Words of Encouragement for January 6, 2010

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” Isaiah 60:1-3

Paul’s Letter to the Believers at Colosse (continued)

“And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.” Colossians 4:16 (Read Colossians 4:15-18)

How important it is to read and hear the Scriptures! In both the Old Testament and the New are commands to read the Scriptures.

In Deuteronomy 31:11-13, Moses commanded: “When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.”

Paul commanded Timothy: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). He also commanded Timothy to “give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:13).

It is through the Scriptures that we are made “wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 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 perfect [meaning complete], throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

Thus, the apostle directed his hearers in Colosse, after they had read his letter, to see that it was read in the church at Laodicea; and they were to read Paul’s letter to the Laodiceans. Why? That they might hear and learn the truth and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith; that they be not led away into error and false doctrine; that they not be robbed of the comfort and assurance of forgiveness and life in Christ Jesus!

History also tells us that this was the practice of the early churches. They shared and circulated the writings of the apostles and read them in their services along with the Scriptures of the Old Testament. That is how the New Testament came to be used and accepted.

Peter, in his second epistle, refers to the writing of the Apostle Paul being circulated in the churches as Scripture (cf. 2 Peter 3:15-18). And of Scripture, he writes: “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:19-21).

Because certain false teachers attempted to advance their errors with letters they claimed were written by the apostles, the Apostle Paul, though he dictated many of his epistles because of his eyesight, added his own signature so that his hearers would know it was his. Thus, he ends his epistle to the Colossians, “The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.”

Since God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105), and since faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word (Romans 10:17), reading, hearing and studying the Scriptures is so important for us as Christians. When we err in our ways and fall into some sin, God’s Word rebukes us and reveals our sin and need of repentance. When we are troubled by guilt and shame, God’s Word comforts us with the assurance that Christ Jesus paid in full for all our sins when He suffered and died upon the cross – that in the crucified and risen Christ Jesus, we have God’s pardon and forgiveness! When we desire to serve God and do His will, God’s Word teaches us what God’s will is and shows us how to conduct our lives here in this world.

How sad it is that both Christians and Christian churches so often fail to give attention to the reading and study of God’s Word! As a result, sins go unrebuked, troubled consciences go uncomforted, and many believers have no guidance and direction in their lives. And because people fail to continue in the Word, countless souls are lost to the lies and false teaching of the devil.

Jesus said to those who believed in Him: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).

Let us take the time to read, study and meditate upon God’s Word that He might graciously strengthen and keep us in the true faith in Jesus Christ until we go to be with Him forever in heaven!

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of Thy Holy Word we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which Thou hast given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, page 14)

Pastor Randy Moll

We All Believe in One True God:

A Summary of Biblical Doctrine

By Wallace H. McLaughlin

(The entire book is posted under Pages on the Church Web log)

XVIII. The Last Things

Under the last things we understand those things which still lie in the future for mankind and the entire world: temporal death, the state of souls between death and resurrection, the return of Christ to judgment, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, the end of the world, eternal damnation and eternal life.

1. Temporal death. Temporal death is not the annihilation of man, neither according to the soul (Matt. 20:28: Christ gave “His life,” or, literally: His soul, “a ransom for many”), nor yet according to the body (John 5:28, 29: “All that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth”). Temporal death is a separation of soul and body (Luke 12:20: “This night thy soul shall be required of thee;” also see Eccles. 12:7). A good example of the meaning of temporal death is to be found in the words in which Holy Scripture describes the true death of Christ: He “yielded up the ghost” (spirit), “gave up the ghost” (Matt. 27:50; John 19:30).

The cause of death is not an originally defective constitution of human nature, but the sin of man. Gen. 2:17: “In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Rom. 5:12: “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin.” All other causes of death (disease, accident, etc.) are causes of death only on account of sin.

The only liberator from death is Christ, since He paid man’s debt of sin. Rom. 5:10; 2 Tim. 1:10: “Our Savior Jesus Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.”

With regard to the death of Christians Scripture says: first, that they still die, and thus must still go through the process of dissolution (Rom. 8:10: “the body is dead because of sin”); and second, that they do not die, John 5:24: He (the believer on Christ) “is passed from death into life.” In what sense is this so? The wrath of God no longer rests upon the believer in Christ, and hence the sting of death is removed and the gate of paradise is opened wide, Luke 23:43.

Hence the Scripture gives death many sweet and beautiful names: “to fall asleep,” Acts 7:60; “to depart and be with Christ,” Phil. 1:23; “to be with Christ in paradise,” Luke 23: 43. With these beautiful designations of death every Christian should make himself thoroughly familiar.

2. The intermediate state. Only few Scripture passages treat of the state of souls between death and resurrection. The Scripture directs the attention of men primarily to the last day and the following state of eternal blessedness and eternal damnation. But from a few clear passages of Scripture we know: a). The souls of the believers between death and resurrection are in a state of blessed enjoyment of God, with Jesus (Acts 7:59), with Christ (Phil. 1:23), in paradise (Luke 23:43); b). the souls of the unbelievers are in prison (1 Peter 3:19). A “soul-sleep” which excludes the enjoyment of God is to be rejected as contrary to Scripture teaching, for the Holy Spirit through St. Paul teaches that the state of the believing Christian after death is “far better” than in this life (Phil. 1:23), and the promise of being in paradise, which Jesus gives to the dying malefactor as one to be fulfilled “today,” certainly includes a blissful enjoyment of God. Therefore when Scripture and Christian devotional language speak of death as a “sleep,” “asleep in Jesus,” this indicates a sleep which includes the enjoyment of God and being with Christ. The teaching of a purgatory and all other teachings which go beyond these simple statements of Holy Scripture are empty human speculations and blasphemous presumption.

3. The return of Christ to judgment. The exact time (day, hour, year) of Christ’s return in glory is unascertainable by man: “Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matt. 24:36; also Mark 13:32). The purpose of this indeterminability is to produce constant watchfulness on the part of men: “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matt. 24:42). But Christ has revealed many signs of His return in Holy Scripture, for which the brief summary in Matt. 24:3–14 should be consulted. We may bring these signs under the general concept of abnormal occurrences or world disorders. Such disorders we see with increasing frequency in our times, as follows: a), disorders in the life of nations: wars, famine, pestilences, hostility to Christianity; b). disorders in the realm of nature: earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, in general the revolution of the animate and inanimate creation against man; c). disorders in the church: the rise of false doctrine, and especially of the greatest false teacher under Christ’s name, the Antichrist.

But in addition to the true signs of Christ’s return, which He Himself has given us, men have invented certain fictitious signs, especially two, namely, a still future millennial kingdom of Christ here upon earth, and a still future general conversion of the Jews. Because of the importance of guarding our blessed hope against being diverted from its proper object, we shall devote a paragraph to each of these fictitious signs.

The imaginary millennial kingdom is regarded as a visible kingdom which Christ is to set up here in this world for the space of a thousand years before judgment day. The ideas which are harbored concerning this supposed kingdom vary from the crass notions of a kingdom of earthly blessings in which the Christians will also outwardly and visibly constitute the dominant power in this world, to a vague “hope of better times,” but in every case lack all foundation in Scripture, which represents the last days before Christ’s return to judgment, as times in which faith will scarcely be found upon earth and the cross which Christians must bear at all times will be intensified (Luke 18:8). These dreams are refuted by demonstrating that the Scripture passages to which millennialists appeal are, in Scripture itself, referred to the Church of the New Testament, for instance: a). The coming of men to Mount Zion (Is. 2:2–4, etc.) is fulfilled whenever and wherever in the world men believe the Gospel (Heb. 12:22ff); b). The coming of peace into the world (Is. 9:5; Is. 11:6–9; Zech. 9: 10) is fulfilled through the coming of Christ into the world and faith in Him (Is. 9:6; Luke 2:14; John 14:27). Scripture expressly warns against conceiving of the peace of the Church in this life as an external peace, Matt. 10:34; Acts 14:22. To interpret the prophecies just mentioned, and even the song of the angels over Bethlehem’s fields on Christmas Eve, as a promise of international peace is one of the cruelest hoaxes which false teachers have ever perpetrated against Christians. International strife is expressly prophesied by Christ Himself as one of the signs of His final return to judgment and the end of the world. There are not two future visible advents of Christ, one to establish a millennial kingdom, and another a thousand years later at the last day. Scripture expressly counts only two visible advents of Christ in all: a), the advent to take away the guilt of sin, which has taken place; b). the advent to lead the believers into eternal bliss. Heb. 9:28: “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Scripture also teaches only one still future general resurrection of the dead on the last day, whereas millennialists demand two bodily resurrections, one of the righteous only, at the beginning of the millennium, and the other of the rest of the dead, at the end of the thousand years, at judgment day. John 5:28, 29: “The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” A few verses before, in the same discourse of Jesus, He speaks of the “first resurrection” (Rev. 20:5, 6) in the Scriptural sense, as a spiritual resurrection, synonymous with conversion or regeneration: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live” (John 5:25). This call of Christ to arise spiritually, that is, to believe the Gospel, is resistible, because during the time of grace Christ works through means. But on Judgment Day (John 5:28) Christ’s call to the body to arise works irresistibly, because then “the Son of Man shall come in His glory,” in uncovered majesty, and therefore works with irresistible efficacy. This bodily resurrection, the only bodily resurrection which is to take place, is the general resurrection of all the dead (“all that are in the graves”) at the same “hour.” There is no room to insert a thousand years in the midst of the “hour” of John 5:28. But without a future double advent of Christ and a double bodily resurrection, both of which, as we have shown, are contrary to Scripture, the whole dream of millennialism collapses. The “thousand years” mentioned in Rev. 20:4 refers to a reign of souls with Christ in heaven, and has nothing to do with a thousand years reign of persons raised from the dead upon earth. The harmfulness of millennialism consists in the fact that it diverts the hopes of Christians, which should be directed toward heaven (1 Cor. 1:7; Phil. 3:20, 21; Matt. 5:12), to the earthly glory of an imaginary millennial kingdom.

The other fictitious sign of Christ’s return which constantly accompanies millennial hopes is the expectation of a future general conversion of all the Jews. This is generally supposed to be based upon Rom. 11:25, 26, but actually is based upon the changing of a word in verse 26. Scripture in this passage presents the time of the Gentiles and the time of the Jews as parallel, not successive. But the millennialists substitute for “so” in Rom. 11:26 a “then.” Neither do they take the “all Israel” seriously, for they think only of those physical descendants of Abraham who happen to be living in the world at the commencement of their “millennium,” and by no means of the entire spiritual Israel or all the elect among the Israelites, who are not only physical but spiritual children of Abraham, to whom the text unmistakably refers. The human opinion of a still future general conversion of the Jews is refuted when we, in the words of Rom. 11:26, allow the “and so” (designation of way and manner) to stand, and do not change it to “and then” (designation of time). “And so” refers back to verse 25, where Paul teaches that Israel is only partially obdurate during the time of the Gentiles, “and so (in this manner) all Israel shall be saved,” namely, the entire spiritual or elect Israel, corresponding to “the fulness of the Gentiles.” Individuals shall continue to be converted, one by one, both among the Gentiles and among the Jews, and so all the elect both of Jews and Gentiles shall be brought to faith and salvation before the last day.

In closing this discussion of the signs preceding the return of Christ to judgment, which we have found it necessary, on account of current false teachings, to treat in considerable detail, we may remark that if we confine ourselves to the signs which Christ Himself foretold, it may be confidently asserted that all of these preliminary signs have been already fulfilled, and that hence there is nothing which we need expect to intervene between the times in which we live and the glorious advent of our Savior at the end of the world. We may and should daily and eagerly look forward to His appearing; and yet we have, of course, no guarantee that He will come during our life-time. “That day and that hour” remains hidden from us and will so remain until He comes. True Christians, however, even among those who have been deluded into expecting a millennium, nevertheless, by a happy inconsistency, fix the true faith and hope of their hearts upon the return of their Savior to judge the world at the last day and the heavenly glory thereafter unto all eternity. And so, also on this much controverted subject, “we all believe in one true God” who will send His Son in the glory of the Father with all His holy angels, at a day and an hour which we know not, to deliver us from this present evil world, and graciously take us from this vale of tears to Himself in heaven.

4. The resurrection of the dead. The doctrine of the bodily resurrection of the dead is a primary fundamental article of our Christian religion, so that whoever denies it has abandoned the Christian faith and is not a member of the Christian Church. So it was with Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Tim. 2:17, 18), with Hymenaeus and Alexander (1 Tim. 1:19, 20), and with the deniers of the bodily resurrection at Corinth (1 Cor. 15:34). All Christians agree in this article of faith. The resurrection of the dead is taught not only in the New Testament but also in the Old. The Scripture proof for this assertion could be adduced at considerable length, but we shall content ourselves at this place with a reference to the familiar passage, Job 19:25–27. All men, the godly and the ungodly, arise, John 5:28, 29. The resurrection of the body is just as universal as temporal death. Men arise in the same body which they had here upon earth, which is proved by the very word “resurrection,” for that which rises again must be identical with that which died, and by the expression “all that are in the graves,” John 5:28. The fashion of the bodies of risen believers is described in 1 Cor. 15:42–44 as “a spiritual body,” which includes “incorruption,” “glory,” and “power.” This also certainly includes the absence of all bodily defects. “They are as the angels of God in heaven” (Matt. 22:30) does not indicate sexlessness, but simply that they shall not marry nor be given in marriage, as Christ Himself says at that place. The fashion of the bodies of the unbelievers after the resurrection is indicated in the words of Daniel 12:2: they “shall awake … to shame and everlasting contempt.”

5. The Final Judgment. Christ, the incarnate Son of God, the Savior of all men, is at the end of the world also the Judge of all men, John 5:22; Acts 17:31. The apparent contradiction between Scripture passages such as Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10 (all men shall be judged) and John 3:18; John 5:24 (the believers shall not be judged) is solved through the distinction of Law and Gospel. We see also from Matt. 25:34–40 that Christ deals with the believers not according to the Law but according to the Gospel, for He makes mention only of their good works (as the fruits of faith), not of their evil works. The purpose of such Scripture passages as Rom. 14:10 and 2 Cor. 5:10 is the warning against carnal security.

6. The end of the world. The fact that the world will perish is abundantly taught in Scripture, for instance, in Luke 21:33: “Heaven and earth shall pass away,” in contrast to the Word of God which “shall not pass away.” Scripture, however, does not clearly settle the question as to whether this destruction is to be thought of as a total annihilation or only as a transformation. 1 Cor. 7:31: “the fashion of this world passeth away,” as well as what St. Paul has to say, Rom. 8:19–23, regarding the deliverance of the creation from the bondage of corruption, would seem to indicate the latter. But the conclusion one reaches on this somewhat obscure point cannot be made a test of orthodoxy.

7. Eternal damnation and eternal life. Both facts are placed side by side in Matt. 25:46: The godless “shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal.” One of these doctrines cannot be denied without denying the other. And neither can be denied, without denying the Christian religion. One who believes in Jesus as his Savior will certainly believe both in that which He has saved him from and that which He has saved him unto — the eternal blessedness which all believers in Christ shall inherit by His merit. Eternal damnation consists in eternal banishment from God’s presence: “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire” (Matt. 25:41). Eternal blessedness consists in the eternal beholding of God: “Come, ye blessed of My Father” (Matt. 25:34); “We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

[This was the last chapter and installment from We All Believe in One True God by Wallace H. McLaughlin. The entire book is posted among the pages – see the right-hand column – of the church Web log.]

What Do We Believe?

What do we believe about the God’s Gracious Election? Consider the following summary statement and look up the supporting Bible passages:

GOD’S GRACIOUS ELECTION

We believe that God has already from eternity chosen some to obtain eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and that this election and choosing of God is entirely of God’s grace and mercy in Christ Jesus, without any merit or worthiness on the part of men (2 Timothy 1:9; Matthew 22:14; Ephesians 1:3-14). We believe that all those whom God has graciously chosen before the creation of the world will, in time, be brought to saving faith in Christ through the Gospel and be sanctified and preserved in that faith unto life everlasting (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:3-14; Matthew 24:22-24). Therefore, this doctrine of Scripture gives to believers the assurance that “He which hath begun a good work in [them] will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). We reject as contrary to the Holy Scripture the teachings that God does not desire the salvation of all men; that He has also predestined some to damnation; or that God’s election is based upon some merit or quality in men, upon lesser resistance to the Gospel, or in view of future faith (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; Ezekiel 33:11; Matthew 23:37). As to why some are saved and others are lost, we can only say with Scripture that God’s elect are saved entirely by God’s grace for Christ’s sake, and that the lost are so entirely of their own fault, because they have “not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18; 12:48; Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 7:51).

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

The Adult Bible Class continues its study of the Gospel of John. To prepare, read John 3:7-21. Did Nicodemus understand what Jesus meant by being born again of water and the Spirit? Did He understand the working of God’s Spirit? Can we see the wind or know from where it came and to where it will go? How is that like being born of God’s Spirit? Can we see the Spirit of God? Can we see His working in us and in others? Did Nicodemus understand? What did Jesus say to him when he asked how these things could be? What did Jesus mean? Who came down from heaven and then ascended back into heaven? How could Jesus be in heaven while He was here on earth talking with Nicodemus? What did Jesus, in His conversation with Nicodemus, say must happen to Him? To what historical event did Jesus compare His coming crucifixion? Cf. Numbers 21. What are the similarities between these two events? How does the Old testament event point to Jesus and His crucifixion? From what does Jesus save us when we look to Him and His cross in faith? What will happen if we do not look to Him in faith? How does Jesus further explain the reason and purpose of His coming into the world? Did Jesus, at His first coming, come to judge and condemn the world? Why did He come? Will those who trust in Jesus for forgiveness and life be condemned on the Day of Judgment? What about those who do not look to Jesus in faith? When are they already condemned? Why are believers saved? Why are unbelievers condemned? Why do many people not come to Jesus and trust in Him? What is meant by verse 21? What is it to do the truth? Who works all that is good in believers? Cf. Ephesians 2:8-10.

The Catechism Class continues studying the Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed and learning of Jesus and what He has done to redeem all mankind.

The Sunday Sermon will be based on Isaiah 43:1-7. In preparation, read this section of Scripture and consider the following questions: How did God create and redeem Israel? How did He call them by their name? When did they become the LORD’s people? Cf. Genesis 12:1-3; 28:10-15; Exodus 19:3-6. How did God create and redeem us? How did we become the LORD’s people? Cf. Psalm 139:13-16; 1 Peter 1:18-21; 2:4-10; Galatians 3:26-29; Titus 3:3-7. How did the children of Israel pass through the waters? Cross rivers? Through the fire? What does God promise them? How do these words apply to us? Who did God give in place of His people? How? How was Israel precious in God’s sight? How are we? From where will God gather His people? How does this apply to us today? Cf. Romans 11. Who will God call, gather and enlighten? Why? Who created them and formed them? Again, how does this apply to you and to me? What comfort and assurance can we draw from these words of Scripture?

Remember to Pray

Remember to pray for our church and for all our members that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom, but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – especially for Ron Wellander who underwent surgery and is recovering at home – for those who have been absent from us, for our students who are away at school, and for our adopted soldiers. Pray for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. Continue to pray for the Lutheran Churches in the Philippines.

Upcoming Events

The Choir is practicing for upcoming services. More voices are always welcome.

The Church Council will meet at 7 p.m. tonight at the church. Please note that the date was moved up from that printed on the January calendar.

Wednesday night Bible studies will begin this month and be held at the church at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. The first study will be on Jan. 13. All are invited. The monthly studies will be topical but 100 percent Biblical, so bring your Bibles.

Other Announcements

Thank you – Ron Wellander wishes to thank the members of Good Shepherd for their generous gift at Christmas. Your generosity is deeply appreciated. Pastor and Lonnie Moll thank the congregation and all the members for the generous Christmas gift presented to them on New Year’s Eve.

Meditations from Psalm 90 – A Prayer of Moses the Man of God – have been posted in the Pages section of the church Web log. The full series from Colossians will be coming soon as a page.

Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at mollfoto@yahoo.com.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Proverbs 3:5-10

A Blessed New Year To You as You Grow in Grace, Trusting in Christ Jesus, Your Savior!

[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible]