Drunken Mystic

I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Romans 9:1-5

This will be the last Example of Paul … a couple new series coming up.

For many, this is one of the most disturbing passages of scripture. Understandably so.

Only two people in the scripture express such a desperate emotion. First we have Moses. While God was about to get rid of the whole nation of Israel and make a new chosen people out of Moses, Moses begs God to have mercy on Israel. He even tells God to “write my name out of your book,” which many argue isn’t a true rejection of salvation, but nonetheless, seems pretty extreme to me. Of course, God does have mercy and repents of His plan to wipe Israel from the face of the earth.

Here in Romans, we have Paul the Apostle, the messenger of the Gospel to the Gentiles, lamenting over his own people, the Jews. He is so distraught, he even testifies that he COULD wish himself accursed so they could be saved.

Paul was saddened by the fact that the chosen people had rejected the savior that came through their line. Although many of the early Christians were Jews, the majority of the Jewish nation had rejected Jesus. This was tragic to Paul, who understood more than most both the rejection and salvation of Jesus.

Therefore, it were possible, he would give up his own salvation so that a whole people could know Jesus.

This is deep compassion. Most of us understand loving and caring deeply for our own people, whether racially or otherwise. We may even understand giving our physical lives for a cause. But to give up our eternal destiny, as well?

Only Jesus was ever able to experience this in reality. In choosing to do His Father’s will and lay His life on the cross, He was also choosing to take on the sin of the world, thereby taking on the full wrath of God. As the sun went black and God turned His back on His only Son, Jesus cried out, “Father, why have you forsaken me?” Only Jesus has felt the result of choosing to give up His righteous, holy place for others. Because Christ acted out of obedience, Jesus also enjoyed His joy and reward from the Father.

And because Jesus became this ultimate sacrifice, we cannot. Hence, Paul uses the word COULD to describe his deep compassion for others. This wasn’t just flight of fancy, either. Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit bore witness to the truth of his statement.

In the sense of giving up our salvation, Jesus’ sacrifice was enough … more than enough. We can partake in His suffering and sacrifice on one level, even the giving up of our own physical lives for others, as we should, but we can never substitute our salvation for another, even a whole group.

But we can wish. This is the compassion of Christ in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. If it is genuine, this compassion for others is an expression of our transformation into being more like Christ. This is the level Paul attained. He was willing not just to give up his own life, but even his own salvation, if it were possible, in order to see the salvation of others.

The gap between Paul’s compassion for others and my own is the Grand Canyon. If we were truly even like Paul, as he was like Christ, our compassion for the lost would routinely overwhelm us to tears. Remember how Christ wept for Jerusalem? When is the last time you wept for the lost, in any sense? Oh, Christians are great at either telling people they are sinners or just shrugging their shoulders in utter apathy, but we are deficient in our compassion for the lost.

Remember Jesus was considered a “man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.” If the Church is His Body, should we not also weep for the eternal condition of those around us? The fact that we don’t means one of two things: either we aren’t saved ourselves or we don’t know God well enough to even imagine what it would be like without His grace. I’m not sure there’s much of a difference, to be honest.

Maybe instead of Christian comedians we should have professional lamenters, people whose job it is to lead the Church to tears, to share in God’s deep heart.

Actually, we do. They are the true prophets. You’ll just probably never really hear about them or know one in our American Christian culture.

Peace.

Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. Galatians 6:13-15

So often man seeks to glory in the work that he has done. It is natural to our flesh and makes sense in this world. Some great thing may be accomplished. If we were involved somehow, we tend to take credit, even if it is in our own minds. The problem is when we do this in the Kingdom. There is no place for it in Christ.

I guess it’s good to know that men still thought about their es two thousand years ago. Paul dealt with those Jews who attempted to place the tradition of circumcision upon Christians. Circumcision was a physical sign of sanctification under the Old Covenant, to be set apart. So this was just another example of people trying to bring the Old Covenant into the New, which Paul fought in several of his letters to the Church.

But these “mutilators of the flesh”, as Paul called them, could not keep the Law. So circumcision is worthless. What can help us be righteous, sanctified people?

The new creation. Circumcision only snips away a little skin. A new creation changes the very nature of the being, from to life. Therefore, the only thing that matters is the new creation.

Furthermore, this work was done by Christ alone at the cross. The cross offers redemption through the and life through the resurrection. Only that which is born of the cross is of the new creation that will endure for eternity. And since only that which has been dealt with by the cross will survive, how shall we glory in any work of man?

Only one message of praise should pass our lips. Christ and the work of the cross. Nothing else will endure, so let us not glory in anything of our flesh.

God forbid.

Peace.

It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Romans 15:20

As Paul concludes explaining his call from God as an apostle in their life, he makes an interesting statement. His goal in life was to express Christ in areas where they’ve never even heard of Jesus. I find it interesting because he calls it “another man’s foundation.”

Now, he’s not speaking of simple preaching to non-believers. He meant regions and people groups that had never heard at all. As anyone who has experience in this will tell you, it is extremely difficult to explain the gospel to nations who have no knowledge of Christianity. There seems to be no frame of reference.

This makes Paul’s success especially impressive. Christianity was a little more than a blip on the radar for Palestine, but for the rest of the world, they barely had a concept of monotheism, much less the person and importance of Christ. When entering a new city, Paul would first attend the local synagogue and makes sure they heard of Jesus; then he turned the city upside down with his preaching to the Gentiles. Had every person in the city heard of Christ? Probably not. There was no way for Paul to really tell.

So, using this example, we see that a foundation is laid in a community or city or people group when Christ is preached at all. From the Great Commission in Luke and Matthew, Jesus specifically mentions preaching repentance and making disciples of all nations (in Mark, He says “every creature”!). We can safely assume that when Paul was sent to the Gentiles, the words of Christ had been related to him through the early Church. He simply attempted to follow the commandment of Christ by reaching every people group.

Please do not interpret this to mean that this is a limit to all evangelism. The gift is similar but works in various ways due to call and situation. We must be sensitive to His unique call on all evangelists.

There are, however, still several unreached people groups around the world. Supporting and encouraging missionaries to these groups is a valid ministry. Of course more will be converted to Christ as the testimony of believers infects areas already reached, but we are amazingly close to fulfilling this aspect of the Great Commission. Several ministries and organizations make this central to their existence.

If it is on your heart to be like Paul, then this was a major thrust of his life. Go. Give. Be involved. You will share in the reward.

Peace.

I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 2 Corinthians 11:8-9

Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent you? I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and follow the same course? 2 Corinthians 12:14-18

Even though Paul made it clear that he had a “right” to profit from the gospel, he refused to do so. This is because ministry in the Kingdom is not about claiming your right but doing what is right.

There is a theme throughout Paul’s letters that he worked to support himself as much as possible, even working so that he could give beyond what it took to support himself.

Paul did this for several reasons. First, he did not wish to be a burden. As a spiritual father to them, he did not wish for his spiritual children to support him.

Second, he desired instead to be a blessing. He knew it was more blessed to give than receive.

Third, he did it to be an example to the Church, that everyone should support themselves whenever possible so that the Body would have the resources necessary to truly help those among them in need.

This was all done out of love. He didn’t like money going to him instead of those in need. The fact that the Macedonians forced him to take their money is telling — he called it robbery — because they gave out of their poverty.

Ministers within the Church, especially those with teaching and evangelistic roles, are worthy of our money or other material gifts. But they would be more like Paul if they refused it as much as they could.

Peace.

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things. 2 Corinthians 11:6

Paul would not be a very popular speaker today. He claimed to be an untrained orator. And even if he were trained, he refused to use the manipulation of persuasive words, eloquence and superior wisdom. He did not use words meant to convince you. He did not use flowery, highly trained speech. He did not base his teachings on proving others wrong.

Funny. Most modern ministers are taught to do all those things.

Although Paul was a highly educated man, he realized his education did not ease his acceptance of Truth, nor did it produce faith. On the contrary, he violently opposed Truth while acting in unbelief. If anyone knew the impotence of education, it was Paul.

What changed his heart? A direct example of the power and revelation of God. Being blinded and getting knocked off your horse tends to get your attention.

So his reasoning should make sense in light of his testimony. His desire was for people to have faith based on the power of God instead of the arguments of men, which, ultimately, is faith in man. Faith based on the wisdom of men always requires a better argument, for when those arguments fail, faith is destroyed; despair and discouragement set in. Coupled with the wisdom of men is a need for more and more information so we can prove that Christians are more intelligent than everyone else.

Paul’s witness to the Corinthians was based on his transformation, not his level of information. He enabled them to see the power of god working through him and expressed Truth in this way because he knew that when faith is based on an experience of the power of God, you are more likely to persevere through trials, temptations and challenges.

Modern ministers are taught worldly teaching methods based on worldly research. they are expected to be well-read and more educated than the congregation. We all know the people with “Dr.” before their names are really more spiritual! They are armed with arguments out the butt to counter any question that might come up and to prove everyone else wrong. They get degrees and ordained for this.

They don’t learn to live a life that expresses the absolute power of God because you can’t learn that stuff in a school. No one ever has. The result is a couple of generations of men who talk a great game but cannot back it up with a genuine walk of Power and Victory. The faith of those under them is shallow, fragile and situationally committed.

God will raise up a generation one day, and perhaps now is, that longs for others to see the miraculous in their lives instead of a people who always have to know the answers. His power and victory is the answer. We will never prove it in words.

Peace.

For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 1 Corinthians 7:7-9

It has become quite the assumption among most Christians that God wants them to be married. I don’t see a promise of a mate within the scripture, as if there is this one person God made for you and you just need to wait for that one person.

But the purpose of this series is to flesh out the example of Paul, to follow Paul as he followed Christ, and like it or not, this definitely qualifies.

I Corinthians 7 and 8 are both harsh towards marriage. Paul gives several guidelines there, but ultimately teaches that it is better to not be married if you wish to serve the Lord, based on his example.

We could balance much of this out with other teachings he had, namely the need for young widows to marry so they wouldn’t be busybodies, and the teaching to Timothy about how leaders in the Church should be the husband of one wife (I guess you could have more than one wife, just not be a pastor).

But again, what was Paul’s example? Did he follow Christ’s example? He absolutely did. Jesus was not married, so Paul was not married. Jesus teaches in Matthew of those who should be celibate for the sake of the Kingdom if they could accept it.

I find it funny that we are so ready to take the excuses that Paul and Jesus give us as a concession. Jesus offers it as to those who could accept it and Paul gives in if you can’t control yourself.

“Oh, that’s me,” people say. “I can’t accept a life without marriage or sex. I just can’t control myself. I need to be married.”

Biblically, that’s pretty weak, given that God’s grace is always sufficent and self-control is a fruit of the Spirit within us.

It is obviously God’s will that many are married. I would never dispute that, only the assumption that we should get married when Paul’s example teaches something very different. Our seeking to be married can be tatamount to idolatry because, with Jesus and Paul as our example, it is obviously God’s will that many should NOT be married.

Believe me, I can tell you firsthand how amazing marriage can be, what a blessing it is. Many of you have met my wife and know the saint that she is. Marriage is a gift from God, but so is being single. They are equally valid in the Kingdom. In fact, you could make the argument that being single is for the spiritually strong and marriage is for the weak, despite our prejudices against those who are single. With the divorce and remarriage rates as high as they are in the Body of Christ, isn’t it valid to challenge this romantic notion that everyone should pair up and get hitched? Based on what the Bible says, I obviously think it is.

Peace.

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. 1 Corinthians 14:18-19

This should be a challenging message for most people. As we follow the example of Paul, what do we see is his attitude towards tongues and prophecy?

Lets first define them both. Tongues are a supernatural expression of God through a language the speaker does not know, usually other known languages in the world (the only time scripture even implies an “unknown” language is in 1 Corinthians 13 where Paul is setting up extreme examples to make a point about love). Tongues are expressed in two main ways, interpreted or not.

Prophecy is any speaking forth of something God wants said in the moment. It could be a longer sermon in an assembly situation or even a “God loves you” as you pass someone on the street. This is learning how to speak what God would have you say in the situation, words that do not necessarily come from you. While telling the future is included in prophetic utterances, the New Testament seems to have a wider definition of prophecy than that.

Paul makes it abundantly clear that tongues are a useful gift in this chapter. He says that he wishes all would speak in tongues (v. 5). He says they are an important sign for unbelievers (v. 22). He also commands that no one should forbid this gift of the Spirit (v. 39).

But what about his personal example? First, he explains that he operates in this spiritual gift more than any of those in Corinth, and he thanks God for that. Remember that he is saying this to a group of people who are abusing this gift, at least in Paul’s mind. And Paul’s definition of abuse is public speaking in tongues where those words are not interpreted for the whole group.

Although he speaks in tongues often, on some level, he would rather speak five words that all could understand so all could be encouraged. Because when the Body of Christ meets, the object is for all to be edified.

So Paul’s example is to be well versed in the supernatural gift of tongues, but when in a corporate meeting with the saints, unless there is public interpretation of the tongue, speaking the Truth of God in a common language everyone can understand is his standard.

I’ve addressed the faulty doctrine that gifts are no longer needed or valid in the Body of Christ before in another post: read it here. So I won’t spend more time tackling that in this one.

Peace.

“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.” Acts 26:19-20

What have we done with the message of the gospel?

Are we so afraid of mentioning works that we’ve castrated the message of Christ?

Paul makes it clear, towards the end of his life, that one central message should be preached to all people, Jew and Gentile, and that message was of repentance. Paul even called it the “heavenly vision.”

Repentance means turning from wrong and doing what is right. It is a shift of thinking that corresponds with a shift in behavior. The two are forever linked. Faith without works is not faith at all.

But in our modern American culture, telling people about repentance necessitates telling them they are sinners. That means telling them that they are wrong, that they are not “okay” despite what modern pop psychology tells them. That might make them feel bad about themselves and damage their self-esteem, the great god of modern humanism. But without the realization of sin, there is no conviction, no realization of eternal punishment, no motivation to truly change at our core, no repentance, and therefore no salvation.

Repentance was the message of John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, and Paul. Have we progressed beyond these men, even the Son of God? It seems like we think we have.

Let’s make the message of Paul’s life clear. He preached repentance AND that works should follow that are appropriate to a true change of heart, and this message is to be preached to all people.

If we are to follow Paul as he follows Christ, then that should be our message also, or else we have lost the “heavenly vision”. Instead we follow an earthly one.

Peace.

If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

This is from Philippians chapter 1, and it gives us a very unique perspective about our existence.

First of all, I find it interesting that Paul desires to be dead. He actually longs to step over into the next life and be gone from here. Why? To be with Christ. Paul lets us know that to be with Christ is better by far.

I wonder how many of us can truthfully say this. Oh, I can’t even come close. But this is the standard of Christianity, that being with Christ in heaven is the most blessed state.

Why do we hesitate so? It frightens us deep in our core to even think such a morbid thing. To desire death? To want to end our life? Isn’t life precious?

It absolutely is, and Paul realizes that the ultimate life is eternal oneness with his creator, lover, friend, priest and king. He will be given a new body able to withstand the full glory of God. He will be like Christ and will see God fully face to face.

And while our heart stirs at such things, our flesh cringes. Too often we hear the flesh too clearly. We justify our search for temporary self-preservation because we think its natural. No one wants to die.

But Paul did.

To be clear, he didn’t really want to die as much as he realized the death of this earthly tent was a means to an end. And what an end.

Paul is not prepared to take his own life to accomplish it, however. If God still has allowed him to live, then Paul supposes a very important reason for his continued participation in the breath of the temporary.

It is to serve and give to others.

This is perhaps the most challenging of statements. Since most of us are in this position, of having some time left on this earth, we have not been given the grace, necessarily, to worry ourselves over our love of this life.

But when we do think of our imminent death, a pattern of thought pervades. We always think in terms of how we wish we would have time for ourselves. It may even be for good things, like that nice career or more time with a loved one or children or that book you want to write or whatever.

Paul’s perspective is quite different. If we are still alive, then our purpose is for the betterment of others, not ourselves. Our lives on this earth, therefore, are meant to be ones of service to others, not self.

Why could Paul say this? Because he was already dead. His statements in Romans and Galatians were not just platitudes or nice words for us to read and repeat. Paul considered his own life over and the rest of his life here as an expression of Christ. How can death scare a man who’s dead already?

To sum up what Paul is saying here: If I had my choice, I would die and be eternally one with Christ. But since I am still alive, God has purpose in it, and His purpose is that I should serve you and others because it is His life flowing in and through me. And I find joy in that, as well.

Peace.

In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul says something interesting.

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.

How many ministers and so-called leaders truly understand that the people they minister to belong to someone else? Oh, I’m sure that most would say it with their lips, but we all know how God feels about lip service. I’m speaking of the understanding that translates into action. Paul seems to understand that those he ministers to as an apostle don’t really belong to him. We can easily cross reference this with 1 Corinthians where he rebukes them for their division … many of them claiming to be of his “group.”

He didn’t want a group. He knew who they already belonged to. Christ.

True leaders in the Kingdom act as if the Bride belongs to Christ. They realize their stewardship is temporary at best, and even then must put all of their trust in Christ for those “under” them to grow.

Or do we truly believe that only God can change hearts? Do we believe that our sermons or our books or songs change hearts? These may be vehicles, but the substance is in Christ. Only the Holy Spirit can change hearts, regenerate dead men into living beings worthy of the call. You can’t teach, preach, prophecy, pastor or evangelize well enough to do His work. Realize that He is preparing His Bride and allow Him to include you in the work He is already doing.

Too many leaders do not teach people to hear God’s voice. They teach others to hear the voice of the leader or the committee. They do not teach brothers to trust in God, they make them dependent upon the leadership or organization. Too many build their “ministry” with worldly success as their example instead of a heavenly perspective.

A big part of this is realizing that your goal is to send the Bride off to Her Husband. You work yourself out of a job. But Paul did not just understand this, he longed for it! He was JEALOUS over them. It should give you joy to see the Bride become one with Her Husband, as it did John the Baptist. He actually rebuked his disciples for not running after Jesus fast enough! When is the last time you saw a leader rebuke someone, saying, “why are you still here? Follow Christ! Go!”

Too often what really happens is that a leader acts as if he (or she) is the husband and grooms the Bride for himself. Larry T. used to call this “pinching the butt of the Bride.” She is not there for you to flirt with or carry off. It is a serious temptation all leaders in the Kingdom must face.

Serve one another. Submit to one another. Love one another. Bear one another’s burdens. Let God prepare His Bride through His Bride and you’ll be amazed at the purity and life that you and others will see.

Peace.