Tag: Sin

TODAY’S DAILY BIBLE VERSE

Matthew chapter 4 verse 17
“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Verse Context

Matthew chapter 4 verse 17 is one of the most important pivot points in all of Scripture. Up until this moment, Jesus has been relatively quiet. Born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth, baptized by John in the Jordan, and tested in the wilderness by Satan, He now steps onto the public stage. And the very first word He utters in His preaching ministry is not “love” or “peace” or “blessings”—it is “Repent.” That alone should demand our attention.

Let’s break this verse down in detail, word by word, so there’s no room for confusion:

“From that time…”

This phrase marks a decisive transition in the Gospel of Matthew. Up until now, we’ve seen Jesus preparing for His ministry—through baptism, fasting, and spiritual warfare in the wilderness. But now the focus shifts. This phrase is also used in Matthew chapter 16 verse 21, where it introduces Jesus’ shift toward preparing the disciples for His death. So, whenever Matthew writes, “from that time,” he’s signaling a major turn in Jesus’ mission. Here in chapter 4, the shift is from private preparation to public proclamation. The preparation is over—now it’s time to speak.

“Jesus began to preach…”

The word “preach” here is not passive. It’s translated from a Greek word meaning “to herald,” much like a royal messenger delivering the king’s decree in public spaces. This isn’t soft-spoken teaching or philosophical musing—this is proclamation with urgency and authority. Jesus wasn’t casually offering advice. He was delivering a divine summons. In first-century culture, a herald didn’t have the option to modify or soften the king’s message—he spoke it exactly as it was given, and expected the audience to respond with obedience.

A breakdown of this word ‘Herald’ is critical to understanding this verse. The word “herald” matters because of what it represents: a clear, unaltered, authoritative proclamation from the King. That’s what Jesus did in Matthew chapter 4 verse 17. That’s what the prophets did before Him. That’s what Paul calls preachers to do in Second Timothy chapter 4 verse 2:
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort…”

To preach is to herald—to boldly proclaim God’s truth, even when it’s unpopular.

In the ancient world, a herald was an official public messenger, often employed by royalty or government. His job was not to debate, edit, or interpret the message—his job was to proclaim exactly what he was given. He would lift his voice in marketplaces, city gates, or streets and say, in effect, “Hear the decree of the king!” Think of the carol “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” That phrase points directly to the angelic announcement of Christ’s birth to the shepherds:

Luke chapter 2 verse 10:
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

In that moment, the angel is functioning exactly like a herald—bringing the good news from heaven to people who would never have known otherwise. The Christmas carol uses the word “herald” because the angels are proclaiming the arrival of the King, much like royal heralds would announce the birth of a prince.

This might surprise some people, but there is a legitimate historical link here, though it’s more secular than sacred. Newspapers with names like “The Boston Herald,” “The Miami Herald,” or “The Herald Tribune” adopted the term because they saw themselves as public announcers of critical information. The idea is that this publication will inform the public of what they need to know, and that what it reports carries a kind of weight or urgency, just like a herald in the king’s court would have. In the Old Testament, prophets acted as heralds of God’s message.

In biblical theology, we needed a herald because humanity was not naturally seeking after God (see Romans chapter 3 verses 10–11: “There is none that seeketh after God”). We weren’t going to stumble into salvation or discover divine truth by accident. We needed someone to proclaim it boldly and clearly, with authority that didn’t come from man. In the New Testament, Jesus is the ultimate herald, because He is not just delivering the Word of God—He is the Word of God (John 1:1). And when He preaches repentance, He’s not merely offering a new idea—He’s enforcing the decree of Heaven: that sinners must turn from sin and believe the gospel.

In that moment, the angel is functioning exactly like a herald—bringing the good news from heaven to people who would never have known otherwise. The Christmas carol uses the word “herald” because the angels are proclaiming the arrival of the King, much like royal heralds would announce the birth of a prince.

So in carols, “herald” is theologically appropriate and historically consistent. The angels are the divine messengers, and the news they carry is not open to interpretation—it is a royal announcement from God Himself: Christ is born in Bethlehem.

“and to say, Repent:”

This is the command that begins His public ministry: Repent. That word is almost lost in today’s feel-good religion, but Jesus made it central. To repent means to turn around, change direction, and abandon your sin. It’s not merely feeling bad or saying sorry. Biblical repentance is a full mental, moral, and spiritual about-face.

In its original context, repentance involved acknowledging guilt, confessing sin, and actively turning away from it. It carried the weight of returning to God’s covenant. For Jews in the first century, this meant more than personal remorse—it was a call to national, personal, and spiritual realignment under the rule of God.

Importantly, Jesus didn’t say “believe” here first. He said, “repent.” Why? Because you cannot receive the heavenly kingdom without first renouncing the kingdom of sin. This demolishes the modern idea that we can “believe in Jesus” while still clinging to our sin. Jesus said, “Repent”—turn from sin—FIRST.

This wasn’t just for unbelievers either. It was a call to all who heard, including the religious elite, many of whom thought they didn’t need repentance. Jesus levels the ground—everyone must repent, not just the obviously immoral.

“for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Now we get the reason: “for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The phrase “kingdom of heaven” is used exclusively in Matthew—a reverent way of saying “kingdom of God.” This kingdom isn’t just a future heaven—it’s the rule and reign of God breaking into human history through Jesus Himself.

When Jesus says it’s “at hand,” He means it’s imminent, pressing in, close enough to touch. The King is present, so His kingdom has arrived. And the only proper response to the arrival of a holy kingdom is to repent. There’s no room for neutrality.

This also signals urgency. Jesus wasn’t giving people time to ease into faith. He was telling them: the time is now. The King is here. The kingdom is here. Your response must be immediate.

Broader Context

Matthew chapter 4 is one of the most strategic chapters in all of the New Testament. It forms the bridge between Jesus’ preparation and His public mission, which is why Matthew chapter 4 verse 17 is such a critical turning point. The chapter begins with Jesus being led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. That scene in verses 1 through 11 mirrors the wilderness testing of Israel in the Old Testament, but where Israel failed, Jesus triumphed. That’s the point: the true Son of God does not fall to temptation. Once He has victoriously withstood Satan’s threefold temptation (appetite, pride, and power), He is proven ready to begin His public ministry.

Then we see a shift in verse 12:
“Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee.”
John the Baptist’s arrest marks the end of the forerunner’s ministry and the start of the Messiah’s full unveiling. From this point forward, the torch is passed. The light John bore witness to (John chapter 1 verse 8) is now shining in full. Verse 17 comes right after Jesus settles in Capernaum, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy that Galilee of the Gentiles would see a great light (Matthew chapter 4 verses 14–16). So when Jesus says, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” He’s not just making a statement—He’s fulfilling prophecy, assuming divine authority, and announcing that the Messianic age has arrived.

Let’s step back now and look at the Gospel of Matthew as a whole. This Gospel presents Jesus as the promised Messiah and rightful King, descended from David, fulfilling Jewish prophecy. Over 60 Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled in Matthew alone. The phrase “kingdom of heaven” is used 32 times in Matthew and nowhere else in the New Testament—he was specifically crafting his message for a Jewish audience who would not casually speak the divine name “God.” The message of the kingdom is central: God’s promised reign has come near in the person of Jesus Christ. But this kingdom would not be gained through birthright or temple rituals—it would be entered through repentance and faith.

That’s why Jesus’ very first sermon begins with repentance. The Jews had long expected a conquering Messiah who would free them from Rome, but Jesus came instead to free them from sin. His kingdom wasn’t of this world—it was spiritual, internal, and transformational. And it demanded a radical break from sin, not just ceremonial devotion.

This also puts pressure on the religious status quo. The scribes and Pharisees had built a system of external righteousness, but Jesus was preaching internal transformation. His message of repentance cut to the heart and threatened the power structures of Israel’s religious leaders. That’s why He would later say in Matthew chapter 5 verse 20,
“Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
In other words, religious performance was not enough. Repentance was required.

Now, if we zoom out even wider and examine the entire New Testament narrative, this message of repentance is echoed by every major preacher of the early church:

  • John the Baptist introduced it in Matthew chapter 3 verse 2:
    “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
  • Jesus repeats it in chapter 4 verse 17. Peter proclaims it in Acts chapter 2 verse 38:
    “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.”
  • And Paul declares it in Acts chapter 17 verse 30:
    “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.”

This consistency destroys the modern lie that repentance is an “Old Testament idea” or that Jesus focused only on love and inclusion. The New Testament begins with repentance (Jesus in Matthew 4), continues with repentance (Acts and the Epistles), and ends with repentance (Jesus again in Revelation chapters 2 and 3).

Even in Revelation, Jesus—speaking directly to churches—repeats the same message.

  • To the church in Ephesus:
    “Repent, and do the first works” (Revelation chapter 2 verse 5).
  • To Laodicea:
    “Be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation chapter 3 verse 19).

So we cannot separate Jesus’ love from His call to repentance. The loving Savior is the same One who lovingly commands sinners to turn back—not to feel better, but to be made new.

DO NOT MISS THIS

Finally, we must deal with the cultural misunderstanding that love is incompatible with confrontation. Modern Christians often hesitate to talk about sin, believing it’s more “loving” to avoid offense. But Matthew chapter 4 verse 17 dismantles that idea. The most loving man who ever walked the earth began His entire ministry by confronting sin. That means the refusal to talk about sin is not compassion—it’s compromise. It’s silence in the face of spiritual death. If Jesus—who is love—preached repentance as His opening message, how can we call ourselves His followers while refusing to speak it?

Application

Appreciating God’s Greatness

The greatness of God in Matthew chapter 4 verse 17 is revealed through His willingness to confront sin for the sake of our salvation. Jesus did not come to entertain, flatter, or merely soothe the crowds. He came to do the most loving and difficult thing: call sinners to repentance so they could be delivered from the wrath to come. That shows us a Savior who is not only full of mercy—but also full of truth, holiness, and authority.

God’s greatness is also seen in the timing of His kingdom. Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” That means God didn’t wait for us to be good enough. He didn’t require humanity to fix itself. Instead, He brought the kingdom to us, in the person of Jesus Christ. God entered our world, walked in our dust, and spoke words of life—and the first word was repent. That alone is a display of divine patience, wisdom, and justice. He invites us into His kingdom, but on His terms, not ours. That’s greatness: God stooping down to offer grace, but refusing to dilute His holiness.

For the Believer

This verse confronts the common idea that once we are saved, repentance is behind us. But the life of a Christian is one of ongoing repentance. We don’t just turn from sin once—we continue turning, daily, as we grow in grace. Jesus’ first command still echoes through our spiritual walk: Repent. Not because we’re under wrath, but because we are under grace, and grace gives us eyes to see the sin we used to ignore.

Believers are also called to model and preach what Jesus Himself preached. Can I get an AMEN on that? That means we must not shrink back from the topic of sin. Too often, Christians confuse kindness with silence. But Jesus showed that love means speaking the truth, ESPECIALLY when it comes to eternal consequences. If we really love the lost, we won’t leave them comfortable in sin—we’ll gently and truthfully show them their need to repent, just as we once did.

Call to Action

  • Examine your own life for areas where sin has crept back in, and repent with sincerity and urgency.
  • Let Jesus’ words shape your conversations. When witnessing, don’t avoid repentance—follow His model and present it as the doorway into the kingdom.
  • Ask God for courage to speak the truth in love, especially when it’s easier to stay silent.

We must not be ashamed of the very message Christ began with!

For the Unbeliever

If you are not yet a follower of Christ, this verse is Jesus speaking directly to you. His first recorded words are not threats—they are an invitation. When He says “Repent,” He is offering a new life, a new kingdom, a new heart. He’s not asking you to clean yourself up—He’s asking you to turn to Him, and He will do the cleansing.

Repentance means acknowledging that sin is not just a mistake—it’s rebellion against a holy God. It’s a breaking of His law, and the penalty is eternal separation. But Jesus came because God doesn’t want you to perish. His call to repentance is a call to be rescued, and the door is open now. But Jesus also said the kingdom is “at hand”—that means time is short. You don’t have forever to decide.

If you’ve ever thought Christianity was just about being nice, or doing good things, this verse proves otherwise. It’s about being born again, and that starts with repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ.

Final Encouragement

When Jesus opened His mouth to preach for the first time, He didn’t offer comfort, self-esteem, or social advice. He offered truth that saves. His first word was “Repent.” That is not a word of judgment—it is a word of rescue. It is God’s mercy clothed in urgency. It is the King of heaven calling rebels to lay down their arms, not to be punished, but to be welcomed into His kingdom.

Matthew chapter 4 verse 17 is more than history—it’s still Christ’s voice today. He is still saying to the sinner, “Turn around—come to Me.” And to the church, He is saying, “Do not compromise this message.” Repentance is not the enemy of grace—it is the evidence that grace is working.

This verse reminds us that the most loving thing we can ever do is what Jesus did: tell the truth about sin, point people to the kingdom, and call them to repentance. Let us never forget, real love warns, and real grace calls for change.

If Christ began with repentance, so must we. And if His kingdom was at hand then, it is even closer now. May we respond, and help others respond, before the door closes.

You are loved, so much in fact that we want you to know and be Believers of Biblical Truth.

The Brain is The Hub,The Tongue is The Sword Part 2

I continue to examine the wisdom packed into Proverbs, the 21st chapter. King Solomon is giving us insight to righteous behavior, comparing good to bad. We as Christians are called to be separate from the world. This, by design, calls us to produce different fruit, to behave differently. We continue to break down the verses, moving on to verse 13- Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

John Gill

“A deaf ear will be turned to him by both: the same measure he has measured shall be measured to him again; no mercy shall be shown to an unmerciful man, either by God or man”

I can say simply that it would do us all well to look at a situation and instead of seeing someone else in it, see yourself. I know that a lot of people want money, and there are deceivers out there who look to steal from you. But if we use that blanket to justify miserly ideology, denying those in real need, what good is our heart, where is our compassion? Not all giving has to be money. We really can give food, and if in the right space, we can give work. Did you know that the original welfare system was the church? I personally do not believe in any of the non-profits out there. I think most churches have, long ago, closed the doors. They used to be out in the communities. But they retreated and closed the doors behind them. Now a days, the only time we see churches in the community is holidays. Other times, you must be a member. Now, this is not all churches. There are some that have many programs to help those down and out. Not all churches have abandoned the principle that we are our brother’s keeper; not all have turned their ears from hearing the cries of the poor, but many have. This caused a black hole, a vacuum. This need was then filled by the government and the non-profits. Have you ever heard the saying, give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime? We need to get back to teaching men to fish? A hand out is a hand out, its value is short lived. The value of a hand up is immeasurable. When it comes to salvation, no matter who we are, what we do, we all need that hand up. We are all in a hole. Without Christ, we are doomed. And if John Gill is right, ask yourself, do you simply get the hand out, or do you get the hand up?

16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

In order to wander away from understanding, you must first have the understanding. This verse should make every believer understand that the devil is out there searching the earth to and from for those whom he may devour. Satan is not just trying to interfere with your rewards, He is trying to devour you. IF all he wanted was to make you stumble and to interfere with your rewards in heaven since you are now saved, that would make your salvation and all of Satan’s efforts about you. That is a very arrogant and misguided approach to both sin and salvation. You chose to wander. No one makes you do it. Satan tempts you and you agree to follow. It happens to the best of Christians. When you do, you will remain in the congregation of the unsaved, the dead. J. Vernon McGee comments, and I paraphrase, We have glorified the theater, they provide our morals and today things are upside down. Jesters were called fools and to this day he doesn’t believe it has changed, entertainers today are sacred cow. I totally agree with him. It is a profession where, because they can act well, we somehow believe they are an authority on everything else. God is to be our idol, He is to be our moral authority, after all, He is the creator of morals to begin with.

Adam Clarke

“That follows gaming, fowling, hunting, coursing, etc., when he should be attending to the culture of the fields, shall be a poor man; and, I may safely add, shall be so deservedly poor, as to have none to pity him.”

20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.

22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.

23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

Albert Barnes

“Spendeth it up – literally, swalloweth it. The wise man keeps a store in reserve. He gains uprightly, spends moderately, never exhausts himself. But the proverb may have also a higher application. The wise man stores up all “treasure to be desired” of wisdom, all “oil” of divine influence, which strengthens and refreshes, and so is ready at all times for the work to which the Master calls him.”

Be aware, and ready. Earn and work honestly. Save and rest often. Spend and work prudently. These behaviors are of a Christian who has something else in mind, something other than the amount. There is an end coming. That end will not care about your possessions, nor your bank accounts. Faithfulness is the bounty to be measured. I was once told that God did not call us to be successful, he called us to be faithful. I think we, me included, sometimes get sidetracked into the success part. We measure the success by different standards. God might want us to go through a thing where the reward is wisdom. We go through it and we are thinking substantial tangible rewards, money or prizes. But as it continues, if we follow after Christ, if we obey, and we recognize that we are not worthy of His mercy and yet be so eternally grateful for it, we find life. If we can understand that if we remain under the care of our LORD, our wisdom will provide us victory over the confidence of the enemy. Verse 22 reminds me of the picture of David and Goliath. David was wise to pick the weapon he was most proficient with. He did not seek a big weapon for the big giant. He used his talent and wisdom, and defeated the giant. We can too. Verse 23 is the stumbling block for me. To know when to speak and when not to speak, a gift that the elders of a church should hold seminars on.

John Gill

“Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue,…. Guards the one and bridles the other; is careful of what he says, that it is truth, and without dissimulation and guile; and is not injurious to the characters of men, and is not offensive and provoking; who abstains from ill and wrathful language, and which tends to stir up wrath and contention.”

Ephesians 4:29  29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

James 3:8   But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

The bible, Jesus himself, could be quoted over and over when talking about speech. In today’s culture we understand this to mean that we must dilute the truth because the tongue “cuts to and fro”. The words that come from the brain and then out of the mouth can kill. Jesus stated that it is not that which goes into a man’s mouth that defiles him, but that which comes out. He also said that what comes out of the heart, which is the brain, reveals who the man is.  Without the spirit, we are told that our brains can only imagine wickedness. Wait….WHAT!?!?!?!?! Yes, even those who spend their whole life doing great things and inspiring others are wicked if their service is not for the glory of God. It is all idolatry if they are not inspired by God and give glory to God for all the blessings from their words. The wisest man that has ever lived is telling us that the man who learns to watch his words, tells the truth without omitting the hard stuff, the fine or minute stuff, and does so not to cause injury to the listener, but to grow and disciple the listener does well. Be mindful, therefore, in the thought to withhold truth or soften the truth so as not to offend. Truth is easily lost in the weeds of fluff.

Proverbs 21:28 A false witness shall perish:

Joseph Benson– one who is forward to swear or speak false things, or such things as he hath neither heard nor seen, but devised in his own heart

 

John Gill By telling lies in trade; by bearing false witness in a court of judicature; or by preaching false doctrines in the church of God: such treasures, though ever so great, are like any light thing, smoke or vapour, straw, stubble, chaff, or a feather, tossed about the wind; which is expressive of the instability uncertainty of riches ill gotten; they do not last long, but are taken away and carried off by one providence or another; and they are likewise harmful and pernicious; they issue in death: and those that seek after them, and obtain them in a bad way, are said to “seek death”: not intentionally, but eventually; this they certainly find, if grace prevent not;

We see again that words contrived in our hearts, not based in truth are wicked, telling lies and making up stories that harm others. Additionally there is no watering down of the consequence. A liar shall perish. That’s pretty simple to read and understand. God wants the truth. There is love in the truth. We are a society that has become afraid of the truth. We would much rather hear a lie that makes us feel good than the truth which heals us, completes us, makes us whole. Again, God does not want the truth used as a weapon. But it is an agent for change; change that is for the better.

The 21st Proverb is filled with wisdom for the ear that is willing to hear. The truth can be hard to hear sometimes. It can hurt, it has a sting. But the great thing about those who tell the truth with love is that they remain to walks us through that pain and help us endure that sting. Love is not disguised, it is not covered in balls of cotton so thick that it cannot be seen or heard. The truth just is, and that is why there is no escape from it. The bible itself has been attack for thousands of years, including this year. And yet it stands just as truthful today as it was the day they penned it, or chiseled it. It is always important to be led by love. Let the Holy Spirit take control and guide your tongue. Let the spirit tell you when you should speak and when to remain quiet; when to be gentle and when to be direct. At the end of the day, however, I would rather be alone on an island in communion with almighty God, than to be seen as a Saint by a million dear friends and relatives because my words simply make them FEEL good.

If you stand in the mirror what will the reflection tell you about yourself, and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your house, straight from the cross to the Christian!

 

The Brain is The Hub and The Tongue is The Sword, Part 1

So many times I have heard how the Old Testament (OT) has no meaning in today’s life. I have heard that once Christ came on to the scene all that was, is no more. All things are made new. I even have heard people, in the same sitting, tell me that Christ changed all that, and then used the OT to validate their thought. In Jesus fulfilling the law all that is left is faith in Him. In some ways, this is absolutely true. We no longer offer the annual blood sacrifice for the covering of our sin. Christ’s blood sacrifice was the completeness of the sacrifice. There is no other sacrifice that can do anything more than that which Jesus dying on the cross has already done. But the New Testament does not negate the Old Testament. There is so much that is alive and just as effective in the application to our doctrine and daily lives. As I read the 21st Proverb, I was overcome with this feeling. Every single instruction of how to live and every example of God’s view of right and wrong are just as true today as they were when King Solomon wrote them.

Proverb 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

The very first verse pierces my heart as it tells me that my God has every heart in His hands. First, we must understand that the word “heart” here really means the mind of man. I have said over and over, the true heart is just a muscle that pumps blood throughout the body. It does not create feelings and thoughts and words. The heart does not control our behavior. It is a vital organ, and we should care for it. But the brain is the hub of where we generate our behaviors. God controls even the King’s mind. I think of all the times that we read about how God hardened or softened a heart (mind). How much further do you have to go than the story of Joseph who was sold into slavery and ended up in the house of the Captain of the Pharaoh’s guard, Potiphar. God had Potiphar’s heart in his hand and cause him to have favor for Joseph. He made Joseph the superintendent of his house. Because he would not lay with Potiphar’s wife, she makes accusations against Joseph and he ends up in prison. God had the Warden’s heart in his hand and caused him to have favor on Joseph. He made Joseph the jail keep. There he interpreted dreams of a baker and cup bearer. The baker was reinstated and after 2 years of forgetting about Joseph, the Pharaoh was having bad dreams that no one could understand. The baker remembered Joseph and told the Pharaoh of the dreams Joseph interpreted and how he predicted rightly that the cup bearer would be executed but that the baker would be reinstated. The Pharaoh called for Joseph. After interpreting the dreams, the Pharaoh did not let Joseph go, but God had the Pharaoh’s heart in his hand, and God directed it like the waters of rivers. He directed Pharaoh to make Joseph the Vizier, the second in command of all of Egypt. The most powerful thing is that the Pharaoh was not a believer. Being a sinner is no match for my God. Let us not forget, that the most evil of all evil, falls in the end. In the hands of the evil and wicked Pharaoh, Joseph went from slave to convict to Second in charge of all of Egypt, and having great influence on the Pharaoh as well. Make no mistake, these simple words, the introductory declaration, are simple, but carry great power when you stop and ponder that the God who had the Pharaoh’s heart in his hand and cause great things to come upon Joseph is the same God who sits on the throne and can be in charge of your life if you believe that He still has man’s heart in his hand. And that sets the tone for this proverb. It is one of wicked compared to righteous. There is no gray area in obedience to the LORD. Either you are living a life serving the Master, or you are living a life serving satan. There is no third party. There is no gray area.

2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.

3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

Most of us, if we are being honest with ourselves, think we are right about a lot of things. Some of us are good at admitting that we are wrong about something, but only after being shown that we are wrong. Most of us start off by thinking we are right. Our faith is no different. Those who reject God think they are right. Those who accept Christ but twist the word of God to suit their own flesh think they are right. There are so many different ways to take this, all ending with the same, we really do think we are right in our behavior. The real story is in the proverbial heart, or literally the mind. That is where God does the examining.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee says, and I am paraphrasing here, Jesus is the great physician, and a heart specialist. Jesus was the first in the heart transplant business. He was the first one to take the old heart and replace it with a heart that is obedient to him.

Matthew Henry states,

“Man is right in his own eyes. The proud heart is very ingenious in putting a fair face upon a foul matter, and in making that appear right to itself which is far from being so, to stop the mouth of conscience…..  God looks at the heart, and judges of men according to that, of their actions according to their principles and intentions; and his judgment of that is as exact as ours is of that which we ponder most, and more so; he weighs it in an unerring balance.”

I do believe that the one thing that Christian behavior has gotten far away from is principle. I think today’s society has convinced even the strongest of Christian that independent and free thinking is best. Being empowered to be you is better than compliance to any norm, including the biblical living Christ calls us to embrace when we accept Him. I fear that we have gotten away from things like principled living, and things like reverence. We have diminished God to someone we can take off a shelf when we need him, and put him back on the shelf whenever we are moved to be empowered or free thinking. We can truly see this as church after church, denomination after denomination allow the unrepentant sinner to enter the pulpit, behind the sacred desk (if your church even has a pulpit or a sacred desk anymore) to lead others. Think about weddings. Most of the Christian Faith have an objection to same sex marriage. But at the same time, the church that refuses to marry a same sex couple will marry two drunks who never attend church or even make confession for Christ. Think about that for a second. The idea of justice is righteousness or holiness. What is righteous about marrying one pair of sinners, but not another. Either we observe God in the boundaries of marriage or you do not. Of course, anyone behaving like this will open the scriptures and find something they will use to justify their position because they are right in their own eyes. But read what the king wrote here. To be just is acceptable to the LORD. Meaning the LORD is watching. We can explain our sin to each other all we want. Explain it to God; give the LORD all the excuses and let’s see how he judges us in return.

4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

7 The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

 

Charles Ellicott States,

The plowing of the wicked.—i.e., their work, all they do; for it is not done to please God but themselves; nor carried on in His strength, but in reliance upon their own, and therefore it is “sin,” not pleasing to Him.

How we live is important. In the four verses above we see pride of man being brought to light. A high look, a facial expression that has your nose high in the air, a look that says that you see me but you turn your head from me as if I am not worthy of your acknowledgment. When God looks into our mind and He sees us, He sees the sinful pride. There are many things to be proud of, to be pleased with. The way to know the difference is to compare your thoughts to God. Jesus would never look down on anyone. Jesus would never allow His joy, pleasure, or simple contentment in any accomplishment to lead to the pain of another. He came as a humble servant, not as one who thought he was better than anyone else, or that their children are better than your children, or my home is better than your home, job than your job, paycheck/bank account than your paycheck/bank account. We see that God certainly did give us brains so that we can ponder life, and temptation, and think about them righteously. Jesus was tempted. It is not a sin to be tempted. There was nothing that satan had that Jesus did not already have. This is not true for us. Sometimes the temptations look so good, they smell, taste, feel and sound so good. To have diligent thoughts is to take into consideration God’s will. To do so leads to abundance. It may not be abundance of what your flesh wants, but it is the abundance that God wants you to have. Quickly, lets examine sexual sin. I am a heterosexual man. My flesh loves beautiful women. My lust desires them. Satan offers me all the women I can have. My God has already blessed me with a beautiful and wonderful wife. I have a choice to make. To be diligent in thinking about it, if I take all the women I can have, I might think that to be a great abundance. But an abundance of what? Pain, sickness, divorce, poverty, loneliness, and a great big hole where true companionship once lived? I had an abundance of women that led to death. Yet, if I diligent consider the gift God has given me, I have a life filled with love, companionship, peace, joy, and a life after death because my behavior was pleasing to God for bringing Glory to Him. That is the abundance He wants us to have. So as His, as a follower of Jesus, it is my responsibility to align my wants with His wants. I do not want, nor need the life of abundant women. I need abundant love.

9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.

Albert Barnes

“The flat roof of an Eastern house was often used for retirement by day, or in summer for sleep by night. The corner of such a roof was exposed to all changes of weather, and the point of the proverb lies in the thought that all winds and storms which a man might meet with there are more endurable than the tempest within.”

Whom we chose to spend our time with in important. I believe that the command to not be unequally yoked is not just a command for marriage, but also close friendships. We should be a friend to all, and we should always be prepared to let the light of Christ shine whenever darkness knocks on our doors. But when it comes to who we allow into the sanctuaries of our homes, and in the case of marriage into our own bodies as we become one, we should be certain to be equally yoked. Having said that, a brawling man is unbecoming. But I believe that men and women were designed for two totally different purposes. I believe that men are the hunter gatherers. They were designed to be the rugged piece. The woman however is the nurturing piece. For her to act like him is highly unbecoming. The bible does not refer to the woman as the weaker vessel as a testimony of a lack of strength, but of pricelessness. Again, a biblical principle that satan has used society and very determined sinners to destroy. Here, the bible is saying that it is totally unacceptable to be with a brawling woman. Brawling meaning loud and storming voice, violent, filthy mouth, and prone to verbal arguments/fights. God is saying that it is better to be exposed to the scorching sun, violent wind and sand storms and torrential rain storms on the roof of a house, where there is no cover, than to endure this type of woman in a luxurious home, with all the amenities. This behavior is not Christ like from male and female. But again, there should never be any mistake that, while man and woman were both made in the image of God, and that in the pure spirit form all will be equal, there was a specific and real difference between man and woman. I truly wish the church would do more to preach the difference between man and woman. Especially in the home. We are truly off the mark.

When I was not walking with God, thus called wicked, I focused only on what I wanted. This came to a great expense for others, as I would violate others during my quests to satisfy myself. Christians are command to love our neighbors. We ourselves are to be good neighbors. The wicked have no such principle. It is only about their gain. No matter what the behavior, a wicked man does it for his own good, even if it seems to suit the neighbor.

If you stand in the mirror what will the reflection tell you about yourself, and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your house, straight from the cross to the Christian!

Release Your Grip on the Whip

The topic of our study is Forgiveness. One might think it a simple study, but I believe it is complex. First I wonder if we really understand what forgiveness is, biblically. I wonder if we meet the biblical thresh-hold of forgiveness. I wonder if we spend more time meeting the worldly definition of forgiveness. I don’t know, but I think a serious study of it is going to let us see for ourselves.

First let’s talk about some things that Forgiveness is not. It is NOT forgive and forget. I once heard a sermon by Dr. Voddie Baucham. He is one of my all-time favorite pastors to listen to. I never met him, but he has said in a number of his sermons that this idea of forgive and forget is a lie. He explained that the human brain is not designed to forget. So if the brain is forgetting it is malfunctioning. It has experienced some form of trauma, like Blunt force trauma or concussion, or disease like Alzheimer’s or dementia. It is unreasonable to expect the brain to forget a traumatic event when traumatic events are what burns a memory into the brain in the first place. Forgiveness is NOT an eraser. Forgiving does not erase the action. It does not say, “Okay, I forgive you so go ahead and go to sleep and when you wake up in the morning we will continue on like nothing happened.” NO!!! In most cases an action that has created some form of trauma has occurred. It happened!! There is no ignoring that. Because this is true, forgiveness is NOT absolution of accountability and immunity from consequence. I can forgive you, but there is still a consequence because the act really did happen. Biblically speaking, and we are going to look at some verses here soon, God is huge on accountability. If we are to be Christ like, how then can we say that there is no accountability? We cannot. There are consequences for our actions. Finally, forgiveness does not mean a relationship of any kind needs to continue. Now let’s be careful here. If you were violated, and you learned a lesson, and that lesson was that this is a dangerous person and for safety or health reasons and you are completely free of hate and animosity, it is appropriate to go our separate ways, no problem. But if you are violated, and you say you forgive and then not communicating with that person is out of anger or some form of punishment, then you have not truly forgiven. We will talk more about this, but for now let’s just say that you have to release your grip on the whip and hand that over to God as well if you are to truly forgive.

Now that we looked at some of the things forgiveness is not, let’s look at what it is. I really want to look at the biblical definition and compare it to what you think. In the bible forgiveness refers more to the act. When you forgive biblically, you are saying that you are overlooking an act. You are sending it away. The word forgive means we are overlooking the wrong, we are going to send the wrong away. But the other half of this is, “where are we sending it to?” To God!  There are many, and I mean many, verses that address forgiving others that you may be forgiven. But I love these verses in Colossians chapter 3 because it starts off by telling us a key point of forgiveness, and that is God’s wrath.

Colossians 3

6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

When we forgive we are recognizing that we are not in control, and God is. So we are going to send this away and put the act and the offender into the hands of God. We are taking everything out of our hands, and putting into the hands of God. Why would we want to do that? We want this for a couple reasons.

First, we want this because, as these verses indicate, we are to put off our wrath. Put it off to where, God’s hands. Our wrath is not perfect and not righteous. When someone hurts us, our wrath is more about the fact that we hurt than the actual act. This is why we can be okay with our response but someone else is like, ‘gee wiz, being a little harsh aren’t we?’ God’s wrath is perfectly just. We need to trust that, and defer to it. After all, His instruction to us is to be peaceful and leave the wrath up to Him.

Romans 12:

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Secondly, we want this to happen because that’s what we want others to do to us. I don’t know about you, but I make mistakes. I am human and I admit that I have hurt people before, and as uncomfortable as this may sound, it is highly likely that I will hurt people again. I pray that they forgive me and send me and my offense to God for HIS deliberation. I pray for that because I know God is just. I know that God can see into my mind (most people use the word ‘heart’ a lot but I don’t. I think it confuses people. The heart is just a muscle that pumps blood to all parts of the body. Big job, important organ. But the truth is the BRAIN is the biblical heart. It is where thoughts, all the worldly wicked thoughts of man come from. It is the hub of emotions. It is also where the transformation takes place because repentance is to have a change of MIND on sin. Another deep lesson for another day.). He knows that while I did offend, I did not do it in malice and that I do genuinely seek forgiveness, and He knows that I am a forgiving person. So I want to be judged by the judge of all judges. If I want to be forgiven, then I must forgive. People don’t know the mind of man, but God does.  There are many verses about forgiving others if you want to be forgiven. I will provide just a few.

Ephesians 4:32

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Matthew 6:15

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 18:33-35

33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.

Now, I am going to step on some toes. How much more has been done to us than what this world did to Christ? I have thought that I was so violated that I was not only justified to not forgive, but to hate the offender. I was wrong. I hope that when you think of all that Jesus went through, not only in his final hours but during his years as a minister as well, you will see that your violation is small in comparison. Jesus was continuously mocked and spit on, and challenged. The man had no home; he was homeless. The savior slept on the ground and the rock was his pillow. And then yes, in the final hours he was so badly beaten and scourged that he was hardly recognizable. While on the cross, a torturous death by the way, he had a spear thrusted into his side just to see if he was still alive. And as if that was not enough, God placed the weight of all the sin in the world, all the sin that has been-is-and was yet to come, onto the body of Christ that we shall receive forgiveness. And in the course of all of this, Jesus’ prayer was that God the father forgive us because we have no clue what we were doing. This is the picture of perfect forgiveness. How much more can be done to a human being? And Christ took all the violations and put them into the hands of the father. Jesus said here, “I forgive them; I give up my right to have earthly and personal vengeance on these people. I turn them over to you. And if they can believe in you, I advocate on their behalf that you forgive them their violations against you and that you let them come home a redeemed child.”

1 Peter 2:19-21

19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Now this is important, when we are violated and we say out loud that we just cannot forgive, what we are really saying is, “I am going through more than what Christ went through, and that because this wrong is at a magnitude never seen before, God’s wrath will not be good enough. This offender must feel my wrath. This person must not have a path to redemption; there is no forgiveness for this person. I want you to forgive me, but this person, NO FORGIVENESS! I am sorry God, but I don’t trust you to handle this to my satisfaction. I want to make sure there are no mistakes here, and that this person suffers as I have suffered and then some more. I want them to feel my pain because the pain of hell is insufficient. It’s not enough.” Now you may think that I am going a little too far with this, but I challenge you to think about it. Have you ever made a mistake, handled it maturely and begged for forgiveness and while forgiven still had to suffer consequences and maybe even long term where you wondered when will I ever be done paying for this mistake? I have and because I have I can believe very easily that God’s wrath is wholly sufficient.

In closing, forgiveness is NOT a free pass. Even the saints will meet with the LORD to discuss obedience. Remember, “EVERY KNEE WILL BOW” It only seems like bad people get away with everything. Imagine Hell, filled with those ‘bad people’. Do you still think they got away with something? This earth is not our home. It is evil and wicked. This world is not fair, and welcoming. It is not our job to give up when we get knocked down. It is our job to continue to spread the gospel, to continue to let the light of Christ shine in spite of being violated. When you don’t do that, you are suffering from idolatry. Your woes are too great to put God first, which means you must come first, right? RIGHT! Think of it this way, while you are going on about the violation, the violator is enjoying life. Sometimes forgiveness frees you from the prisons of emotions. Let’s take full advantage of God. Cast upon Him your violators and their behaviors. Forgive so you can receive forgiveness. Forgive so you can be free from the bondage of bad memories and painful emotions.

If you stand in the mirror what will the reflection tell you about yourself, and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your house, straight from the cross to the Christian!

Inch by Inch, Little by Little

Psalm 1 

1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

The first Psalm is only believed to be written by King David. It is really not known for sure, so often it is captioned authored by “Anonymous”. It describes the WAYS of the faithful, as compared to the WAYS of the faithless.

It is amazing how, while in prayer over a particular issue in life, God will send us to a spot in His word that will bring to us some understanding. This is what happened to me. I am struggling with many things, but a couple are at the top of my prayer list. I often find myself asking God, “am I right on this?”, “Am I speaking your will or my own?”, “Am I pleasing you, or am I not understanding what I am reading or have read?” I was led to this Psalm, which is certainly Holy Spirit led because rarely do I go this far back for support. I usually look for the red letters. But nevertheless, here we are.

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of the sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful”. In case you are not catching the theme I am searching for here, I am looking at the participation of Godly people in the world of the ungodly. When I say that a Godly person has no business interacting with the world, my Godly friends look at me like I am insane. How can we not interact? Easy!!! Understand that we are to witness and testify of God’s Gospel. That is what a Christian is called to do the moment we take the yoke of Christ upon us. We are instructed to do so. We are also told that the moment we are saved, the moment we accept Christ into our hearts, we are set aside. We are set aside for a greater purpose, the purpose of spreading the gospel. Because this is true, we can no longer keep doing to things that we used to. For before we served satan, and now we serve God. The world is the secular atmosphere where evil is the behavior of the day. In God’s eyes, and in His word, even those who do good deeds all day long and do not hurt a flea are ungodly and wicked if the good deeds are not spirit led and all done for the glory of God. So in other words, apart from God, there is not one of us that are good, not a single one of us. Therein lies the difference. Everything a Christian does is supposed to glorify the Father. The world glorifies itself. Only a person full of self and worshipping their own self can think that they alone have the sovereign authority to decide what is morally right and wrong.  Christians are no longer in that atmosphere.

Albert Barnes comments on the word walk- “Whose character is that he does not walk in the manner specified. Prof. Alexander renders this, “Who has not walked.” But it implies more than this; it refers to more than the past. It is the characteristic of the man, always and habitually, that he does not thus walk; it has not only been true in the past, but it is true in the present, and will be true in the future. It is that which distinguishes the man. The word “walk” is often used in the Scriptures to denote a way of life or conduct – since life is represented as a journey, and man as a traveler.”

When I talk like this, some go right to JUSTIFYING their own actions by saying, “Jesus spent time with the sinners”. Of course He did. He was a preacher. He sat with them and ate with them, and defied all Jewish law, man’s law, that said that the righteous should shun the “unclean” and all non-Jews, commonly referred to as gentiles. Jesus was a champion of civil rights before it was called civil rights, mainly because membership in the club of the saved has nothing to do with ethnicity, gender, handicap, and so on, and everything to do with Faith and Obedience. But Jesus did not live in that world, meaning He did not stay there. Every second of every day, Jesus was about His Father’s business. After talking about sin and hell with the sinners, because he more than anyone else in the bible spoke about Hell and wanted to tell the sinner why it was important to be redeemed (what we commonly refer to as the “spreading the GOSPEL”), he would leave. He usually went off to pray. Jesus was always in communion with the Father. He was always talking about how much the Father loved His children and wanted them to have faith and to obey the scriptures and to love one another. Jesus NEVER stood in the WAY of the sinners, He never SAT with the scornful, Jesus never said that disobedience was good or even non-consequential, and Jesus never said that loving someone meant that you did not have to share the gospel with them or correct them. In fact, Jesus says the Father corrects those He loves. Standing in the WAY means to do what they do, to look and act like they act, to participate in the sinful WAYS. In fact, did you know that before the word Christian was used in a positive manner to describe a follower of Christ it was used as a derogatory word to insult a follower? Before the word Christian, a person following Christ was said to be “in the WAY” of Christ. You did what he did, looked like he looked and so on. The world is the “council of the ungodly.” “Sitteth in the seat” refers to the same thing, but with a great deal more determination. We have now taken root, we have gotten comfortable. We are them. How will we know if we are in the WAY or sitting in the SEAT? If our non-saved friends don’t see us any differently than they see their unsaved friends, we are doing something wrong. If we say that we want to be friends with the unsaved because we have a lot in common with them, we are doing something wrong. The unsaved people of the world should be looking at us and either thinking that we are the strangest person they ever met, or examining us because what they see in us is different and interesting. But if we spent an abundance of quality time with the unsaved, if we invite unsaved people to be the make-up of our inner circle, and there are no conversations about the differences between us, we are doing something wrong. It is important to me to stress the importance of this because contrary thinking leads us one step at a time in the wrong direction. Does one act alone cause grave concern, maybe not? Does the totality of years of bad choices cause grave concern, absolutely yes! I usually refer to this by saying, “inch by inch” or “one small step at a time”. In researching this, I see that Spurgeon referred to it as “little by little.

Charles Spurgeon remarks, “The sum of the whole is, that the servants of God must endeavor utterly to abhor the life of ungodly men. But as it is the policy of Satan to insinuate his deceits, in a very crafty way, the prophet, in order that none may be insensibly deceived, shows how by little and little men are ordinarily induced to turn aside from the right path. They do not, at the first step, advance so far as a proud contempt of God but having once begun to give ear to evil counsel, Satan leads them, step by step, farther astray, till they rush headlong into open transgression. The prophet, therefore, begins with counsel, by which term I understand the wickedness which does not as yet show itself openly. Then he speaks of the way, which is to be understood of the customary mode or manner of living. And he places at the top of the climax the seat, by which metaphorical expression he designates the obduracy produced by the habit of a sinful life. In the same way, also, ought the three phrases, to walk, to stand, and to sit, to be understood. When a person willingly walks after the gratification of his corrupt lusts, the practice of sinning so infatuates him, that, forgetful of himself, he grows hardened in wickedness; and this the prophet terms standing in the way of sinners.”

 

Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. (side note- look at the last four words. For those of you who think Christians should “live and let live”, or “to each is their own” or wait until you have your act together before speaking, notice the COMMAND of these four words. To reprove, elénchō –  ἐλέγχω, means to rebuke, expose, bring to the light. It is defined in Ephesians 5:13- But all things that are reproved (same word elénchō –  ἐλέγχω) are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.)

Even for those in the WAYS of Christ, we are commanded to separate ourselves. The book of 2 Thessalonians is a letter to the church of Thessalonica. It tells them of things that have to happen before Christ returns. It was needed because people started to WALK in the WAYS of Christ differently, and some became idle. So even in the church we are told to separate ourselves from those who are not following the WAY of Christ (again, not to not witness or testify, but not to socialize or abide- which is another great word which means to hang out, to set up residence).

2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

 

2 Corinthians 6

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Often we look at these verses and consider it to refer to marriage only. I would challenge you to see that the principle here expands out to all relationships a believer has. This principle, this ruler, should be applied to our marriages, to our selection of friends to the decisions we make about where we go and what we do.

The books of Acts, Romans, 2 John, and more, state something about separating yourself from the secular world, the sinful WAYS and scornful SEATS, ran by the prince of darkness. It is getting increasingly difficult to teach this principle because we live in a sinful world where satan spreads the lies that if you keep yourself separate you are hateful, you think you’re better than others, you are a racist (a word which is incorrectly used since there is only one race to begin with), or are labelled guilty of any one or combination of more than one of the numerous –isms and –phobes. We must stand on these principles! It is not okay for us to joyfully, willingly, knowingly, and purposefully, participate in the world. There is a difference between making a mistake to which you seek God’s correction and forgiveness, and actually living in the behavior thinking it is okay. Huge difference!!

In closing, I will quote Albert Barnes, again, in summation, “So also it is in regard to the persons with whom they associate. They are, first, irreligious men in general; then, those who have so far advanced in depravity as to disregard known duty, and to violate known obligations; and then, those who become confirmed in infidelity, and who openly mock at virtue, and scoff at the claims of religion. It is unnecessary to say that, in both these respects, this is an accurate description of what actually occurs in the world. He who casually and accidentally walks with the wicked, listening to their counsel, will soon learn to place himself in their way, and to wait for them, desiring their society, and will ultimately be likely to be feared identified with open scoffers; and he who indulges in one form of depravity, or in the neglect of religion in any way, will, unless restrained and converted, be likely to run through every grade of wickedness, until he becomes a confirmed scoffer at all religion. The sentiment in this verse is, that the man who is truly blessed is a man who does none of these things.”

If you stand in the mirror what will the reflection tell you about yourself, and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your house, straight from the cross to the Christian!