Implements of Iron

The Bible says God chastens those whom He loves (Hebrews 12:6).  At times in the history of Israel God empowered nations as His implement to move His people to repentance.  The Syrians were a people God utilised for this purpose.  What often happened is those who defeated Israel oppressed them, and were lifted up with pride against the God who had given them victory.  When they saw the Israelites were powerless to defend themselves, they were cruel.  Their brutality was observed by God, and He would later punish them for it.

Amos 1:3 reads, "Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron."  Threshing is the act of separating the husk from the kernel, removing the worthless chaff to expose the edible grain.  Depending on the kind of grain to be threshed, different tools and methods were used.  The aim of threshing is to remove the husk and retain the edible grain whole.  For some grain types, the hooves of animals was enough to do the job.  Other times a wooden sledge was pulled by animals over the grain.  Syria was condemned by God for the sin of using "implements of iron" to thresh Gilead.  God's intention was to chasten His people - not crush them to powder.  For the Syrian's overreach they would be punished.  Being trampled underfoot may have been enough to remove the husk of pride which covered the hearts of His people, but using implements of iron to pulverise them was criminal.

When I read this passage last night, I considered how before God parents have the responsibility to chasten their children, to discipline them when necessary according to God's Word.  A parent ought to remain humble before God to properly wield authority, for when we are proud ourselves - not demonstrating God's love, compassion, and mercy - we can be guilty as the Syrians were of overstepping their bounds.  We can be too harsh and severe because our patience is done.  We can become furious and allow our emotions to dictate our speech, decisions, and actions.  James 1:19-20 provides a fitting exhortation:  "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; ²⁰ for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."  Instead of being personally wounded by rebellion or disobedience, it is good for us to recognise all sin is primarily against God.  Realising this means we don't need to "get back" at someone because of offence, and with a clear conscience and biblical insight we can choose the right threshing implement and properly wield it for the good of others.  Biblical discipline always works to the end of restoration and the healthy renewal of relationship.

Have you used an implement of iron for "threshing" when a wooden rod would have been more appropriate?  For our overreach in discipline we will answer before God whose discipline is always perfectly weighted in severity to accomplish His purposes, justice and righteousness balanced with love and grace.

A World Under Sway

The Bible says in 1 John 5:19 the whole world is under the sway of the wicked one, the devil who is the "father of lies."  These lies can pass unnoticed, couched in deceptive language.  What used to be properly called "adultery" is now an "affair," a "baby" in utero is called a "fetus," and in short matter of time terms can subtly change from things like "gay marriage" to being dubbed "marriage equality."  To those whose eyes and ears God has opened by His grace, these shifting terms are as subtle as a charging elephant.  Just this morning I heard on ABC radio an interview with a woman representing an agency which supposedly provides government approved "safe abortions" in Australia.  I assume this claim of "safe" abortions concerns only the mother (and this has been highly contested), but what a lie any abortion is safe for the child who is aborted!

Depending in what state or territory a person resides in Australia, different rules apply.  In Queensland, surgical abortion is illegal whilst it is claimed on a Victoria Sate Department website, "Abortion is one of the most common and safest types of surgery in Australia."  This is an interesting claim, as there is no requirement for statistics to be provided on the amount of abortions performed.  There is a distinction made between a medical abortion and a surgical one.  Whilst we might believe abortions do not occur as frequently in our fair state of New South Wales because of limits placed on surgical abortions, in 2013 RU486 or the "abortion pill" was added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, meaning instead of paying about $311 for the medication, it is now available for no more than $38.80 to the consumer.  The murder of the unborn is being heavily subsidised by the government, and I don't hear anyone talking about it.  All I hear about it how "safe" abortions are, and I read that women can end a pregnancy quietly in the comfort of their homes for $38 bucks.  This is heartbreaking news for people who understand abortion sheds the blood of a human life, stopping a heart which beats only 3 to 4 weeks after conception (about the time a woman might start wondering if she is pregnant!).

Many who morally take no issue with abortion have summed up the issue as "a woman's right to choose."  In this case everyone has the right to choose - all except the miraculous little one God knits together in the womb of his or her mother.  God is not anti-choice, for He has sovereignly given everyone the right to choose if we will believe Him, heed His Word, seek and obey Him.  The choices we make can have lifelong, even eternal implications.  God has said every soul that sins shall surely die, and all the little lives destroyed medically or surgically will be remembered and brought to account by God who loves them.  Whilst I am deeply grieved for the loss of these children, I realise many of those who legislate and seek abortions see them very differently than me.  Resorting to violence to stop what I see as a grave crime would be using the same brutal tactics as those who intentionally terminate pregnancies.  I do not hate people who have had an abortion or who have even performed thousands of them, but I do hate abortion.  I love those people and my heart feels for them.  I hate how abortion makes victims of children who cannot plead for themselves.  I hate that it wounds women with soul poisoning guilt.  I hate that women are often pressured to have an abortion by others who have no idea of the personal cost.  I hate that abortions are often secret and hidden, as if no one will ever know.  God knows, and in due time He will demand atonement for the blood spilt.

In a world under Satan's sway, there is no way to stop the overwhelming tide of lies and deceit which covers the world in darkness.  But born again followers of Jesus can take great comfort that He is the Light of the world, in Him is forgiveness of sin, and we can know truth from error through His Word.  I don't believe we as Christians have the responsibility before God to personally put an end to all evil in the world.  I believe we are to be a light in this dark world, showing the love, grace, and mercy of God to others who don't understand it and don't even want it - like Jesus did.  Instead of feeling helpless in the face of injustice, we are called to walk in obedience to God and trust in Him.  Paul wrote in Romans 12:21 after saying it is our reasonable service to be living sacrifices unto God, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."  We do not need to be overcome or overwhelmed by evil, but through God we can do good and keep doing it.  We can keep loving instead of condemning.  We can show compassion to those who have chosen to have an abortion, and we can pray for those who perform them.  Instead of only lamenting the dead, we can love and bless the living.  We can speak the truth when we know we stand to lose the favour of friends or family because of our biblical views.  Praise God we have been set free by God's truth and we are empowered to help others find freedom in Christ too.  We can choose life in Jesus and experience it forever.

Earnestly Seek God

Whilst there are people who will go to the doctor for minor ailments, it often takes serious illness or obvious trauma injuries for most people to go.  Speaking for myself, I am not quick to seek a medical opinion for my routine pains.  Going to the doctor means setting aside time, spending money, and with our private health care provider appointments beget appointments.  But when the pain is bad enough, like when I tore the ACL in my right knee, even I will make an appointment myself and see the doctor.

This dynamic is similar to how many of God's people relate to Him.  If we will be honest, it is in times of pain and trouble seeking God goes up exponentially in priority.  I was reminded of this when I read Hosea 5:15 when God said concerning His people, "I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."  For their sins God chastened His people, comparing Himself to a lion which tears the prey.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  It appears they were unwilling to admit their sins until they had suffered at the hands of their enemies God allowed to buffet them, and they would only seek His face earnestly when afflicted.

When I read about all the children of Israel suffered - famine, drought, defeat and oppression at the hands of their enemies, death of loved ones, loss of their homes and inheritance - I wonder:  what does it take for us to turn to God and seek Him earnestly?  Why don't we seek God with the same fervour in times of peace and plenty as we do in troubled times?  I don't really know that there is a single answer to the question.  The fact is when it comes to people, we often don't seek God unless we feel our need profoundly.  There will always be a cost to come to God in repentance, but the price of forsaking and forgetting Him is far greater.  Let us seek the LORD earnestly while He may be found, trusting in Him alone.  God has promised in Jeremiah 29:13, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

Christ: the End of the Law

Jesus did many miracles during His pilgrimage on earth.  He also kept the Law without fail, a truly monumental and impossible task for an ordinary man.  He urged His disciples to believe He was the way, the truth, and the life.  He said in John 14:11-12, "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. ¹² "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."  One thing which marked the life of Jesus is He always did what pleased the Father.  While shunning man's traditions, He remained blameless and righteous.

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul confronted them for their return back to Law after being born again through faith in Jesus.  In chapter 3 Paul proved that righteousness is by faith apart from the Law.  The grave error of the Galatians was thinking once they were born again they were thus empowered by the Spirit to keep the Law.  Abraham was made righteous by faith in God before the Law, therefore righteousness by faith and labours to keep the Law are mutually exclusive.  Paul stated emphatically in Romans 10:4, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."  The Law is good, but it has no power to save sinners:  it can only condemn.

There is confusion to this day concerning what role the Law plays under the New Covenant established by the shed blood of Jesus.  The Law should not be thrown out or seen as irrelevant for several reasons:  all people under sin's curse will be judged according to it; it is the primary means of revealing sin and our need of forgiveness; and the Law is thus a schoolmaster which leads us to salvation in Christ.  During my morning reading I was reminded of the great work Jesus did in remaining completely obedient to the Father.  Having been born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, Christians are called to a greater task than obedience to external commands.  We are called to be led by the Spirit as we follow Jesus in faith.

So what does this practically look like?  Consider the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20 as an example.  Instead of being content with avoiding evil, we are called to do good!

• "Thou shalt have no other gods before me..." - it is good for us to be completely loyal to God alone, but we also are led by the Spirit to tell others about Him so they too can fear and love God.
• "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image..." - eliminating idols is critical, but we also should humble ourselves before God and worship Him through faithful service.
• "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain..." - it is good to guard our tongues from blasphemous speech, but the name of God should be on our lips as we pray without ceasing.
• "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy..." - setting aside a day of rest is good in following God's example after creating the earth in six days and resting the seventh, but since Christ is our Sabbath we ought to be holy, set apart unto God, resting in our Saviour and His grace.
• "Honour thy father and thy mother..." - honouring your parents is a command with a blessing for all who obey, yet when we are born again we are adopted by our heavenly Father, entering by faith into a relationship of love and purity.
• "Thou shall not kill..."  - avoiding killing someone is a good thing, but we should love even our enemies, praying for those who hate us.
• "Thou shalt not commit adultery..." - it is good to remain sexually pure in marriage, but husbands should love their wives as Christ loves the church, and wives ought to submit to their own husbands as unto the LORD, as both spouses submit to Christ in love.
• "Thou shalt not steal..." - it is good to respect the rightful ownership of others, but isn't it a greater work to give to those in need as a sacrifice unto the LORD?
• "Thou shalt not bear false witness..." - in court we should be honest, but how much better still to speak the truth in love at all times, boldly sharing the truth of God's Word with all who has ears to hear.
• "Thou shalt not covet..." - it is good to be satisfied with your possessions without envying what others have, but it is better to do this while thanking God for all He has given you, rejoicing in His bountiful provision.

Jesus did many amazing works, and we shall do them too when it comes to obeying God through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.  These thoughts only scratch the surface of the ways God can lead us by His grace as we take up our cross daily and follow Jesus.