CHRISTIAN LIBERTY PART 5

February 1, 2013 at 7:45 AM (Christian Liberty, Doctrine)
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CLARIFYING SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT FREEDOM

PART III

4. JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE FREE TO DO SOMETHING DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN YOU SHOULD DO IT.  You see, our natural minds tell us that if we’re free to do something, then we can do it and we wouldn’t be wrong for doing it.

But this just isn’t so! Not from a biblical perspective. FREEDOM, BRETHREN, DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY ENTITLE YOU TO DO WHATEVER IT IS YOU’RE FREE TO DO.

  • Even though you’re free to do something, there are times when you shouldn’t do it.
  • There are times when it’s wrong or inappropriate for you to do it.
  • And there are times when it’s a sin for you to do what you’re free to do! There are two times in particular. We’ll look at the first one here and the second one in my next post.

A) DOING WHAT YOU’RE FREE TO DO IS WRONG WHEN YOU CAUSE OTHERS TO STUMBLE BY DOING IT.  Some believers don’t have the freedom, knowledge, or light that you have. They don’t see the Scriptures the way you see them. Consequently, they have different convictions about the freedom involved.

Now when you exercise your freedom in the sight of these believers and they take you to task, being offended by your conduct; then that’s the time when doing something that you’re free to do becomes wrong.

Romans 14:13-22 reads, Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.  (14)  I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.  (15)  For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.  (16)  So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.  (17)  For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  (18)  Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.  (19)  So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.  (20)  Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.  (21)  It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.  (22)  The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.

1 Corinthians 8:4-13 similarly reads,  So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.”  (5)  For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),  (6)  yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.  (7)  But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.  (8)  But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.  (9)  Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.  (10)  For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?  (11)  So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.  (12)  When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.  (13)  Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

1 Corinthians 8:4-13 echoes the same truth as Romans 14:13-22, with one exception. In Romans 14, the weak take offense at a free person’s exercise of liberty; they make a big stink about it. But in 1 Corinthians 8, they copy it in violation of their conscience. That is, they exercise a liberty that they don’t really have as yet.  Their conscience tells them it’s wrong. But they do it anyway because they see you doing it.

When we put these two passages of Scripture together we see that WHAT MAY BE ALRIGHT FOR YOU TO DO IN ONE INSTANCE (WHEN YOU’RE BY YOURSELF OR WITH LIKE-MINDED BELIEVERS) CAN BE WRONG FOR YOU TO DO IN ANOTHER INSTANCE (WHEN THERE ARE CONTRARILY-MINDED PEOPLE AROUND). It may be the same freedom and the same act (for example, you’re eating meat in both instances). But where, and when, you exercise your freedom makes all the difference in the world and it’s what determines whether you should exercise your freedom at any given moment.

Let’s look at the word embolden in verse 10 for a moment. The word comes from the Greek root word oikodoméo which means ‘edify’. In other words, when a weak brother or sister sees you doing something that you’re free to do, but they themselves don’t think they’re free to do it because their conscience is still unenlightened to the truth regarding this freedom; they’ll go ahead and do it, in violation of their conscience, because they see you doing it. They’re using you as a justification for their doing the same thing. Your example is edifying, building up, or strengthening them to do what you’re doing–even though their conscience is still unenlightened and therefore it’s telling them not to do what you’re doing.

Conscience isn’t enlightened by practice or by imitating the example of others: it’s enlightened only by the truth of God’s Word. It’s God’s truth that sets conscience free to do what it formerly forbade or prohibited (see John 8:32). If some believers don’t know the truth of God’s Word about a particular freedom and their unenlightened conscience forbids them from partaking of that freedom, when they disregard their conscience and do what they see you doing, they’re violating their conscience. And when they violate their conscience they sin.

Now we can argue that we weren’t meaning to set a bad example. We were merely doing something that we were free to do. Therefore, since we weren’t meaning to set an example for others to follow, we shouldn’t be held liable when other people copy what we do.

But that’s not how the Lord sees it. Your example, though unintended, was an occasion for the weak to sin. And when they sinned, you sinned too. Note verses 10-12, For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?  (11)  So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.  (12)  When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 

We can argue that it’s their fault. A person shouldn’t do anything in violation of their conscience. And that’s true! It’s their fault! But the Lord, brethren, holds you at fault too for setting the example by an indiscriminate exercise of your freedom. Your exercising your freedom publicly in the sight of the weak was the impetus for the weak to sin against their conscience. Therefore, their sin is also your sin.

Now get this. You’re doing something you’re perfectly free to do, that is, eat meat offered to idols! But doing it in the presence of the weak is sin! THERE ARE TIMES WHEN EXERCISING YOUR FREEDOM IS WRONG! IN GOD’S SIGHT, IT’S SIN! Said another way, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT’S SINFUL AND WRONG FOR YOU TO DO WHAT YOU’RE TRULY FREE TO DO!

The freedom to do something doesn’t automatically mean you should do it, nor does it automatically mean you would be right in doing it. The freedom itself isn’t what determines whether you should exercise it or not.

THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE TIME AND THE IMPACT THAT YOUR EXERCISE OF FREEDOM WOULD HAVE ON OTHERS IS WHAT DETERMINES WHETHER OR NOT YOU SHOULD EXERCISE YOUR FREEDOM AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.

Brethren, don’t exercise your freedom in the presence of those who might object to it: you’d be wrong in God’s eyes for doing it.

Consider the people around you before you publicly engage in a freedom that you have. Be considerate of the brethren. And be sensitive with regard to their convictions and their present spiritual state or maturity.

When using your freedom is all that matters to you, when you don’t care about how other people would be affected by your exercise of freedom; you’re wrong as wrong can be.

You need to seriously consider camping out on Romans 14:13-22 and 1 Corinthians 8 until you get the message that the Lord is wanting you to get. What is it? THE WELL-BEING OF THE BRETHREN MATTER MORE TO GOD THAN YOUR FREEDOM TO DO A CERTAIN THING. THE WELL-BEING OF THE BRETHREN IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR FREEDOM. In the words of Paul, Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall, 1 Corinthians 8:13.

Coming Up On My Next Blog Post, Part 6. I’ll look at another instance where it’d be wrong for you to do what you’re truly free to do. Golly! These posts are really crucifying. But, then, freedom has never been cheap or free. Drop by and I’ll leave the light on for you.

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CHRISTIAN LIBERTY PART 4

January 26, 2013 at 9:45 AM (Christian Liberty, Doctrine)
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CLARIFYING SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT FREEDOM

PART II

2. JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE FREE WILL TO DO SOMETHING DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO DO IT. This is another difficult concept to grasp and I pray God help you understand and accept it. If you understand the difference between freedom and free will you’ll be better able to understand the truth I’m trying to present here.

As a free moral creature, endowed by God with free will, you’re free to fornicate. Free to cheat on your taxes. Free to rob a bank. Free to do a million and one things because you’ve got the power and ability to choose for yourself and make your own decisions.

But as a Christian who knows God’s Word, you realize you’re not free to do these things because God has prohibited them in His Word. He commands you not to do them. Consequently, as an obedient Christian, you don’t do them.

You see, you can go ahead and do these forbidden things if you want to: you have the free will to do them. But you don’t do them because God forbids it. And since He forbids it, you understand that you don’t have the God-given freedom to do them. You have the free will to do them, but you don’t have the freedom to do them.

God’s commandments, you see, restrict the freedoms that humankind and flesh would otherwise love to have. While we don’t have the freedom to do a million and one things that self and flesh would love to do, nevertheless, the greater and more precious freedom that we do have is the freedom not to give in to sin, self, and the flesh.

Brethren, we’ve got the greatest freedom of all and that is the freedom to obey God and do the right thing. Without Christ in our lives we wouldn’t have that freedom. We would be enslaved to sin. We would spend our eternity in hell. Praise God we have the freedom to do what we couldn’t do before, and that is, obey and please God–not ourselves.

3. Another hard concept for people to grasp is the fact that EXERCISING YOUR FREEDOM DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY MAKE YOU RIGHT. You see, in the natural realm, if you’re free to do something, then it isn’t wrong for you to do it. For example,

  • If you’re free to own a car, then you can own a car and you wouldn’t be breaking any law to own your own car.
  • If you’re free to adopt the religion of your choice, then you can practice whatever religion you want to without interference or persecution from the State. You wouldn’t be doing anything illegal to practice whatever religion you want to practice.
  • If your parents give you the freedom to date, then you wouldn’t be breaking your parents’ rules when you go out on a date because your parents don’t have any such rules against dating. You wouldn’t be doing anything wrong as far as they’re concerned.

Do you see what I mean? The freedom to do something in the natural automatically presupposes you would be right in doing it. You wouldn’t be breaking any laws. You wouldn’t be wrong for doing something that you’re free to do.

Brethren, no matter how you define freedom, when you use your freedom and/or your free will to disobey God, then what results is an act of sin and disobedience. Even though you were free to make that choice, you would be wrong for disobeying God.

Take Eve for an example. Eve was free to either eat the forbidden fruit or not eat it: it was her choice to make. The moment she ate that fruit she disobeyed God. The act of eating was an act of disobedience, she freely chose to disobey, and that act of disobedience was sin. In other words, an act of free will or freedom can also be an act of disobedience.

The same thing can also be said with respect to genuine Christian freedom. An act of freedom can also be an act of disobedience. For example, when you use your freedom to drink wine to become drunk or become an alcoholic and a drunkard, then you’ve used a legitimate freedom to disobey God’s prohibition against drunkenness. Do you see how you can use your freedom to disobey God? Brethren, WHEN YOU USE YOUR FREEDOM OR FREE WILL TO DISOBEY GOD, YOU’RE NO LONGER RIGHT. YOU’RE WRONG AND YOU’RE IN DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD.

Brethren, DON’T BASE THE RIGHTNESS OR WRONGNESS OF AN ACTION ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU’RE FREE TO DO IT. Just because you’re free to do something doesn’t automatically mean you’re right to do it. An act of free will or freedom can also be an act of disobedience.

Coming Up On My Next Blog, Part 5. More food for thought as I discuss another misconception of freedom. It’ll be crucifying, so bring your cross. God’ll have the nails and hammer.

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NOT A CHANCE

January 23, 2013 at 4:32 PM (From My Life, Musings)
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My sister-in-law’s been fighting an aggressive form of cancer for the last couple of years. She’s been in the hospital for the last couple of weeks fighting for her life. Thankfully, the Lord brought her back from the grave, as it were, and we were able to hear her talk out loud again, smile as always, pray, sing, and have as jolly a time as could be had in a hospital bed.

Anyways, we determined from the outset that we wanted God to be glorified in Doreen’s life. Of course we wanted her healed. But most of all, we wanted God’s will to be done and for Him to be glorified through Doreen. We are not God. He alone holds the power of life and death. If He wanted Doreen bad enough He could have her and we would rejoice through our tears because we know where she’s going and who she’ll be with. There’s nothing grander than heavenly glory and there’s nothing on this earth that can keep a Heaven-bound saint from going home when it’s God’s time for her to be home. But until God lets us know it’s time to let her go we continue to pray and believe for healing—after all, that is His promise and it’s one of the things Christ provided for us at the cross.

So for the last few days we’ve been lifting Doreen up in prayer, joined by a multitude of believers and friends who’ve petitioned the Lord on Doreen’s behalf. I know God’s been blest and glorified as He’s witnessed the love, unity, prayers, and praises of His people. So many people have rallied around Doreen; they’ve lifted up the shield of faith and wielded the sword of the Spirit against satan on Doreen’s behalf. The devil’s got himself a bruising and a licking! I know God’s been so pleased and glorified by that.  He’s graciously blest us with miracles each day as we’ve seen Doreen drink more and more water, eat more broth, mashed sweet potatoes and bread, and converse freely with us.

Among the many Scriptures that we’ve lobbed against the devil are the oft-repeated promises that God has given us: the prayer of faith shall heal the sick and the Lord shall raise her up; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover; He sent His Word and healed her and delivered her from all her destructions; He heals all her diseases and redeems her life from destruction; the shield of faith quenches every fiery dart; with God all things are possible; with faith nothing is impossible; what things soever we desire, when we pray, we believe that we receive them and we shall have them; delight thyself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart; resist the devil and he shall flee from you; and many, many more.

You all know what the Word of God that Christ quoted in His wilderness temptation did to the devil: the Word sent the devil packing. The devil couldn’t do anything against God’s Word! He couldn’t win as long as Christ was using the Word against him.

In the same manner, we’ve used the sword of the Spirit against the devil and I mean to tell you, I kid you not, the devil’s been bruised and sent to the canvas time after time after time. What a glutton for punishment!

Anyways, the Lord did a marvelous work of encouragement for me as He took me to a couple of Scriptures that I had never before put together. The first was the promise of James 5:16, the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. God wasn’t calling my attention to myself, as if I was going to win this battle on my own. No, this battle belongs to the Lord, the victory is His, and He has won it on His own. So the Lord wasn’t lifting me up necessarily: He was just reminding me that prayer really works when a righteous person’s praying.

Then the Lord took me to Hebrews 7:25 and Romans 8:34 where Christ is at the right hand of the Father, praying and interceding for us. Christ, brethren, is praying for us! He isn’t idle in glory: He’s praying! For us! He lives! To pray! For us!

I don’t know what you think about Christ. Some people think that Christ is only interested in our soul and He’s praying only for our soul to be saved from sin. Nothing else. But let’s face it. Christ is every bit human like us—except He’s sinless. When we have loved ones hurting we rush to their side to help them. When they’re under attack—being slaughtered and killed—we don’t just stand by and watch it happen. We get right smack in the thick of things and we do what we can to protect, save, and help the ones we love.

Jesus does the same. He loves Doreen very much. He died to save her. She belongs to Him. She’s family. From up in Heaven He sees what the devil’s doing to Doreen and what He sees moves Him to action. It moves Him to prayer. And when Jesus prays what do you think is gonna happen? Is God gonna answer His prayer? You bet!

Then the Lord put everything together for me. The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Jesus is praying. It hit me like a ton of bricks! With Jesus praying—the most righteous man that ever was—His prayers are going to win out. The devil isn’t just fighting against us by ourselves: he’s fighting against Jesus too, who’s fighting him right back! Just like in His wilderness temptation! With Jesus fighting and praying the devil simply doesn’t stand a chance! Christ has him beat in this battle! The devil really is a loser! We’re victors through Christ! We have nothing to fear  or lose! We’re gonna win this one no matter how it ends because Jesus is praying! Thank you sweet Jesus for praying!

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CHRISTIAN LIBERTY PART 3

January 17, 2013 at 8:51 AM (Christian Liberty, Doctrine)
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CLARIFYING SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT FREEDOM

1. THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS TOTAL, ABSOLUTE, UNRESTRICTED FREEDOM IN THIS WORLD. I hate to burst your bubble, but this is the real world, not a dream world. No one is totally, absolutely, 100 % free. Everyone has free will. But no one has total, absolute freedom.

We live in a democracy that is the freest nation in the world today. Yet, we’re governed by so many specific laws that it’s obvious we’re not free to do anything or everything that we jolly well please. The laws, police, court system, and penal institutions, are proof that no one is free to do whatever he wants to do.

As goes the nation, so goes the church. No Christian is totally free to live and do as he or she pleases. No Christian lives without Divine Law or restraint. We all live under God’s Law. Just like living in a free nation, we’re free even though we have laws—including God’s laws—that  govern us. We’re free. Just not as free as we’d like—that is, 100% free without any kind of restraint, law, or threat of punishment. There is no such freedom in the created order. Only God is totally, absolutely free. Everyone else—from Satan, to demons, to angels, to mankind—live free, but under God’s laws.

2. FREEDOM FROM MEN’S RELIGIOUS LAWS OR THE LAW DOESN’T FREE YOU FROM OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD.  Since Christ set us free from the Law and from men’s religious laws as a basis for salvation or righteousness; so many people automatically think or assume that they don’t have to obey God’s Word. They equate obedience with bondage to law, legalism, and works salvation.  Freedom thus becomes the freedom not to obey God; the freedom to do as they please. Obedience, whenever it’s undesirable or inconvenient, is explained away and disobedience justified with the oft-repeated, tired refrain, “I’m free. I’m not under the law.”

CHRISTIAN FREEDOM, BRETHREN, IS NOT THE FREEDOM TO DISOBEY GOD. Just because Christ set us free from the law as a means of salvation or righteousness doesn’t mean we don’t have to obey the Word anymore. FREEDOM DOESN’T RELIEVE US OF THE DUTY TO OBEY GOD.

The Old Testament Law required obedience. When we come to the New Testament, we find that God still requires obedience of His people. What did Jesus say to the rich young ruler who wanted to know what he had to do to inherit eternal life? If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17).

This theme of obedience runs throughout the entire New Testament and it’s one of the very last things God warned us about in the Bible: Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city (Revelation 22:14). You see, obedience is required of all those who would enter into Heaven.

Disobedience, even in the guise of Christian liberty, disqualifies us from Heaven. Jesus made this quite clear when He said in Matthew 7:21-23, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. {22} Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? {23} And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

ONE OF THE HARDEST TRUTHS FOR PEOPLE TO GRASP OR RECEIVE IS THE TRUTH THAT FREEDOM (THAT IS, CHRISTIAN FREEDOM) IS NOT THE LIBERTY OR RIGHT TO DO WHATEVER WE WANT TO DO. IT’S NOT THE LIBERTY OR RIGHT TO DO AS WE PLEASE.

It all goes back to the failure of people to see the distinction between freedom and free will (see Christian Liberty Part 1). Free will is the liberty to make our own choices or decisions. We can choose whatever we want to choose.

But freedom is the power or ability to obey God. You see, when we were enslaved to Satan and sin we couldn’t obey God. We lacked the willingness and power, or ability, to obey God. The sin nature of the old man had no desire for godly obedience. But when Christ saved us, He set us free from Satan’s power and He changed us. He made a new man out of us. He washed the old  sin nature away. He gave us a new nature of righteousness and holiness (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:24). He gave us something we didn’t have before and that is the desire to obey God.

With a new nature and with freedom itself, God gave us the liberty and power to do what we formerly couldn’t do, and that is, obey Him. Romans 6:18-22 reads, Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.  (19)  Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.  (20)  When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right.  (21)  And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom.  (22)  But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.

WHEN CHRIST SAVED US HE ENDED SIN’S TYRANNY OVER US. HE GAVE US WHAT WE DIDN’T HAVE BEFORE, NAMELY, HE GAVE US THE FREEDOM TO OBEY GOD. That’s what freedom is: the freedom to obey God.

In the world in which we live, a person is either free or slave. He can only be one or the other. But the paradox of Christian freedom is, A CHRISTIAN IS INDEED FREE, BUT HE BECOMES, AND REMAINS, A SLAVE TO GOD AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. It’s a paradox to the natural mind, but a spiritual truth nonetheless. A Christian is both free and a slave at the same time, Romans 6:22.

Now if you understand the truth that you were a slave of sin even though you had free will, then you will have no problem comprehending the truth that you are now a slave of God even though you still have free will. Brethren, NO ONE IS TRULY FREE. WE ALL BELONG TO SOMEONE, EITHER SATAN OR GOD. A PERSON IS EITHER A SLAVE OF SIN OR A SLAVE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. HE’S EITHER A SLAVE OF SATAN OR A SLAVE OF GOD. WE ALL—BOTH SAVED AND UNSAVED—ARE SLAVES. NO ONE IS TRULY FREE FROM DOMINION, OWNERSHIP, OR RULE. We all have free will, both saved and unsaved alike. But we’re all still slaves–either of Satan or of God.

You see, when Christ set us free from Satan and sin, He set us free to become His slave. Romans 6:18, ye became the slaves of righteousness.;  Romans 6:22, ye are become slaves of God. Whereas once we were slaves of Satan and sin, Christ set us free and now–even though we’re free–we’re slaves to doing the right thing and living the righteous life. FREEDOM, BRETHREN, IS NOT THE FREEDOM TO DO AS WE PLEASE: IT’S THE FREEDOM TO OBEY GOD AND DO THE THINGS THAT PLEASE HIM.

Does your freedom make you obey God or does it make you disobey Him? After you’ve exercised your freedom, are you in obedience to God or are you in disobedience to Him? Brethren, no matter how you choose to define and use your freedom, freedom is not the freedom to sin: it’s the freedom to obey God and not sin.

Coming Up On My Next Blog Post, Part 4. More misconceptions about freedom. Thought-provoking. Controversial. But right and true. Pop in and I’ll prove it.

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CHRISTIAN LIBERTY PART 2

January 12, 2013 at 1:40 PM (Christian Liberty, Doctrine)
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THE MEANING OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY OR FREEDOM

What, then, does it mean to be free? What are we freed from? What are we free to do?

1. CHRISTIAN FREEDOM IS FREEDOM FROM SATAN’S POWER OR CONTROL. When we were unsaved and without Christ Satan was our master. We were under his rule (Acts 26:18). But when Christ saved us He freed us from Satan’s power and rule. Colossians 1:12-13 reads, giving thanks to the Father for having made you fit to share in the inheritance of his people in the light.  (13)  He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.

Christian liberty is freedom from Satan’s rule or domain. It’s like being rescued out of an oppressive, freedom-robbing, life-threatening country and being taken to a free country where you can live in peace and security. Spiritually speaking, you couldn’t escape the devil’s country on your own. He had you locked up in his domain of imprisonment. What Jesus did  is, like the Rangers and Seals of modern times, He came in and rescued you from your imprisonment. Then He put you on His chopper out of the devil’s country and brought you to His country of freedom, peace, joy, and love.

You see, as Christ-rescued souls, we are in Christ’s country now. We are free from Satan’s tyranny, rule, and imprisonment. We don’t have to listen to the devil and do as he says. Why? Because he’s no longer our master! He doesn’t have authority over us anymore! We are free from his dominion, power, and rule.

2. CHRISTIAN FREEDOM IS FREEDOM FROM OUR SLAVERY TO SIN.  Without Christ we were enslaved to sin. We couldn’t rise above sin. We kept on sinning.  We couldn’t help sinning (Romans 3:10-12).

But when we gave our lives to Jesus, He freed us from sin’s mastery and power over us. Sin can no longer force or compel us to sin! We can choose not to sin. Romans 6:17-18 reads, Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.  (18)  Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

Freedom from sin is like being set free from an addiction, let’s say an addiction to drugs. When you’re set free from a drug addiction you’re no longer addicted to the drugs. You lose your interest in drugs. You don’t find any more pleasure or enjoyment in drugs. It’s no longer a temptation to you, at least, it’s not the strong temptation that it once was in your life. You have the power and willingness of heart to overcome or resist the temptation to use drugs once again.

Freedom from sin, brethren, is the same way. When Christ set us free from sin He did something to us. He changed us. He delivered us from the captivating power and appeal of sin. And He took that longing or urge to sin away from us. Sin is no longer the problem or the temptation that it once was in our lives. It isn’t our master anymore.

Christian freedom, brethren, is all about the power and willingness we have to rise above sin and not sin. THE LIBERTY WE HAVE IN CHRIST IS THE LIBERTY NOT TO SIN.

Brethren, Christ didn’t set us free to sin: He set us free from sin. While we still have the free will to sin because we’re still morally free creatures, we nonetheless don’t have the freedom to sin. The freedom we have as Christians is the freedom not to sin.

3. CHRISTIAN FREEDOM IS FREEDOM FROM USING THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW OR MAN’S RELIGIOUS LAWS AS A MEANS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS OR SALVATION.  Many people try to earn their way into Heaven by keeping some set of laws. For the Jews of Jesus’ day, salvation was by the keeping of the Old Testament Law, as well as the rabbinical law of Judaism’s rabbis. For heathens past and present, diligent observance of a moral, religious, or cultural code of conduct  supposedly ensures one of eternal bliss after death.

But Christ is the end of all of men’s attempts to try and earn salvation or righteousness. Men no longer have to work for salvation because they can never work for it or attain it. Salvation is a matter of God’s grace and it’s received by faith–not works.

  • Romans 10:1-4, Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. {2} For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. {3} For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. {4} For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
  •  Galatians 5:1-4  Christ has set us free! This means we are really free. Now hold on to your freedom and don’t ever become slaves of the Law again.  (2)  I, Paul, promise you that Christ won’t do you any good if you get circumcised.  (3)  If you do, you must obey the whole Law.  (4)  And if you try to please God by obeying the Law, you have cut yourself off from Christ and his wonderful kindness. See also 4:9-11,
  •  Colossians 2:20-23  You have died with Christ, and He has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as,  (21)  “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”?  (22)  Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them.  (23)  These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

Christian freedom is freedom from using the Law or men’s laws as a means of salvation or righteousness; it’s the end of our working to be saved. Brethren, you don’t have to keep the law–any law, be it man’s law or God’s law–in order to be saved. You can’t work for, or earn, your salvation. If you believe in Jesus and have received Him as your personal Lord and Savior, then you’re already saved, Christ has set you free from trying to work for, or earn, your salvation.

Coming Up On My Next Blog Post, Part 3. I’ll clear the air about some misconceptions that a lot of us have about freedom. What an eye-opener! Get ready to see some things you may never have seen before.

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CHRISTIAN LIBERTY PART 1

January 8, 2013 at 8:46 AM (Christian Liberty, Doctrine)
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INTRODUCTION

Freedom is one of the most precious things that we human beings possess. God created us as free moral creatures. That is, He created us with the ability to make our own choices in life, to make our own decisions without being forced or compelled to do anything against our will. In theology and philosophy, this precious freedom to choose or make our own decisions is called ‘free will’.

To be sure, God makes all kinds of demands on our lives. The Bible is filled with laws, rules, principles, commandments, exhortations, admonitions, do’s and don’ts that God wants us to obey and live by.

But the bottom line is, none of us have to obey God if we don’t want to. God doesn’t force us to obey Him. If we don’t want to obey Him, God honors that. He lets us disobey Him. He doesn’t stop us from disobeying Him. He  abides by the decisions we make.

God, I am saying, gave us free will. He  lets us make our own decisions. He doesn’t force His will upon us.

THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN FREEDOM AND FREE WILL

Freedom is defined and understood in so many different ways. We all have our ideas about what we’re free to do.

What exactly is freedom? What is Christian liberty? Is freedom the God-given right to do as we please? Undoubtedly, this is how many of God’s people understand freedom. For them, freedom is the right to do as we please. The right to live any way we please.

But this, brethren, is not how the Bible defines freedom!

Before we get to the Biblical definition of freedom, I think it’s helpful to make a very important distinction between freedom and free will. The two terms are often confused and used synonymously, which is the reason why so many of God’s people have liberties that we know aren’t right or aren’t theirs to have.

Free will, as I said earlier, is the power or ability to make our own decisions. This includes the decision to disobey God and do whatever we please. For example, let us suppose that we choose to fornicate. We want to fornicate. Now if we equate freedom with free will, then what we have as a result is the freedom to fornicate. That is, since we’re free to choose; and since we choose to fornicate; then we automatically conclude that we have the freedom to fornicate.

But instinctively, for the true child of God, we know that this isn’t what freedom is all about.  There’s something perverted about this kind of logic or reasoning.

FREEDOM IS NOT THE SAME THING AS FREE WILL. THEY’RE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. JUST BECAUSE WE’RE MORALLY FREE TO MAKE OUR OWN DECISIONS DOESN’T MEAN WE’RE FREE AS CHRISTIANS TO DO WHATEVER WE WANT TO DO.

What, then, is freedom? What does our liberty encompass?

Coming Up On My Next Blog Post, Part 2. I look at the Biblical meaning of freedom. Chances are, it’s not what you think. So drop by and find out. I’ll save a chair for you.

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THE DOWN SIDE OF BEING SURE

January 1, 2013 at 8:24 PM (From The Bible, Musings)
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If you’re anything like me, I know you like to be sure about things. We like to be confident, knowledgeable, and self-assured. We like being right about things. And when we know we’re right a lot of us savor a fight, a show-down, to prove we’re right.

I just hate it when I’m not sure! Worse yet, I hate it when I work hard to make sure I’m sure and, after all the time and effort trying, I still end up not being sure at all.

Like I said, we like being confident about things. We don’t like the unknown. We want to know what’s real and true. We want to be right. Believing we’re right is nice. But it’s not enough. We want to know beyond all shadow of a doubt that we’re right.

But as commendable as that desire may be, the down side of being sure is this. Being sure isn’t necessarily the same thing as being right. It’s nice to be sure. But just because we’re sure doesn’t automatically mean we’re right.

That sounds oxymoronic, doesn’t it? After all, we equate being sure with being right. We like being sure! And when we’re sure about something we automatically assume we’re right.

But are we really? Not necessarily. Not always. Think about it. Dig into the vast hard drive of your memory and see if you can recall a time when you thought you were right, but weren’t. While you ponder on your own life’s experiences I’ll like for us to look at a life experience of a mortal such as ourselves. His name is Hananiah.

Now Hananiah was a prophet in Judah. He lived during a very tumultuous time in Jewish history. The  Babylonians have attacked and subjugated the Jews.  Jerusalem has been plundered. The rich and the noble, along with tens of thousands of Jews, have been carried away captive to Babylonia. Only a few were left behind in Jerusalem. Through the Babylonian King’s good grace, a Jewish King was installed and allowed to rule in Jerusalem. There were three such kings and the last of these was King Zedekiah.

Anyways, throughout this whole ordeal—even before the Babylonians descended on Jerusalem—the prophet Jeremiah, among other faithful prophets of the Lord, advised the King to surrender to the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar and avoid needless bloodshed. Judah’s fall and captivity was ordained of the Lord and any resistance to Nebuchadnezzar would be futile.

Naturally, the prophet’s advice didn’t go over well. It was treasonous and unpatriotic, to say the least. And besides, there were prophets aplenty who advised the King to disregard Jeremiah’s doom-and-gloom approach to life.

Hananiah was one of these prophets. Four years into Zedekiah’s eleven-year reign, Hananiah stood up in the Temple and prophesied aloud, Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.  (3)  Within two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon.  (4)  I will also bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the Lord, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon (Jeremiah 28:2-4).

Wow! This was great news! It was exactly what the nation needed to hear in such dismal, depressing times. Even Jeremiah jumped with elation and declared, Amen, Hananiah! May your words come true indeed!

But Jeremiah knew better. He’d heard from the Lord and what the Lord told him stood in stark contrast to Hananiah’s uplifting prophecy of hope. Yet hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people.  (8)  The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms.  (9)  As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet (Jeremiah 28:7-9).

Here were two men of God with two very different, conflicting, prophecies. Both prophets claimed to speak for the Lord. Both preceded their prophecies with a thus saith the Lord. And both men were utterly sure of themselves!

In fact, Hananiah was so sure that he was right that he took the yoke that Jeremiah wore around his neck and he broke it and said, Thus says the Lord: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations within two years (Jeremiah 28:11).

How did Hananiah get to this point of confidence and assurance? He was so sure of himself!

Yet, we know in hindsight, he was miserably, tragically, wrong.

Sometime after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke-bars from off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:  (13)  “Go, tell Hananiah, ‘Thus says the Lord: You have broken wooden bars, but you have made in their place bars of iron.  (14)  For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put upon the neck of all these nations an iron yoke to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they shall serve him, for I have given to him even the beasts of the field.'”  (15)  And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie.  (16)  Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have uttered rebellion against the Lord’ (Jeremiah 28:12-16).

In two months’ time, Hananiah was dead (Jeremiah 28:1, 17).

Hananiah was so sure of himself! But he was wrong in spite of the fact that he was sure! Which is to say, it’s possible to be wrong about something that you’re sure about.

Don’t get me wrong here because I’m not knocking being sure. I think we all should be sure, if not absolutely sure and confident, about the things we believe, the decisions we make, and the actions we take.

What I’m asking is, What makes us so sure about the things we’re sure about? How do we get to this point of surety, confidence, and certainty?

  • We can have the facts to back us up. The evidence. The proof. But the facts, evidence, and proof can be misleading. They can be mis-interpreted. Tampered with. The people who supply us with the facts, the evidence, and the proof can distort and manipulate the truth. People lie in order to conceal the truth.
  • Circumstances can be so convincing and fool us into faith and surety.
  • A person with charisma inspires confidence. But charisma is a poor determinant of the truth. Ever heard of Jim (James Warren) Jones?
  • Majority opinion or the unanimous voice of others can fill us with confidence and boldness. But people can be wrong and the majority likewise. The majority and unanimity of the masses are not a reliable gauge of truth or right.
  • Many of us go by logic. If it makes sense, then it’s right and true.
  • If it’s scientific or if it can be scientifically proven, then it’s right and true.
  • Sometimes, wealth and power imbue us with confidence.

If you do what I just did, that is, stop and think about all the ways you get confident and become sure of yourself; I think you’ll understand the basis, source, or reason for your confidence. And you can gauge the real strength or weakness of your confidence.

So let’s look at the diversity of opinions and beliefs that we’re confronted with. The atheist mocks and decries the existence of God. The Satanist insists Satan is God. The evolutionist has a scientific explanation for the origin and diversity of life. The rationalist has an air-tight logical argument against faith. The secularist disproves the Bible. The skeptic insists there’s no heaven or hell or judgment. The ecumenicalist claims all roads, all religions, lead to God. Each religionist adamantly insists that his religion is the only true, right religion. The Christian sticks by the Bible and decries everyone else to be wrong, deceived, and damned.

Each one, like Hananiah, is so sure of himself. There is no entertaining the possibility of being wrong. No matter what each one of us believes, we’re sure about what we believe. And because we’re sure, then we’re right.

But, as in the contrast between Jeremiah and Hananiah, two persons with two very divergent and contradictory views can’t both be equally true or right. One is true and one is false. One is right and one is wrong.

So how do we tell who’s right or wrong? Jeremiah said, As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet (Jeremiah 28:9). In other words, when what we believe or say comes to pass—or doesn’t—then we’ll know who’s right and who’s wrong.

You’ve heard of the adage, you’ll just have to wait and see. In other words, we won’t really know for sure until it happens. Or doesn’t. It’s like God’s saying, Okay. If you won’t believe Me or the Bible, I guess you’ll just have to wait and see who’s right and who’s wrong.

How long must we wait? Well, when it comes to proving the existence of God, of heaven, and hell; or disproving it; when it comes to proving the truthfulness of the Bible, or disproving it; we’ll all have to wait till we die to know for sure. If perchance we awake after death and find ourselves face to face with God, then we’ll know that Christians got it right after all. If we live on after death and find ourselves standing before Buddha, then we’ll know that all the world should have listened to Buddha and none other. If we don’t awake after death and aren’t conscious in some other world or kind of existence, then we’ll all know that the atheists were right after all.

But, until history or reality proves us right or wrong, we nevertheless press on with a remarkable confidence that we’re right. How can we be confident in something that hasn’t yet been proven right or hasn’t yet come to pass?  Say what you will, but I say this. Until we’re proven right or wrong, we only believe we right. All confidence and surety is a matter of faith. The Christian, the atheist, the evolutionist, the rationalist, and all the others—whether they will admit it or not—only believe they’re right. They can’t prove it until history or reality proves them right or wrong.

I’m a Christian. I believe unfailingly in the Divine inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. And I believe the Bible is always right. I would like to say I believe I’m right. I’m not gonna say I’m right because I’m honest enough to say that there’s been times when I’ve been wrong. Even when it comes to the Scriptures, there have been times when I believed I was right, I was Biblical; but was later shown to be unscriptural and wrong. So the most I will say at this time is, I believe I’m right.

The point is, our confidence or assurance, that state of being absolutely sure and adamantly convinced, is a matter of faith.

You can believe in your logic, your science, your religion, or whatever it is you firmly believe. I’ll stick to my faith in God and the Bible. We are all persons of faith. We’re all alike in this one respect. But, unfortunately, we’re not all right. You may think otherwise and be absolutely convinced you’re right. Hananiah was similarly convinced. And if I’ve succeeded in showing you anything, I hope you’ll see in all honesty—both from the Scriptures and from your very own life’s experiences—that  it’s possible to be sure and still not be right. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

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KICKING GOD OUT

December 18, 2012 at 6:51 PM (From The Bible, Musings)
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SCRIPTURE TEXT

Matthew 12:43-45,  When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.  (44)  Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.  (45)  Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A DEMONIAC KICKS GOD OUT

In the post-modern world in which we live, a lot of people, including Christians, deny the reality and existence of demons. They allege that demon possession is a myth and fairy tale that people in an unenlightened age invented to explain abnormal human behavior.

But the fact that (1) Jesus taught on demonic possession; (2) Jesus spent a huge portion of His time casting demons out of demon possessed people; (3) Jesus commissioned us to cast demons out of people (Matthew 10:8, Mark 16:17); and (4) the early church cast demons out of people (Acts 5:16, 16:16-18); all tell us that demonic possession is very real. It happens. And I’ve got news for you: it’s still happening to this very day. I’ve cast demons out of Christians and these Christians will be the first to tell you that it’s possible for people today to be possessed.

Anyways, when a demon is cast out of a person it goes thru dry, arid, waterless places looking for rest. In ancient history, deserts were known to be habitations of demons.

Anyways, this cast out demon goes thru waterless places looking for rest. Now you’d think that out in the desert where there’s nothing to do there’ll be lots of time for a demon to kick back and relax. We equate rest with sleep or leisure, taking a break from working. But for a demon, rest is not inactivity or not working. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. Rest, for a demon, is to be busy possessing and afflicting a human being. Demons don’t like it when they’re not living inside people and oppressing them.

So this demon decides to return to the person that he was cast out of. You see, when a demon is cast out of you, you need to know that this demon is going to want you back. He’s not going off to possess someone else–not if he can help it. This demon wants you because he knows you pretty well. He knows your weakness. He knows which of your buttons to push to get you to do some pretty shameful, wicked stuff. This demon knows you, he loves you, he wants you, and he’s coming back for you.

Now when the demon comes back, he finds you empty, swept, and garnished (verse 44). You know how a lot of renters will totally trash a house out. When they leave, you go in there and look dishearteningly at the mess that you’ve got to clean up and what it’s going to cost you to get that house back in a livable condition. You get right to work and get rid of the mess, repair and paint the walls, lay new carpet down, get new appliances, hang up a few paintings, and, wow, that house really looks nice now! That’s what Jesus means when a house is empty, swept, and garnished.

When a demon has been cast out of you, you do some house cleaning. You get rid of the stuff that got you possessed in the first place: you get rid of the booze, drugs, porn, anger, lying, and stealing. You clean up your act and your life. You go to church, read your Bible, and pray. You hang out with Christian friends and live life differently. You bear the fruit of the Spirit. You’re all nice and clean. And do you know what? You feel really good about yourself! You’re happy and you haven’t felt this good in a long time!

Guess what. This demon isn’t done with you. He wants you back. But he isn’t going to live in a clean house. HE CAN’T GET BACK INSIDE YOU IF YOU KEEP YOURSELF CLEAN AND WALK CLOSE WITH THE LORD.

That demon doesn’t give up easy. He wants back inside you and he’s going to keep on trying. So what this restless demon does is he goes and finds seven other demons who are a lot worse and more wicked than himself.

There are varying degrees of wickedness among demons. Some demons are not as bad as others. This explains why there are varying degrees of wickedness among men. Some murderers will kill only once or twice, while others will keep on killing until they’re dead. Some alcoholics will drink occasionally, while others drink on a daily basis, while still others drink on an hourly basis.

So now you’ve got 8 demons after you and 7 of these demons are a lot worse, a lot more wicked, a lot more alcoholic, a lot more drug addicted, a lot more rich, a lot more sexual and perverse, a lot more tempting, appealing, and irresistible.

They can’t come inside you unless you open the door of your soul to them. If you don’t do the right thing and resist these temptations, if you decide you want to enjoy these sins again, you’re opening your house back up to these demons. They come in and you’re 7 times worse than before. You thought you were really messed up before when you had 1 demon. Now you’re really really messed up, you’re more hooked, you get yourself more booze, more drugs, more guns; you watch more violent movies, you learn the ways of mass murderers, then you go out there and do what these demons have taught you to do.

Jesus closes this lesson by saying in verse 45, Even so will it be to this wicked generation. In other words, this generation of Jews were possessed by one demon, as it were. Jesus came along, cast these demons out, and helped them clean their lives up. But now, because of their religious leaders, they’re starting to turn away from the Lord. The furnishings are coming down. The house is getting dirtier. And in turning away from the Lord they’ve become like the repossessed demoniac: they’re a lot worse off than before.

HOW MUCH MORE WICKED IS OUR SOCIETY TODAY

Jesus declared that generation of Jews to be wicked, evil, and adulterous; possessed like a guy with 8 demons. That was before they had TV, movies, porn magazines, and the internet that made sexual sin so easily and readily available.

That was a time when everybody was pretty well covered up and there wasn’t a lot of skin exposed. Now we’ve got so much skin showing that there’s little left for the imagination.

That was an evil generation before they had gobs of factories churning out beer, meth, cocaine, and sex slaves. How much more evil are we today?

This generation of Jews in Jesus’ day were evil at a time when sodomites stayed hidden in the closet for fear of being stoned. Now the gays have come out of the closet with a vengeance, brazenly advocating for equal rights and legitimacy. Marriage is being redefined and the gay lifestyle is being legitimized and legalized. I don’t hate homosexuals. I just don’t like the fact that they’re contradicting God, twisting the Scriptures, and trying to convince everybody that God and Heaven are cool with their lifestyle. God destroyed the sodomites of Sodom and Gomorrah. And I just don’t think that He’s changed His mind about sodomites. All I’m saying is, if that generation of Jews was really wicked to Jesus, how much more today!

KICKING GOD OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS AND NATION

During that wicked and evil generation in Jesus’ day, the Old Testament was the only thing they taught in their schools. Today we’ve kicked God, the Bible, and prayer out of school. And look at what has happened to our schools and children since then.

I ask you, what harm was there in having God and the Bible taught in our schools  Who did God hurt that He was expelled from school? What did He do wrong that we sent Him home? What was so wrong with teaching our children to pray? For generations of time God, the Bible, and prayer were taught and encouraged. Society turned out alright when God was in school. The older folks that went through that education turned out okay. They weren’t all saints. But they weren’t monsters eithers.

Now look at what’s happened since God has left our schools. Look at the state of our schools, our communities, our nation. Most of all, look at the state of our kids and ourselves. I believe we will see in all fairness and honesty that we’re never better off when we kick God out of our lives, our schools, our communities, our nation. Like a demon repossessed person, we’re gobs worse off when we turn our backs on God. And, sadly, the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School is a sad and tragic lesson of what happens when we kick God out and let the devils in.

KICKING GOD OUT OF OUR HOMES

We see very graphically what happens when we kick God out of school. We see where this nation is headed as we begin to kick God out of our nation and our social consciousness.

But let’s bring the tragedy closer to us and ask, Are we kicking God out of our homes? Oh, we’re not doing it blatantly and brazenly. But when we don’t teach our children the Bible, when we don’t take them to church, when we don’t have a spiritual, godly mindset and atmosphere in the home, when we teach our children by example that life is all about working hard and making good money so that we can buy the fine things of life and enjoy life to the hilt—with no mention of God, no time for God—haven’t we kicked God out of our homes? And if that evil, wicked and adulterous generation was 7 times more wicked and demon possessed than before, how in the world do we expect our homes and our families to be anything less than 7 times more wicked and possessed without God?

KICKING GOD OUT OF OUR LIVES

Let me bring it even closer yet. Let’s not talk about our children and family. Let’s talk about ourselves. Are we kicking God out of our life? No way! We’re Christians, you say. Yes, thank God for that. That’s what we say.

But what do our actions say? Do we talk to God much during the day or the week? Do we read our Bibles? Do we think about God? Do we think about what we heard in church? Are we spiritual? Do we talk about God and spiritual matters in the home? Do we sing Christian songs of worship to Him? What kind of music are we listening to? What kind of books are we reading? What kind of movies are we watching? How do we spend our leisure time? We have time to study or pray, but what do we do instead? Watch a movie. Surf the channels. Go shopping. Hang out with friends. Browse the net. Facebook. And before you know it, gasp, the night is done and it’s time to go to bed. No talk of God. No thoughts of God. No time with God. And we say we’re not kicking God out of our life? Who are we kidding? Certainly not God.

BRINGING GOD BACK IN

Brethren, if we don’t bring God into our life we’re going to be spiritually dead, wicked, evil, and adulterous as a demonically repossessed person. We’re not going to fare better than our schools, our communities, our nations, or the demon-possessed people living all around us. The evil that visited Sandy Hook can visit us at any time.

Do you know who I want to visit us? The Spirit of God in a fresh outpouring of repentance and revival! Do the research. Read the history books. Whenever revival swept a community or nation the crime rates went down, social conditions improved, families were strengthened, and people were a lot nicer to one another. Saints didn’t kill sinners. Sinners were saved, not killed. Isn’t this what we want? Isn’t this what America needs today?

This is Christmas time. Over two thousand years ago there wasn’t much of any room for Jesus in Bethlehem. It was as if the little town was kicking Jesus out. Thankfully, a stable was found where Jesus could be born.

In the Bethlehem that we call our homes, our churches, our communities, our nation, our world; can we let Jesus back in? Jesus is the answer for a sin-sick world. That’s why God gave us Jesus. Jesus is the Savior that can kick the devils out of our life, clean us up, and make us look good, feel good, and live right again.

We’ve seen what happens when we kick God out. Brethren, it’s time to kick the murdering devils out. Today, let’s bring God in. Let’s clean house. Let’s begin right here. Right now. Let it begin with me.

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LORD HELP ME BELIEVE

December 11, 2012 at 5:23 PM (Faith, Getting/Increasing)
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For a lot of us, faith doesn’t come easy. We’re prone to doubt. Sadly, shamefully, we’re prone to doubt God most of all. Distrust is built into sinful human nature. It’s like we don’t trust anyone. Not really. Including God. I know it all boils down to whether we’re going to believe God or not. Are we going to believe what God said? Or are we going to believe what everyone else is saying? What the circumstances are saying? What that demon who’s perched on our shoulder is saying? Trusting God is easy when everything’s going our way. But when everything’s stacked against us, fear and logic kick in and pretty much put an end to whatever little faith we had.

In our saner, better moments, we wish we could trust God more! How we wish we had more faith! Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief!

God is a merciful God. He wants us to trust Him and He helps us do that. I will never cease to praise Him for that day long ago when, in the midst of my struggles and doubts, He brought me to Psalm 9:10 and said, Here, son, is how you get strong, abiding faith. I read the verse and my life’s been changed ever since. Those who know Your name, O Lord, will put their trust in You.

You have to know the Lord before you can really trust Him. I know we all like to think we know the Lord. We have a fairly good knowledge of God and the Bible. Yet, in our knowledge, we’re still prone to argue with God, to question, doubt, and distrust Him. Why is that? It’s because we don’t know Him as we should. We have a bookish knowledge of Him, but we don’t have the kind of intimate, faith-inspiring knowledge that can be had only in the context of a close and personal relationship with God.

It’s like two people who know the President. One’s a reporter who digs up all he can about the President in books, magazines, the papers, the newscasts, and the net. He’s never met the President, but he knows a lot about him. Then there’s the President’s confidant and close friend. He spends a lot of time with the President. He knows the President’s heart and soul. Which of the two, would you say, knows the President well? Of course, the guy who spends the most time with the President himself.

This is the way it is with God. The Bible is great and our bookish knowledge of God is gobs better than ignorance. But God is a Person. He’s a Personal Being. And, like we are with one another, He wants to be with us. That’s what salvation and eternity are all about: it’s about God saving us so that we can spend eternity with Him. But God isn’t waiting for eternity to be with us: He wants us to draw close to Him right now. He wants us to have an intimate friendship and relationship with Him. It’s called communion. Hanging out. Spending time with the one you love.

YOU DON’T REALLY KNOW A PERSON UNTIL YOU SPEND TIME WITH THAT PERSON. There are things that can be known only in the context of a close friendship or relationship. Like a marriage or friendship, the more time you spend with someone, the more you get to know that person. And the more you get to know the person, the more you love, trust, and respect that person.

TRUST COMES EASY WHEN YOU KNOW WHO YOU’RE TRUSTING. If you’re following God from afar and don’t have much of a relationship with Him in prayer or in the Word, then faith won’t be easy for you. YOU CAN’T TRUST SOMEONE YOU DON’T KNOW.

Do you want to have faith? Do you long to have a strong, abiding faith in God despite the trials and the adverse reasonings and circumstances of life? Get to know God better. Spend more time with Him in prayer and the Word. Talk to Him lots. And keep quiet long enough to hear Him speak back to you. He’s got so much He wants to say to you! So keep quiet and listen. Work on your relationship with Him. FAITH WILL COME AS A MATTER OF COURSE WHEN YOU KNOW THE LORD IN A PERSONAL SORT OF WAY.

Are you having problems with doubt? Are you trying, struggling, to believe? Clear your mind of the thoughts that trouble you. Focus on God. Draw near to Him and get to know Him better. THE MORE YOU KNOW HIM THE LESS YOU’LL DOUBT HIM. THE MORE YOU KNOW HIM THE MORE YOU’LL TRUST HIM. AND THE MORE YOU TRUST HIM THE MORE YOU’LL SEE HIS SAVING HAND AND HELP. For You, O Lord, do not forsake or abandon those who seek You (Psalm 9:10b).

May God grant you a heart to know Him. And, in knowing Him, fill your heart with faith and your mind with peace. God bless you.

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GOD IS STILL FAITHFUL

December 4, 2012 at 6:16 PM (Attributes of God, Doctrine)
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A REASON TO BELIEVE AND HOLD FAST

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;

(for he is faithful that promised). Hebrews 10:23 

Waiting does not come easy to many of us. As is so often the case, the longer the wait, the weaker the faith. Some give up faith altogether. Others get mouthier with God. Some even turn their back on Him.

But, brethren, we are persuaded of better things concerning you! The Lord wants to encourage you to continue to believe and trust Him. He has a word for His people and that word is, God is still faithful! What are you believing for, beloved? What trial of faith are you faced with? And how long has it been since you prayed and the answer still hasn’t come? God’s word to you today is, Hold fast! Because God is still faithful!

THE MEANING OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

What does God’s faithfulness mean? GOD’S FAITHFULNESS MEANS HE WILL DO EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO. This is what God promised and this is what God will do:  What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them (Mark 11:24). God’s faithfulness, dear friends, means you’re going to get what you’ve asked and believed God for.

WHAT GOD’S FAITHFULNESS ENTAILS FOR US

1. God’s faithfulness is our guarantee that He will do for us whatever we’re believing and asking Him to do according to His Word. We’re constantly looking for guarantees and assurances. We want to make sure that the thing we’re planning to buy will work, or that the person we hired to do a job will do it right.

We all want proof that God’s going to do what He said He would do. Fortunately for us, we have the proof! The proof is our faith. Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Evidence is proof. That’s what the word means. Our faith is the evidence or proof that we have the things that are not seen. We may not see the healing right now. We may not see our loved one saved just yet. We may not have the much-needed money at the moment. But the faith that we have in our heart is the proof that we have the things that we’ve desired of God that are not seen just now.

Of course, if we don’t have faith in our heart, if we don’t believe God’s going to answer our prayer, then we won’t have the evidence or proof. Instead, our heart will be filled with doubts, questions, and arguments.

But when we believe, our hearts are at rest and at peace because we believe, we know, that God will do what we asked Him to do. Our faith is the proof that we have what we don’t yet see.

2. God’s faithfulness gives us reason to endure our trials. His faithfulness is the basis for our endurance. We endure the trials because we know He’ll be faithful to deliver us and grant us our petition. We don’t suffer or endure or wait in vain! At the trial’s end we’ll receive the things we’ve desired of God.

How do we know that? How can we be sure of that? Because that’s what God said would happen! He said, Ye shall have them (Mark 11:24). We may not know the exact time this trial will come to an end. We may not know when exactly the answer will come. But WE CAN KNOW HOW THE TRIAL WILL END. God’s faithfulness means this trial will end and we’ll get what He promised us we could have.

GOD’S FAITHFULNESS IS ROOTED IN HIS NATURE

It is God’s nature to be faithful. He’s faithful because that’s what He is by nature. Birds fly because it’s built into their very nature to fly. Fishes swim because it’s part of their nature to swim. In much the same way, God is faithful because it’s His nature to be faithful.

II Timothy 2:13 tells us,  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.  The word deny means ‘to  disclaim, disown, renounce, or contradict’.

God cannot renounce or contradict what He is by nature. Birds can’t cease to be birds. Fishes can’t cease to be fishes. And God can’t cease to be faithful: He abideth faithful (II Timothy 2:13).  God cannot be anything other than faithful. His nature compels Him to be faithful. He cannot quit being faithful. He cannot stop from being faithful. It is utterly impossible for God to be unfaithful–at any time, in any circumstance or trial. He cannot deny Himself!

God’s faithfulness is tied in with His other attributes.

  • Why Can God Be Faithful? Because God is True. He cannot lie. If He promised it, He won’t break His promise. God cannot and will not renege on His Word! Numbers 23:19 assures us that  God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?  Hebrews 6:18  tells us that it  is impossible for God to lie. Do you know what ‘impossible’ means? It means no chance, no possibility, no way. Impossible means it can’t happen, it’s incapable of coming to pass, it can’t be done. What is impossible is inconceivable, impractical, unimaginable, unthinkable, unattainable, unachievable, unfeasible–it’s beyond possibility of realization or accomplishment. In other words, brethren, God cannot lie. He can never be unfaithful. He cannot deny Himself! Why? Because it’s impossible for Him to do so!
  • How Can God Be Faithful? God can be faithful because He is omnipotent. He is powerful enough to do whatever He wants to do. He is powerful enough to do whatever you need Him to do in your life! There is none more powerful that God! Nothing and no one can prevent Him from doing what He wants to do.

Isaiah 14:27 reads,  For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?  

Elsewhere, in Jeremiah 32:27 we read, Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?  The prophet himself answers the question in verse 17 of the same chapter:  Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee. Hallelujah!

Have you settled it, my friends? Nothing is too hard for the Lord to do for you!  With God, all things are possible. Nothing is impossible for Him to do {except lie} because He has all the power to do whatever you need Him to do in your life.

God’s faithfulness lies in Himself, in His nature, in His very being. Do you know what this means? It means God’s faithfulness isn’t dependent on your symptoms; it isn’t conditioned on, or regulated by, the circumstances you’re faced with. God’s faithfulness, beloved, does not cease with the severity of the trial, nor is it diminished and threatened by the longevity of the trial. It isn’t harder for God to be faithful just because the trial is harder or longer or seemingly hopeless, incurable, or impossible.

God’s faithfulness lies in Himself. His nature causes Him to be faithful. And there’s nothing–except a change in His nature–that can cause God to be unfaithful. Since God’s nature hasn’t changed, since His nature can’t be changed–then there’s nothing on this earth, including your trial and the devil, that can change God or prevent Him from being faithful TO YOU!

What cannot be changed cannot be changed. The symptoms, the pains, the time element, the reports of men, or the lies and works of the devil, CANNOT CHANGE God’s nature of  ALWAYS being faithful. Therefore, brethren, no matter what kind of trial it is;  no matter how bad it’s looking, how painful it’s feeling, how long it’s taking, or how close the deadline is coming–whatever you’re believing God for, hold fast and continue to believe because God is still faithful! He has not changed!

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