FATHER AND HOW SHOULD WE RELATE WITH THEM?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION


My view is that a spiritual father is a honorific title confered upon a person who raised a believer in the Lord and/or in ministry.

He may simply be a mentor or a mature Christian who was instrumental in shaping the moral and spiritual worldview of the believer.

While there may be a primary spiritual father, one can have more than one mentor at various stages of their Christian faith and service. All these men and women have their specific points of impact on the spiritual and moral development of the believer or minister.

Paul was a spiritual father to several New Testament ministers that he raised in the Lord and trained in ministry.

Timothy was one of Paul's prominent spiritual sons that Paul often fondly spoke of.

However, Timothy's mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois also played a big role in his spiritual and moral upbringing and Paul acknowledged their input in his Scripture writings.

2 Timothy 1:5-6 says "when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also" (NKJV).

Paul also recognized the impact of traditional Jewish spiritual training on Timothy's life.

In 2 Timothy 3:15-16, Paul exhorts Timothy saying "But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (NKJV).

The Holy Scriptures contemplated here are the Old Testament Scriptures. The LXX or Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament Scriptures was widely in use at the time.

HOW SHOULD WE RELATE WITH SPIRITUAL FATHERS?

This is a critical question given the influence of some spiritual leaders in the lives of people they raised in ministry.

This influence can have both a positive and negative impact on believers, depending on how it is directed or managed.

We shall examine the spiritual fatherhood relationship using three questions:

1) Should a spiritual father always exercise spiritual authority over those he mentored in ministry?

My considered view is that a spiritual father should allow his students to move on and serve God once he has sufficiently instructed them in ministry. He should permit reasonable independence for them so that they too can exercise their skills and grow in ministry.

He should not exercise any spiritual authority over the believer or minister unless the believer is a member of his congregation or is a minister serving under his oversight in his communion.

Even in this case, the spiritual father should be considerate and should not be overbearing.

Paul was Timothy's spiritual father but nowhere in Scripture is it taught or implied that he made any demands over Timothy or ordered him around.

Paul exhorted Timothy and other ministers in humility and love and always beseeched them with all forbearance even during difficult moments when the exercise of his apostolic authority would have been legitimate.

Notice for instance that Paul was disappointed with Titus who did not meet his expectations. Paul had instructed Titus to appoint elders for the churches in the island of Crete. However, by the time of writing to him, this task had not been concluded and Paul reminded Titus as much (Titus1:5).

Notice that Paul never rebuked Titus for the disappoinment but went on to encourage him to fulfill his missionary task.

Paul was at some point deserted by some of his missionary companions but Paul took the disappoinments with maturity and sobriety.

2 Timothy 4:9-10 says "Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica."

Timothy was perhaps Paul's most trusted companion.

Paul fondly referred to Timothy as "our brother" (see 2 Cor. 1:1; Colossians 1:1; Philemon 1:1).

Elsewhere, Timothy is  referred to as "a true son in the faith" (1 Timothy 1:2); and "fellow worker" (Romans 16:21).

During the Corinthian conflict, Paul reminded the Corinthians that he was their spiritual father who begot them in Christ through the gospel (1 Cor. 4:15).

This was perhaps a polite message that affirmed that he deserved honor as the founder of the Corinthian assembly.

This had nothing to do with spiritual manipulation or an attempt to assert himself. Paul was the legitimate overseer for all churches in Macedonia and Asia Minor.

Even though Paul was entitled to financial support from the Gentile churches that he founded, he never impossed his will on any church congregation that was under his apostolic oversight.

Even where he made legitimate appeals for support, he had choice of words (cf. 2 Cor. 9).

A few churches were known to offer special support for his missionary work and for this, Paul was grateful. Notice his appreciation for the special support from the Philippians (Philippians 4:10-20).

On some occasions, Paul went without essential ministry supplies and sufferred hunger and other perils. He learned to soldier on even in those trying moments.

In 2 Corinthians 11:23-29, Paul answers his opponents and speaks of some of his lowest moments in ministry.

"Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 injourneys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, inperils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?"

2) Does the opinion of spiritual fathers always count?

My view is that the opinions and guidance of godly spiritual fathers are important in ministry. Their prudence and experience is indispensable.

However, there may be some circumstances that require the believer or minister to seek a second or third opinion from other ministers or Christian leaders as well. No one has a monopoly of ideas.

There are issues that other people may be more conversant with and we should therefore not shy away from consulting them. Remember that Jethro, Moses' father in law was neither a prophet nor an elder yet his wisdom prevailed (Exodus 8:13-27).

3) Should we tithe to our spiritual fathers?

This is a controversial issue for some because of the intricate web that underpins the spiritual fatherhood relationship.

I have some peacher friends who faithfully tithe to their spiritual fathers from all their church collections on monthly basis. This is informed by a sense of gratitude and esteem that they hold towards their mentors.

The controversial bit is that the tithe money is never meant for the support of church ministry but for personal application at the discretion of the spiritual father who receives it in his private capacity and not on behalf of his ministry or congregation.

I must admit that I do not have any biblical authority for this practice. I am therefore hesitant to admit or recommend it.

I believe that a spiritual father should be supported on a need basis and where the issue is beyond the capacity of his primary congregation or communion, his spiritual sons and daughters should perhaps chip in, voluntarily.

The idea that a church leader who heads an independent church congregation or communion of churches should regularly receive monthly tithes or financial gifts from independent churches led by people he mentored in ministry is, in my view, a strange practice and may perhaps border on ungodly manipulation and control. However, I am not opposed to those who value this arrangement.

Kindly bear in mind that the gifts are for personal benefit and that the payments are usually not recorded in church ministry books!

If the gifts or contributions are intended to support the spiritual father's ministry, then that is a totally different issue.

However, those who are convinced that the practice is a godly thing should follow their convictions.

Those are my thoughts. It is my hope that this reflection is somewhat helpful. I would be grateful for any comments or reactions to this post.



© Ezekiel Kimosop 2019




For more articles by this writer visit www.ezekielkimosop.blogspot.com

Reflection on TULIP Calvinism

WHAT IS FIVE POINT CALVINISM? IS IT BIBLICAL?

By Jennifer Rothnie

The five points of Calvinism are Total depravity (T), Unconditional Election (U), Limited Atonement (L), Irresistible Grace (I), and Perseverance of the Saints (P). The five points are often referred to by the Acronym "TULIP".

Each point can be examined individually:

TOTAL DEPRAVITY:

Total Depravity is also known as Total Inability. It teaches that all men sin (Rom 3:10-23), that sin corrupts every aspect of our being, such as flesh, heart, mind, etc, (Mark 7:21-23), and that man cannot save himself (Psalm 60:10-12, Is 63:5-6).

All this is true; but the teaching goes beyond this to claim that man is so tainted by sin that he cannot even accept the offer of Christ’s salvation and receive Christ's deliverance from sin (contrary to scripture, which asks us to believe: Rom 10:9-13, John 3:14-21, Luke 11:5-13, Heb 11:13-16, Gal 3:24, Deut 30:11-14, etc). As such, most Calvinist hold that spiritual regeneration must occur *before* one believes to allow the person to believe (contrary to scripture which states we receive the Holy Spirit after we believe, not before: Gal 3:2-3, Gal 3:10-14, Eph 1:11-14, II Cor 5:17, etc).

UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION:

Unconditional Election is also based in the misunderstandings that the 'Total Depravity' teaching brings in. The basic teaching is that because man, in His sin, cannot accept the free gift of Salvation, then God chose (elected) some to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit so they can believe and be saved, whereas others he chooses not to regenerate, so they cannot believe, and hence they stand condemned.

However, scripture gives a different presentation of election: The nation of Israel was elect due to God’s own choice (Ezek 16:5-7). Israel entered the covenant with God to confirm this (Deut 29:9-15), but they still rebelled, and thought salvation was by works and not the promise. More importantly, in regards to salvation: God elected a people for Himself, the body of Christ, both Jew and Gentile. (I Pet 2:7-10, Rom 1:1-3, II Tim 2:1-13, etc). His calling this people is by His grace, not by any of our own works (I Pet 2:9-10, Eph 2:8-10, Rom 11:1-6).

LIMITED ATONEMENT 

This teaching holds that Christ's sacrifice was sufficient for all, but it wasn't efficacious for all; that Jesus only bore the sins of the elect; that Christ only died for some, not all.

However, scripture presents that Christ died for all, and God desires all men to be saved (I John 2:2, I Tim 2:4, John 12:32, John 4:4-42, John 10:9, John 3:16-17, Rev 22:17, Matt 11:28, Ti 2:11, etc) Jesus was a perfect sacrifice, offering complete propitiation to appeasing the wrath of God for all who believe (Rom 1:16-17).

IRRESISTABLE GRACE 

In short, this is the teaching that there is an 'internal call' to salvation by the Holy Spirit that cannot be resisted, as such anyone that God calls to Him cannot refuse.

However, as most easily seen by Israel's continual rebellion, God never stops people from rebelling, disobeying, or ignoring conviction (Acts 7:51-53, Deut 30:11-20, Josh 15:14-28, Luke 6:46, Luke 9:5).

Rather, God commands everyone to repent, Christ draws all men to Himself, and the Holy Spirit is given to all who believe and also helps us testify to Christ (Acts 6:8-12, John 15:26-27). We still can refuse, but we remain under condemnation if we do so (John 3:16-17).

PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS 

The last point is quite complicated, but teaches that the individuals that God chooses and then draws (see above points) will then persevere in their faith to the end.

Conversely, scripture shows that belief must be continuous abiding, not a one time decision (John 3:16, Mk 16:16, John 15:1-17, Luke 8:4-15, I John 5:3-5).

IS TULIP CALVINISM BIBLICAL? 

This has been debated back and forth among Christians for a long time. While parts of TULIP are biblical (based on the teachings of the Bible), other parts are not (new definitions, out-of-context verses, philosophies, contradictions, etc).


Source: Jennifer Rothnie, eBible.com

Is Five Point Calvinism Biblical?

IS FIVE POINT CALVINISM BIBLICAL?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Five Point Calvinism is a theological theory that summarizes God's relationship with Man in redemption under five key points known as TULIP which stand for:

Total Depravity
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement
Irresistable Grace
Perseverance of Saints

My view is that whereas sections of the Calvinism theory are Biblical, some of its articulations do not appear to be consistent with biblical truth.

The doctrine of Total Depravity assumes that man has no capacity to make a moral choice for obedience to God because he is dead in sin.

This doctrine rests on a literal interpretation of Scripture in circumstances that allegories and metaphors are intended by the writers of Scripture.

It lies on the premise that man is so "dead in sin" that he cannot of himself come to Christ. This theory is, in my view only Biblical to the extent of the affirmation that the Holy Spirit convicts men of sin.

The phrase "dead in sin" is, in my view, a biblical metaphor. In fact there are several other figures of speech in Ephesians 2:1-10 where this phrase is lifted from. Consider the following: "made alive" (2:5), "raised us up", and "made us sit together in heavenly places" (2:6).

My view that a faithful exegetical treatment of the passage would not arrive at the conclusion affirmed by Calvinism. I am simply unable to draw a literal interpretation of a passage where metaphors and figures of speech are evidently bare.

To teach that man is completely dead in sin to the point that he cannot consciously make a choice for obedience to Christ at the preaching of the word of God is, in my view, unbiblical.

Secondly, Calvinism depicts God as a manipulative deity, a view that cannot be collated through revelation of Scripture. They also portray man as devoid of any moral will.

There is no denying that God unconditionally reached out to sinful man in Christ at the cross. However, Scripture reveals that God opened His arms wide to all men in all ages since Calvary without any discrimination (John 3:16). He cannot therefore impose salvation upon anyone or reject a person who willingly comes to Christ!

Thirdly, in their endeavor to articulate their view of the Sovereignty doctrine, Calvinism projects a deity whose moral nature is manifestly inconsistent with what is revealed in the Bible. The moral nature of the God of the Bible is inconsistent in both the Old Testament and New Testament Scripture. He always sought to draw man to Himself. Christ's death on the cross was the highest expression of love for sinful man (Romans 5:8).

My view is that five point Calvinism depicts a picture of a monster deity who has "decreed all things from the foundations of the world" and manipulates men to achieve his ultimate objectives. I believe that the Free Will doctrine is discernible from several passages of Scripture and is consistent with God's will for men.

Why would the judgment scene in Rev. 20:11-15 be in Scripture if a sinful man had no responsibility for their decisions?

God gave Adam and Eve a chance for obedience and they willfully lost it.

Man's opportunity for redemption is now available in Christ and that window is, in my view, open to all men on earth who will hear the Gospel proclaimed until the coming of Christ.

My view is that the God of the Bible has not and will not decree that a given number of people should perish even as he predestinates some to eternal life! He does not glory in the destruction of sinners (Ezekiel 18:23).

Finally, and contrary to five point Calvinism, Scripture reveals that Christ's atonement is unlimited. John 3:16 stands out on this truth. This is attested by several other passages of Scripture.

On this score, my view is that Five Point Calvinism is manifestly inconsistent with Scripture in so far as the doctrines of Total Depravity, Limited Atonement and Irresistable Grace are outlined in their theory. Since the Total Depravity doctrine lies at the heart of the TULIP theory, it naturally follows that its deficiency annuls the rest of the four doctrines.



© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Should Christians put on Tattoos?

SHOULD A CHRISTIAN PUT ON TATTOOS?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

I received this question from a young man who normally follows my teachings.

Here is my response.

The Old Testament Scripture forbids all manner of marks or tattoos on the human body. They are considered as abominations before God. Leviticus 19:28 says " You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord."

The New Testament Scripture is silent on specific prohibitions on several issues that we confront today but we can borrow from the principles taught in some passages of Scripture in order to develop Christian standards.

The Bible does not have to carry prohibitions such as "thou shalt not drink beer or smoke cigarettes" in order to determine the admissibility or otherwise of any substance or practice.

We do know that several issues of this nature are contemplated under the moral principles that we can draw from passages of Scripture that relate to moral Christian living.

Now back to the tattoo issue...

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 that our bodies are of great value to God and should be preserved in honor.

Some of the popular tattoos embraced by the youth today border on abominations before God. They contain signs and symbols embraced in the occult world. Some carry Illuminati and Masonic symbols. 

Why should a believer don such regalia?

Others have the pentagram and inverted cross symbols that insult the works of the cross.

I find no credible reason for believers donning tattoo marks on their bodies other than for seeking some conformity to the immoral values of this evil generation.

My view is that this advisory should cover Christian dress codes, hairstyles, and entertainment.

While it is not my intention to prescribe dress codes for the Christian community, I  would strongly advise Christian youth to avoid tattoos and any other modern fashion designs such as skimpy dresses, hippie hairstyles, queer ear/nose/tongue/body piercing or jewelry or anything that offends our Christian witness. Such dress codes do not glorify God.

I am aware that culture plays a critical role in our dressing styles but I believe that there are moral limits that we cannot cross without bringing disrepute to our Christian faith and practice.

We need to pray for a discerning heart so that we can respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and the admonition of mature believers without much debate. 

Remember that we can stumble others by our conduct.

The Bible says in 1 John 3:20-21: "For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God."

Remember that our liberty as children of God should be subject to the provisions of the word of God.

We are members of God's household who have been called out by God to serve Him (Titus 2:11-14).

We cannot therefore live our way but God's way. We should conform to the standards that are consistent with the principles and doctrines of the word of God.

Read 1 Peter 2:9.

Shalom.



© Ezekiel Kimosop 2019



For more articles by this writer visit www.ezekielkimosop.blogspot.com

Contending for the Faith

THE DANGER OF SELF ACCLAIM: LESSONS FROM THE STUDY OF 2 COR. 11:22-23.

By Ezekiel Kimosop

2 Corinthians 11:22-23 says “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.  23 Are they ministers of Christ? -- I speak as a fool -- I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.”

In my last article titled “The Peril of another Gospel” which I posted on this forum on 11th October 2019, we examined the danger of false apostles and their false gospel. I picked out the key text from 2 Corinthians 11:3-4. Paul was deeply concerned that the false teachers may corrupt the minds of the Corinthians and draw them away from the way of Christ.

In our study today, we continue to follow the trail of arguments that Paul captured in fending off the attacks of the false apostles who questioned his apostolic stature among the Gentile churches.

Where were these false apostles coming from? The Bible does not reveal their origin but we can pick out some of their characteristics from the passage.

Three key issues stand out in the above passage.

First, the identity of the false apostles is revealed. They are identified as Hebrew and Israelites. The reference to Hebrew here is significant. It demonstrates their faithfulness to the Jewish religious heritage. They were possibly Jewish religious scholars of repute in the same manner that Paul was. If this was the case then they were haughty and “bookish”. The reference to Israelites and seed of Abraham speaks of the covenant relationship for which Jews were often proud. It is not immediately clear why they sought to pick on this identity because Paul was a Jew from Tarsus and from the tribe of Benjamin.

This boasting was therefore a bluff. It may however have been intended to target the Gentile believers who had little knowledge of Paul’s background and who may have been aware that he once persecuted the church.

Secondly, Paul reveals that he had suffered more for the gospel than these teachers.
This possibly suggests that the false apostle were not involved in Christian missionary work which was more fraught with dangers of various descriptions. They were probably theological scholars from either Jerusalem or Alexandria, the two cradles of Jewish religious scholarship. Apollos who was described as “mighty in the Scriptures” was an Alexandrian Jew (Acts 18:24).

Thirdly, these ministers were proud and arrogant, claiming superiority over Paul yet none of them was called by Christ into the Gentile ministry. They were self appointed imposters who sought to discredit Paul’s ministry for their selfish ends.

There are many such imposters today.

Paul’s works stood out for all to see. He reached out to a far greater territory in Macedonia and Asia Minor under his missionary service among the Gentiles and finally paid the ultimate price for his faith (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

None of the other ministers including the Jerusalem apostles could compare with Paul in terms of ministry stature. Paul suffered much greater affliction for the gospel than any other apostle and was confined more times and for much longer than those in Jerusalem.

Paul wrote 13 Letters which today we find in the New Testament body of Scriptures. He is followed from a distance by John, one of the Jerusalem Apostles, who wrote four books of the Bible. Peter wrote only two Letters.

What is the moral of this passage?

Our service to the Lord is for His glory alone. We should not flaunt it before men in order to receive their praise.

Secondly, we cannot take on any ministry assignment that the Lord has not reserved for us. It is better to seek the face of the Lord for His leading than to assert oneself in another’s field.

Thirdly, the Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:19, “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

In today’s world, we learn that behind any power wrangles in church ministry is the spirit of greed and self acclaim by those who seek greater space than God has ordained for them.

Jesus warns us in Matthew 23:5-8, saying “But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.  6 "They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,  7 "greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.'  8 "But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.”

It is our duty as children of God to be content with what God has assigned for us and to fulfill God’s purpose in our generation.

God does not demand more of us... and neither should we.


Shalom




© Ezekiel Kimosop 2019



For more articles by this writer please visit ezekielkimosop.blogspot.com

Why is God Silent?

WHY DOES GOD DECLINE OR DELAY SOME PETITIONS?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

Prayer is no doubt an essential ingredient in the life of every child of God. It is the means of communing with God and building our intimacy with Christ.

The Bible exhorts in several passages of Scripture that we ought to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We should pray by faith expecting from God (Hebrews 11:6).

That said and done, the question then begs: are we guaranteed a positive answer from God, having prayed by faith and without any known spiritual obstacle standing between us and God?

Why does God delay or decline our prayers in certain circumstances?

While God often answers our prayers, we know from experience and from the illustrations in Scripture that there are people who sought the face of God over certain petitions and God either expressly rejected their prayer or delayed in providing the relief that was sought at the time.

How can we explain God's response under these circumstances? The answers to these questions lie in the holistic study of the word of God.

This article seeks to examine these difficult questions in the context of the teaching of Scripture.

BIBLICAL FOUNDATION

The Bible contains principles that reveal the nature and working of God and why prayer may be declined by God in certain circumstances 

It is instructive that Scripture speaks of God's ways as being above our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). We may therefore not fully or conclusively understand the mind of God in His divine fullness. God never operates in a template manner. He however acts in ways that are consistent with the revelation of Himself in the Bible.

There can be no better way to understand the mind of God than by consulting the written Scriptures through which God speaks to us.

I wish to outline below four biblical principles collated from the study of Scripture which, in my view, may inform the delay or declination of petitions or prayers presented to God.

These are by no means exhaustive.

1) PETITIONS MAY BE DECLINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOD'S WILL FOR US.

Some charismatic teachers cannot fathom or comprehend the fact that God can and does decline petitions in the exercise of His divine will. This is perhaps because of their mistaken view that God's love is always demonstrated through positive responses to prayer.

Thankfully Scripture carries a number of illustrations that affirm this truth.

For instance, we learn from the Letter of 2 Corinthians that Paul thrice prayed for the removal of the "thorn in the flesh" that afflicted him but Christ declined to grant his petition.

The Bible does not disclose the nature of the affliction in question but the reason for the declination is given. This has left room for speculation as to what the thorn in the flesh truly was.

This "thorn" was definitely intended to serve God's divine purposes and this explains why God choose to grant Paul the grace to bear the affliction instead of removing it altogether (Read 2 Cor. 12:1-10). We learn from Paul's statement that the thorn in the flesh was meant to keep him from being puffed up with pride!

In the Old Testament Scripture, we learn that David earnestly petitioned God for the healing of his son by Bathsheba who was born from his illicit affair (2 Samuel 12:1-25). David was reacting to the judgement of God given through Nathan the prophet. The boy however died on the seventh day of David's prayer.

We learn from this incident that God had declined David's petition and took away the life of the child as part of His judgment on David's house for his disobedience. We should also bear in mind that David himself deserved to die for the murder of Uriah the Hittite but God graciously preserved him.

David accepted that God's will had been done and moved on. He demonstrated deep spiritual maturity during this incident. Bible scholars say that David's testimony is later conveyed in Psalm 51.

God may therefore choose to decline a petition in line with His higher purposes.

Have you ever wondered why a faithful saint who suffered illness ended up in death despite intense prayer by his Christian community?

In such situations, we should accept that God took the life of His saint for His own purposes and that the servant of God had finished his works (1 Timothy 4:7-8).

2) A PETITION MAY BE DECLINED IF THE OBJECT OF PRAYER DOES NOT GLORIFY GOD.

James 4:1-10 teaches that we pray amiss when our prayers are motivated by lust and greed rather than serving God's purposes.

For example, God will not grant prayers for things that are intended for gratifying our ego or settling scores with others. Such petitions contradict the teaching of Scripture in Romans 12:19-20 which says "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

If my petitions are motivated by greed, God will definitely not grant them.

If, for argument sake, my neighbor buys a V8 Prado series and I start feeling disadvantaged with my Toyota Corolla 110 and I ask God for a fuel guzzler to match my prosperous neighbor, God will definitely decline the petition because it is not motivated by my real need but by sheer jealously and covetousness.

3) PETITIONS MAY BE DELAYED BY GOD FOR HIS DIVINE PURPOSES

When Jesus was informed about the sickness of Lazarus, He deliberately delayed for two more days, knowing that Lazarus would die. The disciples later learnt from Jesus that Lazarus had died (John 11:11-14) and by the time Jesus arrived at Lazarus' home the man had been buried four days (John 11:1-16). His sister's reaction spoke it all. Martha's argument was that if only Jesus was there earlier, things would possibly have been different! (John 11:21).

Jesus however stated that Lazarus' death was for the glory of God. The disciples could not immediately understand His statement. Jesus finally raised Lazarus from death, to the amazement of the Jewish mourners and onlookers (John 11:38-44). The moral here is that God never comes late. His time is the best time because His divine purposes will be served in the end.

Jesus chose to delay His response yet He had no intention of abandoning His friend to the grave!

God can do the same in certain  circumstances and this is the reason why we need God's peace and patience as we wait upon  Him (Philippians 4:6-7).

Saul was impatient with God and chose to offer sacrifices in disobedience. Sacrifices could only be offered by priests. This imprudence cost Saul the throne (1 Samuel 13:1-15).

We therefore need to seek to understand the mind of God in such circumstances and open our spiritual ears to Him. Again, we should bear in mind that His ways are above our ways.

4) PETITIONS MAY BE DECLINED IF THEY ARE PRESENTED IN CIRCUMSTANCES OF KNOWN SINFUL DISOBEDIENCE

The Bible teaches in Psalm 66:18 that "if I regard inequity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me."

This Scripture indicates that God can turn away His face from a person who knowingly persists in sinful disobedience (cf. Jeremiah 17:9).

If we petition God in circumstances in which we are aware of certain spiritual obstacles standing between us and God, we should not expect any positive results unless we first make amends with God.

This requires that we sanctify our hearts and confess any known and unknown acts of sinful disobedience.

This is not to suggest that God deals with us on account of our moral perfection or standing in His presence! It is instructive to note that no believer can satisfy God's divine standards.

CONCLUSION

Answered prayers are a blessing to every child of God. The fact that God answered our prayers is purely by His divine grace. It is not by reason of any goodness we have done or any innate condition in our lives. The Bible declares in Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags..."

Whether or not our petitions are instantly, granted, delayed or declined, our relationship with God is not lost. This is what makes us what we are in Christ (John 1:12; Romans 8:28-30).

When God chooses to withhold answers to our prayers or flatly declines them, it is our obligation to seek to discover His divine will for us in those circumstances so that we may have His peace in Christ (Philippians 4:6-7).

Shalom


© Ezekiel Kimosop 2019


For more articles visit my teaching blog at www.ezekielkimosop.blogspot.com

The Snare of Riches

LISTENING AND DOING BIBLICAL FORUM

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Snare of Riches

CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP: ALL RESOURCES BELONG TO GOD

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Lead Texts: Job 41:11; Psalm 50:10-11; Haggai 2:8

ILLUSTRATION

The story is told of a Kenyan millionaire who was so wealthy that he would use five shilling banknotes in the late 1960s to blow his nose and throw them to the ground. He would then gleefully watch as people scrambled for the money. A five shilling note was a handsome sum in those days. It could purchase a full grown bull or an acre of land in some rural sections of the country.

As you laugh at this episode, please think about how you are using your resources…You may not be doing what this guy did but do you glorify God with your money?

INTRODUCTION/SERMON OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this sermon is to examine the biblical principles that govern our Christian stewardship on the management and application of earthly resources that God has placed at our disposal. In so doing, we shall study some selected Scripture passages that are relevant to this topic. We shall then draw moral lessons for our application of the biblical truths learnt.

It is my hope that these lessons will influence our worldview and inform our conduct as God’s people.

SCRIPTURES

Job 41:11 says “Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.”

Psalm 50:10-11  “For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills.  11 I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”
Haggai 2:8  “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the LORD of hosts.”

The above Scriptures are among some of the most explicit teachings of the Bible that affirm the sovereignty of God over all the resources of this world.

The truth is that all things, under the sun, land, money, and natural resources primarily belong to God. We are merely stewards of God over these resources.

The idea of Christian stewardship takes us back to Genesis 1:27-29 which says, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."  29 And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.

This stewardship was subject to God’s moral law which is taught in Scripture. It does not imply that man could simply apply these resources as he so wished. He was to prudently utilize and preserve these resources for the generations to come and for the glory of God.

ANALYSIS OF THE SCRIPTURE TEXTS

Job 41:11 says “Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.”

When God declares that there is no deity that preceded Him, He speaks of His eternity and sovereignty.

The second statement which says “everything on earth under heaven is mine” implies that God is exclusively possessed of all resources, all peoples, all knowledge, all inventions and technological innovations.

Job’s theology was influenced by these truths. During his darkest moments in Job 1:21-22, Job, who was a billionaire of his day, proclaimed: "…Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD."

This Scripture teaches that God has sovereign discretion to give and to take away; to assign resources, power and authority and to remove from power (Psalm 75:6-7). All the kings of the earth therefore serve at His divine pleasure!

Job acknowledged that he deserved nothing from God and that his large wealth was a gift from God. That is the attitude that informed his reaction to the tragedy that Satan visited upon him under God’s permissive will.

Modern millionaires and billionaires would possibly have committed suicide if they suffered the kind of catastrophic loss that Satan visited on Job.

In insurance terms, we would call this scale of loss a catastrophic and constructive total loss, from which nothing can be salvaged.

How many of us would bear a proportion of this kind of loss if God permitted it upon us?


THE THEOLOGY OF THE PATRIARCHS

Bible scholars identify the writing of the Book of Job as falling into the period of the patriarchs. Job's relationship with God was based on his personal worship of God in the same that Abraham's was. There was no collective or organized worship. Theology was therefore shaped by a personal experience with God.

Job's understanding of God is profound and is consistent with harmony of truths contained in the Bible. He understood about the sovereignty of God over human experience and His moral justification. of the righteous.

This theology did not contemplate the dimensions of truth taught in the New Testament Scripture where man's relationship with God was founded on grace alone and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Job was no doubt a pious religious man who was deeply committed to the worship of the one true God. The fact that he was able to stand out for his faith even after suffering great affliction demonstrates his moral integrity.

Job 1:20 describes Job’s godly reaction, saying, “Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.”

Job expressed his deep humility before God even as he mourned his tragic loss. He acknowledged the sovereignty of God by worshiping Him amidst his pain.

NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY

Job’s theology is affirmed by Paul in “1 Timothy 6:6-8 which says “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.  7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”

This is not to suggest that believers should not pursue wealth and riches or that riches are ungodly. The moral here is that we should maintain modesty and godly attitude even in our riches or successes on earth.

LESSONS FROM THE VIENNA MARATHON

We were privileged yesterday to witness Eliud Kipchoge break the 2 hours barrier in the men's marathon in Vienna Austria after he clocked 1:59.40.2 becoming the first man on Earth to achieve this miraculous feat. He is the undisputed world champion and will possibly hold this record for a long time.

This achievement was definitely a gift from God. It took God's hand ✋ coupled with discipline and hard work to achieve it!

This does not however make him a superman of sorts. Eliud perfected his skills with utmost discipline. However, and contrary to his slogan,  humans do have limits... God alone is omnipotent.

Eliud, like us, therefore owes it to God to handle his success and riches with godliness.

Sadly many successful Kenyan athletes have in the past been destroyed by the riches that come with their fame! They lacked godly moderation.

THE LOVE OF MONEY

Back to our passage...

The next Scripture of 1 Timothy 6:9-10 says “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

The Greek word “pluteo” for “rich” is here metaphorically used to refer to excess or abundance; resources of avarice that are beyond the needs of the greedy person.

Hurtful lusts are desires that drive one to what is forbidden while "perdition" means utter ruin or destruction from which one will not recover.

Again this does not suggest that riches are in themselves evil. The ungodly love of money here is at the centre of focus here.

There's nothing wrong with making billions as a Christian so long as we apply these resources in a manner that glories God.

ASAPH THE PSALMIST

Psalm 50:10-11  says “For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills.  11 I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”

This Psalm was written by a great worshipper called Asaph who was responsible for writing several Psalms in the Bible.

Psalm 50:10-11 is similar to Job 41:11 with the only difference being that it draws a distinction between domestic and natural resources being collectively and primarily God’s endowment.

Cattle was a prime livestock resource in ancient Middle Eastern cultures. The beasts of the forest and the birds of the mountains is a collective description of wildlife.

These resources are at the disposal of man yet God declares them as His. We are therefore accountable to God for the application of these resources. We are God’s stewards.

THE POST EXILIC VIEW

This is equally true of Haggai 2:8 which says “Haggai 2:8  The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts” (KJV).

Haggai speaks to a nation that was rebellious and had forsaken the work of the Lord.

God reminded the people that all the Earth's resources were primarily His and it was required of them to commit them to the reconstruction of the temple.

Thankfully, the people headed God and they received a pledge of God's blessings.

Again money is the most powerful tool at the disposal of man. It is used for good and evil today, yet God declares that financial resources are His.

Yes, money belongs to God and we should use our resources in a manner that brings glory to Him.

We should begin by recognizing His sovereignty and giving to Him in worship. We are to use these resources with prudence.

MORAL LESSONS FROM THE STUDY OF THE SCRIPTURES

Since all resources primarily belong to God, how should we handle the blessings?

1) We should be grateful  to God for what He has given to us and handle them with wisdom and godly fear. Never compare yourself with other people in envy.

2) We should trust God to supply our needs. The Bible reveals that God is loving will not overlook the needs of His children. Matthew 6:33 says "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

3) We should give to God through our support for church Ministry. When we give in church, we are primarily giving to God, not to the leadership.

4) We should apply our earthly resources in utmost moderation. The rich fool in Luke 12:13-21 was selfish, proud and self centered.

5) We should never love or worship money. Jesus warns us in Matthew 6:24  saying "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Mammon is the spirit behind the ungodly love of money. It seeks to be worshiped in the place of God.

6) God will hold us to account for the use or abuse of the resources He has given us. We should not destroy the natural resources, forests, etc. We should be faithful custodians of these resources in our generation.

7) Any scientific or technological inventions that are intended for the destruction of human life are evil and amount to abuse of God’s resources. These include nuclear bombs, reproduction techniques that are harmful, abortions, same sex marriages or relationships,

Many people complain to God that we do not have enough resources yet we abuse the little we have and withhold from God what is due from us.

When we neglect our obligations for ministry and expect God to bless us, we are deceiving ourselves. That won’t happen!

How many of us  regularly and faithfully tithe to the church and support God's work?

The solution to touching the heart of God is to be faithful to Him with the little we have and He will give us increase.

Matthew 25:20-21  says “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  21 "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

Think about our indiscretions; our unfaithfulness, nay rebellion against God; not discerning Him in handling our resources…

BENEDICTION

Forgive us oh Lord for our disobedience, our pride; our greed and lack of concern; for our failing to heed your word where you have plainly spoken to us.

Help us to now obey you and to try you with our resources as you have challenged us in Malachi 3:8-12.

Help us to be discerning in all that we do so that you may be glorified in our lives.

Hymn...

O LORD MY GOD WHEN I IN AWESOME WONDER..

[These sermon notes were drawn from a sermon that the writer delivered at AIC Wilson Airport Nairobi on 13th October 2019]

About Me

LISTENING AND DOING BIBLICAL FORUM

I am motivated by the pursuit of biblical truth. I seek to explore, to learn and to teach the word of God in my generation.

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Who comes First - God or Caesar?

WHICH GIVING TAKES PRECEDENCE? CEASAR'S OR GOD'S?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

One senior youth raised the above question to me after reading my article on Christian giving.

Here is my response.

Matthew 22:21 reads in part "...Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

In simple terms, Jesus is simply saying that believers have a duty to support church ministry and to meet their civic obligations to the state at the same time.

Which authority precedes the other?

To my knowledge, the Bible does not prescribe the order in which we should discharge our civic and religious obligations. However, both authorities are entitled to our faithful giving.

Someone may argue that the order of giving should be derived from the statement by Jesus. This would imply that Caesar comes first!

However, it is instructive to note that the context of the above statement in Matthew 22:21 is that Jesus was addressing the issue of whether or not the Jewish subjects should pay the punitive colonial taxes to the cruel Roman authorities.

Palestine was a colony of Rome at the time of Jesus and the administrative headquarters was in Caesarea (cf. Acts 23:23, 33). Jerusalem was the religious capital of the Jews.

The Jewish religious leaders were trying to put Jesus into conflict with the Roman authorities in the hope that He would be arrested for incitement. Jesus rightly perceived their evil intentions (Matthew 22:18).

Jesus set the record straight.

Whatever the order one chooses to apply, the issue boils down to our faithfulness in discharging our obligations to God through our faithful giving to church ministry and to Caesar [the civil authorities] through our payment of taxes.

I hope this explanation is helpful.



© Ezekiel Kimosop October 2019


For more articles by this writer, visit www.ezekielkimosop.blogspot.com

Our Eternal Glory in Christ

CELEBRATION OF OUR ETERNAL GLORY IN CHRIST

By Ezekiel Kimosop

2 Peter 1:1-4 says "Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

PASSAGE ANALYSIS

This passage carries a tribute to our eternal heritage in Christ and the glorious blessings that await us in heaven as the redeemed of God. 

This assurance is important for every child of God because our earthly life often comes with trials and afflictions that shake our faith.

2 Peter 1:4 speaks of "...exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

The promises that Christ unveiled at Calvary are humanly indescribable, unfathomable. They are incomparable to anything that this passing evil world can lay before us.

No amount of earthly riches or pleasures can remotely compare with what God has kept for those who are joint heirs with Christ (1 Peter 1:3-5).

I have come across some Bible teachers who lift the statement of 2 Peter 1:4 out of its passage context. They teach that believers are partakers of the divine nature of God and hence are possessed of divine essence.

Does this scripture teach that believers are divine by reason of our saving faith in Christ? 

What exactly is Peter speaking about in this context?

The passage of 2 Peter 1:1-11 is infact a celebration of eternal hope of glory that we have in Christ. It recognizes the unspeakable blessings that await us after we have gone through the afflictions of this earthly life.

2 Peter 1:1-4 is part of the apostolic salutation and opening remarks by Peter. 

It concludes with the promise of our hope in Christ. It also speaks of God's preserving grace by which believers are kept from the corruption of this evil world.

2 Peter 1:5-9 is an exhortation to spiritual diligence in building our faith in Christ.

2 Peter 1:10-11 is in fact related to the statement in 2 Peter 1:4 which is the subject of discussion. Both speak of the new life that awaits us in heaven.

My view is that this passage does not teach that believers share in God's divine attributes. We cannot and will never be possessed of any divine essence as followers of Christ. 

The truth is that when Christ shall appear in glory, believers shall take on incorruptible glorious bodies that shall never perish. 

This is the gist of the promise that Peter is outlining in his address here (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:35-49; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18). We shall also enjoy eternal fellowship with God in ways that no human words can express.

Revelation 3:12 declares "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name."

The glorified church will be Christ's possession in heaven. They will bear His divine name, having been sealed by the Holy Spirit on earth (Ephesians 4:30). 

One rule of biblical interpretation is to avoid lifting a Scripture verse out of its passage context and forcing it to say what it does not teach in its wider context, giving regard to the full revelation of God in the Bible. That approach is called proof texting and is a popular method employed by false teachers.

We should therefore diligently balance the truths of the word of God so that the full counsel of God is conveyed in our Christian doctrines.

My view is that the divinity of the Holy Trinity is as distinct here on Earth as it will be in heaven. Believers will be worshippers of God in heaven! They shall not be divine nor shall they be vested with any divine essence.

Leading Bible commentators acknowledge this fact. John Gill's Exposition of the Bible explains the use of the phrase "partakers of divine nature" in 2 Peter 1:4.

John Gill says that believers are "...not essentially, or of the essence of God, so as to be deified, this is impossible, for the nature, perfections, and glory of God, are incommunicable to creatures; nor, hypostatically and personally, so as the human nature of Christ."

My concluding view is that the claim to divine essence of believers in Christ is manifestly a Christian error.

OUR HERITAGE AND NEW NATURE IN CHRIST

What is it that we share in Christ? Here are just four dimensions of our heritage in Christ:

1) We are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). This implies that the risen Christ dwells in us by His Spirit and that the worship of God perpetually occurs in our hearts.

2) We have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). 

This implies that we can discern the things of God in a manner that is consistent with the teachings of Scripture. We can tell truth from error using the word of God and guided by the Holy Spirit.

3) We the sons of God. 

We are the children of God by divine adoption (John 1:12). We who were once far from God have now been reconciled to Him and brought into fellowship with Him (Ephesians 2:14-18). 

Romans 8:16-17 says "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."

4) We are betrothed to Christ. 

We are the bride of Christ who will be presented to Him during the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:1-11). We belong to Him forever. 

© Ezekiel Kimosop Teaching Series 2019

For more articles by this writer, please visit www.ezekielkimosop.blogsot.com.