On November 17, 2025, at the age of 88, Rita Joyce Davison (née Lewis) passed away quietly at home in Herselt, Belgium, surrounded by family. Rita was born in Kalispell, Montana, on January 5, 1937. Her parents were Marion and Thelma Lewis, deceased.
Rita is survived by her husband of 57 years, Roy Allen Davison, and by their three children: Stuart Jay Davison (Connie), Tonia Lynette Nyéki (Mario), and Connie Yvonne McGuiggan (Ian). She also leaves behind ten grandchildren: Christopher Davison, Marc Davison, Trevor Davison, Tjardo De Roovere, Kilian De Roovere, Liam Nyéki, Calum McGuiggan, Morwenna McGuiggan, Iona McGuiggan, and Bethan McGuiggan.
Rita is survived by her three siblings: Shirley Straker (Walter, deceased), Bob Lewis (Martha), and Betty Kemp (Wayne).
Rita was buried at Kloosterheide Cemetery in Lier, Belgium, on November 24, 2025, after a graveside service conducted by close family members. They sang some of Rita’s favorite hymns and read passages of Scripture.
A memorial service was held on December 7, 2025, with brethren and friends in attendance from Belgium and Holland. The service included a tribute in person by Rita’s daughter, Connie. Her son, Stuart, sent a tribute that was read aloud. Brief descriptions of some of Rita’s favorite things were read by her daughter, Tonia, and by her grandsons, Tjardo and Kilian. A message sent by Rita’s closest friend, Celia Rog, was also read.
Three men from Rita’s home congregation led a prayer, read a Scripture, and presented a brief message on the Christian’s promise of eternal life. Her entire home congregation was present. Some neighbors who attended commented on how beautiful the singing was. Scott Raab, who preaches for the church in Maastricht, Holland, led the service.
Rita attended Radville Christian College in Saskatchewan, Canada, for her four years of secondary school. After graduation, she studied Bible full time at the school for one year and then worked as the school secretary for half of the following year.
Later, she studied at Abilene Christian College in Texas and at York College in Nebraska. At York, she met and fell in love with Clifford Hamm. They were married by Rita’s father in Livingston, Montana, on August 21, 1959, and were blessed with a son, Stuart, in September 1960. They worked with the church in Mulvane, Kansas. Sadly, Cliff passed away on July 11, 1961, due to an accident.
After Cliff’s death, Rita lived in Mulvane until 1965. Then, she and Stuart moved to Lubbock, Texas, where Rita was employed as secretary to the Dean of Lubbock Christian College.
Roy, who knew Rita from high school in Radville, visited her in Mulvane in 1963 and visited her again in Lubbock in 1967, at which time they started corresponding. Roy made a special trip from Belgium at the end of the year, at which time he and Rita were engaged. They were married in Lubbock on June 8, 1968, and Roy adopted Stuart shortly thereafter.
At the end of the summer, Rita and Stuart accompanied Roy to Flanders, Belgium. Roy had already been serving for five years as an evangelist for churches of Christ in the Dutch-speaking part of Europe.
At Roeselare, Stuart was joined by a sister, Tonia, in May 1970, and by another sister, Connie, at Beveren-Waas in June 1973.
In 1974, Stuart went to Western Christian College in Saskatchewan, Canada, and was home only during school holidays after that.
For 57 years, Rita assisted Roy as they worked with congregations in Roeselare, Merksem, Hasselt, and the Antwerp area.
Rita played an important role in a student evangelist program for eight years. The young men from Canada who came each year to work with Roy, ate their warm meal with the family five evenings a week.
Rita and Roy had a close association with Christians in the Eindhoven, Holland, area for almost 50 years. During many of those years, Roy served as a visiting preacher one Sunday each month.
For more than 20 years, they attended the Brussels congregation once a month where Roy preached. For several years, they also visited the church in Den Dolder, Holland each month. These visits were in addition to their work with whichever local congregation they were members of at the time. They worshipped with two different congregations on many Sundays.
Rita was someone who never pushed herself forward. She focused on being a full-time worker in the home, who loved being a mom and a grandma. In later years, she was often adopted as “Grandma” by others as well. She loved the Lord with all her heart from childhood, she loved to sing, and she loved to laugh. Through her dedication to the Lord and her loving, compassionate, joyful, and sparkling personality, she blessed everyone who knew her and made a tremendous contribution to the cause of Christ.
Condolences may be posted at this address: https://www.online-tribute.com/RitaDavison
(Submitted by the family.)
Revelation describes actions of angels.
The great lesson of Revelation is the same vision Elisha’s servant saw: “And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’ So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:15-17).
Although we are few and forces of evil appear to be overwhelming, Revelation opens our eyes to the mighty host of angels fighting for good and vanquishing evil.
John expands on what is said about angels in other parts of Scripture. The following passages help us understand what angels do in Revelation.
Jesus Christ “has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him” (1 Peter 3:22).
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels” (Hebrews 12:22).
“Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14). “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).
Jesus promised: “Whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God” (Luke 12:8). “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” (Revelation 3:5).
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:31,32).
“For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works” (Matthew 16:27).
In the parable of the tares, Jesus explains: “The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire” (Matthew 13:39-42).
“So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire” (Matthew 13:49,50).
“And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:31 // Mark 13:27).
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17).
“Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8).
Angels are subject to Christ. Believers are in fellowship with Christ and His angels who are ministering spirits, sent to help the heirs of salvation. The angels rejoice over each sinner who repents and Christ will confess the faithful before His Father and His angels.
All the angels will accompany Christ when He returns to judge the world. He will send them out with the sound of a trumpet and they will remove the wicked and cast them into the furnace of fire. They will assemble all of God’s elect from every quarter. The dead in Christ will rise first, then the living faithful will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the sky to be with Him forever.
This background information helps us understand what angels do in Revelation.
Revelation speaks of rebellious angels.
This is also taught in other passages. Jesus said that on the day of Judgment He would say to those on the left hand, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).
“And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own habitation, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6).
God’s angels are victorious.
“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. … Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time” (Revelation 12:7-9,12).
What activities of angels are described in Revelation?
1. An angel gave the Revelation to John (Revelation 1:1,2).
John received a ‘little book’ from an angel who told him: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings” (Revelation 10:1-11).
At the close of Revelation we are told: “And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place” (Revelation 22:6). “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches” (Revelation 22:16).
2. Angels worship God.
“Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:11,12).
“And all the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen’ ” (Revelation 7:11,12).
3. Angels support the preaching of the gospel.
“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water’ ” (Revelation 14:6,7).
4. Angels help the servants of God.
“Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, ‘Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads’ ” (Revelation 7:2,3).
“Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. And he was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand” (Revelation 8:3,4).
5. Angels bring God’s judgment on the earth.
This is the most prominent activity of angels in Revelation.
Seven angels blow seven trumpets of partial destruction.
At the sound of these warning trumpets ‘a third’ is destroyed, but the peoples of the earth do not repent (Revelation 9:20,21). The first angel: “a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up” (Revelation 8:7).
The second angel: “a third of the sea became blood; and a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed” (Revelation 8:8,9).
The third angel: “And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water; and the name of the star is Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood; and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter” (Revelation 8:10,11).
The forth angel: “And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened; and a third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night” (Revelation 8:12).
The fifth angel: “he opened the bottomless pit” (Revelation 9:2). The locusts that come up from the bottomless pit have “as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon” (Revelation 9:11). These names mean ‘destruction’ (compare with Exodus 12:23; Job 26:6; 28:22; Proverbs 15:11; Ezekiel 7:25).
The sixth angel: He released “the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates” … “to kill a third of mankind” (Revelation 9:14,15).
The seventh angel: “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15). The seventh trumpet announces the coming judgment (Revelation 11:18). Jesus had said: “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:31,32).
Seven angels bring judgment.
The call to begin the final judgment is given by seven angels in chapter fourteen.
The first: “Another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel” (Revelation 14:6) “for the hour of His judgment has come” (Revelation 14:7).
The second: “Another angel followed, saying, ‘Babylon is fallen'” (Revelation 14:8).
The third: “A third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone” (Revelation 14:9,10).
The fourth: “And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, ‘Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped” (Revelation 14:15,16).
The fifth: “Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle” (Revelation 14:17).
The sixth: “And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, ‘Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe'” (Revelation 14:18).
The seventh (the same as the fifth): “So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God” (Revelation 14:19).
Seven angels pour out the seven last plagues: seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God.
Now that the harvest has begun and the vines are thrown into the winepress of the wrath of God, seven bowls of the wrath of God are poured out on the earth by seven angels. The seven bowls are similar to the seven trumpets, but in this case the devastation is complete, and still the peoples of the earth do not repent.
“Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete” (Revelation 15:1).
“And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands. Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed” (Revelation 15:6-8).
“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth'” (Revelation 16:1).
The first: “A foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image” (Revelation 16:2).
The second: The sea “became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died” (Revelation 16:3).
The third: “The rivers and springs of water” became blood (Revelation 16:4).
The forth: The sun scorches men with fire, yet they do not repent (Revelation 16:8- 11).
The fifth: The kingdom of the beast becomes full of darkness, yet they do not repent (Revelation 16:10,11).
The sixth: The Euphrates dries up (Revelation 16:12).
The seventh: “It is finished!” (Revelation 16:17).
One of the angels with the seven bowls, explains the meaning of the great harlot.
“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters'” (Revelation 17:1).
“But the angel said to me, ‘Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns'” (Revelation 17:7).
“After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen'” (Revelation 18:1,2).
“Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, ‘Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore'” (Revelation 18:21).
“Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, ‘Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great'” (Revelation 19:17,18)
An angel binds Satan for a thousand years.
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:1,2). After the thousand years, the devil is vanquished and thrown into the lake of fire, the dead are raised and all must appear before the judgment throne of God. Those whose names are not found in the book of life are also thrown into the lake of fire.
One of the angels with the seven bowls shows John the bride of the Lamb.
For the righteous there is a new heavens and a new earth and an angel shows John the Lamb’s bride.
“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. And her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal” (Revelation 21:9-11).
The Angel who brought the message warned John not to worship angels but to worship God.
“Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God’ ” (Revelation 22:8,9 // 19:10).
Revelation describes actions of God’s angels.
There are also rebellious angels, but the angels of God are victorious. An angel gave the Revelation to John. Angels worship God. They support the preaching of the gospel. They help the servants of God. They bring judgment on the earth. Seven angels blow seven warning trumpets of partial destruction. Seven angels bring judgment. Seven angels pour out the seven last plagues: seven bowls full of the wrath of God. One of these angels explains the meaning of the great harlot. An angel binds Satan for a thousand years. An angel shows John the bride of the Lamb. The Angel who brought the message warned John not to worship angels but to worship God.
Understanding what the angels do in Revelation, helps us understand Revelation. Although we are few and forces of evil appear to be overwhelming, Revelation opens our eyes to the mighty host of angels fighting for good and vanquishing evil. And we are assured that if we remain faithful until death we will share in the victory of Christ and the heavenly host.
Herselt, Belgium
Anger is a God-given emotion, a strong feeling of displeasure in response to something we don’t like.
Anger gives us additional strength. The hormone, adrenaline, is released into the blood stream. We are more alert. Our heart beats faster. Our blood pressure rises. Our muscles tense up, ready for action. That’s how our body is influenced by anger.
In the Bible, the word “anger” is used with different shades of meaning. In some contexts, anger is a natural emotion that is justified. When people condemned Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, He “looked around at them with anger” (Mark 3:5).
In other contexts, anger is a sin that arises from selfish motives or leads to harmful actions. Thus, whether anger is acceptable, depends on its underlying motive and what one does while angry.
The Bible provides guidance on dealing with anger.
We must control our anger.
Emotions are good servants, but bad masters. Carefully controlled emotions add power to what we say and do. But our emotions may not be allowed to run wild. “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back” (Proverbs 29:11).
Anger must be held in check. “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19, 20). In Colossians 3:8 we are told to “put off” anger.
We must respond calmly to the anger of others.
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18).
We must not try to make others angry.
Fathers are instructed: “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath,i but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
Even justified anger may not last too long.
Anger must be short-lived. “‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26, 27). Remaining angry too long exposes us to the influence of Satan. Resolving anger before the day ends, prevents a buildup of bitterness and resentment, which can damage relationships and our own emotional well-being.
My father once admonished my stepmother: “Remember now: the sun may not go down on your wrath.” She replied: “The sun was already down! I still have a whole day!”
Outbursts of wrath are works of the flesh.
An outburst of wrath is a sudden, intense display of anger, often characterized by shouting, hostile gestures, or other forms of aggressive behavior. In Galatians 5:19-21, “outbursts of wrath” are listed among the “works of the flesh” that are contrary to a Spirit-led life. We are to develop humility, patience, and self-control in order to manage anger and prevent it from leading to harmful words or actions.
Outbursts of wrath often result from keeping a record of wrongs, holding a grudge, and bottling up feelings until they explode. According to 1 Corinthians 13, love does not keep a record of wrongs. Love prevents outbursts of wrath because “Love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).
“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice” (Ephesians 4:31). Anger may not lead to malice, a desire to see someone suffer. One man said, “When my wife is angry she becomes historical.” His friend replied, “You probably mean hysterical.” “No, historical. She reminds me of what I’ve done wrong in the past!”
We must leave room for God’s wrath.
“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19). To “give place to wrath” means to leave an opening for God’s judgment and wrath, rather than taking matters into our own hands. We may not encroach on God’s prerogatives, on things He has reserved to Himself! Believers are not allowed to take revenge.
After we have done all we can do to overcome evil with good, we depend on God’s promise that He will execute justice in His own time and way.
What have we learned?
Anger is a God-given emotion that we must control so it does not lead to sin. We must respond calmly to the anger of others. We must not try to make others angry. Even justified anger may not last too long. Outbursts of wrath are works of the flesh. We must leave room for the wrath of God.
Amen.
Herselt, Belgium
i The Greek word translated here as “provoke to wrath” is παροργίζω that means to try to make someone angry by irritating him repeatedly.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians: “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Ephesians 4:1).
What is this calling with which Christians are called? And how do we “walk worthy” of that calling?
The word “call” has various usages in the Bible.
In one sense, God calls everyone! By grace He invites all to be saved through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ!
The water of life is offered to all. “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). Sadly, most people reject God’s call. “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).
In another sense, only Christians are “the called” because they heed God’s call and come to Christ.
Christians have a calling!
Having a calling means having a meaningful mission in life to which one is zealously dedicated.
Every Christian has a calling from God “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began” (2 Timothy 1:9). By grace, God calls us with a holy calling so we can partner with Him to accomplish His purposes on earth!
Christians are called to holiness. In Romans 1:7, Paul says Christians are “called to be saints.” A saint is someone who has been made holy by the sacrifice of Christ. This sanctification sets him apart for a life completely dedicated to serving God.
Peter explains why we are called to be holy: “As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15, 16). We can be holy only through redemption and sanctification granted to us by grace in Christ.
We are called into the fellowship of Jesus. “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).
In the church we have fellowship with Christ when we partake of the Lord’s supper. “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16 ESV).
We are called to the peace of God in the body of Christ. “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Colossians 3:15). “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
The one body in which God calls us to peace is the church of Christ: “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22, 23). “He is the head of the body, the church” (Colossians 1:18).
Because our calling comes from God, it is a heavenly calling! In Hebrews 3:1 Christians are addressed as “holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling”!
This “heavenly calling” refers to the divine mission assigned to Christians. Our calling has a spiritual and eternal purpose: to glorify God by living according to the teachings of Christ and to proclaim His message of salvation to man.
The Christian’s calling is an upward call! Paul wrote: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13, 14). God calls us to a higher level!
This concept is expressed in the song: “I’m pressing on the upward way, New heights I’m gaining every day; Still praying as I onward bound, ‘Lord, plant my feet on higher ground’”.i
What does it mean to walk worthy of our calling?
In Ephesians 4:1, when Paul says we must walk “worthy” of our calling, it means that we must conduct ourselves in a manner that is consistent with the values and principles of the Christian faith. This includes qualities such as humility, gentleness, patience, and love, mentioned in the verses that follow.
We walk worthy of our calling by walking in the light. John writes: “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:5-7).
We are called out of darkness into light. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9, 10).
We confirm our call by growing spiritually. “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble” (2 Peter 1:10). How we confirm our call was stated in the previous verses: “Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Peter 1:5–7).
We are called to freedom. “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13).
Christians are called to suffer with Christ for doing good. “For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:20, 21).
God calls us to eternal glory! “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10). “Eternal glory” is the hope of our calling mentioned in Ephesians 4:4.
What have we learned?
Christians have a glorious calling, a holy and heavenly calling! We must walk worthy of our calling.
We are called to the fellowship of Christ in His body, the church.
We are called out of darkness into God’s light.
We are called to be saints.
We are called to freedom.
We are called to the peace of God in the church.
We are called to suffer with Christ for doing good.
We are called to eternal glory.
“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). Amen.
Herselt, Belgium.
RoyDavison@oldpaths.net
i From the song, “I’m pressing on the upward way” with words by Johnson Oatman Jr (1856-1926) and music by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (1856-1932).
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29).
Three questions can help us understand this statement. What is sin? How can sin be taken away? And why is Jesus called the Lamb of God?
What is sin?
Sin is a violation of God’s will. “Sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). “All unrighteousness is sin” (1 John 5:17). “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:13–15).
The world is weighed down with sin. Man’s own righteousness cannot save him “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). “As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one’” (Romans 3:10-12).
Sin separates us from God. “But your iniquities have separated you from your God” (Isaiah 59:2). Since God is the source of life, separation from God brings death. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Adam and Eve were warned that they would die if they disobeyed God (Genesis 2:17).
Sin earns death: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
How can sin be taken away?
The justice of God requires punishment for sin. If God did not punish sin, He would not be righteous. Yet, because of His love, God wants forgiveness to be available. Sin must still be punished, however, or God’s justice would be violated. Forgiveness may only be granted within the framework of God’s righteousness!
Redemption is required to enable God to forgive sin without violating His justice. To obtain forgiveness, sinners must be redeemed by an innocent and equivalent substitutional sacrifice.
Only God can forgive sin because sin is an offense against Him. Only He can determine the basis upon which forgiveness is granted. God has designated faith as the requirement for receiving forgiveness. The saved are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith” (Romans 3:24, 25a).
The substitutional sacrifice of Christ enables God to forgive believers without violating His righteousness. Justice is served because the penalty for sin has been paid.
Words used in the Bible to describe this process of salvation by grace are redemption, atonement and propitiation.
Redemption is where a price is paid to free someone from bondage. This idea is rooted in the ancient practice of redeeming captives or slaves by paying a ransom.
In the Bible, this word describes how Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross paid the price for humanity’s sin, thereby freeing believers from the bondage of sin and death. “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5, 6a).
Atonement refers to making amends for a wrong by providing compensation to achieve reconciliation.
Biblical atonement refers to a sacrifice that compensates for sin, thereby restoring a broken relationship with God.
Atonement is central to the sacrificial system in the Old Testament. Animals were not an equivalent sacrifice, however, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). Old Testament sacrifices symbolized and foreshadowed the ultimate atonement that would be accomplished under the New Covenant by the sacrifice of Christ.
Propitiation refers to something that satisfies an offended party. Biblical propitiationi refers to appeasing the wrath of God through a sacrifice. The sacrificial death of Christ is the ultimate satisfaction to restore the broken relationship between God and man.
Why is Jesus called the Lamb of God?
Because God planned to offer salvation by redemption from the beginning, Jesus is called “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8).
Those who heard John say, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), would have understood that Jesus would serve as a sacrifice for the sin of the world.
The sacrifice of lambs as atonement for sin was an established concept in the Old Testament. The Israelites were commanded to offer two lambs each day, one in the morning and one at twilight (Exodus 29:38-42). A lamb was offered as a sin offering for unintentional sins (Leviticus 4:32-35). A lamb could be a guilt offering (Leviticus 5:6). In Egypt, the blood of the Passover lamb protected the firstborn sons of the Israelites from death (Exodus 12:1-13). In Isaiah 53:7 it is said of the Messiah: “He was led as a lamb to the slaughter.”
The New Testament explains Christ’s role as a sacrificial lamb. Peter says we are redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19). Lambs sacrificed under the Old Covenant had to be without blemish, which foreshadowed the sinless nature of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.
To qualify as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind, the Messiah could not Himself be guilty of sin or He would be under the same condemnation. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Being sinlessii, Jesus did not have to die, and could volunteer to suffer the penalty for the sins of others. It would have been unjust if His sacrifice were not voluntary. Jesus said: “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father” (John 10:17, 18).
The sinless Christ “bore our sins in His own body on the cross” (1 Peter 2:24). Believers who accept His sacrifice can thereby receive forgiveness without God’s justice being violated.
The glory of the Lamb was revealed to John!
“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth’” (Revelation 5:8-10).
“Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!’ 13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!’” (Revelation 5:11-13).
The faithful are victorious by the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:11). Of those who washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, it is said: “They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:16, 17).
Have you been washed in the blood of the Lamb?
“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
Forgiveness of sin is offered to all through the sacrifice of Christ. Through baptism you can have a part in His death, burial and resurrection. “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3, 4).
If not, “Why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).
Amen.
Herselt, Belgium. RoyDavison@oldpaths.net
i In the New Testament the word “propitiation” is found only in Romans 3:25.
ii With regard to the sinlessness of Christ, see also 1 Peter 2:22, Hebrews 4:15 and 1 John 3:5.
“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). Paul urges the Corinthians to examine themselves to see whether they really are living according to the teachings and practices of the Christian faith.
What is meant by “the faith” and what does it mean to be “in” the faith? Also, how can we test ourselves to know if we are in the faith?
What is “the faith”?
Depending on the context, the word “faith” has different meanings in the New Testament. It can refer to an individual’s personal faith or to the entirety of Christian beliefs and practices.
Here “the faith” refers to what someone must believe and do to really be a Christian. In this sense there is only one faith. There is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5).
This one faith is the original faith revealed by God in the first century that must be preserved. In his letter, Jude says: “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3).
Thus, when we test ourselves as to whether we are in the faith, “the faith” is the original Christian faith defined in the New Testament.
Some people do not understand this, and think their personal faith will save them, regardless of what they believe. To have saving faith our personal faith must comply with that original faith revealed for all time in the first century. Are we in that faith?
Superficial faith is not “the faith”.
Saving faith is more than just believing in God.
James wrote: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. [But] Even the demons believe – and tremble!” (James 2:19). Many who believe in God are not saved because they are not in that one original faith. Saving faith is more that believing in Jesus. Many who believe that Jesus is the Son of God are not saved because their faith is different from the original faith. Their faith is not “the faith”.
In Romans 1:17 Paul writes: “The just shall live by faith.” This has a double meaning: We live because we have faith and we live according to our faith. It is not enough to believe in Jesus if our faith is not “the faith”.
Doing mighty works in the name of the Lord is not enough!
Jesus warned: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21–23).
These people believed in Jesus, they thought they were saved. But they were not in the one true faith. They were not doing the will of God. Jesus never knew them.
What is said in Scripture about being “in the faith”?
Churches must be “strengthened in the faith”! “So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily” (Acts 16:5).
We must “continue in the faith”! “And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith” (Acts 14:21, 22).
“And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight – if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister” (Colossians 1:21–23).
We must “stand fast in the faith”! “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).
We must be “steadfast in the faith”! “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith” (1 Peter 5:8, 9).
We must be “established in the faith”! “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6, 7).
We must be “sound in the faith”! “One of them, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’ This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth” (Titus 1:12–14).
How can we know if we are “in the faith”?
The one, genuine, original Christian faith is defined in the New Testament. Thus, to test ourselves, we must compare ourselves with the teaching of the New Testament, the New Covenant of Jesus Christ. According to James 1:22-25, the word of God is like a mirror that shows us if we are in order with God or not.
Paul told Timothy: “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:14–17).
What then does it mean to be “in the faith”?
To examine ourselves as to whether we are in the faith, as commanded in our text, we must check to be sure that our personal faith, our manner of living and our church activities align with the original teachings and practices of the Christian faith as revealed in the Bible.
We must of course consult the entire New Testament to test ourselves, to be sure we are “in the faith”. We will mention a few important points
First, we must be sure that we were saved by obeying the gospel of Christ, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17).
What then is the gospel and what does it mean to obey the gospel?
The word “gospel” means “good news”! The good news is that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the Savior of mankind. Being without sin Himself, He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. Forgiveness of sins, membership in the church of Christ, and eternal life are given to those who believe and obey this gospel message. How do we obey the gospel?
To obey the gospel, we first must believe that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 8:36-38). We must confess our faith in Him (Romans 10:10) and we must repent of our sins (Acts 2:38). Then we must be baptized into the body, the church of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12, 13).
After we obey the gospel we must “continue in the faith” by worshiping and serving God in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). We must assemble regularly with the church (Hebrews 10:24, 25). We must live according to “the faith” from day to day, walking in the light and not in darkness (1 John 1:6, 7).
Thus, are we really “in the faith”?
This is a serious matter. We must examine ourselves. We have seen that it is not enough just to believe that God exists, or even to believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
Let us all heed the Lord’s command! “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Herselt, Belgium
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).
God wants all to be saved! He wants no one to perish! Yet, for salvation, certain conditions must be met: God wants everyone to be saved by repenting and coming to the knowledge of the truth!
People must come to repentance.
Coming to repentance is a process of recognizing one’s sins, feeling remorse, and making a firm decision to change one’s behavior and serve God.
People must come to the knowledge of the truth.
This is a process of learning, where someone moves from a state of not knowing or misunderstanding to one of clarity and comprehension.
There are, however, “men of corrupt minds,” who are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7, 8).
Sadly, although God offers salvation to all, most people follow the broad way that leads to destruction, rather than entering the narrow gate that leads to life (Matthew 7:13, 14; Luke 13:23, 24). “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).
Most people will be lost because they refuse to repent and come to the knowledge of the truth.
Much truth is hidden from everyone!
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29).
A prevalent sin is to presume to know things God has not revealed.
God asked Job, “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2).
Paul wrote about “idle talkers,” “desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm” (1 Timothy 1:7).
When Paul was taken up into the third heaven he “heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Corinthians 12:4).
John was not allowed to reveal what the seven thunders said: “Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them’” (Revelation 10:4).
Another prevalent sin is to reject the truth God has revealed.
Paul wrote: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:3, 4).
Much truth is unknown because of ignorance.
Jesus said to Sadducees who did not believe in a resurrection: “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?” (Mark 12:24).
God hides things from the wise and prudent.
Jesus was thankful for this! “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, ‘I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight’” (Luke 10:21).
What things does God conceal from some? Jesus continues: “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him” (Luke 10:22).
Hidden things about God are revealed to those who have childlike faith, rather than to those who rely on their own understanding.
Truth is hidden from the spiritually blind.
Of the Messianic Reign it was foretold: “The eyes of those who see will not be dim, and the ears of those who hear will listen” (Isaiah 32:3). To learn the truth we must listen and our eyes must be sound.
Jesus said: “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:22, 23).
Jesus warned: “Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him” (Luke 8:18).
God blinds the eyes of those who do not want to see.
God told Isaiah to proclaim this judgment: “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed” (Isaiah 6:9, 10)i.
This harsh judgment resulted from the people’s rejection of God.
In the New Testament the same judgment is pronounced on those who reject Christ. “But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: ‘Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’ Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: ‘He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’ These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him” (John 12:37-41).
“Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.’ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, ‘Are we blind also?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, “We see.” Therefore your sin remains’” (John 9:39, 40). Jesus gives sight to some, but blinds the eyes of others.
Jesus says that those who really want to do the will of God recognize the Source of His teaching: “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority” (John 7:17).
Jesus explained to unbelievers: “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God” (John 8:43-47).
When people leave God and follow Satan, they have chosen a liar to be their guide, and are no longer open to the truth. Paul explains: “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4). They who willfully walk in darkness cannot see the light.
Jesus used parables to reveal truth to some and hide truth from others.
When His disciples asked Him why He spoke in parables, He replied: “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand” (Matthew 13:11-13).
Explaining why He spoke in parables, Jesus then quotes Isaiah 6, verses 9 and 10.
“And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them’” (Matthew 13:14, 15).
Parables reveal truth to those who are receptive, while concealing truth from those who are not.
“And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples” (Mark 4:33, 34).ii
God sends delusion to those who lack love for the truth.
The lawless one comes “with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:10–12).
“Strong delusion” is a translation of the Greek term “ἐνέργειαν πλάνης” that can be translated as “a working of error” or “a powerful delusioniii”. This is a strong influence that leads one to believe something false. According to 2 Thessalonians 2:11, this delusion is a divine judgment on those who refuse to love the truth.iv
An example of such a delusion is found in 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 18. King Ahab, one of the most evil kings of Israel, is considering going to war against Ramoth-Gilead in Syria. He consults his four hundred idol-worshipping prophets, who promise him success. The prophet Micaiah, however, reveals that the Lord had put a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab’s prophets: “Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you” (2 Chronicles 18:22).
When someone rejects love of truth he rejects God who is “the God of truth” (Isaiah 65:16).
What have we learned?
God wants everyone to be saved by repenting and coming to the knowledge of the truth. Sadly, most people do not repent. Much truth is hidden from everyone! Ignorance causes available truth to be unknown. God conceals things from the wise and prudent and reveals them to babes. Truth is hidden from the spiritually blind. God blinds the eyes of those who do not want to see. Jesus used parables to reveal truth to some and hide truth from others. God sends strong delusion to those who do not love the truth.
Amen.
RoyDavison@oldpaths.net
i This was also true in days of Jeremiah: “But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; They have revolted and departed. They do not say in their heart, ‘Let us now fear the LORD our God’” (Jeremiah 5:23, 24). Because of their departure from God, they were told: “Hear this now, O foolish people, without understanding, who have eyes and see not, and who have ears and hear not: ‘Do you not fear Me?’ says the LORD. ‘Will you not tremble at My presence?’” (Jeremiah 5:21, 22).
ii It had been foretold that the Messiah would speak in parables: “All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: ‘I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world’” (Matthew 13: 34, 35). This is a quotation from Psalm 78:2. “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old.”
iii Various English translations of “ἐνέργειαν πλάνης” are: KJV – “strong delusion.” NKJV – “strong delusion.” ESV – “a strong delusion.” NASB – “a deluding influence.” NIV – “a powerful delusion.”
iv The same word ἐνέργειαν is used for the “working” of God’s power in Ephesians 1:19; 3:7 and Philippians 3:21.
In the Book of Job there is a progression of Job’s understanding of man’s relationship with God.
Job remains faithful, even after losing his wealth, his children and his health. Yet, at first, he is confused, being overwhelmed by sadness and despair.
His three friends offer little comfort because they believe personal suffering is a consequence of personal sin. Bildad states this view in his speech in chapter 8, arguing that because God is just, Job’s suffering must be the result of his own wrongdoing or that of his children.
Although Job never claims sinlessness, he feels that he is being treated unfairly, and he would like to defend himself before God. He acknowledges Bildad’s point that God is just. “Truly I know it is so, but how can a man be righteous before God? If one wished to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand” (Job 9:2, 3).
He realizes that he – a mere man – could not possibly justify himself before Almighty God. After praising the power of God, he asks: “How then can I answer Him, and choose my words to reason with Him? For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge” (Job 9:14, 15).
Job believes that God is merciful and wishes to plead for mercy. Yet, he feels that God has brought him so low that he could not even plead his own case without condemning himself!
“If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong; and if of justice, who will appoint my day in court? Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me; though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse” (Job 9:19, 20).
At this point we must keep in mind that Job was blameless! In Job 1:1 it is stated: “And that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” Some accuse Job of arrogance, but in reality he is simply stating the truth. It is precisely because of his humility that he understands that, although he is a dedicated servant of God, he needs mercy to even appear before God!
In despair he comes to the conclusion: “He destroys the blameless and the wicked” (Job 9:22). In that despair, however, he sees his need for a Mediator.
On his own, he cannot solve the problem of sin. “If I wash myself with snow water, and cleanse my hands with soap, yet You will plunge me into the pit, and my own clothes will abhor me” (Job 9:30, 31).
Then Job expresses a wish for Someone to represent him before God, a Mediator, an Advocate. “For He is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him, and that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both” (Job 9:32, 33).
Although Job sees the need, it is only later that he comes to believe that God will indeed provide a Redeemer. At this point he is still in despair. “Let Him take His rod away from me, and do not let dread of Him terrify me. Then I would speak and not fear Him, but it is not so with me” (Job 9:34, 35).
The climax of the book comes in chapter 19 when Job declares his faith that God will indeed provide a Redeemer. “Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock with an iron pen and lead, forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:23–27).
After this point, Job is still suffering but he is no longer in despair.
Herselt, Belgium.
Faith alone is not enough!
Many years ago, I explained the gospel to a young man in West Flanders. He said: “Now that’s how to be a real Christian! But it’s not for me. I would have to give up things I like to do!”
Millions of people believe in God, millions believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but they refuse to repent. Without repentance they are lost, according to Scripture, even though they believe.
We must of course believe. But repentance is also required. Faith alone is not enough.
The popular doctrine of salvation by faith only is contrary to Scripture. James says, “Even the demons believe – and tremble!” (James 2:19) and “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:24).
Not everyone who believes is willing to repent: “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42, 43).
Also in the church, repentance is needed! In Revelation, repentance is mentioned in five of the letters to the seven churchesi.
God commands everyone to repent.
Because we all sinii, we all need to repent. But self-righteous people think they are good enough without repentance. And many – like the young man in West Flanders – want to continue in sin.
Jesus warns that everyone must repent: “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:2, 3, 5).
Paul told the Athenians: “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
Although Job was “blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1), he understood that he needed to repent: “I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6).
Everyone needs to repent. I must repent! You must repent! Or we will perish.
What is repentance?
Repentance is a sincere turning away from sin and turning to God. It is a change of mind and heart, leading to a transformation in behavior and attitude. It flows from godly sorrow for wrongdoingiii, but it also includes a firm commitment to change our way of life and do the will of God.
External rituals, although essential when commanded by God, are worthless without repentance. John the Baptist told the hypocritical Pharisees and Sadducees who came for his baptism: “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:7, 8, Luke 3:8).
Because repentance is a change of mind, it can occur in an instant. But repentance, if it is real, bears fruit. The result is dedication to God.
God is willing to forgives those who repent.
Thankfully, God is willing to forgive us when we turn away from sin. He told His people: “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,’ says the Lord GOD. ‘Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,’ says the Lord GOD. ‘Therefore turn and live!’” (Ezekiel 18:30–32).
Peter writes: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Most people refuse to repent.
In spite of the horrible consequences of sin, and God’s willingness to forgive, most people do not repent.
“But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts” (Revelation 9:20, 21).
“And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory” (Revelation 16:9).
“They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds” (Revelation 16:11).
The Bible gives many examples of repentance.
Time and time again, God showed His willingness to forgive those who turned away from sin.
When Solomon dedicated the temple, he prayed: “When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to the land of the enemy, far or near; yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness’; and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name: then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You” (1 Kings 8:46–50).
Jesus referred to Nineveh as an example of repentance. “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here” (Matthew 12:41 // Luke 11:32).
Nineveh’s reaction to Jonah’s preaching illustrates repentance: “So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it” (Jonah 3:5–10).
One must repent to become a Christian.
The message of both John the Baptist and Jesus during His earthly ministry was a call to repentanceiv.
After His resurrection Jesus told His followers: “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46, 47).
On the Day of Pentecost, Peter told believers to repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38). The Holy Spirit was poured out on the household of Cornelius to show that God had “also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life” (Acts 11:18).
A call to repentance is central to New Testament preaching:
• Peter preached: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:19–21). “Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31).
• Paul preached “repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). He proclaimed that people “should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance” (Acts 26:20). Felix was afraid when Paul reasoned with him “about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come” (Acts 24:25).
We also must preach repentance.
An atheist must repent before he can believe. Jesus preached “Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Some people must repent before then can believe. The evidence for the existence of God is so powerful that it is because of their sins that atheists do not believe. I have known several young Christians who declared themselves to be atheists when they started committing fornication. Denying the existence of God is a way to pretend that you will not be judged by Him. We must call atheists to repentance.
Evil political leaders must be called to repentance. Because Herod had married his brother’s wife, John the Baptist told him, “It is not lawful for you to have her” (Matthew 14:4).
People in non-Christian religions must be called to repentance. To be saved, they must become followers of Jesus. “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
People in churches of human origin must be called to repentance. Jesus warned: “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted” (Matthew 15:13).
Lazy Christians must be told to repent. Jesus warned the church at Laodicea: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:15–17).
When Simon the Sorcerer wanted to buy the apostles’ ability to give the Spirit by the laying on of hands, he was told: “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you” (Acts 8:22).
What have we learned?
We must repent to be saved! God commands everyone to repent. Repentance is a sincere turning away from sin and turning to God. It is a change of mind and heart, leading to a transformation in behavior and attitude. Although God is willing to forgive those who repent, most people refuse to repent. One must repent to become a Christian. Repentance must be preached, both to the world and to the church.
Let us give repentance its proper place in our lives and in our preaching.
Amen.
Herselt, Belgium
i Repentance is mentioned in the letters to Ephesus, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis and Laodicea (Revelation 2:5, 16, 21, 22; 3:2, 19).
ii “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
iii “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:9, 10).
iv Matthew 3:2, 11; 4:17; 9:13; Mark 1:4, 5, 15; 2:17; Luke 3:3; 5:32; 15:7, 10; Acts 13:24; 19:4.
Belgium, Herselt – Brother Roy Davison has installed a Search Facility in the Old Paths Archive that can search back issues of the Gospel Herald from 1936 to 2019. Shortly before his passing, brother Max Craddock submitted these files for inclusion in the Archive.
This collection of back issues contains a goldmine of information about the history of churches of Christ in Canada. With the Search Facility, it will now be much easier to do research on certain persons, congregations, places and topics.
Here is the web address: https://www.oldpaths.com/seek.html
What does it mean to be blessed?
Blessings are benefits received from God. God showers blessings on everyone: “For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). Yet special blessings are reserved for those who please God and do His will. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lists various types of people who are blessed in specific ways.
The merciful receive mercy.
Who are “the merciful”? The merciful are people with the distinguishing characteristic of showing compassion, kindness, and forgiveness to others.
Two Old Testament passages are similar: “With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful” (2 Samuel 22:26; Psalm 18:25). “The merciful man does good for his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh” (Proverbs 11:17).
What is mercy?
Mercy is forbearance and forgiveness shown towards offenders so that the deserved punishment is not meted out.
Everyone needs the mercy of God.
Mercy is needed because of sin. Because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), we all need mercy.
God is merciful.
“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy” (Psalm 103:8).
God’s mercy is conditional.
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7).
God wants mercy, not sacrifice.
In Hosea 6:6, God tells His unfaithful people, both Ephraim and Judah, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.”
When Jesus was criticized for eating with sinners, He replied: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Matthew 9:12, 13).
When the disciples were condemned for plucking grain on the Sabbath, Jesus gave two Old Testament examples showing that ritual regulations can be subordinate to higher considerations. Then He said, “If you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless” (Matthew 12:7).
A sin offering is a sacrifice to make amends for sin. David refused to offer a sacrifice that cost him nothing (2 Samuel 24:24). Yet, no sacrifice can pay the price for sin except the perfect sacrifice of Christ.
God commanded animal sacrifices to prefigure the true sacrifice for sin by the Lamb of God. But the physical offering of a sacrifice is not what God wanted, but a penitent heart that offered the sacrifice as a plea to God for mercy.
Jesus called sinners to repentance. True repentance will make any amends it can, but repentance does not require payment for sin, which is impossible. Rather it is a change of mind, a turning away from sin and turning to God, in the realization that the mercy of God is the only solution for sin. Through the sacrifice of His Son, God offers mercy to those who repent and dedicate their lives to serving Him.
God wants us to be merciful in gratitude for the mercy we receive from Him. God wants to extend mercy, and for His children to be merciful.
Only the merciful obtain mercy.
We must be merciful if we wish to receive the mercy of God. “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13).
Jesus taught us to pray: “And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us” (Luke 11:4).
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant teaches that we must be merciful to obtain the mercy of God.
“Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents” (Matthew 18:23, 24).
Ten thousand talents of silver would be worth two hundred million dollars today! We are not told how this servant accrued such a tremendous debt! In the application of the parable, however, this huge debt represents what we owe God because of our sin!
“But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made” (Matthew 18:25).
The price of a slave depends on the age, gender and ability of the slave. In general, however, at the time of Christ, a slave would sell for about 500 denarii. The servant’s possessions would also be sold, which might be of some value. It is unlikely, however, that the master would recover more than a small portion of the debt through the sale.
“The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all’” (Matthew 18:26).
This was a ridiculous plea. How could he ever repay such a huge sum? “Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt” (Matthew 18:27).
What compassion and mercy! The servant ought to have been eternally grateful!
“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt” (Matthew 18:28-30).
A denarius was the daily wage for a labourer (Matthew 20:2). So the amount owed would be equivalent to about five thousand dollars today, a significant amount, but very little compared to the debt the servant himself had been forgiven!
“So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses” (Matthew 18:31–35).
This powerful parable shows why we ought to be merciful. And, that we may expect no mercy from God, but the consequences of His wrath, if we are not!
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
Herselt, Belgium
Romans 14:12
I am responsible to God for my behavior. You are responsible to God for your behavior. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
Because we have the ability to choose, we are responsible for the choices we make. Men and women must answer to God for what they do: “They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:5). God asked Eve: “What is this you have done?” (Genesis 3:13).
We are individually accountable.
“Each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). We may not blame someone else for what we have done, as Adam and Eve tried to do. God cut through their lame excuses and dealt with each of them individually.
God knows the extent of our responsibility: “There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).
Augustine of Hippo and John Calvin, blamed Adam for their sins. The false doctrine of Original Sin has been embraced by much of Christendom. According to God’s word, however, each one is accountable for his own sins: “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself” (Ezekiel 18:20).
“Each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).
Church elders are accountable for how they shepherd the flock. “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account” (Hebrews 13:17).
We are accountable for everything we say.
“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36, 37). We must not underestimate the importance of what we say. God hears every word we speak. “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:2).
God’s name must be used with the utmost respect and reverence. “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7). When people use God’s name in an idle manner, it shows lack of respect for God in their heart. God’s name does not have to be used as an expletive for this command to be broken. Using God’s name in a frivolous or meaningless way, is also forbidden.
But notice that we will also be justified by our words. Jesus promised: “Whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God” (Luke 12:8). And Paul says: “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10).
May our “speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6).
We are accountable for how we use our God-given resources.
All our resources actually belong to God. He told Israel: “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10). Since all our resources come from God, we are accountable to Him for how we use them.
This includes “redeeming the time,” making good use of our time (Colossians 4:5). Stewardship involves responsibility and accountability. “After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them” (Matthew 25:19).
In the parable of the talents, Jesus teaches that we must make profitable use of the resources God entrusts to us.
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man travelling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey” (Matthew 25:14, 15).
“Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also” (Matthew 25:16, 17).
The Greek word here for servants actually means bond-servant or slave. The master entrusted his goods to “his own slaves”. Not only was the money not their own, but they themselves belonged to their master. They were not being supervised. They could have thought: “Why make an effort? This money isn’t ours anyway.” But they were “good and faithful servants” so they traded with their master’s money, and doubled it!
“But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money” (Matthew 25:18).
Amazingly, some people say: “You can’t expect much from me. I’m just a one-talent man!” They obviously missed the point of the parable! And, by the way, one talent of silver would be worth more than $20,000 today! Even the one-talent man was entrusted with a large sum of money!
“After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them” (Matthew 25:19).
The time is coming when we also must give an account for how we used the resources God entrusted to us.
The first two servants reported to their Lord with enthusiasm.
“So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord’” (Matthew 25:20-23).
From this we learn several things. The master was pleased that the servants made a profit in accordance with their ability. The actual amount was not important. Even though they were slaves, because they had demonstrated their faithfulness, the master promised to make them ruler over many things. In a similar parable in Luke 19, the master makes his faithful servants rulers over cities.
The statement, “Enter into the joy of your lord,” means that the servant will be blessed because he pleased his master. The spiritual application is that the reward for a life of faithful service to God is eternal joy and fellowship with Him in heaven.
What was the report of the third servant?
“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’” (Matthew 25:24–30).
We learn several things about this man. He obviously had a bad attitude toward his master. He was afraid, but fear was not his real problem. His master calls him “wicked and lazy” and tells him that the least he could have done would be to place his money where it would earn interest.
We must give account to God for how we use the resources He entrusts to us. God’s expectations are not unreasonable. He gives us responsibility only in accordance with our ability. He expects us to be good and faithful servants, not wicked and lazy.
If we are faithful, He will tell us, “Well done!” and we may enter into the joy of our Lord!
Many years ago a brother asked me if it is not contradictory that God judges us according to our deeds when we are saved by grace. I told him that how we respond to God’s grace is part of our deeds!
Paul says it depends on what we are seeking. God “will render to each one according to his deeds: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honour, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness – indignation and wrath” (Romans 2:6-8).
What have we learned?
“Each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). We are individually accountable. Church elders are accountable for how they shepherd the flock. We are accountable for every word we speak. We must give account for how we use our God-given resources.
By His marvellous grace, God gives eternal life to His faithful servants who persevere in doing good as they seek for glory, honour and immortality.
Amen.
Herselt, Belgium
