Nuestra Esperanza Futura y la Venida del Señor – 1 Tesalonicenses 4:13-18

Posted on March 7, 2021 by eig

Tenemos una esperanza futura. Pero la mejor parte de esto es que nuestra esperanza futura es que el Señor regresará por nosotros y seremos parte del recogimiento (el rapto) de todos los creyentes de todos los tiempos (estemos aquí o no). Participaremos de la resurrección de los muertos cuando nuestros cuerpos se transformen a imagen de Cristo. Esta es nuestra esperanza futura en la segunda Venida de Cristo. El Señor Jesús prometió que volvería a llevarnos con él, para que donde él esté, también estuviéramos allí.

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Our Future Hope and the Coming of the Lord – 1 Thessalonians 3:11-18

Posted on March 7, 2021 by eig

We have a future hope. But the best part of this is that our future hope is the Lord coming back for us and how we will be part of the gathering of all believers of all time (whether we are here or not). We will partake of the resurrection from the dead when our bodies will be transformed in the image of Christ. This is our future hope in the second Coming of Christ.
The Lord Jesus promised he would come again to take us with him, so that where he is, we should be there too.

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Pleasing God by abstaining from Sexual Immorality

Posted on March 5, 2021 by eig

“For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality” 1 Thessalonians 4:3

God’s will for our lives is our “sanctification” and this involves that we abstain from sexual immorality.  The word “sanctification” is misused in our times. It does not mean being “holy” in the sense of being completely perfect and canonized (declared a saint by a religious institution). Sanctification is a process in which our lives increasingly align with God’s truth or is more like the Lord Jesus Christ. He is a mirror of perfection that we must look at. God’s will is for us to be ever more holy, more like Jesus.

This concept is taken by Paul of the Old Testament. Certain utensils, such as a chandelier, were used in the temple. Once that chandelier was taken (after it was made) and put in the temple, it could not be used anywhere else. Its use was exclusively for the temple. It was holy or dedicated only to God.

When the Lord saved us, He freed us and brought us out of the vain and meaningless way of living. He washed and cleansed us with his blood and dedicated us to Him. After this, our lives are dedicated only to Him. The problem is that we have attitudes and behaviors that we did before that were part of our previous way of living. We must be stripped of them to be more holy or dedicated to the Lord.

There are certain areas in our lives, common to all, that cause more temptation to us and if we practice them, don’t help us please God. One very obvious to all of us is the area of sexuality. It’s perhaps the most prevalent in our culture. It is the one that dominates it. Everything and everyone in our world is affected by sexuality. It affects everyone regardless of age because people learned it since childhood from everything around them. Sexual immorality is an epidemic that infiltrates every aspect of our lives.

The Thessalonians (and even more cultures before) also lived in a culture where sexual immorality was normalized in many ways as we see it even today in our culture. It was part of religious worship of the gods. Many of the believers in Thessalonaica, especially men who had more “freedom,” had come out of this culture, but it was still a daily danger because it appealed to their sinful desires.

The word “fornication” is “porneia” and is broad terms in its meaning. Its meaning implies premarital, extramarital (adultery), pornography and any sexual expression or diversion that does not involve a man and a woman within the bounds of marriage.

The Lord’s command in this area is to abstain. The word “abstain” means in the original, “to stay away, to avoid”. They had to avoid using self-control. But it is clear to the believer that self-control is the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). We cannot conquer our lustful desires and immorality with our efforts. It is not possible because we were born with a nature inclined to these desires.

The application for us is obvious. If you are a believer and you are practicing any of these immoral acts, the Lord commands you to stop doing so and abstain. This is not his will, nor does he approve it. Do not seek to rationalize it because there is no place for it in his will.

For the believer who has been taken out of the world of sin, God’s will is his concern. And the truth is that when God is taken out from people’s lives, God gives them  over to their own desires which lead to all kinds of moral deviation according to Romans 1. This opens the door to all kinds of immorality like the one we’re seeing in the United States right now. There’s no limit.

This should not surprise us. William Barclay said, “The new morality is only the old updated”.

Sexual immorality is not a sexual problem but a spiritual one. This is why the Lord tells us to abstain because it does not help us in our process of sanctification or being like Christ. Today there are “Christians” who have come to rationalize certain acts that are flatly rejected as a sin in Scripture. Their lives do not please God as long as they practice them because it is not their will. These people live lives having been swept away by the sexual current of this world that has normalized and legalized immorality. The world applauds them for their “spiritual progressiveness.” But before God the command will never cease to resound,

“this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality”

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Agradando a Dios absteniéndonos de la Inmoralidad Sexual

Posted on March 5, 2021 by eig

“pues la voluntad de Dios es vuestra santificación” 1 Tesaloncenses 4:3a

Parte de la voluntad de Dios para nuestra vida es nuestra “santificación”. Esta palabra es mal usada en nuestros tiempos. No significa ser “santo” en el sentido de ser completamente perfecto y canonizado.La santificación es un proceso en el cual mi vida cada vez más se va alineando a la verdad de Dios o se va asemejando más al Señor Jesucristo. El es espejo de la perfección que nosotros debemos mirar.
La voluntad de Dios es que seamos cada vez más santos.

Este concepto lo toma Pablo del Antiguo Testamento. En el templo se usaban ciertos utensilios, como por ejemplo un candelabro. Una vez ese candelabro se tomaba (después de elaborarlo) y se ponía en el templo, no podía ser usado en ningún otro lugar. Su uso era exclusivamente para el templo. Era santo o dedicado solo para Dios.

Cuando el Señor nos salvó, nos liberó y sacó de la vana y mala manera de vivir. Nos lavó y limpió con su sangre y nos dedico para Él. Después de esto, nuestra vida se dedica solo a Él. El problema es que tenemos actitudes y comportamientos que hacíamos antes que eran parte de nuestra manera de vivir anterior. Debemos ir despojándonos de ella para ser más santos o dedicados al Señor.

“que os apartéis de fornicación” v. 3b

Hay ciertas áreas en nuestras vidas, común a todos que son más tentación para nosotros y que si las practicamos no nos ayudan a agradar a Dios. Una de ellas muy patente para todos es en el área de la sexualidad. Es quizás la mas prevalente en nuestra cultura. Es la que domina y por la cual todo gira alrededor en nuestro mundo. Afecta a todos sin importar la edad porque las personas son adoctrinadas desde la infancia. La inmoralidad sexual es una epidemia que infiltra todos los aspectos de nuestras vidas.

Los Tesalonicenses (y las culturas aun de más antes) también vivían en una cultura donde la inmoralidad sexual era normalizada en muchas maneras como lo vemos aun hoy en nuestra cultura. Era aun parte de los cultos religiosos a los dioses. Muchos de los creyentes, especialmente hombres que tenían más “libertad”, habían salido de esta cultura pero aun era un peligro diario porque apelaba a sus deseos pecaminosos.

La palabra “fornicación” es “porneia” y es amplia en lo que se refiere. Su significado implica actos/relaciones sexuales premaritales, extramaritales (adulterio), pornografía y cualquier expresión o desvío sexual que no envuelve a un hombre y una mujer dentro del matrimonio.

El mandato del Señor en esta área es que se abstuvieran. La palabra “abstener” significa en el original, “mantenerse lejos, evitar”. Debían evitar usando auto control. Pero es claro para el creyente que el auto control es fruto del Espíritu Santo. No podemos conquistar nuestros deseos lujuriosos y la inmoralidad con nuestros esfuerzos. No es posible porque nacimos con una naturaleza viciada de los malos deseos.

La aplicación para nosotros es obvia. Si tu eres creyente y está practicando cualquiera de estos actos inmorales, el Señor te manda a que lo dejes de hacer y abstengas. Esto no es su voluntad, ni le agrada. No busques racionalizarlo porque no hay lugar para ello en su voluntad.

La inmoralidad sexual no es un problema sexual sino espiritual. Es por eso que el Señor nos dice que nos abstengamos porque no nos ayuda en nuestro proceso de santificación o ser como Cristo. Hoy día hay “cristianos” que han llegado a racionalizar ciertos actos que son rotundamente rechazados como pecado en la Escritura. Sus vidas no agradan a Dios mientras los practiquen porque no es su voluntad. Estas personas viven vidas que han sido arrastradas por la corriente sexual de este mundo que ha normalizado y legalizado la inmoralidad. El mundo les aplaude por su “progresividad espiritual”. Pero delante de Dios jamás dejará de resonar el mandato, “pues la voluntad de Dios es vuestra santificación que os apartéis de fornicación”. Puede escuchar/ver todo el sermón aquí.

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Perlita’s Baptism

Posted on March 2, 2021 by eig

Hace más o menos tres semanas me reuní con Perlita que consta de 16 años para hablar sobre el bautismo. Ella es la hija mayor de una familia que hace poco llegaron a ser parte de nuestra iglesia. Es una familia fiel al Señor. Perlita había indicado que quería bautizarse. Hablamos como una media hora sobre su fe en Cristo y porqué quería bautizarse. Ella me afirmó su fe en Cristo y su deseo de públicamente dar testimonio de su fe a través del bautismo. El bautismo estaba programado dos semanas atrás pero debido a la tormenta de nieve no pudimos hacerlo. Se llevó a cabo el domingo Febrero 28. Escuchar su testimonio es de mucho gozo.

About three weeks ago I met with Perlita, who is 16 years old to talk about baptism. She is the eldest daughter of a family that recently became part of our church. It is a family faithful to the Lord. Perlita had indicated that she wanted to be baptized. We talked about half an hour about her faith in Christ and why he wanted to be baptized. She affirmed to me her faith in Christ and her desire to publicly bear witness of her faith through baptism. Her baptism was scheduled two weeks ago, but because of the snowstorm we couldn’t do it. It was held on Sunday February 28. Listening to his testimony is of great joy.

Perlita (means “pearl”) getting baptized

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Praying consistently and Insistently

Posted on March 1, 2021 by eig

Praying consistently and insistently.

We can learn from the way Paul  prayed in general but specifically for others.  We see this in 1 Thessalonians. Often his prayers started with thankfulness and gratitude to God. Then he would move on to pray for others. How did he pray for the Thessalonians?

He (and his team) prayed for them consistently and insistently
“Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.” v. 10

What did he pray consistently and insistently to God for the Thessalonians? To be able to see them. “Pray” here means “to plead” “to request”. They pleaded or prayed to God consistently day and night for the Thessalonians. They were not just “mere” prayers. They did so with “insistence” which literally means “abundantly.” This indicates that they were not sporadic passive pleas but prayers that were intense and with great passion for them.  Satan had hindered them from going to see them, but this did not stop Paul from trying again and again and pray “day and night with great insistence. What an example for us in the way we pray!

He prayed that the would provide what they lacked in their faith.

The purpose of them wanting to see them, although it had a relational aspect, was more than that. They prayed not only that God would allow them to see them but that they could complete or provide what they lacked in their faith. Paul was not allowed to be with them any longer as he was prematurely removed from the city. The Thessalonians had believed but needed to be instructed or trained to live their faith in Christ. Paul did not pray that the Thessalonians would have a desire to be faithful, or to live as believers because they were already doing so. But they didn’t have the knowledge because of the lack of instruction. This is why Paul prayed to God for them, to be able to go and provide the instruction they needed for their faith.

Today there are many believers who lack maturity in their faith but it is not because there is no biblical instruction (although there is much bad teaching) but because they lack the desire to be faithful and firm believers. They live and are satisfied with spiritual mediocrity. This kind of faith cannot survive in times of affliction, trials, and suffering. This is why we ought to pray for others.

It is not very difficult for each of us who are believers to determine whether we need anything to strengthen our faith. We know, and we can do something if we want to. That’s exactly what discipleship has as its goal. The goal is to help you complete or supplement or instruct you in what is needed in your spiritual life for you to be a mature believer. If your desire is to grow spiritually, begin with prayer.

Paul prays for them as he is writing and elaborates more what he asks God on their behalf. He again reiterated that he prays that God would make a way for him to be able to see them (v. 11). He prays that their love would keep growing more and more (v. 12). The purpose of why he is asking this is stated in verse 13,

“May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” 

Paul prays that they would be completely firm in the Lord and completely dedicated to the Lord. He wants them to be ready for the day when Christ comes.

We can learn from Paul’s example in how we should be praying for others, not only the manner but what we should pray for others (this doesn’t take away praying for health and for other tangible things. It improves on that). You can begin using what Paul prayed by substituting a name of someone you know in the prayer below. Pray consistently and insistently. May this be a good beginning.

May he strengthen ____ hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

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Agradando a Dios en nuestra manera de Vivir – 1 Tesalonicenses 4:1-12

Posted on March 1, 2021 by eig

Pablo terminó el capítulo 3 con una oración a favor de los Tesalonicenses pidiendo que Dios les afirme completamente en el Señor para que puedan ser “irreprensibles en santidad delante de Dios nuestro Padre en la venid de nuestro Señor Jesucristo con todos sus santos” (v. 13). Ahora el comienza a recordarles o exhortarles (no es para corregir sino animar) específicamente lo que significa vivir una vida irreprensible y santa que agrada a Dios. No solo les recuerda, sino que les advierte que estos son mandatos del Señor, no hacerlo es rechazar a Dios mismo.

Pablo les exhorta que su manera de vivir debe agradar a Dios en tres áreas específicas (áreas morales, la ética moral de Dios). Debe ser una vida pura que mantiene su cuerpo puro, libre de la inmoralidad sexual que no hace daño (defrauda) a los hermanos y hermanas en Cristo. Es una vida que muestra amor fraternal unos a otros. Es una vida que procura tranquilidad, ocupada en el trabajo para sostén diario conduciéndose de una manera que se gana el honor de los “de afuera” que no son creyentes.

Estas pautas nos dan la moralidad de Dios para vivir nuestras vidas en este mundo. Al agradar a Dios en estas áreas, no solo se deleita Él en nosotros (y nosotros en Él al hacerlo) sino que nos da un testimonio creíble ante el mundo y obviamente nos prepara para la venida de nuestro Señor (del cual Pablo habla enseguida). Cuando no mostramos santidad de vida o la moralidad de Dios en estas áreas, nuestro testimonio ante el mundo es rechazado, y su nombre deshonrado. Debemos entender que daremos cuenta al Señor por esto.

Audio del Sermón

Preguntas de Aplicación

  1. ¿Estás manteniendo tu vida libre de la inmoralidad o tentación sexual? ¿Hay algo que te está atrapando o te tiene atrapado en tu cuerpo del cuál necesitas liberarte?
  2. ¿Cómo estás mostrando tu amor a otros? ¿Qué puedes hacer para abundar más en este amor?
  3. ¿Muestra tu vida tranquilidad y enfoque en tus asuntos personales? ¿Hay algo en tu vida que estás descuidando por alguna razón? ¿Trabajas arduamente y te conduces honradamente con los de afuera?
  4. Aparte de estas maneras que menciona Pablo, ¿cómo puedes agradar a Dios en tu manera de vivir?
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A Call to the Church – Hebrews 10:9-22

Posted on February 27, 2021 by eig
A Call to the Church

In this passage we find the author through the Holy Spirit, calling, reminding us of three things we as the church, we as believers, need to do.

The first one deals with worship and having a heart of faith when we approach God, the second with gripping firmly the hope of our confession and the third with promoting or inciting each other to love and good works in community.

 

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Encouraging your Pastor/Animando a tu Pastor

Posted on February 26, 2021 by eig

“For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 3:8

In a previous post I wrote about how Paul is encouraged to hear that the Thessalonian church was following the Lord faithfully as he had taught them. He cared and loved them and longed  to see them but he hadn’t been able to because of obstacles Satan put on his way. The Thessalonians reciprocated that love to Paul and his team. This encouraged Paul.

Pastors need encouragement. Of course, the best way is when “his” sheep are walking steadfast in the Lord and are bearing fruit (lives show growth). But they often don’t hear back how they are being helped spiritually from those they shepherd. It is helpful when they receive encouraging words from their parishioners.

I was reminded of this today when I read several comments that my parishioners made when they nominated me in a radio station for a pastor’s lunch. I was encouraged by their comments. I offer a translation below with the Spanish original.

Take some time to encourage your pastor by writing him a short note telling how you have been helped spiritually by his life and how much this means to you. If you are a pastor, be encouraged by the growth you see in your members. They may not say it, but they are grateful for you.

If you want to know more about the life of a pastor you can read a short post I wrote about my friend Jimmy who has been pastor for over 20 years.

“He is a pastor dedicated to God and his congregation, concerned with making disciples for the lord. A lover of reading and studying the word of God to teach it to his congregation with dedication.” 
“Es un pastor entregado a Dios y a su congregación, preocupado por hacer discípulos para el señor. Amante de la lectura y de estudiar la palabra de Dios para enseñársela a su congregación con dedicación.”

“He is very good and gives a very good preaching.”
“Es muy bueno y da unas prédica muy bien.”

“He gives us encouragement to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.”   
“Nos da ánimos para seguir en los pasos de Jesús Cristo.”

“The Pastor is always aware of our needs and very involved with our families.”
“El Pastor siempre está pendiente a nuestras necesidades y muy involucrado con nuestras familias.”

“¡Edgar da de sí mismo a la comunidad!” 
“Edgar gives himself to the community!”

“Excellent leader in our Church, his teachings are truly clear to enrich the life of the congregation. He is a good disciple. I love that not only that he is but focuses on being him and making disciples for Christ. Excellent human being theologically enriched to be able to carry his flock on God’s ways.”

“Excelente líder en nuestra Iglesia, sus enseñanzas son realmente claras para enriquecer la vida de la congregación. Es un buen discípulo me encanta que no solo lo es sino que se enfoca en serlo y hacer discípulos para Cristo. Excelente ser humano enriquecido teológicamente para poder llevar su rebaño por los caminos de Dios.”

“I nominate my pastor Edgar Galdámez because he has helped me to be a person who has lead me to live a Christ-centered life. He pushes me not to stay in my comfort zone. He is a leader who is passionate about everything he cares for the kingdom of God. You can tell because I know it bothers you when we don’t take things seriously. I know you care about my spiritual life and my family’s. He’s a good shepherd.”

“Yo nomino a mi pastor Edgar Galdámez porque él me a ayudado a ser una persona que lleve una vida Cristo céntrica. Él me empuja a no mantenerme en mi zona de comfort. Él es un líder que es apasionado en todo lo que hace para el reino de Dios. Se nota porque sé que le molesta cuando no tomamos las cosas en serio. Sé que se preocupe por mi vida espiritual y por la de mi familia. Él es un buen pastor.”

“He cares about his flock, he feeds us very well with the word of God. He is very focused on the Great Commission. He seeks that we receive the word in our hearts. He is an excellent Shepherd and a great human being.”

“Se preocupa por su rebaño, nos alimenta muy bien con la palabra de Dios, está muy enfocado en la Gran Comisión, procura que recibamos la palabra en nuestros corazones, es un excelente Pastor y un gran ser humano.”

“My pastor deserves to be nominated for many reasons: he is a man to which the Lord uses to convey his word, a man who prepares and knows the word God. He preaches the gospel, pure gospel and not adulterated! because he is real, transparent and the Lord uses it to confront my life and that of many.”

“Mi pastor merece se nominado por muchas razones: el es un hombre al que el señor usa para transmitir su palabra, un hombre que se prepara y conoce la palabra Dios. Él predica el evangelio, evangelio puro y no adulterado! porque el es real, transparente y el señor lo usa para confrontar mi vida y la de muchos.”

 

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Encouraged by the Faith of others

Posted on February 25, 2021 by eig

Encouraged by the Faith of others

In 1 Thessalonians 2:7 we find that Paul is encouraged by this good news of the Thessalonians faith.
“For this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.” (ESV)

Paul was encouraged, by the faith of his brothers and sisters in Christ. The fact that they remained faithful to the Lord was of encouragement to him. Their faith was an encouragement to him in the midst of the “distress and affliction” they experienced. The word “distress” means “affliction” which is a reference to difficulties that came to them for sharing the gospel. In addition to this, tribulations (“afflictions”) came to oppress them. Both words refer to the tribulations Paul and his team went through in the different places where they shared the gospel.

For Paul, the fact that the “brothers” whom he and his team had led Christ remained faithful to the Lord was of encouragement. This was not only because he loved them, but because their desire was for them to stand firm in the Lord. Their work in their midst was not in vain.

People who work with their hands know that when they complete something there is some joy and satisfaction after it. It’s something that makes us feel good. It helps us see that our work is worth it. Much more is the spiritual area. Investing in people spiritually is invaluable. When believers grow in faith, it gives us encouragement. It makes us feel good. It motivates us to continue faithful and keeps us doing the work God has commanded us to do.

“For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 3:8

Paul and his team were not only encouraged by the faith of the Thessalonians but were also revived because they remained “firm in the Lord.” The Thessalonians firmness in the Lord motivated Paul and made him feel revitalized or revived. Let us remember that Paul was worried and even perhaps in low spirits for them as he knew nothing of how they were doing spiritually. But the good news of their steadfastness in the Lord he received from Timothy, rekindled him.

This must be the case for all of us. Does it encourage us that other believers are steadfast in the Lord? And does it affect us that other believers are not steadfast in the Lord? It should.

“If you” should be translated “as you are” “standing fast in Lord”. Paul is not questioning but affirming that they were steadfast in the Lord and should remain steadfast in the Lord.

The word “firmness” means “constant or stable”. Consistency or stability in the Lord is necessary to grow spiritually. We cannot move forward without this constancy and stability in Him. This firmness is in “the Lord” not in another person, nor in human efforts. The Bible is clear that an inconsistent person is unstable in all his ways.

The Thessalonians, despite the trials and tribulations they were experiencing, remained steadfast in the Lord. Even after this letter, the Thessalonians continued to experience tribulations but remained steadfast. Paul writes them a second letter praising their faith:

“Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.” 2 Thess. 1:4

Our firmness in the Lord encourages others. We should not think that our faith exists only for personal benefit. Our firmness in the Lord helps others, especially at times when not everything is going well in our lives but we remain steadfast. If you are married, your firmness or lack of firmness affects your family. A husband who is not firm in the Lord will not help or encourage his family to follow the Lord. The same goes if the wife isn’t firm in the Lord.

How can we stand firm, constant, stable in the Lord? Seeking Him and knowing Him more. The more we know Him, the closer we are to Him, the more dependent on Him we’ll be. We also need to create spiritual habits to seek the Lord daily through prayer and personal study of Scripture, and we need others to help us. This is what we call discipleship. This is our mission as the church.

How are you staying constant and firm in the Lord? Is your life in Christ firm and steadfast and worthy to be imitated by others?

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