A certain portion of Scripture has been on my mind quite a bit lately. This passage troubles me for two reasons. The first reason is because it describes our culture in a very exacting way. From the big cities to the rural areas like I live in, the similarities are striking. The second reason is because the passage also describes in great detail what God does to people who do the things outlined in this chapter. Let me share the passage with you so you can see what I am talking about. I am going to put what our culture has done in italics and what God will do (and is already doing) in bold letter. The passage is a little lengthy, but I think you will be blown away by what it says.
Romans 1:18-32 says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them."
A ton of things could be said about the passage above, but let's look at the four main things that jump out to me.
1. Did you see what the first verse said? Romans 1:18 says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." That is a terrifying text in itself. God's holy wrath is revealed from heaven against ALL ungodliness and unrighteousness to those who suppress the truth. How often do we forget that God is holy, righteous, and just? We talk about God being a God of love (and He definitely is), but He is equally a God of holiness and justice. Because He is holy and just, He MUST punish sin. God must and will punish each and every sin ever committed in thought, motive, word, or deed. Habakkuk 1:13a says, "Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You can not look on wickedness with favor." The punishment will either be poured out on unrepentant sinners in an eternal hell, or has already been poured out on our Great Substitute (Jesus Christ) who bore the punishment of sins of each and every person who comes to Him in repentant faith. Mark 1:15 says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." Make no mistake, though, God's wrath burns against all sin. Psalm 5:5 says, "The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity." What an amazing testimony to God's love and mercy that He would offer forgiveness to the very ones who are His enemies!
2. The next thing I want to show you is this: Those who do not honor God and give Him thanks will face a terrifying punishment here and now (not to mention eternally). God will give them up in the lusts of their heart to impurity. That might not shake you up, but it surely does me. Let me explain. Those who do not honor the true God are without excuse for their actions of rebellion. They may appear to be very wise and educated, but if they do not honor and acknowledge God, they are fools. Psalm 14:1 says, "The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good." Why don't people honor God? They don't because they love sin. And God's response to that is what is frightening. He gives them up to their impurity. He let's them go. He let's them fulfill their wicked hearts' desires. He removes His restraining hand of grace. He will let them dishonor themselves. He will allow them to worship the gifts instead of the giver. If that is not terrifying, then I don't know what is. Do you want to see if a nation (or person) is pleasing to God? Then take a look at how they live. Do they love unrighteousness and the very things that God hates? That is a very strong indicator that God has already begun to give them up to their desires.
3. Look at the next step in the progression. Man's first step down the slippery slope of sin is when they deny God or don't honor Him. God then gives them up in the lusts of their hearts to their impurity. The next step gets worse. Look what happens to a culture when God gives them up to the lusts of their hearts. God gives them up to dishonorable passions. What are some examples of this? Romans 1:26-27 says, "For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error." Did you see the main symptom of God's judgment on a culture? He gives them up to sexual sin, particularly homosexuality. Do you want to know if God is judging a nation by giving them up to their lusts? Then look at how they view sex. Is sex a sacred gift God has given to one man and one woman to enjoy between themselves for a lifetime? Or does the culture view sex as an enjoyment to be obtained in whatever sinful way is pleasing to them? It is very troubling to me when I take a long and hard look at the culture that we live in. I think it is quite plain to see where we are as a culture.
4. Let's look at the last step in the judgment of God before the eventual eternal punishment that await those who refuse to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. Romans 1:28-32 says, "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them."
If sinful men continue to go down the path of sin, this is the final step before eternal judgment. Look at this descriptive list of those who are on that path. What an accurate description of our culture! And here is the most telling thing about the list. Not only do people who God has given up do those sinful things, but they also give approval to others who practice them. There is no shame. Do you want me to tell you how you know a person or culture has sunk to an all-time low? If they have no shame for their sins and encourage and approve of others sin, then that is a very good indication that they are in a frightful situation.
Now do you see why this passage troubles me? What are we to do? Is there no hope for such a sinful culture? Thankfully, there is hope. Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." Since that passage is true, it is no wonder that Jesus gave very specific marching orders to the church. Matthew 28:19-20 says, "And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
I am thankful that the Gospel of Christ has power to save. I am thankful that God can still break the hardest of hearts. I am thankful that in the midst of a perverse generation, God is till on the throne. Praise His name that in the midst of judgment, there is still hope to those who repent and believe on Christ.
Until next time, blessings and peace...
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
THE FEAR IS GONE
Psalm 33:8- Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
If there is one verse that you don't hear quoted much in the average American pulpit, that one is it. These days our main job is to make people feel good about themselves and be as comfortable as possible at church. And we are seeing the results of it. I challenge you to take a look at most people in your lives that call themselves Christians. Next, take a look at the ones who say they are not Christians. Do you see much of a difference? Well, besides the Christian t-shirt or bumper sticker that the professing Christian is sure to have. The sad reality is this: Our watered-down preaching and teaching is producing nothing but shallow spiritual counterfeits.
God wants you to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. Sin is no big deal. Hey, nobody is perfect, right? I've repeated a prayer. I've asked Jesus to come into my heart. Sure, I don't hunger for God's word. I don't long to cry out to God in prayer. I don't have a burning desire to share the Gospel with the lost. I listen to music that mocks God. I watch tv and movies that God hates. I use filthy language from time to time. Sure, I dishonor God by lusting and having premarital sex (or by watching porn or cheating on my spouse). I constantly gossip and talk badly about people. Lying and cheating aren't really that big of a deal to me. I know I do all of those things, but I still love Jesus. I asked Him to come into my heart. Don't you remember?
Sadly, that is the typical testimony of most church-goers these days. If you were to ask them if they feared God, they would enthusiastically say that they surely do. Let's hold their profession of faith up to Scripture, though. Proverbs 8:13 says, "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate." What does it mean to fear the Lord? It means to hate evil. That doesn't sound much like the typical testimony above, does it?
Why should we hate evil? What does that have to do with fearing the Lord? Let me allow Isaiah to answer that question for you. Isaiah 8:13 says, "It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread." The reason is this: God is holy. God is holy and you are not. When you come face to face with the fact the you have offended a holy God with your sin, it should cause you to fear Him and dread Him, just like Isaiah said. Most people don't fear the Lord, though. Christians have t-shirts that proclaim "Jesus is my homeboy". There is no reverence for the King of Kings. There is no standing in awe of His holiness. There is just a quick yawn and glance at the clock to see if the sermon is almost over.
Scripture teaches us that the fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge and wisdom. Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." Did you see that? It is only when we have a proper fear of God that we can begin to understand who He is. And what is this Holy God like? Habakkuk 1:13a says, "Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and you can not look on wickedness with favor." We think of sin as "no big deal". Unfortunately, it is a very big deal to our holy God. Psalm 7:11 tells us, "God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day." This awesome God is angry. He is angry with sinful humanity. Isaiah 13:9 says, "Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, cruel, with fury and burning anger, to make the land a desolation; and He will exterminate its sinners from it." That doesn't sound like your typical Sunday morning sermon, does it? 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 says, "Dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power." What is awaiting sinful humanity when they face a holy God? Eternal punishment. Eternal torment in an awful place called hell. Revelation 20:15 says, "And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
But wait a minute. Isn't that just for the "bad" people. I mean, come on, aren't most of us good people? Let's let Scripture answer this one. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." That's not all. Romans 3:10 says, "As it is written, there is none righteous, not even one." How about one more? Isaiah 64:6a says, "For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment." Wow, maybe we are not as good as we thought. Psalm 5:4-6 says, "For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; no evil dwells with You. The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity."
If somebody truly believes the verses I just shared, I can guarantee they will fear the Lord. I promise that they will stand in awe of the Holy One. Most don't truly believe that, though. But, wait just a minute. Don't you just have to believe in Jesus? Or ask Him to come into your heart? Please read this warning from Scripture. James 2:19 says, "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder." There is more to true faith than believing that Jesus is real, or even that He died on a cross for sins.
We must have REPENTANT faith. Mark 1:15 says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; REPENT and BELIEVE in the gospel." We must repent AND believe in Christ as our only hope of salvation. Can I tell you something? Everybody and their brother in America believe in Jesus. The problem is, very few have repented. Luke 13:3 says, "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." It sounds like repentance is a vital part of the Gospel, doesn't it?
But what does all of this have to do with the fear of the Lord? Like the earlier verses told us, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is what produces true repentance. It is foundational to true salvation. The fear of the Lord comes when you realize that you are sinful and you will stand before a holy God who hates sin. You realize that you have absolutely nothing to offer in atonement for your sins. You realize that because God is holy and just, He must punish you with eternal torment in a place called hell. That is where true repentance comes in. It produces a hatred and disgust of your sin. That is why Proverbs 8:13 told us that the fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Most people don't hate their sin. They love it. They have never repented. They just repeated a prayer for a little insurance that they will get to go to heaven. They want to keep doing the same sinful things, they just don't want to get punished for it. Let's look at what true repentance does, though. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, "For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death." Did you see that? True godly repentance leads to salvation. The sorrow of the world (which is sorry about getting caught, not about the actual sin) produces death.
What about faith? What about believing in Jesus? Repentance strips you of your love of sin. It makes you loathe your sinful condition. It makes you realize that you have absolutely nothing to offer for your salvation. Then it causes you to hunger for righteousness. It makes you crave forgiveness. Then you realize that, "He (God the Father) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21) " 1 Peter 3:18 says, "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit." That is the only news that can calm a soul that has just begun to know what it means to fear the Lord. Christ died for the sins of His people. He paid for their sins. He took the punishment for their sins and now He offers them His righteousness by faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Repentance makes us loathe our sins and give up all hope of being able to save ourselves. Faith trusts in Christ as their only hope of salvation. Faith believes that Christ's sacrifice is sufficient to pay for a lifetime of sin and is confident that Christ will fulfill His promise to "save to the uttermost" (Hebrews 7:25), those who place their faith in Him.
So, what about you? Do you truly fear the Lord? If so, let me tell you what God declares to you. Psalm 33:18 says, "Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His lovingkindess." Proverbs 14:27 says, "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death." If you are a true child of God, then those words should be a balm to your soul.
Now to the ones who have no fear of God. Let me tell you what God declares to you. Proverbs 3:7 says, "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil." Job 28:28 says, "And to man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." It is my prayer that you learn what it means to fear the Lord before you stand before Him in judgment. I pray that God will grant you repentance and faith so that you will trust in Christ as your only hope of salvation so you may escape from the wrath to come.
I don't know about you, but I'm starting to think that fear isn't such a bad thing. Until next time, blessings to you...
If there is one verse that you don't hear quoted much in the average American pulpit, that one is it. These days our main job is to make people feel good about themselves and be as comfortable as possible at church. And we are seeing the results of it. I challenge you to take a look at most people in your lives that call themselves Christians. Next, take a look at the ones who say they are not Christians. Do you see much of a difference? Well, besides the Christian t-shirt or bumper sticker that the professing Christian is sure to have. The sad reality is this: Our watered-down preaching and teaching is producing nothing but shallow spiritual counterfeits.
God wants you to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. Sin is no big deal. Hey, nobody is perfect, right? I've repeated a prayer. I've asked Jesus to come into my heart. Sure, I don't hunger for God's word. I don't long to cry out to God in prayer. I don't have a burning desire to share the Gospel with the lost. I listen to music that mocks God. I watch tv and movies that God hates. I use filthy language from time to time. Sure, I dishonor God by lusting and having premarital sex (or by watching porn or cheating on my spouse). I constantly gossip and talk badly about people. Lying and cheating aren't really that big of a deal to me. I know I do all of those things, but I still love Jesus. I asked Him to come into my heart. Don't you remember?
Sadly, that is the typical testimony of most church-goers these days. If you were to ask them if they feared God, they would enthusiastically say that they surely do. Let's hold their profession of faith up to Scripture, though. Proverbs 8:13 says, "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate." What does it mean to fear the Lord? It means to hate evil. That doesn't sound much like the typical testimony above, does it?
Why should we hate evil? What does that have to do with fearing the Lord? Let me allow Isaiah to answer that question for you. Isaiah 8:13 says, "It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread." The reason is this: God is holy. God is holy and you are not. When you come face to face with the fact the you have offended a holy God with your sin, it should cause you to fear Him and dread Him, just like Isaiah said. Most people don't fear the Lord, though. Christians have t-shirts that proclaim "Jesus is my homeboy". There is no reverence for the King of Kings. There is no standing in awe of His holiness. There is just a quick yawn and glance at the clock to see if the sermon is almost over.
Scripture teaches us that the fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge and wisdom. Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." Did you see that? It is only when we have a proper fear of God that we can begin to understand who He is. And what is this Holy God like? Habakkuk 1:13a says, "Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and you can not look on wickedness with favor." We think of sin as "no big deal". Unfortunately, it is a very big deal to our holy God. Psalm 7:11 tells us, "God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day." This awesome God is angry. He is angry with sinful humanity. Isaiah 13:9 says, "Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, cruel, with fury and burning anger, to make the land a desolation; and He will exterminate its sinners from it." That doesn't sound like your typical Sunday morning sermon, does it? 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 says, "Dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power." What is awaiting sinful humanity when they face a holy God? Eternal punishment. Eternal torment in an awful place called hell. Revelation 20:15 says, "And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
But wait a minute. Isn't that just for the "bad" people. I mean, come on, aren't most of us good people? Let's let Scripture answer this one. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." That's not all. Romans 3:10 says, "As it is written, there is none righteous, not even one." How about one more? Isaiah 64:6a says, "For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment." Wow, maybe we are not as good as we thought. Psalm 5:4-6 says, "For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; no evil dwells with You. The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity."
If somebody truly believes the verses I just shared, I can guarantee they will fear the Lord. I promise that they will stand in awe of the Holy One. Most don't truly believe that, though. But, wait just a minute. Don't you just have to believe in Jesus? Or ask Him to come into your heart? Please read this warning from Scripture. James 2:19 says, "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder." There is more to true faith than believing that Jesus is real, or even that He died on a cross for sins.
We must have REPENTANT faith. Mark 1:15 says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; REPENT and BELIEVE in the gospel." We must repent AND believe in Christ as our only hope of salvation. Can I tell you something? Everybody and their brother in America believe in Jesus. The problem is, very few have repented. Luke 13:3 says, "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." It sounds like repentance is a vital part of the Gospel, doesn't it?
But what does all of this have to do with the fear of the Lord? Like the earlier verses told us, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is what produces true repentance. It is foundational to true salvation. The fear of the Lord comes when you realize that you are sinful and you will stand before a holy God who hates sin. You realize that you have absolutely nothing to offer in atonement for your sins. You realize that because God is holy and just, He must punish you with eternal torment in a place called hell. That is where true repentance comes in. It produces a hatred and disgust of your sin. That is why Proverbs 8:13 told us that the fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Most people don't hate their sin. They love it. They have never repented. They just repeated a prayer for a little insurance that they will get to go to heaven. They want to keep doing the same sinful things, they just don't want to get punished for it. Let's look at what true repentance does, though. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, "For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death." Did you see that? True godly repentance leads to salvation. The sorrow of the world (which is sorry about getting caught, not about the actual sin) produces death.
What about faith? What about believing in Jesus? Repentance strips you of your love of sin. It makes you loathe your sinful condition. It makes you realize that you have absolutely nothing to offer for your salvation. Then it causes you to hunger for righteousness. It makes you crave forgiveness. Then you realize that, "He (God the Father) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21) " 1 Peter 3:18 says, "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit." That is the only news that can calm a soul that has just begun to know what it means to fear the Lord. Christ died for the sins of His people. He paid for their sins. He took the punishment for their sins and now He offers them His righteousness by faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Repentance makes us loathe our sins and give up all hope of being able to save ourselves. Faith trusts in Christ as their only hope of salvation. Faith believes that Christ's sacrifice is sufficient to pay for a lifetime of sin and is confident that Christ will fulfill His promise to "save to the uttermost" (Hebrews 7:25), those who place their faith in Him.
So, what about you? Do you truly fear the Lord? If so, let me tell you what God declares to you. Psalm 33:18 says, "Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His lovingkindess." Proverbs 14:27 says, "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death." If you are a true child of God, then those words should be a balm to your soul.
Now to the ones who have no fear of God. Let me tell you what God declares to you. Proverbs 3:7 says, "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil." Job 28:28 says, "And to man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." It is my prayer that you learn what it means to fear the Lord before you stand before Him in judgment. I pray that God will grant you repentance and faith so that you will trust in Christ as your only hope of salvation so you may escape from the wrath to come.
I don't know about you, but I'm starting to think that fear isn't such a bad thing. Until next time, blessings to you...
Monday, December 8, 2008
Salvation is From the Lord
SALVATION IS FROM THE LORD
Lyrics by: Mark G.
Eternal, infinite Father of lights
No one can withstand Your power and might
The heavens declare Your glory O Lord
Unchanging Sovereign forevermore
O Holy Father, separate from sin
Your ways are higher than mere mortal men
Justice and righteousness flow from Your throne
Praise Your great name You are worthy alone!
If You counted our sins, no one could stand
We've nothing to offer, just empty hands
Our hearts are deceitful, filthy within
No way to approach you, dead in our sins
Yet God sent His Son, in love to the earth
Holy and righteous, of infinite worth
Tempted in all ways, He was without sin
A Man of sorrows, esteemed not by men
For joy set before Him, endured the cross
He cried "It is finished", paid the full cost
The Father was pleased to crush His dear Son
Then three days later, the vict'ry was won!
Seated in heaven, no slumber or sleep
Sent down the Spirit, to find His dear sheep
Gave them repentance, supplied them with faith
Praise His great name for that wonderful grace!
Forever in heaven, saints will fall down
Praising His holy name, casting their crowns
The Lamb eternally will be adored
For this great salvation is from the Lord!
Lyrics by: Mark G.
Eternal, infinite Father of lights
No one can withstand Your power and might
The heavens declare Your glory O Lord
Unchanging Sovereign forevermore
O Holy Father, separate from sin
Your ways are higher than mere mortal men
Justice and righteousness flow from Your throne
Praise Your great name You are worthy alone!
If You counted our sins, no one could stand
We've nothing to offer, just empty hands
Our hearts are deceitful, filthy within
No way to approach you, dead in our sins
Yet God sent His Son, in love to the earth
Holy and righteous, of infinite worth
Tempted in all ways, He was without sin
A Man of sorrows, esteemed not by men
For joy set before Him, endured the cross
He cried "It is finished", paid the full cost
The Father was pleased to crush His dear Son
Then three days later, the vict'ry was won!
Seated in heaven, no slumber or sleep
Sent down the Spirit, to find His dear sheep
Gave them repentance, supplied them with faith
Praise His great name for that wonderful grace!
Forever in heaven, saints will fall down
Praising His holy name, casting their crowns
The Lamb eternally will be adored
For this great salvation is from the Lord!
Monday, December 1, 2008
History Has a Way of Repeating Itself
The last couple of weeks I've been reading the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah has been my favorite book of prophecy for quite a while. After reading through the first eleven chapters, I remember why. As I have been making my way through the book, I've been amazed again at the similarities between the culture then and our culture today. I thought I would share a few things that have really jumped out to me.
Jeremiah 7:8-11 says, "Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, 'We are delivered!'—only to go on doing all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD."
If that doesn't describe American Christianity, then I don't know what does. How many people do you know that live a life of constant rebellion against God, yet claim to be saved? They love to practice the very things that God hates, yet loudly proclaim that they are Christians. At the end of the passage above, God declares that he has seen what they are doing. We might deceive everybody around us. We might even deceive ourselves. Yet we cannot deceive God with our empty profession of faith. What does James say? James 2:17 says, "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself." Works do not save us, but true faith always produces works.
It is troubling to read that this indictment came during the time of King Josiah (2 Kings 22). Josiah was a godly king who instituted huge reforms in the nation. He did everything he could to get rid of all pagan worship in the country. Listen to what the Lord said about him. 2 Kings 23:25 says, "Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him." Even though Josiah was such a godly king and had truly repented and turned to God, the people had not truly repented. They went through the motions, yet God indicted them for not turning with all of their heart. They were living a lie. They said they were following the Lord, but their actions proved that they were liars. They honored Him with their lips, yet their hearts were far from Him.
Jeremiah 5:1-5 says, "Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and look now and take note and seek in her open squares, if you can find a man, if there is one who does justice, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her. And although they say, 'As the LORD lives,' surely they swear falsely." O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You have smitten them, but they did not weaken; You have consumed them, but they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to repent. Then I said, "They are only the poor, they are foolish; for they do not know the way of the LORD or the ordinance of their God. I will go to the great and will speak to them, for they know the way of the LORD and the ordinance of their God. " But they too, with one accord, have broken the yoke and burst the bonds.
Just stop for a minute and think about all of the people you know (including yourself). How many of them are truly following Christ? I'm not talking about how many of them go to church, wear Christian t-shirts, and listen to Christian music. I'm talking about truly following Christ by turning away from all appearances of evil and striving for holiness and righteousness. The sad fact is, most are like the verses above. Even though they hear God's word week in and week out, they refuse to repent. They continue to do the same sinful things. They continue to love the very things God hates. From the wealthiest to the poorest, they follow their own sinful desires without any concern for God or His Word.
Jeremiah 6:13-15 says, "For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely. They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, saying, 'Peace, peace,' but there is no peace. Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; they did not even know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be cast down," says the LORD."
What are we hearing from preachers and teachers these days? "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." Just like in Jeremiah's day, they are healing the people superficially. They are saying "peace, peace", yet there is no peace. Just repeat this prayer and ask Jesus into your heart. Gone are the warnings of judgment. Gone is the call to truly repent and believe on Christ. Gone is the call to deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily, and follow Him. Sin is no big deal. God is a God of love so he will just overlook all of that. Right??? WRONG!! People have become so hardened by their sin that they are not even ashamed anymore. Their wickedness doesn't even make them blush. Yet they arrogantly think everything is okay between them and God. We must wake up and realize that God is holy and He does not take our sin lightly. We must heed His continuous warnings to turn from our sin in repentance and put our faith in Christ and the sacrifice He made for our only hope of salvation.
Jeremiah 6:16-20 says, "Thus says the LORD, "Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' And I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen.' "Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their plans, because they have not listened to My words, and as for My law, they have rejected it also. For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba and the sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable and your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me."
Let's not be like the people in these verses. Let's not ignore His continuous warnings. Let's not serve Him with empty words. Let's not claim that everything is alright with us and God when we cherish the very things that he detests. Let's return to the ancient paths of repentance, faith, and pursuing holiness. Let's look at one more passage from Jeremiah to sum things up.
Jeremiah 3:12-14 says, "Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, "'Return, faithless Israel, declares the LORD.I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the LORD; I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the LORD your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the LORD. 14 Return, O faithless children, declares the LORD; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion."
Even though we have rebelled against God and His Word, He still offers us mercy. Let's humbly acknowledge our sin and stop living a lie. Instead of holding onto it, it is time to see it for what it is. We must be disgusted by our sin, hate it, and turn from it. Let's trust in Christ as our only hope of salvation. He lived the perfect life that we couldn't. He payed the sin-debt for sinners when He died on the cross. And He defeated death, hell, and the grave when He arose three days later. Repentant faith in Him alone is the only way to escape the judgment that is surely coming. Let's deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily, and follow Him. Praise His holy name, for He is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise!!
Jeremiah 7:8-11 says, "Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, 'We are delivered!'—only to go on doing all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD."
If that doesn't describe American Christianity, then I don't know what does. How many people do you know that live a life of constant rebellion against God, yet claim to be saved? They love to practice the very things that God hates, yet loudly proclaim that they are Christians. At the end of the passage above, God declares that he has seen what they are doing. We might deceive everybody around us. We might even deceive ourselves. Yet we cannot deceive God with our empty profession of faith. What does James say? James 2:17 says, "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself." Works do not save us, but true faith always produces works.
It is troubling to read that this indictment came during the time of King Josiah (2 Kings 22). Josiah was a godly king who instituted huge reforms in the nation. He did everything he could to get rid of all pagan worship in the country. Listen to what the Lord said about him. 2 Kings 23:25 says, "Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him." Even though Josiah was such a godly king and had truly repented and turned to God, the people had not truly repented. They went through the motions, yet God indicted them for not turning with all of their heart. They were living a lie. They said they were following the Lord, but their actions proved that they were liars. They honored Him with their lips, yet their hearts were far from Him.
Jeremiah 5:1-5 says, "Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and look now and take note and seek in her open squares, if you can find a man, if there is one who does justice, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her. And although they say, 'As the LORD lives,' surely they swear falsely." O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You have smitten them, but they did not weaken; You have consumed them, but they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to repent. Then I said, "They are only the poor, they are foolish; for they do not know the way of the LORD or the ordinance of their God. I will go to the great and will speak to them, for they know the way of the LORD and the ordinance of their God. " But they too, with one accord, have broken the yoke and burst the bonds.
Just stop for a minute and think about all of the people you know (including yourself). How many of them are truly following Christ? I'm not talking about how many of them go to church, wear Christian t-shirts, and listen to Christian music. I'm talking about truly following Christ by turning away from all appearances of evil and striving for holiness and righteousness. The sad fact is, most are like the verses above. Even though they hear God's word week in and week out, they refuse to repent. They continue to do the same sinful things. They continue to love the very things God hates. From the wealthiest to the poorest, they follow their own sinful desires without any concern for God or His Word.
Jeremiah 6:13-15 says, "For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely. They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, saying, 'Peace, peace,' but there is no peace. Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; they did not even know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be cast down," says the LORD."
What are we hearing from preachers and teachers these days? "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." Just like in Jeremiah's day, they are healing the people superficially. They are saying "peace, peace", yet there is no peace. Just repeat this prayer and ask Jesus into your heart. Gone are the warnings of judgment. Gone is the call to truly repent and believe on Christ. Gone is the call to deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily, and follow Him. Sin is no big deal. God is a God of love so he will just overlook all of that. Right??? WRONG!! People have become so hardened by their sin that they are not even ashamed anymore. Their wickedness doesn't even make them blush. Yet they arrogantly think everything is okay between them and God. We must wake up and realize that God is holy and He does not take our sin lightly. We must heed His continuous warnings to turn from our sin in repentance and put our faith in Christ and the sacrifice He made for our only hope of salvation.
Jeremiah 6:16-20 says, "Thus says the LORD, "Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' And I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen.' "Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their plans, because they have not listened to My words, and as for My law, they have rejected it also. For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba and the sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable and your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me."
Let's not be like the people in these verses. Let's not ignore His continuous warnings. Let's not serve Him with empty words. Let's not claim that everything is alright with us and God when we cherish the very things that he detests. Let's return to the ancient paths of repentance, faith, and pursuing holiness. Let's look at one more passage from Jeremiah to sum things up.
Jeremiah 3:12-14 says, "Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, "'Return, faithless Israel, declares the LORD.I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the LORD; I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the LORD your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the LORD. 14 Return, O faithless children, declares the LORD; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion."
Even though we have rebelled against God and His Word, He still offers us mercy. Let's humbly acknowledge our sin and stop living a lie. Instead of holding onto it, it is time to see it for what it is. We must be disgusted by our sin, hate it, and turn from it. Let's trust in Christ as our only hope of salvation. He lived the perfect life that we couldn't. He payed the sin-debt for sinners when He died on the cross. And He defeated death, hell, and the grave when He arose three days later. Repentant faith in Him alone is the only way to escape the judgment that is surely coming. Let's deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily, and follow Him. Praise His holy name, for He is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise!!
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