Fruit

Fruit-bearing

Q. In John 15, what does Jesus mean by “fruit”? Can it mean making disciples?

A. The word “fruit” occurs 10 times in 7 verses in John’s writings:

• John 4:36 Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
• John 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
• John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
• John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
• John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
• John 15:8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
• John 15:16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

Many commentators relate fruit qualitatively as the “fruit of the Spirit” in Gal 5:22-23. This is certainly true in the sense that a disciple cannot bear the Spirit’s fruit unless he abides in Christ. However, I believe we can also interpret fruit quantitatively as “making disciples,” for two reasons:

1. The word “fruit” itself implies reproduction, in the sense of “fruitful and multiply,” which occurs 11 times in the Bible (Gen 1:22, 28; 8:17; 9:1, 7; 17:20; 28:3; 35:11; Lev 26:9; Jer 23:3; Ezk 36:11).
2. As John used the word in his gospel, he used it quantitatively (much fruit in Jn 12:24, 15:5, 8; more fruit in Jn 15:2).

No one can make disciples unless he/she abides in Christ, and the Father is glorified when we reproduce many disciples.

So my conclusion is that the Lord meant fruit in both a qualitative and quantitative sense, as in Christian character and making disciples.

Reformed Baptists?

Q. Do you feel there is any conflict about being a “Reformed Baptist”? There seems to be confusion about “Reformed” being both theology and denomination.

Whether there is any conflict depends on which issue you are talking about.

Let us start by knowing what a Reformed Baptist is. Reformed Baptists were called “Particular Baptists” in Britain in the 16^th-17^th centuries. They were “Particular” because they believed that Jesus died for a particular people, the elect, as opposed to “General Baptists,” who believed that Jesus died for all. In other words, Particular Baptists believed in “limited atonement,” and their soteriology is Calvinistic. In contrast, General Baptists were Arminian in their understanding of salvation.

Next, what is a Reformed Church? Reformed churches are those churches that emerged from the Protestant Reformation and followed Calvinistic theology. Their doctrines of grace are summarized by the acronym TULIP, which stands for:

• T – Total Depravity,
• U – Unconditional Election,
• L – Limited Atonement,
• I – Irresistible Grace, and
• P – Perseverance of the Saints.

Since both are Calvinistic, there is no conflict between “Reformed Baptist” versus “Reformed” in their soteriology (doctrine of salvation). But there are conflicts in their ecclesiology (doctrine of the church). Let us look at two issues.

1. Church Polity

Reformed Baptist churches follow the congregational form of church governance. In congregational churches, the final authority in decision-making rests with the congregation. The congregation can elect officeholders (pastors, elders, deacons) to make day-to-day operating decisions. However, major decisions (such as large capital expenditures, taking on debt, and hiring and firing a pastor) must be decided at a congregational meeting of her members. They also believe in the autonomy of the local church.  Thus they are independent of any centralized denominational government.

Reformed churches, on the other hand, follow the presbyterian form of governance. Decision-making authority rests with a body of elders or presbyters, not the congregation. If the church belongs to a denomination, e.g., Presbyterian, the local elders’ board answers to a higher board of elders called a synod, which consists of representative elders from each member church. The final authority rests with the General Assembly, which is made up of representatives from each synod. Hence, the presbyterian form is hierarchical, though authority is not concentrated in one individual but a plurality of elders. Local churches are not autonomous but must follow the decisions of the General Assembly.

2. Baptism

Reformed Baptists, as Baptists, practice believers’ or credo baptism. Only those Christians who can provide a credible profession of faith are eligible for baptism. In addition, they consider the proper biblical mode of baptism to be by immersion, representing the death, burial, and resurrection with Christ (Rom 6:4).

In contrast, Reformed churches practice infant or paedo baptism in addition to adult believers’ baptism. This is based on their understanding that infants born in a Christian family are part of the New covenant. As the sign of the Old covenant (circumcision) is put on infants, the sign of the New covenant (baptism) is practiced on infants too. The difference is in the mode. Instead of cutting the body, it is pouring or sprinkling water on the child’s head. There is no need for a credible profession of faith.

So, while Reformed Baptists and Reformed churches have compatible soteriology, they are incompatible in their practices and do not merge together in a single denomination.

Church Leadership

Q. Who should exercise judgment in the church – the Pastor or the Deacon Board? Should the church be Pastor-led or Deacon-led? When there is a difference in view, which one should prevail, the Head Deacon or the Pastor-in-charge?

If by judgment you meant discernment (deciding whether something is right or wrong,) then everyone in the church should be discerning. However, if by judgment you meant the final determination of what should be done in church discipline, then it is neither the pastor’s nor the deacon board’s call, but the church collectively in a meeting of her members.

The procedure in Mt 18 is clear:

• Mt 18:15 If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

First, try for reconciliation in private between the offending and offended parties. If that fails, bring one or two witnesses as neutral third parties to ensure there are no unfounded accusations and that all statements are fair and biblical. Presumably, the witnesses include church leaders aware of the circumstances and the principles involved. If that fails then tell it to the church, meaning a properly called meeting of church members. Both the “prosecutor” and the “defense” would speak to present their side of the story, after which the members will vote to find the “accused” “guilty” or “not guilty.” It would not be the pastor as a judge or the deacon board as the jury to decide the judgment, but the church as a whole by the members present and voting.

Another case involved the brother who committed immorality with his father’s wife:

• 1 Co 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 13b Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.
• 2 Co 2:5 But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow, not to me, but in some degree—in order not to say too much—to all of you. 6 Sufficient for such a one is this punishment, which was inflicted by the majority, 7 so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

Note that while Paul knew that the wicked brothers should be expelled (1 Co 5:13), he left the execution to the Corinthian church when they assembled (1 Co 5:4). The punishment was sentenced by the majority of the members (1 Co 2:6). Similarly, the restoration should be done by the majority.

So, my answer to your first question is that when the issue involves something as serious as excommunication, the discipline is imposed by the church. The pastor and the deacon board have their role to play in earlier stages, but not when it escalates to the excommunication level.

My answer to your second question is that the church should be led by a plurality of elders, not a pastor-in-charge or a head deacon, based on the following:

• Acts 14:23 When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
• Titus 1:5 For this reason, I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,
• 1 Pet 5:1-3 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.
• Heb 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
• Acts 6:2-4 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Note the following:

• Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in every church. He instructed Titus to appoint elders in every city (there was only one church in each city at that time) because elders shepherd the flock and oversee the church. The flock was allotted by God to the elders’ charge. Deacons are part of the flock, therefore under the elders’ or pastors’ charge, not the other way around. Shepherds lead the sheep. Sheep do not lead the shepherd.
• The author of Hebrews instructed his readers to obey their leaders (elders) and submit to them, for they have to give an account to God of how they led and fed the flock.
• Deacons were put in charge of serving tables, more broadly the administration matters of the church. This is so that the apostles and subsequent elders can devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word i.e., the spiritual matters of leading, feeding, and caring for the flock. It would be a grave mistake for deacons to lead pastors.

So, even though I had been a Baptist deacon and board chairman for over twenty-five years before I became a pastor, I have to say the Baptist leadership structure follows a corporate model more than the Bible. Having said that, the checks and balances they hoped for by having the pastor submit to the church board are already built into the plurality of elders provision. You do not want someone like Diotrephes (3 Jn 1:9) to be a dictator in church. The Bible did not say what position he held, but regardless of his role as elder or deacon, anyone who loves to be first is bad news. And you safeguard against that by having multiple elders, not just one in charge.

Thirdly, when there is an impasse between the Pastor-in-Charge and the Head Deacon, my response is, “Whose views are in line with Scripture?” I submit to the authority of Scripture as it is infallible, so the view that aligns with the Bible has my support, irrespective of his position. Lastly, even though you did not ask, my opinion on the offending brother issue you are facing is that he should be given more time. His problem is not moral tarnishing the church’s reputation that requires immediate action. And, despite his postgrad Christian Studies degree and active church service, his views do not set aside the position of the majority of leaders. While admitting that both sides could have errors in judgment, I would ask him to step down so that both sides can reflect deeply on what is the mind of Christ in this matter. Hope this helps.

Pentecostals

Q. Is the Pentecostal Church a true Christian protestant church? The church practices speaking in tongues, and also preaches the prosperity gospel.

A. The short answer is yes, the Pentecost Church is a true Christian church, despite the assertions of people who disagree with their theology. The problem with such opinions is that they judge certain denominations based on some aspects of a group’s beliefs or practices that differ from their own. Given the diverse theological position across many denominations, it is dangerous to label others as a cult or sect unless those differences involve a departure from the fundamentals of the faith which all evangelical churches adhere to.

Your concerns are with speaking in tongues and the prosperity gospel. Let me quote from the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC’s) statement of fundamental and essential truths (Article 5 of their General Constitution and By-Laws) to understand their position. The only reference to speaking in tongues is one sentence under Article 5.6 The Christian Experience, sub-article 5.6.3 Baptism in the Holy Spirit:

• The initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.

The references cited are:

• Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
• Acts 10:46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered,
• Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.

My interpretation from a Reformed, Baptist background is that these passages are a narrative of what happened at the early church, but speaking in tongues is not the norm or universal for all Christians and/or churches. My understanding is that baptism with (or in) the Holy Spirit occurs simultaneously with regeneration when those who trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior receive the Holy Spirit and are incorporated into the body of Christ, the Church.

I believe speaking in tongues, as a spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit, is for some but not for all:

• 1 Co 12:10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.
• 1 Co 12:28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.
• 1 Co 12:30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?
• 1 Co 13:1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
• 1 Co 13:8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
• 1 Co 14:5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.
• 1 Co 14:6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?
• 1 Co 14:18 I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all.
• 1 Co 14:22 So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe.
• 1 Co 14:23 Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?
• 1 Co 14:39 Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

Paul wished all Corinthians spoke in tongues (14:5), but recognized that prophesying is greater. I do not doubt Paul simply because he spoke in tongues more than the Corinthians (14:8). His instructions were “do not forbid to speak in tongues” (14:39), which is applicable today.

Concerning the prosperity gospel, I consider it a heresy, but it is not unique to the Pentecostal Church as it exists in various denominations. Christian leaders, including within the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements, have criticized it as irresponsible, idolatrous (worshipping Mammon), and contrary to the Bible. It is not part of the PAOC’s doctrine, so do not make the sweeping statement that Pentecostal churches teach the prosperity gospel. Some do, but not all.

Overall, I consider the Pentecostal church to be a true Christian church. I do not believe in all that they believe in, but that does not preclude me from worshipping with them.

Women Pastors? (2 of 2)

(Continued from last post)

2. Paul’s not giving permission was cultural, as he lived in a patriarchal society, where women had a low position. In other words, “that was then, this is now”. Again, Paul was not a misogynist as some have claimed. The reason he gave for disallowing a woman to teach was two-fold:

a.Adam was formed first. In other words, the creation order gave the headship to man. This was God’s design.

b. The woman (Eve) was deceived when she stepped outside of Adam’s “umbrella of protection”. There is a danger when this headship is ignored.

This male headship has nothing to do with superiority or ability:

• 1 Co 11:3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. 

While God is the head of Christ, the Son is Himself God and equal to the Father in His essence. So although man is the head of a woman, both are created in the image of God and stand equal before Him.

• Gen 2:18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” 

As you rightly pointed out, God’s design is for women to be men’s helpers. It isn’t that men are smarter or more capable, in fact often they are dumber and cause more trouble! It’s just that God chose men to the head of the family:

• Eph 5:22-24 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

And Paul taught that this male headship applies to churches as well.

3. A third objection is that pastoring is a function, not an office in the church. God had gifted women to be caring, to be leaders, and we should not stand in the way of God calling women pastors. I believe this distinction is not warranted.

The NT recognizes two offices in the church – overseers, and deacons:

• Php 1:1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:
• 1 Tim 3:1-13

But notice the following:

• Acts 20:17-18 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. ¹⁸ And when they had come to him, he said to them, …
• Acts 20:28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

Paul was addressing the same group in vs 18-28. So the Holy Spirit has made the elders the overseers of the church, to shepherd all the flock. The function of the office of overseer is to shepherd or pastor the flock. The terms are used interchangeably. There is no artificial distinction between the office of the elder/overseer and the function of pastoring.

4. Paul did not allow women to teach in those days because women were less educated. That’s true then, but education had never been a criterion in the NT. If it were a requirement, few of the Apostles, mostly fishermen, would qualify to be elders, which was Peter’s self-designation:

1 Pet 5:1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed.

5. God called women to lead in other Scriptures e.g.

Judges 4:4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.

2 Kings 22:14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, … (Also 2 Chron 34:22)

Lk 2:36 And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. …

Acts 18:26 and he (Apollos) began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

So why can’t women lead in churches? Obviously, God calls women as well as men to serve Him in various capacities, but the examples given are not elders/overseers/pastors. Is God unfair? Of course not. It is His sovereignty. He calls whoever He wills. It is just that in His design, He gave the leadership to men. For instance, can the other eleven tribes accuse God of being unfair in choosing only Levites to serve Him as priests? After all, they are equally capable. Can’t they become priests if they wanted to? No. God did not call them to that role. They can aspire to many other roles, but not priests.

There are other objections or opinions which I will not go into. But in summary, after considering relevant passages and “pro” and “con” arguments, my conclusion is that God had appointed men to be elders-overseers-pastors. In short, I believe in a complementarian view of the role of men versus women in the church. I do not subscribe to an egalitarian view in which all roles are open to both men and women. Please inform me if you find my reasoning flawed, for which I would be grateful.

Women Pastors? (1 of 2)

Q. Are women pastors biblical? Does God approve of women pastors? I feel strange and uncomfortable calling a woman “pastor”. I can accept a woman as “elder” or “deacon” as they are helpers to the church pastor, as God created Eve to be Adam’s helper. So woman’s role is as a helper, not a leader in the church. Am I outdated? 

A. The short answer is NO. There are well-known supporters on both sides, e.g. for women pastors – Dallas Willard, N.T. Wright; against – John MacArthur, John Piper, etc. My reply may upset some of my fellow pastor friends, whose denominations ordain women pastors, but I do not believe this practice is biblical. Here is why:

The primary passage in this controversial debate is:

• 1 Tim 2:12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.

I will analyze what this verse says, then answer some common objections.

First, the context of 1 Tim 2:12. The broader context is First Timothy chapter 2, about instructions on worship: (1) Prayer for all people (1 Tim 2:1-7), and (2) Men and women in the church (1 Tim 2:8-15). So this passage is about public worship in church, not in a private setting.

The immediate context is:

• 1 Tim 2:11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 
• 1 Tim 2:13-14 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. ¹⁴ And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived fell into transgression.

So verses 11 and 12 prohibit a woman to teach and rule over men, which are part of a pastor’s job, and instead to learn in silence and submit to authority.

Now teaching and leading/overseeing are two of the main functions of pastors or overseers:

• Eph 4:11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
• 1 Tim 3:2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
• 2 Tim 2:2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
• Titus 1:6, 9 namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. … holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

Pastor-teachers are the Lord’s gift to His church. It is a dual function, as these gifted people equip His people for works of service by leading and teaching them (Eph 4:12). Pastors are shepherds called by the Lord to lead, care for, teach, and protect His flock. They are the overseers, the ones charged with the oversight of the affairs of His church. Among other qualifications, they must be the husband of one wife i.e. men, and able to teach. For succession, Paul instructed Timothy to choose faithful men able to teach others. When he directed Titus to appoint elders, he gave him the same criteria: choose those men who are the husband of one wife and able to exhort in sound doctrine, i.e. teach, among other qualifications.

Some object to this instruction. Here is their argument and why I disagree with them: Paul’s disallowance applies only to the situation in Ephesus where Timothy was the pastor i.e., it was a local condition; it does not apply now. Ephesus was indeed the seat of the temple of the goddess Artemis (Latin Diana, Acts 19), with its pagan practice of women priestesses. Some Ephesians, even after they became Christians, may have followed this practice to allow women pastors. But there is simply no mention of Artemis at all in 1^st or 2^nd Timothy. That was not the reason Paul cited. Besides, Paul left Titus in Crete to appoint elders in every city (Titus 1:5), and it’s the same “men able to teach”. It was not a local situation unique to Ephesus.

(To be continued)

Preparing to Face Persecution

Q. It is scary when to follow Jesus means Christians would suffer. How do we, here and now, apply this general truth?

A. First, fear not:

• Lk 12:4 I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.

Sadly, Christians often follow the world more than the word of God and are afraid of things that they do not need to be scared of.

I think the problem lies with inadequate discipling in many Western churches. Take a popular discipleship process as an example:

What are the contents of the classes 101 to 401? Typically, they include the gospel, assurance of salvation, membership class, baptism class, how to study the Bible, how to pray, fellowship, serving in the church and parachurch organizations, how to share the gospel, joining local or foreign short-term missions, etc. If a church member regularly attends worship, Sunday school, prayer meeting, cell group, serve in some ministry, invites friends to church, donates offerings, the church leaders would be more than happy.

Now look at what the NT teaches Christians to pursue:

• Rom 14:19 So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.
• 1 Co 14:1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
• 1 Tim 6:11 … and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
• 2 Tim 2:22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
• Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
• 1 Pet 3:11 He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it.

And the process as to how these goals might be attained:

• Rom 5:3-4 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.
• 2 Pet 1:5-7  Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, ⁶ and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, ⁷ and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

I have been a Christian for nearly half a century, and have found instructions on godliness, perseverance, peace, tribulations, etc. to be few and far in between. No wonder Christians are ill-prepared:

• 1 Pet 4:12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.

Even our methods are deficient. Our traditional Sunday School consists of classroom lectures and discussions, with little hands-on experience. But a key component of the Lord’s teaching strategy is “on the job training”. He sent the Twelve (Mt 10:5 ff) and the seventy (Lk 10:1 ff) out after instructing them, and let them experience ministry first-hand, not just giving them head knowledge.

So, if you are serious about preparing to face persecution, take a long hard look at both the curriculum and pedagogy of your Christian education function and train your people accordingly. The persecuted church has learned this long, long ago. It is time the Western church does the same, as the “easy days” are fast coming to an end.  

Children Baptism?

Q. I want to be baptized but I am afraid of everyone watching me. What should I do?

A. This is another question from our 10-year-old granddaughter. Before I tell you what we told her, let me explain where I am coming from. My theological position is that of “believer’s baptism”, not infant baptism. So the primary issue is “Does she have saving faith?” as that is the necessary condition for baptism.  

Her parents taught her from the Bible ever since she was young. She attended church, Sunday school, and a Christian elementary school. She had known Jesus as her Lord and Savior for several years. We have observed how she grew in her understanding over the years, so we do not doubt her faith in “Christ alone”. She did not ask to be baptized because her parents wanted her to; it was not to please them.

Nor am I going to debate whether she is too young to be baptized. The Bible is silent on what is the “right” age. Some people have mature thinking at a young age; others are immature even as adults. I believe she understands what baptism means. Since I am not the one administering her baptism, I leave it up to her home church to query her to decide whether they would baptize her.

Now back to her question. Her concern is over her shyness, being nervous in the company of people. This is quite common, as many people fear public speaking, heights, insects, etc. We reminded her she was very timid when she was small. However, when she was in kindergarten, her teacher chose her to sing for the school Christmas presentation and gave her a lot of encouragement. She practiced for months and presented beautifully, after which she was no longer self-conscious when she spoke up.

More importantly, Jesus commanded His disciples to baptize His followers in the Great Commission:

• Mt 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

We identify with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection when we undergo baptism:

• Rom 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

So when she aspires to be baptized, she desires a noble thing. It is her public testimony that she belongs to God. She is declaring to everyone that her commitment is to God. Since God is with her and pleased with her taking a stand for Him, she need not be afraid of anything or anyone.

Lastly, grandma asked her to read:

• Ps 34:4 I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.
• Ps 56:3 When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.

To which I add:

• Ps 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?
• Rom 8:31 If God is for us, who is against us?

Nervous? Not when the Lord is walking with you!

Missional?

Q. Are you okay with the following thinking: The household of God walks in the will of God, that is, be missional.

1. Touching the marginalized (Healing/Caring Ministry)

2. Against the injustice in the community and beyond (Casting out demons)

3. Preaching/Teaching the words faithfully (Word ministry)

Did I miss anything?

Are you defining “missional” based on the Lord’s mission and what He did, as in:

Mt 4:23 Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. (Mt 9:35)

Lk 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

Mk 1:39 And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.

Mk 6:13 And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.

If yes, you are drawing your concept from the text which is exegesis and good. However, some have already formulated their ideas and simply try to find verses to support them, which is eisegesis and not good.

I also believe you’ve captured all the essential elements:

1. Word ministry:
   1. Evangelism – Proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, preach the gospel to the poor, proclaim the favorable year of the Lord
   1. Discipleship – Teach
2. Healing/caring:
   1. Physical – heal diseases and the sick, recover sight for the blind
   1. Spiritual – cast out demons
3. Social Justice – release the captives, set free those who are oppressed

However, my classification is somewhat different from yours. But some of Jesus’ ministry could fit several categories, e.g. depending on the type of captivity in view, “proclaim release to the captives” could fall under:

• Evangelism – release from bondage to sin (Rom 7:14)
• Discipleship – release from being held captive to philosophy and empty deception (Col 2:8), captive to the devil’s snare (2 Tim 2:26)
• Healing – release from being bound by Satan (Lk 13:16)
• Justice – legal protection from unrighteousness (Lk 18:7-8)

So how you classify them depends on what you have in mind. One thing I would recommend is to incorporate activities in your teaching. Some “talk” a good theory but there is no “walk”. It’s purely academic, which does not help the church. We have enough talkers but not enough “doers”. For example, visit friends and neighbors to share the gospel, not just teach the content in class. Serve in community projects to show you care. Take your trainees on a mission trip to experience ministry first-hand. You cannot be missional if there is no action.

Goats?

Q. Who are the goats in the Sheep and the Goats in Mt 25:31-46? Are they in the church?

A. There are some clues in the passage itself:

• Mt 25:32-33 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; ³³ and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
• Mt 25:41 Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
• Mt 25:45-46  Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ⁴⁶ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

The goats are the nations on the Son of Man’s left when He sits on His throne for the Final Judgment. They are the accursed ones who did not do any acts of kindness to the least of the Lord’s brothers and are sentenced into the eternal fire for eternal punishment. Some see the term “nations” literally as countries or people groups, but it is unlikely that entire countries will treat the unfortunate in Mt 25:35-36 without pity or compassion. Others use the term “nations” as a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus. This is more likely and my view.

There are other clues based on the figurative usage of “goats” in the Bible. In the OT, goats typically represent oppressors and wicked men, e.g.

• Ezk 34:17 As for you, My flock, thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats.
• Zech 10:3a “My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the male goats;

Goats look like sheep, but there are differences. In appearance, goats have horns, hair, and their tails point up. Sheep (except for the Merino) don’t have horns, have wool, and their tails point down. In personality, goats are more curious and independent and tend to get into more trouble. Sheep are more timid and have a strong flocking instinct. Goats lead goatherds, while sheep follow shepherds. These characteristics are like the differences between the unrighteous and the righteous. Goats push, take, destroy and bully, just like the unrighteous. Sheep depend on their shepherd to lead and protect them like the righteous.

Are there goats in the church? I believe yes, just as there are tares among wheat in the kingdom of heaven. In Israel, goats and sheep are often kept in the same flock (Gen 30:32, 35). In church, the unrighteous are among the righteous too, and often you can’t tell them apart because they look similar. Only by observing how they behave over time can you distinguish between the two. But there are no goats in the Church, the Body of Christ, as only genuine Christians are members of Christ’s body.