We expend a lot of effort seeking balance in our lives. No one wants to be branded a "right" or "left" wing extremist. It seems like the demands of the world for everyone to conform is being heightened to levels unheard of in times past. With the ever-changing landscape of political correctness, the influence of media, and the growing power of minorities to influence and transform the majority, the middle ground is becoming increasingly narrow. It used to be that both conservatives and liberals shared some common ground. That ground is becoming more and more scarce as traditional beliefs based upon biblical morals continuously erodes in decay.
There is one questions that has never had middle ground: is Jesus God? This fundamental doctrine of Christianity has only a "yes" or "no" answer. It is impossible to "ride the fence" on this point because it is sharper than an obsidian knife. Jesus made many claims of deity. Jesus claimed to forgive sins, something only God can do (Mark 2:1-12). The Jewish leaders condemned Him because of this point. John 5:18 says, "Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God." Jesus was a man who was also God or He was among the worst liars. He cannot be both a good teacher and a chronic liar. If Jesus is truly God, then He is completely holy and good. Jesus proved His power through His resurrection from the dead and ascension to the Father in heaven. Because He is the righteous Lamb of God, death could not hold Him.
There are proofs of Christ's divinity in both the New and Old Testaments. The Bible teaches that God the Father is a spirit whom no man has seen at any time. Yet God sent the Son Jesus as the Saviour of the world to seek and save the lost. God the Father cannot bleed because He is not flesh. Jesus being God is the only way to reconcile verses like Acts 20:28 which reads, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." Jesus shed His blood for the church which is His body of which He is the Head (Eph. 4:15).
When Jesus was pierced by nails, thorns, and a spear on the cross, John 19:36-37 states, "For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, "Not one of His bones shall be broken." 37
And again another Scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced." John was an eyewitness of Christ's crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the scripture to which he refers is found in the Old Testament book of Zechariah 12:10: "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn." In context, God the Father is speaking through the prophet Zechariah. Notice how it says of the Jews and inhabitants of Jerusalem: "They will look on Me whom they pierced." If God was only revealed to man as a spirit, how could He be pierced? How could His blood be shed? The fact is this: God has revealed Himself to man as God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son who became flesh, and the Holy Spirit sent to indwell all believers after Christ ascended into heaven.
There is no middle ground concerning the deity of Jesus Christ. Either He is God, or He is an impostor. Everyone must make their decision and live accordingly. Jesus says in John 14:6-7, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
7
"If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." Praise God for this marvelous truth! There is salvation to all who repent and believe in Christ. After Peter performed a miracle by God's power, he told those who looked on in amazement in Acts 4:10-12, "...let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.
11
This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.'
12
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Where do you stand? Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD Jesus Christ!
21 May 2012
20 May 2012
From the Housetops
No matter how wealthy someone might be, his net worth is limited. It may be an unfathomable limit to the average wage-earner, but it is limited nonetheless. All people face limitations which are on level with each other as well. Everyone has the same amount of minutes and hours in the day and night to accomplish work and see their goals realised. We all have basic necessities: oxygen, water, food, clothing, and sleep. Because of our naturally self-focused nature and the limitations we perceive, humans find great security in homes, careers, money, and possessions. There are limits to the risks we take because we know that our resources can easily make wings and fly away if we are not careful. We go to great lengths to protect and preserve what we have.
We see evidence of this in an example from scripture. Samaria had been under siege for some time by the Syrian army. There was a grievous famine in the city and people were starving to death. A group of starving lepers talked over their options outside the gate of the city. They were outcasts dying of a dreaded and incurable condition. In the city they would starve, and they faced the swords and spears of the Syrians outside. They decided that either way they were dead men. It would be better to throw themselves upon the mercy of the Syrian army rather than waste away in the city from starvation. What did they have to lose? Unknown to them at the time, God caused the Syrian army to flee because they thought they heard the sound of a huge approaching army. When they arrived at the camp in twilight, they found it completely deserted. 2 Kings 7:8-9 reads, "And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it.9 Then they said to one another, "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king's household."
These lepers were at first very happy to keep this good news to themselves. They feasted and drank of the Syrian provisions, plundered gold, silver, and clothes and went and hid them. They did the same with the second tent. But then they concluded that it was wrong to keep this good news to themselves: the whole city was perishing while they were eating, drinking, and hoarding! Granted, their motivation for sharing the news was not good. They feared for their own skins rather than doing good for the sake of those who were suffering. But in the end they went to the city, and shared the good news that the Syrian army had left and there remained an abundance of food and riches for all. In a similar way, God has provided us the Good News of the Gospel, not so we can pig out on food, drink, and hoard riches for ourselves, but so we might share the Gospel of Salvation by grace through faith in Christ to others. Even as Jesus laid down His life in love, so we should share this Good News - not motivated by the fear of judgment - but moved by love for God and others. The treasures of God's Kingdom are of far greater value than any amount of money can buy and will last for eternity.
Psalm 145:1-3 says, "I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable." King David proclaims the goodness and greatness of God for all to see. All who have tasted and seen that God is good are under the obligation to boldly and broadly declare and to magnify the greatness of God. Jesus exhorts in Matthew 10:27, "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops." When God teaches us something, it is not only meat and drink intended for our consumption, but for the good of all: for the guiding of the lost to Christ, to instruct the wandering back to Him, to encourage the faithful, to edify, encourage, and exhort the Body of Christ, all for the glory of God. Sometimes we are afraid to share the things God is teaching us with others. Jesus knows this. That is why His next sentence in Matthew 10:28 is this: "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Let us not keep the grace, love, promises, and salvation of Christ a secret for ourselves, but boldly proclaim His goodness from the housetops! It is better to be approved of God for our obedience and be shunned outcasts than to treasure the accolades and approval of man over the performance of our joyful duty. God's glory is without limit, and we will forever be proclaiming His praises. He is eternal, infinite, and worthy, and everlasting security is found in Him alone!
We see evidence of this in an example from scripture. Samaria had been under siege for some time by the Syrian army. There was a grievous famine in the city and people were starving to death. A group of starving lepers talked over their options outside the gate of the city. They were outcasts dying of a dreaded and incurable condition. In the city they would starve, and they faced the swords and spears of the Syrians outside. They decided that either way they were dead men. It would be better to throw themselves upon the mercy of the Syrian army rather than waste away in the city from starvation. What did they have to lose? Unknown to them at the time, God caused the Syrian army to flee because they thought they heard the sound of a huge approaching army. When they arrived at the camp in twilight, they found it completely deserted. 2 Kings 7:8-9 reads, "And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it.9 Then they said to one another, "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king's household."
These lepers were at first very happy to keep this good news to themselves. They feasted and drank of the Syrian provisions, plundered gold, silver, and clothes and went and hid them. They did the same with the second tent. But then they concluded that it was wrong to keep this good news to themselves: the whole city was perishing while they were eating, drinking, and hoarding! Granted, their motivation for sharing the news was not good. They feared for their own skins rather than doing good for the sake of those who were suffering. But in the end they went to the city, and shared the good news that the Syrian army had left and there remained an abundance of food and riches for all. In a similar way, God has provided us the Good News of the Gospel, not so we can pig out on food, drink, and hoard riches for ourselves, but so we might share the Gospel of Salvation by grace through faith in Christ to others. Even as Jesus laid down His life in love, so we should share this Good News - not motivated by the fear of judgment - but moved by love for God and others. The treasures of God's Kingdom are of far greater value than any amount of money can buy and will last for eternity.
Psalm 145:1-3 says, "I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable." King David proclaims the goodness and greatness of God for all to see. All who have tasted and seen that God is good are under the obligation to boldly and broadly declare and to magnify the greatness of God. Jesus exhorts in Matthew 10:27, "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops." When God teaches us something, it is not only meat and drink intended for our consumption, but for the good of all: for the guiding of the lost to Christ, to instruct the wandering back to Him, to encourage the faithful, to edify, encourage, and exhort the Body of Christ, all for the glory of God. Sometimes we are afraid to share the things God is teaching us with others. Jesus knows this. That is why His next sentence in Matthew 10:28 is this: "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Let us not keep the grace, love, promises, and salvation of Christ a secret for ourselves, but boldly proclaim His goodness from the housetops! It is better to be approved of God for our obedience and be shunned outcasts than to treasure the accolades and approval of man over the performance of our joyful duty. God's glory is without limit, and we will forever be proclaiming His praises. He is eternal, infinite, and worthy, and everlasting security is found in Him alone!
19 May 2012
Forget the Two Week Notice!
It is a common practice in the States that an employee give a "two week notice" before leaving for another job. Though it was never written into any of my working agreements, it is a simple courtesy which helps workers leave on good terms. But there is a drawback to giving advance notice. A difficultly arises when the company a worker is currently employed with comes back with an offer of better wages, role, or benefit package. The employee who for some time had been seeking other employment and committed to a different job now faces a gut-wrenching decision: leave the current company or burn the bridge you were planning to cross to the new job venture. Most people I know who have been in this situation tend to stay with the same company. I know other people who quit on the spot without giving notice because they did not want to have to deal with the dilemma.
I always put in a minimum of a two-week notice with all the companies I worked for, and some of them in writing. It was always a matter of personal principal to never use a notice as a "threat" or leverage to try to improve my situation within a company. I never put in my notice until I was convinced that it was God leading me to do so. That way when the dialogue began or offers were presented, my decision was already final because it was God who had directed me to take the next step. Had I not had this anchor for my heart and soul, I no doubt would have caved under the pressure of other people's opinions. The trouble is, unless we make the decision to follow Christ without reservation, our tendency is to head right back to our worldly ways. The devil is a master of sweetening the deal. It is likely not a sin to decide to stay with your original company, but that's not the point. Spiritually speaking, it is folly to choose bondage to sin and Satan over a life lived completely in service of Jesus Christ.
This same struggle is played out in the world daily on a spiritual level. In our natural state, man is sinful and cut off from fellowship with God. Once a man repents and trusts in Christ, his role is to pray and seek to deliver others from bondage to sin, the flesh, and Satan. Believers are exhorted in 2 Timothy 2:24-26: "And a servant of the Lord must 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, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." Those who are unregenerate, those who remain spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, are Satan's captives for the purpose of doing his will. In embracing his "freedom" a sinner remains in perpetual opposition to God. Knowing this, Christians ought to be filled with compassion, patience, gentleness, and humility to enlighten lost sinners to the knowledge of Christ through the Gospel.
The passing pleasures of sin might be attractive and enjoyable for a season, but in the end bring regret, sorrow, and death. There is only danger in giving the devil a two-week notice. The call of Jesus is a call we must respond to immediately. For example Matthew 4:18-20 reads, "And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him." Peter and Andrew did not put in their two-week notice. They did not remain with their fishing company until they were assured of being vested in the Fisherman's Local Union. They dropped their tools and followed Jesus. In Luke 5:27-28 we read of another case: "After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." 28 So he left all, rose up, and followed Him." Levi, also known as Matthew, was literally sitting in his office when Jesus called him to follow. He left all, rose up, and followed Him. This is the fundamental cost of following Jesus as a disciple: your life. When we lose our lives for Christ's sake, we save them.
When a man leaves a company for another, it is not uncommon for people to bolster their income through "side-work" or "moonlighting." During the day, a man goes to work for his new company. But on the afternoons or weekends he continues to work with his old contacts. The danger of this arrangement is divided allegiance, especially if the man is working for himself. Spiritually speaking, it is a disastrous position to be living for the glory of God for some of the time but serving Satan and self when "off the clock." No man can serve two masters, and no one can serve both God and the world. There are few things more disastrous to the life of a Christian than a divided heart. Jeremiah 29:13 says, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." In this exhortation and promise is also a warning: if we seek God halfheartedly, we should not be surprised when God, His wisdom, strength, and comfort are strangely absent. We must choose whom we will serve, and our lives display our answer more than words ever could.
Jesus has opened His arms on the cross to all the sinners in the world saying, "Follow me." We must immediately answer this call, leaving all behind. We need not give the devil, the world, or anyone notice before we make this commitment. Once we follow Jesus as disciples, we are to put off all side-work for Satan. Instead of giving place to the devil, we are told by Christ to "Occupy until I come" and be about His business for God's glory. Let us seek the LORD with all our hearts, rejecting any tantalising offers the world may give us to lure our hearts away from God. Answer the call with "Yes!" and "Amen!"
I always put in a minimum of a two-week notice with all the companies I worked for, and some of them in writing. It was always a matter of personal principal to never use a notice as a "threat" or leverage to try to improve my situation within a company. I never put in my notice until I was convinced that it was God leading me to do so. That way when the dialogue began or offers were presented, my decision was already final because it was God who had directed me to take the next step. Had I not had this anchor for my heart and soul, I no doubt would have caved under the pressure of other people's opinions. The trouble is, unless we make the decision to follow Christ without reservation, our tendency is to head right back to our worldly ways. The devil is a master of sweetening the deal. It is likely not a sin to decide to stay with your original company, but that's not the point. Spiritually speaking, it is folly to choose bondage to sin and Satan over a life lived completely in service of Jesus Christ.
This same struggle is played out in the world daily on a spiritual level. In our natural state, man is sinful and cut off from fellowship with God. Once a man repents and trusts in Christ, his role is to pray and seek to deliver others from bondage to sin, the flesh, and Satan. Believers are exhorted in 2 Timothy 2:24-26: "And a servant of the Lord must 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, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." Those who are unregenerate, those who remain spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, are Satan's captives for the purpose of doing his will. In embracing his "freedom" a sinner remains in perpetual opposition to God. Knowing this, Christians ought to be filled with compassion, patience, gentleness, and humility to enlighten lost sinners to the knowledge of Christ through the Gospel.
The passing pleasures of sin might be attractive and enjoyable for a season, but in the end bring regret, sorrow, and death. There is only danger in giving the devil a two-week notice. The call of Jesus is a call we must respond to immediately. For example Matthew 4:18-20 reads, "And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him." Peter and Andrew did not put in their two-week notice. They did not remain with their fishing company until they were assured of being vested in the Fisherman's Local Union. They dropped their tools and followed Jesus. In Luke 5:27-28 we read of another case: "After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." 28 So he left all, rose up, and followed Him." Levi, also known as Matthew, was literally sitting in his office when Jesus called him to follow. He left all, rose up, and followed Him. This is the fundamental cost of following Jesus as a disciple: your life. When we lose our lives for Christ's sake, we save them.
When a man leaves a company for another, it is not uncommon for people to bolster their income through "side-work" or "moonlighting." During the day, a man goes to work for his new company. But on the afternoons or weekends he continues to work with his old contacts. The danger of this arrangement is divided allegiance, especially if the man is working for himself. Spiritually speaking, it is a disastrous position to be living for the glory of God for some of the time but serving Satan and self when "off the clock." No man can serve two masters, and no one can serve both God and the world. There are few things more disastrous to the life of a Christian than a divided heart. Jeremiah 29:13 says, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." In this exhortation and promise is also a warning: if we seek God halfheartedly, we should not be surprised when God, His wisdom, strength, and comfort are strangely absent. We must choose whom we will serve, and our lives display our answer more than words ever could.
Jesus has opened His arms on the cross to all the sinners in the world saying, "Follow me." We must immediately answer this call, leaving all behind. We need not give the devil, the world, or anyone notice before we make this commitment. Once we follow Jesus as disciples, we are to put off all side-work for Satan. Instead of giving place to the devil, we are told by Christ to "Occupy until I come" and be about His business for God's glory. Let us seek the LORD with all our hearts, rejecting any tantalising offers the world may give us to lure our hearts away from God. Answer the call with "Yes!" and "Amen!"
17 May 2012
A Sure Foundation
God used Moses and Joshua to guide the children of Israel into the Land of Promise. God fought for His people and established them in the land. But after Joshua died, the people faltered with the lack of spiritual leadership. Judges 2:10 says, "When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel." It is a great tragedy that the generation who followed Joshua did not know the LORD or the works He had done for them. The land was no longer seen as a blessing from God but was seen as their rightful entitlement. The end result of not knowing God, His works, or His Word, is that everyone does what he thinks is right. Judges 21:25 plainly states the facts: "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of it is death (Prov. 14:12). When a man follows his heart which has been corrupted by sin, vain wisdom and philosophy of men, the attractions of the world under the sway of Satan, it will oppose God's Word and ways.
This is the day in which we live. Isaiah 5:20-21 contains a warning all do well to heed: "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" I am not surprised when I hear of the crimes and wickedness on display in the world. Man has decided that even as "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," so there is no such thing as absolute truth. As a king in a castle, every man has the humanistic right to create right and wrong according to the dictates of his heart and seared conscience. And tremble if you suggest God's Word opposes his view! It would be better to cut out your own heart than to suggest there is absolute truth - and even worse - that this truth is found only in the scriptures, the Word of God. The scourge of relativism has been so widely embraced that most men believe those who found their life upon obedience to God's Word are the greatest of fools, contrary to the words of Jesus. People who hold to the scriptures are seen as the off-scouring of the world. Jesus came and brought a sword with Him (Matt. 10:34), and it is a sword we ought never to put into the sheath. We must be taught by God to rightly handle it. And what is this sword? The Word of God (Eph. 6:17).
I can make no boasts of perfection. Yet I can boast in the Almighty God, and every word of His is pure. Because I have been bought with a price, the blood of Jesus Christ through faith, I am no longer my own. I therefore do not have the right to formulate judgments by my own understanding. Proverbs 3:5-6 reads, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." God's Word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path (Ps. 119.105). The Bible has not been written for my convenience so I might use it to justify my own personal beliefs. God has written and preserved His Word so men might know Him in truth. God created the world and ordered the laws of nature, biology, genetics, and physics that man has only recently begun to explore. God also created the Law to govern the outward actions of man - not to arbitrarily restrict people because He is spiteful and cruel - but because He is wise, loving, gracious, merciful and good. No man other than Jesus Christ has ever perfectly kept the Law, which confirms what the conscience of every man knows: all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Failure or disagreement with God does not permit us to lower His standard of absolute perfection. I thank God that Jesus Christ has come into the world to die for my sins and rise from the dead, proving His power over sin, Satan, and death, so I might live through Him by faith.
Because the Christian, biblical worldview stands in a stark contrast to the world, only by divine means can these truths be conveyed to the unbelieving. Many of the questions Christians face are loaded with prejudice. For instance, on cnn.com there was a survey question: "Do you support gay marriage? Yes or no?" The word "support" has a wide range of meaning. It could mean anything from "agree in theory" to someone who signs petitions, or has moved to a state or country which permits "gay marriage," or sues governments in court. From a biblical standpoint, the phrase "gay marriage" simply cannot exist. God ordained and defined marriage in the most narrow terms: marriage is between one man and one woman, a husband and a wife. Not everyone in the Bible held to God's definition and many people oppose it today. Since government did not institute marriage nor define it, no governing body or special interest on the planet can rightly change the biblical definition. Marriage is a physical expression compared to the intimate spiritual union between God and the church. The church is the body of Christ of which He is the head. Even as the head separated from the body produces death, so marriage that is outside the confines of God's definition is not marriage - nor could it ever be. "Yes" is the answer that the world is calling for today. A "no" answer instantly shoves Christians like myself into the dirty, cramped pigeon hole with perceived other prejudiced, arrogant bigots and haters. Like Jesus, I am called to love all people and it is my delight to do so. It is a love not dependent on whether we believe in the same things or agree morally or politically, but love based upon the love revealed in Jesus: it is a sacrificial love built upon grace springing from God's goodness.
God has given every person on the earth the right to choose who they will serve, what they will believe, and how they will live. Every day is the day of decision. Joshua said, "Choose this day whom you will serve...as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Josh. 24:15) The Bible teaches that the choices you make in this life will have eternal consequences which should not be taken lightly. What the Bible calls sin is sin, and the soul that sins shall surely die. Because I was a sinner, I was heading to certain destruction in hell. I praise God that He sent Jesus to my rescue! Proverbs 28:13 says, "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." No man can avoid sin before God by redefining it according to his opinions. For those who confess their sin and forsake it, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Hear the word of the LORD in Revelation 22:10-13: "And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still." 12 "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
This is the day in which we live. Isaiah 5:20-21 contains a warning all do well to heed: "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" I am not surprised when I hear of the crimes and wickedness on display in the world. Man has decided that even as "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," so there is no such thing as absolute truth. As a king in a castle, every man has the humanistic right to create right and wrong according to the dictates of his heart and seared conscience. And tremble if you suggest God's Word opposes his view! It would be better to cut out your own heart than to suggest there is absolute truth - and even worse - that this truth is found only in the scriptures, the Word of God. The scourge of relativism has been so widely embraced that most men believe those who found their life upon obedience to God's Word are the greatest of fools, contrary to the words of Jesus. People who hold to the scriptures are seen as the off-scouring of the world. Jesus came and brought a sword with Him (Matt. 10:34), and it is a sword we ought never to put into the sheath. We must be taught by God to rightly handle it. And what is this sword? The Word of God (Eph. 6:17).
I can make no boasts of perfection. Yet I can boast in the Almighty God, and every word of His is pure. Because I have been bought with a price, the blood of Jesus Christ through faith, I am no longer my own. I therefore do not have the right to formulate judgments by my own understanding. Proverbs 3:5-6 reads, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." God's Word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path (Ps. 119.105). The Bible has not been written for my convenience so I might use it to justify my own personal beliefs. God has written and preserved His Word so men might know Him in truth. God created the world and ordered the laws of nature, biology, genetics, and physics that man has only recently begun to explore. God also created the Law to govern the outward actions of man - not to arbitrarily restrict people because He is spiteful and cruel - but because He is wise, loving, gracious, merciful and good. No man other than Jesus Christ has ever perfectly kept the Law, which confirms what the conscience of every man knows: all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Failure or disagreement with God does not permit us to lower His standard of absolute perfection. I thank God that Jesus Christ has come into the world to die for my sins and rise from the dead, proving His power over sin, Satan, and death, so I might live through Him by faith.
Because the Christian, biblical worldview stands in a stark contrast to the world, only by divine means can these truths be conveyed to the unbelieving. Many of the questions Christians face are loaded with prejudice. For instance, on cnn.com there was a survey question: "Do you support gay marriage? Yes or no?" The word "support" has a wide range of meaning. It could mean anything from "agree in theory" to someone who signs petitions, or has moved to a state or country which permits "gay marriage," or sues governments in court. From a biblical standpoint, the phrase "gay marriage" simply cannot exist. God ordained and defined marriage in the most narrow terms: marriage is between one man and one woman, a husband and a wife. Not everyone in the Bible held to God's definition and many people oppose it today. Since government did not institute marriage nor define it, no governing body or special interest on the planet can rightly change the biblical definition. Marriage is a physical expression compared to the intimate spiritual union between God and the church. The church is the body of Christ of which He is the head. Even as the head separated from the body produces death, so marriage that is outside the confines of God's definition is not marriage - nor could it ever be. "Yes" is the answer that the world is calling for today. A "no" answer instantly shoves Christians like myself into the dirty, cramped pigeon hole with perceived other prejudiced, arrogant bigots and haters. Like Jesus, I am called to love all people and it is my delight to do so. It is a love not dependent on whether we believe in the same things or agree morally or politically, but love based upon the love revealed in Jesus: it is a sacrificial love built upon grace springing from God's goodness.
God has given every person on the earth the right to choose who they will serve, what they will believe, and how they will live. Every day is the day of decision. Joshua said, "Choose this day whom you will serve...as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Josh. 24:15) The Bible teaches that the choices you make in this life will have eternal consequences which should not be taken lightly. What the Bible calls sin is sin, and the soul that sins shall surely die. Because I was a sinner, I was heading to certain destruction in hell. I praise God that He sent Jesus to my rescue! Proverbs 28:13 says, "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." No man can avoid sin before God by redefining it according to his opinions. For those who confess their sin and forsake it, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Hear the word of the LORD in Revelation 22:10-13: "And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still." 12 "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
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