Author: Warren Berkley

Guest writer from Christianity Magazine Archives

Adultery—“A Heinous Crime”

Sewell Hall

If you were asked to name a “heinous crime,” what would you think of first? Cyanide in Tylenol? A recent senseless assault on some innocent child? The murder of a million Jews in Germany? Surely all of those are “heinous crimes.” How many of us, however, would identify adultery as “a heinous crime?” Job called it that in Job 31:11.

We have seen so much evidence of adultery around us that we have become anesthetized to its seriousness. It is dramatized on the screen, glamorized in music and immortalized in print. It has become a way of life for multitudes of otherwise respectable people, so much so that many have come to believe that anyone who abstains is abnormal.

Job’s designation is still accurate. Consider some things of which one is guilty when he commits adultery.

Breach of Contract. When we marry we promise before God and witnesses to keep ourselves to our spouse alone “so long as we both shall live.” Does our word mean nothing? We would be incensed if our companion should break that covenant; what right have we to break it? If we do not have the honor and integrity to keep this promise, what promise can we be expected to keep?

Grand Larceny. Nothing my companion in marriage possesses is so valuable to her as the trust she has in me that I am keeping our marriage contract. No amount of money I might take from her could possibly hurt as much as to take away that trust by proving to be unfaithful. To rob her of that is to rob her of the security and stability to which her own sacrifices and investments clearly entitle her.

Unlawful Trespass. Webster says, “Trespass implies an unlawful or unwarranted entrance upon the property, rights, etc. of another.” If the person with whom one commits adultery is married, then the right to the body of that person belongs to his or her spouse (1 Corinthians 7:4) and anyone else is trespassing. Even if the person is not married, the charge of trespassing still holds, for the only one who has a right to anybody is a marriage companion.

Treason. Christians are citizens of the kingdom of God’s dear Son (Colossians 1:13). Adultery is one of Satan’s devices in his war against God. If a Christian engages in adultery, he is giving aid and comfort to the enemy and allowing himself to be used for his purposes. The figure is different but the message is the same in 1 Corinthians 6:15. “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!”

Desecration of a Place of Worship. The argument against sexual immorality in 1 Corinthians 6 is continued in verses 19 and 20. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Contempt of Court. Contempt of court is “any willful disobedience to, or disregard of, a court order or any misconduct in the presence of the court” (Compton’s Encyclopedia). God is “Judge of all the earth” (Genesis 18:25) and “there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). Every act of adultery, therefore, is “in the presence of the court” and is a direct violation of His injunction: “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Romans 13:9).

Gambling. One who commits adultery is putting at risk everything of value in his life. He is gambling with his honor, his wealth, his health, his conscience and his ability to control his thoughts (Proverbs 5:9–14). He is gambling with church relationships, family relationships, and even with his right to be married. I know of no passage which gives a person divorced for adultery the right to marry anyone else.

Murder. Adultery murders something good in a person that is almost impossible to restore. This must have been what the Holy Spirit was saying in 1 Corinthians 6:18. “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.” This is not to question that adultery can be forgiven; it can be (1 Corinthians 6:9–11). But one thing is certain: if it is not forgiven, the soul is murdered. Revelation 21:8 warns that the “sexually immoral … shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

What other sin involves so many offenses against God, man and self? We must agree with Job that adultery is a “heinous crime; yea it is iniquity to be punished by the judges.” Even if human judges overlook it, “the Lord is an avenger of all such” (1 Thessalonians 4:6).^[1]

^[1] Hall, S. (1986). Reminders: Adultery—“A Heinous Crime.” Christianity Magazine, 3(5), 5.

Hebrews 12:18-24

“Which Mountain?”

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. – Heb. 12:18-24.

As soon as this is read, first you see two mountains: Sinai and Zion. Then your next thought is – the first is associated with the Old Covenant; while Zion represents the New Covenant of Christ.

Next, we look further into the details. And when we add to this the Old Testament narratives about the giving of the law in Exodus, something else comes to our attention. The event on Mt. Sinai conveyed fear and distance; all the people didn’t have access to God. In fact, they were told not to come near and Moses was terrified.

Contrast that scene with what is taught in Hebrews about the access we can have to God through Christ. One statement of this truth is back in Heb. 4:16, after the affirmation that Christ is our great High Priest: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

God is to be feared and respected. Yes. But we have access to God through Christ, which is depicted as Mt. Zion, “the assembly of the first born, enrolled in heaven.” Yes. Jesus is our faithful high priest and our Mediator, the Mediator of the New Covenant.

Running in the Wrong Direction

Whole Motivation

Warren E. Berkley

I still mow the lawn! At various benchmarks in my sixties I tried to give up yard work. The other day a young man in the neighborhood said, “why are you still doing yard work?” The motivation for a seventy-two year old to continue doing yard work is multi-leveled. (1) I like having a neat place. (2) City ordinances require yard maintenance. (3) My wife likes it. (4) The grandkids think they have surpassed such tasks. (5) Maybe the guy next door will get the message that he should do his.

This is really the way motivation works. It is that inner engine that ignites and fuels the outer engine. It cannot be faked or borrowed and you can’t do without it. Even bad behavior has various sources in motivation, albeit wrong. {The word “motive” originates from that family of words that has to do with movement. We generally use the word when speaking of that which causes or prompts movement.}

Why am I a Christian? Several related levels of motivation answer that question.

(1) Being a Christian is part of the legacy I was given. My parents made certain I knew what I needed to know about becoming and being a Christian. My father was genuine about passing on the torch. When he read passages like “…that the next generation might know them,” he applied that to his efforts to teach us and model for us the meaning of becoming and being Christians (Psa. 78:5,6). Part of my motivation is to be true to that legacy.

(2) Being a Christian is the best way to lead my family. While I cannot force my children and grandchildren to become and be Christians, I can and must teach and show them. There is no higher standard for a father or mother. “Bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” are words I took personally when we were raising our children (Eph. 6:4). As a grandparent and great-grandparent, that legacy motivation remains.

(3) Being a Christian provides guidance and good attitude in being a good friend and helping people. Being a good neighbor (even to the guy next door who needs to mow his yard) requires a selflessness that is richly informed and encouraged by following the teachings of the New Testament. Long before Mr. Rogers, Jesus spoke of being a good neighbor (Lk. 10:25-37). He illustrated maturity, disciplined responses to people and loving the unlovely. I need that. It’s part of my motivation.

(4) Being a Christian prepares me for death. I know what everybody knows. We will die. But what then? Of the two alternatives I want the better. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:57,58).

(5) Being a Christian means I am able to get help from the highest source. “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and deliver them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit,” (Psa. 34:17,18). I need this! “Let us with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need,” (Heb. 4:15).

(6) Being a Christian means I am a participant in a worthy cause. I can tell people and show people there is a way out of the destruction of sin. I can pass on the greatest message to ever be spoken and written. Without any doubt attached, any apologies or timidity, I can speak what God caused to be written. “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’.” (Rom. 1:16,17) I became a Christian and I continue that way of life for all these reasons.

What do all these levels of motivation have in common? What is the principle motivation? I am a Christian because of who God is, what He has done for my benefit through Christ and what the gospel promises. Every reason given above is foundationally connected to the greatness and love of God in Christ. He made me in His image for His purpose that came to fullness with the life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While all six motives identified above hold value, they only hold value because of Almighty God.

Popular motivational speeches and books may not be completely wrong or failures. I think the common defect is that they are frequently incomplete. The world wants motivation that is earth-bound and self-serving, to be financially productive; to overcome some deficiency; to gain some temporary excitement here “under the sun.” Billions of dollars have been banked by motivational books, seminars and podcasts that omit the highest motivation available to man. “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man,” (Eccl. 12:13). A life that isn’t “abundant” with Christ as the center, takes one only to the grave. What then? Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly,” (Jno. 10:10).

Much motivation talk is built around slogans, that may contain some truth, yet without wholeness and divine connectivity.

“Often it’s easy to take the teachings of Jesus and turn them into clichés. We’re tempted to dial into these slogans whenever we’re in crisis. But experience shows us that the slogans alone leave us hollow. So what would it look like to take the teachings of Jesus seriously and orient our daily lives around them? Let’s be honest—we need to do a whole lot more than stick a fish symbol on the back of our car.” (Source: Page 22, The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door, by Jay Pathak, Dave Runyon, and Robert Frazee. Baker Books, 2012.)

God has created us in His image and God has spoken and acted through Jesus Christ to get us out of the destruction of sin and into fellowship with Him. That goodness combined with our reverence for God is the principle motive, that has in it – all the other levels of motivation. I hope this helps you to stay motivated. And now, it is time for me to mow the yard again.

Previously Published in Truth Magazine, Dec. 2019

The Evangelist and Controversy

Harry Pickup, Jr.

Each Christian is called to “controversy,” being commanded both to “put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11) and to “contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 3). Evangelists are given particular responsibility to “war the good warfare” (1 Tim. 1:18; 6:12) and behave as “good soldier(s) of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3).

The adjective “good” is sometimes translated as “honest” (Lk. 8:15) and “honorable” (Tit. 3:8, 14). It may sound strange to describe “war” and “soldiers” as “honorable,” but such is the nature of the controversy authorized by our “Captain,” Jesus Christ.

I do not claim to be a paragon of this instruction. My purpose is to set forth what the Scriptures teach on this subject so that we may all remember, ponder and improve our work.

Controversy is indigenous to the faith of Jesus Christ, and the faithful cannot avoid it. To attempt to avoid it is an act of disloyalty to our Creator and Savior and the neglect of one’s voluntary duty as a Christian. This proposition is true because of the nature of the faith of Jesus Christ. His faith is based upon truth – the reality of what is; therefore, it is absolute and immutable. Consequently, truth is always in controversy with diversity. No charge is more serious than, “maintain the faith.”

Controversy is justified for the following reasons: First, Jesus Himself was an absolutist –  “I do nothing of myself, but as the Father taught me I speak these things” (Jn. 8:28), and absolutism invites controversy. He taught in absolute propositions: “no one cometh unto the Father but by Me” and “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jn. 14:6). And “if ye abide in My word, then … ye shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Jn. 8:32). He taught “either/or” choices: “God or mammon,” narrow or broad way,” “true or false prophet.” His teaching was the foundation for the safe and secure life (Mat. 7:24-27). Any other teaching leads to disaster.

From one point of view, Jesus is the “Prince of peace,” (Isa. 9:6-7), peace being the object of His rule and His life being the model of His title. From another point of view, and from His own testimony, “I came not to send peace, but a sword … to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother” (Mat. 10:34-39).

Second, Jesus’ gospel is unique – one of a kind. It is to be “contended” for in its unchangeable state (Jude 3). Any variation from the “sound words” and “doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ,” is unsound, erroneous, being productive of schismatic controversy (1 Tim. 6:3-5). If either angels or men brought “another gospel” they were to be treated as “accursed” (Gal. 1:3f). To “preach, receive or accept a different gospel, Jesus or spirit,” was evidence of Satan’s crafty corruption (2 Cor. 11:3f).

Third, those who originally revealed and preached Jesus’ saving gospel often found themselves in controversy because they “declared” the truth. They “reasoned” (debated) in synagogues and public forums (Acts 16-19) on behalf of the unchangeable reality. For example, Paul “fought the good fight” (2 Tim. 4:7) “casting down imaginations and every high thing exalted against the knowledge of God” (2 Cor. 10:3f), yet he did not “war according to the flesh.” In three epistles to younger evangelists, Paul reminded them of their accepted duty to controvert error and wickedness.

Paul’s preaching was not “yea and nay, but in Him is the yea” (2 Cor. 1:9); that is, his proclamation was not one thing and another. The “Son of God, Jesus Christ” and His “promises” were preached so that you are able to say the “Amen” (2 Cor. 1:20). By this the Corinthians acknowledged the immutability of what “we preached and you believed.”

The facts and the truth of the gospel are not what they are because of circumstances. They are not susceptible to compromise and synthesis. Neither time, culture, nor circumstances are permitted to change the salvific message. Any attempt to vary the teaching is to be resisted – “guard that which is committed unto thee … oppositions of knowledge which is falsely so called … some have erred, concerning the faith ” (1 Tim. 6:20-21). The changeless faith is the means to trust. Continue reading “The Evangelist & Controversy” →

This is a lengthy read, but I want all of it to be together. I’m thinking my readers can copy/paste/save and read it in one sitting. From the FC Lectures.

Powerful Preachers

Phillip G. Mullins

These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. (Acts 17:6)

Was this a trumped-up charge? Was it hyperbole? Did the preach­ers of the book of Acts, like Paul and Barnabas, really turn the world upside down?

Viewed from its immediate context, such a statement appears to be an exaggeration meant to prejudice the Gentile rulers against the Way. Yet, when the work of the preachers of the book of Acts is viewed from a broad perspective, the Jews of Thessalonica were cor­rect in describing the eventual impact of the powerful preaching that was rippling through the Roman Empire in the name of Christ.

Acts is one of the most important historical accounts known to man. Even beyond its pivotal role in the biblical narrative, Luke’s history of the first Christians and their exploits describes a major shift in human civilization. With the emergence of Christianity, the world begins a gradual transition to monotheism, leaving poly­theism and the idolatry commonly associated with it to die a slow death in most of the world. The principles of Christ’s teachings come to dominate western civilization and even make inroads into the east. Culture, politics, art, and economics will be altered. The field of philosophy will be overhauled by New Testament ideas.

Most important will be the spiritual shockwaves sent through­out the world from the events in Acts. Multitudes will come to know the Creator through the Son to a degree previously un­known. An incalculable number of sins will be washed away. Jews and Gentiles will become one in Christ. God’s eternal plan un-folds into a movement that no earthly force can stop nor physical kingdom outlast. Countless lives will be redirected onto a path that will eventually lead to the throne of God in the hereafter. It is as if the coming of Christ—His work, death and resurrection— were the detonation, and the events of Acts, the explosion. In the aftermath, the history of mankind will never be the same.

All of this was inaugurated by preaching. The sermons of the apostles, prophets, and evangelists of the first century ignited a spreading flame that has encompassed the whole world and im­pacted eternity. The preachers of the book of Acts were used by God to initiate the dispersion of the gospel and to open the doors to the kingdom of Christ, thus turning the world upside down. These preachers were as varied in their background, personali­ties, and abilities as the people to whom they preached and the circumstances in which they found them. They showed a remark­able understanding of their hearers, an incredible ability to adapt, and a profound zeal for their mission. Their work was the most important human endeavor in history. Those who strive to preach the same gospel today share a bond with these men. All believers find in them a well of insights and motivation.

“And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Rom. 10:14)

The book of Acts is not intended to be a biographical sketch of the first Christians nor the first gospel preachers. In a sense, the Holy Spirit is the main character. He guides the apostles and prophets, empowers them to perform miracles, and providentially brings together preachers with hearers who possess honest hearts. Yet, in the course of the narrative, one by-product is an extended history of figures like Peter, John, and James whom we find in the gospels and the introduction of men such as Stephen, Philip, and Paul.

Preaching is the action of Acts. At times Luke records the speeches (Acts 2:14-39) and on other occasions merely refers to what was proclaimed (Acts 8:35). Yet, preaching is the thing that is constantly drawing the reader’s attention. This emphasis reflects the instructions of Jesus in the great commission (Mark 16:15) and it proves the continuing essentiality of preaching in the plan of God.                                                                                                                                 

It is the means by which forgiveness is offered and the invitation is extended for the kingdom of heaven (Acts 13:38; 8:12). Ultimately, preaching is part of God’s grand scheme of redemption. In discuss­ing Luke’s use of the word necessary or must, Ferreira writes:

As Jesus had to suffer, so too the disciples must preach. Luke’s speeches therefore are crucial for his theological theme, they are not merely literary devices to vivify the narrative, or a convention of contemporary historiography. Without the preaching, God’s plan would remain unaccomplished. (211)

The men we see carrying the truth of Christ to a lost world were not from a uniform mold. Some had been trained by Jesus, like Peter and John. Others, such as Paul and Apollos, had experi­enced, even if unwittingly, unique preparation for the task. Oth­ers, such as Barnabas and Philip, appear to have no specialized training for it. Several were Jews, many were Hellenistic Jews, and a few were Gentiles.

Their approach was driven by audience and circumstance. Pe­ter’s sermon at Pentecost is not identical to the one to Cornelius’ household (Acts 2:14-39; 10:34-43). Paul’s preaching in Thessa-lonica was very different than when he stood before the Areopa­gus in Athens (Acts 17:1-3, 22-31). They were masters at reading their hearers and adapting their approach to most effectively re­late the gospel to them.

Yet, there is a consistency in the sermons of each preacher and in what they all preached. Some modern scholars credit Paul with taking Christianity in a new direction, ignoring the com­mon thread seen in the doctrine of all the first-century preachers. Paul’s sermon in Antioch of Pisidia mirrors both the sermons of Peter and Stephen in Jerusalem (Acts 13:16-41). What additional revelation that did come through Paul by the Spirit only built on the foundation laid by the original apostles and the earliest evan­gelists. The claim that Jesus performed signs, died according to the Scriptures, was raised the third day, and now offered forgive­ness to believers echoes through each sermon.

One of the most gripping aspects of Luke’s history is the te­nacity seen in these men that is nothing short of inspiring. They

stood before hostile audiences (Acts 2; 6; 22). They pushed into new social situations (Acts 8; 10). They were willing to be used in any way as instruments in getting the gospel to the lost, plant­ing churches, and defending the truth that Jesus was Lord. Most risked their lives in their preaching; some lost their lives because of their preaching (Acts 7:59-60; 12:1-2).

Yet, as crucial as their roles were and as heroic as their actions may have been, they were merely men. They were aware they were forgiven people being used to turn others to the Savior. If anything equaled their boldness, it was their humility. “Stand up; I myself am also a man,” stated Peter to the bowing Cornelius (Acts 10:25-26). Continue reading “Powerful Preachers (Guest writer)” →

From Dee Bowman

SOLOMON’S RECOMMENDATION FOR A GOOD LIFE:

1. Resign yourself to the times of your life (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

2. Learn to deal wisely with what life offers (Ecclesiastes 7:14).

3. Live joyfully with your mate (Ecclesiastes 9:9).

4. Do what you do well (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

The Integrity of the New Testament was published by Expository Files in 2014 and remains on sale at Amazon (Kindle or Paperback) and other outlets like Spiritbuilding Publishing and OneStone. 

From the opening chapter by Jeff Wilson:

This is a most necessary book, extraordinarily relevant to the time in which we live. The opening years of the twenty-first century show that two significant developments have become mainstream in our culture. There is, on the one hand, the stunningly rapid decline of biblical literacy within our society over the past several generations. The Bible is more and more seen as at best utterly irrelevant to the modern, scientific time in which we live, at worst explicitly hostile and hateful to present cultural attitudes and agendas. There is also the related rise in recent years of the general notion that the New Testament is a flawed, politically motivated, poorly transmitted, arbitrarily chosen collection of documents derivative from ancient religious obsessions and struggles for power in the name of orthodoxy.

Hebrews 12:12-17

“See To It”

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. – Heb. 12:12-17

Hebrews 12 is about running the race God has set before us. That image speaks to us of daily living as a race God has set before us. We are able to enter the race and run well – because of who Jesus is and what He did for us. As our faith is activated, we consider Jesus and continue forward movement toward heaven.

Now reality is – we may become discouraged, or fainthearted or weary. When that happens, we need to hear what this passage says, from God through His written Word and his people: Lift your drooping hands, strengthen those weak knees; strive for peace and holiness; see to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; remove any bitterness and don’t make the mistake Esau made. He was rejected.

I don’t know any Christian who doesn’t need to be warned, encouraged, uplifted and nurtured – to stay in the race, or to get up when you fall. This passage sounds like what a trainer or physical therapist would say to one in training or a patient. You can do it. You must do it. Leave that baggage of bitterness behind and make straight paths for your feet.

If you are in one of those periods of despair and undergoing intense temptation, or just ordinary worldly boredom – I encourage you to read the 11^th and 12^th chapter of Hebrews – then read again these verses: Heb. 12:12-17.

See to it that you do not fail to obtain the grace of God.

I hope this is readable. If not, give me some feedback (comments) and I’ll not use it again.

Thanks, -web