“And God said…yea, hath God said?”

Gen. 1:3 versus Gen. 3:1

Part 1

The apostle John said of himself and of all the apostles, “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us.  Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and spirit of error.” (1 John 4:6)

False teaching is easily identified in this way. If I teach what the apostles taught, I am “of God”.  If I alter their words, I am “of Satan”.  We must know what the Bible teaches well enough that when we hear some strange teaching we can compare what is said with what the Bible says. Just like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

It is not a matter of how great a thing a person may do, how much sacrifice they may make, of how much persecution they may suffer, but whether they honor God by taking care to follow His commands. The Bible is filled with examples whereby when man obeyed the will of God “fully” (Numbers 14:24), he received God’s blessings, and other occasions where he fell short of “full” obedience he suffered for it.

When God had made man, He said, “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”  (Genesis 2:15-17)

God gave a two part instruction…man was to work the garden and keep it and he was not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  No where do we see any indication that Adam and Eve failed to do what God told them to do but we do have record of their failure to respect God in regard to that which they were NOT to do.

We all know the story of Eve’s temptation. She knew God’s instructions. She knew that God had told them not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for she stated God’s instructions to Satan in Genesis 3:2-3.  The fact that God had spoken was not enough. She listened to Satan who, by his words did what ALL false teachers do yet today.  He spoke to Eve in terms of what God MEANT by what He said.  This was the perversion!  What makes preaching false is when it offers man’s wisdom/logic on what God MEANT by what He said rather than quoting what God stated or commanded on a particular subject.  By this means, people are deceived into reasoning as Eve did.  They do not think it wise to obey God’s commands, but view His commands as restrictive and depriving them of happiness.  Listening to Satan, Eve began to weigh the matter for herself. Eve resorted to her own thinking in the matter, thereby ignoring God’s command. This was her fatal mistake and one that is still being made by many today. She made a decision; she chose to believe Satan’s words and in doing so, she removed God from ruling her life.

The facts given to her in regard to the fruit were correct. It was good for food; it was delightful to the eyes and it would make her wise to know good and evil.  She exchanged God’s instructions for her own reasoning which man has been doing ever since. How often do we hear people today justify some practice in rejecting some portion of God’s Word as “this is just a little thing,” admitting that they are not following the will of God in the strictest interpretation but reasoning that “surely this will be all right,” or “this is just as good.”  What does “this is just as good” really mean?  What is just as good as what?  It means that man’s idea is just as good as God’s teaching on the point in question, that man’s wisdom is just as good as God’s wisdom.  This was Eve’s mistake! 

What did she do?  She merely took a piece of fruit and ate it and gave it to her husband and he ate.  Can you think of an act less offensive?  Can you think of an act that would be less degrading?  Then why was it such a terrible thing to do?  The magnitude of this wrong cannot be measured by our evaluation of the act itself.  It can only be measured correctly when God’s word is taken into consideration.  From that standpoint what had Eve done?  She had replaced God’s teaching by her own decision in the matter, and in so doing; she had dethroned God and enthroned herself or her judgment.  When we exchange our reasoning for God’s will, we sin!  Adam also listened to someone other than God…his wife.  Adam’s sin was not in listening to his wife, but in “hearkening” to the voice of his wife. He obeyed what he knew was different than what God had commanded.  Because of their sin, Adam and Eve were separated from God.  So likewise are all separated (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 3:23). 

The only way we honor God is thru full obedience to His commands. Saving faith obeys. James 2:14-26 is clear is stating that faith apart from obedience is dead.  Likewise, partial obedience does not suffice.  Today, God has spoken unto us by His Son (Heb. 1:2).  The teaching God has given to us through his Son must be respected as fully and carefully as the teaching God gave to Adam and Eve.

The apostle Paul wrote to Corinth, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” (2 Cor. 11:3)  He also warned the Galatians, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8-9)

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copyright 2011

Converting Sinners or Making Proselytes?

During the 400 years between the Old & New Testaments, the Jews became divided into various sects. Two of these sects that we often read of in the gospels are the Pharisees & the Sadducees. Jesus warned against their teaching (leaven) because of a most crucial reason. It would cause all who believed in it to be lost. In Matt.23:15, Jesus not only called the Pharisees ‘children of hell’, but he said that those who believed & practiced their teachings would become twice as much a ‘child of hell’ as themselves. Jesus said in Matt. 16:6, 11-12, to watch & beware of their teaching. In Matt. 15, Jesus taught that for the sake of these ‘traditions’, they broke the “commandment of God” (v. 3). This was because those traditions were contrary to what the Law of Moses taught (vss. 4-6). Jesus said in v. 6 that they “made void the word of God.” In v. 9, Jesus said that their worship was “in vain” because what they taught as their doctrines were the “traditions” instead of the Law of Moses. They sought to bind these "commandments of men" upon the multitudes rather than what the Law of Moses taught.
When Jesus’ disciples were observed not keeping these ‘traditions’, the Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus “…why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat” (v. 2). The ‘traditions of the elders’ here mentioned consisted of laws and regulations orally transmitted from Moses and the prophets. On account of the supposition that these traditions originated with inspired men, they were regarded as equal in authority with the written word. Mark 7:3-4 lists some of these ‘traditions’ herein referred.
We learn from this, what constitutes a doctrine that is only a ‘commandment’ of man. IT IS ANY DOCTRINE THAT IS BASED UPON A 'SUPPOSITION' THAT IT IS 'INSPIRED'; YET 'REGARDED AS EQUAL IN AUTHORITY WITH THE WRITTEN WORD'.
These oral traditions of the elders were NOT a part of the written law (of Moses), yet were regarded as equal in authority with it by the scribes & Pharisees. Such ‘commandments of men’ are NOT founded on the written word. They “make void the word of God” (Matt. 15:6), because they teach CONTRARY to that which is written and inspired. Moses had commanded, “You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord you God which I command you” (Deut. 4:2). This oral ‘tradition’ of the elders “added to” the written word.
Is this being done today? If so, would not the commandment of God be broken, the written word made ‘void’ & worship be ‘in vain’?
There are a number of supposed, inspired doctrines that are in reality only “commandments of men” yet they are likewise regarded as equal in authority with the written word by those who teach and practice them.
Today, one cannot become a member of any existing denominational church without submitting to that particular denomination’s ‘statements of faith’. You will not be accepted into their ‘fellowship’ without submitting to their particular commandments, whether by ‘vote’, ‘letter’, or by ‘baptism’ as their statement of faith so reads.
Protestant denominations were founded on just such writings. These ‘statements of faith’ or ‘creeds’ are NOT a part of the inspired word of God, yet they, are the criteria for acceptance into their fellowship. They are held up as authoritative as the Bible. The strange thing about these creeds is that they don’t agree with one another!
For example, the Methodist Discipline, p. 410, reads: “let every adult person, and the parents of every child to be baptized, have the choice of sprinkling, pouring, or immersion.” 
On the other hand, the Hiscox manual for the Baptist denomination says on p. 20, Note 8: “Baptism is an immersion…” 
- Are these statements not contradictory?
- Are both doctrines revealed in the Bible?
- Why does the Methodist creed state that there is a choice and the Baptist creed state that it is ONLY ‘by immersion’?
These ‘creeds’ clearly illustrate and define the differences of belief between each denomination. They are also indisputable evidence of division. They, at best can only serve to ‘proselyte’ an individual much as did the scribes & Pharisees of Matt. 23 by their teaching of commandments of men.
Obedience to the gospel, not these “commandments of men”, will result in salvation and produce a standard by which all can be ‘one’ in the sense that Jesus meant in His prayer in John 17:20-21.
Creeds promote a ‘unity in diversity’. Is this how Jesus & His Father are ‘one’?
The Bible states that God wants all men to be saved & to “come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). CAN TRUTH NOT BE KNOWN WITHOUT A DENOMINATIONAL CREED? Furthermore, which creed is right? Can they all be right and accurate and yet contradictory?
Albert Barnes, a Presbyterian, attributed the existence denominations to “uninspired confessions of faith” as follows: ‘The multiplication of tests, and the enlargement of creeds and confessions of faith. The consequence is that every new doctrine that is incorporated into a creed gives cause for those to separate who cannot accord with it’. WAS HE WRONG IN HIS STATEMENT?
It is possible to: “corrupt the word of God” (2 Cor. 2:17); to “pervert the gospel of Christ” Gal. 1:6-9; to “wrest the scriptures” (2 Peter 3:16); and to “handle the word of God deceitfully” (2 Cor. 4:2).
Any doctrine taught today must match what was taught through the Holy Spirit by revelation. The Holy Spirit guided the apostles into all truth.
How did they teach salvation? That is how preachers must teach it today.
If preachers teach it the way it was taught by the apostles, we will not only be correct, we will be united in the sense that Jesus meant in John 17:20-21.
Paul said in 1 Cor. 4:6, “…that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written…” 
The apostle John wrote in 2 John 1:9-10, “Everyone who…does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”
Remember, Jesus not only called the Pharisees ‘children of hell’, He also said that those who believed & practiced their teachings would become twice as much a ‘child of hell’ as they.

Creeds only make a proselyte “two-fold more a child of hell” than the teacher of the creed.

copyright 2011
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“If thou shalt confess with thy mouth”...Confess what?

“If thou shalt confess with thy mouth”...
Confess what?

[Romans 10:9]

Eternal Life Is Conditional

Paul spoke of himself as one, "in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before times eternal." (Titus 1:2). I do not hope for that which I already have, but for that which I do not have. Doubtless thousands of souls born in foreign countries hope some day to be American citizens, but I cannot. A man does not hope to be what he already is.

Now, Paul said, "For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth? But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." (Romans 8:24-25). Hope always looks forward. So the Christian "hath eternal life" in hope. Like Paul, he is "in hope of eternal life." It is in this hope that he is saved. Our faith in the Lord Jesus has planted this hope in our hearts. When a man's faith is wrecked, his hope is blasted; for him the future holds only blackness and despair. Hope is, indeed, the anchor of the soul that holds us steadfast "when the storm tides rise and the waves roll high" over life's sea.

"In The World To Come"

The Lord promised that eternal life would be in the world to come. "I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake, and for the gospel's sake, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life." (Mark 10:29-30).

If eternal life is to be the reward of the Christian life "in the world to come," how can one claim to have it now? Furthermore, the Lord said, "And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:46). How can they "go away into eternal life" at the judgment if they are already in it?

Inheritance And Promise

A parallel passage to the one we have just noticed is found in Matthew 19:29: "And everyone that hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life." The writer to the Hebrews said, "And for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." (Hebrews 9:15). John wrote, "And this is the promise which he promised us, even eternal life." (1 John 2:25).

Precious are the promises of the gospel to the Christian who serves God "in hope of eternal life." Peter spoke of them as "precious and exceeding great promises." (2 Peter 1:4).  But if the Christian has eternal life now, actually, and cannot lose it, he cannot hope for it; there is no promise to him; he cannot go away into it; he cannot look to receive it in the world to come; and he is not an heir of God.

Eternal Life Is Conditional

There are certain conditions to be met in this life in order to enjoy "eternal life in the world to come." Jesus said, "He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment..." (John 5:24). The Lord made hearing, and believing His words conditions of eternal life. It is not enough to say the alien sinner is dead in sin and therefore cannot hear and believe. Jesus said, "The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live." (John 5:25). Nor is there comfort here for those who would risk their salvation in the "faith-only" doctrine. Jesus said they must hear and believe, and James said, "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves." (James 1:22). Life is indeed sweet, death certain and eternity long. "Blessed are they that wash their robes that they may have the right to come to the tree of life." (Revelation 22:14).

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Who is a "Christ-ian"?

Six centuries before the birth of Christ among men, the prophet Isaiah foretold that a new name would be given to the people of God. The prophet wrote, "And the nations shall see thy righteousness and all kings thy glory: and thou shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall name" (Isa. 62:2). The Lord was going to give his people a new name! This prophecy is not fulfilled until we come to the New Testament, to the eleventh chapter of Acts. By this time, Christ has come, given his blood for the sins of the world, and has been resurrected has from the dead. The church has now been established and the gospel is being preached among the nations. Thus, the stage is set for the giving of this new name, and in Acts 11:26 we read, "The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch".

The name Christian is not a term of derision. Rather, this is the new name which God gave to his people, a name to be worn with joy and with thanksgiving. The apostle Peter wrote, "If a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name" (I Pet. 4:16). The name Christian glorifies God and honors Christ, for the name Christian cannot be spoken without pronouncing the name of Christ, our blessed Savior.

The name Christian is also an exclusive name, for, the disciples were called Christians at Antioch. To be a Christian, one must be a disciple, a follower, of Christ. To learn what discipleship means, we must go to the Bible. When we study the name Christian in the Bible, we find that the name is used in a narrow exclusive sense. The world uses the term broadly to embrace anyone who gives even lip service to the principles of Christ, but not so in the Bible. Because the word 'Christian' is so mis-applied, many believe themselves to be a Bible-defined Christian  As Jesus once said, "Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." [Matt. 7:21]; so likewise, not everyone who claims to be a Christian, IS a Christian.  The Bible gives clear evidence of the characteristics of a Christian. In this evidence, we likewise have proof as to who is NOT a Christian, and why they are not.

Not all good people are Christians. Goodness is certainly a characteristic of the Christian, and without goodness one cannot be a Christian, but still not all good people are Christians. Morality is an obligation of a Christian, but morality ALONE does not make one a Christian.  Consider some good people:

Nicodemus, the ruler of the Jews who came to Jesus by night. There is nothing to indicate that Nicodemus was anything other than a good man, and yet, Jesus taught that he had to be born again. The Lord said, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). When Nicodemus failed to understand the new birth, Jesus explained it more fully by saying, "Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Nicodemus was evidently a good man, but he had not undergone this new birth and without being born anew, he not enter God's kingdom!

Cornelius, the Gentile centurion was certainly a good moral man, exemplary in many traits of character, but when we read of him in Acts 10, he was not a Christian.  At this point he is described as "a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always" (Acts 10:2). It is also said that he was "a just man, well reported of by all the nation of the Jews" (Acts 10:22).  Yet, Cornelius was lost in his sins!  Where is the evidence of this?  From the words of an angel of God!  The angel told him to send for Peter...WHY??? "...who shall speak unto thee words whereby thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy house" (Acts 11:14). What "words" did Cornelius need to hear?  I submit that it was the words that Jesus gave to the apostles just before His ascension back to heaven.  They are found at the end of each of the four gospels (cf. Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-47; John 17:18).

These words were the words preached by Peter and the eleven on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:38. They were proclaimed to every person(s) in the book of Acts who had not been born again.  They constitute the "form of doctrine" (Romans 6:17-18) that was consistently preached to sinners in the Bible, after Jesus had been made "both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).  It contains commands to be obeyed "from the heart" (Romans 6:17-18).  Thus, we can read of those who will be eternally lost as including those who do NOT OBEY the gospel (2 Thess. 1:8), in addition to those who do not know God.  There are many who do not know God, but many know God, yet haven't OBEYED THE GOSPEL COMMANDS THAT PERTAIN TO BEING BORN ANEW!

Not all religious people are Christians. Certainly, all Christians are religious people, but there are many religious people who are not Christians. One may be a heathen and yet be very religious. When Paul preached at Mars Hill in Athens, he stood at one of the centers of Greek paganism, and yet he said, "Ye men of Athens, I perceive that ye are very religious" (Acts 17:22). They were religious, but they were not Christians.  The Bible also speaks of the Jews religion in Gal. 1:13-14, but this is not Christianity. So one may be religious; be a Jew, but not a Christian.  The conversions which the Holy Spirit has recorded in the book of Acts tell a revealing story, for in nearly every case, they are the conversions of religious people. The people who were converted on the day of Pentecost had come from all parts of the Mediterranean world to worship God at Jerusalem (Acts 2). Lydia was a devout Jewish woman who had met with other women for prayer on the Sabbath day (Acts 16). The man from Ethiopia had traveled many hundreds of miles to worship at Jerusalem, and he had started back home when he heard the gospel and was converted (Acts 8). Saul of Tarsus was a zealous Pharisee before he became a Christian (Acts 9, 22, 26).  No, not all religious people are Christians.

Not all believers in Christ are Christians. Do you realize that you may believe in Christ—that He is the Son of God, and still not be a Christian?  This likewise describes many religious people.  They have 'faith' that Jesus is God's Son, they call Him LORD, but have not obeyed the commands that He gave to the apostles which are the "form of doctrine".  This obedience is called "works of righteousness" elsewhere in the Bible.  They are the kind of works that Abraham was commended for and for which it was "reckoned to him for righteousness".  We read from the epistle of James, "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? Thou seest that faith wrought, with his works, and by works was faith made perfect; and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God. Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith" (James 2:20-24).  Certainly, we are saved by faith, but not by faith ONLY. The apostle Paul writes of "the obedience of faith" in the first chapter of Romans. He also says, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor un-circumcision; but faith working through love" (Gal. 5:6). A saving faith obeys Christ.  Christ is obeyed when His teachings are obeyed. When faith does not express itself in obedience, it is dead, barren and vain! Can a dead, barren and vain faith make one a Christian?  No, not every believer in Christ is a Christian!

The only person who can rightly wear this glorious name, Christian, is the 'good', 'religious', 'believer'  who has obeyed the gospel ('form of doctrine') that was given from God to Christ (John 12:49 - "...the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak."); which Christ gave to His chosen apostles (John 17:8 - "For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me...".  Jesus commanded them to preach these words to "all nations" (Jew/Gentile), and thus be "born anew".  Those words are known as the 'great commission', and are recorded in Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-47; and John 17:18).  The apostles' travels "into all the world" are recorded for us in the book of Acts.  We also find from the book of Acts that ALL the conversions were uniform in both the "doctrine that was delivered..." (Romans 6:17); and the doctrine that was "obeyed from the heart..." (ibid). Those who "obeyed the gospel" then were to be taught "to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matt. 28:20).  These 'things' to be 'observed' are also commands from God, to Christ, to the apostles, to us, which are found in the New Testament epistles (Romans thru Revelation).

The apostle Paul stated to those Gentile Christians in Ephesus, "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward; how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ). Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the spirit; THAT THE GENTILES SHOULD BE FELLOW-HEIRS, AND OF THE SAME BODY, AND PARTAKERS OF HIS PROMISE IN CHRIST BY THE GOSPEL" (Eph. 3:2-6).

The Gentile nations were offered salvation in Christ upon the same terms as the Jewish nation.  Why? Because "God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." (Acts 10:34-35).  When Gentiles obeyed the same form of doctrine as the Jews, then the time had arrived that was foretold by divine inspiration from the prophet Isaiah, "And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory; and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name." (Isa. 62:2)  

As a result, we read that the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch (Acts 11:26).  Only those who have been born “from above”, (i.e. of water and of the Spirit, John 3:3, 5), “…glorify God IN THIS NAME in" (1 Pet. 4:16).  As Jesus said, "Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matt. 7:21

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copyright 2011

Apples of Gold

In the book of Proverbs there is much advice for the family with problems as well as the solution to those problems if this advice is heeded.  The book provides instruction on both how to give and heed the advice and counsel of GOD.  One is wise if he receives (heeds) the instruction of GOD contained in the Bible.  The one needing rebuke has responsibility as to whom he places his confidence in.  In Prov. 25:17 we read, “…confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.” 

One is also wise if he gives GOD’S rebuke.  This will be the focus of this article—‘Apples of Gold’.  The 25^th chapter of Proverbs deals with ‘words fitly spoken’.  In verse 12, we find these words of wisdom, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.  Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.”   

Notice it takes both a wise rebuker AND an obedient ear to be likened to an ornament of fine gold.  One without the other will not benefit.  In chapter 15:23, we find “…a word spoken in due season, how good it is.”  We learn from this that knowledge of when to speak (in due season) is needed to be the proverbial ‘apple of gold’.  Isaiah was a wise person because he knew “…how to speak a word in season to him who is weary.” (Isa. 50:4)

In Proverbs 26, we are shown the results of words spoken to the weary ‘out-of-season’.  In verse 7, we find the following comparison: “like the legs of the lame that hang limp is the proverb in the mouth of fools.”  In verse 9 we read, “Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.”

In Prov. 25:17 we read, “Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he become weary of you and hate you.”

The teaching of this proverb has relevance to our words resulting in ‘apples of gold’.  Knowing when to intervene and when not to intervene is just as important as offering rebuke rather than throwing in our “two cents worth” to one who is in need of counsel. Wisdom is needed to be able to make a distinction between things that are important and things that are not important.  Otherwise, our neighbor becomes “weary and will hate” us.

Solomon states in Prov. 25:20 that “like one who takes away a garment in cold weather, and like vinegar on soda, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.”  This teaches us what will result when the wrong words are spoken.

  

In Proverbs 27, we read the “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (v. 6).  “Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man’s friend does so by hearty counsel” (v. 9). 

It has to do with discretion and spiritual discernment.  The difference is, without discretion and spiritual discernment, one gives his own “two cents worth” and not GOD’S rebuke.  An ill-advised word will only make matters worse.  As a friend even with good intentions, unless one offer’s GOD’S counsel, with spiritual discernment and handling aright the scriptures, then, damage will be done by our words. 

Discretion can only come from spiritual growth and spiritual growth can only come from listening to instruction from GOD on an ‘on-going’ basis.  Such discernment helps us in learning what is and what is not important in the lives of others. It applies in a marriage, in a family and in a congregation.  If we do not follow GOD’S advice when involved in the lives of others, then our actions can only be termed ‘meddling’, and only one thing will result—our  neighbor will “become weary and hate” us.

The New Testament speaks on the subject of those who would meddle.  They are called “busybodies” in 1 Tim. 5:13.  We are told they are “wandering about from house to house” and “saying things which they ought not”.  In 2 Thessalonians 3:11, they “walk among you in a disorderly manner”.  In 1 Peter 4:15, their concern is “in other people’s matters”.

It may be that we meddle out of pride where even the simplest thing in another’s life has to suit us.  It may be an obsessive power thing where we want more control, maybe out of pride thinking that we know best. We need to remember, man does not know what is best—only GOD does.  It may be out of boredom, because we are not busy enough with the great matters of life, those of eternity.  Laziness is a sin—Prov. 23:14 says, “In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter leads only to poverty.”  Whispering and gossip are among the things that will destroy a friendship.  Proverbs 17:9 says, “He that repeats a matter separates friends.”  We should use gracious speech. Proverbs 22:11 says, “He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.”  Prov. 15:2 says, “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.”  Does your tongue use knowledge rightly?  In Prov. 15:28 we read, “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.”  Does your heart study HOW to answer?  Prov. 12:18 says, “There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health.”  We need to ‘study how to answer’, and we will promote spiritual health among our physical family and friends as well as our spiritual family.

Meddling causes division among one’s natural family and among GOD’S spiritual family, the church.  Our aim should not be to meddle, but to help.  Therefore great care should be taken in what, when and how we speak.  Prov. 16:23 says, “The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.”  Prov. 21:24 says, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”  If ‘weariness and hatred’ has thus far been the result of our intervention, we are meddling, not helping—we have been in our neighbor’s house ‘too often’.  We need to stop our current involvement, be patient, and allow for our spiritual growth until such time that we can impart GOD’S rebuke.  We need to pray for ‘knowledge’, for ‘discretion’, and study ‘how to answer’ and so to be a ‘wise rebuker’ (Prov. 25:12); and pray that such rebuke will then fall upon an “obedient ear”.   GOD’S plan will work if we will work His plan.

copyright 2011
rdb

Divine Intervention

What is ‘intervention’?  1 to enter or appear as an irrelevant or extraneous feature or circumstance  2 to occur, fall, or come between points of time or events  3 to come in or between by way of hindrance or modification <~to settle a quarrel>  4 to occur or lie between two things  5a: to become a third party to a legal proceeding begun by others for the protection of an alleged interest b: to interfere usu. by force or threat of force in another nation’s internal affairs esp. to compel or prevent an action or to maintain or alter a condition syn

Compare: ‘INTERPOSE’- 1- a to place in an intervening position b to put (oneself) between: INTRUDE  2- to introduce or throw in between the parts of a conversation or argument ~ vi 1: to be or come between  2 to step in between parties at variance  3-INTERRUPT – SYN interpose, interfere, intervene, mediate, intercede...the idea is to come or to go between.

The idea of ‘intervening’ is to come or to go between.  It has reference to someone(s) stepping in and affecting the outcome of events.  There is either a compelling, an altering, a maintaining, or a preventing of conditions in the affairs of those affected.

Two points to observe:

• God intervenes according to His purpose;
• Man responds in one of two ways to this intervention—rejection or acceptance.

The Bible declares that God’s purpose for divine intervention is always in harmony with divine purpose. 

1st Tim. 2:4 – He “...desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

2nd Peter 3:9 – God “..is...not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Ezek. 33:11 – God has “...no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live...”

Accordingly, we find that before the Creation, God provided for man’s salvation. Speaking of Christ, Peter wrote: “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world ...” (1st Peter 1:20)

How does man respond to God’s intervening?

God continues to intervene, and it is conditioned upon man’s will.

Ezek. 14:1-9 – ¹Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. ²And the word of the LORD came to me: ³"Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? ⁴Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, ⁵that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols. ⁶"Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations. ⁷For any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who separates himself from me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to a prophet to consult me through him, I the LORD will answer him myself. ⁸And I will set my face against that man; I will make him a sign and a byword and cut him off from the midst of my people, and you shall know that I am the LORD. ⁹And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

We need to ask ourselves, have we “taken idols into our heart?”

Ahab had:

1st Kings 16:33 – “...Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.”  

1st Kings 21:20, 25-29 – “...you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD...there was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD like Ahab...and when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly.  And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, "Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house."

Accordingly, God dealt with him (Ahab) in this manner:

1st Kings 22:13-23 – “¹³And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, "Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably." ¹⁴But Micaiah said, "As the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that I will speak." ¹⁵And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?" And he answered him, "Go up and triumph; the LORD will give it into the hand of the king." ¹⁶But the king said to him, "How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?" ¹⁷And he said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, 'These have no master; let each return to his home in peace.'" ¹⁸And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?" ¹⁹And Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; ²⁰and the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said one thing, and another said another. ²¹Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, 'I will entice him.' ²²And the LORD said to him, 'By what means?' And he said, 'I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And he said, 'You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.' ²³Now therefore behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the LORD has declared disaster for you."

Rom. 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good...”

2nd Thess. 2:9-12 – “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

God carries out His purpose through His intervention to save and at the same time, chastise the wicked.  We saw this in how Ahab was dealt with.  His word is “...living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12)

Many today are attempting to serve God but have “taken idols into their heart”.  Those who have “taken idols into their heart” are the ones who have no love for truth. 

How will God carry out His purpose through intervention toward them? [2nd Thess. 2:11, “Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false...”]

Prov. 19:21 – “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”

The plans of those who ‘love not the truth’ will be overthrown.  God’s intervention/purpose will stand.

Man may have one thing in mind, yet it is God’s purpose for man that will be accomplished.  If your ‘plans’ are to serve God, nothing will prevent you from doing so—God’s word is sure; if, however, your ‘plans’ are to resist God, nothing will prevent God’s rod of chastisement from coming.  God intervenes to accomplish this in our lives.  Job acknowledged this:

Job 34:10-12, 14-15, 21-27 - "Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong. For according to the work of a man he will repay him and according to his ways he will make it befall him. Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice...If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust..."For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps. There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves. For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.  He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place. Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed. He strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see, because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways...”

There is no doubt that He intervenes in this manner: We see that the Amorites were going to be punished, yet, as w/Ahab, God was merciful.

Gen. 15:13-16 – “Then the LORD said to Abram, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for yourself, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. ¹⁶And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."

God would intervene (& affect the outcome) when He knew the iniquity was complete.  Abram did not know, nor need to know when this would be; he believed what God said about this and was fully persuaded that God would fulfill His word; in fact this was fulfilled long after Abram’s death (Josh. 21:43).  The Hebrew writer tells us Abram and many others, “all though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us...” (Heb. 11:39).

Did they know the particulars of why the events in their lives were so occurring?  No, but they loved God & believed that it was going to “...work together for good...”

Other examples: Joseph & his brothers:

In Gen. 50:20 – “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

Speaking of Balaam & Balak, Moses said of God’s intervention...

Deut. 23:4-5 – “But the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you...”

God intervened in Esther’s day and struck Haman for his wickedness.  The result? Esth. 7:10, “...so they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.”

Job spoke of God’s intervention: Job 5:12 – “He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.”

Gamaliel recognized that if God was behind it, it was futile to resist.  Acts 5:38-39 – “...if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them.”

The apostle Paul believed in divine intervention: Phil. 1:12 – “...what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel...”

Paul did not know how God would achieve His will in man to save him, yet Paul did know that such was why God intervened.  He said in 2nd Tim. 1:12 – “And that is why I am suffering here in prison.  But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.”

Speaking of Onesimus’ desertion and return, Paul wrote to Philemon:

Philemon 1:15 – “For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever...”

Who knows why this sequence of events in the life of Onesimus happened as they did?

Did Onesimus intend to become a Christian when he ran away?

Did those who persecuted Paul intend to advance the very gospel preached by Paul?

Did Haman intend to be hanged on the same gallows prepared for Mordecai?

Did Balak intend for Israel to be blessed when he summoned Balaam?

NO!  But God turns man’s curse into blessing; God frustrated the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.  Why?

Because God:

1st Tim. 2:4 – “...desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

2nd Peter 3:9 – “..is...not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Ezek. 33:11 – has “...no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live...”

Divine intervention was, and is, to cause our salvation.  How we respond to that intervention determines how God intervenes thereafter.

Do you want to be saved?  Do you love God, or do you have pleasure in unrighteousness?

As Job said God deals according to the work of a man, and “... he will repay him and according to his ways...”

RDB
copyright 2011

"If any man will...he shall know" - John 7:17

Why are religious people divided into denominational churches?  Why can’t all understand and worship God in the same way?  Don’t all use the same Bible?  Why is it that some can see it alike to a certain extent, while others, while seeing some parts of the Bible alike, disagree with other denominations on other parts of the Bible?  For example, some denominations claim that there is a heaven and a hell, while others deny the existence of hell entirely.  Even within the same physical family, this is so.  Which is it?  Does Hell exist or not?  If you believe that it doesn’t exist and you have a family member who attends a congregation that believes that it does exist, are you both right?  Are there any consequences if wrong?  Can you not agree among yourselves on the matter?  More importantly, is this difference of understanding what God intended when He revealed His will to man?  For anyone to submit that this is what God desires of man is an insult to intelligence.  God did not reveal His will to man intending for man to be unable to comprehend what was revealed.  God spoke so that man might know & understand His will; otherwise, the purpose for speaking is useless.  Even among humans, we do not speak for the purpose of hindering understanding & but in order that we might understand and comprehend one another.  If we can understand one another, why cannot we understand God?  Even preachers & church leaders will write books and advertise those books as being needful to “help understand” (?) something found in the Bible.  Can they (the preachers and church leaders) write so as to be understood, while proclaiming to you that God could not do so?  Can un-inspired man outdo God?  We plead with all who read these articles to consider this situation. 

False teaching has its roots in this mindset.  Do you believe that God’s word, the Bible, cannot be understood?  I adamantly deny this and give my evidence from statements from the inspired writers of the Bible.  I only ask that you give time and consideration to what the Bible says on this subject of being able to ‘understand’ its contents:

Eph. 5:17 - Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

1 Cor. 1:10 - Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Eph. 3:3-4 - How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

Rom. 12:2 - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

These passages suffice to show that God’s will can be understood, and understood alike.  God wants us to understand and to comprehend what He has declared of Him, His nature, and His will.  Why then is it that “seeing they see not and hearing they hear not”?  As has been pointed out in past articles, the hindrance to seeing the truth lies in one’s desire to practice sin.  Jesus said in John 7:17 that “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”   In John 3:19-21, Jesus stated why people rejected His doctrine.  “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

The gospel as preached by Jesus and the apostles is the only gospel that is ‘truth’.  It contains a pattern of obedience for the one who is lost in sin.  This plan must be complied with or forgiveness for one’s past sins will not be given from God.  This ‘plan of salvation’ is part of the gospel, as man needs to know how to reach the blood of Christ.  It can only be followed by faith in what has been commanded.  There are commands to obey for those lost in sin.  Obedience to these commands are essential as the proper response of one separated from God by sin.  They are found throughout the book of Acts, beginning with the apostle Peter’s response to the question in Acts 2:37, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”  This question necessarily inferred that they believed Peter’s preaching.  They recognized their need to do something in regard to their sins.  
Were they saved at this point?  
Do you deny that they believed at this point?  
Were they saved by their faith?  
Had God’s grace appeared to them yet?  
Were they saved by grace through faith at this point?  

What do you say?  

Had Peter gave his response yet?  
Had they been told what to do?  

Notice that they asked “What shall we DO?  

Were they saved yet?  
Did they believe prior to asking this question?  
What have you heard on the matter of how a person is saved...by faith, by faith only, by grace through faith due to the fact that we cannot ‘earn’ our salvation?  

I ask you to consider these on the day of Pentecost...

did they consider themselves ‘saved’ before asking “...what shall we do?” 

Common sense demands that this is not true.  

They would not have asked “What shall we do” if they didn't believe that they were yet in sin.  There were commands for them to comply with and those commands had not as yet been told them as Peter had not give his answer in verse 37.  Please re-read this text in your Bible and give consideration to the questions I have raised.
  
Obeying a command of God is not ‘earning’ or meriting your salvation. 

If so, what about belief?  It is a ‘work’.  John 6:29 says, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him who he hath sent.”   Is belief a work of God, or a work of merit?  In Hebrews chapter 11, we find many people who had faith or belief. 

Religious division has occurred in part because this gospel has been perverted.  What shall a person do to be saved?  The answer Peter gave is easily understood.  I can simply quote it and anyone can understand it.  It is in verse 38.  “...repent and be baptized...”  Do you agree?  Was this what Peter replied?  Now what did Peter MEAN by these words “...repent and be baptized...”?  Consider some modern-day ‘interpretations’:

1. ‘pray the sinners prayer’...is this what ‘repent and be baptized’ means?

2. ‘accept Jesus as your personal Savior and pray a prayer similar to this’... is this what ‘repent and be baptized’ means?

3. ‘ask Jesus to come into your life’... is this what ‘repent and be baptized’ means?

4. ‘confess you are a sinner and ask Him to save you, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved’... is this what ‘repent and be baptized’ means?

5. ‘believe that Jesus died on the cross for you, that His death was for this purpose and you will be saved’...”is this what ‘repent and be baptized’ means?

6. ‘believe only because you cannot earn your salvation, and salvation is by grace through faith’... is this what ‘repent and be baptized’ means?

7. ‘believe, and you will be saved at the point of belief and later we will baptize you, vote on you, then baptize you to join the church’... is this what ‘repent and be baptized’ means?

OR DID PETER MEAN “REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED FOR THE REMISSION OF YOUR SINS?”... is this what ‘repent and be baptized’ means?

RDB
copyright 2011