Divine Enemy Number One

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living

–Winter of 2005

Divine Enemy Number One

The Proverb writer gives us a list of seven things that God hates.  First on the list is, “a proud look.”  A further search of scripture will yield another list of about a hundred verses describing God’s utter contempt of man’s pride.  One of the more descriptive verses is found in James 3:6 where one translation reads, “God stiff-arms the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

 Why is God so angry with pride?

The reasons are ample, but the one that tops the list is the fact that pride is the complete anti-God state of mind.  Pride arrogantly sets up man as his own master.  It breeds enmity between God and man, as well as between man and man.  Pride destroys meaningful relationships and leaves misery in its wake.    As C.S. Lewis poignantly observes, “It was through pride that the devil became the devil.”

Though the Bible has so much to say about pride, few of us readily admit to having any problem with it.  In all my years of ministry, I can recall only a handful of people that ever acknowledged struggling with pride.  In my own spiritual journey, I too found it difficult to face up to any problem with pride.  I believe we don’t talk much about it because its manifestations are so subtle we don’t always recognize it.  Consider a few ways that pride manifests itself and ask God if these are a problem in your life.

  • Proud people have a need to always be right.
  • Proud people focus on others failures and tend to be highly critical.
  • Proud people tend to be argumentative especially with those in authority over them.
  • Proud people are more interested in being heard than in hearing.
  • Proud people are angry people, irritable, impatient, and usually have a demanding spirit.
  • Proud people lack a submissive attitude.  They tend to be controllers.
  • Proud people are defensive of their actions and not easily corrected.
  • Proud people tend to be self-righteous and highly exclusive of other Christians that are not of their own stripe.
  • Proud people find it difficult to discuss their own spiritual needs.  They would rather cover up their sin than confess it.  Most proud people feel they have no need to ever repent of anything.

If you are struggling with pride acknowledge it and repent of it.  James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.”

The Light Still Shines

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living, Holiday, Theology

–December of 2004

The Light Still Shines

“The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness could not extinguish it.” (John 1:5)

In a great piece of music, the composer often begins by stating the themes which he is going to elaborate in the course of the work.  That is what John does in the opening of his gospel.  Light is one of the great words upon which John builds his testimony of Jesus.  John describes Jesus as a light that has come into the world to light the life of every man.  Another one of John’s key words is darkness.  John saw a darkness in the world that was very real and very hostile to the light.  This darkness represents evil.  Sinning man loves the darkness and hates the light, because the light exposes their wickedness.   John takes these two themes and shows their natural opposition.  He portrays a universal battleground where the forces of dark and light are arrayed in an eternal conflict.   The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot extinguish it.  The darkness seeks to eliminate the light of Christ—to banish it from life, but the light will not go out!

This conflict is played out in the pages of sacred history.  The Old Testament lets us witness everything from individual struggles with evil to heavenly warfare for the soul of a Nation.  In the New Testament this conflict emerges with intensity around the cradle of the incarnate Christ as the forces of darkness unleash Herod’s sword in a futile attempt to eliminate the light.  The ultimate battle, however, was staged on the Cross of Christ.  The rulers of this age and the powers of darkness thought if they could only nail Christ to the cross that darkness would win once and for all.  They thought the crucifixion of Christ would be the ultimate defeat and their final triumph.  In fact, it proved to be just the reverse.  Out of the darkness of his death came the blinding light of His resurrection victory.  The light of this good news exploded out of the confines of Palestine and across the known world like a quickly spreading flame until, in a few decades, the gospel had impacted every major population center of the Roman world.

The powers of darkness responded with persecution and torture.  But wild beasts and boiling oil couldn’t put out the light and the blood of the martyrs only fueled the flame.  When persecution from without did not succeed, the forces of darkness turned inward and awful darkness settled down over the church.  But out of the heart of that darkness, reformation fires began to burn and the light prevailed.  Every counter move by the forces of darkness to extinguish the light only brought revival fires that would break out and save lives, transform nations, and change the course of history.

The darkness has used all sorts of political ideologies, human philosophies, and false religions to advance its cause.  But the light always breaks through to enlighten the mind and hearts of men.  Alumnus Rick Hutchison told recently of standing in the front yard of Nikita Khrushchev’s summer home and holding Easter morning services.  As the sound of Christian hymns lifted toward heaven, Rick couldn’t help but think of the irony of the situation.  He was preaching the gospel in the front yard of the atheist dictator who declared he would bury Christian America without a shot.  Another alumnus, Rodney Jackson, e-mailed me the story of how he was able to give a Bible to an Iraqi woman while he was serving in Iraq.  He watched the tears of joy run down her cheeks as she expressed appreciation to her American liberators, but he knew that what he had given her would bring a greater liberation and drive the darkness and despair from her empty eyes.

As you gather with friends this Christmas season, light a candle and lift your voice in praise for light has come into the world and the darkness has not and will not overcome it!

Fences

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living, Theology

–November of 2004

Fences

Americans have long had a love affair with fences.  A leisurely drive through almost any neighborhood will reveal miles of fencing.  Fences give us protection and security.  They keep small children from straying out and trespassers from coming in.  They give us a sense of ownership and control over small parcels of real estate we call our own.

The Church too has had an appreciation for fences.  Early religious leaders had a practice they called, “fencing the Law.”  These fences were erected to keep people from transgressing God’s commands.  In more recent times we have called these fences by a variety of names, such as prudential regulations, lifestyle standards, general rules, and personal convictions.  Whatever we call them, their purpose is to standardize religious behavior, simplify obedience, and encourage habits that reinforce godly lifestyles. Their ultimate goal is to prevent violations of God’s Word. These fences are such a natural part of our religious landscape that we hardly notice them.

Fences Can Serve a Valuable Purpose

The teachings of the Bible require interpretation and application.  We must take the truth of scriptural commands and biblical principles and make them applicable to daily life.  The biblical command to, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” must leave the pages of scripture and work its way into our life.  Denominations take this command and formulate general rules about the Sabbath for their members.  Churches create manuals with membership rules that provide guidelines for honoring the Sabbath.  Individuals develop personal convictions as to how they will respect the Sabbath day.  These fences are erected around the commandment to instruct us in honoring it as well as to prevent us from transgressing it.

Another example is found in the biblical principle of modesty.  The Bible doesn’t tell us what to wear, but it does teach us to dress modestly.  Spiritual leaders develop guidelines to define and demonstrate this principle.  As people follow these guidelines, they have an assurance that they are honoring the principle and not transgressing God’s Word.  This is important for young Christians, as they often need things spelled out in concrete terms so they can understand and comply with the Word of God.

Furthermore, fences can be helpful in minimizing ambiguity.  People do not work well in a state of flux; they like to know what to do and what not to do.  This knowledge gives them a sense of security.  Fences can also guard us in areas of personal weakness by highlighting potential danger that for others might be a harmless activity.

The Danger of Fences

  In our zeal to build fences that serve to keep souls in the straight and narrow way, we can fall prey to the dangers that abound in humanly devised fences.  One of the first dangers is an inconsistent application of scripture.  Sometimes this is caused by relying on proof-texts that do not square with the whole counsel of God.  For example, some people are extremely focused on the biblical passages regarding the tithe, and somehow miss the host of others that deal with the overarching principles of stewardship.  They take a false security in giving their ten percent and sense no guilt at all for failing to follow the biblical teaching that God owns it all and we are but stewards.  In other cases, they build on a solid biblical truth but fail to apply it to the totality of life.  For instance, there are those that apply the biblical prohibitions against worldliness to what they wear or do not wear, and then proceed to be as greedy, grasping, and materialistic as the man who does not even know God.  What about those who speak out against defiling the body with tobacco, alcohol, and drugs and never mention the sin of over-indulging in food until obesity harms the body, shortens the life, and blights the testimony?

 Another danger is erecting fences based on preference and taste rather than principle and truth.  This is a slippery slope indeed.  I’ve listened to spiritual leaders deride young people over the praise and worship music they listen to.  They tell them it is shallow, repetitious, and has more entertainment value than worship value.  While these criticisms have some validity, these same leaders attend Southern Gospel concerts put on by shallow, worldly performers, highly talented in vocalizing light weight lyrics, gifted in dispensing one-liners that poke fun at the Church and the “Man up stairs,” who have mastered the art of taking their hand clapping foot stomping congregation on an entertaining, emotionally thrilling journey from laughter to tears.  It seems to me that both young and old need to put principle back into their music choices.

Fences become extremely dangerous when they are endowed with Divine authority and made equal to the Word of God.  This can lead to division in the Church, create disdain for others who do not see it as we do, and breed judgmental thinkers.  For example, there seems to be a renewed concern in the conservative holiness movement over facial hair on men.  When the conservative holiness movement emerged over a hundred years ago, the leaders were amazed to see God blessing clean-shaved men in their meetings.  This shift highlights the importance of not giving changing cultural fads the authority of scripture.  Generally, fences have to do with the application of sound Christian disciplines and should not become issues that divide the church or condemn a brother.  Fences may differ from one culture to the next, from one section of the country to the next, and from one century to the next.  Fences may change, but the biblical principle they reflect never changes.

Fences are wrong when they become a higher priority than people.  Jesus had a major confrontation with the Pharisees over this issue.  They had laid down such strict fences for Sabbath observance that they prohibited acts of necessity and deeds of mercy.  When Jesus healed the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath day they were so infuriated they began to plot his destruction.  Jesus made the priority of people clear when he said, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.”

Finally, one of the most subtle dangers of fences is that they can become a substitute for a living vital relationship with God.  If all there is to the Christian life is just making sure we stay within the fences, then all we have found is a dead way.  The true Christian life is a living way that can only be lived through the power of God’s Spirit in a journey marked by faith.  Fences may direct us to God, but they cannot make us holy.  They may aid us in living a Spirit–filled life, but they are not the source of that life.  In fact, the deeper we grow in Christ, the more we assimilate biblical truth into our lives, and the more sensitive we become to the voice of the Holy Spirit, the less need we should have for fences to keep our feet in the narrow path toward heaven.  Sadly, some people measure the depth of their spiritual experience by the number of fences still needed in their life.

I am thankful for the fences that have helped me grow in grace.  They have protected me from unnecessary temptation and harm.  These fences have been my friends, but they have never been my focus.  I have endeavored to join with the Hebrew writer in, “Fixing my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of my faith.”

Pastor – Save Thyself

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Church, Ministry

–October of 2004

Pastor – Save Thyself

Almost everyone knows someone who used to be in the ministry.  Statistics show that for every twenty men who enter the ministry, only one will still be actively involved at the age of 65.  No one goes into the ministry expecting to be a casualty.  Some have to leave for health reasons.  Some wash out because of personal or moral failure (approximately 20 percent are involved in inappropriate sexual behavior).  Some burn out from long-term stress.  Some are forced out by a church.  Some walk out because of a sense of failure.  Some never leave the ministry but “check out” mentally and emotionally.

Fortunately, we all know pastors who have given a lifetime of effective service to the church. They are godly men who have grown old gracefully and still serve the church in their advanced years.  Is there a word of counsel that could expand their ranks?

Sound Advice from a Seasoned Veteran

Every minister ought to read the letters to Timothy at least once a quarter.  The aged apostle gives young Timothy sound advice for staying on course and going the distance.  I Timothy 4:16 is a verse every pastor ought to memorize.  In it Paul gives a three-fold secret to succeeding.

Pay Attention to Yourself

The minister can become so focused on the public aspect of his ministry that he forgets to keep a sharp eye on his private walk with God.  Paul’s advice is clear, “Take heed unto thyself.”  The vast majority of ministry failures (no matter what the visible reason might be) can be traced to the neglect of the pastor’s own soul.  He fails to cultivate an established pattern of private prayer, Bible study and worship.  Pastors who have developed a regular pattern of personal soul care are able to work out of a spiritual fullness.  When ministry flows out of a full heart, it is both satisfying and successful.  But, men who try to draw water out of an empty bucket will be men that are stressed out, overwhelmed, and constantly looking for a different situation.  Whenever we allow our ministry to be motivated by anything other than love for God, or empowered by anything other than His Spirit, it begins to work against us and starts the process of self-destruction.  I keep a quote by James Montgomery Boice on my desk that says, “Christian service isn’t measured by the results we see from it, or even by the example we communicate by it, but what we become through it.”

Never Stop Learning

Paul knew the joys of seeing his message accepted and the sorrow of seeing it rejected.  But, through it all, he continued to preach the word of God in season and out of season.  Regardless of what facet of ministry we are in, we are obligated to clearly, accurately, and persistently communicate Biblical truth. For this to happen, the minister must be constantly learning.  He must continue to expand his knowledge of the Bible and all related subjects that enable him to remain fresh and effective.  One of the dangers of ministry is that it can keep you from learning.  Expanding buildings and activities is much easier than expanding your soul and growing your mind.  But to fail here is to fail altogether.  Shallow ministers and shallow ministries are the seedbed for emotionalism, liberalism, legalism, and all sorts of heresy.

Just Keep Doing It

Those who have been in ministry for some time understand the temptation to throw in the towel, especially when the problems are large, the crowd is small, and the benefits of leaving seem to outweigh those of staying.  But, there is something to be said for just hanging in there and being faithful to preach the Word.

The words of the old apostle seem to lack the smoothness and charm that twenty-first century ears prefer, but if you will simply follow them you will “save yourself, and them that hear thee.”

Called to Holiness

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living, Theology

–September of 2004

Called to Holiness

In every age there are those who aspire to a devout and holy walk with God.  It is also true that in every age there are those who have constructed their own brand of cheap grace to insure as little divine interference in their life as possible.  Observing both, one naturally asks this question, “What does God require and what does His grace provide?”

No serious Bible student can overlook the command to pursue holiness, “without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb.12:14).  Nor can one escape being jolted by the flat ultimatum to, “be ye holy for I the Lord your God am holy” (I Peter 1:16).  The call to real holy living is repeated in various ways throughout scripture.  If God means what He says, then salvation by grace through faith has some serious moral and behavioral ramifications.

The Old Testament unveils God’s expectation for His people.  A summation of the first few books clearly reveals that God’s goal for all mankind is that we should live in real fellowship with Him, a fellowship that requires a correct understanding of who He is and a sharing of His revealed nature.  Four times in the book of Leviticus (often referred to as the holiness code) God tells His people, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev. 19:2).  The Book summons its readers to live a holy life based on the character of God.  The Old Testament teaches us that God’s holiness is both the ground of obligation and the effective source upon which all holiness in man must rest.

The New Testament builds upon the Old but greatly expands our understanding of the holiness that God requires in us.  It shows us that God’s design for us in Christ “before the foundation of the world” was “that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Eph. 1:4). The New Testament does not permit a sanctity that is positional only, but both offers and demands a personal holiness.  Saints must be saintly—not in calling only, but in character.  The notion that Jesus Christ becomes to us “righteousness and sanctification” by imputation only is without a sound biblical basis.  To say that those of us who are in Christ participate in His sanctification only in the sense of it being credited to us and not in the real sense of it being accomplished in us is to miss the whole redemptive objective of the Bible and the genius of the atonement.

This holiness begins in the New Birth when God for Christ sake forgives us of all our sins and bring us into a right relationship with Himself (positional sanctification).  This radical change brings peace with God, assurance of eternal life, and such a renovation of my being that I long to be thoroughly good and morally pure in all my ways (initial sanctification).  This new life ushers in a spiritual sensitivity that allows me to see the inner moral twist of my soul that gave rise to my life of sin and rebellion.  Rather than being left to struggle with this inner rebel all of my life, the New Testament teaches that the work of Calvary is able to reach into my inmost being and cleanse my heart from the entrenched depravity that remains, “… He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).  The Apostle Paul tells us that this is the will of the Father and prays that, “… the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly…” (I Thess. 5:23).  This cleansing is effected by the Holy Spirit who “purifies the heart by faith” (Acts 15:8-9), and enables us to live lives that are morally pure, ethically righteous, and faithfully obedient.

While this cleansing from inbred sin is a definite act, completed in a moment, the retention is the result of the continuous cleansing by the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.  The entirely sanctified Christian submissively and joyfully walks in the light, always trusting the blood of Jesus Christ to keep him cleansed from all sin (I John 1:7).   And while purity may be attained in a moment, maturity will be the steady work of a lifetime (II Peter 1:5-9).  As we apply new truth found in daily study of the scripture and learn to constantly walk in the Spirit we will experience a deepening of holy character and further conformity to Christ.  Vitally important in this whole process is remembering that we cannot attain any holiness in our own strength but that it is accomplished only by His divine power (II Peter 1:3).

The Bible is clear that God’s objective for us is holiness of heart and life (I Thess. 3:10).  And whatever His objective for me is should become the objective I pursue with my whole being.  I can’t imagine a genuine Christian doing anything less.