As believers, our surrounding culture will present us with holidays, gatherings, and events that don’t have a biblical origin. Halloween falls into this camp, and is perhaps one of the trickiest for believers. Like anything our culture may throw at us, we can either receive, reject, or redeem. Here is how the arguments go for Halloween:

1. Receive Halloween-  Some things God’s people can receive, like Mother and Father’s Day. Colossians 2:16 says, “Therefore, don't let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day.” Therefore, no one should pass judgment on you for any celebration which a believer participates in. Jesus went to parties to win people to himself. Would we criticize Jesus for doing this? Besides, what is the harm in putting on a costume and giving out a big candy bar to your lost neighbors? Why can’t we use this as an opportunity to love our neighbors?

2. Reject Halloween-   Things that are not compatible with Christiaity.  Are you kidding me? 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, “14 Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?” Halloween is an unholy day that has pagan roots. The day was believed by the ancients to be a day when the veil between the spirit world and our world was thin. One had to carve gourds and put candles in them to ward off evil spirits. The idea that unless you gave a visitor a gift they would place a curse on your home that day, the origin of “trick or treat.” In Acts 19, when they became believers they burned their witchcraft books. They renounced their old way and so should we.

3. Redeem Halloween- We don’t have to reject them, but we can’t do them the way that non-believers do the action.  Wait a minute, just because something has an ungodly beginning doesn’t mean it has to be outright rejected by a believer. Do you like VW beetles? Did you know that they were the brainchild of Adolf Hitler? So should we reject all VWs since they were created by someone who was bent on evil and world domination? What about the dates we celebrate Christmas and Easter? Even celebrating one’s birthday has pagan roots. The only two examples in the bible of anyone celebrating their birthday was pharaoh and King Herold. It was believed that the spirit world owed you one on your birthday. In order to claim said wish, one would need to light a candle, make a wish, and blow the candle out. Years ago, the church came up with All Saints Day on November 1st as a way to redeem the holiday. In this day, believers would dress up as saints and church heroes of the past.

Who is right? I know you want me to tell you, but you need to investigate and choose. I have always leaned towards redeeming the holiday for God’s glory. It is a little tougher than some other holidays, but it is the only day that unbelievers will knock on our door.

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” –Romans 10:4

With about 20% of our culture having tattoos, I often get this question. While some Christians say yes and others say no, the only thing that matters is what the Word of God says. Only one verse in all of the scripture could be taken out of context to teach that tattoos are wrong and that is Leviticus 19:28 (NIV) which reads, “You shall not make any cuts in your [a]body for the [b]dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the Lord.” It should be noted that the King James will not have the word Tattoo because the word did not exist in English until the 1700’s. Let me explain why this verse may have been fulfilled in Jesus’ coming and the cross.

For centuries now, theologians and church historians have understood the over 600 laws in the first five books of the Old Testament (OT) as fitting into one of three categories: civil, ceremonial, and moral. Ancient Israel was governed under a theocracy, in other words, God was their king. So some of the OT laws applied only to that structure. The church is spread out among many different governments. The ceremonial laws were laws given to instruct God’s people on how they should approach Him before the Cross and how they should look different than their pagan neighbors. The OT was about God’s people being a pure nation. So laws that forbid: wear clothing with two kinds of thread (Lev. 19:22), don’t trim your beard (Lev. 19:22), and don’t get any kind of piercings including ear piercings (Lev. 19:28). I have not found a church yet that didn’t break these laws, so I believe that Lev. 19:28 has been fulfilled by Jesus Christ and we are no longer under these laws. Also, it appears their pagan neighbors would carve themselves as a sign of grief or get tattoos of a pagan God. Think of them like you would High School requirements, once you have shown up for all the classes, read the required materials, and passed the exams you are no longer required to do them. In the same way, Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial laws of the OT. Finally, the moral laws are those that carried over from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. Examples of these would be the Ten Commandments. While flexibility was grated on the issue of when the Sabbath should be, the principle remains for God’s people in the new covenant to take a Sabbath rest.

In conclusion, no it is not a sin to get a tattoo. In Rev. 19:16, Jesus has writing on his thigh could this be a tattoo? It could be. Let’s not be quick to judge the outside of others, when we know that it is the inside that counts in God’s kingdom (Matthew 23:27). None of us should take a verse out of context to use as a hammer against our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Ask Pastor T: Is It a Sin for Christians to Get a Tattoo?

We answer your questions about communion. Here a few that were asked. 

A Worthy Manner

Taking the Lord’s Supper

What Does the LORD’s supper make us?

Introduction:  When does a couple actually get married?  It is when they say “I do”? When the minister pronounces them husband and wife? When do they consummate the marriage?

There’s a sense in which each of those moments is essential to the formation of a marriage.  But each also depends on the others.  That’s why, for example, if a marriage is never consummated, there's a sense in which the couple is not yet fully married. And this distinction carries legal weight; serving such a bond is an annulment, not a divorce.

We often think individually about our faith.  We think I go to church, I hear the word, I eat the bread and drink the wine, I’m reminded of Christ’s death and the forgiveness of sins, I go home. We think of the LORD’s supper as an intensified private devotion, but I want to argue that the LORD’s supper actually plays a critical role in putting the church together.  If we only approach it that we are giving into cultural individualism, which behind this thought is we really don’t “need” the local church.  But we do!  Celebrating the Lord’s supper together is an essential step in making a church a church.

The LORD’s Supper is when the group of christians become one body! The Lord’s supper makes many one.  Recall Paul saying in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

Who should lead the Lord’s Supper?

A:  If a church has a pastor for pastors, one of the pastos should lead the Lord’s Supper.  If a church doesn’t have a pastor, they should decide together which of their members is most qualified-likely whoever regularly teaches the Bible.

Why should a pastor Lead the Lord’s Supper:

Nugget #1:  “It is true that the Lord’s Supper is only for sinners. But within that group, it is only for repentant sinners.” -Mark Dever

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

-1 Peter 4:12

I write this from personal experience. Five years ago this month, I pastored a church that split. The split left wounds on my family and me that the Lord has healed, but we still carry scars. Scars not seen with the eye. The aim of this article is to help church leaders, pastors, and members of churches who have experienced the pain of a church split. Here are some things that helped our family:

1.  Acknowledge the Loss Openly and Honestly- Church splits are best compared to death or perhaps more acutely a divorce. As those who covenant together decide they no longer want to convent together, at least 25% of church membership leaves in a very short amount of time. Paul shows us through his painful last words in 2 Timothy 4:9-22 just how relationally hard ministry is. He acknowledges how Alexander the coppersmith harmed him, Demas deserted him, and NO ONE SHOWED UP at his trial! Friends in the church can let us down and never care about us again. Your “friends” may not have stood with you in that business meeting, and it cut deep. But remember Jesus is the only totally reliable friend you will ever have!

2.  Ask, “What is God Teaching Me Through This Pain?”- You are not going through this split for no reason, what is God trying to show you? Is there a sin or sins you need to repent of? Do you need to reach out to someone on the other side even if they are wrong? Am I being disciplined by the Lord (Hebrews 12:11)? Did I just experience what it means to live in a fallen world? How can I prevent this in the future?

3.  Recognize Sometimes Godly People have Sharp Disagreements-In Acts 15, Paul and John Mark disagree sharply leading to two missionary journeys instead of one. While we don’t have all the details, we know they patched thing up later (2 Timothy 4), and God used both of them for Kingdom work and church planting. Sometimes division becomes multiplication. While not encouraged, church splits do sometimes lead to at least a healthier and Godly church. Or the split could be releasing Godly members to be used in healthier local churches. Either way, do all that you can to seek forgiveness and reconcilation.

4.  Remember Jesus Remains in Control and His Kingdom Shall Last Forever- In Matthew 16:18, Jesus tells us that the gates of Hell will not overcome the church. While a local church may split or even die, new churches are born to take their place. We must be faithful to Jesus Christ and Kingdom work which displays itself in the local church. The battle may be lost, but the war will be won!

i. The transaction of forgiveness.

Just as God does not make His promise of pardon to people unless they repent (Luke 3:3, Acts 2:38), we cannot actually say “I forgive you” to people unless they admit their sin and repent. Therefore, the transaction of forgiveness is conditional in that we can only be fully reconciled to those who repent. Those who refuse to repent of their sin are not forgive by God (in the parental sense mentioned above) and so the consequences of a broken relationship with the offended person continued.

Luke 17:3 says that our part of responsibility to those who sin against us is to humble and lovingly confront them, and if we have truly dealt with our own heart attitudes first (i.e. if we have a willingness to forgive heart attitude). Then, if they recognize their wrong and repent from it, we can be recoiled to them. Matthew 18:15-17 makes it clear that we cannot be fully reconciled to those who have not repented, because if we did we could not continue the process described in those verse.

Other issues related to whom we forgive

(a) Confronting vs Covering

(b) Apologizing vs. asking for forgiveness

(c) What about forgiving God?

(d) What about forgiving unbelievers?

(e) What about forgiving dead people?

(f) What about forgiving ourselves?

2. How should we forgive?

a. Immediately (Luke 17:3)

b. Repeatedly (Luke 17:4)

c. Lavishly (2 Corinthians 2:5-8)

d. Why should we forgive? Gospel Motivated!!

Info

The Meaning of the Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper, or  is one of two ordinances Jesus gave the local church. The Lord’s supper is an object lesson that represents a great spiritual truth of the most important things observed in the NT. The Lord’s Supper declares Jesus’ purpose, mission and work.

a. What is The Lord’s Supper? (1 Cor. 11:23-26)

i. It is a Christ Appointed part of Worship. (1 Cor. 11:1-2, 17-34)

1. Carried out/ practiced by the local church (1 Cor. 11:2)

2. Observed with a right spirit. (1 Cor. 11:17-18)

3. A Time of personal confession of sin. (1 Cor. 11:28)

4. The practice of all Christians (1 Cor. 11:28)

b. It is a significant part of remembrance. We are reminded of:

i. The Body of Christ ( 1 Cor. 11:24 “my body”)

ii. The Blood of Christ (1 Cor. 11:25 “my blood”)

iii. The Death of Christ (1 Cor. 11:26 “the Lord’s death”)

iv. The Sacrifice of Christ (1 Cor. 11:24 – “He broke it”)

v. The Love of Christ (1 cor. 11:24 “broken for you”

c. It is an on-going Testimony of faith. (1 Cor. 11:26)

i. In the sufficient atoning work of Christ (1 Cor. 11:26 “The Lord’s death”)

ii. In the Second Coming of Jesus (1 Cor. 11:26 “till He comes”)

iii. In the blessing of personal obedience. (1 Cor. 11:26 “and keep the ordinances”)

· Who should Take the Lord’s Supper?

a. Only those who are already Christians. (2 Cor. 11:29

· How Do I Prepare Myself of the Lord’s Supper?

a. Self-Examination (1 Cor. 11:27)

b. Confession of sins (1 John 1:9)

c. Recommitment (Rom. 12:1)

d. Restoring Relationships (Matt. 5:23-24)

· When and How often should we observe the Lord’s Supper?

a. Jesus never said when or how often believers should observe The Lord’s Supper. He instituted it on a weekday night. Since it is a ‘supper’, it may seem more appropriate to observe it during an evening service.

b. At Grace we practice it at least once a quarter. We also have it on Sunday Morning and Sunday Night. The Sunday night services have an agape meal (love meal) before the service.

c. We also collect our benevolence offering when we observe the Lord’s Supper.

What is the Bible?

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” -Hebrews 4:12

· OT passages are introduced with phrase, “Thus says the LORD” (see Ex. 4:22; Josh. 24:2, 1 Sam. 10:18; Isa. 10:24; also Deut. 18:18-20; Jer. 1:9).

· NT affirms its words are the very words of God. (See. 2 Peter 3:16, 1 Tim. 5:18, Luke 10:7, & 1 Cor. 14:37).

· Scripture only becomes our personal convictions through the work of the Holy Spirit in an individual’s heart.

II. Clarity

· Since the things of God are “spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14), a proper understanding of Scripture is often more the result of an individual’s spiritual condition than his or her intellectual ability.

· Many people, even Godly people have greatly misunderstood some part of Scripture. (See Matt. 15:16; Luke 24:25; Acts 15; and Gal. 2:11-15)

· Sometimes, as a result of our shortcomings, we fail to properly understand what the Bible is specifically teaching.

III. Necessity

· The necessity of Scripture means that it is necessary to read the Bible or have someone tell us what is in the Bible if we are going to know God. personally, have our sins forgiven, and know with certainty what God wants us to do.

· To neglect regular reading of the Bible is detrimental to the health of your souls.

· The Bible is our only source for clear and definite statements about God’s will.

IV. Sufficiency

· The bible contains all the words of God that a person needs to become a Christian, live as a Christian, and grow as a Christian.

· The sufficiency of Scripture should encourage us to search through the Bible to try to find what God would have us think about a certain issue or do in a certain situation.

· We are never to add prohibitions where we don’t believe Scripture is precise enough. (see. 1 Cor. 8-10)

V. Inerrancy of Scripture means that Word of God in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact. (Without Errors)

VI. Infallibility of Scripture means the Word of God is without defect whatsoever and is totally reliable and trustworthy. (Trustworthy)

History of the Bible to English

1. Hebrew Manuscripts – Only 39 Books -1450-500 B.C

2. Septuagint (Greek Manuscripts of OT) – 200 B.C.

3. New Testament – 27 Books in Greek – 40-100 A.D.

4. Latin Vulgate – 80 Books total – 390 A.D.

5. Wycliffe (Middle English) – 1384 A.D.

6. Tyndale’s N.T. (English with only 27 books) 1525 A.D.

7. Coverdale Bible – 1535 A.D.

8. Matthew Bible – 1537 A.D.

9. Great Bible – 1539 A.D.

10. Geneva Bible – 1560 A.D.

11. Bishops’ Bible – 1568 A.D.

12. King James Bible – 1611 A.D.

13. King James (Aitken/American) – 1782 A.D.

14. King James (Collins/American) 1791 A.D.

Should I Give and Service in a Local Church?

Many think believers in Christ should tithe (defined as giving 10% of one’s income), and many use the language of “tithes and offerings” in worship services. Others are equally convinced tithing is not required for believers.

Which is more faithful to God’s Word?

· Tithing in the Old Testament

a. What does the OT say about tithing? Abraham gave a tenth of his spoils of war to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:20), and Hebrews appeals to this account to support the superiority of Melchizedek’s priesthood over Levi’s (Hebrews 4:4-10). God met Jacob at Bethel and promised him covenant blessings; the patriarch promised God a tenth of everything gathered to Him. (Gen. 28:22).

b. A tenth of Israel’s seed, fruit, and flocks were given to the Lord (Lev. 27:30-32; Deut. 14:22-24; 2 Chron. 31:5-6; Neh. 13:5, 12). The people gave a tenth to the Levites to support them (Num. 18:21-24; Neh. 10:38; 12:44), and the Levites, in turn, were to give a tithe to the chief priest (Numbers 18:25-28). Those who didn’t tithe were threatened with a curse, while those who did tithe were promised blessing 9Mal. 3:8-10).

c. Though we might assume Old Testament Israel gave a total of 10 percent, it’s actually difficult to discern how much was given. We can’t linger over details, but some think the Israelites gave 14 tithes over seven years; others believe they gave 12. Regardless, when we add the required tithes together, the amount certainly exceeded 10 %. In fact, the number was probably somewhere around 20% per year.

· Why Tithing is Not Required Today

a. Believers are no longer under the Mosaic Covenant (rom. 6:14-15; 7:5-6; Gal. 3:15-4:7; 2 Cor. 3:4-18).

b. The examples of Abraham and Jacob are not normative patterns.

c. Tithes were given to the Levities and priests, but there are no Levites and priests in the new covenant. (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6), with Jesus as our Melchizedekian high priest (Hebrews 7).

d. The tithe is tied to the land Israel received under the old covenant.

e. If tithing is required how much should we give?

f. When Jesus affirmed the tithe, it was before the dawn of the new covenant. (Matt. 23:23; Luke 11:42).

g. Nowhere is tithing mentioned when commands to give generously are found in the New Testament. (Acts 2:43-47; 4:32-37; 11:27-30; Gal. 2:10; 1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8:1-9:15).

h. However, tithing is still a biblical number, and we must ask the question of has God given us as NT saints more or less than OT saints?

· Give Generously

i. Even though tithing isn’t required today, it does not follow that believers should horde their possessions.

ii. Equal sacrifice not equal gifts – (Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4).

iii. We are commanded to support those who preach the gospel (Matthew 10:10; Luke 10:7; 1 Cor. 9:6-14; 1 Timothy 5:17-18).

iv. We are called to be generous to those in need (1 Tim. 6:17-19; 2 Cor. 8-9).

v. Since God is to be our treasure, believers are to give generously and freely. For many in the West, this will mean giving more than 10%.

Jesus personally established the church while He was on earth to unite Christians as a spiritual family (read Matthew 16:17-18). Who was speaking when the words “I will build my church” were spoken?

The word church means “Called out ones.” The church is made up of people who have been called out to follow Jesus. The term church is used to refer to all believers but is more often used to denote a local group of believers.

“A Church is a group of Christians who assemble as an earthly embassy of Christ’s heavenly kingdom to proclaim the good news and commands of Christ the King to affirm on another as citizens through the ordinances and to display God’s own holiness and love through a unified and diverse people in all the world following the teaching and example of qualified church leaders.” -Modified definition from Rediscovering Church, why the Body of Christ is Essential by Collin Hansen & Jonathan Leeman

Why Be Faithful to a Church?

A church is a group of baptized believers who voluntarily covenant together for instruction, fellowship, worship, and service (See Acts 2:42-47)

Amazon.com: Nine Marks of a Healthy Church: 4th Edition (Audible Audio Edition): Mark Dever, Marcus Jackman, Crossway: Audible Books & Originals

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