Holy Bible, Book Divine,
Precious treasure, thou art mine:
Mine to tell me whence I came;
Mine to teach me what I am.

Mine to chide me when I rove;
Mine to show a Saviour’s love;
Mine thou art to guide and guard;
Mine to punish or reward.

Mine to comfort in distress,
Suffering in this wilderness;
Mine to show, by living faith,
Man can triumph over death.

Mine to tell of joys to come,
And the rebel sinner’s doom;
O thou holy Book divine,
Precious treasure, thou art mine!

                                                                                           – John Burton

Note: This is one article in a series which builds on one another.  It would be helpful to the reader’s understanding to scroll back and review the previous articles in this series.

Neo-orthodoxy uses biblical terminology but assigns other meanings to biblical terms.  The only way to detect this error is to ask an individual what he means by what he says.

 One must know which Bible doctrines are load bearing walls for the house of Christianity.  The definition of load bearing doctrine must not be compromised, else the house of “Christianity” become red tagged.  

There are some Bible doctrines that Christians can agree to disagree about.  Changing a fundamental (load bearing) doctrine will cause the house of Christianity to collapse, and change what was a church into a religious cult.

Calling a pastor to your church is not to be taken lightly.  The candidate must be examined and asked to define what he believes. He should have the endorsement and recommendation of Bible believing individuals and/or ministries.  He should be proven in his obedience to the written word.

“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine (teaching) of Christ, hath not God.  He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed; For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” (II John 6, 7, & 9-11)

• The social gospel (elimination of social injustice) is what is left when one ceases to believe in the Biblical message of redemption through the shed blood of Christ.  We are saved by grace through faith in the literal death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus plus nothing.  
• I have literal sin which produces literal guilt, which results in literal judgment, and produces literal death.  I need a literal God who literally loves me enough to literally save me from my literal sin, by literally sending His literal Son to literally die in my literal place, and to be literally buried and literally rise again from the literal dead, and who will literally dress me in His literal righteousness, thus literally forgiving me my literal sin, and literally granting me eternal life, literally making me a literal son and literally allowing me literal access into His literal presence.
• Do you take the Bible literally?

It is my understanding that your religion believes that the Jesus of Scripture is a prophet.  A prophet is a messenger from God.  Do you know what message Jesus Christ delivered to mankind?  What did He say about mankind?  What did He say about Himself?

If your religion believes that Jesus is a prophet, don’t you think you should know what His message is?   You can find that message by reading the Bible.  Obtain a translation of the Bible to study this. Do not use a paraphrase.

It will be helpful for your study to get a red letter edition of the New Testament.  A red letter edition has all the words that Jesus spoke high-lighted in red letters.  A red letter edition of the New Testament will make it easier for you to find His specific message.

Be sure to examine the context around His specific words, because the context always sheds light on the meaning of the passage.

If you have access to the internet, it will be easy to find a red letter edition translation.  Just search for “KJV – New Testament red letter edition” and you can begin your study today.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God…….And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.  John 1:1,2 & 14.

What is your concept of God?  Webster’s dictionary defines god as: 1) Any of various beings conceived of as supernatural, immortal, and having special powers over people and nature; esp. a male deity,  2) an image that is worshiped; idol,  3) a person or thing deified or excessively honored and admired,  4) in monotheistic religions, the creator and ruler of the universe, eternal, all powerful, and all knowing; Supreme Being; Almighty.  

Obviously, if we call ourselves Christian, definition #4 should be the concept of God that we have.  This concept has been warped so much by our departure from the Bible that even the idea of one God has degenerated into “the gods of Christianity”.

Some serve the “genie” god and believe in the “magic” properties of prayer.  If one repeats a formula often enough, in the right order, and on the proper days, this god will suddenly appear and grant the petitions desired without fail.  Matthew 6:7 says; but when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Some worship the “vending machine” god. This god will dispense anything one requires, including salvation, if one but only puts in the correct change and pushes the desired button.  Ephesians 2:8&9 declares, however; For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Others are not so zealous and they worship the god that they keep in a container in the back corner of the pantry.  This is the “coffee can” god and he is let out of his container only on special occasions.

Finally there is the god that is good for religion only. This is the “simpleton” god that can’t spell or write his own name.

The apostle Paul preached to the men of Athens about the UNKNOWN GOD.  Paul declared him to be; the God that made the world and all things therein (Acts 17:23 & 24).  If you want to know Him……read His Word.  This unknown God is the God of the Bible.

When I was a college student in Atlanta, Georgia many years ago, I would often go to the same laundry to wash clothes.  I always tried to have some gospel tracts in my pocket to hand out as God gave opportunity.

On one particular laundry day I sat down beside a man, who appeared to be Asian, and tried to start a conversation.  It soon became apparent that he did not speak English, so I took a tract that had a cross on the front and I pointed at the cross.  I then pointed to heaven and finally I pointed to my heart.

The gentleman stood up, motioned for me to follow him, and he led me outside to his car.  I was a bit apprehensive, not knowing what to expect, but I followed him outside nonetheless.  

He opened the passenger door, and as he sat down on the passenger seat he opened the glove compartment and pulled out a Bible written in his own language.

There was laughter and a warm hand shake.  There was an understanding much deeper than the simple exchange of words. There was the joy of finding an unknown family member.  There was fellowship without speaking a word that the other could understand. There was a bond of Christian love.

It was a conversation that I shall never forget!  It is a conversation that we shall one day continue in heaven.  It was a conversation without words.

It was a conversation made possible by the grace of God through our Saviour, Jesus Christ.  To the believing stranger, foreigner, or fellow citizen, Jesus Christ is always the same.

Where do we get our information regarding Christianity, it’s doctrine, and it’s practice?  It would be pretty safe to say, from the Bible, of course.  According to the Bible, is sex outside of marriage a sin?  Need we ask?  The Bible is very clear about sexual sin.  The Scriptures declare that fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

In dealing with the woman taken in adultery, Jesus is often quoted for His statement; He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her (John 8:7).  He is rarely quoted on the last thing He said to her; ….go, and sin no more (John 8:11).  

Sexual sin is associated with the former way of life experienced prior to becoming a new creature in Christ; ….and such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus……. (I Corinthians 6:9-11).

Did Jesus associate with fornicators and adulterers?  The Pharisees criticized Him for eating with publicans and sinners, so we would assume that there was a fornicator or an adulterer or two among the sinners at the table.  As believers we should reach out to all unbelievers, regardless of their sin, because except for the grace of God, there go you and I.

What does the Bible say, however, when those who profess to be Christian live in or practice disobedience to the direct commands of Scripture?  Paul writing in I Corinthians 5:9-11 says; I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world,…………; for then must ye needs go out of the world.  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, …; with such an one no not to eat. 

The exhortation, not to eat with such an one, likely refers to their participation in the Lord’s Supper (see vs 7&8).  “Christian” fornicators are to be excluded from Christian recognition and Christian fellowship.  Verse 13b wraps up Paul’s instruction with this command; Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Jesus stated in John 14:24a; He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings.  The apostle John, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, continues this instruction in I John 2:4; He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

God said it, not me.

•  The word “fornication” is a general term which covers all sexual sin.  The immediate biblical context may determine if a specific sexual sin is being addressed.
• A distinction should be made between sinning by slipping up versus an unrepentant way of life.  Slipping up or backsliding is a temporary condition accompanied with and/or followed by guilt, conviction of sin, and repentance.  
• The apostle John wrote that a Christian does not commit sin.  Commit is a present tense, continuous action word, better translated “practice”.   A Christian does not practice sin as a way of life.  The indwelling Holy Spirit will not let him.
• A true son living in sin will be chastened by the Father.  If you are without chastisement, then you are not a true son.  

I started out life on a farm just east of a small rural village in northwest Iowa.  There’s nothing left there now but a lot of memories.  

I lived there until I was only six or seven, but I have as many memories of that short period of time as I have of anywhere else I’ve lived.  Most of those memories are good memories.  I think that’s why I love the farm so much, because of those early childhood days spent on the farm.  

Some of those early memories had to do with learning responsibility.  As a young boy those first responsibilities were pretty simple, but they were stepping stones to bigger things, and often times a spiritual lesson all rolled into one.

Gathering eggs was a menial task, but to me it was always an exciting challenge as well as a treasure hunt.   It was a challenge to get an egg out from under a grouchy old hen without getting pecked, and a treasure hunt to find the eggs, wherever they had been deposited.

At milking time I would walk out to the pasture to bring the cows in. As small as I was, those cows looked to be about ten feet tall.  They would pause from their grazing to stare at me a moment, and then without fail they would head for the barn at a speed that even my short legs could easily keep up.

Opening and closing the hog house door, as the rest of the family carried squealing pigs to another area for weaning, was easily the scariest job.  It was hard to stay at my post with those excited sows in their stalls carrying on so.  Fortunately that job came only a couple of times a year.

The most boring responsibility was taking out the garbage, but it proved to be the most valuable in teaching a spiritual lesson.  We burned what we could of the garbage.  What was left over was to be placed in an old hog feeder down by the barn.  It was my job to see that the non-burnables made it to the old hog feeder.

On the way to the “dumpster” there was a good sized bush growing on the hill just above the driveway.  On days when I had more important things to do, I would just deposit the non-burnables in the middle of that bush.  This worked out just fine for me as the bush had lots of leaves for cover, so no one was the wiser.

There came a day however, that I happened by that bush after the leaves had fallen off.  I was shocked.  There was the result of my disobedience, open and exposed to whoever happened by.  I don’t remember if mom or dad ever saw it, I just remember the shock and the guilt I felt to see it uncovered and no longer hidden.

Covering sin never works.  If the leaves don’t fall, God will reveal it sooner or later.  He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy (Proverbs 28:13).

Religious hypocrisy is outward conformation without inward transformation.

If there is no inward transformation, there is no power to overcome sin and no power to obey God’s Word.

• These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.  I John 5:13  
• Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself: that where I am, there ye may be also.  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  John 14:1-6
• Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not; the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.  But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.  John 10:25-29

Long before I was saved, I was attracted to the hymn entitled The Haven of Rest.  I would often sing it to myself as a kid. I loved the tune as it ebbed and crested like the waves of the sea it talks about.  

Although I did not comprehend the message as a kid, I think the Lord listened to me sing it, and smiled at what He had in store for me.  The words are as follows:

• My soul in sad exile was out on life’s sea, So burdened with sin and distressed, Till I heard a sweet voice saying “Make Me your choice,” And I entered the haven of rest.
• I yielded myself to His tender embrace, And faith taking hold of the Word, My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul.  The haven of rest is my Lord.
• The song of my soul, since the Lord made me whole, has been the old story so blest, Of Jesus, who’ll save whosoever will have A home in the haven of rest.
• Oh, come to the Saviour, He patiently waits To save by His power divine.  Come, anchor your soul in the haven of rest, And say, “My Beloved is mine.”
• Chorus: I’ve anchored my soul in the haven of rest.  I’ll sail the wide seas no more. The tempest may sweep o’er the wild stormy deep; In Jesus I’m safe evermore.

                                                             Written by Henry Gilmore, 1837 – 1920

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.  Hebrews 4:9&10