Being Faithful To God
Carlos Aguilar

In Rom 8:31-39 Paul reveals that there is nothing outside of ourselves can separate us from the love of God. He writes, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?…Who shall bring a charge against God's…Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?…we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” All that Paul writes proves conclusively that God is on our side, helping us in every possible way in harmony with his overall will in this life. He is for us, he is on our side favoring and furthering our cause. Since He is, who then is our adversary? When the most powerful being in existence is our ally, all enemies and adversaries pale into insignificance. The battle has already been won. We are on the winning side. We cannot be beaten.

In vs 38 we see how Paul, an inspired apostle, has been induced to believe very strongly in the truth he is about to reveal. There is nothing out there, not...death, nor life---when a Christian dies, no matter what form of death it might be, it has no bearing on God's love for him. Nor is there anything in this life that could bring about our separation from God's love, nor angels---No angelic being, no matter what he might say, or what power he might exert against us will have any power over God in this matter. He continues to say nor principalities---there are no rulers, either of this world, or of the spiritual world, no president, no dictator, no king, none of the spiritual hosts of wickedness, nothing can interfere or hinder God's love for us; nor things present---nothing that has been invented or is in existence today, nor things to come---nothing that might be devised by men in the future, nor powers---any type of power that exists and could be exerted against a Christian. In verse 39 we read, nor height, nor depth---you can't go too high, and you can't go too love. No matter where you are, God's love is still with you; nor any other creature---something beyond man's comprehension, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. ---the love which God holds toward those in Christ Jesus exceeds anything that we can imagine or comprehend. God's love is a fortress, which assures our victory. We are safe from everything as longs as we abide there. God is very clear in His Word that we must be careful not to separate ourselves from Him.

If we become unfaithful, God warns that He will reject us. Two books in the NT are very pointed and clear on this. The first is Hebrews and the second is Revelation. Both of these books were written with the intent of warning those who had been Christians for many years that they were in danger of losing their salvation and relationship with God. We will consider the following verses in the book Hebrews: In Heb 4:1-2, “Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it, Heb 6:4-8, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance,’ Heb 10:26-31, “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?”

We could read many passages in Revelation but for the sake of brevity consider Rev 2:10,“…Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life,” Both the Holy Spirit in Hebrews and Jesus in Revelation make it quite clear that our conduct after conversion will be weighed on the judgment day and God regarding our faithfulness and fidelity to Him will make a decision. The term faithful as found in Rev 2:10 (Be faithful until death ) is defined: "Pistos"-of persons who show themselves faithful in the transaction of business, the execution of commands, or the discharge of official duties...worthy of trust, that can be relied on. The term "until" also found in Rev 2:10 is defined..."Achri" even to; until, to the time that, until a certain time. Hence Jesus expects us to trustworthy, reliable and faithful in our execution of His commands or in the discharge of our duty. This is to be done until, to that time that our death occurs. Nothing prior to that time can excuse us from being unfaithful. Other passes in Hebrews such as Chapter 10:35-39 speaks negatively of God's feelings toward those who allow anything to hinder the faithful discharging of their duties. His soul has no pleasure in us. In Heb 6:9-12 the Hebrew writer outlines what God expects from his people in a more positive way.

What do we think about when we hear passages like these, what criteria do we use to judge ourselves, do we feel good or bad about them? I hope that all of us recognize our need to be concerned with these things. It is vital to our relationship with God that we be constantly concerned about how God views our discharging of His commands. To be unconcerned is almost an admission that we have problem. Even Paul was concerned. 1 Cor 9:24-27. He writes, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” The key is in keeping ourselves properly aligned. We can take Scriptures like those above and carry ourselves to the point where it is impossible for us to feel good about ourselves. This is clearly wrong. Mt 11:28-30 guarantees us the right to feel good about ourselves. The grace and mercy of God enters in to this equation. Faithfulness coupled with grace enables the Christian to enter into an eternal existence with God. 

CHURCH HISTORY: A BIBLICAL VIEW
Part V - No. 35 Compiled and written by Gary Eubanks

The seventeenth Century was a time of great religious and political upheaval in England. This turmoil had its roots in the uncompleted religious revolution begun by Henry VIII when he broke away from the Roman Catholic Church to establish the Church of England. Henry wanted the Church of England to be free of organizational ties to the Catholic Church but he himself remained a Catholic in much of his religious sentiment. Consequently, the Church of England was neither fully Protestant nor fully Catholic. This left England in a rather unsettled religious condition. This condition was exacerbated by the religious ambivalence and shifting attachments of succeeding monarchs.

Queen Elizabeth I, though Protestant, tried to steer a very moderate course. As much of the old Roman order of organization and worship as Protestant sentiment would permit was retained. Naturally, then, there were those who felt that Elizabeth was not sufficiently aggressive in pressing the Protestant cause. These wanted to purify the Church of England of all vestiges of Roman Catholicism. Therefore, they were known as "Puritans." Among the changes that they desired to make was the procurement of genuine Protestant preachers in every parish, rejection of clerical vestments (Matt. 23:5 , 8), kneeling at the reception of the Lord's Supper, the wedding ring (because it was thought to be indicative of matrimony as a sacrament), crossing, and Sabbath-like observance of Sunday with a commensurate suspension of amusements such as games and dances (Gal. 4:10; Col. 2:16,17; Acts 20:7; I Cor. 16:1,2). English officialdom was not prepared for such far-reaching changes and thus proscribed religious practices contrary to them and punished those who did not submit by imprisonment or deprivation of ecclesiastical positions.

Another important focus of controversy between the Puritans and Anglicans (Church of England) was the form of government the church should have. The Church of England was ruled by a form of government known as episcopacy. This theory of church government asserts that the church should be ruled by bishops who oversee a whole diocese. This theory further maintains that bishops are direct successors of the original apostles and thus wield the powers of the apostles (Acts 1:22; I Cor. 15:8). Under the bishops are presbyters (or priests) of local congregations, and deacons. Thus, the Episcopal form of church government is hierarchical and monarchical in nature.

Some Puritans, on the other hand, believed that Presbyterianism was the only proper form of church government. Presbyterianism is also hierarchical in nature but differs from episcopacy in some important respects. Firstly, local church leaders are appointed by the congregation they oversee and not by superior officers outside the congregation (although they may be ordained or approved by them). This eliminates the idea of apostolic succession and powers for church leaders. Secondly, leadership and decisions were conciliar in nature in the Presbyterian form of church government, thus eliminating the tendency toward the supremacy of the episcopate.

Most Puritans were satisfied to introduce as much of their system as the prevailing situation would permit and wait for civil government to put the rest in place. However, English monarchs preferred episcopacy and the old order in worship. Some Puritans thus despaired of attaining what they felt was a Scriptural system by waiting on the government to implement the necessary changes and took the more radical approach of separating themselves from the Church of England to form their own congregations. They were known as "Separatists," and some of them advocated total congregational independence. Disliked by Anglicans and Puritans, they were persecuted so severely that some had to seek refuge in the Netherlands. Puritans petitioned James I, the successor of Elizabeth, for the changes they sought, but he only granted them a new translation the "Authorized" or "King James Version" of 1611.

Among the Separatists who sought refuge in the Netherlands was a congregational leader by the name of John Smyth. From a study of the Scriptures he came to the conclusion that church membership was given by baptism on the basis of repentance and faith. In 1608 or 1609 he therefore "baptized" himself and others by pouring, thus forming the first Baptist Church. Smyth also adopted the view that Christ died for all. He and those who shared his belief were known as "General Baptists." Those who believed Christ died only for the elect were known as "Particular Baptists." They adopted immersion as the proper mode of baptism (Rom. 6:4). Those among the Separatists who advocated congregational independence and religious freedom but who did not adopt Baptist positions were known as "Independents" or "Congregationalists." The "pilgrims" who crossed the Atlantic in 1620 to establish the Plymouth colony in Massachusetts were Congregationalists.

James I was succeeded by his son, Charles I, who provoked a civil war by his strenuous advocacy of Anglicanism and ill-treatment of the English Parliament. The conflict resulted in a victory for Puritanism, and Charles was eventually beheaded. Following the Protectorate of Cromwell, however, Charles II once again pressed Anglicanism to the point of practically outlawing Puritanism. James II, who succeeded Charles II, went even further by trying to return England to the Roman Catholic fold. This resulted in a revolution which installed William and Mary as joint sovereigns of England. Under their rule toleration was extended to all English sects except Catholics and anti-Trinitarians.

The Society of Friends, or Quakers, was founded by an Englishman named George Fox, who believed that the Lord granted every man an Inner Light to guide him to truth. Thus, revelation was not confined to the Scriptures but was given directly to each individual (II Tim. 3:16,17). Fox also rejected a professional ministry, oaths, servility in speech or behavior, military service, slavery, and the sacraments. A consecrated life on the part of Quakers was demanded and formalism in worship was opposed.

Quakers were severely persecuted in England and America, some even unto death, but eventually received the benefits of William and Mary's Act of Toleration in 1689. Before that time a prominent, William Penn, received a grant from Charles II in Pennsylvania and established a Quaker colony there.

Sodium and chloride (chemical compound NaCl.) are the components of common table salt. Separate them and you no longer have salt. Chloride apart from sodium is chlorine, a potentially dangerous chemical. Sodium alone is explosive in the presence of water.

Rights and responsibilities are the components of life. Attempting to separate rights from responsibilities is also dangerous.

The trouble with those who stand up for their rights, is that they usually sit down when it comes to responsibility.

Attempting to shirk responsibilities is like trying to run away from your shadow. It goes wherever you go.

The rights of others are seldom considered by those who demand their rights.

Everyone is responsible for what they say and do. No exceptions!

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 

~from Thursday's Thought edited by Ron Adams