I think the average Christian gets the concept that the goal of Christianity is to save one's soul, and there would probably be rare disagreement that this involves the condition of our spirit, that being the inner life representing the true spiritual condition of our heart. But in addition to the spirit and soul, Paul provides the additional goal of "preserving complete, without blame" the body as well, also known in Scripture as "the flesh". It's a telling revelation of the biblical definition of sanctification that it's not limited to just obedience and faithfulness where the inner person is concerned, but the outer physical person as well.

(more…)

I have strong, personal opinions about how I believe End Times prophecy will be fulfilled, but am the first to admit I don't have it all figured out. Not by a long-shot. But because it's really not an issue of knowledge but faith, I continually find comfort in the greater messages provided in Scripture where Christ's return is concerned. Here is yet another very valuable revelation of how to personally apply End Times Scripture to our life. It doesn't matter how the details will work themselves out, the end will be the same: "We will live together with Him". And in the mean time, until that day arrives, engage in the things which will best prepare for that day: "Encourage one another and build up one another".

(more…)

One of the side "benefits", if you will, where the topic of Christ's Second Coming is concerned is how it reveals some kind of mass form of denial inherent in human character. Not denial that He will return, although there are those who struggle with that, but the repeated assertion by those who claim they have the precise date when it will happen. The most incredible thing about such people — or should I sway "uncredible" — is how when the date comes and goes, they most often simply pick a new one as if it's just some kind of process of elimination game. What part of "no one knows" eludes their reading comprehension skills?

(more…)

I was catching up with a childhood friend after many, many years (cough — OK, a couple of decades) of our paths not having crossed, and I was becoming more and more alarmed as she shared the recent steps of her spiritual recovery and self-described "return to the Lord". Having backslidden into a life of sin for many years, her recent "path" back was enabled by some of the worst and well-known false teachers and false movements known. The place to which she currently arrived is actually one of deep spiritual deception. And the final point in the conversation which has deeply grieved me ever since was her response to the Second Coming: "I don't care; I'm as happy as a clam."

(more…)

Depending on your choice of Bible translation, the word "sanctify" and all related variations appears in the whole of the Bible about 65 times. The specific variant "sanctification", however, appears only 8 times, 3 of which are clustered together in these few verses. You'd be hard pressed to find a mainstream Christian who didn't agree that sanctification is important, but how many would define it as the pursuit of sexual morality according to biblical terms?

(more…)

I'm not saying love is not important, but I think in the name of "love" we are often quick to gloss over Scriptures such as these and miss the greater teaching it contains. Paul clearly sees a cycle of love in which what was invested in turn is growing and being reinvested in others, but he sees an overall goal tied not to the limits of this world, but "at the coming of our Lord Jesus": "that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness". See, in all the talk and emphasis of "love", what has happened to our concern for holiness?

(more…)

Imagine for a moment that you are your church's pastor and that you've gone to a weekend retreat attended only by other pastors. How would you describe your church, or the people of your church, whenever you introduce yourself to another pastor? If you were a shoe salesman attending a professional convention, you'd use whatever metrics are most important to sales people like volume of sales, customer demographics, marketing strategy, location, etc. What is the pastor-equivalent of that? Because in Paul's case it's defined by the quality of "your faith" and whether it allows them to "stand firm in the Lord".

(more…)