I Have a Question

“Are We to Associate With Sinners?”

 

         The answer to that question is YES. How can you plant seeds of faith where they are not needed? “But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, ‘Why do you eat and drink with such scum?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.’” [Luke 5:30-32 NLT]

            The Pharisees acted respectably in public, making themselves look good to the masses. They publicly did good deeds, all the while pointing figures at the sins of the commoners. Jesus chose to spend time with those in need of salvation and not the proud, self-righteous religious leaders. Those who lived in the towns had a sense of their own sin and knew they were not good enough for God. To come to God they all must repent, renouncing their sin. The first step was to own up to their own sin. The Pharisees saw nothing more in Jesus than a way to disrupt their way of pleasing God. 

            We are not to shun, but to associate with non-believers. This should be done as a means of planting seeds of the gospel, but that mustn’t be the only reason. I’ve known several people who always sought you out until you said a “sinner’s prayer” and got saved. Then they were virtually impossible to find for fellowship and to answer questions. A very poor way to handle that type of situation. You have to be real, not fake. You have to make a commitment to be a friend to this new person, even if they resist salvation. Become a true friend, not a spiritual salesman who is insincere. Did someone do that to you when you got saved? Don’t do that to someone else. 

            Associating with sinners doesn’t mean you become like them, doing the things they do. You be true to yourself and your faith. No phony put on, genuine interest in being their friend(s). Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

I Have a Question

Who Were the Samaritans?

(and Why Did the Jews HATE Them?)

 

The Samaritans occupied the country formerly belonging to the tribe of Ephraim and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The capital of the country was Samaria, formerly a large and splendid city. When the ten tribes were carried away into captivity to Assyria, the king of Assyria sent people from Cutha, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim to inhabit Samaria. These foreigners intermarried with the Israelite population that was still in and around Samaria. These “Samaritans” at first worshiped the idols of their own nations, but being troubled with lions, they supposed it was because they had not honored the God of that territory. A Jewish priest was therefore sent to them from Assyria to instruct them in the Jewish religion. They were instructed from the books of Moses, but still retained many of their idolatrous customs. The Samaritans embraced a religion that was a mixture of Judaism and idolatry. Because the Israelite inhabitants of Samaria had intermarried with the foreigners and adopted their idolatrous religion, the Samaritans were universally despised by the Jews.

            There were several other reasons why they were so hated by the Jews. After their return from Babylon, the Jews began rebuilding their temple. While Nehemiah was engaged in building the walls of Jerusalem, the Samaritans vigorously attempted to halt their construction. Why were the Samaritans so opposed to the Jews rebuilding the Temple? The Samaritans initially offered to help rebuild the Second Temple but were rejected by the Jewish leaders.  Their opposition, which sought to stop the temple construction, stemmed from being turned away, plus they viewed the restoration of pure Jewish worship in Jerusalem as a threat to their own religious practices.

The Samaritans built a temple for themselves on “Mount Gerizim,” which the Samaritans insisted was designated by Moses as the place where the nation should worship. Sanballat, the leader of the Samaritans, established his son-in-law, Manasses, as high priest. The idolatrous religion of the Samaritans thus continued on.

Samaria became a place of refuge for all the outlaws of Judea. The Samaritans willingly received Jewish criminals and refugees from justice. The violators of the Jewish laws, and those who had been excommunicated, found safety for themselves in Samaria, greatly increasing the hatred which existed between the two nations.

Religiously speaking, the Samaritans received only the five books of Moses, yet rejected the writings of the prophets and all the Jewish traditions.

That was the final straw for the Jews. The differences between the Samaritans and the Jews had now become irreconcilable, as the Jews now regarded the Samaritans as the worst of the human race and had absolutely no dealings with them. Jesus broke down the barriers between them, in spite of the hatred that existed, preaching the gospel of peace to the Samaritans and His apostles later followed Jesus’ example.

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org

I Have a Question

What Must I Do to Get to Heaven?

            Peter makes it very clear when he speaks to the Jews that were present at that time. In Acts 2:38-40 he proclaims the following: “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far away [including the Gentiles], as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself.” And Peter solemnly testified and continued to admonish and urge them with many more words, saying, “Be saved from this crooked and unjust generation!”

            So when scripture says, “Call out to the Lord and you will be saved”, there’s a little more to it than just calling out His name. Actually, it’s pretty basic. God knows all things that can be known; we do not. God is perfect in every way; we are not.  God has a plan; we do not. He is able to cleanse us of all our sins; we are not. Scripture tells us in Romans 3:22-24 the following: “This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s Son]. There is no distinction, since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus,...”. THAT is what you must do to get to heaven.

            Mankind has a problem. Whether they understand, or believe it or not, they have sinned repeatedly against the One who created them. Our sin is like an immense monetary debt that we have accrued and have no way of paying off. The blood spilled by Jesus on the cross was the payment required to cleanse our sin debt. The payment has no strings attached to it, unless you consider following Jesus a reason to turn down the payment. 

            Free will has been given to all men by God. We can exercise that free will and walk away from His gracious invitation if we so choose. That is exactly why God doesn’t send anyone to hell. By virtue of their free will, they make that decision all on their own. They choose not to be involved with God at all. Choose to follow the Lord... choose life. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

I Have a Question

How do we determine our own moral and/or ethical framework of beliefs? 

 

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” – Genesis 1:27 NKJV

 

“...for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.” – Romans 2:14-15 NKJV

 

According to Christian theology, God gives humans an innate sense of right and wrong from birth.  This is rooted in the belief that humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), which includes an inherent capacity to discern moral truths. 

The Apostle Paul argues in Romans 2:14-15 that even those without direct knowledge of God’s law have the "work of the law written on their hearts," with their conscience bearing witness to moral distinctions. This suggests that humans possess an innate sense of right and wrong that persists despite the distortion caused by sin, allowing for basic moral recognition across all cultures. 

While this innate sense exists, it can be corrupted or seared by sin (1 Timothy 4:2).  Therefore, believers are encouraged to align their conscience with Scripture and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit to accurately discern God’s moral will. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: www.gotquestions.org

Taking a Look at Scripture

“And as for [the rest of] you, brethren, do not grow tired or lose heart in doing good [but continue doing what is right without weakening].”- 2 Thessalonians 3:13 Amplified Bible

 

         After speaking to the disorderly church members in Thessalonica, Paul took the time to encourage those who persevered in doing good without growing weary or discouraged. The apostle calls those who are persevering in the faith his brethren. Now technically, the slackers are Paul’s brothers in Christ as well, but the dutiful ones are called such in this letter to let them feel good about what they are accomplishing. It separates the good from the bad. Remember, Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 that not all who profess to be following Christ are. 

            We are called to follow Christ, some believers do and others do not. They may have had a legitimate conversion experience; however, they’ve not counted the cost and as a result may have turned spiritually lazy regarding the things of the Lord.

            I have a saying that I firmly believe and live out each day. It is, “It’s NEVER right to do wrong, but it is NEVER wrong to do right”. Some of the members of the Thessalonica had become weary of doing good. Paul’s concern was that those members would have an adverse effect on those continually doing good. 

            The good that some were doing involved daily labor, generosity toward others, along with general Christian conduct, which would be consistent with an ongoing commitment to the Lord. This guidance from Paul can be tied to Galatians 6:9 where Jesus promises a harvest for the ones who do not give up. Faithful service shall be rewarded by the Lord. Idleness can be contagious if one isn’t alert and discerning. Continue on with your service to the Lord and stay strong in the things of God. Keep building your relationship with him and become like the proverbial beacon on the hill. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: www.thebiblesays.com

Taking a Look at Scripture

“If you love me, you will obey what I command.” – John 14:15 NIV

            Obeying Jesus’ commands is NOT a requirement or condition for salvation. Rather, it should be a natural result of having a living, breathing relationship with Christ. Love is an action word; therefore, it is important to show your love thru action instead of just by emotion.

            Exactly what commands is Jesus speaking of?  They encompass all of the words and teachings of Jesus from throughout his ministry. His words should be identified as his Father’s own words since they are one in the same. Obedience is proof of salvation. It is a call to accept and follow his revelation to love and live in truth.

            The love spoken of in the above verse is known as “agape” love which represents a selfless, sacrificial commitment. We should obey the Lord out of love and respect instead of fear of repercussions if we do not, because there would be no punishment coming if you do not follow his lead in obedience. We should do it because we have placed immense value in their relationship with Christ.

            The focus should be between loving God and keeping his word, rather than adhering to a rigid list of do’s & don’ts. It’s quite simple really. Those who do NOT love the Lord will not obey his teachings. Those who DO love Jesus WILL follow his teachings because of their love and respect for him.

            All disciples of Christ both then and now are identified by their obedience to God’s Word, their love for fellow believers and even for those they consider enemies. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: www.gotquestions.org

Taking a Look at Scripture

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” – 1 John 4:7 NIV

 

            Love is a divine attribute that comes directly from Almighty God, and this verse establishes that fact. Having the love of God in your heart is evidence that a spiritual rebirth has taken place in a person.

            The verse reveals to us the divine origin of love showing us that it is not merely a human emotion. It comes directly from God’s nature for as it says in the very next verse (v.8) “God is love.” He is the embodiment of love. Man has skewed love into something disjointed, immoral, and evil, which is not at all what God intended.

            When someone exhibits love in a visible way it reveals selflessness growing in that persons heart. It is thru love that we become selfless, as Jesus was. Doing for others with no expectation of reciprocation reveals the sacrificial side of love. Those characteristics represent an individual that is spiritually born again by Almighty God.

            One of the things that is so special about “knowing God” is what that truly means. To know God is to begin a trip to an intimate, transformative relationship with the creator of the universe and man’s first breath. It is supposed to result in loving others more than you love yourself. It is loving in a real, palpable way rather than simply giving a verbal acknowledgement. Forget what the world says love is... disregard it. Home in on what the creator of true lasting love has to say in his Word about love. ^{[ Hint: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ]}

            Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries         

Resource: www.biblehub.com