Category: From the Preacher’s Pen

“Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight” (Proverbs 11:1).

Dishonesty and theft are unacceptable to Jehovah. In the same context, the wise man wrote, “The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them” (11:3). It is telling that honesty in a person is indicative of personal integrity, and that dishonesty indicates perversity and unfaithfulness.

The characteristics of honesty and integrity would go a long way to fixing the moral problems of our day. While all will claim that personal integrity is very important, our culture is rife with liars, thieves and politicians (sorry, couldn’t resist).

God demands honesty from His children. Jesus said, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?” (Luke 16:10-12).

“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” (1 Corinthians 3:18-19).

Human “wisdom” that denies God or His word is described by Paul here as only illusory, (“seems to be wise”). Interestingly, he also refers to being wise “in this age.” It seems that every generation believes itself to be wiser than the one before. There is an arrogance of time that leads the current generation to disregard the accomplishments and knowledge of the previous one.

An example. Many of the most accomplished Presidents of our nation believed in God, and in the Bible’s inspiration. However, to many today, such a belief in and of itself makes a man unqualified to serve in the office. Such arrogance is disturbing.

The problem is that knowledge is equated with wisdom. Because men gain more and more understanding of technology, science and medicine, they think themselves to be more capable than their predecessors in other realms as well. However, there is nothing in those disciplines that either disproves or invalidates the words of the great apostle Paul, “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things” (Acts 17:24-25).

To gain actual wisdom rather than the illusory wisdom that has its origin with men, we must turn to God and His will. We are fooling ourselves if we don’t. As our text states, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.”

“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:11-12).

• Sojourners (a foreigner or stranger), and pilgrims (a resident foreigner) describe the Christian’s presence on earth. Your citizenship is elsewhere, though you labor on this earth for a short while before going to the eternal kingdom to which you rightly belong.
• This world is characterized by ungodliness. This ungodliness is destructive to the eternal soul, and should be avoided. As a Christian, you are in the world, but you are not to be of the world.
• By living righteously, you serve as a wonderful influence to those who are not Christians. While enemies of the cross will speak evil of you and your faith, a righteous life will win many converts to God’s way. Jesus said you are to be “the light of the world.” “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14,16).

Like Timothy, you are to take heed to God’s will for you. As you live righteously before Him, you will be able to “save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16).

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

This passage is among the most abused in the entire Bible. It does not give authority for women preachers or elders, nor does it give any comfort to those who claim homosexuality is given God’s tacit approval by the words. Such views do great violence not only to the immediate context, but also the greater context of the Bible as a whole.

What the passage does is validate the worth of every soul. The Jew can not justly claim the Gentile is denied “repentance unto life” (cf. Acts 11:18). Men can’t deny that the souls of women are as precious and valuable to the Lord as their own. Slaves can’t be considered mere chattel, less than human. All men and women, no matter their social standing, culture or race are precious in the sight of God. They are given the opportunity by the Almighty to appeal to His mercy and grace for their redemption.

God is no respecter of persons. The apostle Paul affirms that God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). As such, He sent His Son, “who gave Himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:6). There are no second class citizens in the kingdom of God. Every creature can come to Him, and “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16).

Matthew 14:53-58 records Jesus’ rejection by the citizens of Nazareth. This led Him to say, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house” (57). They thought they knew Jesus. They had watched Him grow up, knew Him to be “the carpenter’s son”, and could not reconcile the miracles and teaching of Jesus with their own flawed perception of the man.

Interestingly, they acknowledged Jesus had “wisdom” and had performed “mighty works.” But, they were unwilling to accept the obvious, that Jesus was the Messiah as He claimed to be. They instead insisted that their existing perceptions of the man were correct, despite the evidence to the contrary. So, “they were offended at Him” (57).

After Jesus explanation as to why they were not accepting Him, Matthew records, “Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (vs. 58). They saw sufficient proof, but it had not swayed them. Further efforts to establish His credentials would be futile (cf. Luke 16:31), and so He did not try.

The same is true today. People reject Jesus as the Messiah, not because of a dearth of evidence, but because of their own preconceptions. Some believe religion to be mere superstition; others place their trust in science; many deny the possibility of a supernatural resurrection from the dead. The proof matters not, they will not believe. Regardless, the proof that Jesus is the Christ is abundant and sure!

The typical Premillennialist believes that it was Jesus’ intent while here on earth to establish His kingdom, and reign on a physical throne in Jerusalem. They believe that He was thwarted in His intent by the rejection of the Jews leading to His death. Therefore, He will not be able to establish His kingdom until He comes again. The truth is far different:

First, Jesus came to the earth to die. He knew He would die, and that death was a part of God’s plan. This is clearly seen in His own words. After Peter declared Him to be the Christ, He said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day” (Luke 9:22).

Second, the Kingdom of Christ is not a physical kingdom. Again note the words of our Lord, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here” (John 18:36). The Premillennialists claim that when Jesus comes again, He will come with an army to fight a physical battle. They are wrong.

Third, the Kingdom of Christ has already been established. Paul asserts that truth. To the saints in Colosse he wrote, “He [God] has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:13).

Fourth, when Christ comes again, that is it! There will be no 1,000 year reign, as He is reigning now. Peter described His future arrival, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10).

In Ezekiel 14, the prophet shared with the elders of Israel God’s displeasure at the idolatry practiced by the nation. “I the Lord will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols” (4b-5).

God called upon them to “Repent, burn away form your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations” (vs. 6). If they would not, He warned, “I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am the Lord” (vs. 8).

This prophecy has been fulfilled. The Jews who were unfaithful to God were judged by Him. The judgment they suffered is a proverb to us. We learn from their unfortunate example! “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

But, many of us refuse to learn the lesson. We erect our own idols (things to which we give primacy rather than God). We don’t consider the fact that we may be as guilty as the Israelites: “these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity” (Ezekiel 14:3). Always put God first in your life, and avoid being a sign and a proverb to future generations.

The title is a fancy way of saying that tomorrow’s addition of an extra date to the calendar (this is a leap year) got me thinking about time.

The insertion of an extra day into the calendar for corrective purposes was an innovation of Julius Caesar 2000 years ago. It was modified a bit when the “Gregorian” calendar was adopted in the western world in 1582. But, this article is not about that…

We are creatures bound by time. We mark the day of our birth, each year in turn, and finally, the day of our death. Our physical existence is measured by decades, years, months, days, hours, minutes and seconds. Our written history will add centuries, and perhaps a few millennia, but ultimately the span of our temporal existence is greatly limited.

Perhaps this is why the concept of God is met with such resistance. The skeptic is certainly challenged by the evolutionist’s hypothetical “billions of years”, but is absolutely unable to grasp the idea of a Being without beginning or end.

Even Christians struggle with the scope of eternity. The goal of eternity in God’s presence, while desired, is too often a remote concept. We live in the here and now, and sometimes our focus strays (to our detriment) to what this life has to offer. Let us never forget the only question of importance, as asked of Jesus by the young ruler, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17).

Gossip is one of the most diabolical and destructive of sins. It is extremely common, it is often accompanied by disavowal and rationalization, and it can and does lay waste to relationships of all types. “A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends” (Proverbs 16:28).

It is for this reason that gossip is condemned in scripture. “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29).

Gossip dies when it hits the ears of a wise person

The way to kill gossip is to refuse to participate in the ritual.

The wise man wrote, “A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter” (Proverbs 11:13). May each of us heed the words of the Psalmist, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).

In Esther 4:14, Mordecai, Queen Esther’s older cousin and father figure told her, “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

This question was the culmination of Mordecai’s exhortation to Esther that she petition the king to save the Jews, who were targeted for perdition. Esther was initially resistant, fearing the wrath of her husband. However, at Mordecai’s words she said, “And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” (vs. 16).

Regarding God’s providence, His will shall be done in all things. This is clear from the true statement uttered by Mordecia, “relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews.”

Consider that Mordecai was more concerned about the personal salvation of his younger cousin. While God’s will would be accomplished, it was important for her that she seek to assist God in His work.

The same is true for us. God has chosen to save the world through the preaching and influence of His people. Souls will be saved, and God’s will shall be done. The question is, will you be a part of that work? Your own salvation may depend upon it! “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16).

Selfishness is perhaps the single human characteristic most destructive to the unity of God’s people. When men are more concerned with their own desires and will, and less interested in the welfare of the many, division is the natural consequence.

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he wrote, “I implore Euodia and Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord” (4:2). These words strike the only sour chord in Paul’s letter of love to that congregation. It seems that strife existed between the two women, and Paul admonished them directly.

Earlier in his letter there is a possible explanation for the conflict, as Paul expressed in the second chapter the basis for unity among believers. He wrote, “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (2:1-4). The ladies may have been acting selfishly.

Selflessness is the example set by our Lord (cf. 2:5-8). If Jesus had acted selfishly, not mindful of our needs, He would have remained in Heaven with the Father. If He had, He would not have secured our redemption. We rejoice that our Lord was more concerned for us than for His own welfare. And, we should follow His example.

“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise” (1 Corinthians 3:18).

It is very easy to deceive yourself in this life. It can happen in several ways. It may be that you compare yourself with another rather than the inspired standard (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:12). It may that your problem is arrogance, and you are dismissive of views other than your own. (cf. Proverbs 16:18). It may be that ignorance or prejudice leaves you vulnerable to being “tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14; cf. 2 Peter 3:14-16). Regardless, self-deception is rampant.

The apostle Paul, in our text, shares the secret to avoiding self deception. Become a fool. The idea parallels his words in 1 Corinthians 1:8, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

It is only when we submit ourselves to the will of God that we can be assured we have a firm grasp on our relationship with Him. God has revealed Himself to us so that we have a full and complete understanding of what He requires of us. We can examine our lives and hearts, holding them up to the light of God’s word, and be either confident in our standing, or aware of the changes we need to make to be pleasing to Him. “Lean not on your own understanding!” (Proverbs 3:5).

“These were more fair- minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

The Bereans were fair-minded. Why? It is because they had the right attitude toward the Scriptures. For us to emulate their example, we must as well.

First, realize that the truth is the truth. That is, it is revealed, absolute and unchanging. While men’s perceptions may vacillate, the truth remains inviolate.

Our approach to truth should be a desire for conformity. We do not go to the Scriptures to rationalize and validate our settled practice or teaching. We use the Scriptures as a standard to which we compare our practice and teaching. If we find the two to be identical, we are vindicated; if we do not, we must change our practice or teaching.

We make a mistake if we go to the Scriptures with settled convictions regarding our practice or teaching. If that is so, and the two do not agree, our tendency will be to twist the Scriptures to our practice rather than to conform our practice to the Scriptures.

The question must be, what do the Scriptures teach? We then compare our own practice and teaching to the light of that divine standard, with the purpose of conforming our practice and teaching to it.

Paul wrote, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1). The phrase “if then” refers back to his statement in the previous chapter, “buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (2:12).

Those who have been baptized have been raised with Christ. The blessings given by God at baptism (the “remission of sins” cf. Acts 2:38), require a response on the part of those who are born again to this new life. We are to “seek those things which are above.”

The idea that man has no part to play in his own redemption is very wrong. Paul wrote, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). He also admonished the Philippians to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (2:12-13).

Have you been raised to a new life? Then you need to ask yourself whether you are doing “His good pleasure” or your own. You are now a child of God, and it is your responsibility to “seek those things which are above.”

This life will end some future day,
Another life will then begin;
Are you prepared for that event,
Just after death, — What then?

Just after death, — O! Answer me,
Where will you spend eternity?
When time on earth shall cease to be,
Just after death, — What then?

E.M. Bartlett (1928)

The writer of Hebrews informs us, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Hebrews 9:27-28).

While many are unsure of what will happen at death, the Christian is confident in his hope! As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation” (1 Thessalonians 5:8).

Where will you spend eternity? In the blessed presence of the God of heaven? Or eternally separated from Him, in torment? This life is preparatory. It is God’s intent that you live so as to secure a more permanent and exceeding glory!