Rev Pt4: Lec 0:
Where are the leaders?
The Strong and Courageous?

Where are those who be valiant soldiers for the Lord Jesus Christ? We desperately need godly leadership in the body of Jesus Christ. We need those who are fully convinced that God is God and we are man and that we have the sword of the Spirit that the world so desperately needs. With this sword and the power of the Holy Spirit  we are to step forward in these critical albiet dark which are pivotal as far as Christianity is concerned. Kay is lecturing in Feb, 1994 having just returned from Washington D.C. and the National Religious Broadcaster's meeting. The topic that kept coming up was 'what desperate straits America is in and that Christians don't really realize how bad off we are or where we are headed or the fact that there is a movement against Christianity...against Truth...against the absolutes of the Word of God.' Christians are targeted bc  they are the 'salt' of the earth and salt stops the spread of corruption. We are the light of the world and His light shining in and through us dispels darkness. This movement against believers of course is instigated by the dark prince of this world, Satan. In America evil has gained a foothold and is out to destroy anything that calls evil what it is and calls good ''good' (still believes in absolutes).

James Dobson spoke at the NRB meeting but asked not to be taped that he might speak openly to his fellow Christian broadcasters. He said that he was willing to die in order to defend truth and his wife Shirley collapsed into someone else's arms when he said this. The church is asleep, apathetic, & has entangled herself with the affairs of this life.

Kay speaks of Francis Schaeffer trying to alert American Christians to what was coming. To be sure we applauded him publicly but privately continued to live as if we had not heard. Many seminaries and churches would not encourage their students and members to go and hear Schaeffer bc many people had relatives that had had abortions and they didn't want them feeling bad. Schaeffer wanted us to understand that TRUTH IS RETREATING & BEING ABOLISHED. Freud said that when man begins to question the meaning and value of life, then that man is 'sick'.  What Freud was saying that when there is no meaning to life, there is no value to life.

Since the 1960's relativism (there is no absolute truth) has increased, euphemistically called deconstructionism. Thus they say there is no objective meaning to what is written and it's all subjective and dependent on how you interpret it. This concept teaches that what happened in the past has no significance. All that matters is what we think today. E.g., what were the laws regarding abortion in years past? If a doctor performed an abortion, he would lose his license and be tried in court along with the mother. Today relativism teaches that these laws are archaic and meaningless. Today we live according to what we believe is right and wrong. Stanley Fish, Duke University, says 'that since all principles are preferences (i.e., they are not absolutes), they are nothing but mass for the will for power. Someone is always going to be restricted next and it's your job to make sure that that someone is not you.' All that matters is what you prefer so don't let anyone force their belief system on you.

WHEN TRUTH RETREATS TYRANNY ADVANCES

To summarize TRUTH IS RETREATING, and when this happens TYRANNY ADVANCES. George Barna a Christian survey taker found 67% of Americans say there is no such thing as 'TRUTH'.  52% of so-called 'born again' Christians say that there is no such thing as ABSOLUTE TRUTH!  We are in trouble! We need people who are strong and courageous and who know their God (Dan 11:32), who will be willing to die for truth and come out of the shadows of apathetic living and be lights in the world. The whole purpose of Precepts Ministry is teach the body of Jesus Christ how to study the Truth for themselves and to stand in that Truth without compromise because they realize they are called to the high purpose to reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction (2 Tim 4:2)  because the hour is late.    As you study this course you will find that we will nail down some truths that will be the fruit of long hours of observing the text without use of commentaries. This truth is to transform you and propel you into the midst of this crooked and perverse generation that say there is no absolute truth, so that those sitting in darkness can see the great light of Jesus and know that there is an unchangeable God ''For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.'' (Ro 15:4) We are to learn lessons from the past that we might walk as more than conquerors in the midst of this crooked generation.

We must raise up an army of those who are willing to study to show themselves approved unto God and to embrace the Word of God not turning to the right or to the left, instead committing to do according to all that God has commanded them. And whether they live or whether they die their only cry would be ''Jesus in me.'' Praise the Lord.

REVELATION PART 4 IS NOT FOR ''WIMPS''

Kay says that Revelation part IV is not for ''wimps.'' You will have to determine to finish strong for the world needs to know bc there is a righteous Judge Who ''shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.''

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen. (Rev 1:7) ''Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.''(Rev 22:20).  

COMMIT TO BE A VALIANT WARRIOR LIKE LATIMER & RIDLEY

We are not to study just to find out when we are going to escape this world and then all H breaks loose. Kay believes that in fact the time is coming soon when ''all H'' will break lose in America and unless you move you will be involved. Make it your desire to be used by God as a valiant warrior like Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley condemned to be martyred during the Protestant Reformation in England: (Note: the following excerpt from John Foxe's ''Acts and Monuments'' written in 1570 is more than what Kay discusses but I thought you might like to read the original description later.)

''Dr. Ridley, entering the place [of execution] first, earnestly holding up both his hands, looked towards heaven; then shortly after, seeing Mr. Latimer, with a cheerful look, he ran to him and embraced him, saying, 'Be of good heart, brother, for God will either assuage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it.' He then went to the stake, and, kneeling down, prayed with great fervor, while Mr. Latimer following, kneeled also, and prayed with like earnestness. After this, they arose and conversed together, and, while thus employed, Dr. Smith began his sermon to them. Dr. Ridley, then, with Mr. Latimer, kneeled to my Lord Williams, the vice chancellor of Oxford, and the other commissioners, who sat upon a form, and said, 'I beseech you, my lord, even for Christ's sake, that I may speak but two or three words.' And whilst my lord bent his head to the mayor and vice-chancellor, to know whether he might have leave to speak, the bailiffs and Dr. Marshal, the vice-chancellor, ran hastily unto him, and, with their hands stopping his mouth, said, 'Mr. Ridley, if you will revoke your erroneous opinions, you shall not only have liberty so to do, but also your life.' 'Not otherwise?' said Dr. Ridley.'No,' answered Dr. Marshal. 'Therefore, if you will not do so, there is no remedy: you must suffer for your deserts.' 'Well,' said the martyr, 'so long as the breath is in my body, I will never deny my Lord Christ and his known truth. God's will be done in me.' They were then commanded to prepare immediately for the stake. Then the smith took a chain of iron and placed it about both their waists; and as he was knocking in the staple, Dr. Ridley took the chain in his hand, and, looking aside to the smith, said, 'Good fellow, knock it in hard, for the flesh will have its course.' They then brought a lighted faggot, and laid it at Dr. Ridley's feet, upon which Mr. Latimer said, 'Be of good comfort, Mr. Ridley, and play the man! We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust never shall be put out.' When Dr. Ridley saw the fire flaming up towards him, he cried out, with an amazing loud voice, 'Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit: Lord, receive my spirit!' and continued to repeat, 'Lord, Lord, receive my spirit!' Mr. Latimer cried as vehemently, 'O Father of heaven, receive my soul!' after which he soon died, seemingly with little pain.''

THE DEMISE OF ABSOLUTES

George Gallup found 80% of Americans say there are no absolutes. But in Revelation there are absolutes and God is on His throne and He will move and judge this earth and it will be a severe, awful judgment the likes of which the world will never see again. The Holocaust will look ''tame'' in comparison. Will we be here? That's not the question to ask bc it only matters whether you commit to being a valiant warrior or not. Don't start thinking ''escapism'' because that's what the church has been thinking for years. Yes Tribulation is coming and whether we are here or not is not the point. The point is that tribulation (not necessarily ''the'' great tribulation) is already here and we must be valiant warriors.

At George Mason U. they passed a rule that you can be kicked out of school if you jump when a homosexual touches you. Chuck Colson said we are headed for the time when the crime is going to be your attitude and people will judge your heart attitude. Let's see what God's word has to say.

A BRIEF LOOK AT 1 CORINTHIAN 8-10

In 1 Cor 8 you see Paul doing a lot of correcting as well as answering many of the Corinthians problems concerning certain issues. In 1 Cor 8-10 God is calling us to be (1) loving, (2) self-sacrificing,  to let go of our rights (not to let go of truth), but (3) to deny self and  (4) to run the race that is set before us so as to win.

SHOULD WE EAT MEAT SACRIFICED TO IDOLS?

Paul initially discusses eating things sacrificed to idols because in Corinth there were many heathen temples where the pagans would kill an animal sacrifice for their idols and split that meat into thirds: 1/3 burned on altar, 1/3 to the priests and 1/3 to the one who offered the sacrifice. The priests were getting so many ''thirds'' that they would sell the excess to the meat markets. So the meat markets sold this meat offered to idols. You might be invited to your friend's house for dinner and find he offers you cooked meat that has been sacrificed to idols. The problem for the Christians was whether or not to eat this meat. Or should they buy meat from the meat market? So Paul is going to tell them how to handle this dilemma. And as Paul addresses this question he gives us principles for today's believers living in a world filled with idolatry.

principles by which to live in the midst of
a crooked & perverse generation 

1 Cor 8:1  Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. (i.e., we all know that an idol is nothing.) Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.

Kay gives example of 2 Christians, one weak, one strong, at someone's house for dinner where meat sacrificed to idols is the entree. The weak Christian spits out the meat upon hearing its source. The strong Christian swallows the meat who explains to the other Christian that an idol is nothing but that if eating the meat bothers them then they should not eat it. And since it bothers the weaker Christian, the stronger Christian says that they will not eat it either.

The alternative approach the strong believer could take is to say that it is stupid to worry about meat sacrificed to idols and to just swallow it (even if you choke!) because it won't hurt you. So we can have knowledge but Paul is saying that this knowledge can make us arrogant or puff us up. Kay's point is that we who are taking this course on Revelation and learning the Truth need to be careful that it does not puff us up to the point that we go out and blast everyone who does not have such a firm grasp of this subject. So know the truth but maintain the right attitude.

1 Cor 8:2 If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; (i.e., you just don't know everything. There is always something to learn so don't go around as a ''know-it-all''.) 3 but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. (If you have a love for God, you are known by God.) 4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. 7 However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. (So the weak Christian discussed earlier may have previously worshiped idols and thus ''chokes'' on idol meat. The strong Believer needs to understand this dilemma and needs to move in love and gentleness towards the weaker brother and needs to determine that since that is the weaker brother's problem, the stronger brother will not eat meat sacrificed to idols either.)

KNOWLEDGE SHOULD BE INTERWOVEN WITH LOVE

1 Cor 8:11 For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12 And thus, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble.

So the principle is that KNOWLEDGE is desirable but that KNOWLEDGE must be interwoven with Christian LOVE. The call to us that even if we meet fellow believers who do not hold the same view prophetically we are still to act IN LOVE.

Kay's story about a newspaper article wherein she was called a ''snake handler''. She has been called this epithet because she wrote ''Lord, Heal My Hurts'' and people have said this was psychology but Kay maintains it is Scripture and she wrote it to show that the Bible does have the answer for people's hurts. And so this group accusing Kay may think they are holding on to truth but it is NOT IN LOVE but in condemnation. So be careful how you handle the truths you are learning if you really want to be known by God. The way that we are known by God and others is not only because of truth but because of love. God is calling us to be loving and to LET GO OF OUR RIGHTS.  What right? To eat meat in the passage we are studying. The call is to be self-sacrificing.

PAUL ADDRESSES PERSONAL CRITICISM IN 1 COR 9

In Chapter 9 Paul begins to teach the Corinthians who were very critical of him, questioning his apostleship, his looks, his lack of eloquence, etc. So Paul addresses these issues:

1 Cor 9:1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 My defense to those who examine me is this:  (and he goes on to list his ''rights'') 4 Do we not have a right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, ...6...and I not have a right to refrain from working?

1 Cor 9:12  If others share the right over you, do we not more? (Paul led them to Christ. No one else did.) Nevertheless, we did not use this right, (the right to have them support him financially) but we endure all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

 PRINCIPLE  Whatever happens to you as a believer, endure all things--being loving, being willing to let go of your rights--for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

One reason many are not stepping out as leaders is bc it is tough, lonely, painful and you become a target for every person that is jealous, every person that does not like you for some reason, every person that wants to sit there and be critical yet unwilling to step to the frontlines themselves. This course is trying to prepare us wherever God places us to be ''...children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life.... (Phil 2:15-16). Not just with knowledge but with love willing to endure whatever comes your way for the sake of the gospel.  And it makes no difference how old you are...if God has left you here, He has a purpose for your life and intends for you to be active in His service (pray, teach, etc). Why? Because there is no retirement in the time of war.

1 Cor 9:16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.

Paul has been saying that he did have a right to ask the First Baptist Church of Corinth to support him but he had chosen the right to not take their support bc he wanted to prove himself an example to them. Thus he made his tents to support himself, not telling them to support him even though he had such a right. Paul says woe if he does not preach the gospel. And we too are called just as much as Paul. Acts 1:8 teaches that they were to be Christ's witnesses when they received the Holy Spirit and so should we who also have the Holy Spirit.

1 Cor 9:17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, (if I preach the gospel against my will) I have a stewardship entrusted to me. 18 What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, (I don't take anything from you) so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. 19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. 20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law, that I might win those who are under the Law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.

 PRINCIPLE  I will move into this circle and I will not assert my knowledge or my rights. I'm going to be loving and self-sacrificing and let go of my rights and be all things to all men. So if I move in with the Jews , I'm going to tell Timothy that he does not need to be circumcised but go ahead and be circumcised because we are going to walk among the Jews.
 

So when you move into certain circles even though you are free, you make yourself a slave that you might win some (sounds like ''winsome''!) You don't go in shooting off your mouth but you go in to win them to Jesus Christ. You go in to understand where they are and to bring them to where they need to be.

1 Cor 9:23 And I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

In other words I'm doing whatever the gospel says bc I want to reap the benefits of the gospel. What benefits? Eternal life. Kay believes in ETERNAL SECURITY but she does not feel that ETERNAL SECURITY teaches you that you can live any way you want to. If someone is teaching ETERNAL SECURITY  and also teaching that you can live any way you want to, that that teaching is not what God's gospel is all about.

 RUNNING THE RACE TO WIN THE PRIZE

1 Cor 9:24 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.

Kay gives example of Olympic skier who came out of the start only to immediately lose his skies. And he did not get another chance to ski that particular race. Nobody changed the rule for him and God is not going to change the rules for us. There are absolutes and we need to live in the light of those absolutes, living not under the Law but living according to truth. The reason America is so ''messed up'' is because the Church left the teaching of the Word of God and they came in with the teaching of psychology and philosophy, etc, forsaking TRUTH  with the result being not wheat that will nourish men but chaff that simply fills one's belly. There were no answers so the world stepped in.

1 Cor 9:25 And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. (Is this the norm is Christendom today? In the churches? No.) They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. (the trophy of the Olympic athletes is going to burn. Believers are competing for an imperishable wreath). 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim;(the point is that when the athletes ran out of the starting blocks they were running toward a specific goal, setting their eyes on the goal before them not looking to the right or left because they know that taking even one glance could cost winning the race.) I box in such a way, as not beating the air; (Refers to the gloves with leather with bits of metal which could produce considerable damage.)27 but I buffet my body (hupopiazo--to deliver a blow under one's own eye. This was considered in those days to be a technical knockout. So Paul is saying he gives a ''technical knockout'' to his body.) and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.  

So what does Paul do? He denies SELF, putting Self to death, running so as to win. He does not want to be disqualified or disapproved and have God say in essence ''Sorry I can't use you.'' 

 HOW WILL YOU RUN?

What is it going to be for us? Are we going to disqualify ourselves? Or are we going to run in such a way that we deliver a blow to ourselves and ''press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.''? (Ph 3:14).

Where are the leaders? Where are the strong and courageous? Where are the self-sacrificing? Where are the valiant ones? Every one of us can be on the FRONT LINES. We need to know that what the Bible says is ABSOLUTE. God has set the race. God has set the rules. God has set the reward. And only those that finish the race get the reward. So He is calling us to step forward, to be valiant, to be self-sacrificing, to be strong and courageous. Remember Joshua just before he leads the children of Israel into the Promised Land. And God says to Joshua...

Joshua 1:5  'No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.6  'Be strong and courageous, ...7  'Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.

1Cor 10:1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; (manna) 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. (It was a mixed multitude that came out of Egypt and they all had those experiences but all of them were not saved. They just went through the motions ''of church'' so to speak.) 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low (God killed them.) in the wilderness. 6 Now these things happened (these true stories from the Old Testament. What does the world want you to believe? The past does not count. Forget the past. Now it's what you think. NOT SO. Truth is still Truth and it never changes or alters. You and I may change but Truth does not. If we alter and so depart from Truth, we will be held accountable. If you walk according to the Truth, then you will be rewarded. Why? Because there is a God and He sits on the throne and He is coming judge the living and the dead in righteousness. When He comes to judge, He will judge all of those who would not obey the Truth, who would not submit to His authority. ) as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved. 7 And do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, 'The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.' 8 Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.

 THE NEED TO DENY SELF

What do we see leaders doing today? ''I don't love my wife [husband] anymore. God doesn't expect me to be unhappy.'' So they are divorcing and yet remaining in the pulpit, still preaching, still serving as elders and deacons. And God says ''No''. That is sin! We are no longer holding to those truths. Why? Because we are not self-sacrificing. We are not willing to let go of our rights. Why? Because in Christendom today what we hear is ''You are number 1''.  Self-esteem. Self-image. Self...self...self. What does God say about ''self''? We are to DENY SELF and we are to run the race so as to win.

1Cor 10:9 Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. 10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

This is where we are living and the signs of it are all around us. Did you realize that Paul in 2 Tim 3:1 was describing the Church when he said in the last days difficult times would come and men would be lovers of SELF and that they would have a form of godliness but lack the power of a truly godly life. We are at the place where we need to say ''No. It is not church as usual. It is the day to be valiant for Jesus Christ. It is the day to be strong and courageous. It is the day to say 'Here I am Lord. Send me.' It is the day to know the truth, to hold to the truth in love, to let go of my rights, to count all things as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, to not compromise the Truth, to deny self, and to run so as to win.

WHAT IDOLS ARE WE TO FLEE TODAY?

1Cor 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation (trial, testing) has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.