A Quick Look at Jeremiah 32:6-8 as it Regards Guidance

This post is more intended as a thinking-out-loud post rather than a dogmatic one, but recently as I waslistening to a preacher mention these verses and read them I was struck by a thought of how these verses can overturn some misconceptions people sometimes have concerning God speaking to us. Jer. 32:6-8 Jeremiah said, "The word of the LORD came to me: Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, 'Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.' Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the LORD, and said to me, 'Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.' Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. It should be noted that this all took place in the tenth year of Zedekiah that these events took place and thus it was near the end after more than 20 years as a prophet that this happened. Jeremiah receives a word concerning an event that would happen that day, and the impression that he should buy this field. It was a sign because at the time of this purchase the city was in the middle of a siege which the next year would result in its total ruin. Jeremiah’s purchase was showing his own faith that what he had foretold concerning the return after 70 years would be fulfilled, literally putting his money where his mouth was. What I would like to focus on in this portion, though, is the way he handled this word. Jeremiah had a word come to him which he believed was from God. It contained specific details of what would happen. Having received the word the details then occurred, and Jeremiah was confirmed in the course of action he should take, and also knew beyond all doubt that the word was from God, writing, “Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.” This shows us that even experienced prophets do not always know that every impression they feel is from God is from God. Jeremiah received what he believed to be a word from God and yet he waited to see the details line up before he said anything to anyone. If you read this portion of Scripture it seems that Jeremiah is alerting Baruch to this event right after the fact. It was only after the prediction came to pass that Jeremiah knew (infallibly) that this was the word of God. Thus even prophets should wait and ponder words of personal guidance to see if events match their impression and then they will know what is God’s word, which is tried seven times, and what is mere human impression. People sometimes think that prophets have an automatic infallible ear, but Jeremiah only knew that it was God’s word to him when he saw it coming to pass. Practically this should be a test that we subject our own things we feel God speaking to us to, namely, if it contains certain events or details, do they come to pass? It is wise to hold our peace when we feel something and lay it before the Lord, if it is of Him it will work out, if not we can be sure it was our own idea. Afterwards we can mention it to others even as Jeremiah did. May God guide us until death and receive us to glory! Amen.

Lips overflowing with Grace

Psalm 45, one of the Messianic Psalms written for Solomon but looking beyond him to Christ reads in verse 2, “You are the fairest of the sons of men; grace is poured into Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever.” The thought is contained that not only is grace poured into the lips of the Messiah, but that this grace overflows and pours out from His lips. Christ was able to answer all people at all times with grace, He was able to bridle His tongue and was thus truly the perfect Man (James 3:2). In this post I would like to look at just how Christ showed lips of grace, so that we can see how far we often fall short of it and learn to be like Him. Since what a man is truly like is most often manifest in times of difficulty – George Washington was a man of very guarded temper, yet he forgot himself at Monmouth and when first hearing of St. Clair's debacle and these two instances are the only times when he was ever known to swear. Even the Apostle Paul did not always respond perfectly in his tests as we will see later here, but Christ shows His divinity in that the harder the trial the more admirable was His speech. I would like to look at a few instances in Christ's life now and if nothing else we will learn why the inhabitants of heaven cannot help but cry, “worthy is the Lamb!” 1. How He handled betrayal Christ's response to Judas in the garden is amazing. While He had spoken strong words of warning to him in the upper room prior to the betrayal (Matt. 26:21-24) perhaps as a last measure to save his soul or at least leave him without excuse, yet in the garden His response could not be more mild. He does not revile him, but instead gives the most mild expostulation possible, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” Judas is that really what you are capable of, to use the closest sign of friendship as a sign of betrayal? There was no vindictiveness or rancour in Christ's behavior to Judas, but rather sorrow for who Judas was – what he had willingly become. 2. How He responded to gross injustice The trials of Jesus are interesting if for no other reason than that they show a total and complete disregard for law. The two legal systems that antiquity passed on to modern society and are recognized as most just are the Jewish and Roman, and both legal systems were entirely set aside by the judges in Christ's trial. Roman law required strictness of accusation. If a man was tried it had to be for a specific offense, at a specific time, yet when Pilate asked what charge was to be brought against Christ he received a reply that would have been grounds for dismissal in any ordinary trial, “If he were not an evildoer, we would not have brought Him here” (John 18:30). Other anomalies of this Roman trial include but are not limited to: pronouncing a not guilty verdict but not releasing the prisoner but instead offering Him in an exchange; followed by another not guilty verdict, and a flogging; and finally a third not guilty verdict resulting in the crucifixion. Christ's demeanor through all of this was outstanding. Actually He was not the one on trial, it was the whole world system and all its hypocrisy and time serving that was on trial and it and its ministers were found sorely wanting as the came up close to the Judge of all who brings forth His righteousness every morning. Prior to the Roman trial (in this small post we will not be examining the minor trial before Herod, which was really Pilates first hand-washing attempt) were the Jewish trials. These were likewise highly improper by Jewish law. The most notable irregularities involve the timing and secrecy of the trial (night time trials and secret trials were unheard of, because it was necessary that witnesses be able to come forward, this was especially true in regard to capitol crimes). Another major irregularity involves Christ being asked directly concerning His doctrine. All legal proceedings in following Mosaic law required two or three witnesses, and unlike in Roman law, torture and intimidation could not be used to extort a confession. It is from this Mosaic legal basis that the United States gets its fifth ammendment in the bill of rights. Yet Christ was directly questioned concerning His teachings in a deliberate attempt to trap Him in His words, was given no advocate, and had the judge also playing the part of prosecutor. When He brought attention to the illegality of the proceedings and requested that witnesses be produced to His words since He had never taught secretly, He was struck on the face. At this point Christ shows His divine dignity, rather than becoming rightly indignant, as even the Apostle Paul later did in a similar situation (Acts 23:1-3), He merely asks that if He had said something wrong let it be shown Him. After the false witnesses had been produced and had contradicted each other without suffering the ordinary consequences, Christ as the faithful and true Witness indicted Himself by His response to the oath of the High Priest, because to not come forward at that point would have been sin (Lev. 5:1). Through all of His trial He shows Himself to be above reproach in everything He did. While Paul had to apologize for his outburst, though it was honestly deserved, Christ kept His composure throughout His longer and even more unjust ordeal. 3. His Words to the Mourning Women Another amazing outflowing of grace from the lips of Christ is found in His address to the women who were customarily mourning for His death, because He was dying without offspring. He looked beyond His own suffering of the time, which had included a merciless flogging and beaten face, and plucked out beard, and had compassion for what His people who had rejected Him would endure, saying, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?" (Luke 23:28-31). Furthermore Christ while on the cross asked for forgiveness for those who killed Him, and welcomed the first penitent sinner, who had formerly reviled Him into His kingdom. All of these acts of grace flowed out in His time of greatest anguish. May God grant that we also are able to show a small measure of the grace that poured from Christ's lips in our own speech. Amen.

Hannah

Hannah was a remarkable woman, who became the mother of an even more remarkable son – Samuel, who carried the nation of Israel from the end of the time of the judges into the reign of their first king and the anointing of the second king. The story of Hannah does not start with a promise instead it starts with a problem. 1Sa 1:1-2 “There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.” Hannah was barren. This was a horrible reproach in those times, and in Hannah’s case one made worse by the behavior of her husband’s other wife. Hannah’s character is seen in that instead of retaliating at the insults, she went to the Lord. Yet emotionally this trial was very difficult for her, and she was so vexed that she would not eat. Clearly this was a problem and a need. Yet there is a greater need here than may be readily apparent. God had a need. He needed a prophet. The word of the Lord was rare in those days and the priests were leading the people into sin instead of into the knowledge of God’s ways. God’s burden was for the whole nation and carried into account the succeeding generations, at this point all Hannah was interested in was a son. Scripture tells us that God had closed Hannah’s womb (v. 6). So this trial was not caused by sin or the devil or anything else. It was brought about by God to bring Hannah into a place where instead of just carrying her own burden she begins to catch a glimpse of God’s burden. As the years pass by Hannah becomes more desperate, eventually she is so overcome with her need that she vows to give the son back to the Lord and have him consecrated as a Nazarite from birth. This is what God was waiting for. Hannah did not say these things lightly, she was actually so emotionally wrought as she was praying that the high priest, Eli thought she was drunk. Again Hannah’s character is shown in how she handles being misunderstood. When she could have been very angry at what happened, and even offended, she mildly explains herself to Eli (v. 15-16). Eli then pronounces a blessing upon her. At this point Hannah manifests a rest of faith, having received the word of God from the priest, she went home with a cheerful face and ate. Emotionally she came to peace by resting in God’s promise even though nothing had changed at all. Lastly Hannah fulfilled her vow to the Lord after Samuel was born. After she did that, God granted her even more children. To sum up the points I see in Hannah’s life to emulate if we want to see our prayers answered: 1. Take you burden to God 2. If He requires something from you give it, don’t just ask for your own needs, meet His and others needs 3. Do not become offended if you are misunderstood 4. If God speaks rest in His Word 5. Fulfill what you have promised unto the Lord in your distress May God give us all hearts like Hannah’s. Amen

A Few Thoughts on the Kenosis of Christ

The Kenosis of Christ is a theological term referring to His emptying of Himself to assume humanity. It is based on Philippians 2:5-9 “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name…” Sometimes people wonder how this emptying affected the divine attributes, especially omnipresence and omniscience. I at one time had a misconception myself, or at least had never fully realized Christ’s continual omnipresence as to His Godhead, until I was reading and saw John 3:13 quoted and saw that my understanding had been somewhat vague before (this is the difference between error and heresy, anyone can have an honest error, it is the holding to that error when the truth is straightforwardly shown that makes heresy). John 3:13 "No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven.” Having read this it became apparent to me that Christ was saying to Nicodemus that while He was talking to him, He was also in heaven! Clearly this emptying of Himself had nothing to do with His omnipresence, though of course He was present in a special sense in His physical body. The attribute that people wonder about the most though is the omniscience of Christ. Christ clearly showed superhuman knowledge in much of His life, with His conversation with the woman at the well (John 4:17-18) and His knowledge of Nathanael (John 1:47-51). This is consistent and easy to understand. The question arises when we encounter some other Scriptures, most especially in Matthew 24:36, where Christ says concerning His second coming, "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” If Christ does not know this was He therefore not omniscient when He was in the flesh? At first glance it might appear so, but that may rest on a faulty understanding of omniscience. God is omniscient and yet the fact that He does not remember our sins is not said to prejudice His omniscience. This is because His forgetting of sins is an act of His will based on our repentance and not a diminution of His faculty (in the same shutting my eyes may cause not to see, but it does not make me blind). In the same way could it not be said that there were some things which Christ chose not to know without prejudice to His omniscience, just as He only did what He saw the Father doing, though He remained all-powerful. This act of the will makes sense in that we all know that there are times that we are aware of things and yet choose to not focus on them and even remove them from our mind. That this was the state of Christ in the flesh is hinted at in Isaiah 42:19-20, which refers to Isaiah first as the servant, but beyond him looking to Christ, “Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as my dedicated one, or blind as the servant of the LORD? He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear.” Christ apparently willed to only know what the Father revealed to Him. This particular attribute of the kenosis has practical value, because in placing His understanding and knowledge entirely under what the Father desired to give Him, Christ overcame the natural human temptation which lead to the fall – the seeking of forbidden knowledge apart from God and in competition with Him. It is this perverse curiosity that causes people to dabble in the occult, and become involved in all sorts of evil. It also leads many Christians astray as they desire to know what God has not revealed and become open to anything that seems to be a revelation. We as humans desire to know, whether it is worthwhile knowledge or not, this is why tabloids sell. Yet there are many things in life we do not really need to know. Christ showed Himself to be the consummate man if for no other reason than that He was able to rely totally on the knowledge of His Father, and in this as in all things He is our pattern. May we cultivate the attitude seen in Psalm 131 “ A Song of Ascents. Of David. O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.” O Lord You know and that is enough! There are many questions I have in my own life right now, and while I believe God will supply some of the answers in His time, for now I can only say, “Lord You know and that is enough.” May God grant us all contentment in what we do not understand and a solid trust in Him in all things. Amen.

Thoughts On How Solomon's Court Case Applies To Our Own Ministries

The story of Solomon's court case is very well known, even by unbelievers. I would like to look at it again though and perhaps draw out applications of it to our own lives and ministries.

1Ki 3:16-28 Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. The one woman said, "Oh, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house. Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. And we were alone. There was no one else with us in the house; only we two were in the house. And this woman's son died in the night, because she lay on him. And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast. When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, he was dead. But when I looked at him closely in the morning, behold, he was not the child that I had borne." But the other woman said, "No, the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours." The first said, "No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine." Thus they spoke before the king. Then the king said, "The one says, 'This is my son that is alive, and your son is dead'; and the other says, 'No; but your son is dead, and my son is the living one.'" And the king said, "Bring me a sword." So a sword was brought before the king. And the king said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other." Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death." But the other said, "He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him." Then the king answered and said, "Give the living child to the first woman, and by no means put him to death; she is his mother." And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.

This story is interesting for several reasons. It shows many things about human nature in general but also shows us something of the true heart of a mother, which is actually a reflection of the heart of God.

Initially there is the dispute over whose child is the living one. Both women desire the living child. One desired it because it was hers by natural birth, the other also desired the child probably to assuage the grief caused by the loss of her own and to remove the reproach of having lost her child from her by placing on someone else. In the same way if we are Christians, especially Christians with a ministry, we desire to see blessing and fruit for our labours. This is natural and not wrong, those who sow should do so in hope, but often God requires a certain attitude before He will give the blessing.

When the case came before Solomon, he used his God-given wisdom to show which claim was just. In his command to divide the child he was bringing out the strongest motive of each heart. The false mother wanted the child alive as long as it would be hers, but if it could not be hers she would have her half and see it destroyed. The true mother would have the child live, she wanted it to be hers, but it would be better to have it live, even if it never owned her as its mother, but instead considered itself another's. It was this attitude that showed Solomon who the true mother was and gained her the child.

Many times Christians pray for revival, for multiplication, and for the extension of God's kingdom. This is good, but often the motive is not as much God's glory, but that we might ourselves be vindicated and blessed. The difference in the two women was not what they desired, but why they desired it. The false mother desired the child for her selfish motives. The true mother desired the child for a mixture of motives, but when push came to shove the only thing that mattered was the life of the child, even if she lost it, so long as it lived. This is the attitude that God blesses, a desire to see Him move even if He uses others and not us, even if on this side of eternity our prayer and efforts remain unnoticed. This is the heart of a mother, to put the child first. It is also something deep in God's heart, the God who gives breath to all, even those who do not acknowledge Him and even fight against Him. He sends His rain on the good and the evil, for their benefit, not for His own.

It is this attitude that was in the heart of David when he fled from Absolom, and refused to let the ark go with him, because he placed his fate in God's hands, but regardless of what happened to him, he would not have the people deprived of God's presence (2 Sam. 15:24-26). This is also an attitude seen in those whom God has used in past revivals, one notable example, by no means unique, is Count Zinzendorf, who was determined to benefit the Church of Christ as a whole and not his own enclave. He often sent converts of the Moravians into other local churches. If anything his fault was in trying so hard to encourage other groups that his own did not grow as much, and yet the God alone knows all the good that was accomplished through the Moravians, specifically because of their willingness to grow God's kingdom and not their own segment of it. May God grant us the same heart!

Why Christ will not return on May 21st

I don't usually do too much teaching on the Second Coming of Christ. This is not because it is not an important subject or because I do not believe I know at least some of the answers to the questions that must be answered. Mostly it is because I feel that personal preparedness is more important than exact doctrinal understanding. Doctrinal understanding can encourage us to be prepared, but there are many who may have right understanding and yet still be unprepared, also there may be some who lack correct doctrinal understanding, but whose relationship with Christ still makes them prepared for whatever may come. Having heard a friend of mine asking about Christ returning on May 21^st I decided it was time to show why this is not possible, and hopefully to prevent young Christians from being shaken in their faith when yet another prediction fails.

As we look at this the most important thing is to remember is that it is not just doctrinal knowledge that we need but a relationship with Christ. This is true not only in light of the end-times, but in everything. Our understanding can be flawed in many ways and yet we can still be saved by Christ. Indeed when I look at some men, such as Charles Finney and George Fox, I see some really strange ideas that could have totally made a shipwreck of their lives, yet even some of their wrong ideas were held in check to a large degree by their relationship with Christ. We should never mistake the light given in doctrine for the source of light. We can all err in many things, but the Light of the World can show us and even restrain us in spite of our miscomprehension. So our focus should be on pleasing Him and He can handle the future, even if we misinterpret it.

With that written I would like to look now at events which must take place before Christ's second coming and the rapture.

1. Wars, Earthquakes and other calamities

We see these calamities happening now, and they will intensify. They are prelude to the end, but Christ specifically prophesied that they would come, but that the end was not yet.

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. (Matt. 24:6-8).

 

And he said, "See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is at hand!' Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. (Luke 21:8-11).

 

As we see these earth changing events unfold, we should remember two things. First they are not a surprise to God. Second they are not the end that is still to come. The judgments we have seen in the last decade have been enormous, and yet if we believe Christ we must say that worse is still to come.

 

We need to seriously take stock of ourselves as we view these things. We are surprised at the multitudes that are destroyed in one disaster, the tsunami in Sumatra for example, many of whom were eternally lost. Yet we forget, or choose not to acknowledge, that on a normal day without any high profile disasters, thousands still die and slip into hell. If these events actually mobilize Christians to be serious about our mission, and result in salvation to many who otherwise might perish eternally than even these disasters will be worthwhile in the ultimate end, and whatever disruption, discomfort, suffering and even danger they cause to Christians will be actually a blessing.

 

2. Wide spread persecution and apostasy

 

This has yet to happen. How far it is in the future only God knows, but it is coming. There are nations where Christians are being persecuted now, but Christ referred to world-wide persecution.

 

"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Matt. 24:9-13).

 

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion (apostasy) comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? (2 Thess. 2:1-5).

 

The apostle Paul elaborates more on what form this falling away will take in 1 Tim. 4:1-3, 2 Tim. 3:1-5, and 2 Tim. 4:3-4. This corruption of Christian life and doctrine is necessary to bring the iniquity of the false church to completion. In addition to declension from the faith, the false church will also be actively involved in the persecution of the true church (Rev. 17:3-6).

 

Yet Peter encourages the true Christians to continue to fervently love each other even in the midst of this cooling of the love of many (1 Pet. 1:22, 4:7-8). In the midst of all the defection and sin abounding it will be easy to let our love grow cold and to cease to care for others, but as Christians our love must come from God, and continue to pour out in spite of the failings and faults we see.

 

3. The preaching of the Gospel in all the world

 

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations (ethnos), and then the end will come. (Matt. 24:14).

 

Lest we think that the end times will be all gloom and doom, it is important to remember that the best times are yet ahead as well. It when the church suffers that the glory rests upon her (1 Pet. 4:12-14). It is God's sworn intention that His glory will fill the earth (Num. 14:21; Hab. 2:14). This will be done through the church. The glory will exceed by far anything seen in the Old Testament in the same way that a permanent building is far more valued than a temporary structure (2 Cor. 3:7-11). If the Old Testament which was temporary and intended to be superseded saw dramatic miracles and wonders, shall not the New Testament church which is to remain. Haggai prophesied that the glory of the latter house (the second temple) would be greater than the former (Solomon's temple) (Hag. 2:9), this referred to the presence of Christ in that temple and the raising up of the Church which must supersede all the glory manifest in Solomon's temple.

 

Before the return of Christ the fullness of the Gentiles must come in (Rom. 11:25). This will take place after the former and latter rain have come (James 5:7). The former or early rain softened the ground for planting, the late or latter rain ripened the crop for harvest. Joel prophesied that both would be given in the first month, together (Joel 2:23). Thus you would have a rapid sowing and maturing of the crop, this is prophesied in Amos 9:11-13, and verse 11-12 was specifically quoted as applicable to the church in Acts 15:16-17. There have been scattered instances of some of these things in certain locales at certain times in history, but it must happen on a global scale to prepare the Church for Christ's return. The fact that Christ is returning for a Bride without spot or wrinkle (2 Pet. 3:9-15; Eph. 5:26-27; Rev. 19:7-8) tells us that His return is not yet, to give us time to prepare, and we desperately need a fresh outpouring of His Spirit to iron out our wrinkles and remove our spots.

 

4. The appearance of the antichrist and rebuilt temple

 

"So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. (Matt. 24:15-20).

 

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? (2 Thess. 2:1-5).

 

The Bible has a lot more to say about the antichrist, which might be a subject of a later post, but for now I will only mention that he is not here now. Revelation tells us that he is a man who has lived before and will return from the pit.

 

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come (Rev. 17:8).

 

And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. (Rev. 13:2-3).

 

It is thus folly to predict that any living man is the antichrist. There are many antchristian leaders in the world, but the antichrist won't sneak in, he will very visible when he comes.

 

Another indicator given by Christ which is important in regards to the appearing of the antichrist is the rebuilding of the temple. This has not yet happened, but the 2004 reconvening of the sanhedrin, with one stated goal as rebuilding the temple shows that times are drawing closer. One note on this temple, it may not require the demolition of the dome of the rock, because there is some ambiguity as to where the Holy of Holies actually stood on the Temple Mount. Things will become clearer as events progress. Things may take decades or years, but all in God's timing it will unfold.

 

5. The Great Tribulation

 

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matt. 24:29-31).

 

I realize this is not a popular teaching in the Church today, but Christ is unambiguous here. His elect are gathered to Him after the tribulation. The noun form of the verb used for gather in Matt. 24:31 is what Paul uses in 2 Thess. 2:1 for our gathering unto Him at His second coming. These are referring to the same event.

 

The fact that Christians will be on the earth during the tribulation can be shown by several Scriptures:

 

"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and worries of life, and that Day come upon you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, praying always that you may be counted worthy to escape everything that is about to happen, and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-36).

 

Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those that dwell upon the earth. (Rev. 3:10).

 

If all Christians are to be kept from the great tribulation than these promises and warnings make no sense. Furthermore both Daniel and Revelation state as plainly as possible that the antichrist will kill Christians.

 

And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time. (Daniel 11:33-35).

 

Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. (Daniel 12:10-12).

 

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name."Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!" (Rev. 14:9-13).

 

Notice these saints are specifically said to have faith in Jesus! These are not Jews. This is seen again in Revelation 12, where the language is symbolic, but it is clearly taught that there is one company caught up to the throne of God (v5 – the male child), another that is hidden in the wilderness (v6 the woman), and a third group that are persecuted (v17 the rest of her offspring).

 

Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. (Rev. 12:17).

 

Notice that these cannot be Jews, because the Jews do not have a Testimony of Jesus until they are restored at His Second Coming. Clearly these are Christians!

 

To finish this long post I should mention the element of the pre-tribulation rapture theory that bothers me the most. That is the interpretation of 2 Thess. 2:6-7 as the removal of the Holy Spirit from the earth along with the Church for the duration of the tribulation. This interpretation is seriously flawed. If the Holy Spirit is gone from the earth, then in what power are these saints enduring martyrdom? Even assuming, as the theory demands, that these are special "tribulation saints" and not ordinary Christians as an unbiased reading of the passage would indicate, do you honestly believe that man unaided by the empowering Spirit can withstand a persecution far worse than anything that pagan Rome ever perpetrated? We know and have seen in history what the Spirit of God can do in His people in the midst of persecution and it is what Christ promised in Luke 21:12-15, "I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict." However there never has, and I can confidently say, never will be anyone overcoming the devil in his own power and strength, during the tribulation or at any other time. If we can only stand in our minor struggles now in the power of the Holy Ghost do we honestly believe that others will be able to overcome the devil in his greatest time of power in their own strength? To think so is borderline blasphemy!

 

Since I clearly reject the Pre-tribulation rapture interpretation of those verses I should offer my own. First let me give two versions of the Bible that translate them in a slightly different way from the majority.

 

And now you know the thing holding back, for him to be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness already is working, only he is holding back now, until it comes out of the midst (2 Thess. 2:6-7 LITV).

 

And now you know that which is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will continue until one comes out of the midst (EMTV).

 

Notice that in both these translations, there is one restraining until something comes out of the midst, not until something is removed out of the way. The Greek could be rendered either way. If this translation is allowed then it is the Holy Spirit restraining the mystery of lawlessness, until it is time for it to fully come forth. Lawlessness has been working for centuries, but it has been set back many times. The Wesleyan Revival brought England back from the abyss of anarchy in its day. The evil of the roaring '20's was met by the great depression and WWII which effectively recalled nations to God for a time. Yet there will come a time when the mystery of lawlessness will be fully allowed to manifest itself and once it has the antichrist will come. Even now lawlessness is accelerating in the world. People call for liberty but many of them really want license, and lawlessness. It is not tyranny they oppose, but any moral restraint at all. God may restrain this again, but if He does not this spirit will result in the manifestation of the antichrist. When it does, may God's people endure and overcome in His strength and power! Amen.

 

 

Being Sent

Recently I was teaching on the book of Romans and coming to chapter 10, I was struck by the importance of being sent.
For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. - Romans 10:13-17

Many times we use this passage to emphasize the importance of preaching to spread the Gospel and that is valid and important. Really, though, to start at preaching is to forget the first link in the chain – which is being sent. John the Baptists ministry begins as stated in John 1:6, “there was a man sent from God…” The message He preached which opened the hearts of many to receive the coming Christ – so much so that many of Christ’s disciples started by following John and some of the seeds he sowed were still bearing fruit 20 years or more after his death (Acts 18:24-19:5). All of this was made possible because he was sent from God.

In order to be sent from God one must first be with God. John’s message was received in his time with God and he went in God’s power because in a real sense he was sent from God. Isaiah’s largest portion of ministry followed his having an encounter with God and being sent from Him (Isaiah 6). It is as a message is received from God in our time spent with Him that we can be sent with it out into the world.

Looking at history even secularists see fitted men with tailor-made messages for the times that they lived in. The Reformation was the result of a man with a message – Luther with justification by faith – prepared for his age and with circumstances to aid in its spread all prepared by God – in this case the invention of the printing press and the invasion of the Turks are the two main ones.

In the midst of the dissolution of the Roman Empire and barbarian invasion, men like Salvian were sent to reprove the sins that brought God’s judgment, and to bring a message of hope that as the Gospel was planted in these new nations it could bring more fruit than it had in the Roman Empire. In so doing he not only fulfilled a need in his own day, but supplied pulpit material for generations of French preachers, including Bossuet and Saurin.

In his youth, John Wesley was the inheritor of two previous generation’s prayers and burden for revival, and strove to preach and live rightly, but it was only after his own personal experience of the saving power of Christ that he was made fit to be sent in the true sense and when he was sent the results began to follow. It is also worth noting that shortly before his conversion experience his father had told him on his deathbed to seek for the assurance that is God’s gift to the saved and to seek until he had it, he then told Charles Wesley that though he would not see the revival he had long prayed for, yet Charles would. Sometimes the hopes and prayers of several generations can be awaiting the man who will meet with God and be sent from Him.

The word we often translate as “sent” is apostello in Greek, which has the thought of not only being sent out but also being separated. Paul could write In Romans 1:1 that he was set apart for the Gospel of God. To be sent in the fullness of the meaning of that word, implies a wholehearted giving of oneself to the mission with which one is entrusted. John’s sending involved not only preaching, but also a lifestyle unique to him (not prone to be imitated either) that reinforced the message he preached. Paul’s lifestyle also opened doors for him as he was willing to be a Jew to Jews and a Gentile to the Gentiles. To be truly sent thus involves more than even obtaining the right message from God and being willing to speak it, but also living in a way that drives the message home and opens the hearts of the hearers. The Hebrew prophets of old, especially Hosea, Isaiah and Ezekiel, were their message in many instances, and more modern men like Hudson Taylor have done similar things in comparatively recent times.

Let us be sent so that we may preach. As we preach people may hear, and as they hear they may believe. As they believe they will respond, and we will see a harvest. May God send forth labourers into His vineyard! Amen.

Maturity found in being lead by God

When Jesus restored Peter at the sea of Galilee, He told him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go" (John 21:18). In saying this Jesus showed among other things that one of the marks of Christian maturity is found in a pliable yielding to the leading of the Lord. We are lead by another yet, we stretch out our hands to acquiesce to the leading.

This same thought is repeated by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:14, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons (huios – mature sons) of God.” The more we are lead by the Spirit of the Lord and the more we easily yield to His influence the more mature we are in the Christian walk.

Again this can be compared to Ezekiel’s vision of the river (Ezekiel 47:1-5) with the water to the ankles being analogous to salvation, the knees to water baptism and a beginning to walk in the footsteps of Christ, the waters to the waist could be compared to the baptism of the Holy Spirit where the current and flow of the river is more felt than before, the final phase is waters to swim in which will take you along with them even as you swim in them. This is one of the promises of the New Covenant as see in Ezekiel 36:26-27, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

May God grant that we each day grow more and more pliable in His hands as we are lead by His Spirit! Amen.

Thoughts on Romans 5:10

"For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."

 

As I was reading through Romans again in preparation to teach on it this coming February, I came across this verse which somehow had never fully caught my attention before. Often as believers we have a good focus on what happened at the death of Christ and on the atonement that was accomplished there, but not only is the fact of the resurrection crucial in showing that Christ was indeed the Son of God, but His life saves us.

 

It is as the ever-living High Priest that He can continually intercede for us before the Father and by virtue of this and His once-for-all offering make us perfect and present us so before the Father (Heb. 7:24-25; 10:14; Jude 1:24).

 

We all have received physical life because of our descent from the first Adam who was made a living soul. By our natural birth we have a life like his enabling us to think, talk, move, and act. More importantly though, when we are born again we receive life form the second Adam who is a life-giving spirit (1 Cor. 15:45) - Our spiritual nature is made alive through Him and the whole of our being is enlivened. Even as we indisputably bear the marks of descent from Adam as seen in our actions being like his, in the same way we will also one day bear the image of the second Adam (1 Cor. 15:49).

 

Christ has received from His Father the power of having life in Himself, life independent of all external supports or requirements, and He has the power to enliven whomever He will (John 5:21-26). It is this life, an eternal life that He has had in the past and which will continue forever into the future, which He imparts to us. He laid His own life down for us on Calvary, but having power to take it back up, He did and out of His life we receive ours, even as He said to the disciples, "Because I live (present tense), you shall live also." Truly Christ is our life and as His life manifests in us we will know His truly great salvation! Amen.

 

Seeing Him as He is

This post will be somewhat related to my previous post on being a faithful and true witness. Where that post was related to speaking though, this post will relate to being and doing.

First John 3:2 says, "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." This verse tells us that in the end we will be like Christ, because the sight of Him in His totality will transform us to be like Him. Thus we could say that to the degree we see Christ as He is to that same degree we will be like Him. It is impossible for us to emulate something we have never seen, or to manifest a virtue we unless we have an idea of how that virtue would look in a given situation. This is one reason why we often fall short of our calling as Christians, sometimes we know what we should do and don't do it, but many times even when we want to follow Christ and be like Him, we miss it because our idea of Christ falls far short of what He really is like. Often we tolerate and even condone all sorts of little things that are not Christlike, and accept it as the norm.

 

This why discipleship is important, so that younger believers can see what Christianity really looks like. There are a few instances I remember of people I know reacting with grace in trying situations and as I saw it I knew I was seeing "The Way." I was seeing Christ in that person living His life through them in that situation. It gave me something to strive for. Sometimes, though, we can be in a situation where we do not have someone to emulate in our vision. It could be that we are the ones that are to disciple others, and yet we realize that we know so little ourselves.

 

Thankfully even without a human role-model we still have the God's Word. Scripture and especially the Gospels show us so much of Christ that if we properly study and apply it, we will become more and more like Christ. In the Gospels we see Jesus in all sorts of situations which can be applied to our lives if we are willing to make the effort.

 

Another way we see Christ is through our direct encounters with Him in His presence. We can learn a lot from these. It was in personal times of worship that I was first struck by the graciousness of God and how He is so humble that we often do not realize how much He humbles Himself to be around us, and sometimes we even take Him for granted. To me that graciousness became a goal to aspire toward. Other times I have had the Lord give me kind words in spite of my bad attitudes at the time, and learned how kindness can sometimes cut far deeper than a sever rebuke ever could. When God reveals Himself to us it is not just that we should know it, but that we might become it.

 

There were two apostles specifically that I think saw attributes of Christ and then manifested them. The first one was John, who was the apostle of love because he was first the apostle that Jesus loved. It was as he received of this love and saw its workings in his own life that he was able to give it out to others. The second apostle was Paul who in 1 Timothy 1:16 refers to himself as a pattern of longsuffering. Paul manifested the longsuffering of God throughout his many shipwrecks, beatings and other trials, but first he had been a recipient of the longsuffering of God who had waited for the right moment to appear to him on the Damascus road as he was persecuting the believers. It was likely Paul's own realization of all that Christ had borne with in him that enabled him to bear so much himself.

 

May God grant each of us a greater realization of Himself that we may be it to others! Amen.

 

The Faithful and True Witness

And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: "The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation..." (Rev. 3:14).

 

A while ago, I wrote on how it was interesting how when Christ addressed the seven churches in Revelation that the title He chose for Himself showed Him to be what was needed in each specific situation. I was going to post a link to that post here, but I am unable to find it myself. In this post, I would specifically like to look at the title Christ gave Himself when addressing Laodicea. To the blind and naked church which felt it had need of nothing, because of its material prosperity He addressed Himself as the Amen and faithful and true witness. In other words what He said was true reality which the church needed to hear and align itself with. The Laodicean church had deceived itself and had doubtless had teachers with itching ears who had told them what they wanted to hear, but Christ was the Amen, the So-be-it, whose word was final, and the faithful and true witness who would tell what was needful regardless of what they wanted to hear. Not only in regard to this church but in His earthly ministry and even as He relates to us in our lives Christ is the faithful and true witness. He told Pilate that the reason He was born was to bear witness to the truth, and He desires to also form us into faithful and true witnesses. To better prepare us to be faithful and true witnesses we should examine what is required to be a witness.

 

Firstly, we have to see something to be a witness. I realize that is very basic, but sometimes we can forget that to bear witness we have to have witnessed something first. Christ could bear witness to the Father because He saw Him and knew Him (Matt. 11:27). Christ could also judge situations and people rightly as Isaiah prophesied because He did not rely on His own sight and understanding (Isa. 11:3-4).

 

What we see is very important, and it is very much effected by what is in our hearts. The heart is the window through which we interpret what we see, this is why even though the twelve spies sent into Canaan all saw the same things, they still saw different things – ten had evil hearts of unbelief and two had hearts of faith. It is also interesting to note that the evil report given by the ten spies was not exactly false, it was basically factually accurate, but had a perspective of no faith in the power of God to overcome the giants (Num. 13:25-33). Having God's perspective is very important or we could state facts, and yet still bear a false witness.

 

Another example of this is Moses' tirade against the children of Israel, which kept him out of the Promised Land. It was very understandable, frankly, very deserved, but when struck the rock instead of speaking to it, he failed to bear witness to type God was bringing out, and in calling the rebellious people, "rebels" he forgot temporarily that they were also the called ones of God in spite of their wayward character. It would be hard to imagine as vexing a situation as Moses was in, but I think the apostle Paul shows a right response to similar situation in his Corinthian epistles. When he was faced with carnal bickering believers who questioned his authority challenged his leadership and allowed blatant sin in their midst, he still began his epistles by addressing them as saints - considering their greatly unsaintly conduct at the time that must have required grace on his part. Then having reminded them of who they were he proceeded to truthfully point out their faults and bring correction. Moses in losing his temper lost balance of perspective, Paul managed to see both the faults and also remember the good and the call given to these wayward Corinthians. In the letters to the seven churches, Christ not only addresses faults but also gives whatever commendation He could, as humans we tend to go to extremes, and see only people's faults or their good qualities at a given time, but Christ is able to weigh all at once, and we need to learn more balance in what we see.

 

Having seen something we then need to be faithful to share it at appropriate times. Christ did not indiscriminately spout off everything, but specifically taught in parables, and through much of His trial remained quiet. It was only when an oath by the High Priest forced Him to bear witness or be guilty of withholding truth that He plainly claimed to be the Son of God. The man born blind in John chapter 9 is another good example of a faithful witness, and interestingly enough right after he bore witness and was cast out of the synagogue Christ came looking for him. He found him and revealed Himself as the Son of God to him and received worship from him – a very rare privilege this man had to worship the pre-resurrection Jesus. This was given to him because he was faithful to witness what he knew and had seen and God trusted him with greater knowledge because of that. May we also bear witness faithfully that we might be found worthy to bear greater witness and please our Lord! Amen.

The wisdom from above as seen in the life of Christ – Part 7 – without hypocrisy

"But the wisdom that is from above is first truly pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."

 

I think it is fairly apparent that Christ's ministry was totally without hypocrisy. As Luke wrote in the beginning of Acts his first book showed what Jesus did and taught (Acts 1:1). Christ's teaching was phenomenal, so much so that even many atheists have praised it, but more remarkably He lived what He taught. He not only told us to love our enemies, but He loved His, He prayed for forgiveness for those who crucified Him and wept over the coming destruction of the city that rejected Him. Studying His actions is the best way to understand what He meant when He spoke things, because with Him His actions were never at variance with His words. Jesus told His generation that a greater than Solomon was with them, Solomon had been renowned for his wisdom and yet an even cursory comparison of his proverbs with his life, shows a great variance in what He said and what he did (Compare Proverbs 25:16 with Ecc. 2:10 for example). One problem that we often have with the truth is that when we first hear it and it enlightens us we rejoice, but yet when it comes to really assimilating it, it can be difficult. This is much like the scrolls given to Ezekiel and John sweet to the mouth, but bitter to the stomach (Eze. 2:8-10, Rev. 10:9-10).

 

There are two basic types of hypocrisy to which humans are prone. The one is to think that because we know something we can get away with not actually doing it. That is what could be called blatant hypocrisy. The other type is perhaps more common and is a hypocrisy caused by ignorance of how we are contradicting what we say with our lives. This second sort of hypocrisy is the type that even good Christians can get caught in, like Peter did before Paul took him publicly to task (Gal. 2:11-18). This hypocrisy can often be caused because we want to be well received or we want to avoid persecution. Christ was true because He sought not His own glory but the glory of the One who sent Him. Public opinion had no hold on Him.

 

Christ was the way (how He walked is the way we should walk), the truth (The reality of what things are), and the life (the ability and source for all we do). As the embodiment of Truth He did not lie or evade even when it would have saved His life, when the high priest adjured Him to say whether He was the Christ, He replied in the affirmative (Matt. 26:63-65). When He stood before Pilate He acknowledged His Kingship, but not as an earthly ruler, even in His darkest hour He was true and bore witness to the truth. May we be a faithful and true witness even as He was the Faithful and True Witness. Amen.

The wisdom from above as seen in the life of Christ – Part 6 – without partiality

"But the wisdom that is from above is first truly pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."

 

We will now look at the impartiality of God's wisdom as see n in Christ. By impartiality, we do not mean a strict equality, since even among the disciples of Christ, there were three who were His most constant companions (Peter, James and John), and even of those John was specifically known as the one Jesus loved, yet the reasons for this are impartial, not arbitrary (John was special both in his love to Jesus and in his faithfulness during the crucifixion). One of Christ's greatest battles in His day was with the Jewish mindset that placed more value on the covenant that God had made with Israel than any real individual fellowship with the God who made the covenant. This was a problem even among Christ's disciples who in spite of all that Christ had said to them were still shocked when the way of salvation was opened to Gentiles several years after Christ had ascended. God was never partial to Israel even though He had made a covenant with them, if they did not have personal faith in Him. The most conclusive proof of this in the Old Testament is seen with Rahab, who was allowed to remain in the land of Canaan because of her faith in God even though as a Canaanite she was under the ban, while shortly before this the whole first generation of Israel was excluded from the land because of their lack of faith in spite of the promise they had received. God has always been good to those who have believed His Word and trusted Him, but those who do not believe His Words and promises, even if they were the recipients of the promises do not see them.

 

Jesus showed the impartiality of God's love in many ways. When He healed the ten lepers, it was the attitude of the one who returned to give thanks for his healing that brought on him a further blessing especially since he was apparently the only non-Jew among them (Luke 17:11-19). It was the faith of the centurion that caused Christ to marvel, especially since he was again a non-Israelite (Matt. 8:5-13). It should be noted that the fact that Christ marveled at his faith probably has more reference to his having so much less to base his faith on than a Jew who had been raised in the Word of God, and yet what he had learned he had spiritually grasped and applied. In a sense God is almost surprised when in the midst of His followers that only barely listen to Him someone hears the things He hides deeply within His own heart, such as David seeking to build the temple, and this centurion realizing that it did not matter whether Christ came or spoke His word carried authority.

 

Jesus also proved in opposition to the prevalent nationalistic notions of His day that God had always been a God of Gentiles as well as Jews. He did this by pointing out that in the days of Elijah, God sent him to a widow in the territory of Sidon, and there provided food for her and the prophet. He further mentioned the healing of Naaman the Syrian by Elisha, when there were many other lepers in Israel that could have been healed but were not, yet the attitude that Naaman manifested when he was healed and his turning to follow the God of Israel showed that God know whose heart is for Him in any nation.

 

Because God is without partiality, we draw as near to Him as we really want. He will give us opportunities to see what really is in our hearts and to choose to draw near to Him or turn away. We all come from different backgrounds and circumstances with different struggles to overcome, but if we come to the Lord with the right attitude He will bring us into the plan He has for us. This is the God that could say even to a Cain who was about to kill his brother, "If you do well will you not be accepted?" If we seek Him no matter who we are He will lead us into a deeper relationship with Him if we respond to His Word. May God grant us obedient hearts! Amen.

The wisdom from above as seen in the life of Christ – Part 5 – full of mercy and fruits

"But the wisdom that is from above is first truly pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."

 

One of the primary attributes of Christ in His life on earth was mercy. On two separate occasions Christ quoted Hosea 6:6 to His Pharisee opponents showing that what God really desired of His people was mercy (Matt. 9:13, 12:7). Christ's life mission was one of mercy to reconcile a wayward creation to its Creator. He came to call the sinners to repentance. The self-righteous Pharisees were shocked that Christ would allow a sinful woman to touch Him and wash His feet with her tears, yet that was only because they did not realize how sinful they themselves were and how much it cost the sinless Son of God to come down from heaven and walk in a sin-filled world (Luke 7:36-50).

 

Of all the cries for mercy given by afflicted and sick humanity to Christ we never see a single instance of His refusal to show mercy. He was truly full of mercy. This wisdom of mercy resulted in multitudes of sinners repenting of their sinful ways and becoming people who loved God and sought to please Him. That was something that hardhearted Pharisaism never produced, but wisdom is justified by her children. Zacchaeus had been a burden and drain on his community, but having been shown mercy he restored fourfold of all he had wrongfully taken, which in itself would help those he had afflicted, but even more above that he gave half of his goods to the poor. Thus a man, who had been a curse to his community through his oppression, became a blessing and joy to it!

 

Not only did Christ show mercy to those who came to Him who had never known Him, but He continually extended mercy to His disciples as they required it in their faltering faith. It was mercy that calmed a storm when out of shaken faith they woke the Saviour and questioned His caring for them, an attitude unfortunately all too human in life's storms (Mark 4:36-41). It was mercy again that first called to Peter to come out of the boat and then extended a hand when he faltered. It was mercy that overlooked the humanness of the disciples and their misapprehension of things He said and spiritual immaturity, which thankfully He continues to show to His similarly afflicted saints today. It was mercy that caused Him to restore Peter and the wisdom of this restoration is seen in Peter's subsequent life. It was mercy that provided the proof which Thomas had requested of the resurrection, when by his attitude he could have been lost. It was mercy that resulted in a post-resurrection appearance to His brother, James, which resulted in his conversion and untold good to the church at Jerusalem and even us today.

 

Thank God that He is merciful, because we all need mercy. It may be the mercy of picking us up after we have utterly failed and restoring us, it may be the mercy which keeps us from wandering where in our ignorant feet might take us, or even the interposing of a firm hand when we knowingly want to do wrong, but we all need mercy. It is not of him that runs or him that wills, but of God that shows mercy. Amen.

The wisdom from above as seen in the life of Christ – Part 4 – Easy to be entreated

"But the wisdom that is from above is first truly pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."

 

The wisdom from above is easy to be entreated – compliant, willing to yield, persuadable. One of the ironies of life is that God who truly knows all is very approachable and willing to listen, whereas we who know far less than we even realize can often be very stubborn and difficult. Jesus in manifesting the Father showed Himself to be very approachable and compliant, often in contrast to His disciples, who were learning just as we learn.

One of the first things noticeable in the life of Christ on earth is that there is no recorded instance of His ever turning away someone who came with a need and brought that need to Him. No time was too inconvenient for Him, on the way to Jairus house, He paused to address the woman who had been healed by touching His garment and speak peace to her (Luke 8:41-56). She was afraid when He first called for her, but His desire was not to reprove but rather to put His blessing upon her "stolen" healing.

When the two blind men called out for Christ, the crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but Jesus responded by healing them (Matt. 20:29-34). Desperation causes people to do things that they would ordinarily not do, it can be a beautiful thing, because it takes no thought for custom, which helps everything flow smoothly by making sure everyone does little things that don't matter as long as they don't do anything really important. Queen Esther was desperate that is the only reason she was willing to come unbidden before the king. It involved great risk, but even her willingness to take the risk gained more favor for her in the eyes of the king. Many times our greatest hindrance to spiritual progress is our lack of desperation.

Christ also showed Himself to be very approachable to the children who were brought for His blessing. The disciples saw only an added burden of inconvenience and a seemingly unimportant one, and so rebuked the ones who brought the children. This apparently caused Christ to come as close to losing His temper as He ever did with His disciples (Mark 10:13-16). Christ showed that not only was He willing to receive those brought to Him, but it was His delight to do so. We should never fear our feelings of unimportance, unworthiness, or any other impediment when approaching the Lord, because He is always more than willing to be approached and to be imposed upon. Let us draw near to Him. Amen.

The wisdom from above as seen in the life of Christ – Part 3 - gentle

"But the wisdom that is from above is first truly pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."

 

The wisdom that is from above is gentle. There are several words used in Greek which are sometimes translated gentle in English, essentially they all bear the thought of mildness, kindness, and moderation. Gentleness is a controlled strength, it applies what is needed in the mildest way possible, and in a kind way.

Christ is not specifically called gentle in Scripture, yet He must have been well known for His gentleness, because the apostle Paul entreated the Corinthians by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (2 Cor. 10:1). Christ's meekness is well known and He even invited all to learn of Him who was meek and lowly, but His gentleness must have been also have struck those who were with Him and left a deep impression on them so that the Corinthians who would never have known Christ in the flesh still would have heard of His gentleness.

Gentleness is also an attribute of a shepherd, so among other things when Jesus said I am the Good Shepherd, He was claiming to be gentle. The shepherds of that time would bring their flocks into folds and stand in the door way as they came in (they would also sleep there as the door) as the sheep came in they would cause it to pass under the rod – that is he would place the rod on them to make them pause, and then inspect them for wounds or disease individually as they came in. Shepherds also would follow or lead their sheep, but not drive them, which is again a mark of gentleness, if the flock moved at too fast a pace it could cause the young in the flock to die (Gen. 33:13). With all this in mind it is worthy to notice that one of the favorite early Christian decorations of the first 3 centuries was the Good Shepherd (usually seen holding a lamb) with His flock. When the Church was enduring persecution, and had no settled place in the world, it took hope in the fact of having a good Shepherd who was watching over them and leading them through difficulties into greener pastures.

We see the gentleness of Christ shown in the way He reproved His disciples when necessary. To those who were not His sheep such as the Pharisees He could at time be severe, because even the gentlest of shepherds is fierce towards the wolves, but to His disciples His reproofs were in gentleness. His words to Martha in reply to her agitation with Mary vindicated Mary, but with such gentleness towards Martha that He showed that far from being uncaring towards her predicament He pointed the way to release from the anxieties she was carrying (Luke 10:38-42). In general all of His reproofs given to the disciples were done in a gentle manner, the most gentle of all being perhaps the one given to Peter as he uttered the third denial, were the reproof was a mere look, yet a look which brought the consciousness of guilt to Peter far more than any "I told you so" ever could.

The gentleness of Christ was also seen in the miracles He performed, as it spring to my mind most especially when He reached out to touch the leper (Mat. 8:2-3) and when He raised Jarius' daughter from the dead (Luke 8:51-56).

Probably His greatest manifestation of gentleness and care for others though is shown in His commending of His mother to the care of John at the crucifixion (John 19:26-27). This was an act of utmost care and kindness toward His mother, done in the most gentle way possible, showing Christ's thoughts for others even in His own intense agony. Pain tends to bring out the worst in people and yet out of Christ even on the cross flowed out gentleness and mercy. Behold the Lamb of God!

The wisdom from above as seen in the life of Christ – Part 2 - Peaceable

"But the wisdom that is from above is first truly pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."

 

The second attribute of the wisdom from above is that it is peaceable. Christ's life was a life lived out of peace and bringing peace. Even His birth was announced by angels singing peace on earth and goodwill to men. He came to restore peace between sinful men and sin-offended Deity. Not only that but the cost of the restoration was not to be born by the offender, but rather by the One who had a right to be offended. Yet, we read, "…in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:19). The cross showed God's willingness to overlook human sin and Christ's willingness to suffer on the cross was really only possible by a sort of provisional forgiveness, prior to His actually paying the price of sin. It would have been impossible for Him to actually suffer on behalf of sinners if there had not been some sort of shutting His eyes to their guilt against Him so He could actually pay the price. In light of the tremendous gulf that the cross thus bridged between man and God it is no wonder that it also brought down the wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 2:13-16). Since then the whole of Christ's coming was really a mission of peace from God between God and man, as well as, man and man, we see why peacemakers are in a special sense called the children of God, because they manifest something that was so dear to God's heart that He gave His Son to bring it about.

To further see just how peaceable Christ was I would like to highlight a few times where I see it especially manifested.

One instance of Christ's peaceableness was in His meek response to rejection by a Samaritan village. He merely went on to another village. His response is highlighted by the very different response of James and John who wanted to exact severe revenge on the place for its lack of hospitality (Luke 9:51-56). Jesus here, as well as in the case of Gadara (Matt. 8:28-9:1), showed the peace of leaving meekly when refused.

Another very revealing incident is found in Matthew 17:24-27. Here Christ works a miracle to pay the temple tax, after having showed Peter that as the Son of God the maintenance of the temple could not with propriety be expected of Him. His reason for paying the tax was simply not to offend the authorities. When we consider that these authorities were greedy men, who did not particularly need this extra source of income which they pressed out of the people, and more than that these very funds were going to go into the pockets of the ones who would soon crucify Him, we can perhaps see just how far it depends on us to live peaceably with all men (Rom. 12:18). Often we say we have done our part long before we really have.

The last episode I would like to look at in this all to brief view of Christ's peaceableness is the Last Supper. Here we see Him bringing peace into a situation where peace had been destroyed through ambition and self-seeking. Only a short time before James and John had produced displeasure in the other disciples by requesting special honours in Christ's Kingdom (Mark 10:35-45). Christ had told them then that the greatest in the kingdom was the one who was the servant, but He knew they needed another practical illustration of what He meant. So He took upon Himself the one task that had He requested it of any of His disciples they would have felt belittled. He directed the disciples away from their own position seeking when they saw the One who truly had preeminence take the place of the lowest servant. It must have shamed them all when they considered it in retrospect. It certainly made a deep impact on John, who begins his account of the footwashing by a realization that Christ knew full well His own divinity and all that was due to Him, and in full knowledge of this stopped to wash their feet (John 13:3-5). Christ here showed what it means to esteem others better than yourself in lowliness of mind (Phil. 2:3). In this act of humility Christ brought peace to His disciples, because contention comes only by pride. He also showed a way of peace which mankind has so little used in history, the wisdom of the locust (Prov. 30:27), which is able to work together without jostling for position and power. Even a cursory glance at history will show us just how much mankind has suffered because of striving for power and position to the detriment of any real progress. At best it results in a lot of effort that could be better used elsewhere, more often it results in actual destruction and infighting which not only hinders progress but actually brings destruction. By being willing to take the low place Christ showed Himself to be beyond any earthly king or ruler and indeed to be truly beyond human.

I hope that in this post we have seen just a little bit of the peaceable Christ. He first had peace and then He could say, "My peace I give to you." May we too know the peaceableness of wisdom. Amen.

 

The wisdom from above as seen in the life of Christ – Part 1 - Pure

"But the wisdom that is from above is first truly pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."

 

The first attribute of the wisdom that is from above is purity. Our motives for what we do are of primary importance. Bad motives turn even the best of deeds into worthless things (1 Cor. 13:3). It is motive that provides spirit to every action. Christ was totally free from self-seeking, because He came to do the Father's will not his own, and His actions flowed out of love to others (John 6:38).

The Pharisees could not understand Christ because they were not pure in their motives, it was with them as Paul wrote Titus, "To the pure all things are pure. But to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled" (Titus 1:15). They could not understand how Christ could eat with sinners, because their motives for doing everything were essentially either financial gain or popularity (Luke 16:13-15, John 5:44), thus assuming Christ to be like themselves they could see no reason for His eating with sinners but a bad one. When the world questions the motives of true believers for the self-sacrifice they do they really condemn themselves. Christ's motive was merely to call the sinners to repentance, and because wisdom is justified by her children in many cases it worked.

 

Even Christ's brothers did not at first understand His motives, and thought that He was seeking popularity (John 7:3-5). Only later did James and Jude come to a realization of who Christ was and what He actually was doing in His earthly ministry. Far from seeking popularity or power, He actually fled when He knew the people would try to crown Him king (John 6:15).

 

The ministry of Christ was actuated by an earnest desire to please His Father and a deep compassion for people. If He had been motivated by selfish motives He would never would have worked some of His healing miracles, because they often caused Him serious inconvenience through provoking opposition and jealousy, and also by causing throngs of people to surround Him everywhere He went. Many times in the Gospels we read that Jesus worked miracles because He was moved with compassion. Faith works by love, the greater our love for God and others the more the faith of God will be able to flow. It was not with the lifeless rod of authority, but only by real contact that Elisha was able to raise the child of the Shunammite from the dead. In the same way unless the plight of people moves our hearts deeply, we cannot expect our prayers to move God's heart and bring down a miracle.

 

Some of the hardest things Christ ever spoke to a man, were spoken to the rich young ruler, a young man who was very respectable and was trying hard to keep God's commands. These words though were spoken out of love (Mark 10:21). Jesus never tried to conciliate people at the expense of their true good.

 

One of the ways in which we Christians often fall far short of God's wisdom is in purity. Especially in Western churches where we tend to be very goal orientated, people tend to be viewed in a utilitarian manner. God looks at things differently though. If we compare Ephesians 4:8-13 with Psalm 68:18, where verse 8 is taken from in a modified form, we see that God's purpose in receiving gifts from people (and giving ministerial gifts to people) is to establish relationship. If God only desired to have work done He could do it Himself or have angels do it. He uses men and women so that in their working for Him they can develop a relationship with Him. If churches become to focused on the work side, and forget the relationship part, people feel used, and people who feel used do as little as is necessary and that grudgingly. However when people feel loved they will be willing to do amazing things very willingly and sometimes without even being asked to do them. Much effort is often wasted because we try to encourage people who feel used to get more involved (and consequently they feel more used), and the reason we do this is often because we are building our own kingdoms instead of really seeking what is best for God and others. When we have pure motives like Christ, we will also be able to accomplish great things like Him. Paul could write to the Corinthians, "I seek not yours, but you." May God grant we can say the same. Amen.

 

 

 

The wisdom from above as seen in the life of Christ - Introduction

Many times we can gain a better practical perspective on Scripture by studying Scripture in unconventional ways. In the next few posts I would like to look at the life of Christ through the lens of James 3:17, and see how He manifested in a practical way these attributes of the wisdom from above. In doing this I hope to gain insight for myself and those reading of what God's wisdom really looks like in a practical sense. Christ is the best person to study in this sense because He is the embodiment of God's wisdom.

When John declared that Christ was the Logos (John 1:1-5), he was stating two allied things:

1. He was showing that Christ was the internalized thought of God, the logic of the Godhead, if you would put it that way. This is actually the first meaning of logos, the thought, reason and motive as it is internally expressed to the thinker. This is how Christ is shown in Proverbs chapter 8, the all-pervading Wisdom of God which enables proper government of the world and which was with God in His forming of the world. It was by Him that He made the worlds (Heb. 1:2).
   

   
    

2. He was also showing that Christ was the thought vocalized or expressed – the Word. Every word that comes from our mouth first began as an inward thought and came out of our hearts (Luke 6:45). What we say is a very real reflection of what we are thinking, and also of who we are. In the same way Christ is a concrete expression of what is in the heart of God, vocalized to make the intentions of God's heart clear to us. This is why He could say He that has seen Me has seen the Father, because He was such a full expression of all that God is.
   

 

It is further interesting to note, when looking at thoughts and words, about the beauty of communication – that is not only are words born of thoughts, but when given utterance they plant thoughts in others, which can then give birth to more words or further thoughts. In this way, Christ Himself, His life as seen in the gospels, and all of Scripture carry the logic of God within them. They bring God's way of thinking and His motivations and feelings down to us so we can respond to them. In this way through Scripture reading and personal encounters with Christ – either in our times of prayer and worship or as we encounter Him in His people – we begin to reason as He reasons and see as He sees. It is my hope in this study for me personally to see more of how Christ flowed in the wisdom from above in His earthly life, so that I can better imitate Him in this. I further hope that it may produce a similar effect in any reading this. May God grant us all to see and follow Christ more fully! Amen.

Wisdom is full of mercy

Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first truly pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

 

Recently I was considering how the wisdom that is from above is full of mercy. What brought this about was meeting a young man who is hoping to study in our next Bible School term. The problem is that he has had to major instances of instability and backsliding in the past three years. He is however back in a good church now, and will be talking to my father about what he will need to do to be accepted back.

He may have to meet some stringent requirements for admission because of the past, but there are things that give me hope for him. 1. He was noticeably ashamed to talk to me. Many times people are caught red-handed and yet will still deny and be totally unashamed of what they have done. However it is those whose heads are hung in shame for what they have done that can know God as the lifter of their head (Psa. 3:3). 2. He seems to still have a heart for the Lord in spite of everything. 3. His life has potential, if only he will meet with God and obtain the ability to walk straight from Him.

Mercy makes sense. It is an attribute of wisdom. When someone fails perhaps our first attitude is to replace them, but a replacement would require all the effort and training that was placed into the first individual to be placed into the replacement to prepare them for the same work. Having done that then that person would also be tested and could very possibly fail in the same way as the previous person starting a new cycle. If the one who has failed can be restored – really restored – then the effort, time and training spent on that person are not wasted. This makes sense even for us, but imagine how much God has spent on this person. First consider whatever ministry he has received through the local church and how all of that was really God's investment in him. Then going further back think of all the times the person has responded to the drawing of God's Spirit directly, and all the grace received up to this point to get where they were. If the person is lost all that becomes wasted, if there is some sort of restoration then God will receive something for all that He has poured in.

Restoration is thus very desirable, but it requires a wisdom of its own to accomplish properly. Joseph showed remarkable wisdom in how he dealt with his brothers to see – both for his own and their sakes – if they still were jealous of a favored brother as they had been of him. They showed a marked change, especially Judah who was willing to lay down his own freedom for his brother Benjamin. This is the key of real restoration, not only ascertaining that the person has truly repented and changed but showing them so that they can realize that they are not the same person either. Jesus required a three-fold confession publicly of Peter to atone for his three-fold denial, but also included a three-fold commission to show His acceptance of Peter (John 21:15-17). It also appears to me that one reason for the inclusion of 1 Kings 1:1-4 in Scripture is to show to David and to others that David had changed as a result of his fall and restoration.

Truly the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost and to change wasted, purposeless lives into joyful, productive ones that are filled with Him and His love. To Him be glory forever!