Author: petebeck3

Pete Beck III ministered as a pastor and Bible teacher in Burlington for over 34 years. He is married to Martha, with whom he has four children, ten beautiful grandchildren, and four amazing great grandchildren. He ministers in his local church as a Bible teacher and counselor. He has published two books - Seeing God's Smile and Promise of the Father - as well as a wide variety of Bible-related articles which he has compiled into books in PDF form.

Is there ever a right way to judge people?

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s cut right to the heart of the matter. We all hate to be judged, but are usually fairly comfortable dishing it out. We hate the hypocrisy of people who judge others for doing what they are guilty of themselves. We resist acknowledging that anyone has the “high moral ground” that allows them to judge us. We have all been hurt by someone who misjudged us. Our post-modern society condemns (judges) everyone who passes judgment. Go figure. The core problem is that we are all rebellious creatures. We want to be independent and not accountable to anyone but ourselves.

It all began when Adam and Eve elected to try to be unaccountable to God, but their rebellion against their Creator brought his judgment upon them for their betrayal of the One who loved and cared for them the most. Their attempt to escape God’s righteous judgment brought his judgment down on their heads. That is the way judgment works. As Jesus put it:

Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2  For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. Matthew 7:1-2 (NLT)

Before their fall, our first parents lived in a judgment free world. Imagine such a place. All they had to do was fellowship with God and do what he said. There was no need to discern between good and evil or make complicated ethical decisions. Everything was simple as long as Adam and Eve listened to God. Believe it or not, for those who have put their faith in Christ, it is still that simple. It certainly was for Jesus when he walked this earth. Consider his words.

I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. John 5:30 (NASB)

Jesus listened to what his Father told him; therefore, he always judged people and situations correctly. This is what Adam and Eve were supposed to do, but failed. Jesus came as the Second Adam to set things right (1 Corinthians 15:45). He had no selfish personal agenda that clouded his judgment . But he did judge sin, people, and situations. He had to, and so must we. If we operate as he did, listening to God in every matter, we can judge properly, too. Not judging people and situations correctly is naive and can destroy us.

Everyone has to properly evaluate things every day. The key is to do it properly, in a way that is constructive, without condemning anyone, even though we may have to denounce their behavior.

Jesus gave us a great example in John Chapter 8, when he showed mercy to an adulterous woman, while commanding her to “sin no more.” Mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13), without minimizing the seriousness of sin. Unfortunately, some of us so identify with our sin that we find it impossible to accept someone pointing out our sin, without feeling condemned by them. This is extremely unfortunate and sabotages our ability to acknowledge our sin, repent, and find mercy, forgiveness, and freedom.

Anytime we express a judgment against a sinful behavior, we must be extremely careful to acknowledge that we are just as much a sinner as anyone. We must seek to come across as sinners who need mercy who want other sinners to receive the same mercy. Otherwise, we may repel the very people we hope to reach because of the stench of our hypocrisy.

Church leaders have a special responsibility to evaluate people’s actions and words and render proper judgments. They do this to protect the church from harm. If they fail to do this, they will answer to our Lord, the Chief Shepherd. In the church setting, every member has a responsibility to confront unrepentant sin, without becoming self-righteous or condemning. It is part of what it means to be a disciple.

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2  Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3  If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Galatians 6:1-3 (NLT)

To conclude, we are to refrain from condemnatory judgments against one another, especially regarding motives; while, at the same time, we all, and especially church leaders, are commanded to make discriminating functional judgments against those whose unrepentant sinful ways threaten to harm God’s people or lead them astray. In every case, however, the long-term good of the person or persons being so judged must always remain in view. Our hope is always that such judgments will provoke the offender to repent and be reinstated to the church and live according to God’s truth. (To read more on the purpose of church discipline, click there.) We must never judge those outside the church (1 Corinthians 5:12), but we must judge their sinful behavior in order to call them to repentance. If they choose to identify with their sin and become offended at us, we cannot help that

Love must infuse every proper judgment and motivate every refusal to judge incorrectly.

If we fail to properly judge, people will get hurt. If we judge properly, sometimes people get hurt, and sometimes it comes back to bite us, because none of us are without fault. The important thing is for each of us to operate in wisdom, courage, faith, and love as led by the Holy Spirit in conformity to the teachings of the Bible. Beyond that, we must trust the Lord for the results. May He have mercy on us all!

For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13 (ESV)
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The only way to escape God’s judgment upon America…

 

 

 

 

 

Over the years I have worked with a lot of people who have asked me to help them find freedom from significant bondage in their lives.

One of the qualities in those who find their way to freedom is the courage to face the truth.

It is scary to pursue truth because it often forces us to face our fears and pain. The truth is not necessarily safe or comfortable. Many people prefer to avoid it, thinking if they can repress or suppress the truth, things will be better for them. Our relationship with truth affects every area of our lives. It determines the rise and fall of nations and will be a main topic at the Last Judgment.

The Light of the World

Before Jesus came to earth, everyone lived under a shroud of darkness, a sin induced spiritual blindness, a kind of deafness to God, and a mind numbing suppression of truth, that kept people chained in slavery to sin, death, and the devil.

Jesus said that our eyes were blind, our ears deaf, and our hearts hardened against truth. (Matthew 13:13-15) Isaiah the prophet, speaking for God the Father, announced Jesus’s coming ministry centuries prior to our Lord’s birth.

…”It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6 (NASB)

Jesus said about himself:

I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. John 12:46 (NASB)

Jesus, the Light of the world, shines brightly, but, sadly, many, if not most, prefer to remain in the darkness.

This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20  For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. John 3:19-20 (NASB)

Why do we so often refuse to admit when we are wrong? Why do alcoholics and drug addicts have such difficulty admitting their problem? Why are many of us so afraid to go to the doctor?

We hate to be criticized, evaluated, and judged by others because one of the scariest things in the world is to face up to the truth about ourselves.

We don’t want to be exposed because we expect that people will reject and condemn us, if they find out what we are really like, just as we have so often done to others! Most of us instinctively know that we deserve to be punished for our many sins and evil thoughts, and we are embarrassed and ashamed of our sins and failures.  Often we are able to hide these things from other people, but we can never escape God’s penetrating gaze. We can be sure that our sins will find us out. (Numbers 32:23) We observe God exposing sin right and left, and we have not even come to Last Judgment yet.

Believing Lies – The Origin of Our Problem

Humankind’s descent into the world of chaotic suffering and evil can be traced back to the lie that was heard, embraced, and acted upon in the Garden of Eden. Satan deceived Adam and Eve into believing that God is not to be trusted and that doing what God forbids is actually a good thing. The devil told them that they could disobey God without suffering any negative consequences. They would not die! What a lie! Embracing the lie caused them and us to die. Ever since, their descendants, including us, have struggled with truth and lies.

Due to an inherited sin nature, by default, we tend to believe lies. Humanity is still at war with God in our hearts. We still are mired in rebellion against God’s authority and truth.

Every time we choose to reject or go astray from God’s instructions in the Bible, we participate in Adam’s and Eve’s sin and bring upon ourselves similar negative consequences. We have all done this and are reaping the fruit of our disobedience. The formula is simple: believing lies leads to acting upon them (sin) and brings suffering, sorrow, destruction, and death into our lives.

Fortresses Against Truth

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Romans 1:18 (ESV)

The Bible calls such suppression of truth a stronghold or fortress.

We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5  We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NLT)

Human reasoning and logical arguments are used by the mind as a shield to deflect and suppress God’s truth.

Even when the truth is presented to us, we fend it off with our proud arguments and faulty reasoning. When we do this, we cannot see truth. It is a self-imposed spiritual blindness, which the devil more than willingly helps us maintain. I have done this to myself and I see others doing it to themselves. It is one thing to be deceived by another, but when we deceive ourselves, our situation is dire. When we stubbornly refuse the truth over and over again, eventually God gives us over to what we want – a mind devoid of God’s truth, which is unable to properly reason any longer. I see evidence of our having been given over to such illogical thinking right now in our nation, and I find it quite scary. People simply believe whatever they want to believe, facts and evidence be damned.

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, Romans 1:28 (NASB)

Embracing Lies – the Root of Societal Decay

Since people and groups of people – governments, nations, etc. – are at war with God and reject his authority to tell them what to do, it is unavoidable that over time nations and other entities, unless constantly brought back to obedience through the gospel, will drift farther away from God and his truth. This means they also will distance themselves from his blessings and protection. Once the drift has begun, it can quickly escalate, and it is extremely difficult to overcome or reverse.

The more a group of people suppresses truth and elevates falsehood, the more quickly and devastatingly it plunges into destruction and chaos.

When individuals suppress truth, it gives sin a foothold that is difficult to break. When an entire culture does it, its demise is just around the corner. Can you see that the United States is now in mortal danger? We have spurned the God who before protected us. Yes, we have been really wrong about some very big things over our history, but, despite all that, our people generally trusted in God. Increasingly, this is no longer the case.

Legitimizing the Lie Is a False Hope

Behind our willingness to believe lies is our absolute determination to cast off every trace of God’s authority and rule.

Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? 2  The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, 3  “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” 4  He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. 5  Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, 6  “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” Psalm 2:1-6 (NASB)

It should be no surprise to us that society by default always moves away from truth and seeks to legitimize the lie.

Groups of people (mobs) often do far worse things than most of the individuals comprising it would do on their own. The mob feels safe in its numbers, believing it can avoid being accountable or brought to justice. When nations legitimize a sinful lie and act on it, it becomes a kind of mob. But God will not only hold individuals accountable. He will judge entire nations. If this does not put the fear of God in us, I don’t know what will!

Abortion – Our National Mass Murder Lie

Perhaps one of the easiest examples of how a nation can embrace a rebellious lie is how the United States relates to abortion.

Since the Supreme Court Decision of Roe v. Wade on January 22, 1973, we have held ourselves up as a paragon of freedom and equality for women without batting an eye regarding the mass murder of over 60 million unborn defenseless babies. This is right now, under our watch! Consider that this number equals some estimates of the total number of lives lost in WWII! Let that sink in! We should be appalled, ashamed, aghast, disgusted, and fearful of what God will do to such a people. The freedom to kill an unborn baby is the law of the land, but that does not make it just or right!

It does not matter what man’s laws say. God’s law trumps human law and is the standard God will use at the Last Judgment.

Women’s reproductive rights is a euphemism for the mother’s right to terminate the life of the defenseless baby in her womb. That’s murder, no matter how we slice and dice it. Whether or not we ever consented personally to an abortion, we all are guilty as a nation.

We use the convenient lie is that the developing baby in the womb is not yet a human being, but any fair minded person knows this is not honest.

People in our nation used the same argument to justify slavery and the ethnic cleansing of Native Americans. Dehumanizing those we enslave, oppress, and murder is an age old ruse. We now look back with sorrow and shame as we contemplate our forefathers’ reasoning and actions. How will future generations judge us? More importantly, how will God judge us? God is the defender of the helpless and innocent. Should it not scare us to think how deserving of judgment our nation is? And this is only one sin!

But most people would rather not think about it. We prefer to live in denial and try to evade the truth. We may be able to do that for a while, but eventually the truth will find us and make us own our sin.

Evolution – Suppressing the Truth of Creation

The hypothesis of evolution is a prime example of the suppression of truth, which is being done worldwide. The Bible teaches that God’s existence is clearly evident through observing of his creation. In other words, we have to be willingly blind to miss it.

…that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20 (NASB)

By denying the existence of the Creator and his work, we attempt to free ourselves from any moral obligation to worship and serve God or keep his commandments.

If man evolved, we are accountable to no one for how we live our lives. We are our own god. No wonder this lie is so popular. It appears to give solid scientific footing to the desire to throw off God’s rule.

Transgenderism – Rebelling against God’s Sovereignty

Another lie that is sweeping our culture is that gender is psychologically determined rather than divinely ordained.

In other words, we are not limited to how God made us. We can choose whatever gender we want. The Bible teaches that God created us as he saw fit, which is male and female, which is determined at conception and permeates our being all the way down to the chromosomal level.

All of us come into this world with most of the really important factors already determined for us by God.

God sovereignly chooses for us our sex, intelligence level, physical strength, race, family, nation, looks, general health, etc. None of us chose to be born and none of us can stop the aging or death process. We cannot undo gravity or much of anything else God has built into his creation, much less our gender.

Nevertheless, many rebel against the idea of anything being predetermined by God and try to undo it.

Rather than accept how God made us, we want to change it. We can change our dress. We can surgically alter our bodies. We can inject unnatural levels of hormones, but we cannot change ourselves at the most fundamental level. Our  chromosomes tell the true story.

We cannot change what God has created. We can only accept it or rail against it.

Railing against Authority – A Society in Rebellion against God

The Bible teaches that all authority comes from God, and, when we oppose and speak against authority, we bring condemnation and judgment upon ourselves.

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2  Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. Romans 13:1-2 (NASB)

There is a place for conscientious objection and making a stand against tyranny, but generally we should submit to authority, unless it commands us to disobey God. In the Bible, God severely deals with rebels. In the United States, our rebellion is much deeper than half our nation rejecting our president and most of the media ranting against him continuously.

Speaking evil of authority betrays a much deeper rebellion against God and his truth revealed in the Bible.

There has been an ongoing war against God’s authority for decades now. Under the cloak of separating church and state, enemies of God have removed Bible reading and prayers from our public schools, banned God talk at work, and forbidden coaches from praying with their teams. Christians who dare to speak out about their faith are openly mocked and persecuted.

My generation, the Boomers, began this current wave of rebellion in the 60s and 70s by casting off restraint sexually, experimenting with drugs, introducing various Eastern religions into the culture, and entertaining ideas of government overthrow espoused by such groups as the Weather Underground and SDS. People became increasingly unwilling to acknowledge authority and became uncomfortable with being in authority. Children were encouraged to be very informal with adults, corporal punishment was abandoned in favor of new unproven psychological methods, and society has only gotten more and more off track since then.

We believe that we can safely rant against authority, invalidate elections, violate established sexual mores, alter or do away with the family structure,  teach our children that God did not create the world or us, and the list goes on – all without reaping any negative consequences. This is a huge lie.

Is It Too Late?

America has reached a critical point in her history.

As a nation, we have turned our backs repeatedly on God and his truth. Right now we are locked in a battle for the soul of the nation. Sadly, the momentum lies on the side of the rebellion against God.

Many of our nation’s leaders and influencers  -the educational establishment, the main stream media, and Hollywood – are actively suppressing truth, and the American people seem to like it that way.

It is increasingly coming into question whether we are capable any longer of responsible self-government. We are being set up for tyranny. Many of our citizens now believe that there is no God, no absolute truth, no ultimate authority, no coming judgment, and no everlasting consequences for rejecting God and disobeying him. They (we) could not be more wrong! Those who believe in no God are more than willing to surrender to a human or institution, such as government, which claims to provide what God alone can do. The suppression of the truth about God leads to idolatry.

Will judgment come to America or is it already here? It’s here now. The only question is will it destroy us, or do we still have space for repentance?

Making the Decision to Pursue Truth

Truth seekers are fairly rare it seems. Sadly, the more comfortable we are, the more likely we will be unconcerned about eternal things. My own personal journey to God was a search for truth. I wanted to know if what the Bible says about Jesus and his resurrection is true or not. At one point, I called myself an agnostic, thinking that God cannot be known, simply because I had not yet come to know him. How ludicrous to make a judgment about God based solely on my own experience; yet, how common it is for people to suppose that what we think and have experienced determines reality.

Paul wrote that people grope about in their search for God. (Acts 17:27) Spiritually blind people fall all over themselves and unseen obstacles in their pursuit of reality and truth.

We cannot find God on our own, but, if we seek him, he promises that we will find him. He makes sure of that!

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8  “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (NASB)

What the Pursuit of Truth Is Not

  • Seeking truth is not limiting ourselves to some predetermined position.
  • It is not going to be found by going to ungodly sources, especially non-truth seeking groups.
  • It not not necessarily something that will make us feel good or confident or that will help us to fit in with the crowd.
  • It’s almost surely not something that is politically correct.

What truth Is

  • Even though Jesus is full of love, truth is always “cold,” in the sense that it is doesn’t care if it pleases us or not.
  • Truth is often “hard” – something that won’t change no matter how much we wish it would, or how hard we try to make it change.
  • Truth will make our lives less comfortable, less convenient, and less agreeable to non-truth seekers. It cost Jesus his life.
  • Truth will force us to abandon any of our current beliefs and understandings that are wrong.
  • Truth sometimes will embarrass us by exposing our sinfulness, ignorance, or blindness.

Humility

The pride of man resists God and his truth. It comes up with all sorts of alternate versions of reality that will allow us to dodge truth and continue in our rebellion.

It takes humility to believe in God and in the truth of his words in the Bible.

Humility teaches us that we are created beings, not independent operators. Humility teaches us that unless we admit our need for God, we will be lost in the downward spiral of death and deception. It takes humility to admit we need help, and that help is found in Jesus!

The Terrible Day of the Lord

Imagine how the Nazi leaders felt as they faced charges at Nuremberg! Some were unrepentant, but I imagine most were afraid and ashamed as their evil deeds were exposed and their sentences imposed. I imagine that many of them felt horribly guilty. Saying, “I am sorry” did not fix things. Justice was meted out. The Last Judgment will be even more terrifying and severe.

Near is the great day of the LORD, Near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the LORD! In it the warrior cries out bitterly. 15  A day of wrath is that day, A day of trouble and distress, A day of destruction and desolation, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness, 16  A day of trumpet and battle cry Against the fortified cities And the high corner towers. 17  I will bring distress on men So that they will walk like the blind, Because they have sinned against the LORD; And their blood will be poured out like dust And their flesh like dung. 18  Neither their silver nor their gold Will be able to deliver them On the day of the LORD’S wrath; And all the earth will be devoured In the fire of His jealousy, For He will make a complete end, Indeed a terrifying one, Of all the inhabitants of the earth. Zephaniah 1:14-18 (NASB)

There is a coming day when our pretenses and shams will be stripped away and everything will be exposed in the clear blinding light of God’s truth.

What will we do on that day? Will there be any place to hide? Will there be any safe place?

The Only Safe Place

Absolute truth is a person named Jesus who identified himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the only way to the Father in heaven. (John 14:6)

He sees through all pretext and lies. No one can hide from his gaze. No one can escape his judgment. He knows the thoughts and intents of the heart as well as everything we have ever said or done. He knows what we did not do, when we should have. (Hebrews 4:12-13)

Absolute truth is also absolute holiness.

His standards do not bend. His righteousness is inflexible. His justice is firm and fierce. His wrath will be released upon all those who reject the truth and refuse his mercy offered through the Gospel in Christ.

Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9  that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10  and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11  For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12  in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 (NASB)

How Will You Know Him?

But that is in the future, and this is now. We yet have the opportunity of coming into the light of God’s truth about our sin and finding mercy. We can know him as the one who said:

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (NASB)

Or we can reject his generous offer of forgiveness and one day meet him as the glorious Son of Man coming in the clouds to judge all people, who will say to us:

…Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; Matthew 25:41 (NASB)

This is the same Jesus speaking to different groups of people. It’s our choice of what we will hear and how we will know him. Regardless, we will all bow before him. Why not do it now willingly? Don’t wait until you are forced to cower before him awaiting his judgment and justice!

The Truth Will Set You Free

Jesus wants to liberate us from death, destruction, deception, and sin. He said:

…“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (ESV)

Those who humbly and courageously pursue truth, no matter what, will indeed be set free, experience true joy, and know God and his mercy. They will see the God of all truth extend his merciful hand toward them with a smile of favor.

Jesus faced the truth about sin when he went to the cross.

The truth about our sin nailed the Truth of God to the cross and put him to death.

The truth about sin poured out God’s wrath on the innocent Lamb of God who willingly took upon himself the just penalty for our sins. The Truth died that day to provide us with eternal life.

The only way for anyone to escape the same God’s righteous wrath against sin is to put his or her faith in what Christ has accomplished on our behalf and to pledge our loyalty and faithfulness to the Truth.

This is the only way to be set free. It takes courage and humility and faith. The path to truth is narrow and difficult, but definitely worth it!

For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:14 (NASB)

The society in which we live may be hell bent on going down the wide road to destruction, but we don’t have to join them!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I  believe that you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life and the only way to the Father. I ask you to forgive me for my sins. I deserve judgment, but I joyfully receive mercy from you, who took my punishment upon yourself. I deserve death, but I gladly receive eternal life from you. I deserve to be eternally cut off from God, but I happily accept my reconciliation to Father God through you. I confess that you are the risen Lord of Lords who is coming back again to judge all people.  I thank you that I now can confidently look forward to that day because you have put me in right standing with God the Father. Thank you for giving me your Holy Spirit to live inside me forever and transform me on the inside. Thank you for setting me free! Help me to serve you the rest of my days on earth and forever in heaven.  Help me to be a faithful witness to Jesus, a proclaimer of the Gospel, and a discipler of men. Amen.

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Authority and Church Discipline

 

 

 

 

 

Although many present the “gospel” primarily as an offer of forgiveness, with little or no emphasis on the necessity of repenting from going our own way in willful rebellion against God, the true gospel is mainly about reestablishing the authority of God’s Son, the Messianic King of Israel and the Lord of Lords.

“Coming to Jesus” (Matthew 11:28-30) means turning from living independent, self-reliant lives and coming under Jesus’ rule (yoke) and surrendering every aspect of life to the Holy Spirit. When we do this, we find rest. Living as a rebel is a hard life with no future.

Churches today are filled with people who have never truly submitted to Jesus the Lord, perhaps because they were never told they must do so. They expect Jesus to forgive them (I have heard people say that it is his job.), provide for them, and welcome them to heaven, but they do not practically recognize him as their Lord. They live the way they want to live, regardless of what the Bible says.

Many so called Christians today reject the Bible’s teachings, especially when it comes to morality. Jesus taught that those who call him Lord, but do not live according to his teachings, do not truly belong to him. (Matthew 7:21-23) It’s a matter of the heart and it is all about authority. Either we want to submit to Christ’s authority or we do not. If there is nothing in us that motivates us to do so, it is doubtful we have his Spirit abiding in us.

Forgiveness is a happy by-product for those who confess that he is Lord, mean it, and live accordingly. (Romans 10:9-10) it is not something that stands alone, independent from acknowledging Jesus’ lordship.

Church Discipline

Our churches are a proving ground for the genuineness of our willingness to live in subjection to Christ’s authority.

Anyone can say they are under authority, but we never know until our wills are challenged by that authority. When God’s authority or will crosses ours is when the true condition of our hearts is exposed.

God has placed leaders in his local churches in whom he has invested a measure of his authority. (God’s delegated authority also resides in the home, work, school, government, etc., but we will limit this article to church government.)  The biblical pattern is for the church to be governed by proven men of godly character and commitment to Christ, who are called elders. (1 Tim. 5:17, etc.) Elders have a responsibility from God to watch over the people under their care.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17 (NASB)

We all have something called the “old man” or the “flesh,” which inwardly tempts us to be rebellious and unruly. Even though Christ “disarmed” the flesh on the cross for those who believe in him (Romans 6:6), it is still there and ready to spring into action, if we make room for it. Unfortunately for us, as Jesus taught us, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” That being the case, we all sin, and, over time, we all need to be corrected from time to time when we err and sin – some of us more than others.

In every organization, there have to be standards of behavior. If the organization’s leaders do not uphold and enforce those standards, human nature being what it is, people begin to slide, to see what they can get away with.

We tend to press the boundaries, and, unless we are corrected, we will get less and less fearful of the negative consequences of sin. A great example of this is how people disobey the speed limits on the Interstate. If the Highway Patrol does not aggressively enforce the speed limit, people go faster and faster. It’s human nature, and it works this way in the church, too.

In the local church, elders have the responsibility to uphold Christ’s authority, which is clearly demarcated in the teachings of the New Testament. Certainly elders have no business micromanaging people’s affairs, but, I hope we can all agree that when church members clearly violate Christ’s teachings in a major way, and  refuse to repent, something must be done. This is called church discipline.

Jesus told us how to carry out church discipline in Matthew 18:15-18. The normal order is for the aggrieved party to first confront an “offender” privately. Hopefully that will be sufficient to solve the problem. Unfortunately, some of us are little slower on the uptake or a little more stubborn and need to go to stage two. This is when another person is brought into the mix as a “reinforcement.” The hope here is that the “offender” will listen to their combined testimony and repent. The third stage is to bring church leaders into the mix in order to press upon the “offender” the gravity of their sinful behavior. If this does not work either, the only thing left, according to Paul, is expulsion from the church. (1 Cor. 5:9-13)

In my experience, it is rare that anyone has to be expelled. Usually offenders see “the handwriting on the wall” and remove themselves from the fray before it gets to that stage. There are plenty of churches around where people can hide their sinful behavior from other church members. Many churches only want people to show up on Sunday and give. They do not really get to know their people and are consequently blind to what is going on beneath the surface. To be fair, the flip side of the issue is that sometimes church leaders are reluctant to bring correction to recalcitrant members; so, the fault lies on both sides.

My point is this: church discipline is needed to help people live under Christ’s benevolent rule.

We all need help from others because following Christ is not easy. Over the years, I have observed that people who are unwilling to recognize and follow the counsel of the local church’s elder team are the ones who cause trouble, leave, or, rarely, are asked to leave. If they are not confronted, it can negatively impact the entire church by bringing down morale or teaching by example that sin is no big deal.

Because the local church is an assembly of people who choose to come under Christ’s authority and recognize his delegated authority in elders, unrepentant rebels have no place in a local church. Our inability to come under, in the right way, the authority of local church leaders, is proof that we have not yet properly surrendered to Christ.

Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica:

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 (NASB)

Concluding Thoughts

I have not covered many important aspects of the proper use of authority, which is a topic I have written about elsewhere. I take it for granted that you understand that I am not endorsing a heavy handed use of authority to browbeat or domineer others. That is wrong. Nevertheless, unless Christ’s true servant authority is properly upheld in the church and in our lives as individuals, we are in danger of being very deceived by sin and put at risk of incurring God’s discipline in our lives.

My counsel is this. Let us…

  1. Renew our commitment to live each day in submission to Christ, as best we can, in dependence upon God’s grace and the Holy Spirit. No one expects perfection, just an honest effort on a continuing basis.
  2. Take seriously the application of God’s truth found in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament, to our everyday lives.
  3. Voluntarily submit to the delegated authority God has placed in our lives – at home, work, school, government, and in the church. Learning to listen to and receive needed correction is a big part of life. Those who take heed are wise. (Proverbs 6:23)
  4. Elders in the local church should take seriously their responsibility to oversee Christ’s people and properly use their God-given servant authority for good, to help others learn to live under Christ’s benevolent rule, all the while realizing that they are “sheep” under a Shepherd, too.
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Does Having a Right Attitude toward Authority Really Matter?

 

 

 

 

 

Our attitude reveals the condition of our hearts.

A poor attitude reveals a heart that is not fully engaged or in agreement with its circumstances or assignment. People who have a poor attitude usually do poor work and have strained relationships and are a drain on everyone else.

Attitudes are contagious.

People with negative attitudes can rub off on others, pulling down an entire community or team. Wise coaches and leaders must properly handle individual attitude problems before they escalate into something worse. Conversely, people who have a great attitude can lift a group.

How we think will eventually be reflected in the words we speak and the actions we take.

Principle #1: God uses authority to work for good in our lives.

The Bible teaches us that our attitude toward those in authority is crucial. This is because all authority is derived from God. As such, when we resist authority, we resist God.

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. Romans 13:1 (NLT)

Such a Biblical stance is based on the foundational doctrine of God’s sovereignty.

The Bible states unequivocally that God rules over all and works all things in accordance with his plans, even the things that we consider to be calamities.

Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission? 38  Does not the Most High send both calamity and good? 39  Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins? 40  Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the LORD. Lamentations 3:37-40 (NLT)

As followers of Christ, everything always works for our ultimate good.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29  For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Romans 8:28-29 (NLT)

The good toward which God is always working is to conform us to Christ’s likeness on the inside. Therefore, using this divine logic, even when God allows evil people to be in authority over us, he still is working for our good.

Principle #2: Complaining against authority is dangerous to our well-being.

A second principle, therefore, is that to complain against those God has placed in authority over us is to complain against God and his plan for our lives, which is never a good idea.

The first being who is recorded to have had a bad relationship with authority is Satan. He rebelled and revolted against God directly and was forced out of God’s presence. He ultimately will  be consigned to the lake of fire. As mentioned before, bad attitudes are contagious. He passed his to Adam and Eve, who blamed God for their sin of rebellion. Adam blamed Eve, whom God had provided to be his helper/assistant/completer. In Adam’s mind, it was God’s fault that he disobeyed God, since God had provided him with Eve. Never mind that Adam chose to go along with her misguided revolt instead of using his influence to dissuade her. Such is the logic of the rebel. Bad attitudes toward authority produce bad words, which accuse, blame, or find fault with authority, which result in rebellious actions.

Thankfully, the converse is also true. A great attitude toward authority will produce wholesome words and positive acts of obedience. Jesus is our finest example. It was his delight to do everything he saw his Father doing and speak everything he heard his Father speak. His goal was to bring his Father glory, even when his Father’s will was extremely difficult and personally very costly.

No fear, pride, or resentment had any hold on Jesus; therefore, he did not fall to these three main temptations that can lead us into having a bad attitude toward authority. You and I, however, have to contend with each. The Bible gives us some clear examples of how not to relate to God’s delegated authority, as well as how to do it correctly.

The Fear Factor

Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water. 23  When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink. So they called the place Marah (which means “bitter”). 24  Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded. Exodus 15:22-24 (NLT)

There is nothing like a little adversity to bring out the rebel in all of us! This is especially true when our expectations are out of line with what God is doing in our lives. Many people think that God wants us to be trouble free. Nothing is further from the truth. Adversity is what tests and refines our character and transforms us into Christ’s image, which is one of God’s main goals for us during our short stay here on planet earth.

If self-preservation and a life of ease are our top priorities, we will surely become a complainer; but, if God’s glory and his will are our main objectives, we will be able to pass every test.

When things do not go as we expect, we often slip into fear and the blame game. Whoever is leading us when disappointment shows up will likely be the target of our anger and complaining.

When we actually have a problem with God, we will likely blame those in authority. They are convenient targets.

The Old Testament is full of examples of God’s people turning against delegated authority when things went south. Just read Exodus and Numbers to see first hand how poorly it went for the rebels. The takeaway is that God judges rebels, and it’s never a good thing to be their camp.

When Leaders Fall Short

How do we respond when leaders sin and disappoint us by their behavior?

Unless resentment is handled correctly, it can easily morph into bitterness. Untended offenses can propel us to criticize and judge our leader’s misdeeds in an effort to overthrow their authority under the camouflage of self-righteousness.

Let’s consider Absalom’s rebellion for an example. He was infuriated by his father David’s failure to punish his son by a different mother, Amnon, for raping Absalom’s sister by the same mother, Tamar. This was a major failure on David’s part. His reluctance to judge and punish Amnon may well have had its roots in his own previous moral failure with Bathsheba. It’s hard to be tough in an area where we required mercy. It was understandable that Absalom was upset. His sister had been grievously and criminally violated and the perp got away with it! This test revealed Absalom’s heart. It showed that he was filled with pride. He failed to realize his own need for mercy, which allowed him to become judge, jury, and executioner of someone else. Absalom’s resentment escalated into bitterness, hatred, and outright rebellion. He spoke against his father, hatched a plan to overthrow him, and undertook to oust him from being king and to put him to death.

Proverbs says:

A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Proverbs 17:11 (NASB)

This is exactly what happened to Absalom. General Joab took care of the rebellion by eliminating the source of the infection, driving several spears into David’s embittered son as he hung by his hair in a tree. His pride, as exemplified by his long flowing hair, is what did him in. Ultimately bitterness is fueled by pride, and pride always precedes a fall.

One of Absalom’s chief co-conspirators was Ahithophel, Bathsheba’s grandfather. This man was reputed to be the wisest man in Israel, and his counsel was considered to be almost infallible. Despite his great wisdom, he also fell to the power of resentment and harbored bitterness toward David for having committed adultery with his granddaughter, Bathsheba, and murdering her husband, Uriah, who was one of the most faithful men in Israel. As with Absalom, Ahithophel had grounds for being upset with David, who had selfishly robbed his family of something precious. His inability to forgive David, even after God did, led to his downfall. His bitterness overcame his wisdom, leading him, against all wisdom, to join a plot against God’s appointed authority. As might be expected, things ended very poorly for Ahithophel. He committed suicide when he realized the coup would fail.

David sinned mightily against God, Absalom, Bathsheba, Uriah, and Ahithophel, indeed against the entire nation, for which he deserved to die according the Law of Moses. Nevertheless, after David repented of his sin, God forgave him and promised to spare his life and retain him as king. Absalom and Ahithophel were not able to go along with this act of mercy and demanded that David be punished with death. They were even willing to carry out the sentence themselves! Could anyone have had a more just sounding position than those two? Surely God must have been on their side in this matter. David needed to go! Or did he?

David had been in a similar position as Absalom and Ahithophel many years before when Saul betrayed the trust of the Israelites by putting his own goals ahead of God’s purposes. Saul tried to kill David on multiple occasions for no other reason than that David was favored by God and was suspected of being God’s choice to replace Saul. Surely Saul deserved to die for his transgressions! But David knew better than to show disrespect toward God’s appointed authority. He refused to take matters into his own hands. The Bible records an instance where David showed mercy to his master and refused to harm him when he could have.

Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9  He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10  This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD’s anointed.‘ 1 Samuel 24:4-10 (NIV)

As a result, David’s eventual accession to the throne after Saul was killed in battle with the Philistines was not tainted by his having been an agent of rebellion against the sitting king earlier.

Later, during Absalom’s rebellion, David reaped, positively, what he had sown years before. When Absalom attacked Jerusalem, David cast himself upon the mercies and protection of God. Those who show mercy will receive mercy in return. Humility leads to greatness in God’s kingdom.

The moral of the story is that we must not take it upon ourselves to punish and oust God’s delegated authority over us, even when he or she may fail miserably.

God is perfectly capable of doing that himself.

Conclusion

Complaining against authority derives from a lack of faith in God’s sovereignty and his promise to work things for our good and his glory. It shows that we do not understand that all authority ultimately derives from God himself and must be respected. It reveals that we lack a proper fear of God regarding what happens to those who rebel against God’s delegated authority.

So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. Romans 13:2 (NLT)

Since God’s Word is true, we know for sure that those who are actively resisting our government’s elected officials will suffer God’s judgment, even if they succeed for the short run. But what about us? If we are chronic complainers against authority, it is time to repent. Allow the Holy Spirit to examine your life. He is perfectly capable of making us aware of any shortcoming he wishes to expose. We don’t need to resort to becoming unduly introspective. It is not enough to merely repent, however. We should begin acting and speaking with an opposite spirit, respecting those in authority over us, even when we disagree with their actions and agenda.

Is there ever a time to resort to revolution and violence? Our founding fathers and many preachers of that day thought so, but others did not. Antifa thinks so. What about us? This is a gnarly question with which each of us must wrestle. If a government violates its own laws and becomes oppressive, does this give us the right to seek its overthrow? Our founding fathers thought so. What does the Bible say? Should our respect for authority always lead to passive acceptance of oppression, or should we defend the government from enemies on the inside, even elected officials who have violated their pledge to govern according to the Constitution?

The Jews fought against the repressive Roman government and suffered a massive judgment in 70 AD. The Christians living during that general time period suffered a great persecution under Emperor Nero, in which thousands were cruelly martyred for their faith in Christ. They did not rise up against Rome; yet, they still suffered. Jesus stood for God’s kingdom, incurring the wrath of the authorities of Israel and Rome, without showing disrespect or resorting to violence. As a result,  great violence was done to him. What is the paradigm for us believers going forward? Are we to be like sheep, as Paul wrote during the great persecution of Nero?

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36  (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37  No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. Romans 8:35-37 (NLT)

There may be coming a day when you and I will have to face these questions.

Now is the time to be seeking the Lord and to make sure our attitude toward God and his delegated authority is that which will bring honor to him and blessings to us.

If the day arrives for us to make momentous decisions regarding our stance toward an increasingly oppressive US government, may we make the wise decision and be on God’s side.

Prayer

Lord, I have been guilty of harboring a bad attitude toward those you have placed in authority over me. (Name them.) Also, help me to model what it means to have a proper attitude toward authority in the future. Let me become an asset to those you have placed over me, rather than a hindrance. Prepare me and those I love for whatever may be coming down the road. Show us what we need to know,  so that when the time arrives we will be secure in our position and know what to do. Amen.

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Authority Redefined

 

 

 

 

 

Authority is real and a necessary part of life. It has responsibility to govern and therefore possesses the ability to rule and bring correction as needed. Every government must have structure of some sort, with people at different tiers of responsibility. Those who are on the higher tiers carry more responsibility and therefore have more authority. As long as this authority and power are used properly, things work as God intended. But because human beings are rebels at heart, we tend to corrupt everything we touch, including government. The misuse and abuse of authority is rampant in all levels of society.

Mankind’s problem with authority goes back to the garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve were under God’s benevolent rule. They did not really consider that was the case because it was all they had ever known. God had only been good and kind to them, but that did not prevent them from falling for the serpent’s lie and immediately suspecting the Creator of having wrong motives. Having drunk from the devil’s cup, they decided to rebel against God’s rule and establish their own. Ever since then, authority has tended toward being misused by those who are rebels at heart.

Jesus taught his disciples that godly authority never abuses others, but always serves those under its oversight and care.

But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26  But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27  and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT)

The two words he used to describe what worldly rulers do are to “lord it over their people” and to “flaunt their authority.” This is what self-important leaders do, those who do not understand that to lead is actually to serve. Jesus contrasted that way of leading to what he modeled and expected from his followers. He used two very different words: to “servant” and to “slave.” The contrast could not be more stark. Jesus also taught that the way to the top of the hierarchical leaderclean-and-jerkship pyramid, so to speak, is through humble service – a giving away of one’s life in behalf of others. In other words, the way to the top is down.

We can liken the role of kingdom authority to lifting weights. One of the most exciting Olympic lifting events is the clean and jerk, whereby the lifter picks up the barbell from the floor and lifts it overhead. Success is measured by how much a competitor can lift.

Successful kingdom leaders are measured by how well they are able to lift those whom they serve. In other words, the leader’s job is to help others to succeed.

The ultimate goal is to propel those who are under our care onward and upward in the kingdom, not to work things out so that we stay on top and they always serve us.

It is vital that we accept the radically revolutionary aspect of Jesus’ teaching on authority and not relegate it to the realm of unworkable idealism. The church is not meant to talk, look, or act like the world. Authority in the kingdom of God is real and must be used for the guidance, protection, provision, and development of God’s people, and always with a servant’s heart. Those times when we must use that authority in a strong way for the good of the flock, it must be done humbly and with loving care.

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Authority Is Not a Four Letter Word

 

 

 

 

 

In the post-modern world in which we live, all authority is suspect, except when it can be used to advance a political end. Authority in general is likely to be viewed skeptically as being a means to exercise power over others to advance a self-serving agenda. Authority is often equated with authoritarianism, which is an unbridled and oppressive exercise of power. Most people naturally recoil from abusive authoritarianism, but we should be careful not to lump all authority into that one basket. There are benevolent forms of authority, too. Jesus is a benevolent and just King, the rightful lord of the universe. The Kingdom of God is overseen by servants of God who exercise Christ’s authority in humility and love. At least, that is the ideal. This article will focus primarily on authority in the home and the church.

Authority in the Kingdom of God

When Jesus overthrew Satan’s domination of darkness and birthed the Kingdom of God, it was not something simply laid over what already existed or a rearrangement of what was already there.

Christ’s kingdom is radically different in all respects. Jesus taught his disciples.

And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ 26  “But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. Luke 22:25-26 (NASB)

Most problems with government begin with individuals in power thinking more highly of themselves than they should.

Such people imagine that they are great ones who deserve to be able to have their own way, no matter what. The more power and wealth a government accumulates, the more corrupt it generally will become. People, without God’s intervention, have an insatiable lust for wanting to be considered great and powerful. Going all the way back to the garden of Eden, people want to be God, or at least a god. As a result, glory hungry people use their power for their own ends for self-aggrandizement, wealth, and pleasure. When power goes over to the dark side, it is used to hurt one’s enemies and those we despise.

But Jesus taught that in his kingdom things will not be this way. Instead, the more authority one has, the greater the responsibility to serve others.

Corrupted power hurts others in order to protect and enrich the leader; whereas, in the kingdom of God authority is used to bless, protect, lead, and provide for the ones under its care. Worldly authority pushes others down, but godly authority pushes others up and forward.

Authority in the Home

A great example of the proper use of benevolent authority is the role of a father in the home.

If a family is following God’s principles, the father has the most authority and responsibility in the home and is called the “head.” (Ephesians 5:23) For this reason, he also is the chief servant. His responsibility is to provide for his family, love them, give guidance and instruction, model godly living, bring correction and discipline as needed, and protect them from all threats. That is the definition of service!

Authority always is connected to responsibility. The more responsible a person is, the greater the authority.

Problems arise when irresponsible people use authority selfishly.

Since fathers are fallible humans, they sometimes misrepresent God through the misuse or abuse their authority. Dads may use their “headship” for selfish ends or to dominate the wife and kids, alienating them in the process, breeding resentment, and giving them a very poor model for the future. Failures at fatherhood do not nullify God’s principles. Instead they reinforce God’s ways by contrast. God’s ways produce life. The world’s ways, just the opposite.

Authority in the Church

The church is another realm where authority is given to protect, provide, lead, guide, and correct. Disciples of Christ know that Jesus alone is the Lord of the church and of their lives in particular.

What is not so commonly understood is that Jesus delegates authority to those whose God-given responsibility is to shepherd the flock.

Proper pastoring is a great example of how authority is meant to be used. Shepherds exist for the welfare of the sheep. They have authority over the sheep to determine where they go, when and where they feed, and when and where they drink. Shepherds lead their sheep in and out of the sheepfold, guard them from predators, and discipline wandering sheep to keep them from getting picked off by wolves and other predators, who prefer to attack stragglers and wanderers. They give special attention to those who are weak and sickly.

When followers of Christ choose to distance themselves from the flock and shepherds, we can be sure that they are ripe for being picked off by the enemy.

God has established pastoral authority in the church in the form of elders and five-fold ministry (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers).

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12  for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13  until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14  As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15  but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16  from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4:11-16 (NASB)
Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3  Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 1 Peter 5:2-3 (NLT)

Other people also can have delegated authority under the oversight of these shepherds. Pastoral authority serves the church through teaching the Bible, modeling the Christian life, training and equipping disciples, correcting those who stray from the path, and guarding against threats from both within and without. The chief threats come in the form of sin and false prophets and teachers.

The Benevolent Use of Authority

Below are some important verses relating to this benevolent use of authority.

Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm. 2 Corinthians 1:24 (NASB)

Godly authority teaches people how to be under Christ’s authority. Correction by those in authority should need to be exercised rarely in the lives of mature disciples. It is primarily for the immature and wayward, in a similar way to how parents are required to discipline young children far more than older ones. If parents are still holding domineering sway over older children, something is very wrong. A parent’s goal is to produce self-governing adult children. It is the same in the kingdom of God.

For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. 2 Corinthians 4:5 (NASB)

Anytime those in authority use their position to focus people’s attention on themselves for the purpose of preserving their preeminence, something is very wrong.

Proper Submission to Authority

Authority in the church is very real and should be honored and obeyed as to the Lord. In other words, our submission to delegated kingdom authority is based on our submission to Jesus the Lord. Since all authority comes from God (Romans 13:1), when we choose to submit to delegated authority, we are actually submitting to God by faith.

We have to see that God is behind authority, or we will have a tough time submitting to another human being who has all the faults and frailties as we do.

I am referring here primarily to the proper use of authority. When those in government use their power to oppress and abuse those under them, we still must understand that God is sovereignly using that authority, but we may not be required to obey them in all things.

Any time authority demands we violate our faith, our conscience, or God’s Word, it must be resisted, however, without being disrespectful.

When we obey and honor those who have delegated authority, we do so as a way to honor our Lord. We have to believe that God “has our back” and will correct his delegated authorities, if they get out of line with his kingdom principles and Holy Spirit.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17 (NASB)

Leaders will answer to God, which is why it is important for us to answer to them.

In answering to them, we answer to God. In caring for us, they are serving Christ. This is not optional for those who have authority or for those under authority.

The apostle Paul gave us a great example of the proper use of authority.

As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. 8  We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too. 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 (NLT)

It is easy to see Paul’s love and care for God’s people and his determination to use his authority as a shepherd to teach, correct, care for, and protect them. Truly, authority properly used is not a four letter word, nor is it something to be taken lightly. It is part of God’s loving provision for us. It is in our best interest for us to honor and submit to those who have been given God’s delegated authority over our lives. Who knows? We may be wishing that one day people will take our authority seriously and listen to what we have to say.

Since we always reap what we sow, let’s show honor and submission to God’s delegated authority as a way of honoring God himself.

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The Gospel in Relationship to the Covenants

 

 

 

 

One way to look at the Bible is as one long gospel message. God always planned to send his only begotten Son so that we humans might live through him. God’s relationship with man over the centuries was based on a series of covenants that ultimately found expression in what is called the New Covenant, which is the last and most extraordinary. It’s coming was the most wonderful news for mankind.

The New Covenant was inaugurated against the backdrop of Israel’s extensive history with God. It was the last of a series of covenants which began at creation, or even before. Other covenants were added at very significant times in Israel’s spiritual history. Each covenant built upon or stood in contrast to the others. In order to properly understand and appreciate the New Covenant and it is important that we grasp the meaning and purpose of the other covenants, the sacrifices, and the feasts, about which I have written in other articles. You may wish to click on the links in the previous sentence in order to read those articles before going forward in this one..

Understanding the covenants will greatly increase our appreciation of Jesus and his finished work on our behalf and give us new insights into the overall plan of God and the gospel.

God has always chosen to relate to his creation through covenants. This should not be surprising because God, by nature, is a promise keeper. He is always faithful and true to his word, because that is the essence of his character.

Covenants are built upon promises to be faithful to a relationship and an agreement. Covenants are serious business because God is serious about being faithful to keep promises.

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen? Numbers 23:19 (NET1)

Some of the covenants have great significance for the human race in general and others specifically relate only to God’s covenant people. Covenants can be unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral. In a unilateral covenant, the covenant maker takes sole responsibility for keeping the conditions of the covenant. These are unconditional covenants, meaning that the one to whom the promise is made does not have to perform in order to gain what is promised. Bilateral and multilateral covenants are conditional in nature. In a bilateral covenant, two parties each take responsibility to keep their end of the agreement. A multilateral agreement affects more than two parties.

An example of a unilateral covenant is the one God made with Noah following the flood. God promised that he would never again destroy all life by means of a great flood. He gave Noah the sign of the rainbow as a reminder that He would forever keep his promise. Noah was not required to do anything to keep God bound to his promise. A bilateral covenant is exemplified in marriage. The husband and wife both bind themselves to be exclusively faithful to each other until death. The ring is given as a token of the covenant. An example of a multilateral covenant is the one between God and Israel called the Mosaic covenant. If the Israelites would obey God’s Law and serve him only, God would pour out blessings upon them. Otherwise, they should expect judgments. Circumcision was the sign of this covenant.

Unconditional unilateral covenants are also called covenants of grace. This means that the benefits of the covenants come to us as free gifts from God. Conditional covenants are also called covenants of works. The benefits of these covenants depend upon the involved parties ability to keep the conditions of the covenant. Let’s take a look at some major covenants and then focus on the New Covenant.

Covenant of Creation or Edenic Covenant

But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Genesis 2:16-17 (NLT)

The Edenic Covenant was a multilateral conditional covenant of works. God sovereignly set the terms of this covenant. Obedience to a simple commandment would result in life; whereas, disobedience would end in death. Adam and Eve failed to keep their end of the covenant and brought death and curses upon the entire human race. At a deeper level, this covenant tested humanity’s willingness to draw life from God in humble dependence. Instead our first parents chose to strike out alone in independence from and opposition to God, which cut them off from the life they had with the Creator / Sustainer of the universe. God made the first gospel promise in the garden after their epic failure.

Adamic Covenant

Then the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. 15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:14-15 (NLT)

This unilateral promise or covenant was announced to the serpent who authored the deception that led to Adam’s and Eve’s sinful rejection of God’s authority. Although its full meaning was not understood by those who heard it, we now know that here God promised to send the Messiah who would be a descendant of these fallen ones who would defeat the serpent (Satan). No conditions were attached to Adam and Eve to bind God to this promise.

God bound himself to redeem mankind by giving his word, which is inviolable.

Noahic Covenant

Then God told Noah and his sons, 9  “I hereby confirm my covenant with you and your descendants, 10  and with all the animals that were on the boat with you—the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals—every living creature on earth. 11  Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth.” 12  Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. 13  I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. 14  When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, 15  and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. 16  When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” 17  Then God said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.” Genesis 9:8-17 (NLT)

As in the case of the Adamic covenant, the Noahic Covenant was a unilateral unconditional covenant of grace that followed on the heels of a horrific judgment against sin called the great flood. Grace is most appreciated against the backdrop of human failure and God’s judgment. When man’s best is not enough, the grace of God comes to the rescue.

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. Romans 5:20 (NLT)

Abrahamic Covenant

Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you; 2  And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; 3  And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." Genesis 12:1-3 (NASB)

God appeared to Abraham several times to give him “installments” of the wonderful covenant he made with him. The good news or gospel contained in this covenant promise is that all the families of the earth would be eventually blessed through this man in the person of one descendant named Jesus.

Abraham is called the “father” of our faith because through him God raised up a nation through which would come the written Word of God and the Messiah.

In another installment in Genesis 15, we see God making a unilateral unconditional covenant of grace with Abraham. Most striking is the theophany (appearance of God in symbolic form). In the Old Testament covenants were literally “cut,” rather than “made.” Animals were sacrificed as part of the covenant cutting ceremony. God told Abraham to divide several animals and put their separate pieces side by side with a path between them. In a bilateral or multilateral covenant, both parties would walk between the pieces showing that they bound themselves to faithfully keep the conditions of the covenant upon pain of death. They were saying, in effect, may it be done to me as has been done to these animals if I violate the covenant.

In the passage above, it is important to see that God alone passed between the animals, taking upon himself full responsibility for keeping the promise he made to Abraham. The Abrahamic covenant guaranteed that God would give to Abraham innumerable descendants and the land of Canaan, and that through him the entire earth would be blessed.

indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18  "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." Genesis 22:17-18 (NASB)

This covenant promise is a integral part of the gospel message. It is part of the backdrop against which we understand who Jesus is and what he came to do. This promise was fulfilled when Jesus came as the Messiah.

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ. Galatians 3:16 (NASB)

Mosaic Covenant

And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 28:1-2 (ESV)

But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Deuteronomy 28:15 (ESV)

The covenant God made with Israel at Mount Sinai is also called the Law or the Old Covenant. It was a multilateral conditional covenant of works. Essentially, God promised to be Israel’s God, protector, and provider if they would keep the requirements of the Law. These requirements were broken down into three main categories – ceremonial, moral, and dietary laws. The feasts and sacrifices, which I wrote about in other articles, were part of the ceremonial aspect of the law. If Israel obeyed God, they would be blessed, but, if they disobeyed, they would suffer the “curses” (judgments) attached to violating the covenant.

The history of Israel is the story of repeated covenant violations on the part of the Jewish people. The Old Covenant failed to bring the blessings it promised because the people were unable to keep its provisions because sin had hopelessly corrupted human nature. The Mosaic Covenant underscored the sinfulness of all human beings and pointed to our need for a savior.

This covenant is part of the gospel in the sense that it acts as a guide to lead us to Christ.

So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24 (NIV)

Davidic Covenant

Furthermore, the LORD declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! 12 For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. 13 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. 15 But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. 16 Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever. 2 Samuel 7:11-16 (NLT)

The covenant God made with David was unilateral, unconditional, and based on grace. This covenant was partially fulfilled through David’s natural offspring, but that dynasty eventually came to an end, as did the political nation of Israel.

This promise is part of the gospel. Through it God announced beforehand the coming of the great Messianic King, a descendant of David, who would redeem Israel and become a blessing to the entire earth. He rose again as Lord of lords and will eventually judge the living and the dead.

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30  But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Luke 1:29-33 (NIV)

The New Covenant

“The day is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the LORD. 33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NLT)

The Old Covenant was not able to provide God’s people with blessings, but only revealed how sinful they are. It had no hope of success because people are fundamentally and tragically flawed by sin.

But when God found fault with the people, he said: “The day is coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. Hebrews 8:8 (NLT)

The New Covenant had been God’s plan all along. It does not depend upon sinful human beings for its success.

Whereas the blessings of the Law of Moses, under the Old Covenant, were conditioned upon individuals and nations keeping God’s laws in perfect obedience, the New Covenant depends upon the perfect obedience of the only begotten Son of God.

The New Covenant, therefore, is a bilateral covenant between God the Father and his Son, Jesus, our Messiah and Savior, in which we participate by faith.

I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. Isaiah 42:6-7 (ESV)

We benefit from the New Covenant by “riding the coattails” of our Savior. Through the spiritual mystery of identification and the new birth, we become one with God in the spirit and joined to all the blessings found in God’s perfect Son.

But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NLT)

We are baptized into (become one with) the death and resurrection of our Lord. His death was the punishment we deserved for breaking the terms of the Old Covenant. Although he perfectly obeyed his heavenly Father and did not deserve to die, he willingly laid down his life on our behalf as our substitute. When he died, we died; and, when he rose again in victory and life, we rose with him. As a result, the power of sin has been defeated on our behalf. We now participate in the life of God, thanks to the Holy Spirit, who lives inside every born again believer. Truly, we are being saved from the inside out. God’s life begins as a seed and grows inside us in order to permeate every area of our lives.

You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 1 Peter 1:23 (NET1)

The New Covenant was always in God’s mind from the very beginning. (Ephesians 1:3-6) Some believe it is actually an eternal covenant made between the Father and the Son before the world was created. God the Father knows that his Son is the only source of life and blessings. It has been that way from the beginning. Therefore, the New Covenant had to draw its life from Jesus, and could not depend on sinful man.

Rather than expecting people to conform to external regulations of behavior, it promised to save people from the inside out. God would provide us with a substitute to die for us, reveal himself to us, forgive our sins, and change our hearts. He will actually give us a new heart, compliments of the indwelling Holy Spirit!

The New Covenant depends upon the Holy Spirit opening our spiritual eyes, ears, and hearts to know and believe in Jesus as savior and lord. It is only by “beholding” Jesus as he really is that a person can be changed. Seeing Jesus as the Son of God and Lord of Lords inspires our hearts to believe, and, through trusting in Christ and his finished work, we are saved.

A divine power is released in us that transforms us when the Spirit of God opens our eyes to know Jesus by revelation.

For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day. John 6:40 (NASB)

The New Covenant Completes or Fulfills the Other Covenants

The New Covenant is connected with all the other covenants in one way or another. The tree of life mentioned in the Edenic Covenant typifies Christ. He is the source and sustainer of life. Adam and Eve were meant to draw their life from him as the branches of a vine draw their life from the root.

Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NET1)

Jesus fulfilled God’s promise to our first parents after the first sin. He is the seed of the woman who crushed Satan’s head through his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection.

The Noahic Covenant prefigured what is yet to come when God shall once more judge the entire earth at Christ’s Second Coming. Even as God restarted the human race, in a sense, through Noah, he also inaugurated a new generation of believers through the gospel.

The Abrahamic Covenant was also fulfilled in Christ. God’s promise to Abraham that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed has come true in Christ. Through the preaching of the gospel, God is gathering persons from every culture group and nation in the earth and providing them with every spiritual blessing in his Son.

The Davidic Covenant’s promise that a descendant of that great king would sit upon the his throne has come true in Christ, the King of Kings.

The Mosaic Covenant has been fulfilled and replaced. Only one person could keep its requirements – the Son of God. After our Lord fulfilled its covenant conditions and obtained the corresponding blessings, which have been passed on to all believers, the New Covenant has superseded it and made it fade away; although, it still condemns those who sin and have not asked Christ to forgive them and be Lord of their lives.

When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear. Hebrews 8:13 (NLT)

New Covenant Grace

Under the New Covenant, Christians live by grace (God’s ability and blessings, which come via his indwelling Holy Spirit) and not by the merits of their own performance. We depend on God’s free gift instead of trying to earn a right standing with him through our works. As beneficiaries of the New Covenant, we must now refuse to submit to external regulations and rules as a means of gaining a right standing with God. (Colossians 2:10-17)

Instead, our rule of life now is to love God, love people, and teach others to do the same. The moral aspects of the Old Covenant Law of Moses are still in effect. Christians are not permitted to murder, commit acts of immorality, lie, or steal. This is because these sins violate the law of love. Since we are being changed on the inside, our desires are also being changed. Rather than needing to be constrained by external laws, God is constraining us inwardly to love and serve him in order to bring him glory. The difference is that before, under the Law, we sought to obey him in order to obtain and maintain a right standing with God.

Under the New Covenant, having been given a right standing with God, we obey him as an act of gratitude and surrender to the One who loves us so greatly and who deserves to be glorified and properly feared. Our desire is to bring glory to him in every aspect of our lives. The motivation has been changed from trying to earn favor to wanting to bring him glory. (1 John 5:2-5)

God created us to draw our life from him. We were never supposed to be independent operators. When Adam and Eve abandoned this plan in order to pursue their desire to live without restraint and be “like God,” it brought untold sorrow and destruction to humanity.

Even in that pristine state of having been newly created, Adam and Eve quickly walked away from intimacy with and dependency upon God. Jesus, through the New Covenant, restored us back to God’s original purpose. Through our faith in Christ and the life of the indwelling Spirit, we have been once again united to the One who gave and sustains life.

What Satan used to try to destroy us, the pursuit of “god” status, now has been freely given to us in Christ. Through the new birth and transformation of the Spirit, we are being remade into Christ’s image and are becoming truly “like God” as we draw our life from him, the source of all life and blessings! May all glory and honor be his forever and ever!

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“and the books were opened” – a preview of the last judgment

 

 

 

 

 

Everything as we know it now will come to an end one day. Whether it is our youth, our health, our looks, our wealth, our dreams and ambitions, our jobs, our families, our physical lives – every one of these things upon which people pin their hopes will eventually cease to be. According to the Bible, even the earth and heavens will “wear out like a garment” and pass away. (Psalm 102:25-26, Isaiah 51:6, Hebrews 1:10-12) In their place will be something new and amazing. But until that day arrives, the only thing most people can count on is that eventually we will die, and, after that, what? The Bible has some very specific answers. These answers will determine whether or not we can look forward to that day with hope.

What Is in the Books?

Daniel the prophet was given a vision of the coming Day of the Lord, when God will judge all people who ever lived. He describes a heavenly courtroom scene, which is both majestic and terrible. The Judge is called the Ancient of Days, whose presence creates awe and dread. Nothing here on earth can prepare us for what that day will be like.

As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. 10  A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. Daniel 7:9-10 (ESV)

Would you like to know exactly what is in those books? Is there something in them about you and me? Will the last judgment be that personal? God gave John the Revelator a similar vision, when he was exiled for his faith in Jesus the Messiah on the Isle of Patmos. Here is his written record of that experience.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15 (ESV)

According to this passage and other Bible verses (Matthew 16:27, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Ephesians 6:8), the books that will be opened before the Ancient of Days contain a written record of how we lived here on earth during the time allotted to us. This will include, according to Jesus, not only what we did, but also what we said. (Matthew 12:36) Our utterances are what we might consider to be verbal deeds. And according to the Bible, even our thoughts and intentions will be made known, which makes this an even more horrifying spectacle. (Hebrews 4:12, Ecclesiastes 12:14)

None of us desires our worst thoughts to be made public, but that is what is going to happen. Imagine a book that contains all our thoughts, words, and deeds!

By What Standard Will We Be Judged?

Another question we might ask ourselves is by what standard our thoughts, words, and deeds will be measured? Will we be compared to other people from our socioeconomic group who lived about the same time as we, or will we be graded against all people who ever lived? Will we only be scored against others from our own religious grouping, or against all other world religions? Will we be graded “on a curve,” which would allow most of us to pass, despite our poor showing? But what if some, as is often the case, did so well that the normal curve no longer applies? What if someone made a perfect score and that is the standard by which the rest of us will be judged? And what if we did not even believe that there was such a person as the Ancient of Days? Will we get a do over?

The Bible makes it clear that God’s perfect righteousness will be the standard for judgment.

It is call the Law, which revealed what God is like and what he expects of us. The Ten Commandments are the bare essence of this standard. When we consider our lives in light of these commands, some of us might think we will come away pretty well at the Last Judgment. Most of us have never murdered anyone, right? That is, unless abortion is murder, or, as Jesus taught, being angry with someone is tantamount to committing murder. (Matthew 5:22) What if hatred, which wishes ill on another, is in the same category as murder? That’s a horse of different color for sure! What about adultery? Adultery, like murder, under the Law was punishable by death. It is an extremely serious offense in God’s eyes, the only eyes that will matter at the Last Judgment. Jesus raised the bar even higher when he told his followers that lusting after another person in our hearts makes us guilty of adultery. (Matthew 5:28) Does this mean that lustful thoughts are worthy of death? According to Romans, every form of sin earns death for us. (Romans 6:23)

What Is This Thing Called “Sin?”

God created human beings to live in joyful and liberating dependence upon him, drawing our life, wisdom, and everything good from our Creator / Sustainer.

Sin derives from our determination live on our own – to direct our lives without reference to God.

It’s not just when we do “bad things” like murder. It is when we do the most evil thing of all – forsake God and try to live without him. Adam and Eve decided God could not be trusted; so, they made the break away from the Source of Life into sinful independence, which, not surprisingly, brought death. This rebellion has been passed down genetically and spiritually to each of their descendants, including us. Sadly, we have all taken up the torch and run with it. Every single human being has fallen short of God’s glorious standard of right living. We may not like God’s standard for judgment. We may not think that our way of doing things is all that bad, but what we think doesn’t really matter. What matters is what the one called the Ancient of Days thinks.

Who Is This Judge Called the Ancient of Days?

Your first guess would probably be “God,” which is true, but not the complete answer. The Bible teaches that he is none other than the risen and glorified Messiah of Israel, Jesus, the eternal Son of God, who is also identified as the Son of Man. This should not surprise us, since before his ascension Jesus told us that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to him. (Matthew 28:18) He also spoke these clear words:

For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, John 5:22 (NKJV)

Jesus, the only person who ever lived a completely surrendered life to God in the way God always intended, has been given the authority to judge everyone who has fallen short of that mark.

So, ultimately, he is the standard by which every person will be judged. He is the one who scored 100% on this test called life. Jesus, the Perfect Man, the Son of God, the Lamb who was slain to take away our sins, the Risen Lord of glory, is the only person worthy to judge the rest of us. He lived, breathed, walked, talked, and thought as a man, but without sin. He, the perfect man, blew the curve right out of the water. He ruined our chances for being compared to other miserable sinners at that last tribunal. We will be judged against Christ’s perfection and obedience. We have absolutely no chance of being found righteous. Amazingly, however, his perfect score made a way for us to skip the test!

Our Way of Escape

The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23  that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. 25  “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27  And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28  Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29  and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:22-29 (ESV)

Jesus made a way for those who put their faith and allegiance in him to be exempted from the final exam! Jesus, the Righteous Judge, died in our place so that we can be spared from having the hammer of God’s judgment crash upon us. Jesus, the Perfect One, took our sin and punishment upon himself, so that we might walk free from the condemnation and fear of judgment which we so richly deserve. We know this because he said so, and he is the Judge! Those who place their faith in this Savior King will stand before the Judgment Seat, too, but our names will be found written in another book.

If our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, we are home free because all the benefits and rewards of Jesus’ perfect life will be put next to our names and the record of our sinful rebellion against God will have been erased.

“This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17  Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” Hebrews 10:16-17 (NLT)

How Can We Get our Names Written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23  And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24  By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25  and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26  They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27  But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:22-27 (ESV)

How can we get our names written in this most intriguing book? Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4  even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5  he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6  to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3-6 (ESV)

Our God is so loving and great that he set in motion his plan to redeem for himself a people even before he even created the world! Jesus did not come as a makeshift plan or a mid-course correction. God’s amazing mind saw and planned it all beforehand. What a great God we serve! In the course of time, you and I were born and received our chance to play our parts on the grand stage called life. Having already sent his Son to die for our sins, during our lifetimes God the Father makes sure that we hear the gospel message and that his Holy Spirit is at work in our lives, drawing our hearts toward him and working in us so that we want to know more about Jesus, who said the following.

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38  For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40  For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:37-40 (ESV)

If we come to Christ, it means we were drawn. If the Spirit draws us, it is because the Father has already known, loved, and chosen us to be the objects of his love. If we come, Jesus will receive us. Our part is to respond to God’s gracious drawing by choosing to come to Christ, by opening our hearts to him, and by believing in Him. The Holy Spirit guides the process from start to finish, but we must cooperate. No matter where we are in this process of being drawn, we can turn to God right now and tell him we want to keep going. God wants us to be active participants, not passive onlookers. It is a beautiful dance with an invisible partner.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, I can feel you drawing me to Christ. Please keep working in me. I surrender my life into your hands. Jesus, I want to know you and believe it you. I give you my life. Forgive my sins. I receive the eternal life you promised. Open my eyes, ears, and heart to you and your truth. Amen.

Our Eternal Destiny Hangs in the Balance

The final outcome for those who trust in Christ is completely the reverse of what it will be like for those who refuse his generous offer.

Those who do not accept God’s offer of reconciliation will not have their names written in the book of life and will suffer what the Bible calls the second death.

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14-15 (ESV)

But those who choose to trust in the Messiah King will be ushered into a glorious eternity in God’s loving presence.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4 (ESV)

Embracing Hope

Jesus is the Hope for all people. The Bible says that the hope of those who trust in him is his Second Coming in glory to raise the dead and judge the nations.

For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12  And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13  while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. Titus 2:11-13 (NLT)

Hopeless people do desperate things, but people who have hope live in the light of that hope. Those who have put their trust in Jesus, will live as people of hope.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4  to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 1 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)

Today you have the opportunity to make sure you are on the right side of things on the Last Day. Make the most of it! If you have never asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, what are you waiting for? If you are already a follower of Christ, rededicate yourself to his service. See you on that day, if not sooner!

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Countering Deception by Answering Life’s Crucial Questions: What Will Happen After We Die?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have now come to the last of our five worldview questions, which is: What will happen to us after we die? What is our eternal destiny, and what difference does it make? What we believe about our eternal destiny derives from what we believe regarding the previous four worldview questions.

Unless we are hypocrites, how we answer this final question will highly influence how we live.

Bad News

God created us in his image so that we can relate to him as worshipers who draw life and wisdom from him and fulfill his purposes for us here on earth, which are to be fruitful and multiply and to take dominion over and care for creation. God provided all we need to live happy, productive, and fruitful lives in fellowship with and dependence upon him. But that did not satisfy the first humans. They were deceived and lured into choosing to be independent from God, which sadly introduced sin, sickness, bondage, death, the corruption of the creation, and the distortion of God’s wonderful plan. Adam’s enduring legacy was sin, death, and destruction. God’s creation had been marred and his children sentenced to death. Satan gained the ascendancy and ruled as a tyrant. The situation seemed hopeless (Ephesians 2:12) because no one is able to live up to God’s holy standards or achieve the righteousness that would bring eternal life and reward. We all fall short. (Romans 3:21-24) Our sin earned (earns) for us the just sentence of death. (Romans 6:23) Therefore, every person should face a bleak and hopeless future, since at the Last Judgment we will all be found guilty of sin and rebellion against God and sentenced to the fires of hell.

Good News

The Good News is that God so loved his struggling creatures that he sent his Son, Jesus the Messiah, to save us from this horrible destiny. (John 3:16)

As the Second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45), he lived the way God intended for the first Adam. Jesus also sacrificed his life as God’s Lamb, taking the guilt and punishment for our sins and rebellion upon himself, so that we could be forgiven and our relationship with God restored. (John 1:29) When he rose again three days later, he emerged from the tomb as the glorious, victorious Lord. Anyone who believes the good news that Jesus died for our sins and is now the risen Lord, will receive forgiveness, eternal life, and restoration to a right relationship with God! (Romans 10:9-13)

Through Jesus’, the Last Adam’s, resurrection, God inaugurated a new edition of humanity. (Isaiah 53:10)

All those who believe are born again by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3), who lives within every believer as the internal fountain of life, the revealer of truth, and the one who inspires, assists, and empowers us to live for God. (John 7:37-39) This new generation of people are inwardly motivated to serve God, doing those things which bring joy to God’s heart and blessings to other people. (Philippians 2:13)

How Should We Then Live?

Jesus taught his followers that everyone lives and dies, after which there will be a resurrection and judgment, at which we will be rewarded or punished for what we believed and how we lived. (Luke 14:12-14, Matthew 25:31-36) Those who are born only once (physically, naturally) will die twice. They will die a physical death and one day be consigned to the Lake of Fire, which is called the “Second Death.”

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15 (ESV)

Those who are born twice (physically and spiritually, through the new birth), will only die once – physically. Their eternal life and destiny are secure.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26  and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 (ESV)

Jesus taught us to live in such a way that will maximize our eternal reward. (Matthew 6:19-20)

If we truly believe Jesus’ teachings and the gospel, we will live accordingly. We will put what God values at the top of our own priority lists.

True believers will sacrifice what we cannot keep in order to gain that which we cannot lose.

We will lay aside sin and selfishness in order to pursue the things that bring God glory and honor. We will make the Great Commission our top priority, because others need to find out about this amazing offer from God called the gospel!

John the Apostle summed it up very well.

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3  And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 1 John 3:2-3 (ESV)

How we live reveals what we truly believe. What will your life, your values, your priorities, your choices, and your actions say about you at the Last Judgment?

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Countering Deception by Answering Life’s Crucial Questions: How Can I Know Right from Wrong?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we have a moral or ethical question, where should we turn to find the answer? Universities have entire courses devoted to ethics. Businesses provide seminars on the subject. Ethical and moral dilemmas abound in the religious, political, and business worlds. It is part of life for us to be confronted with difficult questions that demand thoughtful answers. How can we properly navigate a course that requires us to make judgments between good and evil, right and wrong, and true and false?

This article deals with the fourth worldview question in my series. Once we have wrestled with the first three worldview questions,

  1. Origins: From where did we come?
  2. Identity: Who are we?
  3. Purpose: What is our purpose in life?,

we come to the subject of this article.

If we conclude that we originated by chance out of nothing, we may further infer that either we cannot know good from evil or that, more logically, there is no real distinction, since such concepts are human inventions designed to help preserve and promote the human race, without having any basis in reality, whatever that is.

However, if we answer the first question by saying we were created by God, the answer to how do we know right from wrong must also come from God.

Why Do We Even Care?

Through experience, most people believe that there are both good and evil. No one could watch the torture of a loved one and simply shrug his or her shoulders and walk away thinking, “Oh well, what can we expect in an amoral universe?” Injustice rankles even the most atheistic. The Communist Party, a chief proponent of atheism, has overthrown governments and inspired millions by stirring up rage against alleged injustices imposed by the privileged elite upon the oppressed working class. Although they do not seem to worry very much about murdering millions of people to obtain and maintain power, rage over financial, and now racial, injustice fuels the fires of revolution. Even though fomenting hatred against injustice for them is merely a means to an end, for those under their sway who rally to their cause, there is real felt outrage. Why do humans, even godless ones, care so much about justice, if we live in a randomly evolved world in an unsympathetic universe? It makes no sense.

But, if we believe that God created us in his image, we must conclude that he planted a love and desire for justice deep in the human heart.

Unless we are sociopaths or have “seared” it through regularly practicing evil, each of us also has an inner moral guide called the conscience, which tugs at our hearts when we do wrong. From where did the conscience come? Is it a social-psychological construct, as posited by Freud, or did our Creator put it inside us?

Since we were created in God’s image, we have a desire to be like him and an unease when we are not.

Anthropologists recognize that, despite cultural and religious differences, there is a commonality of understanding across the breadth of humanity of right and wrong,

If we believe that God created us, we understand that all humanity came from the same stock and possesses a common understanding, no matter how marred it may be.

Who Told You That?

In the beginning, God did not want Adam and Eve to know good and evil for themselves, because he wanted to protect them from the “Pandora’s Box” of woes associated with such knowledge.

Satan, taking the form of a talking serpent, introduced something new into their pristine lives – doubt. He planted mistrust in Adam’s and Eve’s minds regarding the integrity and goodness of God. He accused the Creator of being less than forthcoming and withholding something good from humanity. Falling for the ruse, our first parents judged God to be a liar and chose to disobey his command in order to gain firsthand knowledge of good and evil and be like God in that respect. They embraced deception and were deceived. They turned away from God and introduced sin, death, and destruction into God’s creation – all to gain the ability to be self-directed agents and make their own decisions about good and evil. They did actually receive a brand new understanding of evil, but it was not at all good. For the first time they felt guilt and fear, which propelled them to hide from God instead of enjoy fellowship with him. God immediately recognized what had happened.

Then the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10  He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” 11  “Who told you that you were naked?” the LORD God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” Genesis 3:9-11 (NLT)

Because Adam and Eve rejected God as the Source of truth and life and opened their hearts to knowledge from an evil source, they became aware of things that God, as a good parent, never intended for his children to know. Originally God intended that they simply do what he said, without needing to go beyond that. That way he could save them from the dark abyss of knowing evil first hand.

Now as a result of Adam’s and Eve’s transgression, knowing right from wrong is a huge challenge for all of us.

How do we properly know things we were never meant to know?

By default we tend to lean to our own resources in the struggle to differentiate good from evil. Satan always is willing to provide his input, too, which invariably leads us away from God and robs us of joy. Is it even possible for us to get back on track?

Plugging into the Right Source Again

The Old Covenant Law clearly defined right and wrong with respect to morals, diet, sanitation, and religious rites, but it did nothing to help us keep the Law. Basically it exposed the depth of our sin problem and our need for a Savior. Jesus came to introduce a brand new way of doing life, called the New Covenant, in which the Life Giver resides inside the believer, motivating and changing him from the inside out. (You can read more about the amazing new covenant by clicking here.)

All truth is God’s truth. It is part of God’s character and does not exist outside of him.

Jesus is the incarnation of truth (John 14:6), and unless we are reconnected to God through faith in him, we will always be confused and misled.

In addition to having living truth reside in us when we believe, Jesus taught us that God’s Word, the written Scriptures, are truth. This not surprising, since Jesus is the living Word of God, the “Word made flesh.” (John 1:14) All Scripture was breathed by God and written down by people. (2 Tim. 3:16) The Holy Spirit, who is also called the Spirit of truth, inspired the authors of the Bible to insure its authenticity. (John 16:13)

Therefore, we must rely upon Jesus, the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit, if we are to grow in a true knowledge of what is true, right, and good.

The church is also called the pillar and support of the truth. (1 Tim. 3:15) The assembly of those who acknowledge that Christ is Lord and Savior and who have the Holy Spirit living inside them functioning as their guide, teacher, and revealer of truth, have been given the responsibility of guarding, preaching, and applying God’s truth to daily life.

Therefore, we also need to be in a living, working, ongoing relationship with others in a local church.

Going it alone is a repeat of Adam’s and Eve’s initial mistake. We cannot do life as “loners,” because we are very liable to veer off course into error.

Steps to Getting In Sync with God

Sin began with deception, produces deception, and ends in deception and death. Jesus called Satan the father of lies, in whom there is no truth. (John 8:44) The entire world is under the spell of deception woven by the evil one. (1 John 5:19)

Jesus came into this world as the incarnate Truth to reveal God’s true nature and undo the lie about God introduced in the garden.

  1. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6) The first step to knowing what is good, true, and right is to recognize who Jesus is and to surrender ourselves completely to him. On a personal level, this effectively undoes the rebellion against God that began in the garden.
  2. The second step is to submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit and God’s revealed truth, the Bible. We can trust the Spirit of God to teach us what the Bible means. (John 14:26) Unless we put God’s revealed truth at the top of our list as the one most reliable source of truth, we cannot grow in the knowledge of what is true, right, and good. We also must commit ourselves to obeying God’s truth; otherwise, we will likely become religious hypocrites. (James 1:22)
  3. The third step in the pathway to truth is to connect with a local church, which teaches and puts into practice what the Bible teaches. No church or person is perfect, but there must be the desire and commitment to live in truth. Other believers in such a local church will serve as checks and balances to what we are receiving from the Lord directly from our study of the Bible.

If we do the above, we will move forward in our quest for truth. However, no person or church or group is the sole possessor of truth. We must hang tightly to humility, realizing that we only have a portion of truth, not the whole, and that we need one another. Truth is found in a person named Jesus. Everything else points to him.

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