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The Great Falling Away: The Apostasy of the Church
One of the lessons we can learn from the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation is that the church has cycles (or a cycle). Much like any organization, there is growth, a plateau, then a decline. After the decline there can be a rebound, another incline, or death. The church will not die. History has taught us that and Jesus has promised it. Yet, the church does have a cycle that it seems to follow.
In the beginning, when the people first come to Christ, they are on fire for Him. They worship in spirit and truth. They serve. They give generously. Then the fire starts to cool. Worldly cares seep in. People don’t read their Bibles like they once did. People don’t pray like they once did. People don’t attend church like they once did. Preachers don’t preach like they used to. Preachers and teachers don’t prepare like they used to. As Jesus said, they will have left their first love. Eventually, in the life of the believer, as in the life of the church itself, worship goes from relationship to ritual.
It is no longer about Christ. It becomes more about the process than the Person. People just go through the motions. The come; they read; they pray; they give; they leave but no real change has taken place. They had no real encounter with the Savior. They received no fuel to carry them throughout the week. Like a charcoal removed from the fire, they all soon grow cold. Now, they no longer have a faith, they have a religion.
I believe every church started out on fire for God. I believe this is true of the Catholics, the Methodists, the Presbyterians, the Baptist. But over time, their love for the Lord has started to grow cold. Their devotion, our devotion, is moving from relationship to ritual. Once we move in this direction, it won’t be long before the church is compromising with the world—embracing ecumenism in the name of peace.
In several of Paul’s letters, he speaks of the falling away or the apostasy of the church. In 1 Timothy he wrote that people would ‘depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons’. In 2 Timothy he wrote that the time is coming when people would no longer tolerate sound doctrine but will acquire for themselves teachers that teach things that appease the flesh. In 2 Thessalonians he wrote that the falling away would precede the Rapture of the Church.
What is the ‘falling away’ that Paul refers to? As one preacher once said, I don’t believe that it is some mass exodus from the church and that Jesus has to come back or there would be no Church for Him to come back for. Instead, I believe the falling away is encompassed in the words of Paul.
First, there would be a drop in church attendance. It is no secret that church attendance is on the decline. Many churches have more empty pews now than they had in the past. This is likely due to several factors. Parents stopped teaching their children the fear of the Lord. When these children grew up, church was not on their radar. Another reason is that people are too busy with the cares of the world. Many people work on Sunday because businesses are open 7 days a week. People also use Sunday as a day of rest and Saturday (the Biblical day of rest) as pleasure day. Society frowns on church and religion. It is mocked in the media. It is satire on television. It is outlawed in schools and public buildings. Of course, the biggest reason is sin. Sin draws people from God not to Him. And since sin is so prevalent and even welcomed in today’s society, church attendance suffers.
Second, people will depart from the faith. It is not that they stopped attending church. It’s just that they attend churches that don’t preach sin and repentance, hellfire and brimstone. Instead, these churches preach a social gospel—an I’m-OK-you’re-OK gospel. In this gospel, people don’t sin, they err. Yet, even without Christ, they can still live their best life yet. Regardless as to whether they are a Christian or not, everyday can still be a Friday. Others preach a prosperity gospel—a name-it-and-claim-it, call-it-and-haul-it gospel. Preachers in this gospel say all you have to do is lay your hands on it and claim it in the name of Jesus. God told Joshua that anyplace your feet trod I will give to you. Therefore, if you want a piece of land, walk its distance and claim God’s promise in the name of Jesus. If you want God’s best for your life, all you have to do is plant this faith seed and God will send you a harvest. As I said in my first book, God cannot be bribed!
Finally, mainstream religions will depart from the fundamentals of the faith. Pastors (and deacons) are committing all sorts of immoral acts and the churches (congregations) are not holding them accountable. Instead, they are standing by their pastor or priest. There are Christian denominations that actually question the infallibility (without error) of God’s Word. There are Christian faiths that actually question the deity of Christ—who actually do not believe that Christ was God. Now there are Christian denominations that are ordaining homosexual ministers—people who are living in open defiance to God’s command. First of all, God called homosexuality a sin, not me. (Lev. 20:13, Romans 1:26-27) Second, God, through Paul, told Christians to avoid people who ‘have a form of godliness but deny its power (2 Timothy 3:5). Third, Paul said that all homosexuals will have their part in the Lake of Fire (1 Cor. 6:9). Not only are they ordaining homosexuals, some are even performing civil unions for them!
In these last days, the apostasy is only going to grow. This is why it will be easier for the antichrist to come into power. What “Christians” are left behind will be so ignorant of the Word that they won’t recognize him until it is too late. On the other hand, the Bible encourages us to stay read up and prayed up. We are to work out our own soul salvation. We are to make our call and election sure. In other words, we are to stay on the straight and narrow and not to stray from God Word. We are to read it, learn it, and hide it in our hearts. We are to cling to it and stick with it no matter what the world or the church does. God’s Word is the only thing that will last. Jesus is not coming back for a congregation. He is coming back for a Bride who has made herself ready and who has remained faithful to Him.
The Bible–Book of Truth
“If you are not willing to live for Jesus on Earth, don’t expect to live with Jesus in Heaven.” I say this both to those who call themselves Christians and don’t live like it as well as to those who deny Christ and the Bible. Frankly, I don’t understand how people can deny that the Bible is a book of truth instead of a book of fantasy (as I have heard some people say). The problem with Bible haters is that it is not the Bible that they take issue with but its message. The arguments they use to dispute the Bible are only excuses used to cover the fact that they just don’t believe in its message or in the God it reveals.
Why is the Bible considered a book of fantasy? There are those who say it is because it speaks of an invisible God. Revelation 20 tells us that the world won’t follow a visible God either. Therefore, that argument is moot. The disputers also say there are contradictions in the Bible, yet they can’t point out any. What they fail to realize is that the Bible was written over thousands of years by dozens of people. Even if the Bible spoke with “one voice” and there were none of these perceived contradictions, these same disputers would argue that the Bible seems too cohesive, too much of a solo voice for it to have been written by so many people over such a long period of time. So, there no pleasing them either way. These are different books (and letters) written by different people with different voices and different perspectives but the same unified message. In this hub, I hope to show why the Bible is to be a trusted authority.
First, the Bible is a book of wisdom. Psalms 1 tells the reader not to hang with ungodly people because their end is destruction and you don’t want to be caught up in their fate. This sentiment is echoed in the Proverbs. Proverbs 1:15 says, “My son, do not walk in the way with them (sinners), Keep your foot from their path…” Proverbs 6:9-11 describes the plight of the lazy—poverty. “How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.” Ruth and Esther are both examples of women who placed their faith in God and were rewarded for it. Hannah and Job are examples of what happens when you take your problems to the Lord and leave them there. David and Peter are examples of how men of God can fall, repent, and be restored by God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Second, the Bible is a book of prophecy. There is no other book of any religion that contains prophecy in such detail. God is able to say what is going to happen because He knows the end from the beginning. God revealed to Ezekiel, Daniel, Isaiah, Zachariah, and John the Revelator how it is all going to work out in the end. As we see the words prophesied over two millennia before come to pass, how much more should we believe and receive the Word of God.
Isaiah 66:8 asks, “Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once?” This speaks about the rebirth of the nation of Israel, May 6, 1948. Jesus said the generation that saw this happen would not pass away before they see the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds with power and great glory (Matthew 24:34). In Ezekiel 37, God proclaims how He will cause all His people who are scattered among the nations to return to their land. Ezekiel 38 describes the nations that will side against Israel in the last days. Those nations are Rosh [Russia], Meshech [Moscow], Tubal [Tobolsk], Persia [Iran], Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer [Germany?], and Togarmah [Turkey?]. We can see from the news today that Russia is partnering with Iran to give them nuclear capability with which they will attack Israel. Look at the events that have happened in Libya, Egypt, and Syria. This is not a coincidence.
The Bible has also predicted that in these last days there would be wars and threats of wars, ethnic groups will rise against ethnic groups, there would be earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places. Last year central Arkansas recorded over 700 earthquakes. This week a 5.6 registered earthquake rocked the east coast. Famines and diseases are also becoming commonplace. These signs were recorded two thousand years ago and are coming to pass in our lifetimes. Revelation 11:7-9 describes the martyr of the two witnesses and that the whole world would see their bodies in the street. Fifty years ago this would not have been possible, but now with CNN, MSNBC, and FoxNews, along with worldwide affiliates, people can watch breaking news instantly on their televisions, computers, iPads, iPods, and Smartphones.
The Bible is the Word of God. In it, God gives wisdom. God uses the example of the Old Testament Saints to show us both how to live and how not to live. Only in the Bible does God give you His game plan up front. He tells you how it is all going to go down. Its your choice whether you want to believe Him or not. Paul says the Bible is difficult to understand for those who don’t believe because it takes God’s Spirit to reveal its truths to you. Fortunately, you can ask God for wisdom and He will give it to you because it is His desire for you to know and understand Him and His will for your life.
Too Many Hypocrites
Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, “I don’t go to church because there are just too many hypocrites down there.” I’ve always said that that was a copout. People don’t keep people from going to other places they want go to. After all, what is a hypocrite? A hypocrite is a person who is a pretender. It is derived from the Greek term that means an actor, actually a person behind a mask. Jesus used the term to describe the Pharisees because they used a mask of piety to hide their sinfulness.
The Pharisees hid behind religion. Jesus called them hypocrites because they knew the Law but did not follow it. Ron Carpenter, pastor of Redemption World Outreach Center, once said about religious people, “Religious people are full of rules but don’t follow any of the rules they’re full of.” We’ve all heard the motto of the hypocrite: “Do as I say and not as I do.”
This is why hypocrites should not come between us and our God. My question is this: what does that hypocrite have to do with our relationship with the Lord? We already know they are not doing what they are supposed to be doing, so because the hypocrite isn’t doing what he or she should be doing, what has that to do with us? When we worship God, it should be between us and God. Our focus should be on Him and not on anyone else. Our worship of God has nothing to do with anyone else. We can use another person’s spiritual progress to encourage our own, but we should not allow another’s failure to discourage us.
Second, shouldn’t we know that the devil put hypocrites in the church for just that reason? In Matthew 13: 24-30, Jesus told us that the devil would sow tares among the wheat. What are tares other than pretenders—hypocrites? Tares pretend to be wheat when they are not. Hypocrites pretend to be Christians when they are not. Why does he sow tares among the wheat? He does so to dissuade and divide the believers and lead them into heresy. So when people refuse to go to church because of hypocrites, they are playing into the devil’s hands and just doing what he wants them to do, which is really what they want to do anyway—not go—and they use hypocrites as an excuse. The question could be asked, “Who is really the hypocrite?”
This is why I say it is a copout for people to use hypocrites as a reason for them to not go to church.
What’s Wrong with Harry Potter?
Unlike most people, I am not a part of the Harry Pott
er or Twilight craze. I didn’t see the appeal. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there has been a sudden increase in movies and television shows that promote the supernatural. Movies like Zombieland, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Freak Night, Twilight Saga, and of course, Harry Potter and television shows like True Blood, Vampire Diaries, Ghost Hunters, and Paranormal Files literally litter the box office and airwaves. They promote demonic and ungodly ideals. Why has there been a sudden influx of movies like this?
First, I want to add that I know that shows like this have always been around. There was Bewitched. There was Sabrina, the Teen-aged Witch, Charmed, Witches of Eastwick, and Lost Boys. There were even the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street movies, but those movies came once a year, maybe. Supernatural movies come yearly or more often. The television shows are on weekly, on more than one network. Their popularity is growing.
Some may argue that the reason why there are a plethora of shows is because studios know what is popular and they make clones of them. This is the reason there were a bunch of Apprentice clones (like Richard Branson’s Quest for the Best and The Cut with Tommy Hilfiger) that came out during the show’s heyday. I believe there is another reason.
The Bible says that the antichrist will come with signs and lying wonders (2 Thess. 2:9). His powers will be supernatural except they will be from the devil rather than from God. I believe that the reason there is a number of supernatural movies is to prepare and even instill this philosophy to ready a generation to receive the antichrist. That is the reason why we have seen so many of these types of movies like never before.
As I wrote in my hub, The Bible—Book of Truth, things are coming together, setting up the stage for the end time. The Bible describes what the days will be like in the end times. The news speaks about how nations in the Middle East are coming together with Russia in alignment against Israel. These are the same nations named in Ezekiel 38 and 39. As stated earlier, there will be supernatural events during those days. In addition to the 2 Thessalonians passage, Revelation 13 says that the False Prophet will cause a statue to speak, among other lying wonders.
Through the entertainment industry and the education system, people are being introduced to witchcraft and being turned away from God. They are being introduced to this false power, which can be enticing to young minds. These shows and movies teach that by tapping into this power or by chanting magic words, they can do what Harry Potter or the women of Charmed can do. I know that in these movies, there is still evil. Sometimes that evil is the devil. The devil doesn’t care if you don’t worship him. He just doesn’t want you to seek and worship God. So, to ensure this, he is willing to play the villain.
God led me to write this hub to hopefully open the eyes of the people to see that these movies have an ulterior purpose. That purpose is to lead people away from God. Seeking these ungodly powers, this black magic, comes with a heavy price. Demons and demonic possession are nothing to play with. Plus, people who play with this are putting their immortal souls in jeopardy. Jesus said that hell was made for the devil and his angels. People who follow the devil will also end up in hell with the devil. That is God’s Word.
What is the answer? Turn from these movies and ask Jesus to come into your heart and to deliver you from the power of Satan. Though he has no real power, the devil’s influence on the unsaved is powerful. Christians should not follow Harry Potter or Twilight because they should recognize that these are ungodly movies cloaked in action and romance. But look behind the plotlines and see the story. Harry Potter is about a boy who is a wizard (a person who practices witchcraft). The Bible says that Christians are to avoid witchcraft and those who practice it. Twilight and its clones are about vampires and the undead and the underworld. There is no such thing as the undead. The underworld is the abode of demons.
I cannot encourage you enough to turn away from movies and shows like this. Instead, get into the Word of God. His Spirit will give you enlightenment, if you ask God for it. Tell others about the dangers of these movies. Though they seem innocent, they are not. Yet, their apparent innocence will ensnare you and before you know it, you’ll be submerged in a world of evil. The devil is seeking to draw the minds of people from God and he is using the entertainment industry to do it.
God Is Ultimately Responsible for All Suffering
Sometime ago I was listening to a sermon by Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church, Dallas. The sermon was titled “God is Ultimately Responsible for All Suffering.” It was part of a sermon series he is preaching, called “Politically Incorrect.” The sermon title got me to thinking. As I thought about the title and listened to the sermon, I realized that, as Baptists, we essentially say the same thing only in a different way.
Like some of you, initially, when I read the sermon title, I took it to mean that God brought about or caused all suffering in the world. But that was not the case. Pastor Jeffress’ sermon essentially said that if God is all powerful and is the Sovereign of His universe, then He is ultimately responsible for everything that happens in it. God doesn’t cause the suffering but He does allow it to happen. As Baptist, we certainly say that God is All-powerful and All-knowing. Therefore, if He knows what’s going to happen and is able to stop it but don’t He is ultimately responsible for the consequences it brings.
Job is the prime example. God was aware of what Satan was going to do and even put limitations on how far he could go. Therefore, He was ultimately responsible for the tragedies in Job’s life. Even Job did not discount this. For he said:
God has delivered me to the ungodly,
And turned me over to the hands of the wicked. (Job 16:11)
He also said,
What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? (Job 2:10)
As I begin to think over what I was listening to, it came to me that it was God who sent calamity upon the Israelites. God testified that it was He who raised up the Babylonians who would later lead Judah into captivity (see Ezek. 23:22-24). It was God who sent the flood over the world. Therefore, God is ultimately responsible for all suffering whether He caused it or allowed it.
Think about this: if you allowed your child to touch a hot stove because you wanted to teach them that stoves are hot, you will be ultimately responsible for any suffering that child goes through as a result of their touching the hot stove. Likewise, God is ultimately responsible for any suffering we go through because He allowed it.
Here’s the good news. Since God is ultimately responsible for all suffering, He is also responsible for how much suffering we have to endure. Perhaps you’ve heard the old saying, “God will never put more on us than we are able to bear.” Although it is not in the Bible, there is some truth to it. God may put more on us than we think we are able to bear, but I don’t believe He allows situations to crush us. We may not know the full council of God, we do know that He allows us to undergo some situations to draw us closer to Him. Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11-28-.30).”
He also allows suffering because it is through suffering that we learn obedience (Heb. 5:8). I think He also allows suffering to remind us that we live in a fallen world that is governed by a fallen angel and co-inhabited by fallen people. In short, we live in a sin-filled world. Someone once said, we don’t learn anything when times are good. It is in difficult times that we grow and are shaken from our comfort zones.
Therefore, take courage. In the world, we shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer for Jesus has overcome the world. He that is with you is greater than he who is with them. And finally, if God be for you, no one can be against you. For like Paul, I am convinced that there is nothing, no trial, tribulation, or calamity that can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 23 Commentary
Psalm 23 is perhaps one of the best known passages in the whole Bible; at least it was when I was growing up. I don’t know if it was because it was easy to memorize or because of what the passage says to the person. What a wonderful passage it is. David is believed to be the writer of this passage. David was a shepherd. It was from shepherding that David was anointed to be king of Israel. As a shepherd, David knew what made for a good shepherd, and in this passage you can see his heart; the heart of one shepherd for Another.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. In the very first verse, David says that God is his shepherd; therefore, he will lack nothing. When I first read this verse, I thought it was saying the Lord was his shepherd which he didn’t want. No, it was saying just the opposite. He was glad the Lord was his shepherd. It is because the Lord was his shepherd that he will not be in want for any good thing. He will have no unmet wants, no unmet needs. He goes on to tell how God meets his needs. Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you (Matthew 6:33).
He makes me to lie down in green pastures. One of the first duties of a shepherd is to lead the sheep. Sheep are not smart animals. They need to be led. David says the Lord leads him into green pastures and causes him to lie down there in peace and safety. He leads him besides the still waters. Still waters reaffirm the idea of peace, calm, and tranquility. God brings peace and tranquility to His people.
He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. God restores, or refreshes, the soul of His people. When we are weary from the world or from fighting off evil, the Lord sends His refreshing upon us and we are revived. He also leads His people in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake. Proverbs 3: 5-6 tells us that if we trust in the Lord that He will direct our paths, literally, make our paths straight. God will never misdirect us. Psalms 37:23 says that the steps of the righteous are ordered (directed) by the Lord. Why does He do this? It is so that His name will be exalted. God wants our lives to be a glory to His name.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Another responsibility of a shepherd is to protect the flock. David says that God protects him when he goes through the valley of the shadow of death. What is the valley of the shadow of death? There are likely as many answers to this question as there are people asked. The best interpretation of this phrase is likely a deep, dark time in a person’s life. It may or may not actually involve physical danger. Regardless, the truth is the same. When God’s people go through this time we will not fear because God is with us, much like He was with Daniel in the lion’s den or with the three Hebrew boys were in the fiery furnace. No harm comes to God’s people without God’s permission and when it happens, it becomes an occasion for God to be glorified.
For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. David says that not only does God’s presence give him comfort, but so do His rod and His staff. With his rod, also known as the shepherd’s crook, he gently guides the sheep and keeps them from harm. With his staff, a shepherd beats away any wild animal that tries to attack the flock. What are the Shepherd’s rod and staff? Matthew Henry says that they refer to the Word of God (Christ) and the Holy Spirit. Could it be that the Word guides and the Spirit protects us from that which would harm us?
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. The third duty of the shepherd is to provide for the sheep. David says his Shepherd provides for him by preparing a table for him, even in the presence (or face) of his enemies. This alludes both to God’s protection and His provision. When a person can eat in front of his enemies without fear, he does so knowing that he is protected. Where did this food come from? It came from the Shepherd.
Matthew Henry adds that not only is the provision physical but also spiritual. God has provided all things pertaining to both life and godliness… all things requisite both for body and soul, for time and eternity.” God provided His Son Jesus to be the payment for our sin. Because of His sacrifice, the enemy, the devil, has no power over us. We belong to Him and we are protected by Him. Though the devil tries to come against us and steal from us, God is abundant in His provisions, both physical and spiritual.
You anoint my head with oil. In the Bible, anointing with oil has two meanings. The first is the consecration of a person for God’s service. David himself was anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel. The second meaning is to become refreshed. In Matthew 6, during Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, He told the people not to fast like the hypocrites who do it to be seen of men. He told them, “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” David acknowledges that God has set him apart for His purpose. The anointing he is referring to could either be literal or symbolic.
My cup runs over. As David looks back over the blessings of the Lord, he realizes that he is so blessed that he cannot contain them all. When Nathan the prophet confronted David about his affair with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah, he told David of the blessings of the Lord: “I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more!” What a statement!
When Solomon became king after his father David, God asked him what would he like for God to give him. Solomon requested wisdom so he could better rule God’s people. In response, God said to Solomon, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding…13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 14 So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or think.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If God has been good to Him in the past, He will be good to him in the future. David has this confidence because he knows the character of the Shepherd and because God’s Word confirms it. He also knows that when it is all said and done, and life comes to an end, he will be welcomed into His Father’s house where he will dwell forever.
David recognized what a good Shepherd God is. He provides. He protects. He leads. He comforts. He anoints. He restores. He saves. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, demonstrated the goodness and mercy and care He had for His sheep by laying down his life to protect His sheep from death and to provide them eternal rest. Is He your Shepherd? If not, ask Him to let you join His flock. If you do, you will be like David who said, “Because the Lord is my Shepherd, all may needs are taken care of.”
Psalm 1 Commentary
There is great wisdom in Psalms 1. If one reads Psalms 1 it would put them in mind of the Proverbs of David’s son, Solomon. Both warn the reader (or singer) about the perils of being a part of the wicked and remind the reader of the rewards of being righteous. There is danger in hanging with the wrong crowd and blessing in hanging with the right one.
Blessed is the man. The word, blessed, in Hebrew also means happy. David is describing the state of the person who adheres to the condition he is about to describe. Jesus used a similar mantra in his Sermon on the Mount. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” Happy will be the person who….
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly – the person being describe here is a person who does not listen to nor seek the advice of ungodly people. The Bible teaches that the heart of the ungodly is foolish, lacking in wisdom. Psalms 24:1 says, “The fool says in his heart there is no God.” For only the ungodly would dare say there is no God. They say this because it eases their conscience and justifies their actions. If there is no God to whom they must give account, then they can live any way they choose. The wise man does not seek the counsel of fools. Christians should not seek the counsel of non-Christians. This includes bankers, accountants, psychologists, counselors, lawyers, or doctors. The information they give you might sound pleasant at the time but will give your heartache in the long run.
Nor stands in the path of sinners– I once heard a preacher say that when he first read this verse he thought it was saying that the wise man does not stand in the way of sinners coming to salvation. David was saying is the person who does not stop to converse or hang out with sinners will be a happy person. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians that there is no fellowship of light and darkness, of righteousness and lawlessness. This does not mean that Christians are to avoid sinners. On the contrary, these are the people we were left here to lead to salvation. Instead, David is saying that the righteous, Christians, are not to spend too much time with sinners. The law of spiritual gravity says that the will bring a righteous person down to their level before a righteous person brings the sinner up to his. This is true because not only do you have the sinner working against you but also your own sinful nature.
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful – I hope you see the natural progression here. First, the person walks, then he stands, now he sits. Sin will slowly drag you in if you let it. Now it seems the person addressed is comfortable with the ungodly—comfortable enough that he sits down. When a person sits down, they intend to stay a while. This is dangerous because, as this progression shows, the person is subtly being transformed back into the world instead of transforming him- or herself into Christ. I’ve always taught that association breeds assimilation. This means that you become like the people you hang with.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. Hanging with people who are opposed to God does not bring happiness. Instead, a person become happy by reading and meditating on the law (or Word) of God. God’s Word is alive. Each time you read it, it speaks to you. It tells you things you never knew; it shows you things you didn’t see before. Someone once compare the Word to an onion; each time you read it, another layer comes off. Like God, there is always something to discover in God’s Word. God told the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6 that they were to meditate on the Word day and night. To meditate means to think on something; to turn it over and over in your mind, asking what does each word mean and how do they come together in the thought of the passage. As someone once said, to meditate means to chew on it and then chew on it some more until you get all you can out of it.
He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. The person who meditates on the Word will be like a tree planted by streams of water. He or she will have deep set roots and will be unmovable, unshakable. James say that a double-minded person is unstable in all their ways. What is a double-minded person? He is a person who can easily be swayed from one position to another; a person who can be tossed to and fro by every wind and doctrine. If a new truth comes along, they jump on it whether or not it agrees with the Bible. When that new truth turns out to be an old lie, they lose faith and lose heart. They become discontented with “religion”. May even fall away from the church. Blessed people follow the precepts of the Word and, as a result, what they do brings them success. “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take (Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT).”
The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Again David contrasts the plight of the wicked versus the destiny of the righteous. The wicked are like chaff and will soon blow away. It may not seem like soon for us but when we look back on everything we will see that their reign did not last long. God is being longsuffering with them desiring they should repent but even God can say enough is enough.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. When the ungodly stand before God, they will not have a leg to stand on. God will play back their actions, their thoughts, and their words. Those will be contrasted against God’s law. He will even call into evidence their conscience. All this overwhelming evidence will silence the most ardent self-defender. Because of they will acknowledge their own guilt, the ungodly, sinners, will not stand in, or be a part of, the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish. It is a wonderful thing that God knows the fate of the righteous. He directs their steps (Psalms 37:23). He will see them safely to Heaven’s port. Psalms 91 says, “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.” Not so with the ungodly. They will be destroyed. They sowed destruction; destruction they will reap.
Imagine hanging with friends who are ungodly. They get you to drive them to a convenience store. They tell you to wait here and keep the car running, they’ll run in and get something and be right out. The next thing you know they’re jumping into your car and saying, “Go, go!” You ask, “What’s the hurry?” They answer, “We just robbed the store and the police will be here any minute?” As Keanu Reeves said in Speed, “Pop quiz, what do you do?” If you do nothing, you just hope they don’t get caught because if they do, they’ll rat you out. If you tell on them, you still might get arrested as an accessory; and if not, they might get you for being a snitch. You can’t win in that scenario even though you did nothing but be there.
I admit this is an extreme scenario but I’m sure it has happened to at least one person in their life. For others, other scenarios have played out. Christian girl gets pregnant by ungodly boy who dumps her soon afterward. Christian counselor wrongfully accused of sexual assault by angry, ungodly person. Police search car of a Christian and finds gun/drugs that were lift there by ungodly passenger. And the list goes on. Therefore, the Christians should not avoid the ungodly but keep their associations with the ungodly to a minimum.
Two Great Proofs God Exist
There many proofs that God exist. First, the earth is proof. We are on a planet that is safely distant from the sun. We are close enough that we don’t freeze; yet far enough that we don’t burn up. Human life is other proof. The body is complex. Even the eye is too complex for modern doctors to completely understand. We can even begin to scratch the surface of the brain. Here are two more proofs of God’s existence. Yet, many people think this all happened by chance. But these are not the two great proofs I am referring to. The ones I am referring to are Israel and the Church.
Israel
I believe Israel is one of the greatest proofs or evidences of God’s existence. According to the Bible, Israel was founded by God through the man Abram. God said to him that He would make of him (Abram/Abraham) a great nation. He promised that Abraham’s seed would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand by the seashore. God promised Israel a land that would be theirs forever.
God allowed Israel to go Egypt in order to grow into a nation large enough to conquer the Promised Land. After 400 years, He visited Israel and delivered her from the Egyptians and led her into the land in which they now live. From the time that they left Egypt until this day, Israel has been under attack. She has been hated and despised by her enemies. Yet, she still exists. Even though she has gone up against enemies bigger and more powerful than she is, she still stands and they have fallen. Whether they are Perizzites, Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, or Amalekites, God has protected the nation of Israel. Even Adolf Hitler could not wipe out the Jews.
In fulfillment of His promise in Ezekiel 66 that a nation would be born in a day, Israel was recognized as a state in May 14, 1948. During the 6 Day War, God protected Israel when Egypt, Syria, and Jordan sought to invade. Even today, with Iran breathing threats of destruction, the Palestinians sending bombs and missiles into the land, and the whole world looking at Israel with disgust, she will still stand. If God does not exist, how could such a nation still exist in the face of such opposition? God defends Israel, Even when Iran and her Russian and Muslim confederation try to invade her, God will defend Israel by destroying the entire invasion force. Why does Israel still exist? God looks after her. He made a covenant with her and He will see it through to completion.
The Church
Since the Church’s beginning, she, too, has been the target for those who are against God. Why is this? Since her founding, the Church has done nothing but preach love and hope and sought to meet needs. Yes, there were some bad apples along the way. The Crusades were not ordained of God, I believe. But for the most part, the Church has been on the defensive not the offensive.
Nearly all the Disciples of Jesus were martyred; all but John the Revelator. People argue that the Bible account was a lie and that Jesus did not die or that Jesus did not get up from the grave. They pose the hypothesis that it was all a ruse perpetrated by His Disciples. My question is, to what end? They nearly all died miserable deaths. Peter, Philip, Andrew, Simon, Thaddeus, and Bartholomew were all crucified. Paul and Matthias were beheaded. Matthew was killed with a halberd. James the Less had his head bashed in with a fuller’s club. Thomas, also known as “Doubting Thomas” was thrust through with a spear. So, if they made up Christ’s resurrection, why didn’t they recant? Why did they die? How were they to gain from a lie in death?
Persecutions didn’t stop with the Disciples. Church fathers like Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin, Plutarchus, and Irenaeus were among those martyred for their faith. Arguably, thousands, if not millions, have been tortured and/or killed because they identified themselves with Christ. This is in fulfillment of John 15:18. Thousands of years have passed, millions have been martyred, yet the church still goes on.
Even today, churches are burned. Christians are ridiculed. In foreign countries, they are still hunted and martyred. In fact, a website, called Voice of the Martyrs, has been set up to showcase this persecution and to be a nexus for prayer for these brave soldiers. Yet, the church still goes on.
Why does she [the Church] still go on? She still goes on because she is fueled by God. Temples to Venus and Jupiter and others like them are out of business but the church is still marching on. She’s been attacked by pagans and Muslims, but she still marches on. She’s under attack now by liberals with a self-centered agenda, but she will continue to march on until the Lord calls her home.
Yes, I believe Israel and the Church are the two greatest proofs that God exist. There is no other explanation as to how two entities, who are despised by so many, can continue to exist and thrive except for God. Businesses have come and gone. Empires has risen and fallen but both the Church and Israel continue on. With that, there is no argument.
Honor the Sabbath
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
The next commandment God gave the Israelites was to remember the Sabbath and to keep it holy. Just as the Israelites were commanded to be holy, set apart (Deuteronomy 7:6), they were to set apart, consecrate, the seventh day as a holy day. The Sabbath is holy in that it was set apart, different from the rest of the week. The rest of the week they were to work but on the Sabbath, they were to rest.
The word, Sabbath, comes from the ‘shabath’ (shaw-bath’), which means repose, rest, or intermission. The Sabbath was a day of rest or intermission in the week. The Israelites were not to do any work on the Sabbath. This did not mean that they were not to labor but that they were not to work for profit. After Jesus healed someone on the Sabbath, the Pharisees accused Him of breaking the Law. As Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees that if their donkey had fallen into a ditch on the Sabbath they would have gotten it out; yet they accuse Him of sinning because He healed someone. He didn’t seem to suggest that saving the animal was a sin but was pointing out the fact that they valued their property more than they valued people.
Jesus told the Pharisees that the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath. God made the Sabbath as a day of rest for mankind. The Pharisees saw the Sabbath as a day to do no work. They legalistically said what could and what could not be done on the Sabbath thus Jesus’ previously-mentioned encounter with them.
They were not only commanded to honor the Sabbath but they were commanded to remember the Sabbath. Remembering the Sabbath means that they were to keep it before them. They were to calendar it. They were not to forget it. He knew that people’s drive for money, power, and success would cause them to work constantly without rest and the body was not designed to work for long periods at that level. The body needs to rest and be free from stress. Even steel will break under constant stress.
What does this mean for us today? Many businesses are open seven days a week. Some people work two jobs. Should we go back to the days when everything was closed on Sunday? Christians are still called to honor the spirit of the Law if not the letter. The spirit is that we are to take a day off from work to rest. It is also that we are to set aside time for the worship of God and communion with Him. Since we are the church, we no longer have to go to a building to worship Him; we can worship Him anytime, anywhere. In that vein, everyday is a Sabbath Day. But we are not to ignore God’s command to rest. He even used Himself as the example. Six days He created the heavens and the earth and everything in it in six days. On the seventh day, the Lord rested (Genesis 2:2).
Love Thy God
On Mount Sinai God gave Moses Ten Commandments. These were the first among many laws that God gave the Israelites. These first Ten Commandments were to instruct the Israelites how they were to treat God and treat each other. These Commandments were initially inscribed on stone tablets by the hand of God, Himself (Exodus 31:18). In this lesson, we will look at the first three of the Ten Commandments—the ones that pertain to our treatment of God.
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods besides me (Exodus 20:2-3).”
When God delivered the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, He delivered them from a land of people who were pantheistic—they worshipped many gods. There was a god of the harvest, the moon god, the sun god, etc. God wanted them to know that there was just one God and He was Him. Who was this God? He was the One who used a mighty hand to deliver the children of Israel out of the land of slavery. He was their Deliverer. It was not the sun god, nor the moon god, nor the god of cattle nor the god of rain. It was He and the Israelites were not to give tribute or worship to any other so-called god.
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments (Exodus 20:4-6).
Not only were the Egyptians polytheistic, they were also idol worshippers. The sun was the symbol for Ra, the Sun god. Anubis was half man and half jackal. Hathor, the goddess of motherhood, was imaged as a cow (sometimes female) with a sundisk on her head. This was the culture the Israelites were delivered from. This was the culture they spend four hundred years being indoctrinated into. So, when God gave the command that they should make no graven (or carved) images to Him, this was a whole new way of living, a whole new way of worship. It was a whole new lifestyle. Some people in Egypt made their living making and selling idols. Now God was saying that that was no longer acceptable.
Why was idolatry so bad? First, God was separating His people from the rest of the world. Nearly every other nation had an idol for a God. Even the Philistines had Dagon, a half man, half fish idol. He didn’t want the Israelites to be like the other nations. He was setting them apart.
Another reason is that God wanted His people to have a personal relationship with Him. He did not want them giving His praise to a piece of stone or wood. He wanted them to worship Him directly. As Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4, “God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth.” Worship is a matter of the heart. It is our heart touching the heart of God with praise and adoration. God did not want praise going to anything (or anyone) else.
God says that He is a jealous God. This does not mean that God is envious of the idols that got worshipped. God is saying that He is protective of the worship that He is due and He gets angry when people assign worship due Him to anything or anyone else. Besides that, oftentimes, demons would associate themselves with these idols, thus robbing God of His praise and causing people worship them unaware. Worshipping idols is an empty act.
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name (Exodus 20:7).”
God is holy and His name is holy. When it is spoken, it is be for a purpose and with reverence. Nowadays, people name their children all sorts of “cute” names, but in the Bible days, names meant something. Abraham’s name meant Father of Nations, which he was. He was the father of Israel through Jacob and Arab people through Esau. Jacob’s name meant Deceiver and that is what he was. Samuel’s name meant Heard by God or God Hears, which was exemplified in 1 Samuel 2 when God called and ordained Samuel a prophet to Israel . Jonah’s name means Dove. The dove is a symbol of peace (Genesis 8:11). Jonah brought a message of peace to the Ninevites. God’s name, Jehovah, means I AM.
This is the name by which He called Himself. He doesn’t live because He is life. He doesn’t just exist because all that exist emanate from Him. He is. Not only Is He, but He is whatever you need Him to be in any situation. For Abraham, He was Jehovah-Jireh, the God that Provides. For David, He was Jehovah-Shalom-the God of Peace. As He was for them, He will be the same for us.
There is power in God’s name. This is evident in our society. I am amazed how people take the name of God in vain. I often hear GD this and GD that. Then there’s JESUS CHRIST. Let’s not forget, “Holy Cow, Batman!” Yet, you never hear people misuse the name of Allah, Buddha, Confucius, Mohammad, or Joseph Smith. Why? There’s no power in their names. There’s no spiritual sense of ‘rebellion’ in misusing their names. So people don’t do it.
As we can see from these first three commandments, they are not burdensome nor are they for naught. There is a reason for each of His commands. Next time we will see the purpose and benefits of the Fourth Commandment.
Cyber-Discipleship 