Living Out Our Faith as Slaves of Christ, Pt. 1

One of the greatest cover ups in the English translation of the Bible is the idea that we are slaves of Christ - John MacArthur

I often wonder who I am in Christ. I am adopted as a child of God (Ephesians 1:3-6). I am a coheir with Christ (Romans 8:16, 17). I am Christ’s spiritual brother (Matthew 12:46-49). I am part of a royal priesthood (I Peter 2:9). And so many more identities we possess because we are in Christ.

In the letter of James we find another identity, one that is often overlooked, that we are slaves of Christ. This and the next five posts will cover the idea that we are Jesus’ slaves. In this post we will discuss that the identity of being Christ’s slave is covered up in the English translations of the Bible. Secondly, we will see the difference between being a servant and being a slave. Next, we will look at slaves being owned. Fourthly, we will see that slaves are obedient. In the fifth post we will see punishment that slaves can receive and the final post will cover the amazing reward for being a slave of Christ.

The opening quote from MacArthur says is all, in your English translation of the Bible is a cover up of immense proportions. The first verse of James chapter one reads this way in the ESV, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.” Notice that James, Christ’s half-brother, in this translation calls himself a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. Other English translations of James 1:1 use the word servant as well - Contemporary English Version (CEV), Douay-Rheims Bible (DRB), English Standard Version (ESV), Geneva Bible, Good News Bible (GNB), International Standard Bible (ISV), King James Version (KVJ), New International Version (NIV) and the Revised Version (RV). As you can many English translations use the word servant.

The word translated as servant in James 1:1 is the Greek word doulos. Doulos is used 127 times in the New Testament. In the translations I just mentioned they translate it as servant or bond-servant almost every time. The problem is that the Greek word for servant is diakonos not doulos. There are over six words in the Greek for servant and doulos is not one of them. So we need to understand doulos means since it doesn’t mean servant.

Simply put the Greek word doulos means slave. Every use of doulos means slave not servant. The English translations that get it right are the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), the Goodspeed translation and the New American Standard Bible (NASB). The 127 uses of the word doulos in the New Testament they translate as slave every time. Most other translations do not.

So the question we need to ask is why? Why do they use servant instead of slave. It is because the idea of slavery is deplorable to us, as it should be. The images that come to mind when one thinks of a slave are horrific and terrifying. We don’t like them and we shouldn’t. But that isn’t what is intended here or the other 126 times we see the word doulos used in the New Testament. In the next five posts we will see what slavery was during the time James wrote this letter and how it applies to us today. When we are done with this study I trust you will be encouraged, comforted and ready to call yourself a slave of Christ without hesitation.

Review - Humble Orthodoxy

One of my greatest sins is how prideful I am when I am conversing with someone whom I disagree with. When I should be at my most gentle I am most hurtful. This is something that I am quite embarrassed about. I am not helping to build up fellow believers and worse than that I am bringing shame to the name of Christ. Sins that I ask forgiveness of often.

When sin remains I try to find passages in Scripture, sermons and/or books that deal with that sin. Fortunately a book has just been released that confronts my pride and exposes the root of my sin - Humble Orthodoxy by Joshua Harris.

Humble orthodoxy is the idea that we must have a right thinking about God (orthodoxy) and apply and discuss it humbly. He says this, “Christians need to have a strong commitment to sound doctrine. We need to be courageous in our stand for biblical truth. But we also need to be gracious in our words and interaction with other people.” He goes onto say, “truth matters…but so does our attitude. This is what I mean by humble orthodoxy: we must care deeply about the truth, and we must also defend and share this truth with compassion and humility.” That is my struggle, being humble gracious when interacting with others. I believe that it is a struggle that most of us have.

The statement he makes that cut me the most is this: “One of the mistakes Christians often make is that we learn to rebuke like Jesus but not love like Jesus.” Isn’t this so fitting of many people? I am this person. I can rebuke with the best of them but not love like Christ.

I know many people who have been hurt by people in the church because of the unloving way they were treated by them. And that is unfortunate and sinful.

With that said and equal sin is to be so humble that we don’t confront sin. Harris says this, “There is nothing more unloving than to be silent in the face of lies that will ruin another person.” Because the church has been so hateful in its presentation of the gospel it has almost abandoned any confrontation all together. The world has expected as much from the church. They want a loving church without being rebuked for their sins. As I mentioned earlier that is as sinful as being prideful in our disagreements.

How do we go from being prideful to being full of humility? Harris gives the following advice, “Don’t be quarrelsome. Don’t get sidetracked on secondary issues. Be kind. Be patient. When other people are evil, endure it while trusting God. When you need to correct someone, do it with gentleness.” So simple yet so true. If we all got hold of this and applied it to every dealing with had with others the church would have more power in dealing with sin inwardly and in the world.

The reason we should be humble is because Jesus is humble (Philippians 2:8) and we should be like Christ. He is our motivation. He is our example. He is our goal. Harris spends much time on this which is so important in gaining a right perspective on our relationships with others.

To summarize the ideas in his book Harris says this, “That must always be the driving passion behind our pursuit of biblical orthodoxy. Not to prove ourselves more right or better than someone else but to better worship the holy God, the one who forgives and accepts us for Christ’s sake.”

This is a short book of 61 pages. You could read it in an hour or so. You may find that it takes you longer because you will stop often and meditate on what you have been reading. I am so thankful for a book like this. It has been needed for some time. I can’t recommend it enough.

You can purchase it at Christianbook or Amazon.

Disclaimer - I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Review - Revelation and the Antichrist

I took my Sunday School class on a study through the book of Revelation and looked for resources to help understand it’s meaning. I chose books that had different views of the symbolism as long as they based their views on Scripture. I also used resources that dug deep into the text to give to get a better understanding of the grammar, history, geography and customs of the time John wrote the letter. Even though our study is finished I will always be on the lookout for more study aids on the book of Revelation.

When I came across the book Revelation and the Antichrist by William Edward Dewberry I was intrigued because I assumed he would dig into Scripture, Old and New Testaments, and give an in depth look at how the role the Antichrist plays in the book of Revelation. I was looking forward to some exposition on those difficult passages concerning the timeline of events to take place in the end times. Unfortunately I was disappointed.

As I read I was put off by how quickly I was able to read this commentary. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy books that are easy to read. The problem is that when reading a commentary on Revelation I expect to take an occasional pause to digest and meditate what the author is saying. That didn’t happen here. Throughout the book he would site a passage then give a brief explanation on that passage with no real depth given. This happened over and over. I was expecting meat and got a snack.

He is an amillennialist (the view that we are currently in the millennial reign of Christ) but doesn’t give much reason why. As to his rapture view, not much is given. He does discuss dispensations so I am assuming he takes those views as well.

I wish I could recommend this book but I can’t. There are other worthy commentaries on Revelation (here is my review of one) that you should purchase if you are looking for an aid to help you understand this important book.

Disclaimer - I received this resource free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Sneeze book review blogger program. All that was required of me is that I review it, positively or negatively, on my site.

Review - Cruciform

In the middle ages churches were decorated with mosaics, stained glass windows and many other devices that were used to help the congregants learn about the gospel. Understand that during that time many didn’t have a Bible in their home so the church was the main resource of understanding the gospel. And the way it was constructed was a huge help to understanding theology.

The most important feature to the church building was that it was in the shape of a cross. This is called cruciform. This told those that came to the building that the central message to be heard there was the cross. This goes along with Paul’s teaching in I Corinthians 2:2 where he tells the church in Corinth that he aims to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ and him crucified. The cross is and should be the main emphasis of a Christians teaching and life. That is what Jimmy Davis shows us in his wonderful little book Cruciform. As he states in the introduction, Here in the 21^st century we need more cruciform churches. Not lavish cathedrals but living communities of disciples being shaped by the cross into the shape of the cross for the glory of God and the good of our neighbors, the nations, and the next generation. And he spends the rest of the book showing us how to do just that.

The cross was the most selfless act ever committed by a human. Christ gave up worship in heaven and became a servant, emptying himself, humbling himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-11). Christ did that to redeem because our first parents, Adam and Eve, ruined the perfect relationship we had with God in the fall. His redeeming act was to reshape us by the cross. His death and resurrection was to bring us new purity, new passion, new power and a new partnership. As a result of Jesus’ work of shaping us by and into the cross we are to live a life in service to others, following the example of Christ (see previous paragraph).

Davis shows that since we have been formed by and into the cross we will be watching, waiting, willing and welcoming of others in service to others. This is the natural result of a life that has been changed by the cross.

This is a small portion of the truths found in this book. The 107 pages can be read in a few hours but it is filled with truths that will last a lifetime. It is a book that I will turn to again and again. If you decide to read it you won’t be disappointed.

You can purchase it at Christianbook, Amazon and CruciformPress.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Cruciform Press blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review - Expository Listening

I love teaching God’s Word. Opening the Bible, discussing what God wants to teach us gives me a thrill. Seeing people respond to Scripture is proof of its power.

I have read many books on how to teach God’s Word and have many more on my to-read list in the near future. One day when I was looking for another resource to help me teach better I came across a book on how to listen to Bible teaching better. And I couldn’t click to the next page. I was froze. A book on how to listen to preaching better. That is something I had never heard of before. And I had to have the book and read it. The book is titled Expository Listening by Ken Ramey and here is my review of this wonderful, helpful, important book.

In the introduction Ramey hits on something that I had never thought about - how often the Bible speaks about listening. If you are like me you think of all of the commands the Bible makes about getting up from my chair and do something, not sit in my chair and listen. What I have failed to realize is that listening is an action as much as helping the poor. Here is what Ramey says about this:

From cover to cover, the Bible is jam-packed with verses and passages that talk about the vital necessity of hearing and obeying God’s Word. God is very concerned about how preachers preach. But based on the sheer amount of biblical references to hearing and listening, it is unmistakable that God is just as, if not more, concerned about how listeners listen.

Something I mention often in my teaching and preaching is that when we stand before God we will give an account for all that we have said (Matthew 12:36) and done (Hebrews 4:13) but what I never thought about was giving an account for all of the sermons I have heard.

And at the end of your life you will stand before God and give an account for every sermon you heard. On that day, God will essentially ask you, “How has your life changed as a result of the thousands of times you have heard my Word preached?”

That is a staggering reality. We will give an account of how we allowed the sermons we heard to transform our lives. I won’t ever listen to another sermon the same way again.

Ramey, in the chapter on how to prepare beforehand to hear a sermon, says that we should Come to church with a spirit of anticipation, fully expecting God to speak to you through His Word in ways that will make a lasting difference in your life.

Of course only listening to God’s Word does nothing for you (James 1:22). The quote I gave earlier on standing before God and giving an account on how we listened to His Word taught implies that we must put what we hear into practice for that is how we will be judged on our listening, our doing what we have heard preached.

At the end of the book is a section I will turn to often titled “A Quick-Reference Guide for Listeners.” It is a summary of the vital truths found in this book.

If you have problems listening to sermons, if you find yourself distracted, not remembering what you were taught, then this book is for you. If you are a Bible teacher like me, get this book so you can know what God expects from our teaching. If you love to hear sermons, this book will encourage you and possibly point out some areas that you can improve your listening.

You can purchase it at Christianbook, Amazon or Kress Biblical.

Introduction to the Book of James

In February 2012 I began preaching through the book of James. When I started I knew that I would be challenged by the content of the letter but not to the level that I have been. James, the author, wrote this letter to show us how we are to live out our faith (that is the title I chose for the sermon series on this book).  I believe that if we put James’ teaching into practice, the church today will look more like the church during the time of the apostles. Reading the book of Acts and seeing how God moved will excite you to see those things take place in your church today. God did mighty things in them and will do the same in us. All He asks is pure devotion and obedience to Him and we can learn much of that from this book.

I will post the outline from each sermon bi-monthly, Lord willing. I also will add a link to the audio or video that was recorded of that sermon. I welcome all comments/questions that you may have. I believe they will help each of us grow in sanctification and the knowledge of God.

Too often we read a portion of Scripture without knowing the details of who wrote it, why they wrote it, where they wrote it, to whom did they write and the circumstances of their writing. This gives valuable information to understanding the letter more clearly. So this post will be the introduction and give background on this wonderful epistle (letter).

The author of this letter is James, who is believed to be Jesus’ half-brother (half-brother because they have the same mom but different dad’s - see Matthew 13:55). I find it exciting that we have a book in the Bible that was written by a family member of Christ. In what had to be heart breaking for Jesus is that James did not believe that that his half-brother was the Messiah (John 7:5) until after He had been crucified (Acts 1:14; I Corinthians 15:7). How many of us are living with the knowledge that our families don’t believe in us? This is just another way that Christ can sympathize with and care for us.

Eusebius tells us that James was a devout Jew that never let a razor touch his hair, never drank wine or ate meat. This plays an important role in the content of this letter. Because of the way he lived his life he was called James the Just and James the Righteous.

After his conversion James gained a prominent role in the early church. In Acts 15 we see that he was leading the Jerusalem Counsel. This counsel was important because they debated whether one had to be circumcised to be saved; am importation of an important Jewish custom into the new covenant, a custom that James would have fully understood because of his understanding of the law. We also see in Galatians 2:9-12 the leadership role James continued to play in the church.

It is believed that he died in A.D. 62. The Jewish elite asked him to recant his faith and wouldn't  A stark contrast to his denials of his brother as the Messiah before James’ conversion. Church history tells us that he was beaten then thrown from the pinnacle of the temple. This was to mock Christ. Remember in Matthew 4:5-7 Satan tempted Christ by telling Him that if he was to throw Himself off the pinnacle of the temple that angels would save Him. Being a slave of Christ cost James his life.

I enjoy word clouds. They give a good picture of what the author is trying to convey to us. The bigger the word the more often it is used. This is the word cloud for James' epistle.

These words stand out to me: God, Lord, faith, man, brethren and works. James' focus first and foremost is God and our faith in Him. Next is our fellow man. Throughout the epistle James teaches us how we are to relate to each other. Then our works. James 1:22 is the key to the letter. We must be a people of faith that puts that faith into action. If we don't then our faith is dead (James 2:17).

So I invite you to go on this journey with me through the book of James and learn how we are to live out our faith. Again, please leave comments or questions so that we can sharpen each other’s faith (Proverbs 27:17).

Review - The Masculine Mandate

Every once in a while I come across a book that not only exceeds expectations but challenges me in areas I thought I was doing well. Richard D. Phillips book The Masculine Mandate is one such book. Seemingly on every page is an aspect of my life as a man that Phillips turns up-side-down. I won’t soon forget this book.

Phillips purpose is to challenge the popular ideas of what a man is supposed to be by taking us to Scripture, specifically Genesis 2:15 where we read God’s instruction to man. It goes as follows, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” The two charges God gave each man are to work and keep. The book begins by examining in detail those commands. Phillips then shows us how to live out this mandate first in our marriages, then as fathers, as friends then as servants of God.

The book is written in a humble way. Phillips makes it clear that he doesn’t have this mandate perfected in his own life which makes the book more personal. That doesn’t mean that he holds back his punches. We men need that.

I can’t recommend this book enough. Any person of the male gender needs to read this book. And more than once. Your life will be transformed which will result in a better marriage, being a better father, a better friend, a better servant of God.

You can purchase it at Christianbook or Amazon.

Review - The Radical Question/A Radical Idea

What is Jesus worth to you? (Question from the back cover of The Radical Question/A Radical Idea) This is a question that should shake all believers to the core. What value do we place on Christ? Do we desire Him above all else? More importantly do our actions back up our words?

In this book David Platt has taken snipets from two books he has written (Radical and Radical Together) on the topic of what Biblical Christianity is meant to be and how we are to fulfill the call Christ has for the church. In those books he makes the point that we as followers of Christ must serve Him radically since He deserves that and so much more. Great questions and discussion found in those books.

And that is the problem with The Radical Question/A Radical Idea - it isn't needed. All that is in them is found in those others. So I think that to review this book I need to recap the reviews I had of the others (found here and here).

After reading both I came away convicted and pushed away. Platt urges the reader to make much of Christ by reaching everyone we can with the Gospel. He teaches that we need to put much of our efforts into reaching the hurt, hungry and dying with the love of Christ. I agree with that entirely.

Where I disagree with Platt is that he puts so much emphasis on reaching those in other countries that he neglects ministering to those in our communities. He does mention them but just briefly, not nearly as much as those around the world.

And he does that in this book. It is unfortunate. Just look around your community. Are we to neglect them for the world? Leave them to die on the streets? Of course not. Nor should we ignore going beyond the borders of the USA. It isn't an either/or proposition. It’s a both/and. That is what Christ did. That is what the apostle Paul did. It is what we should be doing.

It is my prayer that I have the desire to reach everyone I come in contact with the Gospel. That is David Platt’s goal as well. Did he need to tell us that in another book? No. He did in two others.

You can purchase it at Christianbook, Amazon, or WaterBrook Multnomah.

Disclaimer - I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

New Series of Posts

It has been my desire to write a series of posts here at the blog but I wasn't sure what to write about. I talked to Katrina and she mentioned posting some notes from my Sunday school class or the sermons I preach. I wasn't sure that was I wanted to write about but since she mentioned it I prayed to see if that is what God wanted. Well, it was.

I have been preaching through the book of James the last Sunday night of each month. It is my plan that after I preach on a section from James to post the main points with some commentary within a week or so of preaching it. I hope that we can generate some discussion from each of the postings so please feel free to comment as you wish. I finished chapter one last month and will post from each of those sermons in the coming weeks to catch up.

If you haven't read the book of James, you should. It is a wonderful book full of insight into how we are to live as Christians. You will be encouraged, convicted and stirred with every word.

I am looking forward to hearing from you as we grow together in God's Word.

Review - Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala

I had heard about Jim Cymbala long before I read this book. Many had recommended this book to me and over time became more eager to read it. To confess, when I read a book by a Pentecostal/Charismatic author, I get a bit nervous, even though I consider myself Charismatic in my theology. I think of the guys and gals on T.V. and all the junk they write, that is what I expected. But to my surprise, once I started his book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, I didn’t want to put it down.

Jim Cymbala has been the pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle for over thirty-five years. He has seen and experienced much in those years at a church located in an area full of poverty, drug use, and prostitution amongst other evils. He is passionate, has a wife who loves God and uses worship to express that love, and has a church that has a burden for those in the churches community struggling under the weight of sin.

This book details the many experiences the church has had under his leadership. You will read of those mentioned above being delivered from those sins, wonderful church growth and personal struggles and victories on an amazing level.

This book isn’t so much of a how-to book but a book on what can happen when a church seeks God in prayer and devotes themselves to His mission. He explains how the church has a weekly prayer night every Tuesday. It began with a modest size group but has grown to the thousands each Tuesday. They give thanks, intercede and give supplications for any and all needs brought to the church during the week and any discussed that night.

The results are nothing but miraculous. The story that touched me most was the story of how his daughter who had ran from God for years came back to the faith in a dramatic way. Another story he writes is one of man who came to the prayer meeting that at the end came up to Cymbala, who thought that the homeless man only wanted money but only wanted prayer. I could go on.

Some things that his church does has peeked my interest - the weekly prayer meeting I previously mentioned and how they have a group of people praying during the church service for the service and those in attendance. The thought of having prayer warriors praying during the service is real exciting. We are in a spiritual battle and those prayers could make the difference.

With all of that said there is one main issue I have with the book and that is the emphasis Cymbala places on prayer during the church service over all other activities, including preaching. He quotes Matthew 21:13 where Christ says that His house shall be called a house of prayer not a house of preaching. Which is a good point. But he never addresses Acts 5:42 where Luke writes the following, “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.” Notice that when that when the apostles went to the church (temple) this text says that they did not cease to preach. This happened every day. Doesn’t this show how important preaching is? Doesn’t this show us what the main purpose was when the apostles went to church? I believe so and it was preaching. Please understand that I am not devaluing praying, I just want to view it and preaching the way Scripture does.

That disagreement doesn’t diminish my appreciation for this book and how encouraged I was from it. There are many chapters (The Lure of Novelty; The Lure of Marketing; The Lure of Doctrine Without Power to name a few) that I have been meditating on since I finished.

If you or your church need to be reignited, if you or your church haven't experienced God move in mighty ways in quite some time, you need to read this book. It won’t disappoint.