Peddling the Word of God for Profit...should we be charging for ministry?

an encore presentation

Stewardship or Sales? The Means of Ministry

The Scriptures forbid charging for ministry (worship, preaching and teaching of God's Word, evangelism, fellowship of the church, psalms/hymns or spiritual songs, discipleship, etc. in any circumstance or situation. It is that black and white. Here are some important Scriptures to ponder in this matter (all verse quotations taken from the ESV):

Matthew 10:8-9, "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers,[a] cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts" (emphasis added).

1 Corinthians 9:7-18, "Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? 8Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. 15But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel" (emphasis added).

2 Corinthians 2:15-17, "For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ."

3 John 5-8, "Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, 6who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. 7For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles [nonbelievers]. 8Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth" (emphasis added).

God's people through faithful giving are to supply the financial support for ministry.

Ministry being: 64. Ministry is defined as service to God and His creatures as we employ our Spirit-given giftedness, according to the instruction of Scripture as good stewards of the manifold grace of God for the advancement of His kingdom; that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 4:10-12)

65. God has designed genuine ministry to be inseparable from the life and leadership of the local church. Any ministry that does not strengthen one's commitment to the local church is inconsistent with the purposes of Christ. (Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:23-25) (source: from the 107 Theses by Steve Camp, part five, #'s 64-65).

All genuine ministry for the Lord cannot have an advanced price tag to pay before the ministry is given. Why? Because then it is no longer ministry, but commerce, employ, trade or entertainment.

With ministry being defined above as service to God and His creatures; and with Christ as our example, we are to give all that we are for all that He is. I used to charge honorariums and tickets to my concerts. It was wrong and I have repented. The Lord deeply convicted me after studying His Word that there ws no justification for every charging for the work of the gospel. Think of what I was doing: charging people to pay a ticket to come to a church or civic venue to hear the gospel and worship the Lord. I was ashamed. How grateful I am to the Lord for His severe mercy and restorative grace over my sin of charging tickets for that which is eternal.

I now receive love offerings from churches; and I am very grateful for those that stand with this ministry in its convictions in this area and becoming "fellow workers in the truth."

One Final Thought in Closing
The greatest proof-text people will misuse out of the Bible to try to “justify” charging for the ministry of the Lord is this familiar phrase: "the workman is worthy of his hire."

I fully agree with that phrase for it is God’s Word; but they wrongly applied when trying to condone treating ministry like a business, trade, or entertainment.

It doesn't mean we have the right to charge for “hire”. More appropriately it means those "who proclaim the gospel should receive their living by the gospel" (1 Cor. 9:14b) and do so in a manner commensorate with the gospel.

The only question is how?

Answer: by not requiring a set fee or charging tickets for people to hear genuine ministry by those who want “go into into all the world and preach the gospel.” But, biblically, genuine ministry should be supported through the cheerful, faithful giving of God's people. Aren't you glad that the Lord didn't charge any of us to hear about the good news of the gopsel unto salvation? Aren't you glad that the Holy Spirit doesn't charge any of us for the spiritual gifts He gives to the church?

Money, beloved, should not be a prerequisite for ministry. Amen?

Please pray for CCM artists, pastors, authors, speakers, and evangelical leaders who are still trapped by the allure of a market-driven ministry; parroting worldly techniques rather than emulate the humility and servanthood of Christ. This principle should even effect Christian retail bookstore outlets and how they “sell” their items; but that is for another time.

IMMANUEL, GOD WITH US...a Christmas hymn

words and music by steve camp

Immanuel
Immanuel, Immanuel
God is with us, God is with us
Immanuel, Immanuel
God is with us

V1 Shepherds rejoice lift up your eyes,
And send your fears away salvation’s born to day
Jesus, the God whom angels fear,
Comes down to dwell with you but not as monarchs do

No gold nor purple swaddling bands nor royal shining things
A manger for His cradle stands to hold the King of kings

Immanuel
Immanuel, Immanuel
God is with us, God is with us
Immanuel, Immanuel
God is with us

V2 Go shepherds where the infant lies,
And see His humble throne, come and kiss the Son
Angels sang and praises rang,
The heavenly armies throng and magnify the song

Shall angels have their songs and men no tunes to raise
O may we loose our tongues and give Thee glorious praise

Immanuel
Immanuel, Immanuel
God is with us, God is with us
Immanuel, Immanuel
God is with us

PRINCE OF PEACE, WONDERFUL COUNSELOR
THE MIGHTY GOD, AND EVERLASTING FATHER
HE CAME TO EARTH TO REDEEM A PEOPLE FOR HIS OWN
AND NOW WE LIVE TO LIVE FOR HIM, ALL PRAISE TO CHRIST ALONE

Immanuel
Immanuel, Immanuel
God is with us, God is with us
Immanuel, Immanuel
God is with us

copyright by Nouthetic Music 2005

QUOTE OF THE DAY...uncommon wisdom drawn from the well of God's Word

Christ is All-Glorious:

by John Owen, Communion with God.

(cf, Col. 1:15-20; Heb. 1:1-3; Heb. 2:9-18)

• glorious in His throne, which is at “the right hand of the Majesty on high”
• glorious in His commission, which is “all power in heaven and earth”
• glorious in His name, a name above every name—“Lord of lords, and King of kings”
• glorious in His scepter—“a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of his kingdom”
• glorious in His attendants—“his chariots are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels,” among them he rides on the heavens, and sends out the voice of his strength, attended with ten thousand times ten thousand of his holy ones
• glorious in His subjects—all creatures in heaven and in earth, nothing is left that is not put in subjection to him
• glorious in His way of rule, and the administration of his kingdom—full of sweetness, efficacy, power, serenity, holiness, righteousness, and grace, in and toward his elect—of terror, vengeance, and certain destruction toward the rebellious angels and men
• glorious in the issue of His kingdom, when every knee shall bow before him, and all shall stand before his judgment-seat.

HT: JT

CHRIST - OUR ALL IN ALL...the name of the Lord is our delight and refuge

an encore presentation


It is refreshing to read a true man of God like Jeremiah Burroughs. Burroughs was not a man of the times; he transcended them. He was not concerned about adapting to culture, but in pleasing Christ. He was not for sale and no one owned his heart and mind save Christ Jesus the Lord His Word, and His gospel.

As it was said of D.L. Moody, could be said of Jeremiah Burroughs as well. That he did not have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit; but the Holy Spirit did have a monopoly on Jeremiah Burroughs.

May I encourage you to not read the following through the blurry eyes of postmodernity, but with the lucidity that is birthed from being in the reverent presence of our holy God.

by Jeremiah Burroughs

from "The Saints' Treasury" (1657)

The Apostle Paul was a chosen vessel to bear the name of Christ, to carry it up and down in the world. Indeed, his spirit was full of Christ. He desired to know nothing but Christ, to preach nothing but Christ, to be found in none but Christ. The very name of Christ was delightful to him. He seeks to magnify Christ in all of his epistles and, in these words I read to you, he omnifies Christ. He does not only make Him great but he makes Him all. 

"There is neither Greek nor Jew, 

circumcision nor uncircumcision, 

barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, 

but Christ is all and in all." 

That is, there is no privilege in the one to commend them to God, and there is no lack of anything in the other to hinder them from God. Let men be what they will in their outward respects, what is that to God? Let them be never so mean in regard of all outward things, that can never hinder them from the enjoyment of God, for God does not look at these things, but Christ is all and in all to them.

As far as God sees Christ in anyone He accepts them. If Christ is not there, no matter what they have, He does not regard them. Christ is all in all, even in the esteem of the Father Himself. He was the delight of the Father from all eternity, Prov.8:30, and the Father undertook infinite contentment in Him upon His willingness to undertake this blessed work of the redemption of mankind. God the Father is infinitely satisfied in Christ. He is all in all to Him. Surely if Christ is an object sufficient for the satisfaction of the Father, much more, then, is He an object sufficient for the satisfaction of any soul.

But that which is the main scope of the Holy Ghost here is this high expression of Christ's transcendent excellency, which I will deliver in this doctrinal proposition: 

Christ is the only means of conveyance of good that God the Father intends to communicate unto the children of men in order to eternal life; He is all in all. This which I am to preach to you now, namely God's communicating Himself in His mercy to mankind through a Mediator, is the very sum of the gospel, the great mystery of godliness. It is the chief part of the mind and counsel of God that He would have made known to the children of men in this world. This is the great message that the ministers of the gospel have to bring, and it is the most absolutely necessary point in all theology.

That which I shall this day endeavor is to show you something of the glory of God shining in this truth: 

that God communicates Himself through a Mediator, through His Son. It is absolutely necessary for you to know if you would have eternal life. It is possible to be ignorant of many other truths and still be saved, but there must be something of this or there can be no salvation. The mistake in this very thing is the miscarriage and the eternal undoing of thousands upon thousands of souls. Many believe that they have need of, and can never be saved without, God's mercy. The light of nature convinces us of this. But they are ignorant of, and do not see the reality of, this truth: that God communicates His mercy through a Mediator. They miscarry and perish eternally with cries to God for mercy because they come to God, but not through a Mediator.

This is the sum of the gospel and the most supernatural truth revealed in all the Book of God. 

It is a truth that was hidden from nearly all the world for many ages. There is no truth revealed in all the Scriptures whereby we can honor God as much as this. This, indeed, is the great honor that God would have in the world, to be honored in His Son and in the great design He has of bringing forth glorious things by His Son and, therefore, though we know never so much of God and would honor Him merely as the Creator of heaven and earth, yet God does not accept that honor. That is only to honor Him in a natural way. We never know what it is to honor God correctly so as to be accepted by Him until we come to honor Him in an evangelical way, to honor Him in His Son. Yet the greatest honor He has from most in this world, even from multitudes in the very church of God who hear the mystery of Christ opened to them, is offered to Him merely in a natural way and not in this spiritual, evangelical service of God.

There is no coming to the Father but by Christ. He is the way. 

The Apostle says in I Cor.3, All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours. How is that? Mark it, All are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's. God the Father is the principle of all good. All comes from Him first, but it does not come from Him immediately. He does not say all are yours for you are God's, because you have an interest in God, all therefore comes to be yours. No, but all is yours and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. So you see here how Christ comes between you and God.

All good is in God, true, but how shall we come to partake of that good? There is such a distance between you and God that, were not Christ in the middle, you would never come together. But Christ has come between and joined you together so that all is yours because you are Christ's and Christ is God's. Think of God as the Fountain of all good, and Christ, as it were, the Cistern, and from Him are pipes converged to every believer. Faith sucks at the mouth of every pipe and draws from God, but it comes from God through Christ. The Father fills the Son with all good and so it comes from the Father, through the Son, by faith unto the soul of every believer. We have a notable expression of this mystery in Ephesians, the second and third chapters. In chapter 2:12, Paul has told them that they had been without hope and without God in the world, but, he says in verse 13, Ye who were sometimes far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. It is by the blood of Christ that you have anything to do with God. But especially in Eph.3:12, In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him. In whom? In Christ we come to have boldness and access. The word "boldness" signifies liberty of speech. We can come before God with liberty of speech, and we also have access. We are led by the hand of Christ to the Father. There is no coming to the Father except by Christ, and Christ takes a believer by the hand and leads him to the Father, and so he comes to have boldness.

He is the way of conveying good to us by His intercession, for He is now and shall forever be at the right hand of the Father in glory making intercession for His people. That is, He is continually presenting before the Father the work of His mediation, His merits, what He has done and suffered and is, as it were, pleading with His Father for the conveyance of all needful mercy and good unto the souls and bodies of His people whom He has redeemed. It is as if He should every moment eternally speak thus to the Father: "Father, behold, here is My blood, My merits, My death, all My sufferings, the work of My humiliation. It is for these. Yea, for this poor soul and for that poor soul particularly." Know that Christ thinks not only of the lump of believers in general, but particularly of every believer, and is continually presenting His infinite merits before the Father to plead with Him to supply of all grace and mercy to us. Thus He becomes an infinite way of conveying good to the souls of His people, and to be all and in all to them both here and eternally.

In the point of justification and the pardon of sins, the great thing we stand in need of from God is the acceptation of us as righteous. 

Christ is all in all to us here, that is the tenor of the gospel, Rom.3:24, ...being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. Our justification is not made up by what we have done or all that we can possibly do. You will say, "True, we have done little." But suppose any of you should do your utmost in any particular that God requires. You will say, "I hope if I can do what I can that God will accept it." No, you made a great mistake if you think this. People are very apt to look upon God as if the terms between God and them were no other than this: God is full of pity and mercy and we are weak and can only do a little, but if we do what we are able, God will accept the will for the deed. No, God does not accept the will for the deed in the point of justification. It is true in those that are already justified that God accepts the will for the deed in the performance of a duty, so as to take delight in them, but in the point of justification, pardoning sin and acceptation to righteousness, He must there have perfect obedience. Though we endeavor never so much, unless we can bring God to a perfect righteousness, we are undone forever.

Therefore, it is not for you to rest upon the fact that you do what you can, have good wishes and desires and the like, for if all the righteousness of all the righteous men who ever lived were in one man, it would not be sufficient for his justification. It is not what God enables you to do either, that can be the formality of your justification. Such are the terms between God and you that there is nothing you can do of yourself, or be enabled to do, that is accepted by Him for your righteousness to eternal life.

He is all in all in point of adoption, Gal.3:26, For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and chapter 4:4-5, 

But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth His Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And especially John 1:12, But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. The word translated "power" is another word in the Greek. He gave them authority to become the sons of God. It is a word that imports more than the bare power. Everyone will challenge a part in sonship who is a child of God, but only those who are in Christ have authority to challenge it as their due.

In point of reconciliation and peace with God, Christ is all in all there, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Rom .5:1. 

All the created power in heaven and earth cannot bring peace to a troubled soul. There is no salve for a wounded spirit but the blood of Christ applied to it. He is that brazen serpent that only is able to cure the strings of conscience. As Luther says, it is a harder matter to comfort an afflicted conscience than to raise the dead. I tell you, were there not a mighty Redeemer, the conscience of a man or woman could never be pacified once they apprehend the wrath of God against them. So Christ is all in all here.

Again, He is all in all in the lack of things, whatever it is that we lack. 

Do we lack grace, do we lack gifts, do we lack outward comforts in the world? There is enough in Christ. It is Christ that is instead of all, that is better than all, and that will supply all in His due time. Those who know Christ and have acquaintance with Him, though they have this and that comfort taken from them, they still know how to make supply out of Christ. They have that skill and art and mystery of godliness that they can make Christ to be all in all in the lack of all, and it is a great skill and mystery of godliness to know how to make up all in Christ in the lack of all.

Again, to the saints, Christ is all in all in the enjoyment of all. 

When they enjoy never so much of the creature comforts, Christ is all in all to them. The satisfaction that their souls have is not that they have larger estates, more friends, or greater comforts than others, but that they know how to enjoy Christ in all, and can look upon it as a fruit of the covenant that God made with them in Christ and as coming down from the fountain of God's eternal love and mercy in His Son, Zech.9: 11. God says there, As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water. That which is spoken there of the deliverance of the prisoners may be applied to all the mercies that a believer enjoys. Whatever deliverance he has from evil, whatever good he is possessed of, is by the blood of the covenants.

A believer can look upon every bit of meat he has, and upon all the good he enjoys, and can see it all come streaming to him in the blood of Christ. And so it comes more sweetly. The sun does not shine as warm through the air as it does through a magnifying glass. Take a magnifying glass and hold it between you and the sun and the glass will contract the beams of the sun so that it shall have an efficacy of heat, even to burn again. So the goodness of God that comes to people through the general bounty and patience of God does not have an efficacy to warm and heat their hearts, to draw them to God. But now Christ is, as it were, the magnifying glass that is held between God and the soul, and how the mercy that comes through this magnifying glass warms and heats outward comforts! Therefore, there are no people in the world who can enjoy outward comforts with as much fulness of contentment as do the people of God, because they all come to them through Christ. Christ is all in all in the enjoyment of all.

But to give you one more particular. As He is all in all in the good we have from God, so He is all in all in whatever we offer up to God: as in descent from God to us, so in ascent from us to God. 

Christ must come in here. He must be all in all in our services. Though our services be never so good, though they are spiritual, they must still find acceptance with the Father through Christ. That text in I Pet.2:5 is very remarkable for this, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Mark, to offer up spiritual sacrifices. But though the sacrif ce is spiritual, that is not enough to make it acceptable. Christ must come in. Therefore he adds, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

If Christ is all in all, then let us bless God that ever we knew Christ, and that the great mystery of the gospel has been revealed to us. For otherwise we would have been without God in the world, and what would have become of us had not this grace of God in the gospel been revealed to us? Could it ever have entered into your heart? Certainly not, nor into the heart of any creature in heaven and earth. Therefore, blessed are your ears that hear the things you hear. Blessed are your eyes which see the things you see, and know that when you come to live under the ministry of the gospel, you enjoy the greatest mercy that you have enjoyed since you were born.

This shows how dear Jesus Christ should be to us. Oh, how we should delight and take contentment in Him who brings the treasuries of grace from the bosom of the Father and opens them to us. And He not only opens the mind of God the Father to us, but comes and lets out the treasure of God's goodness to us. It was stopped before, but Christ opens the floodgates and lets the current of grace and mercy in upon us. Oh, how dear, then, should Christ be to us?

It was the speech of that martyr, Master Lambert, "None but Christ, none but Christ." Yea, when he suffered martyrdom for Christ. then none but Christ was dear to him because he saw that Christ was the way of conveying all good to him. If God were now to make a man the means of conveying a great deal of good to a nation, every man will be ready to have his eye upon that man. But there was never such a way of conveying good to us as Christ. Therefore, how should our hearts love Him, prize Him, and rejoice at the very thought of Him?

If you have a dear friend, and God makes that friend an instrument of mercy to you, how does it endear you to that friend? If the husband is an instrument of good to his wife or the wife to her husband, if a minister to his people or people to their minister? And so it is in all relations. And if it does so between man and man, how should it do so much more between us and Christ, who is indeed the Husband of His church, and through whom the fulness of God is let out to His people? Oh, how dear and precious, therefore, ought He to be to us!

Is Christ all in all? Then if we have an interest in Him, it should satisfy and content us though we have nothing or though we are nothing. 

Why? Because if we have Christ we have all. Though you lack parts, friends, estates, outward comforts, know Christ is to be your all, and is He not enough? As He said, Am I not better to thee than ten sons? So Christ says to the soul, "What do you lack? You lack this comfort and the other comfort, but am I not all in all to you, and better than all?" Yea, be willing to be made nothing, for all is made up in Christ.

Again, it should have put us upon this, to be willing to give up all we have to Christ. Alas, our all is but a poor all, yet give it to Christ. Our parts, our estates, our names, let Christ have all because He is our all.

Let Him be the rule of our prizing things. As far as we see anything of Christ, prize it suitably. It is reported of Master Bucer that if he could see anything of Christ in any man or woman, though they were never so poor and mean, his heart would close with them. It is said of Austin that before his conversion he took great delight in reading Cicero's works, but afterward he said, "I did not find the name of Christ in all of Cicero," and that took his heart off of him. So in all you enjoy, look how much you see of Christ in it. So far let your delight and esteem be carried out towards it and no farther.

With what mighty intention of spirit should the heart be put forth towards Jesus Christ in all things! Though God gives you an estate and honor in the world, if you have not Christ you have nothing. You have not that which makes way for you to eternity. Therefore, do not be satisfied with anything without Christ. As Abraham said, What wilt Thou give me Lord, seeing I go childless? So you say, "Lord, You have given me a portion in this world. You have given me credit and reputation among men, but, Lord, what is all this to me if I go Christless and do not have Him that is the conveyance of grace to my soul, Him that is all in all? Oh, Lord, You have taught me this day that such is the distance and breach between You and me that, unless it is made up through a Mediator, I must eternally perish. Therefore, give me Christ, whatever else You deny me."

Do not satisfy yourselves with anything without Christ! 

Many hypocrites satisfy themselves with gifts. If they have gifts, then they are contented. Consider that parable in Matt.13:45-46, The merchant man sought after goodly pearls, but when he had found the pearl of price, then he went and sold all that he had and bought it. Now gifts and parts and other achievements are these goodly pearls, but Christ is the Pearl of price. Therefore, whatever you have, be willing to part with it for Him. If God has revealed to you the Pearl of price, let no goodly pearls satisfy you. Many souls perish eternally because they are satisfied with goodly pearls and do not endeavor to obtain this Pearl of price. In your seeking God, be sure to take Christ along with you.

I will give you just this note: 

if it were your last time to pray to God and your everlasting estate depended on God's mercy, should you seek God never so earnestly, if it is only in a natural way as your Creator, your condition would be very dreadful and you would perish eternally. If God should lay any of you upon your sick or death beds and you should cry to God for mercy, be sure to take Christ along with you and look upon God through Christ, or else all your cries will be of no avail. Luther said that God looked upon outside of Christ is most dreadful and terrible. And it proves a great deal of ignorance in us when we think we can go to God and find mercy in Him without considering Him as a God that will be reconciled to us only through His Son.

To conclude all, as Christ says, 

"If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto Me." 

So this is the work of our ministry. 

We have spent time among you 

so that we might labor to lift up Christ to you, 

and oh, that God would be pleased 

to draw all your souls to Himself.

BIBLICAL RESTORATION...church discipline done God's way

part two

Church Discipline God’s Way:

it never results in a media frenzy,

but a solemn, guarded loving act of restoration

The Bar is Set at Christ--Not Us
We usually set the bar for measuring another’s life where we are not susceptible and where we have already arrived. We have codes at Christian Colleges that require students to honor a pledge usually of no dancing, no drinking, no smoking, no movies, no drugs, etc. And while I agree that we should be responsible citizens of heaven by conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the Lord, why is it that we don’t see on those same codes things such as: no pride; no lust; no greed; no gossiping; no self-righteousness; no bitterness, anger, or malice, etc. The reason is simple—if those things were on the codes even the administration would have to leave as well. Again, we all set the bar of righteous living where we are not susceptible and where we have already arrived.

But when we hold the plumbline of Christlikeness; the standard of Scripture, the bar of the Bible to measure any of our lives in the Lord; we must say with absolute meekness of heart with the Apostle Paul, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). One person may stand at the bottom of the Grand Canyon; another may climb to the heights top Mount Everest—-but neither one can touch the stars. “All have sinned and fall short…” Do we really believe that? Can we even admit that? Do we rightly accept that? Or do we think in our heart of hearts that we have arrived at our sanctification to such a degree that we are not as vulnerable to sin as others maybe? We all have PhD’s in rationalizing our own behavior, don’t we beloved? I don’t know about you, but I have graduated with honors in building cases against others while justifying my own failings. I have majored in "finding-the-speck-in-the-eye-of-others" while being completely blinded to the 2x4 protruding from my own. Have you as well? We all have blind spots-—some even around issues of sin. This is precisely why we need accountability with others in the local church, qualified pastors and elders to watch over our souls, and if need be, to be placed under the chastening hand of the Lord to bring us to repentance.

The Failure to Do What is Right
Question for you: If church discipline can help us guard our hearts, bring purity to the church, glorify God, show obedience to His Word, and exalt holiness, why don’t more churches practice it and believe in it? As previously written, there are primarily four significant reasons: 1. fear and the fear of man; 2. a low view and an accommodation of sin; 3. a failure to obey Scripture; and 4. a diminished view of the transcendence of God.

Many in the church today have never seen church discipline ever practiced or possibly if they have, have never seen it administered correctly. When done biblically two great benefits are given to the church: 1. A healthy recovery of the fear of the Lord; and, 2. The unparalleled joy of a sinning brother or sister who has repented of their sin, been restored to fellowship, and a right standing before the Lord again. Reverence and rejoicing... two 'ignored blessings' when church discipline is abrogated.

Administering Church Discipline is Never the Choice of One Individual

It involves the plurality of godly leadership and the entire body of Christ in the setting of the local church. The Lord Jesus gives us in Matthew 18 His first words of instruction for the church and it focuses on how to confront a sinning believer, seek their repentance, and what to do if they remain in their sin. Listen to these almost but forgotten and seldom practiced words from the Head and Chief Shepherd of the church:

"And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer. Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst" (Matthew 18:15-20).

Peter says, “love covers a multitude of sin” (1 Peter 4:8). In other words, genuine love for one another in the church will protect the scope of who has knowledge about ones failings. Love doesn’t broadcast another’s sin issues—-it covers them. We live in a time where any public figure in the church is immediate prey for a feeding frenzy by the media if there is a moral failing in their life. Unfortunately, we all have developed itching ears for the juicy tidbits about the downfall of others. This “Geraldoesque” approach to dealing with someone’s unrepentance is completely forbidden in Scripture. The Lord, desiring to always extend grace to any of us caught in the clutches of sin, gives four key steps that unequivocally define church discipline. He leaves no doubt as to our duty as Christians, whether individually or corporately, in seeking the repentance, restoration and reconciliation of another believer blinded and overtaken in sin.

Please keep these wise words from my dear friend R.C. Sproul in your thinking while going through the following four steps as outlined in Matt. 18:15-20:

"the goal of all church discipline or biblical restoration, is to produce repentance while keeping public awareness of the sin to a minimum. At no point is the matter to be broadcast to the world at large."

*(These four steps of church discipline that we are studying below are not meant to be a literal all-encompassing four steps only. They are principles that are to  be followed in the process of biblical restoration; but by no means are meant to be seen as a completely exhaustive little check list that pastors punch through in a mechanical and linear manner. We must remember that we are dealing with people's lives here beloved; and the body of Christ deserves more than "another compartmentalized program" applied in stoic and academic ways when confronting and encouraging someone else in regards to their struggles between flesh and spirit. True Christian charity and genuine biblical Christianity demands much more us.)

*STEP ONE:

“If your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother." This is the duty of every believer in Christ to another. If a professing believer in Christ is living in unrepentant sin, we have a solemn obligation to lovingly and humbly go to that person and “reprove” them. This means to show them the error of their ways biblically; call them to repentance; and walk with them until they are fully restored. Literally the Greek has the idea of 'bringing to light or exposing sin’. We are to shed the light of Scripture on the sin, expose it to the one who has transgressed and pray for their repentance. The Greek also carries the idea that we are to share this with them in a way that they cannot escape the reality of recognizing their sin for what it truly is.

This is to be done, the Lord has said, “in private.” You are not to call the prayer team and gossip about their sin; you are not to tell another close friend about it; you are not to trumpet in any fashion whatsoever their sin issue. Go to them "in private" and if they hear you and repent “you have won your brother.” What a blessing and joy. There is no need to go any further with any other disciplinary action. What a great privilege the Lord allows to involve us in this process of restoration. And think of the bond that develops between one another when there is that kind of care, love, humility, and gentleness given to someone in sin. That kind of confidentiality weaves together an intimate fellowship with another that is virtually unbreakable.

STEP TWO:

If they fail to repent after repeated attempts to encourage them to turn from their sin and turn back to God, then the Lord expands the scope of who has knowledge of their sin in order to cause one to repent. “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.” Church discipline is not for personal revenge; the "two or three witnesses" guards against that from happening. This is an O.T. truth that everything be confirmed by the mouth of two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15).

The two or three witnesses are to give credulity that the sin has actually occurred and that the proper rebuke to the sinning believer has been given.

This is to guard against slanderous wrongful accusation against anyone whether it be directed to a church leader or individual from the congregation.

By the way, it deserves mentioning here this is not a one time warning or conversation with an individual. It is a continual pleading and urging of the wayward Christian to repentance. Think of how patient the Lord is with each of us in dealing with our sinful ways; we need to extend that same grace to another. Too many times I have heard of well-meaning pastors or church members that have reached out to one who is living in unrepentant sin having made one phone call to them or had one meeting with them or sent one letter to them, and because there was not immediate repentance displayed by the one they were confronting or that the one being confronted responded with anger, hurtful words, left the room in a huff, didn't reply at all, or just blew everybody off for a season, etc. -  a wrong and quick verdict of “guilty—there’s no hope for them” was concluded and unfortunately announced when wise patience should have ruled the day. 

It takes time, beloved, when confronting another in their sin, to show them the error of their ways from the Word of God, then allowing proper time for the Holy Spirit to bring conviction to their lives. Think of it, every time that we read a passage of Scripture that convicts us of our own sin, do we always immediately respond in repentance and obedience to its truth? Sometimes maybe. But if we are honest, rarely at first. The same grace that we allow ourselves in our own personal lives should be given to another in this process... don't you agree? There is no hurried, irrational time table on grace. 

Sometimes, as with David’s sin with Bathsheba, the confrontation and conviction over sin is immediate. Other times, it may be more gradual as with Hosea’s wife. We must not presume upon the grace of the Lord to impetuously move that process along if there is no evidence that the person is unteachable or their heart has been hardened. To assume that one is willfully acting in insubordination or out of a heart filled with selfish conceit would not only be imprudent, but foolish and arrogant in its pronouncement. We always don't know how the Lord is working in another persons life beloved. That is why we should leave adequate time in these steps to be spectators of His grace in how the Lord brings one back from the "far country." And remember, people can reject the leadership within any given church without rejecting the Lord or His Word especially if that leadership has acted not in accordance with Scripture or has acted without the charity and humility needed in approaching one who is struggling with sin and repentance. And the two should not be confused or treated as synonymous. 

STEP THREE:

If a brother remains unrepentant and “does not listen” to the two or three witnesses, then the painful, but necessary, third step must occur—“tell it to the church.” God in His grace initially limits the number of people who have knowledge of someone’s sin. As the circle of those now being brought in to give testimony and counsel to the situation concerning the unrepentant brother or sister expands, it should bring a further weight of encouragement to repent as well. Again, this is a loving act of kindness and not a condescended or pontificated holier than thou witch-hunt driven by pride, revenge, or personal retribution. We are all sinners and all in need of God's restorative grace. Amen?

The first reprimand was completely private; the second is now semi-private (two or three witnesses); the third step is a more public admonition—"tell it to the church." What does Jesus mean by this shocking admonition. Two things could be derived: 1. it is before the church body of a local congregation; or 2. it is before the leadership of that local church comprised of its pastors and elders and possibly some of the members of the congregation who have been faithfully involved in this process of restoration all along.

This never means that a press release is issued before the congregation as if it were some news bulletin being reported on CNN. The goal is restoration, not shame nor public ridicule. For those that hold to this being announced and dealt with before the local congregation of a particular church, then the most reasonable place of grace that this should be carried out is surrounding the giving of communion. It is the place of self-examination and introspection. It is the place where the church contemplates the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and confesses their sins privately. It is the place where grace is lifted high and forgiveness is remembered and embraced. This step should not be rushed into and done only after several weeks or months of pleading, praying and loving confrontation has been exhausted. If pastors have not taken the necessary time and steps at this juncture personally with all those involved, then this step would be premature to embark upon. If they have not invested themselves faithfully as under-shepherds of the Lord Jesus Christ to the those to whom they will give an account one day (Heb. 13:17), then they should refrain from this step. If they rush ahead without having cared for those in unrepentant sin, then they should also be questioned and challenged as to their biblical duty being fulfilled and their fittedness to be a pastor to those they are given a heavenly charge to shepherd.

If you hold that this step means tell it to the leadership of a local church for further counsel and accountability, then the same solemn guides should also follow. It should be done with great sobriety of heart and mind; never to get even because of personal hurt or self-absorbed agendas. It is for unity, purity and reconciliation.

Listen to Matthew Henry on this important distinction:

"Christ, having cautioned his disciples not to give offence, comes next to direct them what they must do in case of offences given them; which may be understood either of personal injuries, and then these directions are intended for the preserving of the peace of the church; or of public scandals, and then they are intended for the preserving of the purity and beauty of the church. Let us consider it both ways."

"If he shall neglect to hear them, and will not refer the matter to their arbitration, then tell it to the church, to the ministers, elders, or other officers, or the most considerable persons in the congregation you belong to, make them the referees to accommodate the matter, and do not presently appeal to the magistrate, or fetch a writ for him." This is fully explained by the apostle (1 Corinthians 6:1-20), where he reproves those that went to law before the unjust, and not before the saints (Matthew 18:1), and would have the saints to judge those small matters (Matthew 18:2) that pertain to this life, Matthew 18:3. If you ask, "Who is the church that must be told?" the apostle directs there (Matthew 18:5), Is there not a wise man among you? Those of the church that are presumed to be most capable of determining such matters; and he speaks ironically, when he says (Matthew 18:4), "Set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church; those, if there be no better, those, rather than suffer an irreconcileable breach between two church members." This rule was then in a special manner requisite, when the civil government was in the hands of such as were not only aliens, but enemies."

In either scenario, here is where most churches stumble miserably in the process of biblical restoration. This happens partly due to political pressure from the congregation, a split in undiscerning leadership; the intimidation of a lawsuit; fear that the pastor himself might be voted out of his job, or that sin has been tolerated among the leadership or key laity for so long, that it would be hypocritical to invoke any discipline against another for fear of being exposed themselves. Whatever the reason, this is tough stuff and takes tremendous courage, charity, humility, and conviction of truth to move ahead.

As stated above “tell it to the church” could mean a more private meeting with an elder board, deacon committee, a gathering of a few pastors with the one undergoing discipline based upon local church preference and denominational convictions. Or it could mean the entirety of the local body gathered in that specific congregation. But what it clearly doesn't mean is that it turns into a community-wide or nation-wide media frenzy of unguarded half truths being broadcast to those who have no vested interest in that process. 

It means very plainly “tell it to the church—to ones local church or the leadership of that church—and no one but that church.” Did you hear that? Someone's sin or personal failing is not for public consumption; it is not for the blogosphere to banter about; and it is not to feed the itching ears of gossipers who can hardly wait to pass around the latest tidbit they have heard around town or at other churches about someone. It is only for the leadership or members of that particular local church alone. Why? Biblical "love covers a multitude of sins." Any process of church discipline that results in tabloid journalism or a media blitz is not biblical and both the one in need of repentance AND the local church leadership should be held accountable for their dissemination of information.

Listen, if we have tasted of God's grace in the forgiveness and repentance of our own sins, should we not then respond with humility and grace to others who are struggling as well? The unloving, unkind thing to do would be to talk about another person's sin issues to anyone else because we have been personally hurt or our hearts offended by an attitude or action of another. Those feelings must be guarded and bridled. Also, it is just as unloving to turn a blind eye or deaf ear to someone caught in a trespass and not care to walk with them through their situation.

Dr. John MacArthur states how Grace Community Church handles this third step:

“It has been the custom in our church, upon enacting this third step, to clearly indicate to the congregation that they are to pursue the person aggressively; and plead with him to repent before the fourth step becomes necessary. That crucial and potent procedure often draws the sinner to repentance and obedience.”

This passage affirms then that the proper place for church discipline (biblical restoration) is within the local church. It is not to be done in a psychologist’s office, at a biblical counseling center, by a committee of well-meaning neighbors, a Promise Keepers meeting, or a Women of the Word Bible Conference, or in the secular courts (prohibited by 1 Corinthians 6:1-8). Again, it is solely to occur within the local church under the scrutiny and loving care of qualified leadership and first hand involved laity.

STEP FOUR:

This is the most crucial and saddening of all the steps. This is the putting out of the church the unrepentant brother or sister in Christ. “…and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer.

Still the motive is love for the offender. It is not for revenge, but to protect the purity of the church and to reverence the Lord. A little leaven leavens the whole lump and you cannot negotiate with sin or falter in confronting it. To do so is to dishonor the Lord and His Word. This is very serious. It is the same thing as handing over another believer to Satan for the buffeting of their flesh; placing one outside the protection of the local church. It is giving someone over to the chastening hand of the Lord (see Hebrews 12:7-11; 1 Timothy 1:20; 1 Cor. 5:4-13). (Again, remember that the purpose of church discipline is not to throw people out of the church, but to see them restored, repentant, and reconciled to Christ. There is no place for smug self-righteousness or cold indifference when dealing with another caught in sin. Something of great value has occurred when an erring brother or sister in Christ has been restored to fellowship. This is cause for great rejoicing!)

We must careful even this point to not extend judgement where the Lord has not given that authority. Jesus is not saying, “Declare them to be non-believers” (Gentiles or tax-gatherers)for only the Lord knows the state of the heart before Him; but rather to treat them as such. The only sin that someone can ever be put out of the church for is unrepentance. No matter what kind of sin has been committed, if repented of—forgiveness should be extended. But when someone is hardened in sin, their conscience is seared and rejects the gracious pleadings of the church for repentance, they must be treated as a non-Christian and given over to the discipline of the Lord.

It Doesn't End Here
This step is not optional—it is not an elective in the school of holiness. It is a command and must be honored. Men of courage need to fulfill their biblical duty and honor the Lord no matter what the consequence to them personally. When believers continue to live a life of willful disobedience to the Lord and utterly reject the authority of God’s Word and the admonition of the church, they have “shipwrecked their faith” and fellowship should be cut off from them. “Do not even eat with such a man” Paul said (1 Cor. 5:11). All contact is not prohibited—all communion of faith.

When you see one that has been put out of the church, lovingly urge them to repent of their sin and come back to the Lord. Don’t just give them a hug, pass it off as a little glitch in this journey of life, hang out at the movies, shrug it off as no big thing, and tell them “well, we are all human; we all make mistakes." Beloved, that is a dangerous accomodationalism. Tolerance of sin is not a spiritual gift. The failure for a church to discipline those who sin forfeit the blessing and favor of God—no matter how big the yearly offerings are or the size of its membership. The Lord does not number us; He weighs us according to our spiritual integrity and holiness.

Listen to the words of Paul to the church at Thessalonica,

“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep aloof from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. And if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that man and do not associate with him, so that he may be put to shame. And yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 13-15).

When a church has exhausted every effort biblically to bring a sinning believer in the Lord to repentance, then that believer must be given over to their sin and to its shame. They must be left alone (Cp, Hosea 4:17).

The purpose of putting one out of the church is not to punish, but to restore; not to excommunicate, but to call back to repentance. And this process is not to end even when they have been put out of the church until they repent or die. This is how important this process is to the Lord. How tragic when the biblical process is abated for personal gain, fear or political convenience.

DEVO'S...faith's great contentment is in the sufficiency of Jesus Christ

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

-Phil. 4:13

The Apostle Paul understood economic woes too beloved. He knew what it was to abound and to be abased; to have prosperity as well as poverty (Phil. 4:10-12). To be homeless and to be honored as an Apostle. He was a choice servant of the Lord and the scum of the earth - the dregs of this world (1 Cor. 4:10-13). As having nothing yet possessing all things (2 Cor. 6:10). 

This sounds so strange to our ears today doesn't it? For in light of the biblical record, for some to judge a ministry's efficaciousness by the size of its yearly offerings or fundraising abilities, is unbiblical, stunted thinking. And the unfortunate thing, if a ministry or church is going through some hard days, some might even suggest that God's hand of blessing is no longer on that work or that the ministry should fold entirely.

Balderdash - such logic is foolishness. 

If that were the case, you would have to disregard most of the ministries represented in the NT as being "out of God's will" and utter failures. I wonder how our brothers and sisters serving the Lord today in Sudan, Congo, China, Western Africa, India, or in Arab countries would respond to such logic? After all, they live in the reality of physical persecution daily. They are being crucified openly in the streets, thrown into prison, beaten, scourged and tortured for the sake of the gospel - for just loving Jesus openly and unashamedly.

We had such a godly man visit our church a few weeks ago. He is a living testament of this reality - faithfulness through persecution and difficult days. He has been held at gun point, has witnessed the fingers and limbs of his own congregation being chopped off for not denying the gospel. He has been arrested, beaten, tortured himself and only by God's sustaining grace escape certain death. Did he talk about his ministry budget or latest fund raising market driven approach to up ones visibility or exposure in order to increase his annual giving? No way. His balance sheet was written in blood.

So dear friend in the Lord Jesus Christ, please know that I am not trying to minimize anyone's current weights they are carrying financially due to our nations real economic woes. I know these days of uncertainty are heavy ones to walk through - I know, I am struggling too as well. But I say this today as a matter of encouragement: if your local church is struggling financially, if some missionaries are behind in receiving their monthly support and are having trouble paying their bills, if you are personally experiencing financial thinness these days as well - whatever it may be, let's measure our lives and service for the King not on the basis of our ability to generate more funds or increase our bottom line. But may we measure our lives according to the standard and authority of God's Word and put our trust and hope in Him - even for the needs of today. For a man's "life consists not in the things which he possesses" (Luke 12:15).

Is it important to pay our bills? Absolutely. To be good stewards of all that the Lord has blessed us with? Most certainly. To work hard and provide for our families? Yes! To support our local churches and other ministries with cheerfulness in response to how the Lord has blessed us? Without question. But our daily needs are ultimately supplied and met by the Lord. We can never be so arrogant as to think that we are the master's of our own universe; and that it is through our own ingenuity and financial smarts that we have created the Manna to sustain us today can we? "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Now that takes humility, grace and complete dependence upon God and His Word to live like that... and isn't that the point?

So work hard, plan, be wise, study His Word, seek godly counsel, and pray for God's hand of provision through it all. And whether He answers that prayer with increase or decrease, may we all say with the Apostle Paul (who had to learn to be content himself - that in all things and in every circumstance) "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Amen?

Live out loud,
Campi

THANKS TO GOD FOR HIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT...Happy Thanksgiving from all of us COT and A1M

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him

and given Him the name which is above every name.”

-PHILIPPIANS 2:9

• Jesus Christ is sufficient for creation (Col. 1:16-17), salvation (Heb. 10:10-12), sanctification (Eph. 5:26-27), and glorification (1 Jn. 3:2).

• So pure is He that there is no blemish, stain, spot of sin, defilement, lying, deception, corruption, or imperfection in Him (1 Pt. 1:18-20).

• There is no other God besides Him (Is. 45:5).

• He is the only begotten Son (Jn 1:14,18).

• All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Him (Col. 2:3), all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him (Col. 2:3, 9).

• He is heir of all things (Heb. 1:2).

• He created all things and all things were made by Him, through Him and for Him (Col. 1:16-17).

• He upholds all things by the word of His power (Heb. 1:3).

• He is the first-born of all creation (Col. 1:15).

• He is the exact representation of God (Heb. 1:3).

• He is the only Mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 1:5).

• He is the Son that enlightens (Heb. 1:3), the Physician that heals (Lk. 4:23-24; 5:31), the Wall of Fire that defends (Ex. 13:21), the Friend that comforts (Jn. 15:14-15), the Pearl that enriches (Mt. 13:45-46), the Ark that supports (Gen. 6:18; Rev. 11:19) and the Rock to sustain under the heaviest of pressures (Deut. 32:18; 1 Cor. 10:4).

• He is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty on high (Acts 2:34; Heb. 1:3; 8:1).

• He is better than the angels (Heb. 1:4-14), better than Moses (Heb. 3:3); better than Aaron (5:1-10); better than Joshua (4:8); better than Melchizedek (7:1-3); better than all the prophets (Eph. 2:20; Heb. 1:1).

• He is greater than Satan (Lk. 4:1-12; Jn. 14:30), and stronger than death (1 Cor. 15:55; Heb. 2:14).

• He is the First and the Last (Rev. 1:17-18), the Lamb of God (Jn. 1:29), our peace (Eph. 2:14), our hope (1 Tim. 1:1), the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn. 14:6).

• He is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:1-2), the Captain of our Salvation (2:10), the Champion (Is. 19:20), the Apostle and High Priest of our confession (Heb. 3:1).

• He is the Man of Sorrows (Is. 53:3).

• He is our song (Ex. 15:2; Ps. 40:3; Is. 12:2; Rev. 5:9,12; 15:3,4).

• He is the Light (Jn. 1:7; 1 Jn. 1:5).

• He is the Son of Man (Mt. 20:28).

• He is the Vine (Jn. 15:5).

• He is the Bread of Life (Jn. 6:48).

• He is the Door (Jn. 10:7).

• He is both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36; Phil. 2:10-13).

• He is Prophet, Priest and King (Heb. 1:1-3), our Sabbath rest (Heb. 4:9), our Righteousness (Jer. 23:6; 1 Cor. 1:30), the Rock of Salvation (Ps. 62:2; 89:26; 95:1), the Eternal Spirit (Heb. 9:14), the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:9), the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6),

• and He is the great I AM (Jn. 8:58).

LOVE CHRIST BECAUSE OF HIS GLORY... so you want a reformation? recover the reverence of God in ministry

Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. -Hebrews 12:2


by Thomas Shepard
Consider the glory of the person for whom I plead for love. What can you love besides Him? Where can you find any like unto Him? I know the glory of the Lord is not revealed, because the grass withers not, the flower fades not, the creature appears not in His withering vanity. Is. 40. But if the Lord would but open your eyes to see Him, this would win your hearts alone to Him.

Now, I shall single out only these five things, to give you a glimpse of his glory. Lift up thy heart, and say, "Lord, hide not now thy face from me."

1. He is the Prince of the kings of the earth. Rev. 1:5.
The glory of the world is a kingdom, the glorious diamond of that kingdom is a prince in his glory. Now, for a poor beggar to have an offer of love from the greatest prince in the world, would it not tempt her? Would she not forsake her lovers, and set her heart on him? Why, look what a distance there is between the poorest peasant and the highest prince; so base, and a thousand times, are all the princes of the world to Christ, whose dominion is from sea to sea, from sun to sun, who sets up and pulls down kings like counters, who rules their courts, their kingdoms, their hearts, and they do not do, they can not do, but what he will. Other kings are princes, are rulers of men; Christ Prince of Kings. Now, who would not be glad of his love? Who, having tasted death, is set down on the right hand of God on high, clothed with endless glory, who has kings in his chains, whose breath is not in his nostrils, whose favor is not for a day, but he lives and reigns forever. Now, does Christ reign? Is he a Lord, and in glory upon his throne? Methinks I see Jesus at the right hand of God. Your foolish affections have undone you, if you love him not.

2. He is appointed by the Father to be Judge of quick and dead at the last day, (John 5:22, 23,)
as well as to rule all now. So that if you do maintain enmity against him, he may let you alone, you may live in health and die in peace, in the eye of man, and in thine own eyes, too; yet there is a day coming he will break out of heaven, with a shout, and appear in the clouds, in the amazing glory of his Father, "with all his mighty angels, and all the dead shall hear his voice," and you shall appear before him with this body, when the heavens shall burn round about him, and the earth shall tremble under him, and all guilty eyes mourning and wailing because of him. Then you shall know what it is to despise him, and wish, O that I had loved him. Rev. 1:7. You that say you love him, yet by an impenitent heart pierce him, you shall wail, even so, Amen. Men do not see an end of these things, nor the glory of the Lord another day. Hence creatures are loved, and the Lord of glory is loathed. A great prince may not be so highly esteemed until he appears in his state. Prisoners would give any money (much more love) for the judge's favor.

3. He only is the procurer and author of all the good that ever thou didst suck out here,
though thou hast neither known him, nor been thankful to him. For look, as it was with angels, so it should have been with man; the wrath of God should have been poured out upon him, and on all the world, and creatures should have been tormentors of him, but that the Lord Jesus begged and bought the world. And hence (1 Tim. 4:10) called "Saviour of all, but chiefly of the elect." Micah 4:4, "In his days, men shall sit under vines and fig trees." So that if ever any creature ever did thee good, it was Jesus that put that sweetness in it, out of his fullness, and set it a work, sent it to thee, gave it thee to do thee good. Thou shouldst never have had wink of sleep, never restrained from one sin, but lived in blaspheming God, never have heard of a gospel but for Christ. and will you not love him? O ungrateful world! Unnatural generation of men! Why dost thou love any creature? It is for the paint of it and good in it. If there be so much in it, what is there in Christ that gave it, that dropped it into it? Never love him if there be any thing good that is not by him. Ps. 116:1, "The Lord hath heard my prayer; I will call on him as long as I live." Much more when the Lord hath delivered, and thou didst never seek to him.

4. He is the everlasting wonderment of saints in heaven.
The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon, which made her come to see him; but she before imagined but that which now she saw with her own eyes, and that rapt her out of herself. Here we hear of the Lord Jesus, of his beauty and glory, and this draws saints to him; and, when come, they see that which they never saw before, especially when in heaven. Then fall down in everlasting admiration at this mystery, for the blessedness of saints is to see Christ in his glory. John 17:24. Now, this lies in an infinite good; this can not be seen in a finite time. Hence saints shall be piercing their eyes deeper and deeper into this mystery, and shall ever see more and more, but never see all; and this is their joy and glory in heaven. Is it so? What think you, is Christ worthy of your love, or not? Look upon all the glory of the field of this world, you may see an end of all perfection, but never here.

5. He is the delights and bosom love of God himself. Prov. 8:30.
Hence John, when he came to set Christ out, (John 3:35,) "The Father loveth the Son." Now is it so; surely though you see not, taste not this good, yet there it is; now, tell me if this person do not challenge love, would you not be glad to have him? You will say, "Can he look upon such a wretch, embrace such a leper as I? No, surely, he will never do it."

GREAT IS THE LORD AND GREATLY TO BE PRAISED...Thy statutes are my songs in the house of my pilgrimage

Here is the opening video that Bob Kauflin featured at his Worship God conference just a few weeks ago. It is excellent and will encourage your hearts and minds greatly. Take a moment from the fast paced craziness of your day and refresh your soul in the words of the Psalms,

I think you will come away as I did saying, "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!"

HT: Worship Matters

POLYCARP...God's Braveheart

In an age where people applaud Justice Sunday political rallies and champion moral values above biblical Christianity, a man of Polycarp's courage, convictions and dedication to the gospel is refreshing and vitally necessary for us to ponder. He life is tempered with the steel of righteousness; his life is marked by faithfulness to Christ and His gospel; and his life was unwavering in a time where he could have capitulated to Caesar and live, but chose to be identified with Christ and die for His Lord. We need some new Polycarps today... Could you imagine what he would say to today's biblically weak, politically charged evangelical leaders? May his testimony inspire us to carry on with unwavering faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ in the sphere of influence God has sovereignly placed you in to be a witness for His glory!

When the persecution reached Smyrna, in the reign of Marcus Aurelius, a number of Christians suffered with great constancy, and the heathen multitude, being provoked at their refusal to give up their faith, cried out for the death of Polycarp. The aged bishop, although he was ready to die for his Saviour, remembered that it was not right to throw himself in the way of danger; so he left the city, and went first to one village in the neighborhood and then to another. But he was discovered in his hiding-place, and when he saw the soldiers who were come to seize him, he calmly said, "God's will be done!" He desired that some food should be given to them, and while they were eating, he spent the time in prayer.

He was then set on an ass, and led towards Smyrna; and, when he was near the town, one of the heathen magistrates came by in his chariot, and took him up into it. The magistrate tried to persuade Polycarp to sacrifice to the gods; but finding that he could make nothing of him, he pushed him out of the chariot so roughly that the old man fell and broke his leg. But Polycarp bore the pain without showing how much he was hurt, and the soldiers led him into the amphitheatre, where great numbers of people were gathered together. When all these saw him, they set up loud cries of rage and savage delight; but Polycarp thought, as he entered the place, that he heard a voice saying to him, "Be strong and play the man!" and he did not heed all the shouting of the crowd. The governor desired him to deny Christ, and said that, if he would, his life should be spared. But the faithful bishop answered "Fourscore and six years have I served Christ, and He hath never done me wrong; how then can I now blaspheme my King and Saviour?"

The governor again and again urged him, as if in a friendly way, to sacrifice; but Polycarp stedfastly refused. He next threatened to let wild beasts loose on him, and as Polyearp still showed no fear, he said that he would burn him alive. "You threaten me," said the bishop, "with a fire which lasts but a short time; but you know not of that eternal fire which is prepared for the wicked."

A stake was then set up, and a pile of wood was collected around it. Polycarp walked to the place with a calm and cheerful look, and, as the executioners were going to fasten him to the stake with iron cramps, he begged them to spare themselves the trouble. "He who gives me the strength to bear the flames," he said "will enable me to remain steady." He was therefore only tied to the stake with cords, and as he stood thus bound, he uttered a thanksgiving for being allowed to suffer after the pattern of his Lord and Saviour. When his prayer was ended, the wood was set on fire, but we are told that the flames swept round him, looking like the sail of a ship swollen by the wind, while he remained unhurt in the midst of then. One of the executioners, seeing this, plunged a sword into the martyr's breast, and the blood rushed forth in such a stream that it put out the fire.

But the persecutors, who were resolved that the Christians should not have their bishop's body, lighted the wood again, and burnt the corpse, so that only a few of the bones remained; and these the Christians gathered out, and gave them an honourable burial. It was on Easter eve that St. Polycarp suffered, in the year of our Lord 166.