Sermon (video): The Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15)

This sermon was preached on March 28, 2011 at the First Baptist Church of Brooksville, Florida.

To view the sermon on Godtube.com, click here.

Book Review: "Every Man's Battle" by Stephen Arterburn, Fred Stoeker w/Mike Yorkey

I obtained my free copy of "Every Man’s Battle" from Multnomah for review. (A handful of women looking at that title may have a handful of different ideas regarding what the book is about. A stadium filled with thousands of men would provide only one answer … and it would be correct.) I handpicked this book because of its relevancy to the Christian walk. To one extent or another, most men have not gained complete victory in this area of their life and this book appeared to provide a battle plan for winning. Having completed the book, I can say that my suppositions were correct.

To begin with, this is a man’s book written by men to men. As such, it periodically comes across as conversation that would take place in a male locker room. Not that the conversation is impure – it’s written by men who take their walk with Jesus seriously. The conversation is just frank and honest.

The authors took a very interesting approach to dealing with the sins of thought and deed. Since it is “maleness” that creates the potential problems, it is “maleness” that can get men out. The authors write on page 71: “You got into this mess by being male; you’ll get out by being a man.” The authors write on page 218: “I want you to know that you are a warrior of the Lord God Almighty. The battle for purity lies before you, and victory is yours for the taking. God is with you, and make no mistake, together you stand as a formidable duo on the battlefield. You can win – you will – win this battle.” You read that and you just want to let out a good ol’ Tim Allen (“Home Improvement”) “Arrrggghhh arrrrggghhh!”

However, even though it is quite man-centered, it is also thoroughly biblical. Verse upon verse are given to show how seriously God takes sexual purity in the Scriptures. Verses are given to provide principles for victory. Further, verses are provided to show that the basis for our victory is not in ourselves but in Christ who is in us. The basis is the work of redemption as referenced on page 90: “At Calvary, He purchased for you the freedom and authority to live in purity. That freedom and that authority are His gift to you through the presence of His Spirit, who took up residence within you when you gave your life to Christ. The freedom and authority are wrapped up in our new inner connection to His divine nature, which is the link that gives us His power and the fulfillment of His promises…” We can do nothing apart from Christ. But if we are saved, we AREN’T apart from Christ and are more than overcomers.

Another aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the real life stories. Over and over, the authors told of men they knew who broke their vows by allowing their eyes, mind and heart/body to wander. The consequences they experienced are a healthy warning to every man.

As men read this book, they will realize that much of what they struggle with is common among most men. In realizing this, there may be greater freedom to acknowledge the problem and tackle it. (As I have counseled folks in my office, I’ve noticed the sense of relief that comes over them when I inform them that others struggle with the same issues that they do. That relief doesn’t minimize the sin. It does, however, give them the ability to relax and experience God’s power to assist them rather than being overwhelmed by the “great accuser.”)

Finally, and there is so much more that I could write, this book does a great job of setting up some common-sense and necessary parameters to keep from being overtaken by immorality. There is a section on how to guard your eyes, another section on how to guard your mind and another on guarding your heart (pursuing holiness and your wife).

This book will remain a helpful resource in my arsenal for years to come.

Does God have a temper?

So what about all of those "pesky" verses that talk about God's anger? 

 

We're hearing that people these days want to believe in a God that is love and ... well, pretty much, that's it. They just want a God that loves them. 

 

But the same Bible that tells us that God loves us also tells us that He is a God of anger and wrath. How can an "angry" God also be a loving God? And is His wrath a necessary component of His character? Can we simply overlook it to make God more "palatable" to the world around us?

 

Well, I'm glad you asked. First, let's look briefly at a few verses that plainly state that wrath is a part of who God is. Then let's look at why a loving God MUST be a God of wrath. Yes, if He is loving, He MUST get angry.

 

Ephesians 2:3 "We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and by nature we were children under wrath, as the others were also."

 

Romans 2:5 "But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. "

 

Romans 5:8-9 "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us! Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath."

 

Revelation 6:15-17 "Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the military commanders, the rich, the powerful, and every slave and free person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of Their wrath has come! And who is able to stand?'"

 

Now, to clarify. God's wrath isn't like our bouts of anger. When we get angry, it's usually an emotional reaction. It's a response to a wrong done against us. It has at least a small desire to exercise some form of revenge upon the one who wronged us. These are just a few of the ugly characteristics that surround our sinful angry moments.

 

God's anger isn't that way at all. It seems that God's anger is a response that is always directed at sin and sinners. It isn't an emotional outburst. In fact, it is held at bay by God's mercy and grace so that it is not always exercised when it would have been appropriate. (I could put some proof texts by many of the the previous statements but will assume that I'm writing to folks who already know and believe what I'm talking about.)

 

However, the issue is how a loving God can also be a God who is filled with anger/wrath. How can God get angry at sin and sinners and still be loving?

 

Well, God's love isn't just directed at you and me. Sure, "God so loved the world..." He loves the world in general and He loves you and me in particular. Yet, we aren't the only objects of God's affection. He loves us ... but He also loves holiness and justice. And a love for justice DEMANDS that He get angry.

Imagine that you are sitting in a court room. There is a murder trial taking place. A child has been killed and the murderer is sitting in that very courtroom. The child that was killed ... was your child. You sit there grieving over your unspeakable loss as you look across the room to see the murder weapon resting peacefully on a table. It is a knife.

As you look at that knife, you are fully cognizant of the fact that it was what the murderer used to plunge into your helpless child's body. It stole your child's life from you.

Now, let me ask you a question. As you look at that weapon, would you think: "Hey, I wonder what they're going to do with that knife after the trial. I wonder if they'll let me take it home, put it in a nice glass case and put it in a prominent place in my living room."?

Let me tell you that if you felt this way, I would immediately question your sanity or your love for your child. You simply could not remain so indifferent to the very thing that took something so precious from you.

So, how would you react as you looked upon it? Your pulse would rise. Tears would come into your eyes. You would become angry as you looked at that weapon that was used in such a senseless, painful tragedy, wouldn't you? You would love to think that the weapon would be destroyed and the sooner the better. That knife took the life of your child and it carries those memories.

You know, it's the same way with God.

Sin is the weapon that came into God's creation and destroyed it.
It caused mankind to be cast out of the Garden of Eden to live in a world where difficulty and tragedy would become the norm.
It severed the divine relationship that God enjoyed with mankind.
It also took the life of His own Son on the cross.

As God looks upon sin, He sees what brought such destruction to all that He held dear and He cannot help but become angry. If He never became angry at what caused and still causes such great destruction, we would question His sanity or His love for all of what the Bible says that He holds dear, right?

His love for us DEMANDS that He get angry at what brought such great harm to us. If he could tolerate sin and it never caused His nostrils to flare, could he really say that He loves us and mean it?

This discussion is so much deeper than what I have spoken. Maybe a later post will elaborate a little more.

Book Review: "Love Wins" by Rob Bell

Rob Bell's book, Love Wins, has recently hit the shelves and will no doubt stir a lot of debate. The remarkable thing is that many who claim the title "evangelical" will champion it ... a point I find remarkable for the reasons I give here. I purchased the book yesterday, devoured it and am posting my review. My response to "Love Wins" is a bit lengthy but still does not come close to touching all of the concerns I have with this book.

Wow! Where do I start? In fact, since I so soundly disagree with most of his book, should I even set out to write a critical review in the first place? Listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote Titus. He commanded Titus to appoint elders in every town and one thing these elders were do was … “holding to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it.” In this book, Rob Bell very clearly contradicts the “sound teaching” of Scripture and so, yes, this review is appropriate.


I commend Rob on his writing style. He is engaging and knows how to craft sentences and paragraphs in such a way that a 21^st century reader finds easy to read and enjoyable. While there are a few other positive things I could say, let’s get right to the serious stuff.


The author begins the book in such a way that I was left thinking I should be glad that he had arrived. He seemed to be like Mighty Mouse who had come to save the day … or at least clear up all of the “false teachings” that have characterized orthodox Christianity for centuries. He writes, “I’ve written this book for all those, everywhere, who have heard some version of the Jesus story that caused their pulse rate to rise, their stomach to churn, and their heart to utter those resolute words, 'I would never be a part of that.'”


Now, on the surface, we may want to agree with him. Don’t we want to have a belief system that is embraced by others, in fact by everyone? In our age of political correctness and where everyone wears their feelings on their shoulders, aren’t we becoming programmed to shy away from all that is “offensive?” Who in their right mind would tell others something that would make their “stomach churn” unless, of course, it was intended to be that way? After all, 1 Corinthians 1:23 says, “but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.” In fact, Galatians 5:11 refers to the “offense of the cross.”


If the Gospel was supposed to be a message that kept people’s pulse rates from rising, stomachs from churning and hearts from being turned off by it, then the Apostle Paul failed miserably. He failed so miserably that he kept getting beaten, stoned, whipped and such. Maybe he had the wrong approach. Maybe Rob Bell's book was written 2,000 years too late. In fact, we would have to conclude that Jesus failed, too. He spoke the Good News so effectively that he was killed for it.


Further, in his Preface, the author wrote: “A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better. It’s been clearly communicated to many that this belief is a central truth of the Christian faith and to reject it, in essence, to reject Jesus. This is misguided and toxic and ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus’s message of love, peace, forgiveness, and joy that our world desperately needs to hear.” Now, I must plead ignorant as to where the author gets this information. I can’t imagine where he hears that fewer people will go to Heaven than Hell, unless of course it was from Jesus in Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it." This is just one of the first of many times that the author sets forth a view that is plainly contrary to Scripture that most people are familiar with.


Another problem I had with the book was the author’s practice of asking question after question after question, ad nauseum. If you read the book, you’ll understand my comments on this matter. It seemed as if the author enjoyed asking questions more than he did answering them. Yet, from the vantage point of his sympathetic readers, his incessant questioning was effective in deconstructing much of what has characterized orthodox Christianity for years. In doing so, it enabled the author to reconstruct these views in his own way for his own purposes.


The author also did hermeneutical gymnastics on numerous occasions. He took passages out of context or simply read into them things that were never intended by the original writers of Scripture. The author didn’t let the original intent of the New Testament writers get in his way, though, of using those texts to “prove” his point Scripturally.


One example: The author references Exodus 17 where the Israelites received life giving water from the rock while wandering in the wilderness. On that occasion, God made clear that Moses was to strike the rock with the staff he used at the parting of the Red Sea. When Moses did this, water gushed from the rock to satisfy the thirst of the Israelites.


From there, the author references 1 Corinthians 10:4 where the Apostle Paul wrote: “and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.” Now, any logical minded reader who has any desire at all to accurately interpret God’s Word would know what Paul was saying. He was saying that the rock illustrated Christ. There are many similarities but a few are: 1) the rock was hit by a wooden rod and Jesus was nailed to a wooden cross; 2) the result was water to satisfy just as Jesus told the woman at the well that He had living water (forgiveness/eternal life) to satisfy her; 3) it was intended to meet the needs of the Israelites just as Jesus satisfies those that belong to Him; etc.


However, the author doesn’t get this meaning at all. Not even close. He has another point he wants to make and so he changes the significance/meaning of the rock. Instead of saying that the rock illustrates Christ, he says, “Jesus was ... the rock. According to Paul, Jesus was there. Without anybody using his name. Without anybody saying that it was him. Without anybody acknowledging just what – or, more precisely, who – it was. Paul’s interpretation that Christ was present in Exodus raises the question: Where else has Christ been present?”


What’s the author getting at? He’s opening the door wide to show that people can be saved by Christ even if His name isn’t mentioned and there is no knowledge of the Gospel. The Hindu engaged in idol worship, having never heard of Jesus or seen a Bible, can believe enough on his own to worship Christ and be made a recipient of the living water. (One is left to wonder why Jesus told us to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send laborers into His fields [Luke 10:2]. Why “waste” our money on missionaries if people don’t need the Scriptures to believe?) Clearly, the author is a universalist in his understanding of who makes it to Heaven. In the final chapters, this allegation becomes undeniable.


It becomes clear that he believes Hell (and he doesn't seem to be certain what it is) is a place where God's love continues to reach out to the lost. The author is convinced that given enough time, those in Hell will choose God's love over the tormenting flames. Given the option, I can certainly see how they would come to such a conclusion but the real question is whether or not such an option exists. The Scripture speak nothing of this option. The author, however, reassures his readers that such an option actually does exist. Dangerous, very dangerous!  


While the author is clear that Jesus and the cross are the way to Heaven, he refuses to believe that Jesus MUST be the object of one’s faith to receive eternal life. He writes: “John remembers Jesus saying, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ (chap. 14). This is as wide and expansive a claim as a person can make. What he doesn’t say is how, or when, or in what manner the mechanism functions that gets people to God through him. He doesn’t even state that those coming to the Father through him will even know that they are coming exclusively through him. He simply claims that whatever God is doing in the world to know and redeem and love and restore the world is happening through him.” It is remarkable that the author goes for the very text that is clearly exclusive and redefines it as inclusive. Jesus used the definite article when He said, "I am THE way, THE truth and THE life." Yet, the author isn't afraid to redefine it as long as it then fits into his paradigm of the kind of Gospel that would readily be received by the masses.


The author’s view of hell is remarkable. However, I’d have to qualify that statement before proceeding. Even after reading the author’s chapter on hell, I’m still confused as to whether or not he actually believes in the “hell” that has been so clearly laid out in Scripture and defined by orthodox Christianity for centuries. He seems to allow for it but spends more time talking about the “hell” that people experience while here on earth. He gives much more attention to this present condition. This would seem to jive well with his view of what Christians are supposed to be doing with their lives. (I thought it remarkable that in a book that spoke of Heaven and Hell and the fate of every person who has ever lived, there would be a cogent Gospel presentation somewhere in the book, at least tucked away in the appendix somewhere. Yet, even though this was strangely absent, there were websites and addresses given for those interested in providing clean water, fighting against social injustice, desiring fewer nuclear weapons and such.) With a paradigm that focuses on bringing Heaven to our corrupt earth, it seems that at least the author is consistent when he speaks of hell being here on earth, too.


Another flaw from which the author operates is a lack of understanding concerning any attribute of God besides His love. It is true that God is love and that it is so vast that we can’t even come close to understanding it and that nothing can separate us from it. However, it is also true that we aren’t the only objects of God’s affections. God also loves justice and holiness and is filled with wrath at sin (just read Ephesians 2:3, Romans 2:5 and Revelation 6:16 for starters).


Yet, operating from a limited view of who God is, the author writes: “Millions of people in our world were told that God so loved the world, that God sent His Son to save the world, and that if they accept and believe in Jesus, then they’ll be able to have a relationship with God. Beautiful. But there’s more. Millions have been taught that if they don’t believe, if they don’t accept in the right way, that is, the way the person telling them the gospel does, and they were hit by a car and died later that same day, God would have no choice but to punish them forever in conscious torment in hell.” It’s as if the author has only read what Pollyanna called “the happy texts.” His view of who God is and what He is like is so simplistic against the backdrop of the complex God presented in the Scriptures.


The author continues: “If your God is loving one second and cruel the next, if your God will punish people for all of eternity for sins committed in a few short years, no amount of clever marketing or compelling language or good music or great coffee will be able to disguise that one, true, glaring, untenable, unacceptable, awful reality. Hell is refusing to trust, and refusing to trust is often rooted in a distorted view of God.” So, the author argues that if the lost world is to embrace the God we think we know, He needs a good PR man. Christians throughout the ages erred by speaking of the "undesirable" attributes of God and made Him into something that the lost world just doesn't find attractive. They aren’t drawn to a god that would get angry at sinners and send them forever to a Christ-less hell. Thus, the need to correct those errors and recreate God in a way that focuses on the attributes that the lost world will be drawn to, namely His love. In fact, we're led to believe by the author that the whole of humanity is simply waiting to respond to that kind of God.


We should all be eternally grateful that someone such as Rob Bell came along and gave God a much needed makeover. It shouldn’t surprise us if now that he’s cleared up the mess that centuries of Christians created, things are going to look up for every believer. Muslims in Iran will soon drop their machetes and replace them with hugs for the Christians in their midst now that they know that God loves them. Hindus will stop persecuting Christians after they read Rob’s book and will burn their idols. Or, Rob has led us to believe that they could continue to worship those idols as long as their heart longs for the true God. In that way, the redeeming work of Christ will fit them for Heaven .. as they continue to bow down to those idols. And by the way, we now know that we don’t have to give of our finances or send out missionaries especially when they go to places that are dangerous. Why send them at all?


Let’s just enjoy the life God has given us and wait until eternity to see if Rob is right (unless we are people of the truth who devoutly believe what God has so plainly revealed in His Word). Since we are people of the truth, we must stand against error ... especially error such as is propagated in this book that no doubt will send thousands of unsuspecting men and women to a Christ-less eternity ... forever. 


I pity the author on the day of judgment unless his retraction of this book is as widespread as the audience this book will get. James 3:1 says: "Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment".

Sermon (video): Death to Life (Ephesians 2:1-5)

This sermon was preached at the First Baptist Church of Brooksville, Florida on March 13, 2011.

Click here to view the sermon

If there is a God, why do tsunamis happen?

As I watch video footage of the devastating tsunami waves coming ashore in Japan, my heart is breaking. In one scene, I watched men and women in what proved to be a futile attempt to get away from the wall of water. They frantically drove their vehicles away from the death that would overtake them. To my horror, I continued to watch what happened moments later. I pray that their families will be able to recover their bodies for the funeral. 

As some watch these horrific scenes, knowing that there will be thousands of lives lost, they will ask, “Why?! If there is a God in Heaven and He is a God of love, why would this happen?!”

Can I share just a few, brief thoughts?

First, God didn't create our world like this. In Genesis 1, after He separated the oceans from land (Genesis 1:9-10), He looked at the finished product and said that it was good. No hurricanes. No flooding. No tsunamis. Everything was perfect.

Second, when Adam and Eve sinned, as the original stewards of creation, their actions brought death and destruction. Because of their actions, God's creation became cursed (Genesis 3:17). It didn't operate as smoothly as it first did. Now, there are hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, wildfires, and yes, tsunamis.


Third, God will do nothing to salvage this present creation. Instead, one day He will completely destroy it with fire (2 Peter 3:5-7) and create a brand new earth for believers to live on forever (Revelation 21-22). Only those who have received the gift of eternal life will be allowed to enter that Heavenly place. At that time, we will be made incapable of sin and so the creation will never, ever be cursed again. That is the Heaven we long for.


Lastly, how can you know for sure that this world will one day be a distant memory for you as you enjoy God's new earth for eternity? Go to http://www.wayofthemaster.com/about_kirk.shtml and click on "Listen to Kirk's Testimony." If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I'd LOVE to help you with this decision!

How can I know what God wants me to do?

Decisions, decisions, decisions!!! Life's full of them, big and small. You have to make choices on everything from the items you purchase at the retail store to which combo meal you will select at the fast food restaurant to what career change you may feel led to make. Every day is chock-full of moments of decision that await your choice.

So how do you know how to make the right decision? Specifically, how can you know that the choices you make (especially the big ones) are glorifying to our Lord and will put you in a place where you can continue to experience His blessings?

Here are a few action points that I've discovered enable me to discover what choice God would have me make:

1. Get Rid of Sin

If you want to hear from the Lord, you've got to do the necessary work of confessing every known sin. God won't honor you with a Word from Him if you aren't honoring Him with a clean life.

“Indeed, the LORD’s hand is not too short to save, and His ear is not too deaf to hear. But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have made Him hide His face from you so that He does not listen.” (Isaiah 59:1-2)

2. Dig Into God’s Word

The way that God primarily speaks to us is through His Word. If you want to hear from Him, pick up your Bible. It contains a wealth of divine instruction. Use some of the study helps to see if there is a text that addresses your specific issue or a timeless principle that sheds light on your decision.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

3. Spend Much Time in Prayer

You need to bring your request before your Heavenly Father. In prayer, acknowledge your dependence upon Him. Acknowledge Him as the One who knows all things and will work all things out for your ultimate good. Realize that He has a perfect will and desires to make it clear to you. Believe that He will honor your prayerful request for wisdom concerning His will in His time.

“During those days He went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God. When daylight came, He summoned His disciples, and He chose 12 of them--He also named them apostles:” (Luke 6:12-13)

4. Rely on the Holy Spirit

If you have received the gift of eternal life, the Holy Spirit resides inside of you (Romans 8:9). Of the many duties the Holy Spirit will carry out in you, one is to reveal and guide you into truth (correct thinking). This is essentially what we're looking for when we need to make a major decision.

“I still have many things to tell you, but you can't bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak whatever He hears. He will also declare to you what is to come.” (John 16:12-13)

5. Obtain Wise Counsel

Don’t allow spiritual pride to undermine a valuable resource God has provided to you. Almost certainly, you are surrounded by at least a few Christians who have some wisdom they could impart to you. Share your thoughts and questions with a few other select peers … and then listen.

“A fool's way is right in his own eyes, but whoever listens to counsel is wise.” (Proverbs 12:15)

6. Observe Your Circumstances

Often, discovering God's will is as simple as looking around you. What's He doing in your life? What’s God doing around you? The answer may not be so difficult to ascertain after all.

“A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

7. Question: Do You Have Inner Peace?

It seems as if the moment we realize what God's will is, we will have a sense of peace about the decision. The fretting that may have characterized our searching heart is gone. We are at peace with the decision and have a sense within our spirit that God has made His will clear to us.

“Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

Are we Christians or just nice people?

Dani working in the Love Kitchen in Knoxville, TN

I watched Secret Millionaire on Sunday and loved it! I commend Dani Johnson for doing the show and the testimony she gave in a recent Christianity Today article. However, there is a troubling thought that I was left with after I watched the show. Let me give one more illustration before I elaborate on it.

A few of us from First Baptist experienced the joy of serving as we went to Ecuador last summer and worked in an orphanage. Some of the children in that orphanage were neglected, diseased, etc. and virtually all of them were pitiful. Our team focused on building them a new facility, teaching them art, and generally finding tangible ways to care for them. They were fortunate enough to have Casa de Fe in the city of Shell, Ecuador that would take them in and not only care for them but love them to Jesus. However, I had a troubling thought as I left that mission trip, too.

The troubling thought? Regarding the Secret Millionaire, it is that one week after Dani Johnson lovingly provided for the needs of some deserving recipients and doing it in the name of Jesus, someone else will do the same thing for their own purposes. They may not be a Christian at all and yet they will do exactly what Dani did. The question? What makes Dani's act of kindness in Jesus’ name distinctly “Christian” if the next guy will do the same thing?

Regarding our ministry trip to Ecuador, I struggled with the fact that while we were serving the Lord by working at the construction site, we were surrounded by men and women who were lost and had spent the same amount of money as us to go to Ecuador and do the same thing. What made our acts of ministry distinctly “Christian” if it was being mimicked by those who had rejected Christ?

Now, let me backtrack and clarify a bit. Dani's actions on Secret Millionaire were inspiring and in my estimation “Christian,” especially when you read Christianity Today’s article and come to understand what ABC edited out. I also believe the ministry project our church has in Ecuador is distinctly "Christian" in that we are doing what God has called us to do and are being His hands and feet. My point is that Christians must be intentional in our acts of service. They must not focus simply on temporal needs but on Kingdom objectives. If not, we will find ourselves doing the same thing alongside those who are lost and fail to show them how Jesus makes us different from them.

This is my problem with much of what has encompassed the Christian culture today. We’re doing service projects that meet needs like the Lord would have us but we are failing to make our actions distinctly "Christian." This is simply a repackaging of the “social gospel” that strives to meet the physical and legitimate needs of the hurting and oppressed while failing to do so for a greater purpose … the furtherance of the Kingdom of God. If an act of service is not done for this purpose, it is simply not “Christian.” A kind act? Yes. A necessary act? Yes. A Christian act? No.

Jesus was not indifferent to this matter. He continually called His followers away from the world so that they would be distinctly different. A follower of Christ should be fairly easy to detect even in a lost world that is going through a phase of service-oriented projects that leave tears in your eyes as the hour program comes to a close. I’ll conclude with one such reference:

Luke 6:27-36  "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

Should we continue to engage in acts of kindness? Of course! But be intentional about how it can be done in a way that makes it “Christian.”