Follow God, Follow Good

Posted on July 17, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Jonas Degener on Unsplash

Proverbs 19:1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is PERVERSE {ʿiqqēš, crooked, false, perverted} in his lips, and is a FOOL.

Let Our Tongues Be Controlled By God’s Word

Our Lord Jesus said to the Pharisees:

Matthew 15:11 (KJV) Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

The Pharisees had twisted and perverted the Word of God, “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men”. They did this to receive riches – not monetary riches but the praise of man. When Jesus made this statement the disciples told Jesus, “When You said that, You offended the Pharisees” (Matthew 15:12). Jesus told them:

Matthew 15:13-14 (KJV) … Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. [14] Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind.

They were seeking the praise of man, not the praise and glory of God. Jesus said “these people are blind. They are NOT planted by My Father. They are not saved.” Just as Jesus told Nicodemus:

John 3:3 … Except a man be born again, he cannot SEE the kingdom of God.

The Pharisees sought not God, but self satisfaction. They lived to be seen of others, to be people pleasers. They were not children of God, but of Satan, the devil (John 8:44). Those who have FAME and FORTUNE often chase after more of the same. But we are told that:

Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity

The person who has nothing but Jesus, who faithfully walks with the Lord, is in a better place than the richest or most famous person. When Solomon wrote this, he was perhaps the richest person in the world. But Solomon knew from experience that riches often draw us down a terrible path.

Proverbs 16:8 (ESV) Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.

Godly Knowledge, Not Human Wisdom,
Guides Us In Safe Journeys

Proverbs 19:2 Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.

Illustrate: I was watching a commercial the other day on Cascade® Tablets. I use Cascade® in my Whirlpool dishwasher, and we’ve had this unit for about 4 years now. In the commercial – and I usually ignore commercials – the man was talking about how good Cascade® is. Then he said, “It even keeps your filter clean”. Filter? I had no idea a dishwasher had a filter. I checked and, sure enough, there was a filter just where the man said it was. I bought this dishwasher 4 years ago when my other dishwasher would not drain. I figured it was broke. More than likely, the filter (which I didn’t know I had) was clogged.

It is not good that the soul be without knowledge.

I probably wasted $600 for lack of knowledge. But poor knowledge can effect you in other ways. I have heard of people eating wild mushrooms, which is fine if they are not poisonous. But many are. You need to have knowledge. The Bible says that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Lack of knowledge can lead you down a dark path. To gain knowledge, you must listen to the right sources. God is the right Source.

When we humbly come to God, He will bless us with Kingdom life. Jesus said:

Matthew 5:3 (KJV) Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The Pharisees, the Scribes, the Sadducees, the Herodians all believed that they had ALL the answers, so they would not hear the Lord Jesus, nor God the Father. They rejected life saving knowledge from God. Many are like that today. They are RICH IN SPIRIT, they think they know better than anyone, and will not hear anything else. You can have knowledge – but if you do not USE it, it does no good. Jesus is the Source of Eternal Salvation:

Hebrews 5:9 (KJV) {Jesus} became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him

We are to hear and to do. We are to be “poor in spirit”, realizing we need His knowledge.

Who did Jesus reach during His earthly ministry? The Broken, the Hopeless, the POOR IN SPIRIT who were ready to HEAR and OBEY!

When asked if He were the Messiah, Jesus replied:

Luke 4:18 (KJV) The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Only the POOR in Spirit, those willing to admit their brokenness, will hear and receive the Gospel preached. The rich will not receive the Word of Truth, and they harm themselves.

he that HASTETH with his feet sinneth.

Saul of Tarsus is a picture of a man who rushed to do the wrong thing, for he had not heard the Gospel of salvation, the Gospel of Christ. Those who are hasty to do something without getting knowledge from God will regret their actions later.

Human Knowledge Is Often Useless

Proverbs 19:3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the Lord.

Illustrate: I heard a fellow the other day say that he spent $100,000.00 to go to college, and get a Master’s Degree in “Gender Studies”. He was moaning because the only job he can find with that type of degree is to be a barista at a coffee shop making about $35,000.00 a year. What a waste of money.

The foolishness of man perverteth his way

I can tell you all you need to know about “Gender Studies” right now, and I won’t charge you $100,000. I learned this years ago, and kids were taught this by Mr. Rogers in his 1971 song Everybody’s Fancy (I was 13 then):

Some are fancy on the outside.
Some are fancy on the inside.
Everybody’s fancy.
Everybody’s fine.
Your body’s fancy and so is mine.

Boys are boys from the beginning.
Girls are girls right from the start.
Everybody’s fancy.
Everybody’s fine.
Your body’s fancy and so is mine.

Only girls can be the mommies.
Only boys can be the daddies.
Everybody’s fancy.
Everybody’s fine.
Your body’s fancy and so is mine.

It is “the foolishness of man that perverts his way”. We ignore what God has said, and do it our way – then suffer the consequences. Then we blame God.

ILLUSTRATE: One of the most common questions I’m confronted with as a Pastor is “Why does God (Who is Good and Loving) allow evil and suffering in the world?” I have heard theologians struggle with this for years. Larry King, the commentator (he died at 87), said this is the reason he cannot believe in God. When John MacArthur (he died at 86) was asked this question, he spent one hour and four minutes beating this subject to death. The answer is fairly simple. It goes back to Genesis (as do most questions we have).

God created man in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:27). God gave man a free will, the ability to choose to obey or disobey God. God gave man a tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:9, 17), and directed man not to eat of it. God gave man stewardship over the earth:

Genesis 1:28 … Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over (every living thing on the earth) …

Man chose to disobey God. Why is there evil in the world? Because of man. Because of our decisions. Because we will not heed God.

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

Why does a loving God allow evil to continue in the world? Again, let’s go back to Genesis. God gave man the world, gave man free will, and asked man to follow Him – and man followed not God but himself. We do that today. Sin is in the world because of us. If God were not longsuffering, He would have wiped us all out long ago. But He did not.

Why is there cancer in children? Because of sin.
Why do innocents get murdered? Because of sin.
Why do flash floods kill people? Because of sin.
Why are there wars? Because of sin.
Why is there sin? Because “by one man sin entered the world”.
Why does it persist? “Because all sin”.

The god of Larry King would have destroyed this world and started over – and Larry King would never have been born. Larry interviewed John MacArthur and Billy Graham (both who are now with the Lord Jesus). Like most unbelievers, he discounted or blamed God rather than turn to Christ.

Proverbs 19:3 The foolishness of man perverteth {sālap̄, to overthrow or ruin} his way: and his heart fretteth (zāʿap̄, is enraged) against the Lord.

It is the “FOOLISHNESS OF MAN”, the desire to be god rather than follow God, that “PERVERTS”, that is “ruins or overthrows” his way of life. Rather than repent and turn to Christ, “HIS HEART FRETS or is ENRAGED” against the God Who made us. It is HIS fault. He CAN’T exist. But He does. Why do children have cancer? Because sin entered the world. Why did a flash flood hit Texas’s Camp Mystic, an all girls Christian Summer Camp in Hunt, Texas? Because creation is tied to the stewardship of man. When man fell, “sin ENTERED THE WORLD, and DEATH by sin”. 27 Campers died. It’s tragic.

For those who have received Christ as Savior, death is not an end but a beginning. “Whoever believes in Him is NOT CONDEMNED”.

Many horrid things happen in this world, but this is not how God made it. It is how man made it by disobeying God. So we have a choice. Turn to the God of the Scripture and trust in Him, or do as Cain did. Refuse God, and hurt ourselves and others.

We cannot make the world sin free, but we can defeat the consequence of sin in our lives by giving ourselves to the Lord Jesus! Sin has made the world a dangerous place. In Christ we overcome the world by living in His Kingdom. We glorify God no matter what we go through, knowing we are present recipients of eternal life.

We are told:

Proverbs 19:8 He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.

You love your soul by pursuing God’s Wisdom. You live the best life by trusting in God’s Word. It is sufficient to our every need!

Sin Causes Us To Devalue Life And Overvalue Stuff

Proverbs 19:4 Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbor.

Sin in the heart of man leads us to value or devalue people based upon their wealth (or poverty). I have heard it said in other Churches, “I hope that fellow joins our Church! We can use his influence and wealth.” Such thoughts are contrary to the Christ-like walk. My commentary notes:

“a rich man’s wealth can attract people like a picnic draws ants. Many of these so-called friends do not really care about the rich man; they simply hope to receive his favor in the form of financial gifts. … The same type of so-called friends who flock to a wealthy person will abandon someone if they cannot benefit from their friendship.”

Proverbs 19:6-7 Many will entreat the favor of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts. 7 All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.

Illustrate: Those who are lost often place a premium on money and fame, and yet disdain those who have little. I’m reminded of the show “The Beverly Hillbillies”, a cute show that was on television back in the golden age of comedy. They were a bunch of hill folk – ignorant of the ways of the modern world – who owned land that an oil company found to be oil rich. In every episode people would always down play or mock them – for riches didn’t change them – and even at one time had them arrested. But when they found out that they were worth millions of dollars, suddenly they had great friends!

Every person has value, and life itself is priceless. True believers understand this principle. New Birth should change how you look at human life. People are not objects, but creations with infinite potential.

In the early Church when people were “born again” through the preaching of the Gospel, their eyes were opened in that they understood that the wealth we have been gracefully given by God is given so that we might benefit others. If God saves a soul, He saves the wallet as well! We read of the early Church:

Acts 2:44-47 (KJV) And all that believed were together, and had all things common; [45] And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all [men], as every man had need. [46] And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, [47] Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

A “saved” person who loves his wallet more than his God is not saved at all, but deceived. The saved know that “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35, NIV).

The lost devalue people. The lost also devalue truth. We read:

Proverbs 19:5 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.

Proverbs 19:9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

I despise a liar. I was raised to be true to my word, to do what I said I’d do. Daddy would whip us terribly if he caught us lying – and I did the same thing to my children. It is even more terrible to tell a lie on someone, to demean their character. The ninth commandments states:

Exodus 20:16 (ESV) You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

When you speak falsely against your neighbor, you damage their reputation. God despises the lie that hurts others. This is why God says that those who are eternally damned are:

Revelation 21:8 (LSB) But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

God’s people are to be “truth speakers”. We are not to gossip, or to spread untruths about or through the Church. The Pharisees hired false witnesses to testify against Christ (Matthew 26:59-61). The Pharisees also accused Jesus of casting our demons by the power of Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24). The mark of a lost person is their willingness to twist the truth to the hurt of others. Those who lie and stand against the truth will suffer for it. God will balance the scales in time.

Illustrate: False witnesses maliciously accused the Prophet Daniel, causing him to be thrown into the lion’s den. No harm came to Daniel. But what of those who stood against Daniel? After his release, the Bible says:

Daniel 6:24 (ESV) And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

The sin of lying and standing against God and His people caused not just the false accusers, but their children and their wives were all cast into a pit of death. Failing to tell the truth can harm more than just YOU – it can harm the innocent as well.

To deny the truth of Scripture is to bear false witness against God Himself. The Bible is a Faithful Witness. Our Lord Jesus is THE Faithful Witness (Revelation 1:5)

Illustrate: One of the lies that has crept into the Church over the last twenty or thirty years is the lies against Genesis. Many Christians have been persuaded that the earth was not created in six days and six nights as Genesis tells us, but that the earth is millions – maybe billions of years old. Sadly, many have fallen for this Trojan Horse because of what “scientific research” has said. Some “theologians” have suggested theories like “Day-Age Creationism”, which suggests that God did not create in six literal days, but in six ages or epochs that may have been millions of years. Others suggest that there is “GAP Creationism”, that the time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 may be billions of years. Then “Theistic Evolution” teaches that God used scientific evolutionary methods to, over billions of years, to bring about creation.

The problem with all the various views of creation that well meaning theologians have developed in order to cause the Bible and Science to walk hand in hand is that these views do not take the plain sense of the Scripture. Our Lord Jesus believed what the Bible said. Jesus never contradicted the Scripture. He said:

John 5:46-47 (NKJV) … if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?

The clear reading of the text of Genesis (Moses’ writings) is that the earth was created in six literal days – and God ordered a Sabbath on the seventh day. Nothing else fits the context. We cannot modify Scripture in order to please the world. We receive what God has said by faith, even if every scientist in every age says what we speak is false. We need to boldly speak HIS TRUTH, just as Jesus did, saying:

Matthew 22:29 (KJV) Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

Jesus believed the Genesis account (see Matthew 19:3-8), and told us that:

Luke 11:49-51 (KJV) (God said) I will send them prophets and apostles, and [some] of them they shall slay and persecute: [50] That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; [51] From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

If you stand with Jesus in the truth, believing the Bible to be literally true, you will be persecuted, found odd, made light of. I believe the Scripture, and seek to live by its directives. I’ll end with this warning and prayer from Solomon:

Proverbs 30:5-9 (NKJV) Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. 6 Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. 7 Two things I request of You {O Lord} (Deprive me not before I die): 8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches— Feed me with the food allotted to me; 9 Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.

Teach us, O God, to be content with Your Word and Your Truth. Let us live for Your glory. Amen.

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Grace Changes Things

Posted on July 16, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Whereas the Book of Romans has been called the “Constitution of Christianity”, the Book of Galatians is called “The Declaration of Independence of Christ’s Kingdom”. The devil will do what he can to stop the Gospel. He tried to scare the disciples away from preaching the Gospel. Imprisoning by the High Priest, God’s people were imprisoned (Acts 5:18). But …

Acts 5:19-20 (KJV) … the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

The Gospel brings LIFE. It brings LIGHT. Jesus Christ is the LIGHT OF THE WORLD (John 8:12; 9:5), and the devil wants the darkness to remain. He wants sin to rule the earth, and man to destroy himself. When the High Priest and his soldiers caught up with the disciples again, they said:

Acts 5:28-29 (KJV) Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Beaten, persecuted, killed for the faith, the children of God continued to share the Gospel of salvation. The High Priest called out the Big Guns – he called for Saul of Tarsus. Saul was trained by Gamaliel, the Chief Rabbi of the day. Saul sat on the Sanhedrin, the Council of Israel. The Sanhedrin hated Jesus and His disciples.

Preach! Self righteous people hijacked the Law of Moses, and turned it into Judaism. Judaism taught only Jews could be the children of God – that other nations were unworthy. Jesus taught that He came to save the “world”, whosoever will. Judaism ignored the clear teaching of Grace, and made salvation a thing you worked for. Jesus taught that all are unworthy, and that salvation comes by receiving Him. Judaism taught that ethnic Jews had a one way ticket to Heaven. Jesus taught that you must be born again of the Spirit to enter Heaven.

Called by the High Priest, Saul’s job was to destroy Christianity, and to restore Judaism as the only true faith. But our God is filled with Grace. He knocked Saul down on Damascus Road, and there Saul’s calling and name changed.

Saul Was Called By Judaism, But
Paul Was Called By Jesus!

Galatians 1:1-2 Paul, an APOSTLE, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the CHURCHES of Galatia:

As “Saul”, he was called by and sought to please a false religion. But Jesus, Who is rich in Grace, called and appointed “Paul” to be an “APOSTLE”. An “APOSTLE” {Greek apostolos}, is “one who is sent of God, sent with orders”. Every Apostle was hand picked by the Lord Jesus Christ. In Matthew 10:2-4 Jesus chose the first twelve Apostles. He gave them an initial command, to carry His Gospel specifically to Israel:

Matthew 10:5-7 (KJV) Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

The Messiah that Israel had long waited for had come. The message the Messiah gave was:

Mark 1:15 (KJV) The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT ye, and BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.

The Apostles were called BY JESUS to spread the Gospel. Not their opinions, but the Gospel of Grace.

Not one Apostle chosen by Jesus was worthy to be called an Apostle. They were not called by Self, by Seminaries or Synagogues, nor were they voted into office as Peter tried to do with Matthias. They were specifically chosen by Jesus, just as our Lord specifically chose the Prophets of the Old Covenant. Listen Beloved, those whom God calls, He calls by GRACE. It is not called by WORTH.

Noah was saved by Grace. When he got off the Ark, he got DRUNK.
Abraham was saved by Grace. He lied, and said his wife was his sister.
Isaac was saved by Grace. He followed in his father’s footsteps in lying.
Samson was saved by Grace. He was a womanizer.
Gideon was hiding when Christ called out to him.
Elijah was saved by Grace. He panicked, and ran from Jezebel.
Jonah was saved by Grace. He ran away when God called him to preach.
David was saved by Grace. He was a murderer and an adulterer.
Moses was saved by Grace. He was a murderer.

Illustrate: A daddy was walking the beach with his little daughter, and as they walked they were collecting shells. Daddy was looking for shells that were whole, in good condition. But his daughter was picking up every shell she saw, even if they were broken. When her daddy asked her why she was picking up even the broken shells, she replied “Daddy, the broken ones are beautiful too”.

Isaiah 11:6 … and a little child shall lead them …

If Apostles were chosen by US, they would have to be near perfect. But Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, Deacons, and every child of God is chosen by God in Grace. Here is a perfect definition of GRACE:

Galatians 1:1 … not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, AND God the Father, who raised him from the dead

“NOT OF MEN”. Salvation is not based on what the world thinks, nor on what is popular opinion. There were some who refused to acknowledge Paul as an Apostle because he was not of the original Twelve. Yet others, remembering how Paul previously persecuted the Church, said “Paul isn’t worthy”. Paul acknowledged his past, saying:

Galatians 1:13-14 (KJV) For ye have heard of my CONVERSATION {anastrophē, conduct or behavior, how I used to live} in time past in the Jews’ religion {Judaism, the false perversion of Mosaic Law}, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the TRADITIONS {parádosis, man made religious activity} of my fathers.

When Paul was “Saul” he chased after and worshiped “THE JEWS RELIGION”. Not God’s religion, not what Christ directed, but human traditions and injected idolatry into what was the Law of Moses. Saul was “all in” on following “THE JEWS RELIGION”. If ANYONE was UNWORTHY to be an Apostle of Christ’s, it would be Saul.

WORTHY and GRACE do not walk hand in hand.
GRACE and MERCY do.

Paul told the believers at Corinth:

1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (ESV) I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

Galatians 1:1 … not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, AND God the Father, who raised him from the dead

“NEITHER BY MAN”. A person is saved from darkness and sin by the Grace of God. We are not saved because WE are worthy, but because HE is worthy. We are saved and called to salvation “by Jesus Christ, AND God the Father”. Of course, anything the Son does, both the Father and the Spirit are in agreement. But Paul is careful to explain that his salvation AND his authority – and Apostles had great authority – was not based on his will or his opinion or ability or worth. Jesus called him.

The Apostles were the FOUNDATION or bedrock of the Church (Ephesians 2:20), along with the Prophets. Paul was one of these foundational Apostles. The mystery of the Church Age and the Kingdom of God were “revealed to the holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit {of God}” (Ephesians 3:5).

Grace Should Free Us From People Pleasing,
And Make Us God Pleasers

When he was Saul, he sought to please the leaders of “THE JEWS RELIGION”, the Chief Priests and the powers that be. Things changed when Saul became Paul. We read:

Galatians 1:15-19 But when it PLEASED {eudokeō, to bring satisfaction to} GOD, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by His grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. 19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.

The Old Saul was busy running around to please others. The New Paul was busy, but in PLEASING GOD.

Galatians 1:10 (NKJV) do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Those who are saved by Grace seek to please God first. Those who are born again seek to love God most. We are not to be “people pleasers, but servants of Christ, doing the will of God from our hearts” (Ephesians 6:6, ESV). The fruit of the life of the lost is self service, self promotion, self pleasure, self satisfaction. The fruit of the Child of God is to “produce heartily, as for the lord, and not for people” (Colossians 3:23, AP).

Jesus Christ called Paul to be His Apostle. Paul did not seek the approval of man, nor did he head to Jerusalem to get Peter’s blessing (for Peter was considered the Chief Apostle). Paul went out and began to share the Gospel of Christ, just as Jesus gave it to him. For three years he preached the Gospel before he went to see Peter in Jerusalem. While there, Paul also saw James, the Lord Jesus’ stepbrother.

As Paul writes about the Gospel to the “churches of Galatia”, he wants them to know that his letter on the Gospel is not Paul’s private or peculiar interpretation of the Gospel. He says:

Galatians 1:11-12 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

I believe that the reason so many “Christians” are scared to share their faith is because they have a skewed view of salvation. If you have not experienced salvation, you cannot explain Grace.

Saul was turned to Paul when he said “Yes” to Jesus. Paul was called to be an Apostle by Jesus. Paul was taught the Gospel by Jesus. I can tell you all about the Gospel, but until you experience the Grace of God by REPENTING and turning to the Lord Jesus as Savior, you will never understand the Gospel. It’s not like 2+2 = 4. It’s all about GRACE.

Illustrate: How many of you have read your Bibles from cover to cover? Don’t raise your hands, but I doubt few have. It’s a big Book! Now, how many have read the first TWO chapters of the Bible in Genesis? I’ll bet most of you have, maybe all of you have. If you take these first chapters, a little sliver, is everything God intended for us. But we fell from His Grace. Everything that comes after those FIRST TWO chapters is humanity messing up, but God in Grace kept reaching out to us. The Bible is God’s testimony of how patient and merciful He is. If it were me or you, the Bible would be only TWO chapters long! Everything would end at Genesis 3! But God is longsuffering. God is gracious. God is good! The last TWO CHAPTERS of the Bible tell us where God wants to take us … if we’ll heed Him, and His Grace.

The Intent Of Grace Is Peace And Deliverance

Galatians 1:3 GRACE be to you and PEACE FROM God the Father, and from our LORD Jesus Christ …

The Grace of God always brings PEACE with God. We are told in:

Romans 5:1 (KJV) Therefore being justified by faith, we have PEACE WITH GOD through our Lord Jesus Christ:

We are “JUSTIFIED” or made right with God “BY FAITH”, not by works. We believe on what Jesus did for us at Calvary. But once saved, JESUS BECOMES OUR LORD. He is LORD of our lives. We live according to His Word, not our word or human traditions. The Bible teaches that “PEACE WITH GOD” does not come from us, but it is “PEACE FROM GOD”. Salvation is entirely by GRACE. But once saved, God changes us. We are moved from one state to another.

The world is, at best, ignorant of God. It tunes God out. It refuses to acknowledge the God of Scripture, but creates idols to worship, idols that it controls. In the world system of religion “god” is controlled and appeased by what you do. “God” is satisfied if you count beads, or pray at certain times, or sacrifice something, or kneel at a human idolatrous altar. Christianity says NO to human works that appease God. God is satisfied in Christ. The Scripture says:

1 John 2:1-3 MY LITTLE CHILDREN, I am writing these things to you so that you MAY NOT SIN. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the PROPITIATION for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

The Christian has PEACE WITH God and FROM God because we have been “born again”. We are God’s “LITTLE CHILDREN”. We do not belong to the world anymore. God’s standard is that we “MAY NOT SIN”. But if the Christian does sin, we have a representative who knows us, “JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS”. We are at peace with God, children of God, because Jesus Who is righteous took our punishment on the Cross. Jesus is the “PROPITIATION” {hilasmos}, that is, the One Who appeased the wrath of God against sin. How does one know that we are saved? Because “we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments”.

We do not chase after sin. We strive to live to glorify our Savior!

Galatians 1:4-5 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Our Lord Jesus Christ died for us, for our sins, to “deliver us from this present evil world”. Grace does not save us so that we can chase after sin. Grace frees us so that we can serve the God Who loved us, and gave Himself for us. You cannot be saved, and live as if you are a lost person. Those who are saved are DELIVERED. We are not like the darkness. We are the Children of God.

Illustrate & Close: I heard Adrian Rogers tell this once in a sermon: “A godly Pastor was doing a good job, but two men in the Church didn’t like him. They came to him and said, ‘Pastor, we think you should be the pastor no longer in this Church. We’re going to ask you to step aside and resign’. The Pastor said ‘Thank you for coming to see me. I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I will take it to the Lord, and pray over it, and I’ll get back with you’. They said, ‘All right, we’ll meet next week.’ Next week came, and they met, and the men said, ‘Well, what did God say to you?’ The Pastor said, ‘God said He’d never heard of you two guys.’” Adrian went on to say, “There are always people who’ll be used of the devil to defame the good”.

That is so very true. Both you and I have heard of people who are supposed Christians, even supposed Pastors, who get involved in godless activities and bring shame to the Church of Christ. These are not true believers, but wolves in sheep clothing.

Those who love the Lord love His Bible, His commandments.
Those who love the Lord cherish His Grace!

May God touch your hearts with His Word!

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My Best Friend

Posted on July 11, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash

Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Who Is Your Best Friend?

I’ve had very few “friends” in my lifetime. When I was growing up my two best friends were Benny and Ricky. I met Benny first, and as a child spent many nights at his house, eating meals with him and playing in the woods behind his house. I forget how we met, but we were “BEST Friends”. Later I met Ricky, and we were inseparable. We went through a lot of tough times together. Ricky was the friend who led me to the Lord. He invited me to the Church he was attending, and on Saturday February 28, 1976 I was at a Youth Rally when the Lord called me to be His.

That was the greatest day of my life.

I’ll never forget when the Holy Spirit opened my heart to the Gospel, and I literally felt God’s hand on my shoulder. But something happened that day. I lost my best friend Benny. Ricky and I started attending Church regularly – every time the doors were opened – but Benny wasn’t interested. I still miss Benny. I tried to see Benny several years ago when I was in Raleigh, but he refused to meet with me. I miss him. Ricky changed, too. Though we got together and had a great time, Ricky had gotten away from the Lord. I still love him, and hope that he will come back to Jesus. The problem is,

I have nothing in common with Benny or Ricky any more.

When I met up with Ricky, he was married to his second wife, and was a prolific drinker. He drank around 7 or 8 beers while I met with him, and several when we went out to eat. I couldn’t join him in that. He and Benny met frequently at a local bar and drank. I lost my two best friends to the world – but gained a much better Best Friend in Jesus.

Jesus tells us to be careful who we are friends with. Jesus wants to be our Best Friend – and He is. Jesus wants us to be friendly to all – but only friends with those who are friends with Him. The Bible says:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NKJV) Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”

When someone is an UNBELIEVER, we who are friends of Jesus are not to become intimately bound to them. Why? Because they can lead us away from our BEST FRIEND Jesus. As I sat with Ricky, several times he offered me a beer. And Beloved, I thought about it. What would it hurt if I had a beer? My Church wouldn’t know. Who would know? My Friend Jesus would know. And once I start down that path, I might not stop. God says to us,

2 Corinthians 6:17 … Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.

We who are children of God are called to be friends of God. Now, we should be friendly to everyone. I try to be nice to people. The Scripture says:

Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV) … be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

We should be kind and merciful to others, whether they are saved or not. Our Lord Jesus often sat at meat with sinners that He might share the Gospel with them. He was friendly with the lost, but not friends. Those who hated Jesus claimed He was …

Matthew 11:19 … (NKJV) a glutton and a winebibber, a FRIEND of tax collectors and sinners!

Jesus was not a “friend of sinners”, though He was friendly to sinners. The Bible tells us that we are to reach out to those who are lost. The Apostle Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 9:16-19 (NKJV) if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. 19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

Paul was friendly and reached out to all to share the Gospel with all. But he was not friends with the lost. God is not friends with the lost. Friends are bound together in a deep, intimate relationship. Friends “keep company” with one another. Though the Apostle was friendly to and reached out with the Gospel to all people, he warns us to not be friends with those who are sexually immoral:

1 Corinthians 5:9-11 (NKJV) I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

We are to be friendly to the lost, to reach out to them with the Gospel. BUT if someone professes to be a fellow believer, “anyone named a brother”, then we are not to keep company with nor eat with such a person. If their lifestyle is not that which honors Christ, then we are not to be around it.

1 Corinthians 15:33-34 (NKJV) Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” 34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin

Even if you are the “light of Christ”, you are called to avoid friendship with the darkness. “Friendship with the WORLD is to be the ENEMY OF GOD” (James 4:4). We who are saved by Grace belong to Jesus. We do not belong to the darkness, but to the Light.

Christ Jesus Is Our Best Friend

Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

I have a lot of friends in this Church. I have a few “Best Friends” – I’ll not tell you who! But my BEST FRIEND is Jesus. He is closer to me than any brother or sister, closer to me than anyone I’ve ever met. My friends Benny and Ricky have begun to walk a path I can’t be on. I’ve had other friends that, because of our location, they have moved away and are no longer close to me. I have pastor friends that I was once very close to. One of my best friends in this Church went to be with Jesus a few years ago.

Human friends and human relationships come and go. But the Best Friend you’ll ever have is Jesus. He sticks closer to you than a Brother!

Those who love Jesus will stick close to you as well. Over the past thirteen years I’ve seen people I thought were my friend (and your friend) wander away for other friendships. When you serve Jesus, you will eventually find out who is your true friends, and who are are Iscariots. When the Apostle Paul was imprisoned in Rome, he wrote his student Timothy:

2 Timothy 1:15-18 This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. 16 The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; 17 but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me. 18 The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus.

Paul had many friends until He unashamedly preached the Gospel – then they began to abandon him. Two of those friends were “Phygellus and Hermogenes”. When Paul’s preaching was bringing in crowds, these two followed him in his work. But when Paul was arrested and shunned by the powers that be, these guys ran away. Why? Because they were nominal, surface Christians.

God often sends trials our way to not only test our faith, but to show us the faith of those who claim to be our “friends”.

When things were easy and popular, the false crowd comes. But when the bad times come only those like “Onesiphorus” stay with you. Beloved, I would rather this Church decrease in size to 20 people who were Onesiphorus, than to have 2000 of the other kind. Paul said of Onesiphorus:

he often refreshed me, and
was not ashamed of my chain

He encouraged Paul as he went through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. He was not ashamed of what Paul went through. Jesus told us:

Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Those who are Light in the midst of Darkness will be hated, imprisoned, shunned, mocked, lied about, and persecuted. But those who love Jesus are the best friends you can have. Onesiphorus “when he arrived in Rome, he sought {Paul} out very zealously and found {him}”. A friend will stand with you.

You will have earthly friends who come and go, but like minded believers will stay with you while they can. In time, earthly believers may move to other areas. They may leave this life.

But Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you.

Our forefather Abraham understood that the Best Friend you can have is Jesus. How did Abraham and Jesus become such good friends. Go back to our Proverb:

Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly

When God offered the hand of friendship to Abraham in Genesis 12, Abraham grabbed His blessed hand. He believed God. He followed God. Though he often failed, he looked for God. The Bible says:

James 2:23 (NKJV) “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.

Friends believe in one another. Abraham didn’t doubt the promises that His Friend Jesus gave him. He just believed, and followed. Even when his Friend asked him to sacrifice his only son Isaac, Abraham believed God. He trusted God. HE FOLLOWED JESUS. Jesus tells us:

John 15:12-14 (NKJV) This is My COMMANDMENT, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

You cannot be a Friend of God and not obey His commandments. It doesn’t work that way. Friends trust one another. Friends love to be with one another. Friends do not abandon one another.

What a Friend we have in Jesus! Amen.

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Guarding Against False Teachers

Posted on July 8, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Jude 10 But these {false teachers} speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

Last week we saw how Jude spoke against idolatry and false teachers. He started by reminding us that when God saved Israel from Egypt, a “mixed multitude” went out with them:

Exodus 12:37-38 (KJV) And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot [that were] men, beside children. [38] And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, [even] very much cattle.

Word Study: “Mixed multitude” is the Hebrew ʿēreḇ raḇ, which can be translated “a foreign multitude, a great rabble, a mixed {non-Israelite} crowd”. God’s people – whether Israel or the Church – has always had those who are not born again who attend services, who may actually be on our membership roll. When Israel regathered in Jerusalem at the end of the Medo-Persian exile, much of the “mixed multitude” were cousins of the Israelites, Ammonites and Moabites. These people had their own gods and goddesses, and secretly wanted to draw Israel away from the God of Scripture. We are told in:

Nehemiah 13:1-3 (KJV) On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; [2] Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing. [3] Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude{ʿēreḇ}

When Israel neglected the Word of God, they bound together with false teachers and idolaters, those things that would keep them away from a perfect union with God. But once they realized through the reading of God’s Word who were ʿēreḇ and who were of Israel, they separated from these people.

It is the Word of God that gives us the standards that we, as Children of God, are supposed to seek. The mixed multitude can lead the Church from honoring Christ.

Characteristics Of False Teachers

Jude 10 But these {false teachers} speak evil {blasphēmeō} of those things which they know not

Word Study: The false teachers blasphēmeō, or blaspheme things they do not understand or agree with. They did this with our Lord Jesus. The Pharisees made intricate additions to the Law of God concerning the Sabbath. If you were hungry, you were not even supposed to pick raw corn from the stalk to eat it (Matthew 12:1-8). Jesus reminded them that The Scripture taught that when David was hungry, on the Sabbath day the PRIESTS gave him and his men shew bread, which was only supposed to be eaten by PRIESTS (Matthew 12:3-4). Jesus relied on the Scripture. Moving to the Synagogue, the Lord Jesus healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath day (Matthew 12:10). Again Jesus referred to the Scripture, saying:

Matthew 12:11-12 (KJV) … What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

The Law of God allowed people to eat, and animals to be watered and rescued on the Sabbath Day. The Sabbath was established as a time to worship the Lord, to glorify His name. But the Pharisees – a “rabble among us” or “mixed multitude” – did not refer to the Scripture, but to what they thought was best. When Jesus healed on the Sabbath, rather than glorifying God they taught that Jesus was demon possessed. When Jesus healed a demon possessed man, proving He was the Messiah, the …

Matthew 12:24 (ESV) … Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”

They do not understand, nor do they want to understand Jesus the Messiah, so they blaspheme Him. They put Jesus in league with the devil, though He did no wrong. They did so not on the basis of Scripture, nor by the Holy Spirit, but based on their feelings and desires. Jesus pointed out that, if He were in league with Satan, then …

Matthew 12:26 (ESV) And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

Jesus went on to say,

Matthew 12:28, 31-32 (ESV) But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. … [31] Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. [32] And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

The Pharisees were not blaspheming the Son of Man, the Messiah. It was the Holy Spirit that was casting the demons out. It was the Holy Spirit by which Jesus healed people. They were blaspheming the Holy Spirit, an unforgivable sin that brings everlasting damnation. Why is this sin unforgivable, and all others forgivable?

Because it is the Holy Spirit that convicts a person they they are a sinner, and need the Savior, Jesus Christ
(John 16:8-9).

Jesus said in John 6:44, (KJV) “No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” When a person is under conviction, it is because the Father sent the Spirit of God to convict that person. When a person sees a clear work of God and attributes it to Satan, they are rejecting the Holy Spirit, the only One Who can convict them of sin and bring them to REPENTANCE so they might be saved. My commentary notes:

“All sin can be forgiven. However, the key to forgiveness is repentance. The key to repentance is conviction. The source of conviction is the Holy Spirit. When a person blasphemes, slanders and rejects the true work of the Holy Spirit, they disconnect their source of conviction. When this happens, there is nothing or no one who will move that person to repentance and without repentance there can be no forgiveness. … they have rejected the Holy Spirit.”

False Prophets Cut Themselves Off From Salvation

The “mixed multitude” or the unsaved cut themselves off from salvation. They are likened to “BRUTE BEASTS”…

Jude 10 … what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

Their actions condemn themselves to hell by rejecting the Word of God and the Messiah. When a person in our midst says, “I know what the Bible says, BUT I DISAGREE. It’s an old, outdated Book.” That person condemns themselves, and if not careful, will kill the righteous. The Apostle wrote:

2 Peter 2:12-13 (KJV) 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 …

The Way of Cain

Jude 11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain …

False teachers have no love for their brethren. We are told “they have gone in the way of Cain”. The Bible tells us that “the wages of sin is DEATH” (Romans 6:23). Adam’s sin against God in Eden brought the reality of this home to both him and his wife. After their expulsion from Eden, Adam and Eve had a child called Cain, a farmer, and Abel, s shepherd (Genesis 4:1-2). God had instituted animal sacrifices in the Garden to act as a temporary covering for sin. When Cain brought his sacrifice, he brought the “fruit of the ground to the Lord” (Genesis 4:3). His brother Abel brought the firstborn of his flock (Genesis 4:4).

God refused Cain’s offering, but received Abel’s offering. Why did God refuse Cain’s offering? Because it was NOT OF FAITH. Faith heeds God’s Word. Faith honors God.

You can’t just do it the way you want to do it. The Word of God establishes the pattern, what is acceptable. The Scripture says:

Hebrews 11:4 (ESV) By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

Cain could have easily obeyed the Lord. He knew what the standard was. His brother Abel was a believer in God, and would have readily given Cain a lamb had he asked for it. God pleaded with Cain, saying:

Genesis 4:6-7 (ESV) … Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? [7] If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Faith is to DO WELL, to DO WHAT GOD SAID. Period! God will not repent. Cain must repent. But since Cain refused to repent, and God would not re-write Scripture to satisfy Cain’s whim, Cain killed his brother Abel. The false prophet wants to set the standard. The Apostle wrote:

1 John 3:12 (ESV) We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.

False teachers are “OF THE EVIL ONE”. They are not of God. Those who are of God, of Christ, not only HEAR but DO His Word. Jesus said:

Luke 6:44-46 (ESV) … for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. [45] The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. [46] Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

The false teacher, like Cain, will not repent. He will KILL HIS BROTHER – either literally or figuratively – rather than obey the Lord. Cain has made himself a god, and refuses the Word of God.

Running After The Error Of Balaam

Jude 11 Woe unto them! for they … ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward

When Israel came out of Egypt, they passed near Moab in their journey to Sinai. The Moabites, though cousins to Israel, hated Israel and the God of Israel. They along with the Amorites worshiped Chemosh, the Destroyer. Mesha king of Moab …

2 Kings 3:27 … (ESV) took his oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall.

Those who worshiped Chemosh (who was demonic) offered human sacrifices to appease that god. Balaam was a ‘prophet for hire’ that the King Balak of Moab hired to curse Israel. God told Balaam:

Numbers 22:12 (AP) You shall NOT go with the Moabites. You shall NOT curse Israel, for they are BLESSED.

Balaam was offered riches to speak man’s word instead of God’s Word. He agreed. But God sent an Archangel to stop Balaam. His donkey saw the Angel, but he didn’t.

Anytime God allows an animal to speak in Scripture, whether snake or donkey, we would best reconsider what we’re planning. The Angel allowed Balaam to go with the Moabites, but warned him:

Numbers 22:35 (ESV) Go with the men, but speak ONLY THE WORD that I tell you.

Four times Balaam prophesied over Israel, but instead of cursing God’s people, he was made to bless them. But Balaam was greedy. When King Balak offered him more money Balaam suggested that Balak send unbelieving but beautiful women from Moab into Israel to entice God’s people into sin.

Israel added to the mixed multitude!
What was the result?

Numbers 25:1-3 (ESV) {Israel} began to whore with the daughters of Moab. [2] These invited the people {of Israel} to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. [3] So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.

Israel took up with the human sacrifice of Chemosh. We are told that Israel “yoked himself to Baal of Peor”. The word baal is simply the word for “lord,” “master,” or “ruler.” Baal became a technical or semi-technical name for the gods of the Canaanites. What Israel did caused God to bring a plague on the nation that would kill 24,000. What was the source of this horror?

Numbers 31:16 (ESV) Behold, these, on Balaam ‘s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord.

False teachers bring plague upon God’s people, and lead the Church into sin. Jesus spoke to the Church of Pergamum:

Revelation 2:14 (ESV) … you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

I suspect that the “TEACHING OF BALAAM”, the suggestion that we as believers should allow more leniency towards those who “practice sexual immorality” is one of the more common false teachers found in American Churches.

The Rebellious Talk Of Korah

Jude 11 … and perished in the gainsaying {antilogia} of Core {kore, or Korah}.

This is a reference to Korah. The word translated “GAINSAYING” is the Greek antilogia, which means “to speak against, to rebel against Divine authority, to contradict what god has decreed”. There are three other “Korahs” in the Bible (Genesis 36:5, 14, 18; 1 Chronicles 1:35; Genesis 36:16; 1 Chronicles 2:43), but this Korah is found in Numbers 16:1-40.

Korah was the grandson of Kohath. The lineage of Kohath was responsible for transporting the furniture of the Tabernacle, along with the Ark of the Covenant. Korah reported to Aaron’s son Eleazar, the Overseer of the Tabernacle. Korah’s responsibilities and those of his family was very important. Without the vessels and the Ark of the Covenant, worship could not proceed. But Korah wasn’t satisfied.

Just as Lucifer looked at himself, and thought himself better than even God His Creator, Korah felt that HE could be more than he was called to be. Korah wanted to be of Aaron’s line – and led a revolt against Moses and Aaron to that effect.

Numbers 16:1-3 (ESV)Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. [2] And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. [3] They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”

He claimed that Moses and Aaron conspired to be priests and leaders, and that he and his followers had just as much right to lead Israel. There were 24 courses of priests throughout the sons of Levi, and each had their assigned place BY GOD. But Moses was very wise.

He put it before God. He let God fight the battle.

Numbers 16:5-7 (ESV) {Moses} said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the LORD will show who is his, and who is holy, and will bring him near to him. The one whom he chooses he will bring near to him. [6] Do this: take censers, Korah and all his company; [7] put fire in them and put incense on them before the LORD tomorrow, and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!”

Korah and his crowd forgot that Moses and Aaron did not call themselves. God called them. Only God can remove them, not Korah!

We must all be careful not to overstep our calling. God calls us – we do not call ourselves. When you step into God’s place, and seek to overthrow someone God installed, then you do so to your peril.

Moses let God fight his battle. Moses called two of the ringleaders, Dathan and Abiram to come and speak to him. Their response is typical of the false teacher. They refused to meet Moses face to face, but hid in the mob they created, saying …

Numbers 16:12-14 (KJV) We will not come up: 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? 14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.

They claimed it was Moses, not God, who led them to this place. They blamed Moses, not themselves, for failing to enter the Promised Land. In short, they lied and put their problems on Moses, not on themselves. The reality is that these people were part and parcel the reason that the first generation of Israel perished in the wilderness.

Neither Moses nor Aaron can force a people to the blessings of God. The people must choose to follow God. Murmuring and grumbling will not bring blessing, nor will rebellion. “Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and insubordination is idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23).

I wish you would read the full chapter of Numbers 16, for my time is limited and I must hurry to close. Let me simply say this. Moses asked God …

Numbers 16:30-33 (KJV) if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord. 31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. 33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

They were buried alive by God! God will punish those who defy Him, who murmur and complain and seek to impede His will.

What Should We As God’s Beloved Do?

Jude 17-20 But, BELOVED, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 20 But ye, BELOVED, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

What can we do to preserve our fellowship, and honor our God? Remember that we are His Beloved. Remember that God has warned that the mixed multitude will come among us, spiritless and unsaved people who will walk following themselves as idols. Let us pray, let us grow, let us stay true to our God.

More on this next week. May God touch your hearts with his Word! Amen.

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Good Customer Service

Posted on July 6, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Romans 14:7-12 (KJV) For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Whatever Happened To Good Customer Service?

I was having coffee with my brother Frank yesterday when I asked the question, “Whatever happened to good customer service?” It’s getting rarer and rarer today. No one wants to wait on you. When you go in a store, you are treated like an inconvenience. People want your money, but they don’t want your presence. For that matter, people want to be paid – but hate the fact they have to work.

I believe much of the problem has to do with 21st century parenting. Children are raised without responsibilities. They are given everything, whether they work for it of not. So the child grows up believing:

“I live TO MYSELF. If it’s not about ME, then I don’t care. My entire responsibility in life is to please MYSELF. I will live my life MY WAY, like Frank Sinatra, then when I die I will die TO MYSELF. Nobody else matters but ME.”

I can tell you horror stories, and you can probably tell me the same. I went to CVS with a coupon the other day, and the cashier treated me like dirt. People refuse to say “thanks for coming” or even “thank you”. It’s just, “Give me the money, get out!” I’ve had cashiers ring up my order wrong, and when I point it out they look at me like “What an inconvenience!” On one error I pointed out the young lady said, “Well, it’s just $2.00!” Yes, but it’s MY $2.00.

Let’s talk about turn signals. People refuse to use them. Turn signals prevent accidents, increase the smooth flow of traffic, and get us all home safely. But because everyone is so “It’s all about ME” no one wants to be courteous. And we all suffer.

Romans 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and NO MAN {oudeis} dieth to himself.

Word Study: The words translated “NO MAN” is the Greek oudeis, which doesn’t mean “NO MAN” but “NO ONE NOR ANY THING”. Children believe the world revolves around them. Some Democrats, Republicans, Socialists, Communists and Libertarians believe the world revolves around them. It doesn’t. I’ve seen people on television gluing themselves to highways, or throwing paint on priceless works of art in order to “protest” the flavor of the day. These children in adult bodies believe life is all about them. They stop traffic, keeping people from working and paying taxes so these lazy creatures can be social justice idiots.

Harsh? I mean to be. God created the world to where there is NO life where there is no give and take.

For years we let people come across our border, and enter our society, but imposed no liability nor taxation on them. This increased the tax burden for every person in America. It’s not all about you. If you live in this free country, you MUST pay taxes to maintain its infrastructure. If you don’t, then someone has to. When John F. Kennedy was Inaugurated, January 20, 1961, in his speech he said in part:

“We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom — symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning — signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago. … The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavour will light our country and all who serve it — and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.”

In any nation when the people become self absorbed, “It’s all about ME”, I’m going to do it MY WAY, the anarchy of it will destroy that nation.

In any community where selfishness and self love prevails, lawlessness and flaming “mostly peaceful protests” will hurt everyone.

In any family where children are taught selfishness by selfish parents and grandparents, in time the children will grow into childish adults who live out their lives consuming rather than creating.

In any Church where we forget that we are to be the Light and the Salt – then in time God Himself will shut down that Church. We are called as believers not to seek our own, but to “Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) if you expect to be blessed. Israel forgot this when the Messiah came. So Jesus told Israel:

Matthew 21:43 (KJV) … The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

God will close the doors of the nation that encourages selfish fools.
God will close the doors of the business that forgets its customer’s value.
God will close the doors on greedy cities.
God will close the doors on families that ignore His Word.
God will close the doors on Churches that do not glorify Him.

God Is The Customer Of This Church

What is the business of every Christian, the business of every Church?

Romans 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

We as Christians live to please the Lord Who saved us. In that sense, God is our Customer. We are bought by the Lord. We belong to the Lord. We are members of His Kingdom. And God has expectations of us.

In the midst of all the “salvation is a free gift” preaching – and it is a “free gift” for we cannot earn nor deserve it – many “accepted Jesus” but were not told that there would be consequences of accepting the free gift. Now, let’s talk about that phrase “FREE GIFT”.

The phrase “FREE GIFT” is only found twice in the Scripture, ONLY in Romans chapter five.

Romans 5:15-16, 18 (KJV) But not as the offense, so also [is] the FREE GIFT {charisma}. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. [16] And not as [it was] by one that sinned, [so is] the gift: for the judgment [was] by one to condemnation, but the FREE GIFT {charisma} [is] of many offenses unto justification. … [18] Therefore as by the offense of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life.

Word Study: The words “FREE GIFT” is the Greek charisma, which means “a favor with which one receives without any merit of his own, divine gratuity and deliverance”. These words are used in verses 15-16, but not in verse 18. The King James translators added the words in verse 18 – though this is what the Apostle was talking about. Salvation is indeed a “FREE GIFT” in the sense that you cannot purchase it, you cannot earn it. You cannot work toward it. But it is a FREE GIFT WITH CONSEQUENCES.

When you receive the FREE GIFT of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, God sends the Holy Spirit to you, and as a consequence you are BORN AGAIN.

Receiving the FREE GIFT of salvation from Jesus Christ brings a change to the recipient. We are told in Romans 5:19 that “many are MADE RIGHTEOUS”. Whereas before you were selfish and self absorbed, now you live in love with God and your fellow believers. We are told in Romans 5:21 that for the believer, “GRACE REIGNS through RIGHTEOUSNESS unto ETERNAL LIFE by Jesus Christ our Lord”.

The world and the worldly LIVE FOR THEMSELVES. But for the Christian, born again of God’s Spirit:

Romans 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

Christians belong to the One Who bought them.

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

“FREE GIFT” doesn’t mean you are freely given salvation so you can live for the devil. We do not live to please the world. We live to please our Savior and lord.

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

We do not live our lives to please the lost world. We live our lives for Jesus. “whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”. Jesus did not die on the Cross and rise from the grave so we can be a selfish mess with the rest of the world. Jesus did not die on the Cross and rise again just so “I can go to Heaven”. No!

Jesus purchased a Kingdom with His Blood!

Romans 14:9 (KJV) For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living.

Jesus is Lord of Heaven and Earth. He is Lord of all. He is Lord of His Kingdom. “That He might be Lord both of the dead and living”. What does that mean? Jesus told us:

John 5:22-29 (NKJV) For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, [23] “that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. [24] “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. [25] “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. [26] “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, [27] “and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. [28] “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice [29] “and come forth–those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

Jesus Christ is the “LORD of all”, the “LORD of the DEAD and of the LIVING”. Those who have received the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior are born again, quickened, made alive by the Spirit of God. They are “children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (John 1:12; Romans 8:16; 1 John 3:10; Philippians 2:15). The Bible says:

Philippians 2:9-10 (NKJV) Therefore God also has highly exalted {Jesus} and given Him the name which is above every name, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, …

Jesus is the LORD of the Living, of the Born Again, of the Church. But Jesus is also the LORD of the dead, the spiritually unborn, of the world.

Romans 14:11-12 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, EVERY knee shall bow to me, and EVERY tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then EVERY ONE OF US shall give account of himself to God.

Judgment Day is coming for every person, and Jesus Christ is the Judge. Some will stand before Jesus at what the Bible calls “The Great White Throne Judgment”. Those who refused His “free gift” of salvation, who refused to lay their lives down to follow Him, who refused to listen to what Jesus said:

Matthew 16:24-26 (ESV) Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

The lost gave their soul to self, to selfishness, to chase sin and sinful pleasures. These “lost souls” will one day stand before a Great White Throne. They refused to DENY THEMSELVES, TAKE UP THE CROSS, and FOLLOW JESUS. As they stand before this Throne, Jesus will tell them “I never knew you”.

Jesus is life and light. The sum of their lives on earth are selfishness and self service. He doesn’t know who they are.

That’s what Jesus is talking about in:

Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV) Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but He who does the will of My Father in heaven. [22] “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not PROPHESIED in Your name, CAST OUT DEMONS in Your name, and DONE MANY WONDERS in Your name?’ [23] “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

What is the “WILL OF THE FATHER IN HEAVEN”? It is to believe on Jesus, to give your life to Him. It is not occasional acts of good, but committing your daily walk to Him. Those who are nominal or occasional Christians may not be saved. I beg you – examine yourselves. There is no purgatory, and the Lake of Fire is forever (Revelation 20:11-15).

Jesus Will Judge Every Christian

Romans 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

With these words, the Apostle is not giving the Christian the right to sin. There are certain activities that the Bible clearly labels as “sin”. If we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, we will warn them against sin. What the Apostle is talking about is something you find objectionable that is not clearly marked out in Scripture as “sin”. We’ve talked about this before.

Though we as Christians are to avoid what God has clearly defined as “sin”, there are other gray areas that are open to interpretation. Here’s the standard:

If you can find a Bible text that clearly states “this is sin”, then stand with the text. But if the Bible does not address what you find objectionable, let Jesus be the judge.

Romans 14:13-15 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. 14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

In the early Church, Jewish Christians were taught that certain meats were “unclean” and should not be eaten. Gentile Christians were not raised in that culture, so ate all things. Paul said, “I am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself”. But even if its not forbidden, if I love my brother or sister in Christ and it might cause them to stumble in their growth, shouldn’t I practice self denial? My prejudices and upbringing should not cause another believer grief.

We are members of one another (Ephesians 4:25; Romans 12:5).

Give up your “sacred set” or your “parking place” to another. Deny yourself. Be encouragers, not discouragers. Keep your eyes on Jesus, and on Grace. Be charitable.

Romans 14:16-17 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

We are all different, with different backgrounds. As long as the Bible does not forbid it, love your fellow believer – even if you don’t agree. I close with this:

Romans 14:20-21 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

Let us love one another. In Christ’s name. Amen!

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Follow Your Leader

Posted on July 3, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Proverbs 18:1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

Sin is a transgression against the clear commandment of God. The Apostle wrote:

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Sin begins with the question, “Has God really said?”, and then moves from there to partaking of what is forbidden. Those who minimize sin are not Christian, though they may claim to be so. The person who blatantly and without regard to God sin is the enemy of God, and the partner of Satan. The Scripture tells us:

1 John 3:8 (ESV) Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

To “sin and grin” is to prove that you are not God’s child, but a lost person in need of the Savior. The Christian is called to willingly separate from anything that is “of the flesh” or sinful. God told the Old Covenant priest:

Isaiah 52:11 (NKJV) Depart! Depart! Go out from there, Touch no unclean thing; Go out from the midst of her, Be clean, You who bear the vessels of the Lord.

The New Covenant believer is a priest, and IS THE VESSEL of God. We are the possessions of Jesus.

We are indwelt by the Spirit of God. “You are not your own – you are BOUGHT WITH A PRICE” (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23)

2 Corinthians 6:17-18 (NKJV) Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”

False Professors Walk By Desire,
Not By The Word Of God

Proverbs 18:1 Through DESIRE {ta’ăvâ} a man, having separated himself…

The Christian is to be driven by the Word of God, but the world and the worldly are driven by the flesh, by desire. Our Lord Jesus had a very high view of Scripture, as well as the moral requirements of the Old Testament. False professors of Christianity claim that the Scripture, our Bible, is outdated and errant. An early Pastor named Augustine wrote:

“If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”

Word Study: False professors are not walking in the Spirit of God, but in the flesh. What drives them is DESIRE {ta’ăvâ [pro. tah-av-aw’]}, “the longing of the heart, lust or greed”. This word was used in the Garden of Eden when humanity decided to sin against the goodness of God. We read:

Genesis 3:6 (KJV) the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was PLEASANT {ta’ăvâ} to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Knowing what God said, Adam used his own judgment, his own flesh, and did that which God forbade by His Word. The proper Christian is to separate himself from sin based upon the Word of God. The improper Christian relies not on the Word of God, but on his flesh, his compulsive desires.

Mixed Multitudes Often Visit Us

These people have always invaded God’s people. Jude speaks of these types, saying:

Jude 16-19 (NKJV) These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

When Israel came out of Egypt, we are told:

Exodus 12:37-38 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot [that were] men, beside children. [38] And a mixed multitude {ʿēreḇ raḇ} went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, [even] very much cattle.

A “mixed multitude {ʿēreḇ raḇ}”, a mixture of other people, left Egypt with Israel. The Benson Commentary notes,

“Some perhaps willing to leave their country, because it was laid waste by the plagues. But probably the greatest part was but a rude, unthinking mob, that followed they knew not why. It is likely, when they understood that the children of Israel were to continue forty years in the wilderness, they quitted them, and returned to Egypt again.”

The Pulpit Commentary notes that “it is more probable that they consisted of fugitives from other subject races (as the Shartana) oppressed by the Pharaohs. We have again mention of this “mixed multitude” in Numbers 11:4, where we find that they were the first to regret the “flesh and the fish, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlick” which they had eaten in Egypt freely (ib. 5). They thus set a bad example, which the Israelites followed.”

Both the Church as well as Israel has always had an open door policy. Anyone can come and enjoy the services. But some come not to glorify God, but to twist the Scripture to make it fit their lifestyle choices. They …

Proverbs 18:1 seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

Word Study: The “mixed multitude” that joins with us generally will be polite. But some – like Judas Iscariot – seek out and “INTERMEDDLETH” {Hithpael Imperfect gālaʿ}, that is to say, “they stand against or quarrel with ALL WISDOM”. Rejecting the Word and the Command of God, they seek to twist an pervert it in order to please their own desires. Some of this is even in our Baptist Churches.

I recently read in the Baptist and Reflector where Juan Sanchez, pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, Texas talked about “his church’s “robust complementarianism,” with male and female deacons, stating, “Complementarianism frees women to minister in appropriate roles alongside men, not limit them.”

The last few years I’ve heard phrases bandied about that have not ties to scripture, especially phrases like egalitarianism and complementarianism. The problem with big words that are not found in Scripture (and I’ll talk more about this in a moment) is that these big words confuse people. Let me be very much to the point.

For a person to be installed in the OFFICE of Deacon, the Apostles very clearly laid out the qualifications in the Scripture.

1 Timothy 3:12 Let the deacons be the HUSBANDS of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

The OFFICE of Deacon is limited to men, just as the OFFICE of Pastor is limited to men. Why? Because God said so. Though there are many honorable and blessed women in the Bible, no Scriptural text, Old or New Testament, is written by women. In the early Church when the Apostles (all male) was founded, these representatives of Jesus Christ said:

Acts 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Not women, but men. Why? Because God said so. Does that offend you? I understand. But God said so. The Bible says so. Period.

Those who ordain women to the OFFICE of Deacon point to Paul’s writing in:

Romans 16:1 I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a SERVANT {diakonos} of the church which is at Cenchrea:

They say, “See, Phoebe was a DIAKONOS, the same word that was used by Paul in 1 Timothy 3:8 for “Deacons”. So we can ordain women as Deacons”. Did Paul lose his mind? Did he forget that God led him to write one thing in Timothy, and another in Romans? No. Here’s the thing.

Deacons {DIAKONOS} are servants of the Church. There is an OFFICE of Deacon. But when you study the word DIAKONOS, you find out that it does not just refer to the OFFICE. Biblically ..

1. Secular Rulers and Presidents are DIAKONOS. In Romans 13:4 the Apostle wrote, “he is the MINISTER {DIAKONOS} of God to thee for good”. President Trump is, by this Scripture, a SERVANT or DIAKONOS of God – but he is not an ordained Deacon – nor would he be qualified to be a Deacon in our Church. For that matter, since “the powers that be are of God”, then Putin and Zelenskyy are also DIAKONOS.

2. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is described as DIAKONOS.

Romans 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a MINISTER {DIAKONOS} of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.

Jesus came and ministered (DIAKONOS) to the Jews first – but He is not in the OFFICE of Deacon. No, in the Church JESUS IS THE HEAD (Colossians 1:18), the LORD, our BOSS.

3. The Apostle Paul himself, Apollos, and every believer who labors with him in the Gospel as DIAKONOS:

1 Corinthians 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but MINISTERS {DIAKONOS} by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

2 Corinthians 6:3-4 Giving no offense in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: [4] But in all [things] approving ourselves as the MINISTERS {DIAKONOS} of God …

4. The Lord Jesus Christ calls ALL His Children to be not masters but DIAKONOS or servants. He is not calling every Christian to the OFFICE of Deacon, but to serve one another in love:

Matthew 20:25-28 (KJV)But Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. [26] But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your MINISTER {DIAKONOS}; [27] And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your SERVANT {DOULOS}: [28] Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto {diakoneō}, but to minister {diakoneō}, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Matthew 23:10-12 (KJV)Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, [even] Christ. [11] But he that is greatest among you shall be your SERVANT {DIAKONOS}. ..

What God has said in Scripture is very clear – but we often allow our desires color and contaminate what the Lord has told us. Phoebe, like all good Christians, served (DIAKONOS) the Church. But she was not in the OFFICE of Deacon. Feminism demands that we culturally toe the line, and say “Whatever men can do, women can do”.

Not if God says otherwise.

Pastor Harry Ironside wrote:

“To separate from apostasy is right and Scriptural. To separate from what is godly causes grievous division in the church. It is the human will setting itself above the authority of the Word and Spirit of God.”

We must not let desire, nor the whims of our culture to invade the clear textual teaching of the Scripture.

The Godless Pursue Self Satisfaction

Proverbs 18:2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

Though highly religious, Jesus called the Pharisees “fools”. Why? Because they didn’t want to live by God’s Word, but twisted the Word to suit themselves. Read this and see if you understand why Jesus called them “FOOLS” or godless people:

Matthew 23:16-22 (ESV) “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

When people start using doublespeak – deliberately distorting the language to hide or twist the truth – you should immediately be suspicious.

The fool isn’t driven by a desire to understand truth, for all that matters to them is what’s on their mind. I heard a feminist say:

“The men you should avoid are those born on their birthday”.

That is about the stupidest statement I’ve ever heard. Or this gem:

“All white people are racist”.

That is, in and of itself, a racist remark. It makes no sense, for it is not based in truth. It is not a productive statement, but tears at the fabric of our nation.

Proverbs 18:3 When the wicked cometh, then cometh also CONTEMPT {bûz}, and with IGNOMINY reproach.

The word translated “CONTEMPT” is the Hebrew bûz, which means “that which shows disrespect, to despise or shame another”. Fools or godless people who reject Christ mock the Gospel of God and the lifestyle of the Child of God. The wicked disrespect the way of Christ. What do they get for this? In time, they suffer “IGNOMINY” the Hebrew qālôn means “shame, confusion, dishonor”. Eventually righteousness and the Christian way of life brings peace, whereas the wicked and disrespectful way of life brings dishonor. Why?

Proverbs 18:4 The words of a man’s mouth are as DEEP WATERS, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.

Human wisdom and human opinion is like “DEEP WATERS”. What does that mean? Think about “DEEP WATERS” for a minute. The deepest waters on earth are in our oceans. There are hidden treasure in the oceans. But the water itself is undrinkable. If you are caught in deep waters, you can be drowned. There are hidden dangers in deep waters, like sharks. Deep waters can be a blessing, or they can be a curse. You can get lost – or worse – in deep waters. If the words of a man’s mouth speak the Word of God, these deep waters are always beneficial, always a blessing.

Proverbs 18:4 … and the WELLSPRING {māqôr} of WISDOM as a flowing brook.

Word Study: The word “WELLSPRING” is the Hebrew māqôr, which means “the source, the fountain or origin”. Wisdom comes from God, from His Word. Wisdom comes from Jesus. Our Lord Jesus said:

John 7:37-38 (ESV) … Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

The flowing brook is drinkable water. It satisfies the thirsty soul. Man’s wisdom often leaves us wanting more, but God’s wisdom satisfies and blesses.

The “flowing brook”, fed from God the Son, never dries up.

When people heard Jesus speak, they professed “No one ever spoke like this Man!” (John 7:46). The words of man may sometimes be beneficial, but Christ’s Words are always a blessing. Jesus said:

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

We who love the Lord must cling to His Word, regardless as to what the current culture says. It is God’s Word that saved us. It is God’s Word that keeps on saving us. I close with this:

Philippians 2:14-16 (ESV) Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life

May God touch your hearts with His Word!

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The Dangers Of Idolatry

Posted on July 1, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Erdei Gréta on Unsplash

Jude 3 BELOVED, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

If You Don’t Stand Strong For The Faith,
The Devil Will Damn You And Your Efforts

Word Study: As Jude writes the Church, he calls it “BELOVED”, the Greek agapētos. The Church is “BELOVED” of God. Why? The word agapētos is first found in the Bible – not to the Church – but it is what God the Father calls His Son Jesus at His baptism:

Matthew 3:17 (KJV) And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is My BELOVED {agapētos} Son, in whom I am well pleased.

The Old Testament Prophets spoke of God’s Beloved Son, Who would come into the world to save whosoever will. The Apostle Matthew quoted Isaiah 42:1 when he wrote of Jesus:

Matthew 12:18 (ESV) Behold, my Servant whom I have chosen, My BELOVED {agapētos} with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

Preach! Jesus is God’s BELOVED {agapētos} Son, in Whom He is well pleased (Matthew 17:5). He is the fulfillment of the prophecies of God, the one and only Messiah. The Church is BELOVED because we have received Jesus as He is, THE BELOVED of God. We are loved, because we love Him Who is loved. We are loved, because we have RECEIVED Jesus Christ as the One and only Savior and Lord.

As Jude writes the Church, he says “I gave all diligence to write unto you of the COMMON {koinos} SALVATION”. When he says “COMMON”, he does not mean it is mediocre or low quality. He means that this salvation is offered to ALL PEOPLE {koinos}. There is only one way that God offers a person to be saved. Or, as the Apostles preached, “Salvation is found in no One else, for there is NO OTHER NAME under Heaven GIVEN TO MANKIND by which we MUST BE SAVED” (Acts 4:12, NIV). When the Father looked at the earth, He sees nothing or no one worthy to enter His Kingdom. So He sends His Son to rescue humanity. There is no other way, no other Person Who is “BELOVED” but Jesus (John 14:6).

When you REPENT and RECEIVE Jesus as Lord and Savior, you become BELOVED because Jesus is BELOVED.

The devil knows this. The devil is constantly trying to find a way to draw people away from the common salvation in Jesus Christ, and into some idol. Jude warns the Church that to get away from the Beloved and into an idol, or a mimic of Christ rather than the True Christ – this will be disastrous. Idolatry is disastrous! Jude EXHORTS or COMMANDS the Church to

earnestly contend {epagōnizomai} for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints

When it comes to our Christian walk, God has commanded us to remember that we are not to take attacks against us and our faith personally, but to

2 Timothy 2:24-25 (NKJV) … not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth

The lost are to be encouraged – not brow beaten – into coming to Jesus. But when it comes to the faith once delivered, God tells us to “earnestly contend {epagōnizomai}”, to refuse to give in to, to set our teeth and say “absolutely NOT!”. In our world today the lost love to throw around phrases like,

“Don’t be hateful”
I was called “hateful” by a so called member who no longer comes when I pointed out scripture to her. She thought this made her sin right. It didn’t.

“Don’t be intolerant”
The world – and false pastors – will tell you there are many ways to God.
This is idolatry!

“Don’t be _phobic”
The world – and false pastors – will tell you to accept what God has forbidden, just as Satan did in the Garden of Eden.

“Don’t be ignorant”
The world – and false pastors – will have you deny the teachings of Scripture, calling it outdated, outmoded, or just out.

The Holy Spirit through Jude calls every Christian to carefully examine anything that comes into your life in the light of God’s Holy Word. We must EARNESTLY CONTEND (this is only found here in the Bible) or refuse to compromise …

Jude 3 for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

The faith that makes “SAINTS” or Children of God was “ONCE DELIVERED”. We did not earn our faith – it was DELIVERED to us. This Gospel and this Scripture is entrusted to the Church as a stewardship. False gospels either add to or subtract from what the Scripture has clearly stated. False gospels undervalue what Jesus Christ did for us on Calvary. False gospels present alternate views of Christ not supported by the Biblical text. Jude warns us, WATCH OUT for idolatry.

The Devil Introduced Idolatry In The Garden.
His Servants Introduce Idolatry In The Church.

Jude 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Have you ever wondered why the Devil assumed the guise of a “Serpent” in the Garden of Eden? The Bible says “the SERPENT was more CUNNING than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made”. We know this is the devil or Satan because the Bible calls him “that OLD SERPENT” (Revelation 12:9; 20:2). The snake is very cunning, very tricky. I have often been hiking in the woods, and stepped over a snake, not even seeing it. The serpent blends in with the creation.

The same thing is true of the devil’s servants. We are told that they have “there are certain men crept in unawares”. False teachers don’t wear a sign saying “I’m a false teacher”. They look good on the outside. They often have titles, and have gone to the best seminaries. They slither into the Southern Baptist Convention. They sneak into Baptist Churches. C.H. Spurgeon wrote:

“Satan knows right well that one devil in the church can do far more than a thousand devils outside her bounds.”

The phrase:

who were before of old ordained to this condemnation

Means that these people have been around from the very beginning. Their ways were condemned by God in the Old Testament (see Deuteronomy 13:1-11). As Solomon said, “there is NOTHING NEW under the Sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). These false prophets and false leaders sneak into God’s work, and the people of God often don’t see them – but God does. God knows what they are doing, and they will be found out and condemned. Their actions are not God honoring, but they are “ungodly men”. They do not live so as to bring glory to God, but to idols.

Illustrate: I was listening to a Church concert the other day, when the lead singer of the main group singing introduced another singer. He told the cheering audience, “Let’s give it up for so and so”, and the crowd went wild! I felt disgusted. Were they there to worship Jesus, or to worship this created being? This is idolatry, no different from what the world does.

ungodly men, TURNING the GRACE of our God
into lasciviousness

Word Study: The word “lasciviousness” is the Greek aselgeia, which means sensual pleasure. Grace is only received when you practice self denial. Jesus said: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24, ESV). Our Lord Jesus denied Himself in order to save us. Grace is not about your own sensual pleasure.

The more you are focused on yourself, the less you will be focused on God, and the further from God you will be. Lasciviousness and Grace do not mix!

The Apostle said in Philippians 3:7-8, “whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”

Godless men bring in idolatry, twisting Grace and making it something that blesses you and your pleasures. This is NOT Grace! It’s the opposite of Grace. The Bible says:

Galatians 5:24 (ESV) … those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires

Idolaters and false pastors tell you that God has saved you so that you can freely sin, and freely follow the desires of your flesh. But the faith once delivered to the Church is to remember that …

Colossians 3:3-5 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Grace does not bestow salvation on the believer so that we can sin freely, but so that we can serve our God freely.

We are told in Titus 2:11-13, (ESV) “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ”

God did not save us so that we can be like the world. God saved us so that we can “walk in the Light” (1 John 1:7; Isaiah 2:5).

Jude 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Idolaters and false pastors teach that we do not have to obey God, and that Jesus is not Lord. They make statements like “You only need to receive Jesus as Savior – then later you can choose to receive Him as Lord, if you want”. This is a lie from hell. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS” (John 14:15). Jesus said,

John 15:9-11 (KJV) As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. [10] If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. [11] These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might be full.

We who are saved, are saved into the Kingdom of God. Jesus is LORD. There is no salvation to those who receive Jesus as “Savior”, but deny Him as “Lord”. This is clearly presented in

Romans 10:9 (ESV) if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

It is God’s will that “every tongue confess that Jesus Christ IS LORD, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). The early Church preached “Believe in the LORD JESUS, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). It is the Holy Spirit of God acting in our lives that convicts us that Jesus is Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3). When the Apostle Thomas saw Jesus after His resurrection, he said “My LORD and my GOD” (John 20:26-29). In the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 13:1-11 God warned His people to avoid idolatry and those who are “filthy dreamers”. God told Israel:

Deuteronomy 13:1-4 (NKJV) If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.

Idolatry keeps people from salvation, and it keeps those who are saved from the blessings of salvation

Jude 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

When God saved Israel from Egypt, when they left the Bible says “a mixed multitude went up with them” (Exodus 12:38, NKJV). The tares are often mixed in with the wheat. On the way to the Promised Land, the Bible says:

Numbers 11:4 (NKJV) Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat?

Those who were not believers continued to complain and murmur. Though God blessed Israel with the mixed multitude, the Bible says “In spite of all {God’s blessings}, they still sinned; despite {God’s} wonders, they did not believe” (Psalm 78:32, ESV). At Mount Sinai it became apparent that the unbelief had horribly infected Israel. When Moses went into the Mount to receive the Law from God, we read:

Exodus 32:1 (NKJV) when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

The believers in Israel had kept quiet in the face of false religion, so the whole congregation became flooded with unbelief and godlessness. They demanded idols to follow, rather than God Himself. Aaron, who should have stood up for the Lord, instead refused to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered. He made them their golden calf.

Aaron and Israel compromised with idolatry. Their doom was sealed long before they reached Canaan.

What happened in Numbers 14 is explained in

Hebrews 3:16-19 (NKJV) … who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Idolatry kept the first generation of Israel out of the Promised Land. Believer and unbeliever died in the desert because of unbelief.

Jude 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Idolatry not only keeps unbelieving HUMANS out of the Promised Land, but keeps unbelieving ANGELS out of Heaven, the ultimate Promised Land. When Satan turned against God, making himself an idol, the Bible says:

Revelation 12:4 (ESV) His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth.

A third of the angels rebelled against God, and were cast down to this earth. Though Satan sometimes goes into the Throne room of God (Job 2:7), the other fallen angels are not allowed back into Heaven. They will be judged one day by God(Revelation 20:10)– but for now they are confined to this earth. Why? Because they made an idol of Satan. They afflict us on this earth (Ephesians 6:12), but one day will be judged by Jesus Christ (Matthew 8:29)

Jude 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Though Lot went to Sodom and …

2 Peter 2:8 … dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds

The people refused to turn from idolatry. They chased after sensual sins, heterosexual and homosexual, until God destroyed those cities. The three things that these idolaters did are …

Jude 8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

My commentary notes:

“Jude calls the apostates “dreamers,” perhaps because they dreamed about ways to indulge their sinful appetites. They may also have claimed spiritual visions as an excuse for their action. Like the wicked inhabitants of Sodom, Gomorrah, and surrounding towns, the apostates disregard the harm their wicked habits cause their bodies. They reject authority, just as the rebellious Israelites rejected Moses’ authority. They especially reject the authority of Jesus Christ, the head of the church (Colossians 1:18). It follows that they also reject the authority of those whom God has placed in the churches to teach His Word and to guide His people. Instead of bowing to the authority of God’s Word, these apostates teach falsehood.

First Timothy 4:1–2 describes the source of the apostates’ evil teachings

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, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared.”

Satan Is The Source Of Idolatry

Jude 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

The Prophet Moses was unable to enter the Promised Land because he made himself equal to God. When Israel was in Kadesh there was no water, and the people began to murmur and complain once more. The Bible says:

Numbers 20:6-9 (NKJV) Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” 9 So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.

Moses moved to do as God told him. However, he let his temper get the best of him. Rather than obey the Lord, we read:

Numbers 20:10-12 … Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. 12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

Moses departed from God’s will. He added to the Word of God, and lost the Promised Land – though not the love of God – for his disobedience. The Bible tells us that when it came time for Moses to die, that the Lord let him see the Promised Land. We read:

Deuteronomy 34:4-7 (NKJV) the Lord said to {Moses}, “This is the land of which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” 5 So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. 6 And {God} buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day. 7 Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished.

God caused Moses to go into the wilderness, and there he died, and was buried by God. Why did God bury Moses, and hide his grave site?

Because of idolatry.

Jude 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

No human knew where Moses was buried, but the devil did. The devil tried to take the body of Moses. Why? Because many false religions worship the bones of leaders, idolatrous statues, and human things. The Catholic Church keeps the bones of those they consider “saints”. Every Catholic altar contains “relics” or bones of the “saints”. The Second Vatican Council wrote:

“The practice of placing relics of Saints, even those not Martyrs, under the altar to be dedicated is fittingly retained. Care should be taken, however, to ensure the authenticity of such relics.” – Roman Missal (302)

They twist the Scripture to make these things not seem idolatrous, but they are. Catholicism worships bones, as do Tibetan Buddhists, Hindus, and other pagan religions. God forbids the worship of anything, human or human made. God says:

1 John 5:21 (ESV) Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Beginning with the Law of Moses at Sinai (Exodus 20:3-6), God forbade idolatry. I have often been asked, “Why are there no original, signed copies of the writings of the Bible?” I believe it is because – if we had signed copies or autographa, then we would put them in cases and in churches and worship them. We have 25,000 manuscripts of the Bible, 5800 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, 10,000 Latin manuscripts, and 9,300 manuscripts in various ancient languages. There are so many copies that we are assured that we have ALL of the original Bible that was given by the Prophets and Apostles. But there is no original.

The devil tried to get the body of Moses. If we had the bones of Moses today people would make pilgrimages to the “Holy Land” to worship them. God hid Moses body so it could not be misused. My commentary notes:

“There are invisible, angelic beings all around us. There are ministering spirits sent by God to assist us, and demonic spirits who want to defeat us. The devil can’t unsave a saved person; but through his deceptions he can corrupt and defile a Christian who is supposed to walk in purity and freedom. To the devil, we are time bombs, ready to wreck his work – bombs that he would like to defuse and make ineffective.”

Let us reject idols, and follow the living God!

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You Are Not gods

Posted on July 1, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash

Romans 14:1-3 (KJV) Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, [but] not to doubtful disputations. (2) For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. (3) Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

Grace Is Terribly Hard To Understand

The Bible has many difficult concepts for us to believe. Consider The Trinity of God. Yes, it’s hard to understand that God is One in Essence, but Three in Person. We are told in John 1:1-18 that Jesus Christ, The Word of God, is identical to the Father in some ways and distinct from Him in another. Our Lord Jesus told us:

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) … All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Jesus said “Baptizing then in the NAME”, not “in the NAMES”. There is one “NAME”, one authority, but “three PERSONS”.

The Trinity is very difficult to understand – but very clearly Biblical, so we MUST receive it by faith.

What about the free will of man and the Sovereignty of God? The Bible teaches that the Triune God is “all knowing, all powerful, and everywhere present”. The Bible says “Our God knows everything” (1 John 3:20), that

Psalm 139:4 (ESV) Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.

God knows everything, and “declares the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done” (Isaiah 46:10).

The Sovereign God has decreed that “whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:15-16), and “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). The decree of God calls us to come.

The Bible says that God gives us freedom to choose or reject Christ. We can repent, and receive salvation – or die in our sins and receive judgment. How free will and predestination work together is a mystery – but we must receive it by faith because the Bible says so.

We are saved by Grace – and this is hard for us to understand.

Salvation is by GRACE.
New Birth is by GRACE.
Eternal Life is by GRACE.
Forgiveness is by GRACE.

Preach! GRACE tells us to come with God with the faith we have, whether little or big, and God will bring us into His family. Grace rests entirely on the work of Jesus Christ at Calvary. Grace is possible because of the work of God the Holy Spirit. Grace is granted because of the will of the Father.

John 1:16 And of HIS FULLNESS have all we RECEIVED (lambano, Aorist), and GRACE for GRACE.

Break that verse down. “Of HIS fullness”. Salvation is based on what our Lord Jesus Christ did on the Cross and at the empty tomb. He fulfilled the Law of animal sacrifice. He paid our penalty. It is “HIS fullness have ALL WE RECEIVED”. Jesus paid it all, and we receive the benefit. We receive “GRACE for GRACE”. We don’t deserve it. But when we recognize our brokenness and come freely to Him, surrendered to His Lordship, we receive “GRACE for GRACE”.

Grace Is Hard To Understand Because Of Our Nature

In the Garden of Eden Adam brought humanity into darkness and out of Paradise because of greed and pride. Made in the image of God, Adam wanted to BE God. This is what Satan told Adam and Eve:

Genesis 3:4 (NKJV) {If you eat what God forbade} You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

The lie that Adam was sold is that (1) God is a liar, and (2) You yourself can be God. It is insane that the created can become the Creator, but this is what Adam bought. We’ve been paying for it ever since.

We’re born wanting to be God. It starts in the crib. Cry, demand satisfaction, and someone will run to you. As children, we always knew better than our parents. Some parents – wanting to be gods – ignore the Word of God in child rearing. The Bible says in Proverbs 22:15, “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him”. Children want to be gods. Children that grow up to be adults, are adults that want to be gods.

gods don’t understand Grace!

Grace begins when you submit to God, when you admit you are not a god. Grace can only be received when we “deny ourselves, take up the Cross, and follow Him” (Mark 8:34; 10:21). Listen to me, Beloved. The TRIUNE GOD asks that you do three things:

– DENY YOURSELF: I am not god
– TAKE UP THE CROSS: Make it yours. Jesus died for me.
– FOLLOW HIM: Jesus rose from death, and leads us through the Spirit and the Scripture

Jesus saved us by denying Himself, going to the Cross, and obeying the Father. We who are His are to do the same thing. We deny ourselves, take up the Cross, and follow Jesus.

God gave Israel the Law to teach them that they are not gods, that we need the Messiah, the Son of God. When Jesus came to this earth, He came with the intent of saving us from our wrongheadedness. The Law was to teach us that we cannot be good enough on our own to get to a right place with God. We’ve previously read in Romans:

Romans 7:4 (ESV) … my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

The Christian is saved by Grace so that we might SERVE God,
not BE gods!

Romans 6:10-11 (ESV) For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

The Christian is dead to sin, but alive to God – just as Jesus is. Jesus denied Himself for us. We deny ourselves for Him. We do not belong to sin anymore, but to God.

Romans 6:12-14 (ESV) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Grace is not a license to sin, but frees us from our desire to be gods, a satanic doctrine. We are freed to serve God.

Preach: Our Lord Jesus chastised the leaders of Judaism, the Chief Priests, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes, because they did not follow God, but tried to be gods. They added things to God’s Word that were not there. Jesus harshly told them:

Mark 7:6-9 (ESV) Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” 9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!

We Must Not Have The “I Am god” Mentality Among Us

Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

In the Church at Rome there were Christians who were Gentile in background, and there were Christians who were Jewish in background. Both had different cultures. Gentiles either worshiped no god, or worshiped false gods. They may have made animal sacrifices to their gods – but not like the Jews.

God taught the Jews to bring clean animals to the priests to be sacrificed. God told Adam that “the day you disobey Me, you shall surely die”. When Adam sinned, God covered his sin by sacrificing a clean animal. When God saved Israel from Egypt, He commanded animal sacrifice. Sins could only be covered by the Blood of the clean sacrifice (Hebrews 9:7, 18). God commanded “a sin offering for ATONEMENT” (Exodus 29:36), the offering taken from the animals that God called “clean”.

The CLEAN animals that could be sacrificed were any animal with divided hooves that chewed the cud. God also specified to the Israelite that they themselves could only eat CLEAN animals. This included not only the animals I previously mentioned, but (1) Everything in the water that has fins and scales, whether in the seas or streams (2) Winged insects that walk on all fours, such as Locust, Katydid, Cricket, and Grasshopper. The Israelite could not eat the UNclean animals (everything NOT in the above list). Leviticus chapter 11 specified clean and unclean animals. To eat an unclean animal made the Israelite ritually impure. They could only restore their purity before God through REPENTANCE and RITUAL CLEANSING.

The Old Covenant with its laws of sacrifice looked forward and introduced the Coming of the Messiah, the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Once Jesus came, He died in the place that the clean animals temporarily held.

1 John 1:7 … the BLOOD of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

The animals were temporary. What Jesus did in bringing us to God is permanent. Once Jesus fulfilled the Law by becoming “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:19), there were no more clean and unclean animals. God clearly demonstrated this when He spoke to Peter:

Acts 10:9-16 (ESV) Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

Jesus’ death on the Cross ended the animal sacrifices. It also ended the restrictions on clean and unclean animals.

Jewish Christians, raised in a culture of “clean and unclean”, came into the Church with those thoughts still in their heads. Gentile Christians were not raised with the concept of “clean and unclean”, so they would eat a variety of meats. The Jews refused to eat the unclean, the Gentiles saw all things as clean.

Romans 14:1-2 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

When the Church came together for fellowship meals, the Gentiles (having never heard of clean and unclean animals) would eat whatever smelled good. The Jews, however, though born again by faith in Christ would be very uncomfortable eating at a Gentile table. They would eat the vegetables, but not the pork.

Romans 14:3 Let not him that eateth DESPISE {exoutheneō} him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not JUDGE {krinō} him that eateth: for God hath received him.

Word Study: The Gentile believer who ate all things would have a tendency to exoutheneō, to consider the believer who would not eat “of no account, to be contemptible”. The Jewish believer, raised under the dietary laws of Judaism, would see the Gentile believer eating something “unclean” and krinō, declare that this believer is actually unsaved. God’s response to both Jew and Gentile is “I have RECEIVED them”. Though from different backgrounds, both are children of God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Going back to verse 1,

Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

Word Study: The phrase “DOUBTFUL DISPUTATIONS” is the Greek dialogismos diakrisis, or “human judgmentsand traditions”. We are not to use our backgrounds, our human teachings, to weigh or judge another person as to whether they are worthy to be in the family of God. God received them. God received them. Their dress may be different from yours. Their mannerisms, their raising, their background may be different.

You are not god. You have no right to impose your opinions, your cultural differences, your background, your raising on other Christians. If the Bible does not forbid or encourage it, then chill out!

Now, should judgments be made in the Body? Absolutely! When a professed brother or sister in Christ moves into that which God has said is sin, we are to quietly show them the Scripture, and lovingly tell them to cease.

1 John 3:2-9 (ESV) Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.

Is what your fellow Christian doing “sin” as defined by God, or is this “human judgments and traditions”? Let your standard be “What does GOD say?”, not “What do I as a god think?”

The Bible is very clear on what IS and IS NOT sin. Here’s a few texts:

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (ESV) 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.

1 Timothy 1:9-10 (ESV) the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine

That last phrase, “whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine”, means “whatever the BIBLE directs”. I do not set the standards, and neither do you. God does. Jesus does. The Church and the Christian belong to Jesus. “God hath received him”. So I need to love him, and put away my prejudices and opinions.

The Christian belongs to God.
The Christian is Christ’s servant.

Let The Word Of God Be The Judge

Romans 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

You do not belong to me, nor do I belong to you. We belong to God. I believe in the Doctrine of Eternal Security. Those who have come to God and surrendered their godness, who deny themselves, take up the Cross, and surrender to following Jesus – these people are born of the Spirit. The Bible is clear that the genuine believer shall endure to the end. The Apostle wrote:

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

God is able to make you stand!

2 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV) I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

God is able to make you stand!

John 10:27-30 (NKJV) My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”

God is able to make you stand!

John 6:39-40 (NKJV) This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

God is able to make you stand!

Romans 14:5-6 (KJV) One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

Again, the Gentiles had certain calendar days that they were raised to respect, whereas the Jews had certain feast days and holy days that they culturally upheld. The Apostle tells us, don’t worry about it. “He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it”. As long as the person is honoring the Lord Jesus in the keeping of that day, then it does not matter. For instance, for the Jew the Sabbath is on Saturday. But we Gentiles have kept Sunday as the Lord’s Day. Does it matter? No, not at all. As long as you are honoring the Lord Jesus one day in seven, you are pleasing to God.

The Church that Jesus is building is a mix of different cultures, different backgrounds, but one Shepherd, one Savior and Lord. Let us love Him and serve Him. We are not gods. What does the Scripture teach us? I end with this:

Romans 14:7-8 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

Live your life so as to honor the One Who saved you. You and I belong to Him. Let us act like it. Amen!

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Don’t Be A Fool!

Posted on June 27, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Rachel on Unsplash

Proverbs 17:21 He that begetteth a FOOL (kᵊsîl [pro. kes-eel’]) doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a FOOL (nāḇāl [pro. naw-bawl’]) hath no joy.

If Possible, Lead Your Children From Foolishness

Word Study: The Hebrew has two different words for “fool”, both of which are found here. The first word translated “fool” is the Hebrew kᵊsîl [pro. kes-eel’], which means “someone who is a dullard, mentally challenged, simple of mind, born stupid or silly”. My mama used to call such people as those who “didn’t have the sense that God gave a billy goat”. These are children born without common sense, who will not receive instruction, nor will they learn from their mistakes. This type of fool is likely to die at a younger age from bad decisions made in their lives.

Psalm 49:10 (KJV) … the FOOL {kᵊsîl} and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

Children are naturally born with little knowledge of the world around them. Good parents strive to teach their children right and wrong, good and evil, smart and stupid. Good parents will punish their children, if necessary, to take away kᵊsîl and instill good sense in the child. We are told in:

Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Proverbs 13:24 (ESV) Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

Children are born without wisdom – and some children are born resistant to wisdom. They are kᵊsîl, liable to do foolish things. Foolish children got on the Internet back in 2018 and ate Tide pods. Those who did so suffered chemical burns on their throats, esophagus or lungs. There is intense abdominal cramping and diarrhea. The lungs can be damaged by breathing the powder, and they can have trouble breathing for the rest of their lives. Some suffered and died. All because someone they did not know challenged them to do so.

He that begetteth a FOOL (kᵊsîl [pro. kes-eel’]) doeth it to his sorrow

Parents must teach their children not to do dangerous, foolish things. Disobedient children who will not heed the Law of God, to do as …

Matthew 15:4 … God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

Proverbs 17:21 He that begetteth a FOOL (kᵊsîl [pro. kes-eel’]) doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a FOOL (nāḇāl [pro. naw-bawl’]) hath no joy.

Word Study: The second word translated “FOOL” is the Hebrew nāḇāl (pro. naw-bawl’). Whereas kᵊsîl refers to the mentally challenged, nāḇāl refers to the person who is spiritually ignorant. It is this type of person that the Psalmist spoke of in:

Psalm 14:1 The FOOL {nāḇāl} hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

Psalm 53:1 The FOOL {nāḇāl} hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

The kᵊsîl lacks common sense,
the nāḇāl spiritual sense.

Parents are to do their best to prayerfully and Biblically raise their children in a Christ-like environment. My commentary notes:

“When a child is born, the parents rejoice. Later, if the child becomes a disobedient child, teenager, or adult, he not only disappoints his parents but also grieves them deeply. They will not—hopefully—stop loving that son or daughter. But a wayward child causes their parents tremendous pain. King David’s son Absalom’s name literally means ‘my father is peace,’ but Absalom brought David nothing but trouble. He rebelled against David, stole the hearts of the people from David, and tried to overthrow David and take his place as king (2 Samuel 15:10–14). David grieved over this betrayal and sobbed when his son was killed (2 Samuel 18:33). Many godly parents do their best to guide a son or daughter into being someone who loves and obeys the Lord, but they encounter grief when the child goes a different way.”

Love your children by intentionally discipling them, guiding them in their faith, and correcting their misconceptions. Teach them how to live carefully and successfully in this present world.

Our Heavenly Father disciplines us when we head toward foolishness and darkness. He does this from love.

Christians, children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, are “disciples”, which means “those under discipline or instruction, students”. Pastor John Piper said:

“A disciple in the New Testament is simply a Christian: “And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26). Everybody that was converted to Jesus was a disciple. Everybody that was converted to Jesus was a Christian.”

Parents are to actively teach their children – training cannot be farmed out to godless public schools. We are under the command of God to train our children (Ephesians 6:4; Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Yet sometimes, though parents do all they can, the child pursues a way of life that is destructive, without common sense.

Proverbs 17:25 A FOOLISH {kᵊsîl} son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

We love the child anyway, and continue to model Christ so as to draw them from destruction and toward Christ.

Everyone Has Two Hearts, One Physical
And One Spiritual

Proverbs 17:22 A MERRY {śāmēaḥ, joyful} HEART doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

The PHYSICAL heart is that pump in your chest that circulates your blood, keeping the various organs and limbs of your body in good condition. A diseased physical heart will have an impact on your breathing, your strength, your whole body.

The SPIRITUAL heart is the control center of your soul, that part of you that is inside your body. In the Old Testament, God gave Israel the Mosaic Law to show them how broken they were spiritually. Israel promised to live by God’s Laws, but inevitably failed, just as God knew that they would. Our Lord Jesus said that we are all born with a broken spiritual heart. He said:

Mark 7:21-23 (ESV) For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.

Godless people make a god out of the law, believing that more laws will make better civilization. People do not need new laws, but new hearts, God focused hearts.

Where does the evil among us come from? The unrestrained and unspiritual heart in the soul of humanity. Humanity has a heart problem, and needs a heart transplant. This is what God promises us in His New Covenant:

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV) And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Under the Old Covenant God gave His Law, but not the indwelling Holy Spirit. People had spiritually atrophied hearts. Though they meant well initially, in time they drifted back into stony living. Under the New Covenant, purchased by the Blood of Christ on the Cross:

Hebrews 12:24 (KJV) to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling …

Matthew 26:28 (ESV) … for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Luke 22:20 (ESV) … This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

When Jesus died on the Cross, this brought in the New Covenant. Those who receive Jesus as Lord and Savior are BORN AGAIN, indwelt by the Spirit of God. God gives them a NEW HEART, and writes desire to follow His Laws in our new hearts, to the glory of God.

Those who are saved by Grace in Christ should have a heart responsive to God. Pastor John Gill noted that the Christian should have …

“a heart full of spiritual joy, peace of conscience, flowing from the blood of Christ, joy in the Holy Ghost, a rejoicing in Christ Jesus and his righteousness, and in hope of the glory of God, much affect even the outward man.”

Watch your heart. Don’t let anyone
or anything infect it.

The Bible warns us to “guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23). What your heart believes, your body will do. I have heard it said:

Sow a thought, reap a deed.
Sow a deed, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a destiny.

When the heart is unrestrained and unspiritual, it can lead to the destruction of a nation, or even to the destruction of the world itself. When “God saw that the wickedness of man was great, that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil” (Genesis 6:5), at that point God destroyed all but eight by great flood.

Proverbs 17:22 A merry HEART doeth good like a medicine

Illustrate: Have you ever driven your car in a FOG? If you turn up your lights it does not help. What is the safe thing to do? Slow down. Keep your lights focused on the ground in front of you. FOCUS. When bad stuff comes, remember:

F – FOCUS
O – ON
G – GOD

The Christian protects his heart by directing the heart toward the Biblically positive. We focus on the promises of God, on the light and not the darkness. Slow down. Look to the Savior. Believe that “God is able to make you stand” (Romans 14:4). He will take you through the trial. Believe that “God is able to make all grace abound toward you” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Be like the Hebrew children confronted by an angry king. Do not worry about the threats of the darkness, but look to Jesus.

Or you can rob yourself of victory and peace by focusing on what you don’t have.

Proverbs 17:22 … a broken spirit drieth the bones.

If your focus is on the darkness, it will suck the life out of your time on this earth. This is a common theme throughout Proverbs:

Proverbs 15:13 (ESV) A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.

Proverbs 12:25 (ESV) Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

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

You control the direction of your heart. Not your situation, but YOU. Look unto Jesus. Look unto the Word of God. Focus on the Promises of God. The Apostle said:

Romans 12:2 Be not conformed to this world; but be transformed by the renewing of your mind

Don’t follow the paths of this world, but the Promises that the God Who made the world has given you. Read the Book! Study the Book!

Psalm 119:11 (ESV) I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:9 (NKJV) How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.

Direct your thoughts not toward the negative, but to what God has said and promised you.

Philippians 4:4-8 (ESV) Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

If you think negative, and let your heart be filled with darkness, your life on earth will be miserable. But if you control your thoughts, and focus on the Word of God, rejoicing that “all things work together for good to those who love the Lord, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). The Bridges Commentary notes:

“A broken spirit in an evangelical sense is God’s precious gift. It is stamped with his special honor. But here a crushed spirit describes a brooding spirit of despondency that always looks on the dark side of things. If this is linked to religion, it flows from a narrow and perverted view and a spurious humility centered on the self. It has the effect of drying up the bones”.

Those Who Foolishly Twist Justice Will Suffer

Proverbs 17:23 A wicked man taketh a GIFT {šōḥaḏ, bribe} out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

Pastor Bruce Waltke notes:

“The corrupt official defies God who has placed him over the community to protect the poor. He shows he is conscious of his guilt by accepting the sly bribe, which is concealed from public scrutiny and opprobrium, but it is not concealed from God.”

Sometimes bribery is not in the form of money, but of favor. The Prophet Samuel was raised up in the Tabernacle by Eli the Priest. When Eli became older, he appointed his two sons Hophni and Phinehas as priests. The sons of Eli were unqualified and uncalled. They did evil to the people of Israel, and God told Samuel:

1 Samuel 3:13 (ESV) … declare to {Eli} that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them

This eventually happened when Israel went to battle with the Philistines. The Ark of God was captured, and Eli’s sons Hophni and Phinehas died (1 Samuel 4:17). When Eli heard this, he fell backward, broke his neck, and died (1 Samuel 4:18).

What Eli did when Samuel was a child growing up in his household, Samuel later duplicates. He appoints his sons – though unqualified – to be judges in Israel.

1 Samuel 8:1-6 (ESV) When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

Samuel was a mighty Prophet of God, dedicated to serve the Lord from his mother’s womb. But when Samuel became too old to be effective at serving God and overseeing Israel, “he made his sons judges over Israel”. In the days before there were Kings in Israel (for only God was the King of Israel), “Judges” were men of God who oversaw the people and maintained stability in the land. The only problem was that Samuel did not choose his sons as Judges because they were qualified or called by God, but because they were HIS SONS.

Nepotism is a form of bribery. It is the appointment of the unqualified and uncalled because it suits YOUR will, not God’s.

We are told that “his sons did not walk in Samuel’s (or God’s) ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice”. When justice is perverted and God’s laws are not followed, civilization becomes unstable. Up to this time Israel followed God as King. But now Godly leadership is gone. The Elders of Israel came to Samuel and said, “you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations”.

This displeased Samuel. But part of the problem was what Samuel did. He should have NEVER made his sons to be Judges. Samuel’s bad appointments led to the people demanding:

1 Samuel 8:19-20 … there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.

Israel became like the rest of the world! The THEOCRACY became a MONARCHY.

The Fool Looks Everywhere For Wisdom
Which Is Nearby, In God’s Word

Proverbs 17:24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

Fools are constantly casting about, looking all over the earth for wisdom. Yet “Wisdom is before him that hath understanding”. Those who are born again of the Spirit know that wisdom comes from God and His Word.

Proverbs 2:6 the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding

James 1:5 if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

God is everywhere. You need only seek Him through Jesus Christ. God’s Holy Bible gives us wisdom for life. Seek Him. Don’t be a nāḇāl, a godless fool. May Jesus speak to your hearts through the mighty Spirit of God! Amen.

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Wake Up And Shine

Posted on June 23, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Jordan Wozniak on Unsplash

Romans 13:11-14 (KJV) And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

Wake Up! Judgment Is Coming. Be The Light.

“It is high time to AWAKE out of sleep”. I preached this text years ago in Lexington, Tennessee, and a young man named “Brent” got upset with me. His mother was on medication, and often went to sleep when attending our services. Young Brent thought I was talking about his mother going to sleep while I was preaching, and later led an attack against me because of it.

I’m not talking about anybody going to sleep in the service. If you need to sleep, go ahead … just don’t snore! This text is not about something as simple as napping during the preaching. The Apostle speaks to the Church:

vs 11 KNOWING the time, that now it is HIGH TIME
to awake out of sleep

As the Apostle looked at what was going on in Rome, he knew that Rome was not far from collapse. Any nation that wanders far from God’s Laws will eventually crumble.

The Roman Empire, started as a Republic (much like America), had degraded further and further from Biblical morality. Homosexual and Heterosexual sin was winked at, and Pedophilia as well as bestiality was not even considered criminal. The morals and the morality of the nation moved closer to Sodom and Gomorrah, and the judgment of God was at hand.

Israel had moved away from Yahweh, and thought that Jerusalem would stand forever. Judaism put its faith in the priests and the sacrificial laws. How did God respond? In 70 AD Rome would sack Jerusalem, and destroy the Temple! Even today the Temple is not rebuilt, but the Muslim Mosque Al-Aqsa (Dome of the Rock) stands on the ground that the Jewish Temple used to be.

vs 11 KNOWING {eidō} the time, that now it is HIGH TIME
to awake out of sleep

Word Study: If the judgment of God came on Rome, and on Israel, won’t the same judgment come on America? Paul said “KNOWING the time”. The word translated “KNOWING” is the Greek eidō, which means “to see or perceive with the senses”. Our nation has turned from following the Spirit of God, and chases after the flesh, after sin and self. Flesh is everywhere. Nothing is withheld from the imagination. Darkness seems to reign. Those who are supposed to be Christian icons are exposed as Judas Iscariots, wolves in sheep clothing. The Christian sees the darkness, and says with the Apostle:

1 John 5:19 (ESV) We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

The devil is in the world, and working hard through the lost to further his kingdom of darkness. But we who are Christians have seen the SON RISE. Not SUN but SON. Jesus is the Light of the world. His people are to be the Light of the world. Jesus told us …

John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

How fo we bring Jesus into the world? We walk with Jesus. We let Jesus Christ shine through us. If you are born again by the Blood of Christ and by the power of God’s Holy Spirit, you are NOT part of the darkness. You “HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE”.

John 8:12 (KJV) I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

We do not walk in the flesh and in the darkness. We walk in the light with our God. Our God is a Light Bringer. The very first command that God gave in human history was “Let there be LIGHT”, and there was LIGHT (Genesis 1:3). The enemy satanic forces want to bring darkness, and will bring darkness if they can. We who are Christians indeed are “delivered from the power of darkness, and are translated into the Kingdom of Christ” (Colossians 1:13). The Son has risen. We who believe on Him are His children. We are called to speak and act so as to …

Acts 26:18 (KJV) … 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 …

We are called to SHINE in this dark world, to let the light of God shine through our words and actions.

Your Salvation Demands You Walk In The Light

Paul next says something than many do not understand. He says …

Romans 13:11 for now is our SALVATION NEARER THAN when we believed

“OUR SALVATION IS NEARER”? What do you mean, Paul? I thought when I was “saved”, that this was what happened the day I believed on Jesus. That’s true.

Acts 16:31 (KJV) … Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …

Romans 10:9 (KJV) if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

When you repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ YOU ARE SAVED (at that moment). You are actually SAVED from the wrath of God.

You see, God HATES sin. God must JUDGE sin. Jesus told us:

John 3:17-19 (KJV) God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. [18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [19] And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

God sent Jesus Christ, His Eternal Son, into the world to be our SAVIOR and LORD. When you receive Jesus as such, believing that His death on the Cross paid for YOUR sin, believing He is resurrected from the dead and your LORD now, then YOU ARE SAVED from the WRATH OF GOD.

God SAVED Israel from Egypt when He parted the Sea for Israel, but drowned the enemy army in it.

Exodus 14:13 (KJV) Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

God SAVED Hannah from childlessness, giving her the ability to birth the Prophet Samuel:

1 Samuel 2:1 … My heart rejoices in the LORD … because I REJOICE IN YOUR SALVATION

God saved Israel from the armies of the AMMONITES:

1 Samuel 11:13 … to day the LORD hath wrought SALVATION in Israel

Before His crucifixion an unknown woman came and bathed the feet of Jesus with her tears, and dried His feet with her hair. She anointed His feet – feet that would be nailed to the Cross – with precious ointment. Jesus told this woman:

Luke 7:49-50 (NKJV) Your sins are forgiven …. Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.

It is God Who saves. “Salvation belongs to the Lord” (Psalm 3:8). God saves people from sickness, and suffering, from the enemy. But the greatest gift of salvation is when God saves us from His wrath when we believe on Jesus.

But when we read:

for now is our salvation NEARER THAN when we believed

This speaks of salvation as future tense. We are nearer to salvation – at this point – than when we first believed. You were saved – but you are not finished. God is working in you. Every day you as believers are closer to your final salvation. That is the day that we stand before Jesus, and see our Lord face to face. In that glorious place we call “Heaven” we will not sin, nor suffer, nor sigh. We will stand in the perfect Light of God, and we ourselves will be one with the Perfect Light. Oh, glorious day! My commentary notes:

“Salvation is the entire process by which God rescues sinful human beings from their bondage to sin, and gives them an overhaul from the inside out. Salvation is accomplished {by God} in three tenses—past, present, and future.”

Preach This! Every Christian HAS BEEN saved, IS BEING saved, and WILL BE SAVED. When you REPENT and RECEIVE Jesus as Lord and Savior, you are SAVED. The wrath of God is removed from your life, because what Jesus did on the Cross JUSTIFIES you, makes you right with God. But the Bible goes on to say:

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV) … we are {God’s} workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Once SAVED, God begins the process of SANCTIFYING us, making us more like Jesus. He does this through the Holy Spirit and the Holy Bible. We are BEING SAVED.

Our final salvation, GLORIFICATION, comes when we meet Jesus face to face in glory. This is what Paul was talking about when he wrote for now is our salvation NEARER THAN when we believed. Christians, our time is limited on this earth. We are to be “redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). The darkness is great, but God’s Light is greater. You do not know when your assignment on this earth will end! Further, you do not know when the judgment of God will come on this earth, or on this nation.

The Saved Walk With God In The Armor Of Light

Romans 13:12 (KJV) The night is far spent, the DAY is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

The problem with evil and darkness is that it destroys all that it touches. The works of the flesh, also known as sin, bring death (Romans 6:23). Wise King Solomon wrote:

Proverbs 10:16 (KJV) The labor of the righteous leads to life, the wages of the wicked to sin.

Nations that reject God and cling to the flesh will ultimately find destruction! The Prophet said:

Isaiah 2:12 (KJV) For the day of the LORD of hosts shall come upon everything proud and lofty

All who are arrogant, pride filled, me focused. All who rebel against God and believe themselves immune to punishment.

God will destroy sin by the Cross, or by His wrath!

Isaiah 13:6, 9 (KJV) Wail, for the day of the LORD is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. … He will destroy its sinners from it.

A judgment day is coming. It came on Rome, and the empire that ruled the world fell into ash and ruin. Oh Beloved, if America does not return to the Lord, or to some semblance of Godly morality, we shall fall as well.

Joel 1:15 (KJV) Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty.

In Noah’s Day, to get on the Ark was to rise above judgment. In our day we “CAST OFF THE WORKS OF DARKNESS”. We realize the danger of sin. We walk as children of Light:

Ephesians 5:6-9 (ESV) Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true)

If Noah had not gotten on that Ark, he would have drowned with the lost world. Beloved, we must not be in the darkness with the lost. The Scripture says:

Ephesians 5:11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Shine for Jesus! Shine the light of God’s Word on the unfruitful works of darkness. Do not be like the lost, but like Children of Light. Our Vacation Bible School was based on these verses:

Ephesians 6:11-18 (ESV) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

You Are Either Light Or Dark

Romans 13:13 Let us walk HONESTLY, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Word Study: The word translated “HONESTLY” is the Greek euschēmonōs, which means “in the proper or prescribed way”. I remember the hardest part of basic training as an airman was to learn to march in formation. As the drill instructor called out the cadence, “Left, Right, Left, Right”, we were supposed to rhythmically keep step with the instructor and with one another. If you went against the instructor’s call, you didn’t just hurt yourself, but you hurt the unit. If the clown in front of me was walking “Left” when he was supposed to be “Right”, I’d step on his heel, stumble, and the guy behind me would step on my heel. The whole group got out of step!

We are children of Light, children of the Day. Get in step with Jesus. Not with the darkness, but with Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:5 (NKJV) You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

You need to be what you are. If you are children of the night, then be that. Stop pretending. Judgment is coming your way. You are of the darkness. As Jesus said:

John 3:19-21 (NKJV) … 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.

You cannot be saved, and act lost. This is double mindedness. There is no such thing as a

Christian Thief
Christian Drunkard
Christian Pervert
Christian Whoremonger
Christian Pedophile
Christian Murderer

Yes, Christians do sin. There are times when we let the flesh have its way. But when this happens, the Holy Spirit convicts us. We CONFESS our sin to Him, REPENTING, placing it under the Blood of Calvary. Oh, praise God, we are being saved, but our salvation is not yet complete.

1 John 1:7 (NKJV) … if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

The Armor of Light is the Lordship of Christ,
Not The Lordship Of ME!

Romans 13:14 (KJV) But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

We are told “PUT ON the ARMOR OF LIGHT”. We are told “PUT ON the LORD JESUS CHRIST”. If you have on the Armor of Light, if you are imitating the Lord Jesus and obeying Him, you need not fear the darkness. You are “more than conquerors through Jesus” (Romans 8:37).

Let me close with a Bible story that illustrate this. In 1 Samuel chapter 17 we hear about a young shepherd boy named David. King Saul and the Army of Israel were encamped in the Valley of Elah. A giant by the name of Goliath comes out and challenges the Army of Israel to a duel. Every soldier looked at Goliath – and put on the armor of fear and darkness. No one, not even the King, wanted anything to do with Goliath. King Saul was afraid to fight Goliath, and promised if someone would fight Goliath, “the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel” (1 Samuel 17:25). What a prize! Riches. A beautiful daughter. Tax exempt status. What’s to be hated? But no one wanted to fight Goliath.

Then David came up.

“I will fight this Philistine”. King Saul told David, “You are just a young man. This is a seasoned warrior. You can’t do it!” Saul was dressed in the Armor of Humanism, the Armor or Relativism, the Armor of Doubt. David told Saul,

“As a shepherd, I’ve been attacked by lions and bears. The LORD Who DELIVERED ME from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the paw of this Philistine!”

David had the Armor of Light on him. He had put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Then Saul told David, “I have some armor, human made armor, that you need to wear while fighting Goliath.

David told Saul, “Thanks, but no thanks. I’ve got my armor on. I’ve never used your armor before, but I have used the Armor of Light. I’m going to trust in that.” You all know the story. David went out to battle Goliath, knocked him down with a sling and a stone, then cut Goliath’s head off with Goliath’s own sword (verse 51).

Fast forward a few years.

King Saul, who rewarded David for killing Goliath, now hunts down David. (This story is in 1 Samuel 21). David is a wanted man on the run. He goes to the Tabernacle, and asks the priests for some shew bread, aged bread that only the priests were supposed to eat. They give David the consecrated bread. Then David asked, “Do you have any weapons here?”

1 Samuel 21:9 (KJV) And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.

When David fought Goliath, he fought him wearing the Armor of Light. He put on the Lord Jesus Christ. But now David chooses humanism, man made armor. “Give me Goliath’s sword – there is no other one like it!” The sword was made for a giant, not for David.

David traded the Armor of Light for a human weapon. David traded the Armor of Light for fear. David “fled that day for fear of Saul, and ran to Achish the King of Gath” (1 Samuel 21:10). When his life was threatened, the David that was fearless before Goliath “changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard” (1 Samuel 21:13). He who would one day be the King of Israel lost his courage, and looked like an utter mad man.

He put on the wrong armor. The armor of flesh will not save you. The Armor of Light will. Children of light, walk as children of light. God protects His children. But if you are lost – REPENT. Turn and run into the arms of Jesus. Judgment day is coming. God’s wrath is not far from falling. Make sure you are on the right side.

Give yourselves to Jesus. For God’s glory, I pray. Amen.

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