“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths” (II Timothy 4:1-4)
One of the things in the Bible that puzzles me the most is when one of God’s people in the Old Testament went and cut down a tree and with half of it he made a fire to keep warm and to bake bread and cook a roast and with the other half he made a graven image and worshipped it by falling down before it and prayed to it saying, “Deliver me, for thou art my God” (Isaiah 44:12-17). The fact of the matter is that this block of wood couldn’t deliver him and never would and just because he said that it was his god didn’t mean that his block of fashioned wood was a god, right? Too many people today claim to be Christians but are they? Just because they say they are doesn’t make it so either.
In the New Testament there is another thing that puzzles me and it is what Paul refers to in II Timothy 4:3. Here he mentions that some Christians would replace God’s teachings for another kind of teaching. They would accumulate teachers who would teach them only what they wanted to hear and then they would follow that person saying, “Guide me, for thou art my teacher.”
There’s not a whole lot of difference between the attitude found in the Old Testament and that of those mentioned in the New Testament – is there? It’s all about them getting tired of the same “old god” and the same “old teaching”. In both cases they reasoned to themselves, saying, “I will make a new god and a new teaching and I will follow that instead.” Both Malachi 1:13 and Isaiah 43:22-24 have something to say about God’s people becoming tired and weary of doing things God’s way. What they failed to consider is that while they were becoming tired of God and His ways, that He too, in time, would become weary of them and their iniquities. Just a word of advice – don’t continually weary God or grieve Him. Just check with Noah on what happened to the people in his day who continually wearied and grieved God (Genesis 6:5-8).
I think we’ll all agree that it is absolutely stupid to think that I could actually create my own god. But do we feel the same way when it comes to creating our own teachings and then claim that they are God’s teachings? The reality is that in either case God is replaced and rejected and these replacements or substitutions are given the honor and praise that God rightly deserves.
So how long do you think God will put up with being replaced, with being ignored? He is the Creator, we are the created. Since when does the created have the right to say to the Creator that their ways are better than His and their wisdom superior? Yet church members do exactly that whenever they replace Him for what they want in their Christian belief.
In II Timothy 2:15-18 Paul warns Timothy of the teaching of Hymenaeus and Philetus who had gone astray from the truth when they taught Christians that the resurrection had already taken place. What? Think about this for a minute. If the resurrection had taken place then that would mean they would be in heaven, right? But in fact, they were still on the earth. Perhaps their “resurrection” teaching involved heaven being on earth. Who knows? What we do know is that some members in the church were led astray by their teaching and came to believe something that was not true. This new teaching also cast doubt on what God had specifically said. Who would ever have thought that members in the church could believe such a teaching… but they did. And so, today, we shouldn’t be surprised when members are easily convinced by similar teachings, no matter how false or ridiculous.
Jesus tells us to seek first His kingdom (things that pertain to His will as King) and He will take care of us, for He knows what’s best (Matthew 6:33). In this life instead of living for ourselves we should be striving to live for God. That means that we take Him at his word and obey. We must do this regardless of whether anyone else is.
Right now in our fellowship there are various teachings and practices that contradict those found in the Scriptures. These ‘put God to the test’ in a way that should never be done. By contrast, God has a divine right to put us to the test…to discover if we love him enough to obey him.
So the question remains, Can God depend on you to always keep and defend His truth?
Owen Sound, ON
“But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.” (Philippians 2:19-20)
Jesus had such an impact on Paul’s heart, that whenever someone saw Paul they saw Christ at work in his life. Because of the great results that come from living a Christ-like life it is no wonder then that Paul appeals to all Christians to imitate him as he imitated Christ (I Corinthians 11:1). Paul did it successfully, as every part of his conduct and speech reflected the very nature of Christ. Should not this imitation be the desire and goal of every Christian today – to let the world see Christ in us?
In our text, we see one aspect of Christ at work in Paul – his genuine concern for the spiritual well-being of the church at Philippi. Throughout his letters to the early church, Paul revealed his love and concern for each congregation. He alwasy wanted to know if their faith was strong and if they loved each other as they should. It mattered to him if their hope in Christ remained steadfast and secure and he encouraged them to share it with others through the gospel. He wanted every case of disunity addressed and corrected quickly, lest Satan use it for his advantage (I Corinthians 1:10-17). Whenever immorality was creeping into the church that also needed to be addressed as soon as possible (I Corinthians 5:1-13). Paul confronted false teachers and did so publicly, lest the brotherhood be led astray by their “persuasive words of wisdom” (I Corinthians 2:1-5; I Timothy 1:18-20).
Paul longed to meet with his brethren wherever they met. They meant everything to him as he did to them. After facing much opposition to his teachings as well as heated debate and persecution (Acts 25:1-27; 26:1-32; II Timothy 4:14-15), Paul couldn’t wait to be with those of like common faith. It was a special gathering, a meaningful one whenever he was permitted to feast on that spiritual fellowship table with his brothers and sisters in Christ (Romans 1:8-15).
Paul sent Timothy to the brethren at Philippi, hoping that their spiritual condition was just what it needed to be – that they were remaining faithful to the cause of Christ and were in no way influenced by Satan’s deceptions and schemes (II Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11). Nothing could encourage the apostle Paul and Timothy more than this, for they were cut from the same cloth.
I am challenged by that kind of concern. How about you? Do we share in it for the Lord’s church ? Is our concern as sincere and genuine as theirs? How are we expressing that concern? Is it limited to our local congregation or does it extend to the Lord’s church throughout the world? Do we pray for the church? Do we weep for her and try to encourage her in whatever way we can? How deep is our concern for her spiritual condition?
Owen Sound
All of us can vividly remember the day we became a Christian. It was the best day ever! To confidently face God at the Judgment knowing that all our sins have been forgiven and forgotten by Him is to know joy and peace to the fullest. As a new Christian you want others to know of your joy and how they can experience such for their lives. But have you noticed since your conversion that your excitement and willingness to share the gospel has dwindled, if not ceased all together? Have you been able to figure out why? It usually comes down to the fact that someone has placed a wall of opposition in our path of enthusiasm and conviction. And that someone can be a member of the church or a faith group in your community. It can be devastating. You feel like someone has “burst your bubble.”
Opposition, how do you handle it? Paul wrote to Timothy about spiritual opposition.
He states, “And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (opposed)” (II Timothy 3:12). Timothy had known how much Paul had been opposed through persecutions and sufferings (Vs 10-11).
Timothy didn’t like opposition, Who does? He was afraid of it (II Timothy 1:6-18). Paul had to remind him of his purpose and to rekindle that spiritual spark; to keep on keeping on; pushing through the opposing thoughts, words and actions of others. Paul reminded Timothy that God had given him a spirit of power, love and discipline and that he shouldn’t be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord or of Paul’s imprisonment. Rather, the apostle invited Timothy to join him in suffering; in being opposed for Christ’s sake who had saved them (Vs 7-11). He would need this reminder because “evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (II Timothy 3:13). In other words, things were going to get worse; opposition would greatly increase.
Jude speaks of such times as well (Jude 1-19). Whenever Christians face opposition Jude offers some advice that may not necessarily get rid of opposition but enable them to get through it (Vs 20-23). It is a thought for them to dwell on during those times of discouragement.
The firstthing he mentions is they are beloved. They are beloved of God and beloved of their brothers and sisters in Christ. When people don’t agree with our thoughts, or ridicule and mock, it can leave us with a lonely feeling. Especially is this true when it is a majority of people who are opposing us. Paul knew this feeling well, but he reminded himself that the Lord stood with him and strengthened him (II Timothy 4:16-17). As long as he spoke what was right and true then he knew he was not alone. Jesus felt the same way. He said, “And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him” (John 8:29; 16:32).
Secondly, Jude advises Christians to build themselves up on their most holy faith. Reaffirming one’s faith can only make one stronger in it. Jesus said to His disciples that if they had faith as a mustard seed they could say to a mountain to move from here to there and it would move (Matthew 17:19-23). Paul mentions that Christians are no longer to be children (in their spiritual knowledge and convictions), tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine (false teachings), by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming (Ephesians 4:14). To build yourself up is to reinforce and reaffirm your faith; to make it stronger than ever before; full of unwavering conviction. And one of the best ways to do this is to have God reaffirm your faith by comparing it to what He tells you in His word (Romans 10:17).
Is what you believe, based on His words alone and not those of others? Regardless of opposition, if God is for us then who can be against us. Not even opposition to the truth will ever separate us from the love of Christ. This was Paul’s conviction and it should be ours as well (Romans 8:31-35).
Thirdly, Jude encourages us to pray in the Holy Spirit. Sometimes our prayers are more self-centred than God-centred. We may want all opposition to be removed from us whereas God may want us to remain in it, endure it and use it so as to develop a more persevering, steadfast spirit within. He may use opposition to prepare us, maturing us for what might lie ahead.
Praying in the Spirit is to pray in accordance with the will of the Spirit. It does not include asking God for revenge on those who oppose us, but rather that their heart will be open to the truth. Jesus instructs us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us in order that we may be sons of our Father who is in heaven. Since God sends the sun on not only the good but also the evil should not His children display that same attitude to all mankind? God’s expects all of His children to share in the perfection of His love for mankind (Matthew 5:43-48). Our goal in everything that we do and say should be to reveal that God is clearly abiding in us. Part of the Christian armour is to pray at all times in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18).
Fourthly, it is absolutely imperative that Christians respond to opposition and persecution by remaining in God’s love. This is quite a challenge and one I’ve failed to practice on a number of occasions. If there was anyone who was so mistreated and opposed by others it was Paul. Yet God uses him to teach us how to respond to false teachers and anyone who tries to hinder us from teaching the truth.
Here’s what the apostle says to us: “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is (not who is) evil; cling to what is good…Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. ‘But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:9, 17-21).
With God’s help, let us look for opportunities when His love can be extended to those who oppose it. All Christians needs to extends God’s love in whatever way they can to all those who treat them in an unloving way. God will always work with us when we’re willing to allow Him. Remember, God’s love is the greatest gift of all (I Corinthians 13). It can be such a powerful influence upon any who receive it when they don’t deserve it.
Fifthly, we need to remember that Jesus is coming back for us. Rather than focusing on the here and now (all our trials in living the Christian life) we need to focus on being ready for His return. It would be such a victory for Satan if Christ returned and found us responding to opposition and false teaching in an ungodly way. Each of us are responsible for keeping ourselves in the love of God during all situations. That’s where we all belong and it’s only when we remain there, that God will be able to accomplish His will through us. Only there, will we be able to please Him and be the exact representation of Jesus Christ our Lord – as He was of God (Hebrews 1:3).
The sixth thing that Jude encourages us to do is to have mercy on some who are doubting. It can be very difficult to remain faithful under duress or when facing fearful opposition. As mentioned earlier even Timothy needed encouragement when he saw the suffering and imprisonment that Paul experienced for teaching the truth and standing up for it. (II Timothy 1:7-8). Paul stated, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,”
Finally Jude wants us to save those who have given in to opposition and stand under God’s condemnation. No one really knows how they will stand against the schemes of the devil, until that moment arrives. Some are confident that they’ll stand firm. Others are afraid they’ll be unable to stand because of doubt. Every Christian needs to extend mercy to those who doubt, fearing that that person might lose their soul because he/she was unable to face the devil’s deception. Also, they need to fear that the devil might even win them over to his way of thinking. In that regard Peter warns us, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world” (I Peter 5:8-9).
The best way to fight sin is to hate it. Sin is of the devil (I John 3:8). Love is of God (I John 4:7). Where are you in your struggles against Satan? Paul is cheering us on. We can face any opposition through the strength that only God can supply (Philippians 4:13).
“O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’ which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you” (I Timothy 6:20-21).
Owen Sound, ON
I’m sure every Christian has at one point or another been asked the question, “What church do you belong to?” Usually our answer is, “The church of Christ.” Quite often we hear them respond with, “I’ve never heard of the church of Christ.” Then they ask, “What church out there is the closest to resembling the church of Christ?” You see, they want to identify us with some “faith group” out there – that they are familiar with. Shouldn’t they be identifying faith groups (those claiming to be the church) with the church that is found in the New Testament?
Have you ever answered their question by saying, “The church that I belong to is the one that is found in the New Testament?” I remember one person’s response when I said this to them. They said, “Well, we all claim to be a part of that church.” I thought of that for quite some time and even to this day it baffles me how some can claim we are unified in our overall view of God and Christ’s church yet believe and practice different things.
If Jesus was asked, “What church in Christendom is His church?” what would His response be? He certainly would have a lot to choose from? On what basis would He decide which church was His church? What about Paul’s response to the same question?
To be honest, it really doesn’t matter what you or I think when it comes to identifying the church. The church can only be identified by its owner, by the One who established it and by the sacred teachings of the Spirit that directed it into all truth.
Yet some will argue that there are good and bad people in various denominations just as there are in the church of Christ. So how can the church of Christ be accepted as God’s church and they can’t be? Because becoming a member of the Lord’s church is not determined by one’s goodness but by God’s. His goodness and grace is revealed to the world through the gospel of Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 15:1-5) which calls upon every sinner to obey it in faith while trusting that God will forgive them of all of their sins (II Thessalonians 2:14; Colossians 2:12-13; Ephesians 2:8-10; Acts 2:22-42; 16:22-35; Romans 6:1-11).
When it comes to identifying the church that Jesus established, we can know for sure that Satan will have his foot in the door just as he did in the Garden of Eden. I believe everyone would agree that Satan does not want anyone to know what the Lord’s church is and how to be a part of it.
Satan’s name means an adversary or one who opposes. He is known by many other names in the Bible that depict his very character and nature. He is referred to as the devil (slanderer) who always looks for opportunities to influence us over to his side; to his way of thinking (Ephesians 4:26-27). John tells us that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one (I John 5:19) and Christ mentions that he is a liar and father of lies (John 8:44). Jesus also informs us that Satan is the ruler of this world (John 14:30) and Paul adds that he is the god of this age (world) who had blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (II Corinthians 4:4).
All these names describe who Satan is one and explain his influence when it comes to answering the question: “Which Church Is the Lord’s Church?” Satan is a deceiver and will convince people that they are a member of the Lord’s church when, in fact, God’s word says differently. He even used some whom Paul said were, “false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds” (II Corinthians 11:13-15). The activity of Satan is with all the deception of wickedness (II Thessalonians 2:7-10) and he is just waiting to take advantage of people in the church. So it is best not to be ignorant of his schemes (II Corinthians 2:5-11). The church is also warned not to give Satan any opportunity to use our anger against another for his own purposes (Ephesians 4:25-27). Unless we put on the full armour of God we will not be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:11).
So why mention all these scriptures that reveal how Satan works? Without God’s word we are helpless to protect ourselves against him. He is so powerful in his deceptions that many Christians don’t realize that he is actually using them and not just those in the world. Such brethren find themselves justifying a particular thought or action on the basis of how they feel or on what they believe or think without any authoritative reference to scripture. They believe that their opinion is authority enough to justify their thoughts or actions for the direction of the church. If the opinion of everyone in the church is justification for the doctrine of the church then that church ceases to be the Lord’s church. It has become the “people’s church.”
The church needs to understand who they are (church identity), who they belong to, that Jesus is the head of the church, what He has in mind for it and that the church is His church and not theirs. If someone asks you to tell them about your church, then gently remind them that the church you belong to is not your church but the Lord’s church. This answer may lead to further discussion about the church found in the New Testament.
Are Christians today prepared to clearly identify the Lord’s church from scripture? Is the “church” that you are a part of the same one found in scripture? Does its teachings coincide with the teachings Christ has for His church as indicated in the New Testament or is it just one of the many “churches” found in Christendom? Did the original church have any doctrines and traditions that had to be adhered to by its members and if so, what are they (II Thessalonians 2:13-15; I Corinthians 11:1-2)? Do you regard professing Christians to be Christians simply because they are more committed to their convictions than you are to yours? What if they have not been baptized into Christ as the gospel of Christ calls them to obey (II Thessalonians 1:3-12)? All these questions have their answers only in Christ’s word and never in man’s opinions.
As those professing to be members of the Lord’s church do you honestly know if the “church” you are a member of is, indeed, the Lord’s church? Christ has not left us helpless, without any way of being able to identify His church or of knowing how to become a part of it. When it comes to understanding any subject in the Bible answers are found by those who search for them with all their heart and fervently pray for their discovery. Search for God’s answers like you would search for hidden treasure and you’ll be amazed at what God will allow you to discover (Proverbs 2:1-7; James 1:5-7).
Are you a member of the Lord’s church or the “people’s” church? In searching for that answer be like the Berean brethren and examine the Scriptures daily to see if the things said by Paul and Silas were true concerning the Lord’s church (Acts 17:10-11).
Remember that God is a rewarder of those who search for Him (Hebrews 11:6).
“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions (identifiable traditions) which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us” (II Thessalonians 2:13-15).
Owen Sound, ON
Part 2
The world’s bondage to sin.
Honesty is always important but especially so when it comes to admitting sin in our life. The Apostle Paul tells us that all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The bondage to slavery in Egypt was, to the Israelites, a never ending bondage. Generations were born in slavery and died in it. It was oppressive, never ending and left them in a hopeless despair. The bondage of sin leaves us feeling the same way – living in a world without hope, captured by and enslaved to sin. Then God intervened by sending His Son and, like Moses, He became our deliverer from bondage. God’s power at work through Moses brought about Israel’s deliverance. God’s power at work through the Gospel of Christ makes deliverance from the bondage of sin available to all mankind.
What is the Gospel of Christ?
I think it would be safe to say that the majority of people would reply that it is the good news that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to the earth to be the Savior of the world, to deliver all mankind out of the bondage of sin.
Biblically speaking, the Apostle Paul answers the question this way: It is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was what he preached to the Corinthians, it is what they received and it is in what they took a stand and it is the means by which they were saved if they remained faithful (I Corinthians 15:1-11). Later, when trying to encourage afflicted members of the church at Thessalonica , he told them that God would deal out retribution to all those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus (II Thessalonians 1:1-12).
How does one obey the Gospel of Christ?
First of all, it is important to remember that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jews first and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16). It is not a power of God for salvation but rather, the power of God for salvation. Thus it is so important that one understand what it is so that one can obey it, right? It is more than a verbal acknowledgement that Jesus is the Christ but it is the means whereby God’s power is at work saving people from the bondage of their sin. Just a few chapters later in the book of Romans Paul goes on to explain that in baptism one obeys the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (the gospel) through a re-enactment of it. In baptism, like Christ, one dies, is buried and rises victorious over death by being baptized into His death, by being buried with Him through baptism and by being raised from the waters of baptism to walk in newness of life like the Israelites did on the other side of the Red Sea (Romans 6:1-11). Their song of deliverance was sung after they crossed the Red Sea and not before their crossing. Their crossing was not a work of merit in which they tried to earn their salvation but rather their crossing was, in response to God’s mercy, one of complete faith, trust and obedience. They did what they were told to do and they were saved forever from the bondage of Egypt.
Back to the topic of this article.
According to Paul’s words in Titus 3:5 God saved Christians not by their numerous self-righteous deeds but rather by His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.
In John 3:1f Jesus speaks of this washing and renewing of the Spirit as He states that unless one is born of water and the Spirit they cannot see or enter the kingdom of God. This rebirth occurs when one, in faith (John 3:16), obeys the gospel of Jesus Christ (John 3:36). God is merciful to mankind’s bondage to sin; mankind responds in obedience, trusting in faith that God will forgive all of their sins as they are baptized into Christ.
In Acts 2:37, upon hearing Peter’s message that they had crucified the Messiah, the people were pricked to the heart and said to Peter, “Brethren, What shall we do?” Now if there ever was a time to tell them how to be saved, it was in response to this question. Was Peter’s reply, “Just call upon the Lord and you’ll be saved?” “Was it that all they needed to do was to believe in the Lord Jesus and they would be saved?” “Did they just have to confess Jesus as Lord and they would be saved?” Or was there something more?
Acts 2:38 is the Holy Spirit’s response to their question. They needed to repent of their sins and be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of their sins … and then Peter went on with many other words solemnly testifying and exhorting them to be saved from this perverse generation (Acts 2:39-40). Do you think those other words would include the necessity of calling upon the Lord, of believing in the Lord, of confessing that Jesus Christ was God’s Son? It was quite a day and 3000 souls were baptized after they had received Peter’s words regarding their need to be saved.
Have you obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ?
In Colossians 2:8-15 the Apostle Paul makes it quite clear that when someone is baptized it is not a work but rather an expression of their faith in God’s work to forgive them of their sins. The Apostle Peter states that baptism is an appeal of the individual being baptized to God for a clear conscience. It is what puts them into a saving state as long as they remain faithful to God (I Peter 3:18-22; I John 1:5-10). The only way the scriptures teach that one can be “in Christ” or get “into Christ” is through baptism (Galatians 3:26-29). And it’s when one is in Christ that they receive numerous blessings that they would not otherwise receive prior to their baptism.
Once baptized God gives the individual His Holy Spirit as a pledge and earnest down payment that He will come through (guarantee) their salvation if they walk in His light and practice what is right (Acts 2:38; Ephesians 1:3-14; I John 1:7; 3:7). The Israelites who were baptized into Moses were so glad to know they would never be in bondage to Egypt again. So, today, every individual who has been baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of their sins should also be very glad for their deliverance from the bondage of sin.
Thanks for taking the time to read both parts of this article. Please feel free to share it with anyone who has a faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ but has not yet been baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of their sins.
Owen Sound
Part I
The parable Jesus spoke to those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous while viewing others with contempt is so vital to our understanding of God’s mercy and forgiveness. It is the story of the Pharisee and the Publican recorded in Luke 18:9-14.
This Pharisee trusted in himself that he was righteous. The Bible is pretty clear that when it comes to trusting someone on matters of being righteous before God that that trust needs to be in God, the righteous One, and Him alone. Only through God can one be made righteous and continue to be righteous in His sight. The Apostle Paul alludes to this fact in Ephesians 2:1-10 when he states that, “God being rich in His mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) … For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works that no one should boast…”
What kind of works is Paul referring to when he states, “salvation by works that one should boast?” It is important to note that in this parable, the Pharisee is already a child of God while the Publican is not. He is an outcast. The Pharisee was proud to be a child of God but only at the expense of those who were not. He felt that as long as he was a child of God, no one could be as special as he was. He was chosen of God. They were not. In essence, he believed God would only be interested in his righteousness. Instead of thanking God for choosing him to be his child, he thanked God that, in his opinion he was more righteous than others because of the many righteous deeds he did. However, the other righteousness Jesus saw that day was that of the heart of the Publican. Today, like then, people are saved by God’s mercy and not by their righteousness or self- righteousness.
According to His mercy, how does God save us? God has always had a plan to redeem mankind. And I think it would be safe to say that those with faiths under Christendom would agree that Jesus is the biggest part of that plan. Unfortunately, Satan is aware of his defeat at the cross and, being full of wrath, has gone after all who follow Jesus (Revelation.12:10-17). One of the best ways he can accomplish this is not so much to destroy all professing Christians but rather confuse them into thinking that they are a Christian when, in fact scripturally, they are not. Jesus describes Satan as the deceiver. His nature from the Garden of Eden until now has not changed. The way to hurt Jesus and get back at God is to deceive people into believing they are God’s people when scripturally they are not. Many professing Christians are very good at quoting scripture to defend their point of view but they do so to the neglect of other scriptures. Is that the right way to treat the word of God which is holy? Should one not look at every scripture from God that pertains to any particular subject?
Any Biblical subject is like a scriptural puzzle. For those who like to sit for hours to complete a puzzle piece by piece, you know what I’m saying. Until every piece of the puzzle is joined to the next only then does one have the intended picture clearly before them. Take for example, the Salvation puzzle with each piece of the puzzle being a verse that pertains to the subject of salvation. Until they are all joined together one does not have the complete and intended picture from God before them.
Looking at the Salvation Puzzle. There are numerous verses in the New Testament pertaining to salvation. For example here are just a few:
When it comes to a spiritual buffet which of the verses above would satisfy your spiritual palate the most? Which would you choose and which would you ignore? Or do you suppose that God wants us to join all these facts/truths together to see the picture about salvation that He’s trying to show to us? Wouldn’t it be easier to just confess that Jesus is Lord then to be baptized? Yet, why has God included all these scriptures as to how one can be saved if there is only one that is required?
When it comes to studying the scriptures. In Acts 17:10-12 the Jews in Berea were described as being noble-minded because they received God’s word with great eagerness and examined all the Scriptures given to them on a daily basis to see (verify) if the things spoken were true or not. To do this they would have to study every subject thoroughly before they would come to any conclusion on what any one verse was saying. Thus, they were called noble-minded. Too many people today come to quick conclusions on what God is saying on a particular subject without fully getting all the pieces of the scriptural puzzle together. One such subject is what God says about how an individual is saved.
The Salvation puzzle in the book of Acts. Throughout the book of Acts one finds numerous situations in which people were converted to Christ. Initially, we see Jews being converted and then later, the Gentiles. If one was to make a chart of these conversions one would find what one might describe as discrepancies as to what is required in order for one to be saved.
Questions to consider concerning salvation. If all I have to do is to call upon the Lord, am I saved? Is it enough to just believe in the Lord and be saved? What if I just confess that Jesus is Lord, won’t that save me? If any of these three questions are true then why on earth would anyone want to be baptized to be saved? That involves getting wet and why go to all that effort if any one of the other three are suitable for one’s salvation? Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that all four are necessary in the plan of salvation. It’s not either or but all four. When people in
Acts were converted they believed Jesus to be the Son of God; they confessed Him to be Lord and they called upon God to forgive them of their sins and then they were baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. Then they went on their way rejoicing because they were in a saved state and would continue to be so if they remained faithful to God.
Isn’t baptism for the forgiveness of sins a work of righteousness? There’s a big difference between being justified before God by law-keeping and being justified before God by faith. The former trusts in being saved not by God so much as in themselves keeping laws of God while the later trusts in being saved by a faith that is willing to obey whatever God has commanded them to obey in order to be saved. In other words, there is a big difference between works of merit and works of obedience. The former is trying to earn one’s salvation through acts of self-righteousness; the latter is accepting God’s mercy and grace through obedience to His will.
Israel’s bondage to slavery in Egypt. For 430 years the Israelites were slaves to the Egyptians. Their predicament as slaves under bondage was hopeless. There was no way of getting out of their bondage until God intervened. And what an intervention that was! However, their deliverance from bondage was not complete when they left Egypt but only when they saw all that which represented their bondage as being dead and done away with; when they were safely on the other side of the Red Sea and saw that all their adversaries were dead. Now here’s the point. Their deliverance from bondage occurred when they were baptized into Moses (I Corinthians 10:1-4). Not one of them would say they were delivered from bondage before they were baptized into Moses, would they? Not one of them would say they had earned their deliverance by being baptized into Moses, right? They wouldn’t have been boasting that they had delivered themselves from the Israelites by doing what God told them to do. They simply had, in faith, obeyed what Moses told them to do – cross the Red Sea and be saved from your Egyptian bondage.
To Be Continued
Matthew 5:9
The result of Jesus’ sermon on the Mount was that the multitudes (thousands) were amazed at His words for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes (Matthew 7:28-29). His words were noticeably different to what they were used to hearing. Not only were they comforting and re-assuring but also helpful in strengthening relationships between others that were in danger of falling apart. Being the Son of God, Christ’s teachings were centred on reaching the needs of His hearers rather than selfishly calling attention to Himself as many of the Jewish leaders were doing (Matthew 6:1-15).
One of the things He spoke about was the joy and blessings that come to one who makes every effort for peace between himself and others (Matthew 5:9). Since the beginning of time Man has wrestled with knowing how to get along with one another. Times have not changed, have they?
As December approaches many people throughout the world will be remembering the birth of Christ. There will be scriptures read and hymns sung that will speak of His coming to earth to be the Savior of mankind. One such scripture will be Luke 2:1-20. Just imagine, if you will, hearing a multitude of angels praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:13-14). But what is this peace among men referring to? The Scriptures speak of the peace that Jesus had (John 16:33), a peace that others could experience if they were “in Him.” Jesus had peace with God, with Himself and with His fellow-man and He wants all His followers to experience that same peace.
But how does one have peace with others?
Paul suggests the following, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. ‘But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:18-21).
Again Paul writes, “for the kingdom of God (the church) is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another” (Romans 14:17-19; Hebrews 12:14).
As members of Christ’s body we can either tear down or build up our relationships with one another. It’s our choice. But what should influence us to make the right choice is knowing what Christ would do. He is referred to as the Prince of peace, “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of peace. There will be no end to His government or of peace,…” (Isaiah 9:6-7). We are a part of the kingdom that belongs to the Prince of peace. As He has brought peace to this world so should we. Jesus said, “Salt is good; but if the salt becomes un-salty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another” (Matthew 9:50).
It is impossible to love one another, forgive one another or be a peacemaker in the church without the strength Christ provides us with to do so.(Philippians 4:13). Remember, He dwells in us and desires to further accomplish His will through us. We need to simply submit to His will when it is required of us. We love others because He first loved us. We forgive others as He has forgiven us and we pursue peace with one another as He has made peace between us and God’s wrath (I John 2:1-3). The person who is a peacemaker is one who submits to the will of the Prince of peace who dwells within them. Paul puts it this way, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).
“Walking in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called involves all humility, gentleness, patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, and being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3). Unfortunately these verses are ignored by some Christians who think more of their feelings than they do of their Lord’s. Whenever tensions arise between them and members of the church there is an immediate need for a peacemaker. Why? Because there is the potential for a “fleshly reaction” to occur rather than a “spiritual reaction.” How many times have we heard of members leaving their congregation to join another because they simply could not get along with another member or members? Dividing instead of reconciling is not a God-approved resolution to any personal differences unless it is for scriptural reasons.
Concerning peace existing among God’s people David exclaims, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” (Psalms 133:1). Maintaining peace and unity among brethren exists only when every member continually strives for it. It only takes one member to disrupt that peace and unity and the ripple effect can be devastating. Yet it only takes one member to be a peacemaker and the ripple effect of their efforts can be a God-pleaser and church saver.
In my days at a Christian college I remember hearing heated words outside my dormitory door between two brothers both of whom I was very close to. I sensed they would soon venture into a fight over I’m not sure what although I have my suspicions. Before long I found myself between them and gently calmed the tension by simply stating that the way they were acting was not how Christians should be acting. Eventually things calmed down and everyone went back to their room. One of them was a Bible major. That taught me that it doesn’t matter how faithful to God I may think I am or how long I’ve been in the church, it is so easy to get caught up in “the moment” and set Christ aside and do my own thing. That is not the way of a peacemaker in the Lord’s church. Since it’s His church, it needs to be His way and only His way. And that’s why it’s so very important to learn how to not only be at peace with all my brethren but be a peacemaker between my brethren.
So how does one become a peacemaker in the Lord’s church and in the world? Believe it or not, the answer is simple. It is by recognizing and applying the latter words of Jesus in His sermon on the Mount. With regard to getting along with one’s enemies one is to love them and pray for them (Matthew 5:43-44). This action is what God expects of His children. We are not to just love those who love us but also those who don’t. As God sends the sun and rain upon the righteous and the unrighteous so should we send good things upon those we have trouble getting along with. The way we treat others needs to reflect the way our heavenly Father treats the world, even His enemies.
Loving and praying for those we have difficulty getting along with is a clear indication of who is in control of our lives and what our heavenly Father means to us. If we are peacemakers then He rules our hearts, our words and our actions. People need to consistently see God at work in our lives. When they see us as peacemakers they’ll recognize that we, like God, see good in all people. After all, who are you more attracted to – a troublemaker or a peacemaker?
Jesus states that peacemakers shall be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9). He restates this concerning those who love their enemies and pray for them with these words, “in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven;…” (Matthew 5:44-45). When it comes to treating everyone the same like God does Jesus tells us to have that same perfection in our treatment of others as well (Matthew 5:48).
Perhaps the words of Peter will help us seek and pursue peace with one another more than ever before. Listen carefully to his words, “To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For, ‘let him who means to love life and see good days refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. And let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.'” (I Peter 3:8-12)
And the angels praised God by saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth (the Prince of) peace among men with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:14) May each of us be an extension of Christ’s peace to the world.
Owen Sound, Ontario
“And Jesus went out from there, and He came into His hometown; and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, ‘Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at Him. And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honour except in his home town and among his own relatives and in his own household.’ And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands upon a few sick people and healed them. And He wondered at their unbelief. And He was going around the villages teaching.” (Mark 6:1-6)
Often God’s power can best be witnessed with people of faith. In the gospel accounts so many miracles were performed upon individuals who exhibited genuine, unwavering faith. How many times, after healing someone, have we read Christ’s words, “Be it done to you according to your faith?” (Matt.9:29). Yet, there are other scriptures where we read these words of Jesus, “Why are you so timid? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark.4:40).
Jesus wanted people to recognize that He truly was the Christ, the Son of God. One of the ways He showed this to be true was through performing miracles and healing the sick. This enabled Him to have an audience of people who were open to hear what He had to say from God.
This however was not the case in His hometown. The people here had heard Him speak and witnessed some of His miracles but they seemed unmoved in the direction of faith. They understood Him to be a child of Mary along with all His brothers and sisters. In fact, in their opinion, He was no different than the rest of them. So we find that they took offence at Him.
What a shame to let pride get in the way of one’s faith. Just imagine what we could of become for God had not our pride gotten in the way and blinded us from seeing what God wanted us to.
When I read Mark 6:1-6 I feel for Jesus. These were people of His own hometown, with whom He had grown up. It was even true of His own family, for the gospel writer tells us that Jesus could do no miracle there because of their unbelief. And He wondered why they disbelieved so much. I believe that Jesus was hurt when those close to Him displayed such disbelief in Him.
Perhaps you can relate to that when your own family or relatives show little or no interest in your spiritual convictions. They can be so distant when it comes to “spiritual matters and convictions.” But, like Jesus, we need to realize that we cannot make much progress with anyone who feeds their disbelief.
The apostle John tells us that not even Jesus’ brothers were believing in Him (John 7:12-10). Mark informs us that when Jesus was home that His own family (relatives) wanted to take Him into custody thinking that He had lost His senses (Mark 3:20-21). It is so discouraging to work with disbelief among people but especially so when it lives in your own household.
But don’t give up hope. In time, things changed with Jesus’ family and disbelief became belief.
Paul tells us that James the Lord’s brother became a leader in the church and that he had seen him in Jerusalem (Galatians 1:18-19). According to Acts 1:13-14 His brothers were devoted to prayer along with their mother Mary and several women along with the eleven apostles as they awaited the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4). The brothers of Jesus’ changed their minds. Faith in Jesus pushed aside their disbelief and so that it grew daily. Why the change?
Paul answers that question best when he reveals to us that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). God’s word is alive and at work within the hearts of those who have received it when it is proclaimed (Hebrews 4:12).
But faith is a choice that no one can make for another. We are not able to do what Jesus could not. We must wait and pray that the word of God will prevail. We are not told how it was that the brothers and perhaps also the sisters of Jesus came to faith. After the resurrection of Jesus, we find them among the believers in Jerusalem. Paul tells us that Jesus appeared to his brother James (1 Cor 15:7) and perhaps that was enough to turn the family around. They knew about his miracles and had certainly heard others talk about his good works. So they came to believe that He was indeed the promised Messiah. Of course, there was also the words of their parents, Joseph and Mary, that had a part in bringing them to faith. It appears that Joseph has passed away by the time they were adults and perhaps his death made eternity a consideration more than ever in their minds.
So, we must learn to give it time. Let us remember that what we preach and how we live can draw others from a state of unbelief, to faith in Christ. What a joy it must of been for Jesus to know that some, if not all, of His siblings came to believe in Him. His mother was there for Him right up to His death on the cross (John 19:25-27). It is believed that John is the disciple that Jesus loved and Jesus felt that His mother’s needs would be better taken care of with John than His own brothers. That was Jesus’ choice as first-born and may have served as a ‘wake-up call’ for his brothers.
Paul tells us that Satan is the god of this world and he has blinded the minds of the unbelieving that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (II Corinthians 4:3-4).
This is what Jesus had to deal with, with His own family, until they finally saw the light. As we face disbelief in our own families, may we be patient like Jesus – always prayerful and God-like. Who knows, one day, the light might dawn in their hearts as well.
2 Corinthians 4:7–18
Have you ever wondered what kept the apostle Paul fuelled during his Christian ministry? After all, considering the hardships and difficulties mentioned in II Corinthians 11:23–33, one would think that surely he would feel at some point that “Enough is enough!” Yet he remained true and loyal to being chosen by God for the task set before him. With such an attitude he was able to endure any hardship in his marathon Christian race of service.
I believe Paul would say that the reason for his dedication and “no quit” attitude was, that it was such an honour to be chosen by Christ for such a ministry (I Timothy 1:12–17). He certainly wasn’t doing it for the money or for the glory of men. Frankly, he loved God with all his heart and he loved the lost souls of mankind enough to suffer for them, as His Saviour had for him.
I am always amazed at the depth of love that Moses had for the children of Israel considering how little they loved him in return or God. After they had sinned against God by making and worshipping a golden calf, God wanted to destroy them (Exodus 32:1–10). Yet we find Moses pleading with God to blot out his name from the book of life in order to spare the children of Israel (Exodus 32:30–35). The apostle Paul had that same kind of love for God’s people and he expressed it when he wrote: “For I could wish myself accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites,…” (Romans 9:3–4).
For forty years Moses led that rebellious and stubborn people through the wilderness. More than once they wanted to kill him. You would think that this would just have to sour any relationship that Moses had with them. Yet we have no indication that he renounced his offer to God. I believe that he remained willing to suffer an eternity away from God if that meant that Israel could be saved. What a love Moses and Paul had for God’s people!
I believe that Moses and Paul fulfilled their ministry for two reasons. They did it for God’s sake and for the sake of His people. They were so focused on those two reasons that they were willing to undergo any degree of hardship to accomplish such.
Paul considered it the highest privilege to serve God, for he had been called as a minister of the Gospel to the Gentiles; for the Gospel was and is a treasure (II Corinthians 4:7). To think that God would reveal such a treasure through an earthen vessel, a frail human being such as himself, amazed Paul (Vs 7, 16). Regarding this salvation, the prophets of old who prophesied of God’s grace that would come to mankind longed to know more about it and the Christ of whom it spoke. Even the angels of God longed to know more about it (I Peter 1:10–12). The mystery of God’s grace had been hidden for ages and was now, through Paul and others, brought to light. Concerning such Paul writes, “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 3:8–10).
The way that God accomplishes things is truly amazing. The Saviour of the world, the King of kings, was born in a manger. What a start for the King of kings. According to Isaiah 52:13–15; 53:1–12; Acts 8:26–35 Jesus was not a good looking man. In fact He was the very opposite. His appearance and form was marred more than any other, yet through Him salvation came to earth and God’s will was accomplished. Similarly, Paul states that the riches of God’s grace is preached and declared to the world through frail human beings, delicate in nature and described as ‘earthen vessels’. Yet, through human frailty, God is able to reach the souls of men and women with the saving message. God is truly awesome!
Although frail and weak in many ways Paul declares that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all mankind (Romans 1:16). The focus and attention is on God and not on those proclaiming the truth. The power is in the message; not the messengers.
With that in mind Paul describes how Satan aggressively tried to hinder them from proclaiming such a powerful message. It was through every imaginable kind of affliction, through times of perplexity, persecution, and being struck down (Vs 8–11). Yet, with God’s help, they were not crushed, nor did they lose heart, nor did they feel forsaken by God but whenever they got knocked down then they just got back up again (Vs 8–11). Whenever others saw the spiritual stamina and confidence of such faithful, committed individuals it reminded them of the One who always died daily in order to accomplish God’s will. Luke speaks of this in Acts 4:13 where he states, “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marvelling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.”
The goal of the apostles was two-fold. At all costs they were willing to die to self and daily risk dying in order to please God and bring the saving Gospel to lost souls. Paul puts it this way, “So death works in us, but life in you” (Vs 12). Like Jeremiah the prophet the apostles felt such a zeal to speak God’s word to others even when it would not be received well. Jeremiah states, “But if I say, ‘I will not remember God or speak anymore in His name,’ then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I am weary of holding it in, and I cannot endure it” (Jeremiah 20:9).
Jesus states in Matthew 6:19-21 that “where one’s treasure is, there will their heart be also.” The heart of Peter and John was so focused on sharing the gospel of Christ that nothing could stop them. The scriptures tell us this, “And when they had summoned Peter and John, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard'” (Acts 4:18–20). If one truly believes then one will truly speak to others of the Christ. Paul did this knowing that his life might be taken but his assurance lay in the fact that if he died sharing the gospel he knew that he would be raised up with Christ by the One who raised Christ up from the dead and this assurance was for all who believed and shared Christ with others (Vs 13–14). In this regard Paul shared the faith of the Psalmist who declared, “I believed, therefore I spoke” (Psalms 116:10). Like God, Paul loved all people, Jew or Gentile. In John 3:16 we are told that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. Likewise, Paul so loved the world that He gave his life in service to the needs of the lost so that they would not perish. In so doing, God’s grace spread everywhere and when people were converted to Christ much thanksgiving to God occurred (Vs 15).
When someone is converted to Christ they have so much to look forward to. The blessings of God in this life and in the life to come are unsurpassed by anything on earth. Paul lived for the life yet to come. Regardless of his age and the brand-marks he received in suffering for Christ (Galatians 6:17) he looked forward to the time when he would be in the presence of God for eternity. No longer in an old, frail body but in an immortal one. No longer experiencing affliction but sharing glory far beyond comparison (Vs 17). That was his focus in life…up to and including his last days (Philemon 9). And as long as he was alive he would, with God’s help, continue to share the gospel of Christ with the world. Concerning this Luke writes, And Paul stayed two full years in his own rented quarters, and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered” (Acts 28:30-31).
The key to Paul’s success in life was in how he looked at things. He knew his life would end one day so he looked at the life promised to him by God – a life without end. So he never quit talking about it in his conversations with others. His focus in life reminds me of the same focus found in the words of the Psalmist who stated, “O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth; and I still declare Thy wondrous deeds. And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Thy strength to this generation, Thy power to all who are to come“ (Psalms 71:17–18).
What is it then that fuels your Christian life?
Do you regard the gospel message as a treasure that God has entrusted you to share? May we, regardless of age or affliction, believe as Paul did and speak as Paul spoke.
Owen Sound, ON
Deuteronomy 6
There’s a Sunday school song that our congregation sings from time to time with the children prior to their class. It is entitled, “Oh, Be Careful” and it speaks of the need to be careful in four different ways. Be careful little eyes with what you see. Be careful little ears what you hear. Be careful little hands what you do and be careful little mouth what you say. Why the warning to be careful? Because there’s a Father up above who is looking down in love. He is watching to see if the children are making good decisions and acting properly in a way that would please Him and benefit them. I think we would all agree that this song is not necessarily just for the children but for all adults as well.
God sincerely cares about what we watch, what we listen to, what we do and what we say. He knows that if we don’t take care and make every precaution in these areas it can result in much harm in our life and in eternal separation from Him.
In the book of Deuteronomy Moses commanded the children of Israel to do all that God had commanded him to teach them in the land that they were about to possess (Deuteronomy 6:1). This listening and doing would instill in their lives and the lives of their children and grandchildren a reverent fear and respect for God’s word. It was God’s intention for this “listening and doing” to continue from generation to generation throughout Israel’s existence as God’s people. They were expected to do this every day of their lives (Vs 2). There were three reasons why they should listen and be careful to do what God would command them through Moses. They were that their days would be prolonged (Vs 2), that it may go well with them (Vs 3) and that they would multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of their fathers, had promised them (Vs 3).
So, to get Israel started on the right track, Moses cried out to them stating that the Lord was their God and that He is the only true and living God. And because of this truth they should love Him with all their heart, soul and might (strength) (Vs 4-6). Their dedication must be reserved for Him and Him alone, for there was no other God even though other nations worshiped many false gods. Jesus speaks of this love for God in Mark 12:29-33. Whether you were a Jew under the Old Testament or a Christian under the New Covenant, having a sincere love for God was and always is the key to having a listening ear and an obedient heart.
We can listen to God and obey Him because it is expected of us or we can do so because we want to. A child that continually listens to their parents and obeys them is one that genuinely loves them. Such is true with God’s children today. The extent of Israel’s love for God would be seen in their willingness to not only hear His word but to cheerfully obey it. Many years later, Jesus discussed the matter of loving God with the Pharisees (Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:33; Luke 10:27). Today, Christians are reminded of the words of our Lord that if one loves Him (truly loves Him) then they will keep His commandments (John 14:15).
The proper dwelling place for God’s commands, His statutes and judgments was in the hearts of the Israelites (Vs 1, 6). God’s word can go in one ear and out the other, but when it is taken to heart it is both treasured and productive.
The Psalmist says, ‘I have treasured Thy word in my heart that I may not sin against Thee” (Psalms 119:11). Since God’s word prevents one from sinning it’s no wonder then that the Psalmist treasured it. The way to get Israel to have the same attitude as the Psalmist was for parents to teach God’s word diligently to their sons and to talk of them whenever they would sit down in their house, or when they would walk by the way or when they lay down and whenever they rose up (Vs 7). Visible reminders or portions of God’s word were to worn by individuals and on display in parts of their home (Vs 8-9). These would remind them daily of how richly God had richly blessed them and just how He wanted them to live.
Once in the land and blessed by God, Israel faced the danger of forgetting that God was the source of their prosperity. This was a serious concern that Moses had of Israel as he expressed in Deuteronomy 6:10-12. He wanted Israel to keep watch against forsaking the words of the One who delivered them from their Egyptian bondage. How easy it is to call upon the Lord when in dire need, but it is also easy to forget Him when bathing in abundance.
When God’s word is neglected and forgotten it is easy for one’s heart to become interested in other things. That was what Moses was worried about, so he told Israel to fear only the Lord their God and worship Him and swear by His name only (Vs 13). Jesus refers to this principle in Matthew 4:10 and Luke 4:8.
When a heart is empty of God it does not take long to fill it with something else such as idolatry and the practices of those who are not God’s people (Vs 14). In order to keep Israel from abandoning God, Moses warns them that God is a jealous God and will unleash His anger upon any who forsake Him and eventually wipe them off the face of the earth (V15).
Moses then reminds Israel to not test God as they had done at Massah by questioning whether God was among them or not because of the lack of water (Exodus 17:1-7, Vs 16). Jesus relied on this instruction when he resisted the temptations of Satan. (Matt. 4:7; Luke 4:12). To make sure that their actions would never come to this Moses reminds them to diligently make every possible effort to keep (guard, protect) the commandments of the Lord as well as His testimonies and statutes (Vs 17). In so doing it would go well for them and they would be able to go in and possess the good land which the Lord swore to give to their fathers as He had removed all their enemies from that land (Vs 18-19).
In time, their children would ask their father what all the testimonies, statutes and judgments of God meant, and he shall teach them how God, with a mighty hand, delivered them from their bondage in Egypt with many great signs and wonders in order to bring them into the land that He had promised to their fathers (Vs 20-23). Fathers will remind their children that this is why the Israelites take the time to observe all that God had spoken to them and done for them so that they will always fear and respect Him. Being diligent in this regard will be for their own good and their own survival.
Although we’re not under the Old Covenant these principles apply equally to our covenant with Christ. Hearing and doing God’s word is just as vital now as it ever was. We have a promised land that we want to get to, along with our children and their children. Parents need to know why they believe what they believe and then follow the teachings of the Lord as delivered to the church, so that when their children ask why they believe and practice such things, they will have a Biblical answer. Parents need to answer clearly, confidently and lovingly. They need to praise the church they are a member of and not cut it down in any way in front of their children. They should pray for the church in the presence of their children and be joyful that they are a part of it because God delivered them from the bondage of sin.
Yes, we need to be careful listeners and doers of God’s word for there is a Father above who is looking down in love. And the best way that we can accomplish this is to look above in love and deep appreciation for all that God has done, is doing and will do for us. Let us be careful, very careful to please our heavenly Father. The next generation church depends on our doing so.
Owen Sound, ON
The idea that good living people could spend eternity in hell is a hard concept to accept. This is especially true when you think about your relatives and friends, your neighbours and co-workers. Whoever they are, you always enjoy being in their company where they pick up your spirit and make your life worthwhile. So yes, it is hard to think that such folk could ever end up in hell. And besides that – isn’t hell a place for those who are bad and heaven a place for those who are good?
Are there good-living people in your life, who are not Christians and have absolutely no connection to any faith or church group? What about those who are a member of some faith group in your community and who seem both good and wholesome? I’m sure that we all know such people and enjoy having them in our lives.
But have you ever questioned if they are going to heaven? If not, is it because you think they’ll go there simply because they are good people? It even seems like there are good people who are not Christians and some bad people who are. So, who goes to heaven?
Actually neither, because being good, is not by itself, a passport to our heavenly home.
As difficult as it is to accept the idea that good, moral living people could ever end up in hell, the Bible is very clear that people don’t go to heaven because they are good but because they are made good (righteous and acceptable to God) through the goodness of Christ. If this is not the case then why did Christ need to die for the sins of the world? Why did God send Him to the world to die in our place? Everyone needs to be forgiven of their sins and imbued with Christ’s goodness to make them good and acceptable in God’s sight.
We’re all aware of many people who have influenced our lives in some way for the good. They have left a lasting impression upon us that has, to some degree, shaped and directed our lives for the better. So it’s natural to think they deserve to be in heaven. But heaven is a place designed by God to be occupied by those who have exhibited a genuine faith in Him and obedience to his will. Heaven is God’s dwelling place not ours. He decides who is privileged to go there, not us. And the only way one can enter heaven is through His goodness and His way and, of course, that way is Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
Sometimes funerals can leave the wrong impression that a life well-lived is an automatic ticket to the pearly gates. Have you noticed that most of the memories shared at a funeral are all about the many wonderful things that the deceased had done for their family, church family and others in the community. I believe that it is important to honour the life of each individual by sharing such memories. It helps everyone to pay tribute to a life well lived or those aspects of a life that are praiseworthy. But I also think it important to bring Jesus into the picture when expressing hope for the deceased. Hope for eternal life rests upon the goodness of Christ and not that of our dearly departed. It is grounded in a relationship with Jesus as saviour and Lord. Such hope is absent when a ‘good’ person who was not a Christian passes from this life.
Living a good life is important and valued. But good people still need Christ’s goodness to get to heaven. Helping an old lady across the street on a cold wintry day is a lovely act of kindness but not one deserving of heaven. Nor is helping the poor in your community. Such deeds make the world a better place. Just imagine if everyone was this kind. But to get to heaven we need Jesus, for our acts of goodness do not remove our sins.
Have you ever felt good enough to go to heaven? On the basis of how you have lived your life do you ever feel you deserve a place in heaven? How good is good enough? When will one feel comfortable enough that they have done enough to merit eternity with God? I have never met anyone who has told me they have achieved the level of goodness required to enter heaven.
I would like to think that people are good because God has been good to them. I would like to think that people want to live a Godly life because of the life Jesus lived on their behalf and for no other reason (Luke 17:5-10). I would like to think that people are good not to earn their salvation but because of their salvation (because they are saved).
In the Bible we read of good people who still needed God’s goodness to get to heaven. They led impressive lives and were well spoken of by the community yet they still needed to obey the Gospel to have any hope of being in heaven.
There was a Gentile named Cornelius in Acts 10:22 who was a righteous and God-fearing man who was well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews. An angel of the Lord had appeared to him in a vision (Acts 10:1-3). And later, while Peter was talking to Cornelius and his household, the Holy Spirit fell upon them and they began speaking in tongues and exalting God, signifying God’s approval that the Gentiles were also to be included among God’s people along with the Jews. At the moment when the Holy Spirit fell upon them, were they good enough to go to heaven? They were not! That’s why Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 10:48; 2:38). And when they obeyed, they experienced God’s goodness, His acceptance and grace and became His children. And as His children, they became heirs of His with a living hope that this world can never offer – the hope of eternal life with God in heaven (Galatians 4:1-7; I Peter 1:3-5).
Judas, along with the eleven apostles, was sent by Jesus to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to cleanse the lepers and cast out demons (Matthew 10:1-8). In so doing he would be hated by all on account of the name of Jesus (Matthew 10:22). As far as we know, Judas did what Jesus commanded. Would we conclude then that after Judas’ death he had the hope of going to heaven because of the good that he had done in his lifetime?
The Pharisees were leaders of God’s people. They were avid law keepers, yet in Matthew 23 Jesus calls them hypocrites because they trusted in their own righteousness and not in the righteousness of God. Even some Christians in the early church did good by praying but prayed with the wrong motives (James 4:3). Anyone can do good things but not necessarily for the right reasons.
We conclude, therefore, that people who have done good things in life will end up in hell for refusing to accept Christ’s goodness and for trusting in their own. And though it may be of little comfort Jesus wants us to know that there will be degrees of punishment in hell. He said, “It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement, than for the city that did not receive the apostles” (Matthew 10:14-15).
Some may question the justice of God by asking: “How can a just God send someone to hell for eternity for the wrong they’ve done in just a few years here on earth? Should not the punishment more nearly fit the crime?” Yet the same people fail to question why God’s love would offer them eternal life after they’ve done wrong in those few years of their life here on earth. You would think that it was not ‘fair’ for the only man who had never sinned, to die for the sins of others. Yet He chose to do so, to enable God, the Father, to pardon and to forgive their sins (John 3:16).
God has so ordained it, that decisions made early in life and made on earth, have consequences going forward. And once we part company with our bodies, there is no going back. The opportunity to repent is withdrawn. The word of God makes this very clear, taking away our excuses.
God has clearly made it known that He wants every soul to be with Him in heaven for eternity. Is that our desire as well?
So the real question is…has God made you good enough to go to heaven? Only He can do so, but we must be willing to accept His forgiveness and to embrace His goodness through faith and obedience.
Owen Sound ON
“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt.5:20)
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them;
otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt.6:1)
I want to begin this article with a question. When do you feel righteous before God? I don’t know about you but I feel better before Him when I finally do the things that God wants me to do but which I have avoided, either because I was afraid to do them or thought it wouldn’t be very productive. Perhaps it was sharing the gospel with a friend or talking with a brother in Christ who had offended me. Whatever it was, I felt really good when I did such things because I finally faced something that I have avoided for a long time. Often I discover that there really wasn’t any need on my part to be afraid of doing such things in the first place.
As Christians we all have a “righteousness” that is noticed by all who know us. It is either one that stinks with arrogance and self-righteousness and is devoid of God or it is one that displays itself humbly so that those who notice it will comment, “I see that you are a Christian.”
The Jews felt that it was very important to keep the Law of Moses. If they didn’t keep it then they didn’t feel righteous before God. But was righteousness before God obtained by law-keeping? One might think so after reading passages like Deut.6:24-25 where Moses wrote:
“So the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today. And it will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the Lord our God, just as He commanded us.” However, Paul helps us to think correctly about this, when he wrote: “For the Jews don’t understand God’s way of making people right with Himself. Refusing to accept God’s way (through Christ), they clingto their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law (Law of Moses)” (New Living Translation). Romans 10:3)
Certainly God wanted and expected the Jews of old to keep and obey His laws and He does the same with Christians today. Yet in neither case did ‘law-keeping’ earn God’s acceptance and forgiveness. The Jews in the Old Testament were God’s people as are Christians today. We keep God’s laws not to be made righteous but because we are already righteous before Him. God has made us righteous through the marvellous grace that He has expressed towards us in Jesus Christ. As sinners, there is nothing that we could ever do to undo our sins or to atone for them. Only Jesus has ever kept God’s perfect standard of righteousness and God has accepted his death as our atoning sacrifice. It is then that when we are found in Him, that His righteousness is shared with us. (I Cor.1:30).
Yes, God expects us to obey and to keep His laws, but the reason that we should do these things is because we are already righteous through Jesus Christ. However, if we willingly and continually refuse to obey and keep His commandments then we fall short of being righteous in His sight. We renounce His righteousness, by acting as if it is trivial and unimportant (Heb.10:26-31).
When people see our righteousness what do they see? Do they see a self-righteous individual who always feels that they are spiritually better than anyone else? Or do they see someone who humbly goes about doing God’s will even when they think that no one notices?
“And Jesus also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” (Luke.18:9-14)
“And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew.23:12)
“The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility.” (Proverbs.15:33)
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)
“Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.” (Numbers.12:3)
“…God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
“Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” (James 4:10)
Owen Sound ON
