Avoiding Sinners

Paul explicitly explains what sinners to avoid in 1 Cor 5.9-13. He says to avoid fornicators and idolaters and drunkards and extortioners, people like that. With one important caveat. He does NOT mean to avoid people like that who do not claim to be Christians, because then one would have to exit the world (and if we do that, how do we evangelize the world). We are instructed to avoid so-called Christians who unrepentantly engage in such behavior. This is the important point.

Christians that act like the world and do not wish to change; are not concerned with repentance; want to keep on doing what they are doing, are to be avoided. Their lives deny Christ overtly. Avoid these types of people.

As to unbelievers who are fornicators and idolaters and drunkards, etc. Love them and tell them that Jesus can save them from all of that.

Disciplined, not Abandoned

Reading in Psalm 38 this morning. A psalm that starts with: "O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath," ends with "Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation." It's such a beautiful psalm because in it we see that even though we sin and fail God (as David readily admits to doing), we can be sure that God will not abandon us. David has sinned, and yet God is still his salvation.

God will discipline us; he will never abandon us.

Symbiosis: Our Trust/His Salvation

Thinking about Psalms 37.40 this morning where David writes: "And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; he shall deliver them from the wicked, because they trust in him." In the Hebrew literally it says: "And delivering, he will deliver them," which is a construction that means "The Lord will surely deliver his people from the wicked."

The foundation for this deliverance on the part of God's people is their trust in him; "because they trust in him." The foundation on the part of God is his own character; he will do what he says.

There is this interesting symbiosis here between our trust and God's salvation. When we trust in our God, he will surely deliver us from evil. When we do not trust in our God, then we are practically acting as if he were not our God. Why deliver people who don't trust in God as God?

The action point for us is that we work on continually and completely trusting in God at every moment, for every thing.

A Faith that Stands

Reading in 1 Cor. 2 this morning where Paul is concerned with communicating a faith that stands (1 Cor 2.5). One real danger to Paul's way of thinking was imparting a faith that stood upon the wisdom of men. Paul doesn't explain what he means here, but I don't think it is too hard to figure out. Faith that rests upon the wisdom of men is faith that always makes sense, that always has an explanation. Ultimately this is not faith and one understands that the wisdom of men comes to the point at which it stands silent before Almighty God, unable to fully explain him. Paul fully understood this danger, so he was careful not to lay a foundation of rational, man-centered religion, but faith that is grounded and explainable only in Jesus Christ and him crucified. This was a faith that stands.

That No Flesh Should Glory

I'm reading in 1 Corinthians 1.29 this morning: "That no flesh should glory in his presence." God is rightly concerned for his own glory and has so constructed salvation that no person can glory in his salvation. It all comes from the Lord with the aim that no one else can glory in salvation, but God alone.

"Grace is the glory of God, not the merit of him who has been freed." Prosper of Aquitaine

Beloved

Reading in 1 Sam 16.13 this morning where the reader is introduced to David. It's a fascinating scene where Jesse brings his sons before Samuel one by one and the Lord says "no, that is not my anointed." Finally, they go out and get his youngest who is tending the sheep. This is God's anointed. His name is David. David means "beloved."

We see God's providence here. Jesse named the boy, not God. Presumably because he was a "beloved son." In God's providential ordering of things, Jesse's beloved son is God's beloved and a man who will become the OT type of the coming Messiah.

The Armour of Light

Paul contrasts the gospel and evil metaphorically as light and darkness in Rom 13.12. He calls his readers to "cast off the works of darkness"—obviously speaking of evil and wickedness, indeed in the next verse he helpfully categorizes some (but not all) of what he means: rioting, drunkenness, chambering, wantonness, strife, envying—and to put on the armour of light (KJV). I find that reference interesting. Light (acting righteously) acts as our armor.

Armor is meant for protection so in some way acting righteously protects us. Obviously Paul does not mean that acting righteously saves us for that would contradict what he has already written. He must mean that acting righteously inoculates us from the grip of evil which lurks in every dark corner waiting to devour us, even in corners that appear benign. This is the nature of evil.

Goodness and Mercy? Of Course!

I'm reading in Ps 23.6 this afternoon and struck by David's words at the end of this beloved psalm. "Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life." How did David know that? He knew it because he was owned by the Great Shepherd; the one who made him lie down on green pastures; who led him beside quiet waters; who restored his soul. That Shepherd!

How can goodness and mercy NOT follow you all the days of your life when you have a shepherd like Yahweh? What else COULD follow you? This is our Great Shepherd; a shepherd of goodness and mercy at all times, in all ways, to his flock.

Dear Christians: Use Your Brains. Love Paul

I am reading in Rom 6.11 this morning where Paul says "Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves dead unto sin" (KJV). The word that the KJV translates "reckon" means: "To determine by mathematical process as a result of calculation." In other words, Paul wants his readers to think through what he has written so that they can come up with the right conclusion. "If Christ conquered death, and you are Christians, then you are no longer under the power of death, or the dominion of sin." This is not a matter of faith, but of thinking through correct doctrine. Which is why we can summarize Paul's message as "use your brains" or "think!"

As Christians we should never be afraid to use our brains or to encourage others to do so as well. In no place do the Scriptures tell us to check our brains at the door before we come to the Bible. We use our God-given brains to investigate God-glorifying truth.

At the House of Salvation

Is it any surprise that when the Philistines sent the captured Ark back to Israel that it stopped at the house of Joshua the Bethshemite? Joshua means "The Lord is salvation," and here came a key piece of that salvation up the road on the back of a cart. It's as if the Lord is reminding the Israelites that salvation comes through him.

Joshua starts out well. He immediately breaks up the cart for wood and then offers up one of the cattle as a burnt offering. The men of Bethshemesh do not end so well. Some of them look into the Ark and a number (the text says 70 and 50,000 which seems improbable and we know that the book of Samuel is the worst preserved of any book in the Scriptures, so there is a good possibility that this is an error in passing down the text) are struck down and die, thus demonstrating that God is holy and his instructions should be followed.

One of the things that strikes me about this whole episode is that God does all of the work himself. The Israelites TOTALLY blow this episode, but the Ark is returned by God's work and initiative. Grace and mercy in action here.

"Who's Portion is in This Life"

Who would not want to be like the people described in Ps 17:14? God! Fills "their womb with treasure" (KJV). "They are satisfied with children"(KJV). These people are so wealthy that they leave their abundance as an inheritance to their children. What a fantastic life! Whom would not want to be these people?

I would not want to be these people for two reasons: First, David calls these "men of the world" "the wicked" in the previous verse. Think about that. God gave them their wealth; God "blessed" them in this life. They are wicked. Second, David throws in a little phrase that changes the whole tenor of what he is saying about them. He writes: "Men of the world whose portion is this life." That little statement means everything.

All of their wealth and apparent blessing are for this life only. It lasts a short time and then they are gone to their (lack of) reward. Who wants this? I do not! I want rewards that will last for eternity. I want what these guys already have, but I want it to last forever. I want Jesus, not the stuff that Jesus has created. Jesus lasts forever. He is worth having nothing in this life because he means everything.

Location:Petoskey

Wrath and Fury

So much for political correctness from Paul in Rom 2.8. He says that there will be "wrath and fury" for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth. Ouch! That is a harsh truth. Of course the reason that Paul proclaims it is to shock people out of the stupor of unrighteousness in which they live. He will call them to faith in Christ in this way.

The modern world simply declares the message intolerant and gives it no further thought.

If we are to preach Christ, then we must preach the fact of wrath and fury on those who reject Christ.

The Gospel; always the Gospel

I am struck again this morning as I read through Rom 1.1 of Paul's laser-like focus on the gospel. He was set apart for the gospel; he preached the gospel (centered on the person of Christ). He was not suffering severe depredation and persecution in order to shower people with his own opinions about life. He had a message; he stuck to the message.

I wonder how well my life sticks to the message? No, I have not been given the same proclamation ministry as Paul, but I have been given the same direction. My life ought to reflect the gospel out of every nook and cranny. It should inform the way I interact with people; the way I love my wife and kids, my interaction with neighbors, my attitude to the government.

The gospel, John! Always the gospel.


- "Grace is the glory of God, not the merit of him who has been freed." Prosper of Aquitaine

Location:Petoskey,United States

All Eyes on Naomi

I'm grateful to Dale Davis for pointing out how the narrative of the book of Ruth goes back to Naomi's welfare again and again. In chapter 3.17, after the famous encounter at the threshing floor, Boaz makes sure to give Ruth a massive amount of barley for...Naomi. At the end of chapter 4, the women of Bethlehem rejoice because a son has been born, not to Ruth, but to Naomi.

Despite appearances, God could not keep his eyes off of Naomi and her welfare. She is provided for again and again. As Mr. Davis points out, the lesson for us is that whatever circumstances in which we find ourselves we just do not have enou information to despair, somehow God is working out his good and wise plan.

The Faith of Ruth

Ruth's genuine faith is fully demonstrated by Boaz's words in Ruth 2. 12. He pronounces a blessing on her: "A full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust" (KJV). The rest of the relatively small community of Bethlehem had seen that Ruth had committed herself to worship the Lord God of Israel. Her faith was obvious and genuine.

Is yours?

Full Emptiness: Naomi's Experience

I love the book of Ruth and I love the character of Naomi because she is so human. In Ruth 1.21 she says: "I went out full and the Lord hath brought me back empty" (KJV), which to all outward appearances was a correct statement. Her husband was dead; her sons were dead; one of her two daughters-in-law had stayed in Moab, all she had was a Moabite daughter-in-law...Ruth. And Ruth would turn out to be Naomi's fullness.

Rather than the Lord bringing Naomi back empty, he had brought her back chock full of blessings, although she didn't see them at the time. Ruth would marry a wealthy man, thereby ensuring that Naomi would be well taken care of in her old age. Ruth would bear children who would sit on Naomi's lap, making her elderly years full of joy. Ruth would be the great grandmother of David, making her in the line of the coming Messiah! With what great fullness God had sent Naomi back to her home village. She just didn't see it yet.

Appointed to Know His Will

Paul uses some interesting verbiage in Acts 22.14. He quotes Ananias, who is the first Christian to show up after Paul's encounter with Christ on the way to Damascus, as saying: "The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will," or as the KJV puts it: "Hath chosen thee, that thou shouldst know his will."

What is going on here? What did Ananias mean? We know for sure that it was God who acted and not Paul, God appointed; God chose; God was the active one here. While dramatic, Paul's conversion does not appear to be any different from the way God draws all others to himself. He acts first; He draws; He chooses. Can I fully explain this? Um...no.

I take "to know his will" as a euphemism for drawing Paul to faith in Christ. That is surely the outcome that we see from this encounter.

The question that one must ask oneself is: "What am I to do with Christ?" Am I to follow him by faith, as both Ananias and Paul did? Am I to give my life to him? Am I to respond to the work that the Holy Spirit is doing in my own heart right now?

No Need for Spices

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome (probably among others) headed out to the tomb on the first day of the week. They carried spices with which to anoint Christ's body. The great stone about which they were worried as to who might move it? It was rolled away. Christ had risen. They had no need for spices (Mark 16.1-3).

Finish Your Course with Joy

I'm amazed at Paul's words in Acts 20.24. He understood that due to the course he was on, "bonds and afflictions" (vs. 23) awaited him. Having experienced bonds and afflictions before, he fully understood what this meant. And yet he says here: "None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy...to testify of the gospel of the grace of God" (KJV).

For Paul the very thing that caused him bonds and afflictions was what would allow him to finish his course with joy. We understand from this that joy then, must come despite bonds and afflictions. This is supernatural joy; this is the joy of the Holy Spirit.

What are we to make of this? I understand it to mean that we ought to finish well by continuing to do what God has called us to do; to minister as he directs; to walk before him faithfully; to do what he calls us to do, and for all of us to testify of the gospel of the grace of God to whomever will listen.