Mike Griggs, Author at 5th Kingdom Ministries

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So far Mike Griggs has created 87 blog entries.

Five Possible Scenarios Facing American Christians and Their Nation

There is much talk about the state of Christianity in America, and what, if any, future we Christians have here. While it is impossible to predict the future of America or American Christianity, it is good to think about things that could happen, and think about what our response should be. Let’s now look at five possible scenarios that we could be facing in the future.

1. Revival & spiritual awakening

Of all of the scenarios, this one is the most appealing to me (and I would assume, most Christians). Though we cannot produce a national revival, God certainly can, and He has done so in the past. It would be a wonderful thing if God were to pour out His Spirit on our land and bring multitudes upon multitudes of people to faith. As God changed people’s hearts, their families would be changed and so would our churches. As the churches taught people the biblical role of the civil government, they would elect godly leaders. We then would once again be a city on a hill, an example for others to follow as we followed Christ.

If God were to do this, what would be our role? Our role would be to proclaim the gospel and then teach those converts to apply the Bible to all of life and society. Even though it would be God doing the work, it would also involve us working really hard as well.

2. The total destruction of the United States, and every Christian within its borders

This option is the least pleasant. In history, there have been places where Christianity has been successfully driven out. In places like France, it has yet to return. And, of course, there have been many nations that have called themselves Christian nations, that are no longer in existence. God can also wipe out His own people from a certain area. Though we can and should pray that God doesn’t do this, God has done it before and we cannot demand that He spare us. If this is what God has in store for us, there is not much that we can do. That’s why this option is the least pleasant one.

3. God destroys the U.S., but sends American Christians to other nations

We have also seen in history where God has driven His people from their homeland and into other parts of the world. Some Americans are already talking of moving to other countries (with Costa Rica and New Zealand being popular destinations). But often this talk of fleeing is done with the wrong motives. Many want flee to a nation that they deem to be more stable than the U.S., in order to preserve their wealth and comfortable life from a future economic crisis.

The Christian’s motivation for fleeing should be different. Though fleeing could be a good option, it should not be done simply to preserve our comfort. If we choose to flee, it should be for the purpose of finding a nation that will allow us more freedom to worship God and disciple the nations.

Here in the U.S., we still have some things going for us. To my knowledge, we have more Creation ministries and Christian/Home schools here than anywhere else. We still have a lot of financial resources, and a very rich heritage. If God were to send persecution and drive us to other countries, these resources could be used by God to disciple those nations that we flee to. Of course, I’m not saying that God needs us (He doesn’t), but He may choose to use us in that way.

4. Secession

Back when the U.S. was being founded, men like Patrick Henry foresaw trouble in the future. Way back in the 1780s, Henry saw that a war between the States was coming, and there has been talk of secession from that time until now. Ungodly empires like ours tend to break apart, so seeing the U.S. split into smaller nations isn’t as farfetched as it may seem.

Should Christians want to see this happen? That all depends. If our primary motives are to preserve our prosperity and freedom, then no, we should not. But if our primary motive is to have a nation that once again honors the King of kings (which will result in prosperity and freedom), then secession could be a viable option. The problem is that, as of now, I don’t know of any part of the country that has a majority of people who would have this as their primary motive. So, as of now, there isn’t an area of the U.S. that could be considered “christianized” enough to become a Christian nation. Of course God could still break up our nation, but it would be hard to be enthusiastic about that if we simply broke into smaller ungodly nations that would soon be judged by God.

5. A tear-down that leads to a rebuilding

I believe that neither America nor American Christianity can continue to survive in their present state for much longer. When a society is built on the ideas of humans rather than on the word of God, that society may thrive for a time, but in the long run, it will fall apart. That is what we are seeing now, and I expect things to continue to unravel.

Is that bad news? Only for those who love humanistic societies more than biblical ones. While any “unraveling” would be painful for us Christians as well, it could also be a grand opportunity. When humanistic societies are uprooted, it clears the way for biblical ones to grow. If this is what God has planned for us, it would be good to start rebuilding all of life and society now. This is what God told His people to do in Jeremiah 29:4-7.

Israel had turned their back on God, so He destroyed them and sent them into captivity. While they were in captivity, He told them to start rebuilding. They were to rebuild Israelite society (and their families) even before God brought them back to the land of Israel. This serves as a good example for us. If God is going to restore our nation to its Christian roots, He may choose to break us down first. As of now, that is what seems to be happening. Again, if this is what God has in store for us, it would be good to start rebuilding a biblical society now. This rebuilding will need to happen from the bottom up. We first need to rebuild families, churches and local communities, before we can expect national change.

There are, of course, a million more possible scenarios that could play out here. What do you think will happen to American Christianity? What do you think needs to be done? Are you doing something, or are you only complaining about the state of things? If you are wondering what to do, we’d be glad to give you some ideas. You can get in touch with us through the “contact us” page on our web site: 5thkingdomministries.com/contact/

Mike Griggs2017-01-03T18:15:44+00:00June 8th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|

Is Jesus Coming Soon? Not Likely.

If Jesus were to return soon, He would return as a loser. Jesus is not a loser! Jesus is King. He is sitting at the right hand of the Father. Why is He sitting at His Father’s right hand? Psalm 2 tells us why. The nations and their governments are in rebellion against God (vv. 1-3). What is God’s response to this? First, He laughs (v. 4). Then, He enthrones a King (v. 6). This King is His Son (v. 7). God’s Son is going to be given the nations as an inheritance (v. 8). Therefore, the nations and their governments are told to honor and obey the Son or suffer the consequences (vv. 10-12).

Do you see the picture being given here? There is a king (God the Father) whose subjects are in rebellion to Him. So in response, the king gives his son the authority of the kingdom for the purpose of subduing the rebels. The son’s task is quell the rebellion, to subdue the nations.

Psalm 2 is not referring to some event in our future. It was fulfilled in the first century, when Jesus came to earth the first time (in the day that He was “begotten”, v. 7). Jesus is not waiting to be given the authority to subdue the nations. He has already been given that authority, and we have been given a role to play in the subduing of nations as well.

After the resurrection, and before Jesus ascended into heaven, He said to His disciples that “All authority” had been given to Him, “in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18). Remember that He was given that authority by His Father for the purpose of subduing the nations. He then told the disciples that they too were part of this subduing of the nations. They were to go into all nations and “preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15). As they went, they were to disciple the nations by teaching them to obey everything that God had commanded (Matt. 28:19-20). Jesus, the King, promised to be with them as they went (Matt. 28:20).

The church’s task is to turn the nations (Gentiles) “from darkness to light”, from the “power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:17-18). If the church were left to herself to accomplish this task, there would be little hope of the nations being discipled. But, we are not left alone. Jesus has promised to be with us (Matt. 28:20). The Father gave the Son the task of subduing the nations, and the Son has commissioned His church to accompany Him in that task. The Son will not fail, and because He is with her, His church won’t fail either. As God blesses and empowers the preaching and teaching of His word, the nations will cease their rebellion, and gladly worship their King.

This, of course, doesn’t happen all at once. But gradually, the kingdom of God will grow until it outgrows all others (Matt. 13:31-32). When it is grown, Jesus will give the kingdom back to His Father (1 Cor. 15:24). How come? Because His task is done. In Psalm 2, the Son was given the kingship (kingdom) in order to subdue rebel nations and their rulers. At the time of “the end”, Jesus can return the kingdom to the Father because He has “put an end” to all the rebellious rulers of the nations (1 Cor. 15:24). Until then, Jesus “must reign” until His enemies are put “under His feet” (1 Cor. 15:25).

The idea of the Son (Jesus) sitting at the right hand of His Father, ruling until His enemies are subdued, is also found in Psalm 110, verse 1. Of all of the Old Testament verses that are quoted in New Testament, Psalm 110:1 is quoted more than any other. The writers of the New Testament obviously thought that this verse was very important. Psalm 110:1 says “The LORD said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool’ ”.

The New Testament tells us clearly what this phrase means. When Jesus died upon the cross, He made “one sacrifice for sins forever”. He then ascended into heaven and “sat down at the right hand of God”. There He sits, “waiting until His enemies are made His footstool” (Heb. 10:12-13).

Look around you, does it look like the nations have been discipled? Are the nations submitting to Christ? If they are not, then we have no reason to believe that Christ will return soon. Jesus will not leave the Father’s right hand to return to earth until He finishes the task that was given to Him by the Father.

The view that I have advocated in this article may be new to you, but it is not a new idea. In fact, this view has been the most common view in America throughout its history. From John Cotton (b.1584 – d.1652, one of best known preachers in the early Colonies), to the Great Awakening preachers Jonathan Edwards (1703 – 1758) and George Whitefield (1714 – 1770), to the great preachers of the 1800s, like Robert L. Dabney (Presbyterian, 1820 – 1898) and John L. Dagg (Southern Baptist, 1794 – 1884), the majority of American Christians believed that the nations would be converted before Christ’s return.

I know that when you watch the nightly news, it is hard to believe that Christianity will prevail around the globe. But we must walk by faith, and not by sight. God will bless the preaching of His word. The Christ-empowered church will fulfill her commission.

Mike Griggs2019-07-23T20:32:03+00:00May 17th, 2016|Categories: Eschatology, Theology|

Best Youth Program Ever!

Does God care about the discipleship of youth and children? If so, do you think He would tell us how to best disciple them, or would He keep that information to Himself? If He did decide to share with us the best method of youth/children’s discipleship, how would He do that?

I firmly believe that God does care about youth and children. I also believe that God is smarter than we are, and therefore His methods are better than anything that we could invent. Furthermore, I believe that God has chosen to tell us how to disciple youth and children, and that He reveals those methods in His word.

When God led His people out of Egypt to start a new nation, the nation of Israel, He gave them laws which, if obeyed, would ensure that their nation would be godly and prosperous. In Deuteronomy 6, God gives His people the greatest commandment: “Love the LORD…with all your heart….”(v. 5). This law (and others) was to be taught by parents to their “children…when you sit in your house,…walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” (v. 7). This command is repeated in Deut. 11:19. In Deut. 32:46-47, God’s people are told to set their hearts on obeying God’s word, and to teach their children to do the same. Loving God and teaching your children to do the same is “not a vain thing for you…it is your life…” (v. 47). The command in Deut. 6:7 gives us the who, what, when, where, and how of discipling youth and children:

Who: This command is clearly given to the parents, “you shall teach…your children” This is not the only command given to parents to disciple/teach/educate their children. In fact, every command in Scripture to disciple children is given to the parents. There are no commands given to the state (government) or even to the church to disciple children. God has given that role to parents.

What: The word “them” in verse 7, refers to the “words” of verse 6. This was the word/law of God. The curriculum that parents are to use in training their children is the word of God. This does not mean however that parents are only to teach “spiritual” things to their children. Remember that the word of God speaks to every area of life, not just the “spiritual” things (Ps. 119:128, 2 Tim. 3:16-17). If you want your children to be smarter than “the ancients” like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, teach them the word of God (Ps. 119:97-100). The Bible is not simply one subject that should be taught, but rather it is the foundation for understanding all other subjects. There is a biblical view of history and there is a secular view. It’s the same way with biology, economics, civics, and even grammar.

When: According to Deut. 6:7, the discipleship of children takes place every minute of every day, when you are sitting in your house, when you are out and about, when you lie down, and when you rise up. This verse not only tells us what should be, but it also tells us what is. Not only should your children be discipled throughout the day, they are being discipled throughout the day. Your children are constantly being taught by what they hear and the things they see. Every textbook they read, every peer they hang out with, every song they listen to, and everything they watch on TV, is discipling them.

Where: Since children are to be discipled primarily by their parents, we would think that much of that discipleship would take place in the home. That is exactly what we see in Deut. 6:7, “you shall teach…your children…in your house”. But we also see that you are to teach your children “when you walk by the way”. Though the home is an important place in relation to the discipleship of youth and children, one goal of this discipleship is to train your children to be able to function in society. Likewise, when you go out from the home, take your children with you so that they can learn how adults do things in the real world.

How: The method of discipleship given to us here has been termed by some as the “walk along/talk along” or “relational” method. While there is a place for a “lecture” type of teaching (like preaching a sermon), much of the discipleship we see in scripture is done in a walk along/talk along manner. You spend time with and invest your life in the one you are teaching. They go with you wherever you go so that they can learn by your example. Most of what we learn is “caught” rather than “taught”. But as you go, you are to talk to your children and explain how God’s law/word applies to every area of life. This is the method used by Jesus to disciple His disciples. He didn’t start a university or seminary, He invested His life in them. They went with Him wherever He went, and as they went, He talked to them about how to live for God.

Jesus Himself was educated in this manner. Though in one sense He needed no education (He is God, and God already knows everything), in another sense He had to grow in wisdom (Luke 2:52). It seems as though Jesus was educated by His earthy father Joseph. Jesus was a carpenter (Mark 6:3) and it was likely that He was taught this work by His earthly father (Matt. 13:55). Furthermore, the Pharisees made note of the fact that Jesus had not gone to school (John 7:15). How then did Jesus know so much? Why, He had also been discipled by His heavenly Father, of course (John 7:16)! God the Father spoke to His Son, that is how Jesus learned (John 8:28; 12:49-50; 15:15). This is the “talk along” part of discipleship.

God the Father also had a “walk along” relationship with His Son. Father and Son were working together (John 5:17). The Father loves the Son and so He shows the Son everything that He does (5:20). The Son watches what His Father does, and then follows His Father’s example (5:19). This Father/Son, teaching/learning relationship that Jesus had with His heavenly Father was the same kind of relationship spoken of in Deut. 6:7.

This is God’s “youth program”. It is far superior to anything that the world or even the church has invented. Is it difficult? Yes. Is it time consuming? Yes. Is it at times a frustrating, heart-breaking endeavor? Yes. But by God’s grace it can be done, and it should be done. It is the best youth program ever.

Mike Griggs2016-05-03T22:46:35+00:00May 3rd, 2016|Categories: Church, Family|

Should the church try to be “all things to all people”?

There is a phrase in 1 Corinthians 9:22 that says “I [the apostle Paul] have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.”. This phrase is one of the most used and misused phrases in the Bible. On the surface it seems as though Paul is saying that he was willing to become like the people he was trying to reach with the gospel, and that he would use any method necessary to accomplish the goal of bringing people to Christ. In our day churches often take this passage to mean that we must become a little like the culture around us in order to reach the lost. This verse is also seen as giving the church a blank check, so to speak, for any and all types of evangelistic methods. After all, it says to use “all means”.

Is this what Paul meant? Did he really want churches to mimic the culture in order to win the lost? Can we truly use any evangelistic method we want, so long as it accomplishes the goal of saving some?

In order to know what Paul meant, we need to take into consideration some rules for interpreting and understanding the Scriptures. First, we must measure our interpretation against the rest of the Bible. If our interpretation contradicts other verses, then our interpretation is wrong and we need to find another interpretation. Second, we must read any passage in its context. We must look at the verses (and even chapters) that come before the verse we are interpreting. Third, we must recognize that the most accurate translation is not a translation at all, but rather the original manuscripts (or copies of those manuscripts). With those few points in mind, let us reexamine 1 Corinthians 9:22.

1. If 1 Cor. 9:22 is teaching that we must mimic the culture or give people what they want in order to win them, then there will be other passages that teach the same thing. To my knowledge, there are none. The Greeks of Paul’s day liked drama, and yet there are no commands or examples where Jesus or the Apostles told the church to start drama clubs in order to attract lost Greeks. The Romans liked sports, and yet there is no hint in the Bible of any church starting a sports league. This is not to say that sports or drama are inherently wrong. But God didn’t tell us to give people what they want so that they will be won to Christ. In fact, earlier in 1 Corinthians (chapter 1), Paul says that the Jews wanted signs and the Greeks wanted wisdom (v. 22). Did Paul give them what they wanted? No. He gave them what they didn’t want: he gave them the gospel, and he gave it to them in a way that they found unattractive (v. 23).

Also, we must note that when it comes to the culture we are never instructed to mimic the culture. In fact, we are told just the opposite. We are told to be holy (1 Pet. 1:15-16). To be “holy” means to be different from the rest of the world. It is difficult, if not impossible, to make a case from the rest of Bible that we should act a little like the world in order to win the lost.

2. What then did Paul mean when he said that he became “all things to all people”? In order to understand that, we must look at the context of that phrase. If we back up to 1 Corinthians chapter 8, Paul is talking about eating things offered to idols (vv. 1-13). Paul says that he would give up his rights to eat certain things so that he would not offend his brother (v. 13). In chapter 9, he mentions several rights that he had as an apostle (vv. 1-14). But Paul says that he had “not used this right” (v. 12; see also v. 15). When we come to chapter 10, he is still talking about giving up our rights (vv. 23-28), so that we don’t cause unnecessary offense as we proclaim the gospel (vv. 32-33). So, one main theme of chapters 8-10 is giving up things that we may have a right to do, so as not to cause unnecessary offense. This is what Paul means by becoming all things to all people.

3. But isn’t Paul telling us to use any and every method to reach unbelievers? After all, he said “by all means”. This is where it is helpful to know the Greek from which our New Testament is translated. The three English words “by all means” are actually taken from one Greek word, the word “pantos”. Pantos is used only nine times in the New Testament, and it is only translated as “by all means” one other time (Acts 18:21). It has been translated using many different English words or phrases like “no doubt”, “doubtless”, “surely”, and “certainly”. Paul was not saying that we are to use whatever methods our clever minds can invent, rather, he was saying that in giving up some of his rights for the sake of the gospel, God was pleased to use him to bring people to Himself. Paul encourages us to do the same (1 Cor. 10:32 – 11:1).

Salvation is a work of God and God alone. He doesn’t need our help or our creative evangelistic methods. He does, however, graciously choose to involve us in His work. He works through us. But, again, He doesn’t need our innovative techniques. God works through the simple proclamation of His word and the gospel (Acts 2:36-41; 8:30-37; Rom. 10:14-17; 1 Cor. 1:18,23; etc.). This “method” may not have all of the pizzaz of our modern methods, but the results don’t fade as quickly either. God’s methods (as revealed in the Bible) are always best.

Mike Griggs2016-05-03T22:23:43+00:00April 14th, 2016|Categories: Church|

What is the Difference Between the First and Second Commandment?

In the 1st of the Ten Commandments, God says “have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). We are not to have, serve, or worship any god other than the true God. In the 2nd commandment, we learn that we are not to “make any carved image” nor “bow down to them” in worship (Ex. 20:4-5). So, commandment #1 is “Don’t worship other gods”. Commandment #2 is “Don’t worship carved images (idols)”. It seems on the surface as though God is repeating Himself.

In taking a closer look, however, we see that God was not stuttering or stammering when He gave the Ten Commandments. The 1st and 2nd commandments are different. The 1st commandment has to do with who we worship, and the 2nd deals with how we worship.

A good illustration of the difference between the 1st and 2nd commandments can be found in the account of Israel and the infamous golden calf incident. In Exodus 32, we find the children of Israel growing restless. Moses has been on the mountain, conversing with God for 40 days, and the Israelites decide it’s time for a new leader. They ask Aaron to make for them a god (or gods) to go before them (v. 1). Aaron obliges, and makes for them an idol, a golden calf (v. 4). Israel was breaking the 2nd commandment, but believe it or not, they were not breaking the 1st commandment.

When the golden calf was finished, the Israelites exclaimed that the calf was the god that brought them out of Egypt (v. 4). The Israelites may have been a stiff-necked people (v. 9), but they were not so dumb as to think that the recently-made calf was the one to bring them out of Egypt. God had brought Israel out of Egypt over three months prior to that, and Israel knew that the calf didn’t even exist at the time they left Egypt. This calf could not have brought them out of Egypt, and they knew it. For them, this calf was a representation of the true God who had led them out of Egypt.

The fact that Israel was worshiping the right God is confirmed in verses 5-6 as well. Their “feast” was done “to the LORD”. Whenever you see the word “LORD” in all capital letters, that means that it is translated from the Hebrew word “Yahweh” (or Jehovah). The word “Elohim” (God), can refer to any god, the true God or a false one. But Yahweh is God’s personal name, it is only used to refer to the God of the Bible.

So Israel was worshiping Yahweh, the one who brought them out of Egypt. They were worshiping the right God, but they were worshiping Him in the wrong way. They were worshiping Him through the use of an idol. This was a clear violation of the 2nd commandment.

I am certainly not the first to come to the conclusion that the 1st command deals with who we worship, and the 2nd command deals with how we worship. The great Matthew Henry (1662-1714) has this to say in his famous commentary (commenting on Ex. 20):

“The first commandment concerns the object of our worship, Jehovah, and him only.”

“The second commandment concerns the ordinances of worship, or the way in which God will be worshiped…”

Years later, Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) wrote a catechism in which he discusses the Ten Commandments (a catechism is a small book used to teach theology to children or new believers in a question and answer format).

Question #43 asks: “What is required in the first commandment?”

Answer: “The first commandment requires us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God, and to worship and glorify Him accordingly.”

Question #45 asks: “What is required in the second commandment?”

Answer: “The second commandment requires the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire all such religious worship and ordinances as God has appointed in His word.”

Question #46 asks: “What is forbidden in the second commandment?”

Answer: “The second commandment forbids the worshipping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in His word.”

The modern Christian would certainly affirm that we may only worship the God of the Bible. Unfortunately, we are not always as careful to worship God only in the way He has told us to. In ancient Israel, the issue was the use of carved images, like the ones that were being used by the unbelieving nations around them. In our day, we may not be carving images, but often times the modern church looks to the unbelieving world for ideas of what to do in our worship services. This is a violation of the 2nd commandment. We may only worship God as He has told us to in His word.

Mike Griggs2017-01-03T18:15:44+00:00January 20th, 2016|Categories: Church, Theology|

Is it Good For Christians to “Fight” With One Another?

One of the supposed evidences against Christianity is that we just can’t seem to get along. We seem to always be arguing (fighting) amongst ourselves. “You’re telling me that Christianity is the true religion, but you Christians can’t even agree on what true Christianity is!” says the skeptic. Another may say, “If your God is a God of love, why can’t you all get along?” Is it wrong then for Christians to argue? Not necessarily.

Christians should have love for one another. We love love because God is love and we love God. But God is more than love, God is also truth (John 14:6; 16:13) and so is His word (John 17:17). Christians “fight” with one another because we care about truth. If we believed that there was no absolute truth, or that we each can determine our own truth, there would be no reason to argue about which doctrines are true and which ones are not. Christians believe in truth.

Christians are also human (don’t look so shocked!), and no human has perfect knowledge. Likewise, every Christian will have some error in their beliefs. The Bible, of course, has no errors, but there can certainly be errors in our understanding of the Bible.

This is why we fight: we are highly concerned with truth, and none of us knows it perfectly. In eternity, we will no longer have errors in our thinking, but until then, we fight. That’s not always a bad thing (though, of course, it can be).

Good things that can happen when Christians fight:

1. Your errors get corrected. If you were wrong about something, would you want to know it? I know our prideful nature often has trouble admitting when we are wrong, but hopefully as we grow in Christ we will be more concerned about what is true than we will be about winning an argument. So how do you know if your beliefs are in error or not? You might respond that your beliefs are based on the inerrant word of God. Great! I like to think that mine are too. But how do you know if your views are the views that are the most consistent with the whole Bible? How do you know if your views aren’t based on misinterpretation of certain Bible verse? Some doctrines that seem correct might not seem so correct after someone confronts you with a more accurate view (Prov. 18:17).

So having your views confronted or “attacked” isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Getting into an argument with another Christian and being proven wrong might sting a bit, but in the long run it can be a good thing.

2. The Church’s doctrine gets stronger. By “the Church” I’m referring to all Christians, in all places, at all times. We see throughout church history that when there are fights in the Church, doctrine usually get stronger. The Reformation was a grand fight over things like the authority of Scripture, the doctrine of salvation, etc. The Reformers had to thoroughly study the Scriptures in order to refute the false teachings of the Popes. When the Church thoroughly studies the Bible, its doctrine gets stronger. Likewise, Christianity came out of the Reformation much stronger than before.

Even today when Christians argue over doctrine, doctrine gets stronger (assuming that at least one side is arguing from the Scriptures). Even if the two opposing sides remain in disagreement, there can still be some positive effects. For instance, let’s say that my view and my friend’s view are in disagreement. Both of us will have passages from the Bible to back up our views. I will have my favorite verses, and he will have his. He may bring up verses that I have not considered. When he does, I can’t ignore those verses. I have to incorporate them into my view. The more verses I incorporate into my view, the more biblical my view becomes. Even if I don’t give up my view, I may give up certain aspects of my view that are shown to be in error. The more errors are removed from my views, the more biblical my views get.

3. Doctrine divides. I do realize that not all divisions over doctrinal matters are good, but some can be! Though God does desire unity amongst Christians, that unity should never come at the expense of the truth. The Bible warns us that false doctrine and false teachers can spring up within the church (Acts 20:30; 1 John 2:18-19; Rev 2:20; etc.). Unfortunately, many who claim the name of Christ will accept these false teachings (2 Tim. 4:3-4; 2 Pet. 2:1-2; etc.). When this happens, division must happen as well.

Again, going back to the Reformation, when Martin Luther was speaking out against the unbiblical practices of the Roman Catholic Church, he was accused of causing division. He replied that it was the “most delightful spectacle” to see division popping up over the word of God. He then quoted Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:34, “Think not that I have come to bring peace, but rather, I’ve come to bring a sword.”.

As long as there are false teachings within the ranks of those who call themselves Christians, it will be necessary to fight over doctrine. And, as long as there are fights over doctrine, there will be divisions between those who heed God’s word and those who only pretend to (Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 6:46; etc.).

None of this is to say that we should divide over every issue. While no doctrine is unimportant, some are certainly more important than others. We shouldn’t be dividing over minor issues. But when the central tenets of Christianity are being denied, it’s time to fight!

How to fight:

The way Christians fight is different than the way the world does. So, when you fight, remember to fight with:

– Grace. Compared to God you are complete and total idiot. Not only that, but you are also a wretched sinner. And yet, God is still gracious to you. Shouldn’t you have a little grace toward your fellow wretched, sinful, idiots?

– Humility. Be humble because you don’t know everything. If you did, we would call you God. Because we don’t know everything, we should be willing to at least consider opposing views. Not that we should accept every view that comes down the pike, but humble people have a “teachable spirit”, and all Christians ought to be humble.

If you are anything like me, you may be skeptical of new ideas. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Christians are not called to be gullible. But, if it can be shown by a thorough study of God’s word, comparing Scripture with Scripture, evaluating the argument against the whole of Scripture — if it can be shown that my views are wrong, I need to be humble enough to give up that view.

– Patience. The Holy Spirit is the one who reveals truth to us. If we know any truth, it’s not because we figured it out, it’s because God revealed it to us (Luke 10:22; 1 Cor. 2:10-14). Because any truth that we may know has been given to us by God, we have no reason to boast (1 Cor. 4:7). We therefore have every reason to be patient with our brothers and sisters who disagree with us. Remember that before God revealed a certain truth to you, you were just as ignorant of that truth as they are now. Also keep in mind that God reveals different truths to different people at different times. God may reveal something to one Christian soon after their conversion, but He may reveal that same truth to another Christian decades after that person becomes a Christian. Remember, none of us have arrived, we are all works in progress.

– The goal of winning your brother. Matthew 18:15-17 deals with disputes that happen between Christians. Verse 15 gives us the ideal scenario: If your brother is at fault, go to him one-on-one, and if he heeds you, you have won your brother. There are times when disputes need to go public (v. 17), but you should first seek to ‘win’ your brother, and that is best done one-on-one.

When we engage one another in debate, our goal at the start shouldn’t be simply to win an argument. Assuming that you are correct and your brother is in error, the goal should be to have your brother give up his error and start believing the truth. Correcting a brother one-on-one is usually the best way to do that.

Of course, if a fellow Christian has gone public with their error and is leading others astray, there may be a need for public rebuking. Even then it would be best to go to that person first. If the roles were reversed and you were the one in error, wouldn’t you rather be shown your error privately, as opposed to having it posted all over the internet?

Ultimately, in our arguing, debating, and “fighting”, our primary goal should be to glorify God. Wimpy Christianity does not glorify God. The type of Christianity that wants to leave out some truths so as to not offend others doesn’t glorify God. Nor does Christianity that is so thin-skinned that it sees anyone who would try to correct them as being “mean”.

However, arrogant Christianity doesn’t glorify God either. It’s not arrogant to believe that some things are true and some things are false. It is arrogant, however, to think that you can never be wrong. True Christianity is passionately concerned with truth, so much so that we will die for it. Christians also need to be concerned with loving each other. So let the fighting continue, just make sure that you are fighting like a Christian.

Mike Griggs2017-01-03T18:15:44+00:00November 21st, 2015|Categories: Church|

What’s Going On?

The year is 2015.

Here in the United States, many Christians are discouraged. You would be hard pressed to find a Christian who hasn’t noticed the spiritual decline of our nation. Some, it seems, have even given up hope of restoring America to her Christian roots. We at 5th Kingdom Ministries are not discouraged, in fact, we’re just getting started!

Please don’t take my optimism for arrogance. Only God can revive our nation, and I have no idea if that’s what He will choose to do. But whether He chooses to restore America or not, our task is still the same: apply the Bible to all of life and teach others to do the same. Though I’m thankful for the rich Christian heritage of the United States, and I do desire for her to be restored to obedience to God, I am a Christian first and an American second (actually 3rd or 4th, or maybe 5th). My primary allegiance is to the Kingdom of Heaven. That is why I’m optimistic. God has promised that His Kingdom will slowly outgrow all other kingdoms (Matt. 13:31-32).

If God has promised that His Kingdom will grow, why does it seem as though it is shrinking, at least in this country? What then is the problem? To put it simply, the problem is you (and me). Though that last statement may not win many friends, I do believe I can back it up with Scripture.

If Christianity is “losing”, it is because of our disobedience. When God’s people obey, they “win” (Deut. 28:1). When they disobey, they “lose” (Deut. 28:15,25). When God’s people listen to and live out His word, God will cause the opponents of Christianity to lose (Ps. 81:13-14). Unfortunately, modern Christianity seems to live more according to man-made philosophies and methods than to the Bible. When we do what we think is best, rather than what God says, we may have success. But, that success is a false success that ends in ruin (Isa. 17:10-11).

Jesus compared those who ignore His word to a man who built his house on sand (Matt. 7:26). Notice that this man had short term success: he did build a house. His success, however, was short-lived (Matt. 7:27). In our day and time, much church practice is built on the sand of man’s innovations rather than the rock of God’s word. This is why the American church is crumbling, and it will continue to do so unless we repent. The United States’ economy is not built on God’s word either; it too will fall down. Our educational institutions are built on sand, as is the modern family, our welfare system, our morality, and more. Unless we rebuild all of life and society on the rock of God’s word, our nation will continue to crumble.

We are engaged in a battle of ideas. The battle is difficult, but now is not the time to despair. Rather, let us turn to the Lord and fight for Him and for our families (Neh. 4:14). How do we fight? Not with the weapons of the world, but by taking every thought and making it obedient to Christ and His word (2 Cor. 10:3-5).

American Christianity is being shaken, and though I do expect things to get rough, I don’t despair. God, at times, does shake things up. He does this so that those things that are built on sand will be torn down. But the things that cannot be shaken (those things built on His word) will remain (Heb. 12:27). Let us then, by God’s grace, serve our God, whose Kingdom is unshakable, for He is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:28-29).

Contra Mundum,

Mike Griggs, founder of 5th Kingdom Ministries

Mike Griggs2016-05-03T22:13:58+00:00September 18th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|

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