Jesus Has All Authority

People who speak the same language can have distinct accents.  As a person born in America now living in Australia, my status as a dual-citizen nor the years I have lived here have softened my foreign accent.  I can use and understand Aussie slang in conversation, but my accent still stands out.  I have discovered a similar phenomenon to this in Christian circles, how particular words they employ reveal their beliefs and background.  There is a Christian culture which places large emphasis on the "authority" of believers as children of God.  Whilst God has equipped His children to do His will and contend for the faith, I believe it is much better to focus on the authority and sovereignty of God.  Can you imagine a little child shouting at an advancing army, "Go away!  I have authority!" because he is the son of a king?  As an enemy that's not a kid I take very seriously.

I was reading A.W. Tozer and he had some excellent insights on how believers should conduct themselves in conflict - especially those of a spiritual nature.  There are no shortage of books on how to conduct "spiritual warfare," various praying techniques, and approaches to "deliverance ministry."  Our culture believes if it works for me it must be true or good, but God's Word remains the perfect standard.  This excerpt from The Crucified Life lays out great observations better than I could say myself.

One solution offered these days is to engage the enemy.  When we feel the enemy attacking us, we need to dig in our heels and have a face-off with him.  This is a display of spiritual machismo.  We want to show the troublemaker, and anybody else who might be watching us, that we're nobody to be fooled with.

The only problem is that the devil will never face you directly.  And I might as well say it:  the devil does not fight fair.  The devil uses rules that he makes up as he goes along...The devil loves us to engage him in battle.  This is what he lives for.  He knows that he cannot win, but he also knows that he can do some damage in the process.  The entire agenda of the enemy can be boiled down to one objective:  embarrass God through some of His children.  The devil thought he could do that with Job in the Old Testament.  But what the devil did not know was that God was in absolute control every step of the way.

Another solution that some Christians try is using Scripture to defy the enemy.  But what these Christians do not realise is that the devil knows Scripture better than some theologians.  The devil's heart is not filled with doubt but with hatred and jealousy.  His hatred of God and jealousy of God blind him to the reality of God's leadership.

For any Christian to use Scripture without the Spirit is like engaging in a battle with a paper sword.  It is not the Word only that will turn back the devil; rather, it is the Word and the power.  The devil can quote Scripture better than any seminary professor, but when the Word is under the direction of the Holy Spirit, it will always find its deadly mark.

When Daniel was thrown into the lion's den, he did nothing to defend himself.  He did not try to engage the enemy.  He did not try to defy his enemies by quoting Scripture.  He simply left his situation in God's hands.  This brings me to David's solution to his problems...In Psalm 57:1, David says, "In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpass."  Instead of going out to fight his own battles, David took refuge in God.  How tempting it might have been for him to show the enemy his strength and might.  To show his enemy that he was not somebody to be messed with must have been a great temptation for a man like David.  Instead of engaging the enemy, however, David took refuge in the shadow of God's wings. 

 What a blessed truth to understand that, in the middle of all of our difficulties and calamities, we have a refuge.  Certainly, there is a time to go forth into battle and engage the enemy.  But this should only be under the direct orders of the Captain of our salvation. (Tozer, A. W., and James L. Snyder. The Essential Tozer Collection: the Crucified Life. Bethany House, 2017. pages 184-185)

Better than asserting my authority in Christ how much better it is to look to Jesus Christ who has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18-20).  God is able to protect all His children, and we can trust Him completely.  I am unable to remain vigilant at all times against human or spiritual assailants and have no strength to defend myself, but God is a refuge in every calamity.  We rest in His power and strength.  Praise the LORD He has claimed the battle and the victory as His.

A Time To Surrender

There are many comparisons made in the Bible to help us understand the roles God has called us to.  Each genuine Christian in the church is an important member of the Body of Christ.  The church (and Israel too) are compared to being God's bride.  At the same time we are children of God, and we should relate to Him as a trusting and obedient child would in relation to his father.  We are to be living sacrifices, ambassadors of Christ.  His is the Vine and we are the branches, and we are the sheep of in the fold of the Good Shepherd, Jesus.  All together this imagery creates a pictorial symphony, harmonising beautifully our relationship and roles before God.  It is important to maintain a biblical view, well-rounded by the many pictures provided in scripture.

One aspect of the Christian life alluded to in scripture is that of warfare.  This imagery is employed in 2 Timothy 2:1-4:  "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ³ You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier."  Ephesians 6 goes into detail of the armour God has provided by the Holy Spirit, and our fight is not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, and spiritual rulers of wickedness.  Some people use these passages as a lens through which they view many conflicts, perceive they are "under attack," and take the battle to the LORD in prayer.  It is a good thing to remember it is God who fights for us, who protects and shelters us.  But people like doing things.  They like taking the fight to the enemy best they know how, being vigilant and watchful in prayer.

It occurred to me how it does take courage to trust God and fight.  Sometimes this "fight" may not look like anything which would pass for a "battle."  God directed the Israelites to walk through the parted Red Sea when the Egyptian army pursued them.  He also commanded they walk around Jericho day after day until the seventh day when God cause the walls to collapse.  After hearing the giant from Gath defy the army of the living God young David volunteered and defeated Goliath with a sling and stone.  Jonathan and his armour bearer stormed a Philistine garrison and slaughtered their foes.  On and on stretch the brave exploits and victories of God's people, even to this day.  We are easily stirred by gallant and noble deeds done by people of faith, and aspire to the privilege to see God work in our lives in like manner.

There is a time for victory, and a time to...surrender in defeat?  This is unexpected for a child of God, right?  Well, that's what the prophet Jeremiah spoke to king Zedekiah.  The Babylonians were drawing near to sack Jerusalem, and the king wondered what the correct course of action was.  He inquired of Jeremiah what he should do.  Jeremiah 38:17-18 reads, "Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: 'If you surely surrender to the king of Babylon's princes, then your soul shall live; this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. ¹⁸ But if you do not surrender to the king of Babylon's princes, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans; they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.'"  If Zedekiah wanted to survive and preserve the city (not to mention the people and the temple), he was directed to surrender to king Nebuchadnezzar.  God had determined the city would fall, but if Zedekiah would humble himself and surrender, he would be delivered.  This was not a popular course of action amongst the rulers who stood to lose land and power, and Zedekiah knew it.  It turned out he was not willing to obey the word of the LORD, and paid for it dearly:  his sons were slain before his eyes, his eyes were gouged out, he was bound in chains, and taken to Babylon for judgment.

When the hour of Jesus finally came, He was betrayed, arrested, and crucified.  Unlike Zedekiah (whose defences had fallen and army was weak), Jesus could have commanded legions of valiant, powerful angels to defend Him.  One of these angels could have defeated thousands of powerful fighters in an instant.  But because Jesus was obedient to the Father He willingly laid down His life on Calvary.  Jesus did not even need to fight to win, but He surrendered unto the will of the Father - by allowing wicked men to do all they wanted to Him.  This is a very hard saying, and it will not be popular for those who idealise "victory" and what it looks like.  Yet it is a biblical truth, and the Holy Spirit will lead us in following the example of Jesus in the power of His resurrection.  Zedekiah would not humble himself before Nebuchadnezzar because he refused to humble himself before God.  If we will adopt a humble posture before God and obey Him, we win even if to the world it appears we lose.  That is a glorious truth we glean from the Gospel.  He who tries to save his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for Christ's sake will gain everlasting life.

So how do we know when to fight and when to surrender?  Once we are surrendered to God in obedience He will reveal to us the next step as we abide in His love.  There is a time to cast stones and a time to gather them; a time for war and a time for peace.  Peace which passes understanding is ours when during conflict we look to Jesus in faith and honour Him with our choices.  Having surrendered before God we are provided enduring victory.

As Unto God

Jesus spoke of a future time when He would come in glory and all people would be gathered and judged.  After commending them for feeding Him when He was hungry, giving Him a drink when He was thirsty, visiting Him when He was sick or imprisoned, housing Him whilst a stranger, and clothing Him when He was naked, He said to the wondering chosen who would enter into eternal rest in Matthew 25:40,  "...Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me."  There is an example of this in the book of Jeremiah with the Rechabites.

In Jeremiah 35 God used the house of the Rechabites as an object lesson for His erring people.  The patriarch Jonadab the son of Rechab gave his sons clear commands:  they were not to drink wine, build houses, plant vineyards, sow seeds in a field, and were to only live in tents for all their generations.  Generations later the family members faithfully heeded the words of their grandfather Rechab and passed down the commands and prohibitions to their children.  Jeremiah 35:18-19 reads, "And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he commanded you, ¹⁹ therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever."

The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab would be established before God forever, and God ascribed their obedience as unto Him.  Paul lays out this principle of those who live by the grace of God in Romans 14:6-8:  "He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. ⁷ For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. ⁸ For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's."  We are to be intentional in living for the glory of God, and God also credits us with obedience to Him when we do so unto the least of these.

The Rechabites honoured their father and God would fulfil His promise to those who do so, proclaiming they would not lack a man to stand before Him forever!  Pretty awesome how God rewards eternally those who honour the authority He has ordained in our lives.

Faith and Humility

Today I was reminded of when Cain and Abel brought offerings before the LORD in Genesis 4:3-5:  "And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. ⁴ Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, ⁵ but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell."  Cain was a tiller of the ground and brought an offering before the LORD, and Abel also offered of the firstborn of his flock.  Abel's offering was accepted by God, and Cain's was not.

Now the explicit reason why Abel's gift was accepted and Cain's was rejected is not mentioned here.  It would be unwise to claim we know hearts only God can righteously judge.  Personally I do not believe the issue is primarily what was offered but the condition of the heart of the one who offered it.  Hebrews 11:4 says Abel gave a more excellent offering because it was done so in faith and was therefore deemed righteous by God.  It is therefore implied if Cain had given humbly in faith in God, he too would have been accepted.  See in verse 5 God "did not respect Cain and his offering."  It was not that the offering was unworthy, but since Cain himself was not accepted by God his offering was also rejected.  The scriptures say that whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23), and though Cain acknowledged the existence of God and even conversed with Him, there was no reliance upon God or humility before Him.  1 John 3:11-12 reads, "For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, ¹² not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous."  The wickedness of Cain was not only in a faithless offering but the murder of his brother, refusal to repent when convicted by God, and his self-pity when faced with consequences.

Humility before God is a result of faith in Him, for genuine humility comes from God alone.  I have seen people bowing with their faces touching the ground before monks on the street, but that does not mean they are humble people.  The outward show of humility or presentation of an offering is not always indicative of a heart of humility and faith before God.  The fact Cain's "countenance fell" suggests he was in some way lifted up.  Those who fear God and recognise His greatness - and our great sinfulness - will be drawn to Him in humility.  Jerry Bridges made excellent observations in the book Respectable Sins:

In Luke's account of the sinful woman who washed and anointed the feet of Jesus (Luke 7:36-50), Jesus said, "He who is forgiven little, loves little" (verse 47).  The opposite is also true, as Jesus clearly indicates in verses 41-43; that is, he who is forgiven much loves much.  Simon the Pharisee did not realise how sinful he was and how much he needed to be forgiven, so he loved little or actually not at all.  The sinful woman realised how sinful she was and how much she had been forgiven, so she loved much.  The way to grow in our new affection (for Christ) that Chalmers preached about is to grow in our awareness of Christ's love for us as revealed to us in the gospel.  The apostle Paul wrote that it is Christ's love for us that constrains us to live for Him (see 2 Corinthians 5:14-15).  Such love for Him that will drive out our love for the world can only be a response to the deep, heartfelt sense of His love for us. (Bridges, Jerry. Respectable Sins. NavPress, Published in Alliance with Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2016. page 174-175)

When we humble ourselves in the sight of the LORD, He will lift us up.  He divinely condescends to behold and have respect unto us.  Psalm 138:6-7 states, "Though the LORD is on high, yet He regards the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar. ⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me."  How great is our God, that He will not only look upon or hear us but also desires to dwell with us.  He did not remain at a distance from us but Jesus Christ came to earth.  He not only dwelt among us but He chose to die on our behalf, willingly becoming a sacrifice for our sins.  How awesome is our God!  Let us bow humbly before Him, presenting ourselves as living sacrifices for this is our reasonable service.