The Will and Unbelief

A key element required to place faith in God is the submission of our will.  After being told by a parent what to do, a little boy might say, "I can't!" when the reality is he is unwilling to obey.  He could do simple tasks like putting a toy away, washing his hands, brushing teeth and going to bed, but his will remains in opposition to the command and will of his parents.  It is in this position many a grown, educated and intelligent person finds themselves.  It is not that there is not sufficient evidence of God's existence, but they have their own excuses why what can be plainly seen and known is irrelevant.  They do not agree with the concept of a sovereign, almighty God they will be held accountable to, and such prefer to sit in His seat of judgment to condemn Him as unjust, unloving and unfair.

Paul wrote in Romans 1:18-21:  "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹ because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, ²¹ because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened."  Whilst there is an abundance of scientific evidence that supports God's creation of the world, pitting facts against a heart hardened to God avails little.  There are certainly genuine seekers in the world who desire to know the truth, and there are others who obstinately refuse the truth because they do not agree with it or submit to it.  Dallas Willard puts the mentality of who Jesus called "lost" very well:

"They will find their place in the "outer darkness" of what Jesus spoke (Matthew 8:12).  but the fundamental fact about them will not be that they are there, but that they have become people so locked into their own self-worship and denial of God that they cannot want God...The ultimately lost person is the person who cannot want God.  Who cannot want God to be God.  Multitudes of such people pass by every day, and pass into eternity.  The reason they do not find God is that they do not want him or, at least, do not want him to be God.  Wanting God to be God is very different from wanting God to help me..."

We should be very sure that the ruined soul is not one who has missed a few more or less important theological points and will flunk a theological examination at the end of life.  Hell is not an "Oops!" or a slip.  One does not miss heaven by a hair, but by constant effort to avoid and escape God.  "Outer darkness" is for one who, everything said, wants it, whose entire orientation has slowly and firmly set itself against God and therefore against how the universe actually is.  It is for those who are disastrously in error about their own lives and their place before God and humanity." (Willard, Dallas. Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ. Form, 2021. Pages 55-56)

As we seek to lead others to saving faith in Jesus, we cannot overlook the power of the Holy Spirit to soften hearts, open eyes and the willingness of people to submit to Him.  Paul dealt with this issue of hardened hearts when he spent an entire day sharing scriptures concerning the kingdom of God and provided evidence Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah to Jews who willingly gathered for that purpose.  Some were convinced but others would not believe:  it was a matter of the will.  The NIV rendering of Paul's response is very insightful concerning their responsibility to choose to listen and receive the truth in Acts 28:25-27:  "They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet: ²⁶ "'Go to this people and say, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." ²⁷ For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'"

Without faith in God as revealed in scripture, facts are regarded by the unbelieving as foolishness.  We, like Jesus and Paul, are called to speak the truth as led by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus came as the Light of the World into a world of darkness to seek and save the lost, and He has given His own life's blood so people might be redeemed.  Faith in Jesus is the only way to heaven and eternal life, and God does not prevent anyone from entering in His Way.  Only God can raise the spiritually dead to life eternal and bring those who are willing to submit to Him in faith out of darkness and into His marvelous light.  From Adam and Eve onward humanity is chronically bent into blaming God rather than accepting we are in the wrong and He is always right.  It isn't that God has obscured the truth, but people are unwilling and thus unable to receive it.

New Perspective and Power

A sermon which impacted me greatly concerning the scourge of humanism and the believer's joyful duty to live for the glory of God is Ten Shekels and a Shirt by Paris Reidhead.  In the message he related an incident when a preacher came to him seeking the baptism with the Holy Spirit.  It seemed to Mr. Reidhead this man, who had been successful in Christian ministry without the aid of the Holy Spirit, desired God to be a means to his own end.  He identified with this fellow who came to him looking for God to empower his programs.  Paris related in the sermon:

"I looked at the fellow, and you know what he looked like? ME. Just looked like me. I just saw in him everything that was in me. You thought I was going to say me before. No, listen dear heart, if you've ever seen yourself you'll know you're never going to be anything else than you were. "For in me and my flesh there's no good thing" (Rom 7:18)."

Having adopted a humble posture before the LORD after being convicted of sin, Reidhead received insight about himself and others.  Though he had been filled with the Holy Spirit, he did not think of himself higher than he ought to think.  Paris did not look upon his inquirer as how he "used to be" with a sense of pride but who he was in his flesh currently.  The only thing good about the missionary and teacher Paris Reidhead was really a Who:  Jesus Christ who redeemed, cleansed and spiritually regenerated him by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul explained that when we stand in judgment of others for sin it provides insight into our own sinfulness.  Romans 2:1 says, "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things."  Notice how Paul does not put our wrongdoing in the past tense but the present.  For instance, if we are irked by the proud boasting of others, it sends a clear message to us we also are a proud boaster.  When we take umbrage at someone for complaining, know we complain as well.  Being able to point out the faults of others does not exonerate us from God's judgment as Paul continued in Romans 2:2-3:  "But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. ³ And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?"

This principle applies beyond obvious sins.  Should we be offended or annoyed by things others do that are not necessarily sinful but seem insensitive, clueless and rude--like dominating a conversation, avoiding responsibility to deal with conflict, interrupting or finishing the sentences of others--know you too are guilty of the same.  I list these because I have been guilty of all of them.  Often it wasn't until I noticed someone else doing it and it bothered me that I realised I needed to change; it was more my problem than theirs.  I needed to admit I had been wrong in judging others whilst hypocritically doing the same thing myself, repent and show love for one another in my manner of conversing.

The things that trouble us can be the thing God uses to change us for the better by the power of the Holy Spirit Who convicts of sin, guides us into truth and helps us.  Knowing I am doing wrong or what is right does not in itself have the power to change me, but Jesus Christ can.  Attempts to self-help are a snare, but the indwelling Helper sets us free from the shackles of sin and enlightens our path through God's word.  Instead of being conformed to this world, Jesus transforms us as we walk with Him by faith in light of the Gospel.

Know What is Good

A person does not need to be a dairy farmer with decades of experience or have a master's degree in microbiology to know milk has gone bad.  Children who have been drinking milk from infancy would be able to realise milk is sour by tasting it, and curdled milk looks and smells different as well.  A similar dynamic applies when we hear teaching from God's word.  Even a child who is born again and has been taught the scripture can know when doctrine is off.  A Christian does not need a degree in theology to realise a doctrine is suspicious or strange, even though we might not be initially able to put our finger on it.

Elihu exhorted his hearers in Job 34:2-4, "Hear my words, you wise men; give ear to me, you who have knowledge. ³ For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. ⁴ Let us choose justice for ourselves; let us know among ourselves what is good."  Elihu spoke to men who had knowledge of God, and he bid them to wisely listen to his words and test what he said--even as our palates taste food.  From a child we are able to distinguish the difference between sweet, savoury, spicy and sour.  God is the source of wisdom and has given us His word to teach us what is good.  God has established the objective standard for what is true and does not change.  While the tastes of the world change concerning fashion, morality, philosophy and religion, God's word remains internally consistent and eternally relevant.

When I suspect food or drink is "off," I am not always convinced because I could be wrong:  maybe the milk tastes funny because I just brushed my teeth or used mouthwash.  So after confirming the milk is in date, passes a visual examination and sniff test, I might ask someone else for their opinion given the facts because they also know what good milk tastes like.  This is a wise thing to do when we hear Bible teaching or read a book that seems off:  ask a fellow follower of Jesus who loves God's word.  The danger of drinking sour milk is relatively minor, perhaps resulting in feeling ill for a short time.  The danger of drinking in false or heretical doctrine is most destructive, for when it is assimilated into our framework of interpreting scripture it can undermine and distort God's truth and have permanent consequences for ourselves and others we lead astray.

If you find an author or preacher who majors in doubtful doctrines and speculations, I recommend not making their teaching a primary source of your spiritual input.  When I buy a dairy product that habitually goes bad before the "Use By" date, I stop buying that brand.  I do this because I want to avoid wasting money and risking the health of my family, and far greater is at stake spiritually when we heed false doctrine or are so caught up in obscure theological wranglings we miss out on the plain truth.  The Bible is what is good and has no "Use By" date because it remains the words of life forever.  1 Peter 2:1-3 is a fitting exhortation for all Christians regardless of your depth of doctrinal knowledge:  "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, ² as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious."  Good doctrine goes to work on making us more Christlike and gives us a greater appetite for God's word.

God Judges With Equity

"Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together before the LORD, ⁹ for He is coming to judge the earth. with righteousness He shall judge the world, and the peoples with equity."

Psalm 98:8-9

When I heard this verse recently, it illustrated how changes in modern English can hijack the meaning of a text.  In this passage, the psalmist exhorted the earth and everything in it to rejoice in God coming to judge the world in righteousness.  Since man's fall into sin, creation groans to be delivered from the oppression of pride, wickedness, greed, selfishness and violence.

Lately "equity" has taken on a new meaning in modern vernacular, in fact almost the opposite of what it historically has meant.  The first definition in the Webster 1828 Dictionary says, "Justice; right. In practice, equity is the impartial distribution of justice, or the doing that to another which the laws of God and man, and of reason, give him a right to claim. It is the treating of a person according to justice and reason."  Based upon the logic employed by Webster, reason includes the testimony of scripture that reveals the living, loving, almighty God to mankind.  The modern idea of equity does not consider God and is anything but impartial.  This new concept of equity is to be partial towards those who are seen as marginalised and to provide different amounts of resources to provide an equal outcome.

The Bible teaches Jesus Christ is coming to judge the earth in righteousness, and the world ought to be joyful and celebrate the sinful wrongs to be justly put right.  God has provided the Law of Moses and the 10 Commandments so we might know without a doubt we have failed to measure up to His perfect standard.  Those ignorant of His laws are still without excuse, for He has given each of us a conscience.  Out of our own mouths He will judge us, and even if that was our only standard of righteousness to measure up to we could not justify ourselves.  The difficulty of our childhood, the lack of godly counsel or the allure of the deceptions we swallowed down cannot exonerate us from guilt.  God's justice is impartial, just and equitable.

In a parable Jesus told in Luke 14, He appealed to the reason of His hearers:  if a king only had 10,000 soldiers and knew the advancing enemy had 20,000 soldiers, wouldn't he be wise to quickly send a delegation to propose conditions of peace rather than trying to fight a losing battle?  Following this logic, it would be wise to accept God's offer of forgiveness and peace through the Gospel when we lack righteousness in ourselves, knowing we are guilty of wickedness before God and He will judge with equity.  Through the Gospel, God has provided a way for us to be forgiven of our sin and to have righteousness imputed (credited) to us by faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who offers eternal life to all who trust in Him.  Christians can rejoice in the justice of God, for 1 John 1:9 affirms, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

On the basis of God's justice those who place their faith in Jesus Christ are born again.  God is impartial, for He extends this offer to every sinner so we might trust in Him, repent of our sin and live.