The Four Horns and Four Carpenters

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Zechariah

Chapter Four

The Four Horns and Four Carpenters

    

In Zechariah 1:18, Zechariah is given a vision of “four horns.”  We know from Daniel 7:24 and Revelation 17:12 that these are four of ten Gentile kings.  We must understand that God’s resistance of these kings is His resistance against satanic globalism.  This satanic globalism, in its many attempts, opposes God’s divine dominion.  God’s divine dominion will be established through the restored nation of Israel and His promised Messiah fulfilled in the incarnation, death, burial, resurrection, glorification, and second coming to establish God’s one world Kingdom on Earth.  Therefore, a major aspect of satanic globalism is the destruction of the nation of Israel by scattering the Jews around the world.  Gentile globalism is predominantly Anti-Semitic characterized by extreme hostility towards Jews and the support of the nation of Israel.  Therefore, Antisemitism is a predominant characteristic of Antichristism.   The promise of the vision of Zechariah 1:18-21 is that although Satan will succeed for a short time, ultimately Satan’s plan will fail.

     At the time of Zechariah’s prophecy only two of these four horns had come into power; Babylon and Medo-Persia.  Graeco-Macedonia Empire would succeed the Medo-Persia Empire as Zechariah 9:13 foretells.  The Roman Empire would be the fourth and last as spoken of in Daniel chapters two and seven.  The Roman Empire will be revived as the one-world Antichrist government of the seven-year Tribulation period. 

“¹⁸ Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. ¹⁹ And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. ²⁰ And the LORD shewed me four carpenters. ²¹ Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these {the four carpenters} are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it” (Zechariah 1:18-21).

          These “four horns” are described as “the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem” (Zechariah 1:21).  God was giving hope to the faithful remnant of Israel through prophecies like this.  Although there was going be centuries where Israel would remain scattered, the promise of God is that He would restore and revive the nation of Israel one day in the distant future.  For people who see the consequences of their faithfulness beyond themselves into their future generation, these prophecies were a great encouragement. 

          What we see in these prophecies of Zechariah, given to the faithful remnant of Israel, gives us great insight into understanding God’s empathy for the faithful within the nation of Israel.  God gives these prophecies to the faithful remnant while they are in the middle of the crisis of chastisement for the failures of the unfaithful in the nation of Israel.  God gives these prophecies because the faithful must never forget that the unfaithful are a major responsibility of their prayer life and their ministry in preserving the Word of God through teaching.  In other words, even though God was not going to restore and revive the nation of Israel for thousands of years, there was something every faithful person in every generation could do.  They could be faithful, and they could try to persuade the unfaithful to become faithful.  We have a very similar message to the Jews professing faith in Christ during the Church Age in the epistle to the Hebrews.

“⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. ⁹ By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: ¹⁰ For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. ¹¹ Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore sprang there even of one {Abraham}, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. ¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴ For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. ¹⁵ And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. ¹⁶ But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city {New Jerusalem}” (Hebrews 11:8-16).

          Every generation of faithful believers must be able to see all the difficulties and impossibilities of life in the light of faith in God’s eternal promises.  They may have no control over the circumstances of the governments and wickedness of the people with which they must share this planet, but they can maintain a faith vision that sees past it all so as to keep their hope in God’s promises.  This is the testimony of the faithful recorded by God in Hebrews chapter eleven.  Faithfulness remains faithful because these people shared an eternal hope that transcended the temporal difficulties of their lives.  This does not mean that these people did not struggle with occasional bad choices within the difficulties of their lives, but that God saw their faithfulness within those struggles and counted them faithful. 

          The faithful remnant had to maintain a spiritual perspective of the work they were sent back to Jerusalem to do.  The Temple upon which they were making reparations was merely symbolic, or typical, of an ongoing and constant need of spiritual revival in their own lives and in the lives of every generation that would follow them.  The Temple upon which they worked to restore, repair, and rebuild was just a building made with stones.  God wanted them to see that the real temple they were building to His glory was the recovery of lost souls and the lives of people who had lost hope in God’s eternal promises.  It is easy to get lost and discouraged when we are blind to the spiritual and preoccupied with the daily routine of just working at surviving in the middle of the temporal.  It is a difficulty every person faces; especially the faithful.  It becomes easy to forget God and just give up on spiritual goals.  The satanic influences of this world, the curse upon this world, and the worldly people we seek to win to Christ entice sinners with promises of momentary pleasures.  They do this while mocking the things the faithful hold precious.

          The prophecy of the “four horns” of four coming world powers that would dominate, control, and scatter Israel for thousands of years was not a prophecy to discourage, although it might be discouraging.  It is not discouraging because God does not end with just telling them the bad news.  God gives them good news with the bad news.  God is going to raise up “four carpenters,” one for every “horn.” 

The prophecy of the “four carpenters” is God telling His remnant that they are just one of many generations of repairers, restorers, and rebuilders.  God is telling His faithful remnant, to which Zechariah prophesied, that God was going to maintain a faithful remnant under every one of these world powers.  God’s maintenance of the remnant is God’s working with them to recover and restore souls.  The faithful remnant was not abandoned by God as the circumstances made it appear.  However, abandonment is how the forces of evil want the faithful remnant to see their circumstances. 

     God is working through His Spirit anointed and Spirit-filled redeemed people.  God will not over-ride His gift of the free-will given to humanity.  God uses the faithful remnant to persuade those lost in the darkness of unbelief or within the numerous corruptions of false doctrines and idolatry.  We cannot blame God for the ever-increasing growth of iniquity in the world when the professing faithful remnant is increasingly being seduced into worldliness.  This is what Paul addresses in Romans chapter ten in his second of three chapters addressed to national Israel.  Any one and everyone can be saved according to Romans 10:13. However, the problem is not with God’s provision and offering of the gift of salvation.  The problem is with the silence of the redeemed regarding the message of Gospel of Jesus Christ.  “Whosoever” could be saved, but the “whosoever” needed to be told they could be saved and how to be saved (Romans 10:1-17). 

“¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ¹⁴ How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! ¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? ¹⁷ So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:13-17).

God uses the faithful redeemed to persuade and convince the lost and the unfaithful of righteousness and His judgment of unrighteousness.  This goes on in the Church and in the world.  This persuasion is the substance of preaching, teaching, and evangelism.  Paul’s epistles to the Church at Corinth exemplify the careful art of persuasion.  The Church at Corinth was a particularly carnal bunch.  They had professed faith in Christ, but were integrating their previous worldly and idolatrous practices and lifestyles in with their Christianity.  Paul’s emphasis in his persuading arguments to them was that what they were presenting to their world as Christianity was not Christianity at all.  Paul admonishes these believers in one of the most remarkable chapters of Scripture in the Bible.

“¹ For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: ³ If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. ⁴ For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. ⁵ Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. ⁶ Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: ⁷ (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) ⁸ We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. ⁹ Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. ¹¹ Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God {our motives; Paul was being accused of men-pleasing and of trying to win the following of people for his own personal gain}; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. ¹² For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. ¹³ For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: ¹⁵ And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (II Corinthians 5:1-15).

     The faithful remnant’s maintaining of an eternal perspective in life will always be one of the greatest difficulties in the Christian life.  The world is no friend to maintaining this perspective of time in the midst of eternity.  The very people to whom the faithful remnant ministers will be the faithful remnant’s most discouraging foes.  The faithful must always remember that their responsibility is to be faithfully and lovingly persuasive.  Peter addressed this problem in his second epistle as does Jude in his epistle.  Notice that each call believers to remember. 

“¹ This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: ² That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: ³ Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days {the Church Age} scoffers, walking after their own lusts, ⁴ And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. ⁵ For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: ⁶ Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: ⁷ But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. ⁸ But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. ¹¹ Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, ¹² Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? {maintain a Biblical and eternal perspective of reality} ¹³ Nevertheless we {the faithful}, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. ¹⁴ Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things {the faith perspective of life}, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. ¹⁵ And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; ¹⁶ As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. ¹⁷ Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. ¹⁸ But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen” (II Peter 3:1-18).

          Zechariah 1:21 says, “these {the ‘four carpenters’} are come to fray them, to cast out the horns {the dominating world empires} of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.”  The word “carpenters” is from the Hebrew word charash (khaw-rawsh’).  The word refers to a skilled carver in wood or skilled engraver in stone.  The intent is that skilled craftsmen enabled of God shape the lives of individuals thereby rescuing those individuals from the pending and inevitable judgment of God.  The world will not be changed! 

     The word “fray” in Zechariah 1:21 is from the Hebrew word charad (khaw-rad’).  This word means to shudder with terror or to hasten with fearful anxiety.  As the faithful minister to individuals in the world, they must be careful not to eliminate the warnings of God’s pending judgment.  This is the foolishness of giving the good news of God’s gift of salvation without warning people with the bad news of God inevitable and eternal judgment upon the lost.  This is Jude’s reminder to believers in his epistle. 

“¹⁵ To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all {to fully convict of their pending punishment} that are ungodly {irreverent and therefore wicked} among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches {harsh and severe comments that are blasphemous towards God and His redeemed}, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. ¹⁶ These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling {overloaded} words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. ¹⁷ But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; ¹⁸ How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. ¹⁹ These be they who separate {disjoin by creating factions and sects} themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. ²⁰ But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, ²¹ Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. ²² And of some have compassion, making a difference: ²³ And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. ²⁴ Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵ To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 1:15-25).

       That God has entrusted the preservation and propagation of His truth from generation to generation to His faithful redeemed is a reality that should overwhelm our senses with both gratitude and responsibility.  Many professing Christians spend their lifetimes trying not to offend anyone.  They do not share their understanding of the Bible because of fear of offending people.  They finally discover at the end of their lives that they have been unfaithful to their primary purpose in life – confronting the world with eternal realities of God’s judgment and the provisions of His grace in Christ Jesus.

     Francis Schaeffer made an excellent comment about the moral obligation of faithful believers confronting error and apostasy in his appendix to his book What Difference Does Inerrancy Make? He says:

“When [one] come[s] to the central things of doctrine, including maintaining the Bible’s emphasis that it is without mistake, and the central things of life, then something must be considered.  Truth carries with it confrontation.  Truth demands confrontation; loving confrontation, but confrontation nevertheless.  If [one’s] reflex action is always accommodation regardless of the centrality of the truth involved, there’s something wrong.^”

“²² Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³ But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. ²⁴ And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, ²⁵ In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; ²⁶ And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (II Timothy 2:22-26).

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Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ 
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. 
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.

Defining the Church

DR. KETCHUM'S BOOKS LINK HERE

Defining the Church

            

         There is almost complete ignorance by most professing Christians of what God’s Word teaches about the Church (Ecclesiology).  Most professing Christians have simply accepted what they have been wrongly taught because they have believed in the authority and expertise of their pastors and priests.  These pastors and priests, in most cases, have never looked beyond what their denominations have taught them. 

“¹³ When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? ¹⁴ And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. ¹⁵ He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? ¹⁶ And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. ¹⁷ And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. ¹⁸ And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. ¹⁹ And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. ²⁰ Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ” (Matthew 16:13-20).

          When Christ says to Peter, “That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,” what is He saying?  The translation is somewhat misleading.  Jesus is actually saying, “thou art Petros (pet’-ros; literally a piece of rock), and upon this Rock (the foundational truth of Peter’s proclamation of faith that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God”) I will build my church.”  The very first criterion for constituting a local church is that every member must be examined to ensure he has this same testimony of faith in Christ before he is added to the church.  Embodied in Peter’s testimony that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” is all the Scriptural testimonies of what “the Christ” (Messiah) was prophesied to do, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Faith in what the Bible teaches about Who Jesus is and what He was incarnated to do is the foundational truth necessary for acceptance into the membership any local church. 

Apart from the reality of Jesus being “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” the work of redemption could not have been completed, God could not have been propitiated, and justification “by grace through faith” could not have been offered.  From this proclamation of faith and upon this foundational “Rock,” Jesus would begin to build His church one living stone at a time.

“⁴ To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ⁵ 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. ⁶ Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. ⁷ Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, ⁸ And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed” (I Peter 2:4-8).

          When we read the Epistles of the New Testament Scriptures, we can clearly see that they are addressed to the Church.  However, is this Church some ambiguous entity without geographical boundaries or theological definitiveness?  Is this Church universal and international in scope and governance?  Is the Church a hierarchal and Theonomic institution intent upon ruling over nations and kings establishing and dictating moral Law to the people of the world?  Does this Church hold the “keys of the Kingdom,” determining who can be saved and who will go to Hell?  According to the teaching of Scripture, we must answer each of these questions with a resounding - No! 

          For what purpose does the Church exist and how is it to be governed and administrated?  Every local church is a gift from God and a “holy priesthood” of every believer (I Peter 2:5).  Therefore, every local church as a “holy priesthood” is governed by our Great High Priest Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the “chief Shepherd” (I Peter 5:4).  Jesus governs every local church by gifting local churches with pastors to teach, guide, and administrate the individuals that constitute the ministering priesthood of believers united with that local assembly.  This Biblical and Dispensational definition of the Church helps us answer all questions about why God has established local churches.  The epistle of Paul to the Ephesians is the Magna Carta for teaching the administration of the priesthood of all believers in every local church. 

“¹¹ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ¹³ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: ¹⁴ That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; ¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: ¹⁶ From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:11-16).

          How we answer these questions about the purpose and administration of local churches is singularly important to our worldview and establishing God’s purpose for believers in the world.  Our answer to these questions will also define how believers are to be trained to fulfill that purpose, how believers are to be administrated in their ministry to one another and to the world, and how accountability to God, His truth, one another, and moral culpability is to be administrated.  Therefore, every believer needs a doctrinally sound local church.  Finding a doctrinally sound local church is the great difficulty. 

          When we read of “the church” in the New Testament Scriptures, its use is directed to all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ living after the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-3).  The term “church” cannot be divorced from a dispensational transition from the Dispensation of the Law (Mosaic Covenant) to the Dispensation of the Church Age (commonly referred to as the Age of Grace or New Covenant).  Although Jesus began building His church with the Apostles, the Church was not ordained into existence until the coming of the promised Parakletos (Holy Spirit).  This historical event of the coming of the promised Parakletos marks the beginning of the Church Age. 

The Church is a living organism built upon the foundation living Rock of Jesus being “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  The Church is a building of “living stones” built upon the Rock of the life-giving Stone, Jesus Christ.  These are metaphors revealing deep spiritual Truths defining what the Church is and for what purpose it is created.  Therefore, the Church is much more than an organization (although it is organized).  The Church is a living organism spiritually energized by the indwelling Holy Spirit intended to be a synergism of believers united into a working/ministry partnership with God.  These believers are united by truth {“the faith”) and enabled by the power of God in them. 

“¹ Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, ² As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: ³ If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. ⁴ To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ⁵ Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house {the Church collectively}, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. ⁶ Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. ⁷ Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, ⁸ And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. ⁹ But ye {the Church collectively} are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: ¹⁰ Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. ¹¹ Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; ¹² Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” (I Peter 2:1-12).

          However, before this spiritual dynamic of the Church being a living organism, believers must be sanctified to bring glory to God.  Therefore, the teachings of the doctrine of grace (supernatural enablement of the indwelling Holy Spirit) must be taught and understood as this doctrine relates to the sanctification and then the consecration of the Priesthood of believers that makes up the living organism Christ calls His Church.

 

          Where then do we find the Bible’s teaching regarding the true doctrine of the Church?  Gathering all that the New Testament teaches about the doctrine of Ecclesiology must be done inductively (the sum of the parts equals the whole).  However, the epistle to the Ephesians gives us the greatest depth of teaching regarding the doctrine of the Church. 

^“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: ⁴ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: ⁵ Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. ⁷ In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; ⁸ Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; ⁹ Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: ¹⁰ That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: ¹¹ In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: ¹² That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. ¹³ In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:3-14).

Notice that every pronoun in chapter one referring to believers is plural.  This is evident in the KJV, but not all other English translations.  This is important in that the election (“chosen,” vs. 4) of Ephesians chapter one is the election of the Church corporately to be a new priesthood.  It is not the election of individuals to be saved.  Election is vocational, not salvational.

If we draw the rest of Scripture revelation together with the teaching of the epistle to the Ephesians, we can formulate a thorough inductive understanding of the doctrine of the Church.  A basic outline of Ecclesiology from the epistle to the Ephesians chapter one is as follows:

A. The Church is a corporation of “saints” (sanctified priests), as “born again” believers, faithful to the commands of Jesus Christ (v.1).

B. The Church is distinct from the nation of Israel and her blessings are eternal and spiritual rather than temporal and earthly (v. 3).

C. The Church is chosen corporately “in Christ,” her High Priest, as a new, spiritual Priesthood before “the foundation of the world” (i.e., not an afterthought, but a before creation thought, v. 4).

D. This whole new priesthood, that is “saved by grace through faith,” is predestined to glorification (v. 5).  This is the meaning of the word “adoption” – translated from the Greek huiothesia (hwee-oth-es-ee’-ah).  The word means the placement or position of the sons of God.  This cannot be understood apart from the placement of the “firstborn” as the typical priesthood now fulfilled in the Church as the priesthood of all believers in the “church of the firstborn” (Hebrews 12:23). 

E. This new priesthood is “accepted” (positionally sanctified and consecrated) in Christ, “the beloved” (vs. 6-9).

F. The Church is embryonically what all believers of all Ages will be in “the regeneration” in the new Heaven/Earth – a kingdom of glorified priests (vs. 10-14).

G. Paul’s prayer for the enabling power of the indwelling Christ-life of the believer’s High Priest to be realized, actuated, and released in and through the local church as the “body” of Christ (vs. 15-23). 

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Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ 
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. 
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.

Faulty Faith and Foolish Decisions

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Faulty Faith and Foolish Decisions

       

   God is constantly working to grow our faith in Him, test the reality of our faith in Him, and prove the strength of our faith in Him.  This process of spiritual growth is very similar to what physically happens in muscle growth.  When a person exercises or lifts weights, muscles are actually damaged, torn, and stressed.  This is why your muscles hurt after strenuous exercise or work.  Muscle growth happens when these damage muscles begin to repair themselves through a cellular process where the human body fuses muscle fibers together to form new muscle protein strands or myofibrils.  However, this muscle growth happens after exercise and during muscle rest.  Muscle growth is actually part of the body’s healing mechanism.  It is foolish to think we can grow muscle without some pain and without work and exercise.  God did not create our bodies to work that way.

 

          The process of growing faith is very similar to the process of growing muscle.  People grow spiritually through knowing the Word of God and putting the Word of God into the practical applications of everyday life while living in the midst of the curse.  Living in the midst of the curse is living in the midst of the constant resistance and opposition to practically living the Word of God in everyday situations of life.  The testing of the strength of our faith is when God allows Satan to tempt us with sin and various situations that will require decisions to be faithful to our professed beliefs.  Such testings, or trials, are usually personally painful and difficult.  These trials can be health issues, financial issues, or the drama of life through personal relationships.  Most of the time these trials come to us by personal delivery with someone’s name and personality plainly labeled on the package.

 

This whole process of spiritual growth and the trying of our faith is what is communicated between two phrases in Job 1:6 and Job 1:13.  In Job 1:6, the phrase is “now there was a day.”  This phrase refers to the angels of God giving account to God about humanity’s behavior.  The second phrase in Job 1:13, “And there was a day,” refers to God’s allowing the testing of the faith of people against the accusations of Satan against all of humanity.  The satanic accusation is that without God’s blessings, humanity would not worship God but instead would curse Him.  God had particularly singled Job out of all of humanity because God believed in Job.  God believed that Job was a man of very strong faith and that Job’s faith would stand against Satan’s accusation and slander against humanity.  This testing is a historical practicum existing in every person’s life by the degree that begins with the words “And there was a day” in Job 1:13.  It is in-between these two statements where life happens!  This is the reality of our under the sun existence within the curse.

 

Not everyone will be tested to the same degree.  God is still in control of the minutia of the testings of our faith.  God promises us; “There hath no temptation {putting to test to prove} taken you but such as is common to man {this is happening to everyone to some degree}: but God is faithful {Romans 8:28}, who will not suffer you to be tempted {tested} above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it {God believes you capable of succeeding in the testing}” (I Corinthians 10:13).  It is one thing for us to profess belief in God, however it is another thing altogether to understand that God believes in us.  Every trial of our faith is a testimony to God’s faith in us!

“⁶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. ⁷ And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. ⁸ And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? ⁹ Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? ¹⁰ Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. ¹¹ But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. ¹² And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. ¹³ And there was a day . . .” (Job 1:6-13 a).

          Every person will make hundreds, if not thousands of decisions each day.  These decisions will be faith decisions if those decisions are based upon solid knowledge of the principles and precepts of the Word of God.  However, for most people those decisions will be made from ignorance of the principles and precepts of the Word of God.  For many others, those decisions will be made by purposefully ignoring the principles and precepts of the Word of God. 

          The purpose of preaching/teaching and personal Bible study is to prepare people to make decisions that will bring glory to God.  Bringing glory to God means living in a manner that is a manifestation of the righteous desires of God and doing so out of a genuine love for God with “all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).

          “Those that entice you to buy into sin won’t be around to help you pay for it.”[1]  However, other faithful believers in your local church will be aware and try to help you recover yourself from the “snare of the devil” (II Timothy 2:26). 

“¹ Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted {tested}. ² Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. ³ For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. ⁴ But let every man prove {test} his own work {the intent is to insure that his ministry is in alignment with the revealed will of God according to the inspired Words of God}, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone {not in what God did through someone else’s work}, and not in another. ⁵ For every man shall bear his own burden {every individual will be held accountable for his own ministry work}. ⁶ Let him that is taught in the word communicate {share with or contribute to; I Corinthians 9:7-15} unto him that teacheth in all good things. ⁷ {Paul then gives this general governing law that applies to all issues of life} Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. ⁸ For he that soweth to his flesh {selfish, carnal, sensual, and worldly desires} shall of the flesh reap corruption {This is decadence resulting in ruin and waste of life; the natural fruit of a natural life is destruction. This is a universal and natural principle and does not require God to act in forms of judgments or chastisements.}; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting {the supernatural fruit of a Spirit-filled life is supernaturally Spirit produced life in this world}. ⁹ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due {your own individual season or time} season we shall reap {fruit is not produced the moment the Seed is sown}, if we faint not {remain faithful; the intent is that we can corrupt spiritual seed that has been sown through unfaithful living}. ¹⁰ As we have therefore opportunity {every moment of every day is an opportunity to sow to the Spirit}, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith {summary statement about what was said in Galatians 6:1 about doing what is necessary to maintain a sanctified existence and helping others believers within your realm of influence to remain faithful}” (Galatians 6:1-10).

          The word “fault” in Galatians 6:1 is from the Greek word paraptoma (par-ap’-to-mah).  The word means to make a side-slip or a lapse in judgment.  The idea is a deviation from the right pathway in life.  This deviation can be an unintentional error or a willful transgression.  The admonition is about protecting the spiritual seed that has been sown from the corrupting influences of selfishness, carnality, and worldliness by restoring other believers to live Spirit-filled and sanctified lives.

One of the great difficulties of ministry is watching saved people freeze spiritually when the fire of God’s revival is but a prayer of repentance away from them!  Hungering and thirsting after righteousness (sanctification and the Spirit-filled life; Matthew 5:6) should be the normal and all-consuming desire of truly fully surrendered Christian. 

There is little wonder why there is no real harvest of spiritual fruit in the lives of most professing believers because worldliness has been redefined and selfishness is condoned under the disguise of pursuing self-esteem.  This corruption corrupts sanctification, which in turn corrupts the testimony of local churches to the world.  God cannot, and will not, bless ministry with worldly and selfish foundations.  The emphasis of Galatians 6:7-10 is built upon the foundation and expanding upon what was already said in Galatians 5:22-26.

“²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. ²⁴ And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:22-26).

          These few verses of Scripture define what is said in Galatians 6:8, “he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”  The point is that none of us, born of the cursed seed of Adam, can ever produce spiritual seed apart from the supernatural operation that takes place through the Spirit-filled life of faithfulness. 

Four Principles of Sowing

1. We reap what we sow!

2. We reap more than what we sow.

3. What we sow must be protected against corruption.

4. We reap later then when we sow.

We have a puppy in our home.  Everyone who has ever had a puppy understands that there will be a rather lengthy time of daily dealing with rather unpleasant things that I call puddles and piles.  The puppy is just doing what comes naturally to him.  He is not even aware of the unpleasantness and inconveniences he creates with his puddles and piles.

However, if the puppy’s owner is not willing to make the necessary time and effort to train him to make his puddles and piles outside the house, the puddles and piles just get bigger and more unpleasant.  This training is often called house breaking a dog.  There is a close similarity to Biblical discipleship.  Without discipleship, believers will continue to leave puddles and piles in the lives of everyone with whom they come in contact.  Bible history is redundant with puddles and piles believers who just never seem to get house broken. 

We have many negative examples given in the Bible of reaping what we sow.  The historical account of the life of Lot is certainly one of these negative examples of a lifetime of reaping the outcome of a very selfish decision.  The whole point of God’s very extensive narrative (Genesis chapter eleven through chapter nineteen) regarding Lot is that the corrupted seed of one selfish decision just kept producing corrupted fruit generation after generation even until today.  Lot lived with his uncle Abraham and was saved under Abraham’s influence.  Lot shared real estate with Abraham until the acreage they occupied together was unable to sustain the wealth of their herds of animals.  Lot’s servants began to strive with the servants of Abraham over the grazing areas allotted to each of their herds. 

Lot was given the first choice of the place he would resettle with his herdsmen and animals.  This reveals that Abraham trusted God while Lot choose to profit himself.  Lot foolishly chose the fertile plain of Jordan where Lot “dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom” (Genesis 13:12).  This verse tells us of the inclination of Lot’s choice.  Lot had a propensity to be selfish and worldly.  People will always fall in the direction they lean.  The big city and all it offers can be quite tempting to a farm boy.  This is the same scenario of the parable of the prodigal son. 

“⁶ And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; ⁷ And delivered just {justified by grace through faith} Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: ⁸ (For that righteous {imputed} man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed {tortured or tormented; he was under constant conviction about the things he saw and with which he lived everyday} his righteous {imputed} soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) ⁹ The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (II Peter 2:6-9).

Although selfish and sinful decisions can mess up and mix up life to the point it seems it can never be straightened out, God’s grace still intervened in Lot’s life and got him out of the mess he chose for his existence.  However, Lot still had a freewill.  Although God got Lot out of the mess Lot created for himself, the real mess was still inside Lot and he continued to make bad, selfish, and sinful decisions. 

There are many question that come to mind as we read of Lot continuing to live a lifetime in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  If Lot was under constant conviction, why didn’t he just repent and get out of there?  What happened to all of Lot’s herdsmen?  What happened to the wealth of his herds?  Who did his other daughters marry?  Did Lot in fact choose his daughters’ future husbands when he made the choice to dwell “in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom” (Genesis 13:12)?  Why was he willing to sacrifice his two remaining virgin daughters to the mob of licentious sodomites?  Lot’s desire for wealth and fame was Satan’s hook in his flesh.  It was not the hook that held onto Lot’s flesh.  It was Lot’s flesh that held onto the hook.  Lot was willing to sacrifice ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to his idol – HIS OWN CARNAL DESIRES!

Never underestimate the ability of one bad decision to snowball down the hill to an ever-increasing problem.  Lot’s faith was tested just like Job’s faith was tested, but with devastatingly different results.  Lot would end upon committing incest with his two surviving virgin daughters producing two sons that would become the tribes of the Moabites and Ammonites.  These two tribes would be a constant thorn in the flesh of the nation of Israel for millennia.  The descendants from these tribes would intermarry with the descendants of the Ishmaelites, Abraham’s failure, and later become the nation of Islam.  Thousands of years later, the whole world is still paying for the failures of Abraham and Lot – two “born again” men who made foolish decisions. 

However, the problem of living within the temptations and testings of the curse did not begin with Abraham and Lot and it did not end with them.  The same problem is continued and increased by the carnal choices of believers every day.  Every single one of us add to the puddles and piles of corruption deposited into this cursed world every day.  This is always the outcome when the “just” do not “live by faith.”  Each of us add to the continuum of corruption by the carnal, selfish, and worldly decisions we make each day.  We infect other people with our corrupt decisions.  When we sow corruption, we reap corruption in the lives of people for generations after us.  There comes a time when the only solution to the extreme breadth of corruption in the world is for God to intervene and end it lest true faith is completely destroyed upon the earth. 

Christ spoke to this issue of ongoing corruption that infects and destroys each generation more and more in a parable in Luke chapter eighteen.  The point of the parable is the about the faithful prayers of the righteous when being overrun with the evils of corruption in the world (Luke 18:1). 

“¹ And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint {not give into evil influences}; ² Saying, There was in a city a judge {corrupted in that he saw himself in his position above all, even God}, which feared not God, neither regarded man: ³ And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. ⁴ And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; ⁵ Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me {even a self-serving, corrupted, indifferent judge will intervene if you are persistent in petitioning him for justice}. ⁶ And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. ⁷ And shall not God {Who is perfectly just} avenge his own elect {those that are dear to Him}, which cry day and night unto him {for righteousness sake}, though he bear long with them {waiting for the fruit of righteousness to be borne through their faithfulness; James 5:7} ? ⁸ I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth” (Luke 18:1-8)?

Living by faith is the knowledge of, and the obedience to, the revealed will of God in the Word of God.  The issue of the question of Luke 18:8, “when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth,” is will He find the kind of persistent faith exhibited by the petitions of the woman in the parable or will every believer just give up on hope for the salvation and sanctification of the worldly.  The faithful must remember that our desires should be reflected in our prayer life and actions to see BOTH the salvation of lost souls and the sanctification of believers.  Evangelical focus has become dominated by the salvation of lost souls while almost completely abandoning the sanctification of the redeemed.  The implication is that there will be a very small remnant of faithful believers at the time of the second coming of Jesus. 

These types of foolish people are described in II Peter 2:10-22 extending from what God has said already about Lot.  Corrupted faith corrupts everything it touches.  Perhaps the greatest descriptor of this thoughtless, carnal selfishness in the Bible is the word “selfwilled” (II Peter 2:10). 

“¹⁰ But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled {self-pleasing and pleasure focused}, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. ¹¹ Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. ¹² But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; ¹³ And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you {in the midst of the churches}; ¹⁴ Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: ¹⁵ Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor {a believing prophet}, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; ¹⁶ But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. ¹⁷ These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. ¹⁸ For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. ¹⁹ While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. ²⁰ For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. ²¹ For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment {sanctification} delivered unto them. ²² But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (II Peter 2:10-22).

The reason a spiritual leader fights the fight of faith and struggles in his life for personal holiness and spiritual maturity is simple. The spiritual leader understands that the imperfections in his life will usually be reproduced in the lives of others.  This corrupting influence is the greatest fear of his life!

President Donald Trump, in his speech to the United Nations on September 19^th, 2017 said, “If the righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph.  When decent people and nations become bystanders to history, the forces of destruction only gather power and strength.”  

Why is it that Christians cannot understand this simple principle when it is repeatedly stated throughout Scripture?

“¹ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? ² For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. ³ If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? ⁴ {Now the answer is given.} The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. ⁵ The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. ⁶ Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. ⁷ For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright” (Psalm 11:1-7).

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[1] Pastor John McDonald, Calvary Baptist Church, Utah, Facebook post.

Anonymous comments will not be allowed. 
 Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ 
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. 
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.

Contending for The Faith

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Contending for The Faith

         

Perhaps the first thing we learn as Christians desiring to lead people to following Christ is that most have little interest in such things.  Their unbelief binds them to a prison of their own ignorance leading them into ever increasing destructive life-patterns.  In their ignorance, they deem the preaching of the Cross a foolish waste of time (I Corinthians 1:18).  This ignorance of unbelief keeps them on worldly pathways pursuing some ambiguous thing called happiness.  For them, happiness is another word for pleasure and love is another word for sex. 

II Timothy 2:22-3:5 defines both the problem and the solution.  God expects faithful believers to be proactive as these sinners are being taken away by the mudslide of sin accelerating them towards the pending judgment of God on this world. 

“²² Flee also youthful lusts: but follow {chase after or steadily pursue} righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³ But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. ²⁴ And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, ²⁵ In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; ²⁶ And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. ¹ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. ² For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, ⁴ Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; ⁵ Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (II Timothy 2:22-3:5).

Contending for “the faith” is doing what is necessary to ensure that orthodoxy is transposed from one generation to the next.  This transposition of “the faith” from one generation to the next focuses on reaching the next generation through Evangelism, which is primarily discipleship focused.  The faithful disciples of one generation must lead the next generation to receive Christ as Lord and be perfected to do “the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12).  Any local church that does not have this missional vision has been corrupted.  The local church is the emphasis of II Timothy 2:22 in the words “with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”  Any Christian that is not fully invested in a local church that has this missional vision has also been corrupted. 

II Timothy 2:23 tells the faithful believer with a Biblical missional vision to “avoid. . . foolish and unlearned questions.”  The reason given to avoid these types of questions is “knowing that they do gender strifes.”  There are always those types of people who ask pointless questions intent more upon arguing than upon edifying.  The word “foolish” is from the Greek word moros (mo-ros’). 

This admonition about avoiding “foolish . . . questions” is most probably addressing the questions that came from those that were, or had been, involved in the mystery religions such as Gnosticism.  Gnosticism was the original religion of Syncretism – blending, merging, and integrating all kinds of religious beliefs together through endless Dialogue.  The wise disciple-maker avoids these foolish discussions because his source of Truth (Epistemology) and faith is founded solely in the clear instruction of the inspired Words of God.  Since the Bible is the ONLY authority for life and practice, what the Bible says is final.  Therefore, to such a person, endless debates and arguments about extra-biblical views and the philosophies of men are pointless wastes of time (“strifes”). 

The word “unlearned” simply means uninstructed.  This refers to those who have never been discipled in the Word of God.  They may have numerous educational degrees and even be very well read.  However, they are “unlearned” in the Scriptures.  The danger is that they come into local churches with an appearance of knowledge or have much knowledge about religious ideas.  They will be respected by many because of their education and status in life.  They will often be promoted to leadership positions in the church for which they are not qualified.

 

The admonition regarding getting involved in these foolish discussions and debates is that “the servant of the Lord must not strive” (II Timothy 2:24).  The “servant of the Lord” must be able to distinguish between the person genuinely wanting the Truth and the person who simply wants to debate.  Once the disciple maker gives a person a clear Bible answer to a question and that person disagrees with that Bible answer – WALK AWAY!

There is an old saying, “Convince a man against his will, He’s of the same opinion still.”  A person wanting to be right even when proven wrong is a fool.  However, he will not have a good opinion of the person that shows him to be a fool.  Therefore, Paul tells Timothy, “be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, ²⁵ In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves” (II Timothy 2:24b-25).  There is often a thin line between being pertinent and impertinent.  Once a person crosses that line, the damage is already done.  Possessing dogmatic knowledge does not mean that such a person has a right to be obnoxious.  There are five words in I Timothy 2:24b-25 that give us directions for reaching people who think they have the answers, but are really without a glue.  If we want to be effective in reaching another generation in helping them become followers of Jesus, we must understand these five words and how they are applied within the spiritual dynamic of soul winning and disciple making. 

1. Gentle - from the Greek word epios (ay’-pee-os) meaning friendly, pleasant, and a person with which it is easy to talk.  The gentle person can disagree without being disagreeable.  He can contend for the faith without being contentious.  Being kind to the people we are trying to reach must be apparent.  Attacking lost people for the sins they commit and the sinful practices of their lives is not the same as patiently trying to persuade someone that God has absolute boundaries for righteousness.  This opposite of gentleness is often manifested by those claiming to be street preachers where they stand on a corner or in a park shouting condemnations at lost people for how they dress or how they live. 

2. Apt to teach – is from one Greek word, didaktikos (did-ak-tik-os’).  The meaning is descriptive of a person whose demeanor is instructive.  A person can be instructive without being condemning.  Instruction from the Word of God has the power to convict and condemn.  Again, this instruction is intended to be directed to the person asking questions with an interest in finding absolute answers.  This person “apt to teach” is willing to take the time to carefully explain spiritual things to the person making inquiries. 

3. Patient is from the Greek word anexikakos (an-ex-ik’-ak-os).  This describes the person willing to endure the arrogant, obtrusive ignorance that often accompanies people antagonistic towards spiritual absolutes.  Another good synonym is forbear.  To be forbearing means to hold yourself back.  Not everything that can be said should be said.  To be forbearing understands the concept of the right time, place, and circumstances while being self-disciplined enough to wait for that right time, place, and circumstances.

4. Meekness is from the Greek word praotes (prah-ot’-ace).  The practical meaning is a gentle humility.  This is directed towards the way we instruct those that “oppose themselves.”  The opposite of gentle humility is rude haughtiness.  If there is an underlaying attitude of arrogance towards the ignorant, that attitude will manifest itself to some degree in negative ways.  When arrogance is perceived by the hearer, most of what is said will be rejected regardless of the fact it is Bible Truth. 

5. Instructing is from the Greek word paideuo (pahee-dyoo’-o), which literally means to train up a child.  It is critical to understand that people learn through levels of comprehension.  Understanding the level of comprehension of the person with whom you speak is critical to instructing him so he can understand what you are saying.  Secondly, since the person thinks he has a level of comprehension far above what he actually possesses, care must be taken so as not to be condescending in instructing him.  To help a person grow in understanding is often done in baby-steps.  Be careful not to overload a person with too much information or you will overwhelm him.  Be patient and carefully explain small portions of Scripture each time you meet. 

Most importantly, remember the last part of II Timothy 2:25b - “if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.”  Although considerable doubt is expressed in the text about such a person ever changing his beliefs or unbelief, there is hope when we understand that God’s involvement is the major part of any hopeful possibility.  Long after the words we say and the moment of instruction passes, God remains with the person.  There are no doors to shut Him out or time restraints upon His access to the human spirit. 

II Timothy chapter two explains how we are to deal with people that are seeking truth, but are ignorant and confused.  These people are Agnostics.  The word agnostic simply means - I don’t know.  Jude 1:3-8 explains how to deal with the heretic who seeks to divide a local church with false teaching.  These types of people infiltrate local churches and must be dealt with more swiftly and even harshly.  These are wolves intent upon carrying away innocent sheep.  How many sheep should be sacrificed to the wolf before the wolf is removed?

“³ Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once {for all} delivered {stewardship} unto the saints. ⁴ For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵ I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. ⁶ And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. ⁷ Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. ⁸ Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities” (Jude 1:3-8).

          Jude 1:3-8 clearly details harsh and swift retribution to the types of deceivers mentioned in this text.  Such people are extremely dangerous.  They can destroy work that has taken years to accomplish.  Over the years, it has become increasingly apparent that the corruption of society and the perversion of truth has no limitations.  Just as in the days of Noah, God must intervene and bring His judgment on the world to halt the advancement of Satan’s agenda of corruption.  Each year the world has proven itself capable of going ever deeper into the miry pits of the filth and degradation of sin.  Professing believers no longer are amazed at the world’s propensity for perversion.  These professors of faith march just a few steps behind the worldly bringing the world into local churches.

          However, it is continually amazing to watch the willingness of professing Christians in their progressiveness in this perversion by staying one step behind the world like a child following a trail of bread crumbs.  These deceived never seem to give any considerations to where they are in their own digression of corruption and defilement.  “Lukewarm” churches, meaning compromising people, have become so complacent to doctrinal error and worldliness that they have become completely silent, accepting almost anything without question or consideration.  God’s will in these matters never seems to be addressed, nor His Word consulted.

          Instead, the matters of “the faith” are relegated to humanistic rationalism while the definitive truths of God’s Word are mitigated into obscurity and irrelevancy.  For much of today’s professing Christians, “the faith” is nothing more than a hodge-podge of human philosophies amalgamated together to appear non-judgmental and to give everyone a warm, fuzzy feeling with little or no consideration to whether those beliefs have any foundation in Divine origin or authority.

          This humanistic perversion of Christianity has little connection to the idea of “the faith” as detailed in God’s inspired Word.  In fact, for this type of Christianity, God’s Word is only referenced to maintain a semblance of connection to the real thing.  The only reason this fiasco continues is that the clear majority of real, Bible believing Christians have become theological pacifists and given up on contending for “the faith.”

          “The faith” defined by Scripture is the body of divinely revealed truth inscripturalized in the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments.  Most of God’s communication with mankind has not come in a booming voice from Heaven (although He has done so on a few occasions).  God has chosen a few men with which to speak and through which He spoke down through the ages.  These men were called Prophets of God.  They were Mediators (middle-men) between God and men.  The last Mediator (and only remaining One) is Jesus Christ.

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (I Timothy 2:5).

“¹⁹ We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: ²⁰ Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. ²¹ For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Peter 1:19-21).

          The words “more sure” in II Peter 1:19 are from the Greek word bebaios (beb’-ah-yos), which refers to something that is stable, firm, or trustworthy.  This is followed by the admonition “whereunto ye do well that ye take heed.”  The words “take heed” are from the Greek word prosecho (pros-ekh’-o), meaning to apply one’s self to, attach one’s self to, hold or cleave to a person or a thing.  It can also mean to be given or addicted to something or to be devoted to a thought or effort.

          This statement is immediately followed with a warning regarding “false prophets.”  These were men that distorted and perverted God’s Words for selfish purposes to gather a following so as to “make merchandise” of those followers.  Of course, in doing so, they must lead those followers away from following Christ.

“¹ But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. ³ And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not” (II Peter 2:1-3).

          It is amazing how little concern people give to these warnings regarding “false prophets” and their destructive “heresies.”  Contending for “the faith” involves every believer in the battle-arena for the preservation of God’s Word by “contending” with these “false prophets” and their manipulation of people through the distortion and perversion of the Word of God.  The grave danger of theological inclusivism is the willingness to accept or tolerate obvious distortions and perversions of the Word of God.  Theological inclusivism ceases to contend for “the faith” and, in doing so, allows for the distortion and perversion of that “faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3).

          The word “once” in Jude 1:3 is from the Greek word hapax (hap’-ax), which means once for all.  The word “delivered” is from the Greek word paradidomi (par-ad-id’-o-mee) and refers to something being given into the hands of another to keep, use, take care of, and manage.  In other words, the Word of God was deposited into the hands of the Sanctified Ones (Saints).  God will hold us responsible for its preservation both in the written documents (Apographs) and in the maintenance of doctrinal purity.

          The written composite of these ancient Mediators is called the Holy Bible.  The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments reveal God’s historic dealings with mankind from the beginning of time.  They reveal His will in minute detail.  The revealed will of God detailed in these sixty-six books is what God’s refers to as “the faith.”  Believers are commanded to “keep the faith” and “contend for the faith.”  The former is about living “the faith” and the latter is about ensuring that God’s revealed will is not changed, distorted, or perverted by mankind.  This is about what Jude warns in Jude 1:3-8.

          Believers preoccupied with these two commands are called “the faithful.”  The “faithful” are concerned about any perversion of God’s revealed will due to the propagation of false doctrine and lifestyles, including their own, that lead people astray from the paths of righteousness (right living).  The “faithful” are unwilling to consent to any form of perversion of truth to any degree.  The moment they do, they cease to be “the faithful.”

          The word “contend” of Jude 1:3 is from the Greek word epagonizomai (ep-ag-o-nid’-zom-ahee).  It is a derivative of the Greek word agonizomai (ag-o-nid’-zom-ahee) with the epi (ep-ee’) prefix added to it.  Agonizomai is the word from which we get the English word agonize.  The epi (ep-ee’) prefix heightens its meaning to the highest level.  When it comes to “the faith,” the believer is commanded to endeavor with the highest level of strenuous zeal to insure the purity of theological content and the clarity of meaning.  This is the subject matter of all twenty-five verses of the book of Jude, warning about those who turn “grace” into “lasciviousness” (liberty into license). 

          If there ever was a day in history that this admonition is relevant, it is the twenty-first century.  Today’s Christian seems to argue that being out from under the Law and under grace means we can live any way we want because then we let God do want He does best, i.e., show mercy and forgive sin.  This only goes to prove that “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).  The same old nonsense just keeps re-arising out of the slime-pits of human corruption with new names on it, but it is still nonsense.

          This rationalistic scum on the pond of human depravity has been a historical problem from the days of Apostolic Christianity.  Paul had to deal with it in his epistle to Rome in 50 A.D., less than twenty-seven years after the resurrection of Christ.

“¹ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? ² God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein” (Romans 6:1-2)?

          This is what is known as Antinomianism.  This is what any deviation from “the faith” does.  It perverts God’s will and gives man permission to do what God forbids.  It is not only a perversion of the doctrine of grace (Divine enablement); it is a mockery of the Lordship of Christ and denies the practical application of that Lordship in the believer’s life.

          This is one of the things that the Apostle Peter refers to in his second epistle as “damnable heresies.”  “Heresies” is from the Greek word hairesis (hah’-ee-res-is), referring to false teachings that lure men away from right practice and capture the deceived to form their own following.  The person thus deceived ceases to be a disciple of Christ and, in fact, ends up becoming a disciple of the person that deceives him; forming his own sect, yet still calling this perversion of truth Christianity.  In doing so, the person deceived denies both the Lordship of Christ and “the faith.”  The two are equal in scope.

          Satanic attacks on “the faith” come on two fronts: questioning God’s Word (distorting what God has said) and denying God’s Word (has God said?).  This is particularly evident in Satan’s deception of Eve.  Be aware of such nonsense and guard against it with every fiber of your being!

          Although a believer should contend for “the faith,” he is not to be contentious (argumentative) or involve himself in raising questions regarding theological issues to which the Word of God does not clearly speak.

“⁹ But avoid {shun; i.e., do not answer} foolish questions, and genealogies {Jewish pride of ancestry}, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. ¹⁰ A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition {calling attention to an error} reject; ¹¹ Knowing that he that is such is subverted {turned around and hardened in his thinking}, and sinneth {false doctrine perverts practice}, being condemned of himself” (Titus 3:9-11).

          When dealing with someone holding to obvious theological heresy, we are not to keep trying to change his mind.  In fact, we are commanded not to admonish him to change his beliefs more than two times, after which we are commanded to “reject” the heretic.     The word “reject” is from the Greek word paraiteomai (par-ahee-teh’-om-ahee).  It does not refer to excommunication from the church, although that should be required if the person’s doctrine disagrees with the church’s doctrinal position.  It means to shun or avoid.  It literally means to have nothing more to do with him.  The reason behind this is stated in Titus 3:11. The word “subverted” is from the Greek word ekstrepho (ek-stref’-o).  It refers to something that is twisted or turned inside out, or someone that is corrupt and perverted in his thinking.  Changing this type of person’s mind must be done by God.  We should pray to that end.  Only God can open the eyes of the blind and cause the deaf to hear, while the devil provides every opportunity for the dumb to speak. 

“¹⁶ And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. ¹⁷ They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods” (Isaiah 42:16-17).

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Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ 
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. 
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.