Do you prepare yourself for prayer and worship a little too carefully?

Mathew 9:1-7
"And getting into a boat, he crossed over, and came to His own city. And behold, they were bringing to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed; and Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, Take courage, My son, your sins are forgiven. and behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, This fellow blasphemes. and Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Rise, and walk? But in order that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins - then He said to the paralytic - Rise, take up your bed, and go home."

Talk about feeling vulnerable!

What was that man thinking? Strapped to a stretcher, unable to move. Lying flat on his back. His whole being and everything he ever was; everything he ever connived to become; every lustful thought he had clung to; every vengeful word; every way he had brought grief, heartache and disappointment to his parents flashes before his eyes like someone whose life flashes before them just before immanent death.  Jesus is looking at him, lying there, unable to squirm away, unable to roll over, unable to stand and present himself.  Jesus is looking right into his eyes. "This man knows" the paralytic may think. If he soiled himself while lying there, he could not feel more humiliated, more exposed, more vulnerable.

I can imagine what he may have thought. "I give up. I cannot hide. I am undone. I am a man of unclean lips. Thy will be done. Slay me if you wish." No offering to present; no clean hands to lift up; no song of thanksgiving.

How often do we come to the Lord, hiding behind an offering? Do we feel more comfortable coming to prayer knowing we've been washed, forgiven and sanctified than when we feel dirty, rebellious and altogether unholy?  We smooth the feathers, straighten our ties, take a deep breath, step into the sanctuary and voila! "Here I am to worship.... Here I am to bow down.... Here I am to say that "You're my God!".... You're altogether  (but in our hearts we are saying "all together... and thank god, so am I") Let's keep it all together, let's not betray our weakness, our sickness, or lack of faith, our complete and utter need for the mercy of God.

But Jesus doesn't just leave the paralytic there. "Take courage, my son. Your sins are forgiven."

Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me."

I've mostly heard that scripture used to describe Jesus knocking on the heart's door of the unsaved. But I suggest that he is describing what prayer really is. He prompts us and we just open the door and say "Thy will be done". The result is that he accomplishes his will, to the glory of God.

1Peter 5:6 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because he cares for you."

Could Saint Peter (or any apostolic church father that followed) have made poor judgements in doctrine?

I wouldn’t suggest anyone have disrespect for St. Peter. But as we think it through, we have the following evidence regarding the possibility St. Peter was capable developing an errant doctrine and God used another apostle to bring correction. Peter had to be corrected (as did most if not all the disciples) by our Lord on more than one occasion. Examples being: suffer the little children to come to me and St. Peter’s attempt to convince our Lord to avoid the cross. These corrections were necessary, and were made by our Lord before his ascension, and before the granting of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost – The Spirit who would lead them into all truth.

 Interestingly, we see St. Peter make another misjudgment many years after Pentecost. Galatians 2:12 “But when Peter came to Antioch, I withstood him to [the] face, because he was to be condemned:” Did St. Peter repent? We don’t exactly know. And if he wasn’t in the wrong, then St. Paul was. At any rate, it is a GIFT from God that it is recorded in Scripture that early church fathers could be wrong on a point. When we reconsider their teachings, we don’t have to conclude that we ourselves are either just too sinful or just too dense if we are unable to see agreement between their statements and other principles in God’s Word. Often we see it recorded in Scripture that someone had made a mistake, and someone else came along and made a correction.

I believe errors come into existance when doctrine is formulated apart from the Grace of our Lord – or when it was influenced by a human desire for control or the preservation of human power or reputation. Scripture clearly indicates many examples of such, and that eventually, God brings about a correction. That is why, although I don’t go crazy “throwing out dogma” just because its dogma, I firmly believe we must know why we believe. And I believe we must compare every teaching of the Church with every other teaching, checking for anything contradictory to Grace, or purporting “another” gospel.

Carefully study to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15

There remains faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is love.

                                                gratia Domini nostri Iesu Christi vobiscum

What comes first? The Spirit who moves where he wishes, or the completion of a sacrament?

Acts 10:34 “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said , Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) 37 That word, I say, ye know , which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached ; 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good , and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly ; 41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 43 To him give all the prophets witness , that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished , as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized , which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”

All this happened after the resurrection of our Lord and after Pentecost. This was no anomoly; the account is that of Peter, pillar and rock of the Church. A teaching you might say, of a very early Church Father.  Even the Catholic catechism teaches salvation may come without baptism into the Church: “Thus the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Those who die for the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, are saved even if they have not been baptized” (CCC 1281; the salvation of unbaptized infants is also possible under this system; cf. CCC 1260–1, 1283).”

I suggest it is also possible to continue in Grace without receiving baptism. And why not? If we begin with the Spirit, let us continue with the Spirit.

sic stulti estis cum Spiritu coeperitis nunc carne consummamini

Galatians 3:3 “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”
Cornelius and his household received the Holy Spirit of God upon hearing the Word of Faith. Those with Peter were astonished! They were surprised that God would so obviously accept men who were not Jews. Not only did God accept the non-Jews, men and women who were not part of the Church and had probably not even been under John the Baptist’s ministry, but He poured out His Holy Spirit upon them.

 Remember Jesus’ words? “The Spirit goes where he wishes”.

That is not to say I disapprove of Baptism. But I recognize it as this: A public declaration by two parties: The person being baptized, who wishes to declare his desire to serve the Lord; and the person or Church doing the baptizing, who wish to publicly declare their acceptance of the one being baptized.

I believe that is why Peter is saying, in effect:  “God has accepted these people, even granted His Holy Spirit to live within them. Can we not also accept them as fellow believers and part of our body!?”
If God has accepted them, we should not deride them as “not being Christian” simply because they have not been baptized into our Church, or taken part in our sacraments.

Faith Alone?

One of these statements is different from the others. Can you guess which one?

A)I do this to remember

B)I do this to honour God
C)I do this to enter into worship of God
D)I do this to ensure my salvation

Statement “D” is, of course completely different from the others.
Are more or extra sacrifices necessary to ensure our forgiveness?
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

To those who eagerly wait for him. Remember the Psalm: I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence cometh my help? My help comes from he who made heaven and earth.” (ps 121)  It was the poor sinner, the tax collector who did not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat upon his breast and said: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” that God justified. Our Lord did not declare all the works, ceremonies and perfections of the Pharisee to be cause for the Pharisee’s justification. (Luke 18:13)


Now, what if that tax collector had gone down to his own house, sat down in his kitchen and told his wife: “Dear, I have prayed for God’s mercy today. I sense He has extended His grace to me. I have faith, in fact, that Our Lord has forgiven me my sin and propensity to sin. Yet I doubt this will last long unless I become like that Pharisee I saw while there. Surely there must be a limit to God’s kindness; therefore I must commence works of righteousness in order to build up a credit with Him.”
“My dear husband”, his wife might respond. “I do not know how God decides things, but I do know that all the ways you have disappointed me cannot be atoned for by any good deeds you may do me. It is because I have chosen to forgive you that I haven’t knifed you in your sleep. If you wish to do good deeds for God, well. But if you think that only by doing such will his favour and forgiveness be kept intact – think again!”

Galatians 2:16 “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
“ that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law”
How simple can it be? So simple that “not even a fool need go astray” (Isaiah 35:8) Yet, we men can’t seem to continue in grace. We not only have a tendency to impose rituals upon ourselves, but also upon others; telling them they are justified by faith in Christ and participation in sacramental deeds.
Galatians 3: ”O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain–if indeed it was in vain? 5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?– 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.”
Some might protest: We are not attempting to be justified by observing Old Testament Law!  So. God’s law couldn’t fix, save or justify anybody, but your new laws can?  Galatians 3:21b “if there had been a law given which could have given life , verily righteousness should have been by the law.”

When was Apollos "saved" ?

Acts 18:24-25
Iudaeus autem quidam Apollo nomine Alexandrinus natione vir eloquens devenit Ephesum potens in scripturis
hic erat edoctus viam Domini et fervens spiritu loquebatur et docebat diligenter ea quae sunt Iesu sciens tantum baptisma Iohannis

Now a certain Jew, named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus, one mighty in the scriptures. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord: and being fervent in spirit, spoke and taught diligently the things that are of Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John.

His knowledge about Jesus was limited to what John the Baptist preached.
Who was this man?  I must admit, I’m not impressed with the explanations about Apollos I’ve heard. I’ve read that Apollos was just strong in human power, and his ministry is an example of a failed attempt to preach without the Holy Spirit. I’ve also heard the same re-hash that the baptism of John as well as all his preaching was nothing more than a “turn or burn” ministry. Don’t we believe the Prophecy? I’d like to take another look at the prophecy of John’s father, Zacharias, because if it was true, John’s message (and that of Apollos) was much fuller and more gracious than I had previously assumed.

Apollos was knowledgeable about the Scriptures. He was an eloquent speaker. He cared about honouring God and he spoke boldly to his fellow Jews about Jesus, yet his knowledge about Jesus was limited to the baptism of John; that is, what John would have been preaching and teaching about the messiah. Who was Apollos?  He was a Jew. He had a Greek name and he came from Egypt – from Alexandria, and he knew about John’s message of repentance and good works – and salvation. Could the preaching of Apollos and John result in or affirm salvation? According to Zacharias’ prophecy, yes. Knowledge of salvation- Salvation that is real and comes  with the “forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God”(see Zacharias’ prophecy)  Is Zacharias’ prophecy saying that knowledge of Salvation (knowing that God forgives and saves) enables us to serve God and walk in the way of peace? Or is he saying that such knowledge is required for salvation to “take effect” and it must be obtained before God shows us his tender mercy?  When preachers today declare that one must actually believe/know that Jesus has risen from the dead before the tender mercy of God may be received, how close have such preachers come to Gnosticism?  See what the Scripture says in Luke 1… “knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins”, not, forgiveness of sins through the knowledge of salvation. First God forgives. (Forgave?), then he lets us know about it. That’s what brings freedom in this life to serve him “without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days”.

Luke 1:67-79
et Zaccharias pater eius impletus est Spiritu Sancto et prophetavit dicens
benedictus Deus Israhel quia visitavit et fecit redemptionem plebi suae
et erexit cornu salutis nobis in domo David pueri sui
sicut locutus est per os sanctorum qui a saeculo sunt prophetarum eius
salutem ex inimicis nostris et de manu omnium qui oderunt nos
ad faciendam misericordiam cum patribus nostris et memorari testamenti sui sancti
iusiurandum quod iuravit ad Abraham patrem nostrum
daturum se nobis ut sine timore de manu inimicorum nostrorum liberati serviamus illi
in sanctitate et iustitia coram ipso omnibus diebus nostris
et tu puer propheta Altissimi vocaberis praeibis enim ante faciem Domini parare vias eius
ad dandam scientiam salutis plebi eius in remissionem peccatorum eorum
per viscera misericordiae Dei nostri in quibus visitavit nos oriens ex alto
inluminare his qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent ad dirigendos pedes nostros in viam pacis

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant -As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old -Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES, And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US; To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS; To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins, Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” NASV

Interestingly, Apollos is described as being “instructed in the way of the Lord”. Interesting to me, because he hadn’t the further knowledge of Jesus that Pricilla and Aquila had; yet the Scripture says he “taught diligently the things that are of Jesus”, or as the amplified version puts it: “he spoke and taught diligently and accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he was acquainted only with the baptism of John.”  He lacked not courage, nor eloquence. He was fervent, and he must have spoken boldly to the Jews of the Knowledge of Salvation – the Mercies of God – the Forgiveness of Sin.  Acts doesn’t record that he was  converted upon hearing more about Jesus – that He had risen etc.  It simply says Aquila and Priscilla expounded to him the way of God more definitely and accurately. It doesn’t say he then received the Holy Ghost, or at the moment he believed Jesus had risen etc., suddenly became Christian. He wanted to continue (as opposed to commence) his service and was encouraged by the brethren and was a huge help to those who by grace had believed; publicly proving that Jesus was the Christ.  He knew that God loved people, and had provided for their salvation and had forgiven them their sins. Very different from Saul- who breathed out threats, obviously didn’t know God loved anyone, and did not preach that God had forgiven anybody. Apollos started with love and forgiveness and was instructed more accurately in the way of Jesus. Saul started with violence and condemnation and had to be converted. Saul had to be turned completely around – from hatred, to love and when he was converted, he commenced his service to God.