The Bema

Do you remember any of the rewards you won in elementary school? Even though I'm 26, I still remember the 1st place ribbon I received in 5th grade for the hula hoop contest. I also remember winning "camper of the week" at camp that summer. Kind of sad that I still remember awards like that, isn't it? I think earning a reward can really make an impact on people. To be recognized for hard work is a great feeling. Did you know that God will also hand out rewards when we get to heaven one day?

Have you ever heard of the Bema? Well, if you haven't, I'm sure you're not alone. It's not something generally talked about at great length in our churches. The Bema is the Judgment Seat of Christ. After Christ returns, there are going to be 2 Judgments that will take place, namely the Great White Throne Judgment and the Bema, or the Judgment seat of Christ. The Great White Throne Judgment is for all people who have ever lived on earth. In this judgment, God will separate the sheep from the goats--believers from nonbelievers. All those who have trusted in Christ as their Savior will go to heaven, while all those who did not will go to hell. The Bema, however, is for believers only. At the Bema, God will hand out awards to believers for their service on earth.

Tony Evans compares the Bema to a school "honors night" program in his book The Best is Yet to Come. On that awards night, the students who worked hard and excelled will be recognized for their year of hard work. Those who did not apply themselves in school and wasted their school year will receive nothing. These "slacker" students won't be punished, they will just experience the loss of reward. At the Bema, those Christians who faithfully followed the Lord on earth will be rewarded for their life of service to them. Those who failed to live for Him will experience loss of reward.

Let's look at some scriptures that talk about the Bema. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says,“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done.” No believer will escape this judgment! 1 Corinthians 4-5 says this, “Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.” Tired of fake Christians? They'll be exposed in time. At the Bema, the true motives and state of each believer's heart will be revealed. It's not enough just to do good works, because Scripture makes it clear that God cares much more about the heart behind the action. If a good work is done out of an impure motive, then it counts for nothing.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 says, “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.” The works of believers will be burned through fire to test their quality and reveal which ones were done with a pure motive. Those works which were pure and genuine (gold, silver, and precious stones) will survive the fire, and the Christians who performed those works will be rewarded for them. The works that were done with wicked motives or impure intentions (wood, hay, and straw) will be burned up at the Bema. Those believers will experience a loss of reward.

Now I know some of you are thinking, "Aren't we forgiven for our wickedness? Why are we under judgment again in heaven?" That's a great question. I want to emphasize that the Bema is in no way a place where sins are punished. If you are a believer, all of your sins were nailed to the cross of Jesus and were paid in full. God does not hold you responsible for your sins anymore, because they were wiped clean and erased forever. Remember that Romans 8:1 says, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!" The Judgment Seat of Christ is not a time of punishment in any way, but is rather a time of reward.

In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.” As believers, we shouldn't be pursuing rewards or treasures on this earth, but we should rather be storing up treasures in heaven! But how do we get these treasures? What kinds of things are we rewarded for? I'll cover this in my next post!

Part 2: Gay Marriage

While some of you may be feeling confused about the correct Christian response to homosexuality, (due to convincing arguments from the other side which appeal to our female compassion for the oppressed) the Bible is crystal clear on this issue. Despite the fact that many people in the homosexual community claim to be Christians and follow the Bible, this is not a gray issue. If these individuals honestly think that homosexuality is acceptable according to the Bible, they're simply not reading it. Let's look at the text.

When discussing the issue of marriage, it is necessary to go back to the very beginning...the very first marriage in history between Adam and Eve. It is significant to note that marriage was God's idea. He instituted it in the first place, and Adam and Eve's union is now our model for marriage. I could go into this in more detail, but I will just say that from this creation account, we can clearly see that marriage is between one man and one woman. Genesis 2:24 states, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh." Once Eve ate the fruit and sin entered the world, God's perfect design for marriage and sex (as demonstrated by Adam and Eve before the fall) became distorted. Anything outside of a heterosexual, monogamous union is a perversion of God's idea of marriage.

After the fall in Genesis 3, wickedness becomes rampant and sexual perversions soon surface. When God later presents His law to the Jewish people, He gives specific guidelines for sexual relationships. In Leviticus 18, God forbids sexual perversions such as incest, polygamy, adultery, and yes...homosexuality. Leviticus 18:22 says, "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination." This is strong wording. God is not sugar-coating homosexuality or giving any loophole for it to be acceptable...He calls it a flat-out disgusting abomination.

In Romans 1:26-27, we again see homosexuality condemned as "unnatural" and "indecent." This is against God's natural order for marriage and sex, and is therefore a rebellious sin against Him. Homosexuality is again condemned in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, in a list of "unrighteous" sins in which one cannot inherit the kingdom of God. We find it again in 1 Timothy 1:8-11, in which Paul lists homosexuality as an "unholy and profane" act, among other atrocious sins. Some proponents of homosexuality will try to convince you that this practice was only condemned under the Old Testament, but this is untrue. Look up these verses!

We've established that God created marriage to be between one man and one woman, and for sex only to occur within marriage. Knowing this, no one who calls herself a Christian should support homosexual marriage or vote for a candidate who supports it, in my opinion. However, our response to homosexuals themselves should be one of love and compassion. Christians should never take any part in acts of cruelty or violence toward a homosexual. They are to be loved and shown mercy and kindness to, just like any other nonbeliever. Perhaps your love and grace toward them will bring them to Christ. They are just sinners in need of a Savior.

For those of you who know gay people in your schools, I would encourage you to pray fervently for them. Homosexuality is a lonely lifestyle that leads to an early death (their life expectancy is decades shorter than a heterosexual's). While we should never compromise on the truth of Scripture and condone a practice that is wicked in God's eyes, we are called to show compassion to the lost. It is doing homosexuals no favor to give them more freedom to practice their sinful lifestyle. What they really need is the gospel...to turn away from their sins and experience the freedom and salvation only Christ can bring. Let us all join in praying for a spiritual awakening in the homosexual community and its supporters~

The Biblical Response to the Gay-Marriage Debate

I recently read an article that reported that George Bush's daughter, Barbara, has appeared in an advertisement for "The Human Rights Campaign" promoting gay marriage. She is following John McCain's daughter, Meghan, and Dick Cheney's daughter, Mary, who have also spoken out for gay rights. All 3 of these girls are daughters of Republican politicians who have adamantly opposed gay marriage.

The trend that is appearing, is that the younger generation is more tolerant of homosexuality than the older generation. The view that homosexual marriage should be banned is now seen as archaic and old-fashioned. Though homosexuals only make up a very minute percentage of the population, their voices and their supporters' voices, are very loud. Perhaps the loudest voices promoting homosexual rights are in Hollywood. The 2 most popular and critically acclaimed shows on television, "Modern Family" and "Glee" have major characters who are homosexuals. 2 of the most celebrated movies of the year, which have both been nominated for multiple Oscars, feature blatant homosexuality (Black Swan, and The Kids are All Right).

I think that the issue of homosexuality is especially impacting teenagers. I am told by girls in public school that the number of homosexuals that have "come out" in their schools is rapidly growing. This is partly, in my opinion, due to homosexual propaganda in the media, and also partly due to a teen's identity struggles. Teens are trying to find out "who they are" and establishing an identity for themselves. Being homosexual provides them with an identity and a group to belong to. However, homosexuality is most of all a sin issue, plain and simple.

When Christians attempt to speak out on this issue, we are misunderstood and just seen as mean, prejudiced, and judgmental. I know that many of you who attend public school are confused on this issue. You know Christians are supposed to love everyone, but you've also been taught that homosexuality is wrong. You have met some really nice gay people, and you feel sorry for them when they're ridiculed or rejected. It's so easy to be swayed by the world on this issue, because the world preaches a message that sounds good, saying things like, "they're just in love like any other couple" or "everyone deserves equal rights," etc. The problem with this mindset, is that it is completely opposite of the message the Bible is sending. In my next post, we'll examine what the Bible says about homosexuality and what the Christian response should be to homosexuals.

The Problem with Oprah

It's finally happening...Oprah is taking over the world. Well, maybe not the world, but she is launching her very own TV network, The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), on cable. This is just what America needs (sarcasm alert!). What is my problem with Oprah Winfrey, you ask? Don't get me wrong, I recognize her generosity and the amount of charity work she does globally. However, I also realize that her self-help brand of Christianity is leading countless people astray. Simply speaking, she's a false teacher, a wolf in sheep's clothing who looks like a great Christian on the outside but is far from knowing the truth revealed in Scripture.

Last weekend, Oprah donned the cover of the "Parade" insert in the Houston Chronicle. When asked about the launch of her new network, Oprah responded:

"I’m concerned about the bigger overall picture: my belief that people are basically good and want to see the good in them reflected through their experiences and the shows that they watch. This is a gamble I’m taking. I believe that the banal state of television, the kind of insipid space that we’re in—that you can have as many channels as we have and not find anything that really interests you—means that to a great extent we’ve lost our way."

It is clear from this quote that Oprah doesn't believe in original sin. Total depravity, the belief that humans are fallen and are born into this world bent on rebellion to their Creator, is a fundamental Christian doctrine. If you don't believe that you have a wretched sin nature, then you have no need for a Savior. If people are basically good, as Oprah teaches, then why did Jesus have to die for our sins? You only have to spend 5 minutes with a toddler to understand the reality of original sin. No one has to teach a child to disobey his parents, to hit his sister, or to grab a toy from a friend and scream "Mine!" Sin is innate within us, and without Jesus, we have no hope.

Oprah is right in noticing that "we've lost our way." However, the solution is not more self-help shows, but Jesus Christ and His Word. It's alarming to me to read Oprah complain that most TV shows are too mindless, and then to want to fix this problem with more TV shows. She makes the comment, "I think that there are people who want to be fed just a little more;" but she's talking about feeding them more mindless self-help shows, when what they really need to be fed with is God's Word! Oprah's line-up of programs include shows that show people how to get organized, how to improve their relationships, how to cook better, etc. Learning how to be more organized or how to cook a better omelet is not going to save you! You can't save yourself, which is the problem with the self-help philosophy. Only Jesus has the power to transform lives and bring hope and purpose.

I point this out in order to show you how pervasive false teaching is today. The things people like Oprah say sound great, but they don't mean anything. It's not about "living your best life" as she often says, but about dying to yourself and surrendering your life to Christ, as the Bible says! Do you see the difference? Pray every day for discernment, and be careful not to accept the things you hear just because they sound good~

You can check out the full article at: http://www.parade.com/celebrity/celebrity-parade/2010/1222-oprah-biggest-dream-ever.html

What's Leviticus got to do with me??

I'm not going to lie, Leviticus is not my favorite book of the Bible. When I was a teenager, I had a hard time understanding how books like this had much value. Now as an adult, I can appreciate the fact that all 66 books of the Bible are packed with truth, because they are all inspired by God. Leviticus didn't make it into the canon by mistake...God meant for it to be there! But why? What profit can there be for 21st century Christians in reading this book? Well, I'm glad you asked! Let's explore that question...

If you haven't brushed up on Leviticus lately, let me give you a brief overview. The book contains many meticulous lists covering laws given to the Jews by God. These include specific instructions for how to prepare burnt offerings (which type of animal to use, when these offerings should take place, what the priest's role is, etc), descriptions of the types of food they were allowed or forbidden to eat, specifications for what made the people clean or unclean (because of disease, childbirth, sin, etc), how to celebrate the various festivals, etc. These instructions are highly detailed and meticulous, and can be difficult to read through.

Why would God go to such tremendous length to enforce such specific instructions? Why would he care what type of sores they had on their body, whether or not they ate animals with hooves that chewed the cud, or how long new mothers waited before returning to their religious duties (all of these things appear in Leviticus!)? When you first begin to read these extensive laws, it seems a bit unnecessary. However, God had a great purpose for enforcing so many restrictions on the Jews. He had chosen them as His people out of all of the nations on the earth, and He wanted them to be set apart from the rest of the world. He wanted them to live in such a way that was so radically different than the other nations, that everyone would know that the Jews were a special nation.

In Leviticus 11:44-47, God says this, "'For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy. This is the law regarding the animal and the bird, and every living thing that moves in the waters and everything that swarms on the earth, to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten.'" God wanted to make a distinction between His people, the Jews, and the rest of the nations. His people would be separate and holy, set apart from the pagan nations that surrounded them. In Leviticus 10:10, God talks about making "a distinction between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean." The Jews were different, and God used these laws and regulations to make that fact clear to everyone.

After Jesus ascended into heaven, we begin to see many things change in the New Testament. For example, all animals were now considered clean, and burnt sacrifices were no longer needed, because Jesus' sacrifice covered sins once for all. However, one thing did remain the same. Believers in Christ were still called to be set apart and holy for God, just as the Jews were called to be in Leviticus. Ephesians 1:4 says, "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before him," and Romans 1:7 calls Christians "loved by God and called to be His holy people." 2 Corinthians 6:17 says, "Therefore, 'Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.'”

Just as God called the Jews to live a life totally set apart from the pagan nations, Christians are also called to live a life set apart from the unbelievers among us. Do you live a life of holiness, set apart for the Lord? Or do you compromise and blend in with those around you, with your life looking no different than an unbeliever's? Take some time to pray over this issue, asking God to examine your heart~

Run as if to Win!

Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

If you know me at all, you know that I am definitely not an athlete. I've never played a sport in my entire life, and I hate running! Despite my lack of athleticism, I have had good friends who played sports, so I have a very small amount of knowledge on the subject. I don't know much, but one thing I do know...if you want to be a good athlete, you have to be disciplined. Excelling at a sport will not happen overnight. If you want to be the best, you have to undergo countless hours of training, and it's hard work. I see so many teenagers completely dedicated to the sport they play. The amount of time, money, and energy poured into their sport is unreal. Sadly though, I have seldom seen this level of commitment to the Christian walk among teens. The amount of time spent reading the Word, praying, or memorizing Scripture would pale in comparison to the amount of hours spent training for their sport.

In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul challenges believers to see their Christian walk as a race. In verse 24 he says, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win." I don't know any star athletes who make it their goal to do an average job. No, their goal is to win. Unfortunately, we oftentimes don't live out our faith with the mentality that we want to be the best follower of Christ that we can be. We justify our lack of progress or spiritual maturity by comparing ourselves to someone who is weaker in the faith than we are. We look at the "spiritual giants" who we know as people we could never become, so we don't even try. As a whole, we are apathetic believers who do the bare minimum to avoid feeling guilty, not passionate followers of Christ wholeheartedly devoted to Him.

In verse 25, Paul explains, "Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable." The amount of self-control necessary to become an Olympic athlete is unreal. They train for hours and hours every single day, waking up at the crack of dawn to cram in extra work-outs. They don't allow themselves the pleasures the rest of us enjoy...junk food, staying up late, sleeping in, etc. They sacrifice so much, just for the purpose of winning a medal. The thing about that medal is that it is perishable. It won't last forever. When you think about the level of commitment athletes display for a temporary earthly treasure, it seems crazy that we as Christians would not display this kind of dedication to earning rewards in heaven, which are eternal and will never fade.

Paul goes on to say in the following verse, "Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way as not beating the air" (26). Paul lived a live of purpose. He explains that he made a point to be intentional in his actions and choices. He didn't waste his life on empty pursuits, but he dedicated his entire life to living for Christ. How much of our days are spent on meaningless and pointless pursuits?

Finally, he concludes by saying, "but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified" (27). Let me first point out that when he talks about being disqualified he is not talking about loss of salvation but loss of rewards in the kingdom. As humans with a sinful flesh, we're continually tempted and led astray by ungodly desires of the flesh. Rather than letting the flesh control you, Paul tells believers to beat their bodies into submission. Oftentimes you won't feel like reading your Bible or getting on your knees in prayer. You won't want to fast or wake up early for church or share the gospel with others. You'd rather watch TV or get on facebook than spend time memorizing Scripture or doing your Bible study. Living out the Christian faith requires great discipline. You have to force yourself to get up early for your quiet time, and you have to discipline yourself to spend extended time in prayer. Remember that you aren't going to become holy overnight. You aren't going to become knowledgeable of the Scriptures by accident. This takes hours and hours of disciplined training.

Is your Christian life an aimless wandering stroll, or is it an earnest and intense race? If we're honest, most of us fall into that first category. What changes do you need to make in order to discipline yourself? In what areas do you need to exercise more self control? Let's all run as if to win!!

Chosen

Read: Deuteronomy 7:6-9, 9:5-7; 1 Peter 2:9; Titus 3:3-8; Ephesians 2:8-9

Do you ever wonder why God chose the Jews? He could have chosen any nation in the world to establish His covenant with, but He decided to pick the nation of Israel. Throughout history, the Jews have been scapegoats. Even today, teenagers will call someone "a Jew" as a cut-down or slur against them. We all know by now of Mel Gibson's repeated obscene slander of the Jews, which has been broadcast all over the world. So why would God pick this nation, which the world deems so lowly? Wouldn't it make more sense if God chose a nation which was known as a world-power, a nation everyone stood in awe of because of their greatness and strength? If it was up to us, we would pick a nation that was considered great in a worldly sense, but God's ways are not our ways...and praise God for that! Let's look at God's reasoning for selecting such an obstinate people for His own.

In Deuteronomy 7:6, we read, "For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the people who are on the face of the earth." God picked Abraham to be the father of the nation of Israel, and He established His covenant with this nation, naming them His chosen people above all others. You would think that God must have chosen the Jews because they were just an exceptionally great group of people. However, you don't have to read much of Jewish history to quickly realize that that was definitely not the case.

In verses 7-8, Moses writes, "The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh of Egypt." We see here that there was nothing significant about Israel that set them apart from their surrounding nations. Israel was definitely an "underdog" nation, and they were few in number. We read that God chose Israel because He loved them, and that love was not based on anything they had done. He chose them because He had made a covenant with them, that they would be His own people, and He would always honor that covenant.

Moses explicitly tells the Jews that they did nothing to merit this election from God in Deut. 5-7. He says, "Know then, it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stubborn people," and reminds them "to not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath" (Deut 9:6-7a). The Jews were a rebellious group of people, not a saintly nation that deserved God's favor! Again and again, they provoked God to anger by sinning and wandering away from Him. Though they often turned their backs on God, God never left them. They didn't deserve God's faithfulness, but they received it by grace, because God loved them and would not break His promise to them.

If you are a believer in Christ, you know full well that your election was not a result of your own goodness. I know better than anyone else how little I deserve a spot in His kingdom, and I'm sure you feel the same way. In Titus 3:5, we're reminded, "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy." Much like Israel, believers in Christ were chosen "before the foundation of the earth," and are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession" (Eph 1:4, 1 Pet 2:9). Though we have this high position in Christ as a fellow heir, we must be fully aware how little we deserve it. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:8-9, "for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and it is not of yourselves, it is a gift from God, not by works so that no man can boast."

It doesn't make sense that God would select the Jews as the children of promise, because as an all-knowing God, He would be able to foresee all of the wickedness they would commit. He knew that they would forsake Him, follow after other gods, and turn their back on Him countless times, but He chose them anyway. This was a complete act of grace and was not dependant on anything they could do to earn it. Likewise, if you are a believer in Christ, you were chosen before the earth was formed. God knew every lie you would tell, every immoral act you would commit, every bitter thought you would harbor, but He chose you anyway. What a beautiful reminder of God's tremendous mercy on us lowly wretches. To God be the glory for our election and salvation!