Who Has Bewitched You?

"Who" is the keyword here in Galatians 3:1-2... O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?

My Dad was a staunch believer in "water baptism". He believed if someone was not water baptized they would never go to heaven. How sad to live with this doctrine that so burdens those who uphold to it! It brings sorrow to the living who has lost loved ones. 

The "Who" is without a doubt those who preferred living under the law instead of Grace. Also known as "Man's Doctrine". Did my Dad go to heaven? Yes, I believe he did because he believed in Christ. It is a shame though that he lived with such a Doctrine that put him under a heavy yoke. The "yoke" of Jesus is light and full of Grace.

Do Animals Go To Heaven?

Snails are so slow it must have taken them one hundred and twenty years to reach the Ark. That's how long it took Noah to build it. They probably made it just before God closed the big door. Maybe He even waited for them to get there. He loves His creatures and they are too numerous to mention. Just thinking about all of the fish in the sea staggers the human mind.

Some say animals go to heaven and some would disagree. In Revelation we see Jesus coming back on a white horse. We see in the new heaven and earth that the Lion will lay down side by side with the lamb. We should, however, be careful not to confuse "creature" belonging only to the animal kingdom.

Genesis 2:7

 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

I believe that animals do not have a soul, therefore, they will not continue after death as man does. The animal kingdom was not made in the image of God like a man. Man has a will and animals do not. Man has a Spirit. Animals do not. (Genesis 1:26-27). Only a Spirit can be raised from the dead unto a resurrection. The Lord created animals for our food here on earth as well as our enjoyment. When we get to Heaven we will never grieve for anything!

Do You Think It's Not Real?

In the middle '80s I found myself involved in a great and terrible regret. I want to warn you of something that very few Churches do today and that is "Church Discipline". I was zealous for the Lord and knew nothing of what was about to shake my world and leave me with a deep regret that I will never forget. 

A man and his wife had been married for several years. They had a ministry called "The Joy Ministry", but our Church was their home. One day he went to the Pastor and confessed that he had been having an affair with another woman for the last two years. Our Pastor was a very godly man and after much prayer decided to exercise Church Discipline on him because he was going to divorce his wife for the other woman. The Pastor pleaded with him not to do that, but he was determined to have his way. 

It took place on a Wednesday evening and only eight people showed up, including me. The couple sitting in front of me warned that my judgment could come back on my own head. I ignored the warning. The man refused to repent. The Pastor then asked for a vote from among us as to remove him from the Body or not. I was one of three who stood up and voted yes. 

Here is the warning: My motive for voting yes was done out of a self-righteous Judgement.  I would learn this a long time later. My vote was also done out of ignorance about Church Discipline. It was not even a year later when my vote did come back on my own head. If you ever encounter this in your Church make sure that you have been educated about this thing or else you will face a regret that will haunt you for the rest of your life.

The purpose of church discipline is the spiritual restoration of fallen members and the consequent strengthening of the church and glorifying of the Lord. When a sinning believer is rebuked and he turns from his sin and is forgiven, he is won back to fellowship with the body and with its head, Jesus Christ.