I Grieve with the Holy Spirit in the Church

What should have been a beautiful time of fellowship within my local church turned into a powerful inward warning about the darkness in the human heart. Although God’s people were gathered to glorify Him and encourage each other, which is exactly what should happen, I felt unsettled by some statements from the pulpit. My main concern is with those in my church who believe they have replaced Israel, which led me to mourn for those who hold this view.

A core problem with Christian religious systems is their tendency to start well but then go beyond what the holy Scriptures teach, often due to human error in defining beliefs in modern language. To clarify my position, I updated my home page to better express my commitment to embracing both Jews and Gentiles in the Lord and evangelizing.  Believers often consider how one treats Israel’s reemergence as a secondary issue, but I am not so sure about that anymore, specifically since it diminishes God’s omniscience, foreknowledge, prophecy, and redemptive plan.  Plus, my faith rests on the Jewish Jesus of Nazareth and on Him alone!

Faith is a gift “graced by” God (Ephesians 2:7-10), and there are times when we forget that He chooses when and how to call people to Himself.

We preach election and forget that God has elected to graft back in a remnant from Israel (now and in the future at the fullness of the Gentiles). Romans 11:11-27 is a must-read!.

There are times when well-intentioned individuals affirm the truth of God’s grace and mercy, but in the very next breath, emphatically, without humility, disparage the people group that maintained the oracles of God (Romans 3:1-4) until Jesus, the Christ, came.

What part of the parable of the Prodigal Son would this angry and contemptuous attitude describe?

• “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. “So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. “And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore, his father came out and pleaded with him. “So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. ‘But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.‘ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. ‘It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ (Luke 15:25-32 NKJV)

When Jesus told this parable, He was emphasizing the Father’s heart to bring back into His family those who had gone astray.

In the letter to the Romans, the Holy Spirit moved Paul to write the following:

• What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar…. (Romans 3:1-4 NKJV)

Now, I would like to give this morning’s minister the benefit of the doubt, and I truly do not know his heart, although I have insight into the denomination’s teachings concerning Israel. So herein lies my grief. The tone used to describe the unbelief that God had permitted for the Jews to allow for the Gentiles to come to faith was very saddening. Can you consider for a moment what the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit feel when human beings use the Bible and sound like the enemy of our souls?

A few moments later, I heard several comments concerning the following passage:

• “None of them shall teach his neighbour, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:11-12 NKJV)

This text was used to explain why they don’t evangelize. The minister stated that there is no need to evangelize because when the new covenant came, no one needed to teach anyone about “knowing God” since God elects without anyone evangelizing and changes the heart.  He stated that by evangelizing, we are minimizing God’s covenant. This was just so twisted!

In the longest explanation of God’s grace, election and righteousness (that is, the book of Romans), it is written that:

• For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:10-17 ESV)

Let’s consider the Hebrews passage that was used to explain why this minister justifies refraining from evangelism. Hebrews 8:11-12 is quoting Jeremiah’s prophecy that promises to restore Israel in the last days:

• “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah– “not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day thatt I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. “No more shall every man teach his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar (The LORD of hosts is His name): “If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the LORD, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever.” Thus says the LORD: “If heaven above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel For all that they have done, says the LORD. “Behold, the days are coming, … (Jeremiah 31:31-38 NKJV)

Then it goes on to say:

• ” Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. ‘They shall be My people, and I will be their God; ‘then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. ‘And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. ‘Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.‘ “For thus says the LORD: ‘Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them. (Jeremiah 32:36-42 NKJV)

When Jesus came to fulfill God’s redemptive plan, many of the Jewish people could not accept His humility, but many did. In fact, without the Jewish Apostles, the gospel would not have been evangelized throughout the known world! God had chosen to use human beings to spread the good news of Christ’s first coming, death, burial and resurrection. This was part of His elected means.  Truly, it was Jesus who said:

• And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16 NKJV)

Ironically, the topic of this morning’s preaching was “baptism”. I am baffled at how this message turned into replacement theology and an argument against evangelism!

The truth is, Jesus mourned over the people of Israel, although He understood why they would reject Him in His first advent (which was foretold). Before time began, the Godhead had planned to save people from all nations.  So while He mourned over the Jews in Jerusalem, He also prophesied that they would see Him again when the time comes that they welcome Him.

• “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen [gathers] her brood under [her] wings, but you were not willing! “See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!‘ ” (Luke 13:34-35 NKJV)

Friends, the New Testament that speaks of Christ’s second advent! Yes, there are many prophecies yet to unfold concerning the Jews, the false messiah or antichrist, wars, persecution, tribulation, and the fall of these world systems before Christ restores all things.

If we believe God is omniscient, we can believe that He knew what He was doing when He inspired and preserved the writing of the Bible.

I suggest we remain humble and love our neighbours regardless of ANY classification or past sin. Refrain from acting like the enemy who has been fighting from the garden to eliminate God’s will and people. Why listen to Satan’s whispers and questions when you have the full counsel of God’s Word and, if you are regenerated, the indwelling Holy Spirit who groans and can be grieved.

• Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:29-32 NKJV)

• For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:22-26 NKJV)

Many ‘Christian’ traditions developed after the early church fathers went to their reward. The Roman Catholic church persecuted others who did not hold to their views while continuing to stray from the Apostles’ teachings. I am saddened that many of the traditions that came out of the 16th-century reformation continue to make the same errors that they did when they were killing each other over baptism. I am thankful for the reformation, but honestly, they only reformed soteriology (the doctrines of salvation). I suspect many of the reformers did not revisit their eschatology (the doctrines of last things) because it was not until 1948 that the descendants of Jacob (known as Israel) were brought back to their promised land while still in unbelief to be drawn to see the Lord (and this too was foretold in Jeremiah 30:3-7; Ezekiel 22:18-22; Zephaniah 2:1-3).

Now consider how long-suffering our Lord is. He saves and watches over His creation, and all the while we fight over things that really don’t belong to us. Who is right (knowledge and pride); who has things (covetousness and greed); who is most loved (selfishness); and so on. Even as I type, I am grieving over the minister’s presentation and my own heart for being suspicious about the intentions of the message.

I heard what I heard. I even listened to the recorded version to ensure I hadn’t misinterpreted the message, and there it was. I don’t believe the preacher intended to communicate disdain… but that’s what I heard, especially when reinforced with the message of recalcitrant detachment from Christ’s commandment to go into the world and instruct all to obey His teachings.

What will I do? I will:

• mourn,
• thank God for the gift of Jesus Christ, my Saviour and soon coming King,
• ask the Lord to guard my heart and those of the church,
• ask the Lord for grace for the minister and all who listened,

• pray for people of all nations to come to the Lord in this time before the wrath of God is poured out,
• evangelize,
• repent for the times I have been blind to my own poor interpretations,
• stick to the teachings of Christ and the full counsel of Scripture,
• pray for guidance on whether to address the concern with the minister,
• and ask God to help me walk humbly before Him in love.

And now, I weep!