Theword

?THE GRASS WITHERS, THE FLOWER FADES, BUT THE WORD OF OUR GOD STANDS FOREVER.? (ISAIAH 40:8)

Pastor Ernest Martinez

The Community Church of Devore

I hope you are all growing in and learning about the doctrine of Grace. The more I come to understand the grace of God, the more I realize that the way we have received salvation is by grace. Simple truth? Not always. The Bible is very explicit and clear on that element of the doctrine of Grace. The epistle written to the Ephesians says in chapter 2 verse 8: ?For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,?.? It is a free gift! As clear as that is, and how remarkable that is to us as believers, why is it then that so many churches and individuals seem to discount the relevant and practical power that is found in the ?inerrant and infallible? Word of God: the Bible.

Most evangelicals will say that the Bible is ?inerrant and infallible,? but choose to seek out so-called ?Christian counselors? who pawn off secular psychology with ?Christianized? sounding words. When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He didn?t listen for a voice in His head, nor did He pray, and He didn?t even seek for signs and wonders, but countered Satan by using the Old Testament. By using the book of Deuteronomy, Jesus gave us the example to use when encountering daily temptations and tribulations. We are to use the Bible. It is not only inspired and infallible, but it is ?sufficient? for every aspect of our lives.

Listen to the words of Paul as He encourages the young minister Timothy:

?All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.? (2 Timothy 3:16 ? 17)

All Scripture, the entire Bible, was given to us by the inspiration of God, and it is profitable for ?doctrine, for correction, for instruction in righteousness? so we would be complete and ready for every good work. But many churches believe that the teaching has to be uplifting and make people ?happy.? What these churches and leaders do not understand is that Israel was led astray when they did not ?heed? the Word of God. The word that God gave me for a new ministry that will be started soon is:

?Therefore hear me now, my children, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.? (Proverbs 5:7)

The Words of God?s Mouth are treasure, a light, a guide and everything precious I need to conduct my ministry.

Listen to the words of the late Dr. James M. Boice, pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia:

?? inerrancy is not the most critical issue facing the church today. The most serious issue, I believe, is the Bible?s sufficiency. Do we believe that God has given us what we need in this book? Or do we suppose that we have to supplement the Bible with human things? Do we need sociological techniques to do evangelism, pop psychology and pop psychiatry for Christian growth, extra-biblical signs and wonders for guidance, or political tools for achieving social progress and reform?

It is possible to believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice, and yet to neglect it and effectually repudiate it just because we think that it is not sufficient for today?s tasks and that other things need to be brought in to accomplish what is needed. This is exactly what many evangelicals and evangelical churches are doing.? (Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace? By James M. Boice, page 72)

Is the Bible the ?steering force? in our churches or are opinion polls and the majority vote of the congregation our steering force? Is the Bible the source of wisdom to conduct church board meetings and business meetings, or is human wisdom our source of leading? The Bible says that there will be perilous times when believers and whole churches would abandon the clear teaching of the Word of God. 2 Timothy 4:3 warns us as Christians and churches to beware of drifting from the Word of God. ?For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;?.? It is for this reason that instead of preaching about the grace of God, many ministers have chosen to entertain or make people ?feel? better. Paul said he was not ashamed of the gospel (see Romans 1:18 ). The gospel that was preached was one of grace of a Holy God who was offended by humanity and sent His Son to pay the debt we owed. Jesus died in fulfillment of Scripture. Jesus often spoke of terms of ?it is written? and quoted, as did the Apostles, from the Old Testament.

Many people speak about being ?spiritual? rather than being religious. There many I meet and see in large churches and small churches alike, that speak of being spiritual and claim the grace of God, but they do not apply the Bible to their lives. Even Paul was being accused of steering people away from God by teaching doctrine. He also was accused of preaching a gospel that didn?t require people to give up their sinful lifestyles and seek God with their whole heart. In response Paul said:

?What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!? (Romans 6:15)

Paul taught the believers to offer their lives as living sacrifices (see Romans 12:1 ? 2 ) and not to be conformed to the pattern of this age. They were to oppose being conformed to this world by renewing their minds. How can we renew our minds? By service and prayer only? No. Only by the studying of God?s Word and putting into practice in our lives will we be able to renew our minds. Service and prayer are out-working of God the Holy Spirit teaching us ?all that Jesus said.? In fact the Holy Spirit is our teacher, our only true Teacher. But what would He teach us? The Gospel of John records Jesus? word on that subject: ?But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.? He would teach us the Word of God. The Holy Spirit uses the Bible to save the lost and bring us closer to the image of Jesus Christ. That is why Paul was not ashamed of the gospel. The gospel according to grace is one of total commitment to God and His Word, for how can it be otherwise. If the Bible is not sufficient for our whole life, then how can the world?s wisdom be better? As the Proverbs teach us to seek after God?s Word to gain a wise heart, so does James, a New Testament epistle, tell us to seek God?s wisdom. ?If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.? (James 1:5) Also James teaches us:

?Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.? (James 3:13 ? 18, emphasis mine)

For those of you have been entrusted with the ministry of the Word of God, minister only the Word of God. As Paul said to the Corinthian church: ?These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.? (1 Corinthians 2:13) Again Paul says: ?But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.? (1 Corinthians 2:15) The truly ?spiritual? man or woman uses the Word of God to judge all things and to test all things. The Apostle John encouraged the believers by saying these wonderful and ?inspired? words: ?Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.? Beware of false teachers and false prophets! Jesus said: ?For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.? (Matthew 24:24)

In 1996 a ?modern reformation document? called the Cambridge Declaration was written to turn back the tide on the fast decline of true spiritual wisdom and biblical understanding which has been replaced with worldly methods, spiritual isolation and retreat, and a lack of knowledge of the basic tenets of our Protestant heritage:

?Wherever in the church biblical authority has been lost, Christ has been displaced, the gospel has been distorted, or faith has been perverted, it has always been for one reason: Our interests have displaced God?s and we are doing His work in our way. The loss of God?s centrality in the life of today?s church is common and lamentable. It is this loss that allows us to transform worship into entertainment, gospel preaching into marketing, believing into technique, being good into feeling good about ourselves, and faithfulness into being successful. As a result, God, Christ and the Bible have come to mean too little to us and to rest too inconsequentially upon us.?


Pray that I would not only proclaim these truths, but do the same in my walk with Christ and in my ministry.

To God be all the glory and praise due His Holy Name and praise the Son, Jesus Christ who brought us salvation and praise the Holy Spirit, our Teacher and Comforter. Praise to God, Holy, Holy, Holy, the Lord God Almighty.

May the Lord bless you today and may His grace guide you into all truth.

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Published on: 2005-06-24 (2075 reads)