Beloved of the LORD

The word of God is full of guidance, warnings and exhortations concerning being prepared for the future.  I have observed many people who relish drawing attention to the opposition followers of Jesus will experience in the world, reminding us we will be hated for Christ's name sake.  It seems like some of these people enjoy a degree of shock value in saying this, even insinuating that if Christians are not aware of anyone who currently hates us or actively opposing us we are not following Jesus very closely.  Because we are in a spiritual battle, it seems some feel we should be confrontational, combative and adversarial against others.  To me, this emphasis can distract people from what will enable them to persevere through trials:  the gracious love of God toward us.

The way a person can joyfully endure being hated by people is knowing they are greatly loved by Jesus Christ, our risen Saviour and King.  In these last days we are in a spiritual battle, yet we can stand strong having found perfect peace and rest in the LORD Who rules and reigns over all.  Being rejected hurts deeply, but realising we have been accepted in the beloved by God's grace through the Gospel is the balm for our pains.  I do not believe it is possible to overemphasise the love, grace, justice and mercy of God.  In pushing back against "sloppy agape" emphasis can be focused on what we ought to be doing rather than what Jesus has done and is doing.  Some paint a grim, bleak picture of the future of Christianity on earth when Jesus is with us and the Holy Spirit guides and helps us every step of the way.  The New Testament warnings are not written so we would lose heart, but that we might look to the LORD in faith who is always good.

The apostle wrote in 1 Peter 4:12-13, "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; ¹³ but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy."  Suffering is a part of the Christian life, and believers are not unique in this regard.  Everyone on earth suffers from the horrific, deadly affects of sin in this world.  People wallow in the inescapable consequences of their sin every day, while we Christians have a sure hope of forgiveness, comfort, redemption and restoration by God's grace.  Our rejoicing is not that others hate us and thus validates the assumption we "must be doing something right," but that when we suffer for Christ's sake it puts in mind there is future glory awaiting us--even as we are God's beloved right now.  The fruit of the Spirit is joy, and we have a joyful future no one can deny provided us by God's grace.

In His wisdom, God chooses to refine His beloved children and chastens them even as a father disciplines a son in whom he delights.  After the apostles were threatened and physically beaten for preaching Jesus Acts 5:41 says, "So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name."  It is only by the power of the resurrected Jesus Christ people who suffer shame and pain can rejoice for His sake.  Secure in the love of God and His sovereign calling, they celebrated God allowing them the privilege of suffering for Jesus.  Instead of suffering deterring them, they pressed on in Acts 5:42:  "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."  We are not to boast in our suffering but in Jesus Christ who suffered for our sakes.  Opposition to the Gospel from demons and men is not what goads us to open our mouths for His glory, but the goodness of our LORD who daily gives us strength.

Strength Day by Day

Samson is known in scripture for his superhuman strength made possible by the Holy Spirit.  His feats of strength, however, were accompanied by moral failings and spiritual weakness.  The Spirit of the LORD moved him to pursue a wife of the Philistines because God sought an occasion against the Philistines, and God made Samson a judge in Israel after miraculous victories in battle.

After the woman Samson previously married had been murdered, we do not read of Samson marrying again.  Instead he sought the services of a harlot and then lived in sin with a woman of Sorek named Delilah whom he loved.  She was employed by the Philistines to discover the secret of Samson's strength, and harped on him constantly.  As the days passed her tears wore down the resolve of Israel's strong man, even as solid rock is carved by water.  Judges 16:16-17 says, "And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death, ¹⁷ that he told her all his heart, and said to her, "No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man."  A man who slew 1,000 Philistine warriors with the jawbone of a donkey in one battle was overcome by Delilah on her couch.

The life of Joseph provides an interesting contrast, for though he was not a Nazarite from birth he feared God.  When his master Potiphar's wife commanded him to sleep with her, Joseph refused the direct order because it was great wickedness in the eyes of God.  Genesis 39:10 says, "So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her."  Though she pestered Joseph day by day, he was wise not to listen to her, to sleep with her or even be around her.  The fear of God moved Joseph to wisely avoid the woman who tempted him to sin, and he overcome her advances without the superhuman strength that Samson possessed.  This demonstrates how spiritual strength is more important than physical strength, and the Holy Spirit is able to provide both as the situation requires.

Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."  Those who know the almighty God fear Him, and this knowledge of what is pleasing and offensive to God guides our steps in doing His will.  Samson willfully transgressed by his illicit sexual relationships and was easily overcome by Delilah's pestering.  Joseph knew adultery was great wickedness in God's eyes and thus was empowered by God's grace to walk wisely and circumspectly.  Should we find ourselves worn down by temptation to sin and cannot flee from it, this can be evidence our hearts have already strayed from the fear of God.  Praise the LORD God renews our strength daily when we wait on Him, and those who seek Jesus Christ will always be guided to walk in wisdom.

Changed Heart and Mind

For a Christian feelings of guilt can provide motivation, but the love of God is a far better one.  People can "guilt" others to manipulate their behaviour yet scripture shows us this was never the way employed by Jesus.  Even after Peter denied Jesus He did not resort to attempts to manipulate his behaviour, for conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit lead to repentance and restoration.  A change of heart and mind is needed more than behaviour modification due to guilt.

A lot of believers can feel guilty because they have sinned by doing wrong or have fallen short of doing what was right.  There can be a persistent feeling we are not measuring up to a relative standard we have set for ourselves, usually by measuring ourselves by the arbitrary standards of personal experience or that of others.  Perhaps we have read a book or heard a sermon that invokes feelings of guilt over neglect of prayer.  Thus we think, "I haven't been praying enough.  I need to pray more."  Because this realisation has not resulted with intentional action, we can perpetually wallow in guilt rather than be moved by our feelings to repentance and right actions.

This whole mentality of needing to do good things "more" betrays a misunderstanding that we must measure up, and the implication is if we measure up by meeting our arbitrary standard we can avoid bad feelings of guilt.  Thus avoiding negative feelings becomes our selfish motivation instead of joyful obedience to Jesus.  Rather than saying, "I need to pray more" we would be better saying, "I need to pray" and actually do it.  The Bible never says we should pray more but to pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks (1 Thess. 5:17-18).  To say we need to pray more is like saying I want to be a "good Christian" when being a Christian is simply what matters.  Our actions flow out of who we are as born again children of God filled with the Holy Spirit, not from effort of the flesh to act like one.

There is what could be called a faux guilt around others to justify ourselves.  Some have said, "I haven't read the Bible much lately; I'm so bad."  Neglect is bad, and for those who believe this is true will make plan and conscious effort to avoid it.  It is ironic these sorts of statements are more an indication of pride than humility, for the proud make themselves a primary focus rather than God.  It is not that we are so bad, but God is so good that we look to Him and read His word with intention to obey.  With our minds instructed by God's word and our hearts surrendered to His will, we are greatly helped in time of present need.

The Rod Before the Axe

When the disciples suggested they step into Elijah's sandals and call down fire from heaven upon those who rejected Jesus, Luke 9:55-56 recorded His response:  "But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. ⁵⁶ For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village."  God who created mankind is inclined to show mercy and save sinners, not destroy them.  Though He is just, He is also gracious, compassionate and longsuffering.  If this was not the case, not one of us would remain.

C.H. Spurgeon said in a sermon, "The LORD usually brings the rod before the axe."  This is seen throughout the scripture concerning God's dealings with people.  For about 100 years Noah was a preacher of righteousness as he built the ark, using a rod of rebuke to warn lost sinners judgment was coming.  God sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to let God's people go and sent plagues upon Egypt that increased in severity until the final plague that killed the firstborn of man and beast throughout the land.  God did not begin with a deadly plague but with miracles and earnest warnings of what was to come, and the words were confirmed by the LORD's signs through Moses.

On two occasions during the life of Jesus, He went into the Temple and overturned the tables of money changers and drove out the animals sold in illicit trade.  Even as the LORD and angels went down to Sodom in response to the cry that rose up to heaven, Jesus walked through the Temple to observe everything that took place there before He took decisive action the following day (Mark 11:11-19).  What God intended to be a house of prayer had been made a den of thieves, and the quote of Jesus from the prophet Jeremiah strongly suggests coming judgment for sin.  To have tables overthrown and animals driven from the Temple was a foretaste of what God would do through the Romans who sacked Jerusalem and left no stone unturned in their destruction of the Temple.  Jesus did not kill anyone when He cleansed the Temple, yet many would perish when God purged Jerusalem in 70AD.

Since we are born again by the Spirit of the living God, it is good for us to adopt His approach to conflicts and situations of our lives.  We can be guilty of taking the axe to a relationship when we have neglected to gently confront or rebuke someone for an offense against us or others.  Perhaps there are parents who have "cut off" their children without taking decisive action to discipline or adequately warn those who strayed.  We can internalise frustrations and never voice our concerns in a constructive way until we are done.  We might also have been victimised by this behaviour, having been cut off without a word or a legitimate reason from our view.  It is natural to treat others like they have treated us rather than loving others like Jesus loves us.  How gracious is God to provide the rod before the axe, and may we do the same.