Proverbs for Life 

Dale Decker, a missionary colleague of mine in Kolkata (Calcutta), was diagnosed with Mad Cow Disease and died a horrible death. Think of the Medieval concept of the harrowing of Hell and you have a fairly good picture of the hallucinatory agony he suffered. I will not attempt to detail, except only to say that since the disease is highly transmittable through saliva, even his wife, Beth, was not allowed to be near him. He died virtually alone and uncomforted. Prior to his appointment as a missionary, Dale had suffered with crippling rheumatoid arthritis and grimaced with pain with every step he took. When asked by the committee that interviewed him for his mission’s appointed, ‘How he proposed to deal with this in Bangladesh (his country of choice) that had at best limited medical services?’ His response was, “Well, I can suffer there as I do here. Suffering is not the issue, my calling is.” He was appointed and made a wonderful missionary, and role model not only for the nationals but also us as missionaries. The point of the introductory paragraph was to introduce you to a collection of proverbial comments that he made throughout his life which his wife, Beth, collected and shared with us at a Thanksgiving missionary retreat in Sri Lanka in September of 2017. Below is an edited version of what she said:

1. Jesus wants the real you, not just a role you chose to play. 2. Sometimes you must die to launch a project for God. 3. Jesus can keep you in any nation on earth. 4. If you take care of the depts of your life, God will take care of the breadth of your life. 5. Invest now in what you want to look like 20 years from now. 6. Joshua learned to lead by trusting in God. 7. Clay pots get broken, yet every piece is useful. To be Christian is to risk brokenness. That, too, is useful (2 Cor. 4:7-12). 8. Jesus always calls us to Himself. 9. The paradigm of our life is the Cross. 10. The trajectory of my life is to be like Jesus (Rom. 8:28-29). 11. The Gospel doesn’t need a pulpit, it needs a welcoming table. 12. Peter first saw who Jesus was, then he saw who he was. 13. Jesus did not call us to destroy us. 14. The agony of becoming is the path we must take to follow Jesus.

What a legacy. What a life. It was my pleasure to know him, not just as a brother in Christ but a friend who walked with me in this journey we call life. 

 Jim Roane 

The Retreat Nov. 1, 2024

Does Scripture trump the Church?

Question: Dear Dr. Roane, someone told me that the Bible is not the pillar and foundation of truth. I have always been taught that it is. Where does this strange doctrine come from? 

Answer: My dear friend, that's a good question and a logical one at that. The answer is both yes and no. Yes, the Bible is the word of God and as such "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right (2 Tim 3:16)." However, Paul wrote previously to Timothy these words: "if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Tim 3:15, NIV)." So, the "Church" is the repository of spiritual truth, including the responsibility of canonizing scripture. Our Bible is a result of the "Church's" decision as lead by the Holy Spirit as Christ promised. God always can be trusted to keep His Word. God, the Bible says, “does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind” (1 Samuel 15:29); therefore, Scripture is to be trusted when rightly interpreted. 

Trust this helps, 

JimR_/

Is God whimsical?

Question: Dear Dr. Roane, does God ever change His mind, and if so, doesn't this make him whimsical and arbitrary? If He arbitrarily changes His mind, as it seems He does in scripture where He says: “I will…be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” – Exodus 33:19 And, again where He says, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” – Romans 9:15 The point is, how can I be certain that I am ever saved and on my way to Heaven?

Answer: My dear friend, that's a good question and a logical one at that. The answer is both yes and no. If you mean that God can or will contradict Himself, the answer is no. He is always consistent with His nature. Jesus declared, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). If that is so, and I believe it is, God by His very nature will always be true to Himself, and common logic dictates that truth cannot contradict truth. I know, scripture teaches in many places that it is God's desire to "save" all; but all are not saved. Why, we ask, does an all-loving God who wishes all to be saved, then turn around and condemn some? He is all-powerful, we reason, so why doesn't He correct the problem by cleansing their disobedience and make them good? The answer is because some men have chosen not to obey, and we are creatures of choice. 

No, God does not change His mind. God never goes back on His promises or tells us something one day and something different the next. Unlike us, God always can be trusted to keep His Word. God, the Bible says, “does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind” (1 Samuel 15:29).

God gives us choices in life—and those choices have consequences. If we choose (for example) to leave God out of our lives, we can only expect to experience what God has already promised: heartache, turmoil, and judgment. If, on the other hand, we repent of our disobedience and turn in faith in Christ, God has already promised us peace and hope and salvation. God hasn’t changed His mind; He is only responding to the choices we’ve made.

Take King Hezekiah in the Old Testament, for instance. He was one of the best kings the people ever had—but the Bible tells us that toward the end of his life he became proud and ignored God. As a result, God judged him for his disobedience. But once Hezekiah repented God blessed him. (See 2 Chronicles 32:24-26.) God wasn’t changing His mind; He was instead fulfilling His promises.

God’s promise is to save you if you truly trust Christ for your salvation. Make sure of your commitment to Jesus. Then thank Him for His promise that “whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37).

Trust this helps, 

JimR_/

 

 

As old as Methuselah . . . yet useful for God

 

It is never too late to be what you might have been.―George Eliot

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Longevity has its perks. Experience for one. Think of the advantage that gives us. Longevity also leaves room for second chances―a time to reconsider, to mend broken relationships. A time to meditate, reflect, to take off the old man of yesterday, as it were, and put on the new man to be molded into the image of Christ.

A good life, I am persuaded―that is one that has been lived well, consists not in what we may have been but what we are today. A philandering billionaire stands no better or worse off before the Lord than an adulterous letter carrier. And, when it comes to Jesus none of us has any bragging rights. We all stand naked and all muddied up before Him until He washes us up―that goes for all of us! Thank God He loved us first, filth and all, then washed us (Rev. 1:5) for the scripture says that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). That's an extraordinary love. One that is beyond our fondest imaginations. No one could have penned a greater love story. It's our love story, too.

We need to, therefore, stand tall before the Lord, regardless of our age, with the assurance that His love endures forever (Ps. 136). We still have value in His eyes regardless of our circumstances. In a wheelchair? God still loves you! Forgetful? God still loves you! Grieving? God still loves you! Running out of money? God still loves you! Whatever the circumstance, God still loves you. Even if you are as old as Methuselah, God still loves you!

How about you? Have the toils and stresses of aging just about got the best of you? Cheer up. God loves you just as you are!

May these few short sentences encourage and give you strength for the day, 

 

JimR_/

 

 

 

Divine Coincidences . . .

 "There is no better way to thank God for your sight than to give a helping hand to someone in the dark." Helen Keller 

Nothing surprises our Master. Nothing, absolutely nothing! He is the Master of every circumstance. His strength and power never fail. He is indeed the Great I Am, the eternally self-sufficient, powerful, and ever-present One. He is always there in every need (Deut. 31:6; Matt. 28:20; Rom. 8:38-39). We need not fear (John 16:33) for He is willing and able to give us peace in each and every situation (John 14:27). His word to us remains the same, 

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom (Luke 12:32)

Having said all of that, it is a good time to remind us that Christ is Lord of every circumstance, there are no coincidences with Him. He knows the end from the beginning and He and He alone will make the final decision (Isaiah 46:10). 

The Good Samaritan was good, but only in the providence of God, for scripture tells us that it was by a divinely ordained coincidence (by chance) that the priest and the Levite and he came upon the bruised and wounded man lying in the ditch on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. The good Samaritan, however, was the only one who compassionately responded to the poor man. You know the story. The story, however, doesn’t end there. We, too, are good Samaritans as we respond to the needs of others in need (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Timothy 2:1; Philippians 4:6). As Christians, our motto is first and foremost “Others.” For if we do not love the brother or our neighbor whom we have seen, how can we love God whom we have not seen (1 John 4:20)?

For most of us, this coronavirus pandemic should trigger a spiritual inventory. Are we the Christians we say we are? Do we smart off and wisecrack about the Chinese just because the first known cases happen to come from the Yunnan Province in China? Do we nitpick and criticize almost every move the present administration takes? What do we do about the poor illegal alien among us with a house full of children, particularly since the stimulus package completely overlooked them? Forget the wall for a moment. Mercy is bigger than any wall. Yes, our borders should be protected, but so must also those indigent aliens among us. Now’s not the time for revenge. Let the law, the government, and others work through that, but during the meantime, each of us is called to be the Good Samaritan, not just in talk but in action.

So, reach out in kindness to the “Others” among us. It is not just a chance of circumstance that God has allowed these particular cases to materialize in plain view in our neighborhoods. Opportunities are there. Just look. You’ll never regret that you did.

Take care, the life you save may just be yours.

 

 JimR_/

Are musical instruments allowed in a church service?

Question: Dear Dr. Jim: My Church of Christ friends say that we should not have musical instruments in the church. What do you think?

Answer: Good question. First of all, I am glad that you referred to them as “friends” for indeed they are our Christian brothers and sisters—friends. Secondly, you are correct in asking me “what I think” for after all everyone is entitled to have an opinion. That opinion, however, I believe should reflect what scripture has to say on the matter as well as tradition must also have its influence.

So, now let us consider what the New Testament has to say about music in the church. For that, we refer to Ephesians 5:19, where Paul encourages the church at Ephesus to:

[Speak] to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with our heart to the Lord …

The phrase "making melody" uses a Greek word, psallo which according to Strong’s Lexicon (1995) means,

"1) to pluck off, pull out, 2) to cause to vibrate by touching, to twang, 2a) to touch or strike the chord, to twang the strings of a musical instrument so that they gently vibrate, 2b) to play on a stringed instrument, to play, the harp, etc. 2c) to sing to the music of the harp 2d) in the NT to sing a hymn, to celebrate the praises of God in song."

Also, Col. 3:16 reads,

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gladness in your hearts to the Lord."

By this, we can assume that the making melody to the Lord involves the use of musical instruments.

Our Church of Christ brethren, however, feels that since (in their opinion) God doesn’t expressively command the use of musical instruments in the church then it should be prohibited. Of course, with that, I disagree and furthermore maintain that we cannot establish a doctrine solely on the bases of silence. There are many practices that are not particularly mentioned but that does not exclude them from use in the church. For example,

1. A baptistry;
   
2. Whether or not we should have pews or sit on the floor.
   
3. The number of hymns to be sung during a service;
   
4. The use of a lectern to preach behind;
   
5. Which Bible translation to use;
   

Also, it seems strange to me that God would encourage, indeed command the of instruments during Old Testament times to suddenly forbid the use of musical instruments in New Testament times.

In short, to be fair the Bible neither forbids nor commands the use of musical instruments in church. There is the freedom to use musical instruments in worship, and on the other had a church has the freedom not to use instruments. With or without musical instruments, however, we should “do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Now, on a personal note, music in the church, in my opinion, should never be used for entertainment purposes only—that is not to say that there should not be a pleasant sound, but that such pleasantness is conducive to worship. The psalmist wrote:

"I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee." (Psalms 144:9).

The key to any worship service, musically or otherwise is that we sing praises unto God, and thereby edify ourselves and in attunement with His desires.

Trust this helps,

 JimR_/

Throwing the baby out with the bathwater: a new look at the ordinances of the church.

"Never mind the bread and wine, unless you can use them as folks often use their eyeglasses. What do they use them for? To look at? No, to look through them. So, use the bread and wine as a pair of glasses. Look through them, and do not be satisfied until you can say, “Yes, yes, I can see the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world….We believe that Jesus Christ spiritually comes to us and refreshes us, and in that sense, we eat his flesh and drink his blood.” ― Charles Spurgeon

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Dear Friends,

If you want my opinion, I think that theologically speaking we have thrown the baby out with the bathwater in many instances just to distance ourselves from tradition, or ritualism. Take Communion or the Lord’s Supper—whichever term you prefer. We have proudly clung to the ceremony as a symbol or sign of Christ sacrificial death, burial and resurrection in this sacred service; however, I am increasingly persuaded that we have fostered a culture that has a form of Godliness but denies the power thereof, and from such we must turn away (2Timothy 3:5).

Friends, the scripture plainly teaches that we are to celebrate the Lord’s Supper as often as we meet, yet we Pentecostals as well as other Evangelical and Protestants alike have decided that once a month is enough, or once a quarter or some even say once a year. What gives? Is Communion not more integral to faith and saving grace than that? I think so. We should not, I feel, be guilty of treating this sacred ceremony so cavalierly.

Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood (as gruesome as that may sound to an unbeliever) you have no life in you (John 6:53), he said. Oh, some would counter, he’s talking about spiritual things here. So? Is it not the Spirit that gives life? And, how in anyone's imagination would that exclude the visible symbol or sign of His Spirit?

The thing at issue here is the general understanding of what a sign or symbol's nature is—we tend to think of a symbol as separate from what it symbolizes. Not so, I would argue. A symbol in the Biblical sense is a sign that is intimately connected with what it symbolizes.

Allow me to use this analogy. Two lovers, say, for instance, have caught the twinkle in each other’s eyes—that’s love felt, but not consummated, there’s nothing concrete there. They then move closer, hold hands, smile at each other—that’s love felt again, also. Then suddenly they kiss. That is then unmistakably a visible, undeniable sign and symbol of their love for one another. (This is, of course, in an ideal world.) Once they kiss, the symbol is not external to the love which it symbolizes but is part of it.

At communion, Christ in some mysterious way presents himself to us as we eat the bread and drink the wine and is in no way external to the symbol. Christ actually meets us there. If He didn’t why bother? Just to say that this is simply a gentle reminder, a remembrance only of what He has done for us falls short in pronouncing the efficacy of Communion. If there is no efficacy, then why the caution not to take it unworthily (1 Cor. 11:27)?

In closing, may I say that Communion may well remind us, but friends, to my way of thinking the kiss is there, too.

 Like Jacob of old, let us meet Him at the altar (Gen. 35:1)!

JimR_/