THE BIBLE SPEAKS DAILY (NOVEMBER 4th, 2024)
TODAY'S VERSE: Acts 20:26,27
"Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God"
Paul, an Apostle spent about three years in the magnificent city of Ephesus, preaching and teaching the word of God to any and all who would hear, and "so mightily grew the word of God and prevailed" (Acts 19:20).
In Acts 20 Paul addressed the Elders of the Church in Ephesus. Therein, he informs them that he would never see any of them again.
He warned them of false Teacher's "grievous wolves" that would not "spare the flock." He commended them to the Word of God's grace.
Paul may have remembered the word from a Prophet: ". . Hear the word at my mouth, and give them (Israel) warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die," and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at thine hand" (Ezek. 3:17,18).
Ezekiel understood that it was his duty to speak the word and warnings of God to the people.
To refuse to do so would be to cause them to remain ignorant of God's will and Ezekiel would be responsible for their condemnation.
Paul in Acts 20:26,27, had declared all the counsel of God to the Ephesians. Thus, if they would not submit to God's will, it would not be Paul's fault. He had done the duty of a Preacher. He had proclaimed the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Some Things Most Pastors Won't Tell You
Today, we are bombarded on every side with Pastors and Church Leaders representing almost endless number of religious bodies. It must be admitted that many of these Pastors and Church Leaders are not telling us all of God's word? Are they preaching the whole New Testament of Jesus Christ, or just the portions that suit them?
1. Most preachers won't tell you what Jesus taught about religious titles.
Since many Pastors wear religious titles like "Reverend,", "Right Reverend", "General Overseer", "General Superintendent", "Father," "Prelate", "Rabbi," "Pastor ... .. Friar, " etc., they hesitate to share what Jesus said in Matthew 23. As Jesus condemned the hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees, He noted that they loved to be called "Rabbi" in public places. Such elevated them as special men, in some way more righteous and pious than others. The Savior said, "But be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your master, even Christ. And all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth; for one is your father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters; for one is your master, even Christ" (Matt. 23:8-10).
It is also important to note that the psalmist said of God, "Holy and Reverend is His Name" (Psa. 111:9). When men want to be heralded as "Reverend," they are treading on blasphemous ground. Reverend is the name of GOD!!!
2. Most Pastors won't tell you what the Bible says about the organization of the Church.
The organization of most Churches is very complex. Generally, the structure begins wth the President of a National Board.
There would be Headquarters, which will be responsible for overseeing groups of Churches and Representatives or Delegates from different Regional Structures also. This will continue to the Branch levels, and then it goes downward into the various Congregations, and etc.
What most Pastors won't tell you, is that this type of Super-structure is found nowhere in the Scriptures. The Book of Acts tells us that the Disciples went everywhere preaching the Word. We focus on the Paul and his co-traveler Barnabas: "And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed" (Acts 14:23).
Every Congregation in the Bible had its own Elders.
Peter said to Elders, "...feed the Flock of God which is among you" (1 Pet. 5:2). These leaders were not answerable to some District Board, but to the Lord and His Word, directly. The Bible teaches that the Headquarters of the Church is not in Washington, Paris, London, Ghana, or Abuja, but in Heaven.
For Christ, who is the Head of His Church, is in the Headquarters, in Heaven. (Eph. 1:22).
GOD did not make any arrangement for an Earthly Headquarter, for His Church!!!
3. Most Pastors won't tell you what the Bible says about Women Leadership, in the Church.
Many Women are laying claim to these titles: "Pastor", "Reverend,", "Right Reverend", "General Overseer", "General Superintendent", "Father," "Prelate", "Rabbi," "Pastor ... .. Friar, " etc.
Not only are these Women disregarding Christ's teaching about such designations, but they are rebelling against what God says about the role of Women in Church.
In 1Timothy 2:11,12 it is written, "Let the Woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a Woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the Man, but to be in silence."
Many Pastors will tell you that Paul's reasoning was based upon that day's custom and social practice. Such an argument sounds acceptable until we allow Paul to tell us, himself, why he teaches as he does.
Hear him:
"For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression" (1 Tim. 2:13,14).
Though the Bible speaks plainly, most Pastors bow to social pressure and refuse to tell their Churches what God says.
4. Most Pastors won't tell you what the Bible says about Music in the Worship.
Did you know that the first Christians sang praises to God without the use of Mechanical Instruments like Organs, Pianos and Guitars?
The Bible instructs:
"...speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart, to the Lord" (Eph. 5:19).
Did you know that Mechanical Instruments of Music were not introduced into Worship until the early 7th century?
While we are not subject to the teachings of mere men, it is extremely interesting to note that John Calvin, Adam Clarke, John Wesley, Martin Luther and Charles Spurgeon were all publicly out-spoken against the use of instruments in worship.
It is often argued that since David used a harp to praise God, then it is scriptural for Christians to use Pianos and Drums today. But we will do well to remember that we are not governed by the same Mosaic law that governed the Old Testament Jews, like David.
We live now under the New Testament of Jesus Christ! And nowhere does the New Testament tell us that Christians are authorized to use Violins, Tambourine, and Fiddles in their worship.
The Bible said, ". . . teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Col. 3:16). Also the Bible speaks: "...Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name". Heb.13.15.
5. Most preachers won't tell you what God says about financing the Church's work.
Since most Pastors engage in Harvest Sales, Bazaar Sales, Carnivals, Compulsory Tithe payments, to raise funds for their Churches, they won't tell you what the Bible says about rightful manner to raise funds for the Churches.
There are two instances in the New Testament of funds being raised so that the Church could function:
a. In Acts 5:32-37 we see the Saints in Jerusalem selling what they had, and putting the funds into a "Treasury." It is impressive that they would sell what they owned. The Church in the Bible does not beg for donations from the Non-Christian community.
b. The instructions of 1Corinthians 16 are not much different:
"Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay him in store, as God hath prospered him" (1 Cor. 16:2).
Please note this: Men can devise hundreds of schemes to raise money for the Church. The only problem is that God has designed only one, weekly giving to God, in the worship. Christians giving on Sunday, in proportion to the blessings of the previous week.
6. Most Pastors won't tell you what the Bible teaches about "Salvation By Faith Alone".
This doctrine has its roots in Martin Luther's rebellion against the Roman Catholic Church's selling of indulgences. He recognized that Salvation was not to be had through buying one's way to Heaven, or even through impressing God with Works of Merit.
Salvation is offered through Jesus Christ.
Some Pastors would be contend, and insist that man is saved by faith only.
But hear the Bible:
"Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only" (James 2:24).
The Bible says that we are not justified by "faith only."
Indeed, faith that does not motivate one to work, is not saving faith.
"Faith without works is dead" (James 2:26).
If the modern day Pastors desire to speak
"as the oracles of God" (1 Pet. 4:11),
they need to remove the terminology, and practices that suggest "salvation by faith alone" from their teachings.
7. Most Pastors won't tell you what the Bible says about baptism.
This topic has received more perversions, from the modern day Pastors, than any other Bible topics.
The Proponents of the un-biblical doctrine of "salvation by faith alone," having decided that salvation is imparted to men at the exact instant of belief in Christ, have come to teach that Baptism is non-essential to Salvation.
Quite to the contrary, Peter instructed Men and Women, whose hearts had been pricked by the wonderful story of Jesus, to:
"repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins..." (Acts 2:38).
Modern day Pastors may say what they like, but Peter made Baptism (by immersion) a necessary step in one's quest for forgiveness of sins, and eventually leading to the salvation of Souls.
Jesus instructed His apostles to:
"go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:15,16).
Most Pastors will make tell you that "you are already saved by your believe, and you may be baptized, if you so desires".
Bible made immersion in water compulsory to Salvation. Baptism is for Sinners, not for the Saints.
It is significant, also, that baptism is administered to one who believes on Jesus Christ; not to infants who cannot possess convictions, to the Word of God.
"And the Eunuch said, 'See, here is water. What doth hinder me to be baptized?' And Philip said, 'If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.' And he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God..." (Acts 8:36,37).
People who are truly interested in what the Bible says concerning Baptism must read Romans 6:3-5, Galatians 3:26-27 and 1 Peter 3:18-22. If a man's teaching does not conform to what the Bible teaches plainly, that man is a false Teacher, false Pastor.
8. Most Pastors won't tell you what the Bible says about How to Pray.
Christians were commanded by Jesus Christ how to pray. He doesn't want Christians to pray to Him, but to GOD the Father, directly:
"...And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.” John 16.23-28.
The Bible didn't authorize Christians to pray to any God of Man.!!! Beware!!!
We pay to our Heavenly Father, by the Name of Jesus Christ, meaning that, we pray to the Heavenly Father, by the Authority of Jesus Christ:
"...For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father..." Ephesians 2.18.
Beware, do not approach your Heavenly Father, by the name of any GOD of any MAN!!!
9. Most Pastors won't tell you what the Bible says, that Christians were not Under the Old Testament.
GOD made a covenant with the Israelites:
a. "...The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive..." Deuteronomy 5:3.
b. "...Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write these words, for according to the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments..." Exodus 34:27-28.
WHETHER CHRISTIANS WERE TO OBSERVE THE PROVISIONS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT:
c. "...What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator...Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all Sons of God through Faith in Christ Jesus..." Galatians 3:19-26.
d. "...You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace..." Galatians 5:4.
e. "...For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God..." Hebrews 7:18-19.
f. "...For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Hebrews 8:7, 13 (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Conclusion
Paul wrote to Timothy, "take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine" (1 Tim. 4:16).
To all Church Leaders, you have an obligation to stand firm upon what God has revealed in His Word, the Bible.
It is a shame when you refuse to speak only where the Bible speaks: "...Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth..." 2 Timothy 2.15.
The situation which makes a man to decline to tell others what the Bible says, is a poor situation. The grave danger inherent, is that people will assume that their Pastors or Church Leaders speak "the whole counsel of God" while he is whittling the word down to nothing but meaningless trivialities!!! A sorry case!
"...Howbeit, in vain do they worship me," said Jesus, "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Mark 7:7).
This Truth Shall Make YOU Free (John 8:32).
Read, Study, Meditate and Do the Will of God always.
TODAY'S PRAYER:
My Heavenly Father, I thank You for making me to read these Word of admonition today. Safe me from this perverse, adulterous, and idolatrous religious World. Teach me Your ways daily.
Help me to be honest with Your Truth and Faith, for the salvation of my Soul.
Kindly heal the Sick and provide for the Needy among us, AMEN!
credits: Webb Harris, Jr. & Benson Omole.
For questions and comments, please contact us on: +2348060066660; +2347069554486; +2347070020042.
Or benoomole@gmail.com, omolebenson@gmail.com
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This work is under the oversight of the Church of Christ Ekute Quarters Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State Nigeria.
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