LOVING JESUS

We are to love Jesus Christ. How could we not? He loved us first. “We love Him because He loved us first” (1 John 4:19).

Nothing motivates like the love of Jesus Christ. Nothing can change your world like Jesus. When you realize that He is reaching His hand out to you so that you will take hold and let Him guide you and love you, your life will never be the same.

The love of Christ compels us to do things a certain way. “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that all died, because He died for all. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised to life again” (2 Cor. 5:14-15).

He died for us so that we would live for Him. That is the only fitting response to what Jesus has done for us—to present our bodies to Him as living sacrifices in view of how merciful He has been (Rom. 12:1). The only fitting response to the love of Jesus is to live for Him.

By focusing on how much Christ loves you, you will love Christ back. That is the way to grow in our love for Him. The wonderful love of Jesus needs to occupy your mind. You need to meditate on it and think about what it means. Think about how He knows you by name. You existed in His mind before He created you. He knows all about you and loves you. No one will ever love you like Jesus. Don’t ever forget that.

Sometimes we ask, how can I love God more? And the answer is to stop focusing on your love for God and focus on God’s love for you. By being reminded of how much God loves you, you will love God. And your love will grow.

The love of God causes things to change in our minds and in our hearts. Love for God leads us to do things that we would never have done before. To do good and to do right.

And loving Jesus is the key to loving others. Realizing how much you are loved by Christ will make your love for Him grow, and it will also make your love for other people grow.

Knowing how much people mean to Jesus will cause them to mean more to you. We are human, we are in the flesh. We have problems. And we don’t always love the way we should. We don’t always think the way we should. But we can change. The love of Christ can change us. All things can be new in Him (2 Cor. 5:17).

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:10-11).

The death of Christ proves His love for us. He thought enough of you to die for your sins. He thought enough of you to go to the Cross so that you could go to heaven and spend eternity with Him. Don’t ever doubt how much you mean to Him.

When you wonder whether or not God loves you, think about the Cross. When you wonder whether or not God really cares about this world and the people in it, think about the Cross. It is the death of Christ that proves His love. And since He loves us so much, we should turn around and love others in His name.

Embrace the love of God and be excited that God loves you. Because He does. He always has and He always will.

   Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

THE ABIDING PRESENCE OF JESUS

The abiding presence of Jesus is the foundation of the Christian life. Remember that Christianity is Christ. Salvation is Christ. Prayer is Christ. Everything is about Christ. Think about Him and be conscious of His intimate presence in your life. Live each day that way, knowing that He is always near.

You are always in the presence of Jesus, which means that, even though you may feel lonesome, you are not really alone. Loneliness at times overtakes us because of the way our minds work. But when we walk by faith, we know that Jesus is with us. Because He has promised to be with us. “I am always with you, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). He is with us always. That is a personal relationship with Jesus, and that will anchor your spirit, your soul, your mind, and your emotions in the depths of God’s awareness of you and His concern for you.

The best friend you have is Jesus. The closest friend you have is Jesus. Keep putting your trust in Him and looking to Him. Think about His constant nearness. The presence of Jesus is not an abstract doctrine or some “way off” reality that we can only think about. Jesus lives in us by the presence of His Holy Spirit. That means that He is right there with you at all times (John 14:17; Galatians 2:20). Right there! He is within you.

There is unlimited joy in the presence of the Lord (Psalm 16:11). When life is hard, and it very often is, we can be aware of His promise and believe it and cling to it and rejoice, knowing it is so: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10).

Our relationship with Him is a living one. It is like a vine and its branches, where the branches stay connected to the vine and bear fruit (John 15:4-5). Believing that Jesus is real. Knowing that Jesus is in us, knowing that we are close to the Master Ruler of the universe, will turn our trials into triumphs. The only way to live is to live with the nearness of Jesus Christ consistently on your mind.

      Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

AMAZING GRACE

The name John Newton (1725-1807) is recognized in connection with one of the best known and best loved spiritual hymns of all time. Likely no extra-biblical writing has articulated the wonder of God’s grace as well as Newton’s beloved hymn, “Amazing Grace.”

The words of that song have meant so much to the people of God for so many years, due in part, no doubt, to the fact that Newton poured his heart out concerning God’s grace in such a way that all of us can relate to it. “Amazing” is about as good of a word as any we have in the English language to describe God’s grace.

Paul wrote these words concerning the amazing grace of God in the second chapter of Ephesians: “And He made you alive, those who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the path of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all once lived our lives by the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ—you have been saved by grace—and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might display the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For you have been saved by grace through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, lest anyone should boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:1-10).

This long thought of Paul conveys to us the magnificence of God’s grace. We are saved because He is gracious and full of mercy. We were dead in our sins, but God gave us life because that is what He chose to do.

Without the grace of God, we would be lost and there would be nothing we could do about it. But God is compassionate and merciful. It is His nature to be gracious. And that is what He chooses to be.

Looking to Christ by faith means looking to and depending upon the grace of God. We do not deserve His favor. We do not deserve His kindness. We do not deserve salvation. But God gives us all of these things and redeems us through His Son because that is what He has chosen to do. Because that is the kind of God He is.

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.” All of us should say that. We were lost but were found because of Christ. And we had nothing good in and of ourselves to claim before God. But He saved us any way. Because His grace is amazing.

The Gospel of Christ is a wonderful message. The hope of all mankind is contained in this one story of God’s love expressed to us through the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because we are sinners, Jesus came and took upon Himself our sins and our punishment that we might know the love of God and be the recipients of eternal life (Romans 5:6-11).

No wonder it is called the Gospel—literally, the Good News. Grace changes people. Let us appreciate the grace of God.  

Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

QUESTIONS ABOUT MELCHIZEDEK

When studying the New Testament Book of Hebrews, many questions arise in the minds of diligent Bible students. Some aspects of the material which God includes in this book are difficult for the modern disciple to decipher.

That is not to suggest that Hebrews is impossible to understand. On the contrary, the point of the book, while not as easily interpreted to us as it was to its original recipients—i. e., certain Jewish believers in Christ in the first century—we can still easily see the point if we read the letter in a modern translation we can understand.

The point of reading the Bible is to learn about Jesus, and the principles concerning Jesus in Hebrews are easily understood. The point, the principles, are easily understood—not every single thing the writer says.

One of the most mysterious aspects of Hebrews has to do with a man named Melchizedek. Some believe that he was literally a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ Himself. Is this so? I would say no, not at all.

It is certainly clear that God, in His sovereign decision-making concerning the revelation of Jesus Christ throughout the centuries, in preparation for His actual entrance into the world—the types and shadows of the Old Testament that pointed to Jesus and prepared the way for people to receive Him when He appeared—chose to have Christ appear at various times in the Old Testament before He came in the flesh.

The example of Melchizedek, however, should not be viewed as one of them in my humble estimation. When we compare things the Bible says about both of them, we come away with a clear picture of the fact that they are not the same person.  

JESUS CHRIST IS A PRIEST ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK

Considering the concept of Christ’s priesthood is paramount to understanding both His identity and His role in the world. And it also reveals the connection between the Old Testament priests—especially the high priest—who typify Christ, and Christ Himself.

Christ was a priest of God according to the “order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:11, 17). When the Bible speaks of “order,” it is using a word that speaks of an arrangement. It means that Christ is similar to Melchizedek in many ways.

If Christ was Melchizedek Himself, in other words, then He would not be according to the order of Melchizedek. “The Lord has promised and will not change His mind: You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4).

Regarding Psalm 110:4, Christ revealed that the “priest in the order of Melchizedek” was an Old Testament passage that referred to Him (Matthew 22:43-45). Thus, the priesthood of Jesus, as well as His kingship, has much in common with that of Melchizedek when it comes to its arrangement and its nature.

MELCHIZEDEK WAS MADE LIKE THE SON OF GOD

As the inspired penmen wrote the words concerning Melchizedek, he made an interesting observation that, again, points to the fact that this mysterious gentleman was a type of Christ. The writer says Melchizedek was “like the Son of God” (Hebrews 7:3).

Thus, he draws a comparison between the two men, and therefore also distinguishes between them. Melchizedek was not the Son of God, Christ was and is. By saying Melchizedek resembled Christ in certain ways, he makes a clear distinction between the two.

Hebrews 7:15 says that Jesus is “like Melchizedek.” He cannot be like Melchizedek and resemble Melchizedek, and be Melchizedek. The royal priesthood of Melchizedek was a part of God’s longsuffering plan to foreshadow the Christ, so that people would accept Him when He appeared.

Everything in the Old Testament points to Jesus, including the ministry and priesthood of Melchizedek. Yes, the royal priesthood of this man pointed to Jesus.

We must note again for the sake of emphasis, however, that highlighting the similarities between the two proves that they are not the same individual. Also notice that in the seventh chapter of Hebrews, God’s penman uses the word “another.”

Here the magnificent Old Testament priest, and the even more magnificent real Son of God are compared (Hebrews 7:11, 15). Since he uses the word “another,” again, we are not talking about the same person. No, Melchizedek was one priest, Jesus was “another” like him in some ways.

MELCHIZEDEK WAS A “TYPE” OF CHRIST

When we observe that Melchizedek was a type of Christ, we are, of course, making reference to the fact that his role as priest and king pointed to what Christ would do in the future for us.

The Old Testament prepared the way for Jesus by giving many types, which were inspired previews of aspects of the work and wonder of Christ. Though mysterious in ways, Melchizedek is a wonderful example of a type of Christ. And he certainly could not have been a “type” of Christ and been Christ Himself at the same time.

WITHOUT FATHER AND MOTHER

We also must consider the question of why Melchizedek is said to be “without father, without mother, without genealogy, who had no beginning of days nor end of life, but was made like unto the Son of God, abides a priest continually” (Hebrews 7:3). Certainly this statement, as much as any other, has caused some to develop bizarre notions of the identity of Melchizedek as it pertains to Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 7:3 is not descriptive of a literal situation concerning the life of Melchizedek. There is a point being made concerning what his kingly priesthood was like, and how it forshadowed the work of Christ.

The contrast between the priesthood of Aaron, which was the operative system of sacrifices in the Old Testament, under the Law of Moses, and Melchizedek’s priesthood, which predated the Aaronic one, is the point being made.

What we simply have to do is consider the statement contextually, looking at it through the lens of the point being made about both Melchizedek and Christ. We cannot isolate this statement concerning his having “neither father or mother,” etc., in other words, from its context. We must be true to its original meaning. It cannot mean now what it did not mean then.

Melchizedek was not literally without father or mother, as though he appeared from outer space. He is mysterious, but not that mysterious.

So in context, what is the writer saying? This: Melchizedek was not a priest because of his family line. In order to be a priest under the Law of Moses, one had to be from the genealogical line of Aaron, specifically through the tribe of Levi.

But Melchizedek was before Levi. So he was not a priest based on who his father or mother was. It had nothing to do with his bloodline.

How then did he become priest? God gave him his priesthood directly. And that is exactly the case with the Son of God as well. Jesus was not from the tribe of Levi, either. So he was a priest after the order of Melchizedek, not after the order of Aaron.

Jesus was from the tribe of Judah, not from the tribe of Levi. And that is the point. Melchizedek was not priest because of who he was in a fleshly sense, but because God chose him to be the priest (Hebrews 7:14).

Melchizedek was a man, I am convinced, just like everyone else. He certainly had a father and a mother, or he would not have been born. But the point is, his position as priest did not come about because of his father and mother.

This is how he was like Jesus and foreshadowed Jesus. Jesus was not a priest because of his descent from Levi or even Abraham. Both men were directly chosen and appointed by God to be priests. And that is the similarity between them.

MELCHIZEDEK HAD NO BEGINNING OF DAYS

When the writer says of Melchizedek that he had “neither beginning of days nor end of life,” we also must understand this is speaking symbolically. No end of life? Does anyone believe that Melchizedek is still alive somewhere on earth today? Surely not. We must consider a more reasonable explanation.

One point that has to be applicable is the fact that priests under the Levitical system were called to serve in the tabernacle for a specific number of years. Specifically, from the age of twenty-five until fifty (Numbers 8:24-25).

Melchizedek, however, served under no such restrictions. When we look at the Genesis record, for example, there is no indication of when his priesthood began or when it ended. The suggestion seems to be that he served in that role until he died.

So what the writer is likely saying is that since we have no record of it, it is as though he had no beginning or end, making him a type of Christ in that sense. Christ is eternal, literally having no beginning or end (Micah 5:2; John 8:58).

Seventeen times in the Hebrew epistle, Jesus is referred to as our “High Priest.” His priesthood did not end at fifty years of age (he did not live that long), but continues even now and will until the end of time.

He lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25) and we always have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1). He is the go-between who makes us right in the eyes of God.

Salvation comes to us totally free of charge through faith in Jesus Christ because of His role as our High Priest. His sacrifice on the cross for our sins is what makes us right with God.

And, like Melchizedek, He is also a king. THE King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Which means we live under His authority and rule and try to do what He wants us to do. So trust in Christ as your Savior and live for Him as your King.

    Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

THE LOVE OF CHRIST COMPELS US

When we embrace the love of Christ, our lives become completely new. There is nothing like the transforming power of Christ’s love. It will never leave you the way it found you. Believe that He loves you. Believe it deeply, in the depths of your soul and your heart. In the innermost parts of your being. Take it to heart. Rely on it. Believe that He loves you as much as you believe your own name.

Paul wrote that the love of Christ compelled him to live for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14). Love leads to life. Loving leads to living. The will to serve Christ, no matter what comes against us, is found in knowing how much Christ loves us.

We will never know it fully in this life, for the love of Christ passes knowledge (Ephesians 3:19). It is beyond human understanding. But we can grow in our knowledge of His love by spending time with Him daily and thinking about what He has done for us.

Paul knew how much Jesus loved him. And that was the powerful force that caused him to live his life in service to Jesus. When we think about people who have given their all in service to Christ, the apostle Paul has to come to mind near the top.

But Paul was not super human. He did not have supernatural faith. He was a very sinful man who had plenty of skeletons in his closet. And yet he went on to accomplish as much for Christ as Christ called him to accomplish. Before he died, he could say that he had fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7).

Paul wrote about the love of Christ because he embraced the love of Christ. He taught others about the love of Christ. He talked about it constantly. It was the consuming obsession of his life. He knew that Jesus loved him. Do you know that Jesus loves you? Do you have that certainty? You can have it—by deciding to believe that God does not lie, and the cross of Christ is real. He died for you.

Though you deserved His wrath and condemnation, He took your sins to the cross. All of the penalties that I was due, He took for me. There is no greater love than that. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for His friends (John 15:13). Christ has laid down His life for us. And He calls us to be His friends by doing what He commands (John 15:14).

Paul did not have Jesus with him in the flesh while he did his work for God. The Corinthians had never seen Christ in the flesh. But that did not keep the apostle from saying that the love of Christ was the driving force of his life, and should be the driving force of theirs. It gave him the will to serve Christ daily. And it kept him from turning back to the life of selfishness, that everyone without Jesus ultimately lives.

So the people who knew Jesus while He was on earth knew that He loved them. And those who have known Him since His return to heaven can be just as confident in His love for them now. We can be as sure that Jesus loves us as the original apostles—whom He loved to the end while He was on earth (John 13:1)—knew that He loved them.

You simply must know that Jesus loves you. He has proven it. He has proven it in more ways than we can even imagine. But meditating on the cross is where the depth of the matter is found.

     Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

PRAYER: THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

Prayer is our lifeline. It is the lifeblood of the Christian life. It is the way we remain in contact with our Heavenly Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. It sustains us spiritually and helps us to grow.

We remain believers and we grow as believers as we grow in Christ. Prayer is one of the ways to do that. Therefore, it must never be viewed as a “duty” to be performed, but a wonderful and blessed privilege that God has given us.

God wants His people to pray. His word says that we are to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Since God is the one who told us to pray, we can be absolutely certain that He wants to hear from us.

Praying without ceasing does not mean that we will never have to turn our attention to other things at times. But it does mean that we should maintain an ongoing communication and fellowship with God that is not limited to specific routines that we schedule at certain times.

There is a time for scheduled prayer. But we should also know that we can pray and pour our hearts out to God anytime. Life is difficult and the temptation to worry and be anxious is constant. And although we cannot stop all of the anxiety-inducing times in our lives, we can bring things to God and be aware of His wonderful love toward us.

Again, the Bible enjoins us to “not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present our requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). The next verse reveals that this will bring about a peace in our hearts and lives that transcends our ability to understand. You have to live the kind of peace that Jesus gives. It cannot be fully explained in words.

To pray is to bring our will under the dominion of Christ. It is to seek that what God wants to be done will be done, rather than giving into and living for our own selfish desires.

Jesus showed us the example here by praying, “not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). In other words, He told His Father He wanted to do what His Father wanted, not what He wanted. God gives us the desires of our hearts when we delight in Him, because His will becomes our will, and His desires become our desires (Psalm 37:4).

So pray because God is listening. We may be certain that He is whether we feel it or not. The confidence that we have before God is that “if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14). Prayer will bring you into a greater knowledge of God’s character and a greater awareness of His presence in your life. Nothing says that you believe in Christ’s intimate presence with you like prayer.

When you struggle with prayer and think you do not know how to pray, God has that covered, as well. We have the presence of the Holy Spirit, God’s “Helper,” who comes to help us in every aspect of our spiritual lives. And the Bible specifically tells us that He helps with our prayer life because we are not praying “right.”

We cannot trust in our ability to pray. So just pour out your heart to Him and trust that the Holy Spirit will intercede for you and take your prayers to God in the right way (Romans 8:26-27).

Prayer works wonders because in prayer you have the attention of the one who rules the world. This is why the prayers of God’s people are “powerful and effective” (James 5:16). We should pray to Him when we are happy and when we are not. When we are on the mountaintop and in the valleys. Our life should be saturated with prayer because He is near to those who call upon Him (Psalm 145:18).

The New Testament recognizes that we have spiritual and emotional and physical needs. And it tells us to bring those needs before the throne of God’s grace to receive the help that we need (Hebrews 4:16).

By having a faithful prayer life, we will know the depth of God’s love, the power of God’s presence, and we will be strengthened to an ever-increasing closeness with Jesus in a personal relationship.

                           Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

THE HOLY SPIRIT DEVELOPS CHRIST IN US

All of God’s acts throughout history have been about Jesus Christ. He is the one that we are to glorify. And He is also the one that God Himself glorifies (John 17:1-5; 5:22-23). Jesus is God the Son, but God the Father has put all of the emphasis on His Son Jesus Christ. And the Holy Spirit comes to do the same thing. Where the Holy Spirit is, Jesus will be glorified. If you want to know if people are led by the Holy Spirit, listen to whether or not they talk about and are focused on Jesus.

You do not honor the Holy Spirit by talking about Him all the time. He wants you to be focused on Jesus, just as the Father does. The Spirit testifies of Christ and points people to Him. He wants us to come under the influence and leadership of Jesus and live our lives to glorify Him in all that we do (John 16:14). The Holy Spirit works in us, in other words, to help us be and make us Christ-centered people.

For the apostles and prophets who wrote and taught by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the first century, the Holy Spirit’s intentions were clear. He guided them to write about and talk about Jesus (John 14:26). He will do the same thing with us in principle. He dwells within us (1 Cor. 6:19) and He lives in us to develop Christ in us (Gal. 4:19). The Spirit of God is always leading people to focus on Christ.

We are called to fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). We have so many things competing for our attention and trying to get us off track. We want to be completely focused on Christ. And since it is difficult to do that in this world, and even impossible to do it in and of ourselves, the Holy Spirit comes to help us to do it.

Jesus said concerning Himself that He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). He is everything. Everything is about Him. The Holy Spirit wants you to think like this. He wants everything to be about Christ in your life and He comes to live with you and help you to be that way.

Jesus perfectly manifested the kind of life that God wants us to live. He showed us what it looks like when people do what they are supposed to do. He is the only one who ever got it completely right. Now, the Holy Spirit is in us to develop Christ within us. And therefore, the fruit of the Spirit which forms in our hearts and lives is seen and observed by others and shows that we are connected to Jesus (John 15:1-5; Gal. 5:22-23).

The Holy Spirit works against our fleshly nature—the part of us that wants to sin—to help us to do the things that please God. He knows that we need help in doing this. He knows that we are flesh. And He works to develop Christ within us. We can put to death the things of the flesh and have spiritual minds (Romans 8:5-13).

Working to make us more like Jesus is called sanctification in the Bible (1 Thes. 5:23). God’s will for us is our sanctification (1 Thes. 4:2). We are made like Jesus by the Spirit of God as we “behold” Christ—as we keep Christ as the focus of our attention (2 Cor. 3:18). And the Holy Spirit works in us to do what is well-pleasing in the sight of God (Phil. 2:13).

We become like Christ by beholding Christ. By keeping Him in our minds. The Holy Spirit helps us to see what God is really like. He helps us to see the glory and the majesty of Jesus Christ, so that we can appreciate Him and live our lives for Him. This enables us to worship Him, not only with specific acts, but with the totality of our lives (Phil. 3:3; Eph. 1:17-18).

The security of salvation comes to those who have Christ as their Lord and Savior. Who are living their lives for Christ. Jesus will bring you more security than any “doctrine” of security ever could. And it is the Holy Spirit who bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God (Romans 8:16-17), giving us the security in Jesus that we need. So surrender to what the Holy Spirit is teaching, not to what the devil or the world or your own mind has to say. The Spirit is our guarantee that Christ lives within us and that we are saved forever (Eph. 1:13-14).

So everything that the Holy Spirit is doing in our lives is connected back to Christ. He leads us to focus on Him and to be like Him. He leads us to trust Him and to love Him. He works to form Christ within us so that others will see His presence. It’s all about Jesus and the Holy Spirit makes it so.

    Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

PROOF OF THE LOVE OF GOD

No one loves you like God. He created you. He knows everything about you. And yet He loves you anyway. We have rebelled against Him and rejected His ways, yet His response to this is to save us through Christ. The amazing love of God is the theme of the Bible.

The love of God was shown in Christ Jesus. The fact that Christ came into the world to live and die for us proves the love of God. “Because when we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. Scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God proves His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

Notice that God does not say He proves His love to us by making everything go our way. A lot of preachers preach that God intends for you to have everything your heart has ever desired, and that His goal for everyone is health and wealth and prosperity.

Jesus, by contrast, said that we are to take up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24-26). By following Him, we will suffer. This world is not our home and we are not to put our stock in the things of this world or focus on the things of this world. But many believers have done that very thing.

Jesus proves His love for us. God proves His love for us by the death of Jesus. If it takes more than Christ’s death to prove that God loves you, then we have a problem. For the only perfect man who ever lived came to die for us, to prove the unfailing love of God.

Know that you are loved by God and know it because Jesus died for you. He died for me. If you were the only one who ever lived who needed to be saved, Jesus would have died for you. Salvation is personal. And the death of Christ is personally for you.

    Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

JAMES VS. PAUL? FAITH VS. WORKS?

The Bible makes it clear that we are saved by trusting in Christ and that salvation is a free gift. Gifts cannot be earned. They can only be accepted. When we turn to Jesus, we are accepting a free gift.

We bring nothing to the table but our sins. There is nothing that we can do to earn or merit anything from God. We do not deserve the air that we breathe, much less the death of His Son on the Cross for our sins. Nothing comes from us (1 Cor. 3:7; 2 Cor. 3:5; Rom. 11:36). Salvation is of the Lord (Psa. 3:8; Jonah 2:9; Isa. 43:11; Acts 4:12).

Ephesians 2:8–9 says we are saved by grace through faith and not by works. If it is by works, it cannot be by grace (Rom. 11:6). Salvation comes to us because God decided to save those who turn to His Son. It was His goodness that provided salvation.

We may not want to hear this. Some may get tired of hearing this. But it is the truth, and the truth can only help. Plus, if we do not consistently embrace the reality of what God has done for us, we will not be as appreciative as we need to strive to be.

It is good to be reminded that everything comes from God. We have rebelled against Him (Rom. 3:23), we have been unworthy servants (Lk. 17:10), and when we admit the truth, things go better. If we suppress the truth, we will walk in wickedness (Rom. 1:18). Nothing helps the mind like the cleansing truth about ourselves and about God.

So we are saved by grace, not by works. But what about this: “faith without works is dead“ (James 2:26)? Is there a contradiction here? Are James and Paul not on the same side? Do they not have their theology straight? Did one believe we are saved by grace through faith, and the other believe that we are saved by works?

No, there is absolutely no contradiction whatsoever. James does make that statement because it is true. The word “works” is not problematic. Works just means deeds or actions. So what he said could be translated “faith without good deeds is dead,” or “faith that does not lead to actions is dead,” and it would mean the same thing. Different translations will use different words, but they all mean the same thing. What we must keep in mind is not just the word itself, but the context.

In James chapter 2, James is not talking about how a person gets saved. He is talking about how saved people are to live. So he is not saying—and no apostle or prophet in the New Testament would ever say—that faith in Christ will not save you. In context, what he is saying is that Christians who claim to have faith must prove it by good works. Genuine faith, the saving kind, will always produce the fruit of good work in our lives.

Notice the example that James uses to make his point: “What good does it do, brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no works? Can that kind of ‘faith’ save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothing and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; be warm and stay fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is that? Likewise, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:14-17).

Would anyone say that we are saved by doing good works— feeding the hungry, for example? If a lost person comes to you and asks, “What must I do to be saved?”, will you tell them, “Feed the hungry and clothe the naked?” You better not. You better tell them to put their trust in Jesus alone and what He did.

However, if a person who claims to be saved and claims to have faith in Jesus is living a life of rebellion against God and is clearly not trying to do what is right, then it would be good to say to them, “Faith not followed by actions is dead faith. You don’t really have saving faith in Jesus if your life does not demonstrate a desire to do what He wants us to do.”

James is not talking about coming to Christ and being saved. He is not talking to the alien sinner who has never put his or her faith in Christ. He is talking to believers about what real faith looks like in our lives.

Going back to Ephesians 2:8–10, notice what Paul says and how it is in complete harmony with James: “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and that not from yourselves, it is the God’s gift—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand for us to do” (Eph. 2:8-10).

Paul says that we are created in Christ Jesus for good works. So he actually says we are not saved BY works, but we are saved FOR works. Paul would sign his name to the statement, “faith without works is dead” and everything else James wrote. If it is true faith, it will produce a change of life.

When Paul says in several places that we are saved by faith and not by works (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; 2 Tim. 1:9), he is talking about how a person gets saved. How they move from being in a lost state to a saved state. When James says that faith without works is dead, he is talking about a “Christian” claiming to be saved and not living like a Christian. And in context, specifically, not loving others was what he was getting on to them about. They were not being compassionate toward others while claiming to have faith.

Anyone can claim to have faith, and we should remember this today. We can fool ourselves into thinking that we have faith because we mentally assent to the salvation Jesus offers, while continuing to live in sin and for ourselves. We are fooling no one but ourselves if we do that. And we are not even fooling ourselves, because deep down we all know better than that. The way to know that I have true faith is to look at whether or not my life is moving toward God or away from God.

Does this faith we claim to have cause us to want to help other people? Does it cause us to want to please God? Then it is true, saving faith.

     Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

CALVINISM: THOSE WHOM THE FATHER HAS “GIVEN” TO JESUS

Let’s look at John 6:37, a statement from Jesus that many contend teaches that God arbitrarily “elected” some to be saved, and these will come to Jesus no matter what. They are the only ones who will, according to this dogma. The others are “left out” by God (“Tough luck,” implies Calvinism. “God just doesn’t love you.”).

The verse says, “Every one of those whom the Father gives me will come to me; and the one who comes to me I will in no way cast out.”

The Bible’s Consistency

It certainly needs to be explained to the new convert to Christ that since the Bible is the inspired word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17), it does not contradict itself. God does not tell you, for example, that you have the freedom and responsibility to make up your own mind about Jesus and then tell you that God made that decision for you.

God is not the author of confusion. His message to humanity was not given to confuse. Calvinism’s convoluted view of the “will of God” and all of these different ways that we have to look at things just to try to make sense of what they’re saying are not good.

What we need are people who love Jesus and want to share the simple message of the Gospel, rather than sit around and debate things that only make Christianity complicated, when it is supposed to be simple.

Being Responsible Bible Students

We should strive to be responsible Bible students. Mature Bible students. Those who handle the word of God correctly (2 Timothy 2:15). We have been “trusted with the Gospel”. It is a valuable gift, more valuable than anything in the world because it leads us to Jesus. He is what life is all about, so be diligent to present yourself approved to God by handling the word of God correctly.

And the way to do that is to take passages that may seem obscure or difficult at first, and compare them with plain passages throughout the rest of the Bible. You do not have the truth on any Bible subject until you have considered all that the Bible says about that subject. And if a statement or a passage seems to contradict clear statements, then you must look at the context of the “controversial” passage to see the ways in which it harmonizes with other, clear passages. And it always will.

Indisputable Biblical Facts

There are certain indisputable facts that have been established by the word of God and the truth of the Gospel. They are settled and they cannot be changed. They represent the truth. Those established facts must influence our interpretation of this verse before us. And here are some of those facts.

First, humanity has been bestowed by God with the freedom to make our own choices regarding our eternal destiny (Matthew 23:37; John 5:39; 7:17; Revelation 22:17). If the Bible teaches anything, it teaches that each individual must decide for themselves what they are going to do about Jesus. Will we receive Him and be saved? Everyone is free to do so. Or will we reject Him and be lost? You are free to do that, as well.

God will knock on the door of your heart, but He will not break down the door. He will not make the decision for you. He has not made the decision for you before you were born. How anyone could view the matter in any other way is amazing to me. Why would you want to take “difficult” passages and make them contradict what the Bible establishes from beginning to end?

Second, salvation is a free gift of grace offered to all who will receive Jesus, but it is offered on the terms laid down by the giver—God Himself. We must accept salvation on the giver’s terms. His terms are trusting in Christ as Savior and receiving Him as Lord. Salvation is by grace through faith, and the way that we demonstrate our faith is that we seek to obey Him as our Lord (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Hebrews 5:8-9; 1 Peter 4:17).

No one can make that decision for you. Even God is not going to make that decision for you. Salvation is a personal matter. You decide whether or not you are going to be saved.

The Error of Calvinism

There are many sincere people who love Jesus who hold to erroneous ideas that contradict what we have just stated. But no matter how sincere they may be, what they believe and teach is wrong. And while their love for Christ in their personal relationship should be taken seriously, their Calvinism should not.

I am not attacking the people and I’m not the judge of anyone’s heart. But I can judge doctrines by the authority of the word of God. These teachings are wrong and misguided. They are spiritually devastating to people seeking Jesus. And, I believe, they are absolutely ridiculous.

Proper Context and Interpretation of John 6:37

When we consider a statement like the one Jesus made in John 6:37, we must look at the terms that are used, how they are used, to whom Jesus was speaking, and what point He was trying to make. To just quote this statement, which virtually all Calvinists I have encountered do, with no consideration for the context or its relationship to other statements Jesus made—even in the very same conversation that is recorded in the context—is not responsible Bible interpretation.

The Connection Between “Coming” and “Given”

Consider also that Jesus said, “The one who comes to me, I will never cast out.” He will never turn away, in other words, the one who comes to Him for salvation. Why is this second part of the statement not as important to our Calvinist friends as the first part?

To imply, much less state outright, that God willfully elected some individuals to be given to Jesus, while others were willfully not given to Jesus, is just wrong. Jesus is clearly saying that those who come to Him have been given to Him in some sense by the Father. But the question is, in what sense?

The Greek Word “Gives”

As we have said before, you do not have to know Greek to go to heaven. You can learn everything you need to know about how to love Jesus and go to heaven from an English translation of the Bible, for example, with absolutely no knowledge of Greek, in which the New Testament was written.

But if you are going to be a teacher, especially if you are going to teach things that are an offense to the Gospel, you need to at least know how to look up words. That will go a long way in keeping us from making immature mistakes. The idea that God determines your salvation for you is not taught by the passage under consideration.

Salvation as a Gift of Grace

The Greek word translated “gives” is a present tense form. In simple terms, what that means is that what Jesus was talking about was happening at the very moment He was speaking about it. They were not given to Christ in eternity past before they were born. They were being given at that moment.

Every time a sinner accepts the free gift of salvation, making his or her own decision to do so, is being given to Christ by the Father. The Father does not have to give them to Jesus and Jesus does not have to accept them. Trusting in Christ does not merit being given by the Father or being received by Jesus. This happens because He is a God of grace.

Conclusion: The Father’s Grace and Your Choice

Your salvation is not a “settled fact” before you even hear the Gospel, based on some mysterious “election” of God. It is not a forgone conclusion. It is a matter of trusting in Jesus and making the decision to follow Him. If you do that, you are given to Jesus by the Father. Your decision to receive and trust Christ has no merit in and of itself. Faith accomplishes nothing by itself. It is faith in Christ that matters.

Therefore, it is not just the fact that you are believing, but that the Father has decided that if you believe, He will give you to Jesus. It is the Father’s grace and goodness that causes Him to give you to Jesus. We do not deserve it even if we have faith. That is the point of what Jesus was saying, as well as the fact that He was sent by the Father and He represented the Father.

When we read the word “gives,” said by Jesus, we should be mindful of the fact that the scriptures teach that salvation is a free gift of God. It is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). The very fact that He would speak of something being given means that it is a gift.

And if you are at all acquainted, even on an elementary level, with what the Bible teaches about the free gift of salvation, then you know it is a gift that can be accepted or rejected. You make that choice. I make that choice. We receive the gift on the giver’s terms. Calvinism/Reformed Theology is simply not true.

Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

THE POWERFUL WORD

“The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edge sword” (Heb. 4:12). The word of God works in our lives. When we read it, when we meditate on it, reflect on it, the direction that it gives takes us to the foot of cross to focus on the person of Jesus Christ. Through the Bible, we will become aware that God has made Himself known completely through His revelation.

This written revelation of God is the most important document in the world. The sacred volume—the Holy Bible—is a book unlike any other. It requires us to be honest with ourselves, to focus on Christ and trust only in what He has done. It leads us in the way that is right. We cannot save ourselves, but we can accept the salvation that comes from God.

The Word of God gives direction to our lives. Psalm 119:105 says that God’s word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. The word is given to direct us. To lead us. Our lives need direction, and God has given it to us.

God’s word is found in the Bible. He communicates to us through His Son and His Son communicates to us through the words of Scripture. So knowing the Bible and thinking about the Bible and reflecting on the Bible for the purpose of knowing Jesus better is something that all Christians should participate in.

Because all of these things are true, take the time to be holy before the Lord. Take time to meditate on His word. Read it and think about the things He has done for us and given us. He has promised to be with us all the way.

There is no way that we can overestimate the important role that the Word of God plays in the healing of our soul. You cannot live for God separate and apart from a knowledge of His will. And His will is found in His word. So believe that God has given us a book that is powerful, that can change our lives. Focus on reading the book the way that it is supposed to be read—to know, love and follow Jesus.

       Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

PEACE AND HOLINESS

As believers in Jesus Christ, our lives are to be a light in a world of darkness. We are to be a people of love and nonviolence.

Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers, and if we follow Christ, we are to strive to be at peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and even to live in peace with those in the world. Let your life and my life allow people to see that peace with God brings peace within self. And once one has peace with God and peace with self, they will find peace with others.

Peace comes from believers living a holy life before God and others. Holiness is God’s central attribute, and those who claim to love Him and follow Him must demonstrate His holiness to the world. The simplest way to do that is to focus on what is right and what is wrong. People who are trying to be holy before God seek to do what is right. It is as simple as that.

It is simple, but if we fail to do it, we will not see the Lord. We are not in a relationship with Him if we do not strive to live the way that He wants us to live.

The way we treat others and take care of them shows our real relationship with God. If we have truly received the grace of God, it will manifest in having love in our hearts for others. The grace of God always changes how we view ourselves and others.

So do not think you can embrace the grace of Jesus Christ and treat others with contempt. Get rid of every ounce of hatred and bitterness from your heart. Ask God to help you with that. He will, by the power of His Spirit, root it out.

May our lives always reflect the love of God to a lost and dying world. We have the love of God on our side. Let us love Him and serve Him for the rest of our days by loving and serving one another.

“Strive to live in peace with everyone, and strive to live a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Take care of each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Make sure that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, bringing corruption to many people” (Hebrews 12:14-15).

    Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

CHRIST IS LORD

“That if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

In order to be saved, according to Paul the apostle of Christ, we must believe that Jesus is Lord, and we must be willing to confess that fact with our words. We must never be ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ in any way. In our hearts, we must trust in Him as our Savior and follow Him as our Lord.

You cannot be saved without believing in the Lordship of Jesus Christ because of its effect on your life. It brings you into contact with Him in a living, saving way. There is no gain in just mentally assenting to the fact that “Jesus is Lord,” as opposed to some other religious leader or teacher being the Lord and having the authority of God.

It is that you believe JESUS is Lord and entrust your life to that fact that matters. That you accept the fact that Jesus Himself is Lord. Salvation is tied to Christ. Salvation IS Christ. So faith means believing and confessing and accepting and living like you believe that Christ is the Lord and Savior and the only Lord and Savior.

Jesus said all authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). That is what His Lordship involves—His power and His authority, as well as His splendor and majesty. Christ is beautiful in every way. He is good in every way. He is Lord in every way.

We can acknowledge this now by choosing to acknowledge it. Anyone who wants to be saved can be saved by making the decision to believe in Jesus. At any point in your life, you may decide to trust in Christ and change your life. You can go from being lost, headed for eternal destruction, to being saved, headed for heaven to spend eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Everyone will eventually confess that Jesus is Lord. Philippians 2:11 says, “every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Those who choose to confess this now in their words and in their way of living will benefit from it by receiving the free gift of salvation.

Gifts must be accepted on the giver’s terms. God’s “term” is turning to Jesus. Loving Him. Living your life for Him. Putting your faith in Him.

Embrace the Lordship of Jesus Christ and all that that involves. Repent of your sins and trust in Christ as Savior and Lord. Confess your faith to the world by being baptized, living for Jesus, confessing Him before others. Jesus said that if we do not confess Him in word and in deed in this world, then He will not know us before the Father (Matthew 10:32-33).

It is a serious matter to reject the Lordship of Jesus. Don’t wait until it is too late. Everyone will confess Christ eventually, but not everyone will be saved by doing so.

When He comes to be glorified (2 Thessalonians 1:10), everyone will know that He is Lord, but it will not save them then. Confess Him now before He comes. Confess Him now before you die. To confess Him as Lord is to believe it, tell others that you believe it, and live like you believe it.

When Peter preached the Pentecost sermon that is recorded in the second chapter of Acts, he summed up his message about Jesus by saying that God has made Him both Lord and Christ (2:36). Christ is Lord!

And when the people heard that Christ Jesus, who died for their sins, was indeed the Lord and the anointed one of God—which is what “Christ” means—they publicly confessed their belief in Jesus and confessed it also by being baptized in His name (2:38-41).

We need to recognize that the Holy Spirit leads us to confess that “Jesus is Lord” (1 Corinthians 12:3). If you are being led by God, truly led by God’s Spirit, then you will believe that Jesus is your Lord and you will act like it. Isn’t that simple? We should say with Thomas that Jesus is, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).

Believing that Jesus is Lord, confessing that Jesus is Lord, living like Jesus is Lord, all expresses your faith in Him as a person, and your belief in and confidence in the importance which God the Father has assigned to Him (Hebrews 1:1-3). You are accepting reality and affirming your belief in the divinity and power of Jesus.

You may not understand everything about it, but you choose to believe it because you know that Jesus is the truth. He does not just speak truth. He IS the truth (John 14:6).

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

     Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE

Most everyone wants to live their life with purpose. Everyone wants to know the purpose of human life on earth. God has set eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). That means that everyone knows that they are meant for something more than just mundane temporary existence. We are created in the image of God. Being created in the image of God means that we are a reflection of God’s life. We have a will and feelings. Your life will change when God is a real person with real feelings to you. He loves and cares about you. Do you love and care about Him?

The image of Christ is something that God wants to develop in us. We have lost the image of God in one sense. It is certainly true that everyone is made in the image of God today (Genesis 9:6).

But the perfect image of God has been lost in the fall. Sin took that away. And God is looking to recreate us in His own image. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; look! all things have been made new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

“But you have not learned Christ this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, because the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:20-24).

We can be recreated in the image of God. And the purpose of your life is to be like Jesus. God wants us to be conformed to the image of His Son. “Because those He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:29).

That is what your life is about. That is what my life is about. Let God make you into the image of Christ. Let God change you from the inside out. God will make you a new creation. A brand new creation.

Everything is new when you come to Jesus. Rejoice in that. Nothing in your past matters. All that matters is that you have Christ right now.

       Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

THE HELP OF GOD IN OUR STRUGGLES

Everyone struggles. Including Christians. Becoming a saved disciple of Jesus Christ does not make you immune from the suffering of this world. God has never promised us that we will not go through extremely difficult times in this world. He has promised to be with us, but He has not promised that trials and tribulations are not going to come. In fact, He said that they definitely will (John 16:33).

Focusing on Christ in your life gives meaning and purpose to everything, including suffering. When we are going through trials, we are reminded of the temporary nature of life. That the things on this earth do not last or give any lasting satisfaction. Therefore, we see our suffering as working for us a far greater glory in heaven than any problem on earth could ever compare with (2 Corinthians 4:17).

It is important to know that God does not turn away from you when you are going through difficult times. It is very common to want to ask why is God far away when we are going through trials. And God understands why we feel that way. The Bible deals with those feelings of despair and isolation. Those times when it seems that God does not care what we are going through.

The reality, however, is that God is with us in the valleys of life. He does not turn away, He draws near. He comes to our aid and help helps us in the problems that we are facing. Jesus came into a world full of suffering and suffered for us. Therefore, we may logically conclude that Christ’s purpose was not to get us out of suffering, but to get into the suffering with us.

Unlike someone who does not believe in Almighty God or entrust themselves to Him, we have someone who is with us in the midst of the storm. Someone who cares and someone who can help us. The peace and help that God gives is real and lasting. It is not a fantasy. In fact, it is only through Christ that we can say that “all things work together for good,” no matter what those things consist of (Rom. 8:28). Our good and God’s glory will be accomplished through the problems of life if we love Jesus.

David knew that God was with him, even though he “walked through the valley of the shadow of death.” He said, “I will fear no evil, for thou art with me” (Psa. 23:4).

God is with us. He is always with us and that does not change. But we have to believe His promise. We are not always going to “feel” His presence. There will be times when the road is dark and difficult and we have to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7).

God is our constant helper. Our “refuge” and a “very present help in times of trouble” (Psa. 46:1). We must allow the problems of life to drive us to His throne to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16). No one cares as much about you as God does.

How can He watch you suffer then? The same way He watched His Son suffer. If you read the life of Jesus, especially the last week of His life, you can see that He went through tremendous pain and suffering while calling out to God. God did not remove the suffering, but gave Him the strength that He needed. He will do the same for you and for me.

The Lord is close to those who have a broken heart (Psa. 34:18). There is a “balm in Gilead” (Jer. 8:22) to bring peace and help to us when we need it most. Turn to God and realize that this world and the sufferings in it are temporary.

      Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

MARRIAGE, DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE (2): “THE GUILTY PARTY”

Let us think about this fictional, man-made “guilty party” concept when it comes to marriage, divorce, and remarriage. You know it’s a classy version of “Christianity” when people go through their lives thinking of themselves as “the guilty party.” Seems I read somewhere that we are all “guilty” before God and He is willing to forgive us (Rom. 3:19, 21). God says He remembers our sins no more (Heb. 8:12), removes our sins as far as the east is from the west (Psa. 103:13), and drops our sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). Yet He wants certain people to go through life constantly thinking of themselves as “the guilty party”? Nonsense.

Here is the kind of scenario to which this idea leads: If a woman commits adultery, and her husband divorces her for it, he is free to marry another woman. That is certainly true and sensible.

But here is where the “guilty party” doctrine goes insane: Once the man has divorced her (the wife who committed adultery) and has married a new wife, the woman (his former wife who committed adultery) cannot find and marry a new husband. Since she is the “guilty party” (the one who committed adultery), she cannot repent, ask for forgiveness and move on. She can never move past or forget that she committed adultery. She has the “scarlet letter” on her chest for the rest of her life.

Every time she gets lonely, gets close to a man or has a sexual desire, she must remind herself that she committed adultery in the past and, therefore, can never have a marriage of which God approves.

Can you imagine the perpetual guilt and shame that this would produce? That is all Phariseeism and man-made doctrines ever produce with their legalism.

Alright, now hear this: why can this woman, according to this legalistic concept of the guilty party, not get married again? What is the reason that she has to live the rest of her life in the shadow of this sin? It is not because she cannot be forgiven. Oh, the proponents of these unbiblical ideas admit that she has been forgiven if she repented and asked God for forgiveness.

I can hear someone with good sense saying, “What?! They believe that she can be forgiven?” Yes. “But . . . if she has been forgiven, why can’t she get married again?”

Because—and hold on to something for this—she is still married “in the eyes of God” to her first husband, and, therefore, she would be “committing adultery” if she married someone else. What?! Yes, that is what they believe.

Oh, but the person with good sense would ask, “How can she still be married in the eyes of God to someone who has divorced her and has married someone else?” You tell me and then we will both know.

“So they believe that he is still married to her, even though he has a new wife?” No. They don’t believe that HE is still married to HER in the “eyes of God.” What?! “Let me get this clear in my mind. You mean they believe that she is still married to him, but he is not married to her?” That is correct. What?!?! Yep. So, honestly, calling this doctrine insanity and nonsense is putting it mildly.

They believe that this woman who committed adultery, whose husband divorced her and married someone else, can never get married again. Because if she does, she will be. . .you guessed it! COMITTING ADULTERY! That’s right, folks. Since she is still married “in the eyes of God” to her first husband, if she gets married again, she will be committing adultery with her new husband, because he is not her husband in God’s eyes.

But AGAINST WHOM will she be committing adultery? Why, against her former husband, to whom she is still married, even though he is NOT still married to her. And this “sound doctrine” comes to us from groups that “follow only the Bible” and “speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent” and “does Bible things in Bible ways and calls Bible things by Bible names.”

Can’t you imagine this conversation with someone with good sense: “You know what these people believe? That a man divorces a woman and finds a new wife, and his former wife then marries a new husband, and the two of them will be committing adultery against a mate who has already divorced them and is married to someone else!” What?!

“How can anyone believe something so stupid?” the person with good sense objects. No one seems to know. Trust me, it doesn’t make any more sense than it sounds.

Now, be on the watch for this: Some of these people have figured out how stupid and ridiculous that sounds, so they have modified the view to say that the woman who has been divorced for committing adultery, and whose former husband is now married to someone else, is not committing adultery against him (her former husband) when she marries/has sex with her new husband, but is committing adultery against God, or against the law of God.

Jesus, after all, used the term adultery in Matthew 19:9, so she has to be committing adultery against someone. So they say that she is committing adultery against God. Think about that. She is “committing adultery” against God by having sex with her husband. Now go find that in the Scriptures. You’ll find a purple vampire in the Bible before you will find that.

One more thing. Let us think more about this matter of their belief that a man can “commit adultery” by having sex with his wife. Again, if his first marriage did not end because his spouse “cheated on him” or died, he had no right to get married again and, therefore, he and his new wife are not married “in God’s eyes.” Therefore, even if they have been married for fifty years, every time they have sex, they are “committing adultery.” Both of them are sinning.

Most of those who teach this foolishness will actually admit they believe this one.

But press them on this: What if a couple does not have sex? These brethren do not believe that sex has anything to do with being married. So can this couple be “married” if they commit themselves to celibacy?

In the Bible, celibacy is the opposite of marriage. But not so with what these people teach. Marriage is not sex to them. Marriage is a “ceremony” and being legally married in the eyes of the state, whether they have sex or not. Sex is a “benefit” of marriage, but it is not the marriage itself. That’s what they believe.

So, if the couple doesn’t have sex, how would they be committing adultery? Is the marriage itself adultery or is it the sex in the marriage that is adultery? They really can’t “answer” this one and it is funny to watch them try. If they say that the couple is not “committing adultery” as long as they don’t have sex, then you have a marriage that, according to them, is “unscriptural,” but they cannot tell you why it is “unscriptural.”

Talk about being on the horns of a dilemma. If they say that the “marriage” itself is adultery, then they have changed the definition of adultery. So you could actually have a little fun by backing them into a corner where they would have to admit that a couple could get divorced because they don’t like each other, both marry other people, and just refrain from having sex, but enjoy all of the other benefits of marriage— companionship, tax benefits, etc.—and it would be perfectly ok. No violation of God’s will. Because with legalism, you can always find loopholes.

And even if this couple “slips up” out of weakness and has sex, they could just repent of that and decide not to do it again. They would not have to get divorced to be right, because the marriage itself is not adultery. But if the marriage itself IS adultery, then you have people committing adultery without having sex! They “commit adultery” by divorcing and getting married to others, which gives an extremely literal take on what Jesus said in Matthew 19:9: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another...commits adultery.” They would have to interpret that to mean, literally, that a man commits adultery by divorcing and remarrying in a ceremony, not by having sex with his new wife after he has gotten married. In other words, saying “I do” and signing a paper is adultery.

So unless you believe the marriage itself is “adultery,” you have got a pretty big problem.

You see, they have no right to demand that people get divorced. What they should be doing—and see if you can keep a straight face on this one—is telling married people not to have sex. No divorce is needed, just don’t have sex.

And then they back themselves into an even more ridiculous corner. And it does not work out too well for them, because as long as the couple is TRYING not to have sex, but only have sex out of weakness sometimes, all they would have to do is ask for forgiveness. I mean, that’s all any Christian is doing—TRYING to live right and TRYING not to sin. Even false teachers on MDR admit that they sin sometimes out of weakness. Everyone does. And as long as we are trying, we can ask for forgiveness.

The control over marriages that the modern day Pharisees and legalists seek and have had would be gone. So what are they going to do? Avoid the real issues, like they always do, and keep preaching to themselves about how “unsound” people like you and I are for not bowing down to their ridiculous doctrines.

    Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

SEEKING GOD

The Bible has a lot to say about seeking God and promises great benefits to those who do. We will never seek God in vain. If we seek Him, we will find Him (Jer. 29:13).

But what does this mean? How do we “seek” God. Well, we first have to believe that this is what we are supposed to do. This is the purpose of humanity. Paul said to his pagan listeners in Acts 17 that God created us so that we would “seek after Him and perhaps find their way to Him—though He is not far from any one of us” (v. 27). God created us so that we would seek Him and find Him. So we are here to seek God, and if we do, we will find Him.

But again, what does that mean? God is not hiding from us. God is not lost. So what does the Bible mean by “seeking” God?

To wrap our minds around it, we must realize two things: It is our duty as created beings to do so, and it has to be a simple concept. God does not deal in riddles and puzzles when it comes to what He wants from us.

Every part of the Bible teaches us to put God above all things. We do that today by honoring and serving and loving His Son Jesus Christ. So seeking God has to be another way of saying prioritizing things correctly, with God at the top of the list. Jesus is to have the preeminence in every part of our lives (Col. 1:18).

Seeking speaks of something that is done diligently. There can be no halfhearted attempts here. We are promised that we will find Him if we seek Him “with all of our heart.” To seek God is to put all of our passion and energy into pursuing an intimate relationship with Him. It means realizing why we are here and living accordingly. Heart, mind, soul and body must all be engaged in a sustained relationship of seeking God.

To seek God means to turn our backs on sin (2 Chronicles 7:14). You cannot seek God and go in the direction of sin at the same time. We have spent our lives as sinners seeking to fulfill the desires of the flesh. That is what comes naturally to us. To seek God, we must turn away from all that is evil and begin to be concerned about God’s will, His feelings, the things He wants from us. We are created for our good and God’s glory.

Turning our lives over to God through Jesus Christ is what it means to seek God. We cannot please God without faith (Heb. 11:6), and this faith must be placed entirely in Christ the person and what God has accomplished through Him. It is impossible to please God without faith, because without faith, we will not seek Him.

But if we seek Him, we will be rewarded by Him (Heb. 11:6). The Hebrews writer speaks of “diligently” seeking Him. And that is what we must do. It must be the aim and desire of our lives.

Pursuing God or seeking God is, of course, a metaphor. God is not far from any of us (Acts 17:27). But the concept has to do with seeking intimacy with Him. Desiring to grow closer to Him. And doing whatever is necessary in our lives, making whatever sacrifices we have to make, in order to be close to the one who gave us life.

We are seeking to know Christ in a deeper, more meaningful way. We want to learn about Him so that we can appreciate Him and draw near in our union with Him (James 4:8).

If we “seek His kingdom first,” then everything else in our lives will be taken care of and will fall into place (Matt. 6:33). But he must be sought first. That is the priority of the matter. He will not take second place to anything or anyone. He is God and the only proper place for God is in the top position.

When Jesus said to “seek the kingdom of God first” (Matt. 6:33), He meant to seek the rule of God and the reign of God in our hearts and lives. This is another way of saying growing closer to Jesus and submitting more of our lives to Him. When we do that, we will find Him. That is, we will have the fulfillment that we seek, and we will be close to God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Bryan Dwayne Dunaway

RESURRECTION TRUTH

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Christian faith. It is what separates Christianity from other religions. So many times people ask how we know that Christianity is the one true religion? And the answer is the resurrection of Jesus. Christ came back from the dead. You can believe what He says. And He says that He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6).

The resurrection means that Jesus, crucified on a cross and buried in a tomb, came back to life three days later. He was raised from the dead by God the Father, to prove that He was and is the Son of God and that salvation has been accomplished for all of His people. Anyone who puts their trust in Jesus Christ will be saved. And we know this without a doubt because the resurrection validates all of Jesus’ claims. He claimed to be divine. He claimed to be the Savior of the world. And His claims are true.

Jesus told Martha in John 11, “I am the resurrection and the life.” He not only was raised from the dead, but He Himself is the resurrection. In other words, by believing in Him, focusing on Him, loving Him, we will be raised from the dead ourselves (John 5:28-29). Jesus is the guarantee of our resurrection. It is in 1 Corinthians 15 that Paul says that Christ is the firstfruits of those who will be raised from the dead. That includes you and me if we are faithful and believe in Jesus.

Death is not the end for the believer. The resurrection of Jesus is something that you should believe and must believe (Rom. 10:9-10). But you must believe that it happened for you. Decide to believe that He was raised from the dead for you. When you think about your salvation, think about the empty tomb.

Remember that Thomas became known as “doubting Thomas” because after the resurrection of Jesus, he wasn’t there when Christ appeared to His disciples. “Now Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the twelve apostles, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore told him, We have seen the Lord. So he replied, Unless I see the print of the nails in His hands, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe. And after eight days Jesus’s disciples were again together, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were shut when Jesus appeared and He stood among them, and said, Peace to you! Then the Lord said to Thomas, Put your finger here, and behold My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Be believing, not unbelieving. And Thomas responded to Him, My Lord and my God! Jesus said to him, Thomas, you have believed because you have seen Me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:24-29).

Notice that Jesus said, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Choosing to believe in the resurrection of Christ is the best decision you will ever make. Love Him, trust Him and trust in His resurrection. Know that He will bring you eternal life and will take you to heaven one day.

       Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

KNOWING AND DOING THE WILL OF GOD

To know and do the will of God is the purpose of human existence. We are here because God created us to be here. He decided that we would exist. Loving God brings the greatest joy and happiness to a human life. There is nothing that can compare. “Reverence God and keep His commandments, for this is mankind’s all” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Some people never find happiness or fulfillment in their lives because they do not seek the will of God. When a person is self-centered rather than God-centered, they are like a dog chasing its tail. They never get anywhere in their search for meaning and happiness.

Your entire life is about God. Loving Him, pleasing Him, serving Him. It is to Him that you owe your very existence. And every day we should be thankful to God for the breath in our lungs. The very life that we have. God thought enough of you to create you. You are wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).

In addition to giving you life in the first place, God gives you spiritual life. Jesus is our Savior and Lord. He went to the Cross to save us from the wrath of God which we so richly deserve. The decision is yours and mine. Will we follow God? Or will we seek to live a meaningless, shallow existence that leads to the courtroom of God’s justice?

Receive the Lord Jesus Christ. Obey Him in all that you do. He saves all of those who put their faith in Him (John 3:16) and who seek to obey Him (Hebrews 5:9). With one decision, that can be you.

   Bryan Dewayne Dunaway

DO YOU HAVE TO BE BAPTIZED?

The Bible says that Jesus is the “author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Heb. 5:9).  Part of following Jesus is obeying Jesus. We are saved by having faith in Him, trusting in Him alone as our Savior and Lord. But no one truly trusts Him if they do not seek to obey Him.

When it comes to water baptism, there is nothing to argue about. I say that because denominations and religious people have argued over it for centuries. They still argue over it today. But again, there is nothing to argue about. The Bible says to do it. Jesus said to do it. Those who trust in Christ will do it. There is nothing to debate. It is a matter of obedience.

It hurts my ears to hear someone, claiming to represent Jesus, telling people that they “don’t have to be baptized.” It will usually go something like this: “You should be baptized as an act of obedience, but you don’t have to be to go to heaven.”

Why make a statement like that? If you want someone to know that it is by faith in Christ, and not by symbolic acts like baptism, that we are saved, then say that. If you mean that someone will still go to heaven if they truly trust in Christ, but have not yet been baptized, then say that. If you mean that a person of faith goes to heaven if they die before they can be baptized, then say that. All reasonable Bible students would agree with all of that.

But when you use the words, “You don’t have to be baptized,” you are telling someone they don’t have to do something that Jesus has told them to do. You do not have the right to do that. The Gospel of grace does not need your help to keep it pure. Just preach it like it is. Jesus said to be baptized. Case closed.

Do you go to someone’s place of employment and tell them they don’t have to do something their boss has told them to do? What if it is something that they would not get fired over? Do you tell them that since they won’t get fired, they don’t have to do it? “You should. You just don’t have to.” Do you say things like that to your friends and loved ones concerning what their supervisor says?   

Would you tell a child that they don’t have to do something their parents have told them to do? Since their parents won’t “disown them” and they will still be their children, do you say, “You don’t have to” take out the garbage or be home at a certain time. “You should, but you don’t have to.” Who talks that way about authority figures in the lives of others?

Jesus is the boss. He speaks and we obey. Those who love Jesus only need to hear that Jesus said to do it. Nothing else is required to get a person of faith to the water. If you argue about baptism to defend your denomination’s practices or doctrines, then please just stop doing that. That is not necessary. Our allegiance is to Jesus, not to a certain system of beliefs.

God could have clearly separated baptism from the process of conversion to Jesus if that were necessary in order to protect the Gospel of grace. But He did not do that and He did not leave it to me and you to decide to do that for Him. He is the one who consistently tied baptism to being a believer and being converted to Jesus (Rom. 6:3–4; Col. 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21; Gal. 3:27).

In fact, when he was highlighting that salvation is by grace, but that does not mean that we live any way we want to live, He used baptism to substantiate that point. We have risen to a new life through baptism and united with Christ through baptism (Rom. 6:3-4). No one has to understand everything about it, but it is a simple act of faith. And there is far more importance attached to it in the New Testament than there is in most man-made denominations.

According to Jesus and the apostles, baptism signifies that we have stepped across the line and are no longer living for the devil and the world. It declares outwardly the faith that is ours inwardly. It is an identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. And yet, in spite of the theological significance that the New Testament attaches to it, it remains a simple act of obedient faith.

“Do you not know that you were baptized into Christ?” Paul asked the Romans (6:3). So there is a chance they did not even understand the significance of it when they did it. But they still were commanded to do it. Peter at the house of Cornelius “commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:48). No one has a right to tell someone they don’t have to obey an apostolic command.

When one is baptized, they are proclaiming that Jesus is their Lord. They are doing something that others can see them doing, something that Jesus told them to do. Baptism says that we have died to self, sin and Satan, and are united with the Savior. We are dead to living in sin and have arisen to live a new life with Jesus (Rom. 6:4).

When it comes to whether or not we “have to be baptized,” we should ask the question Jesus asked about John’s baptism (Matt. 21:25): Is baptism in water, as an act of obedience to Christ, from heaven or from human origin? Who came up with the idea, in other words? If it is from men, then we are free to disregard it. But surely every Bible believer would say that water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ is from heaven. It is God’s will in other words. That should settle the matter. If it is from heaven, then of course you “have to” do it. And when you love Jesus, you see that you “get to” do it.

Baptism comes straight from the command of Jesus. When He told the apostles to make disciples of all nations, He said that everyone who becomes a disciple is to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Being baptized in the name of God does not refer to something you have to specifically say—although there is nothing wrong with saying it. But this is not a legalistic formula. Rather, it is an awareness of whose authority we are submitting to, and in whom we are trusting by doing what He said.

Whatever the Church of the New Testament did by the authority of the Holy Spirit, led by the apostles, is what we should do. They practiced immediate baptism when people were converted to Jesus (Acts 2:41). To those who had realized their sins and wanted to know what to do about them, Peter said, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). Of course it was a symbolic “forgiveness.” Forgiveness is already ours by trusting Christ in our hearts before baptism (Acts 10:43-48).

But would you be willing to say what Peter said in Acts 2:38? If not, why not? Because your denomination does not teach it? Whatever Jesus and the apostles would say, we should say. Whether we understand it all or not, nothing Jesus or His apostles said takes away from the fact that it is trust in Christ that saves us or that it is Jesus Himself who saves us.

As with everything else we do by faith, baptism is about Christ. It is not about us. As Galatians 3:27 puts it, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

   Bryan Dewayne Dunaway