Most everyone realizes our souls often contract a disease just as painful to the conscience, the disease of sin. What will soothe our misery then? The answer is nothing but the unparalleled mercy of God, wrought through the death and resurrection of our savior and his son, Jesus Christ (Romans 7:24-25).

Before giving Moses the Ten Commandments for a second time, God took a moment to describe himself to the man again. The first set of tablets was destroyed when an irate Moses smashed them against the mountain upon seeing the Hebrews dancing with an idol – the message of mercy was already required in Israel. God describes himself as

a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation. (Exodus 34:6-7)

The Lord’s nature has not changed and his ability to forgive the truly penitent has only been more firmly established in the age in which we live (Hebrews 1:1-4). At the same time, his mercy can be rejected by those who persist in doing evil or who simply refuse to repent of their sins and the consequences of iniquity, though not its guilt or eternal doom, can pass through to your children and theirs (Romans 2:1-6).

David, for instance, was reputed to be a man after God’s own heart, not because the king was perfect, but because he was humble enough to recognize and confess his errors and then beg for God’s abundant mercy. On the occasion when David sinned with Bathsheba, it took a special rebuke by his friend Nathan to make David see what he had done, but when the king repented, the mercy of God shined bright. David’s confession allowed Nathan to say, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die” (2 Samuel 12:13).

While many would categorize adultery and murder as the most heinous of sins, God’s mercy is greater and is able to forgive the genuinely penitent.

Jesus taught the apostles a lesson on God’s mercy when Peter asked about how much mercy men must show one another – seventy times seven, he indicated, before illustrating his lesson with the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35).

God is merciful to us and so we should be merciful to one another; if we fail to show mercy to our fellow man, God will cease to show us mercy for we are no longer genuine in our pleas for grace. Both the discussion between Peter and Jesus and the ensuing parable teach something often repeated in Christ’s New Testament: a major theme of the day of judgment will be the standard of mercy, and a lifetime of unwillingness to forgive others, from the heart, is willful sin which dilutes the effects of Christ’s sacrifice upon an intractable soul. The golden rule applies here, but a little differently: judge others as you would have God judge you, with mercy and patience. Receiving and expecting mercy begins with a spirit that is willing to be magnanimous in extending the same to others (Matthew 5:7, 6:14; Colossians 3:12-15).

God, after all, is generous in forgiving our debts. Peter taught that God is longsuffering toward us because it is not his will that any soul should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Likewise, Paul wrote that God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (First Timothy 2:4). Prior to his first advent, Jesus was announced by Gabriel as the agent of God’s mercy, “for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). God’s prime objective through all the devil’s temptation, trial, and trouble is to show his mercy to the maximum number of souls that can be convicted and converted (James 5:10-11). God wants you to be saved and forgiven of your sins and he has gone to extreme lengths to make it possible.

Obtaining God’s mercy requires something of us, but it promises so much more.

Obtaining divine mercy requires a recognition of sin: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:8-10, ESV). While we are walking in the light, missteps will yet be taken that require a renewal of God’s mercy upon us, obtained not through ignoring the sin and hoping the guilt will go away, but by honest confession and diligent repentance. To a godly person, sin feels like filth and it is; confession delivers cleansing and mercy. Denying the sin allows the blemish to remain and to make other blemishes look natural there instead of out of place; you get dirtier (James 1:27).

Obtaining mercy requires a healthy spirit of humility: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (First Peter 5:6-7, ESV). Admitting a weakness and asking for help requires humility be present in our hearts as we approach the divine throne of grace (Hebrews 4:14-16). For some, this is the stumbling block that keeps them from ever being right with God – they are too proud and stubborn to admit they are wrong even to one who obviously knows it. Before you can walk in the light again, you are going to have to get down on your knees before the throne of grace and crucify your pride.

Obtaining mercy from God is facilitated by the restorative concern of spiritual people (Galatians 6:1-2). James urges you to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. … My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:16-20, ESV). One might find help with private sins and weaknesses by speaking privately to a brother or sister and asking for helpful prayer or assistance in bearing too great a burden. It is sometimes embarrassing to confess sin like this, but multiplying the numbers of people praying for you is worth it.

Obtaining mercy is not limited by the heinousness of our sins, but is an opportunity for God to prove again that his grace knows no such bounds. Paul ascribed eternal glory and honor to a God who could both forgive and enlist one who was formerly

a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:13-16, ESV)

Obtaining mercy from God brings a sense of spiritual refreshment, equal to that experienced by members of the mob that supported the execution of Jesus, but who later made him their savior (Acts 3:17-19). The promise is of times of refreshing, relief to the guilty conscience, and confidence of better things for eternity. God’s power to forgive is so great that he can obliterate it from your record completely: “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12, ESV).

Finally, obtaining mercy draws one closer to God, who gives more grace, and opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7-8, ESV). Approaching that throne of grace will necessarily draw you closer to God, but you cannot come unless you want your hands washed – your sins forgiven through godly sorrow, a confession of fault, and a commitment to rise above it. Then God will forgive, lift you up, and put you on a path of righteousness which leads to Paradise.

Just as in the days of Christ, it seems that everyone today has an opinion about Jesus. Some wish Him away by claiming that He never existed. However, the historical evidence proves that He did exist. Some claim that He was a prophet of God and a good man, while others claim that He was a liar and a troublemaker. Christians believe that He is the Son of God, and claim Him as their Lord and Savior.

After asking what others were saying about Him, Jesus got to the heart of the matter with His disciples and asked them what they believed about Him. Nothing else really mattered then, and the same thing is true today. Regardless of the differing opinions of men, the only question that really matters is what I personally believe about Jesus.

The religion of Christ requires that I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. However, this requirement is not made without the provision of ample evidence upon which to base my belief. I must walk by faith, but I am not required to make a leap of faith. My acceptance of Jesus as the Son of God does not rest upon gut feelings, personal opinions, family traditions, or social customs. My faith in the identity of Jesus as the Son of God is based upon evidence.

In this article, we will consider some of the evidence that proves that Jesus is the Son of God.

1. The Way Jesus Spoke

There was something about the way that Jesus spoke that made Him different from the other teachers of His day. On one occasion, the enemies of Jesus sent officers to arrest Him. They came back empty handed. When they were asked to explain their failure to take Jesus into custody, they responded, “No man ever spoke like this Man!” (John 7:32, 45-46).

Matthew explains that the thing which made Jesus different from the other teachers of His day was that He spoke with authority. “And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matthew 7:28-29). The scribes and rabbis quoted Scripture to authorize their message. Jesus spoke as if His words were Scripture. Simply put, Jesus spoke as God Himself would speak.

2. The Claims That Jesus Made

Some of the most significant things that Jesus said were the claims that He made about Himself.

• Jesus claimed to be the Messiah. “The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He’ (John 4:25-26).
• Jesus claimed to be equal with God. “But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.’ Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God” (John 5:17-18).
• Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of God?’ He answered and said, ‘Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you’” (John 9:35-37).
• Jesus claimed the power to forgive sins. “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you’” (Mark 2:5).

These claims that Jesus made were not mistaken by His enemies. He was ultimately killed because of them. However, even under the threat of death, Jesus never retracted any of His claims.

3. Jesus Performed Miracles to Support His Claims

Jesus was not the first person, nor would He be the last, to claim to be the Son of God, but He was the first and only person to back up such a claim with miracles.

In Mark chapter two, when He forgave the sins of the paralytic, He performed a miracle of healing to support His claim that He had the power on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:5-12).

Miracles were a testament to the identity of Jesus as the Messiah. “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know” (Acts 2:22). Honest Jews were willing to see the miracles of Jesus for what they were – signs that He was from God. “There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him’” (John 3:1-2).

Even His enemies could not deny that Jesus performed miracles. “Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, ‘What shall we do? For this Man works many signs’” (John 11:47). However, instead of believing Jesus, they tried to cover up the evidence of these miracles (John 12:9-11) and credit the power behind His miracles to Satan (Matthew 9:34, 12:24).

The New Testament records about 35 miracles that Jesus performed. Not every miracle of Jesus was recorded, but the ones that have been recorded are preserved as evidence that Jesus is the Son of God. “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31).

4. The Testimony of Eyewitnesses

While I have never personally seen or heard Jesus, the New Testament records the testimony of those who knew, saw, and heard Him while He walked on this earth.

• His mother believed in His power (John 2:3-5).
• Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 16:16).
• John said that his faith was based upon what he had seen, heard, and experienced with Jesus. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life” (1 John 1:1).
• Thomas doubted the report that Jesus was alive after His resurrection, until he saw the evidence that he needed.

24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”

27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20:24-29

• Paul was transformed from persecutor to believer (Galatians 1:23).
• The centurion at His crucifixion concluded, “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54).

In a court of law, facts are determined upon the evidence of eye witness testimony. These individuals saw Jesus, I did not. Based upon the things that they saw, they determined that Jesus was the Son of God. Not only did they make claims regarding the identity of Jesus, many of them willingly died for these claims. No one willingly dies for something that they know to be false. The testimony of the Bible can be accepted without hesitation.

5. Fulfilled Prophecy

Fulfilled prophecy is the greatest argument for both the inspiration of the Scriptures as well as identifying Jesus as the Son of God. Fulfilled prophecy is not the result of luck or guesswork. It shows the omniscient mind of God at work.

Jesus made very detailed predictions about:

• His death and resurrection (Matthew 20:17-19; John 2:19).
• Peter’s denial (Mark 14:30).
• The destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 24).

Every one of these predictions came to pass exactly as Jesus had said.

Jesus was also the subject of Old Testament prophecy. The Messiah is a major theme in the Old Testament. There are 332 prophecies in the Old Testament that are fulfilled in the life of Jesus. At least 25 of them are fulfilled in the last 24 hours of His life.

Some of these prophecies include:

• His birthplace – Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
• He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:4)
• He would have a forerunner (Malachi 3:1)
• His betrayal price of 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12-13)
• He would be killed with transgressors (Isaiah 53:12)
• He would be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9)
• His hands and feet would be pierced (Psalm 22:16)
• Men would cast lots for His clothing (Psalm 22:18)
• He would be raised from the dead (Psalm 16:10)

When we apply the law of compound probabilities to the odds of one person fulfilling just right of these prophecies, we learn that the odds are 1 in 10¹⁷.

Fulfilled prophecies, both those that Jesus made and those that He fulfilled in His life, argue in favor of His being the Son of God.

6. Jesus Fits the Profile of Deity

If Jesus was really the Son of God, we would expect Him to have the attributes and characteristics of God.

The Bible says that God is omniscient (all knowing). Jesus was told, “Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God” (John 16:30).

God is also omnipresent (present in all places at the same time). Jesus told His apostles, “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

God is omnipotent (all-powerful). Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18).

God is holy. Jesus is without sin: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22).

God is sovereign (above or superior to all others). Jesus is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15).

God is eternal. Jesus was with God in the beginning. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

God is immutable (never changes). Jesus Christ “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

God is forgiving. Jesus forgave sinners (Mark 2:5, Luke 7:48).

If we are looking for someone who fits the profile of deity, we need look no further. Jesus was everything in the flesh that we know about God. “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9).

Conclusion

On a Friday morning in Jerusalem, close to two thousand years ago, the Roman governor Pontius Pilate found himself asking the question, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” (Matthew 27:22). Unbeknownst to Pilate, this question would need to be asked by every man, woman, and child after him.

Either Jesus is who He claimed to be, or He isn’t. If He is not the Son of God, then He should be rejected as the world’s greatest con man. However, if His claim is true, then we must accept the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that eternal life is found in His name.

Daniel 7:13-14

The epithet “Ancient of days” refers to God as an old and wise judge sitting in His courtroom (vss. 9, 22). Judgment is about to begin. The deeds of men are recorded in books (Exodus 32:32; Psalm 56:8; 69:28; Isaiah 65:6; Malachi 3:16; Luke 10:20; Revelation 20:12), but here the reference is to the deeds of the four kingdoms and the little horn.

The “Son of man” emphasizes the humanity of the person Daniel saw. This person is seen coming with or riding the clouds of heaven, which, in scripture, is the exclusive prerogative of God (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7). This figure represents Jesus. But this description was not just an indication of His humanity. That the “son of man” of vs. 13 was considered a divine person is affirmed by the high priest’s charge of blasphemy (Mark 14:62-64). Jesus’ use of this title for Himself is one of the strongest evidences that He claimed to be the Messiah.

“Son of man” is especially common in physical and eternal judgment passages (Matthew 16:27-28; 19:28; 25:31), and the phrase “the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven” is an allusion to the destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 24:30).

Vs. 14 emphasizes the universal and everlasting dominion or rule of the Son of man (cf. Matthew 28:18). The word translated “serve” in vs. 14 is used in Aramaic to refer only to the homage due to God. In stating that His kingdom will not be destroyed, it alludes to the focus of our next article.

Daniel 9:24-27

Vs. 24 states the timeframe of “70 weeks” during which God would accomplish His plan of redemption for Israel. This period of time would elapse before the accomplishment of six great achievements for the holy city and Israel. The first three relate to the removal of sin; the second three to the restoration of righteousness.

“Finish the transgression”: Israel would reject their Messiah (Matthew 16:21; 21:33-44; 27:25). In this act they would fill up the cup of their iniquity (Matthew 23:32-39).

“Make an end of sins”: With the coming of Messiah the law would be fulfilled in all its types and shadows (Matthew 5:17). With the death of Jesus on the cross there would no longer be the need to remember sins any more (Hebrews 8:12; 10:12). Christ did not put an “end” to sin in the sense that wickedness was removed from the earth. The work of the Savior was to introduce a “system” that could effectually and permanently provide freedom from sin (Romans 6:7).

“Make reconciliation for iniquity”: The death of Jesus would change the relationship between man and God (Romans 5:6-10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:11-22; Hebrews 2:17). While God had passed over sin in previous ages, He could not do so justifiably without the ensuing death of His Son (Acts 17:30-31; Hebrews 9:11-15).

“Bring in everlasting righteousness”: The era of “everlasting righteousness” is a reference to the gospel age and is made known through the gospel (Romans 1:16-17; 5:1-4). This is not God’s or the Messiah’s personal righteousness; it is the means or system of making men righteous through faith (Romans 3:21-31; 10:4).

“Seal up vision and prophecy”: When Christ came, God’s revelation to man would be completed and men would understand the will of God (Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 13:8-13). For this reason, prophecy was confirmed, fulfilled, validated, and therefore sealed up (Acts 3:24; 1 Peter 1:10-11; Jude 3).

“Anoint the most Holy”: The expression “most Holy” is an allusion to Christ Himself. The “anointed” is a reference to the Lord with the Holy Spirit at the beginning of His ministry (Matthew 3:16; Acts 10:38). The anointing of Jesus was prophesied in the Old Testament (Isaiah 61:1). Therefore, this statement refers to Christ. The kingdom of heaven under the Messiah would become a reality for all men (Acts 2:25-36; Hebrews 1:8-9).

There are various ways of reckoning the “70 weeks.” Many consider the “70 weeks” to equal 490 years (cf. Numbers 14:34). First, the millennial view reckons the date from which the weeks are to be counted from the decree to Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem (445 B.C.). However, the theory must be interrupted and proposes a series of fantastic events at the end of time based off the book of Revelation. Second, the chronological view reckons a beginning date from the decree of Artaxerxes in Ezra 7:1 (458 B.C.). The addition of 483 years brings us to the final week in A.D. 25 (but there are several ways to reckon this specific period of time). Third, the non-chronological view reckons the “70 weeks” to be a figurative representation of the time in which God would complete His plan for Israel in bringing the Messiah into the world, which is the best way to reckon Daniel’s mention of this time period.

The vision concludes with the destruction of Jerusalem. We need not speculate about this verse because Jesus gave us the interpretation. Christ had informed His disciples that the day was coming when the Jew’s “house” would be left desolate (Matthew 23:38). Not one stone would be left upon another (Matthew 24:2). In Matthew 24:15 Jesus identifies the “abomination of desolation” as Emperor Titus and the invading Roman armies (cf. Mark 13:14; Luke 19:41-44; 21:20). It was an abomination because it destroyed everything holy to the Jews. In A.D. 66, the Jews revolted against Rome and sparked a bloody conflict. The city was overthrown after a five month siege in A.D. 70 (Matthew 22:7). Even the Jews recognized that this was a fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy. Josephus said, “Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government, and that our country should be made desolate by them” (Antiquities, X.XI.7).

A question arises about the “he” of 9:27, is it “Messiah, the Prince” (9:25) or “the prince that shall come” (9:26)? Premillennialists believe that the “prince” is the Antichrist, who will be the leader of the restored Roman Empire. The destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 was only an illustration of a future invasion and destruction to be led by Antichrist. This prince supposedly will make an agreement with the Jews to protect them from the other nations, and this agreement will be set for seven years. This final seven years is the completion of Daniel’s 490-year period. Between the death of Christ and the signing of this covenant there is the “Age of the Church.” The 490 years are in operation only when Israel is in God’s will as God’s people. When Israel crucified Christ, she was set aside and the “prophetic clock” stopped ticking. But when the Antichrist signs his pact with Israel, then the last seven years of Daniel’s “70 weeks” will begin. This seven-year period is known as the Tribulation. After three and a half years, Antichrist will invade the land, break his covenant, and set himself up as world dictator. He will stop all worship at the Jewish temple and force the world to worship him and his image. This allegedly is the abomination of desolation. Jesus will then return to earth, meet the armies at Armageddon, and defeat them.

Two problems exist. The first is that the places where the term “antichrist” is used does not teach what Premillennialists teach (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7). The second problem is that the Premillennialist must pick and chose what to interpret figuratively and literally (cf. Revelation 1:1). Two events — the crucifixion of Jesus and the destruction of Jerusalem — are dealt with in vss. 26-27.

Vs. 27 echoes the content of vs. 26. Jesus’ crucifixion fulfilled the Old Testament sacrificial system and rendered the temple and altar obsolete. The covenant is confirmed for “one week” (Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 8:6) which corresponds to the ministry of Christ to the Jews and the preaching of the gospel by the apostles to the Jews (Matthew 15:24; Acts 2:1-47). The “people of the prince” are the Romans who destroyed the temple which Jesus’ death had rendered obsolete.

The Messiah died on the cross so we could have the remission of our sins. However, God had more in store. He had planned His church from the beginning of the world (Ephesians 3:10-11), and we will discover the connection between the church and the kingdom in our final article.

Psalms 7

Jehovah Implored to defend the Psalmist against the Wicked

Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto Jehovah, concerning the words of Cush a Benjamite

The word “Shiggaion” is “A technical term of uncertain meaning occurring in the superscriptions to Psalms 7 and Habakkuk’s prayer (plural at Habakkuk 3:1).  Probably indicates a lamentation psalm of a special character or for a particular purpose and perhaps therefore accompanied by special ceremonies… a poem characterized by wild emotions and irregular construction” (ISBE volume 4, page 476).

One of the fascinating aspects of the Psalms is that they illustrate the reaction of men who find themselves in various situations.  Psalms 7 occurs during some unrecorded time in David’s life when his enemy, Cush the Benjamite, speaks words of reproach against him.  These reproachful words are damaging to the king’s reputation.  David is frustrated with the damaging words because he knows they are not true.  Once again, David pours out his heart to the Heavenly Father.

Three great lessons are taught in this Psalm.  First, we learn of the reliability of God through David’s confidence to call upon him for help (Psalms 7:1-2; see also John 6:68 and Acts 22:16).  Secondly, we learn about God’s desire for man’s meek spirit.  The ability to apply the same standards of judgment toward self as you do toward others is a gift that all MUST possess (Psalms 7:3-5; see also Matthew 5:5).  Thirdly, we learn that David was a man who actually loved truth, righteousness, and justice.  Acts of righteousness caused the king to give thanks and to sing praises to God (Psalms 7:17).  Those who are not excited and interested in righteousness and justice will never grow in the word of God as they should (see 1 John 5:1-3).  There are other lessons to learn in this Psalm that branch off the three mentioned.  Let us examine this most important Psalm and gain great wisdom.

“1 O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, 2 lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver” (7:1-2).

As with many of the Psalms we find ourselves coming into a moment in the life of David wherein details of time, place, and events leading up to the Psalm are not given.  We are left to examine the facts that are given and draw, by deductive reasoning, the only true conclusion.  The fictional character Sherlock Holmes once said,

“The ideal reason-er would, when he had once been shown a single fact in all its bearings, deduce from it not only all the chain of events which led up to it but also all the results which would follow from it.  As Cuvier, a French paleontologist, could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both before and after.  We have not yet grasped the results which the reason alone can attain to.  Problems may be solved in the study which have baffled all those who have sought a solution by the aid of their senses.  To carry the art, however, to its highest pitch, it is necessary that the reason-er should be able to utilize all the facts which have come to his knowledge; and this in itself implies, as you will readily see, a possession of all knowledge, which, even in these days of free education and encyclopedias, is a somewhat rare accomplishment” (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Volume 1, page 266-267).

The facts given in our case are as follows.  A man named “Cush the Benjamite” has spoken words of reproach toward the king.  Secondly, the use of the plural pronoun “they” at verse two indicates that he is not acting alone.    Thirdly, David compares Cush and his cohorts to a lion that seeks to “tear my soul apart.”  David’s enemies were obviously a force to be reckoned with.  A man does not simply dismiss the dangers a lion poses in the jungle.  Apparently Cush and his followers posed a real and serious threat to David.  But what did David do to incur such wrath by Cush?  More importantly what can you and I gain from this Psalm that will make us better Christians?  The answers to these questions beautifully unfold as we traverse through Psalms 7.

Notice the confidence that David has in the Lord.  It is God that David turns to at this time of trouble in his life.  It is God that David calls for to save him.  It is God that David asks deliverance from his enemies.  David knew that if God did not help there would be “none to deliver.”  Throughout these early Psalms we are seeing the great confidence that David had in God (see Psalms 3:3-8).  David wrote, “11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you” (Psalms 4:11).  Furthermore, because of the King of Israel’s confidence in God he could say, “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of the people that have set themselves against me round about” (Psalms 3:6).

Other men in the New Testament displayed similar confidence in God.  The Apostle Peter knew that there was no other direction to go than that of Christ.  Jesus asked if the Apostles would, like the multitudes, turn and follow him no longer.  Peter answered saying, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  Thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

Ananias’ instructions to Saul of Tarsus also illustrates a confidence in God that makes itself manifest in a knowledge that he alone gives eternal help to the souls of men.  Ananias told Saul, “And now why tarriest thou?  Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16).  These Bible figures confidently knew that there was no greater to turn to in life than the Almighty.

“3 O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, 4 if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, 5 let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust. Selah” (7:3-5).

What “this” thing that David has been charged by Cush of doing is not said.  We may deduce that Cush’s rage against David is due to his believing that the king has taken property or possessions from him without cause (i.e., “plundered my enemy without cause“).

One of the greatest statements in the word of God that defines the character of meekness is given by King David.  David had the uncanny gift of applying the same standard of righteousness and justice to himself as he did toward others.  Far too many Christians are completely inept when it comes to judging self as we judge others.  It is a simple task to recognize the faults of others yet to have the integrity of reasonable, fair, and equal assessment of self is a character trait rarely found in men.  David is a man of righteousness and justice.  David’s name is placed among the meek spirits of Moses (Numbers 12:3) and the Lord Jesus Christ (see Matthew 11:29; 21:5).  Those who lack the ability, through pride and arrogance, to identify sin in one’s own life will never be with the heavenly Father in eternity.  To lack meekness and equal judgment is to lack proper reason and a correct approach to life.  To lack meekness and equal judgment is to live in the absence of humility.  To lack meekness and equal judgment with self and all men is to fail in one’s understanding of God’s character and his divine expectations for mankind.  Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

David knows that he is not above God’s laws.  If the king has broken the laws of righteousness and justice he deserves death just as anyone else.  If David unjustly took something from Cush then he acknowledges his proper punishment.  David said, “Let him overtake me and trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust.”  When battles took place, in these ancient days, the victors would trample the dead bodies of their enemies into the ground by foot and chariot.  The flesh and blood of the dead would be incorporated into the ground.  David boldly states that this is what he deserves if he is guilty of such sin against Cush.

The Apostle Paul makes a similar statement in the book of Acts 25:11.  All good and godly men desire justice not just from others but from their own selves.  One of the more difficult things that people in this world have troubles with is to judge ourselves by the same judgment we judge others.  Far too often people apply stricter standards to others than they do to themselves.

Once again we run into the Hebrew word “Selah” which is a pause in the singing of a Psalm.

“6 Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment. 7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you; over it return on high. 8 The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. 9 Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous– you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God!” (7:6-9).

David appeals to the justice of God that acts against the unrighteous actions of all men (see Jeremiah 9:23-25).  God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).  The just are just and the unjust are unjust no matter their name, race, or economic background.  The standard of truth is that which measures a man as righteous or unrighteous (Isaiah 28:17).  The prophet Isaiah foretold that righteousness and justice would be the foundation of the throne of Jesus Christ in his kingdom, the church (see Isaiah 9:7).  The Apostle Paul would latter write, “Howbeit the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his: and, Let every one that names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness” (2 Timothy 2:19).

The great confidence of David is depicted in that he calls upon the “anger and fury” of God to be stirred up against the unrighteous.  The king is confident that he is right and Cush is wrong.  To call upon the anger and fury of God without knowing whether he was in the right would be the height of foolishness.  David knew of God’s might and great fury against the ungodly.  David is a righteous man and knows it.  The king calls upon God on the bases of his own “righteousness and integrity.”  David knew that God hears and answers the prayers of the righteous and so he makes his appeal to the Almighty (see Psalms 4:1).  The prayers of the saints today must also be in righteousness and justice else the Lord will not hear.

David’s confidence in God’s omniscience is also portrayed in these verses.  The Lord is he who knows all things that occurs even within the thoughts of a man’s heart.  Solomon wrote, “For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah” (Proverbs 5:21).  Jesus said, “But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee” (Matthew 6:3-4).  Jesus knew the thoughts of men before they said anything (Matthew 12:25).  David had nothing to hide from the Almighty!

David confidently calls upon God to put the hearts and deeds of Cush and his own self to the test.  The standard that the test is measured by is righteousness and justice.  Jeremiah wrote, “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds” (Jeremiah 17:10).  The Lord puts man’s hearts and minds to a test to see if they measure up to the standard of righteousness and justice (see 2 Chronicles 32:31).

“10 My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. 11 God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day. 12 If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; 13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts” (7:10-13).

David’s confidence and faith in God is depicted in his view of the Lord being his shield or protector in this life.  David knew that God’s expectation for man is “uprightness in heart.”  Those who are meek and seek out God with all their hearts can be assured of God’s favor.  The “indignation” of God rest with those who have little interest in spiritual matters.  Every day God is indignant with the wicked.  All men have their moments of sin (see Romans 3:23).  The truly righteous, however, will “repent” (turn away from their sins with a heart of sorrow – see 2 Corinthians 7:8-10).  David knew that he was no different than Cush or any other man when it came to meeting God’s divine expectations of absolute moral perfection.  That which differentiates a righteous man from an unrighteous man is one’s willingness to repent of wrong doing and try to do better in this life (see Philippians 3:13-15).

“14 Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. 15 He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. 16 His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends” (7:14-16).

The wicked that refuse repentance cannot detect sin in their lives.  Their hearts are so deluded that they cannot see the blackness of their own heart.  Many can see the faults and sinfulness of others yet the deluded wicked see no fault of their own.  Though the wicked are “pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies” they are blind to their personal wrong.  Through time the wicked feel the pain of a life of folly.  Solomon wrote, “Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse: He that keeps his soul shall be far from them” (Proverbs 22:5).

“17 I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High” (7:17).

David knew of God’s righteousness and his divine expectation of man’s righteousness.  The consistency and love of God moves the king of Israel to close out his Psalm with a doxology.  David gave God thanks and sang praises to the Almighty God, “the Most High.”

A grand statement of wisdom is made here that a casual reading of the Psalm will not yield.  David has prayed to God and was confident that the Lord heard him due to his righteousness.  David knew that he could call upon God for help because God is righteous.  As we read this Psalm we see no more fitting end than chapter 7:17.  David did not live in righteousness before men to be seen or viewed as holy (see Matthew 6:1).  David actually liked the life of righteousness.  David loved God’s laws.  David was interested in the things of God.  David earnestly wanted to do what was right in the sight of God.

The coming days and years of God’s people will be a test.  Would they love the Lord their God with all their hearts and humbly submit to him in obedience?  Those who experience victory over sin and death will do so because they were not wicked but rather interested in the things of God.  Godly people will be interested, enthusiastic, excited, and love his divine standard.  Others will find keeping God’s laws very “grievous” (see 1 John 5:1-3).  The secret to a successful eternity with God is to find interest and value in truth.  Solomon said, “Buy the truth and sell it not” (Proverbs 23:23).

Daniel describes a time of great turmoil for the Jews. The Grecian Empire, led by Alexander the Great, tried to force Grecian culture with all its immorality and disrespect for the laws of God upon them. They needed to know that all was not lost. They needed to know that they could be victorious over this future, dreaded enemy of righteousness.

Daniel 8

Daniel 8:1-8

This vision (551 B.C.) follows the one recorded in chapter 7 by two years. In chapter 8 only two animals appear in the vision, suggesting a narrower scope than the four animals of chapter 7 (and the four kingdoms of chapter 2). Vss. 20-26, which is the interpretation of the vision, show that the two horns of the ram represent Media and Persia. The longer horn is Persia, which eclipsed Media in power and prestige.

The three directions correspond to the three ribs in the mouth of the bear (7:5). Vs. 4 summarizes the 200 years of Persia’s world dominance (cf. Isaiah 41:2-3). The second animal, introduced in vs. 5 and identified in vs. 21, is Greece. The “notable horn” is the “first king,” the founder of the empire, or Alexander the Great.

Coming from the west (Macedonia and Greece) in 334 B.C., Alexander launched an unprovoked invasion, and within three years had decisively routed the Persians. Alexander died of a sudden fever in Babylon in 323 B.C., at the age of 33.

In turn, four horns replaced the broken horn. Four kings took over the empire of Alexander the Great. Here, these four kings are passed over without comment. The four-headed beast in 7:6 is an obvious parallel to these four prominent horns.

Daniel 8:9-14

The conflict between the ram and the goat is only a prelude to the real focus of chapter 8 — the small horn of vs. 9, Antiochus IV Epiphanes (cf. 1 Maccabees 1:10; Josephus, Antiquities x. 276). This horn comes out of one of the four horns of vs. 8.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes was ruler of the Seleucid Empire from 175 B.C. to 163 B.C. His attempt to Hellenize Palestine led to the cessation of the sacrifices in the temple. The Maccabean revolt led to the rededication of the temple.

Daniel sees the horn grow so great in height that it is able to reach the stars with its hand, throw some of the stars to the ground, and trample upon them. On the earth, the sons of Israel form the host of God. As God, the King of Israel, has His throne in heaven, so there also Israel has their true home, and are in the eyes of God regarded as like the stars (Genesis 22:17; Exodus 32:13; Deuteronomy 1:10).

This horn also raised itself up against the “prince of the host,” or God Himself. Antiochus forbad the permanent practices of worship and desecrated the place of worship (1 Maccabees 1:45-46). The “transgression of desolation” of vs. 13 (cf. 11:31; 12:11) was an altar to Olympian Zeus erected on God’s altar of burnt offerings.

Vs. 12 summarizes the two-pronged attack of Antiochus against God’s people and the temple. This attack is the consequence of Antiochus’s rebellion against God. “Truth,” the word of God, as far as it is embodied in proper worship, was thrown to the ground, just as was the host of heaven (cf. 1 Maccabees 1:56-57).

The 2,300 days symbolize an incomplete period of persecution. Vs. 14 predicts the rededication of the temple by Judas the Maccabee on December 14th, 164 B.C. (1 Maccabees 4:36-61). The yearly celebration of this event is Hanukkah.

Daniel 11

Daniel 11:1-4

The vision in chapters 10-12 (539 B.C.) more fully describe the vision in chapter 8 by a second vision on the same subject, just as the vision in chapter 7 explains more fully the one in chapter 2.

Chapter 10 is the prologue (it unfolds the spiritual world as the background of the historical world); the eleventh, the prophecy itself; and the twelfth, the epilogue.

The “three kings” were Persian (Cambyses, Gaumata, and Darius). The fourth was Xerxes (known as Ahasuerus in Esther). Eventually, Alexander the Great came to power, but after his untimely death, Alexander’s kingdom was split into four and ruled by his four leading generals (7:6; 8:8).

Daniel 11:5-35

The kings of the North (Seleucids) and the kings of the South (Ptolemies) are descendants of Seleucus and Ptolemy. The Seleucids had their power base in Syria, while the Ptolemies had their base in Egypt. Judah was caught in the middle. The 31 verses of this section trace the political developments and intrigue between these two nations. There are more than 130 prophecies in the first 35 verses.

Vs. 21 begins recounting the career of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who was one of the most wicked men the Jews ever encountered. Vss. 33-34 suggest that God’s people would endure the sword (1 Maccabees 2:9, 31-38), fire (2 Maccabees 6:11; 7:1-41), captivity (1 Maccabees 3:41), and being plundered (1 Maccabees 1:31).

The persecution has its purpose in God’s plan, and He will bring it to its appointed end. Mattathias led a group of patriots in the struggle for independence against Antiochus IV and the Seleucid Empire (cf. Zechariah 9:13-14).

Daniel 11:36-45

Many mistakenly believe this to be the “Antichrist,” the supposed seventh head of the seven-headed and ten-horned beast of Revelation 13:1-18, and the “beast” of Armageddon (Revelation 16:13, 16; 19:19).

Vss. 36-45 are a continuation of the description of Antiochus Epiphanes, with no indication whatsoever of a change of subject. Vss. 36-39 evaluate Antiochus’ religious attitudes. His egotism was reflected in the title “Epiphanes” (“God made manifest”) his plundering of the temple, and suppression of religion (cf. 1 Maccabees 1:20-24). Vss. 40-45 summarize the career of and depict the doom of Antiochus. At the moment of his triumph, Antiochus would be called away by disturbing reports (cf. 2 Kings 19:7). In a fury, he marched north and east and met his end in Persia.

Daniel 12

Daniel 12:1-4

Daniel looks on ahead and speaks of another great time of trouble. “A time of trouble” implies heavy loss of life, both godly and ungodly, which Jesus described at the destruction of Jerusalem (cf. Matthew 24:21; Mark 13:19). “The book” is the book of the living (Exodus 32:33; Revelation 20:12-15).

Daniel speaks of “many” who will awake (all will arise in the final resurrection). This is not a literal resurrection, but the resurrection of Israel (cf. Ezekiel 37:1-14; Galatians 6:16). This is the triumph of the Davidic kingdom over the nations which hate God (cf. Matthew 24:29-31; Hebrews 12:18-29). This occurred when the gospel was preached to the Jews beginning at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47).

The “wise” are those who give attention to the truth of God’s word (9:13). They also encourage others to faith (11:33). “Shut up” keeps the words safe until the time they are needed or fulfilled; “seal the book” preserves them intact.

Daniel 12:5-13

The “time, times and half a time” is the same time that the woman spent in the wilderness (Revelation 12:14), and the 42 months of the beast out of the sea (Revelation 13:5). This was the Roman persecution (Revelation 10:5-7). The sounding of the seventh trumpet judged the Roman Empire and vindicated the indestructible kingdom of God (cf. Daniel 2:44; 7:13-14; Hebrews 12:28).

Both 1,290 and 1,335 days are symbolic of the time of difficulty and persecution through which Christians must endure. The extra 45 days completes the fall of the Roman Empire, and subsequently the limiting of Satan’s power (cf. Revelation 20:1-6). Revelation applied these times to the persecution of the Roman Empire, but they are applicable to any period in which children of God are being punished because of their loyalty to the Lord.

Those who are converted to the Lord (those who were awakened) were faithful, but many were not (vss. 2, 10). Daniel is told to “go thou thy way” (vss. 9, 13). In other words, “Keep on living and being faithful.” When living is done (“thou shalt rest”), then Daniel will “stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” Daniel is assured that God would be in control no matter what His children face.

The test for a prophet’s accuracy was simple: if the prophecy came true, he was a prophet from God (Deuteronomy 18:20-22; cf. 1 John 4:1-6). Daniel’s prophecies encouraged them, but these prophecies would not mean anything if they were not accurate. However, numerous extrabiblical sources confirm the astonishing accuracy of Daniel. The significant part for us is that Daniel has important and useful prophecies for our time. The dependability of his prophecies regarding the time of upheaval between the testaments shows us that we need to listen to the ones which reference God’s scheme of redemption.

Jesus said that we can know a man’s heart by what comes out of his mouth (or pen) (Matthew 12:34; 15:11, 18).  When we put preacher’s sermons and articles to the test we find what is in their hearts (see 1 John 4:1-4).  Sometimes what we hear and read brings glory to God.  Sometimes what we hear and read brings glory to man and this world.

Preachers who stick to divine revelation by respecting the authorized words of God stay out of trouble with God but not always with men.  Pointed application to God’s word is a guaranteed toe stomping occurrence that brings God ordained reproach to the speaker.  We ought to all say amen and embrace it.  The content of the sermons or articles are never to stray from truth.

Gospel preachers are disqualified; however, when they soap box about matters of their personal conviction and opinion.  Far too many times we are hearing and reading articles from preachers who address things of their own scruples rather than divine truths.  The man who preaches opinions from the pulpit and on the pages of paper or digital media disqualifies themselves.  The preacher who preaches his strong conviction about personal matters reveals that he is the weaker brother of Romans 14.  The apostle Paul wrote, “The faith which thou hast, have thou to thyself before God.  Happy is he that judges not himself in that which he approves” (Romans 14:22).  It’s difficult enough for elders to deal with overzealous opinionated brethren but when preachers are this way they pave the way for disaster in the church.

What happens when a man preaches or writes about his personal opinions and convictions as though all else ought to believe and hold to the same opinions?  First, the man has sinned in the grandest of fashion.  When one preaches his personal conviction as truth he sets himself up as a law giver.  He usurps the authorized position of the sovereign God of all creation (see 2 Thessalonians 2:4).  Secondly, he destroys others whom Christ’s died for (Romans 14:15).  Thirdly, he stirs deep trouble within the Lord’s church (Acts 15 and the book of Galatians).  Finally, such a man reveals to God and the church that he just doesn’t get what preaching and writing is all about.  The opinionated brother disqualifies himself from preaching the gospel.

There is an obvious temptation for man to move away from divine revelation to his own personal opinions and convictions else the word of God would not deal with the subject.  Book after book in the Bible we read of warnings against those who would take spiritual matters into their own hands.  The Apostle Paul wrote, “For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward” (2 Corinthians 1:12).

Those who preach and write personal opinions as truth are disqualified from preaching and writing.  No elder of a church ought to let a preacher, teacher, or young man stand in the pulpit and preach their personal scruples.  Those aspiring to preach ought to pay careful attention to divine instructions regarding the work of preaching (see 2 Timothy 4:1-5).  There are many matters of personal judgment in this life.  Do not make your personal judgment the law for all.  Stay with the word of God and you will save souls!

.

In the 1960’s things changed for many religious people.  Situational Ethics was first popularized by an Episcopal priest named Joseph Fletcher, who wrote two books titled The Classic Treatment and Situation Ethics.  In the books he contended that the principle of Love (agape) was supreme, and sometimes situations necessitated a breaking of God’s law for the higher good of expressing love for another.  The concept was accepted by a large number despite its arbitrary, individualistic and subjective nature.  Its influence is the primary reason why the hue and cry of religious people today, rather than obedience to God, has become, “You have no right to judge me!”

It is also the reason why religious people have become so accepting of sinful action in our society.  Many believe that, depending upon the situation, lying, stealing, divorce, abortion, etc., may be excused by God.  At its core, the view makes man the final arbiter of what is right and wrong in any particular circumstance, rather than God.  As experience has shown, this is a slippery slope.

American Slavery

The institution of slavery is a horrific blight in America’s past.  It was allowed to flourish because of the attitudes popularly held by the white population of America from its inception as a nation.  The southern states needed cheap labor for the cultivation and harvesting of crops such as tobacco and cotton.  The African slave trade provided the labor force.  It was economically convenient, but would have been untenable if the populace had regarded black people as human.  The common view was (at the very least) that the black man was less human than the white man – less capable of self-government, of education, of civilization.  The prominent view had no basis in reality, but it was widely held.

In reading a recent biography of Andrew Jackson, this truth was clearly demonstrated to the mind of this writer.  Jackson as President (1829-37) was a champion of “the people.”  He fought for the rights of the common man, and ferreted out corruption in government that would harm American citizens.  Although he commonly wrote and spoke of the rights of “every man” to liberty and the pursuit of happiness, it was obvious that his view of “every man” was not inclusive of either native Americans or blacks.  He was a slave holder, and during his Presidency he supported measures that robbed native Americans of their homelands and sovereignty. In all of this he considered himself to be a benevolent protector of these “lesser peoples.”  In correspondence with native American leaders he often referred to himself as their “great white father.”

The vestiges of these attitudes remain in the racial inequalities and racist views of many today.  In fact, one of the saddest realities of our culture is the racial segregation that is characteristic of our worship assemblies and churches.  Brethren, this ought not to be. “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).

The view that such a system of slavery would never be tolerated again is simple minded.  What would it take?  Simply that those who still hold that the black man is inferior to the white man be given sufficient voice to convince the majority that it is true.  This is why it is so important to educate people to the reality that skin color and cultural differences do not have a bearing upon the humanity or worth of any individual or group.

The Holocaust

More recently (within the lifetime of some of our readers) another example of such evil emerged.  As the Nazi party gained ascendancy in Germany in the 1930’s, Nazi propagandists began to claim a scientific basis for their proclamations of Aryan superiority.  The Nazis began a eugenics program.  Eugenics advocates the use of tactics designed to “improve” the genetic pool of a population.  Methods used by the Nazi party included the forced sterilization of 400,000 people, and the killing of 70,000 more under a “euthanasia” program called Action T4.

The Nazi party targeted individuals who were examples of “life unworthy of life” (Lebensunwertes Leben). These individuals included criminals, dissidents, those with mental or physical handicaps, and homosexuals.  The program also called for the extermination of “sub-humans” (Untermensch), a designation that especially included Jews.  This policy culminated in the Holocaust, where it is estimated that 6 million Jews (73% of all Jews in occupied Europe at the time), and a total of 11 million people overall were killed in concentration camps.

The Nazi regime used architecture, cinema, sports, and youth organizations to sway the populace to its view of Aryan superiority.  The efforts were very successful in leading the German people either to stand idly by or participate in one of the worst atrocities in the history of mankind.  To this day Holocaust survivors and their families plead with the world to “never forget”, and the German government prohibits the existence of Nazi organizations or the free expression of Nazi doctrines.  This is done because of the legitimate fear that allowing the Nazi voice to go unchecked could lead to such vile actions once again.

Abortion

While those who compare abortion to the Holocaust are immediately accused of contributing to uncivil discourse and division, there is a legitimate parallel with regard to the use of human reasoning to justify the practice.  The German phrases (Lebensunwertes Leven) “life unworthy of life” and (Unttermensch) “sub-humans” serve as perfect descriptions of the attitude pro abortion advocates have regarding a human fetus in the womb.  Depending upon the situation (the health of the mother being in some way threatened), the woman has a right to terminate her pregnancy.  It is important to note that when the Supreme Court ruled on the landmark Roe v. Wade case in 1973, it explicitly rejected the concept of personhood for the unborn child.  The majority opinion contended that a fetus is not “a person within the meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment.”  Therefore, it did not have the right to life.

This ruling has remained the standard for roughly 37 years, and the impetus for the termination of an estimated 55 million pregnancies.  We, of course, contend this to be the killing of 55 million unborn children.  However, since the law arbitrarily determines that the unborn fetus is “sub-human”, or “not a person”, the practice continues unabated.  It is a practice that has been generally accepted as morally defensible, as the woman has a right to determine what will or will not be done to her own body.

The most morally reprehensible aspect of this situation is man’s view that he has the right to define personhood.  Our own President, Barak Obama, argued for this right on the floor of the Illinois senate in his role as a state senator in 2001.  In question was a proposed law that would require doctors to try to save a fetus delivered during a late term abortion, if it showed signs of life.  Obama argued against the law, stating:

Number one, whenever we define a previable fetus as a person that is protected by the equal protection clause or the other elements in the Constitution, what we’re really saying is, in fact, that they are persons that are entitled to the kinds of protections that would be provided to a – a child, a nine-month-old – child that was delivered to term. That determination then, essentially, if it was accepted by a court, would forbid abortions to take place. I mean, it – it would essentially bar abortions, because the equal protection clause does not allow somebody to kill a child, and if this is a child, then this would be an antiabortion statute.

Pro-life advocates argued during the 2008 election Obama was advocating infanticide.  Obama said they were lying.  How did he justify the claim?  By affirming that by law an aborted fetus was not a child, even if it was alive post partum.  Such language is identical to the Nazi propaganda of the 1930’s.  Who is human?  Who is a person?  Who is an infant?  Who is a child?  It is the one to which the state grants such a designation.  In order to justify the practice of abortion, we must deny that a human fetus has the inherent right of personhood.  Obama and others would (depending upon the situation) extend that denial to a point outside of the womb.

Infanticide

Is it surprising that some ethicists are now denying that inherent right of personhood to all newborn children?  In a recent article published in the Journal of Medical Ethics, two so called ethicists, Alberto Giubilini and Francesca Minerva, advocated what they refer to as “after-birth abortions.”  Consider the arguments they make:

“The moral status of an infant is equivalent to that of a fetus in the sense that both lack those properties that justify the attribution of a right to life to an individual.”

“Both a fetus and a newborn certainly are human beings and potential persons, but neither is a ‘person’ in the sense of ‘subject of a moral right to life’.

“We take ‘person’ to mean an individual who is capable of attributing to her own existence some (at least) basic value such that being deprived of this existence represents a loss to her.”

By now the language is familiar.  A new-born baby may be a human being, but if we are allowed to define what a “person” is, those who fall outside of that definition can be “ethically” denied the right to life.  The authors contend that if a child is born with Down’s Syndrome or some other defect, it can constitute an “unbearable burden on the family and on society as a whole, when the state economically provides for their care.”  Since 36% percent of Down’s cases could not be determined with prenatal testing, they assert that the parents should be allowed to “abort” the child after it is born.  They prefer using the term “after-birth abortion” over “infanticide” to, in their words, “emphasise that the moral status of the individual killed is comparable with that of a fetus.”

One chilling aspect of such reasoning is that there is no moral repugnance in killing the newborn for any reason.  In fact, these ethicists contended that a practice of “after-birth abortion” should be viewed in exactly the same way that society already views abortion – that there is no moral difference between the two.

Some may argue that these two individuals are fringe lunatics, and that such reasoning will never be accepted by society as a whole.  In fact, the Journal was forced to defend the decision to publish their work.  Consider the defense made of the action by Julian Savulescu, the Journal’s editor:

As Editor of the Journal, I would like to defend its publication. The arguments presented, in fact, are largely not new and have been presented repeatedly in the academic literature and public fora by the most eminent philosophers and bioethicists in the world, including Peter Singer, Michael Tooley and John Harris in defence of infanticide, which the authors call after-birth abortion.

The novel contribution of this paper is not an argument in favour of infanticide – the paper repeats the arguments made famous by Tooley and Singer – but rather their application in consideration of maternal and family interests. The paper also draws attention to the fact that infanticide is practised in the Netherlands.

Many people will and have disagreed with these arguments. However, the goal of the Journal of Medical Ethics is not to present the Truth or promote some one moral view. It is to present well reasoned argument based on widely accepted premises. The authors provocatively argue that there is no moral difference between a fetus and a newborn. Their capacities are relevantly similar. If abortion is permissible, infanticide should be permissible. The authors proceed logically from premises which many people accept to a conclusion that many of those people would reject.

The position advocated by these two is one that has long been argued.  It is even practiced in the Netherlands.  Perhaps the most cogent point made by the editor is the fact that these men are arguing logically based upon a premise that is accepted by many.  In other words, they are taking it to a logical conclusion.  What we see intimated in Obama’s arguments back in 2001 is being touted as the logical consequence in the present.  The only thing necessary to bring about the practice of infanticide in this country is time and a willingness to accept the consequences of concepts that have already been adopted.

Conclusion

Webster’s dictionary defines an ethicist as “one who specializes in or is very concerned about ethics.”  The term ethics is defined as “the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation.”  It comes down to this – an ethicist tries to figure out what is right, and what is wrong.  What we should do, and what we should not do.  As we have amply demonstrated, if such ethics are determined by human definition, we have an arbitrary and changeable standard that can lead to actions that future (and past) generations would regard as atrocities.

Each generation and society arrogantly claims that it has the ethical answers.  This was true in the antebellum American south.  It was true in Nazi Germany.  It is true today, as our society lawfully executes an average of 1.2 million unborn children each year.  And it will be true in the not too distant future as our society agrees to the killing of newborn babies while authoritatively proclaiming them to be Lebensunwertes Leven, “Life unworthy of life.”  Do you consider these the words of a provocateur?  We shall see.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death”
(Proverbs 14:12)

Genesis chapters 1 and 2 give the account of creation.  God, over six days of twenty four hours periods of time, created the world (Exodus 20:11).  The Lord took rest on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1-2).  After creation man was expected to look upon what God had powerfully formed and determine that he is the Lord.  The Psalmist wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament shows his handiwork” (Psalms 19:1).  God simply spoke and by his authoritative voice the world was formed (Psalms 33:6-9).

Man is awestruck by the power of the Lord’s creative abilities (Psalms 33:8).  The prophets of old condemned the unbelieving due to creation (see Jeremiah 5:22-24; Isaiah 40:18-28).  The apostle Paul said that no man will be excused for unbelief due to God’s creation (Romans 1:18-20).  Today, we too have God’s creation to examine.  We see the moon, sun, stars, and this beautiful planet we live on.  We see the aged trees with their twisted branches and canopy that reaches into the heavens.  We see vast oceans with waves that powerfully crash upon the sea shore.  We see the mountains with their waterfalls and jagged peaks.  We look our our marvelous human bodies and we conclude that God is.

God’s Creation Establishes Man’s Faith

The author of Hebrews defines faith by saying, “Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).  Breaking down the meanings of the original Greek words we may paraphrase the verse as follows.  “Now faith is a mental conclusion that God’s promise of salvation is true… Faith is evidence that I believe in the things not seen (i.e., God, eternity, heaven, hell, Hades).  But what brings one to these mental conclusions?  The author of Hebrews writes, “By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of the things which appear” (Hebrews 11:3).  The “world” (Greek aion) is the “material universe (i.e., the stars, planets, moon, sun, etc)” (Moulton’s Analytical Greek Lexicon page 11).  Creation brings man to faith in God.

God’s Creation Establishes the Authority of Christ

The Psalmist speaks of God’s creative powers and then concludes, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of thy throne: lovingkindness and truth go before thy face” (Psalms 89:11-14).  The standard of righteousness and justice are the components of Christ’s authority over man (see Isaiah 28:17; Romans 1:16-17).  Seeing that the Lord created man he has the sovereign right to rule over us as he pleases (see Acts 17:24-28).  No man has the right to question God’s predetermined mold of righteousness and justice because he made us (see Romans 9:6-24).  No matter who or where one lives we all are subject to Christ’s authority.  Christ’s authoritative laws reach the individual in the home, at work, in the church, in government, and even at play.  The preeminence of Jesus Christ over all creation exists because he is creator (see Colossians 1:16-18).  All are subject to his divine will (Jeremiah 32:27).

God’s Creation Establishes Revelation

Righteousness and justice are the foundation blocks of the throne of God.  These foundations blocks are confirmed as truth by the creation (again, see Psalms 89:11-14).  The Apostle Paul and Isaiah reveal the equivalences between righteousness, justice, and the gospel of Jesus Christ (see Isaiah 28:16-17; 52:7; Romans 10:11-17).  The gospel, confirmed as truth by creation, was presented to the world by revelation through the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 3:1-7).  The Lord, through the Holy Spirit, moved men to speak divine revelation (see 2 Peter 1:21).  Gospel truths were also confirmed as divine revelation through miracles in the early church days (Mark 16:20).  When revelation was complete miracles ceased to exist (1 Corinthians 13:1ff).  The creation; however, continues to testify to the truths of the gospel.

God’s Creation Establishes Man’s Responsibility to Obey

The Apostle Paul writes, “Faith comes of hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).  Creation and preaching the gospel produce faith.  Faith alone is not the Lord’s final objective for mankind.  Creation confirms the reality of God and his divine revelation.  The confirmed scriptures teach us that faith without works is dead (see James 2:14-17).  Faith and obedience are actually equivalent.  Abraham is a principal example.  The scriptures teach us that Abraham was justified by faith in God.  Genesis 15:6 reads, “And Abraham believed God and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.”  James explains the equivalence between obedience and faith by telling us that Abraham was justified by faith when he obeyed God’s command to sacrifice his son Isaac.  James concludes, “Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect; and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of god.  Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith” (James 2:22-24).  The author of Hebrews explains that man’s faith is manifest by his obedience (Hebrews 11:1ff).

Conclusion

Faith, throughout history, has been produced in man by creation (Romans 1:18-20), revelation (Psalms 89:11-14), miracles (Mark 16:20), and eye witness accounts of events God said would happen that did (Isaiah 46:9-10; John 20:30-31; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8).  All eye witnesses have passed from this life.  Miracles have ceased to exist.  We are left with creation and revelation to establish our faith.  The next time you have a study with an unbeliever begin at the creation.

In most of his letters, the first thing Paul would do would be to identify himself as an apostle and state the source of his apostleship. In this article, we will consider exactly what Paul was saying about himself when he claimed to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, why he had the right to make this claim, and what the claim says about the letters that he wrote.

An Apostle

The word apostle simply means “one sent forth.” More specifically, an apostle is one sent with a special message or commission. While the word “apostle” could properly apply to any person sent forth on any mission, we understand that the Bible primarily uses this term to refer to those men who Christ chose to bear witness of Him to the world.

Christ’s apostles had a specific mission, or work, to accomplish. First, He commissioned them to spread the gospel into the world (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16). Second, they were to bear witness of Christ and His resurrection to the world (Acts 1:8; 2:32). Finally, the apostles were instrumental in the establishment of the church. Jesus built His church (Matthew 16:18), but each apostle played an important role in its construction. The moment that they are saved, Christians enter a spiritual structure (the church), which is being built upon “the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

To enable them to do this important work, the apostles received a special measure of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guided them into all truth, revealed the things given by Christ, and reminded them of the things He had taught them (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:12-14). This particular promise of the Holy Spirit was made to only the apostles. No one else received this measure of the Holy Spirit.

The apostles also received authority to execute the Lord’s will and testament. After Peter made the good confession (“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”), Jesus told him, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:16; 18-19). Lest we think that Peter was the only apostle given this privilege, Jesus later made the same promise to all twelve (Matthew 18:18).

Possessing “keys” or “binding and loosing” is acting with authority. One who has a key to a door has power over when that door opens or shuts. As they preached, the apostles were making known the blessings and stipulations of the Lord’s will, thus “unlocking” the door of Christ’s kingdom to all of mankind. No one else received this authority.

In addition, the apostles were also ambassadors for Christ. “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). An ambassador is a representative, one who speaks on another’s behalf.

“An ambassador acts and speaks not only on behalf of but also in the place of the sovereign from whom he has received his commission. It is his duty to proclaim faithfully and precisely the message entrusted to him by his sovereign. Accordingly there is a real sense in which the voice of the ambassador may be said to be the voice of the sovereign he represents” (Philip E. Hughes, Commentary on Second Corinthians, pp. 209-210).

The apostles were Christ’s ambassadors, authorized and empowered to speak and act on His behalf. When an apostle spoke, it was as if Christ Himself were speaking. No one else has the right to be considered an ambassador for Christ.

Paul’s Claim to Being an Apostle

Because of his effectiveness as an apostle and evangelist, Paul’s work was opposed by Satan. Judaizing teachers were often all-too-ready tools for Satan to use in his efforts to frustrate Paul and destroy his efforts. These false brethren would follow Paul, entering into an area after he had left, and undermining his efforts by binding circumcision and the Law of Moses upon Gentile converts (Acts 15:1). One tactic used by these Judaizers to influence those whom Paul had taught was to deny that he was an apostle. Because of these lies, Paul had to spend time defending his apostleship. Much of the book of Galatians deals with this matter, as does the entire book of Second Corinthians.

It is clear from reading these epistles that Paul did not enjoy defending his apostleship. He did not do so in an effort to vindicate himself. He defended his apostleship because any attempt to undermine his authority as an apostle could destroy his labor in the gospel.

Paul’s divine calling as an apostle is emphasized in his introduction to the book of Galatians: “Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead)” (1:1). From this statement, we see that Paul did not attain his position as an apostle through personal aspiration or usurpation. He was not made an apostle by the means of men; nor did any man seek him out to be an apostle. Paul became an apostle through the calling and will of God Himself.

Paul was not one of the original twelve apostles. While they were busy preaching Christ, he was opposing their efforts. Paul referred to his late calling and conversion as being “born out of due time” (1 Corinthians 15:8). The Lord called Paul when He appeared to him on the road to Damascus.

15 So I said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.

17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,

18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”

Acts 26:15-18

Although “born out of due time,” Paul did not consider himself to be inferior in authority or power to any of the other apostles (2 Corinthians 11:5).

There is no doubt that Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ. The New Testament reveals the fact that he bore the characteristics of an apostle.

1. Paul saw the risen Lord. As the eleven apostles were securing a replacement for Judas Iscariot, Peter indicated that this was a qualification. “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection” (Acts 1:21-22). The book of Acts satisfies this requirement on Paul’s behalf by recording in three different places the fact that Paul saw the risen Lord on the road to Damascus (Acts 9, 22, 26). Paul also indicated that he had seen the risen Lord (1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8).

2. Paul was taught by the Lord. Just as the twelve apostles spent three years learning from the Lord, so also Paul received his knowledge of the gospel from the Lord Himself. “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12).

3. Paul possessed a power held only by an apostle. The Scriptures reveal that the apostles alone had the power to give others the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit. “And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 8:18-19). Paul claimed to have this power (Romans 1:11) and apparently had used it on Timothy (2 Timothy 1:6).

4. Paul did the work of an apostle. Paul rebuked the Corinthians for allowing others to deny his apostleship. They had seen his power and authority firsthand, and they should have come to his defense when false teachers came into their midst and denied that he was an apostle. “I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds” (2 Corinthians 12:11-12). In an earlier epistle, Paul had told the Corinthians that they were the proof of his work as an apostle and the seal of his apostleship (1 Corinthians 9:1-2). A church existed in Corinth because an apostle had come into their midst and preached to them.

5. Paul possessed the humility of an apostle. Although the apostles possessed great power and authority, the Lord taught them to be humble. They were to be as “harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Even though they were doing a great work, and would reign with Christ in His kingdom, they were to consider themselves as “unprofitable servants” (Luke 17:10). Paul was humble in his dealings as an apostle. He reminded the Thessalonians, “Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children” (1 Thessalonians 2:6-7). Even when Paul had to talk about his qualifications and defend his apostleship, he did so reluctantly. He called it “foolish boasting,” and even reverted to speaking of himself in the third person (2 Corinthians 11:16-21; 12:1-6).

6. The other apostles accepted Paul’s apostleship. While some may have denied that Paul was a genuine apostle because he was not one of the original twelve, the twelve themselves accepted his apostleship and gave him the right hand of fellowship. “But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised” (Galatians 2:7-9). According to the apostle Peter, Paul’s writings are Scripture and must be accepted as having equal weight with the rest of Scripture (2 Peter 3:15-16).

One cannot be an apostle of Jesus Christ if he does not meet these qualifications. Many people today claim to be apostles, but we must reject their claims. There is no indication in the New Testament that the apostolic office or authority was transferable to others. When the apostle John died, the office of an apostle ceased to exist. No man living today can claim to be an apostle, because no man today has seen or been taught by the risen Lord. No one today possesses the miraculous power held by the apostles. Those who claim to be modern-day apostles are liars (Revelation 2:2), and those who are Christ’s true followers must reject them. However, there can be no doubt that Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ. The New Testament goes to great lengths to verify his claim to be “an apostle of Jesus Christ.”

Letters Written by the Apostle Paul

While apostolic authority could not be conferred upon other individuals, this authority did extend beyond the men themselves. For instance, an apostle’s authority was not limited to those whom he had personally converted or local churches that he had personally established. All Christians and all churches had to respect the authority of all the apostles. The apostles were not acting on their own; they were working together to carry out Christ’s will.

One way in which an apostle could exercise or extend his authority was by writing an epistle. When Paul began his epistles by identifying himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ, he was not trying to impress the readers with a personal title or office that he held; he was saying something about the nature of his letter. A letter from an apostle was not the same as a letter from a friend or mentor. The apostles were ambassadors, or representatives, of Jesus Christ; and they spoke by His authority. Thus, when one received a letter from an apostle, it was as if he had received it from Christ Himself.

When Paul introduced himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ, he was setting the stage for everything else that would follow in his letter. By introducing himself as an apostle, Paul would thrust the authority of Christ to the forefront of his epistles, thus calling upon the reader to consider everything that followed as the doctrine and commands of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:37).

It is the authority possessed by the apostles that upholds the continued use of their writings as Scripture today. The epistles are not “love letters” sent to the first century churches. They are not to be dismissed as “someone else’s mail.” They are authoritative documents, written by the ambassadors of Christ, which set forth the doctrine and pattern for us to follow today.

When we read the epistles written by Paul, we must acknowledge them as being written by the authority of Christ and containing His commandments. To despise and reject the New Testament epistles is to reject the authority of the apostles, and rejecting the apostles is rejecting the Lord who sent them (Luke 10:16).

Perhaps, we are sometimes led to believe it doesn’t matter what we do at all, even in regard to our soul’s salvation, but the sentence of Christ surely emphasizes it is more blessed to do well than to work iniquity. There are many spiritual blessings to be found in Jesus, but those that are eternal are the ones that only the worthy obtain–not by worth of personal merit, but by the interaction of faith and grace. Heaven is a prize, a gift, a reward, an inheritance and a a treasure. Thus it is an objective worth striving after and one which only the faithful and few will attain.

While God has not given to us every material thing we may want and while we may never attain the earthly prosperity of our neighbors, God has blessed us with access to every kind of spiritual blessing that exists, and that is true, lasting wealth (Ephesians 1:3-6). As his elect, we are adopted children enjoying the good pleasure of his grace and acceptance, and nothing that would elevate our spirits is withheld from us. “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God” (First John 3:1)!

We are richly blessed with the greatest gifts:

• With salvation, “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
• With forgiveness, for “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
• With guidance through “the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7).
• With fellowship, “and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).
• With burden-sharing, “For [his] yoke is easy and [his] burden is light” (Matthew 11:30).

All these blessings are to be found in and only in Christ (Galatians 3:26-29); in science, philosophy, atheism, carnality, there is no such blessing and no such promise, so that entrance into the body of Christ through faithful baptism gives our lives eternal purpose–an objective. We mean to gain heaven, understanding our sins make it impossible to earn our way there, but that God’s grace invites us to become worthy of eternal life through obedient, trusting faith and forgiveness.

When asked about the resurrection, Jesus replied that some would be “counted worthy” to attain that age and the resurrection from the dead to life, becoming equal to angels and sons of God (see Luke 20:35-36). Although we comprehend that humility requires us to understand our own personal unworthiness, the extension of the gospel invitation gives us the opportunity to become worthy by grace through faith when we obey the call and submit to Jesus (see 1 Corinthians 6:11).

That is what justification is all about and it is nothing about which we should be ashamed, nor should we deceive ourselves into thinking that our lifestyle and decisions about sin have no effect upon it (see Galatians 2:17).

Eternal Spiritual Blessing Is A Prize

Even in the technologically advanced twenty-first century, rural counties still have fairs in which people submit their produce or crafts with the hope of winning a prize–usually a blue ribbon or some other sign of victory. And believe it or not, eternal life is designated a prize in the New Testament:

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14 ESV)

Paul is using the footrace as an illustration for what the Christian is trying to accomplish in his rededicated life–to run the course of human experience with endurance in order to enjoy the ultimate prize (see Hebrews 12:1-2).

When he wrote the Philippians, he did not yet imagine himself to have reached the finish line and so he was deeply focused upon his training, self-discipline, and even the rules of setting aside sin and pressing forward. Paul was not bashful about encouraging other Christians to run in such a way that they might win rather than lose (First Corinthians 9:24-27). Salvation is a prize–it is the only prize that matters in life and we should never be any more ashamed than the Holy Spirit about presenting it in those terms. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it” (First Corinthians 9:24 ESV)!

Eternal Life Is A Gift

Yet not only is salvation a prize, but it is also a gift, which implies different things, for even with all our effort, eternal life is the gift of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, something we could never earn by virtue of personal merit: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 ESV).

This gift of God is like a supply of running water that is never exhausted (see John 4:10)–a stream of mercy that washes away the iniquities of the past and which provides mercy for the sins we repent of in the future (see Acts 2:38). It is an indescribable gift of righteousness (see First Corinthians 9:15, Romans 5:17), because, on our own, we could never attain self-rightness or legal justification (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Some may imagine a conflict in the images of salvation variously as a prize or a gift, for one seems to be based on merit, while the other is not, but there is no conflict, especially in light of the last verse read.

Salvation is a prize after which we strive, all the while understanding that we could never attain it on our own–seizing that victory is wholly dependent upon the gift of God’s merciful assistance. That is where God strikes the balance between his grace and our faith.

Eternal Life Is A Reward

More often than any other image, eternal life is described as a reward. Great is the reward in heaven for those saints who are persecuted like the prophets (see Matthew 5:12), but that reward is forfeited by those who fast, pray and donate just to be seen of men (see 6:1-18). Jesus promised that showing hospitality to a prophet or righteous man would bring reward (see Matthew 10:41-42), a reward, then, obviously connected to our behavior (Matthew 16:24-27).

It cannot be denied that judgment is according to works, nor that God intends to reward the faithful on this basis (Colossians 3:23-25). Just as the prize was yet to be obtained fully, so this reward can be forfeited; “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward” (Hebrews 10:35). “Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind” (Colossians 2:18).

As Moses looked to the reward, we gain ours the same way–by esteeming even the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Earth (see Hebrews 11:26). We want a full reward and not to lose the things we have worked for (see Second John 8), for when Jesus comes again, it will be to reward every one according to his work (see Revelation 22:12).

Eternal Life Is An Inheritance

The notion of a heavenly reward is even balanced when we realize our reward is an inheritance–wealth created by someone else and willed to us as his beneficiaries. It is God “who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12 ESV).

We are heirs according to the same promise made so long ago to Abraham, and the estate of our benefactor is beyond comparison (First Peter 1:3-5). Our reward is an eternal inheritance which cannot be used up or stolen away; it is wealth that we could never accumulate on our own because sin precludes it (see Hebrews 9:15).

Eternal Life Is A Treasure

It is truly a treasure which we store up in heaven when we decide to invest our hearts and lives with God and when we submit our will and ambitions to his (see Matthew 6:19-21, 19:21). Heaven is a spiritual place, described for us in terms we can understand so that its worth becomes clear–streets of gold, gates of pearl, walls of precious stones.

Every faithful deed is an investment in the extra-real estate in which Jesus has gone to make our reservations among the many rooms of his father’s house (see John 14:1-6). Eternal life in that kingdom is a pearl itself of great price, for which we ought to be willing to save and sacrifice.

Worthiness

There is a reason the Holy Spirit used such disparate terminology to describe eternal life in Heaven. It is important to our motivation and humility that we maintain the balance of divine grace and human faith, so that we do not become spiritually slothful or excessively self-reliant.

We must never forget that all men sin and the wages of sin is death and because of the first sin we commit, we are forever incapable of self-righteousness and independent justification (see Romans 3:23, 6:23). We learn to lean on God for grace and mercy, but never do we throw up our hands and slip into spiritual complacency, for we were recreated by God to be his workmanship and to prove his will in the Earth (see Ephesians 2:10).

Thus we are saved by grace through faith–God shows the grace and we respond by faith, for no man is justified by faith only or by personal perfection, but by a faithful and daily response to the gospel call (see Ephesians 1:18).

Personal unworthiness understood, we can be counted worthy of Christ when our faith becomes active and obedient. When we love him enough to take up his cross and follow (see Matthew 10:37-38). When we heed his invitation rather than dismiss it or make excuses (see Matthew 22:8). As in the parable of the prodigal son, it is when we acknowledge our own unworthiness to be God’s son that he embraces us and grants us reconciliation (see Luke 15:21).

That is the reason that Paul beseeches “you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Ephesians 4:1), to strive together for the faith of the gospel in a way that is worthy of it (see Philippians 1:27) and pleasing to God (see Colossians 1:10) who calls you into his own kingdom and glory (see 1 Thessalonians 2:10, 2 Thessalonians 1:5).

That is the delicate balance between prize and gift, reward and inheritance. We seek treasure in heaven which we do not deserve on our merit, but which requires us to exert the effort of faith. We strive after God so that we can walk with Jesus in white, having become worthy on his terms and by his blood (see Revelation 3:5). At the end of the day, even when we have walked worthy and done well, we are but unprofitable servants who have merely done what was our duty, but that is all that God expects of us (see Luke 17:7-10).

Conclusion

There are so many spiritual blessings in Christ, but those that are eternal are the ones that only the worthy obtain–not by worth of personal merit, but by the cooperation of faith and grace. Heaven is a prize, a gift, a reward, an inheritance and a a treasure. It is an objective worth striving after and one which only the faithful few will enjoy (see Matthew 7:21-27).

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.

5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127:3-5

If God has given us children, then we must realize that He has given us a great blessing. In the above passage alone, we are told that children are a gift, a reward, and a source of strength and happiness.

Children are a great blessing, but with great blessings comes great responsibilities. It has been said that children are like lumps of clay to be molded. Taking that lump of clay and molding it into a godly young man or woman is the task that God has given parents. This responsibility does not belong to the grandparents, extended family, friends, teachers, elders, preacher, etc. While these individuals can be expected to provide a good influence upon children, God has singled out fathers and mothers and given them instructions concerning their responsibilities towards the “heritage” that they have received “from the Lord.”

Provide For Them

Jesus taught that we are not to worry about our daily necessities because our heavenly Father knows what we need (Matthew 6:31-32). Earthly fathers need to follow this example and be providers for their children.

God expects fathers to provide for the material needs of their children. “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8). As keepers of the home (Titus 2:4-5), mothers are to provide a home environment that children need; a place of comfort, love, and stability in which they can learn and grow.

Fathers are also to provide for the spiritual needs of their children. Under the Law of Moses, God commanded fathers…

6 And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.

7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Paul instructed fathers, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Children need spiritual training early and often in life. This responsibility does not belong to the church. The Bible classes offered at the local church should serve to reinforce the training the children are already receiving at home.

In the absence of a believing father, the mother will need to take on this responsibility herself. While it may be difficult, the Scriptures indicate that it can successfully be done (2 Timothy 1:5, 3:15).

Finally, parents must provide for the emotional needs of their children. Mothers are told to “love their children” (Titus 2:4). Surprisingly, this is not translated from the well known work agape, but from the word philoteknos which means to love one’s offspring or to be maternal. Children need lots of love. They need to know that they are important. If children cannot find this from their parents, they will seek it out from other sources, which often results in heartache for both the parents and the child.

Teach Them

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). This passage is a general truth. There is a right way and a wrong way for a child to go. As we noted at the beginning of this article, the Bible refers to children as arrows (Psalm 127:4). Parents are responsible for aiming those arrows in the right direction.

This responsibility becomes even more urgent when parents consider what they are up against. The devil is restless in his attempts to take men away from the truth. He does not fight fair, and our children are not off limits to his efforts.

Young people today are distracted from the paths of righteousness on many fronts. Whether it be the sinfulness that is popularized through entertainment, secular humanism that is taught in schools, a subjective (“whatever – I don’t care”) attitude learned from our society, or possibly a tolerant attitude that is exhibited by our own brethren (participation in dances, social drinking, etc.), parents need to be aware of these dangers and meet them head-on.

As we learned from Deuteronomy 6:6-7, we must be diligent in our efforts to teach our children the word of God. We must teach them right from wrong, and that the Bible is the source of determining what is right and wrong. We must teach them the proper priorities in life, common sense, good manners, how to love their neighbor, etc.

One of the most important things that we must teach our children is respect. While they are still young children, they must learn to respect their parents (Ephesians 6:1-2), those who are older (1 Timothy 5:1-2), those in positions of authority (Titus 3:1), and especially respect for God (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Set A Good Example For Them

This teaching must be reinforced by a good example. Children imitate what they see. It is no mistake that we are a lot like our parents, we learned by watching them. Our children will do the same.

Our children will be watching how we act in public. They will learn how to interact socially by watching the way that we talk and act around others. Godly behavior must be consistent inside the home as well as outside of the home. How much of a difference do your children see between “at home” parents and “out in public” parents?

Children need to see their father loving and cherishing their mother, and their mother loving and honoring their father. They need to see their father and mother reading their Bible, getting their Bible lessons ready, praying, extending hospitality to others, visiting shut-ins, and making trips to visit the sick. All of these examples will give them the foundation and cues that they need to develop a life of service unto Christ and others.

Children need to see that the Lord’s church is important to their parents. Habitual tardiness and sporadic attendance tells your children that the church is not important. If we allow other events to come before assembling with the saints, our children will learn that family get-togethers, sporting events, studying for exams, club meetings, vacations, hunting trips, shopping trips, etc., are more important than the things that happen when the saints assemble. While there may be exceptions, the general rule is that sporadic attendance on the part of the parents will result in no attendance on the part of their grown children. What does it profit if your children are the best athletes, voted club president, graduate at the top of their class and receive full-ride scholarships, etc., and lose their soul for eternity (Matthew 16:26)?

Discipline Them

There comes a time in the life of every child when discipline becomes necessary. Children will test the boundaries that are set by their parents, but they cannot be allowed to pass these tests. Children have to be taught what “no” means and that there are consequences to inappropriate and rebellious behavior.

Solomon wrote, “Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction” (Proverbs 19:18). The time for clay to be molded is when it is soft. The shape cannot be changed once it had hardened. There is a time when our children need to be restrained and disciplined. If we wait until they are “older,” it will be too late for discipline to do any good. Consider the example of Eli and his sons.

22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people.

24 No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress.

25 If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the LORD desired to kill them.

1 Samuel 2:22-25

Eli’s sons were worthless and stood to receive God’s wrath, but God was holding Eli responsible because he did not discipline them when he had the opportunity.

12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.

14 And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.

1 Samuel 3:12-14, emphasis mine, HR

All children are different, thus different forms of discipline will be more effective with different children (spanking, time-out, grounding, etc). Regardless of the form that discipline takes, it needs to be administered promptly, consistently, and in love. “He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly” (Proverbs 13:24).

Conclusion

Parenting can provide the greatest blessings that life has to offer: “Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul” (Proverbs 29:17). However, it also has the potential for the most bitter of failures: “A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him” (Proverbs 17:25). We understand that children are free-moral agents and can rebel despite the best efforts that are put forth by the best of parents. However, parents cannot ignore the fact that they play an important role in the raising of their children.

Is the Bible relevant? Does this ancient book have any practical application to our lives today? Does it satisfy our needs as individuals and as a society? Or do we need something else? I believe a consideration of the following points will help to answer these questions and prove that the Bible is relevant today.

1. God Has Not Changed. “For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6; see also Hebrews 13:8). A lot of time has passed since the Bible was written, but that does not mean God has changed. How do we know this? A lot of time passed while the Bible was being written (about 1,600 years), yet God is the same Person at the end of the Bible that He is at the beginning. Time has a way of changing man, but God exists outside of time, it does not have any affect upon Him. God has not grown any wiser through the centuries. He has not become tolerant of things that used to anger Him. God is the same Person for us today that He is in the Bible.

2. God’s Word Has Not Changed. “Forever, O Lord, your word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). God’s standards of right and wrong have always existed, and will always exist, the way that they are found in the Bible. There is no need to update, change or revise these revealed standards. Some have the idea that because society now accepts things like living together, adultery, no-fault divorce, homosexuality, etc., that God now accepts them. This simply is not true. God’s thoughts and ways are not subject to our approval (Isaiah 55:8-9). It is a dangerous thing to be presumptuous about God.

3. The Needs of Society Have Not Changed. Society changes all the time, but the needs of society are still the same. People are still people, and have the same basic needs. Some may be surprised to find that the Bible both addresses and offers solutions to problems that we are dealing with today. Crime and punishment (Ecclesiastes 8:14), the role of civil government (Romans 13:1-6), welfare abuse (2 Thessalonians 3:10), prejudice (Acts 10:34; Matthew 22:35-40), teen pregnancy (1 Corinthians 6:18; Hebrews 13:4), drug and alcohol abuse (Galatians 5:19-21), family problems (Colossians 3:18-21), divorce (Malachi 2:16; Matthew 5:32), homosexuality and same-sex marriages (Romans 1:26-27; Matthew 19:4-5) and terrorism (Matthew 7:12) are all addressed in the Bible.

4. The Needs of Mankind Have Not Changed. The Bible offers answers to the most basic and fundamental questions that mankind has struggled with – Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? The apostle Paul answered all three of these questions in a sermon recorded in Acts 17. Where did I come from? “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” (v. 24). Why am I here? “So that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (v. 27). Where am I going? “Because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (v. 31).

In addition to philosophical needs, man also has spiritual needs. Many people have serious problems dealing with guilt, depression, doubt, despair, hopelessness, and fear. Bookshelves and magazine racks are filled with material written in hopes of identifying and solving these problems. TV and radio programs offer pop-psychology and the latest self-help fads. However, the Bible is the one book which positively identifies the real problem with which man struggles: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). It is also the only book that offers the real solution to this problem: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). It answers the most important question of all – “What must I do to be saved?”

The Bible is not an out-dated relic of centuries past. It is not a book of ancient history or myths. It is not a charm to ward off evil. Neither is it a file cabinet for newspaper clippings, announcements, pictures, flowers, or other mementos from the past. It is the living Word of God. It offers the answers to our most important questions while providing the standards and guidance we need as individuals and as a society. The Bible not only shows us how to have the best life here on earth, it is the only book which can prepare us for eternal life.

Let us go to Proverbs and read 6:6-11, “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. 9 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.” This is an excellent passage for our application to be good workers in life to provide for earthly needs but we can also gain the application for spiritual activity in so-called “church work,” with perhaps a special view to the work of converting the lost of this world or simply standing for the truth.

Let us go back to ants for a moment. How many of us as children spent hours lying in the grass watching and completely fascinated by the activity of ants. There is always a lot going on close to an anthill. Ants are very tiny and their works seem inconsequential, especially to young children. However, as small as ants are they accomplish a tremendous amount.

According to NOVA’s (PBS-TV), Edward O. Wilson, PhD. in Entomology, the combined weight of all ants in the world is about equal to that of all the humans on the earth! That means that for every one of us, there are millions of them. Mostly unappreciated by us until maybe we are stung or bitten by them, their constant hustle and bustle actually alters the environment everywhere these creature thrive. Think about this: entire ecologies are shaped by the untiring work of countless worker ants that as individuals are never named or remembered as individuals. Thanklessly, without any notice they spend their entire lives working for the hive. The result of this remarkable industry is that ants are as numerous as they are. There is no worry at all that ants will at some point go on the endangered species list. Sometimes we actually worry that Christians may be on the endangered list!

One of my favorite observances concerning ants is a time I watched a single ant carrying a bit of straw that was several times its body length and weighed perhaps twice or more than the ant itself. It struggled under this awkward and mighty load but nevertheless the little ant diligently carried on. The amazing thing was that the ant came to an insurmountable fissure in its path and so it put down the load. The ant then walked up and down the length of the impassible chasm for a second or two as if trying to reason out what it was going to do. Then seeming to figure out this daunting conundrum, the ant once again grabbed up the straw and laid it across the deep crack in the earth. Then it simply and matter-of-factly walked across this self made bridge and once across, picked up its temporary bridge and continued its journey once again bearing the mighty load!

In our passage from Proverbs, which causes us to consider the nature of ants for a moment, the Lord wants us to make some applications that really can be wide ranging for us and can also help to correct some attitudes toward others.

1. Put a smile on your face! The prime thing is “to be of good cheer” (Matthew 14:27). Have confidence that in serving the Lord Jesus we have made the right commitment of our life and efforts, Romans 8:37, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Generally the child of God should always have at our very core the knowledge that our choice to serve the Lord was the best decision any person could ever make of all the choices in life. Therefore, be confident!
2. You can overcome whatever has hurt you! Now when we have done much in the Lord’s service it is possible from time to time to become even physically tired, spiritually discouraged and emotionally exhausted. We are only human. All the mature among us in the service of the Lord will eventually have friends in Christ who disappoint and hurt us (but remember to count the friends who have not forsaken you, Proverbs 18:24; Paul relied upon Luke and Timothy after Demas and others had forsaken him). We can have physical concerns and just simply our getting older that will begin to limit us and these can take time and patience to learn to deal with. We may lose loved ones and experience the awful longing of grief. These kinds of real experiences in life can deal us blow after blow that we actually feel doing us harm. After the beheading of John, Jesus exhorted those so obviously discouraged by saying, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). Sometimes we need a little time to “recharge our batteries” but we must not use what should be a very temporary condition to become a permanent and abiding attitude. Remember: We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us! There is a reasonable amount of time for every cause of discouragement to eventually be shaken off so we can continue faithfully our part in the cause of Christ. I think of the element of real hope in the woman with the issue of blood who thought within herself, “If I may but touch the hem of His garment I can be made whole” (Matthew 9:20-22). Faith! Remember Paul’s statement about his own goals, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). Peter’s exhortation is priceless: 1Peter 1:13, “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
3. Get to work for the Lord! Someone has said, “Dig someone else out of his troubles and you dig a hole in which to bury your own.” Simply taking up the cross once again, we can actually make a new start. We want to join with Paul with no small amount of irony, “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel” (Philippians 1:12). With the knowledge you have gained from your experience remember what James said in his epistle, 4:7, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” No matter what your hurt may have been, just know that the devil cannot lay a glove on you!

Both the wise and foolish have a choice in the direction of life they choose.  When we read a proverb we understand that each man will read that piece of information and do with it what his heart desires.  Family and friends have a great deal of influence upon the decisions one makes in life.  The final decisions and direction one chooses; however, belongs to the individual.  The proverbs are often termed “general truths” for this very reason.  God delivers his divine expectation for man yet he leaves man with the choice as to whether or not he will follow the instructions and receive the eternal benefits. 

One may describe a general truth as the “natural order of things.”  Solomon writes much about what God’s expectations are for man in the form of natural order.  Consider these examples.  It is the natural order of things that man gain understanding and knowledge yet not all men do (Proverbs 8:9).  It is the natural order of things that a beautiful woman have discretion yet not all do (Proverbs 11:22).  It is natural for kings to rule with justice and equity yet not all do (Proverbs 8:15; 16:10).  It is the natural course of life that a gray headed man be righteous yet how many times have you personally witnessed a perverted gray haired man (Proverbs 16:31)?  It is the natural course of life for a man to have children and those children have their own children (Proverbs 17:6).  Sometimes; however, a man’s children have no children.  It goes against nature for the wicked to be justified and the righteous condemned (Proverbs 17:15) and punished for their good deeds (Proverbs 17:26) yet how many times has the opposite occurred?  It goes against the natural order of things for those who are due punishment to be spared the chastening rod yet this happens quite often (see Proverbs 19:5).  Again, it goes against nature for the fool to have luxury and the servant to rule princes yet it happens (Proverbs 19:10).  Are we beginning to see the point?

A beautiful proverb depicting the natural order of God’s divine expectation is found at chapter 22:6.  Solomon writes, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.”  Some; however, have erroneously concluded from this passage that if a child grows up to be a wicked and foolish man the parents failed to properly “train him up.”  While this may be the truth in many cases it cannot be the truth in all cases.  Like the general truths above we see that it is God’s expectation that such a child remain faithful but that is not always the case?

It is Jehovah’s divine intention and consequentially the natural course of events for the young man or woman that was raised in a Godly home with Godly expectations to hold on to those divine principles all their lives.  Unfortunately some choose not to follow divine council even though they were raised properly.  Such a one goes against Jehovah’s standard and the natural course of this life.  They choose to sin.

Consider the fact that if a parent is reproving a child they are inferentially trying to bring them up in the way they should go (see Proverbs 15:5, 31-33).  Consider also the fact that if a son is bringing “shame” (Proverbs 17:2; 19:26-27), “sorrow” (Proverbs 17:21), “grief” and “bitterness” to his or her parents that this inferentially states that the parents are obviously concerned with spiritual matters and are trying to raise the child in the way they should go.  Such parents understand their God ordained roles in the home (see Proverbs 4:7; 7:1-4; 19:18; 23:23).  The parent’s hope is that by taking the rod to the child he or she will be changed for the better (Proverbs 19:18).  Unfortunately, many are not men or women of Biblical integrity even though they were taught to be so.

The book of Proverbs illustrates that there are few who follow through with their spiritual integrity.  Jehovah’s divine expectation for all man is to be saved from their sins yet many will reject Him (2 Peter 3:9).  Just because it is Jehovah’s expectation of man to do right does not mean that all men will do right.  Let us not be simple users of God’s word but rather spiritual engineers and mathematicians who know the proof of our faith (see Acts 9:22). 

Are the parents unquestionably the fault of any and all children who reject truth and wisdom in this life?  Solomon answers the question and Ezekiel confirms the truth.  Solomon writes, “Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right” (Proverbs 20:11).  Will the son be wise or foolish?  Solomon writes, “A wise son hears his father’s instruction; but a scoffer hears not rebuke” (Proverbs 13:1).  The wise hear and give heed yet the foolish do not.  Each individual has his own choice to make.  A parent can do all that is possible to make their child godly yet in the end it is up to that child.  Ezekiel writes, “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins it shall die… the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him” (Ezekiel 18:4, 20).

Those who would charge ALL parents who have a wicked son or daughter with erroneously bringing up their children based on Proverbs 22:6 have made a grave error.  Such a person convicts Adam of sin for producing a wicked son in Cain (see Genesis 4:1-8).  Cain chose to be wicked.  Adam did not make Cain wicked (1 John 3:11-12).  Those who charge all parents with error for having a wicked son or daughter convict Noah (Genesis 9:20-27), Isaac (Genesis 25:27-34), Aaron (Leviticus 10:1-6), Eli (1 Samuel 2:12), Samuel (1 Samuel 2:12), and the loving father of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) with sin.  Furthermore, to draw such a conclusion is to point a condemning finger at Jehovah our Almighty God.  The scriptures often depict Jehovah as a father to his people.  He trained them in the way they should go (Jeremiah 10:23).  The Lord’s children; however, chose the sinful directions they took (see Jeremiah 6:16-19; Malachi 1:6).  The Father’s words often hardened their hearts rather than bringing about their obedience.

Dear brethren, some will give heed to God’s laws and some will not (Romans 9; John 12:37-43; Matthew 13:10-16; Acts 18:5-6).  As a parent, we do all within our power and responsibility to see to it that our children love the Lord God with all their heart, mind, and soul.  Their lives; however, are just that, it belongs to them to do what they will.  Though a parent’s heart may be broken, due to their child’s wickedness, it is not always the parent’s fault.  General truths reveal God’s divine expectation and the natural order of things.  Unfortunately, many take the road of fleshly desires (see Romans 8:5-8).

With such phones, we occasionally have to ask, “Can you hear me now?” because we’re not certain our message is getting through. Then, sometimes, we have no clue that we’ve been disconnected altogether.

Prayer can feel about like that at times in our lives, especially if we occasionally doubt our message is getting through or discover that we have been unknowingly disconnected for quite a while because of some sin or rebellious attitude.

Prayer is Communication

When Adam and Eve walked in the Garden of Eden with God, there was not any apparent need for prayer, but following their expulsion, his relationship with mankind became more reserved and it was in the last verse of Genesis 4 that, “men began to call on the name of the Lord,” presumably in prayer (verse 26).

The patriarch Jacob sets the tone for prayer throughout the Old Testament era in Genesis 28 as he associates prayer with an animal sacrifice and a conditional vow of loyalty (Genesis 28:18-22). Once the Law of Moses was put into effect, little is said about prayer as the people approach God through their priests and mainly to acknowledge guilt and beg for mercy.

It is during the Exile that prayer takes on a more personal, earnest nature. Ezra prays in extreme sorrow over the guilt of his countrymen (9:5-7); Nehemiah did likewise (1:5-11). Daniel’s habit in this era was to pray three times daily and his recorded prayer is of the same kind as Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s (see 9:4-19).

It is the prayers of Christ, living yet under the Old Testament, but pointing toward the New, that set the stage for prayer in our time, for his prayers are the words of a child petitioning his father. He prayed in times of sorrow and joy, spoke always with genuine emotion and the expectation that he would be heard, subject to his father’s will. For Jesus, prayer was not simply a religious exercise or public ceremony, but was real communication with the God of heaven, and that is what we are striving to enjoy as well. His prayers move away from that sense of separation in the Old Testament petitions, because his sonship and perfection make it possible for him to approach God in a more intimate way. His obedience on the cross makes it possible for all his redeemed to enjoy that kind of intimacy and access as well (Hebrews 4:14-16).

The church he established follows this pattern of trusting intimacy in prayer, approaching God with renewed boldness. The Jerusalem church immersed itself in prayer, especially when threatened (see Acts 1:14; Acts 2:1, Acts 2:42; 3:1; 6:4,6). Paul frequently discussed his own prayers, using them as evidence of his care for the churches he addressed (see Romans 1:9; Ephesians 1:16; Philippians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:2, etc.). The Holy Spirit describes prayer for us as a steadfast habit (see Romans 12:12), vigilantly pertinent (see Ephesians 6:18), and emotionally relieving (see Philippians 4:6).

Our prayers should contain petitions for our blessing as well as intercessions on behalf of others who are in need, even if they are unaware of their need, for “God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Prayer, however, is incomplete and less effective unless it also contains a strong measure of adoration, confession, and thanksgiving, which help to polish the heart and attitudes of the one praying (Ephesians 3:14-21).

Because prayer is so vitally important to the spiritual and even physical health of the believer, nothing is more troubling than when there seems to be static on the line because our prayers are being hindered.

What Causes The Static?

Marital Stress

Sometimes stress in the marriage hinders our ability to pray sincerely; Paul recognized the connection between prayer and the duties of marriage  in responding to the concerns of some at Corinth: “Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control” (1 Corinthians 7:5).

This is where the couple must cooperate so that their physical needs are satisfactorily met, without ever compromising their spiritual requirements or abandoning the other to the perils of unfulfillable desire. Christians who are married should be helping one another along the path to heaven and balancing spiritual needs and wholesome physical intimacy is part of that.

Still, misbehavior in the marital relationship is also identified as a prime way to hinder those prayers: “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:1-7).

It is simply impossible to be right with God when you are wronging someone so close to you by treating her with contempt or disrespect. Proverbs 18:22 declares that, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD” but if you are abusing that favor, what is the Lord to do in response? Treating her without understanding, without honor or as something less than a fellow heir of grace is what puts static on the line. Denigrating her to your friends or before your children, or making her life difficult, unenjoyable and unrewarding is going to put static on your line.

Wrongs Left Uncorrected

Jesus warns that you might as well postpone your worship altogether if you remember that you have given someone cause to be angry with you and you have neglected to set it right. “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).

Maybe it is something I did, or said, or didn’t do, but should have–if I know that I am guilty of offending another, it is my responsibility to clear myself of guilt before I try to approach God to make petitions for my own good or to intercede for someone else. My lingering sin and my apathy about it are responsible for the static on the line.

Apathy About Listening to God

Our communication with God is not to be as one-sided as some of the phone conversations that we have; we are to speak to God in prayer and to listen to him as he speaks through the Bible, often answering there the very questions and needs we have raised. “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination” (Proverbs 28:9). We should not wonder why there is so much static on the line if we are content to speak to God in needful prayer, but apathetic about listening for answers by reading his word (see Psalm 1:1-6).

Unmercifulness

Hypocrisy is often exposed in self-serving prayer that petitions God for mercy and blessing, but through a life that bears grudges and resentments and affords no mercy to anyone else. The man who withholds compassion toward others should expect only static when he pleads for mercy for himself alone (see Matthew 6:14-15).

We are taught to pray that God would forgive our debts to him just as we forgive the ones who have wronged us and ask for mercy, but judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy (see James 2:13).

Jesus taught, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your father in heaven may also forgive your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your father in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:25-26).

The static on the mercy line is because of selfishness and bitterness; “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart” (Matthew 18:35).

Covetousness

We often do not notice the static at all until we recognize that our prayers are not being granted, and at times, this is because we are praying our covetousness for things (James 4:1-5):

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:1-6 ESV)

Prayer is not a Christmas wish list turned heavenward in which we treat God like Santa and plead with him to grant us wealth and luxury. We begin to sound like a spoiled child who rarely has time to say thanks because he is so busy asking for more; the kindest thing God can do is to deny such greed and interrupt the asking with static

Rebellious Attitude

All this can be summed up and expanded when we consider that the static on the line is just evidence of lingering sin about which we are either ignorant or apathetic. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear” (Psalm 66:18; see Isaiah 59:1-2).

If I adopt a rebellious attitude toward God or a contemptuous attitude in dealing with others, I can expect that my conversation with him will be interrupted by static of my own making:

Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. (1 Peter 3:10-12)

Clearing Up The Static

I won’t clear up the white noise by changing carriers or shaking the handset, but by changing my own position. Sin is an obstacle like a tunnel, thick walls or a high hill between God and me, and the only way to eliminate that obstacle is by removing it with contrition (1 John 1:6-10).

Just because a prayer is not answered in the way you anticipated, it does not necessarily follow that your sin is to blame, but when there is real static on the line, it is evidence that we have estranged ourselves from God. The gospel is a ministry of reconciliation, greater than the reunion of child and earthly parent. James admonishes you to draw near to God and he will draw near to you (see 4:8).

It becomes a matter of returning to your first love and purifying your prayers by giving up dalliances with the rivals for your heart. Your first love should not be yourself, but if it is, it will become apparent and even if you don’t literally hear static on the line when you pray, understand that your petitions are indeed hindered

It is vital that we learn to think about what might hinder our prayers and put static on the all-important line that connects us with the throne of God in heaven.

In reading Deuteronomy 8:11-18, there is a great lesson for us about ingratitude toward God.

“Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 “lest-when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 “and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 “when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15 “who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16 “who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end- 17 “then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ 18 “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

Probably the main reason the children of Israel were ultimately rejected as God’s people was that they forgot to be thankful and appreciative of God. A clear case in point is found in Judges 7:2, “And the LORD said to Gideon, ‘The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’” The apostle Paul says about his own physical infirmity in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Depend Upon God in Today’s World?

Dependence upon God’s beneficent love is something we must recognize and appreciate daily. Remember what Christ said, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3). When reasoning with the great rationally trained minds of the Greeks on Mars Hill, Paul said, Acts 17:24-28 “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. 25 “Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 “for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’”

You only have to read the beautiful thoughts expressed by the psalmist in Psalm 104:10-35, and I hope that you will, to get the full measure of why we should be so aware that our very existence is totally reliant upon Him. Just think with me about all the things that God does for us beyond what has already been mentioned:

1. God opens my heart with his word, Acts 16:14.
2. I am His workmanship and He saves me, Ephesians 2:8-10.
3. The Lord makes me stand as a Christian, Romans 14:4.
4. He delivers me from evil, 2 Timothy 4:18.
5. He has given me the words to speak about Him, 1 Peter 4:11.
6. And He gives me the ability to serve, also found in 1 Peter 4:11.
7. He gives me the increase from my labors for Him, 1 Corinthians 3:5-9.
8. He comforts me, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.
9. He gives me strength to do all He has asked me to do, Philippians 4:13.
10. He gives me His wisdom, James 1:3-5.
11. He has given us all things, Ephesians 4:6, “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Also: Psalms 37:3-6, 18-19, 23-26, 39-40.

What we need is more trust in God and more meditation on His word. We need more humility and more dependence on God for salvation in every way. What we could really use is more awareness of God’s hand in everyday life. Always trust and depend on God because you are his child and He is your Father.