Author: Warren Berkley

What Men-pleasers do (see Gal. 1:10, 1 Thess. 2:4)

Warren E. Berkley

They seek the approval of men above the approval of God. The rule is, human beings have a propensity that welcomes the praise of their fellows. While there may be exceptions, the rule is we enjoy being complimented or honored. The danger is, we can easily become intoxicated and consumed by this need, then crave the praise of men. The next step in this moral digression is, to seek human approval as a personal priority. Those exposed by the Lord in Matthew 6 were guilty of this. They did their “charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them.” The same motive prompted their ostentatious praying and fasting. Among some of the leading Pharisees, there was at least intellectual confidence in the claims of Christ, but “they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God,” (Jno. 12:41). Again the problem was described by our Lord when He said: “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their father to the false prophets,” (Lk. 6:26). Men-pleasers seek the approval of men above the approval of God. Let us aim higher. The personal priority of every child of God must be, to seek the approval of God, regardless of how men respond to our preaching and practice. Our Father is a “rewarder of those who diligently seek Him,” (Heb. 11:6).

They adapt their message to their audiences. Men-pleasers deliver to their audiences that which will elicit their approval. They have made this their priority. In every time of controversy since Pentecost, there have been men catering to the crowd; even changing and adapting their message from audience to audience, not out of conviction, but to please and to become known as crowd pleasers. Paul and Timothy are examples of men who were not willing to do this. Paul told the Corinthians: “For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church,” (1 Cor. 4:17). When people (baptized or not) “will not endure sound doctrine,” they should hear it anyway, regardless of response or consequence. When sound doctrine is not the desire of heart, audiences will “heap up for themselves teachers,” and men-pleasers will heap up for themselves a following. (See 2 Tim. 4:1-5) This craving to please your audience can quickly lead to language so concerned with diplomacy, it conveys nothing substantial or scriptural, only sentiment.

They carefully avoid negative pronouncements. Though God requires preachers to “convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching,” this duty is neglected by men-pleasers in situations where such wouldn’t be welcomed. It is one thing to “speak the truth in love,” (Eph. 4:15), but to speak without truth is not loving, even if praised and applauded by men. There is the exhibition of this, when preachers step so delicately, they trample over truth to keep people happy. An honest reading of 1, 2 Timothy and Titus can bring us to a better understanding of real preaching, and supply both motive and method to avoid the immature, frenzied work to gain the good esteem of men, leaving truth unspoken and sinners lost. Preachers who are “running for office,” seeking trophies from men, building an image, leading a movement, proving their soundness by campaign, or otherwise ill-motivated will wind up withholding needed truth or twisting scripture. The response by faithful brethren should be to use every legitimate means to stop the mouths of vain talkers (Titus 1:9-13, Jude 3, ).

They will use association to generate favor (politics). When preaching and practice is aimed to please a group, gain the favor of well-known brother or gain access to a circle or cliché, the point has been missed altogether. When a “brotherhood writer” pens an article to lobby for entrance or acceptance of men, he should not be published if the motive is known. Men-pleasers eventually fall into the sin of undisciplined fellowship, endorsement of anyone baptized and this means – giving no heed to God’s instructions as to one’s association (Rom. 16:17; Eph. 5:11, etc.). Do we not know that “friendship with the world is enmity with God?” (Jas. 4:4). And what a contrast, that some preachers seek reputation when Jesus “made Himself of no reputation,” (Phil. 2:7)!

Every preacher needs to ask himself the question stated in Galatians 1:10. “Do I seek to please men?” Paul responded: “For if I still pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”  Get the point? The men-pleaser in Gal. 1:10 is not a servant of Christ.

What Does Luke 14:12-14 Mean?

Warren E. Berkley

“Then He also said to him who invited Him, ‘When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor your rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 14:12-14

Like any other passage in the Bible, this one cannot be understood or applied if contextual information is ignored. The scene is Jesus in the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees. Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath and challenged the religious experts regarding their enforcement of the Sabbath (based on human tradition). Jesus observed how the guests “chose the best places,” and in response to this practice He “told a parable” to them. The point of the parable was: “For whoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted,” (see all of this in Luke 14:1-11).

Beginning with verse 12, be sure you don’t miss who Jesus was speaking to! “Then He also said to him who invited Him.” This took place in “the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees.” Jesus observed the guests and their motives (see verse 7). He also witnessed the host and his motives. Luke gives us this information. It is apparently useful and necessary in understanding the teaching and making any application. When we read the opening of the paragraph, “when you give a dinner or a supper,” we ought to understand that as Jesus speaking to the Pharisee who hosted the feast. This is what Jesus said “to him who invited Him.”

Jesus admonished the host: “Do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor your rich neighbors.” If we had only this prohibition, we might be tempted to conclude that nobody should ever entertain or feed their friends or relatives, nor share their table with someone classified as “rich neighbors” (economic discrimination). This conclusion would come in conflict with other teachings we know to require that we afford care and hospitality toward others, without discrimination (Rom. 12:20; Heb. 13:2; 1 Pet. 2:17, etc.).

Hence, this is not just a stand-alone prohibition! It has context. Remember, Jesus has observed the motives of both host and guests; the teaching springs from this scene! Apparently, the host invited guests to this feast with selfish expectation of his own future social advantage. That’s the meaning of the phrase, “lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.”

I believe Jesus spoke this saying to an audience who needed to be admonished about their motives (both in hosting and attending a feast). The guests were guilty of choosing the best places to exalt themselves (read vss. 7-11). The host was guilty of inviting people, with selfish expectation of his own future social advantage. He invited people expecting future favor (“lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid”).

To stress the lesson this host needed to learn, Jesus stating the opposite; the greater motive: “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” Jesus is not forbidding us to feed or entertain our relatives, friends or neighbors; nor is He recommending social/economic discrimination. He is stating the case against the practice of hospitality which finds its purpose in expectation of personal favor (hoping your guests will return the favor; reciprocating).

Clarkson well states the matter in Pulpit Commentary: “THE CORRECTION OF A COMMON FAULT. Jesus Christ did not, indeed, intend to condemn outright all family or social gatherings of a festive character. He had already sanctioned these by his own presence. The idiomatic language, ‘do not, but,’ signifies, not a positive interdiction of the one thing, but the superiority of the other.”

But may the lesson not be lost on us! To seek the best places; to exalt ourselves; to offer hospitality and blessing to others, with the motive and anticipation of our own social or financial gain is short-sighted and misses the purity of the generosity of the Lord. Our good works should, every one, be motivated by the greater, eternal reward. There is recompense far higher than the earthly benefits of throwing a party for our own temporal advantage.

“Better Things”

Hebrews 6:9-12 (ESV)

⁹ Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. ¹⁰ For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. ¹¹ And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. – Heb. 6:9-12, ESV

In the sixth chapter of Hebrews, the inspired writer is urging his readers to grow up in their knowledge; to go on to maturity. There is a tone of rebuke, coming out of chapter five and into chapter six. But now, in the section that begins with verse 6, there is encouragement. That is captured in one phrase, “we feel sure of better things.” The original readers had the capacity to go on to maturity and embrace better things. Things that belong to salvation.

Now, in the rebuke, there is no implication that the people had done it all wrong. There was legitimate love that promoted them to serve the saints. What was needed was, to apply that same diligence to the whole spectrum of relationship with God through Christ.

They are assured that God knows their good work. “For God is not unjust … to overlook your work and the love you have shown for his name.”

At the end of this paragraph, there is a lead in to the next section. The writer calls upon his readers to be “imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” This is the transitional sentence into the next section about Abraham. That will be the subject of the next podcast: Heb. 6:13-20.

Remember this from what we’ve read – “God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.”

“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.”

1 Pet. 3:18

Statements like this should be regarded as expressing the very heart of the gospel; thus, the very core of our faith and reason for our hope; certainly, the motive of all our conduct.

FACT: Christ died. This is what we call “historical truth.” That simply means – This is something that really happened. There is overwhelming evidence in the Scriptures and there is evidence in secular history. The son of Joseph and Mary, called “Jesus,” was crucified; it was a public event accompanied by the celebration of unlawful, violent men. Jesus died.

WHY DID HE DIE: “For sins.” Not His Own – He had none;  remember 1 Pet.  2:22 – He “committed no sin.” Jesus died, “for our sins,” that is – because we sinned and to provide the remedy.

HOW MANY TIMES DID THIS HAPPEN? “once for all,” (see Heb. 9:28; note the contrast in Heb. 9 – between the repeated animal sacrifices, and the singular sacrifice of Christ.) These are historical facts, and the historical facts that lie at the very center of the gospel message. Jesus died; He died “for our sins,” and: “once for all.”

WHO DID HE DIE FOR? “The just for the unjust.” Sinners are classified as “unjust.” Jesus – who never sinned – “the just.” “The just” died for “the unjust.”

THE PURPOSE: “That he might bring us to God.” Sin takes us away from God. Sin separates us from God, and puts us in fellowship with the devil. Jesus died to bring us back to the Father; away from the devil and back to God. The only way you can get away from the devil and into fellowship with God is, the response (activity) of your faith in Christ; “baptism now saves you,” (see verse 21).

WHAT WAS THE PERSONAL OUTCOME FOR CHRIST? “…put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,” (see Rom. 1:1-4). Jesus died for us – but God raised Him from the dead. In many of the opening chapters of New Testament books this fact is affirmed: Acts 1, Romans 1, Ephesians 1; 1 Pet. 1:3. Jesus died for our sins; the just for the unjust – but his own personal outcome was – “made alive in the spirit.”

This is the reason for our hope; this is our defense; this is the motive behind our good behavior in Christ! What is your response?

{I wrote this in 2004. You be the judge – what has changed?}

Ten Dominant Moods

In American Religion Today

Warren E. Berkley

This is an effort to identify ten dominant moods in American religion today (2004). I have no purpose to exhaust every possible trend. And I understand, when anyone sets about the task of identifying modern trends in religion or elements of popularity, you set yourself up for the work of revision. Things are changing at such a pace, what you write in the morning may need adjustments in the afternoon. Nevertheless, I thought it would be valuable to me to make such a list. Ten Dominant Moods in American Religion today: Continue reading “Dominant Religious Moods” →

Warts and All

A young lady went to her preacher one time to talk about the possibility of marriage to a good man. The preacher asked her to describe the young man who had proposed. He was a faithful Christian from a godly home. He was educated, responsible and had a good job. He loved her dearly and she loved him. The preacher wanted to know what the problem was. She mentioned a few trivial things. One observation she made was: “He has this wart right between his eyes.”

Said the preacher: “Young lady. Go marry that man. Then bring him to me sometime after the wedding, and I’ll remove that wart. I just bought a Sears Craftsman electric sander, and I think it will do the job.” She got the point, thought about it and married the young man.

A few years later the preacher saw the couple. He pulled the wife aside and asked, “how is the marriage?” She said, “Oh preacher, it is great. He is the most wonderful man and we are having a wonderful life together.”

“I’m so happy,” said the preacher, “but let me ask you – what about that wart? Don’t you still want me to remove it.”

“Oh no! I love that wart!!”

Godly character makes a young man so attractive, you fall in love with him, warts and all.

John’s First Epistle

1 Jno. 4:1-6

Don’t Believe Everything!

 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,  and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. – 1 Jno. 4:1-6

This couldn’t be clearer. Don’t believe everything you hear or read.  This applies to every subject: Politics, Science, History, Health Care, Diet … everything. Most importantly and here in 1 John 4, don’t believe everything you hear or read about religion, morality, relationship with God.

“Many false prophets have gone out into the world.” So the urgent need is to “test the spirits,” that is – verify what you hear or read before believing it.

This verification step is accomplished by opening your Bible. If it isn’t in the Bible, don’t believe it. If, for instance, someone does not confess the truth about Jesus Christ, you know that isn’t true. Because the Bible affirms the truth about the person and work of Jesus Christ. “By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

Warren E. Berkley (From the Expository Files Archives, 2001)

Ruled By Threat:

“Corruption” Is The Word!

One danger that must be recognized in the work of a local church is, the peril of being ruled by threat.

A local church is a group of Christians in a certain place, who have agreed to work as a team under the authority of Jesus Christ. Everything found on the pages of the New Testament shows – the local church should be governed by the teachings of the apostles of Christ. It was said of the very first local church, “…they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine,” (Acts 2:42). We have more than this (many other passages making the same point), but if we only had this verse – it would be sufficient basis for affirming that the local church should be governed by the teachings of the New Testament. On the pages of the New Testament there is ample instruction about worship, work, teaching, leadership, use of collected resources, etc.

But some local churches reach a place where they are ruled by threat instead of Christ. Someone may use their wealth to exert power they covet. I am familiar with a case many years ago where a man made hefty contributions to the local church, but there was no devotion to Christ in his daily life. When confronted with his worldly ways he would offer up his defenses and make some reference to his “generosity” by which the local church was able to operate. (Let me mark this as the exception rather than the rule. In my experience, 99.9 % of the Christians I’ve known who have been generous givers were acting out of a good and honest hear.)

The reality is, some will use money to buy power. This is corruption! Whether you are talking about national politics, corporate power, local politics or local churches, this is corruption. And to submit to it is to give leadership to corrupt men! When brethren let this happen, they tacitly agree that the local church can be governed by the power of monetary donations, instead of divine authority. The truth is, nobody can buy favor from God with their money, and no local church should stand for such corruption. Let these kind of “detonators” (should that be donors) go. Send them away. (See 3 John 9,10 and 1 Cor. 5:11 and note “extortioner” and “covetous.”) “The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable – how much more so when brought with evil intent,” (Prov. 21:27).

Another form of this is for someone to intimidate the brethren by saying, “I’ll go somewhere else! I’ll ‘move my membership’.” In some cases elders and brethren ought to respond to this by saying, “Bye!” Principles and peace cannot be sacrificed on the altar of numbers! To coddle cry-babies and be “terrorized” by the prospect of a mal-content leaving is not wise; certainly not pleasing to the Lord. In some cases what ought to happen is – we should deal with them and withdraw from them before they leave – after a first and second admonition (see Titus 3:10 and Titus 1:5-11). “Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease,” (Prov. 22:10). Let Christ be in charge, not immature, covetous men.

Quit Doing Nothing

Robert Turner

The flamboyant evangelist, Dr. Sam Jones, was well known in some circles for his “Quittin’ Meetings.” During his revivals he gave people a special opportunity to confess their sins and repent; many quit swearing, quit gossiping, quit drinking, quit smoking, etc. He asked one woman what she planned to quit, and she replied, “I ain’t been doing nothing, and I am going to quit doing that!”

Assuming she was true to her word, that was a worthy change. Think what great works most churches could accomplish if about two-thirds of the members would “quit doing nothing.”

Yes, I know. The illustration led to an exaggeration. Two-thirds of the members are not “doing nothing.” Even those who sleep through the worship are absorbing sound waves, and that makes it easier on the speaker. I learned, long ago, not to expect every called-out person to be all that the Lord says they should be; but I hope and pray I will never give up trying to bring about this condition. When reality becomes cynicism we are done. Aren’t you glad the Lord did not give up on you? The Lord was not blinded to the reality of a sinful world when he died for those sins. He must have known that many for whom He died would “do nothing” about it.

Some brethren “do nothing” because they have been conditioned to think the church does it all – an erroneous institutional concept of church. Some equate the Lord’s work with public service, and think they have no talent for that. Some excuse themselves with the fear they may do something wrong. And some “tried once, but no one paid any attention to me.” In all these, we are too much concerned with what people think of us, instead of acting in faith and with a view to pleasing the Lord.

Somehow we must reawaken the concept of individual and direct relationship of each saint to Christ. The “priesthood of believers” must be re-established in our thinking. I must know that regardless of what others do, or do not do; regardless of popularity or opposition, of affluence or famine; I must serve my Master in all good conscience (Rom. 14:4-12).

“…Go On To Maturity…”

Hebrews 6:1-8 (ESV)

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, ² and of instruction about washings,^[a] the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do if God permits. ⁴ For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. ⁷ For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. ⁸ But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

If you’ve been listening to these audio podcasts, you know that I prefer quickly locating the ONE MAIN IDEA is a passage. Here, there is a phrase: “go on to maturity.”

We cannot just learn the basics or fundamentals and think we have graduated and we are done. First, we learn who God is, who Jesus is, what the Holy Spirit says we ought to do in response to the gospel. We become engaged in repentance from dead works, we are baptized into Christ – THEN WHAT? Go on to maturity. Baptism is not the end but the beginning of journey of learning, growing, making progress.

If we fail to go on toward maturity and fall into apostasy, where we are crucifying once again the Son of God – as long as we are holding Him in contempt, we cannot expect to be blessed, but rather cursed.

This passage argues strongly against neglect, spiritual laziness, and calls upon Christians to NOT STAY WHERE YOU ARE. But move on in growth. Be useful and let the seed of the Word be cultivated to receive God’s blessing, giving Him the glory.