"It's a Yoke. Get it?"

What we eat is big business in America.  In a world where most earthlings are glad to have something, ANYTHING at all to eat, we Americans spend our time abusing food.  Either we are "consumed" (yes, sorry...) by thoughts of it all-the-live-long-day.  Or, we are arguing about what types of food to eat.  Or, we are hedonistically eating anything and everything in sight.  The media is full of ads for Nutrisystem, WeightWatchers, etc.  We have shows like "Bizarre Foods" which captivate our attention.  We are fixated on food.

Grab your Bible and read over Colossians 2:15-23, as that will be our devotional passage this morning.

16Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days –17these are only the shadow of the things to come, but the reality is Christ! 18Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind. 19He has not held fast to the head from whom the whole body, supported and knit together through its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.

20If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world? 21“Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” 22These are all destined to perish with use, founded as they are on human commands and teachings. 23Even though they have the appearance of wisdom with their self-imposed worship and false humility achieved by an unsparing treatment of the body – a wisdom with no true value – they in reality result in fleshly indulgence.

In today's passage there are two themes.  One, in verses 16-17 and 20-21 has to do with eating or not eating certain foods.  The second has to do with seducing heresies.

Let's focus mainly on the first, although the two are related.  The Bible has a lot to say about what to eat (or not) and when to eat it (or not).  The dietary laws of the Old Testament were given to the Jews primarily for health reasons.  But, they became, over the centuries, entangled in religious tradition to the point that the dietary laws became a religion unto itself.  Not much is different today.

I realize that many people, because of health reasons, must watch every bite they eat, must be extremely vigilant about it.  This is not a condemnation of them for doing that.  Watching their diet closely is, in those cases, practically a matter of life and death.

But, for many people, even Christian people, the fixation on food is rampant.  You get a group of women together, for example, and almost always the conversation turns to their weight, how they need to lose weight, how they are losing weight, their Crossfit, etc.  It is entertaining and sometimes innocuous.  Other times, such fascination and dedication becomes a "fleshly indulgence" (vs. 23)

Here's the problem:
When we Christians make our holiness about what food we eat (or don't) or about any other specific man-made rule, then we are losing focus, "majoring on the minors".  This is a lure and a trap, because it is easy to measure.  Listen to Weirsbe:1
Legalism is a popular thing because you can "measure" your spiritual life - - - and even brag about it! But, this is a far cry from measuring up to Christ (Ephesians 4:13)!

"Oh yes!  Look at me!  I am so holy because I do this...and this...and this..."  Pride slams its hammer down, crippling the soul.

We must be ever watchful for legalistic behavior, as we practice the Christian life.  It is all about our attitudes, really.  The key questions are "Why?"  "WHY am I doing what I'm doing?" "What is my motivation?"  "What (or Whom) is 'driving' me?"
Legalism is the result when we take our focus off of "the Head", Jesus Christ (vs. 19), and begin to "manufacture" our own holiness instead of letting the Holy Spirit work within our souls.   It happens with a lot of our discipleship, not just with food.  (Food is just the example of the day.)

Let's look at this other nameless dude in today's passage, this humble angel-worshipper.  Scripture does not reveal to us his identity, but he is preaching/teaching heresy.  I find it interesting that this person is cloaked in a "false humility".  A fawning, obsequious, false humility is common among such deceivers.  These wicked folks are, in reality, full of pride.

In both examples that Paul uses here, he is warning against letting anyone or anything draw the Christian "off-center".  If we study Jesus Christ and focus on Him we will remain free to exercise our spiritual gifts in love, with freedom of movement unhindered by our own version of "holiness", our own filthy "self-righteousness", which is, of course "faux-righteousness".

It has gotten to where I can't wear those fashions that bend around the back of my neck.  It is "age", I guess.  Prolonged wearing of such bathing suits, bras or tops makes my neck hurt!  They are like "a yoke on the neck" (Acts 15:10).  The picture is of a farm animal upon whom the farmer places the wooden, mechanical contraptions across its neck and back, thereby allowing the farmer to harness the animal's strength to plow a field or pull a wagon.  Yokes are heavy.  Legalism is like that...yokes on our necks.  They make our spiritual necks hurt!

When we as Christians "dress for the day", as described in Ephesians 6, let's not put on an oppressive, pretentious, legalistic yoke.  Yokes drag us down, do not prepare us for each day's spiritual battles and frankly .... "It don't look good on you, Girl!!"

Lord, let the mind of Jesus Christ be in me, as Paul exhorted in Philippians 2:5.  Jesus humbled Himself, to the point of death on the cross.  Holiness begins with humility.  Please forgive me for my all-consuming pride!  Beat it down in me, Holy Spirit.  Purge it from me.  Fill me with Yourself so that You can work Your will out through my life.  Please forgive me my "rabbit trails", where I spot a legalistic "rabbit", and then go chasing it through the briar patch.  Thank you for patching up my cuts and scrapes when I make those unfortunate choices.  Make me humble so that I can become more like You.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Sources:

1  Wiersbe, Warren W., and Warren W. Wiersbe. The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete New Testament in One Volume. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2007. Print, p. 680-681

A Little Leaven

I wish my long-term memory was better.  Then, I could remember how many sermons I have heard on this verse, which has been so often quoted by elders to youth that it has become part of the cultural lexicon:

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Galatians 5:9  KJV

A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise!

The Message

The word "leaven" is an old English word for "yeast".  A leavening agent is something that causes a chemical and physical change (usually in bread dough) by producing gas bubbles which lead to fermentation.

In the Bible, leaven can have both positive and negative connotations.  Some theologians focus on verses that emphasize its positive or neutral applications.  For example, in Matthew 13 Jesus is teaching by the seashore in Capernaum.  Part of that teaching, verse 13, finds Him describing His kingdom as leaven.  The connotation is that the kingdom of Heaven will spread like yeast spreads through a recipe of bread, hidden, working quietly, transforming.  Hallelujah!

The Jews and Messianic Jews have for centuries celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  (That's an entire blog post in and of itself.) This feast commemorates the Israelites' sudden departure from Egypt.  They had to leave so quickly, their bread did not have time to rise!  So, at that feast, leaven (or its absence) can be connected with haste, a semi-neutral concept.  Other theologians, say that this typifies leaving the sin of Egypt behind them as they fled.

There are other negative connotations to leaven, and these are the most often cited.

We find in Leviticus 2:11 and 6:17 that bread with leaven could not be offered on the altar as a grain offering.  Leaven accelerates the spoilage process in bread.  (That's what fermentation is - - a type of spoilage.)  Then, carrying that theme forward, Jesus used leaven to describe the rottenness of the ruling religious classes' doctrines, that of the Sadducees and Pharisees, in Matthew 16:6-12.  So, of course, because Jesus used "leaven" as a type for sin, this interpretation has sort of stuck.

In Galatians 5, Paul carried forward this analogy to describe the false teachers who were leading astray the Galatians.  Just a little false doctrine, properly nurtured, can cause a great deal of damage.

When I make bread I only use a level tablespoon of dry yeast, along with 4.5 cups of fresh flour.  It doesn't take much to cause the bread to swell and rise.

My takeaway from Galatians 5:9 is that sin is not to be played around with.  A little bit of sin can do a lot of damage.  We may choose whether or not to sin, but we are not free to choose the consequences of our choices.  Those are prescribed by God. Many times we fool ourselves into thinking, "It won't matter just this once", or "It won't affect me this way" only to find that our "little sin" has had life-altering consequences.  If you have experienced this, you know exactly what Paul means.

A contemporary application of Galatians 5:9 is playing out on the campus of Wheaton College, a contemporary liberal arts college just west of Chicago, IL.  One of its professors, Dr. Larycia Hawkins, last month made statements in social media that contradict the institution's Statement of Faith.  It is common for Bible schools to require faculty and staff to sign a Statement of Faith pledge. These types of documents lay out the school's core beliefs and standards.  By signing, the employee is promising to not only adhere to those beliefs but also to defend and promote them.  Dr. Hawkins deviated significantly from the statement of faith which she signed, along with her other employment papers.  Essentially, she stated that Muslims and Christians worship the same God.  Decrying the deity of Jesus Christ and denying the essential role He fulfills in the salvation of mankind is quite a breech.  Since she has refused to back off from that position, Wheaton has begun termination procedures against her.  She has chosen to become a detrimental form of leaven in that Bible-based institution.

Kudos to Wheaton College for standing for the truth, revealed in God's Word! Let's pray for them as they move through this very difficult situation, and for Dr. Hawkins, that the Holy Spirit will work in her heart through this, also.  Jesus told us His disciples to "beware" false teaching and any kind of spiritual "leaven".  We, as Christ-followers, should do the same.  Regardless of the opportunities to sin, the temptations strewn into our path by the enemy, we should beware and resist/stand firm or, better yet, RUN in the opposite direction!

Dear Jesus, open my eyes to my sins, the leaven in my own life; and press my heart to, not only confess them, but to avoid temptation scenarios at all costs.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Sources:

http://www.jewsforjesus.org/publications/newsletter/march-2007/02

http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2015/december/wheaton-college-hijab-professor-same-god-larycia-hawkins.html

Vicarious Baptism

Good morning,

Well, you look at that title and you think, "What in the world is she doing?"

I have to be honest.  I was not in the mood to do Bible study this morning.  I really was not.  Some mornings are just like that.  I knew that 1 Corinthians 15 was ahead of me, and I just was not very jazzed.  But, part of the reason I write this is blog is to discipline myself to daily study of the Word.
Thing is:  I'm learning that sometimes I find the unexpected.

Today, "the unexpected" took the form of 1 Corinthians 15:29-34.  Here are the verses from the NET:

29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are they baptized for them? 30 Why too are we in danger every hour?31 Every day I am in danger of death! This is as sure as my boasting in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If from a human point of view I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what did it benefit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34 Sober up as you should, and stop sinning! For some have no knowledge of God—I say this to your shame!

For years I've been aware that some faiths practice baptizing their members on behalf of dead loved ones.  Most notably, the Mormons do this in our present day.  It also sprang up as a false teaching in the early Christian church. For example, Cerenthand and Marcien, two early church fathers, taught this.  It was branded as heresy by many believers, even then.

But, I never thought about or investigated where this belief originated, until I came across 1 Cor. 15:29, where it was staring me in the face.  Ahhhh, THAT's where it comes from!

You know, it is amazing to me how we just gloss over or ignore difficult passages of Scripture.  It's almost like we think that God is not big enough to get us over the hurdles.  The Bible is a complex book.  But, it is a perfect book as well, infallible.  So, what do we do when we find a Bible verse that is puzzling?  What we should do is to look at the whole fabric of Scripture and interpret the verse or passage in light of the rest of the book.  That is what we should do here.

Having said that, you should know that there are scores of different interpretations about this verse. You can see that some faiths have built entire doctrines around 1 Cor. 15:29, around this one verse. Nowhere else in the Bible are we told to baptize people on behalf of dead loved ones.  We aren't told to do that by Paul here either, for that matter.

Paul had been spending several verses reinforcing to the Corinthians the truth of the bodily resurrection from the dead.  They had gotten themselves mired in error over this issue.  Some of the Corinthians had stopped believing in a literal, bodily resurrection.  They had begun to listen to those who did not believe this scriptural teaching.  Part of the Corinthians' error had also involved corrupt association with those who use baptism inappropriately.  Paul brings this up when he uses those heretical practitioners as an example.  He has been making the point that even those practicing the heresy of vicarious baptism do so because they believe in a resurrection from the dead.  He does not mention them to affirm their heretical practice or to "enhance" Jesus' true teaching on baptism or to suggest that the Corinthians get baptized for loved ones.  He lumps these heretics into the those warned against in verse 34 - - - those who "have no knowledge of God".

This interpretation of 15:29-34 makes sense to me as a mother because, in trying to reason with an errant child (much as Paul was trying to correct the Corinthians), I will sometimes mention other wayward folk as a negative example.  Let me illustrate:
"Son, cocaine will kill you.  Stay away from it as well as from all illegal substances.  Look at your classmates, Rufus and Baldaric.  They are pot-smokers, but even they stay away from cocaine because they know it will kill you.  If cocaine is not terribly dangerous, why would Rufus and Baldaric avoid it?"
Now, do you really think that by invoking Rufus and Baldaric, the pot-smoking associates, I am encouraging my son to smoke pot?  God forbid!  But, this type of argument is what Paul is using, I believe, in this passage. Makes total sense to this mom.

You will note that no notable person in the Bible, either in the Old or New Testaments is seen being baptized on behalf on someone else, either living or dead.

A couple other interpretation of these verses I'll mention as possible true interpretations.  This is the one that John MacArthur holds.  He believes Paul mentions verse 29 to say that the witness of the dead believers leads others to salvation (and thereafter to their own living baptism).1  Warren Wiersbe believes Paul is saying that new believers are being saved and then baptized to replace the ranks in the Church of those believers who have died and gone on to their reward.2  Both of these highly respected men hold slightly different views from mine, a lowly lover of the Bible and by no means a Bible scholar of any renown whatsoever.

Regardless of which alternate explanation you choose, it is obvious by the absence of this "doctrine" anywhere else in Scripture that vicarious baptism (being baptized on behalf of someone else) is a false doctrine.  Some of you, readers of this blog, will disagree.  It is not my intention to start an argument, but to exegete the Scriptures as the Holy Spirit instructs.

What we should focus on instead is the true teaching of Paul in this chapter, that being that it is the bodily resurrection of the dead which compelled (and still compels) believers to die for their faith (15:19).  Christ was the first to be raised from the dead into a resurrection body; the bodily resurrection of us, His followers, will happen in a similar way (15:20-23).  This is "the blessed hope" Titus describes in Titus 2:13.

Father, thank you that we do not follow our Savior only in this present world, but that we have Your promise that we will be with You, our Triune God, for all eternity, in resurrected, supernatural bodies.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Sources:

1  file:///Users/genahood/Downloads/ResurrectionIncentives.pdf
2  Wiersbe, Warren W. The Wiersbe Bible Commentary. 2nd ed. Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2007. 494. Print.