Easter with a congregation of Lutherans

This morning, we attended an Easter worship service with a local congregation of Lutherans, and God's Spirit was present there. The pastor's main text was the concluding chapter of the Gospel of Mark, and he pointed out that the earliest manuscripts end with the eighth verse (verses 9-20 were added later). Hence, the original account of Christ's resurrection looked like this:

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Originally, the account ends without the disciples actually having seen Jesus, and a "young man" in a "white robe" telling them that Christ would meet them in Galilee. The pastor pointed out that, just as it is recorded in the story, Christ has gone ahead of us - He is there before we get there and will reveal himself to us there. Like those disciples, we are astonished and trembling with uncertainty - we don't fully understand what has happened, but we can be assured Christ WILL be waiting for us there when we reach our Galilee.

He has risen!

In the twenty-eighth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, we read: "Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.'" (Matthew 28:1-7, ESV)

Likewise, in the Gospel of Mark, we read: "When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, 'Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?' And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'" (Mark 16:1-7, ESV)

In the Gospel of Luke, we read: "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.' And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest." (Luke 24:1-9, ESV)

And, finally, in the Gospel of John, we read: "Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.' So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes." (John 20:1-10, ESV)

Now, admittedly, there are variations in these accounts of Christ's resurrection. However, they all agree that the tomb was empty when his disciples arrived - that Jesus of Nazareth had risen from the dead. Interestingly, while only two of the Gospels supply a narrative about Christ's birth, all four of the canonical gospels contain an account of his death and resurrection! Hence, we are forced to conclude that this is an integral component/article of the Christian message/faith. Moreover, it isn't just the Gospel accounts which make this clear - the other writings of the New Testament reinforce the importance of this event!

In Peter's first sermon on the Pentecost following Christ's ascension to heaven, we read that he told the crowd: "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, 'I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses." (Acts 2:22-32, ESV) Once again, for Peter to have devoted so much of his message to the subject of Christ's resurrection, we are forced to conclude that this event was important/critical!

Likewise, in his epistle to the saints at Rome, Paul wrote: "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." (Romans 5:10) He asked "Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?" and "Who is to condemn?" He answered: "Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us." (Romans 8:34) Paul also underscored the importance of Christ's resurrection for the saints at Corinth. He wrote: "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures." (I Corinthians 15:3-4, ESV) Apparently, some folks were saying that there wasn't any such thing as a resurrection. Once again, Paul underscored the essential nature of Christ's resurrection to their faith. He wrote: "Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." (I Corinthians 15:12-22, ESV)

Indeed, we read in the book of Acts that ALL of the apostles preached about Christ's resurrection (Acts 4:33). Once again, Paul stressed the connection between Christ's resurrection to his own hope of being resurrected one day. He wrote to the saints at Philippi about his former life as a devout Jew: "whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:7-11, ESV) Likewise, in the first epistle of Peter, we read: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." (I Peter 1:3-4, ESV)

Hence, it is cleat that Christ's victory over death makes our own resurrection possible someday! Yes, we celebrate Christ's death every time we partake of the Eucharist/Lord's Supper/Passover, but we celebrate Christ's resurrection every day of our brief lives on this planet! After all, the fact of his resurrection makes eternity accessible to those of us who believe that it happened!

The Philadelphia Church of God: A Bunch of Political Hacks Pretending to be Christian

In the latest edition of The Philadelphia Trumpet magazine (April 2024), Stephen Flurry and Andrew Miller have an article titled Lawlessness by Design: The radical Obama-Biden regime is creating chaos at the southern border to provoke a civil war. The article castigates the Biden Administration for the crisis at the U.S. - Mexican border (this despite the fact that Trump ordered congressional Republicans NOT to support a bi-partisan immigration bill which would have provided considerably more resources for law enforcement on the southern border). The same article went on to praise the efforts of Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott to defy the federal government and set up his own border enforcement apparatus.

The authors went on to write that: "This is exactly the kind of dilemma between lawlessness and lawlessness that Joe Biden and, much more so, Barack Obama love to use their power to impose! Biden has compared 'MAGA Republicans' to Islamist terrorists, while Obama has called them bitter people clinging to guns and religion. These leaders do not want to defend conservative Americans from drug cartel agents and Latino socialists. Their goal is to use illegal immigration as a weapon to fundamentally transform America into a socialist nation." Really? Sounds to me like they are parroting right-wing talking points!

And, just in case anyone had any doubts about the Philadelphia Church's political stance, the authors removed all doubt with this statement: "In his July 2021 article 'What Will Happen After Trump Regains Power' (theTrumpet.com/23957), our editor in chief explained that President Donald Trump was the legitimate winner of the 2020 election. He further said that the Bible prophesies Trump’s return to power, yet he 'will have to fight for it. It doesn’t have to be military action, but it certainly could. President Trump could also lead some states to secede from the union.'" In other words, they clearly support Donald Trump's LIE that he was the "real" winner of the 2020 election.

In the same issue, Richard Palmer has an opinion piece titled Burn Down America - to Get Trump? The article decries the fact that Trump is being prosecuted for taking classified documents while Biden is not (even though that decision was made by an independent special counsel). The article goes on to suggest that the woman whom Trump was found liable for sexually assaulting is not credible, and that New York Attorney General Letitia James is just out to get Trump - that there wasn't any real fraud on his part! For Palmer (and the folks in the PCOG), the rule of law is under attack in the United States because Trump is the subject of so many indictments! That is so full of irony that it's not even funny. Indeed, Donald Trump has done more to undermine the rule of law than ANY of his predecessors in the White House!

The Philadelphia Church of God has dropped all pretense of being above the political fray! They are proudly in the thick of the culture wars currently raging within the United States, and they are unapologetically in the bag for Trump and the Republicans. Aren't these folks supposed to be preaching about the Kingdom of God? I wonder if Trump plans on having a rally in Edmond, Oklahoma this year?

NO, indulging your grievances, anger, resentment, and bitterness is NOT OK!

For those who would be followers of Jesus of Nazareth, the motivations and impulses of the world around us are NOT acceptable for us to imitate! Folks in the wider world have a multitude of grievances (real and imagined) which give rise to feelings of anger, resentment, bitterness, hatred, and a desire for vengeance. Unfortunately, many of the folks who surround us give in to the impulse to lash out at the folks whom they perceive to have offended, provoked, wronged, or hurt them. In short, many of us are motivated by a desire to "even the score," punish, or defeat those whom we perceive to be our enemies.

This, however, was NOT the way that Jesus Christ looked at the world. In his famous "Sermon on the Mount," Christ said: "God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy," and "God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way." (Matthew 5:7, 11-12, NLT here and throughout) He went on to say: "You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment!" (5:21-22)

Some will read those words of Christ and think, "That's too much - that goes against my grain!" Jesus, however, did not stop there! He continued: "You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." (5:38-48) In other words, for Christ, the standard way of dealing with other people was unacceptable!

When teaching his disciples about how to pray, Christ told them to pray that God would "forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us." (Matthew 6:12) He went on to elaborate: "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." (6:14-15)

Moreover, in dealing with each other, Christ went on to say: "Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye." (Matthew 7:1-5) Jesus then summarized the principle by saying: "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." (7:12)

And Jesus practiced what he preached. He always treated the people who came to hear him and ask for his help with kindness and compassion. Sure, Christ could be harsh with those who mistreated those who were inferior to them in power, prestige, and wealth. Even so, his objective was always to motivate humans to treat each other with kindness, mercy, and compassion. Indeed, when he was hanging on the cross, Christ prayed: "Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)

Compare that with: "If someone hits me, I hit them harder!" "If someone disrespects me, I will destroy them!" "If someone hurts me or my interests, I will take everything they have!" "I will never forgive him/her!" "I won't stop until I have my revenge!" "I will not stop until I make you pay for what you have done to me!" In short, many of us tend to hold on to hurts and grudges like a child holds on to their blanket or Teddy bear! Unfortunately, so many of us are inclined to indulge our worst instincts and impulses. Nevertheless, as we have seen, this is NOT the way for anyone who would claim to be a follower of Jesus of Nazareth to behave!

Life, Death, and RESURRECTION!

Predictably, the Armstrong Churches of God are currently all on the anti-Easter bandwagon. According to them, this Christian holiday has pagan origins, and it ignores Christ's instruction to celebrate his death. However, their teachings about Easter ignore and mischaracterize a whole lot of Christian theology and tradition. The truth of the matter is that the Eucharist (celebration of Christ's death) is a prominent ritual in ALL of the various denominations/organizations of the traditional Christian Church. Moreover, the scriptural and historical evidence available to us demonstrates that Christ's resurrection has always been celebrated by Christians.

As for the differences in timing between the ACOG observance of the "Christian Passover" and the traditional observance of Easter, I would like to recommend a post from the As Bereans Did blog titled Primer to the Quartodeciman Controversy. In addition to this controversy over the timing of the feast, we should also note that many Christians celebrate the Eucharist every week (as in communion for Roman Catholics), while others celebrate it quarterly (as in the Baptist tradition). In other words, the once every year tradition has never been the universal standard for Christians. After all, Paul did write to the Christians at Corinth that "every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again" (I Corinthians 11:26). In other words, whenever you partake of those symbols as part of his ekklesia, you are portraying Christ's death.

Now, while Christ certainly did institute the symbols of the Eucharist on the night before he was crucified, it is also true that all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) have accounts of his resurrection. Moreover, the other writings of the New Testament clearly underscore just how important that event (the resurrection) was to the First Century Church. Indeed, when the original apostles sought to replace Judas Iscariot, we read in the account that "Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection." (Acts 1:22, NLT here and throughout) Likewise, in Peter's inaugural sermon at Pentecost, we read that he said: "God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this." (Acts 2:32) Later, after Peter and John had been arrested and released, we read that "The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all." (Acts 4:33) Hence, we see that the resurrection of Christ was considered by the apostles to be an important element of the gospel message.

From Paul's perspective, the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the very thing which declared him to be the Son of God (Romans 1:4)! Paul also believed that Christ's resurrection made it possible for him and Christ's other disciples to be resurrected someday from the dead (Romans 6:5 and I Corinthians 15:12-26) Hence, just as Christ's original disciples rejoiced and celebrated his resurrection from the dead, there is nothing wrong with Christians in the present age doing the same thing!

And, finally, if we are going to get bent out of shape by a few vestiges of pagan symbols of Spring fertility and regeneration, then we might want to rethink our acceptance of the story of Christ's regeneration and what that portends for all of us - his disciples! Thus, the Easter holiday embodies the renewal of life and Christ's victory over death. 

Whose righteousness are you relying on? His or your own?

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated into English as "righteousness" is sedaqa. The sense of the Hebrew word is doing that which is good or "right" as defined by God. And, just as in the New Testament, it is understood that human efforts to be righteous will inevitably fall short of God's standard - that righteousness must be attributed to humans. Also, like the New Testament, the Hebrew Bible makes clear that this awareness about human righteousness is NOT to be interpreted as a permission, excuse, or license to indulge in wickedness. Once again, it is simply important to understand and acknowledge that God's righteousness is only attainable by humans with God's help!

In the Garden of Eden, God forbade Adam and Eve to partake of the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil" (Genesis 2:17). Of course, the tree was a metaphor for humans trying to define righteousness and sinfulness without God's input - absent God defining it. And, we all know that Adam and Eve chose to eat the fruit of the tree which had been forbidden to them (Genesis 3:1-7). Interestingly, the very first awareness which came to the couple as a consequence of eating that fruit was a shamefulness associated with their bodies. Hence, human notions about sinfulness and righteousness were immediately corrupted/perverted, and it became clear that humans would not meet God's standard of righteousness.

Later, we are informed that God made some stupendous promises to Abraham (Genesis 15:4-5), and that Abraham "believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). Indeed, as we shall see, this faith-based attribution of righteousness will figure prominently in the writings of the New Testament. Later still, God told Abraham's descendants that their inheritance of the Promised Land had NOTHING to do with their righteousness - that it was based on that promise made to their believing ancestor so long ago (Deuteronomy 9:4-6).

In the book of Job, we read that Job maintained his own righteousness in the face of many calamities and defended his behavior before the friends who had suggested that he had somehow caused his own misfortunes. However, after God confronted Job and revealed to Job that his understanding of God and his purposes was insufficient, we read that Job repented of his self-righteousness. We read that Job answered the Lord and said: "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:2-6) In the end, Job realized that his own righteousness had been an illusion!

The Prophet Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would impart righteousness to many. Isaiah observed that "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6), and he wrote that "he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth." (Isaiah 53:9) God went on to say through the prophet that "by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities." (Isaiah 53:11) Indeed, toward the end of the same book, we read that "all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment." (Isaiah 64:6)

In the New Testament, we read that Jesus Christ told his followers "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Matthew 5:6) How were they to be satisfied? By their own efforts? OR Does his statement clearly suggest that God would satisfy them with righteousness? Christ also told his disciples that their righteousness would have to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). Now, as the scribes and Pharisees were scrupulous in their observance of the commandments of Torah, it is reasonable to wonder how that (exceeding their righteousness) was to be accomplished. In that same "Sermon on the Mount," Christ went on to elaborate that he expected his followers to be motivated by the spirit of the Law. Indeed, later, in the same Gospel account, he told them that God's Law was comprehended by two "Great" commandments: Love for God and each other (Matthew 22:34-40).

Even so, Christ knew that he was about to do something on their behalf which would ensure that their righteousness exceeded that of the Jewish religious leaders of that day. Indeed, the Lord had told Joseph that his son would someday "save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21) When John the Baptist saw Christ approaching him, we are informed that he said: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29) A little later, in the same Gospel account, we read that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:16-17). Christ, of course, accomplished that by living a righteous life, and then sacrificing himself for all of the sins which we have committed! Our sins were imputed to him, and his righteousness was imputed to us!

In his epistle to the Romans, Paul wrote: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith.'" (Romans 1:16-17) For Paul, this was the essence of the "good news" - that our faith in GOD'S righteousness would save us from sin and death. Then, after quoting the Hebrew Bible about no one being righteous before God, he wrote: "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26)

Later, in that same epistle, Paul reminded his audience about the example of Abraham. He wrote: "if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.' Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised." (Romans 4:2-12) He finished the thought: "That is why his faith was 'counted to him as righteousness.' But the words 'it was counted to him' were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:22-25)

Paul went on to explain to the Romans that "while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Romans 5:6-11)

Next, he reminded them of the consequences of Adam's sin in the Garden of Eden and wrote: "if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:15-19)

To be clear, the fact that our righteousness is derived from Christ does NOT excuse Christians from the obligation to live a righteous life. He went on to admonish the Romans: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:12-14) Still, it is imperative that we understand and acknowledge that NO ONE will be justified by the works of the Law (Galatians 2:16). Paul also told the saints of Galatia that "if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose" (Verse 21). Thus, we ask again: "Whose righteousness are you relying on: Christ's or you own? 

  

How to be Christ's Friend

John 15:9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other." (NLT)

A Passage from ONE of the Messianic Psalms

You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand — you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings. Then I said, 'Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.' I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know. I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness. (Psalm 40:6-10, NLT)

"May all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, 'The Lord is great!'" (Psalm 40:16, NLT)

Pathocracy in the Armstrong Churches of God

A 2019 Psychology Today article by Dr. Steve Taylor titled Pathocracy, unfortunately, offers us some insight into what has happened within the Armstrong Churches of God. According to the article, the concept of "pathocracy" was developed by a Polish psychologist to explain why people with personality disorders so often occupy positions of power. Indeed, the phenomenon is observed within human leadership in both the political and religious realm.

Dr. Taylor observed that "pathocracy is arguably one of the biggest problems in the history of the human race. History has been a saga of constant conflict and brutality, with groups of people fighting against one another over territory and power and possessions, and conquering and killing one another." Nevertheless, he went on to note that "there is an argument that this is not because all human beings are inherently brutal and cruel, but because a small number of people—that is, those with personality disorders—are brutal and cruel, intensely self-centered, and lacking in empathy. This small minority has always held power and managed to order or influence the majority to commit atrocities on their behalf."

Dr. Taylor went on to observe that "people with these disorders feel an insatiable lust for power. People with narcissistic personality disorder desire constant attention and affirmation. They feel that they are superior to others and have the right to dominate them. They also lack empathy, which means that they are able to ruthlessly exploit and abuse others in their lust for power." Likewise, according to him, "psychopaths feel a similar sense of superiority and lack of empathy, but the main difference between them and narcissists is that they don't feel the same impulse for attention and adoration. To an extent, the impulse to be adored acts as a check on the behavior of narcissists. They are reluctant to do anything that might make them too unpopular. But psychopaths have no such qualms."

Now, most of us are not doctors or psychologists, but we can all read a list of symptoms and have the ability to make connections. According to the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder are: Have an unreasonably high sense of self-importance and require constant, excessive admiration. Feel that they deserve privileges and special treatment. Expect to be recognized as superior even without achievements. Make achievements and talents seem bigger than they are. Be preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate. Believe they are superior to others and can only spend time with or be understood by equally special people. Be critical of and look down on people they feel are not important. Expect special favors and expect other people to do what they want without questioning them. Take advantage of others to get what they want. Have an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others. Be envious of others and believe others envy them. Behave in an arrogant way, brag a lot and come across as conceited. Insist on having the best of everything — for instance, the best car or office."

Any of that sound familiar? Anyone with an Armstrong Church of God background should recognize at least some of those traits in Herbert Armstrong, the founder of the Radio and Worldwide Church of God. What about some of the folks who have claimed to be his successors in the movement? What about Garner Ted Armstrong, Roderick Meredith, David Pack, Gerald Flurry, Bob Thiel, Ron Weinland, Jon Brisby, Bill Watson, Adrian Davis, etc.? Indeed, this also explains why so many ACOG folks tend to like and support Donald Trump!

Dr. Taylor went on to note that the phenomenon of pathocracy isn't just confined to personality disorders within the leadership of a group. He noted that "a significant part of the problem is the attraction that many people feel to charismatic demagogues. You can see this in the appeal of President Trump, despite the obvious flaws - his extreme narcissism, lack of empathy and his distorted, delusory view of reality - of his personality disorder. Psychologically, this is very similar to the attraction of spiritual gurus, who often attract the blind devotion of disciples, despite unethical and exploitative behavior. The attraction of gurus and demagogues is a deep-rooted impulse to return to the childhood state of worshipping parents who seem omnipotent and infallible and could take complete responsibility for our lives, and magically solve our problems. At the same time, the paranoia of pathological leaders leads them to demonize other groups and creates an intoxicating sense of group identity with a common purpose."

But why don't the good guys ever seem to end up in leadership? Dr. Taylor noted that "people with a high level of empathy and compassion usually aren’t interested in power. They prefer to be 'on the ground,' interacting and connecting with others. They may even refuse the offer of a high-status position because they’re aware that higher status will disconnect them (although for a non-empathic person, that is part of its appeal). So this leaves positions of power open for people with psychological disorders (or at least with a high level of ambition and ruthlessness, even if not a fully fledged psychological disorder)." In brief, the people who should be in leadership positions don't want to be! Ironically, it is the reluctant ones who are best suited to leadership - the ready and willing are often folks with an agenda or something to prove. In other words, they have little or no concern for the needs of the folks they desire to rule over. They are simply a means to an end.

This is the history and legacy of the Armstrong Churches of God. As I have said before, that isn't always cream rising to the top. Sometimes turds float on the surface too! 

An Act of Faith, Hope, and Love

Some have viewed this blog as hostile to the Armstrong Churches of God, but the existence of this blog is really proof of faith, hope, and love. Over the years, more than a few commentators have perceived many of my posts as "attacks" on individuals and organizations, and I'm confident that it would surprise most of them that I don't see them in the same way. Indeed, ALL of the posts which appear here are intended to help others eschew falsehoods and find their way back to God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

This blog is an affirmation that TRUTH matters, and that we should NOT write-off anyone as lost or irredeemable. It is an affirmation of faith in God's ability to correct that which is wrong, to forgive, and to restore. It is an affirmation of faith in the premise that "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." (Luke 15:7) In short, the outlook of these posts is hopeful and full of compassion, care, and empathy for those who have been deceived into believing in a hateful, spiteful, and small god.

Jesus likened this process to a shepherd recovering a lamb which had strayed from his flock (Luke 15:4-6), finding a lost coin after a diligent search for it (Luke 15:8-9), or the return of an estranged and prodigal son to his father (Luke 15:11-32). In his epistle, James put it this way: "My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." (James 5:19-20) I want to be one of those folks who brings back a lamb who has wandered away. After all, true love never gives up! (I Corinthians 13:8)

**Scriptural references were taken from the English Standard Version of the Bible.

The Gospel of Matthew: Prayer

The Gospel of Matthew informs us that Jesus had a great deal to say about prayer. Indeed, that account has more to say on the subject than the other three Gospels combined! Of course, the most widely recognized teaching of Jesus on the subject is the model prayer which he gave to his disciples. He told them:

Pray then like this:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. (Matthew 6:9-13, ESV)

Now, rightly, "The Lord's Prayer" has stood the test of time. It is still recited throughout Christendom on a regular basis, and it has been written about in great detail. Nevertheless, Jesus Christ made a number of other points about prayer in this Gospel. He told his followers to pray:

For those who mistreated and persecuted them (Matthew 5:44)

Privately (Matthew 6:5-6)

Concisely and without meaningless repetitions (Matthew 6:7)

For more evangelists (Matthew 9:38)

In solitude without distractions (Matthew 14:23)

For the removal of demonic influences (Matthew 17:21)

For the blessing of children (Matthew 19:13)

In faith - believing that we will receive what we ask for (Matthew 21:13, 22)

Sincerely and without flowery or long-winded speeches (Matthew 23:14)

For favorable conditions when the end is near (Matthew 24:20)

When we are in distress (Matthew 26:36)

That we will not succumb to temptation (Matthew 26:41)

Hence, let us all pray that God will help us to follow Christ's example and teachings regarding prayer!

The Road to Hell Is Paved with BAD Intentions!

Although very old, the aphorism/proverb "The road to hell is paved with good intentions" is NOT found in the Judeo-Christian Bible. Indeed, from a Scriptural perspective, I believe that the exact opposite is true! According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the phrase is "said to emphasize that you must not simply intend to behave well but you must act according to your intentions, because you will have problems or be punished if you do not." Of course, the key word in the phrase is "intentions," meaning what a person has purposed or resolved to do - his/her aim or objective. Hence, a "good" intention would be one with a benign or righteous purpose or resolution behind it.

Conversely, a "bad" intention would be one with a malicious or evil purpose or resolution behind it. Indeed, according to Scripture, the flood was the consequence of God seeing "that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:5, ESV) Hence, in that instance, the road to "hell" was clearly paved with bad intentions. This, of course, also suggests that "intentions" are important to God.

Moreover, there are a number of passages in the New Testament which suggest that the intentions of our hearts are important to God. In a number of places, Jesus emphasized that his disciples should be motivated by love (Matthew 22:24-20, John 13:34-35). In the anonymously authored epistle to the Hebrews, we read that "the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, ESV) In other words, Scripture can help us to see what is motivating us to do something - whether our intentions are good or bad! Indeed, in the epistle attributed to James, we read that "each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."  (James 1:14-15, ESV) In other words, bad leads to bad!

Even so, no one spoke about the role that intention plays in the Christian life more than the Apostle Paul. In his letter to the saints at Rome, Paul wrote: "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin." (Romans 7:15-25, ESV) Also, in the same epistle, he wrote about the importance of what motivates a person in determining whether or not they remain in the Lord. Finally, in his letter to the saints at Corinth, Paul echoed the essential role that love plays in the Christian life (I Corinthians 13).

Sure, good intentions can become meaningless if the person doesn't make a real effort to put those intentions into practice, but nothing good can follow if the intentions are not good on the front end! Hence, from a scriptural perspective, the road to hell is paved with BAD intentions!

A Change of Heart

Just before the flood, we read in the book of Genesis that God surveyed the human condition and "saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5, ESV) Likewise, in the same account, after the flood, we read that God told Noah that "the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth." (Genesis 8:21, ESV) Also, we are informed in one of the books of the prophets that God once said, "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?" (Jeremiah 17:9, NLT) Indeed, the Apostle Paul once wrote to the saints at Rome that "the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so." (Romans 8:7, NET)

Moreover, the intractability of the human mind/heart required a plan to make humans more susceptible to righteousness. Indeed, when God anticipated the failure of the children of Israel to observe the tenets of his covenant with them, he also predicted that he would someday "change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!" (Deuteronomy 30:6, NLT) Long-time readers of this blog will also recognize that this passage from Torah includes one of the great commandments which Christ pointed out during his ministry on this earth. This passage from Torah is also consistent with what was predicted in the prophets. In the book of Jeremiah, we read: "'But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,' says the Lord. 'I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts.'" (Jeremiah 31:33, NLT) Likewise, in the book of Ezekiel, we read: "I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations." (Ezekiel 36:26-27, NLT)

This, of course, all pointed to the New Covenant in and through Jesus of Nazareth. In the preface to that passage from Romans about our minds being hostile to God and his law, Paul wrote: "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." (Romans 8:1-6, NLT) Once again, Paul wrote to the disciples at Rome: "For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people." (Romans 2:28-29, NLT)

Clearly, from a scriptural perspective, Jesus Christ makes the necessary change of heart possible. He accomplished this by reconciling those of us who were alienated from God by our sins (everyone) to God and making the Holy Spirit available to us to change our hearts - to make us more amenable to performing God's will for us.

Before leaving this subject, we should also note that there is another element to this process of making us more amenable to God's Law. In the book of Isaiah, it was also predicted that God would "magnify his law and make it glorious." (Isaiah 42:21, ESV) Once again, Christ accomplished this in his "Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 5-7) and by summarizing God's Law into two Great Commandments (Matthew 22:34-40). Going forward, the people of the New Covenant would be responsible for the intention of God's Law, not a list of dos and don'ts. (Romans 7:6) Indeed, the ninth and tenth chapters of the anonymous epistle to the Hebrews contrasts what Christ did with what was accomplished by the Old Covenant. Hence, all of the changes wrought by Jesus Christ have made this essential change of heart possible for everyone who has accepted what he has done. As Jesus told Nicodemus, humans must be reborn to be a part of God's Kingdom. (John 3:3-8) Paul wrote to the saints at Ephesus: "Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy." (Ephesians 4:21-24, NLT)