In those days, ’tolerate’ meant “to accept or endure (something or someone unpleasant or disliked) with forbearance.” It had a different emphasis then. Unfortunately, ‘tolerate’ today is primarily emphasized this way, “to allow without question any different opinion without interference or opposing opinion”.

Today, we must ‘tolerate’ the opinions of everyone concerning politics, bringing up children, marriage, divorce, sexual orientation, and even Biblical teachings, without our opinion mattering. I just read an article about a church which “had a “Drag Sunday” a couple of weeks ago, in which drag artists sang, prayed, and performed. A drag speaker during the service said the goal was “celebrating and uplifting the voices of drag artistry within the church. Drag itself, the speaker said, is ’divine’”. According to the trending world view of progressive America, we should not state that this kind of lifestyle is contrary to Biblical truth. We are ‘intolerant’ if we do.

The Church in Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29) was a church that had a history of “deeds…love…faith…service…perseverance” but they tolerated teachings of sexual immorality and idol worshipping. Jesus warned them and then exhorted them to “hold firmly to the end”. This was the promise which
Jesus gave to them. “The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations; AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE
POTTER ARE SHATTERED, as I also have received [authority] from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.” (Rev 2:26-28 NASB)

According to the Bible, we are all heirs of Christ, all entering into the millennial kingdom and the New Heaven and Earth with Him for eternity. However, each of us will have different roles in that kingdom based on the good works we performed while in our mortal bodies. The “overcomer” in Revelation 2 and 3 is one who lives the walk of a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and will receive rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Some will simply enter the kingdom, but others will share in the rulership of the kingdom as co-regents with the King of Kings.

The “one who overcomes” in this promise will be given very powerful authority over the nations. The “morning star” which Jesus refers to could be understood this way. “The Lord is promising the overcomer that he will share His royalty and splendor as the morning star. First, the Lord said that the overcomer would be given a dominion like His own (cf. 2:27b) “as I also have received [authority] from My Father”), and so here in 2:28, the overcomer will be given a rule and splendor like that of the Lord’s. In this promise the Lord promises a dominion and splendor just like His own.” (Studies in Revelation, J. Hampton Keathley III)

It is incomprehensible to me to imagine being a co-ruler with Jesus Christ, but that’s what He promises to “the one who overcomes”. We may not seek that role this side of the kingdom, but what a glorious eternity it will be for “the one who overcomes”. All of us should be working now to achieve the rewards promised to “the one who overcomes”. The Lord will decide what role we play in His kingdom. This is the time to evaluate your devotion to following Jesus Christ daily.

An Australian pastor, Stephen McAlpine says, “there is a culture, which is highly evangelistic and actively hostile to our orthodox standards of living. It considers sexual ‘freedom’ and ‘authenticity’ to be vital to personal and social flourishing. Biblical morality is therefore seen as dangerous to society and potentially deadly to LGBTQ individuals. The same vitriolic stance is taken with regard to abortion, euthanasia, or any other personal ‘freedoms’ that are ‘threatened’ by biblical faith.” We need to ask ourselves, “Am I tolerant with the progressive culture around me?” “Am I being conformed to this world system, which is contrary to what God declares in the Bible?” “Am I devoted to holding firm to my Biblical convictions, no matter what the consequences are?” “Do I want to co-reign with the King of Kings?” “If not, why not?” The choice is ours. Be obedient to God’s Word and be rewarded, or be tolerant with the world’s ideas and lose rewards in shame.

What Was Church Like In Those Early Days?

It was an act of grace, undeserved favor from a loving God, to sinners and enemies who deserved eternal separation and punishment because of our sin. It was a merciful act as well. God, the Father,  delivered His Son, to die for the payment of our sin. The Father withheld His wrath, which we deserved, and placed it on His Son, so that His holiness would be satisfied. The cross was the perfect picture of other centered love, unconditional love, pure love, unrequited love and it is the love that the Triune God exemplifies for us. John wrote in his first epistle, “God is love” (1 John 4:8).

In Ephesians 2:1-3, Paul wrote, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” What would it be like if God had spared His Son and not delivered Him over for us all? Would you please ponder that thought right now where you are? 

Having done that, read the next two words especially. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (vvs. 4-10).  Look at what we were (dead in sin), BUT GOD, and now we are (seated with Him).

What Is House Church?

What emotion comes to your heart when you meditate on that thought? Don’t you want to give Him your all? Holding nothing back because He held nothing back? “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:3). Wouldn’t you give your life for your wife, your child, your parents, your best friend? After reading what God the Father did to demonstrate His love for us and the self sacrifice that Jesus gave for us, do you consider Jesus as your friend? Are you willing to give your life for Jesus? Paul exhorts us “to present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice,” having reflected on the mercies of God. I am urging you as well.

       Returning to the first paragraph about the “freely give” translation, the same Greek word is used by Paul in Philippians 1:29-30, “For to you it has been granted (freely given) for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear [to be] in me.” Paul says that to suffer for Christ’s sake is a gracious gift just as the Father’s gracious gift of His Son and the ability to believe for the gift of salvation. It is a gratuitous gift, a privilege to suffer for Christ’s sake. Won’t you join with me in asking the Holy Spirit to empower us to be willing to suffer for Him as He did for us?

Bill Olsen, Elder

What Was Church Like In Those Early Days?

         These verses describe what it was like to be a member of the church soon after the day of Pentecost when the church was born. Since these initial believers were all Jewish, they continued to gather in the temple, for that was a matter of habit for them. The temple was where the Jewish people worshipped God. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father”,,,”But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:21, 23-24, NASB).

     As the church grew, the believers discontinued temple worship and began gathering in their houses where the manifestation of their new identity was defined as a devotion to biblical teaching, caring community, sharing meals together and praying together. It was a daily way of life to worship in spirit and truth rather than in a weekly visit to the temple.

         The significant focus in the New Testament church, is functioning as the family of God, as demonstrated in the passage above. The church of Jesus Christ is to demonstrate to the world that we love one another. That love is manifested in the “one another” passages in the epistles, of which there are at least 22. A brief summary of these exhortations includes, “you are members of one another“, be devoted to one another”, “honor one another”, “be of the same mind with one another”, “accept one another”, “admonish one another”, “greet one another”, “serve one another”, “carry one another’s burdens”, “bear with one another”, “submit to one another”, and “encourage one another”. As you read these one another passages, you realize that they are observable expressions of loving relationships between believers. Jesus said, “by this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35, NASB).

     In order to live out those commands, members of the church have to have physical gatherings which will facilitate those kinds of action. Realistically, a once a week meeting will not foster “one another” relationships except for perhaps, “greet one another”. The New Testament church met together in houses and sharing with one another throughout the week. Functionally healthy families spent time together and basically performed the one another functions listed above. There were occasions where the house churches met together in order to celebrate and to hear a letter read to them from one of the Apostles. These house churches established a way of life, “body life”, where the family of God lived out the “one another” passages. Not only are we a family, we are the “body of Christ”, each of us a necessary part. Therefore, when we exercise our giftedness in the calling the Lord has revealed to us, we manifest “body life”. When that occurs, it is the evidence that we are truly disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we are exemplifying body life as disciples, we are fulfilling the Great Commission by making disciples (Matt. 28:19).

What Is House Church?

          In house churches, devoted believers develop community where trust is developed between one another. Love gradually manifests itself as the individual members devote themselves, first to the Lord and then to one other. The church in Acts 2:42 devoted themselves to spiritual disciplines as they frequently met together. That term “devoted” is expressed in the following definitions, depending upon the context:

1.       to adhere to one, be his adherent, to be devoted or constant to one

2.       to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing

3.       to continue all the time in a place

4.       to persevere and not to faint

5.       to be in constant readiness for one, wait on constantly

         As I envision the future of Belmont Church, I dream of devoted individuals, manifesting love in body life, where all the world will see that we are His disciples. Will you dream with me? I pray that you will.     

Bill Olsen, Elder