Honor Your House By Honoring God’s House

Posted on March 15, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by vu anh on Unsplash

Proverbs 15:20-21 A wise son maketh a GLAD (śāmaḥ, pro. saw-makh’) father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother. 21 Folly is JOY (śimḥâ, pro. sim-khaw’) to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.

Good Leadership Is Important To The Future Of The House

In the Bible, the word “house” is often used not for a brick and stick building, but for a family, a community, a Church, or a country. God told Noah, “Come THOU AND ALL THY HOUSE into the Ark” (Genesis 7:1). God told Abraham, “Get thee out of thy country, and FROM THY FATHER’S HOUSE” (Genesis 12:1). When Pharaoh took Sarai to be his wife, the Bible says “the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house”.

For one generation to the next to have a healthy “house”, the father must teach his children the ways of Christ. The child must heed the instruction of the father if he would be a blessing to his mother. The John Schultz Commentary notes:

“What links these two verses together is the theme of joy and enjoyment. As in English, both words are related in Hebrew, though not identical. Samach means “to brighten up,” “cause to rejoice.” Simchah means “gladness” or “glee.”

The child who is wise, seeking the will of God in his life, “brightens up” his own father’s life. The Godly father trained him to love Jesus. The Bible says that if we:

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV) Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

The child properly trained by the father or head of the home may drift from God for a while (remember the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32), but later in life the lessons taught young will come to the son’s remembrance. Throughout the Scripture God honored the creation order (Genesis 2:21-22) by calling MEN to lead their families in teaching the Word of God to the children. When God decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, He first went to Abraham, saying:

Genesis 18:17-19 (ESV) … Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.

God told us men in the New Covenant:

Ephesians 6:4 (ESV) Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Where there are no fathers in the home, the women should take the responsibility of training the child in the Way of Christ. In the case of Timothy, Paul’s convert to the faith, the Apostle told him:

2 Timothy 3:14-15 (ESV) … continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Timothy’s father was an unbelieving Greek and his mother was converted Jew. The mother taught Timothy the Way of Truth.

Though we know little of the father from Scripture, it was evident that his father did not teach him Scripture. As a wayward father (either physically or spiritually) Timothy’s mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois (2 Timothy 1:5) taught him the way of God. Where the father – either absent or unbelieving – will not do his job, the mother must take over. I was raised in that type of environment. Though neither father nor mother were faithful believers when I was growing up, my grandmother Elma and grandfather Bud taught me the Word of God. Had they not planted the seed, I probably would not be saved today!

Proverbs 15:20 A wise SON maketh a GLAD (śāmaḥ, pro. saw-makh’) father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

Word Study: The SON (bēn) who learns the lessons of the faith from the father brings great gladness to the older man. Notice that the same child, if FOOLISH (kᵊsîl, pro. Kes-eel’) or SILLY is not called a SON (bēn), but a MAN (‘āḏām). The name ‘āḏām was what God called the original creation.

The gender of the boy is not changed – he is still a male – but the position of the child has changed.

Honoring his father by following the Heavenly Father the child is a SON. Dishonoring his father by ignoring the Heavenly Father the child is a MAN. The mother has a very strong tie to her child. When the MAN decides to ignore the way of God, and to seek self-gratification and fleshly sensuality, the mother grieves. The Bible tells children:

Exodus 20:12 (ESV) Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Ephesians 6:1-3 (ESV) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

The commandment to honor your parents comes with a promise, “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land”. The child that refuses to honor his parents is headed toward a harsh life, and a premature death. This brings anguish to his mother!

Worldly Foolishness Will Not Build A Solid House

Proverbs 15:21 Folly is JOY (śimḥâ, pro. sim-khaw’) to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.

Illustrate: I like to watch horror movies. I remarked to my wife the other day that every horror movie has a common theme. Those who are terrorized by something bad, put themselves in a bad situation in the first place. I have never seen a horror movie that began in a Church service on Sunday morning! This illustrates the statement, “a man of understanding (tāḇûn) walketh uprightly (yāšar)”. Literally the text reads:

“the INTELLIGENT man walks the STRAIGHT WAY”

Our Lord Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV) “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

The upright or straight way is the Way of Christ. To follow Christ is to find blessings in this life. The Bible says “make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all, and HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD” (Hebrews 12:12-15).

The world teaches us to divorce ourselves from the House of God and to “follow your heart”. Dr. Thaddeus Williams wrote in his book Don’t Follow Your Heart:

“For years my children and I have played a game together called Spot the Lie. If they can identify a false idea in whatever we happen to be watching, they earn one dollar. When she was nine years old, my daughter Holland (“Dutch” for short) came cheerfully bounding down the stairs, saying, “You owe me another dollar!” “What did you find this time, Dutch?” “The commercial told me I should follow my heart,” she answered. “Okay, so where’s the lie?” I asked. Her answer, and I recall it verbatim, was, “Daddy, I don’t want to follow my own heart. My heart is fallen. I’d way rather follow God’s heart.” Cue the proud daddy tears. Let’s just say she earned five dollars for that one.”

According to recent polls, “84% of Americans believe the “highest goal of life is to enjoy it as much as possible,” 86% believe that to be fulfilled requires you to “pursue the things you desire most,” while 91% affirm that “the best way to find yourself is by looking within yourself.””

Ungodly Counsel Will Destroy The House

Proverbs 15:22 Without COUNSEL {sôḏ, pro. sode}purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

The word translated “COUNSEL” is a Hebrew word which means “to meet together in closed session, to meet privately with a inner group of friends who are well known, or who have much in common”. We see the word translated thus in:

Jeremiah 23:18 (KJV) For who hath stood in the COUNSEL {sôḏ of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?

In some places the word is translated “SECRET”, as in:

Job 15:8 (KJV) Hast thou heard the SECRET {sôḏ} of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

Psalm 25:14 (KJV) The SECRET {sôḏ} of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

Amos 3:7 (KJV) Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but He revealeth his SECRET {sôḏ} unto his servants the prophets.

Or as “INWARD” in:

Job 19:19 (KJV) All my INWARD {sôḏ} friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.

Those who turn against “COUNSEL”, Godly counsel, will find that their purposes and plans will fail. Of course, you need to choose Godly counselors. Those you consult should be willing to listen to your plans, but they should also be well acquainted with you, your strengths and your weaknesses. It is important to realize that our Lord Jesus had an inner ring of friends – Peter, James and John, that He often consulted and specially trained. Jesus was not learning from this inner ring, but He was training them for important positions in the Church He would found.

The best Counselor you can refer to is God Himself. His Word counsels us, just as Jesus counseled the disciples. God revealeth his SECRET/ COUNSEL {sôḏ} unto his servants.

We read “in the multitude of counselors” your purposes or plans are established. If you expect to be blessed, or to do great things for God, you need to heed your godly counselors. King Rehoboam discovered the folly of trying to do everything on your own without heeding your counselors. In 1 Kings 12 Rehoboam was crowned King of Israel. The Ten Northern Tribes of Israel, led by Jeroboam presented themselves to the King to ask that their taxes be lowered. Their plea:

“Lower taxes and we will serve you” (1 Kings 12:4)

Rehoboam sent them away for three days while he met with his older counselors. The counselors said “If you will meet their needs, and speak with kindness to them, they will be your servants forever” (vs 7). This was good advise. But Rehoboam was arrogant with the pride of a new King. He went to his his buddies he grew up with and asked these ungodly men what they thought. Their advise: bear down on the people, answer them roughly, and tell them that their taxes will INCREASE.

Listening to stupid and ill advised counsel, Rehoboam was left with egg on his face – while the Ten Northern Tribes rebelled and left the House of David.

The people told Rehoboam, “To your tents, O Israel! Now see to YOUR OWN HOUSE, O David!”. The rift between the Northern Tribes and Judah has lasted unto this day. The breach will not be fixed until the Lord Jesus Christ comes back to this earth to rule over Israel in the Millennial Kingdom.

The Tongue Used Properly Can Make Or Break A House

Proverbs 15:23 A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!

When God called Moses to go to Pharaoh to demand the release of Israel from Egypt, that humble and grand old saint told the Lord:

Exodus 4:10 (AP) “Oh my Lord, I am not eloquent. I was not eloquent when you called me, nor am I now a great speaker. I am slow of speech, and of tongue”.

The Lord told Moses, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak” (Exodus 4:11-12, ESV). Had Moses remembered this, and allowed God to always guide his tongue, he would not have misused his tongue at Meribah, and been forbidden to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:8-12). When we allow God to guide our tongues, it is always more productive than defaulting to the flesh.

God gave us our lips, our tongues, and our breath. We were told in Proverbs 12:13&14, “The WICKED is ENSNARED by the transgression of his lips …. but a MAN will be satisfied with GOOD BY THE FRUIT OF HIS MOUTH”. When we let God guide our speech, the word of our mouths bring joy and happiness to our homes and to the House of God. The Bible tells us the story of Nabal the Calebite, who mocked King David’s delegation and refused to feed his army. King David armed his men, ready to destroy Nabal and his lands for the arrogance of his tongue. When Nabal’s wife Abigail heard of this, she carried provision to David’s approaching army. Humbling herself, Abigail said:

1 Samuel 25:25-28 (ESV) Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 26 Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from blood guilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant.

A misplaced word can destroy a home, kill a house. The House of Nabal would have been surely destroyed had it not been for Abigail’s humble intervention. The Bible says, “a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Proverbs 25:11). Those who allow God’s Word to flow through them, to control their tongues – these words are gold in a setting of silver. On the other hand, the misused tongue is like a match in a dry forest (James 3:5-6), destroying all that it is around.

Dr. Constable’s Commentary on Proverbs notes:

“It is not just important to speak the truth. One must also speak appropriately in view of the time, place, and circumstances. The right thing said at the right time (“a timely word”) can be a source of joy and happiness to many people.”

Following The Way of Christ Leads To Life, Whereas Following The Way Of The World Leads To Death

Proverbs 15:24 The way of life is ABOVE to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.

The WISE or those who are followers of Christ are blessed with life. It is God Who gives life. Man cannot create life, neither can the angels. Only God. God says “all SOULS ARE MINE” (Ezekiel 18:4). To anger God Who gave you life is to play with death. The Psalmist declared:

Psalm 30:5 (KJV) in {God’s} FAVOR IS LIFE

and we have previously read:

Proverbs 12:28 (KJV) In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

Our Lord Jesus told us “The Father’s COMMANDMENT is LIFE EVERLASTING” (John 12:50). The Apostle warned us, “to be FLESHLY MINDED IS DEATH, but to be SPIRITUALLY MINDED IS LIFE and peace” (Romans 8:6).

If you continue to walk in darkness, it will not be too long before you stumble and fall into the pit of hell – both on this earth and in the afterlife!

The benefit of giving your life to Jesus is that He not only keeps you out of hell when you pass from this life – but He keeps your present life from being a living hell. The wonderful Gospel Singer Andre Crouch (who is now with the Lord) sang a song “If Heaven Were Never Promise To Me”. Part of the song went:

If heaven never was promised to me,
Neither God’s promise to live eternally.
It’s been worth just having the Lord in my life.
Living in a world of darkness,
You brought me the light.

Ti live the life that God designed you to live, you must follow the God Who gave you that life. God will not be a spare tire. God will not be an afterthought. God will not be a panic button, a fire alarm, a radon detector. God gave you life. He knows how you should live that life. When we bow up in pride, and say “My body, My life”, making ourselves into a god, we walk a dangerous and destructive path. The wages of sin is always DEATH (Romans 6:23).

Proverbs 15:25 The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the BORDER {gᵊḇûl, the place or the boundaries} of the widow.

The most powerful King in the world in his day was Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon. Because he was arrogant before God in all his riches and power, saying:

Daniel 4:30 (NKJV) Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?

As the words left his mouth, the House of Nebuchadnezzar fell (vs 31). He lost his mind, and became like an ox in the field, eating grass for “seven periods of time”. When Nebuchadnezzar repented, he said:

Daniel 4:34-35 (NKJV) I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, “What have You done?”

The widow who has no one to rely on but the Lord – and who does so – will find that God will bless her life. But the PROUD, the arrogant who will not hear the Lord, He will destroy their house. What God has given, God can take away. Let me ask you – has God helped you overcome a great disease? Has God given you riches, popularity, talent? Has God saved the life of someone you love? What God has given, God can take away. I say again, What God has given, God can take away. I have seen it, and know it to be true. Honor and bless your house by following the way of Christ. May God touch your hearts with his Word. Amen.

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God Is Still In Control

Posted on March 11, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Mat on Unsplash

Romans 9:1-5 (KJV) I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

This Will Be A Long Introduction, But I Must Address The “Isms”

There have been a lot of misconceptions that have come out of a misinterpretation of Romans chapter 9. Some of these misconceptions have to do with what is called the “will of man and the sovereignty of God”.

  • A Theologian named John Calvin (1509-1560) found some really great truths in the Scripture, but he also extrapolated certain doctrines out of the Scripture that – in my opinion – were not there. There are those who follow Calvin’s teachings called “Calvinists”.
  • Another Theologian, Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609) found some really great truths in Scripture, but he also extrapolated certain doctrines out of the Scripture that – in my opinion – were not there. There are those who follow Arminius’ teachings called “Arminians”.

Calvinism is not all wrong. Arminianism is not all wrong. As Christians we have brothers and sisters who adhere to one or the other of these “isms”. Me, I just try to stick with the Scripture.

Whether you lean toward Calvinism or Arminianism – or somewhere in between – to become a Christian is clearly presented in Scripture. The same Paul who wrote Romans 8 and 9 under the power of the Holy Spirit of God, this Paul also wrote in Romans 10:

Romans 10:9-13 … if THOU shalt CONFESS with thy mouth the LORD Jesus, and shalt BELIEVE in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, THOU SHALT BE SAVED. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. {this is a quotation from Isaiah 28:16 & 49:23} 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED.

The same Paul who spoke of “predestination” and “election” also frequently spoke of “whosoever”. This same Paul wrote in:

Romans 5:18 (ESV) … as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.

And Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:22 (KJV) … in ADAM ALL DIE, even so IN CHRIST SHALL ALL BE MADE ALIVE.

And again Paul wrote in Hebrews 2:9 (ESV) Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the Grace of God He might TASTE DEATH FOR EVERYONE.

And again in 2 Corinthians 5:15 (NKJV) {Jesus} died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Of course we all know John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God doesn’t say “He so loved the ELECT”, but “the WORLD”. This is further amplified in the Apostle John’s writing of:

1 John 2:2 (NKJV) He Himself {Jesus} is the propitiation [hilasmos, the means by which sin is covered and remitted. Used also in 1 John 4:10] for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

God Knows Everything

Now let me quickly and clearly say this. “God knows everything” (1 John 3:20). We do not know everything, but God does. God does not increase in knowledge as we do. He is OMNISCIENT, which means “all knowing”. “All things are open to the eyes” of God (Hebrews 4:13). “The WAYS OF MAN are before the eyes of the LORD, and He ponders all his paths” (Proverbs 5:21). The Bible says “The Everlasting god, the LORD, the Creator neither faints nor is weary. His UNDERSTANDING IS UNSEARCHABLE” (Isaiah 40:28). Our Lord Jesus said of God:

Luke 12:7 (NKJV) … My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! 6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

God knows and names all the stars. He knows the number of the hairs on your head. King David wrote of God:

Psalm 139:16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

God knows everything about you. He knows what you’re going to eat for breakfast before you do. God not only knows, but controls. He says:

Isaiah 46:9-10 (KJV) Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

God is in control. God knows all things. All things will be according to His will, not ours.

Before I was ever saved, God knew that when He called me to salvation that I would come. God knew that I would be a preacher of the Gospel back when I was a scared, shy, introverted child that everyone picked on. But here’s the truth. God called, and I chose to come. God calls, and whosoeverwill comes. Jesus died for everyone on Calvary, whether you choose to receive Him as Savior and Lord or not. God knows who will and will not come. And if you come, the Scripture calls you “The Elect”, and the Church “The Called Out Ones”. But God offers salvation to everyone.

So What Is Romans Chapter Nine About?

Chapter Nine is about Israel. Our God, Who is ALL KNOWING and ALL POWERFUL, made a promise to Abraham. It is in God’s eternal purpose to raise up a nation called Israel, and through Israel bring the Messiah into the world to save “whosoever will”. It was never God’s intent to just save Israel – but to fulfill what He promised to Abraham:

Genesis 12:1-3 (NKJV) … Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

When God makes a promise, you can take it to the bank! God told this childless Abraham that “I will make you a great nation”. But that Great Nation (which would one day be Israel) would not exist just for itself, but through Israel would come the Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord. Because the Messiah would enter this world through the line of Abraham, “all the families of the earth shall be blessed”.

Yet Israel has largely rejected the Messiah. This upsets Paul – and he shares this with us:

Romans 9:1-2 (KJV) I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

Word Study: Paul write “I LIE NOT”. Here he uses the Greek pseudo, which means “to deceive by lies, to speak falsely so as to mislead”. Paul is speaking the “TRUTH IN CHRIST”. This is not his opinion that will follow, but Paul will share his heartache as an Apostle. Paul loved the Jews, loved Israel. Every Christian should love Israel, for the Messiah came to us through Israel. Paul was a Jew. All of the Apostles were Jews. All of the Bible, save the Book of Luke & Acts, was written by Jews. Those two books were written by the Gentile Physician Luke as the Apostles shared history with him. So Luke was, in fact, a Scribe for the Jewish Apostles. Paul said of his life:

Philippians 3:5 (KJV) {I was} Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee…

Paul loved his people. However, much of Israel rejected the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. The Chief Priests and the Pharisees encouraged the people of Israel to release Barabbas, and crucify Jesus, though no fault could be found in Him (Matthew 27:23). The Bible says “the Chief Priests of Israel moved the people, that Pilate should release Barabbas to them and crucify Jesus” (Mark 15:11-15). One of the saddest Scriptures in the Bible is:

John 1:11 (AP) Jesus came unto His own, but His own would not receive Him..

The Messiah that Israel had so long waited for, prayed for, looked for. The Messiah came, and proved Himself by fulfilling Scriptureand by clear signs of miraculous healing. Jesus told the religious leaders of Israel:

John 5:39-40, 46-47 (KJV) Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me. 40 And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life. 46 had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me. 47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?

Jesus is the fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies and hundreds of shadows found under the Old Testament writings. Though some Jews received Jesus and were saved, the nation Israel rejected the Messiah Who came to save them. Paul grieved, saying:

Romans 9:3-4 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the ADOPTION, and the GLORY, and the COVENANTS, and the GIVING OF THE LAW, and the SERVICE OF GOD, and the PROMISES;

Paul wished himself “ACCURSED”, that is, lost if he could but lead Israel to Christ. Why? Because he states:

whom pertaineth the ADOPTION

God called Abraham, and chose to bring Israel out of Abraham’s lineage. Israel as a nation was ADOPTED, CHOSEN by God. God told Israel:

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 … For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. 7 The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; 8 but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers…

God chose Israel because, as nations go, she was quite broken. God called Abram because he was quite broken. God chooses and calls the quite broken to save. Israel chose to use Israel because God made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God keeps His Word.

It is through Israel that we see “the GLORY” of God. It was His pillar of cloud and pillar of fire (Exodus 13:20-22) that led Israel through the wilderness. It was the Shekinah Glory of God (2 Chronicles 7; Ezekiel 10) that comes into the Jewish Temple. It is the Shekinah Glory that shines through Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17).

the COVENANTS

God made covenants or promises to Abraham (Abrahamic Covenant, Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-27), Moses (Mosaic Covenant, Exodus 19-24), David (Davidic Covenant, 2 Samuel 7:8-29), and to the nation Israel the Palestinian Covenant (Deuteronomy 29:1-29; 30:1-10) just before Moses died.

the GIVING OF THE LAW

God gave Israel the Old Covenant, which illustrated to all that we desperately need the Savior. The Law was a “schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith is come, we are NO LONGER UNDER A SCHOOLMASTER” (Galatians 3:24-25). The Law was given to destroy self-righteousness, to teach all that we desperately need Jesus Christ. The Bible says:

Hebrews 8:13 (NKJV) In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

The Old Covenant of dietary laws and sacrifices of animals and purification rituals and feasts and sabbaths were all made obsolete when our Lord Jesus came into the world through Israel. Dying for our sins, Jesus’ Blood is:

Matthew 26:28 … this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Israel was the foundation for the coming of Jesus Christ, The Savior of the World.

Romans 9:5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

“The Fathers” of Israel, those Old Covenant Saints, believed on the Jesus Who would one day come. Those who believed on the Promise of God, who trusted that Jesus would come, these believers are the reason that the Messiah came in the flesh.

Had there been no Israel, there would have been no Messiah. God promised the Messiah would come through Israel. It had to be.

Now that the Messiah has come, Paul wants all of Israel to be saved. He wants his family, his friends, the priests that he grew up knowing, the Sanhedrin that he once upon a time served on … he wants every Jew to be saved.

But much of Israel rejected Christ then, and much of Israel rejects Christ today. So Paul grieves.

Though Israel Has Rejected Messiah, God’s Word And Will Triumphs

Romans 9:6-7 (KJV) Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

God’s Word is not void, nor is God’s power limited. The fact that much of Israel rejected the Messiah does not prove that God is weak or ineffective in what He has promised. Paul states:

they are not all Israel, which are of Israel

The Jews in Jesus’ day had become so infected by the world that they began to believe that “since I can trace my lineage back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, then I must be saved”. Jesus Christ’s earthly lineage is given in the Scripture twice (Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38). Just because Jesus could trace His lineage by the flesh back to Abraham, this alone did not prove Him to be the Messiah.

  • Through Jesus the glory of the Father was seen (John 1:14)
  • Jesus did the will of the Father Who sent Him (John 5:30)
  • Jesus taught the Word of the Father (John 6:45)
  • The Father honored the Name of Jesus (John 15:16)
  • Jesus fully represented the Father (John 16:25)
  • Jesus did the works of God through miracles and healing (Luke 7:22)
  • Jesus was sent of the Father (Luke 4:18; 9:48; Matthew 10:40; John 4:34; 5:24)
  • Jesus sent God the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, to the believer (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7)

There were many who proclaimed to be Messiah when Jesus walked the earth. These people could trace their lineage back to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But they were NOT the Messiah, though Jews in the flesh.

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children

Jesus told the self righteous Pharisees who persecuted Him:

John 8:42 (KJV) If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

Those who are the children of Promise, the True Israel, they love Jesus, because the Father sent Jesus. Jesus told them:

John 8:58 (KJV) … Before Abraham was, I AM

Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is the one and only Son of God. Jesus is the GREAT I AM that spoke to Abraham, saying “I AM thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Genesis 15:1). Jesus spoke to Isaac, saying “I AM the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I AM with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake” (Genesis 26:24).

The seed of Abraham – the True Israel – loves Jesus. Those who reject Christ, though Jews in the flesh, are not Israel.

Romans 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: BUT the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

The Seed of Israel, the Nation that God will one day fully save, is not the physical but the spiritual or believing seed.

This is a big subject, and I am limited by time – so we will continue this discussion next week. But here’s the truth of the text.

Preach: Those who are physically born of Israel, who can trace their lineage back to Abraham, are not necessarily of Israel. The Jews thought they were saved and were the children of the promise because of human lineage and inheritance. Nothing is further from the truth. “The children of the promise are counted for the seed”

You enter the plan of God by faith in Christ. You love Him, Jesus Christ, the Messiah that God brought to us through Israel. Let me go further:

So many on the membership roll of this Church and of other Churches believe that they are “saved” and Heaven bound because of that physical relationship. Some of you think that, since you have a mother or a grandmother on the roll, that you are God’s child. Beloved, God’s children are children of the promise. God’s children love the Lord Jesus, and cling to Him as Savior and Head.

When Jesus first came to this earth, He told the disciples to go only to the Jews. It was only after Israel rejected Him, that Jesus told them to go to the Gentiles. Israel’s unbelief opened the door to the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles, praise His Holy Name! God is not done with Israel. God will save the nation Israel one day. But before Israel, or anyone for that matter, can be saved they must receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.

John 1:11-13 (ESV) [Jesus] came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

To receive the Son is to receive the Father (John 10:30; 5:43). Jesus said,

Whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me

(John 13:20; cf. Matt. 10:40).

As John Piper wrote:

“Therefore, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12). Receiving the Son is how we “have” the Son. And only by having the Son do we have life. Indeed, only by “receiving” and thus “having” the Son do we have all that the Father is for us in the Son. Therefore, saving faith (John 1:12) is a receiving of Jesus Christ and all that God is for us in Him.”

Do you have Jesus? You do not have Him by default of birth, but only by faith in Him, receiving Him as Lord and Savior. Do you have Jesus? May God lead you to call on Him this very day. Amen.

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Give Your Heart To Jesus

Posted on March 6, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash

Proverbs 15:13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Give Your Heart To Jesus

The Proverbs found in verses 13-17 explore the relationship between inner happiness and outer circumstances. You can either allow your heart to be led by your outward circumstances, or allow your heart to be led by Jesus Christ.

What is the condition of YOUR heart?

The Bible mentions the “heart” over 1000 times, and in no instance can I find the Bible talking about the muscle in our chest that pumps blood. The “heart” as the Bible addresses it is the center of our souls, the part of us that reasons and drives us. We previously studied:

Proverbs 4:23 (ESV) Keep {guard} your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

As “God is Spirit” (John 4:24), and “in Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28), outside of the Incarnate Son of God neither the Father nor the Spirit have a “blood pump” in their chests. And yet, the Bible says that God has a “heart”. We are told in:

Genesis 6:5-6 (ESV) … the LORD saw the wickedness of man was great on the earth … and it GRIEVED HIM TO HIS HEART

When God saw the Shepherd David, He said:

1 Samuel 13:14 (NKJV) … the LORD sought for Himself a man AFTER HIS OWN HEART …

Acts 13:22 (KJV) {the LORD said} I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.

What we allow in our hearts will ultimately effect how we respond to conditions around us. The human heart before it is born again gravitates toward godlessness. The Prophet Jeremiah said (17:9, ESV) “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”. Our Lord Jesus did not rely on what those around Him thought, because:

John 2:24-25 (ESV) … Jesus on his part did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

Where does evil come from? It comes from unrestrained and godless hearts. Jesus said:

Mark 7:21-23 (ESV) From within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.

The way a person is saved is by REPENTING, and giving their HEART over to Jesus.

When we realize that we are unable to live the Christian way of life in our own power, when we give our hearts over to Jesus as both Lord and Savior, God creates in us a new heart (Psalm 51:10). This is the promise of the New Covenant. God promised:

Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV) … I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Once saved, we have hearts attuned to God and His Word – but we must guard what we put in our hearts.

Proverbs 15:13 A MERRY HEART maketh a cheerful countenance …

Word Study: The word translated “MERRY” is the Hebrew śāmēaḥ (pro. saw-may’-akh). The word means “to rejoice, to be filled with joy”. When you live your life seeking to please God, śāmēaḥ (pro. saw-may’-akh) is what fills your heart.

  • When Israel honored God and kept His commandments, then “the Lord blessed them … and they surely REJOICED [śāmēaḥ (pro. saw-may’-akh)]” (Deuteronomy 16:15).
  • When those who are helpless and broken come to God, trusting in Him, “the barren keep house, and are made JOYFUL [śāmēaḥ (pro. saw-may’-akh)] mother of children” (Psalm 113:9).
  • When we dwell on the glories that God has given us in the past, how faithful our God is, “we are GLAD [śāmēaḥ (pro. saw-may’-akh)]” (Psalm 126:3)

The saved – when tried – focus their hearts on God and not on their circumstances. We “count it all joy when we meet various kinds of trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:2-3). Those who are focused on God as they go through the highs and lows of life are blessed – and it shows on their “countenance” or faces.

Proverbs 15:13 … BUT by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

As is usual with the Proverbs, one fact is followed by an opposing or opposite fact. “BUT”. “BUT” if you don’t keep your focus on Jesus, “BUT” if your heart is filled with SORROW rather than the LORD … the SPIRIT or HEART is broken. What you allow in your heart matters. We are told:

Proverbs 18:14 A man’s spirit will endure sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

When you allow your heart to be filled with hopelessness rather than the hope of God in Christ, in time you will begin to think “why do I bother? Why do I live?” From depression and depressive hearts comes suicide. The Scripture says:

2 Corinthians 7:10 (ESV) … godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Godly grief seeks a solution is GOD, whereas worldly grief seeks a solution in HUMANITY. God offers hope. The world does not! The Bridges Commentary notes:

“ Let sense and feeling be kept within their bounds; and the Savior’s voice, encouraging confidence, will be practically regarded. (lsaiah l:10) Even our very “sighing and crying for the abominations of the land” (Ezekiel 9:4) must not issue in heartless complaints, but, rather stimulate to the diligent improvement of present opportunities. Did we realize, as we ought, our present privilege, and grasp our eternal prospects; no sorrow of the heart would break our spirit. ‘I wonder many times’– says Rutherford –‘that ever a child of God should have a sad heart, considering what his Lord is preparing for him.’ The gleam of the present sunshine is the earnest of what it will be, when — as he again beautifully observes–‘we shall be on the sunny side’ … Meanwhile the first step in religion is, not only beginning “to be serious, but to be happy.”

The UNDERSTANDING Heart

Proverbs 15:14 The heart of him that hath UNDERSTANDING seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.

Word Study: There is the joy filled or rejoicing heart [śāmēaḥ (pro. saw-may’-akh)] that is focused on God. Now we are introduced to the “UNDERSTANDING” (bîn, pro. bene) heart. This Hebrew word means “perceptive, discerning, one that thoughtfully dwells on something”. This was what King Solomon prayed for when he asked God:

1 King 3:9 (KJV) Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may DISCERN (bîn, pro. bene) between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

Solomon realized that it was impossible for him to effectively rule Israel unless God gave him the wisdom to do so. So Solomon admitted his inability, and asked God to give him a heart that was (bîn, pro. Bene) filled with wisdom. This particular Hebrew word is in the Book of Proverbs thirty times. The mouths of “FOOLS”, godless creatures, “feeds on foolishness”. They do not discern, but scream and cry and wheedle and demand like toddlers who don’t get their way. The godly person, however, carefully examines the situation in the light of God’s Word.

Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the afflicted are EVIL: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

How you perceive your situation in life with your heart matters. The word “EVIL” here does not refer to immorality or sinfulness. Those who feel that the trials of life are an “AFFLICTION” are constantly miserable because of their perspective. They are negative, gloomy, and never see a bright spot in their lives. They feel that the universe hates them, and they live out their lives making others around them just as miserable as they are.

Illustrate: Such a person was Jacob. God reached out to Jacob, and sent the lineage of Christ through Jacob rather than Esau. Jacob was given the promises of God. From Jacob God honored His promise to Abraham, and raised up the nation Israel. God blessed Jacob all throughout his miserable life, giving abundant grace to this creature. When Jacob – in the midst of a great famine – found out that Joseph was alive, and the right hand man to Pharaoh the King of Egypt – he went to Joseph and Pharaoh for help. Pharaoh told Joseph:

Genesis 47:5-6 (KJV) … Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: 6 The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.

Saved from the famine, restored to his son Joseph, Jacob should have been deliriously happy. Yet when the Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”, Jacob replied:

Genesis 47:9 (KJV) … The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.

Jacob lived the life of the afflicted.

Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the afflicted are EVIL: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

Those who are perpetually miserable hate life. Yet those who look Godward have a “CONTINUAL FEAST”. The Apostle Paul, along with the fathers of the Church suffered horribly. Paul wrote:

2 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NIV) … dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Paul sang in the prison like he was in the palace.
When his goods were stolen, he praised God.

The Apostle said:

Philippians 4:10-13 … I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

When we learn, as the Apostle did, to look Christward in the bad times as well as the good, then every day is a feast, a party, a time of joy unspeakable and full of glory. God tells the believer to:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV) … give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

People that focus their hearts Godward are treasures to others. There was a disciple of Christ in the early Church called Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus. Many who came to Christ were shunned by their families, and lost their businesses. Joseph decided to sell a field that belonged to him, and contribute the proceeds to the needy. After he did this we read:

Acts 4:36 … Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement)

You can be an encourager or a discourager. You can spread joy, or misery. The key is the direction of your heart.

King David wrote in Psalm 4:7-8,

“You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased. 8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Proverbs 15:16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.

“FEAR OF THE LORD” means to have holy reverence toward and obedience to God. We honor God when we recognize that HE IS GOD and we are not. We honor God when we acknowledge Him as our Creator and Master. To fear God is to hate what He hates, and to love what He loves (Proverbs 8:13).

Wealth and power do not guarantee happiness nor peace. With riches comes trouble. The average man focused on living for Christ need not fear being robbed at gunpoint, unlike the wealthy who live in mansions and hire body guards. Further, the Bible tells us that:

Proverbs 11:4 (ESV) Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

Being rich may allow you to get away with murder in this life, but not in the next. John the Revelator, speaking of the Great White Throne Judgment, wrote:

Revelation 20:12 … I saw the dead, small and GREAT, stand before God

If you are not saved by grace through Christ, though you be famous, rich, or whatever …. you will stand before God one day and be judged. Riches will not save you. God owns “the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10). The deer and wildlife do not belong to the government, but to the Lord Himself. “Every beast of the forest is Mine”. Your riches will not impress God when you stand before Him – nor do they impress God now.

Where there is fear of the Lord, there is moderation and contentment, joy and peace.

Jesus said, “Beware of greed. Your life is not increased by the stuff you possess” (Luke 12:15, AP). A materially poor soul is not worth less than the materially rich soul. Jesus spoke of a rich man who never thought of God, but whose money was his god (Luke 12:16-20). When God his soul from his body, the Father called him “You FOOL!”. Many today need to heed this. God does not care how many Facebook, Instagram, or Tik Tok followers you have. God does not care if your videos go “viral” on You Tube. Taylor Swift has 282 million followers on Instagram. God doesn’t care. Judgment day is coming. Better get your eyes on God.

Proverbs 15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Some versions render the words “STALLED OX” as “fatted calf”, though the Hebrew šôr (pro. Shore) can mean “ox, bullock, cow”. The word translated “STALLED” is the Hebrew āḇas (pro. Aw-bas’), which means “to be well fed, well nourished, plump”. In the ancient world someone who owned an Ox was well off. Oxen were used to plow fields. Oxen who were well cared for, who were kept in a stall and fed, were the mark of the well to do farmer. The well to do farmer – with his fancy ox – ate very well. But the farmer who had just a hoe, a shovel, and a rake – just a small plot – ate poorly in comparison.

Solomon tells us that without love the better table is the poorer table. If you don’t have the love of your family and the love of God, your rich meal really isn’t that nourishing.

Proverbs 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Just as a miserable person spreads misery where ever they go, a person with a short temper spreads anger where ever they go. Self control is a valuable asset to possess. Those who learn to control their anger and their actions, along with their tongue, are the best leaders. My commentary notes:

The Pulpit Commentary remarks: “It requires two to make a quarrel, and where one keeps his temper and will not be provoked, anger must subside.” We may add that it takes two carnal natures to start a fight. The Vulgate renders this verse: “He who is patient soothes aroused quarrels.” The Septuagint reads: “A long suffering man appeases even a coming battle.”

Our Lord Jesus said, “Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS, for they shall be called the sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). We should remind ourselves who are Christians that it was the fact that God is slow to anger that led to our salvation

Psalm 103:8 (NKJV) The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

2 Peter 3:15 … count the patience of our Lord as salvation

If our God were not “SLOW TO ANGER” then none of us would be saved! Jesus warned us that “everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment..” (Matthew 5:22). Hot temper and uncontrolled anger do little to fix a situation – but it will inflame it.

When anger gets the BEST of us, it reveals the WORST in us. Ask God to help you control your anger.

Proverbs 15:19 The way of the SLOTHFUL MAN is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.

For the slothful and the procrastinator, there is always a reason not to do something. The slothful build “a HEDGE OF THORNS”. They do not want progress, but want others to delay so that they themselves will feel justified in their vain way of life. The slothful contribute nothing but hindrance and irritation. They are a thorn in the flesh of the Church. Though they go no where, when there is no blessing they look about for others to blame.

Proverbs 10:4 (ESV) A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

You make no progress in the journey if you don’t move. Nothing changes if you do nothing. The slothful, the sluggard will do nothing but cause irritation.

Proverbs 10:26 (ESV) Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.

The righteous, however, know what they must do. They do not procrastinate, but follow the directive of the Lord to “Go, Tell, Make”. We who love the Lord have His Word as (Psalm 119:105) “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”. As Enoch walked with God daily until God took him home, we must walk with God daily. We are not called to doubt, nor to comfort, but to walk. Adam Clarke wrote:

“Because he is slothful, he imagines ten thousand difficulties in the way which cannot be surmounted; but they are all the creatures of his own imagination, and that imagination is formed by his sloth.”

Charles Spurgeon said:

“Unthinking persons suppose that the sluggard lives a happy life, and travels an easy road. It is not so…. Labor of a holy sort has ten thousand times more joy in it than purposeless leisure.”

May God draw you closer to Christ by His Word and His Spirit. Amen.

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A Really Good Question

Posted on March 4, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Nik on Unsplash

Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God Repurposes The Broken Vessel For His Glory

I have really enjoyed going through the Book of Romans. When our Lord Jesus called Paul to be His Apostle on the Damascus Road (Acts 9:3-16), He changed this “chief of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). Before conversion he was Saul, a “Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee” (Acts 23:6), a Jew of Tarsus who studied at the feet of Gamaliel, taught the Law of God (Acts 22:3). Saul persecuted the Church, spilling the blood of Christians because he thought it was his religious duty. On the Damascus Road Jesus changed Saul to Paul, the persecutor of the faith to the protector of the faith.

When God calls a person to salvation and that person receives Christ as Lord and Savior, God uses the past experiences of the newly saved to promote His Kingdom.

Saul was trained at the feet of Gamaliel, one of the most highly regarded Bible teachers or Rabbis of his day. Gamaliel was a leading authority in the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Ruling Council. Being trained by Gamaliel, the Apostle Paul learned the value of asking questions. A good teacher asks good questions so as to make the student think. As God used Paul to write Scripture, Paul often made use of questions to challenge his readers. Last week we studied:

Romans 8:28 … we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

How do we KNOW that ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD for the Christian, the person who LOVES GOD? Because God saves us “according to His purpose”. God’s purpose for the saved person is to make us like Jesus. We are “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son {Jesus}” (vs 29). God is going to make it happen. He saved you through Christ, to make you like Jesus. God justified you, declaring you righteous because of the Blood of Christ, so that He will GLORIFY you (vs 30).

A Good Teacher, Paul Asks Some Really Good Questions

Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be FOR US, who can be against us?

What a great question!

God saved the Christian on purpose.
God repurposes the Christian as His child.
God determines the Child’s purpose.


“If God be FOR US, who can be against us?”. If you are saved by faith in Christ, then ANYTHING that comes your way comes under the will of God. Paul asks another good question:

Romans 8:32 He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Jesus’ death was not just a tragic accident, a misunderstanding, a misuse of power. Jesus Christ is the “only Begotten Son of God” (John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9). God the Father sent His Son to the earth. God the Father did not spare His Son, but “delivered Him up for us all”. Jesus – the Incarnate Son of God – died a horrible death on the Cross of Calvary for us all.

If God paid a great fee for our salvation, if God did the greatest thing He could do for us at the Cross, will He not now do the lesser? Purchased at a great price, will God not take care of us? Absolutely! What a great question!

Illustrate: When God called the shepherd boy David to be King of Israel, from that moment on David grasped and held on to that great truth. When confronted by Goliath David kept his purpose before his eyes. When Goliath roared, David didn’t flinch. He was called by God to be King. Why should he fear Goliath, no matter how big he was? When David played the harp for King Saul, and Saul sought his death, David did not fear. God told him that he was going to be King of Israel. He kept the purpose of God before his eyes, no matter what happened.

Illustrate: When Joseph was told by God that he would one day rule over his family, his brothers were jealous of him. When they cast him into a pit and sold him as a slave, Joseph kept what God told him ever before his eyes. Unjustly accused and imprisoned, Joseph kept his eyes on the Lord Who called him. He was in the will of God, and though imprisoned 13 years, in time God raised Joseph up to be the right hand of Pharaoh.

All things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to God’s purpose.

Romans 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s ELECT (eklektos)? It is God that justifieth.

God chose to save you. God called you. You chose to heed His call. You are His Chosen, those whom He has called out of the world.

Do Christians err? “It is God that justifieth”. Do Christians fail? “It is God that justifieth”. Do Christians stumble? “It is God that justifieth”. Absolutely. What is our solution? When we fail, we repent and return to God. “It is God that justifieth”. I cannot fix what I messed up. “It is God that justifieth”. I do not count beads, I do not pray to a saint or the Virgin Mary (who, by the way, is no longer a Virgin), I do not go to a Priest and ask him to forgive me. “It is God that justifieth”.

Our failings and sins do not define us. God called us to salvation, and we freely came to Him through Christ Jesus. Each one of us who are saved are in covenant with God. “It is God that justifieth”. It is God Who declares us righteous and and our sins covered. We do not live so as to please others, but God. Certainly we do not live arrogantly so as to hurt others, but our primary concern is to serve the Lord Jesus. The Apostle wrote:

Galatians 1:10 (ESV) For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

The Christian is an object of God’s Will.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 … we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

“It is God that justifieth”. We are saved on purpose for a purpose. When we let anything absorb us or entice us but the glory of God, we walk a dangerous path.

Those who are more interested in pleasing others instead of pleasing God may not be saved.

Our Lord Jesus chastised the religious Pharisees of His day, saying:

John 5:44 (ESV) How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

The Pharisees were more concerned about what other Pharisees thought of them, but cared little of what God thought. That is not the way of Christ. Jesus said of these Bible scholars:

Preach This!

John 12:43 (ESV) … they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

The Christian lives to please God, to fulfill His purpose, to bring glory to Him. “It is God that justifieth”. That is who we live for.

Christ Paid For Our Sins, And Prays For Our Sanctification

Paul now asks another great question:

Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, Who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

The world is condemned by sin. Christ came to remove God’s condemnation from whosoever that believes in Him. A familiar text is:

John 3:15-18 (NKJV) … whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The condemnation that matters is the condemnation of God. This world, this God rejecting world, is under the condemnation of God. “God so loved THE WORLD that He GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON”. The Father called on His Son to go to the Cross for our sins. The Father calls whosoever will to come to Him through Christ. “WHOEVER believes in Him, in Jesus, will NOT PERISH, but have EVERLASTING LIFE”. Though the world is under God’s condemnation, to come to Christ by faith is to leave the condemnation of God.

You are saved from damnation by the Blood of Christ. You keep on being saved by the Resurrected Christ, “who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Jesus saves us, and keeps on saving us. This is the purpose of God. Jesus promised:

John 5:24 (KJV) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

When you believe on Jesus Christ, believing and receiving Him as Lord and Savior, you become one with the plan of God. The world may condemn you, but that doesn’t matter. God cannot condemn you. You are passed from death to life. You are changed.

Romans 8:1 (KJV) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Jesus Christ saves us, the Holy Spirit indwells us, Jesus Christ intercedes for us, and the Father has a purpose for us.

What a glorious truth this is. I would give my life even now if I could make you all understand the power of living found in this truth. We live for Jesus, to please Jesus – not to please ourselves. The children of Adam live to please themselves, to bring glory to themselves. We live for Jesus, for the Kingdom of God.

Can You Do Something To Separate Yourself From The Love Of God?

Having read and studied all these things, we now come to what I call not just a good question, but a really good question.

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Is there anything from the outside of you that will separate you, dear Christian, from the love of Christ? Paul breaks it down. Let’s look at these words:

– Tribulation: Greek thlipsis. Affliction, anguish, oppression, great pressure. Some who hear the Gospel “have no root in themselves” and when affliction or anguish comes they bail out. Jesus spoke of these pseudo believers in Matthew 13:21; Mark 4:17. If affliction comes and you reject Jesus, you were never saved. Jesus promised that while we as believers are in the world “you will have thlipsis, but REJOICE, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

– Distress: Greek stenochōria. Tight spots, narrow spaces. Between a rock and a hard place.

– Persecution: Greek diōgmos. Attacks from the world.

– Famine. Nakedness. Peril. Sword. When your safety or comfort is threatened. None of these things shall separate you from the love of Christ. If you are saved, born again by faith in Christ, you will love the Lord Jesus, and the Lord Jesus will love you. However, I want you to look at the text as to what it doesn’t say. The text says:

“Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ?”

But it doesn’t ask us:

“Who shall separate us from the BLESSING of Christ?”

The two statements are not the same.

Dear Christian, it is possible to be loved of God, but to get yourself in a mess of trouble by wandering either physically or spiritually from God in Christ.

Our Lord Jesus spoke a parable one time called by many: The Parable of the Prodigal Son”. This Parable is only told in Luke 15:11-32. Jesus never called this Parable “The Prodigal Son”, but merely introduced it as:

Luke 15:11 … a certain Man had TWO SONS

Jesus used this parable to explain the love of God for His children. In the parable, the younger son comes to the Father and asks:

Luke 15:12 .. Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me

He demanded that his Father give him his inheritance. Taking his inheritance, the young son went out into the world. He left his Father’s Kingdom, spent all that he had. Eventually the young man had to take a horrible job of slopping hogs. Many days he ate what the hogs ate. What a terrible place to be!

Nothing can separate you from the LOVE of Christ, but by willfulness you can depart from the BLESSING of Christ. You can go out into the world, and bring horrible suffering on yourself. The younger son illustrates many who claim to be Christians today. The safest and best place to be is in the Kingdom, serving the Father, trusting the Lord Jesus. But like this young son, if we wander away, we will find ourselves in a bad place. In the parable:

Luke 15:17-19 (NKJV) But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my Father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my Father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”

The young son did what every wayward Christian needs to do. He remembered the blessings that he had when he was in the Father’s house. The young son repented, and returned home. He humbled himself. Rather than demanding his rights and privileges, he said “I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants”. The young son physically left the blessing of Christ. But did he leave the LOVE of Christ? No. Jesus said:

Luke 15:20-24 (NKJV) … he arose and came to his Father. But when he was still a great way off, his Father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the Father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

The young son never stopped being the Father’s son. He was still loved of the Father. But when the son became one with the world, the Father would not follow him nor bless him. But once he repented and returned to the Father, in humility, the Father bestowed His blessings on that young son.

Christian, God will not bless you if you walk off into the world. You are to live in the Presence of the Father, to the glory of Jesus. You are not dead in sin, you are dead to damnation and condemnation. You are dead to the things of this world (Colossians 2:20). You are called to:

Ephesians 4:1 (KJV) … walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called …

Colossians 1:10 (KJV) … walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God ..

1 Thessalonians 2:12 (KJV) … walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

Nothing can separate you from the “love of Christ”, but pride and willfulness can separate you from the blessing of God.

There were two sons in that parable our Lord told us. The young son physically walked away from the Kingdom of God. The older son came home, and heard the celebration and was jealous of his brother. In Luke 15:28-30 the older son was angry, and refused to go into the celebration. He was self righteous. The younger son physically left the Father’s Kingdom, but the older son spiritually wandered away. The Father told him:

Luke 15:31-32 (NKJV) ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’

Neither son glorified the Father, nor honored His Will. But the Father loved them both. The Father wanted the best for both sons.

Beloved, if you are saved by faith in Christ, the Father wants the best for you. We close with the final word of the Apostle:

Romans 8:38-39 (KJV) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If you allow the flesh to lead you, you can separate yourself from the blessing of God. But if you are saved by faith in Christ, the love of God “which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” cannot be extinguished. God loves you. Love Him back!

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God Hates Religion

Posted on March 1, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Chapman Chow on Unsplash

Proverbs 15:8-9 The sacrifice of the WICKED is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight. 9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth Him that followeth after righteousness.

God Despises Man-Made “Religion”

Word Study: What does the Bible mean when it speaks of the “WICKED”? This is the Hebrew rāšāʿ, which means “to be wicked or criminal, to violate the Law, to be guilty of sin or hostile to the command of God”. The word is not used of casual sin, but of those who do wrong regardless as to what God has said. The FIRST use of the word is in:

Genesis 13:13 … the men of Sodom were WICKED (rāšāʿ) and SINNERS before the LORD exceedingly.

They were “WICKED” because their outward actions violated the Will of God. They were “SINNERS” because their hearts were far from God. God determined that He was going to destroy Sodom because of its wickedness. Telling Abraham of His plans, Abraham pled for the life of his nephew Lot. He humbly asks God:

Genesis 18:23 (AP) … Will You destroy the RIGHTEOUS with the WICKED (rāšāʿ)

Those who are “RIGHTEOUS” do what God’s Will says is “RIGHT”. Those who are “WICKED” do what God’s Will says is “CRIMINAL or GODLESS”.

God had told Abraham that He was going to destroy Sodom, and Lot resided in Sodom. Though Lot was living in Sodom, the Apostle Peter wrote that after this prayer:

2 Peter 2:7-9 (NKJV) {God} delivered RIGHTEOUS LOT, who was oppressed by the FILTHY CONDUCT OF THE WICKED 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment

Word Study: Lot was stressed daily while living in the cesspool that Sodom had become. The conduct of the “WICKED” {Greek athesmos} or those who denied the Law of God, criminals, or wicked tormented Lot. Why? Because Lot had to “see and hear their lawless deeds”. The person who is “WICKED” as opposed to the one who is “RIGHTEOUS” is based on whether they order their lives according to the will of God or not. In the Book of Malachi God tells Israel that, when they return from exile, that they are to:

Malachi 3:18 (KJV) … discern between the RIGHTEOUS and the WICKED, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.

The “RIGHTEOUS” are marked by serving God in their daily lives. The “WICKED” however do not serve God, but themselves. Our Lord Jesus called:

Demons “wicked” (Matthew 12:45)
Satan “wicked” (Matthew 13:19)
The children of Satan “wicked” (Matthew 13:38)
Those who demanded “signs” as “wicked” (Matthew 16:4)

The Apostle Paul declared that the professing Christian in sexual sin is “wicked” (1 Corinthians 5:13). The Apostle John said that Cain who killed his brother was “wicked” (1 John 3:12).

It is possible to be RELIGIOUS and yet be WICKED. When the Pharisees said that “Jesus casts out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils” (Matthew 12:24) our Lord chastised them, and warned them against committing the unpardonable sin (Matthew 12:31-32). Jesus went on to say to the highly religious Pharisees:

Matthew 12:34 (KJV) O generation of vipers, how can ye, being EVIL {ponēros}, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Word Study: Here Jesus uses another Greek word – ponēros – which means “to labor for evil things, for bad or wicked intents”. These Pharisees were outwardly religious, just as many people are outwardly religious. They were careful with what face they showed to the public. But as with all “religious” people, they were more concerned with looking righteous than they were in being righteous.

Beloved, God does not care is you are “religious”. In November 1095 AD Pope Urban II called on the Catholic Church to arm itself, and take back the Holy Land from the Muslims. From 1096-1291 AD the religious Catholic “Church” warriors wearing the “Cross” marched in eight major expeditions into the Holy Land. Crusaders massacred Jews in various towns in the Rhineland (1096). In June 1099 Crusaders attacked Jerusalem. When promised that the inhabitants would be spared if they surrendered, hundreds of men, women, and children were killed as the Crusaders entered the city. John M. Robertson wrote in his book A Short History of Christianity (1902):

“It is a reasonable calculation that in the two centuries from the first crusade to the fall of Acre (1291) there had perished, in the attempts to recover and hold the Holy Land, nine millions of human beings, at least half of them {professing} Christians. Misery and chronic pestilence had slain most; but the mere carnage had been stupendous.” (page 278)

This was the action of “religion”. God hates religion. The word “religion” is found a few times in the Bible. The stepbrother of Jesus defines “region” for us:

James 1:27 (KJV) Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Jesus has never asked us to kill a bunch of people to get the Holy Land back from the Muslims. He asked us to minister to the weak and needy, and to not follow the evils and wickedness of this world. What else does James tell us about “religion”?

James 1:26 (KJV) If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

If your tongue is not controlled or BRIDLED by the Word of God, your RELIGION is EMPTY and useless. We are told:

Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the WICKED is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

If you are “WICKED” and contrary to the will of God, the Lord is not impressed with your “SACRIFICES”, your outward religious actions. God wants you to follow Jesus, not a Church movement or a worldly religion. Our Lord Jesus said:

John 10:27-28 (ESV) My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

Who are “The RIGHTEOUS”? They are the “SHEEP” of Jesus. They are not Shepherds, but SHEEP. They follow Jesus. He knows them, and they know Him. They HEAR His Voice, and follow His Voice rather than the siren call of the world. People think, “If I go to Church, if I give a tithe, if I do this religious act – like counting beads and praying rote prayers – then God will be pleased with me”. But God says:

Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the WICKED is an ABOMINATION to the Lord

Word Study: You can do a religiously appropriate action – like the Lord’s Table – but if your daily fruit is WICKED God says “this is an ABOMINATION”. The word translated “ABOMINATION” is the Hebrew tôʿēḇâ, which means “that which is disgusting or idolatrous, reprehensible”. God classified homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22), idolatry (Leviticus 18:26), to profit from idolatry (Deuteronomy 7:25), to sacrifice your children to the gods (Deuteronomy 12:31), to give broken things to God (Deuteronomy 17:1), to be transsexual in dress (Deuteronomy 22:5), to be perverted (Proverbs 3:32), to cheat in business (Proverbs 11:1), to habitually twist the truth and lie (Proverbs 12:22), and to be puffed up with pride (Proverbs 16:5). God does not want the empty religious ritual of the wicked, no matter how much it might be. But we are told:

Proverbs 15:8 the prayer of the upright is His delight.

God delights in the prayer of His children, those who have given their hearts to Him through faith in Christ Jesus. The Pharisees, much like the religious Catholic, Non-Denominational, Pentecostal, Apostolic and Mainline groups in America today made the ritual more important than the relationship with God in Christ. Many of the religious groups create man-made standards that are not in the Word of God. The Apostle addressed this in:

Colossians 2:20-23 (NKJV) … if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

When we depart from the Word of God into the traditions and word of man, we move into bad religion, what God considers an abomination.

What does God want of us? We read:

Proverbs 15:9 (KJV) The WAY of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.

Our WAY is not to walk after our desires, but to “FOLLOW AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS”. To live our lives according to the will of God, which is to be obedient to following the WORD of GOD. We are told in:

1 Peter 1:14-16 (ESV) As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

God Punishes Sin

Proverbs 15:10-11 (KJV) Correction is GRIEVOUS unto him that forsaketh THE WAY: and he that hateth reproof shall die. 11 Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?

The Christian is called to follow “THE WAY”. When we ignore this Way, we bring upon ourselves grief. If we continue to reject “THE WAY”, God can take our lives. What do we mean by “THE WAY”?

In the Old Testament, God uses the phrase “THE WAY” to describe the direction He wants His people to go. We read in

Exodus 13:21 (KJV) … the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them THE WAY …

God commanded the leaders of Israel to …

Exodus 18:20 (KJV) … teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them THE WAY wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do

The Psalmist said, “the LORD knoweth THE WAY of the righteous: but THE WAY of the ungodly shall perish” (Psalm 1:6). David went on to say in Psalm 25:8, “Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will He teach sinners in THE WAY”. And again:

Psalm 119:1 (KJV) Blessed are the undefiled in THE WAY, who WALK IN THE LAW OF THE LORD …

There is the Way of the Lord, and the way of mankind. The Way to God is through obedience to Jesus. Jesus said:

Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV) Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and THE WAY is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and THE WAY is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

To live by and walk in the darkness of the world is easy – but it leads to destruction in this life, and damnation in the next life. But to follow Jesus, to give yourselves to Him, is to find life, eternal life, though you will be at odds with the world. Jesus said:

John 14:6 I am THE WAY, the Truth, and The Life: No one comes to the Father but BY ME …

Jesus Christ came to give us “light in darkness, to guide our feet in THE WAY of peace” (Luke 1:79). To forsake His Way is to bring grief on yourselves. We are told:

Proverbs 15:10 … he that HATETH REPROOF SHALL DIE

When we give our lives to Jesus we become His Sheep, and He our Shepherd. The Bible tells us that God punishes His children when they get off course. God knows our hearts. He wants only the best for us. My commentary notes:

“When a man or woman departs from God’s path (the Way), in mercy God will send them harsh discipline. This discipline is a warning and opportunity to change one’s ways. … He who hates correction will die: The one who rejects God’s loving and merciful correction seals his own fate and sets his own course. They are on the way of death and will remain there.”

Proverbs 15:11 Hell {šᵊ’ôl} and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN OF MEN?

Word Study: The word translated “HELL” is the Hebrew šᵊ’ôl (pronounced Sheol), which is a reference to the underworld not of Heaven. Though we cannot see either Sheol or sudden destruction, but God can always see these things. The same is true of the “HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN OF MEN”. God can see the underworld – HELL or Sheol, but we cannot. He can see what brings forth DESTRUCTION on us. But God can also see the hearts of men. My commentary notes:

“God can see what we cannot. Hell and Destruction are presently invisible to us, but they are before the LORD. If we could see Hell and Destruction, we would think and live much differently. “We, silly fishes, see one another jerked out of the pond of life by the hand of death; but we see not the frying pan and the fire that they are cast into, that ‘die in their sins,’ and refuse to be reformed.” (Trapp)

Since God can see what we cannot see, we would best be blessed if we just take Him at His Word and do as He says.

The Scoffer Hates Correction

Proverbs 15:12 A SCORNER loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.

Word Study: The SCORNER (Hebrew lûṣ, pronounced loots) is the one who “mocks, scoffs at, or makes fun of” another person. The righteous or wise person does not hate correction, but sees correction as a means to make us more like Christ. King David prayed:

Psalm 141:5 (NKJV) Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.

He did not see rebuke from God’s people and God’s Word as something to be disdained, but as a blessing. This was why King David was “a man after God’s heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). Compare David to the evil King Ahab. When Ahab was confronted by the Prophet Elijah over his allowance and promotion of idolatry in Israel, Ahab told Elijah “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”. Elijah told him,

1 Kings 18:18 (NKJV) … I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals.

Ahab would not hear. But when King David was confronted by Nathan for his evil acts against Uriah and Bathsheba, David heeded the Prophet and said:

2 Samuel 12:13 (KJV) … I have sinned AGAINST THE LORD ..

The mark of a lost person is that they will not hear nor heed rebuke from God’s Word, but instead mock the messenger and laugh at God’s Law. The saved both hear and HEED.

The Apostle Paul warned his student Timothy to stay true to God’s Word, no matter how many the scoffers. He said:

2 Timothy 4:2-4 (ESV) … preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

The scoffer, the lost person, will not “GO TO THE WISE”, because they enjoy the darkness of sin. Those who leave this life scoffing will wake up screaming and separated from God forever. Preach the Word! God tells us:

John 3:20 (KJV) Everyone that doeth evil hateth the light; neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Those who love the Lord with all their hearts (Matthew 22:36-40) will not mock God or His Word, but will cling to it as truth and blessing. We serve an awesome God! May God touch your hearts with His Word. Amen.

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Defeating The Enemy

Posted on February 26, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Luke Jones on Unsplash

Romans 8:28-32 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Our Enemy Wants Us “Religious”

When I was a little boy I was taught to pray before a meal. Mama taught us to say:

God is great, God is good;
Let us thank Him for our food.
By His hands we are fed,
Bless the Lord for daily bread.
Amen.

I grew up in a “religious” household. Not overly religious. Daddy didn’t go to Church. Mama made us go a Church on Sunday, a local Presbyterian Church. If you notice the prayer I said at meals (saying “Grace”) was not addressed to God.

“Religious” people talk about God. Those “saved by Grace” talk to God. Religious people want God to belong to them. Saved people belong to God. There is a difference between “religious” and “saved, born again”!

As a “religious” person I learned the “Shorter Catechism” of the Presbyterian Church, was baptized by sprinkling, and was given a Bible. I thought I was fine with God. The “Shorter Catechism” is 107 questions about God along with the answers. It taught us as young people about God. The first three questions (and answers) were:

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

Q. 3. What do the Scriptures principally teach?

A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.

Religion teaches a lot about God. I knew a lot about God – but I didn’t know God. I had no personal relationship with God. Many in Christianity are the same way. They know about God. They talk about God. But there is no relationship with God.

The Enemy loves you to be “religious”.

Our enemy is the Devil, also called Satan, Lucifer, that Old Serpent or the Red Dragon.

It was the Devil who tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). It was the Devil who tempted Jesus Christ when He was in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-4). The Devil was created perfect by God, called “Lucifer” which means “Light Bearer”, but he revolted from Heaven and led 1/3 of the angels in Heaven to rebel against God (Revelation 12:4). God cursed the Devil in the Garden of Eden, and promised that the Messiah would one day come and stomp on his head (Genesis 3:15). The Messiah Himself would be wounded in the encounter, but Satan’s power would be destroyed by Jesus.

Many people don’t believe in the Devil, Lucifer, that old Serpent. If you don’t believe in the Devil, you don’t believe in Jesus.

Jesus and the first Church believed in the Devil, a.k.a. Satan. Jesus gave His disciples power over demons and Satan in His name. Jesus said:

Luke 10:18 (ESV) … I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Jesus’ followers were amazed that demons trembled at the sound of His name, and that they had power over the enemy (Luke 10:17).

“There’s POWER in the Name of Jesus. There’s HEALING in the Name of Jesus. There’s MERCY in the Name of Jesus. There’s SALVATION in the Name of Jesus. The Demons tremble at the sound of that Name.” (Andre Crouch)

Jesus told His disciples when they saw the demons cast out in His Name,

Luke 10:20 (ESV) … do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

God writes the names of those saved in the Name of Jesus in Heaven. If you have submitted yourself to the Name of Jesus, your name is written in “The Book of Life” (Revelation 20:12). Those who are spiritually dead are NOT in the Book of Life.

  • Those in the Book of Life “labor together in the Gospel” (Philippians 4:3).
  • Those in the Book of Life “live as overcomers” (Revelation 3:5)
  • Those in the Book of Life “worship the Lamb of God”, not the world (Revelation 13:8)
  • Those in the Book of Life will never be damned (Revelation 20:12, 15)
  • Those in the Book of Life do not pursue a life of sin (Revelation 21:27)
  • Those in the Book of Life love the Bible, and will not modify God’s Word (Revelation 22:19)

The Devil wants you in Church, but he doesn’t want you in the Book of life. The Devil loves that you’re on a “Church Roll”, and that you know all about God.

The Pharisees knew all about God, but Jesus said of them:

John 8:42-45 (ESV) … If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

The Gospel Is About Loving The LORD

“Love” is a relationship – and the Enemy doesn’t want you to have a relationship with Jesus. Jesus told the Bible Scholars, the Pharisees, “If God were your Father, you would love Me”. The mark of the Christian is that you love Jesus, you love God. Satan doesn’t want you to love God. Jesus said:

John 5:39-40 (ESV) You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

Jesus is the Source of Life. He said,

John 10:10 (ESV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

That’s what Jesus wants for you – an “ABUNDANT LIFE”. The Devil wants to steal that from you, just like he stole Paradise from Adam and Eve. Satan has convinced some of you that you don’t need a relationship with God. The Psalmist wrote:

Psalm 34:10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

“YOUNG LIONS” are prideful, arrogant. They are full of themselves. They think they don’t need the Lord. The Christian is not filled with pride, but is humble and submitted before the Lord. We are Jesus’ sheep, and He is the Shepherd. We follow Him, and obey His Word. Why? Because we love Him. Jesus said:

Luke 6:46 (ESV) Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

John 14:15 (ESV) If you love Me, you will keep My commandments …

The Christian loves God. The Christian loves Jesus. The Christian surrenders their life at the foot of the Cross. We recognize ourselves as unable, as sinners, as people who deserve Hell and want to be saved. We seek the Lord. We are not young lions, but understand that “they that seek the LORD shall not want in any good thing”. We “submit ourselves to God, but RESIST the Devil” (James 4:7). We do not want to be religious. We who are saved have a growing, going, dynamic relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. We believe His Word,

Romans 10:13 (KJV) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved …

We Defeat The Enemy By Giving Ourselves To The Lord Jesus

Romans 8:28 And we KNOW that all things work together for good to them that love God…

The world classifies things as GOOD or BAD. When the lost have a GOOD day, they are happy. When they have a BAD day, they are unhappy. Christians, however, are very different. We KNOW something the world does not know. “We KNOW that all things work together for good”. This doesn’t mean that all things are good, but that all things WORK TOGETHER for good.

All Things WORK TOGETHER for GOOD – but only if you LOVE GOD!

Why should a person love God? Because God gave the greatest thing He could give for us. Consider what Jesus did for YOU:

Romans 8:31-32 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

God the Father “spared not His own Son”. When Adam brought sin into the world, sin brought with it death and disease. Sin brought separation from God. But rather than abandon us, or to leave us to a state of eternal damnation, God the Father “spared not His own Son”. He sent Jesus, the Beloved of God, to this earth to be born in the meanest of estates. Born in a manger, born to an unknown family, raised up in a small town few had any respect for, Jesus – the Infinite Son of God – was made lower than the Angels. Why? For the suffering of death.

Hebrews 2:9 (KJV) … we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

The Wages of Sin is DEATH (Romans 6:23). Adam made us all sinners, separated from God. But God reached out to us to save us through Jesus. We deserved death, and Jesus did not. But Jesus tasted death for us. Jesus bore our punishment, our separation from God, so that we, believing on and loving Him, could be saved. The Scripture says:

1 John 4:9-10 (KJV) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. {10} Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation {the covering} for our sins.

Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, yet many – like the Pharisees – decided that they would rather love their rituals and their religion. They denied a relationship with Almighty God because they thought they were good enough for Heaven. Dear friends, none are good enough to get into Heaven. You must receive the Love of God by faith in Christ Jesus. You must turn away from your present way of life and turn toward Him Who loves you still. You must REPENT to be saved.

When you are saved, God sends the Holy Spirit to you to cause you to love God:

Romans 5:5 … the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

The saved LOVE GOD. Those who LOVE GOD know that all things work together for our good. The saved LOVE GOD’S COMMANDS and HIS WORD. We obey Him, for we love Him. We do not carry grudges or hatred. That’s the old man, the way of Satan. The Way of Christ is to love God, and love others. We read:

1 John 4:20-21 (KJV) If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? {21} And this commandment have we from Him (from God), That he who loveth God love his brother also.

All things work together for good to them that LOVE GOD.

The Saved BELONG To God

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

When we are saved, we belong to God. The Apostle said:

1 Corinthians 6:20 (KJV) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1 Corinthians 7:23 (KJV) Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

PREACH: If you are saved by Grace in the LORD Jesus, you belong to Him. You defeat the enemy when you live your life to bring glory to Jesus. You do not live to please yourself, Satan, or the world around you. You live to please the One Who saved you!

Illustrate: If you are saved by faith in Christ, you not only love God and know that all things work together for your good, but you know that your life is a part of God’s PURPOSE and PLAN. Bethany Hamilton was surfing off the coast of Hawaii in 2003 when a 1500 pound tiger shark bit through her surfboard, taking with it most of her left arm. Was that “good”? No, but all things work together for good – for Bethany loved the Lord. She said:

“This was God’s plan for my life, and I’m going to go with it. … Jesus Christ … gave me peace when I got attacked by the shark, which severed my arm, and had to get back to the beach, which would take 20 minutes of paddling.”

The Christian’s focus is to love and serve the Lord Jesus, Who loves and cares for us.

Christian, you defeat the Devil when you realize you belong to God. Your God is not:

Humanism
Philosophy
Darwinism
DEI
Satan
Politics
Riches
Fame
Religion
or even Yourself

You belong to Jesus Christ. You belong to the Kingdom of God. You cannot split your allegiance. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). Jesus said “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation: every city or house divided against itself will not stand” (Matthew 12:25; Luke 11:17). When Moses came down from Mount Sinai and saw Israel worshiping a golden calf, he cried out:

Exodus 32:26 (KJV) … Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

When Joshua – after a life of success in battle got ready to leave Israel in retirement, he cried out:

Joshua 24:15 (KJV) … choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

In the formation of the early Church, Paul, Timothy, James, Peter and Jude all describe themselves as “BOND SLAVES OF JESUS” (Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1).

We who are saved by Grace are no longer under Satan nor the gods of this world. We who are saved follow Jesus as sheep, with Him as the Shepherd. We are “bond servants or slaves of Christ” (1 Corinthians 7:22; Ephesians 6:6; 2 Timothy 2:24).

We belong to God. We are “the CALLED according to HIS PURPOSE” (Romans 8:28).

What Is The Great Benefit Of Surrender To Christ?

We read:

Romans 8:29-31 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

If you belong to Jesus, everything is uphill. You have cancer, or some other disease. So what? You are, dear Christian, “predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son”. Everything that happens to you is to make you more like Jesus. Though people argue about what this verse means:

Romans 8:30 Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.

You know what these verses mean to me? They mean simply this:

“If you belong to God, you will one day be in glory with God”

You defeat the enemy by giving yourself fully to Jesus. You trust His Word, the Bible. You hide in the salvation that the children of God receive. When the world challenges us, we look to God our Father. We rely on Jesus. We drive between the lines, knowing that while we are doing so, God is in control of the engine.

Romans 8:31 … If God be for us, who can be against us?

Beloved, you cannot defeat the enemy while playing on his team. Come to Jesus. Give your lives to Him. Stop being your own god, or following other gods. If you surrender to God in Christ, if you follow Him as LORD, you need not fear the little gods this world trots out.

I pray that God will lead you to Christ today. Amen.

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The Best Yet To Come

Posted on February 19, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Rachel Cook on Unsplash

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

What Do You Give Up For Jesus?

I have told people about salvation by faith and surrender to Christ for many years, and the one question I’ve heard is:

“But what will I have to GIVE UP to give myself to Jesus?”

The answer is – EVERYTHING. If you want to be saved and cared for as God wants to care for you, you must give Jesus everything. Salvation is to give your life to Jesus – and He gives His life to you. The beginning of salvation, the very first step, is found in the word REPENT. Jesus preached:

REPENT (metanoeō), for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17)

Jesus often preached “unless you REPENT (metanoeō), you will all perish” (Luke 13:3, 5).

When Jesus sent the disciples out to preach, it was the message that “every person should REPENT (metanoeō)” (Mark 6:12).

Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, “REPENT (metanoeō) and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” (Acts 2:38).

And again later, “REPENT (metanoeō) and be converted, that your sins be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). To be saved, you must REPENT (metanoeō).

You must turn from being your own god, following your own word, and surrender to the God Who made you and Who wants to save you. Beloved, when you do this, you lose far less than you gain!

Those who come to Christ lose an uncertain and confusing life, and are brought into an abundant life. Jesus said,

“I have come that you MIGHT HAVE LIFE, abundant life!” (John 10:10, AP)

You are not really living unless you are in Christ Jesus. Those who will not come to Christ do not have life, but are merely existing. But those who come surrendered to Christ, we have previously seen:

Are no longer condemned by God. (Romans 8:1)
Are freed from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)
Are led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:3-7)
Are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God (Romans 8:9)
Are made alive by the Spirit (Romans 8:10-13)
Are made into sons of God (Romans 8:14)
Are adopted into the Family of God (Romans 8:15-16)
Are made heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17)

Beloved, by coming to Christ as your Lord and Savior, you gain far more than you lose. Today the Lord tells us another great thing the Christian has over the lost person.

We Have His Promise Of Tomorrow To Help Us Through the Suffering Of Today

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

We are all acquainted with suffering. Everyone has suffered, is going through suffering, or will suffer in this life. As the Apostle wrote these words that I just read, that dear man knew much of suffering. When Jesus knocked Paul down on the Damascus Road, He blinded Paul, and sent a disciple named Ananias to minister to him. Jesus told Ananias:

Acts 9:16 (AP) … I will show Paul how GREAT THINGS HE MUST SUFFER for My sake

To stand for Jesus in this present evil world requires suffering. Paul suffered terribly in carrying the Gospel of salvation to others. Paul told the Church:

2 Corinthians 1:8 (ESV) … the affliction we experienced in Asia. … we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that WE DESPAIRED OF LIFE ITSELF.

Paul and his companions were beyond suffering. In another place the Apostle detailed how much he suffered in sharing the Gospel. He said:

2 Corinthians 11:24-27 (KJV) Of the Jews five times received I forty [stripes] save one. [25] Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; [26] [In] journeyings often, [in] perils of waters, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils by [mine own] countrymen, [in] perils by the heathen, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren; [27] In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

How Paul suffered. How the Apostles suffered, the early Church, the Christians. Yet of the suffering Paul says confidently:

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Paul said, “I’ve seen the future of our state. We REPENTED. We gave our lives to Jesus. And yes, we suffer. But the suffering we are undergoing NOW is nothing in comparison to what we have coming to us – the GLORY that we will have when we meet our Jesus face to face”,

GLORY!

Not only do we look forward to the glorious future we have, but we are told:

Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the CREATURE {ktisis} waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Word Study: The word translated “CREATURE” is the Greek ktisis, which means “CREATION”. Creation itself is looking forward to the “MANIFESTATION” {apokalypsis}, or the “REVELATION” of the sons of God. God has promised the Christian that there will come a glorious future where we have no suffering, no pain. A time when God fulfills His promise to us, where God says:

Revelation 21:5 (KJV) … Behold, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW …

We look forward to this time – but creation itself also looks forward to our future self. Creation will one day be relieved of suffering, just as we who are Christians will be relieved of suffering.

So Why Is There Suffering Throughout This World?

Why all the suffering? Why do babies get cancer? Why do we see such cruelty in nature? Why does the baby antelope, just born, find itself surrounded by predators, torn apart and eaten alive? Why are there poisonous snakes that kill children? Why do people suffer starvation because of drought? Why are people murdered by people, and by wild animals? Why … why … why?

Our text tells us.

Romans 8:20For the CREATURE {ktisis, CREATION} was made subject to VANITY {mataiotēs}, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope

Word Study: Creation itself WAS SUBJECTED to – not “VANITY” but the word mataiotēs means “that which is devoid of truth, robbed of that which is appropriate. That which is perverse or depraved.” Creation did not do this to itself. We are told that Creation …

was made subject to VANITY {mataiotēs}, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope

To understand this statement you have to go back to the beginning, to the Book of Genesis. When God made Creation, the Bible says:

Genesis 1:31 (KJV) … God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good…

There was absolutely NO suffering in all Creation. God made it VERY GOOD, a beautiful Paradise. God put Adam and Eve in the midst of this perfection. God told them:

Genesis 1:28 … (KJV) God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion …

God gave humanity stewardship of the earth. Their orders were clear. Adam was to obey God’s Word, to do as the Lord required. God gave Adam ultimate authority over all things on this earth, and told him:

Genesis 2:16-17 (KJV) … Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Adam and Eve were perfect. Creation was perfect. There was no suffering, no pain throughout all of the world. Then Adam did the unthinkable – he departed from the Word of God. Adam ate that which was forbidden, choosing to follow the word of a possessed snake over the promise of God. God told Adam after the fall:

Genesis 3:17-19 (NKJV) … Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.

Creation was under the stewardship of Adam. But as Adam rejected the Word of God for the word of humanity, his actions brought the curse of sin into creation itself. As we have read many times:

Romans 5:12 (NKJV) … through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned …

Adam’s sin didn’t just effect Adam. It effected Adam’s progeny – that’s us. Adam’s sin also effected nature itself. Prior to his sin Creation was “very good”. But following his sin, creation was “cursed for Adam’s sake”. When God subjected Creation to sin because of Adam,

him {God} who hath subjected the same in hope

The fall of mankind and of nature was not a hopeless fall, but one that offered HOPE. When God cursed the serpent (Satan himself, see Revelation 12:9) He promised a future redemption. The Lord told Satan:

Genesis 3:15 (NKJV) … I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.

The “SEED of the Woman” is an ancient promise of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was promised as the Messiah in Genesis, the Savior and Lord of His people. It is because of Jesus that we who are Christians have a glorious future – a future that even Creation looks forward to. When the Christian is delivered from this present body of sin, then this will trigger a change in Creation itself:

Romans 8:21-22 Because the CREATION (ktisis) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together {synōdinō} until now.

Right now Creation GROANS and SHARES PAIN WITH US (synōdinō) right now. We suffer. Creation suffers. Why? Because of sin. Because man chose to depart from the Word of God.

We Suffer, But Not Without Hope

Romans 8:23-25 (KJV) And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

We all suffer, believer or unbeliever. But what we as believers have is HOPE beyond the suffering. Our HOPE is based on the faithfulness of God. The Bible tells us that God, unlike us, is FAITHFUL. Our God never changes. God is faithful under the New Covenant:

1 Corinthians 1:9 (KJV) God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

And our God was faithful under the Old Covenant:

Deuteronomy 7:9 (KJV) Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

God cannot be faithful. “Let God be TRUE, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). What God has promised, He will do. He has promised those who suffer together with Him:

2 Timothy 2:12 (KJV) … If WE SUFFER, we shall ALSO REIGN WITH HIM

There is a grand future awaiting every Christian who is a Christ follower indeed. If we SUFFER with Him, if we STAND with Him, if we LOVE Him now – one day we will REIGN with Him. The Bible tells us that when the children of God are manifested, fully redeemed from sin, that there will be …

Revelation 21:1 (KJV) … a NEW HEAVEN and a NEW EARTH, for the first Heaven and the first earth WERE PASSED AWAY …

But Here’s The Glorious Truth For Our NOW

We have read that (verse 22) “The whole CREATION groans and suffers with us”. We also know that (verse 23) “WE OURSELVES GROAN within ourselves”, awaiting our final redemption. We groan. Creation groans. But here’s what blows my mind.

Romans 8:26-27 (KJV) Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit HIMSELF (autos) maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

As we GROAN, God Himself, God the Holy Spirit, GROANS within us. He intercedes for us, praying for us as we go through the sufferings of this life. This totally blows my mind.

The Father sent His Son to die on the Cross.
The Father GROANED for our sake.
The Son suffered and died on the Cross.
GROANING in agony for us.
The Holy Spirit GROANS with us as we suffer.
Praying, interceding, loving us.

We do not suffer alone. God is with us. God gave Himself for us. God died for us. God rose again for us. God indwells us, who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. And God has promised us a great and glorious future. These wonderful things flow into one of my favorite verses:

Romans 8:28 (KJV) AND we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

What got the Apostles through the beatings, the imprisonments, the suffering, the hunger, the shunning, the exhaustion of being hounded by both Jewish and Roman authorities? It was the knowledge that God had a plan for their lives, a glorious future. They knew that, no matter what happened, it was all working together “FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD”. If you love God, if you have given your life to Christ, then everything that happens to you has happened for a purpose. It is not random chance, not blind fate, but the omnipresence and omniscience of God that overshadows your life.

God controls the end of our story – and it is GLORIOUS. But that truth is only for the Christian, those born again by faith in Christ. Are you born again? Have you REPENTED, and come to Jesus surrendered? Is Jesus Christ your LORD and SAVIOR? You have no future hope if He’s not. Beloved, Jesus said:

Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV) Enter by the narrow GATE; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

In the ancient world the GATE was the place where you entered into a city. It was also the place where business was conducted. The WIDE GATE leads to destruction. That’s the GATE of the world. Tolerance. Whatever you want. The word of man over the Word of God. Many gods and goddesses. That GATE, the WIDE GATE, leads to destruction and damnation. But the NARROW GATE, it’s NARROW and DIFFICULT. That GATE is Jesus Christ. He is the “GATE of the Sheep” (John 10:7). Few find this GATE. To enter this GATE is to stand with Jesus against the lost world. You will be hated. You will suffer for following Jesus. But the coming eternity we are promised is well worth it.

May God speak to your hearts this very day. Amen.

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Speak As Children Of God

Posted on February 14, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Juan Encalada on Unsplash

Proverbs 15:1-7 (KJV) A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. 3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. 4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. 5 A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. 6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. 7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.

Control The Tone, Not The Truth

If I were to summarize these few verses, it would be:

Consider your tongue and your place before you open your mouth!

Let’s start with our first verse:

Proverbs 15:1 (KJV) A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

We are not told never to speak harshly or with force – but we should consider de-escalation without compromising the truth of God’s Word before we bring out the Magnum. It takes two people to have an argument. As a wise King, Solomon knew that he could win more people to righteousness side with a calm and reasoned response than he could with harshness.

Now there are times for harshness. Our Lord Jesus used harsh words with the Pharisees. One place in Scripture is in Matthew 23:13-36. In those verses our Lord heavily chastises the scribes and Pharisees, saying:

Matthew 23:13 (ESV) … woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

Matthew 23:16 (ESV) … Woe to you, blind guides, who say ..

Matthew 23:23 (ESV) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! …

Matthew 23:25 (ESV) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! …

In that section of Scripture, Jesus accuses the Scribes and Pharisees of leading people into hell (23:13-15), in twisting the Scripture (23:16-22), of robbing God (23:23-24), of being outwardly respectable but inwardly reprehensible (23:25-28), of being a “brood of vipers who murdered the messengers of God” (23:29-36). This is a very harsh section of Scripture.

Though Jesus chastised the Scribes and Pharisees (though not the Sadducees), He did not resort to this harshness until all other attempts at reaching them was exhausted.

Jesus did not start with harshness, but started gently, lovingly. Jesus knew the Bible said:

Proverbs 29:11 (ESV) A FOOL gives full vent to his spirit, but a WISE MAN quietly holds it back.

Proverbs 12:18 (ESV) There is one whose rash words are like SWORD THRUSTS, but the TONGUE OF THE WISE brings healing.

One of the step-brothers of our Lord Jesus, James writes:

James 1:19-20 (ESV) Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Though we as believers cling to the Word of God, we know that our primary objective is to “Go into all the world and PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE” (Mark 16:15).

Illustrate: We need to take the stance of the the Prophet Samuel. When Israel came to Samuel and demanded:

1 Samuel 8:6 (ESV) … Give us a king to judge us.

Samuel got offended. But rather than fighting with the people, Samuel prayed to the Lord (1 Samuel 8:6). The Lord told Samuel:

1 Samuel 8:7-9 (ESV) … Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.

God told Samuel to not take it personally, but to “SOLEMNLY WARN THE PEOPLE” as to what they were requesting. He was to speak plainly, clearly, and truthfully, but not in anger. God can fight His own battles.

Illustration: In Judges chapter 7 God picked out 300 warriors to do battle with the Midianites. God had Gideon divide the 300 into three companies of 100. They surrounded the Midianite Camp in the middle of the night, blew trumpets and smashed jars with torches inside them as they cried out,

“A sword for the Lord, and for Gideon!”

Startled from sleep, the Midianite Army attacked itself, then ran away in a panic. When the Midianites ran, the Bible says:

Judges 7:23-24 (ESV) … the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after Midian. 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and capture the waters against them, as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out…

The tribes of Naphtali, Asher and Manasseh were called out first to attack the fleeing Midianites. Then as the Midianites ran into the land of Ephraim, they were called to do battle. Israel worked together to fully destroy the army of Midian.

Though Midian was destroyed, there was still an enemy that needed to be conquered – the pride of EPHRAIM.

Following this great win for God, the Bible tells us:

Judges 8:1 (ESV) Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they accused him fiercely.

They were upset that – first of all – they were not chosen to be part of the 300. But once Midian started running, Ephraim was called last, and this hurt their ego. How did Gideon respond?

Judges 8:2-3 (ESV) And he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer? 3 God has given into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. What have I been able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger against him subsided when he said this.

Gideon defused the battle that was coming by humbling himself, and stroking the ego of the Ephraimites.

Proverbs 15:1 (KJV) A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Word Study: The word translated “GRIEVOUS” means “idolatrous, an earthen vessel”. The sense of the word is that it is temporal, humanistic, earthly, of little value. We should make our words reflect the Word of God, and share that Word in such a way that the lost might be reached. Again, the text does not tell us that we are to twist the truth of God – but to be careful not to let ourselves be drawn into an unnecessary battle of “I’m right and you’re wrong”.

Only God is right!

Even if you stay within the parameters, don’t take it personally, and speak the truth in love – there will be times when our words will enrage the enemy. Stephen is an example of this. He died for the faith. But Stephen never attacked the enemy out of self pride, but used the Word of God. We are always to remember:

Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good

The Wise Speak Carefully, The Foolish Hastily

Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

The “WISE” or the saved believer is supposed to use “KNOWLEDGE”, the Word that God has given him, “ARIGHT” or in the right way. We are not to twist the text, nor take it out of context. We are to follow the example of our Lord Jesus. The Bible says of Him that:

Colossians 2:3 (ESV) {in Jesus} are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

When Jesus said “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE” (John 14:6) He was telling us that He shows us the right WAY. Jesus always spoke TRUTH productively, to lead others to the LIFE that God intended us to have. When Jesus was only 12 years old the Bible says as He conversed with the Rabbis in the Temple:

Luke 2:47 (ESV) … all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers ..

When the Pharisees sent Temple Officers to arrest Jesus (John 7:32), the officers returned empty handed. The Pharisees were furious! “Why didn’t you bring Him to us!” (John 7:45). Their response was telling. They said,

John 7:46 (ESV) … No man has ever spoke like THIS MAN!

Jesus hid Himself behind the Word of God. He looked at the world through the Scriptural writings. He meditated on the Word. Jesus was always careful to not allow the crowd to force Him into a reply.

The Wise – like Jesus – are not driven by passion and desire, but by God’s Word!

Jesus told those who challenged Him:

John 7:16 My teaching is not mine, but His who sent Me …

John 7:18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the One who seeks the glory of Him who sent Him is true, and in Him there is no falsehood

John 8:28 I do nothing on My Own authority, but speak just as the Father taught Me

Compare the response of the Wise, the Child of the Kingdom of God to the child of Adam:

the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness

The foolish shout and babble nonsense regardless of the truth, all with the intent of dragging you into their cesspool of evil. When attacked, Jesus did not allow passion to control Him so that He attacked back. Pastor Jon Bloom notes:

“Jesus was more concerned for the glory of God his Father than anything else. Jesus did not fear people — he “did not entrust himself to them” (John 2:24) and he did “not receive glory from [them]” (John 5:41). He loved and feared his Father. And this overriding pursuit of God’s glory freed him to say only what needed to be said when it needed to be said — and it made what he said so powerful and frequently unpredictable.”

If we as Christ’s Church are going to make a difference in this world, we cannot be dragged into the babbling of demons and lost people. We must keep our eyes on the Word of God, and use our tongues and our lives to support that Word. We are to live for the glory of God, not for our own glory. This is the difference between the lost and the saved: for whose glory are you living?

God’s Character Should Moderate Our Tongues

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

The Lord watches us all. The evil, the lost person, rarely considers God unless they have a need in their lives. Then and only then will they give a slight nod to God as they demand that He give them comfort in their prayers. But God is everywhere at all times. God is not a stone idol, locked into a room. The Bible says:

Job 34:21-22 (ESV) For {God’s} eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps. There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.

God is watching everyone at all times. This is an attribute or characteristic of God called omnipresence. People think that God does not see them. But God says:

Jeremiah 23:24 (ESV) Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.

God is everywhere, at all times and places. The Apostle said, “In Him we live, and move, and HAVE OUR BEING” (Acts 17:28). We were previously told in:

Proverbs 5:21 (ESV) For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths.

When my nieces were young, every Christmas my sister Crissie would put “An Elf On The Shelf” in the home. If the children were misbehaving she would tell them, “You better behave! Elfie will tell Santa, and you won’t get any presents!” Other parents go directly to the source, and say along with the song:

You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not shout,
I’m telling you why –
Santa Claus is coming to town!
He sees you when you’re sleeping,
He knows when you’re awake.
He knows if you’ve been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake!

Elf on a shelf and Santa Claus are little tales we tell our children, but truthfully only God has omnipresence. God watches the evil and the good. God says:

Jeremiah 16:17 (ESV) … My eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from Me, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes.

Illustrate: In New York City, the largest city in America, there are 25,500 CCTV cameras with people watching the citizens – and yet criminals still slip through the cracks. But God sees everything. God sees the evil, and He sees the good. He sees us in our affliction, and in our comfort. God is with us through furnace or storm, through prison or freedom. The Bible says:

2 Chronicles 16:9 … the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.

The character of God, rightly understood, should control our tongues and our behavior.

The Tongue Can Heal, Or Kill

Proverbs 15:4 A WHOLESOME tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

Word Study: The word translated WHOLESOME is the Hebrew marpē’, which means “healthy or healing”. The same word is used in:

Proverbs 12:18 (KJV) There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is HEALTH. {marpē’}

The healthy tongue is the “TREE OF LIFE”. The Tree of Life was placed in the Garden of Eden by God (Genesis 2:9) to benefit Adam and Eve. When Adam led Eve to depart from the Word of God (the day that you eat of the Tree of Knowledge, you shall surely die), in essence making himself god, the Lord said:

Genesis 3:22, 24 (KJV) … the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the TREE OF LIFE, and eat, and live for ever: … So {God} drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the TREE OF LIFE.

While Adam honored the Word of God, he had access – along with his progeny – to the Tree of Life. But once Adam substituted the Word of God for the word of the serpent, he lost access to that blessing.

Adam & Eve, as well as their children, lost access to the Tree of Life because they did not honor God’s Word.

To those who believe in God’s Word and grasp it by faith, God has promised to restore the Tree of life to us. God says:

Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Those who speak and cherish God’s Word lead others to the Tree of Life, to eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Those who wallow in evil and perverseness bring only “a breach in the spirit”. Let us turn fully to the Word of the Lord.

Father Knows Best

Proverbs 15:5 A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

In the ancient world the Father or Daddy provided instruction to the children. God told the fathers in Israel:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NKJV) Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

It was the father’s job to teach the children in the family. As the family began to break down, and the number of families were fatherless, foolishness began to reign in America. The father is to teach his children how to behave in a civil society. As one commentary noted:

“One’s attitude toward parental teaching will determine one’s lifelong attitude toward authority and instruction.” (Garrett)

Authority Of The Wise And The Foolish

Proverbs 15:6-7 In the HOUSE of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. 7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.

Wisdom and godliness bring treasure into a life. The word “HOUSE” is not a reference to a stick and mortar building, but to a dynasty or a kingdom. We are told in:

Hebrews 3:4-6 (KJV) .. every HOUSE is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. 5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his HOUSE, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 6 But Christ as a Son over His own HOUSE; whose HOUSE are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Moses’ HOUSE was the Old Covenant and the Law. Jesus’ HOUSE is the New Covenant and Grace. The Bible tells us “the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). We who are saved are of the HOUSE OF CHRIST. He is our Savior and Lord, and we continue under His administration. There is “MUCH TREASURE” in following Christ. The wicked follows the flesh and the desires of this world, but those who follow after Christ are blessed beyond measure. Why? The reason is, the Ways of Christ are far superior to the ways of Satan, of this world.

There is RELIEF FROM DAMNATION in the House of Christ. God told Noah, “You come along with your HOUSE into the Ark, for you have sought righteousness before Me” (Genesis 7:1).

The Christ follower must leave the HOUSE of the lost, and commit to the Lord. God told Abram, “Get out of your country, from your FATHER’S HOUSE, to where I lead you” (Genesis 12:1).

If you are saved, you are called to follow Him Who saved you. We are to live for Him, and to speak His Word.

The lips of the wise disperse knowledge

May God use us for His glory. Amen!

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Who’s Following Who?

Posted on February 10, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Hugues de BUYER-MIMEURE on Unsplash

Romans 8:14-17 (KJV) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

The Christian is a changed creature – a “NEW CREATION”. When you RECEIVE the Gospel of salvation, REPENT of your sins and RETURN to God the Father through faith in Jesus Christ, you are changed. The Bible says:

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) … if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

The God Who separated light from darkness, water from earth. The God Who took a dead planet and turned it into a paradise, the God Who made Adam and Eve, the God Who set the universe in place around us – this God changes you.

You Are Changed By The Spirit Of God

The believer in Christ follows the Lord:

Romans 8:14 (KJV) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Believers follow God. We do not chase after SIN, but are led by our Savior.

You are not primarily driven by sinful desires. They may still be there, but your life direction, your wants and wills, move toward God. You are LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD. You believe the Word of God, the Scripture. Your heart seeks to follow the Lord Who saved you.

The Bible says in 1 John 4:1,

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (ESV)”

There are many SPIRITS in this world today.

When Satan revolted from God, He carried a third of the angels in revolt with him (Revelation 12:4). As Angels are “ministering spirits” (Hebrews 1:14), fallen angels are also spirits. We try or test the spirits to see if they are of God by comparing the message of the spirit to the Holy Scripture. What does the Bible say? When confronted with “The spirit of the world” (1 Corinthians 2:12) or Satan, the devil showed Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, he said to Jesus”:

Matthew 4:9 (NKJV) … All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.

Jesus “tried the spirit to see if it was from God” by focusing on the Scripture. He said:

Matthew 4:10 (NKJV) “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Jesus quoted the commands of Deuteronomy 6:13-14 & 10:20 when He declared “IT IS WRITTEN”. God will not depart from His Word, the Bible.

When people repeatedly reject God’s Word and His Gospel, He sends a “spirit of slumber” (Romans 11:8) on them. But if, on hearing the Gospel you REPENT of your sins, and RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, then God the Holy Spirit comes to your soul and changes you – and keeps on changing you.

Romans 8:15 (KJV) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

So many people resist coming to Christ in faith because they fear what they will lose. “I don’t want to have to give up my lifestyle”. Beloved, the most precious thing you have is your soul. When you are laying on your death bed, hours or minutes from leaving this earth, you will care little about how much money you have in the bank, how much fame or popularity you have. As you come toward the end of life’s present journey you will have fear. Our Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 16:26 (KJV) For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

What will you have as the clock ticks, and life ebbs, if you do not have Jesus? You will have the “spirit of bondage again to fear”. Bound to your sins, bound to the things of this earth, the treasures that are soon to pass, you have spirit of fear. The Christian has not received the spirit of this world, nor the spirit of fear. The Christian has received the Holy Spirit of God, the “SPIRIT OF ADOPTION”.

You were a child of Adam.
Christian, you are NOW a child of God.
He has adopted you, through the Blood of Christ.

It is commonly taught by false prophets that “God is the universal Father of all”, and that we are all by default “His Children”. This, indeed, is the spirit of error (1 John 4:6) and not the Spirit of truth. Jesus Christ said:

John 10:27 (NKJV) My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

The Child of God is led by the Spirit of God. The Child of God follows Jesus. The lost do not follow Jesus, nor are they led by the Holy Spirit. Therefore they are God’s CREATION but not His CHILDREN.

To be a Child of God, you must be “born again of the Spirit” (John 3:3, 7; 1 Peter 1:23). The Bible is very clear in its assessment of mankind. There are none righteous. There are none good but God (Matthew 19:17). The Spirit of truth declares that we are all orphaned from God because of Adam’s failure. Man refused to obey God in the Garden of Eden, and continued to refuse to obey God even after he was cast from that Garden. Man was orphaned from God because Adam – and we as his children – walked away from God. I was listening to Pastor Voddie Baucham preaching the other day when he said:

“The most foolish thing Adam did when he sinned was to run away from God and hide. When we sin, we should run toward God, for God is the Source of mercy and Grace.”

What did Adam do on sinning? He ran away from God, and hid himself. When God came into the Garden the Father asked “Adam, where are you?” (Genesis 3:9), not because God didn’t know where He was, but because God in love always reaches out to us, calling us to His side. Adam replied, “I heard you, and hid myself because I WAS NAKED AND AFRAID” (Genesis 3:10). Adam ran away. When God further inquired as to why Adam ran away, Adam once more ran from God by blaming others. He said,

Genesis 3:12 (NKJV) … The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.

To be saved, you need to run toward God, Who is mercy and grace. When we fill our hands with the forbidden God cannot put the best in them. We must empty our hands and come to Him on bended knee, recognizing that He alone is good, He alone is our Savior, Jesus alone is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16).

Orphaned by sin we all need the Savior. God requires that all who would be in His family REPENT, and RETURN to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 10:13). The genuine Christian is the person who has seen themselves as orphaned, alone in this world without God. The genuine Christian realizes that they need to be received into God’s Family by Grace. The genuine Christian looks upon the Cross of Calvary with swelling heart, knowing the price that Jesus Christ paid for them. The genuine Christian has thrown themselves on God’s mercy – and has not been ashamed.

On the day that you believed and received Jesus Christ, you RECEIVED God’s overwhelming Grace. You also received the Spirit of adoption.

God the Holy Spirit came to live within you the day you called upon the name of Jesus. He now lives in you, just as Jesus has promised:

John 14:15-18 (NKJV) If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

The Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Adoption – comes to the believer and stays with us. He represents Jesus in our lives. Jesus went on to say:

John 14:26 (NKJV) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

The Holy Spirit Brings The Believer
Into The Family Of God

Romans 8:15-16 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (16) The Spirit ITSELF (Greek autos, pronounced ow-tos’) beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Before we go deep into this verse, I want to clear up a textual translation error. In verse 16 we are told:

The Spirit ITSELF beareth witness with our spirit

Word Study: The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit is not a “IT”, but a “HIM”. The Greek word autós (pronounced ow-tos’) should have been translated “HIMSELF”, and this is the translation found in the NKJV, NIV, ESV, CSB, NASB, Legacy Standard Bible, ASV, and Young’s Literal Translation – in short, the bulk of the translations in use today.

Further, we previously saw where, in John 14:15-18 & verse 26 our Lord Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as “HIM” and “HE” and not “it”. Later on Jesus told His disciples:

John 15:26 (NKJV) … when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

John 16:13-14 (ESV) When the Spirit of truth comes, HE will guide you into all the truth, for HE will not speak on HIS own authority, but whatever HE hears HE will speak, and HE will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for HE will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Masculine pronouns are repeatedly used by our Lord in describing the Holy Spirit. When Jesus told us to baptize, He said:

Matthew 28:19 (ESV) … baptizing them in the NAME of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity of God, and is a Person, the Third Person of the Godhead. We are told to:

Not GRIEVE the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30)
Not SIN AGAINST the Spirit (Isaiah 63:10)
Not LIE TO the Spirit (Acts 5:3), and
To OBEY the Spirit (Acts 10:19-21)
as He leads and guides us as God’s Children.

My commentary notes:

“The person-hood of the Holy Spirit is also affirmed by His many works. He was personally involved in creation (Genesis 1:2), empowers God’s people (Zechariah 4:6), guides (Romans 8:14), comforts (John 14:26), convicts (John 16:8), teaches (John 16:13), restrains sin (Isaiah 59:19), and gives commands (Acts 8:29). Each of these works requires the involvement of a person rather than a mere force, thing, or idea.

The Holy Spirit’s attributes also point to His personality. The Holy Spirit has life (Romans 8:2), has a will (1 Corinthians 12:11), is omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10–11), is eternal (Hebrews 9:14), and is omnipresent (Psalm 139:7). A mere force could not possess all of these attributes, but the Holy Spirit does”

The Holy Spirit brings us into a personal relationship with God our Father.

ye have received the Spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, Abba, Father

Word Study: The phrase “Abba, Father” shows the Christian’s intimacy with God. When our Lord Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane, just before He was nailed to the Cross for our sins, Jesus used these words in praying:

Mark 14:36 {Jesus prayed} … Abba, Father, all things [are] possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

These are the words that the very Son of God used when addressing the Father in that dark garden. There …

Hebrews 2:9 … we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

As Jesus prepared to “taste death for every man”, to bear the full burden of our sins on His precious Body, He prayed.

“Abba – Father. Abba – Pater. There is nothing that You cannot do. Will You not take this cup of death from Me? Yet Abba – Pater, it matters not. I will do as You will, Blessed Father. I will drink of this cup if You so bid!”

Three times Jesus prayed “ABBA, FATHER”. And each time the Father told the Son, “No – though I love You with an infinite love, You must bear this burden. Only through You can salvation to mankind come.” Jesus knew this in His Godness, but in His humanity prayed as we pray when facing horror. The Bible says:

Galatians 4:4-7 (KJV) But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (6) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (7) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

The Son of God gave His life for you, dear Christian, so that you could be taken from the family of Adam and adopted into
the Family of God.

Every Christian has equal value to God. Every Christian is a child of God, a son or daughter. In the world people qualify and quantify people, but in the Kingdom of God:

Galatians 3:28-29 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (29) And if ye [be] Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

You, dear Christian, are united in Christ. You are “heirs according to the promise”. This heirship was purchased at a terrible price. The hymn “I Gave My Life For Thee” says it best:

“I suffered much for thee,
More than thy tongue can tell,
Of bitterest agony,
To rescue thee from hell;
I’ve borne it, borne it all for thee,
What hast thou borne for Me?
I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee,
What hast thou brought to Me?”

When we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Did Jesus do this just to save us from hell?

Jesus Died And Rose Again To
Make Us HEIRS

Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit (Himself) beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (17) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

The Christian is a “JOINT HEIR WITH CHRIST”. The word translated “JOINT HEIR” is the Greek , sugkleronomos (pronounced soong-klay-ron-om’-os), which means “to be partnered with or bound together in a united state”.

Our interests are bound together now,
and into eternity.

What a joyous statement this is. We ARE joint heirs with Christ. This is the current state of the Christian. It is not we will be joint heirs, but WE ARE – but only with Christ. The Christian is covered by the righteousness of Christ. You are joint-heirs with Christ. As the Scripture says:

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (31) That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Someone asks, “How do you know after death that you will go to Heaven?” My answer is, “I am a JOINT HEIR WITH CHRIST”. When Jesus died, He rose again. He ascended into Heaven. I am bound to Him as a JOINT HEIR. Where He is, there I will be.

Someone asks, “As you go through the trials of life, are you not frightened as the lost are?” My answer is, “I am a JOINT HEIR WITH CHRIST”. Jesus and I are tied together as Sons of God. If I go through trials, Jesus goes with me. He has said,

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NKJV) He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

How can He leave me? We are JOINT HEIRS. He cannot, or God is a liar. And God is no liar!

When God looks at you, dear Christian, He sees a JOINT HEIR. As Jesus is, we shall be. Trials will come, but Jesus has promised:

John 16:33 (KJV) These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The devil tempted Jesus, he will tempt you. This world will hate you, just as it hates Jesus. Why? Because you are are not of this world – you are of the next. You will be tried, but we are told:

James 1:2-3 (HCSB) Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, (3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Jesus is with you. His Spirit indwells you. You are JOINT HEIRS. The great preacher and Pastor C.H. Spurgeon wrote:

“Would you take Job’s jewels but not his dung hill? Would you have David’s crown, but not his caves of Adullam and the rocks of the wild goats? Would you have your Master’s Throne, but not His temptation in the wilderness? … when you refuse the one, you relinquish all claim to the other. The co-heir is heir to the entire estate. … The joint heirship reaches from the gloomy patina of deep affliction up to the bright ineffable splendor of the throne of bliss.”

Romans 8:17 … And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

The Christian way of life is Christ’s way of life. We do not bind with the spirits of this world, but are bound to the Spirit of God. We are joint heirs with Christ. We suffer with Him, He suffers with us. We inherit with Him, He inherits with us.

Romans 8:18 (KJV) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Yes, Beloved, we do suffer in this world. You will be maligned by the spirit of Satan, the spirit of bondage, the spirit of fear. But this suffering is nothing compared to the glory that shall be revealed or uncovered in us. One day we shall be with Jesus, joint heirs with Christ. We are joint heirs NOW, and will be joint heirs THEN.

The best is yet to come for the Christian. But every day is GLORIOUS because – dear Christians – we are bound to Jesus as JOINT HEIRS. And the indwelling Holy Spirit reminds us of our deep and intimate relationship with the Father.

I pray that you have given your life to Christ. May God the Holy Spirit speak to your hearts through this His Word. Amen.

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Affliction Of The Wicked

Posted on February 7, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Rob Griffin on Unsplash

Proverbs 14:32-35 (KJV) The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death. 33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known. 34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. 35 The king’s favor is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

If I were to sum up the theme of these four verses it would be:

Those who do evil are afflicted, but those who follow righteousness are blessed!

There Is A Payday Coming Someday

Proverbs 14:32 (KJV) The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.

People of every age have mocked God, ignored His precepts, terrorized His people, and generally bathed themselves in wickedness. They believe that they are doing this with impunity. They could not be more wrong. The Bible tells us that:

Ecclesiastes 12:14 (NKJV) God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, WHETHER GOOD or EVIL.

You do not get away with doing evil.
You do not get away with failing to do righteousness.
Jesus said:

Matthew 5:13 (AP) You are the SALT OF THE EARTH. But if you, the Salt, lose your saltiness, you are GOOD FOR NOTHING but to be CAST OUT and walked on by the world.

God will judge the works of EVERY life, the things that we didor did not do while we were on this earth. This includes “every secret thing”, the things we did in the dark that we thought no one saw. God saw it.

Hebrews 4:13 tells us that “Nothing in ALL CREATION IS HIDDEN FROM GOD’S SIGHT”.

That which we do is seen, and recorded by God. The text goes on to say that everything is…

“Laid bare before the eyes of Him WHOM WE MUST GIVE ACCOUNT”.

Our Lord Jesus Himself said “There is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known” (Matthew 10:26). God sees everything.

The wicked are deceived when they do evil and seemingly get away with it, because punishment many times is not immediately forthcoming. They take God’s name in vain, and God in Grace does not respond. They violate the moral law of God’s Word, and nothing happens. They do the things that God says not do, many in the pulpit itself endorse biblical ignorance and defiance, and nothing happens. Their ministries grow, and crowds of people flock to their false teachings and endorsement of evil.

Why doesn’t God punish them now? The Bible tells us that God does punish, but over time. The Scripture says:

Numbers 14:18 (NKJV) The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.

Our God is longsuffering, merciful, forgiving. But “He by no means clears the guilty”. God watches, and waits. When the “fathers” do evil, their children suffer the consequences of their wickedness. A good illustration of this is found in the Days of Noah. The Bible says:

1 Peter 3:20 (NKJV) … Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

God tarries. God waits. But “God is faithful”. A payday is coming someday.

God could have immediately punished the world, but gave Noah 120 years to prepare the Ark and preach the Gospel. God waited. But eventually, judgment fell, and only eight were saved from all creation. God will punish sin, but tarries. We are told in

2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV) The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

God waits patiently for the wicked to repent. Some will not. They will harden their hearts toward God, and one day they will face horrendous judgment! What does it mean that …

Proverbs 14:32 (KJV) The wicked is driven away in his wickedness…

The wicked – those who do evil and refuse to do righteously – will one day stand before God and be judged. John the Revelator saw this Great White Throne Judgment:

Revelation 20:11-15 (NKJV) … I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

As people stand before this Great White Throne there is a sense of terror. There is no happiness nor joy here. Payday has come. John said “I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened”. These “BOOKS” are the works of the wicked, the evil that they did while on this earth. All the evil that the wicked thought they got away with, now it comes out. We are told “the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books”. Every work is judged, whether committed in the light or in the darkness. Nothing is hidden. No one escapes. No one can hide out. Those who died and whose bodies decayed and were eaten in the seas of this earth, they are brought forth. Those in every graveyard – public or private – are brought forth. “they were judged, each one according to his works”. The wickedness that they did now comes to bear. God is not unaware. God is not dead. God is pouring out His wrath against all evil – and all the wicked shall be repaid.

These people are “DEAD” not because they suffered physical death. They are “DEAD” because they rejected God when they could have received Him.

They REVILED rather than REPENTED.
They HARDENED rather than HUMBLED their hearts.
Rejecting LIFE, they embraced spiritual DEATH.

The proof of their wickedness is that their names are not written in the Book of Life. “anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire”. Dead creatures do not belong in God’s Heaven. God did not send them to damnation. They sent themselves. “The wicked is driven away in his wickedness”. They made their choice, and regardless as to how well known or rich they were while on the earth, they are now stripped of everything. They are imprisoned by fire.

Not so the righteous, those who have received Christ as Lord and Savior.

Proverbs 14:32 (KJV) … but the RIGHTEOUS hath HOPE in his death.

The “HOPE” of the Christian is not the same as worldly hope. For the world, “hope” means a “wish”. For the Christian, “HOPE” means the fulfillment of God’s promise to us who believe.

Romans 5:1-6 (NKJV) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Our hope is not based on a wish, but on the Wisdom of God, Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 1:24). We who are saved have received Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior. We surrendered our lives to Him Who died for us, and rose again to lead us. We have a “sure and steadfast HOPE as an anchor of our souls” (Hebrews 6:19) because of Jesus, because of the character of God. Jesus Christ is our High Priest, our Shepherd, our Lord. And where He is, we will one day be.

The righteous has HOPE in his death – but the wicked will only find themselves driven away from God BECAUSE OF THEIR WICKEDNESS. There is a payday coming. Look to Jesus while you can.

Wisdom Gives Us Rest

Proverbs 14:33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.

Those who hear and apply God’s Word in their lives “REST IN THEIR HEART”. Your faith shows in the fruit of your life, in the works you do on a daily basis. When we apply God’s Word to our lives, we will have:

1. CONFIDENCE in God, and in His promises. We who are saved by Grace rest in the confidence that God is with us, and goes before us:

Proverbs 3:26 (NKJV) … the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.

We have confidence that God hears us – as long as we ask according to His Spirit:

1 John 5:14-15 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

2. CONVICTION that I am fully accepted by God through the merit of Jesus Christ alone – I am a child of Grace.

Ephesians 1:3-6 (NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

The Christian is not saved based on his self-conviction, but on the Grace of God we find through Jesus Christ our Lord. We are “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ”. God now considers us – because we are in Christ – fit to enter Heaven. God called us to salvation, and “chose us in Him” from eternity past. Our destiny is not hell fire, but we are “predestined .. to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself”. We are children of God because of Christ. When God looks at us, we are “accepted in the Beloved”. Because we love Jesus, the Father loves us.

3. That we are now COMPANIONS of God.

Joshua 1:9 (ESV) … Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Matthew 28:20 (ESV) … I am with you ALWAYS

John 14:18 (ESV) I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

4. We have COURAGE because of His promises.

Deuteronomy 20:1 (NKJV) When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.

2 Chronicles 20:15 (NKJV) … Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

1 Peter 3:14-15 (NKJV) But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear …

5. We are COMFORTED by God as we look to Him.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (ESV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Fools parrot their nonsense and silliness, but those who belong to God rest in His Word and in our faith.

Sin Hurts More Than Just The Sinner

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness EXALTETH a nation: but sin is a REPROACH to any people.

Thomas Constable’s Commentary on Proverbs notes:

“World history has proved the truth of this proverb repeatedly, but the great biblical example of it is the history of Israel— especially during the monarchy. When good kings and righteous conduct (“righteousness”) prevailed, Israel flourished. But when bad kings led the people into “sin,” judgment followed.”

Word Study: When a nation follows the righteousness of God, that nation is “EXALTED”. This is the Hebrew verb rûm (pronounced room), which means “to be lifted up, to be set on high, to be raised to a higher standard”. As this is in the POLEL stem (imperfect) it can mean “to cause to grow up”. Nations that follow the righteousness of the God of Scripture will, like a well nourished child, grow into adulthood. Nations that reject God’s righteousness for “SIN” find themselves anemic, deprived of that which makes for growth or health. This same word was used in describing the great Noahic Flood:

Genesis 7:17 (KJV) … the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up {rûm, Qal stem, imperfect} above the earth.

Because Noah and his family honored God with their lives, they were LIFTED UP above the judgment that He placed on the earth – whereas the unbelievers left behind drowned in their sin.

Proverbs 14:34 … but SIN IS A REPROACH to any people.

Word Study: The word translated “REPROACH” is the Hebrew ḥeseḏ. This is not a verb, but a noun. If you follow God and His righteousness, He does good toward the nation. But if you reject God’s righteousness you become “a wicked or shameful thing”. A good illustration of this principle is the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, and of ancient Rome. The Roman Empire rose to power fueled by a sense of civic duty, justice, and order. As the Empire grew, moral decay and corruption along with internal strife grew. Though Christianity prospered in the midst of this madness, Rome eventually fell not from its enemies, but through internal moral rot. One source I found noted:

“This proverb challenges conventional understandings of power politics, indicating that a nation’s greatness and power are determined by its moral character and not by its political, military, or economic strength.”

Before God sent Israel into the Promised Land, He told them:

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 (NKJV) … if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God

But God also warned Israel:

Deuteronomy 28:15-16 (NKJV) if you do NOT obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: 16 “CURSED shall you be …

Whether our nation, our community, our Church, or our families are blessed and lifted up or cursed and cast down will depend on how we treat the Lord our God. He demands obedience for blessing. This verse flows into the last verse of this chapter:

Proverbs 14:35 (KJV) The king’s favor is toward a WISE servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

Our God is King of all that He has created. The Psalmist said:

Psalm 10:16 (NKJV) The LORD is KING forever and ever …

Psalm 47:2 (NKJV) For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.

In fact, our God is often called “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Daniel 2:37; Revelation 19:16). When we who are His children, His servants honor Him, He blesses us with favor. But to those who disparage and mock the King of all, He reserves wrath and judgment. God blesses those who love and honor Him, but curses those who reject and mock Him.

One of the websites I recently discovered – the Contradict Movement (Andy Wrasman) – noted:

“God’s people will receive his peace, strength, blessing, and protection. Psalm 29:11 says, “May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!” Psalm 95:6-7 remind us of previous points of God’s kingship, that he is our maker and God, and as such, we are given the comforting image that “his people we are occupants of his pasture.” Being the people of his pasture, we have the Lord’s blessing and protection, and in response Psalm 99:3 tells us the response of his people: “Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O Lord.”

We who are saved belong to Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Loving Him, we obey Him. Obeying Him, we show we love Him. God shows favor or blessing toward those who heed Him. But to those who disrespect the Lord, shaming Him, God reserves wrath.

This is rarely preached in today’s consumer Christian world, but Jesus often referred to the accountability of the believer. In

Luke 12:43-46 (ESV) Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces.

Those who claim to be “Christian” and yet live a life filled with self and selfishness, there is coming a payday someday. Pastor John Piper wrote:

“… the parable is spoken to followers of Jesus, but the reason it is spoken to them is to warn them that if they turn their back on their Master and start using their reputed role as His servants to act selfishly and abuse those in their charge, He will put their lot with unbelievers.”

If you are saved by Grace, through faith in Christ, Jesus is both Lord and Savior to you. He is our Master, and we His bond-servants. Paul, Timothy, James, Peter, and Jude all describe themselves as “bond-servants of Christ” (Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1:1, NKJV).

Believers in Jesus should consider themselves bond-servants or bond-slaves of Christ.

1 Corinthians 7:22 (ESV) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.

Christians are called to be faithful to God, “as bond-servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6). We renounce other worldly masters and put God first (Matthew 6:24), giving ourselves fully to our God (Matthew 16:24). We do not do this to be saved, but because we are saved. We are not our own, but are “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). We glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits – for we are His possession.

May God touch your hearts with His Word. Amen.

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