A Private Letter

Philemon 3-7

A private letter written to Philemon that has become very public, and was probably written from the time Paul was in Rome.  In my Thompson Chain-Reference Bible it refers to Philemon in this way; “Philemon was apparently a member of the church at Colosse, which seems to have met in his house, v. 2.  As Paul had never been in Colosse (Col 2:1), Philemon must have met him elsewhere, possibly in Ephesus, which was not far away.”   If a person were going to have a private letter exposed to the whole world, this would be the type of letter you would have wanted others to read.

Paul is telling Philemon that he not only thinks about him, but that he is thankful for him and shares that with God our Father.  Paul tells Philemon that he has heard of his love and his faith that is being expressed to the Lord Jesus and to all the saints.  If your mind works like mine, you may ask, how did Paul hear about Philemon, in that he is in prison in Rome, and he has never been to Colosse?  I believe this insight came from a run away slave named Onesimus, a slave Paul calls his child, and goes on to state that he became a father in the faith to Onesimus while in prison at Rome.

Philemon may also consider himself a child by faith in Christ Jesus and see Paul as his spiritual father.  We can only assume that they have met and it may have been at Ephesus during Paul’s visit there.  If you got this part of a letter from anyone how would it affect you?  “I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.  For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother; because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.”  If that letter came from just about anyone it would blow your doors off, but when it came from a giant in the faith, an apostle of Christ; you would surely share this with your best friend, and because Philemon’s best friend was Jesus Christ, He chose to share it with you and me. 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Perciption

Acts 16: 1-5

Are you one who stands your ground no matter what, or are you the type who goes with the flow, your action resembles those you are with at that moment.  A word for that might be “Politician” and what do you think of such a person?  The word that comes to my mind is dishonest, a schemer, a person who is seeking personal power, and it matters not what political-party, and most are not to be trusted.  But what happens when it’s members of your family, church, or even a pastor, do you feel betrayed?  Many a person has read the account of young Timothy being circumcised by Paul, when he joined Paul and Silas in Derbe, and because his father was Greek and his mother was Jewish he had not followed the custom of circumcision.  Why did it happen?  We are told by doctor Luke that it was because the Jews in that area knew Timothy’s father was Greek.

How this seems to fly in the face of what was reported in Acts chapter 15, when the apostles, the elders, and the church of Jerusalem, that council wrote a letter telling the Gentile church they did not need to be circumcised for salvation, it was by grace through faith in Christ, plus nothing.  So why did Paul put young Timothy through such a painful process? 

Often many Christians run to a commentary to see what a man has to say, but the best source is the Holy Spirit, He is our teacher, and He will guide you to all truth, and the Bible is the very best commentary on the Bible.  So needing an understanding beyond my small interpretation, the Lord showed me why in (1 Corinthians 9:19-23 ESV).

“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”

I always look for how can this apply to my life; I am without a doubt very conservative in all aspects of life, and I need to put what is of most importance, the souls of my neighbors, business associates, my family, and friends, before my views on a political stance.  That is what Paul is doing in this Scripture, he is not becoming like them, but he is identifying with where they are in order to share Christ.  My pastor, Ray Still is such a man, to him your end results of choosing heaven or hell is what’s important.  As I said earlier, our goal is to become as Paul, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”  So Paul did not circumcised Timothy to make him more acceptable to God, but to the Jewish people, and the reason was to share with them the blessing of knowing Christ.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Christ Prisoner

Philemon 1:1-3

Most of the people I’ve known have never been a prisoner, or in prison, and I do not recall any that by their on choosing have gone to prison or chosen to be a prisoner.  But as we look at this letter to Philemon, the apostle Paul introduces himself as a prisoner for Christ Jesus.  The greeting begins in this manner; “Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,” and it is easy to read past words and phrases that we have no understanding of.  How can you and I understand being a prisoner for Christ?  Maybe a better question is, are we called to such a task?  Yes, this introduction is easy to read past so we can get to the meat, and we miss a truth that the enemy wants to keep hidden from us.

What did Paul have an understanding of that has eluded so many in today’s Church?  In 2 Timothy 2:8-10, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal.  But the word of God is not bound!  Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”  Paul refused to forget his life before Christ he gave this recall of where God found him, in

1Timothy 1:13-15, “though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.  But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”

Unlike so many in the church of 2011, Paul knew what it cost to redeem his evil lost soul. He knew all about being religious, but now he had met the Lord, now he had received mercy, grace and faith, he had a clear understanding that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.   In 2 Timothy 1:8-9, Paul is sharing that he is not ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or being his prisoner.  Paul goes on to say Jesus saved us and called us to a holy calling, and we should also identify in the same way with our Lord.  Why do we who make up the body of Christ, not have this passion?  We will see this in Paul in Colossians 4:3.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

One thing in Common

John 7:1-14

When it comes to Jesus the world is not very passive, many hate His name or anyone   associated with His name.  Have you ever wondered why?  Why is there not the same hatred for other World Religions and its Founders, beginning with Judaism and Abraham in 2,085 BC?  Next is Hinduism in 1,500 BC. With no specific founder, and then Buddhism in 560 BC with Gautama Buddha as its founder.  In between Christianity in 30 AD with Jesus Christ as its founder, or other religions like Taoism 440 AD by Lao Tzu, and Jainism in 420 BC by Mahavira.
In 325 AD, after being persecuted for almost 200 years, Constantine made the Church become a legal religion, and compromise begins to enter the Christian church.  In 590 AD we have the development of Roman Catholicism by Pope Gregory, and in 610 AD the beginning of Islam by Mohammed.  It was in 1515 AD reformers by the names of Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, and John Calvin began Protestantism. 
Now lets look at some and by no means all of the modern religions: such as Mormonism by Joseph Smith in 1830 AD, and 7^th Day Adventists by E.G. White in 1845.  Next comes Jehovah's Witnesses by Charles Taze Russell in 1870 AD, and Christian Science by Mary Baker Eddy in 1879 AD.  In 1955 AD, we had Scientology by L. Ron Hubbard, and in 1961 AD, Unitarian Universalism was officially formed.  And by all means we would not want to leave out the Church of Satan by Anton LaVey in 1966 AD.

If we look at the demographics on a modern world scale, it is interesting to see religion from this viewpoint.  Christianity has around 2,039 million members and on a pie chart has a 32% share of the pie, but it is dropping in membership.  Islam has 1,570 million members and that is 22% of the pie but it is growing.   Hinduism has 950 million followers about 13 % of the pie and is stable.  A group that few think about is the No religion and on the pie chart they are 775 million or about 12% and dropping.  Buddhism has from 350 – 1,600 million or about 6% of the world pie and is stable.  The Atheists have about 150 million followers or 2% of the world’s pie, and Judaism has about 23.8 million or 1% of the world’s pie.

The facts listed above are from: www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html

All of the listed religions above, with the exception of Christianity, have one thing in common, they are offended by the name of Jesus, and many hate the name.  In some cases they have associated with His name, but do not see Him as the Son of God or the only way to the Father as Jesus claimed in John 14:6,7. 

In John chapter 7 we have the answer, it was the answer then and it is still the answer.  A special feast in Jerusalem, the feast of booths, and Jesus’ brothers who did not yet believe in Him, wanted Him to go to Judea so that His disciples would see the works He was doing.  This is Jesus reply; “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.  The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.” 

I have come to this understanding that many who go by the name Christian have no understanding of what they claim to be, because in Christ we have all the rights of son ship and all the responsibility of following Jesus’ commands.  Jesus makes this very clear in John 15:18-21,  “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.  But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”
It all comes down to this fact; Jesus has the authority to forgive sin, to redeem sinners and to make you in right standing with His Father.  The apostle Paul under the authority of the Holy Spirit spoke these words: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.  So they are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools,” (Romans 1:18-22a)
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice

Wrong Choices

John 6:70,71

When you think of wrong choices, what comes to your mind?  RMS Titanic, the ship that was believed unsinkable, but we have this report of its last night afloat:

On the night of Sunday, 14 April 1912, the moon was not visible in the clear sky (being two days before new moon), the temperature had dropped to near freezing, and the ocean was flat calm. Captain Smith, in response to iceberg warnings received via wireless over the preceding few days, had drawn up a new course, which took the ship slightly further southward. That Sunday at 1:45 PM, a message from the steamer Amerika warned that large icebergs lay in Titanic's path, but because wireless radio operators Jack Phillips and Harold Bride were employed by Marconi, and paid primarily to relay messages to and from the passengers, they were not focused on relaying "non-essential" ice messages to the bridge.  Later that evening, another report of numerous large icebergs, this time from Mesaba, also failed to reach the bridge. (Source Wikipedia)  And because of bad choices 1500 people died.

C.S. Lewis said and I quote:  "Christ died for men precisely because men are not worth dying for; to make them worth it."  In the beginning before the fall of man, God called us good, but Adam and Eve made a choice and it was a very bad choice that far exceeded all other bad choices.  But it is reported in Scripture that before God was your Creator, He had already made a choice to take on flesh and become like us in all ways but one, He could not sin.  And because of the Son of God (Jesus Christ) being willing to become flesh and be our redeemer, God the Father chose to forgive all who would by faith put their trust in Jesus.  In Romans 5:8, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” God chose to make us worth dying for, by the blood of His own Son.

Most who read this will have some knowledge of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus.  But he was also prophesied in the Old Testament in Psalm109: 8 and Zechariah 11:12, and we know that in Matthew 26:14-17, we have the action of his betrayal.  We also have the record of Judas being sorry for his choice of betraying Jesus in Matthew 27:3-5, and he gave back the money and hung himself. 

Now we get to John 6:70-71, and it comes with this understanding; Jesus being God knew what was in Judas’ heart before choosing him, did Judas have a choice?  “Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve?  And yet one of you is a devil.”  He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.”  How you answer that question will answer many other questions, such as, do I really believe God has given me the freedom to choose?  As I’ve stated before God does not have a past or a future, only we “Time Critters” let future and past have control over our actions, but God who made time is not under it’s control, He sees all things in the present.  Judas, like Adam and Eve and the Captain of the Titanic made bad choices.  And choices are not made in a vacuum they always affect others.  I am so glad Jesus and God the Father chose to redeem us from the bad choices of Adam and Eve.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Human Reasoning V. Spiritual Truth

John 6:52-71

Human reasoning has always gotten in the way of understanding spiritual truth, and we have many accounts of Jesus speaking about a spiritual truth and the crowds, the scribes, the Pharisees, and even the disciples of Jesus totally misunderstood.  Such an account is found in Jesus healing a paralytic in Capernaum.  You can read the account in Mark 2:1-11, and you will recall that the house was so full of people that the four men carrying the man had to remove the roof and lower the man in front of Jesus.  And in verses five through seven you see the human reasoning from the lawyers who were in the house.  “And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.”  Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that?  He is blaspheming!  Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘your sins are forgiven, or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – he said to the paralytic – “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”

Even the most casual reader of Scripture will pick up on this fact, that the Jewish people had many laws, some of them were given to them by God and others were just added by some Pharisee, a good example is the Pharisee in the Baptist church that added no dancing or drinking to the laws of that church.  But good Jews would leave a Baptist in the dirt with all their rules to live by and especially when it came to food.  So what do you think these disciples of Jesus heard when He told them they were to eat his flesh and drink His blood, cannibalism, and that for exceeded the law of not touching a dead animal or not eating pork.  So what kicks in is human reasoning, this man Jesus is a nut case, and He wants us to eat his flesh and drink His blood.  Jesus knows what is in their hearts and also what they were saying openly.  These people who now called themselves disciples of Jesus, and like all the Rabbi of this time, had groups of people who claimed to be their disciples, not that much different than today when people claim, I am a member of Ed Young’s church or some other big name.  Now most of these men like Dr. Young would be quick to tell you, it is not their church. Jesus’ disciples had grown in numbers and I can imagine Thomas or one of the twelve saying, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”

Jesus never left wiggle room for our faith, so many of the disciples who heard what Jesus said; “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.  Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.  As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.” (John 6:53-57)    Jesus knowing that they were grumbling about this said to them, “Do you take offense at this?  Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail.  The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.  But there are some of you who do not believe.”

This question came into my mind, would I want to follow a God who I totally understood, who I was on the same mental and emotional understanding as He?  That would not be a God that would be a man like myself, and I can assure you I do not want to follow a man.  But that’s the battle, the flesh cannot understand the Spirit, it requires the Holy Spirit to turn on the light in our mind and heart to give us understanding, and that is why Jesus once more reminded them of this truth; “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.  After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.”

I believe that God has put the United States of America and the other nations in such a place today, we are looking to or for a person to rescue us from the uncertainty of government, of economics, of the future, and we are told in the Bible that such a man is waiting to step onto the world stage; he will look good, say the right things, and will only ask us to put our total trust in him.  Human reasoning will say follow him, but the Spirit of God has spoken, will we who go by the name Christian, turn to such a man and no longer follow Christ, or will we answer as Simon Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68,69)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Your not a Grumbler, are You?

John 6:41-51

Have you ever been a grumbler?  Someone makes a statement and you are quick to tell all your friends that it was impossible for that to have happen; that’s what is happening to Jesus in John’s account of Jesus sharing with the neighbors.  Jesus has shared with them this truth; “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”  “They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?  How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven.’

If you are like the neighbors of Jesus you are in some good company, in that one of the twelve disciples has gained name recognition by being a grumbler, doubter, or skeptic.  When Jesus appeared to the disciples Thomas was not with them, and Jesus breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 11:22)  Picking up the account in verses 25-29, “So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.”  But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”  Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them.  Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”  “Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side.  Do not disbelieve, but believe.”  “Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”  “Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 

Thomas and the neighbors of Jesus were not bad people, in fact they may have been very religious, but Jesus did not fit their plan on getting to God.  It is interesting to see Jesus reply to the neighbors, “Do not grumble among yourselves.  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.  And I will raise him up on the last day.  It is written in the Prophets, “And they will all be taught by God.  Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me – not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.” (John 6:43-46)

You may be more like the neighbors of Jesus than you understand, if you have performance flesh, you may believe that your acceptance by God has to do with how well you perform, or like the disciple Thomas you need more proof.  Will you ask God to show you that proof and then, like a Thomas, will you bow your knee to your Lord and your God? 

In verses 47-51, Jesus is speaking, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.  I am the bread of life.  Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.  This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.  I am the living bread that came down heaven.  If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.  And the bread that I will give for the life of the world my flesh.”  Unlike them you have been give understanding that Jesus was referring to Himself, being your substitute, paying for sin on a cross. 

Is it not fitting to ask us the same question that Jesus asks Martha after the death of her brother?  Martha was at a low moment, her brother had died and she was upset that Jesus had not come sooner, because she knew that if He had been there Lazarus would not have died.  In John 11:25-26, “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.  Do you believe this?”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice