In The Dog House

ATONEMENT - An Offering That Turns Away Wrath

Have you ever been on someone’s bad side? Maybe it was your husband or your wife? Or a parent or a child? A best friend in school or a neighbor across the street? Maybe it was because of something you did. Maybe it was because of something you didn’t do. Perhaps you shared a secret that you didn’t know was a secret. Or, did you make an untimely comment about their weight? Or their hair? Or their shoes? Perhaps you forgot the anniversary of the first time you got a soda together. Perhaps you made light of something that was important to them. And now... you are in the dog house. You are on their bad list. They’re not talking with you. They want nothing to do with you.

You didn’t do it intentionally (or, maybe you did). Does it matter? They’re hurt. They’re mad.

Now what do you do?

IS IT WORTH IT?

There are some relationships that we just write off. We say, "Oh well." and quickly move on. Some people are just too hard to please and we rightly, or wrongly, conclude - they’re just not worth the effort.

IS IT FAIR?

Sometimes, it’s not about making an extra effort to please them. Sometimes, deep down inside, we know they have every right to be angry with us. We wronged them. Regardless of whether it was intentional or not - we deserve their wrath.

IS IT SALVAGEABLE?

So, when we determine the relationship is worth the effort... When we conclude that we were wrong and we need to go the extra mile to make it right... When we have a hope that there is a way to right the wrong... What do we do? How do we make atonement for the wrong that we have inflicted on another?

Often we try to make things right with our words. We say we are sorry. We beg for forgiveness. If that doesn’t get the job done, we then try to prove the sincerity of our remorse with our actions. We buy them flowers and candy. We clean the dishes. We bake cookies. We do whatever we can to satisfy their wrath so that we can eventually come out of the dog house and resume living the good life.

Have you ever been in the dog house with God? Have you ever felt that He may be upset with you? Have you ever seen all those verses in the Bible that talks about God’s wrath and realize He’s talking about His relationship with you? Verses like how God’s wrath is being revealed against men who suppress the truth (Romans 1:18)... against people who pass judgement on others (Romans 2:1)... against people who refuse to repent (Romans 2:5)... against people who are self-seeking (Romans 2:8).

If so, take yourself through the same process. Is it worth being right with God? Is He just too demanding? Perhaps you think He’s just not worth the effort. After all, He’s just God - our Creator and Provider.

Is it fair? Does God have a right to be upset with you. You can’t help it if you can’t obey. You can’t help it that you don’t want to listen to Him and live for Him. You can’t help it if you think that the world revolves around you. Maybe... hopefully... deep down inside you do realize, "God is fair. I am wrong."

So, now what? How do you satisfy the wrath of God? How do you make atonement? Do you buy Him flowers? Do you go to church? Do you say a bunch of "Hail Marys"? Do you try to keep the 10 commandments? Do you just hope and pray that He will forget? Or that His anger will subside?

The truth is - you can’t satisfy the wrath of God. No flowers, no words, no deeds of any kind (on our part) will satisfy the wrath of God. We deserve death. God wouldn’t be fair if He made an exemption for us - but punished other sinners by death. God wouldn’t be righteous if He simply forgave everybody. There is no way you can make atonement. God’s wrath demands justice.
But the good news is this - "Righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe... we are justified freely by His grace that comes through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood." (Romans 3:22-25).

The bad news is: God’s wrath demands justice.

The good news is: God’s grace provides justice. Because of Jesus taking our punishment by dying on the cross (the atonement), we are forgiven! We can come out of the dog house and live the good life that God intended for us to live!

Go Bless,

Pete Baumgartle, Lanesville IN


This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. - 1 John 4:10

God Haters

20 years ago, Herbert W. Armstrong wrote, “Most humans are passively hostile against God. They simply do not normally think about God. If God is mentioned they become embarrassed and often try to change the subject.”

Today, it appears that people are no longer passive in their hatred for God - but they have become active, intentional, maliciously hostile against God. There appears to be a systematic elimination of God from public life.

In Kentucky

In December of 2008, the American Atheists, Inc filed suit against the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security for hanging a plaque that quotes Psalm 127: “Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” AAI’s president, Ed Buckner, declared, “I’m not aware of any other state or commonwealth that is attempting to dump their clear responsibility for protecting their citizens onto God or any other mythological creature.”

In D.C.

Washington D.C.’s new $600 million Capitol Visitor’s Center (built with your tax money) has been sanitized of all Christian heritage to appease the God-haters. The historical fact that church services were once held in the Capitol building as an official congressional function for most of America’s history has been replaced with a lie, that worship services were only “permitted”. Article VII omits the phrase, “In the year of our Lord”. And from Article III of the Northwest Ordinance, the words, “Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind” have been omitted. The words, “In God we trust” which are etched above the Speaker’s head in the House Chamber are missing in the model displayed in the Visitor’s Center.

The American Humanist Association is funding a campaign in our nation’s capital to put signs on public buses which read, “Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness sake.”

Books & Documentaries

Perhaps the most vocal God-Hater today is Richard Dawkins, a professor at the University of Oxford. He has recently published The God Delusion belligerently attacking people of faith. Dawkins writes, “...if you meet somebody who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid or insane (or wicked, but I would rather not consider that).” Elsewhere, he writes, “I don’t think it is too melodramatic to say that civilization is at war. It is at war against religious bigotry.” Unfortunately, Dawkins is not alone in his attacks against those who believe in God. Christopher Hitchens authored a book entitled, God Is Not Great. He writes, “Imagine how peaceful the world would be if only people would give up religion.” Comedian Bill Maher released his documentary, Religulous, (the highest grossing documentary in America in 2008) where he continuously makes fun of people of faith. He calls the Bible “A fairy tale”.

The Freedom of Religion Foundation boasts, ”The secular revolution that hit Europe several decades ago is finally making inroads in the United States, with surveys showing that 14% to 16% of the adult population now registers as nonreligious. It's a 'sign of the times' that those of us who are nonreligious, freethinkers, atheists, and agnostics, are coming into our own," said Dan Barker, Foundation co-president and author of Losing Faith in Faith.

?

2 Timothy 3 says, “There will be terrible times in the last days...” because “people will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” Could it be that the terrible times we are facing right now are a direct result of this scripture being fulfilled? Will America become a better place, as the atheists suggest, for abandoning our faith in God? Or will it become worse?

Don’t be a God-Hater.

Go Bless,

Pete Baumgartle, Lanesville, Indiana


...since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done... They are... God-haters... - Romans 1:28-32

…in the last days scoffers will come, following their own evil desires, deliberately forgetting all that God has done - 2 Peter 3:3

...the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. - Romans 8:7


If 92% of Americans believe in God (2008 Pew Poll), then why is the remaining 8% controlling America

Communion

Do this in remembrance of me
Luke 22:19

Q. What’s the purpose of Communion?

A. Each Sunday we take what we call "Communion" (Others call it "The Eucharist" or "The Lord’s Supper"). Communion is rich in symbolism and meaning. It is so much more than just "snack time" (as the children see it) in the middle of a worship service consisting of grape juice and a cracker. The cracker (unleavened bread) represents Jesus’ body which was given to us to be our sacrificial Lamb. The grape juice represents Jesus blood which was poured out on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.

To really appreciate the rich symbolism of Communion, one should take time and study the parallels between Jesus dying on a cross setting us free from the bondage of sin (during Passover), with the story of the Exodus (Exodus 12) as God set the Israelites free from their bondage to slavery in Egypt (the first Passover). There was a lamb. There was blood. There was obedience. There was death. There is deliverance.

Q. How often should we take Communion?

A. We observe communion every Sunday, as did the church of the New Testament (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:18-20 & 16:1-2) setting a biblical precedent. Some object, saying that a weekly observance would reduce Communion to a meaningless ritual. I have found just the opposite to be true. Communion can be - and should be - the highlight of our weekly worship.

Jesus’ commanded us to, "Do this in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19) I strongly encourage all Christians to get in the habit of specifically remembering Christ’s sacrifice on the cross - at least weekly.

Q. What’s the purpose of the Communion Meditation?

A. One important tool we use to keep Communion from becoming a ritual is the Communion Meditation (or devotional). We schedule a different individual each week whose task is to help us focus on the significance of the Lord’s sacrifice. It doesn’t have to be long. It doesn’t even have to be profound. It just needs to be someone saying, "Let’s focus. Let’s think about the freedom we now have as a result of what Christ did on the cross."

Q. Should a person who has not confessed Jesus as their Lord and Savior take Communion?

A. Paul said, "...whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord." (It seems to me that someone who is not a believer is already sinning against the body and the blood of Jesus.) Paul went on to say, "A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself." (1 Corinthians 11:27-29) As a result, some churches, in an attempt to keep Communion pure, or to protect people from bringing judgement upon themselves, have forbidden nonbelievers or believers from other denominations to participate in their Communion. This is what is referred to as "Closed Communion" (I have been asked by two different churches not to participate when the bread and cup were being offered because our beliefs differ.)

But being denied Communion hurts! It’s hard not to feel like you are being judged. And nobody likes being judged. Besides, I don’t believe these churches were concerned with protecting me from bringing judgement upon myself. They were simply making a statement that I was not one of them. Instead of uniting us - Communion was used to drive us further away from one another. How can that be pleasing to God?

Jesus said, "When I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32) Who’s to say, that when a nonbeliever is welcomed to join with believers in a time of Communion with Christ, when they are explained the purpose and meaning of the moment, when they are encouraged to examine themselves before God - that may very well be the moment they are changed forever.

At New Life, we offer what is called "Open Communion" with Scriptures in mind like Revelation 22:17, which says, ""Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life."

I am very mindful that it is not my place to judge whether someone is worthy to take Communion with Christ. It is my place to encourage all to remember Christ and examine themselves. Then, it is between them and God.

Q. When should someone NOT take Communion?

A. We see the warning that Paul gives in 1 Corinthians and we become terrified of taking Communion. We don’t want to take it in an unworthy manner. We don’t want to bring judgement on ourselves - so we don’t take it. It makes no sense to me that we can scare ourselves from taking Communion - but we can’t scare ourselves enough to change our behavior so that we can take Communion.

Although confessing our sins to God during Communion will certainly be beneficial, we need to understand that sin does not disqualify us from taking Communion. In fact, it is a prerequisite! The only people who should take Communion are those who willingly admit that they are sinners in need of a Savior!

Consider the unrepentant sinner. If you are living in unrepentant sin, you need not worry about bringing judgement upon yourself for taking Communion. You have already brought judgement on yourself for simply not repenting. "If we claim to have fellowship with God yet walk in the darkness we lie and do not live by the truth." (1 John 1:6)

Consider the sinless person. If you think you are not a sinner - then why would you need Jesus? Why even care about Communion? "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8)

Communion is not about being terrible sinners or being perfect (sinless) - it is about being real with God. Jesus said, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him." (John 6:56)

Communion is about remaining dependent on God, believing His grace is sufficient, acknowledging how unholy we are and how much we need Him. Anything less - then we should not be taking Communion.

Q. What should I be thinking about during communion? (Should I be praying for others? Myself? Confessing my sins to God? Thanking God for what He’s done for me?)

A. When Jesus says, "Do this in remembrance of me" I remember what He did - leaving all the glories of heaven behind to live on this earth as a man, knowing that He would eventually be brutally murdered in order to redeem us from the penalty of our sins. I remember why He did it - so that I could be forgiven and spend eternity with Him. And I also think about how unworthy I am of all that God has done for me. It’s very humbling.
But I would caution against praying for others during this time (even though this sounds noble). I can’t help but think that God wants our total attention during this time. It’s as if He is cupping our face in His hand, looking us straight in the eye, and saying, "Look at me! I love you! Do you understand how much I love you? Do you understand I would go through another 30 years of misery on the earth, and allow myself to be beaten and crucified again because I love you that much? Do you understand?"

Q. Who can serve Communion?

A. When our church first began, this was a big question. "So and so was not baptized". Or "so and so was too young." I remember one man who was insistent that anyone serving Communion must where a tie. (Where’s that in the Bible?) Some have pushed for women to serve. (However, most women like the thought of the men doing the serving for a change)

I struggle to see what all the hubbub is about. Serving Communion is not a leadership position. It is simply an act of service. I find it interesting to hear people argue over who can serve Communion - but we’ve never had people argue about who can come in early and prepare the Communion.

Q. Who can give Communion Meditation?

A. The one giving the Communion devotional really needs to have a strong understanding of what Communion is about. And then, they need to be able to help the congregation get the right mind set.

As a policy, we ask men to give the Communion Meditation. It is our goal to turn men into the spiritual leaders that God wants them to be - and we find asking them to prepare a small devotional about Communion to be a great first step in the process. I have seen men, who say they could never give a Communion devotional, eventually do so - and do it well. Then they become teachers! And leaders! One man, who told me he could never give a Communion Meditation, has preached for me!

Q. How do I explain the purpose of Communion to my child?

A. As a child, I was guilty of thinking of Communion as snack time (And thinking the snacks were a lot better in children’s church than in big people’s church).

But there is something about the words, "Do this in remembrance of me" that has a way of drawing us closer and closer to the presence of God.

As soon as our children are old enough to understand, we should encourage them (weekly) to remember all that Jesus has done, all that He said, all that he has told us to do. We should invite our children to examine the words of Jesus. We should invite them to examine their relationships with others. We should invite them to examine themselves and ask themselves if they are living for God. (This works really well if we are asking ourselves these same questions and not just going through the motions in front of our children.)

I find that taking communion with my children is a great teaching opportunity - to teach them the gravity of sin and the amazing grace of God - that He would die on a cross for me... and them!
Hopefully, in time, my children will understand and believe verses like 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, which says, "You are not your own; you were bought at a price." Or Leviticus 17:11 which says, "...it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life." Or Romans 3:25, "God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood." But for now, it is enough for my children to understand that sin is awful, and God’s love is awesome!

Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe.
- 1 Corinthians 11:29 (The Message)

"The world drinks to forget. We drink to remember." Steve Brown

This article was based on questions asked of Pete concerning the sacrament of Communion

Baptism - Avoiding The Extremes

Extreme #1 "You Don’t Need To Be Baptized To Be Saved"

I hear too many Christians say, "You don’t need to be baptized to be saved"

Says who? Jesus clearly says in Mark 16:16, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved."

Who are we to say that you don’t need to be baptized?

And WHY would you say that you don’t need to be baptized to be saved?

Jesus commanded us to "Go, make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19)

In the book of Acts, everyone who accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior were baptized. Peter told 3000 people to repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38). Paul was commanded to be baptized in order to wash his sins away (Acts 22:16). The Ethiopian Eunuch was baptized (Acts 8:36-38), The Philippian Jailor... (Acts 16:33)

"But wait!" the Christian who wants to diminish the importance of baptism objects. "What about the thief on the cross?" What about him? He died before Jesus ever gave us the command to be baptized. Technically, he died under the old covenant - before (or during) Jesus’ death. Jesus gave us the command to be baptized after His resurrection (Mark 16:16, Matthew 28:19), after the thief on the cross was already in paradise. Being baptized was never commanded by Jesus until after the resurrection.

Extreme #2 "Baptism Saves"

Of course, on the other end of the spectrum is the Christian who overemphasizes baptism. (Which, perhaps, explains why some go to Extreme #1)

I recently caught my son talking about how someone was saved because they were baptized. We would like to assume that people are saved when they are baptized - but is that true?

I once had a woman ask me to pray for her son who was into drugs, and drinking, and womanizing, etc. "But praise God he’s been baptized" So what if he’s been baptized? There is no repentance. There is no evidence of spiritual fruit. He is clearly not listening or living for the Lord. It makes no sense to me to think that his salvation is secure simply because he’s been baptized. No. For all practical purposes - he just got wet. There is much more to salvation than simply being baptized.

A Balanced View -

We are saved by the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8 says, "It is by grace we are saved - through faith".

We are saved BY GRACE

Through faith in Jesus

And if we have faith in Jesus, we will want to obey Jesus. And Jesus tells us to repent, confess, believe, and be baptized.

I try to emphasize that baptism is a part of the salvation process. It is a part of "through faith" in Jesus. It is being obedient to Jesus as a result of faith. It is a part that should not be minimized. Nor should it be overly emphasized. It should just be accepted as apart of the process.

Legalistic?

Is it legalistic to say you need to be baptized? No! It is biblical! It is what Jesus commanded. It it was the Apostles taught and did. And it should be what we do. The emphasis needs to be on the grace of God which saves us - but "through faith in Jesus", meaning through faith in what he taught and commanded - which includes confessing His name, repenting of sins, AND being baptized (plus a whole lot more!)

Immersed?

One more thing....The word "Baptize" means to immerse. I have found it helpful to replace the Greek word "baptize" with the English word "Immerse" throughout the Scriptures. Not for the sake of argueing against the practice of sprinkling (which I am opposed to), but for the sake of emphasizing the symbolic meaning of Baptizing. "for all of you who were baptized (immersed) into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Galatians 3:27) It just seems to get at the heart of the issue! We need to be immersed in Jesus... Soaked with Jesus! And I hope and pray that we never dry off!