26 September 2025

Principle of Projection

Jesus taught His disciples to observe what has been called the "Golden Rule," that as we should do unto others what we would have them do unto us (Matthew 7:8; Luke 6:31).  James said concerning the "royal law" in James 2:8-9, "If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors."  From these passages a corollary can be drawn, that our tendency to show partiality to ourselves was a means to guide our conduct towards others.  Jesus calls us to a higher and better standard than that of Law, for He says we are to love one another as He loves us.

Paul explained in his letter to Roman believers that when we condemn others for doing wrong, we expose ourselves as being guilty of the same.  He wrote in Romans 2:1, "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."  The one who is very concerned about others cheating in a game is due to being a cheater himself.  Those who are suspicious of others being gossips and talebearers reveals their inclination to do the same.  King Ahab is a perfect example of one who projected his own sinfulness upon the righteous prophet what he was guilty of himself.

The Bible objectively reveals in 1 Kings 21:25-26, "But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up. 26 And he behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel."  Yet hear what this wicked king said to the godly prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 18:17:  "Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, O troubler of Israel?"  1 Kings 21:20 also reveals, "So Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" And he answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD..."  Ahab viewed Elijah as the "troubler of Israel" and "my enemy" when Ahab was the troubler of Israel and hostile towards Elijah and all God's prophets!

God told Israel of the corrupt condition of their rulers and corresponding action He would take to purge, refine and restore them in Isaiah 1:22-26:  "Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. 23 Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow come before them. 24 Therefore the Lord says, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, "Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries, and take vengeance on My enemies. 25 I will turn My hand against you, and thoroughly purge away your dross, and take away all your alloy. 26 I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city."  Praise God He is able to set things right after people go very wrong.

Based on these observations, one takeaway for me is should I feel someone is a troublemaker and my enemy, I must examine my heart to ensure I am not a troubler, combative and adversarial towards them.  The LORD calls me to examine my own heart and walk wisely in love, to avoid showing partiality to myself, justifying my sin because others are sinners.  As we consider God's word and submit to His guidance, He purges the dross and sin from our own lives as we humble ourselves before Him and one another.  There was hope for the rebellious princes, thieves and corrupt judges in Israel by repentance and obedience to God who upholds the cause of the fatherless and widow--and in Christ there is hope of restoration and renewal for us as well.

24 September 2025

Free To Do Good

"For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."
Galatians 5:13

As born again children of God by faith in Jesus, we have been called to liberty.  We have been freed from sin, the sinful demands of our flesh, fear of man, worry, death and the condemnation of the Law of Moses.  Paul compared the Law to a tutor that guided the Jews to please God until Jesus Christ came, and then the Law took them by the hand and handed them over to Jesus for Him to lead them individually and corporately who is greater than the Law.  Claiming to have "liberty" in our individualistic society is akin to saying, "I can do whatever I want."  This is not at all the posture Christians should adopt, for it vaunts self instead of submitting to God and one another in love.  Rather than using liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, through love Christians are called to serve one another.

Paul's caution against the misunderstanding and misuse of liberty shows it is possible to use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, to justify doing as we please because we feel entitled to do so.  Being raised in the United States, I cannot tell you how many times I heard people justify themselves by saying, "This is a free country."  My translation of that hackneyed phrase is, "I can say and do as I want because I can--regardless how it affects others."  As long as we live in a body of flesh in this world, we will be incorrigibly drawn to seek opportunity to please self rather than glorify God by serving one another in love.  The liberty Christ provides is not merely a liberty from law but liberty to love, forgive and serve others.  Prisoners released from prison can remain enslaved to sinful ways that landed them in prison in the first place, but our liberty is to be exercised as new creations through whom the life of Jesus is lived out daily.

Paul said in Galatians 5:14-18, "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! 16 I say then: walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."  Our natural, fleshly appetite is to bite and devour one another, to lash out with words or actions that work to destroy people, reputations and relationships.  We are called to mortify these deeds of the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit, and this is accomplished by following and obeying the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth.  Those who try to control and force their flesh to submit by power of the flesh will ultimately fail, but all who walk in the Spirit shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

The liberty we have been called to is not primarily focused on what we do or avoid doing but all God has called us to be.  By Jesus Christ the world was crucified to Paul and he was crucified unto the world: they were dead to one another by all Jesus mightily accomplished by His death and resurrection, having made Paul a new creation.  Adherence to the Law of Moses regarding whether a male was circumcised or not (which was a huge point of contention in the early church) had no power over people who were in Christ.  Jesus provided an example of serving one another in love when He took the place of a slave and washed the feet of His disciples before dying on the cross for their redemption.  Those who are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit will heed Paul's exhortation in Galatians 6:10:  "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."

22 September 2025

Let Us Reason Together

Anyone who keeps an eye on the news or has internet access has likely heard of the murder of Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who for years engaged in open public debates on university campuses.  His approach provided an opportunity for students and professors to speak with him of their own free will, and passers-by were welcome to listen in.  To the very end, Charlie spoke with people believing they were worthy to be reasoned with--even when their views or actions were unreasonable.  Based on his approach to public debate, Charlie believed it was worth his time to speak with those who were hostile to him and God.

Speaking for myself, I try to do everything as efficiently as possible.  I also prefer to see some sort of progression towards a goal.  When I faced a seized bolt I could not remove with a spanner, I pivoted to a grinder.  Should I converse with someone who is firmly set in their views and unwilling to listen to reason, then I do not press the point to avoid being heavy-handed.  Yet God is willing to call prophets to speak to people who will not listen, and He provides opportunities by His grace for unreasonable and stubborn sinners to reason with Him in Isaiah 1:18:  "Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD, "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."  God is willing to speak even with those who will not listen to Him, and His people ought to walk in His ways.  God will extend an audience to those who come to Him in faith.

I am not God, and it is ridiculous for me to imagine I can know human hearts.  Thus it would be unwise for me to write people off as unworthy of reasoning with even when our interactions have been unpleasant and unproductive.  To everyone God has given a soul also have the capacity for rational thought, and even minds hijacked by lies and self-righteousness God can overcome.  I am convinced a sound argument and reason cannot change anyone's mind or heart:  I must rely on God to do this in me and in others.  I am called to love God and love other people, and God's love is demonstrated in listening and caring about people as well as speaking truth.  As Todd Wagner is credited with saying, "Truth sounds like hate to those who hate the truth."  Jesus didn't allow the hatred of the chief priests and Pharisees to silence Him from speaking with them or others, and neither should we.

Jesus said Matthew 7:6, "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces."  As pigs trample precious pearls tossed at them, sharing priceless spiritual truths does not make unbelievers value them.  There is a time when continued discussion is of no benefit as Jesus said in Matthew 15:14:  "Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  Yet Jesus demonstrated He was willing to continue to go among the unclean, barking, self-righteous and easily offended sinners because He loved them all.  Jesus continued to open His heart and His mouth to others after being despised and rejected continually.  By the power of the Holy Spirit who empowers born again Christians to do God's will, He leads us into truth and in our hour of need will teach us what to say.

In a world where people labour to cultivate a public image or gain followers, followers of Jesus Christ are called to prepare our hearts and minds to present ourselves approved to God, rightly dividing His word (2 Timothy 2:15).  Even if we suffer for the sake of righteousness, we are blessed and can remain fearless of anything man can do to us.  Peter wrote in 1 Peter 3:15-16, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed."  We are called to be ready to share the reason for the hope that is in us with meekness and fear of God.  Man may revile us for speaking the truth of God's word, but we can have a good conscience before God.  Since we will all stand before God, let us take a stand for His sake today and every day.

21 September 2025

The Advance of God's Kingdom

One aspect of the body of Christ the church I have grown to appreciate is the unity of believers with diversity.  As members of our physical bodies have different purposes and functions, all members are to operate with the good of the whole as led and empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Though there is one church it is comprised of many fellowships that have their own flavour, style and points of emphasis.  One church may be focused more on discipleship, whilst another can be more missionary minded or politically engaged.  God places individuals within each church who are unique from everyone else with their own individual callings, convictions and way of following Jesus.

Those who God calls to be in pastoral ministry do well to continue in what they know and have heard from God, to remain faithful to their purpose to preach the word of God.  There are pastors who make political and social issues the main thrust of their sermons, and they have this freedom to do as they are led by the LORD.  I do not share the conviction of pastor I recently saw interviewed, that "Politics is the highest form of community."  For the Christian, the highest form of community is our union with God by His Spirit and with one another in the church.  Even as God has given us leeway concerning our biblical convictions (outside the non-negotiables concerning the divinity of Jesus Christ and the Gospel), He allows freedom in our political views as well.  I believe God has Christians in politics, and it is by the hearing and studying of God's word that leads to biblically sound views--whether it be in business, a marriage, raising children or in the political sphere.

One thing I observe in the life of Jesus is how apolitical He was.  Many times He chose not to take sides when He had the opportunity to wield great political influence.  Again, there is nothing wrong with being engaged in political activism.  But we ought to keep in mind the focus of Christ and disciples like Paul were on the kingdom of God--not on the current government or political climate.  Rather than taking the fight to a corrupt Roman political system, Paul urged believers with all meekness and gentleness to go to battle against their own foolish thinking God's way in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6:  "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."  Our wrestle is not against flesh and blood but principalities, powers, against rulers of darkness and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12)  In submission to God in what He calls us to do, we can trust His kingdom will be advanced by His Spirit in our personal and social interactions.

It is remarkable to me the huge impact a handful of believers made on the world as they obeyed Jesus to wait in Jerusalem until they were empowered from on high.  10 days after the ascension of Jesus, the Holy Spirit came upon about 120 of them as they gathered in one accord in prayer, and the world has never been the same after the church was birthed by God on the Day of Pentecost.  10 days of obedience to God led to great revival and transformation by faith in Jesus Christ that has continued to positively impact people, culture, society, family and politics to this day.  Activism and political causes will come and go, but those who abide in Jesus and obey His word will be fruitful and endure forever.