The Importance Of Walking With Jesus

Posted on February 20, 2024 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-opening-a-scroll-5986492/

Hebrews 1:1-3 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high…

Why did God give us the Book of Hebrews? Why Is “Hebrews” So Important For Us In America Today?

People are in a constant state of confusion in America. Many children are growing up confused about their sexuality. The vast majority struggling with sexual identity come from broken homes. Their mothers or fathers – or both – abandoned them, abused them in their formative years, and so the child is confused.

A child, like a plant, will only grow and be fruitful in the proper soil and in proper care. Left to its own, the weeds of life take over. Poorly tended, children turn to crime, drug abuse, or confusion of face (furries)!

How are we going to see the rips in American society repaired? Will a political party, some man made “god” do it? No! What will fix the Church in America, the Church that has so compromised that its ministers have become molesters, and it’s mission to fly a rainbow flag? Another denomination isn’t going to fix it.

We need to get back to the Source of Life. We need to get to God. That’s what the Book of Hebrews is about.

Let’s start with the name of the Book, “HEBREWS”. According to Allan P. Ross, the author of the Baker Academic textbook “Introducing Biblical Hebrew” (2001):

“Hebrew belongs to the CANAANITE group of languages. Canaanite languages are a branch of the Northwest Semitic family of languages”

That’s fascinating. Our Old Testament is written in Hebrew and Aramaic, both languages coming from Canaan. Though Canaan was a land of “milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8; Numbers 14:8; Deuteronomy 31:20; Ezekiel 20:15), Canaan was filled with an evil and idolatrous people. Rather than worship the God Who made them, they created their own gods and goddesses. When God sent Israel into Canaan, He ordered that they “utterly destroy all in the cities” (Joshua 6:21). Why did God want the Canaanites all gone? Because God gave the Canaanites a beautiful and bountiful land. God gave them rain in due season, great harvests, and wonderful weather along with fertile soil. Rather than walk with God, the Canaanites despised God, abused that which He gave, and created false gods that they paid homage to.

And their civilization fell apart. They became savage.

Pastor Don Stewart notes:

“The Promised Land in which the Israelites were to settle was populated by the Canaanites who had corrupted and perverted God’s truth. They had corrupted themselves to the place where they were beyond saving. Had any been permitted to live, they would have infected Israel with their moral depravity.”

Canaanites followed false gods. They murdered and abused their children. They rejected a walk with God. In the midst of all this madness, we see God reach out to a person of Canaanite heritage. A HEBREW by the name of Abram.

Genesis 14:13 (ESV) … Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre …

Abram – who would follow God and become known as ABRAHAM – was from Canaanite stock. “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). God reached out to Abram, Abram didn’t reach out to God. Abram was broken. He had no children, nor any prospect of children. God reached out and called this Hebrew to salvation. God said:

Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV) … Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

Abram-Abraham was a pagan who heard a call to salvation, and began to follow the Lord because of it. He separated from his Canaanite family and Canaanite religions to honor the Lord who saved him. What did God promise Abram/ Abraham? He promised Abram a child. God said, “I will fix your broken life and the broken life of your wife if you follow Me”. God promised Abram many children. God said, “I will make of you a great nation”. God promised not only to fix Abram, but to give him a SUPERABUNDANCE OF GRACE. But what else did God promise Abram? God said, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”. God would give Abram GRACE, but a GREAT GRACE would come through Abram’s heritage. Now here’s a question for you to ponder.

What did God NOT promise the Hebrew Abram? He did not promise him HEAVEN. And yet, that is so much of the focus of preaching in America today.

It was through the lineage of Abraham – the Hebrews – that God would send the Messiah. Why did God call out to Abram/ Abraham? To lead him out of the mess of Canaanite society, and to invite him to walk with God Himself. Why did Jesus come to this earth? He came through the Hebrews to give us life RIGHT NOW. It’s not about eventual Heaven. Yes, we want to go to Heaven. The Bible tells us:

John 3:16-20 (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. 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. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

If you walk through this life without Jesus, without the One that the Hebrew Abraham followed, then you have CONDEMNATION. Your life is in pieces. You are not living the life God meant you to live.

Jesus came into this world to not just save you from Hell, but to lead you in this life. He came to take your brokenness and, through His Grace, bless you and give you the life the devil doesn’t want you to have.

The Target Of Salvation Is To Walk With God

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets

God has been reaching out to mankind since our start in the Garden of Eden. We’re told in verse 1 that God reached out “at sundry times and in divers manners”. This is two Hebrew words, polymerōs polytropōs. The God Who is “the Everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 40:28) reached out “at many different times, and in many different ways” to SPEAK or COMMUNICATE with us. God wants us to understand that He is the Creator of life. He is our Maker. When we walk apart from Him, we walk in darkness and in misery. God called out men whom He called “prophets”. The Prophets were the oracles of God. They, like Abraham, were willing to listen to God. These men in turn told others what God wanted them to hear.

God kept His Word, and out of Abraham raised up a nation called Israel that was to introduce the whole world to life with God. But Israel went to Egypt, and there got away from God. They gave their hearts to the gods of Egypt, turning back to the darkness. As a result the nation that was supposed to BLESS the world was CURSED in their world. Pharoah told the midwives, those who delivered the babies of the Hebrew mothers:

Exodus 1:16 … When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

When you get away from a relationship with God, He will often allow troubles to come. It is God Who brings stability to our lives.

Jeremiah 3:25 We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.

The Pharoah determined that he wanted the male babies of the Hebrew women to be killed. Had this happened, the Nation that God was going to bless the whole world with would have died out. When the midwives wouldn’t do this evil, Pharoah tried working the Jews to death. As slaves, he made their lives more and more difficult.

Israel cried out to the Lord for salvation when the whip of the taskmaster cut their skin. The prodigal son decided to go home to his father while he was eating out of the hog trough. Trials wake us up and remind us of God.

Israel cried out to God,

Psalm 3:7-8 Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For You strike all my enemies on the cheek; You break the teeth of the wicked. SALVATION BELONGS TO THE LORD … Selah!

When Israel called out to God, repenting and trusting in Him, God heard them. God always hears when we cry out. God called to Moses from a burning bush, saying:

Exodus 3:7-8 (ESV) … I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey…

Israel was saved by calling on the name of the Lord. They heard the voice of the Prophet Moses. God spoke to His people, saying “Follow Me and I will bless you, I will save you from wasted life.

Psalm 116:13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord …

Romans 10:13 … For WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED …

Salvation has always been by GRACE, by REPENTANCE, by turning from yourself and thrusting yourself by faith into the arms of God. Israel was saved by Grace. Abraham was saved by Grace. The New Testament tells us that:

James 2:23 Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. And he was CALLED THE FRIEND OF GOD ..

Romans 4:3 … Abraham BELIEVED GOD, and {this faith} WAS CREDITED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS (a quotation of Genesis 15:6)

Abraham was not saved by keeping a Law, but by loving and following Him Who made us. We are all broken. We think we know best, but apart from God, we do not. When we hear God’s call and follow Him, He covers our sins, and guides us into His light.

Romans 4:6-8 (ESV) … just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

To Be Saved Is To Follow God. Jesus Is God.

Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

God called humans to walk with Him through His prophets. Moses was a great Prophet. But God also wanted us to understand that, though salvation is free to us – it comes at a GREAT COST.

How could God describe the GREAT COST of our salvation? He first did it with the Law, with animal sacrifice. Israel followed the Prophet Moses to Mount Sinai, and there God gave Israel an elaborate series of feasts, festivals, and sacrifices. God established a Tabernacle and later a Temple for worship. The center of the Hebrew’s life was the animal sacrifice. God told the Hebrews to gather

Exodus 12:5 … year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats

The animal was killed as “a sin offering for atonement” (Exodus 29:36). The blood of the blemishless creature COVERED the sin of the people. The Hebrews were to “make atonement for their souls” (Exodus 30:15). The animals were to be killed on an altar to God, then burned to signify the wrath of God being poured out on the blemishless creature for the penitent sinner. The animal suffered the punishment of sin. The animal sacrifice was prophetic, for it had no ability to actually pay the price of sin. Salvation is a gift of Grace, but Someone MUST pay the penalty of sin, which is death.

Some 80 times in the Bible God through the Prophets spoke of ATONEMENT, the covering of sin. In each instance, an animal without blemish was PUNISHED, killed and BURNED to pay for the sins of the people.

Word Study: The word ATONEMENT (Greek katallagē, “Reconciliation with God”) is only found FOUR TIMES in the New Testament (Romans 5:11; 11:15; 2 Corinthians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 5:19). In these passages it never refers to an animal sacrifice – but to what Jesus did for us. For instance, the Bible says:

Romans 5:8-11 (ESV) … but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation (ATONEMENT (Greek katallagē).

We have “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). In the Old Testament, the Hebrew was called to walk with God by faith, and to temporarily cover his sins by animal sacrifices. In the New Testament “we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son”. The Old Testament Law was a shadow, looking forward to the Messiah. We now walk with God by faith in Jesus Christ, believing that HIS DEATH ATONED FOR OUR SINS.

It was prophesied in the Old Testament that God Himself would come into humanity. The Scripture says:

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (meaning “God with us”)

This Messiah would come forth from God to be born in Bethlehem:

Micah 5:2 (ESV) But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

This Messiah is Jesus. He would come into the world to ATONE for our sins, so that we can, by Grace, walk with God. We are told later in this Book of Hebrews:

Hebrews 10:5-10 (ESV) Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; 6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” 8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

God was never satisfied with the sacrifices of animals, no matter how spotless they appeared. God never considered the sacrifice of animals to be an atonement for sin. No, the Messiah must come. The Prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah.

How Much Does God Want You To Walk With Him?

The Jesus that God sent into the world is no mere Man. We are told:

Hebrews 1:2 {God} Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

The Jesus Who came into this world is co-eternal and co-equal with God. Though He took upon Himself humanity, being made of virgin and Holy Spirit, Jesus is the Eternal Word of God. The Scripture says:

John 1:1-3 (ESV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

When God said “Let there be Light”, and there was Light, JESUS WAS THAT LIGHT (Genesis 1:3). God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit made life. When you walk with Jesus, you are walking with the Creator of Life:

John 1:4 (ESV) In Him {Jesus} WAS LIFE, and the life was THE LIGHT OF MEN …

Before Jesus Christ “the Word became FLESH and DWELT AMONG US” (John 1:14), Jesus is co-equal and co-eternal with the Godhead. Jesus is no mere man, a sinner like us.

Jesus is Eternal God Who BECAME FLESH so that He could BE MADE SIN FOR US, that is, in our place. “God the Father MADE Jesus to BE SIN FOR US; that WE might BE MADE the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM (2 Corinthians 5:21).

The Bible says of Jesus that

Colossians 1:13-17 (ESV) {God the Father} has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom {Jesus} we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 {Jesus}| is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by {Jesus} all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

In Jesus, all things are held together. YOUR LIFE WILL FALL APART IF JESUS IS NOT IN IT!

Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

Jesus is the Maker of all things, so He is the HEIR of all things. It is Jesus Who holds all things together. It is Jesus Who “by himself purged our sins”. I read somewhere that in all of the Temple, there was no place, no chair for a Priest to sit down. The Priests worked around the clock, making sacrifices, and had no time to sit. But Jesus, once He purged our sins by dying in our place, He “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high”. When He said from the Cross,

“It is finished” (John 19:30)

He drank the Cup of punishment for us. Instead of giving us a Cup of punishment, Jesus gave us a Passover Table and a Cup to remind us:

Matthew 26:27-28 (ESV) … {take this Cup}, drink of it, all of you; for this is My Blood of the {New} Covenant, which is poured out for many FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS …

If you have believed on Jesus, then the Bible says:

Ephesians 1:5 (ESV) {God the Father} has PREDESTINED US FOR ADOPTION AS SONS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, according to the purpose of His will…

We are not what we were, but are “new creatures in Christ”. We have received “the Spirit of adoption as sons” (Romans 8:15), and await eagerly for our Heavenly redemption (Romans 8:23). We are not saved by Law, but by the Blood of Him Who satisfied the Law. Now saved, we DO NOT TURN THE GRACE OF OUR GOD INTO LASCIVIOUSNESS (Jude 4), denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. We live our lives following Him Who saved us, pleasing Him in all that we do.

May God touch your hearts with His Word and Spirit. Amen.

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The Seventh Commandment – Love, Not Lust: Marriage Is Sacred

Posted on February 16, 2024 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/aerial-photo-of-man-and-woman-lying-on-grass-field-265722/

We’ve been studying the Ten Commandments the last few weeks. Tonight we’ll look at one of the most violated of the Ten:

Exodus 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Sexual Sin Destabilizes Nations, Ruins Churches,
and Cripples Families

Several years ago I predicted that the push for the normalization of homosexuality would lead to other sexual perversions. The “flavor of the day” is now called “polyamorous”. The Colson Center notes:

“… polyamory is the practice of having more than one sexual partner. In other words, it is what was called (until yesterday) “promiscuity.” However, as with each prior stop on the slippery slope of undefining marriage and the family, this one also abounds with creative euphemisms like “open relationships,” “non-monogamy,” “throuples,” “swingers,” and (worst of all) “polycules.” {A} New York Times article listed a bevy of new TV shows, movies, and books promoting polyamory as fun and even beneficial—a journey of “self-discovery” that could liven up your “marriage”.

A bumper sticker reads, “Life is short. Have an affair!”

The Huffington Post ran an article a few years ago entitled “There Are Now Greeting Cards For Cheating Spouses. (Yes, Really.)” that’s the actual title. One card said,

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Forget that I’m married,
I’m hitting on you!

That was the cleanest card I saw – others I can’t read from a public pulpit. If you type in “Greeting Cards For Adulterers” in an internet search engine, you’ll get over 3 million sources and sites where you can order such atrocities. Some of the cards depicted people with animals. Another source mocked the 7th Commandment of God, saying “Adultery is ok!”.

God recognizes (but has never endorsed) that sexual sin exists, even among His people. As Jesus was teaching one day, the Pharisees asked Him, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?”. Jesus quickly replied:

Matthew 19:4-6 (ESV) “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

The Pharisees then asked Jesus, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” They were referencing the Law in:

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 “When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, 2 and if she goes and becomes another man’s wife, 3 and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, 4 then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the Lord. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.

Jesus corrected the Pharisees. They asked, “Why did Moses COMMAND a certificate of divorce”? God through Moses NEVER COMMANDED a certificate of divorce. God recognized in the Law the failing and sinfulness of man. He said, in essense, “IF you take a wife, THEN later are dissatisfied and YOU CHOOSE TO GIVE HER a DIVORCE – then once she’s been with another man sexually YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO TAKE HER BACK INTO YOUR BED”. Why did God put these requirements in the Law? Jesus said:

Matthew 19:8-9 (ESV) “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”

Under the Law – which could only PROSCRIBE (forbid) and PRESCRIBE but not cure – divorce was ALLOWED but not COMMANDED. It is only under the NEW COVENANT that God, because of the shed Blood of Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit, could the heart be CORRECTED.

God was NEVER for divorce, as Jesus makes clear. God realized that as humans we are broken, and thus our relationships would be broken. Thus God said “In your brokenness I will allow you to divorce THOUGH I AM AGAINST IT”. God condemned His Old Covenant people for their laxity in maintaining sexual purity. He said:

Malachi 2:13-16 (ESV) … You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

God made marriage to be one man and one woman united together in one covenant for life. In Deuteronomy God was actually saying, “don’t divorce … BUT IF YOU DO, and she marries another, don’t make claim on her as you wife again.” To do so would be to take another man’s wife, and THAT my friend IS ADULTERY.

Polygamy, Now Popular, Is Not New.
It Was In The Old Testament World.

Did God’s people follow God’s pattern of marriage? No, they didn’t. Polygamy – the marriage between one man and multiple wives – was common in the worldly culture of the ancient world. God did not endorse it, but it happened.

Abraham had two wives, Sarai and her maid Hagar (Genesis 16:3). This caused numerous problems for Abraham and his progeny, Israel. Israel’s current war over the Gaza strip is because the children of Hagar, the Arabs, want the land that the children of Sarah have, the Jews. Throughout the Old Testament and to the present day Abraham’s poor decision in taking Hagar to wife has plagued his children, both Arab and Israeli.

Jacob had four wives (Genesis 30), King David had many wives (2 Samuel 5:13), and his son Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines or mistresses (1 Kings 11:3). Each man suffered terribly in their lives, bringing wars into their families and among their children, because they violated God’s Law of marriage. As many wives as David had, he actually stole another man’s wife – Bathsheba – then had that man {Uriah} murdered in combat. God told David:

2 Samuel 12:9-12 (ESV) Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.

David was soundly punished for his act of adultery and murder. As he did, it would be done to him. Though David repented, God required the consequences of David’s actions to follow him till he passed from this life. When God commanded:

Exodus 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Word Study: He was warning us against a terrible poison. In the original Hebrew text there are only TWO WORDS here:

lō’ nā’ap̄ (pronounced naw-af’)

Literally “NO ADULTERY”, or more specifically, “NO BREAKING THE BOND OF MARRIAGE”. God in the Law required that the sin of adultery be treated just as a murder would be treated. If you were caught in adultery, the state (in this case, Israel) was to put you to death. The Bible says:

Leviticus 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery (nā’ap̄) with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery (nā’ap̄) with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterER (nā’ap̄) and the adulterESS (nā’ap̄) shall surely be put to death.

Both The Law And Jesus Are Against Sexual Sin

One day Jesus was teaching, when the Pharisees brought a woman to Him, saying “Master, this woman was TAKEN IN ADULTERY, IN THE VERY ACT” (John 8:4). They reminded Jesus that the Law of Moses required she be executed, then asked Jesus what He thought should be done. Jesus did not initiually respond to them, but instead said:

John 8:7 … He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Jesus was actually quoting the Law of God. God said in Deuteronomy 17:6-7, “The HAND OF THE WITNESSES SHALL BE FIRST TO PUT HER TO DEATH, and afterward the hand of all the people” (Deuteronomy 17:6-7). If these men “CAUGHT HER IN THE VERY ACT” then, as witnesses, they should cast the first stone. Further, if they caught this woman “IN THE VERY ACT”, then where was THE MAN?

The Law demanded that BOTH the adulteress
AND the adulterer be executed.

Jesus used the Law, and put it back on the “witnesses”.
He caught them in a lie, and they knew it!

After they left, Jesus asked “Where are your accusers?” The woman replied, “None accuse me, Lord”. Jesus then replied,

“Neither do I condemn you: GO AND SIN NO MORE”

Jesus did not justify her act of adultery, but recognized it as sin. Nonetheless, Jesus followed the Law explicitly. As the man was not there, the woman could not lawfully be tried. Jesus told her to “GO AND SIN NO MORE”. This is God’s standard for the believer in Him. God has given us commandments that are for our own good. The Apostle said:

1 John 5:1-3 (ESV) Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

God’s commandments – including this Seventh Commandment – are NOT burdensome, but are a blessing. In the hardness of our hearts we often turn away from what God has directed, but we break ourselves when we break God’s Commandments. Sexual immorality destroys lives. The Apostle reminds us of the dangers of sexual sin. He writes:

1 Corinthians 10:8 (ESV) We MUST NOT INDULGE IN SEXUAL IMMORALITY as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day …

The Apostle is referrring to when Israel bound herself sexually to the daughters of Moab, followers of the pagan god Baal (see Numbers 25:1-9). God sent a plague on Israel that killed 24,000 people – 23,000 of them in one day! When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the Priest stood up and publicly brought the death penalty on a high ranking tribal head named Zimri the son of Salu and Cozbi the daughter of Zur for their adulterous activity, God withdrew the plague from Israel.

Beloved, as the children of God we are NOT to minimize sexual sin and the destruction of Biblical marriagew, regardless as to who it upsets.

I recently watched a “Priest” wearing a rainbow painted scarf say “God is gay. God is a lesbian. God is trans. God is gender non-binary. God is straight. God is cis gender.” This is not the God of the Bible. God never endorsed people’s sins. Jesus came commanding that we follow Him, regardless as to how it effected our status with our families. Jesus said in:

Matthew 10:34-38 (ESV) Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

The Scripture repeatedly calls the believer to walk apart from sin. We are called to “live lives worthy of the calling you received” (Ephesians 4:1). We are told “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND” (Romans 12:2). Saved by Grace, as Christians we “declare the praises of Him WHO CALLED US OUT OF DARKNESS, and INTO HIS WONDERFUL LIGHT” (1 Peter 2:9).

As Christians, we honor our God when we live not to please the world, but to please our God (John 15:19; 17:15-18).

1 Thessalonians 4:3 (ESV) For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality

and again,

Colossians 3:5 (ESV) Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

and again,

Proverbs 6:32 (ESV) He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.

If you will not follow Christ on this earth, you need not believe that you will follow Him in Heaven. Saved by Grace now, we live to honor Him. Dear friend, do not believe that you can reside in sexual sin, and will one day enter Heaven. The Bible is clear:

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (ESV) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 5:5 (ESV) … you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Revelation 21:8 (ESV) … But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.

Those who are saved remain in the bonds of marriage, loving the Lord by loving their wives and husbands. May God help us to keep our marriages fully focused on honoring our God and Savior. Amen and Amen.

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The Sixth Commandment: Life Is Sacred

Posted on February 13, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

Poor Mr. Smith! Let’s Ignore The Victim.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is in an uproar again. The state of Alabama executed convicted murderer Kenneth Smith using Nitrogen Gas, in a procedure called nitrogen hypoxia. Smith was a part of a crew hired to murder Elizabeth Sennett. He and John Forrest Parker stabbed her to death in her home, on instructions from her husband. Convicted of murder, Smith sat on death row over 20 years. He was executed almost 36 years after he brutally assisted in murdering this woman. Alabama had tried to execute him by lethal injection (the procedure used to kill Parker) but failed because they were unable to find a suitable vein. Executed by nitrogen hypoxia, the ACLU said “Mr. Smith shook, convulsed, writhed, and gasped for minutes until he was pronounced dead at least 22 minutes after the execution began, though just how long it took is unknown since Alabama closed the execution curtain before the official time of death”.

I wonder how long Elizabeth Sennett “shook, convulsed, writhed, and gasped” as Smith and Parker drove knives into her body? Did those men deserve to die because they callously took her life? Does the state have the right to execute murders? The answer to both questions is an emphatic YES!

Tonight we’re going to look at The Sixth Commandment, and what this commandment entails. The world’s oldest profession is farming, as Adam was placed in the “Garden of Eden to work it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15).

The first sin ever committed was to ignore the clearly presented Word of God (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-7) in order to follow self. The second sin committed was when Cain ignored God’s Word as his father Adam did, and murdered his brother (Genesis 4:6-8).

Murder and killing has been with humanity since our beginning. The prohibition on murder is the one command that everyone agrees with, though not everyone agrees with how murderers are to be dealt with. Three well known characters in the Bible, Moses (Exodus 2:11-15), King David (2 Samuel 11), and the Apostle Paul before he was saved (Acts 8:1; 22:19-20; 26:9-11) were guilty of murder. Moses killed an Egyptian Taskmaster. King David killed Uriah, so he could take his wife in adultery. Saul, before he was Paul, murdered Christians. All three – though never executed – suffered horribly because of their actions.

God told David that “the sword will never depart your house because you despised Me, and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own wife” (2 Samuel 12:10). It is a universal Law of God …

Galatians 6:7 (ESV) Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

David’s conscience bothered him his entire life. In Psalm 51 he wrote “my sin is ever before me” (vs 3) and “deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation” (vs 14). Not only did David have to contend with his conscience, his son Absalom rose up against him, and sought to murder his own father so he could take the throne of Israel. Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness of Midian a fugitive because of his actions. The Apostle Paul never forgot what he did, saying “I am CHIEF OF SINNERS” (1 Timothy 1:15).

Murder is a sin that demands the greatest of punishments. Though the first murderer, Cain, was not executed for his sin, he was marked for life (Genesis 4:15) as a living sign that God despises murder! Life is a sacred gift from God.

In America, someone is murdered every 30 minutes. In 2023 there were 18,450 people murdered in the United States, close to half the population of Maury County. Though the ACLU would have you believe that America has the highest homicide rate, we have about 7.8 homicides per 100,000 people. Any murders are too many, but third world countries like El Salvador, Jamaica, South Africa, Nigeria, Mexico, etc, have 4 to 6 times higher numbers. The farther a people get away from the God of the Holy Bible, the more cavalier they are about the value of life.

Slide 4

Proverbs 29:18 (ESV) Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.

Children are fed a diet of video games simulating murder and mayhem, and television often glorifies the taking of life. One source I found noted that by the time an American youth reaches 18 years old, that child will have witnessed 80,000 murders by television, movie, or video games.

What Does The Sixth Commandment Forbid?

Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

Word Study: The Sixth Commandment is only 4 words in the English, but just two words in the Hebrew: lō’ rāṣaḥ (pronounced raw-tsakh’). Literally, these words mean “No Murder” or “No Assasination”. The word is only found 47 times in 40 verses in the Bible. There are other Hebrew words in the Bible for “kill”, but rāṣaḥ refers to unlawful killing.

Not all killing is unlawful. Some killing is decreed of God, Who is the Giver of life. Murder is when you take life outside of the will of God.

For instance, God allows you to defend yourself and your property. The Bible says:

Job 24:14 (ESV) The murderer rises before it is light, that he may kill the poor and needy, and in the night he is like a thief.

Exodus 22:2-3 (ESV) If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him, 3 but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He shall surely pay.

If someone sneaks into your home and tries to do you or your family harm, you are allowed to kill that person. If the sun is up, and you can thwart the invader without killing him, you should do so – for life is precious. But God does not expect you to allow others to sneak in and hurt your family.

In the Book of Esther, there was a plot against the Jews. The King of Persia allowed Mordecai to write an edict of protection for Israel, saying:

Esther 8:11 (ESV) … saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, and to plunder their goods …

The purpose of government is to protect the lives of its citizens. When King David directed that General Joab “set Uriah {the husband of Bathsheba} in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down and die” (2 Samuel 11:15) David was guilty of murder for hire. As leader of Israel, it was his responsibility to protect the citizens of Israel (and Uriah was a good citizen), not to us his office to murder a man to take his wife in adultery. God condemned David, saying:

2 Samuel 12:9 Why have you DESPISED THE WORD OF THE LORD, TO DO WHAT IS EVIL IN HIS SIGHT? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites …

Was it wrong for Alabama to execute Kenneth Smith? Is this murder, and forbidden by the Sixth Commandment? Absolutely not! Government is ordained of God to protect the lives of its citizens. God told humanity when Noah disembarked from the Ark:

Genesis 9:3-6 (ESV) Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

God established human government to protect the lives of its citizens. When a person violates the will of God, God has the right to receind the life that He gave. God told Israel as they gathered at Sinai for the giving of the Law:

Exodus 19:11-13 (ESV) … be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death. 13 No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.”

God demanded that His Presence and His Word be respected. If anyone treated God’s Presence in a cavalier manner, God demanded that the COMMUNITY TAKE THAT LIFE. The Apostle Paul talks about the responsibility of human government to exercise CAPITAL PUNISHMENT in:

Romans 13:1-4 (ESV) Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

God ordains government to “BEAR THE SWORD”, that is, to execute capital punishment on those who threaten the life of its citizens. We are not to avenge ourselves (“do NOT avenge yourselves; leave room for God’s wrath … vengeance belongs to God, He will repay” – Romans 12:19). We are to allow God’s government to avenge murder. In the same Book that God forbade MURDER, He said:

Exodus 21:12-14 (ESV) Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. 13 But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. 14 But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.

In the Law of God, the Lord differentiated between MANSLAUGHTER and MURDER. Murder was intentional. Manslaughter was accidental. Those guilty of manslaughter could run to a city of Refuge, and would not lose their lives. But the willful murderer was to die! Period!

In Numbers 35:9-34 God told Israel to set up six …

Numbers 35:11-18 (ESV) cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there. 12 The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment. 13 And the cities that you give shall be your six cities of refuge. 14 You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be for refuge for the people of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills any person without intent may flee there. 16 “But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. 17 And if he struck him down with a stone tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. 18 Or if he struck him down with a wooden tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death.

The MANSLAYER who accidentally and unintentionally killed someone could go to a city of refuge, and there have his or her case examined. If the action was unintentional, the person stayed at that city of refuge – kind of like a better class of prison. But if it was intentional, God decreed “The murderer shall be put to death”.

Accidental deaths were considered MANSLAUGHTER, but deaths that could have been prevented but were not were also considered acts of murder. For instance, in the holy land the people of Israel often spent the hottest days on the roofs of their homes. God told the Israelite:

Deuteronomy 22:8 (ESV) When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your house, if anyone should fall from it.

A “parapet” is a low, protective wall or guard rail along the edge of a roof, bridge, or balcony that keeps someone from accidentally walking off the side. If you failed to put up a parapet, then you brought “the guilt of blood upon your house”, that is,you could bew considered a murderer. You knew better, and heard God’s decree – but ignored it and someone died. One Jewish Commentary notes:

“The parapet had to have a minimum size of 10 hand-breadths. The law of the parapet applies only to flat roofs on which people can walk. The Talmud (Bava Kama 15b) records that the second-century teacher, Rabbi Nathan, extended the law of the parapet to prohibit keeping a vicious dog or a precarious ladder in the home.”

Again, the difference between murder and manslaughter is based on intent and deliberation. The Bible says:

Exodus 21:28-29 (ESV) When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable. 29 But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.

If a person owned an ox – which was commonly used to plow fields – if that ox gored someone and killed them, the ox was to be put down while the owner was fined (see verses 30-32). However, if the ox had gored someone before “and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in”, then BOTH the ox and the owner were to be executed. Why? Because the owner showed the same carelessness for life that a common murderer would have. It was a preventable death, and hence was MURDER.

Why Does God Require The Death Penalty For Murder?

God is the Giver of Life, and so God has the right to remove life any time He desires. When God takes life, He is not murdering – He is just removing the gift He gave. When the earth became so filleds with evil that God determined it was unredeemable, the Bible says:

Genesis 6:11-13 (ESV) Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

The Bible says “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1). God can do what He will with His creation, just as you can do with what belongs to you. But Beloved, your soul is the Lord’s. He says, “BEHOLD, EVERY SOUL BELONGS TO ME” (Ezekiel 18:4). You were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and were made to glorify God. When you murder someone, you are taking something that does not belong to you. As Job said, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21). God can do what He wants with what is His – but we have no right to take life outside of the will of God.

As we have said before, the taking of life inside of the lawful government of nations is not murder. Divine punishment is not murder. The soldier who takes life under the direction of lawful government authority is not a murderer. Accidental killing is not murder.

Murder is to unlawfully and unbiblically take a life. Suicide is self murder. Abortion is murder (Psalm 51:5; Luke 1:15; Psalm 139:6). Murder is horrible, because it robs God of His property, and fails to honor the God Who gave that life. God can forgive the murderer, because He has forgiven murderers. God forgave Moses, King David, and the Apostle Paul.

God can use the murderer for His glory. But unless God intervenes – and He has the right to intervene – the murderer is supposed to pay life for life under capital punishment.

God can use the murderer. God used a murderer named Barabbas to execute His Son for our sins. The day that Jesus died for us on Calvary, the Governor Pilate offered to release Jesus and execute Barabbas. The crowd cried out:

Luke 23:18 (ESV) … Away with this man {Jesus}, and release to us Barabbas…

The Lord of Life died instead of Barabbas who deserved it. The Bible says “{Pilate} released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.”

Barabbas was a known murderer (Mark 15:6-7) but Jesus, Who had done no wrong, went to the horror of the Cross. Peter preached:

Acts 3:13-15 (ESV) The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

Jesus was murderered in a murderers place (Acts 7:51-53) for our sins, according to the Will of God (Acts 2:23-24; 4:27-28). Murderers do NOT go to Heaven (Revelation 21:8) unless they receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. He died for us all, so that we might all find life in Him.

Life is precious. The root cause of murder is selfishness, and self centered lovelessness (Matthew 5:21-22; 1 John 3:15-18). Jesus died on the Cross so that He might defeat the sin that so enslaves us, and ruins our lives. Life is precious. God does not want us squandering the great gift He has given us. Jesus was murdered for us, so that rising from the grave He could offer us lives that we cherish and enjoy. I will close with this passage from Hebrews:

Hebrews 12:22-24 (ESV) … you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

When Abel was killed by Cain, his blood cried out for vengeance. God said to Cain, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.” (Genesis 4:10-11). But when Christ was murdered, His Blood cries out in a different way. PastorDan Shambro wrote:

“Abel’s blood cried out, ‘Let my murderer be cursed in payment for my death’. Jesus’ Blood cries out, ‘Let My death be the curse in payment for My murderers.”

Murder must never be justified by the state. But those on death row have hope, the same blessed hope we all have. They have Jesus. If they would but turn to Him, repenting, their next chapter will not be eternal punishment but everlasting life. Oh, that all people would discover the joy of life in Christ. May God the Holy Spirit draw you to Christ this very day. Amen and Amen.

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The Fourth Amen

Posted on February 13, 2024 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Karolina Grabowska: https://www.pexels.com/photo/lonely-woman-crying-with-closed-eyes-4471316/

2 Peter 3:14-18 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of {of Christ} in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. AMEN.

The Fourth Amen Sums Up The Christian Way Of Life

Peter’s last letter to the Church closes with the word “AMEN”. Amen is an interesting word. It is a UNIVERSAL word. “Amen” in the Greek text, the text of our New Testament, is amēn. “Amen” in the Hebrew text, the language of the Old Testament, is āmēn. “Amen” is found in every language on the earth, though it is pronounced differently. It is a unique word that means “let it be fulfilled” or “so be it” or “this is truth”.

When you say “Amen” you are not only agreeing with what is being said, but are claiming ownership.

In Peter’s first letter to the Church, he used the word “AMEN” three times. In the first “AMEN” he gave all glory and power and praise to Jesus Christ. When we SPEAK, our words are to MAGNIFY CHRIST and not ourselves:

1 Peter 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. AMEN.

1 Peter 5:11 To {God} be glory and dominion for ever and ever. AMEN.

The life of the Christian is to glorify God, not ourselves. In the third “AMEN”, we glorify God by loving one another and lifting up one another – by PUTTING OTHERS AHEAD OF OURSELVES.

1 Peter 5:14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. AMEN.

Jesus Christ is THE AMEN, the Faithful and True Witness – The Beginning of the Creation of God (Revelation 3:14). We glorify Christ when we put God and others FIRST, and ourselves LAST. The essence of Grace is that God must be glorified by the lives we live.

The fourth and final AMEN is at the close of Peter’s second book. He says:

2 Peter 3:17-18 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. AMEN.

Before the AMEN there is a warning against “being led away with the error of the wicked”. We who are Christians need to be very careful as to who we follow. Then we are told “But grow in grace”. We are warned not to be led away by the error of the wicked, BUT to GROW IN GRACE. There are two things put before us.

Anything NOT of GRACE is ERROR.
We are to GROW in GRACE.

We as Christians are to be focused on growing in Grace. Now first of all, we are not told that Grace grows. Grace doesn’t grow. I have heard – and have said myself – that an acronym for GRACE is

God’s
Riches
At
Christ’s
Expense

I believe that’s a good definition in once sense. It is the Grace of God that came to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We are told in:

Titus 2:11 For the GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGETH SALVATION HATH APPEARED TO ALL {PEOPLE}

God manifested Himself through Christ, bringing Grace to whoever believes in Him. But Grace does not just save us – Grace changes us. The Apostle went on to say:

Titus 2:12-15 {this GRACE} TEACHES US that, DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS, we should LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, AND GODLY IN THIS PRESENT WORLD; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US, THAT HE MIGHT REDEEM US FROM ALL INIQUITY, and purify UNTO HIMSELF A PECULIAR PEOPLE, zealous of good works.

Grace does not just save from the wrath of God, but creates children of God who want to follow Christ. Grace is not just something that gets you into Heaven, but Grace is something that gets Heaven into YOU! Our Lord Jesus “was made a little lower than the angels FOR THE SUFFERING OF DEATH …. that HE BY THE GRACE OF GOD SHOULD TASTE DEATH FOR EVERY PERSON” (Hebrews 2:9). It was Grace that paid for our sins. It is Grace that leads us to walk with Christ. As the Apostle addressed the Church of Corinth, a Church that seriously misunderstood Grace, he wrote:

2 Corinthians 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

Christians Are To GROW IN GRACE, Not In SELF

2 Peter 3:17-18 beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. 18 But grow in grace

The phrase “grow in grace” presupposes that you are a living creature. A rock cannot grow. A dead thing cannot grow. A branch cut from a tree cannot grow. Grace is first found in the first book of Scripture. Grace is God’s undeserved goodness on us all. God created a man that He called “Adam”, and gave Adam a beautiful wife called “Eve”. Adam was given undeserved life, and placed in a perfect Paradise called the Garden of Eden. Man and woman was given the directive to “be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). Everything that Adam and Eve had was a blessing. It was a gift of Grace, something undeserved and unearned. They just had to follow God. They had to do what God said. What did they do?

They were led away with the error of the wicked.

The devil, in the guise of a serpent (Revelation 12:9), convinced them to depart from Grace and satisfy themselves. To put themselves above God. To make themselves gods, rather than love the Lord Who gave them Grace. God told Adam, “in the day that you eat of the forbidden, YOU SHALL SURELY DIE” (Genesis 2:17). Adam heard and understood these words, but followed the devil rather than God. Being “led away with the error of the wicked” Adam and his progeny DID DIE. Beloved, “The WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH” (Romans 6:23). As the Scripture says:

Romans 5:12 … by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

The error of the wicked one spread through humanity. But the Grace of God was still there. Though God could have destroyed Adam, and with him his progeny, God clothed Adam and Eve, and sent them from the Garden. But Grace gave them life.

The evil one is always striving to lead us to walk away from Grace, and to make ourselves the center of all things. He whispers to us, “you are gods”, and bids us reject the Grace of God for our own glory. Those who are lost in sin follow the darkness of the evil one. Christians are not to do this. The Scripture says:

2 Corinthians 5:17 (AP) Therefore, is ANYONE IS IN IN CHRIST, they are NEW CREATIONS; the old has passed away, the NEW HAS COME!

Christians are to GROW IN GRACE, not to imitate the world. If you are not growing in Grace, you may yet be dead in your sins. The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “This is GOD’S WILL, your SANCTIFICATION”. Sanctification is a technical term for growing to be more like Jesus, more like a child of God. You as believers are commanded to GROW IN GRACE. God would not command that you do something impossible.

God has given us His Spirit and His Scripture and His Sanctuary. Our eyes are to be on Him. Jesus said “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12). He said, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness” (John 14:26). We GROW IN GRACE, not in sinfulness. If we are saved, we walk loving God our Father. We walk surrendered to Christ and his Word. You are saved, a DELIVERED PEOPLE:

Colossians 1:13-14 {God} hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

God Has Given Us Beautiful Pictures Of
Growth In Grace In His Scripture

As I thought and prayed, “How can I explain GROWING IN GRACE”? the Lord spoke to my heart. “I’ve given you all you need – use it!” The first time the word GRACE is found in the Bible is:

Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

God looked at the world, and all the world had ignored Him, and had been led away by the wicked one into evil. The Bible says that “Noah WALKED WITH GOD” (Genesis 6:9). Noah was saved by Grace, because he laid his life before the Lord. Noah didn’t follow the crowd, but followed the Lord. A recipient of Grace, Noah was fully saved. Then God came to Noah.

Noah, build an Ark of gopher wood. Make it the way I tell you. I’ll guide you, but you GROW IN GRACE. Rely on Me. Do what I say, for a flood is coming. Trust Me no matter what, and I’ll see you through.

Can you imagine the ridicule that Noah went through? He built an Ark, and told others that God said a flood was coming by RAIN. No one had ever seen rain, as the earth was watered by a “mist from the earth” (Genesis 2:6-8). Pastor Andy Manning said:

“There are {only} two options. You are either being led away, or you are growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. There is no standing still in the Christian life. There is progress, or regress. The spiritual life is a steep mountain; you are either ascending or descending. It is a battle, you are either advancing or retreating. It is a race; you are either winning or losing. You are growing, or you are backsliding.”

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “The only way to avoid falling in the Christian life is to advance. The only way to avoid slipping back is to go forward. There is no such thing as being static in the Christian life ..”

What if Noah had said, “Well, I’m saved, so I’ll just REST IN GRACE. God said to build an Ark, but its too hard. I think I’ll just sit here until I drift into Heaven.” Do you know what would have happened had Noah done that? He would have drowned with the rest of the world, he and his children. All would have died – including you and I – if Noah had not GROWN IN GRACE.

There’s another person that comes to my mind when I think of GROWING IN GRACE, and that is the shepherd boy called David. When King Saul failed to honor God, abusing His Grace, God rejected him as King and sent the Prophet Samuel to the home of Jesse the Bethlehemite to find a more suitable King for Israel. As Samuel examined each of the children of Jesse, strong young men, to Samuel they all looked powerful enough or smart enough to be King. But God told Samuel:

1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV) … Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

The Lord looks on the heart to see if you have surrendered to His Grace. Are you following the evil one, or seeking Him? Seven sons passed by Samuel, and to each son God said “I do not want this person – he has rejected My Grace”. Samuel asked if Jesse had any other children, and Jesse said “I have one other young son – my eighth. He is watching the sheep.” When Jesse brought David to Samuel, God said “Anoint him as King – he is the one” (1 Samuel 16:12). What made David special.

David loved the Lord. David received God’s Grace.

Did David ascend to the Throne of Israel right then, or did he seek out a following to help promote him to the Throne? No! David relied on the Grace of God. David GREW IN GRACE. He went back to the field to watch the sheep until King Saul called for David, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep” (1 Samuel 16:19). David went to the court of the King, and waited on the King, playing the harp for him.

To grow in Grace is to be like David. Though anointed King, he served the King because it pleased God his Father. David waited, and grew in Grace.

When you wait on the Grace of God, glorifying the Lord Who saved you, in time He will give you other opportunities for growth. When Israel went to battle the Philistines a giant by the name of Goliath came out and mocked Israel. This Goliath was arrogant, and brash, crying out “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together” (1 Samuel 17:10).

The armies of Israel quaked, fearing every man to go forward.
King Saul refused to fight. He was not willing to grow in Grace.

Then David came along. “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26). The children of Israel hid. His brothers mocked him. Who was David to criticize them? Well, David was a nobody who knew Somebody great. While in the pasture guarding the sheep – the lowest job in the household – David used his sling and sword to kill predators. David told Saul,

1 Samuel 17:34-37 (ESV) … Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Growing in Grace means to not make everything about YOU, but about the Lord. Growing in Grace means to step outside your comfort zone, and live to glorify God. David grabbed a lion by its beard and killed it. David killed bears with his sling and a stone. He did it to glorify God, and to honor his father. David was anointed King, but was content to wait on the Lord, to trust in Him until the time was right.

When David got ready to fight Goliath, Saul tried to give him his armor. David said, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them” (1 Samuel 17:39). David did well by trusting in the Lord, by growing in Grace. He knew that Grace would give him all he needed to defeat Goliath. He was God’s man. Hear what it sounds like to grow in Grace. David told Goliath:

1 Samuel 17:45-47 (ESV) … You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.

What if David had cowered with the rest? What if David would not go forward until he had a Sherman Tank, or a machine gun, or the skills of a Ninja warrior? That’s not growing in Grace. Growing in Grace is living surrendered to the will of God, to the glory of God. What was the outcome? David killed the Philistine with a sling and a stone – using Goliath’s own sword to cut off his head. And when David won that battle and King Saul asked, “Whose son are you, young man?”, David simply replied:

“I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”
1 Samuel 17:58

I am nobody. I am a recipient of Grace. I am growing in Grace, honoring my father and my Lord.

Growing In Grace Often Requires Suffering

As Peter talks about growing in Grace, he speaks about the Apostle Paul.

2 Peter 3:15-16 … account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Before he was Paul, Paul was SAUL, a Pharisee commissioned to hunt down and destroy Christians. Saul was very religious. He knew the Law, and was trained by the famed Rabbi Gamaliel in the Torah and Talmudic writings. As he traveled the Damascus Road one day, seeking to imprison more Christians, Jesus knocked Saul down and reached out in Grace to him. God said of the newly saved Paul:

Acts 9:15-16 (ESV) … he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.

Wait a minute! I’ve heard the televangelists tell us that the whole purpose of GRACE is to RELIEVE SUFFERING, to keep us from Hell. Beloved, they have lied to you. Grace certainly saves from hell, but Grace demands you follow Christ. Following Jesus will put you on a different path from the world. The world walks in darkness. The world is “led away with the error of the wicked”. The world follows self and Satan, sin and silliness. But we who are recipients of Grace are to “Grow in Grace”, to learn reliance upon the Lord more and more.

As God used Paul to preach the Gospel of salvation, God used him in a mighty way. But Paul never took credit for that. He said,

1 Corinthians 15:10 … by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Paul was fully reliant upon the Lord. He GREW IN GRACE. One day, the Bible says that God intentionally sent trials to Paul. We read:

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 … lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Growing in Grace is only possible when God takes away your own strength, your own abilities, your own self. Paul realized this. Like the Shepherd David, Paul was saved by Grace, and grew in Grace. Every day of his life he relied upon the power of God.

Some of you have thorns in the flesh. You can give in to the thorns. You can cry over what you have lost. Or you can use the time of suffering as a time to grow in Grace. If you are saved,

1 Peter 2:9-10 … ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

As recipients of Grace – the undeserved mercy of God – let us follow Him and love Him, no matter where life may lead us. When we suffer, let us draw near to Him in prayer. When we do not understand, let us increase our knowledge of Christ.

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

As Christians, let us live to learn more about Jesus. Jesus is not just our Savior, but He is “our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”. Let us live to bring glory to Him – not to ourselves. For one day we will see Him face to face. On that day we will either receive reward for honoring Him through the Grace He gave us, or damnation for rejecting His Grace, “being led away with the error of the wicked”. It is “the TRUE GRACE OF GOD wherein we STAND” (1 Peter 5:12).

We stand with Jesus, because Jesus stands with us. Amen and Amen.

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Growing Victorious In This Viperous World

Posted on February 7, 2024 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-ripping-finish-line-strap-2524739/

2 Peter 3:1-2 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: 2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior:

In this wonderful chapter of my life – serving the Lord as a pastor and an unworthy servant – I have read many books and listened to sermons from men who were considered “greats” in our faith. The past 25 years or so I have been shocked at the fall of many of the great pastors and preachers. Johnny Hunt has been accused of sexual harassment, and is suing the SBC contrary to the direct teaching of the Scripture (1 Corinthians 6:1-11). Ravi Zacharias, a prolific author and well known apologist, was discovered (after his death) that he was systematically and sexually abusing women. Paige Patterson the former president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, was fired for improper behavior. Bill Hybels resigned from Willow Creek and Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill amidst charges of abusive leadership. Perry Noble was fired from his church for alcohol abuse. The grandson of Billy Graham, William Graham Tullian Tchividjian resigned as pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian due to an extramarital affair. Just yesterday, I read of a horrible misstep by Alistair Begg. On his “Truth For Life” radio program, Begg was asked by a grandmother what she should do about her grandson. Her grandson wanted to marry his same sex lover, and asked the grandmother to attend the ceremony. Begg said, “I suggest you do go to the ceremony. And I suggest that you buy them a gift.” American Family Radio dropped Begg’s program after this. As Christians, we are commanded to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).

Attending a homosexual marriage and giving a gift is no different from going to an abortion and holding the hand of the person killing her child. By your actions you are saying you approve!

Ever since the Devil possessed a snake and slithered into the Garden of Eden, he has proved over and over again that he is the dark master of deception. As I speak of fallen Pastors – men I did learn from who were at one time great men of God – I am not jeering. There but for the Grace of God go I! How can we as Christians Live Victorious In This Viperous World? Today Peter is going to give is four steps we need to follow that will guarantee the devil won’t get the upper hand on our lives.

1st Key To Growth: Cherish The Word Of God

2 Peter 3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance…

Word Study: Why were the Scriptures given to us? Because God loves us. We start out seeing that Peter calls the believer “beloved”, the Greek agapētos which means “someone well and dearly beloved, highly esteemed, worthy of love”. The Father used this word for Jesus when He said, “This is My BELOVED (agapētos) Son, in Whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17; 17:5). Throughout the writings of the Apostles, the Church is collectively called “Beloved” (Romans 1:7; 9:25; 12:19; 1 Corinthians 10:14; 15:58; 2 Corinthians 7:1, et. al.). The Bible tells us that …

Ephesians 1:6 … {God the Father} has made us ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED…

Because Christ is God’s Beloved Son, and we have received Christ as Lord and Savior, we too are “Beloved Sons and Daughters”. Not because we are worthy, but because HE is worthy. God now applies this same word to the Christian four times in this chapter alone. We see it not just in this verse, but in:

vs 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing …

vs 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things …

vs 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before …

God gave us His Word because He loves us. He gave the greatest Sacrifice He could give to redeem us. God gave us His Beloved Son, sacrificing and punishing Him Who was sinless in our place. God gave us His Word to not only construct us into New Creations, but to Complete us. We are God’s Beloved. We have a destiny. As Beloved members of His Kingdom, He gives us HIS WORD to cherish and learn. We are told in:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Word of God is eternally secure. It contains the will of God for our lives. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:25). Our Lord Jesus said in John 10:35, “The Scripture cannot be broken”, and the Psalmist in 119:89, “Forever, O Lord, Your WORD is SETTLED in Heaven”. It was the Word of God that brought light into the darkness. “Let there be Light” (Genesis 1:3), our God commanded, and there was Light.

In the Old Testament God spoke to His people through Prophets. In the New Testament, God the Son hand picked Apostles to train and broadcast His Word. The writings of the Apostles were given …

Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

The WORD of God saved us from this world. The WORD of God raises our thinking above the doctrines of this world. Jesus said:

John 15:19 (ESV) If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

And again in John 17:6 as Jesus prayed, He said “Father, I have manifested Your Name TO THE PEOPLE WHOM YOU HAVE ME OUT OF THE WORLD” (ESV). Christians are not to be part of this world in their mentality.

There is a great and ongoing battle between Satan and the Church, striving for the mind of the Christian.

1 John 2:15 (ESV) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Christians are called out of the darkness of this world, with its philosophies and foolishness and lewdness and sloppy thinking. 2 Corinthians 4:6 tells us “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” We are not to let the fads and fashions of our day drive our minds. We are to be driven by Scripture, by what God has said.

THE INTENT OF THE SCRIPTURAL WRITINGS is to …

2 Peter 3:1 … stir up your pure minds

Word Study: The word “pure” is the Greek eilikrinḗs, which means “that judged by light”. God wants the believer’s mind to be genuine, uncorrupted by the perversions of the scoffers and false teachers who are always about. We should not be driven by lusts, but by the Scriptures. The intent of the Scripture is to “stir up” (Greek diegeirō), “to awaken or arouse, to make active” your spiritual thought process and therefore your activity for the Lord.

2 Peter 3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior:

We are not to fill our minds with the gobbly-dee-goo that the world vomits out, but with the Word of God. By emphasizing the “holy prophets” along with the “apostles”. The early Church grew by leaps and bounds because …

Acts 2:42-43 … they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

The written words of the Apostles formed our New Testament, and were ordained of God. The Apostle wrote:

1 Corinthians 14:37-38 (ESV) If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. 38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.

The Bible is the Word of God, and is accurate in all that it affirms (John 17:17). God has not left us as His people drifting – “We have the MIND OF CHRIST” (1 Corinthians 2:16). We have the WORD OF GOD.

2nd Key To Growth: Avoid The Junk Food

2 Peter 3:3-4 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

The devil is watching this Church, and what we are preaching! Last Wednesday I preached on the Fourth Commandment of God, and explained why we worship Jesus on the “First Day” of the week and not the “Sabbath”. If you weren’t here or didn’t listen online, I can’t re-preach this today. If you’d like a copy of the manuscript, tell me as you leave the Church and I’ll mail one to you. Whether you were here or not, the Devil was watching. During the course of the message I spoke of the “Seventh Day Adventists” and some of the strange doctrines they have taught.

On Friday I received this book in the mail, called “The Great Controversy”. It’s a beautiful book, very heavy, printed on beautiful paper with a ribbon bookmark in it. On the spine the author is listed as “White”. The title pages tell me the author is “E.G. White”. Who is this? It’s Ellen G. White, a false prophetess and false teacher from the “Seventh Day Adventists”. The Adventists were originally called “Millerites” because they followed the false prophet William Miller. Miller prophesied that Jesus would return in 1843 or 1844. He “prophesied” this though our Lord Jesus Christ Himself said,

Matthew 24:26 (NKJV) But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

The Bible says that Jesus will return “as a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10). Nonetheless Miller said that God told him when Jesus was returning. When Jesus didn’t come as he “prophesied”, the Millerites disbanded. But another false prophet rose up out of the Millerites, saying that Miller was right – Jesus did return – but He didn’t come to earth but to the Heavenly Temple. This false prophet was the 17 year old Ellen G. Harmon, after her marriage to an Adventist preacher she was known as Ellen G. White. Her followers believe her writings to be the “The spirit of prophecy” written about in Revelation 19:10.

Seventh Day Adventists do not believe the soul is immortal, nor do they believe that hellfire is eternal. They teach that Jesus Christ is actually Michael the Archangel, that when you die your soul sleeps in the grave, that the wicked are burned up rather than punished with torment, and used to teach that those who worship on Sunday have received the mark of the beast. If that were true the Apostle would not have written:

Colossians 2:16-17 (ESV) Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

Most Adventists are vegan, and will not eat meat. This is because Ellen G White, their false prophet, taught them that it is wrong to eat meat – even though the Bible says:

1 Timothy 4:1-5 (ESV) Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

When the Apostle Peter was in prayer, God showed him “a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” (Acts 10:11-13). God would not have told Peter to KILL and EAT what he saw if God commanded we be vegan. It is false prophecy!

2 Peter 3:3-4 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

“SCOFFERS” rise up within the Church, like White and her ilk. “SCOFFERS” rise up outside the Church, mocking the precepts of God. The word “SCOFFERS” is the Greek empaiktēs, which means “false teachers who mock or deride”. Pharisees mocked Jesus when what He taught did not go along with the “truths of the elders”. When Jesus told them “You do the deeds of your father, the devil” (John 8:41), they mocked Jesus, saying “WE are not born of FORNICATION – WE have only ONE FATHER, God” (John 8:41). They mocked the virgin birth of Christ, implying that His mother Mary had Him out of wedlock. The chief priests, teachers of the Law and the elders (Matthew 27:41) MOCKED Christ, even as He hung dying on Calvary.

These scoffers, these false teachers are not just religious, but secular. I was listening to comedian Bill Burr the other day when he began to mock God. He said, “It kills me when someone says I’m going to be judged one day. God made me this way. God gave me free will. He had to know this would go off the rails. If I made a car, and it was messed up, I wouldn’t burn it forever. I’d examine it, and fix it.” Oh, as he mocked God, the crowd cheered and jeered. Of course, the idea that there is a God Who will judge us is ludicrous. Or is it? Bill, a human is not a car. A human is made in the image of God, given an eternal soul. When you die,

Ecclesiastes 12:7 (NLT) … the DUST WILL RETURN TO THE EARTH, and THE SPIRIT WILL RETURN TO GOD WHO GAVE IT.

God said, “ALL SOULS ARE MINE: the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is MINE: the SOUL WHO SINS shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). The human soul is immortal because it is in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), and were designed to walk with God. If we, using our free will, refuse to come to Christ and honor God by believing in Him, we will leave this life to enter a place of eternal torment. God said of the wicked “their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched” (Isaiah 66:22-24). The Prophet Daniel said “some shall awaken to everlasting LIFE, others to everlasting CONTEMPT” (Daniel 12:1-2). Jesus preached often on Hell (Matthew 18:6-9; 25:31-46; Mark 9:42-48), and taught that the unrepentant rich man “died, and in HELL lifted up his eyes, BEING IN TORMENTS” (Luke 16:23-31).

There will always be scoffers, scorners, mockers and false teachers. Turn off that television and go back to the first key to growth – cherish the Word of God.

The 3rd Key To Growth: Understand
The Patience And Longsuffering Of God

2 Peter 3:5-7 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

We must understand that God’s timing is NOT our timing. However, GOD’S WORD IS SURE. When God made the Heavens and the earth, He did so BY HIS WORD. The Psalmist said,

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

God spoke all things into existence. It is His Word that gives light and life. “Through FAITH WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORLDS WERE FRAMED BY THE WORD OF GOD, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:3).

The Word of God that made all things is the same Word of God that makes the Christian.

We are “born again, not by corruptible seed, but by incorruptible seed, BY THE WORD OF GOD, which lives and abides FOREVER” (1 Peter 1:23). It does not matter what the scoffers say. It does not matter what the world says. What God has said stands true. Jesus Christ is coming again. When? The scoffers say, “all things are as they were. Jesus has been gone over 2000 years. Surely we have misunderstood. Surely, if He’s not come yet, He’s NEVER coming – or He came spiritually and we didn’t see Him!” No, dear fools. The Bible says:

Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

When Jesus returns it will be sudden – and you’ll know it. Why does He wait? The Bible says:

2 Peter 3:9-10 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Why does God wait? Why did He wait for E.G. White? Why did He wait for Bill Burr? Why does He wait for YOU. YOU have had plenty of time to surrender to Christ, to give your life to Him, to receive His salvation. Though the Scripture says “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. ” (Hebrews 3:12-13). Yet you tarry. You refuse Him Who calls you to salvation. The same was true in Noah’s Day. That good man preached the flood, the coming judgment, but none would REPENT (Mark 6:12; Luke 24:47; Acts 3:19; 17:30). God tarries because He loves deeply. He allows the wicked one more day. Though “NOW is the DAY OF SALVATION” (2 Corinthians 6:2) they harden their hearts (Psalm 95:7-8). Then they die suddenly, their soul called home by the Creator Who made it. What comes then? THE JUDGMENT (Hebrews 9:27). Oh, that they had called on Jesus when they could. Oh, that you had not heeded the scoffers.

Holy Spirit, break their hearts. Draw them to Christ today!

The Final Key: Live Out Your Faith

2 Peter 3:11-12 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

IF you are Christians, your life – and your eternal life – are gifts from God. We should be living our lives without compromise, following the Lord our Savior. Let us:

1. Cherish the Word of God
2. Avoid the nonsense of the false teachers
3. Understand that our God is longsuffering and loving

Live your lives, if you are Christians, looking toward eternity. You do not know when God is coming to take you home. Live every day for Him, honoring Christ in your lives. I close with:

2 Peter 3:15 … And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation…

He has given us one more day to live in His Kingdom, and perhaps to lead another to trust in Christ. Let us not be lethargic in our faith. Tell others. Tell others. Live for Him. We are not promised tomorrow, let’s live for Him today. Amen and Amen.

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The Fifth Commandment To Honor Your Parents

Posted on February 1, 2024 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Elina Fairytale: https://www.pexels.com/photo/smiling-family-sitting-by-christmas-tree-5860054/

The last few weeks we have looked at the Ten Commandments of God. To review, the First Commandment is that “You will have no other gods before Yahweh”. Our God is #1! The Second Commandment is that “You will not create any idol of any type to worship or bow down to”. For this one we show the picture of the bowing number 2. The Third Commandment is that we will not “Take the Name of Yahweh in vain – to dishonor God with your lips”. The number 3 looks like a set of lips. The Fourth Commandment is to “Remember the Sabbath”, or to take one day in seven and dedicate it to the Lord. As Christians we do this on Sunday. The number 4 looks like a book end for a Bible. Now we come to the Fifth Commandment:

Exodus 20:12 Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

A Lawyer asked Jesus one day, “What is the “Great Commandment” in the Law?” (Matthew 22:35-40). His intent was to “tempt”or test Jesus, so as to show Him to be a fraud. Our Lord didn’t hesitate. He said:

Matthew 22:37-40 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Our Lord divided the Ten Commandments into two great Commandments. When we look at the Ten, the first Four Commandments are summarized as “To love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, and ALL your mind”. The last Five Commandments: you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet another’s property; are all summarized by “You shall love your neighbor as you want to be loved”.

The Fifth Commandment to honor your parents is a hinge that connects the two great commandments. Your parents teach you to love God with your ALL, and to love others the way you want to be loved. The civility of a nation is determined by whether this commandment is honored or not.

The Office of Parent Was Designed By God
To Be Representatives For God

Exodus 20:12 … HONOR thy father and thy mother …

Word Study: The word translated “HONOR” is the Hebrew kāḇaḏ, which means “to ascribe weight to, to give glory to, to recognize as rich or valuable”. The same word is used in:

Psalm 22:23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise Him: all ye the seed of Jacob, GLORIFY (kāḇaḏ) Him …..

Psalm 50:15 {God said} call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt GLORIFY (kāḇaḏ) Me …

Parents are not to be worshiped as we worship God – this would be a violation of the First and Second Commandments. But Parents are designed by God to be His representative on the earth. When God made Adam and Eve, the Bible says:

Genesis 1:28 (ESV) God blessed THEM. And God said to THEM, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God blessed the first Couple, and gave THEM DOMINION or control over “every living thing that moves”. The husband and wife were to be a team, the father and mother, the PARENTS. They were to rule the earth and all living things under their control which INCLUDED THEIR CHILDREN. Parents were to teach their children to love God with their ALL (the first Four Commandments) and to love and respect OTHERS the way that they wanted to be respected and loved (the last Five Commandments).

Parents stand in the gap, teaching children to love God and to be good citizens.

Pastor and Bible Scholar Steven J. Cole stated:

“If we are rebellious and disrespectful toward our parents who gave us life and sustenance, we will also probably be rebellious and disrespectful toward the Lord God, our creator and sustainer. Disrespect toward parents and God will also carry over into disrespect for all authority, and thus will result in a breakdown of law and order, leading to a disintegration of the very basis for civilized society. Thus the keeping of the Fifth Commandment is not some outmoded, quaint idea to be set aside without consequence. It is vital to the survival of our nation.”

The reason we as a nation are failing is because the Office of Parent has been destroyed by free sexuality and promiscuity contrary to the command of God. Children are taught how to relate to others in the home, long before they ever are released into the wild. Satan has so confused our nation that we no longer can identify what a woman is or what a man is. Children are fed a diet of books like “Jennifer Has Two Daddies” or “A Tale Of Two Daddies”, or “Heather Has Two Mommies”. They are told that the normal family can be two people of any gender, just as long as they “love” one another. What’s wrong with that? It is contrary to the standard of Christ.

The Pharisees asked our Lord Jesus about marriage and divorce one day. What was Jesus’ response?

Mark 10:6-9 … from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

God’s standard was to male them MALE AND FEMALE. The MALE AND FEMALE were to multiply, that is, reproduce. These PARENTS who are FATHER and MOTHER were to rule and guide the children. And the children were to honor and obey their parents as long as the parents did not direct them to violate the Laws of God. Though humans in a misbegotten desire to be “progressive” may twist and pervert the family unit, God said to “HONOR thy father and thy mother. Children are to be punished for violating the Ten Commandments, as these laws lay the basis for an orderly and civil society. How serious was God over parental guidance of the children? The Bible says:

Exodus 21:14-15 … if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die. 15 Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.

God considered a child who so disrespected their parents so as to strike them to be as worthy of death as a premeditated murderer! God said in:

Deuteronomy 21:18-21 (ESV) If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, 19 then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, 20 and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

Why so harsh? The Parent is the first authority that the child will know. The father and the mother, as God’s representatives, are to teach the child to respect authority and to live civilly with others. The child who will not respect authority in the home will grow up to be the adult disrespectful of order in society.

Both Father And Mother – Though They Themselves Are Imperfect – Are To Be Honored

Proverbs 1:8 Hear, my son, your Father’s instruction, and forsake not your Mother’s teaching.

Proverbs 23:22 Listen to your Father who gave you life, and do not despise your Mother when she is old

Illustrate: Children who are not raised to respect the authority of their father AND mother grow up to be adults who are confused and lawless. They make bad employees, terrible companions, and frightful lawbreakers. I stood watching a child destroy DVD covers at a local Walmart one day while the mother watched. When the young boy of color started tearing up the THIRD DVD I politely asked him, “Son, is that YOUR property?” The mother glared at me, grabbed his hand, and stomped off. I will guarantee you that the mother who does not teach her child to respect the property of others was herself a child who was not taught and corrected. Bad and spoiled children make bad and spoiled children.

Certainly parents will make mistakes. Parents, though called by God to represent God to the child, are imperfect. But even if imperfect, the child is still under the command:

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.”

One of the earliest examples of disrespect toward a parent is found in the Noahic Account. When the flood waters receded and God blessed Noah and his family, the Bible says that:

Genesis 9:20-21 (ESV) Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. 21 He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent

Noah, a man who found “Grace in the eyes of God” (Genesis 6:8), a man who faithfully preached of coming destruction while he built an Ark – 120 years!, “planted a vineyard”. Making wine, Noah “became drunk”. That’s a sin! Believers are to …

Romans 13:13 … walk honestly, as in the day; NOT in RIOTING and DRUNKENNESS …

Those who are MURDERERS or those who pursue DRUNKENNESS are warned that THEY SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD (Galatians 5:21). Noah should not have gotten drunk. Yet even believers in Christ, recipients of Grace, fall short at times. This is not to justify what Noah did by any means. “Do NOT BE DRUNK WITH WINE, for that is excess; but BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT” (Ephesians 5:18). No, Noah had no excuse. As a man of God he should not have gotten drunk. As a parent, a father with three young boys, he should not have gotten drunk. But Noah failed God, just as we all do at time. He failed miserably, and ended up drunken and unclothed. The Bible says:

Genesis 9:22-24 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him …

One of Noah’s sons Ham came and found his drunken, naked father stretched out. His father had sinned against God. Rather than cover his sin, out of respect for his father, the Bible says that Ham goes outside and tells his other brothers about it. The commentaries I have read said that Ham was mocking or making light of what his father had done, and then went outside to enlist his brothers into doing the same. When Shem and Japheth heard what Ham had to say, rather than mock their father they took a blanket and, walking backwards out of respect for their father, they covered his sinfulness. When Noah woke up, he cursed his son Ham, saying:

Genesis 9:25 “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”

Noah did not curse HAM, but he cursed HAM’S SON CANAAN. Why is that?

Canaan was cursed rather than Ham, because disrespect of the parent is transmitted – like disease – from generation to generation.

Because the effects of violating the Fifth Commandment pass down from generation to generation. Ham had no respect for his father, and by gazing at him and mocking him, tried to enlist his other brothers into doing the same. Ham’s son Canaan would see this, and pass this same disrespect down to his children. Canaan and his children would settle in a land called “Canaan”. The people of that land would be so sinful and out of control, that when God sent His people Israel into that land He told them:

Deuteronomy 20:16-17 (ESV) In the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you.

I have read commentaries that detailed the Phallic Religions of Canaan. They often committed group orgies while false priests beat on human skin covered drums. Children were sacrificed in the fire to appease their gods. When God examined the cultures of those Canaanites, He wanted Israel to not just push them out of the land. God said:

1 Samuel 15:3 (ESV) Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.

I’m sure as you read this you are thinking this is horribly excessive. And yet, when the Fifth Commandment goes out the window, all the other Commandments are forfeited. Anarchy and hatred becomes the rule of the day. Children raised lawlessly are belligerent, and many times cannot be corrected. The Apostle Paul, writing of the degeneration he was seeing in the Roman Empire, said:

Romans 1:28-30 (ESV) … since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents …

Rome was not destroyed from without, but from within. Because children were not taught to respect authority, they grew up into adults that did not respect authority. In time, Rome was led by greater and more perverse children in adult bodies. Eventually Rome and all its glory died.

America is heading the same way, dear friends.

Parents Are To Remember They Represent God When Training Their Children

Right after the Scripture says:

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.”

It continues with … Ephesians 6:4 FATHERS, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Our society tells us that fathers are unimportant, that a child doesn’t need a father. Yet that is wrong. God makes children using fathers AND mothers, and both are needed to raise children. In August of 2022 the State Auditor of Mississippi, Shad White, released a study called “Dads Matter: The Taxpayer Cost of Fatherlessness”. In the summary we read:

“engaged fathers are critical for a healthy society. By comparison, fatherlessness creates myriad costs, both social and economic. Studies show that fatherless children do not go as far in school, have more health problems, and are less financially secure as adults. Other studies show fatherless boys are more likely to become men who enter the corrections system. Still more research shows fatherless girls are more likely to become teenage mothers. Both incarceration and teenage pregnancy are strongly associated with the high school dropout rate. ”

Mississippi spends approximately $180 million each year to incarcerate men from fatherless homes.

If that’s true in Mississippi, what do you think the total across the United States is? Fathers matter, and what fathers do matter. Fathers are commanded to “bring {children} up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”. Whether a child can play “Grand Theft Auto” or some video game is of little consequence. Fathers are to be engaged in teaching their children, both sons and daughters, to love the Lord with their all. The Scripture says:

Colossians 3:18-21 (ESV) Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

We are to follow the pattern of the family as God has given it in the Scripture. The husband – a man – leads and loves the wife and family. The children obey their parents, both father and mother. And fathers are to encourage and train their children, teaching them the two Great Commandments: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, strength, and love your neighbor as you yourself would be loved.

We Are To Imitate Jesus In Following The Fifth Commandment

Our Lord Jesus obeyed and honored His parents. In Luke chapter 2 when Jesus was about 12 years old, Mary and Joseph took Him to the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem. Part of a caravan, they left at the end of the Feast, but unknown to them Jesus stayed behind. When they discovered Jesus was missing, they returned to Jerusalem and found Jesus sitting in the Temple, teaching the Rabbis the Word of God. Mary asked Jesus, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” Jesus replied, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Jesus was honoring His Heavenly Father first. But the Bible says that:

Luke 2:51 {Jesus} … went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them.

Jesus, though “God with us” (Matthew 1:23), in His humanity was the Son of Mary and the stepson of Joseph. Jesus honored His earthly parents, just as the Fifth Commandment directs. One of the first miracles Jesus ever did was turning water into wine at a Wedding Feast in Cana of Galilee (John 4:46). Mary was related to the Bride and Groom, and was invited to be there, along with Jesus and His disciples. As the Wedding celebration proceeded they ran out of wine. Mary called Jesus to the side:

John 2:3-4 … the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

When Mary told Jesus they were out of wine, Jesus explained that it was not the best time for Him to do anything. Mary didn’t argue with her Son. She expected Him to make the wine situation go away. He was able. He is God incarnate. There is nothing Jesus can’t do but sin. Guess what? Jesus obeyed His mother. He HONORED her, as He should have. The commentaries note that Joseph was not at the Wedding Feast, possibly because he was deceased. But Mary as Jesus’ parent was to be honored.

When Jesus hung dying for our sins on the Cross, Mary His mother and the Apostle John stood at the foot of the Cross watching. Joseph was no longer with the family, so Jesus was the head of the household. Knowing that He would not be around to look after His mother, the Bible says …

John 19:26-27 When Jesus therefore saw HIS MOTHER, AND THE DISCIPLE STANDING BY, WHOM HE LOVED {John}, He saith to His mother, “Woman, behold thy son”. 27 Then saith He to the disciple, “Behold thy mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her into his own home.

Jesus honored His parents. Jesus heeded His earthly parents, and honors His Heavenly Father still today. He set the pattern for obeying the Fifth Commandment.

In Conclusion

Exodus 20:12 Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Children who honor their parents are promised long lives. But children who are disrespectful of their parents often find their lives cut short. The Bible tells us of King David’s third son Absalom. Absalom rebelled against his father, and actually tried to kill David so that he could take the Throne of Israel. In the Battle of Ephraim (2 Samuel 18:9-17) Absalom’s long hair got caught in the branches of a tree, and his mount left him dangling in the air. David’s General Joab found him that way, and together with ten other soldiers stabbed him to death. Absalom was 29 years old.

The Judge and Strongman Samson died at a younger age than he should have because he would not heed his parents. His parents told him to leave Philistine women alone (Judges 14:2-3). He wouldn’t listen, and only judged Israel 20 years, probably dying before he was 30 years old.

But Joseph, the son of Jacob honored his father, and forgave his brothers for their treachery. Loving God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength, Joseph lived with honor, and became the highest ruler in Egypt next to the King. Honoring his parents, Joseph became the key to the growth of Israel as a nation. The Bible says:

Proverbs 10:27 (ESV) The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.

Proverbs 30:17 The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.

I’ll end with this illustration by Joy Davidman from the book, Smoke on the Mountain:

{There was} an old man who lived with his son and daughter-in-law because he had no where else to go. The old man’s hands trembled. When he ate, he clattered the silverware, often missed his mouth with the spoon, and dribbled some of his food on the tablecloth. The daughter-in-law hated having him there because he interfered with her right to happiness. So she and her husband took the old man gently but firmly and led him to a corner of the kitchen. There they set him on a stool and gave him his food in an earthenware bowl. From then on he always ate in the corner, blinking at the table with wistful eyes. One day his hands trembled more than usual and he dropped the bowl, which broke. “If you are a pig,” said the daughter-in-law, “you must eat out of a trough.” So they made him a little wooden trough, and he got his meals in that.

This couple had a four-year-old son they were quite fond of. One night the father noticed the boy playing intently with some bits of wood and he asked what he was doing. “I’m making a trough,” he said, smiling for approval, “to feed you and Mamma out of when I get big.” The man and his wife looked at each other for a while and didn’t say anything. Then they cried a little. Then they went to the corner and took the old man by the arm and led him back to the table. They sat him in a comfortable chair and fed him his dinner on a plate. From then on nobody scolded him when he clattered or spilled or broke things.

What you sow, you will reap. Honor your parents!

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The Lord Knows, Part 2

Posted on January 29, 2024 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Brett Sayles: https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-mountain-hill-1121887/

2 Peter 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Review And Opening Comments

The last few weeks we have been looking at 2 Peter 2, as the Apostle discusses false prophets and their danger to the Church. False prophets – like the Pharisees who plagued Jesus – are ravenous wolves. Our Lord said:

Matthew 7:13-15 (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. 15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

The way to Heaven is a “narrow gate” and a “HARD WAY”. It doesn’t follow the crowd, but Jesus.

Many follow the wide and easy path, a way that Jesus said “LEADS TO DESTRUCTION”. The false prophet always offers the easy way, the cheap way, the shortcut that doesn’t lead to Heaven but to Hell.

In 2022 Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research (a Southern Baptist entity) did a study of “The State of American Theology”, that is, what people in America believe about God. Some of the news was good.

7 in 10 Americans believe God is Triune, one God in Three Persons.
2 out of 3 Americans believe that God cannot make a mistake.

But then we drift – badly.

2 out of 3 believe that God accepts worship from ALL religions.
53% of Americans believe Jesus was a great teacher, but not God.
59% believe the Holy Spirit is a Force, not a Person.
66% say that “Everyone sins a little, but most are good by nature”.
51% say that “The Bible is 100% accurate in all it teaches”.
52% say that “The Bible has the authority to tell us what to do”.
66% say that “Worshiping alone or with my family replaces regular Church attendance”. Church is not essential to the Christian way of life.

How did this worldview take over a nation that was started by Pilgrims seeking religious freedom? It was because of false prophets that infiltrated the Church of Christ. This is why Peter spends so much time addressing the evil of the false prophet. The shocking truth about false prophets is:

The False Prophet Knows The Right Path, But Forsakes
That Path For Another god

2 Peter 2:15-16 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbade the madness of the prophet.

Word Study: The false prophet is not someone who is sincere, but become deluded. The false prophet knows what the right way is, but they have “forsaken the right way”. The Greek for “forsaken” is kataleipō, which means “to depart from or leave behind, to abandon something to go another way”. The word was used for Jesus when he “LEFT {kataleipō} Nazareth to dwell in Capernaum” (Matthew 4:13). The false prophets know the right way – but have walked away from what is right. They are “gone astray”, planaō, “wander from truth, to be led into error, to choose to be deceived, to leave the right path”. They are, like Jesus said,

Matthew 15:14 … blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Illustrate: In the United States alone, some 600,000 people get lost in woods or forested area every year. Why do they get lost? First, they leave a designated trail. Second, going off trail they do not use a compass. Or third, off trail without a compass they follow someone who doesn’t know the way. Christians, we must stay on the designated trail, the Word of God. Our compass is God the Holy Spirit. Be careful who you follow, for if they do not refer to the Scripture – they themselves are deliberately lost.

False teachers are not usually deceived or tricked into what they teach, but choose to follow another god.

To help us understand what he’s saying, Peter refers to “Balaam the son of Bosor”. This is one of the most interesting passages in the Bible. In the pages of Scripture, there are two instances of talking animals. In the Garden of Eden Satan possessed a serpent or snake (Genesis 3:1, Revelation 12:9; 20:2), and through that creature enticed Adam and Eve to sin. In Numbers 22 we see a talking donkey that the Angel of God possesses. Whereas the talking Serpent led man astray, the talking Donkey led Balaam away from doing evil.

The Bible tells us that Israel was “camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan river at Jericho” (Numbers 22:1, AP). The King of Moab, Balak (bālāq, “the devastator”), son of Zippor, had witnessed how Israel had soundly defeated the Amoritesin the power of God. Israel was like a “Superman”, and Balak wanted to find the Kryptonite to destroy them. “Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel” (Numbers 22:3). So King Balak devised a plan.

He sent for “Balaam the son of Beor” (bᵊʿôr, “A burning lamp”). Peter doesn’t use the name “Balaam the son of Beor”, but the Greek equivalent “Balaam the son of Bosor”. The word “Bosor” means “a burning lamp”. Balaam was a Prophet, and as a Prophet was supposed to represent God Who is Light (1 John 1:5). Balaam also had somewhat of a relationship with God. My commentary notes:

“The best textual evidence suggests that Peter wrote, “Balaam, the son of Bosor,” Bosor being a play on the Hebrew word basar, flesh. Thus Peter indicated Balaam’s immoral character by calling him the son of flesh.”

Though Balaam’s god was the flesh, or what satisfied himself rather than glorified the Lord, the Lord did talk with him. King Balak of Moab had seen that God worked through Balaam, so he asked for his assistance.

Numbers 22:5-6 (ESV) {Balak said} “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. 6 Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

Word had gotten around that God used Balaam, blessing those Balaam blessed and cursing those whom Balaam cursed. Does this mean that Balaam was saved? No,

Balaam was a son of the flesh (BOSOR), just as Judas Iscariot was the son of perdition
{John 17:12, apōleia, destruction or damnation}.

Judas Iscariot walked and talked with Jesus and the other 11 Apostles, just as he himself was designated an Apostle (Matthew 10:1; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:12-16). Jesus said of Judas,

John 6:70 Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.

In the same way God talked to Balaam. Why would God use a Balaam or a Judas? “God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one” (James 1:13). But God can and does use evil people and governments to fulfill His greater good will. God used unbelieving Assyria to punish wayward Israel (Isaiah 10:5), and raised up Babylon, a ruthless and impetuous people, to “sweep across the whole earth, to seize dwellings not their own” (Habakkuk 1:6). Our God is in control. He can use anyone – believer or unbeliever – to accomplish His purpose. And God’s purposes are always GOOD. “His steadfast love endures FOREVER” (Psalm 107:1).

When approached by King Balak, Balaam wants to sleep on the deal.

Numbers 22:9-12 (ESV) … God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11 ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Now come, curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.’” 12 God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people {Israel}, for they are blessed.”

Balaam is NOT to curse Israel. God is leading them, and has promised His people “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3, NIV). Only God can curse Israel. Balaam goes back and tells Balak that, no, he will not curse Israel. But King Balak is persistent. He promises to give Balaam great riches if he will curse Israel. Balaam resists, saying:

Numbers 22:18-19 (ESV) “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more. 19 So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”

God has already told Balaam to NOT curse Israel. But now MORE MONEY is on the table. So Balaam – instead of telling them to get lost – promises to seek God again. Maybe the Lord will change His mind. God did not change His mind. God warned us that “it is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). A desire for money is one of the greatest false gods there is. Jesus said,

Matthew 6:24-26 (AMP) No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].

“Mammon” was the name of the Syrian and Chaldean god of wealth, similar to the Roman god called Plutus. Money is a strong god that enslaves many who do not know the Lord.

When Balaam goes back to God that night, the Lord tells him:

Numbers 22:20 (ESV) … “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.”

God didn’t tell Balaam not to curse Israel – He had already done that. God told Balaam to go with the messengers back to Balak – “but only do what I tell you”. The next morning Balaam goes with the messengers, but the Bible says:

Numbers 22:22 (ESV) … God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as his adversary.

The Bible says in 1 Samuel 16:7, “the LORD sees not as we see. We look on the outward appearance. The LORD looks ON THE HEART”. Balaam began to think of the riches had decided in his heart to disobey the Lord and to curse Israel. The Bible says that “the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way” – yet Balaam’s greed had so gotten hold of him that he couldn’t see the Angel standing there.

But the Donkey could!

Numbers 22:23-33 the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. 25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he struck her again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” 29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” 30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.” 31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. 32 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.”

Balaam is so taken in the throes of his desire for money, that he begins to argue with a donkey. This is how deluded people can become when they depart from the Word of God.

Balaam did not curse Israel, but later caused Israel to curse herself. Moses tells us that “Balaam advised the people of Israel to act treacherously against the LORD, causing a plague to come on Israel” (Numbers 31:16, AP).

Balaam encouraged the people of Israel to compromise with the Moabites, and worship their gods. Encouraging Israel to leave the Lord God, He punished Israel for their evil. Is there any difference between this, and what many so called “Prophets and Preachers” do today when they encourage their congregation to be “a little more secular” and “a little more inclusive”?

What The False Prophet Teaches Is Not Only
Valueless and Deadly, But Enslaving

2 Peter 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

The false prophet is called “wells without water”. A well without water is a false promise. It says that it will quench your thirst, but it only makes it worst. They are “clouds carried with a tempest”, or the better translation “mists driven by a storm”. They look like rain clouds, but are unreal. Jesus tells His followers:

John 7:37-38 (NASB, 95) “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ ”

“Those who hunger and thirst FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6). This satisfaction is not in the false prophet, but in Jesus. Jesus promises that those who come to Him will not only find their thirst satisfied, but will be so supplied that they themselves are wells of living waters. The Christian – indwelt by the Spirit of God – leads others to the Word of God. The true Church of Christ offers satisfaction for thirst from the Word of God.

Revelation 21:6 And {Jesus} said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.

Revelation 22:17 (ESV) The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

The false prophets claim to represent God, but only represent themselves. They are hypocrites, “waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted” (Jude 12). Because they have turned away from the Light and Power of God, to them “the mist of darkness is reserved FOREVER”. This is a reference to ETERNAL DAMNATION. Our Lord spoke of the empty and useless servant, saying:

Matthew 25:30 (ESV) And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

They shall spend eternity in a place where the light is but the fire of suffering, and the darkness is all about because they never had a relationship with the Lord. They professed to be saved, but were not. Beloved, “if we say we have fellowship with Jesus, but WALK IN DARKNESS, we are liars, and do not live according to the truth” (1 John 1:6). The saved walk with their Savior. The children of the Kingdom walk with their King.

If you walk in darkness in this life, you will live in darkness
and eternal flame in the next life!

2 Peter 2:18-19 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

These false prophets know how to speak. They are some of the finest orators around, but their words do not bring glory to God, nor uphold His Word. In fact, they detract from God. A quick search found these words from false prophets. Paul Crouch, Kenneth Copeland, and Creflo Dollar teach “You are little gods”. Benny Hinn said he wanted to kill his critics with the “Holy Ghost machine gun”. Suzanne Hinn, the wife of Benny Hinn, said “If your engine’s not revving up … you need a Holy Ghost enema right up your rear..” Todd Bentley kicked an elderly infirm woman in the face because he said God told him to do it to heal her. Kenneth Copeland says that you’re not much of a Christian if you’re not rich. Leroy Thompson said “God said – tell the money you don’t belong to the wicked, you belong to US… money, come to me now”. Mike Murdock said that if you donate $1000 with your credit card, your debt will be erased. Pat Robertson told a caller on the 700 Club to “divorce his wife and start all over again” because she had Alzheimer’s. When Jimmy Swaggart was caught with a second prostitute in 1991, he told his Church “The Lord told me, it’s flat none of your business”. Joel Osteen told interviewers that homosexuality is a sin, but then said “I stay in my lane. My job is to encourage and uplift, not to judge. So I don’t talk about it.”

It is so easy to be deceived if you do not read your Bibles and attend a Bible believing Church. The Scripture says:

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Word Study: We “try the spirits” by comparing what the alleged prophet has said according to the Word of God. These people use their words to “ALLURE” people into following them. The word “ALLURE” is the Greek deleazō, a fisherman’s term which means “to bait a trap or a hook”. This is the second time that Peter uses the word in this context, as back in verse 14 he said that the false prophets:

beguile (deleazō) unstable souls

When the fisherman or trapper hunts, he will take a piece of dead meat and put it in the trap or on the hook. The dead thing will disguise that which is deadly until the unsuspecting animal bites on it. Then the trap is set, the hook is set. A piece of dead meat was used to trap a living creature that will soon be dead. The wages of sin is death. The bait of the false prophet is sinful, dead meat covering a deadly thing. Do not be deceived.

Word Study:“they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption”. They are servants of “CORRUPTION”, Greek phthorá, “decay, ruin, eternal misery in hell”. The false prophets are like the 500 pound man who wrote a book on dieting, or a woman blind from birth who wrote a book on colors. They have nothing of value to offer, because their source is their own corrupt soul, and not the Word of God.

False Prophets Are Lost People Who Will Not
Lead Others Away From Christ

2 Peter 2:20-22 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

You can be blessed by following the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet never be saved. “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men” (John 1:4). There are many false prophets who use the precepts that Jesus taught, and are blessed by those precepts. They use the Scripture, and by it find riches in this world. But they are never saved.

The Apostle uses two phrases to describe the false prophets: “DOG” and “SOW”. In the Bible the words “DOG” and “PIG” are used for lost people. Jesus said:

Matthew 7:6 (ESV) Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

It was prophesied that DOGS would crucify the Messiah. Psalm 22:16 says “For DOGS have compassed Me: the assembly of THE WICKED have enclosed Me: they PIERCED MY HANDS AND MY FEET”. When a Canaanite woman asked Jesus to heal her child, Jesus said “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the DOGS” (Matthew 15:26, ESV). When the Apostle warned of those unrepentant Pharisees who demanded the saved male be circumcised, he wrote “Look out for the DOGS, look out for the EVILDOERS, look out for those who mutilate the flesh” (Philippians 3:2, ESV). Who shall be excluded from Heaven? The Bible says:

Revelation 22:15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

I love dogs – the animal. But humans who act like dogs and pigs are unsaved. These false prophets are unsaved – and they’ve never been saved. The Bible says that the “dog is turned to his own vomit again”. He was a dog when he was eating his vomit before. “” emphasizes that he’s just turned back and doing the same thing he used to do. The “sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire”. You can wash a pig all day long, but until you change its NATURE, it will return to the mud. These people are lost, and the lost cannot lead the lost to be saved.

They need to REPENT. They need to stop trying to be “gods”, and surrender to Jesus. They, as we all, need to surrender to our Lord and Savior. He demands unconditional – I repeat – UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER. He bids us “Follow ME” and “Obey My Commands”. The key to salvation is repentance. Have you repented? Do you know Him – my dear Jesus – as Lord and Savior? If not, today is the day. Come. Repent. Give Him your broken life, and He will give you glorious liberty and joy both now and forever more. Amen and Amen.

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The Fourth Commandment To Rest

Posted on January 29, 2024 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-hands-on-holy-bible-267559/

Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The last few weeks we have looked at the Ten Commandments of God. To review,

The First Commandment is that God is to be first in your life.

The Second Commandment is that you are to make no idols, nor bow down or worship anyone other than the God of the Bible.

The Third Commandment is that we not speak or represent the God Who is in an empty or blasphemous way.

Tonight we’ll be examining the Fourth Commandment, to remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.

When we started this study, I showed you how the Ten Commandments are represented in the New Testament. For instance, the First Commandment was repeated by Jesus to Satan in:

Matthew 4:10 (ESV) … “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”

The Apostle Paul chastised the lost peoples for violating the Second Commandment (Romans 1:23; Acts 19:26-35). The Fifth Commandment is referred to in:

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 Apostle Paul quoted the bulk of the Commandments in

Romans 13:8-10 (ESV) … the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

All of the Commandments are reflected in the New Testament under the New Covenant – all but one: The Fourth Commandment, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy”. Why is this?

The Sabbath Was A Shadow Of Christ

Exodus 20:8-10 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God…

Word Study: God told His people Israel to “Rememberšabāṯ (Shabbat)”. The Hebrew for “Remember” is zāḵar, which means “to be mindful of, to call to mind, to focus upon with intensity and purpose”. When God flooded the whole earth because of sin, after a period of time the Bible says:

Genesis 8:1 … God REMEMBERED (zāḵar) Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him on the Ark …

God FOCUSED on Noah and those with him on the Ark. Because of this focus, God caused the waters to recede, and the land to dry up so they could disembark. God then placed a rainbow in the sky as something to REMEMBER (zāḵar) so that world would no longer be destroyed by a flood. When God gave Israel the Old Covenant of the Law, He required that they have one day in seven to focus on Him and His gracious provision. As Israel worked and prospered, it was possible for them, as it is with us, to forget that it is God Who provided the good we have. We may toil the fields, but it is God Who blesses. God told Israel:

Deuteronomy 11:13-14 (ESV) … if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil.

Work is a good thing. Work was commanded, even in the Garden of Eden. But we must remember that our prosperity does not come because of our efforts, but because of God’s provision. He gave us life. He gives us minds. He gives us rain in due season, so that our crops can grow. So God decreed that Israel would have a day – the seventh day – where they would FOCUS ON GOD’S PROVISION, and give Him praise. On that day they were supposed to cease work – except where absolutely necessary – and spend time with the Lord.

The Sabbath – like CIRCUMCISION – was a sign to Israel of the Mosaic Covenant. The Scripture says:

Exodus 31:16-17 (NASB 95) ‘So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.’ 17 “It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.”

The Sabbath was specifically given to Israel. God said “I gave Israel My sabbaths to be a sign between ME AND THEM, that THEY MIGHT KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD WHO SANCTIFIES THEM” (Ezekiel 20:12, NASB 95. Also Nehemiah 9:14). The Shabbat (both the weekly and the special festival Shabbats) were given to Israel – not to the Gentiles. The Shabbat along with circumcision of males was specific to the Old Covenant.

The Apostle Paul tells us in:

Colossians 2:13-17 (ESV) … {God the Father} quickened {us} together with {Jesus Christ}, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

The Shabbat, like the rule of male circumcision, was a sign to Israel under the First or Old Covenant. The Shabbat was a “shadow of things to come” like animal sacrifice and the Temple Holy of Holies, the Festivals and Feasts. These things looked forward to the coming of the Messiah.

The New Testament NEVER commands Christians to observe the Shabbat. The Shabbat was not COMMANDED until the Law was given by Moses.

Jesus came to replace the First Commandment with the Second, the “New Covenant in His Blood” (Luke 22:20). The Scripture says:

Hebrews 8:10-13 (ESV) For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” 13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete.

The First Covenant, the Covenant of Law, was EXTERNAL. The Second Covenant, the New Covenant in Christ’s Blood, would be INTERNAL.

Through the Spirit of God the believer in Christ would be born again, sanctified or set apart for the service of God. The Spirit of God would indwell the believer (Romans 8:9), drawing us to Christ and to the Father.

The Pharisees Did Not Understand The Transition Of Either Circumcision Nor Of The Shabbat

The Pharisees, the Conservatives who upheld the Law of Moses, were constantly at odds with Jesus over the Shabbat. When Jesus taught in the Synagogue of Capernaum on Shabbat, He was heckled by a man possessed of a demon:

Mark 1:24-26 (ESV) “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.

The Pharisees were not upset that Jesus cast out demons on Shabbat. But when He and His disciples ate from the grainfields on Shabbat (Mark 2:23) the Pharisees said, “Why are You doing what is UNLAWFUL ON SHABBAT?” (Mark 2:24). Jesus replied:

Mark 2:27-28 (ESV) … “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

God gave the Sabbath for man to remember His goodness and grace. The Shabbat was a time for those under the Old Covenant to focus on God. But Jesus said “the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath”. The phrase “Son of Man” is a title for the Messiah (see Daniel 7:13), and Jesus called Himself the “Son of Man” (Matthew 8:20; Matthew 9:6; Matthew 11:19; Matthew 12:40; Mathew 13:37). Jesus said not just here in Mark, but in other texts like:

Matthew 12:8 … the SON OF MAN IS LORD EVEN OF THE SABBATH DAY ..

Luke 6:5 … the SON OF MAN IS LORD ALSO OF THE SABBATH …

Jesus is the fulfillment of the shadows of the Law, and the Fourth Commandment was a shadow of the Messiah. We find our rest in Jesus Christ. He is our Shabbat. We rest from useless sacrifices that can never fully pay for sin (Hebrews 10:1). Jesus …

Hebrews 10:12 (ESV) … Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

The Bible tells us that we who are under the New Covenant have a Shabbat, a rest that we draw near to – this is Jesus. We are told in …

Hebrews 4:9-14 (ESV) … So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Jesus Christ is LORD of the SHABBAT. He is our SHABBAT, our Sabbath Rest. Jesus satisfied the requirements of the sacrifices under the Law. Jesus satisfies the requirements of our High Priest. “How shall we escape if we neglect SO GREAT A SALVATION” (Hebrews 2:3)? We rest in Christ. We rest in His Word. He follow Him daily – not just one day a week. We rely upon Him every moment of every day. Jesus Christ is our Shabbat!

John 5:18 (ESV) This was why the Jews (the Pharisees) were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

I think it is significant that the Pharisees sought Jesus’ crucifixion for violating – they believed – the Shabbat. Jesus was crucified the day before Shabbat (Mark 15:42), the special Sabbath that followed the Feast of the Passover. The Bible tells us:

Leviticus 23:4-8 (ESV) These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them. 5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the Lord’s Passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. 7 On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. 8 But you shall present a food offering to the Lord for seven days. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work.”

The Feast of Passover is on the 14th of the month, followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is a Shabbat, a Special Sabbath. Jesus died on the Feast of Passover, for “Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus was buried at the end of the Passover, just before the Special Shabbat of the Feast on Unleavened Bread. We are told in:

Luke 23:52-54 (ESV) This man {Joseph of Arimathea} went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning.

John 19:31 (ESV) Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.

Dying for our sins as our Passover, Jesus went to the Tomb for Three Days and Three nights just as He declared (Matthew 12:40). The Bible tells us that Jesus rose the day following the weekly Shabbat. The women who loved Jesus came to the Tomb to finish anointing Christ’s body the day following Shabbat, the weekly Sabbath:

Matthew 28:1 (ESV) Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

Mark 16:2, 9 (ESV) And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. … 9 Now when {Jesus} rose early on the first day of the week, {Jesus} appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.

If Jesus Is Our Shabbat, Why Do Christians Today Gather On Sunday?

The Jewish Shabbat was from Friday at Sunset to Saturday at Sunset. The Bible tells us that Jesus resurrected from the Grave, and appeared to His disciples on the first day of the week:

John 20:19 (ESV) On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

After the Day of Pentecost, where God sent His Holy Spirit to the Church, the Church began to meet on the first day of the week:

Acts 20:7 (ESV) On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.

The Apostle encouraged the Church to

1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

The first day of the week began to be called “The Lord’s Day”. When John the Revelator wrote to the Church, he wrote the words of Christ “on the Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10), or on Sunday. There are other extra-Biblical sources that note the early Church met on Sundays. About 150 A.D. the early Church Pastor Justin Martyr wrote:

“On the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together in one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read. … Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead” (Justin Martyr, First Apology, 67; ANF 1:186).

And another early Pastor, Ignatius of Antioch (Letter to the Magnesians, 8 [AD 110] wrote:

“those who were brought up in the ancient order of things [i.e. Jews] have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s day, on which also our life has sprung up again by him and by his death”

As the early Church was comprised of both Jewish as well as Gentile converts, there was often controversy between the two groups as to whether they were to observe the Sabbath and circumcision of males. The Apostle commanded the Jews and Gentiles to not quarrel over keeping the Shabbat, saying:

Romans 14:5-6, 8 (ESV) One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. … while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. …. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

Some believers today meet on Sundays, whereas others on Saturday, or even Friday afternoon. The Apostles often went to the Jewish Synagogues on their Shabbat and preached to them, just as Jesus had done (see Luke 4:16; Acts 13:14; 13:42, 44; 16:13; 18:4).

Though many believers may believe that one day is better than another to meet, we are not to judge one another. Rather, as Christians we set apart one day a week to honor our Lord. As Baptists, we worship the Lord on Sunday because we recognize that Christ rose from the grave on Sunday. We are “New creations in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:17). He is our Shabbat.

We worship Jesus on “The Lord’s Day”, the day He rose from the Grave and made us New Creations.

But we are not dogmatic, nor do we condemn others for gathering and worshiping on other days. Shabbat was a shadow, and Christ the reality. We serve and worship Jesus every single day – but celebrate Him as a Body, His Church, on Sundays. We remember the word of Scripture:

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

If you as a Christian are weak on “meeting together” with other believers, encouraging then and being encouraged to shine for Jesus – then you will be a weak Christian. We need one another. We may not meet on the Jewish Shabbat, but we meet Sundays to worship the Lord. May God touch your hearts through His Word to commit to being faithful in honoring Him at His Church this year. May the Holy Spirit draw you into a closer walk with your brothers and sisters in the faith, for Christ’s glory. Amen and Amen.

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The Lord Knows (Part 1)

Posted on January 16, 2024 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Kássia Melo: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-close-up-shot-of-a-white-peacock-butterfly-10917649/

2 Peter 2:9-14 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. 12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; 14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

Whereas 1 Peter addressed threats outside the Church, 2 Peter deals with threats inside or from within. Last week we saw the Scripture address the threats of the false prophets who rose up from within the Church. As I heard a preacher say one time,

“It isn’t the water OUTSIDE of the boat that is dangerous to those on the boat. It’s the water INSIDE the boat that will sink us, and drown us.”

As Peter – under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit – addresses these false prophets, it’s clear that he is angry, terse, and very pointed.

The False Prophets Preach Subjective Truth

It’s common to hear in America today,

“You do YOU, and I’ll do ME”, or
“Each person must live their own truth”

Is truth subjective? Subjective “truth” depends on feelings, desires, what I think as empirical. The Bible says of the false prophet:

2 Peter 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

The mark of the false prophet is that they “walk after the flesh”. The Serpent in the Garden of Eden was a false prophet, saying “Has God REALLY said that you shall not eat of the forbidden tree?” (Genesis 3:1). Eve responded,

Genesis 3:3 (ESV) … “God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

Eve was about half right. The truth was – the RULE was – “You shall not eat of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil – Eating of it, you will SURELY die” (Genesis 2:17). The rule that God gave was fair, clear, to the point. God did not require that mankind not TOUCH the fruit. You were just to NOT EAT IT or the consequences would be death. The Serpent went on to say, “You’ll NOT die. God knows if you eat of it, you’ll BE LIKE GOD, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL” (Genesis 3:4-5, AP). What did Eve do?

“the woman SAW that the tree was good for food”
“it was a delight to the EYES”
“the tree was to be DESIRED to make one WISE”

Eve did not rely on the RULE, the FACT of what God said. Instead Eve defined what was good and evil BASED ON HER FLESH, based on what SHE felt. Truth went from being objective to subjective. It was no longer what God said, but what I FEEL or I THINK. The end result of this was, just as God said, DEATH. First came spiritual death as they, through their own choices, sinned and brought a barrier up between them and God. Second came eventual physical death. The two go hand in hand.

2 Peter 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness…

Word Study: False prophets always “walk after the flesh”, that is, they live their lives according to their own desires and own wants. They walk after the flesh “in the lust of uncleanness”. The word rendered “uncleanness” is the Greek miasmos, which means “to be defiled, morally contaminated, polluted”. The false prophet entices others to reject the clearly presented truth of God to follow their own truth. The phrase “walk after the flesh” means to follow YOUR own path. Those who “walk after the flesh” do not want to be told what God says – they want God to agree with them.

The Bible has much to say about “walking after the flesh”. The Bible says:

Romans 8:1 … There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit …

The person who is saved – born again of God the Holy Spirit because they have called on Jesus for salvation – is under “no condemnation”. Why? Because that person is “in Christ Jesus”. Our hope is IN CHRIST JESUS. Our faith is IN CHRIST JESUS. Our salvation is IN CHRIST JESUS. We are not going to Heaven because we are on the roll of a church somewhere, but because I am IN CHRIST JESUS. Because I am IN CHRIST JESUS my name is IN THE BOOK OF LIFE. You are a Child of God because you are IN CHRIST JESUS. And because you are IN CHRIST JESUS, “walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit”. We who are saved “WALK IN THE {power of the} SPIRIT” (Galatians 5:16). The Bible says:

Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

One follows the other. Saved by faith, indwelt of God’s Spirit, we walk in the Spirit, NOT after the flesh. God saved us by faith so that we might follow Him, doing His Will.

Romans 8:3-6 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Once you are saved, you enter the Kingdom of God. God is your King, not your flesh. You seek Him and His pleasure.

False Prophets Say You Can Be Saved
Without Repentance Or Obedience

False prophets say that you can be saved by faith in Christ – a thing called Grace – but God never demands your obedience – that your obedience is optional. How did that work out in the Garden of Eden? The Scripture says of these false prophets:

2 Peter 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

Word Study: False prophets “despise government”, and teach others to do the same. They do not want anyone telling them what is right or wrong, what is good or evil. They are “self-willed”, that is, as long as it pleases them, then it’s true. And we are told that they are “not afraid to speak evil of dignities”. When I first read this it sounded like the false prophets were not afraid to stand up to God appointed leaders – but the actual Greek is much stronger than that. The false prophets are not afraid to blasphēmeō doxa, which means “to blaspheme or verbally degrade the Majesty or the Glory”. Some versions translate this as “The Glorious Majesties”. The Bible tells us that:

Romans 13:1 (NLT) … all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

For the false prophets, there is no authority but what “I feel” or what “I think”. All others are rejected. This is rampant throughout America and the American Church.

2 Peter 2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

The false prophets, like “fools rush in where angels fear to tread” (Alexander Pope). Angels have much greater power and strength than humans do – and yet these angels do not rely on their own senses and desires, but on the Word of God. What has God said? The Book of Jude tells us that these false teachers:

Jude 8-9 (ESV) … in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”

When battling Satan, Michael the Archangel did not rely on his own power or deductive reasoning, but on the Word of God. False prophets care nothing for God’s Word. By walking away from the Word of God and proclaiming the word of the flesh, these false prophets have lowered themselves from God’s best plan for their lives into a state to where they are more animal than human. We read:

2 Peter 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

Word Study: God calls the false prophet “natural brute beasts”, the Greek physikos alogos zōon, which means “as physical against the Word animals”. Jesus Christ is called “The Word” or “The Logos” (John 1:1, 14), whereas the false prophet is the word Logos preceded by the alpha negative or Alogos.

A false prophet is ANTI Word. The false prophet bases perceived truth on what “I feel” or “I think”, and not what the Word of God says. God says “They shall UTTERLY PERISH in THEIR OWN CORRUPTION.

It is God’s Word that made all things. The Scripture says:

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

It is God Who brought light out of the darkness, and order out of the chaos. God did this in CREATION by His Word – and God does the same by the CREATION of the Christian.

The False Prophets And Their Converts
Will Receive The Reward Of Unrighteousness

2 Peter 2:13-14 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; 14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

The false prophet and their followers “shall receive the reward of unrighteousness”. Those who follow the false prophets think that they can “riot in the daytime”. Several years ago, crowds of rioters destroyed property, tore down statues, defaced artwork that was not theirs to deface, and did so in the guise of “social justice”. God does not bless anarchy. When God looks at these people, He sees them as “Spots” and “blemishes”. The word translated “Spots” is the Greek spílos, which means “moral defects, that which God has said is morally reprehensible”. The word translated “blemishes” is the Greek mōmos, which means “a flaw or blot that is disgraceful”. When God looks at the works and character of the false prophet, our Lord goes “YUK”. Their works are morally reprehensible, their behavior like the wet spot of a person that has urinated on themselves. This is not what Christ gave Himself for on the Cross. The Bible says:

Ephesians 5:26-27 … Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 27 That Jesus might present to Himself a glorious Church, NOT HAVING SPOT (spílos), or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Jesus did not suffer and die on Calvary so that we could willy nilly pursue sin. Granted, dearly Beloved, there are all times when we sin, when we do not do what Christ has bid we do. However, upon recognition of sin, the genuine believer will REPENT and TURN FROM THAT SIN and back to Christ. If we get off the path of righteousness, we get back on as soon as possible. We do not make excuses. We do not blame others. We own our sin, and REPENT of our sin and return to walking with Christ.

Those who pursue sin will “receive the reward of unrighteousness”. What is the “the reward of unrighteousness”?

2 Peter 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children…

When you pursue sin, sin will multiply. Their “eyes are full of adultery”. They are constantly searching, and see others as sexual conquests, something to satisfy their urgings on. They “cannot cease from sin”. Jesus said:

John 8:34 (ESV) … Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.

And again, in Romans 6:16 (ESV) Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Enslaved to sin, they actively “beguile” (Greek deleazō) or ENTICE the unstablesoul. They seek to enlist others to the path they are on, as misery loves company. Their hearts are not filled with love for God or love for others, but with “covetous practices”. Then we read that they have:

cursed children (katara teknon)

Their offspring learn about God from what they themselves have done. Their children are often “cursed”. This word is used in:

Hebrews 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; {katara} whose end is to be burned.

That which is CURSED has an end to be BURNED. Oh, what a horrible picture this draws. The false prophet is headed toward hell, and is carrying others with them. This need not be!

Today Is The Day To Choose The Word Of God,
Not The Way Of Man

2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

God knows the difference between the lost and the saved, the ungodly and the godly. The Scripture says that

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations {peirasmos}

The Lord looks after His own children. He delivers those who love Him out of enticements to sin. God looks after His people. But the Scripture says that God …

reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished

There are only two types of people in the world, insofar as God is concerned. There are the GODLY, and the UNJUST or UNGODLY. How does one become GODLY? The Scripture says:

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

When a person actually HEARS the Gospel
– Hear now the Gospel of God!

1. We are all sinners, lost and unable to make ourselves right before God.


2. We all deserve eternal separation from God. We deserve hell.

3. Our sins are insurmountable barriers between us and God.

4. But God in mercy and love sent His Son Jesus to take upon Himself flesh. Perfect God became Perfect Man, and went to the horror of the Cross to pay for our sins.

5. Paying for our sins, Jesus died on that Cross, for the wages of sin is death.

6. Rising from the grave on the third day, Jesus ever lives to make intercession for those who receive Him as Lord and Savior.

7. REPENTING of our lives, we run into the arms of Jesus, trusting solely in Him.

8. Saved, we are members of the Family of God, ourselves sons and daughters of God. We follow the One Who saved us. We heed His Word, and live to please our Savior and Lord. God delivers the godly from temptations. He stays with His Children – forever. Do you know Him? Have you received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This is the only way.

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

The false prophet will not tell you these things, but Beloved, I tell you. God expects you to follow Him. Today is the day of salvation. Believe on Him without delay. Amen and Amen!

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The Third Commandment

Posted on January 13, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

The past two weeks we’ve been studying the Ten Commandments. The First Commandment is:

Exodus 20:2-3 … I am the Lord thy God … thou shalt have no other gods before Me …

God is to be number one in our lives. That’s the First Commandment. The Second Commandment is …

Exodus 20:4-5 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness … Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve (worship) them …

Remember that the number “2” looks like it’s bowing down. The believer is neither to bow down to or serve any god other than Yahweh, the God of Scripture. Tonight we’re looking at the Third Commandment:

Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Word Study Let’s break this down from the Hebrew. The word translated “take” is the Hebrew Qal Imperfect of the verb nāśā’ (pronounced naw-saw’), which means “to lift up, to bear, to carry off or take away”. God’s name is sacred. He gave His Covenant Name to those who believed in Him, who loved Him. When Moses asked God His Name, God told Moses:

Exodus 3:14-15 … God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

The Name Of God Defines God

The Name of God defines Who God is. God is “I Am”. He is Eternal, without beginning or end. “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). God has no starting place. He was never created, but has always been the Creator. God knows all things. “His understanding is beyond measure” (Psalm 147:5). Dr. Adrian Rogers wrote:

“The name Jehovah is used some 6,800 times in the Bible. It is the personal covenant name of Israel’s God. In the King James Version of the Bible, it’s translated Lord God. Not only does it speak of God’s strength, but also it speaks of the sovereignty of God and the goodness of God. The root of this name means “self-existing,” one who never came into being, and one who always will be. When Moses asked God, “Who shall I tell Pharaoh has sent me?” God said, “I AM THAT I AM.””

God is eternal and UNCHANGING. He is I AM. “I the Lord do not change” (Malachi 3:6). Our God DEPENDS ON NO ONE. His Name is I AM. “The Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.” (John 5:26). Our God is the pattern of all life. God’s Name is not “YOU ARE” but “I AM”. “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6). There is nothing that God cannot do except evil. Pastor John MacArthur writes:

“Although such power might seem frightful, remember that God is good. He can do anything according to His infinite ability, but will do only those things that are consistent with Himself. That’s why He can’t lie, tolerate sin, or save impenitent sinners.”

God knows and understands all things. His will will always be done. A.W. Tozer wrote:

“God perfectly knows Himself and, being the source and author of all things, it follows that He knows all that can be known. And this He knows instantly and with a fullness of perfection that includes every possible item of knowledge concerning everything that exists or could have existed anywhere in the universe at any time in the past or that may exist in the centuries or ages yet unborn.”

There is no where where God is not present. He is “I AM”. The fullness of His presence is all about us. God asks, “Am I a God at hand,’ declares the Lord, ‘and not a God afar off? 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” (Jeremiah 23:23-24). Our God is the Perfect Standard of what is right and wrong. The Bible says “The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4).

I could go on and on. God reveals Himself to us, and does so by His Name.

God’s Name Is Not To Be Used In An Empty Way

Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain …

The phrase translated “in vain” is the Hebrew šāv’ (pronounced shawv), which means “to fill with emptiness, to falsify, to break a vow or make a lie with, to hold up as worthless or empty”.

1. Cursing uses God’s Name in an empty way

It is common to hear the Name of Jesus Christ or “God” coupled with a profane word today. It is easy to understand why people do this. Those who know and fear God will respect how His Name is used. We shouldn’t expect unbelievers to live up to Biblical standards, for they are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). The lost are “walking according to the ways of this world”. The Bible declares that “people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means” (1 Corinthians 2:14, NLT). People who curse God’s Name have a greater problem than the cursing – they are lost and undone, and need Jesus.

It is a sin to use God’s Name in an empty, worthless way. Statements like “Oh my God” are sinful, unless we are addressing God. We are to reverence the Name of God. As one commentary notes:

“God controls the universe. A single word from Him creates worlds, puts planets in place, and sets galaxies in motion. He knows every hair on your head. The tiniest bird that falls does not escape His notice. This God, whom angels revere and demons fear, experienced unspeakable torture and horrors to redeem your life from eternal extinction. His name is neither an expletive nor a curse. It is holy. … You can use God’s name when giving thanks, offering praise, and in prayer. You can also lift up His name high by reflecting His love to others, as Jesus told us: “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14 NIV).”

2. Misrepresenting God’s Word Uses His Name In An EMPTY WAY

We take God’s Name in vain when we hold up as Biblical truths those things which God never said. This happens quite frequently among professing Christians and religious people. Our Lord Jesus chastised the Pharisees for dong this. Quoting Isaiah 29:13, Jesus told them:

Matthew 15:7-9 (NKJV) Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

God’s Word gives us a very clear picture of Who God is. Those who love God want to keep His commandments. The Apostle said:

1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

The Pharisees took the Word of God – which is given in the Name of God – and added hard and horrific restrictions that God never placed in the Bible.

God warned His people to be only ambassadors, not editors of God’s Commands. He said:

Deuteronomy 12:32 (NKJV) Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.

God takes His Word seriously. When we modify the Word of God to suit ourselves, we are misrepresenting the character of God. God said in the last chapter of the Bible:

Revelation 22:18-19 … I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

When we modify the Word of God we distract from the richness of God’s Gospel, and can turn Christianity into a Do It Yourself religion. The Pharisees added restrictions that were never in the Law, such as …

A. Pharisees declared that you were only allowed to travel on the Sabbath “a Sabbath Day’s journey”, which the distance between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, about 2,920 – 3,034 feet (.55 of a mile to .57 of a mile). The phrase “Sabbath Day’s Journey” is only found in in Acts 1:12 – and there it is not given as a directive of God, but as a description of what the people had been taught.

B. You were not allowed to carry anything based on a poor interpretation of:

Jeremiah 17:21-22 (NKJV) Thus says the Lord: “Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; 22 nor carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, nor do any work, but hallow the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.

If you read the context, God was chastising His people for working and doing business on the Sabbath. The “gates” of Jerusalem were how merchants came into that city to sell their goods. People would carry goods out of their homes to meet these merchants, buying and selling on the Sabbath. THIS WAS HAPPENING IN JERUSALEM, WHERE THE TEMPLE WAS. God told Israel:

Jeremiah 17:27 (NKJV) “But if you will not heed Me to hallow the Sabbath day, such as not carrying a burden when entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.”

It is not sinful to CARRY something on the Sabbath – else Jesus would not have told the man He healedon the Sabbathto“TAKE UP YOUR BED and walk” (John 5:10-11). Jesus would not have commanded a person to violate the Law, as Jesus came “to fulfill the Law” (Matthew 5:17).

C. The Pharisees taught that you were not allowed to pick fresh corn on Sabbath day – even to fill your own belly (Matthew 12:1-8). Jesus corrected the Pharisees by quoting Scripture rather than the teachings of Rabbis.

D. The Pharisees chastised Jesus for healing people on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:10). Again, this is not found in the Scriptures. Jesus corrected the Pharisees. Other silly additions to the Law were: You could not SPIT on the Sabbath, for it would disturb the dirt and plow the ground. You could not swat a fly, for that was HUNTING. You could not look at your reflection, lest you comb your hair, which was work. If your house was on fire during the Sabbath, you couldn’t carry clothes out. However, you could put on multiple layers of clothes and wear them out of the house.

An interesting article I found stated:

“There were 613 commands in the Old Testament but the Pharisees created over 1,500 additional “fence laws” for the people to obey. They believed the best way to keep people from breaking God’s Law was to build a protective barrier around that Law, even though the Lord never told them to do this.”

By infusing Man’s word with God’s Word, the Pharisees made God appear graceless, tedious, and unloving. This drove people AWAY from salvation.

Jesus recognized this when He said:

Matthew 23:13 (NKJV) … woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

The Pharisees were not only not going to Heaven, they were leading others to hell as well. The Law of God was given to show us the character of God – not just His holiness and righteousness, but His GRACE AND MERCY. The Law was given to highlight our need for the Savior Jesus Christ. The Apostle highlights this in:

Galatians 3:19-25 (NKJV) What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Nominal Christians Take The Name Of God In Vain

Those who profess to be saved by the Blood of Christ, but who willfully and knowingly live contrary to the command of God, take the name of God in vain. “We are AMBASSADORS for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20, NKJV). We represent the Lord to a lost and dying world. When we do what we ought not to do willfully and without care, we represent a false image of Christianity.

There are a number of texts that bring this out. God told Israel:

1 Samuel 12:22 … the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people.

God called Israel out of Abraham. Though Israel failed God numerous times, God will not forsake Israel lest it misrepresent His name. Likewise, the Christian is commanded of God to follow after RIGHTEOUSNESS for God’s Name’s sake. In the well known Shepherd’s Psalm 23 we read:

“The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He LEADETH ME IN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAMES SAKE.”

It is a black mark on the Name of God when Christians do not walk in the Paths of Righteousness with Christ. The Bible says “If we walk in the light AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT … the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sins” (1 John 1:7). Our God calls us into salvation, commanding us to “cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light” (Romans 13:12). What do we have to do with what God has said is sinful? We are commanded:

Ephesians 5:11 … have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

We are a people who have been saved by the Blood of Christ and by the Power of the Holy Spirit. We are “delivered from the power of darkness, and have been translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God” (Colossians 1:13). We are the “children of LIGHT, children of the DAY” (1 Thessalonians 5:5). Let us live for Jesus while we have life. I close with these words:

Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Pastor and Evangelist Dennis Kabingue noted:

“Solomon, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, rallies God’s people to secure a good name. In the book of Proverbs, he wrote, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold” (Proverbs 22:1). In Ecclesiastes 7:1, he wrote, “A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.” If God is teaching His people to do their best to preserve a good name, this should make you think how much more God treasures His own name.”

God sent curses upon Israel because they would not give glory to His Name (Malachi 2:2). The prohibition of the Third Commandment not only includes abusing the names and titles of God in cursing, but also in the violation or twisting of His Word, the misapplication of His truths, and the pursuit of false doctrines. God will not hold anyone guiltless for degrading His Name. Those who do so can expect a payday someday.

Let us live to honor the Lord Who saved us. Amen and Amen.

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