Many live by the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” Scripture, however, does not deemphasize god-honoring speech, but is critical of empty confession. Scripture teaches that “Actions give validity to ones confession.”

In the book of 1 John, John is writing to combat false teachers who claim to have knowledge about Jesus, but deny that He took on flesh and the seriousness of sin. John counters these teachings by stating, “The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:4).

Jesus' life of obedience is the Christian pattern and those who claim to be Christian ought to live as He did. John states, "If anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did” (2:5-6.) Some translations use the word abide in verse 6. This is one of John’s favorite terms to use for salvation. It involves walking as Jesus walked.

There are many today who claim to know God and to be on good terms with Him. The truth of the matter is that those who truly know Him prove it by their actions. Toward the beginning of his letter, John asserts, “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:6-7).

"The religion of the mouth and tongue is like leaves on a tree. Though a tree ought not to be without leaves, they are not evidence of the goodness of the tree...A tree that is overfull of leaves seldom bears much fruit. A cloud may appear ready to produce rain, but bring instead much wind. As we read in proverbs: Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give." -Jonathan Edwards, Religious Affections.

Lesson 18: HOW TO THINK ABOUT THE CRUSADES

The advancement of Islam that began in the 7th century eventually sent Christians into a panic. Many felt that the battle for heaven was on the line and if they could reconquer the lands lost, they would save Christianity. These misguided and unbiblical views led to The Crusades.

THE CRUSADES

On November 27, 1095 Pope Urban II addressed a crowd of bishops and laypeople calling for a holy war on the Muslims who now had control of Jerusalem. As a result, those who claimed to be followers of Christ traveled to a foreign land to go to war. What started as an unorganized mob later led to a formal crusade. Along the way these Crusaders fought and killed other Christians for food and killed thousands of Jews believing that their war was against all who rejected Christ.

The Crusades failed militarily almost as bad as they did scripturally. Even though the Crusaders recaptured Jerusalem in 1099, the Muslim armies regained their strength and soon took back those lands.

The most shocking aspect of The Crusades was the spiritual justification for the violent acts committed. One of the reasons for the large following was because the Pope claimed to have the power to forgive sins and eventually promised to impute spiritual merit to those participating in The Crusades. He also promised that if one died while on a crusade, they would be granted an indulgence which allowed an individual direct access to heaven.

HOW SHOULD WE AS BELIEVERS RESPOND TO THE CRUSADES?

Believers should not attempt to explain away or justify these deeds, but clarify that these sinful acts do not accurately represent the person and work of Christ nor the message of Christianity. Jesus never forced belief. He made it clear that He wanted willing followers. After many no longer followed Him in John 6, Jesus turned to the twelve and said, “Do you want to go away as well?” Peter responded willingly, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:67-68).

God’s word also calls for Christians to speak the truth in love. Peter asserted,

“In your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:15-17).

People may be flawed, but God’s Gospel and the ministry He calls us to partake in is not. Although many claim to be doing the work of Christ and laboring under the banner of Christianity, their works must be measured by Scripture.

"Quote" of the Week

"Sooner or later, every Christian who shares the faith is blasted with the charge that Christianity systematically forces its beliefs on others. The complaint might be that Christianity strips individuals of their freedom by imposing rules about morality. The complaint might also be that Christianity has forced its beliefs and values on whole societies.

It's frustrating to be blamed for the sins of others...You are better off knowing some of the sins--real and imagined--attributed to your faith. (As you encounter these issues, it's important to study all the facts about these actual events. For example, it's important to note that Galileo never stepped outside the bounds of the Bible--and his imprisonment was the unfortunate result of the church's misinterpretation of Scripture. Only as you see situations in their context can you counter the myths that have been handed down for generations." -Ravi Zacharias, Jesus Among Other God's

A WORD ABOUT 1 SAMUEL 7:3

Each morning after reading through a few chapters of Scripture, I normally mark a text to meditate on for the day. This morning I marked 1 Samuel 7:3. In this verse, Samuel tells the Israelites guilty of idolatry, "Remove the foreign gods...from among you and direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him alone." Samuel does not simply call for the Israelites to do away with ungodly activities, but to replace them with God-honoring ones. We often think it is sufficient to stop doing certain things that dishonor God. What truly pleases God, however, is when we replace that activity with heartfelt love and service to Him.

Last night during small groups, I spoke to the kids and the youth of Fellowship Bible Church about how to make the cross the central focus of ones life. I told them that it does not simply involve thinking back on the details of those famous events that took place 2,000 years ago. Centering on the cross involves understanding what Christ’s death and resurrection means for Christians.

First, because of Christ’s death and resurrection, the penalty of sin has been removed from the people of God. Those who are trusting in Christ for salvation have been declared righteous by the merits of Christ. Paul states that believers have been “justified as a gift by (God’s) grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith” (Rom. 3:24-25). In other words, God’s justice has been satisfied by Christ’s sacrifice making it possible for him to forgive sinners.

Second, the power of sin will be removed for all who are trusting in Christ for salvation. There will come a time when sin will be completely removed from the life of a believer. For now, however, God’s people still struggle with sin and its affects, which is why Paul says that believers currently “groan within (themselves)” (Rom. 8:23). This groaning is a result of continued sinfulness in the life of a believer. Paul does promise, however, of a time coming when sin will be completely removed because God’s people will be like Christ. He says, “For those whom (God) foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His son…and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified” (Rom. 8:29-30).

Finally, because of Christ’s death and resurrection, the presence of sin will also be removed when He returns. Scripture is clear that Christ is not only going to restore us back to the way God intended us to be—holy, happy and without sin—but is also going to restore creation back to the way He first created it to be. Paul promises his readers that, “Creation itself will also be set free from its slavery to corruption” (Rom. 8:21).

So when we think about the death and resurrection of Christ, we should be reminded of and thankful for the fact that we who are in Christ are free from the penalty of sin and will one day be completely free from the power of sin when we are “conformed into the image of (God’s) son” and the presence of sin when God restores all of creation back to the way He intended it to be.

"Quote" of the Week

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2).

Lesson 17: THE MISUSE OF IMAGES: A LESSON FROM THE EASTERN CHURCH

Christians from the west were not the only ones with doctrinal differences. Eastern Christianity also had its fair share of theological controversy—one in particular being the misuse of images.

THE MISUSE OF IMAGES

In the early church, there seems to have been little to no objection to the use of images because the early places of worship were decorated with paintings. It was not until much later that several bishops preached against the misuse of images for the purpose of worship. This was a divisive issue, which divided the iconoclasts—destroyer of images—and iconodules—worshippers of images.

The iconoclasts position was obvious. They strongly opposed the veneration of icons, believing that their position was covered biblically from Exodus 20:4 that says, “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them.” Their convictions led to the destruction of many images. Historians Michael Price and Michael Collins reported, “In 726, Leo ordered a great icon of Christ that hung over the gates of Constantinople to be smashed to the ground. He followed this with orders to destroy all the images of Christ and the saints in the churches” (98).

These acts were not only enforced by the iconoclasts of the 8th century, but also by the reformers of the 16th Century who held similar convictions. Because they wanted only the Word of God to direct their worship, their churches were free from any and every image imaginable.

The position of the iconodules, however, was that because Jesus was truly human, and in him God had become visible, how could one object to worshiping representations of him? They would probably use Colossians 1:15 as a proof text that says that Jesus is the “image of the invisible God.”

In 787 there was a second council that met in Nicea about the use of images. The council decided that the use of images in the church are permissible, but insisted that these images be honored rather than worshipped. This council was more concerned with protecting non-biblical church tradition than being guided and directed by what Scripture says on the issue. In their public critique of those who were opposed to the misuse of holy images, the council affirmed, “If anyone rejects any written or unwritten tradition of the church, let him be (cursed).”

CONCLUSION

There is no question that images are presently used during Worship Services on a weekly basis in most churches. The question we must ask, then is—“Are these images being misused?” The Bishops who first took issue with this practice did not object to the images themselves, but were against one being dependent upon them for worship.

If God wanted our worship to be assisted by an image or by something other than His word (for example, a cross, a painting, a song, a play etc.), he would have told us in His word that the use of these things are permissible. He, however, did not. In fact His word speaks against this activity. Once again, Exodus 20:4 says, “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them.”

Worship is a sacred and holy act. When we are dependent upon these things to assist us in worshipping God, we prove that we regard them as sacred and holy. My prayer is that you would use the Bible to assist you in Worship. May your worship be done the way God intended—“In Spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24).

Price, Matthew and Michael Collins. The Story of Christianity: 2,000 Years of Faith. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers. 1999. 98.

"Quote" of the Week

"Historically, Christians have differed as to whether the second commandment forbids the use of pictures of Jesus for the purposes of teaching and instruction (in Sunday-school classes, for instance), and the question is not an easy one to settle; but there is no room for doubting that the commandment obliges us to dissociate our worship, both in public and in private, from all pictures and statues of Christ, no less than from pictures and statues of his Father."- J.I. Packer