Daily Devotions: The Next Battle - Titus 1:9

Titus 1:9          He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

Do you get the feeling that Paul was on the offensive when writing to Titus? When I re-read this passage, I realized that Paul wasn’t holding back or pulling any of his punches. He’s totally committed to Christ and completely concerned about the church. He’s making Titus understand the serious nature about the current conflict that the New Testament church was experiencing. For Paul, everything is black and white, wrong or right. There’s no middle ground; no room for compromise; no negotiating with the opposition.

As our current denomination sinks lower into a quagmire of its own making, I’m beginning to think that dialogue and conversation are at an end. The ordination debates which are bedeviling our presbyteries have been going on for thirty years. If, after three decades of in-fighting and the loss of 33% of our membership, we cannot see that we are going against the Holy Spirit, then dialogue is no longer of any value. The die has been cast and the numbers will soon be in. Those who seek to get their own way, rather than God’s way, can celebrate all they like, but know this: the conversation is over.

The next battle, and perhaps final battle, is going to take place over the unique Lordship of Christ. Universalism is creeping into our churches and some people, as well as pastors, no longer hold to the essential Reformation tenet that Christ is the Only Savior of the World. They say things to conceal it like: ‘we cannot limit God to what He can do’ or ‘God’s grace knows no boundaries’ or ‘we cannot fully know what God decides.’

In other words, Christ’s role as Savior is set aside and His Cross only offers limited atonement. Jesus is diminished and other religions are given equal respect. The fact that the First Christians were surrounded by many religions and hundreds of pagan gods and yet they still maintained that Christ was the Only Way, Truth, and Life will pale into insignificance in a worldwide religious rush to embrace one another spiritually, worshipfully, and religiously. Any Way, any Truth, and any Life will be acknowledged, tolerated, and accepted as our beloved denomination finally surrenders to appeasement and apostasy.

The conversation is over. The battle is at an end. The war to win wayward souls back to Christ has just begun.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, Your Church has been constantly attacked from within, even from the early days when Paul was teaching and preaching. After this ordination battle is over, Your unique Lordship will be under attack. Help us to learn from this battle to remain resolute, faithful, and true. Grant us the courage to stand up, speak out, and to state unequivocally that You are the One and Only Savior of and in the world. In Your Holy Name, we adamantly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions of today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is from one of my Holy Week images from 2010. It’s called “Son Down” and depicts Christ Crucified at Calvary. You can view a larger version of this image at the following link: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2704/4442496002_fab6cfb6ac_b.jpg

Daily Devotions: Many, Not All - Mark 14 v 24

Mark 14:24     "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.

Sometimes we need to read Bible passages very carefully, otherwise we assume them to mean something entirely different. For instance, did you notice the word at the end of today’s verse? When Jesus is talking about the table wine being symbolic of the blood of His covenant, He states that this is poured out for many. Many. He doesn’t  say all, everyone, everybody, or the entire world. He just says ‘many.’

This is one of those important sayings of Jesus that remind us of the fact that not everyone is going to be saved. We live in a cosmopolitan world with many different religious beliefs and philosophical ideas, which leads many to think that God will be all-forgiving, all-merciful, and all-tolerant no matter what faith people hold on to, practice or prefer. But this is not the Gospel Truth. Christ’s blood is poured out for many, but not for all.

I’ve known some people to get annoyed at me for stating these things and others believe that I’m narrow-minded and well past my theological sell-by-date. But before they cast me off as being a dogmatic dinosaur, I have to ask them this: did Jesus carefully mean what He was saying, or did He make a mistake and meant something else?

I may not be comfortable with all that Jesus says in the Gospels, but know this: I will not change what He says, so when He states that the covenant of His blood is poured out for many, I know through Him that salvation is not given to everyone.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, sometimes we don’t like or readily accept what You said or did long ago. Forgive us for not reading the text fully and for disregarding the true meaning of Your simple and very plain words. When we misquote or misinterpret Your teaching, steer us back on to the right path and show us Your True Way. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s Drawings in his feast of Easter series. It is called Easter Communion.