The Peril of Ungodly Pride

THE PERIL OF UNGODLY PRIDE: LESSONS FROM THE STORY OF NABAL

By Ezekiel Kimosop

I came across a post attributed to a charismatic teacher which claimed that 1 Samuel 25:10-25 taught that God has made believers stewards of riches.

While this statement is partly true, it is often used by prosperity teachers to purport that our covenant relationship with God is a ticket to Earthly riches. This statement speaks volumes about the growing popularity of the prosperity gospel among in Kenya today.

My view is that 1 Samuel 25:10-25 does not support this statement. This passage is dedicated to the story of Nabal, the wealthy but wicked sheep owner who was a descendant of Caleb. He lived in Carmel, a territory that was under David's men during his fugitive life under Saul.

When David sent ten young men to Nabal, the man arrogantly mistreated them. These men had gone to collect the traditional protection fee paid to those who protect shepherds from marauding bandits within a given section of the wilderness under their control. The timing of the request shows that David merely sought for food supplies for his men.

This was a modest support requested from a tycoon of Nabal's stature (see 1 Samuel 25:8, 18). Notice that David's request was not motivated by greed or extortion. No price was set for the service rendered by David's men that is described in 1 Samuel 25:15-16). Others would have perhaps demanded much more.

Nabal acted wickedly towards David but his wife Abigail saved the day by acting swiftly to avert bloodshed. She quickly put together a package of gifts and headed to the wilderness to meet David who was on his way to avenge himself. She also spoke with great wisdom and David's wrath subsided.

Her plea to David in 1 Samuel 25:24-31 was of prophetic proportions. With a careful choice of words, Abigail managed to  cooled down David's anger and sought mercy for her family. She feared that David may revisit the matter against her family when he takes the throne.

David graciously accepted he plea and her gifts and withdrew his men.

David later married Abigail after God snuffed out the life of her wicked husband.

This passage does not even remotely support the prosperity gospel! It teaches about justice and fairness in giving honor to those to whom such honor is due.

The passage does not teach that God has appointed us (believers) as stewards of earthly riches or wealth. I am aware that this teaching is at the heart of dominion theology. This is not to suggest that God does not require accountability from us in the management of resources at our disposal. He does. However, our utmost obligation is to proclaim Christ crucified.

1 Cor 4:1 says that we ministers (and by extension all believers) are stewards of the mysteries of God, which in this case is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I consider Abigail as a type of Christ. She raised a ransom and stood in the way of righteous anger that was deservingly due to the wicked offender. By this mediatory act, Abigail saved lives. That's perfectly what Jesus did for us at Calvary. He shielded us from God's righteous wrath in Adam.

We learn from this passage that it is a godly thing to honor our pledges and obligations. We also learn that pride and arrogance associated with riches and privilege often comes with consequences.

Nabal's pride can easily be compared with that of the Rich Fool described Luke 12:13-21. Notice its similarity in the ungodly merriment mentioned in1 Samuel 25:36-38.

Shalom




© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Does God Speak Through Prophets Today?

DO WE HAVE PROPHETS IN THE CHURCH TODAY?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

This question has been addressed in a number of articles on my teaching forums, including my website blog page.

I have revisited this issue because of the exponential rise in the number of people who claim that God spoke to them on COVID 19 pandemic before it happened.

Social media platforms are awash with articles and video clips attributed to people who purport to speak the mind of God during this difficult season. Some believers are confused about how to deal with these "prophets".

My view is that the only way to authenticate a preacher is to examine their teachings, doctrines and lifestyle in the light of the authority of the word of God. This is basically what the men of Berea did. Jesus taught that we shall identify or discern false teachers who claim to speak the mind of God by their fruit.

Matthew 7:15-16 says "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?"

The Bible contains other caveats on prophetic claims. 1 John 4:1-2 says "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Elsewhere in the New Testament Scripture, we are exhorted to "Test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

My view is that the gift of foretelling has been sealed in Scripture. We do not require prophets to speak into the future because the Bible has sufficiently addressed our future.

The only gift of prophecy available to the church is the gift of forthtelling which concerns the articulation of the truths of Scripture with profound wisdom and clarity as they relate to our contemporary Christian living.

The gift of forthtelling is a prophetic gift exercised by Bible teachers when proclaiming the word of God.

My view is that this gift is only exercised in plenary when the preacher is speaking under the authority of Scripture and at no other time. I am hesitant to consider such gifted teachers as prophets because I find no authority in the New Testament Scripture or by reference to historical tradition as a basis for arriving at that conclusion.

There's no evidence, in my view, that the gift of prophecy (foretelling) continued beyond the period described by the Book of Acts. There are several other apostolic gifts that were never replicated beyond that period. Note for instance that the power to raise the dead was only granted to Paul and Peter and in only one instance for each of them!

The regulations in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 do not mention the office of prophet or Apostle. No other New Testament writer besides Paul makes reference to biblical offices. My view is that Pauline writings have settled the issue  for us.

I believe that the Old Testament Scripture contains the works of the prophets that God permitted for us. The fact that certain prophets are mentioned only in passing implies that God did not use their writings (if any) as part of inspired Scripture. There are several prophets (and prophetess) whose works are unknown.

For instance, we have no record of the prophetic works of Miriam, yet she is described in Scripture as a prophetess (Exodus 15:20-21) and later listed among the three leaders that God appointed to lead His people (Micah 6:4).

This is true of Hulda, Deborah, Micaiah, Simeon, and other obscure prophets who fall into the same category.

You will also notice that despite the significance of Jesus' parents in His incarnate coming, little is mentioned about His father and His mother beyond the Gospels.

I believe that God sovereignly determined to keep the works of these people in obscurity for His divine purposes.

I further believe that God superintended the work of the church fathers who compiled the Scripture books into the two cannons we have today.

If we ever place doubt on the admissibility of this process, then we shall open the floodgates for additional Scripture writings from every Tom Dick and Harry!

In conclusion, my view is that the 66 Book Bible is the final record of God's revelation to the Church. These Scriptures are sealed. There's therefore no further inspiration or prophecy that can be admitted by the Church (Rev 22:18-19).


Shalom



© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Thanking God in Adversity

TODAY SATURDAY 28TH MARCH 2020 - THANKSGIVING FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE AND WILL DO

Guiding Scriptures - 1 Samuel; 7; Psalm 127:1; Romans 8:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

DEVOTION

We conclude our prayer series today with our focus on thanking God. This does not however imply that prayers will be terminated today! We shall continue to pray for the nation each day. This is our obligation as children of God.

If we consider the prevailing circumstances today, the idea of thanksgiving to God will perhaps not make sense to most of us, especially those undergoing affliction.

There is however a biblical foundation for this practice.

When we examine the teachings of Scripture holistically, we discover that God works for the good of His people even under unpleasant circumstances (Romans 8:28). He never abandons or forsakes us even in the worst of times.

Ezra 9:9 says "For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem."

Ezra the priest is here drawing a concluding statement that reveals God's abiding faithfulness through the ages of Israel's existence as a community of God's people.

The historical background to the Book of Ezra is estimated at between 458-444 BC. Some Bible scholars place the Exodus from Egypt at about 1300 BC. Ezra was therefore describing a millennium of God's dealing with Israel right to the time of his religious reforms (see Ezra 7:10).

The truth is that God's faithfulness is steadfast and His loving kindness is beyond measure.

As a nation, we are a sinful and rebellious people who miserably fail the standards of a holy God! We are simply preserved by His mercies.

Were it not for God's abiding grace, we would all have been consumed by His divine wrath.

There's therefore every reason to be grateful to God today, as always.

We should bear in mind that the COVID 19 pandemic would have been worse and would get worse without God's preserving mercies on us.

We learn from 1 Samuel 7 that when Israel fell into idolatry and apostasy, Samuel gave them a precondition from God. If the people abandoned their idolatry and returned to the LORD in truth, God would deliver them from the Philistines who were the archenemies of Israel.

Thankfully, the people of Israel obeyed the voice of God in this context and put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths. This was evidence of national repentance for Israel.

Samuel the prophet then called a solemn assembly at Mizpah where he led the people in spiritual restoration.

When faced with the imminence of annihilation by the Philistines, the people panicked exceedingly. The beauty of this is that they had turned to God at this point rather than to idols. They now understood that their security was anchored in God and in nothing else.

Notice the words of the people in 1 Samuel 7:8 which says, "So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

We don't just need God's overcoming grace for a single calamity. We need His fellowship with us always.

When God said that He would not go with the people of Israel because of their stiffkneckedness, Moses earnestly pleaded with God, saying in Exodus 33:15 "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here."

BIBLICAL FOUNDATION FOR THANKSGIVING

Now back to 1 Samuel 7...

Samuel used this opportunity not only to pray for people but to teach them a powerful lesson in thanksgiving even in the midst of adversity. It was an act of great courage in the face of an imminent attack! Samuel intimately knew the LORD and trusted Him unwaveringly even when the people walked in rebellion.

In 1 Samuel 7:12, the Bible says that Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer, saying "Thus far the LORD has helped us."

This statement is significant to us today as we continue to pray for divine intervention on COVID 19 pandemic and other perils.

We should not merely petition God for His mercies. We should express our gratitude to Him for His preservation so far.

Samuel recognized that God had been with Israel through their long history of struggle with the heathen nations around them. Even during the worst of times as happened in 1 Samuel 4 when the ark of the covenant was captured by the Philistines and the sons of Eli the priest were killed (1 Samuel 4), God was with Israel. They were not totally destroyed.

CONCLUSION

Our prayer for Kenya is that our people may turn away from idolatry and spiritual apostasy and worship the One and only true God.

We should be grateful that God has so far preseved us and that by His grace, He will continue to sustain us through this calamity.

At a personal level, each of us should be grateful for what God has done for us, our families and our nation in the past.

Here's why...

Consider the following (among many other reasons):

1) THAT the locusts have not caused as much destruction as was anticipated;

2) THAT the rains came in 2019 when many feared that famine was in the offing in this.

3) THAT God preseved this nation from Ebola that ravaged the Central and West African region in the recent past.

4) THAT even as we speak now, there are clear signs that the long rains have arrived!

There's so much to be thankful about...1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (NKJV).

No matter what happens around us, God is our Ebenezer, a stone of help. He has seen us through many perils in the past. He is faithful to preserve us going forward if we faithful turn to Him in truth.

David proclaimed in Psalm 23:4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

When Job suffered heartbreaking affliction permitted by God, his response demonstrated his spiritual maturity and fortitude. He was a man whose walk with God did not depend on the blessing he received but his convictions.

We can count on God's abiding presence and His divine preservation because of His covenant relationship with us. Job proclaims in Job 2:10 "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”

He went on to demonstrate his convictions in Job 1:21, "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."

The doctrine of Christian moderation is amplified in 1 Timothy 6:6-10.

Let us therefore thank God and place our unwavering trust in Him even as we present our petitions to Him.



Shalom




Rev Kimosop

Hello! Where's the Church Gone?

HELLO! WHERE IS THE CHURCH GONE?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

As we grapple with the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic, several questions abound. What with locked churches, schools and colleges? How long will this situation persist and how shall we cope with its devastating effects?

Perhaps a far important question for Christians is thus: where is the church now that we are unable to gather together in worship?

Some charismatic preachers say that the Church cannot be properly constituted without a congregational gathering. On this score, they vow to defy the authorities.

One preacher insisted in his Facebook page that he will gather his congregation in the normal way despite the Government restrictions. He even announced a Kesha, (overnight prayers) for his church.

So do we truly have the church when it has been dispersed by the authorities as is the case now? Has the church been dissolved? Can the gathering around the family table constitute the gathering of the church? Is there a biblical minimum for the gathering of a church congregation?

The Church is collectively known as the Ekklessia, a Greek word that literally means "the called out".

1 Peter 2:9 is perhaps a tribute to the unity and sanctification of the church as a special community of God's people that has been set apart for His divine purposes. This is also affirmed in Titus 2:11-14.

There are three common expressions of the Church.

First, the universal church consists of the  sum of all believers in the world irrespective of their  geographical, racial or ethnic distinctions.

The second expression is the invisible Church. This is based on the biblical teaching that God knows those who are His. 2 Timothy 2:9 says: "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” (NKJV).

This is the community of God's people that Christ has ransomed to Himself and is known to Him.

The local church or Christian assembly is the third expression of the Church. This consists of believers within a given locality who congregate together under a common leadership. This is perhaps the clearest image of the church that is familiar to many.

The New Testament Church gathered in homes of believers primarily because it was in its formative stage. There was however a compelling reason for house churches. The Jerusalem Church faced severe persecution from the Jewish religious leaders and the Roman authorities (Acts 8:1-3; 12:1-2). This kept the church away from public gatherings. They assembled in homes behind locked doors (Acts 12).

Under the present COVID 19 pandemic, the authorities have banned all public gatherings including church services until the pandemic is contained. This has left some believers wondering what should happen going forward if the situation persists for long.

My view is that the church is properly constituted even without regular gathering of congregations. Every believer is a child of God (John 1:12) and this is a standing position at all times. This is the minimum threshold for our belonging in Christ.

How should believers cope with the present circumstances?

With the benefit of modern technology, believers can still connect with one another and share exhortations online. Pastors can share  sermons through social media platforms. Every believer should observe their Christian obligations on spiritual discipline. They should pray, study the word of God and reach out to others with the gospel of Christ using technology.

What is perhaps the greatest limiting factor is the partaking in the Holy Communion and communal worship. This requires believers to gather together for this purpose (1 Corinthians 11:33).

There are other critical logistics that require meetings and gatherings. It is therefore difficult to entirely dispense with Christian gatherings without impacting on the efficiency of the Christian ministries.

However, as law abiding citizens, we should submit to the regulations of the state on hygiene and social distance.

As we all gather in our homes, let's consider this as a golden opportunity to strengthen our family fellowships and worship. We should regularly study the word of God and pray together.

Yes the Church lives on in us all...


Shalom



© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Is COVID 19 Part of God's Judgment?

IS COVID 19 PART OF GOD'S JUDGMENT UPON THE WICKED?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

I came across the following template message on social media titled: "QUARANTINE IS IN THE BIBLE. Isaiah 26: Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you;
Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past."

Does this Scripture support quarantine measures on COVID 19 virus? Does it imply that this epidemic targets the wicked?

Several "prophets" have lately emerged who claim to have heard directly from God on the epidemic. They teach that the disease is intended to annihilate the wicked and that God would preserve the righteous from harm.

Should we believe these people?

My view is that the above Scripture does not provide authority for  the quarantine requirements under the present Corona virus epidemic. It has been quoted out of its passage context.

Here's why...

Isaiah 26:20 lies in the short passage of Isaiah 26:20-21 which speaks of refuge from God's judgment that will fall on the wicked.

Here is what it says in full:

"Come, my people, enter your chambers,
And shut your doors behind you;
Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment,
Until the indignation is past.
For behold, the Lord comes out of His place
To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;
The earth will also disclose her blood."

Notice that Isaiah 26:21 says that God will come out to punish the (wicked) inhabitants of the earth for their inquity.

We learn from other sections of the Bible that God spares the righteous whenever He pours His divine wrath on the wicked. He spared Lot, Abraham's nephew before raining sulphur and brimstone on the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:12-29).

Earlier in Genesis 7, God spared Noah and his immediate family members from the 40 days of deluge that wiped out the wicked from the face of the Earth.

PASSAGE CONTEXT

What exactly is the prophet proclaiming in Isaiah 26:20-21?

Does this passage teach that God is using the current COVID 19 epidemic to destroy the wicked and preserve the righteous?

If we look at the preceding passage of Isaiah 26:1-19, we notice that the prophet is speaking about the salvation of God's righteous in the future. In fact Isaiah 26:1 speaks of the last days when the song will be sung in the land of Judah.

This was possibly in reference to the coming judgment and subsequent redemption from the captivity that the prophet had earlier proclaimed. It is instructive that Isaiah spoke nearly 200 years before the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC.

Isaiah 26 is largely a Messianic passage that speaks of God's works in the days when the anointed of God, the Messiah, Christ, will bring hope to His people (26:1-3).

The writer then exhorts his readers on the benefit of trusting God. He says that God  upholds the righteous and brings down the wicked (Isaiah 26:4-9).

The Bible mocks the wicked, saying that they can neither judge rightly nor discern the ways of God. God's judgment will finally fall upon them (Isaiah 26:10-11).

Isaiah 26:12-19 extols the greatness of God in preserving the righteous even in difficult circumstances, especially when the heathen (captors) rule over them.

We can summarize this passage with the following statement: God's faithfulness abides with His covenant people in all generations irrespective of their prevailing circumstances.

CONCLUSION

There's therefore no conclusive evidence that Isaiah 26:20 directly speaks to the quarantine efforts under COVID 19 epidemic in the manner contemplated by the author of the above template article.

This virus does not discriminate between the righteous and the wicked. It does not specifically target the wicked. It is possible that most of the victims who have been infected so far are Christians.

Yes, we can drawn important lessons on precautions to be employed during disasters of the type we currently face. Staying indoors may be a safe approach but the wicked and ungodly will take similar precautions as well and escape the infection!

If COVID 19 virus was part of God's judgment of the wicked on earth, then there would be no escape for those that God seeks to punish. No one can ever hide from God. Adam couldn't hide from God after his disobedience and fall (Genesis 3). Cain killed his brother but could not hide from God either (Genesis 4).

The Psalmist asks in Psalm 139:7-12, "Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me;

Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You."

There's therefore nothing we can do to escape God's presence or His divine wrath. His eyes can see even the tiniest molecule that can only be identified through a microscope lense!

If anything, God's judgment is not limited to COVID 19. The divine instruments at God's disposal are infinite. He can literally flush the Earth of its content!

The greatest "epidemic" that a man can face under the sun 🌞is to ignore the gospel message of Christ and ultimately appear before the great white throne of God in judgment. At that point, there will be no escape from God's divine wrath.

The Bible says that the Beast and the False Prophet and all those whose names shall not be found in the Lamb's Book of Life shall be thrown into the lack of 🔥 fire where the fire 🔥 is never quenched (Read Rev. 20:7-15).

The only refuge we have at our disposal is to hide, not in our homes with doors securely locked, but in Jesus Christ the hope of glory. He alone is the secure fortress, our refuge, our blessed hope (Titus 2:14).

Do not be deceived. The COVID 19 epidemic is child's play compared to what awaits those who reject God's grace in Christ.

Once the window of God's grace is shut, Christ shall appear to snatch away His Church. Those who shall be left behind shall gnash their teeth as God's wrath is served on the wicked.

There will be bowls and seals of God's fury raining upon the the wicked on earth (read Rev. 6-9).

Why wait until it is too little too late? Think about that...





© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Sermon: Faith in Adversity

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y3buE5ErvNL6b3NrfZlG4mLrH6aBx7tq/view?usp=drivesdk

COVID 19: What God Demands

TURNING TO GOD IN TRUTH: LESSONS FROM GOD'S MESSAGE TO SOLOMON IN 2 CHRONICLES 7:12-22.

By Ezekiel Kimosop

As the world grapples with the impact of the COVID 19 virus, it pays to turn to the word of God in order to understand His will concerning us in this difficult situation.

If there's a scripture that is most pronounced during this difficult time, it is perhaps 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (NKJV).

God gave Solomon specific conditions that must be satisfied before He can respond to the prayer of His people in situations of calamity.

In order to appreciate the context of the passage in which this Scripture lies, we shall examine the preceding passages. We shall begin with 1 Chronicles 7:1-11 which describes the dedication of the Jerusalem Temple by King Solomon shortly after he completed the construction works.

Solomon conducted an elaborate dedication ceremony that is perhaps unparalleled in biblical history. He had constructed the temple after God forbade his father David from undertaking the task saying that David had much blood in his hands (1 Chronicles 22:8).

Solomon also brought the ark of the covenant to the Temple in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 5). When the celebration  was concluded, God's glory filled the temple, signalling His approval of the celebration (2 Chronicles 5:13-14).

Solomon's prayer is recorded in 2 Chronicles 6.

In 2 Chronicles 7:1-12, God responded to Solomon's prayer by sending a fire 🔥 from heaven which consumed the sacrifices on the altar. The glory of God again filled the temple and the people bowed down and worshipped God (2 Chronicles 7:1-3).

God later appeared to Solomon in a vision at night (2 Chronicles 7:12-22). He conveyed His answer to Solomon in person.

This now brings us back to our passage of context which we shall examine in greater detail below.

God declares in 2 Chronicles 7:12 that He had heard Solomon's prayer. This prayer was consistent with God's divine will for His people. However, there was a catch!
God's approval came with conditions. His utmost desire was that the people should walk in obedience to Him going forward. He sought a relationship with His covenant people in which the people worshipped Him in truth and obeyed His voice.

In 2 Chronicles 7:13, God, in the exercise of His sovereignty and foreknowledge, reveals that there will come a time that the people will forsake their covenant with God and rebell against Him.

Under those unpleasant circumstances, God may shut the heavens so that no rains shall fall on the land. He may also send locusts to devour the land or send pestilences (epidemics).

When these circumstances are experienced, God demands that the people must examine their ways and turn to Him in repentance. This is true of our circumstances today as we face the COVID 19 virus epidemic.

The preintervention conditions prescribed by God for His people Israel are recorded in 2 Chronicles 7:14. We shall briefly examine them in turns below.

HUMBLING SUBMISSION

First, God demanded that the people must humble themselves. Humility is key to discovering our broken ways. It is an acknowledgement of our sinfulness and the awesomeness of our great God. We are undeserving of God's grace. Isaiah 64:6 says that our righteousnesses [apart from Christ] are as filthy rags!

A humble person is a submissive person who is open to spiritual counsel. He is conscious of and remorseful for his disobedience.

Elsewhere in the Bible, we learn that David expressed deep humility and brokenness after his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah, the Hittite (Psalm 51). After desperately trying to cover up his adultery, things got worse. He committed murder along the way and God was sorely displeased with him.

He sent Nathan the prophet to rebuke the king (2 Samuel 12:1-23). David discovered the gravity of his sin and the alienation that his transgression had achieved in breaking his fellowship with God. He humbled himself before the LORD and God graciously spared him but took the life of the child born from the incident.

On the contrast, Saul did not express any remorse for his disobedience and this caused him the throne (1 Samuel 15:10-35). He was a proud and arrogant man. Samuel the prophet desperately interceded for Saul but God had made up His mind. It was too little too late.

PRAYER OF BROKENNESS

The second condition that God gave to Solomon, and to us who love God, was that the people should pray and seek His face.

How should we pray as a nation; as a covenant people?

We should pray from a position of submission and brokenness. We should pray at all levels: personal, family, neighbors, Christian community and as a nation under God.

Our civil and religious leaders leaders should call a solemn assembly and implore our people to turn to God in truth. The call to national prayer should not be merely about religious ceremonies for the gallery and cameras! It should be informed by our brokenness; a bemoaning of the beaten paths from which we slipped away in our pride and rebellion!

Here's why...

The wicked people of Nineveh demonstrated humility and brokenness. When God's judgment was proclaimed upon them by Jonah, the king rose from his throne and laid aside his royal garments and called a solemn fast upon all his subjects! (Jonah 3).

God was touched by their response and withdrew His judgment. Remember that Ninevites were not part of God's covenant people yet this fact did not preclude them from God's sovereignty. The moral principles of God's word are binding upon all people and nations of the earth.

The Bible affirms God's sovereignty over all creation. Psalm 24:1-2 says "The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the waters."

TURNING AWAY FROM WICKEDNESS

The third and final condition that God gave to Solomon is that the people must turn from their wicked ways.

What does it mean to turn from wickedness? It is to totally forsake our rebellion and obstinacy in disobedience and to submit to the principles and exhortations of His eternal word.

It is not enough to express remorse and brokenness if in the end we return to our old habits of rebellion.

We learn from the Book of Judges that the children of Israel went through a cyclic pattern. Whenever they disobeyed God and went after Canaanite gods, the LORD permitted their enemies to humiliate them (Judges 2:11-23).

When they cried to God in their afflictions, the LORD was gracious to rescue them. However, they soon drifted back to their old ways and this cycle was replicated until the period of the Judges came to a close.

God desires that His people should faithfully and consistently walk in His ways and learn from their past life of sinful disobedience.

He has offered us His atonement in Christ Jesus so that those who repent and call on His name shall be saved.

CONCLUSION

If a nation turns to God in situations of calamity such as COVID 19, its leaders must lead by example, as happened in the Nineveh case. God is seeking true change, true remorse which is backed by action.

We should demonstrate true change and repent of our moral evils and excesses, including official corruption, the spilling of innocent blood, abuse of power and authority, racial and ethnic discrimination, among other transgressions.

There must be a change in our approach to civil and religious way of life as evidence that we have learnt from our past and have forsaken our evil ways.

Are we prepared to turn to God in truth?

Anything short of this divine threshold is an exercise in futility.

May the LORD hear us as we hold our national day of prayer and may He graciously rescue us from global epidemics.

May this nation turn to Christ.


Shalom

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Keeping our Minds on Godly Stuff

LET THE WORD OF GOD BE A LAMP UNTO OUR FEET AND A LIGHT UNTO OUR PATH

By Ezekiel Kimosop

I came across a publication by Sylvia Browne which was posted on a Christian social media page. It is said that Sylvia Browne predicted about the COVID 19 virus epidemic. 

According to Wikipedia, the late Sylvia Browne was an American fiction author who once claimed to be a medium with psychic abilities. She died on 20th November 2013 aged 77.

Ms Browne is credited with many false predictions and was once convicted of theft. She is not a Christian author. She once claimed to have observed heaven and angels. This is pure heresy!

A medium is a person who claims to communicate between spirits of the dead and human living beings. One such case is described in 1 Samuel 28:3-25 where the medium of En Dor raised the spirit of Samuel the prophet at the request of king Saul. 

A psychic is a person who claims to use extrasensory perception (ESP) to identify information hidden from the normal senses.

Both mediums and psychics employ demonic powers in their practices. Mediumism is condemned in the Bible. Remember that God rejected Saul for, among other things, consulting mediums.

This painful edict is captured in 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 which says "So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. But he did not inquire of the Lord; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse."

When we neglect to seek the mind of God on life issues, we are likely to fall prey to false teachers.

My view is that we should approach Ms Browne's writings and literature with caution. She is definitely not a spiritual source for the Christian community.

My plea to believers everywhere is that we should approach the latest epidemic with spiritual integrity. Let us walk with hope and encourage others to trust God in order to contain the pandemonium.

Let us pray without ceasing, having in mind the catastrophic impact that this epidemic is likely to bring into our nation.

There's lots of talk of a possible lockdown as the next step after the current shutdown. This would literally keep us all indoors without access to shops and markets for a given period. 

Those who rely on daily wages would suffer most because they will not make ends meet. This is the reason that we need God's hand to move in this situation.

The Bible should always remain our source of spiritual nourishment, comfort and guidance during this difficult moment. Let's always turn to the Scriptures for guidance and seek the face of God for divine intervention. 

Let's also be our brother's keepers by sharing biblical exhortations from our personal devotions so that we are strengthened in the Lord.

There's so much scary stuff doing the rounds in social media concerning COVID 19 virus and this also calls for our wisdom and prudence. Do not circulate such stuff to others. Just delete them when you receive.

If you are not sure about their admissibility, please consult your Pastors.

You can always approach your pastors with questions that touch on the biblical view of such epidemics. 

I have written a cautionary article that warns on the rise of false prophets who claim that God spoke to them directly on COVID 19. 

Ignore such teachers and their messages! God only speaks to us through His word which is sealed in the Bible. 

I have shared the link on this page. 

Shalom

The Shipwreck and Cancer of Christian Heresy

THE SHIPWRECK AND CANCER OF CHRISTIAN HERESY

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

What is Christian heresy?

This is a teaching or set of teachings or doctrines that materially contradict the fundamental truths of the word of God in Scripture. Some of the areas of contradiction may include the denial or rejection of Christ as Lord and Savior or the efficacy of His works of the cross. A heretic may also deny the universal impact of Adam's fall on humanity. Some even deny the divinity of the Holy Spirit and reject the trinitarian revelation of God in Scripture.

The burden of dealing with Christian heresy is an onerous one. Unfortunately few believers have the guts for confronting heresy. Most Christians seek to avoid "controversy" in circumstances that their Biblical opinion would count. Scripture contemplates that Christian leaders ought to protect their congregations from the scourge of heresy by not only pointing out heresy but by consistently and faithfully instructing believers in the truths of God's word.

Paul warned the elders at the Church of Ephesus that heretics and apostates would infiltrate the church upon his departure. He cautioned them, saying, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears." (Acts 20:28-29, NKJV). 

This article seeks to examine Christian heresy within the context of two illustrations of New Testament Scripture. It will attempt to outline practical approaches that Paul employed in both contexts in addressing Christian heresy. Two sets of heretics are mentioned in the Epistles of First Timothy and Second Timothy. One of the most compelling lessons that emerges from the two incidents is that Paul decisively confronted heretics without blinking an eye and proceeded to suspend them from the fellowship of the church of Ephesus. Heretics can only be restored to Christian fellowship if and when they repent and publicly recant their heresy. 

THE SHIPWRECK OF HERESY: HYMENAEUS AND ALEXANDER

1 Timothy 1:18-20 says "This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme" (NKJV). 

Paul considered the Christian error in the above passage to be equivalent to blasphemy. He excommunicated the two heretics under a firm expectation that they would learn from their error and change their ways. Little is known about the precise nature of the heresy but the reader can pick up some hints from the study of the passage. Paul stated that the two men had suffered shipwreck, a metaphorical reference to a catastrophe in the context of their appropriation of Christian doctrine. We can infer from the above passage that the two men were perhaps prominent Christian teachers whose doctrines were not founded on genuine apostolic instruction. Their convictions were therefore radically misplaced from the pivotal truths that inform the convictions of a standing believer in Christ. 

The word "shipwreck" was deliberately chosen by Paul in order to demonstrate the devastation and catastrophe that heretics would visit upon the children of God through their polluted teachings that not only contradict God's word but had the potential of destroying the Christian faith. Adam Clarke makes a startling observation of the catastrophic impact of Christian heresy by equating it with the reckless acts of a soldier in the battlefield, saying "Having thrust away; as a fool-hardy soldier might his shield and his breastplate or a made sailor pilot, helm, and compass." [1]

Newport J. D. White however cautions that we should not construe Paul's shipwreck metaphor as evidence that a believer who is steeped in heresy is lost beyond hope of recovery. [2]. Paul employed the shipwreck term to express the severity and impact that heresy occasions on the Christian community. The fact that Paul mentions the two heretics by name is instructive of his honesty and truthfulness in identifying the source of heresy. Paul must have reliably established the facts before naming the culprits. Warren Wiersbe observes that Paul was not in violation of Jesus' command in Matthew 7:1-5 regarding judging others. [3] 

A shipwreck is catastrophic sea peril that results in the loss of many lives. It is also associated with extensive damage to the vessel and loss of property arising from violent tempests of the sea. Timothy was serving in Ephesus, an ancient port city lying near the confluence of the Cayster River and Mediterranean Sea. The people of Ephesus therefore understood the impact of a shipwreck on sailors since this was the common mode of travel across ancient cities. A marine damage of this scale cannot be restored or reinstated even with the seasoned skill and diligence of expert seamen. 

In insurance terms, such a perilous loss is referred to as a constructive total loss within the meaning of the liability section of a Marine insurance policy. This is because the possibility of retrieving any salvage is remote and uneconomical. The ship is eventually abandoned if the cost of retrieval of salvage exceeds the maximum limit of insurance liability under the policy. 

Now back to our illustration of context...

The two heretics appeared to be emboldened in their error, having lost their convictions concerning the truth. They had strayed into false doctrine and were in danger of crossing into Christian apostasy if left unchecked. Paul uses a second adjective to describe the impact of the heresy. He speaks of their departure from the fundamental truths of God's word as blasphemy. This is a cardinal sin that a covenant Jew would not commit. We learn from the words of Jesus in the Gospels that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unpardonable sin (Matthew 12:31-32). His statement was in response to the false claims by the Pharisees against Him. In Matthew 12:24, the Pharisees had attributed the divine miracles of Jesus to Beelzebub, the chief of the demons (Satan).

Jesus had healed a paralytic on the Sabbath, a day that the Pharisees regarded as hallowed. In the minds of the Pharisees, Jesus had broken the Sabbath law. Jesus however denied braking the Sabbath and went on to affirm His preeminence as "Lord also of the Sabbath" (Mathew 12:8). It is instructive that the Pharisees rejected the divinity of Jesus Christ as Messiah, the Son of God. By their obstinacy and arrogance they committed high blasphemy!

THE CANCER OF HERESY: HYMENAEUS AND PHILETUS

The second set of heretics is mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:16-19 where we learn that the two, Hymenaeus and Philetus, taught that the resurrection of saints had already taken place. This was a false teaching that contradicted the truths of Scripture. It implied that those who were "left behind" were not members of the true Church! Paul elsewhere taught that that resurrection of believers was a future event that awaited the living and the dead in Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Bible scholars say that the Letter of 2 Timothy was Paul final epistle which was written shortly before he was martyred in circa 67 AD (cf. 2 Timothy 4:7-8).This heresy is identified with some heretical sects that reject the doctrine of Christian resurrection.

The other word that Paul employs in 2 Timothy 2:17 is cancer (NKJV).  Paul describes the two heretics, Hymenaeus and Philetus, as a dangerous lot whose spiritual damage was fast spreading and was  cantankerous. Medically speaking, an amputation of the affected part of the body was the only way to stop the spread of cancer in the human body. The two heretics deserved to be isolated from the fellowship of right standing believers in order to protect the congregation and to warn those who associate with them.

By their heresy, the two men overthrew the faith of many well meaning believers who mistakenly held them in esteem. This is the very harm that false teachers bring into a Christian community. If left unchecked, their heresy will eventually destroy the ministry of the church by removing the cross from its pivotal position. False teachers must be named and shamed at the earliest opportunity by those who remain standing on their spiritual feet within the congregation.

How a Christian community deals with  error exposes its spiritual prudence and fabric and its grasp of the truths of Scripture.

Heretics are now unsettling millions of Christians worldwide. They must be condemned and shunned if they refuse to change their ways. If we watch as God's word is reduced to trashcan stuff, God will not requite us of guilt concerning those who stumble under our watch (Ezekiel 33:1-11).

The battle against Christian heresy continues to confront the church, 2000 years later and must be fought in every generation of believers even as Christ shall tarry. It is a tragic thing for Christians to overlook heresy. It is better to be called names than to shy away from our godly duty of defending Biblical truth. Jesus suffered the mockery and insults of the religious class. We are not any special.

Shalom

REFERENCE 

[1] Clarke, Adam "Clarke's Commentary: The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments with a Commentary and Critical Notes" Volume 6 (Romans-Revelation) (New York: Eaton and Mains, 1832).

[2] White, Newport J.D. "The First and Second Epistles to Timothy and the Epistle to Titus: The Expositor's Greek Testament" Volume 4, Section 2 (1 Thessalonians-James) (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1897).

[3] Wiersbe, Warren W. "Be Faithful (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon): It's Always Too Soon to Quit!" (The BE Series Commentary) (Colarado Springs, Colorado: Victor, 1981).

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Do we have Apostles and Prophets Today?

DO THE OFFICES OF APOSTLE AND PROPHET EXIST IN THE CHURCH TODAY?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

This article was written in response to the following comment by Bro Lawrence Kibet who was reacting to my article which is accessible through the following link: https://ezekielkimosop.blogspot.com/2020/03/beware-of-false-prophets-on-covid-19.html?m=1

Here is the comment from Bro Lawrence Kibet:

///Much as I agree with much of what Bro Ezekiel Kimosop has shared in his blog I don't necessarily agree with his statement that there are no more prophets. That prophesy is ministered thru pastors and teachers implies that Apostolic ministrations are also thru pastors and teachers. It seems according to him, prophets and apostles are no longer there in the Church. Unless I misinterpreted his communication in the blog. I believe there is a need of clarification to clear the perception.

Bro Lawrence Kibet///

MY RESPONSE

Once again I am privileged to engage Bro Lawrence Kibet on a Biblical issue. We have engaged in other discussions in the past.

Now to respond to the issue of prophetic office.

Bro Lawrence Kibet sought my clarification on the position of prophets in the Church today. He appears to be of the view that this office continues.

I have decided to include the office of Apostle in my response because I am of the view that both offices do not exist today.

Now to address his question...

Yes my position arising from my study of Scripture and giving regard to my Evangelical historical Christian tradition is that there are no living apostles or prophets in the Biblical Church today. This is not to suggest that the gift of prophecy is extant in the church.

My view is that this gift is exercised in a different manner from that identified with Old Testament prophets. It is subject to the authority of the written Scriptures.

My view is that the Apostolic office ceased after the New Testament Church period was concluded and the apostolic writings were made available to the Church.

There is no independent office of prophet either. This office was not instituted under the regulations of 1 Timothy 3:1-13. The Bible does not contain a single record of an independent prophetic ministry in the New Testament Scripture.

The mention of the offices of Apostle and prophet in Ephesians 4:11 was, in my view, in tandem with the foundation that God laid through these two offices in the Bible. Prophetic and apostolic teachings inform the bulk of the Biblical Scriptures.

My view is that the mention of these offices by Paul was not an endorsement of their continuity. I am aware that Charismatics use this Scripture as a template defense. Paul later wrote explicit instructions on New Biblical Church offices (1 Timothy 3:1-13).

For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to express my view that some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that were evident during the period covered by the Book of Acts were never replicated. For instance, no living person can claim the power to raise the dead or author inspired Scripture without earning the title of false teacher!

Peter and Paul were the only Apostles who raised the dead and only on single incidents recorded in the Bible (Acts 9:36-41; Acts 20:7-12). The two were leaders of the two Church communions in the New Testament period.

Historically, Apostolic office was never reinstituted after the New Testament Church. The Early Church only instituted the office of Bishop in line with 1 Timothy 3:1-7.

I have addressed this issue in greater detail in my teaching forums including my website blog. I welcome Bro Lawrence Kibet to engage me there.

Here's the link.

https://ezekielkimosop.blogspot.com/2020/02/understanding-biblical-offices-and.html?m=1

Beware of False Prophets on COVID 19 Epidemic

BEWARE OF FALSE  PROPHETS ON COVID 19

By Ezekiel Kimosop

I listened to an audio clip by a Nigerian "prophetess" who conveyed a message purportedly received from God. I am aware that there are several other "prophets" who have lately arisen and who make similar claims regarding the COVID 19 Epidemic.

The message by the Nigerian "prophetess" violates a number of principles of Scripture.

Here's why...

1) The Bible says that God speaks to us through Jesus Christ and that the written Scriptures exclusively reveal and communicate His divine will for the Church (Hebrews 1:1-2). There's no reason to believe that God can speak through any other person. He cannot deny His word (Numbers 23:19).

2) There is no new revelation to the Church after the Biblical Scriptures were sealed. There cannot be any prophets today and any prophetic gift of the Holy Spirit shall be exercised within the plenary gathering of a Christian congregation (1 Cor. 14).

My view is that Biblical prophecy is communicated through the teaching ministry of pastors and Bible teachers who guide and instruct congregations of believers in truth.

3) The Bible is explicit on the exercise of spiritual authority in a Christian congregation (1 Timothy 2:8-14, 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-7).

4) Contrary to the claim by the prophetess, God does not kill people who are not willing to obey or serve Him. He simply picks those whose hearts yield to Him. Those who walk in spiritual rebellion will have their day before the great white throne (Rev. 20:7-15). The claim by this prophetess is therefore false.

5) While it is possible that COVID 19 could be part of God's judgments on our wicked world, this does not imply that God relishes in killing people or that the final judgment has commenced.

God does not delight in the death of the sinner. He laments, "Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?"

Sin and rebellion is the reason that this world is undergoing lots of life threatening epidemics today. We have ruined the environment through pollution and destroyed and even depleted some of God's resources on earth. For instance, man, not God, is responsible for the global warming that threatens severe devastations upon the earth.

My view is that this Nigerian prophetess is just one among several false prophets who have taken advantage of the COVID 19 epidemic to claim that God has spoken to them and/or brought the calamity through them.

Yes, God desires that men everywhere should repent and turn to Christ (Acts 17:30). However, God does not employ the approach described by this false prophet. He never forces men to come to Christ by a decree. Scripture is clear that whosoever shall believe in Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Obedience to God is by choice. Choices have consequences (Joshua 24:14-15).

6) God will only separate the wheat from the tares when Christ shall come to take away His church and judge the wicked (Matthew 13:24-30). This time is yet to come.

7) The Bible contains a detailed description of the events that must take place before the coming of Christ. If we are faithful to the study of the word of God, we should not be fearful about the future even in the face of COVID 19 and other epidemics. We should trust God for His divine preservation in the midst of all these upheavals.

CONCLUSION

It is our responsibility as God's children to intercede for ourselves, our families and communities as well as our nation. We should repent of our sins and plead for God's mercy at this time.

Even as we pray, we should hold to the authority and infallibility of Scripture. It is the final voice on all matters of our Christian faith and practice. We should therefore test every spirit (or prophecy) to determine if the their teaching is consistent with the word of God (1 John 4:1-3).

We should also remain calm and focused on God and encourage others to trust God in these difficult times. God is sovereignly in control.

Finally, and this is equally important, we should submit to the regulations and procedures on safety and hygiene that have been proclaimed by the Government.

Ignore any "prophet" who teaches against the observation of hygiene, or the application of epidemic control procedures and emergency medical response.



Shalom




© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Is the Five Fold Ministry Concept Biblical?

A BIBLICAL EXAMINATION OF THE "FIVE FOLD" MINISTRY CONCEPT

By Richard Rice

The phrase "Five-Fold Ministry" is of recent origin within a strain of the Charismatic Movement which began in April of 1960 when an Episcopal priest and his wife began speaking in tongues. The term was never used by original Pentecostal leaders from 1900 through the 1960s.

"Five-Fold Ministry" is a description of what Charismatic teachers saw as five offices given by Christ to lead the local church based on Ephesians 4:11.

Early Charismatics taught that Jesus had lost control of His church through the centuries, and they had been commissioned and empowered by God to "restore" what the church lost since the Book of Acts. They taught that in order for Christ to return to the earth (these leaders were all post-Millennial, ie, the church will take over the world and thus prepare it for Christ's return), the church had to be returned to what it was in the Book of Acts, including the ministry and gifting of apostles and prophets. The restoration of the Church is fundamental in the Latter Rain and Kingdom Now heresies.

The concept of the five-fold ministry is faulty in title, as in the Greek text, the phrase "pastors and teachers" are linked together as one unit describing overlapping functions of one office. At best, Paul was describing a "four-fold" ministry in the early church.

One of the basic principles of interpretation is context; context within a sentence, a paragraph, and even an entire book of the Bible. Paul uses the phrase "apostles and prophets" in Ephesians twice before he uses it in Ephesians 4:11. His use of the phrase must be considered together.

In Ephesians 2:20 and 3:5, Paul writes of "apostles and prophets" and links them inseparably. Paul explains that these two groups of men were responsible for laying the foundation of the church by the writing of Scripture. No other power, authority, or mission was given to them by Paul in Ephesians. The office of apostle and prophet would therefore cease once the foundation of Scripture was complete. If the Bible is God's final and full revelation of Himself to the world, there is no further necessity for foundation laying.

In First Corinthians 15:8, Paul wrote that he was the last of the apostles to be chosen by Christ. There would be no others like him, Peter, John, or Thaddeus.

Early Charismatics defined apostles simply as missionaries or church planters, and prophets were anyone who preached the written gospel. That has evolved to something wholly different over the years as the idea of "restoration" took on a life of its own. Today's Charismatics use the term of apostle to mean an absolute authority and leader over churches in a geographical area or country, and prophets as those who reveal new doctrines and divine truths never before preached.

The apostolic writers of Scripture indicated early on that the church was led and ministered to by pastors and elders, not apostles and prophets (Acts 14:23, 15:2 ff, 20:17; 1 Timothy 5:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1, etc). Paul's pastoral epistles (1 & 2 Timothy and Titus) were written specifically to address leadership and function in the local congregation; no apostles or prophets are mentioned. Qualifications for pastors/elders were given to the church to ensure godly leadership and continue true doctrine. No qualifications were given for apostles and prophets because their office ended when Scripture was complete.

The word "apostle" literally means "one who is sent" or "messenger" and is used in that sense in 2 Corinthians 8:23 and Philippians 2:25, for example. But these "messengers" had no authority over any congregation, did not write Scripture, nor spoke on the Lord's behalf. They were messengers sent by the 12 apostles or a local congregation and were subject to the local congregation. They were under the authority of their own pastor, sent to deliver messages.

To say that Ephesians 4:11 is a blueprint for the restoration of apostles and prophets today is not only exegetically false, it has been an open door for false teaching of every kind. Saying that the church is in need of new revelations denies the sufficiency and finality of the Bible as God's Word (2 Tim 3:16-17).

If God is giving new revelations today by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they MUST be at least equal to the Bible; and where those new revelations disagree with the Bible, they MUST replace what is in the Bible. Either way, restoration theology demands and results that the Bible is NOT the believer's sole authority for faith and practice; that authority lies in newly ordained apostles and prophets.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Rice is Pastor at Sellwood Church, a Historic, Reformed Baptist Community in Portland Oregon. Richard is a gifted Bible teacher. His online teaching articles can be accessed through the links on his Facebook page and at his website teaching blog at www.wherelivingbegins.wordpress.com

We are Gifted Differently

WE ARE GIFTED DIFFERENTLY

By Rev Kenneth Odhiambo

On 24th December 1983, I travelled to Nakuru from Eldama Ravine (where I was then working), specifically to buy a dress for my newly found sweetheart. I had just enough money for one dress and so I took a lot of time going in and out of several shops, searching for just the right one.

And after some Five hours of rigorous and meticulous searching, I finally found it. Hurrah! I travelled back to Ravine, feeling heroic, my heart bubbling with excitement. I was double sure that she would be so thrilled. But what a heartbreaking  anti-climax!                                                                                                                                            Staring at it with a weary and bored look, she finally said : "You mean, you couldn't find something better than this!"                                                                       I was dumbfounded.What an unforgettable lesson ! Sometimes, we think and are so sure that we know what is best for others. And vice versa. But sometimes, even our closest and best friends may not always know what is best for us.                                                                                                                                      Anyway, that did not dampen my affection for her and we actually eventually got married soon after that. And interestingly, from 1985 upto this day she has spent most of her working life selling clothes and shoes.                                                     Which has been a very serious bone of contention, in some quarters and circles.                                                 Any Pastor's wife who loves business (as she does) more than 'church work' has fallen short of the glory of God?  Right?
Has she really flopped (as some think she has)by failing to conform to that idealized image of the typical and stereotypical Pastor's wife?  Ideally, may be, every Pastor's wife must also be a pastor and 'behave' like one!
But with Ed Silvoso, I really do believe that there are some (even Pastor's wives)that God has “Anointed For Business” (Regal Books). That is the real book title.

“The notion that labor for profit and worship of God are worlds apart, is false. The early church founders included successful businesspeople. The writing of the gospel was entrusted to Luke, a medical doctor; Matthew, a retired tax collector; John, a food supplier; Lydia, “a dealer in purple cloth” and Dorcas, a clothes designer.” (Silvoso).

“God has a higher purpose than any stereotyped image for the women who are married to pastors – and for their families. They do not have to do and be certain things because others say so. God wants them – like everyone – to discover who they are and what they are to be (They Cry, Too!: What you Always Wanted to Know about Your Pastor but Didn't Know Whom to Ask, Lucille Lavender).

In a survey involving 42 pastors' wives, one question was to express whatever was on their minds. Here are a few reactions:

“We are programmed women. Programmed to behave like, act like, say yes to, whatever the church – especially the women – want us to do.”

“What really gets me is the mold into which the parishioners force the pastor's wife.”

“To tell you the truth, I don't fit in...I feel I've made a complete flop as a pastor's wife. But my husband insists he likes me the way I am, and that he didn't marry me to be his assistant pastor.” (Lavender). Let me confirm that I also love Margaret the way she is -.the way God made her to be. Let us stop wearing ourselves out trying to force other people  to put on 'clothes' (as it were) or take on roles that God never wired them for. We are all wired differently! How so wearisome pretending to be what God never intended you to be.

There are so many myths, stereotypes and traditions concerning the spouses of pastors and other matters which many have swallowed unthinkingly. You may be wallowing in self-pity thinking that God cannot use or bless you because you are not the ideal Pastor's spouse. Don't let such lousy thinking douse your passion for the house of God and your spouse! You think you are in the wrong job, family or place? Think again!                                                            We have been made to wrongly believe that if only we moved to the “right” places or more ideal situations, God would be more pleased with us.  Joseph, Daniel and Esther found themselves in situations that were less than ideal. Daniel had to come to terms with the fact that he had been forcibly taken away from his homeland and had his manhood  obliterated forever. Esther had to love a pagan King she did not choose and who did not love her people. They all believed that God would work out everything for good; that God had a destiny greater and better than their present circumstances.” (Ed Silvoso). Until he finds another place for you, “each one should remain in the situation which he was when God called him.” ( 1 Cor 7: 17, 20, 24).God can still bless you right where you are, with that person or people who appear "wrong"in the eyes of some others. It is okay if you have been made a Eunuch by men - like Daniel (Matthew 19:12).Or renounced marriage like Paul. But don't force others to be like you. “Each man has his own gift from God” (1 Cor 7: 7). In all things and situations, pleasant and unpleasant, we can glorify God.

WHATEVER you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men...It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3: 22-23).




[Rev Kenneth Odhiambo is a Chaplain with Masai Mara University. He previously served as a high school teacher at Mogotio and later as a minister with FGCK Mogotio. He is a skilled Bible teacher]

No Condemnation in Christ

DO BELIEVERS STAND IN SINFUL CONDEMNATION WHENEVER THEY APPEAR BEFORE THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN PRAYER?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

The answer to this question can be identified by examining the word of God.

The Bible says in John 1:12 that as many as received Him (Christ, by faith), to them He gave the right to become (or be adopted as) the children of God. This confirms that believers are members of God's household who share in His heritage in Christ.

The teaching on divine adoption is more precisely articulated in Romans 8:12-17.

Romans 8:1 says "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."

This Scripture conveys a powerful assurance that every child of God should cherish. The Bible here confirms that our legal standing in Christ Jesus is incontestable. It has been settled at Calvary!

This is what separates believers from those outside Christ.

John 8:36 says "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

Now having said as much, we recognize that no believer is ever perfect. We are not without sin on earth (1 John 1:8-10). We have to contend with this reality until we appear before the Risen Christ in heaven.

Therefore, whenever we appear before the presence of God in prayer, we are not in sinful condemnation because His divine wrath has already been appeased in Christ, concerning us. Our separation from God was resolved the moment we yielded to Christ. We have already been set apart as children of God, a community of people belonging to God. Our sin in Adam has been completely wiped out the moment we placed our faith in Christ and no charge can be brought by Satan against us on that account.

This does not however imply that we have no sin to confess when we come before God in prayer! We have a sinful nature in the human body and mind which is a residue of the old Adamic nature. Even though we are not under the control of sin, we cannot escape the presence and influence of sin under the sun. No matter how carefully we walk, we can never attain spiritual perfection on Earth. Christ alone was and is without sin (2 Cor. 5:21).

Sin ruins our fellowship with God and should be confessed by every child of God whenever we appear before Him. Those who deny this truth are denying the authority of Scripture.

This is the foundation of 1 John 1:8-10 which says "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."

We should therefore confess our sins, known or unknown, even as we rejoice in the finished works of the cross.vv

There's a Scripture test which informs our conviction on sin and disobedience. 1 John 3:20-21 says "For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."

Hebrews 4:14-16 says "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

This boldness is informed by our covenant relationship with God in Christ. Without the legal cover that Christ has provided in His atoning works, no flesh can approach the presence of God and live to tell it!



Shalom




© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Did Jesus Grow in Faith?

IN DEFENSE OF BIBLICAL TRUTH

By Ezekiel Kimosop

I watched a video of a leading West African prosperity teacher whose false teachings cut across all his telecasts.

He is however not alone in the business of promoting a gospel in which Christ is repeatedly diminished and man is exalted in His place. This is the fallacy of prosperity theology.

Now let's examine the latest error by the billionaire televangelist whose name starts with C.

John 5:20 says "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel."

The preacher misinterprets John 5:20 to falsely teach error. He claims that the anointing of God on Jesus was progressively growing in the application of His faith so that greater miracles only took place in the end compared to the beginning of His ministry.

This is utterly false. It misrepresents the truths of God's word and mocks Christ's divinity as God the Son.

It is inconceivable that a preacher who purports to speak the mind of God can discount Jesus' divine power in this manner!

To teach that God was progressively building up Jesus' faith and capacity for performing miracles is to cast serious doubts on His divine essence as fully God and fully Man at all times during His earthly ministry.

It also implies that Jesus' faith underwent progressive growth from one step to another and that at one time he was possibly deficient in faith!

1 John 5:21 says "For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will."

This Scripture plainly affirms Christ's divine power to raise the dead in the same manner that God the Father does!

Yes, men grow from one glory to another in the knowledge of Christ. This however does not apply to Jesus. He perfectly knew the Father!

Jesus' divinity and humanity were indivisibly intertwined until Calvary. This is the foundation of the Biblical the doctrine of hypostatic union.

At no time was Jesus' divine essence diminished or discounted on account of His humanity, not even in His infancy. Only His glory was left in heaven upon His incarnate coming.

There is therefore nothing in Jesus' miracle series in the Gospels that suggests that He could not have started raising the dead to life before turning water into wine!

The Bible teaches that Jesus voluntarily submitted His will to that of God the Father in order to accomplish the works of the cross. His divine glory was restored to Him upon His ascension to heaven (Philippians 2:1-11).

Jesus did not require to grow in faith in the way we do. Luke 2:52 teaches that Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and with men.

Jesus was eternally  possessed of all divine essence as God the Son. At no time did Jesus cease to be God. Scripture proclaims in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever.


That's Biblical truth.



©  Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Who was God Speaking to in Genesis 1:26?

WHO WAS GOD SPEAKING TO IN GENESIS 1:26?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Genesis 1:26 says "Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (NKJV).

So who was God speaking to in this Scripture?

Don Stewart identifies four popular answers to this question as follows:

1) He was speaking to angels.

2) The "Us" is a plural of majesty.

3) The plural should be translated as a singular.

4) The "Us" refers to the members of the Holy Trinity.

My view is that answer three is inadmissible because there is no exegetical basis for doubting the authority and authenticity of the Hebrew Scripture regarding the plurality of the noun Elohim. The plural "us" remains.

I will therefore respond to the three answers below.

WAS GOD SPEAKING TO ANGELS?

My view is that those who say that God was speaking to angels or heavenly host who surrounded His throne appear to fail the test of Scripture because the Bible reveals that man does not share the same nature with angels (see Hebrews 2:5).

Don Stewart rightly observes that angels are not co-creators with God. They do not share in the image and likeness of God in the way that man does!

The writer of Hebrews poses a rhetorical question: "Are they  [angels] not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14).

The passage of Hebrews 1:5-14 is dedicated to the truth that angels are subordinate to believers in God's order of things. It is therefore inconceivable that God would speak to angels as His co-equals!

It is also instructive that the redemption works were not intended for angels but for Man. The Bible teaches that angels desire to look into the message of the Gospel but unfortunately they have no stake in it (1 Peter 1:12).

PLURALITY OF GOD'S MAJESTY

Those who subscribe to the second answer say that God was speaking in the plurality of His majesty. Again this theory does not find the merit of Scripture.

Accordingly to the Cambridge Bible Commentary, this view rests on the old Jewish explanation that God was addressing the inhabitants of heaven who surrounded His throne.

Elsewhere, Scripture declares that the sons of God shouted for joy when the foundations of the earth were laid (cf. Job 1:6, 2:1).

It is difficult to affirm this theory in the context of Genesis 1:26 without ascribing some divine essence to these heavenly hosts. This theory, in my view, fails the scrutiny of the word of God.

AFFIRMATION OF THE HOLY TRINITY

Bible scholars who submit to the fourth answer have cited Genesis 1:26 as evidence of the affirmation of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity in the Bible.

Don Stewart describes it as the embryonic form of the Holy Trinity doctrine that is fully developed in the New Testament. This is the doctrine that identifies and acknowledges the God of the Bible as one triune God who eternally exists in three divine persons who eternal co-exist as God.

The Holy Trinity is one of the most misunderstood doctrines of the Bible yet it is manifestly taught and affirmed in several passages of New Testament Scripture.

Trinitarian theologians say that the three members of the Godhead were conversing among themselves at this point. They hold that the conversation is evidence of the unity of the triune God. This conversation is also captured in story of the tower of Babel in Genesis 11:7-8.

My view is that the fourth answer is the most plausible interpretation of Genesis 1:26. It is consistent with the revelation of the Holy Trinity in the New Testament Scripture. It stands the test of Scripture.

CONCLUSION

I believe that God was engaging in a divine conversation with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in Genesis 1:26. The Holy Spirit revealed this truth to Moses as he penned the Book of Genesis.

Christ shares full and equal divinity with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. He is in every essence God.

God was speaking about the creation of Man in His image and likeness. Genesis 1:27 says "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."

Man alone bears the image of God. He reflects God's likeness in a number of ways. He cannot however be possessed of the non-communicable attributes of God which are exclusively vested in Divinity.

For example, man, like God, thinks, loves, hates, judges, creates, speaks, sees and hears. However, and unlike God, man is not infinite in his attributes. God's love is eternally pure and His judgment is perfect.
Our thoughts and actions miserably fail God's divine standards (Isaiah 55:8-9). Our righteousnesses apart from Christ are as filthy rags! (Isaiah 64:6).

Man is therefore merely a shadow of God's likeness.

Jesus was and is the Creator of all things. John 1:2-3 says if Christ: "He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made."

This Scripture is contextually faithful to the statement of Genesis 1:26.

Here's a befitting conclusion...

Colossians 1:15-18 says of Christ: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence."


Shalom


© Ezekiel Kimosop Teaching Series 2020


Sources:

Don Stewart, Blue Letter Ministry. blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_688.cfm

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/1-26.htm