In this section you can find the following titles:

God's Supreme Gift for You: Being Filled with the Holy Spirit

Terrorism and Our Faith

Speaking in Tongues: Is it for today?

Organized Religion: Can You Be a Christian Without Going to Church?

How to Love Your Husband/Wife

When the Sparrow Falls: a Christian Perspective on Suffering

What About Baptism?

The Ten Commandments: Are they for Christians?

(Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. ©1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.)

GOD’S SUPREME GIFT FOR YOU

Being Filled with the Holy Spirit

C. Ermal Allen

1 - GOD’S SUPREME GIFT FOR YOU

Please read the following background Scripture before proceeding: Revelation 21:1-6; 22:1-6,12-17, “Behold, I make all things new!”

Do you make resolutions or just wishes for the new year? The success rate for keeping New Year’s resolutions beyond the first week is pretty low. Good intentions just don’t do it. Because of the addictive nature of sin, we find it almost impossible to break our bad habits or to establish new ones. As Carl Ketcherside put it, we don’t need to turn over a new leaf but rather to turn up with a new life! We don’t need reformation of our lives but power to live new lives.

Many Christians think of Christmas as the most important Christian holiday, and others think of Easter as the most important. But we need to understand that Christmas was just the prelude to the cross, which made the forgiveness of sins possible; the cross was just the prelude to the empty tomb, Christ’s resurrection, which made possible our victory over sin and death; and the empty tomb was just the prelude to the gift that God wants us to have. Let us look at three stages to our full experience of this gift.

First, you must discover what God wants for you.

Galatians 3:14 says, “He redeemed us [Easter] in order that the blessing given to Abraham [Genesis 12:2-3] might come to the Gentiles [non-Jews] through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” What is the promise of the Spirit? Is it something that the Spirit has promised? No, it is the Spirit himself! Isaiah 44:3-5 records this promise of God to the descendants of Abraham: “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. One will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and will take the name Israel.”

Acts 2:38-39 describes the fulfillment of this promise. The people had just heard the Apostle Peter narrate the events that led up to the crucifixion, resurrection, and glorification of Christ. They had come under conviction because of their part in his death, asking what they should do about it. “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off–for all whom the Lord our God will call.’” Many Christians are content with the forgiveness of sins, but this passage shows that the forgiveness of sins is just the prerequisite for reception of much more: the promise of God, the Holy Spirit.

Discover what God wants for you: his gift, the Holy Spirit.

The second stage is to define what is meant by “the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

1 John 4:13 describes this gift as God living in us and we living in him: “We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 tells us that this experience of the Holy Spirit in our lives is something that grows (and sometime diminishes): “Be filled with the Spirit.”

John 7:37-39 is the record of Jesus’ graphic description of what it can mean to those who are filled with the Spirit: “Jesus stood and said, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.”

What God wants for you is not just the presence of his Spirit in you but the living activity of his Spirit in your life to bring satisfaction to the thirst that this world leaves in you.

The third stage is for you to decide that you also want for yourself what God wants for you.

Many Christians, when they discover what God wants for them, choose not to want the same! Are you in this category? Are you afraid of what you’ll have to give up? Are you afraid of what you might be called to do? Are you afraid of what others might think of you?

The real question is: Are you satisfied with your life as it is? Probably not. In that case, the other questions do not matter. You want what only God can give. Nothing else will satisfy. How much do you want to have a full, productive, satisfying life? Jesus did not come to Earth to die for us just to save us from Hell. He came to fill us with himself, with God’s fullness. Come along on this journey to receive what God wants for you!

2 - HOW DO WE KNOW? (REVELATION)

Please read the following background Scripture before continuing: 1 Corinthians 2:6-14.

I once took a trip, depending on a road map that didn’t make clear that there was no bridge over a river that crossed my path. That map led me astray. In seeking what God wants for us, we need a road map we can trust. What’s the most important question that needs an answer but which is not even being asked? I think it’s this one: Is the Bible the word of God? If it is, then it must be listened to wherever it speaks. If not, then we can ignore it. But we must decide, is it?

The Holy Spirit uses the Bible to reveal to us what God wants for us. Here are three ways in which the Holy Spirit has revealed the will of God through the Bible.

Old Testament Prophets

One way in which the Holy Spirit revealed God’s will was through the Old Testament prophets. Nehemiah (9:30) prayed, “‘For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished them through your prophets.’” Jesus taught (Mark 12:36) that David spoke “by the Holy Spirit” in Psalm 110:1. Paul, apostle of Christ, said, “‘The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet . . .’” (Acts 28:25). The Apostle Peter said, “Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow” (1 Peter 1:10-11).

With good reason, then, the prophets themselves often began their words with, “Thus says the Lord.”

Apostles of Christ

Another way in which the Holy Spirit revealed God’s will was through the Apostles of Christ. Jesus himself taught this. For example in John 14:26, he promised the Apostles, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” Have you ever wondered how the writers could remember what Jesus said, even to the point of writing word for word almost exactly what others wrote? They didn’t have to copy from each other or from a common source, as some have charged. The Spirit reminded them.

In John 16:13 Jesus promised the Apostles that they would be taught other things that he had not been able to teach them while he was here on Earth: “‘But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.’”

The Apostles themselves understood what Jesus had meant. Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:4-5, “In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.” And Peter wrote, “It was revealed to them [the Old Testament prophets] that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven” (1 Peter 1:12).

And so, the result is that the Apostles’ teaching was indeed the word of God. Paul put it this way in 1 Thessalonians 2:13, “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.”

Teachers in the Church

A third way in which the Holy Spirit reveals God’s will is through teachers in the church, although indirectly, through their own study and understanding of the Bible. Isaiah 30:20-21 predicted this: “[Y]our teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Ephesians 4:11-13 refers to the leaders of the New Testament church, apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers, with the responsibility of preparing “God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

Unlike the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New, teachers in the church do not receive new revelations from God’s Spirit but rather study and share what they learn from the Bible. They lead us into a more complete understanding of the Bible by urging us to read, study, and obey the Bible. Not being under the direct inspiration of the Spirit, however, they, unlike the writers of the Bible, can make mistakes. And so we must always compare what they say with what the Bible teaches. By their experience in studying and living by the word of God, however, they can lead us into a fuller understanding that we might never know without their help.

What does this mean for you? You can depend on the Bible, and the Bible alone, as you seek to experience what God wants for you. 3

3 - HOW DO WE KNOW? (INSPIRATION)

Please read the following background Scripture before proceeding: Acts 3:11-26.

The game “Gossip” shows us how difficult it is to pass a message reliably from one person to another. The Holy Spirit revealed God’s will to the prophets and apostles, but how do we know that they recorded the words of God accurately? Revelation is not enough; we need to know that those who received the revelation were able to commit it to spoken and then written words without changing it. We know the Bible is the accurate recording of the word of God because the Holy Spirit inspired its writing. There are four facets to this inspiration.

The Fact of Inspiration

The first facet of inspiration is the fact of inspiration: The Holy Spirit did indeed inspire the Bible. The Apostle Paul wrote, “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). In other words, the Bible, although written by human beings, is the same as if God had literally breathed the words out of his mouth. In 2 Peter 1:20-21, the Apostle Peter described inspiration this way: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” The word translated “were carried along” is the same word as in Acts 27:15,27 where a ship was described as being “driven” by the wind. The meaning of Peter is thus vividly taught: the human writers’ thoughts went where the Spirit guided them, and thus they wrote what he wanted.

The result of this facet of inspiration is as Jesus taught in John 10:35, that the Scripture (the Bible) is “the word of God” which “cannot be broken.”

The Need for Inspiration

The second facet of inspiration is the need for inspiration: The Holy Spirit inspired the Bible to insure its accuracy.

Are you aware of how the Bible came to be written? Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible, but in the fifth one, Deuteronomy, the death and burial of Moses is described (34:1,5,9-12). Now, unless God gave Moses some foresight into this matter, someone else must have written that last chapter! Our best guess is that Joshua, who also wrote the next book, finished up Moses’ book. Joshua’s book describes his own death, and so someone else (probably Phinehas, grandson of Aaron the high priest) finished his book. See Joshua 24:25-33. When we compare 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 with Ezra 1:1-4, we see that Ezra finished up the former before beginning his own book. Note how 2 Chronicles ends in the middle of a sentence! The Old Testament books were written by prophets of God, some of whom were also priests, kings, or governors.

The New Testament was a little different. It was written by apostles of Christ and by evangelists who were closely associated with the apostles. For example, Luke wrote after personally interviewing people who were involved in the life of Christ (1:1-4). John wrote primarily from his own eyewitness testimony (20:30-31; 21:24-25). Jude wrote to address a vital need that he had become aware of (3).

In all, some 40-50 human beings wrote the Bible. We need to know that they wrote accurately. Inspiration by the Holy Spirit satisfies our need for this certainty.

The Processes of Inspiration

The third facet is the processes of inspiration: The Holy Spirit inspired different parts of the Bible in different ways. Sometimes it was through direct revelation: he provided them the exact words that he wanted written. At other times, he placed general ideas or thoughts in their minds and guided them in writing those thoughts in their own words. In still other times he merely provided oversight as they wrote their own personal observations, investigation, and reporting.

Over a hundred years ago, J. W. McGarvey used the following illustration to describe the processes of inspiration: He said that sometimes he would be going to a new location and would have to give his horse exact guidance as to where to go. While on the way, however, he might just let his horse move in the general direction in which he was going. He would only use the reins when the horse began to wander too far astray. At other times, when he was returning home from a place that he had often visited, he just let the horse go, knowing that the horse knew the way. However, even then, McGarvey would keep an eye on where the horse was going to make sure that he didn’t get led astray by something along the road. McGarvey said that the Holy Spirit inspired Biblical writers in a similar way: sometimes through exact language, sometimes through general thoughts but overseeing the words for accuracy, and sometimes just observing what was being written without interference unless the writer went astray.

The Results of Inspiration

The final facet of inspiration is the results of inspiration: The Holy Spirit inspired the Bible in order to accomplish God’s purpose. Regardless of the process used, the result of the Spirit’s work was that what was written was indeed what God wanted recorded for us, nothing more and nothing less. This means that all of the Bible is “red letter”: the word of God. The words of Jesus spoken directly by him are no more the word of God than the rest of the Bible.

Therefore, we can be certain that the Bible is the word of God.

Furthermore, the Bible is relevant for us. The prophets and apostles did not know about the times in which we live, but God did, and thus his word was not bound by the culture current to its human writers. And so Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

The inspiration of the Bible is not just a theological proposition, but a practical necessity for us. It means that we can trust all that it says.

4 - HOW DO WE KNOW? (CONFIRMATION)

Please read the following background Scripture before proceeding: Hebrews 2.

You can’t prove the Bible! Really? The original messages of the church were packed with proofs. Our faith is not mere religious belief; it is based on the proofs given by those who taught it to us. There were three ways in which the Holy Spirit confirmed the Bible as the word of God.

Fulfilled Prophecy

First, the Holy Spirit confirmed the Bible through fulfilled prophecy. Although not all prophecy was predictive, Moses said that predictions were how you could tell whether the prophet was from God. “You may say to yourselves, ‘How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?’ If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him” (Deuteronomy 18:21-22).

In most cases, fulfilled prophecy required two generations–the one to whom the prophecy was given and the one in whose time the prophecy was fulfilled. It is impossible for a mere human to manipulate both elements. When the fulfillment includes things that cannot be manipulated, it becomes an evidence that the prophecy had a supernatural origin.

One outstanding example of prophecy fulfilled can be found in Daniel 9:24-27. According to this prophecy, the 490 units (days or years) were to begin when a decree to rebuild Jerusalem was issued. By examining the book of Ezra and the history of the Persian Empire, we can date that decree to 458 B.C. (Details available upon request.) After 483 units, the Anointed (Messiah) was to appear and then to be cut off in the middle of the final 7 units. If we move forward 483 years, and remember that there was no year 0, we come to the year A.D. 26, the very year in which Jesus began his ministry. Then 3½ years later (in the middle of the 7), he was “cut off,” resulting in the fulfillment of the rest of the prophecy! No mere human being could have made such an accurate prophecy.

Jesus also used his own predictions of his resurrection as proof of his claims, as in John 2:18-22.

Miracles

Second, the Holy Spirit confirmed the Bible through miracles. Hebrews 2:4 says that God himself testified the message of salvation by “signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”

Now, for us to understand this point, we must be aware that what we call miracles today are far inferior to most of the miracles in the Bible. Anything that is amazing, unexplained, or wonderful may be called a miracle in our day. Biblical miracles were called wonders and signs because of their obvious supernatural, not just unusual, nature. Examples of genuine miracles are instantaneous, complete healings, raising the dead, and parting the Red Sea. Today’s “miracles” don’t come close to measuring up to these.

Biblical miracles were done not just to relieve human need but to confirm the messenger. Acts 14:3 says, “So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.” Jesus challenged his disciples, “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves” (John 14:11). And Paul asserts to the scholars of Athens, “‘For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead’” (Acts 17:31). And if we believe in a man coming back to life, we can easily believe the rest of the miracles, which were cited in their day as proof of the messenger’s divine calling.

Testimony of Witnesses

Finally, the Holy Spirit confirmed the Bible through testimony. Hebrews 2:3 asks how we can “escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.”

The writers of the four Gospels wrote from four different perspectives, with too many similarities for them to be total fiction. But their books also have too many differences to be accused of collusion. And still there are no real contradictions–only apparent ones, a strong evidence that they were just telling the truth!

Jesus testified numerous times to the divine authorship of both Old Testament and New.

The evidence may not be 100% certain, but then nothing in real life is. We must live on the basis of moral certainty–so certain that only a fool would refuse to believe it. The Holy Spirit has provided us with an infallible guidebook for our quest to receive what God wants for us. God wants us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. You will want it to, if you don’t already, when you understand what it means.

5 - AN AWESOME RELATIONSHIP

Please read the following background Scripture before proceeding: Acts 19:1-20.

Are you a name dropper? I am. Whenever the chance arises, I mention the name of some prominent person with whom I have had any personal relationship. There were a couple of years when our family received a Christmas card from George and Laura Bush. But that card would be more meaningful if we thought that the President and First Lady actually knew us. I can just imagine the response I would have received from the White House staff if I had showed up at the door, mentioned that we had received a Christmas card, and asked for President and Mrs. Bush to come out and meet with me!

Personal acquaintance with the President, however, pales in comparison to the relationship into which we have been invited with God when we are told, “Be filled with the Spirit.” We cannot, however, fully appreciate and experience the filling of the Holy Spirit without realizing what an awesome relationship it is to which we are being invited. This filling of the Holy Spirit that God wants for us is an awesome relationship because our Partner is awesome!

Consider the following four ways in which our Partner in this relationship is awesome.

The Holy Spirit Is God.

First, the Holy Spirit is awesome because he is God! In Matthew 28:19 Jesus refers to the Spirit as sharing “the Name” with the Father and the Son. Not “names” but “the Name.” In the Biblical culture, one’s name stood for the person himself. The name often said something about the person’s character or at least something about the person’s family. It would be blasphemous to refer to the Spirit as sharing the name of God unless he were God.

In Acts 5:3 Peter accuses Ananias of lying to the Holy Spirit, and then in verse 4 he summarizes by saying, “You have not lied to men but to God.”

According to 1 Corinthians 2:11, the Holy Spirit knows the thoughts of God. The Apostle says, “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” The parallelism implies that just as a man’s spirit is human, so God’s Spirit is God.

In Ephesians 3:16-20 we are told that the Spirit has the power to bring us into the relationship we want, that is, into the fulness of God. He does this by strengthening us with power in our inner being so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. What power or being could have such power other than God himself?

The Holy Spirit Is Holy.

Second, the Holy Spirit is awesome because he is holy. Ephesians 4:30 calls him “the Holy Spirit of God.” The word holy is applied to persons or things that are different from others, usually in the sense that the holy is of a different and superior nature (such as deity) or is different from others of the same nature but who have been set apart for something special (such as God’s servants). Now surely God the Father is holy! Jesus the Son is holy! Why would the Spirit be specifically singled out as being holy in his very name? There are at least three reasons.

First, there are other spirits, including angels, unclean or evil spirits, and human spirits. The Holy Spirit is different from any of these others because of his divine nature. Second, unlike sinful human beings, with whom he is forming this awesome relationship, he is not corrupted by the thoughts and the ways of this sinful world. Third, he is called the Holy Spirit because he helps us to become what we ought to be, of a holy character. He is the sanctifying (“holy-izing”) Spirit. Surely it is the Holy Spirit to which Philippians 2:13 is referring when it says that “it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

The Holy Spirit Is a Person.

Third, the Holy Spirit is awesome because he is personal. In this context, the word personal refers to his being a person. (By person we do not mean a human being but rather a living, thinking being as opposed to a thing.) In Acts 10:19-20, the Spirit speaks to Peter and then sends him on a mission. Such Scripture references to the actions of the Spirit show that he is indeed a living and thinking being. He is not just some “force” like the Force of Star Wars or like magnetism.

The significance of the Spirit’s personhood is that his relationship with us is thus an interpersonal one. For example, he cares about us, as shown in Ephesians 4:30, where we are told that he can be grieved by our behavior. The Spirit of God cares about whether we follow his leading to a closer relationship with God.

The Holy Spirit Is in Us.

Finally, the Holy Spirit is awesome because he is in us. He is not just up in Heaven or even around us or beside us, but rather he is in us. He is in us because we belong to Christ (see Romans 8:9). Jesus described the essence of eternal life as a relationship with God (John 17:3), and this relationship for now comes in the presence of the Spirit in us. “We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit” (1 John 4:13). This presence of his Spirit in us assures us of the love of God for us (Romans 5:5).

As we continue on this journey into what God wants for us, let us remember that we are treading on holy ground! What an awesome relationship! “Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me . . . .”

6 - SHARING LIFE WITH HIS SPIRIT

King David was a “ladies’ man.” He couldn’t resist a beautiful woman, and they couldn’t resist him! But there was a relationship stronger than romance, his relationship with Jonathan (1 Samuel 18:1-4; 2 Samuel 1:26). David and Jonathan had a real fellowship with one another.

2 Corinthians 13:14 refers to the “fellowship of the Holy Spirit.” “Fellowship,” koinonia, refers to the sharing of two or more persons in a common life. What does God want for you? He wants to share his life with you through his Holy Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit is directly proportional to the extent we share in the life of the Spirit.

Here are three ways we can understand what it means to share in the life of the Holy Spirit.

The Company He Keeps

First, we can understand the fellowship of the Holy Spirit by the company that this fellowship keeps. In Philippians 2:1, “fellowship with the Holy Spirit” is associated with “encouragement from being united with Christ,” and “tenderness and compassion.” In Hebrews 6:4-5 sharing in the Holy Spirit is associated with being enlightened, tasting the heavenly gift, and tasting the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age. In 1 Peter 4:14 “the Spirit of glory and of God [which] rests on you” is given as the reason for feeling blessed by those who are “insulted because of the name of Christ.”

The Relationship We Share

Second, we can understand the fellowship of the Holy Spirit by the relationship we share. According to 1 John 4:13 this fellowship is interpersonal. “We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.”

In John 14:16-17, Jesus describes this fellowship as special. “‘And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever–the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.’”

According to Galatians 4:6, this fellowship is an intimate one. “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’” Abba was a Jewish child’s term for father, like our “Daddy.”

Romans 5:5 describes this fellowship as God pouring “out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us,” and thus assuring us that “hope does not disappoint us.”

In Colossians 1:4,8 Paul hints that love in the Spirit flows into the lives of others.

The Benefits We Receive

Third, we can understand the fellowship of the Holy Spirit by the benefits we receive. For example, Jesus says (John 7:37-39) that the Spirit will permanently take away our spiritual thirst, describing him as streams of living water flowing from within.

Acts 2:38 refers to repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and the reception of the Holy Spirit. In a parallel verse, 3:19, Peter refers to repentance and turning to God “so that your sins may be wiped out, [and] that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” The “gift of the Holy Spirit” in the former becomes “times of refreshing” in the latter.

In Romans 14:17, righteousness, peace, and joy are said to be “in the Holy Spirit.”

In Romans 15:13 Paul writes that overflowing with hope comes “by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

After considering these thoughts on the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, don’t you want what God wants for you? How badly do you want it?

7 - SANCTIFIED

Please read the following background Scripture before proceeding: Romans 7:7-25.

Before the Old Testament priests could enter the temple of God to minister there, they had to lay off their daily clothes, bathe in the temple basin, and put on pure garments. Under the New Testament, being cleansed from sin is even more important as we enter God’s temple. Hebrews 12:14 tells us that holiness (also translated, sanctification) is not an option but a necessity if we want a relationship with God. Before we can begin to be filled with the Spirit of Christ, we must face the necessity of our sanctification. The Bible refers to at least three purposes for our being sanctified (cleansed and set apart for God).

Worship

First, we are sanctified to worship. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). He cannot live where the guilt of sin is present or where a sinful lifestyle is tolerated. In addition, all Christians together make up the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16-17). Thus the church is sanctified as well, by the presence of the Spirit. The individual temples (Christians) are being built into one magnificent temple complex (the church of all ages and places) where God lives and is worshiped (Ephesians 2:21-22).

Obedience

Second, we are sanctified to obey. Romans 7:6 refers to a new way of obedience, through the Spirit rather than the Law. This new way was promised in the Old Testament, for example, Ezekiel 36:26-27: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

This new way of obedience is fulfilled in the way of grace. It is described this way in Philippians 2:12-13: “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” As we are filled with the Spirit we will find it easier to obey because we will want to obey.

Overcoming

Third, we are sanctified to overcome our sinfulness as well as the guilt of our sin. In Romans 8:5-8 the Apostle says that the person without the Spirit cannot overcome sin because it has such power over us. Some progress may be made here and there, but we will still fall short. Even the Christian finds two laws at work (7:21-23) that are seeking to win out. The Spirit (8:1-4,9,13-14.), however, enables us to sin less and less when we allow him to fill every nook and cranny of our hearts. When we become Christians, he establishes a beachhead, but as he moves to fill us he wins over more and more of our stubbornness and rebellion.

Sanctification is not often seen as desirable to us as are the benefits of being Spirit-filled, for sin has blinded us to what is truly desirable. But we must face up to the fact that we cannot have the benefits without the sanctification.

8 - IDENTIFYING THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE

When you get to the point where you think your life is Spirit-filled, how will you know? Some people think that tongues-speaking or performing miraculous healings is a sign of being filled with the Spirit; but the church in the New Testament that had the most tongues-speaking, Corinth, was also one of the most carnal, worldly churches. Jesus said, in another context, “By their fruit you will know them.” The Spirit-filled life will be evident by the kind of fruit it produces. 2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us that the goal of being filled with the Spirit is to be transformed into the glory of Christ. The Spirit-filled person’s character will look like Christ’s. Consider the following three evidences that you are filled with the Spirit.

Works of the flesh are exceptions.

In the Spirit-filled life, the works of the flesh (the sinful nature) are exceptions in one’s life rather than the rule. Galatians 5:19-21 speaks of several kinds of actions that are called “the works of the sinful nature.”

Sensual works, actions of the body itself, include sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, drunkenness, and orgies. Idolatrous works, those that seek to replace God, include idolatry and witchcraft (which seeks to manipulate nature apart from prayer and providence). Malicious works include hatred, jealousy, fits of rage, and envy. Divisive works include discord, selfish ambition, dissensions, and factions (sometimes translated, “heresies”). The Apostle tells us that those whose lives are characterized by these works will not enter the Kingdom of God.

In this life, we will probably never be free from these works of the flesh. However, for the Spirit-filled person they are not the rule of life, the life-style, but rather, as said by J. W. McGarvey, a preacher and college professor of 100 years ago, the “heart-breaking exception.”

The fruit of the Spirit is abundantly evident.

In the Spirit-filled life, the fruit of the Spirit is abundantly evident. Galatians 5:22-25 describes some of the characteristics produced in the life that is being led by the Spirit. The overarching fruit that sums up the law of God is love. Love for God, for brothers and sisters in Christ, for the lost, and for our enemies means we put the will of God and the needs of others ahead of our own personal desires. Only a Spirit-filled person is capable of such a love as a way of life.

The next three examples of the fruit of the Spirit relate to personal composure. Joy, a deep-within happiness, does not rule out sorrow but overcomes it. Peace is a calmness of the soul in the midst of all circumstances. Patience refers to the capability of keeping on doing what is right while waiting for God to act, especially when he seems to be absent.

The final five examples tell how the Spirit-filled person relates toward other people. Kindness has to do with caring for others, not just in our hearts but with our actions and resources. Goodness refers to the production of good works, not just an absence of bad ones. Good works are actions that are beneficial to our fellow human beings and are therefore attractive to others. Faithfulness means that we keep our word, our promises, our agreements, our vows, in spite of inconvenience, personal cost, or difficulty. Gentleness refers to one who has power under control. Greek literature refers to warhorses being gentle. They are not timid or weak but rather under the control of their riders. Jesus demonstrated gentleness in his acceptance of little children. We tell toddlers who are first introduced to kittens, “Be gentle.” Finally, self-control means that we are under the control of the Spirit rather than giving in to self-indulgence, the whim of the moment, or feelings.

The love of Christ is the template for your life.

Finally, in the Spirit-filled life, the love of Christ is your life’s template, the form and formatting that determine every aspect of how your life is to be lived. Ephesians 3:16-19 refers to this format that, when followed, results in the fulness, and thus the power, of God in our lives.

Christ demonstrated this template in loving the word of God. In confrontation with others, whether Satan, religious opponents, or confused bystanders, he appealed to the word of God as his final authority. He knew the word, quoted the word, applied the word, and lived the word. The Bible, to Christ, was the supreme authority because it was the word of God.

Christ also loved the will of God. According to him, only those who did the will of God would inherit the kingdom of Heaven. Only those who did the will of God were considered his family.

And Christ loved the work of God: seeking and saving the lost. He loved the lost–that’s why he came to Earth. He let nothing come between him and his work.

The Spirit-filled person will love the word, the will, and the work of God above everything else in life. Every decision he makes will be intended to be made in this context. Every mistake he makes will be exposed by reference to this template and corrected as soon as possible.

To the extent that you have these evidences in your life you are demonstrating being filled with the Spirit. Not until these three evidences are descriptive of your life-style can it be said that you are filled with the Spirit. It should be obvious that being filled with the Spirit is not a once-for-all experience. We will grow at times and slip, at other times, in our journey. The need to be filled with the Spirit is a daily one, requiring continual effort.

9 - IDENTIFYING THE SPIRIT-FILLED CHURCH

It’s not enough for us to be individually filled with the Spirit. Our church must be Spirit-filled as well in order for us to succeed in fulfilling our part in the will of God. In 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 Paul refers to the believers in Corinth as “a letter from Christ, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God.” This “letter,” that could be read by all, demonstrated the authenticity of Paul’s ministry. When a church is filled with the Holy Spirit, it will be obvious to all. Consider the following three visible characteristics of a church that is filled with the Spirit.

Equipped for Ministry

The Spirit-filled church is equipped for ministry. The Spirit-filled church has Spirit-filled leaders. In Acts 6:3 the Apostles set forth the following qualifications for those who were to be put in charge of the widows’ food program: “full of the Spirit and wisdom.” In verse 5 one of those seven was commended as being “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” In 11:24 we are told that Barnabas, who had come to teach the church in Antioch, was “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith.” In 20:28 Paul told the elders in Ephesus that the Holy Spirit had made them overseers of God’s flock.

The Spirit-filled church teaches and practices every-member ministry. 1 Corinthians 12:4 attributes the different kinds of “gifts” to the “same Spirit.” Verse 7 says that every member of the Body of Christ has been given a “manifestation of the Spirit . . . for the common good.” Indeed, according to Ephesians 4:11-12, the Christ-given leaders of the church are to equip the members of the Body for works of service.

The Spirit-filled church is tuned in to God’s plan. The leaders of the church in Antioch were involved in service, prayer, and fasting as they were led into a new level of service, sending forth missionaries. This new work was one to which the Holy Spirit had called them (Acts 13:1-4). In Acts 16:6-7 we read that the Holy Spirit actually kept the missionary team from entering certain fields. When a church is Spirit-filled, it seems that its leaders will be sensitive to new works and new areas where God leads them.

The result of the Spirit-filled church being equipped for ministry can be seen in Acts 6:7, “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith”; and 11:24, “and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.”

Encouraged in Difficulty

Second, the Spirit-filled church will be encouraged through difficult times. The first century churches were encouraged especially when emerging from a period of persecution. After the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, who had been throwing disciples in jail (Acts 9:1-2), he himself came under persecution and had to leave the country (9:26-31). Nevertheless, “the church . . . enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit” (v. 31).

Even when their leaders were persecuted and driven out of town, the church found encouragement, and more, from the Spirit: “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:50-52)!

When the Spirit-filled church has been encouraged in times of difficulty, it will grow in numbers. “Then the church . . . grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord” (Acts 9:31). “The word of the Lord spread through the whole region” (13:49).

Spirit-filled Members

Third, the Spirit-filled church consists of Spirit-filled members. Common sense tells us that any church will appear to be Spirit-filled only to the extent that its membership is filled with the Spirit. (See chapter 8 to see how we can see whether we are individually Spirit-filled.) Since this is so, then ask yourself this question: “How Spirit-filled would the church be if everyone were as Spirit-filled as I am?” And again: “Am I satisfied with the Spirit-filled level of our church? Am I satisfied with my own Spirit-filled level?”

The Spirit-filled church will be able to do great things for God, far beyond the natural abilities of the individual members. Consider carefully the words of 2 Corinthians 3:4-6: “Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant–not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Don’t you want to be a part of such a church? What would you do to be a part of such a church?

10 - HOW TO RECEIVE THE SPIRIT

Well, now we’re down to the nitty gritty. We have been looking at “what God wants for you: to be filled with the Spirit.” Before we can ask how to be filled with the Spirit, we must first ascertain how we receive the Holy Spirit in the first place. Jesus says (Luke 11:13) that our heavenly Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. We must look further into the Biblical texts in order to keep from misunderstanding Jesus’ promise. In fact there are three ways in which the Bible describes how we ask the Father for the Holy Spirit.

Call on the Name of the Lord.

We receive the Holy Spirit when we call on the name of the Lord. Jesus remarked (Luke 11:13), “‘How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’” Prayer, however, is not like rubbing Aladdin’s lamp. The mere act does not guarantee God’s blessing. “‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.’”

How do we call on the name of the Lord for salvation? Saul of Tarsus had been persecuting the church when Jesus appeared to him and changed his mind! For the next three days, he prayed, but without finding salvation. Finally a disciple came to him and commanded, “‘And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name’” (Acts 22:16). Calling on his name occurred in the process of being immersed in water in the name of Jesus. Ananias (Acts 9:17-18) had been sent to Saul to bring him two blessings: sight and the Holy Spirit. Two actions preceded those blessings: laying on of hands brought him sight, and baptism brought him the Holy Spirit.

Obey Christ.

We receive the Holy Spirit when we obey Christ. Acts 5:32 says, “‘We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.’” This obedience cannot refer to general life-long obedience. Then to what does it refer? Acts 2:38 provides the answer: “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

Be Born Again.

We receive the Holy Spirit when we are born again. “Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit’” (John 3:5). Water implies baptism, as also does washing in Titus 3:5-6, “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

Conclusion

We receive the Holy Spirit, then, when we are baptized into Christ. This conclusion is confirmed in 1 Corinthians 12:13, with an obvious allusion to John 7:38-39, where Paul says, “For we were all baptized in [marginal reading] one Spirit into one body . . . and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”

11 - HOW TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

Please read the following background Scripture before proceeding: Romans 7:14-8:2.

In a Garfield comic (1/29/06) Jon is trying his best to open a jar of pickles. After struggling with the jar for some time, he finally gives up. Then Garfield comes by and opens the jar with no problem. After eating his pickle, he puts the lid back on. Jon screams, “Aaarrrgh,” as he is still unable to open the jar. Garfield says, “You gotta want it bad enough.”

We have been looking at “what God wants for you: that you be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Before we go on, you need to answer: How badly do you want to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit? Are you willing to do whatever it takes?

If you have believed the Gospel record about Jesus, put your trust in him, turned from your sins to follow him, and been immersed in water in his name, then you have the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit, however, occurs only to the extent that we continually empty ourselves of our will and become instruments of the will of God. Consider the following three steps to being filled with the Spirit. Remember that being filled with the Spirit is always a continuing process, for it is never a done deal. How badly do you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit of Christ?

A Fervent Desire

At the top of the list, being filled with the Spirit requires a fervent desire for such a filling. Before you can be filled with the Spirit, you must first want to be filled. Paul’s motive for wanting to be filled is found in Romans 7:21-24: “When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

Being filled with the Spirit requires determination and changed habits. For that reason you must count the cost and desire the filling no matter what the cost. (See Luke 14:28-32 on the importance of counting the cost.)

How badly do you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit of Christ?

Absolute Surrender

In addition, being filled with the Spirit requires absolute surrender. Human beings, and westerners especially, are not keen on surrender. We value freedom and self-determination. Those values are good for the things of this world, but when it comes to God, we must surrender every part of ourselves to the will of God before we can begin to be filled with his Spirit. Galatians 5:24-25 says, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” In Luke 14:26-27,33, Jesus tells us what it takes to be his disciple: “‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life–he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. . . . In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”

How badly do you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit of Christ?

Authentic Communion with God

Certainly, being filled with the Spirit requires a real communion with God. Paul describes the essence of this communion (Romans 8:12-16) as (1) being led by the Spirit of God, (2) having received the Spirit of sonship, and (3) by him crying, “Abba, Father,” (4) with the Spirit testifying with our spirit that (5) we are God’s children, (6) heirs of God and (7) co-heirs with Christ, (8) sharing in his suffering as well as (9) sharing in his glory.

This communion comes as we are involved in spiritual disciplines. First, we must be immersed in the word (the sword of the Spirit, Ephesians 6:17) through Bible reading and study: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” “Immersed in the word” means more than a verse or two every now and then. It means reading large portions of the word, regularly, and studying in depth smaller portions of the word. It means studying and meditating on its meaning and application both individually and in groups.

We must also be fervent in prayer. (See Luke 11:13; Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20.) Daily prayer, frequent prayer, long and short periods of prayer. Thanksgiving, praise, requests, intercession for others, submitting to the will of God. Depending on the Spirit of God as we pray.

Private Bible reading and prayer are essential, but not enough. Communion with God is a community (church-wide) discipline. Not just going to church. Not just observing. Not just going through the motions. Rather an active participation of body, will, and emotion, in the weekly assembly of Christ’s people meeting around his table on his day. Full participation requires preparation–such as getting enough sleep, living for God during the week, praying for God’s presence and action in the assembly, and looking for ways to encourage others before, during and after the assembly. Acts 2:42-47 describes the kind of church that results from such church meetings.

Finally, communion with God requires suffering for him. Romans 8:17 says that sharing in the glory of Christ must be preceded by sharing in his sufferings. Hebrews 2:10-11tells us that, although Jesus was sinless from the beginning, “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God . . . should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.” The family of God shares in both joys and sorrows.

Do you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit of Christ? “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare” (Isaiah 55:1-2).

Do you want this water that quenches thirst? It’s free, but it costs all you have!

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life” (Rev. 22:17).

How badly do you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit of Christ?

TERRORISM AND OUR FAITH

C. Ermal Allen (April, 1995)

We were saddened and outraged by the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City last week. In the face of tragedies like this, there are often people who have a hard time keeping their faith in God. Certainly there are many things we do not understand, but the church must not let such an opportunity go by without having something to say to those whose faith in God may be shaken by the horror of such an act. There are at least four things we can say.

When did God ever promise that mankind would not be cruel, even horribly cruel, to one another?

In fact, the word of God has warned us time and again that such things do happen in the present world. The Bible does not consider such acts of cruelty a threat to faith in God. After all, it was not God or his (true) followers who perpetrate such things. These horrors may shake our faith in our fellowman, but why should they shake our faith in God?

When did God ever promise that he would protect us from the evils in this world?

In fact, in his word he has given us examples of people who were living for him and still suffered greatly (e.g., Joseph and Job). The Bible does not teach that God’s love insulates his people from suffering. That is a lie arising out of human reasoning that has cut itself off from the teachings of God’s word. The Bible teaches that God’s love gives his people the strength not to escape but to endure and overcome hardships.

God has sent Jesus to rescue us from this evil world.

Spiritual and eternal death are greater evils than death and the sufferings of this world. We should use the tragedies experienced in this life to remind us of the need to escape eternal suffering (see Luke 13:1-5). (Without such horrible things happening, would we realize the urgency of escaping Hell? How would we know what real suffering was?)

Although he loves us and has sent his Son to rescue us from this evil age, God will not force his salvation on us. He has granted us the choice. Among those who reject him are those who will do all they can to make life miserable for their fellow human beings.

God has sent his people into the world with the message of salvation.

Those who accept God’s terms for salvation become in turn messengers of that salvation. Wherever they go, through deeds of love and mercy these people make the world a better place, all the while encouraging others to accept the salvation that God is offering through Jesus Christ. Those who join in also become the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.”

So what should we say? If such events shake your faith in God, then you need to get to know him and his word better. In fact, these acts of cruelty only verify God’s word to us (regarding our own capacity for sin) and make us more aware of our need for him (and our inability to help ourselves). Instead of letting these things shake our faith, we must more certainly depend on the unshakable word and kingdom of God.

“SPEAKING IN TONGUES”

Is It For Today?

C. Ermal Allen

“Speaking in tongues,” also known as “glossolalia” (from the Greek), is a practice in many churches today, but it was largely unknown between the first and twentieth centuries. In the early 20th century it was taken up by the Pentecostals and then spread through most religious groups in the late sixties and seventies. In determining whether this phenomenon is from God, it is helpful to compare the present-day experiences with those reported in the Scriptures.

The Nature of “Tongues”

“Tongues” in the Bible meant the miraculous ability to speak a language which one had not previously studied. The word usually translated “tongue” is the common word for a language. This use of the word can be seen in the Pentecost passage in Acts 2. In verse 3 tongues of fire (fire in the form of tongues) appeared to the apostles. In 2:4 the apostles spoke in other tongues (languages) as the Spirit enabled them. In 2:6,8 the people heard them speaking in their own language (dialect). In the Bible, tongues were real languages, understood by those (even nonchristians) who spoke the languages.

Today’s tongues are usually “ecstatic utterances,” meaningless sounds. Calling them “angelic languages” does not work, for these sounds have no form or structure that is remotely related to a language. Reports of real languages are rare and questionable.

The Reception of the Gift

In the Bible, tongues, like all the “Spiritual gifts,” were received only through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, except in two cases (the certification of the apostles and the acceptance of the Gentiles by God). Tongues happened quite unexpectedly, with no instruction regarding their reception and without effort or practice on the part of the person speaking in tongues.

In the Bible tongues were never received at the recipient’s request. No one prayed for or was instructed to pray for the gift of tongues. In Acts 8:14-18, the apostles Peter and John had to be present for the special gift of the Spirit to be given—it is usually inferred that tongues were the gift here since Simon “saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands.” The evangelist, Philip, could work miracles but he apparently could not bestow the gift of tongues.

According to Romans 1:11, the apostle Paul had to be in Rome for the Christians there to receive the “spiritual” gifts.

There were two exceptions to the rule that the ability to speak in tongues came only through the laying on of the apostles’ hands: the apostles themselves on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and the first Gentile believers (Acts 10-11). In the latter case, the purpose was to convince Jewish disciples that the Gentiles were acceptable to God (11:15-18). Notice that Peter (11:15) compares the Cornelius experience with the apostles’ experience rather than with the ordinary believer’s experience. (In this discussion, “apostles” always refers to the apostles of Christ, the Twelve plus Paul. Others were called apostles in a generic sense of the term, “sent-out ones,” but were not numbered among “the apostles.”)

In contrast to the Biblical reception, modern-day tongues, allegedly received in response to prayer, are learned through the instruction of teachers and then practiced until they come easily.

The Purpose and Significance of Tongues

Modern-day tongues are often claimed to be the sign of being baptized in the Spirit. They are frequently seen as a sign of spiritual maturity. They have taken on such importance that they are used to accept people as Christians whether or not they have Biblical faith or have been Biblically baptized. They are often used to divide the Body of Christ between those who do and those who do not speak in tongues. There is frequently the inference that a person is less than what God intends just because he does not speak in tongues.

On the contrary, tongues are allegedly spoken (1) in some cases by persons who reject Biblical teachings about baptism and the Trinity, (2) in some cases by those who have not been baptized in water but who are considered to be Christians because they speak in tongues, and (3) in other cases by those who do not even claim to be Christians (e.g., Buddhists).

In the Bible all Christians were baptized in the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13; John 3:5); but not all Christians spoke in tongues. Even in the church at Corinth where there were apparently a great many disciples with spiritual gifts, not all spoke in tongues. According to 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, the ability to speak in tongues was only one of the gifts of the Spirit which he had given to different persons as he had decided. In 12:27-30 Paul asked, “Do all speak in tongues?” This is a rhetorical question, the context showing that the expected answer is no. The original Greek makes it even clearer, for the question is asked with the word me (pronounced “may”) that shows that the expected answer is no.

In the Bible tongues were not a sign of spiritual maturity. They were frequently given to brand new disciples. Most of what we know about tongues was written because of a very unspiritual congregation’s (Corinth) misuse of them.

What was the purpose of tongues in the Bible? They were a sign that confirmed the authority and message of the apostles of Christ. In Mark 16:17,20 they are called a sign which were used to confirm the word. In 1 Cor. 14:21-22 Paul called them a sign to unbelievers. What were they a sign of? They were a proof that the apostle who had given the person this ability was a special representative of Christ, one who could speak authoritatively for him. In 2 Cor. 12:12 Paul called signs, wonders, and miracles the marks of an apostle. In Hebrews 2:3-4 we are told that the message which was first announced by the Lord (Jesus) was confirmed by those who heard him, and that God himself testified to it by signs, wonders, and miracles and by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is why 1 Cor. 14:28 instructs that, with no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the assembly and speak to himself and to God. Without an interpreter there could be no proof that the person was really speaking another language.

How were tongues, as well as the other “spiritual gifts,” a proof of the apostles’ authority when they were exercised by “those who believe” (Mark 16:17), i.e., non-apostles? When a stranger comes to town performing wonders, he could be just a magician. However, if he is able to lay hands on people that are well known in that town and they are then able to work miracles themselves, then everyone knows it is not just a trick. In fact, when the apostles came head to head with magicians, the magicians always lost (Acts 8:9-13 and 13:8-12). The gifts did not prove anything about the person exercising them but rather about the person (apostle) from whom they had received the power.

Conclusions

How then do we account for modern-day tongues-speaking? In most cases they are probably a result of hyper-emotionalism. They certainly seem to flourish in such an atmosphere. In some cases they may be the result of demonic activity.

Biblical tongues were a result of the Spirit’s sovereign choice, not a result of a desire to reach a closer walk with God. Christians certainly should be more emotional than many are, but we should get our emotional highs from the celebration of our faith.

Most of all, no single belief or action should be used as proof that a person is a Christian. And nothing should be made a test of salvation except what the Scriptures affirm to be such.

ORGANIZED RELIGION?

Can You Be a Christian Without Going to Church?

Actually it’s not enough just to go to church! As we will see, to be a Christian, one of the saved, one must also be an active participant in the life of the church! However, for the sake of brevity, this article will deal with the question in its most frequent form: “You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.” Is that true? Can you be a Christian without going to church?

Theoretically, the answer is, of course you can! The Scriptural answer to the question, “What must I do to be saved,” never included “and go to church.” Indeed, first century converts were usually won to Christ before they even heard of “church.”

Practically, however, unless the new Christian dies walking away from the baptistry, much is required of him/her as a disciple of Jesus. One of these requirements is “going to church” (the modern way of referring to attendance at the Lord’s Day assembly). Can you be a Christian without “going to church”?

Certainly one can be a Christian without going to church if unable to attend. If exiled like the Apostle John, if imprisoned and forbidden to attend, if so physically ill that attendance is impossible, or if visiting or living in an area where there are no other Christians, then in such a temporary situation a person can still be a Christian without going to church. Those who have access to other Christians, however, have no right to consider themselves Christians without attending church. How can this assertion be supported? Consider the following questions:

Some Important Questions

Do you have a right to consider yourself to be a Christian while deliberately and intentionally disobeying the will of God? “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21; see also 12:50). Is it not a command from God’s word that we frequent the Christian assembly with the purpose of encouraging one another to put love into action through good works? “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Do you have a right to consider yourself to be a Christian while failing to imitate the first Christians in their devotion to the Apostles’ teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of the loaf, and the prayers of the church (Acts 2:42)?

Do you have a right to consider yourself to be a Christian while deliberately and intentionally cutting yourself off from the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25,31-32; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7; 21:2)? Is it not an offense to the divine Groom when we belittle his bride?

Do you have a right to consider yourself to be a Christian while deliberately and intentionally neglecting your brothers and sisters in Christ? “‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another’” (John 13:34-35). “This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.… We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.… This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:11,14,16).

Do you have a right to consider yourself to be a Christian while deliberately and intentionally ignoring the church for which Christ died (Ephesians 5:23, “Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior”)?

Do you have a right to consider yourself to be a Christian while deliberately and intentionally abdicating your responsibilities in the Body of Christ? “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.… Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:12,27). “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us” (Romans 12:4-6).

Do you have a right to consider yourself to be a Christian while deliberately and intentionally refusing your part in the fulfillment of the Great Commission? “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then … I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).

Do you have a right to consider yourself to be a Christian while deliberately and intentionally failing to be filled with the Spirit by singing to and submitting to one another (Ephesians 5:18-21)?

Do you have a right to consider yourself to be a Christian while deliberately and intentionally failing to submit to your spiritual leaders (Hebrews 13:17)?

Do you have a right to consider yourself to be a Christian while turning your back on that church which Jesus himself founded upon “the rock,” the church against which the gates of Hades will not prevail, the church which is identical in this age with the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 16:18-19)?

Conclusion

Jesus cared so much for the church that he gave his life for her. The church is his body. The church is his bride. Surely, the church is far from perfect. What shall we do with those imperfections? Does Jesus want us to abandon the church or to become an active participant in reforming it? In light of God’s word on the subject, there can be only one answer!

HOW TO LOVE YOUR HUSBAND/WIFE

(The following is not intended to be the complete word on the subject of loving your mate but rather some lessons from God’s word. Please take the time to look up the Scriptures cited.)

Genesis 2:18-25 – God instituted marriage between man and woman for their own fulfillment, for the nurture and maturing of children, and for the establishment of a stable and lasting society. Essential to this arrangement are the twin concepts of (1) leaving one’s parents and (2) cleaving to one’s mate. (The word mate here is used as a synonym for spouse.) They become "one flesh" in a physical union and also in ways that are difficult to understand but very real. This state of being one flesh explains many things about human relationships, including the emptiness we feel when alone and the psychological dysfunction that happens when the one-flesh bond is broken by divorce or in physical relationships outside of marriage. (Contrary to our culture’s myth, casual sex is not liberating but rather numbing, leading to a myriad of psychological dysfunctions.) Feeding this one-flesh bond is the object of a genuine love between husband and wife.

When we ignore God’s word on marriage, we suffer the consequences.

Proverbs 18:22, "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD." Love begins by appreciating one’s mate as a gift from God, as a blessing without which we would feel lonely and unfulfilled as we go through a hostile world. God probably had Adam name the animals in order to lead him to see his need for a suitable companion.

Ecclesiastes 9:9 – Much of life seems empty and meaningless, especially as we get up, go to work, come home, rest, and repeat. A loved mate helps one to enjoy life even amid the drudgery that characterizes the lives of many.

Proverbs 31:28 – Men should realize that physical beauty is not the primary trait of a good wife. A wise husband will praise and reward his wife for her fear of the Lord and her hard work for the sake of the family.

Proverbs 30:21,23 – A married woman who is unloved often makes life miserable for everyone around her.

Proverbs 15:1, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger," applies to marriage as well as all of life.

Proverbs 15:16-17 – Many try to build their families on the acquisition of "stuff," but a home built on the fear (worship) of the Lord and love for each other brings the happiness that wealth can never produce. (It also greatly diminishes family break-ups.)

Proverbs 27:15-16 (see also 21:9,19), "A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day; restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand." The same can be said for a quarrelsome and nagging husband.

Husbands

Ephesians 5:25-33a – Christ set the supreme example for husbands to love their wives. (1) Helping her to become all that God intended for her to be is more important to him than his own life. (2) He loves her as much as his own body. (3) He provides for all her needs, insofar as he is able. (4) He realizes that she is not just his wife–she is a part of him. He cannot hurt or ignore her without harming himself. (5) He realizes that he will benefit personally to the degree that he loves her.

1 Peter 3:7 – The man is usually physically larger and stronger than his wife. Therefore he must be careful that he be considerate of her opinions, needs, feelings, and frustrations. He must treat her with respect. After all, she is equal with him in God’s sight. If he mistreats her, his prayers to God will be hindered.

Malachi 2:13-16 – Breaking the marriage covenant, either by divorce or by abuse, upsets God’s plan for a godly society, which is the product of children being reared in a godly home, filled with love. As a result, God will no longer pay attention to or look with pleasure upon the offerings of the covenant breakers.

Wives

Ephesians 5:22-24,33b – Wives are to show respect to and submit to their husbands (in matters related to the marriage and family) just as they submit to Christ. They are to recognize that God has set the husband as the head of the wife. This does not mean she is less important, unequal to him, or a second- class human being, but rather that there are roles in life which each of us is to fulfill for the benefit of all. She is not his servant, his slave, his child, or his plaything, but rather one flesh with (part of) him.

1 Peter 3:1-6 – When the husband is not a believer, the submissive wife is more likely to win him to the Lord. She will do this, not by preaching to him or nagging him to go to church, but by demonstrating what a blessing it is to have a godly wife. She will, of course, care how she looks, but she will concentrate on her inward beauty. This inward beauty, unlike the outer, is unfading with age. It consists of purity, reverence, a gentle and quiet spirit, and, yes, submission to him in matters of marriage and family.

Faithfulness

Job 31:1, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl." Infidelity begins with the wandering eye.

Hebrews 13:4 – "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." Faithfulness begins with a commitment to the physical component of being one flesh, i.e., a physical relationship between one woman and one man for life. Physical intimacy is intended only for the marriage relationship.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 – Sanctification (holiness) is a work of the Holy Spirit in the life of God’s people. To be sanctified (made holy) is to be set apart to God, to be set apart as one of his own. We are set apart to serve him, and we are set apart to become like him. Sanctification includes becoming sexually pure (chaste). All forms of sexual immorality leave us "dirty," that is, a place unsuitable for the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 5:15-20 – Physical intimacy is a gift from God to be enjoyed. We are created, however, in such a way that ultimate, maximum enjoyment of that intimacy can be achieved only in a lasting, monogamous relationship.

Intimacy outside of marriage may bring momentary sensual highs, but it does not satisfy the soul; it does not give us what we really need.

1 Corinthians 7:1-6. – Being one flesh includes the concept that your body no longer belongs to you. It now belongs to your mate. Faithfulness to one’s mate is demonstrated in three ways: (1) not being intimate with anyone else, (2) not breaking the marriage covenant through divorce, and (3) meeting the intimacy needs of one’s mate. Violating any of these, according to God’s word, constitutes unfaithfulness to the marriage covenant.

Couples rarely have the same level of needs, especially in the area of intimacy (which includes, by the way, much more than just the physical union). They must communicate with each other regarding their needs. They must do what they can to meet those needs. They must learn and be satisfied with the art of compromise. And they also must not "deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time."

Forgiveness

None of us is perfect. Apologize when you do wrong. Work on doing better. Forgive one another. You will enjoy life more!

(Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. ©1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.)

WHEN THE SPARROW FALLS

A Christian Perspective on Suffering and Hard Times

C. Ermal Allen

Suffering often makes us feel like Job: He loathed his life. He thought that suffering in this life was a punishment for some sin. Therefore, in light of his great suffering, he thought that it would have been better for him never to have been born (Job 10). On the other hand, Jesus uses God’s all-knowing love as a reason why we should not fear what others can do to us even when that includes killing us: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31). The sparrow cannot fall to the ground apart from God’s watchful care. But sometimes the sparrow does fall.

Causes of Suffering.

What causes suffering? Sometimes we suffer because of natural law. Whether we are foolish enough to “play in the traffic,” or just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, we will suffer. Driving too fast on icy roads will result in dented fenders or broken bones. Or, smoke from a forest fire may suddenly cut off all visibility on a highway, resulting in multiple wrecks. Disease and genetic disorders would most often fall under this category—they are just a part of nature.

Sometimes we suffer because we are being punished for sin. Although it is a mistake to see all or even most suffering as punishment, as many did in Jesus’ day (see John 9:2), at some times God has definitely brought punishment on people because of their sins (see e.g., 1 Corinthians 11:29-30; Amos 1). Whether God directly brings ills upon people or merely allows Satan to do so, the net result is that people are sometimes punished in the here and now for their sins.

Suffering can also come not as punishment for sin but as a humbling experience, a testing of our wills to see whether we will remain true to God in spite of his apparent neglect of us. The wilderness wanderings of Israel were punishment for their unbelief and disobedience, but much of what they had to endure was simply to humble and teach them (Deuteronomy 8:2-3). (See below, “Purposes of Suffering.”)

Persecution is another source of suffering. In this case our suffering comes because God has given human beings the ability to exercise their own wills, even though that means that they may use that ability to bring harm to others. In fact, those who are seeking to follow God will often fall prey to deliberate malice even more so than those who are just innocent bystanders (2 Timothy 3:12).

We also suffer by our own choice, that is we have chosen to make certain sacrifices in order to help others or to participate in God’s plan of redemption. We give more than we can afford for the work of missions, our local church work, or benevolence (see 2 Corinthians 8:1-4). We forego the comforts of life in order to minister to God’s people (2 Corinthians 11:25-27). We put ourselves in jeopardy to bring the Gospel to culturally remote peoples (maybe in “the bush” or maybe in some other part of our own cities) who may view us with suspicion. Down through the centuries Christians have frequently braved frontiers and diseases in order to bring spiritual and physical help to others.

Finally, we often suffer with others who are suffering. We sympathetically bond with others in their suffering. We may not directly suffer the sickness, the abandonment, or the financial loss that others suffer from, but our hearts go out to them as we seek to be their friends and minister to them. For those who get really close to others, the suffering is as real and almost as great as it is for the person who is directly suffering (see Romans 12:15; 2 Corinthians 11:28-29).

Purposes of Suffering.

Now let us turn to the purposes of suffering. Why would God allow anyone to suffer? And more to the point, why would a good God allow the innocent to suffer? Why does he allow suffering in the lives of people who have dedicated themselves to serving him and their fellow human beings? (When we say that God “allows” these things, we do not mean that he “gives permission” in the sense of approving an action. Rather his “allowing” simply means that in his infinite wisdom he chooses not to interfere.)

Under the causes of suffering, we saw that God brings or allows Satan to bring suffering to people because they have sinned. Hebrews 12:5-13 teaches us that we are to endure all hardships as discipline. That is, we are not to worry about whether our suffering is a result of sin. (If we know of an unrepented sin, we must repent of it whether or not it is the cause of any suffering.) Instead we are to assume that in some way God has allowed this suffering, whatever the cause, into our lives in order to help us mature as his children. We are to come through the suffering with a more Christlike character and a more mature outlook on life (see Romans 5:3-5).

Suffering can deter us from sinning. Once Jesus’ attention was called to some Galileans who had been killed by Pilate while they were worshiping at the temple (Luke 13:1-5). Jesus used that occasion and also another instance in which eighteen people had died when the tower in Siloam fell on them, to say that their suffering was not because they were worse sinners than others. Then he used their suffering as a warning to repent of sin in order to avoid perishing. When we suffer, we should be reminded that a greater suffering will come to us if we continue in sin.

Suffering can also prevent us from future trouble (including self-inflicted) by warning us of the consequences of dangerous activity. The suffering caused by burned flesh when touching a hot stove will keep us from doing so again. Without pain, we would all likely die premature deaths. And Scripture teaches that some are taken away by premature death in order to protect them from some future suffering (Isaiah 57:1).

Those who have suffered little can bring little comfort to those who suffer much. Our own suffering enables us to comfort others. For one thing, it helps us to understand their suffering. We may not have suffered the same thing, but we have suffered. When they know we have suffered, they are more willing to accept our words of comfort—they realize we know what we are talking about. Furthermore, having suffered ourselves, we have known the comfort that God gives, and we are able to help them find that comfort as well (see 2 Corinthians 1:3-7).

Suffering, especially as a result of sacrifice or of persecution, brings us into a circle of very special people. We are to rejoice as partners of the prophets (see Matthew 5:12) and apostles and of Christ. Paul said that he rejoiced because he was “filling up” in his flesh what was “lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions” as he suffered for the church. Now certainly Christ’s sufferings were sufficient to pay for our sins. But in order for people to benefit from his sacrifice, they must learn about it so that they can put their faith in it. In order for them to learn about it, the church must sacrifice much and suffer much. And so our sufferings are just as necessary (although not for the same reason) as the sufferings of Christ.

Since we are flesh and blood, we must give some attention to the things of this world and this life in order to live. Too often this attention becomes too engrossing (see 1 Corinthians 7:29-31) and distracts us from the more needed things of the spirit (see Luke 10:38-42). The “rat race” can even get us off-track from the race toward salvation (see Matthew 13:22). Suffering gives us an opportunity to break the hold that this world gets on us. When you are flat on your back, the only way you can look is up!

Suffering also helps to make our hope real. That is, it helps us to long for Heaven (see 1 Peter 1:8-9). The book of Revelation is an interesting book to read, but it is most appreciated and understood by a church that is undergoing persecution. When things are going well in life, we sit back in our comfort and become satisfied with living in this world. When we suffer, however, we start longing for the better place. And our hope turns our thoughts to making sure that our hope will be fulfilled. “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life” (Psalm 119:50).

The Apostle Paul said that we should be content if we have food and clothing (1 Timothy 6:8). He himself had learned to be content even when he was naked and hungry (Philippians 4:11-13). Suffering teaches us “that we might not rely on ourselves but on God” (2 Corinthians 1:9). “He Is All I Need.” It is easy to sing that song when we have well-stocked kitchens, healthy bodies, and nice homes—it’s another thing to sing it when we are suffering. Until we learn how to sing it and mean it in spite of our difficulties, we have not really learned what it means to “lean on Jesus.” Through the wilderness wanderings, the ancient Israelites were fed manna from heaven, their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell—as a sign of God’s care. At the same time, they sometimes could not see where their next drink was coming from. All of these things were being used to teach them that it was the word from God that determined whether they lived or died (see Deuteronomy 8:2-4).

Suffering also puts us to the test (1 Peter 1:7). It tests our faith. Is it real? Again, when everything is running smoothly, it is easy to trust God. Suffering is one means we have here on Earth to test our faith. (The other is works or deeds of mercy.) When we can stay true to God, believing his promises and continuing to obey in the face of his apparent neglect, our faith is tested—and strengthened! Like gold in the fire, it is shown for what it is.

When we suffer, it gives God an opportunity to show his power in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7). We may not work miracles like the Apostles did in the early days of the church, but we can still be witnesses to God’s power by letting him work in us in spite of our weaknesses, especially our sufferings (see 2 Corinthians 12:7-10). When someone says, “I don’t know how you do it, how you keep up your faith, and even smile in the face of your suffering,” that is a perfect opportunity to say, “I couldn’t do it on my own, but my God is strong enough for both of us.”

What if God kept the righteous from suffering?

We would like to see God protect his people from all suffering. What if he did? What if he prevented us from all trouble or at least removed the trouble we get into? What if his power automatically or maybe in response to our prayers always saved us from suffering? What kind of a world would we live in? It might look like Heaven, but would it be best?

In the first place, if God’s power automatically or in response to prayer always removed suffering, there would of necessity be a widescale intervention in the laws of nature. Sir Isaac Newton might have never discovered the law of gravity, for the apple would have floated above his head or fallen unnoticed! There would be so many miracles that mankind would cease to see any order in the physical universe. Scientific inquiry and learning would come to a grinding halt. Furthermore, the ministries of Moses, Elijah, Elisha, the Apostles, and even Jesus himself would have gone unnoticed, for their miracles which confirmed them as messengers from God would have just been ordinary daily occurrences. Our salvation would be at risk, for how would we know that Jesus was who he claimed to be?

If God protected the righteous (and perhaps also the innocent) from suffering, then the wicked would come to God for selfish reasons. They would repent because it was safer. Now, it is true that the Bible frequently teaches that we reap what we sow and that we should therefore repent of our evil deeds. But salvation depends on more than just right living. Indeed, no one lives right enough to be saved. Coming to God must be a result of our faith and love in response to his goodness and love. God wants us to be willing servants, not slaves who cringe at the thought of a divine whip constantly being cracked over our heads.

If the righteous did not suffer, salvation (if indeed it were still possible) would be by sight rather than by faith in the word of God regarding the blood of Christ (see Romans 3:25). We would put our confidence in the visible lack of suffering rather than in the invisible promises of God. Then the wicked who were “fortunate” enough not to suffer would think they were saved. They would not just say “I’m just as good as those people at church,” they would assume their lack of suffering proved it.

Furthermore, how much could we sympathize with those who are suffering? We would assume that their suffering was their own fault. We would no doubt become arrogant. Our own suffering keeps us humble.

Response to Suffering.

Recognizing that suffering is an inevitable part of living in this world (see John 16:33), how should we respond to that suffering?

We should begin by praying (James 5:13). In the Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8) Jesus teaches that we should “always pray and not give up.” Maybe God has not answered our prayers in the way or the time that we would like, but he will respond to our prayers in the way that only he knows is best.

Then we should rejoice in spite of our sufferings, for suffering, if responded to in faith, produces character. See Romans 5:1-4; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6. Romans puts this character-building in the context of turning our attention to what really counts. Too often we look to our this-world circumstances for a demonstration of God’s love. Suffering, however, gives us the opportunity to look to the greater ways (greater than the world of nature, physical health, mental health, family, job, etc.) in which God demonstrates his love:

the gift of Jesus as a sacrifice for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8,11),

the presence of his Holy Spirit in our lives (5:5), and

our hope in the glory of God (5:2, see below).

Consider also Romans 8:17-39:

Sharing in Christ’s sufferings means we will also share in his glory—a glory that will far outweigh the sufferings.

Suffering in the body now will be replaced by the “redemption of our bodies,” when they will be resurrected in glory (see 1 Corinthians 15:42-56).

The Spirit helps us in our weakness, including in our prayer life.

In everything, God works for our good, namely, that we will become more like Christ. “Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish” (Isaiah 38:17).

No trouble in all creation is able to prevent God from keeping his love-bearing promises, for he has already kept the biggest (and most difficult) one, our salvation through the death and resurrection of his Son. Indeed, this love is four-dimensional (Ephesians 3:16-21).

In our sufferings we must learn the sufficiency of God’s grace (2 Corinthians 12:9). Too often we rely upon our own efforts or the efforts of others. Although there is a proper place for self-effort and for calling on doctors and hospitals, in the final analysis God is the only one who can help us with what we really need. And we should not wait until we “come to the end of our rope” to turn to him. While we are doing what we can to alleviate our suffering or the suffering of others, we need to take up the yoke of Jesus and learn from him (Matthew 11:28-30). His resources are available to us through his word, through prayer, through fellowship with the Body of Christ, and through selfless service to others.

When we suffer, we should always remember God’s watchful love (Matthew 10:29-31). Even when the sparrow falls, God is in control. He could stop it if he wanted to. If he allows it to fall, he still cares. And he watches. He never sleeps (see Psalm 121). “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

And finally, in bad times as well as good, we must bow down in worship of the Creator, Ruler, and Redeemer, who alone can free us from the burdens of this life (Revelation 22:1-3).

WHAT ABOUT BAPTISM?

There is much confusion in the modern church about the Biblical practice of baptism.

1. Who is to be baptized? Infants, small children, adults only?

2. How is baptism to be performed? Immersion, sprinkling, pouring?

3. How important is baptism?

Look up these Bible references and see for yourself.

Who is to be baptized?

Matthew 28:19 – a person who chooses to become a disciple (KJV, one who is taught), and who is then taught to obey Jesus’ teaching

Mark 16:15-16 – those who believe the Gospel

Acts 2:38 – those who repent of their sins and need to be forgiven

Acts 16:31-34 – believers in Jesus

Acts 22:16 – those who have sins that need to be washed away and who call on the name of the Lord

Galatians 3:26-27 – those who have faith in Christ

Colossians 2:12 – those who have faith in the working of God

What action is meant by the words “baptize” and “baptism”?

The circumstances surrounding baptism clearly imply an immersion in water.

Matthew 3:16 – Jesus came up out of the water (in the Jordan River).

John 3:23 – John moved to Aenon because there was much water there.

Acts 8:36-39 – Both Philip and the eunuch went down into and came up out of the water. Also, they did not think of using the eunuch’s drinking water.

Acts 22:16 – Saul had to get up in order to be baptized.

The symbolism in baptism clearly implies an immersion in water.

Romans 6:4 – being buried and raised

Galatians 3:27 – putting on Christ like putting on clothing.

Colossians 2:12 – being buried

Hebrews 10:22 – hearts sprinkled but bodies washed

What do the words translated as baptize and baptism mean in the Bible’s original language (first century Greek)?

Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: “an immersion in water”

Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: “dip, immerse”

Webster’s New World Dictionary, College Edition, 1966: from Greek, “to plunge, immerse”

Septuagint (Greek) version of the Old Testament, 2 Kings 5:14, translated into English as “dipped.”

“On this account I could wish that such as are baptized should be completely immersed into water according to the meaning of the word and the signification of the ordinance . . . as also without doubt, it was instituted by Christ.” (Martin Luther, founder of Lutheran Church, Works, 1551, XI, 76.)

“The very word baptize signifies to immerse, and it is certain that immersion was the practice of the primitive church.” (John Calvin, founder of Presbyterian Church, Institutes, XI, ch. 15, sec. 49.)

“Immersion, and not sprinkling, was unquestionably the original form of baptism. Baptism is to immerse in water.” (Philip Schaff, Presbyterian, History of the Apostolic Church, pp. 568-569.)

“We are buried with Him, alluding to the ancient manner of baptizing by immersion.” (John Wesley, founder of Methodist Church, Notes on the New Testament, Romans 6:3.)

“St. Paul alludes to the manner in which Baptism was ordinarily conferred in the primitive Church, by immersion.” (Note on Rom. 6:3, Revised Challoner-Rheims Version of the New Testament, edited by Catholic Scholars under the patronage of The Episcopal Committee of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 1947.)

“Thirteen hundred years was baptism generally and ordinarily performed by the immersion of a man under water; and only in extraordinary cases was sprinkling or affusion permitted. These latter methods of baptism were called in question, and even prohibited.” (F. Brenner, Roman Catholic, Work on Baptism, Augusti, Denkwurd, VII, 68.)

Purpose of Baptism

Matthew 28:19 – part of the process of becoming a disciple (follower of Jesus)

John 3:3,5 – necessary for entering the kingdom of God

Acts 2:38 – for the forgiveness of sins and gift of the Holy Spirit

Acts 10:47-48 – baptism in water in the name of Christ, part of the message through which they were saved (11:14)

Acts 22:16 – wash away sins, calling on the name of the Lord

Romans 6:3-4 – buried with Christ, baptized into his death, raised with him into a new life

Galatians 3:27 – put on Christ

Ephesians 5:26 – made holy, cleansed by washing with water through the word

Colossians 2:12 – buried and raised with Christ through faith

Titus 3:5 – (not by works) saved through the washing of regeneration (KJV; rebirth, NIV) and renewing of the Holy Spirit

1 Peter 3:21 – saves by the resurrection of Christ

Summary

When we look at the New Testament record, it is obvious that baptism in the first century of the church was

• immersion in water and the Holy Spirit

• of a person who had come to believe in Christ and repented of his/her sins (and therefore not infants or small children)

• in the name of Christ

• into union with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection unto a new life

• resulting in the forgiveness of sins and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit

• thus becoming a disciple (follower) of Christ

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND CHRISTIAN ETHICS

C. Ermal Allen

1 - THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN THE CHRISTIAN ERA

The Ten Commandments are not binding on Christians! That’s right. They are not. Please consider the following.

The word of God is clear. God expects us to be holy. For instance, in predicting the Messianic Age (in which we live), Isaiah spoke of a highway: “And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it” (35:8). Indeed, Hebrews 12:14 asserts that “without holiness no one will see the Lord.” And Peter wrote (1 Peter 1:13-16): "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'”

The Ten Commandments are based on love for God and neighbor, so we can use them as a basis for understanding holiness. First, however, we need to get a handle on the relationship between the Ten Commandments and Christianity. Here are three truths about the Ten Commandments that help us accurately to see our relationship to them.

The Ten Commandments are not the standard for justification.

If you ask many Christians about how to be saved, they may reply with something like, “Believe in God and keep the Ten Commandments”! However, according to the Bible, no one will get to Heaven by keeping the Ten Commandments. They are not part of the gospel standard of justification (righteousness), how we get and stay right with God.

Theoretically, the Ten were at one time the path to righteousness. For example, the Law said, "'And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness'" (Deuteronomy 6:25). And when asked about the way to eternal life, Jesus (who lived and died under the Old Covenant) replied (Matthew 19:17-19): “'If you want to enter life, obey the commandments. . . . "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother," and "love your neighbor as yourself."'"

The problem with having any “law” as a standard of justification is that no one lives up to it. The apostle Paul explains that where the Law failed to produce righteousness, the gospel succeeds (Romans 3:20-24): "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."

And just to make sure that Paul was including the Ten Commandments when he referred to “the Law,” notice what he says in 2 Corinthians 3:3,6-9: "You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone [emphasis added] but on tablets of human hearts. . . . He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant–not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone [emphasis added], came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!" Notice that Paul calls the Ten Commandments (“tablets of stone,” “letters on stone”), “the ministry that brought death” and “the ministry that condemns”!

The Ten Commandments, as a code of justification, condemns rather than saves. The gospel brings righteousness.

The Ten Commandments are not the standard for Christian behavior.

Okay, so the Ten Commandments are not the standard for salvation, but are they not a part of the moral code which we must obey? Not as a whole, as a set of laws. Let me illustrate: When the thirteen colonies rebelled against Great Britain and formed themselves into an independent nation, they were no longer bound by the laws of Great Britain. Their new set of laws included many laws that were identical to the former ones, but their reason for obeying those laws lay not in the fact that they were part of the British law but that there was now a new, American, law.

The Ten Commandments, as a moral code, were meant solely for Israel prior to the coming of the Messiah. The preamble to the Ten Commandments read, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Exodus 20:2). However, the individual commandments were, with one exception, all carried over to the New Testament age. We obey those nine, not because they are in “the Ten Commandments” but because they are part of the eternal moral code.

As a set, the Ten Commandments were never applied to the world in general. In all the prophetic messages condemning the nations outside of Israel, never once are the Ten Commandments mentioned. In fact, according to Paul, the Ten Commandments were what separated Israel from the Gentiles. They were, in effect, the constitution of the new nation of Israel. (See Exodus 19:3-6.) Paul said of Jesus, “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations” (Ephesians 2:14-15).

And, in particular, one of the Ten was not carried over into the moral code of the New Covenant, that one being the Sabbath. The Sabbath is no longer binding (Colossians 2:16-17): “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” (For more on the Sabbath, see chapters 5-6.)

Furthermore, as we shall next see, the Ten Commandments do not go far enough as a moral code for Christians.

The Ten Commandments are useful to study as examples of laws based on the eternal principles that do apply to us.

It is not enough to obey just these commandments; the eternal moral code is much larger than just these ten. These ten are based on eternal principles, principles which we need to learn, apply, and practice. The underlying principles, however, involve much more than just these ten.

Jesus taught that all the commandments in the Law essentially rested on the Golden Rule: “‘So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets’” (Matthew 7:12). Paul put it this way: “The commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not covet,’ and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Romans 13:9). And again, “The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 13:14).

In other words, the laws (God’s written rules of behavior) are examples of how love behaves. Love is not just the motive but also the essence of his laws. This is not to say that we can use love as an excuse to ignore any of these revealed laws, but only to say that a strict, literal adherence to those laws does not go far enough. There may arise many situations not covered by the specific laws but which would be covered by love for God and neighbor. Let me say again, love never gives an excuse for disobeying a revealed command of God, but it also does not give us an excuse for not acting in love just because there is no written command covering the situation.

It is not enough to teach just the Ten Commandments. As we look at each one of these commandments, we will see the principles upon which they are based, principles which will help us understand better the Christian standard of justification (right living) and holiness. That is why Jesus taught about anger, divorce, lust, going the second mile, lending without expecting in return, blessing our persecutors, etc., in relation to our love for God and neighbor even though these questions are not covered by “the Ten Commandments.”

We should not use the Ten Commandments as the moral code–too often such an approach leads us to think we are being more obedient to God than we really are. (The rich young ruler claimed, “All these I have kept since I was a boy” [Luke 18:21].) When we study the principles underlying these commandments, we can use them as a basis for understanding what it means to live a holy life.

2 - NO OTHER GODS

“And God spoke all these words: ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.’” (Exodus 20:1-3; Deuteronomy 5:6-7)

Second Kings tells us of the king of Israel sending a messenger to the god of Ekron to inquire about his injury. The prophet Elijah was sent to the king with this message: “‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’” (1:3). A similar question could be asked of many people today: Why do you turn to someone or some thing other than God to get what you want or need? The answer would be that they either do not believe in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, or they do not trust in his promise to take care of us if we put first his kingdom and his righteousness.

You probably do not bow down to an idol, a statue of a pagan god. You may still be worshiping other gods. Your god is whatever you put first in your life. Let us consider the following three kinds of other gods in the modern era.

Gods That Replace the Worship of God

There are gods that replace the worship of the God of the Bible. For example, astrology. Isaiah 47:12-15 condemns those who rely on the stars or some other aspect of the universe in place of God. "Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror. All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. Here are no coals to warm anyone; here is no fire to sit by. That is all they can do for you–these you have labored with and trafficked with since childhood. Each of them goes on in his error; there is not one that can save you."

Do you regularly check your horoscope? Do you inquire of any kind of fortune tellers to discover your future? If so, you are buying into the worship of another god. The God of the Bible tells us that we cannot discover our future and should trust him to be with us, regardless of what the future holds.

Another god that is ancient but has in recent decades found followers in our society is Planet Earth. There are several variations of the worship of the Planet, but they all see nature as the ultimate source of life. The Bible teaches that we are to manage the Earth in a way that makes use of it without destroying it. But it also says that the Earth is here for our benefit, not the other way around.

Reason, science, and humanism are variations of other gods, the intelligence and/or autonomy of human beings. People who worship these gods have elevated human beings to the throne of the universe. The intellectually elite (that is, those who agree with them–anyone who disagrees with them is just too stupid to think rationally) should be in charge because they know what is best for everyone, and the rest of us should bow down to their pronouncements from their ivory towers!

True Christianity has always placed a high value on the good of mankind and also on the value of reason and science in helping us to determine truth. However, the Christian philosophy also recognizes the limits of human reason and knowledge. We trust God’s word to provide us with a realistic, rational, big-picture view of reality. We recognize that those who claim to have the truth based only on their own reason and experiences have frequently through the ages of history been proved to be in error.

Money (“stuff”) is the god of many people. They will do anything for Money. They may have other values, even good ones, but in the end it is Money that wins out. The expression, “Everyone has his price,” is a reflection of the nearly universal love of Money. “The one who dies with the most toys, wins.” Really? Jesus pointed out the folly of making Money (possessions) the god of your life (Luke 16:13-15): "'No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.' The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, 'You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.'"

Right on the heels of Money as a prevalent god of this world is Power. Many people will do anything to build up their power in business or politics. They may appear to be serving Money, but in this case money is simply the means to an end. Power is useful and needed to accomplish good things. But power must remain a servant rather than becoming a god. The lure of power to take over one’s heart is reflected in the expression, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Many people have gone into management of a business or into politics in order to accomplish good things for the people but have been seduced by Power. When that happens, the people become the tools to maintain the power.

Pleasure is a gift from God. He himself experiences pleasure, and he wants us to have pleasure. However, like money and power, pleasure too often becomes the goal of people’s lives. Entertainment, hobbies, drug abuse, or sex becomes the ultimate aim in life. As a result many sins are committed in order to maintain that aim. For example, when sex is god, we need to find ways to avoid the consequences of the immoral (outside of marriage) use of sex. Unwanted unborn children are murdered, and we demand that the government justify the practice. Drugs (some of them very expensive and requiring tax money to pay for them) are developed to treat STD’s.

When Pleasure becomes god, the end result is the opposite of pleasure.

Gods That Replace the Word of God

Then there are gods that replace the word of God. People who worship these gods may still bow down to the God of the Bible, and they often go to church every Sunday. One such god is Traditionalism. Traditions are important, but traditionalism elevates tradition above the revealed will of God. Traditions of men were put in their proper place by Jesus in Matthew 15:3-9: "Jesus replied, 'And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, "Honor your father and mother" . . . . But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God," he is not to "honor his father" with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition [emphasis added]. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men."'"

Church programs, denominational loyalty, church buildings, inferences from Scripture, “worship style” (songs, accompaniment, slides, hymnals), time of meeting, who officiates at the Lord’s Table–and many other traditions sometimes become more important than God’s revealed will.

Another god that replaces the word of god is Personal Opinions. Those who serve this god accept the Bible until it says something they disagree with. (And so, in reality, they do not accept the Bible at all.) Such a person may say something like, “My God wouldn’t want us to ____________” (fill in the blank). Proverbs 16:25 seems to be an appropriate response to those who worship Personal Opinions: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

Gods That Replace the Work of God

Other gods are those that replace the work of God. The work of God refers to the work that he is doing on earth through us, in other words, the work he has given us to do for him. We can sum up this work: the work of God’s people as members of the body of Christ, the church.

The Bible teaches (for example, Ephesians 4:7-16) that the church grows as every member (leaders and followers) takes up his part in the ministry of the church. Although some have responded with indifference to the call in recent decades from church leaders for people to take up their gifts (talents, abilities) and use them in the work of God, many others have decided they just do not have time. They have, in effect, found another god, something else that is more important than the work that God has assigned to them as their primary purpose in life.

One such category of gods that replace the work of God includes Entertainment (such as video games), Recreation (sports), and Hobbies. Now, God approves of entertainment, recreation, and sports as well as many other things that bring us pleasure. The apostle Paul wrote that God “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17); and also that “everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:4).

James 4:2-4, however, teaches we must keep these things of the world in proper perspective: "You want something but don’t get it. . . . You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." Pleasure is a gift of God; but when it becomes more important than the will of God, it becomes one’s god.

Another good thing that can become one’s god is Family. Family is not only good; family is very important to God. “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8). However, family is still not to become our top priority. Jesus said, “‘Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me’” (Matthew 10:37).

Social networking can also monopolize our time so much that it keeps us from fulfilling our responsibilities as members of Christ’s body. The result is that our computer/phone time becomes our god.

Even church can become a substitute god when it is not a result of our dedication to Christ. Some people are dedicated to the institution rather than to God. “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good” (Titus 1:16). They may be very busy at church work and appear to be very active for Christ. And perhaps only Christ knows otherwise, but they cannot hide from him: “‘I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead’” (Revelation 3:1). Even preachers, elders, and Sunday School teachers may fall prey to worshiping this god. They may be committed to church for the money, the prestige, the ego, or the effort to get to Heaven by their good works. But in reality they are idolaters.

Conclusion

Everyone in the world should worship the one and only living God simply because he created them and has blessed them in so many ways; in addition, he has set a day when all will be judged by him. But as his people, we should worship him and him alone because he has rescued us from slavery to sin and is leading us to the Promised Land just as he did for ancient Israel.

Paul warns us (1 Corinthians 10:14-22): "Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?"

And John pleaded (1 John 5:20-21): “We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true–even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.”

Does your life demonstrate that your number one value is the worship of the one true God?

3 - NO GRAVEN (MAN-MADE) IMAGE

“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God . . . ” (Exodus 20:4-6; Deuteronomy 5:8-9).

Almost from the beginning of human history (see Romans 1:18-23), mankind has been substituting what they know about God with imitations that conform better to their liking. From time to time we need to examine our own views of God to make sure that we are not remaking him in our own image.

The first commandment forbids the worship of other gods. What most people do not understand is that the second commandment primarily is a prohibition against imitations of the true God. (It does forbid bowing down to images of other gods as well, but that is already included in the first commandment.) For example, the golden calves that Israel worshiped were not other gods but rather images of the one true God. Notice that neither Aaron’s creation (Exodus 32:4-5) nor Jeroboam’s calves (1 Kings 12:28-30) were given names. That is because they were considered to be Yahweh, the God who brought them out of Egypt!

In Exodus 32:4 Aaron does say, “‘These are your gods,’” but notice that there is only one calf. The name God in Hebrew is a plural form, and so it is natural to use a plural pronoun and a plural verb, “these are,” in reference to it. In referring to this idol, Nehemiah (9:18) quotes Aaron as saying, with a singular pronoun and verb, “‘This is your god.’” In light of these facts, the correct translation should be, “This is your God, who brought you out of Egypt.” This is confirmed by the fact that Aaron immediately announced the next day as a festival to Yahweh. Sacrifices were then offered on the altar in front of the calf (Ex. 32:5-8).

And in relation to Jeroboam’s calves, he uses the plural verb to refer to his golden calves; but he puts one calf in the south and the other in the far north of his kingdom so that people could worship either one. He imitated the religion of Judah with his own sacrifices, festivals, and priests just as he imitated their God with his calves.

God forbade making images to represent him, for the Israelites had seen no form. “‘You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape . . .’” (Deuteronomy 4:15-16). They had no idea what he looked like; besides he had something else in mind when it came to an image.

We no longer worship idols as representative images of God, but there are at least four characteristics of God that have been replaced by our imitations of God.

God speaks.

The one, true God has spoken to us through chosen messengers, who then committed his word to us through their writing. The Bible records many examples of this teaching. The prophets often began their messages with, “Thus says the Lord.” The apostle Paul wrote, “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16), that is, although written by human beings, the result of their words was such that it might as well have been breathed out by God onto the page. Peter describes the process this way, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21).

Today, however, fewer and fewer people believe that the Bible is the word of God, even many who attend church. Some see God as a mime. God is acting, but he has never actually spoken to anyone. The Bible is therefore not the word of God. When our opinions are not instructed by the word (particularly in areas of ethics and morals), then God may as well be as silent as a mime.

Others acknowledge that God may have spoken in the Bible, but he did so cryptically. The Bible cannot be understood with any certainty. Therefore, one interpretation is as good as another. And so, neither you nor anyone else has the right to tell me what God thinks about anything. We just all have to struggle the best we can to determine what is truth and what is right or wrong.

God hears.

A second characteristic of the God of the Bible is that he hears, that is, he hears and answers our prayers. 1 John 5:13-15 says: "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him."

These verses tell us much about prayer. For one thing, God does not promise to hear all the prayers of the unsaved. His assurances are to believers only. Sometimes he does hear the prayers of others, but there is no promise that he will. We are also assured that he always hears us and, in fact, will give us what we ask of him–but with one very big condition: our prayers must be in accordance with his will. That is not just a cop-out, for it does not mean that he might not want to hear us. It does mean that he knows what is best for us, and so we must relinquish to him the right to use his own wisdom in giving us what is good for us.

Some people, however, have rejected the overall teachings of Scripture about prayer in exchange for their own man-made image of God. Some see him as a magic genie. Whatever I want, I should get; and if I don’t, I’ll fuss and cry, sometimes begging, sometimes demanding, and sometimes threatening to quit believing in him if I don’t get what I asked for. Jesus did make some promises about giving us whatever we ask for in prayer, and so these people insist that he meant what he said! Of course, he meant what he said, but we must take into the contexts in which he was speaking as well as the whole of his teaching, not just a few verses here and there. Jesus himself did not get everything he asked for–remember the garden prayer? And the apostle Paul did not get his “thorn in the flesh” removed–finally Jesus told him to quit asking!

Many have decided that since God is no genie, he must be a blank wall. There’s no use praying, for, if he’s there at all, he’s not listening! You might as well be talking to the wall. Of course, he hears, but he does not usually respond in the way we think he should. He is the Sovereign God, the One in charge, and he does not take kindly to people who test him by demanding that he respond in a way of their choosing.

God gathers.

The third characteristic of God is that he gathers his people into fellowship with himself and with other believers. “God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful” (1 Corinthians 1:9). In ancient Israel he referred to them as his chosen people and his assembly. The Hebrew word for assembly is translated into Greek with the same word that is translated church in the New Testament. Romans 15:5-7 tells us: "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." We are now working with God in his efforts to bring others into the fellowship that we share.

Some draw this circle of fellowship so large it includes people not submitting to the conditions of salvation. Their circle may include everyone in the world (universalism), believing that no one will ultimately be lost. Many others will not go that far but will still include many people in their circle of Christian fellowship who have not obeyed the terms set forth in the gospel of Christ. We could say that they have made their own image of God to be like Santa Claus. Regardless of what the children are told in the time leading up to Christmas, Santa still gives gifts even to the bad children. He loves them so much that he could not possibly leave them only a lump of coal! Likewise, God loves everyone, and so he could not bear to see anyone go to Hell!

A variation of the Santa Claus god is the Grandfather god. He is a kindly old man who just wants to see the little ones happy! After all, boys will be boys, Mom, so don’t be so hard on them!

On the other hand, some see God as a biased judge. This judge has no room for mercy or grace except for those of us in our own _________–you fill in the blank. Our own nation. Our own denomination. Our own race. He would not want us to have fellowship with those who disagree with us (since we have the truth), or even with those whom we just do not like!

God is jealous.

The fourth characteristic of God is that he is, believe it or not, a jealous God. In this second commandment itself he affirms, “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:5). The New Testament confirms this in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 and 10:21-22. In both passages Paul is talking about the proper way to eat the Lord’s Supper. In 11:27-29 he talks about the proper manner. We must examine ourselves before we eat and drink to make sure that we are recognizing the body of the Lord. Now, “the body of the Lord” here does not refer to the body on the cross but rather to the mystical body of Christ, that is, the church. See the preceding verses, beginning with verse 17. Those who ignore or neglect the needs of their brothers and sisters in Christ are sinning against the body and blood of the Lord when partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Christ died for those other believers, too!

In 1 Corinthians 10:21-22 Paul refers to the Lord’s Supper, affirming that “we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf” (10:17) as a participation in the body of Christ (10:16). Then he draws the conclusion that we cannot take part in the table of demons (that is, eating sacrifices in an idol’s temple) and the table of the Lord at the same time, for to do so is “trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy.”

The relevant man-made image of God here is seeing God as One who is worshiped in formalities, assemblies, rituals, rites, special times, special places, special ways rather than being worshiped 24/7/365 in one’s heart. Ritualistic eating of the Lord’s Supper is one symptom of such worship. When we partake of the loaf and cup, we must not just assume that we are all right with God just because we are eating and drinking. We must pay attention to the manner. We must make sure we are not the cause of any strife in the body of Christ, either in the congregation or just with an individual. We must make sure that we are reflecting on the meaning of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for us. We must make sure that our commitment to him is true.

Another symptom, very similar to the first, is Sunday-only Christianity. Many people put on a good mask at church and appear to others as true disciples of Christ, but then during the week live in such a way that their family, the people they work with, and their neighbors know their Christianity is just for show (if indeed they even pretend to be Christians during the week).

And then there are those that think that God is indifferent about our attendance. They think that “being good” is all that is required of them. They do not realize that attendance at church is much more than showing up from time to time and even more than showing up all the time. Jesus never commended anyone for showing up! What counts is what we do when we are there and then how it affects what we do when we are not there!

God does care, and he is a jealous God! “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

Conclusion

Now, unlike Israel, we have an image of God to worship. Jesus is the one real image, not in physical form, of course, but in his person. “He is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). And Hebrews 1:1-4 tells us: "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs."

When we see the light from the sun, we are seeing the sun. When we see Jesus, we are seeing God. When we follow him, we are following God.

4 - MISUSING THE NAME OF GOD

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God . . . .” (Exodus 20:7)

Flag burners – why are they so repulsive to us? Is it not because Old Glory stands for our country, and we take disrespect toward the flag as disrespect for the country? Symbols do not stand alone for they, by definition, stand for something.

The same thing is true of the name of God. His name is not just a word; it stands for his very being, his attributes, his character. That is why the third commandment deals with his name. Exodus 20:7 says, literally, “You shall not lift up the name of the Lord your God in vain.” In the Old Testament this commandment most often referred to oaths. People took oaths in the name of God, thus affirming that their statements and promises were absolutely true and trustworthy. If the oath was false, the oath-taker had misused God’s name, that is, he had used it in vain.

The principle behind this command is that the name of God stands for his character (how we know him); therefore, we must be careful how we treat his name. Here are five ways we take his name in vain today.

Profanity, Using His Name Without Meaning

The entertainment world has changed the meaning of the English word profanity. When a movie is said to have profanity in it, what they mean is that there is obscene language. If there are no obscenities, it will not be rated as having profanity. However, the words profane and profanity traditionally have referred to the practice of using a holy, sacred, or divinely-related word in a common or vulgar sense. To profane something means to empty of its true meaning and instill it with a lesser meaning.

The Bible rarely if ever explicitly condemns the use of God’s name merely by speaking it without referring to God. However, by definition of “in vain,” certainly such usage of his name would be a violation of this commandment. Using “God” as an expletive empties the name of its meaning, profanes it. Many people use God or Jesus or Christ and other references to God in ordinary conversation as expletives, thus lifting up his name in vain.

We also need to consider–and here we are in the area of personal opinion–whether we are profaning the name of God when we use euphemisms. A euphemism is a “nicer” word we use when we would not think of using the word we really mean. Words such as gosh, golly, gee, geez, criminy, OMG–are they not really just less offensive ways of using the name of God, emptied of meaning?

Living So That Others Disregard Christianity

A second way that we profane the name of God is by taking that name upon ourselves and then living in such a way that others disregard our profession of faith and even of Christianity itself. When we call ourselves Christians, disciples of Christ, Christ followers, the people of God, the family of God, we are identifying ourselves with him. Just as our behavior reflects back upon our physical family, so our behavior reflects upon our spiritual family.

God spoke to ancient Israel (Ezekiel 36:20-23): "'Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God. But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws–although the man who obeys them will live by them–and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in the desert. But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.'"

In this passage God had Ezekiel tell the people that he had not punished Israel as much as they deserved since such punishment would be so disastrous that the nations around them would speak ill of Israel’s God. In the Gentiles’ misunderstanding of what God was really doing, God’s name would be emptied (profaned) of its true character. And so God did not want to be the cause himself of his name being profaned by the nations. (See also Isaiah 52:5.)

The apostle Paul takes this point one step further: Christians who say one thing and do another will themselves be the occasion for nonbelievers to speak ill of God/Christ: “You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: ‘God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you’” (Romans 2:23-24, see Ezekiel 36:22-23).

Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:1, “All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered.” And again, “Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:9-10). When people know we are Christians, our actions reflect on our faith and thus on our God positively or negatively.

I once knew a man who attended church every Sunday with his wife, and seemed to believe in Jesus but never (as far as I know) became a Christian. He managed the boat rentals on Cumberland Lake. From time to time he saw married men from a nearby church come by to rent a boat for the day, accompanied by women who were not their wives. He used their hypocrisy as an excuse not to be committed to Christ. Those church men, some of whom were church leaders, had profaned the name of their God.

Denying the Name We Wear

A third way that we profane the name of God is by denying the name we wear, that is, the name of Christ. Jesus’ disciple Peter denied three times that he knew Jesus. (Actually it was three different settings. A comparison of the gospel accounts shows that the actual count was closer to ten times.) “I don’t know the man!”

We are rarely if ever called on to identify with Jesus in such a precarious setting, but we can deny that name just as much. “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good” (Titus 1:16). “Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness’” (2 Timothy 2:19). A failure to live like a Christian, regardless of what others may see or not see in us, is a denial of the name of the Lord. When the Lord comes into a person’s life, that life begins to be “cleaned up.” Refusal to grow in the “grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) is the same as turning in your badge and quitting the force. The name means nothing to you, and so it is profaned.

Offering Our Children to the Gods of this World

We often overlook the connection between parenting and the name of God. Children must come to their own faith and personally make their own decision to follow Christ. However, that does not relieve parents of their duty to bring those children up in “the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

Leviticus 18:21 refers to a horrible practice of the worshipers of the Ammonite god, Molech: “Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.” The sacrifice to Molech involved burning their infants alive! We may not be doing anything so horrible, but too many parents are sacrificing their children to the world.

Some parents have fallen for the philosophy that children should be left to themselves to make up their own minds regarding their faith. When that is the parents’ philosophy, most often the children will never find their way to God. We give them guidance in every other way of life (or should), so why not in the most important part? Their eternal destinies are at stake. That cannot be left up to chance.

Too many parents sacrifice their children (through neglect or active pursuit) to the modern gods of Materialism (greed), Hedonism (pleasure-seeking), and Convenience. And sometimes the sacrifice is physical and literal–by having an abortionist destroy that living baby inside the mother’s womb. Maybe it is not a convenient time to have a baby, maybe he/she was conceived in less than ideal circumstances, maybe the baby is the wrong sex or has some defect–whatever the reason, an innocent human being is being sacrificed to accommodate the needs of the parent(s).

Offering less than the Best to God

Finally, we profane the name of God when we offer less than our best to him. Many of the Jews who came back from Babylonian exile profaned God’s name this way (Malachi 1:6-14): "'A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?' says the LORD Almighty. 'It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. But you ask, "How have we shown contempt for your name?" You place defiled food on my altar. But you ask, "How have we defiled you?’" By saying that the LORD’s table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?' says the LORD Almighty. 'Now implore God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?'–says the LORD Almighty. '“Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,' says the LORD Almighty, 'and I will accept no offering from your hands. My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations,' says the LORD Almighty. 'But you profane it by saying of the Lord’s table, "It is defiled," and of its food, "It is contemptible." And you say, "What a burden!" and you sniff at it contemptuously,' says the LORD Almighty. 'When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?' says the LORD. 'Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,' says the LORD Almighty, 'and my name is to be feared among the nations.'"

The Israelites had been commanded to bring in their best, even their firstborn animals and the firstfruits of their crops. Failure to give him the best was considered to be contempt for his name. Are we giving God our leftovers? Are we giving our best efforts to work, recreation, hobbies?

Give of Your Best to the Master (Howard B. Grose, public domain)

Give of your best to the Master; Give of the strength of your youth;

Throw your soul’s fresh, glowing ardor Into the battle for truth.

Jesus has set the example; Dauntless was He, young and brave;

Give Him your loyal devotion, Give Him the best that you have.

2 Give of your best to the Master; Give Him first place in your heart;

Give Him first place in your service, Consecrate every part.

Give, and to you shall be given; God His beloved Son gave;

Gratefully seeking to serve Him, Give Him the best that you have.

3 Give of your best to the Master; Naught else is worthy His love;

He gave Himself for your ransom, Gave up His glory above;

Laid down His life without murmur, You from sin’s ruin to save;

Give Him your heart’s adoration, Give Him the best that you have.

Give of your best to the Master; Give of the strength of your youth;

Clad in salvation’s full armor, Join in the battle for truth.

Conclusion

It is significant that disciples are those who have been baptized into the Name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). We must therefore wear the Name proudly and respectfully.

5 - THE LORD’S DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work . . . .” (Exodus 20:8-11; see also Deuteronomy 5:12-15)

The Lord’s Day is not the Christian Sabbath. Nowhere does the Bible identify the two. Nowhere does the Bible say that the Lord’s Day replaces the Sabbath. Look at these differences between the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day: (1) The Sabbath day was on the seventh day of the week, Saturday. The Lord’s Day was on the first day, Sunday. (2) The Sabbath was for Jews only. (Ezekiel 20:12, “I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the LORD made them holy.”). It was the only one of the Ten Commandments that was not literally carried over into the New Testament era and commanded to Christians. (See Colossians 2:16-17.) The Lord’s Day, of course, is for all disciples, Jew or Gentile. (3) The Sabbath was a day of rest. There is no connection between the Lord’s Day and rest.

Now there is a New Covenant antitype (fulfillment) of the Sabbath. The Old Covenant Sabbath was only a shadow (Colossians 2:17) of another rest, probably referring to the rest from our labors when we get to Heaven (see Hebrews 4:8-11). Alternatively, the New Covenant Sabbath may be the rest that we now have in Christ, a rest from our efforts to get right with God by our own efforts (Matthew 11:28-30). Either way, Sunday is not it!

When we look at the Sabbath, however, we can infer some principles based on parallels between the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day. Here are five such parallels between the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day.

God has the right to tell us how to use our time.

The basic principle underlying the command to observe the Sabbath day is that God has the right to tell us how to use our time. This is still true. So whether we are discussing the Sabbath, the Lord’s Day, or the other days of the week, we still must acknowledge that God has this right. He has this right to tell us what to do and when because (1) he created all people, the Old Testament nation of Israel, and the church; (2) Jesus died for the redemption of all people, God redeemed Israel from slavery in Egypt, and he redeemed the church from sin; and (3) from the creation he has been demonstrating that he only wants what is best for us. Therefore, he has the right to tell us how to use our time.

God has ordained a weekly observance.

A second parallel between the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day is that God has ordained one day every week as the time to observe what he has done for us. It is not just a day to remember but to do what he has ordained on that day of remembrance.

For the Israelites, it was the Sabbath. “There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:3). There is no doubt regarding the day of the week for the Sabbath.

The New Testament weekly observance was not so explicitly stated. However, there really is no doubt regarding the day. 1 Corinthians 16:2 refers to Paul’s instructions to the believers to set aside some money for a benevolence mission, the set aside to be done “every first day of the week.” That day was not their “day off” or their payday. What was special about that day? There must have been something special about “every first day.” (In the Greek text, the word every does not occur, but it is implied.)

Acts 20:6-7 instructs us about the first day of the week in Troas. Paul and his party had stayed there the whole week and were in a hurry to leave the next day. Because of the urgency he spoke to them past midnight. Why did he not use the previous six days to teach them? The implication surely must be that they were in the habit of coming together on the first day of the week “to break bread” (author Luke’s term for the Lord’s Supper). Note that even though Paul was in town, the reason they came together was to break bread. And it was said in such a matter of fact manner that one can easily conclude that they met every week to break bread.

This conclusion about every Sunday being the day for Christians to gather to break bread (eat the Lord’s Supper) is confirmed by the earliest Christian literature. Here are some examples from Early Christians Speak, (Everett Ferguson, ed., Austin, TX: Sweet Publishing Co., 1971), pp. 67-68:

Didache (ca. AD 140), 14:1 – “Having earlier confessed your sins so that your sacrifice may be pure, come together each Lord’s day of the Lord, break bread, and give thanks.”

Ignatius, Magnesians (ca. AD 115-117), 9 – “If therefore those who lived according to the old practices came to the new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath but living according to the Lord’s day, in which also our life arose through him and his death . . . .”

Barnabas (ca. AD 132-134), 15:8-9 – “You see how he says, ‘The present Sabbaths are not acceptable to me, but the Sabbath which I have made in which, when I have rested from all things, I will make the beginning of the eighth day which is the beginning of another world.’ Wherefore, we keep the eighth day for joy, on which also Jesus arose from the dead . . . .”

Justin Martyr, (ca. AD 136), Apology, I, 67:1-3,7 – “And on the day called Sunday there is a gathering together in the same place of all who live in a city or a rural district. . . . We all make our assembly in common on the day of the Sun, since it is the first day, on which God changed the darkness and matter and made the world, and Jesus Christ our Savior arose from the dead on the same day. For they crucified him on the day before Saturn’s day, and on the day after (which is the day of the Sun) he appeared to his apostles and taught his disciples these things.”

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 10:1 – “nor do we observe the Sabbath as you do.”

God’s chosen day is based on his actions on that day.

Why did God choose the days that he did. Again, regarding the Sabbath, the Scripture is explicit: The seventh day was chosen as their day of rest because it was on the seventh day that God rested from his work of creation. “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:11). “And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done” (Genesis 2:3).

The New Testament does not say why the Lord’s Day is the first day, although early Christian literature does make the connection. We can infer, however, from the New Testament regarding God’s choice of the first day. Following the reasoning of the Sabbath in the Old Testament, that its day was based on God’s actions on that day, we can look at the record to determine what God might have done on the first day of the week. Two very important events happened on the first day of the week. First, the resurrection of Christ (Mark 16:9) occurred on the first day of the week, and even the first two (at least) of his appearances to the apostles as a group was on the first day of the week (John 20:19,26).

Pentecost was the second major act of God that occurred on the first day of the week (Acts 2:1-4). The Holy Spirit came upon the apostles; the complete gospel of the crucified, resurrected, ascended, coronated Jesus was proclaimed for the first time; and the church was established with the baptism of 3,000 believers. Pentecost, known as the Festival of Weeks in the Old Testament, was always on a first day of the week (Leviticus 23:15-16). (It was known as the Festival, or Feast, of Weeks because it occurred exactly seven weeks after the day after the Sabbath of Passover week.)

Observance of the day celebrates the redemption of his people.

The Israelites were to observe the Sabbath on the seventh day because God rested on the seventh day (Exodus 20:11). However, the reason they were to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest was that God had freed them from slavery: “‘Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day’” (Deuteronomy 5:15). Please observe that the reason for resting on the Sabbath was not based on God’s rest from creation. It was based on his redemption from slavery.

Special sacrifices were to be offered on the Sabbath (Numbers 28:9-10). These sacrifices were burnt offerings, meaning that they were to be totally consumed by the fire. We are not told the significance of these offerings for the Sabbath, but it may be inferred that they were a reminder that the Israelites as a community and as individuals belonged totally to God. At any rate, the whole sacrificial system was a part of God’s plan of redemption, demonstrating that there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22).

The Lord’s Supper, even more so, is a celebration of redemption, not from physical slavery but rather from the slavery to sin. 1 Corinthians 11 refers to the believers coming together “to eat the Lord’s Supper” (11:20,33). (When he says that it was not the Lord’s Supper they were eating, he is sarcastically rebuking them, meaning that they were supposed to be meeting for the purpose of eating the Lord’s Supper. It was similar to a teacher saying to students who were not paying attention, “Obviously you did not come to school to learn,” meaning that learning should be their purpose for coming to school.) The Lord’s Supper was intended to be in remembrance of Christ’s body and blood, thus proclaiming “the Lord’s death until he comes” (11:23-26).

In addition to their remembrance of (and joint participation in, 10:16) the body and blood of Christ, the church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). Their weekly meeting was indeed a celebration of their redemption (Hebrews 10:19-25): "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing . . . ."

Observance of the day is for our good.

The fifth parallel between the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day leads to this principle: God wants us to observe the appointed day in the appointed way because it is good for us.

The Israelites were told to make the Sabbath a day of complete rest for everyone, even the animals (Deuteronomy 5:13-14): "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do." Work was good for them, but so was rest. No one was allowed to work, not even to cook food (Exodus 35:3). They could not hire someone to work for them. They had to rest.

Christian activities on the Lord’s Day may include rest, devotion to family, and watching football games, but none of these activities fulfills the purpose of the Lord’s Day observance. Whatever else we do on that day, we need to meet together (around the Lord’s Table) so that we will not succumb to the temptations to fall back into the ways of the world. Consider the connection between Hebrews 10:24-25 and 10:26-31. (I have added the word For at the beginning of verse 26 because it occurs in the original text as well as in nearly every translation besides the NIV.) "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (10:26) [For if] we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' and again, 'The Lord will judge his people.' It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Notice that according to this passage, with a proper observance of the Lord’s Day we encourage one another, thus helping to prevent our falling away from Christ.

Conclusion

We need to be around the Lord’s Table, one way or another, every week unless providentially hindered. Why, someone may ask, does Scripture not make it more explicit that God wants us to meet every Lord’s Day? Why is there no direct command? We can surmise that he does not want us to meet as a matter of law but rather because we want to, out of our love for and devotion to Christ. The Lord’s Supper assembly is a privilege, an opportunity to show our love for him and his people. Why would we not want to honor Christ and desire this opportunity to draw closer to him and his family?

6 - EXCURSUS–SABBATH ASSEMBLY?

Should Christians assemble for public worship on the Sabbath Day (Saturday) rather than on the first day of the week? There is nothing wrong with assembling on any day of the week for public worship of God, although no other day should replace the regular meeting on the first day of the week. However, some claim that we are still bound by God to meet on Saturday as our primary day of worship. In other words, the Sabbath is still binding on us, and the Sabbath is still Saturday. (We can admit the latter half of that statement but not the first.) Here are three reasons why we are not required to meet or to rest on the Sabbath.

Even if the Sabbath were still binding, that would not make it the day for Christians to assemble around the Lord’s Table. The Sabbath was primarily a day of rest (Exodus 20:9-11). The Sabbath was only secondarily a day of assembly. Leviticus 23:3 is the only specific mention of an assembly on the Sabbath (and “assembly” may not be the correct translation there; literally, a “holy proclamation”). (Ezekiel 46:3 does refer to worship at the temple in his vision.)

The Sabbath was also a day of sacrifice, along with other days of sacrifice (Numbers 28:9-10). If we insist on the assembly, should we not also insist on the sacrifice?

The Sabbath was for benefit of family, servants, and animals (Exodus 20:10). Was it then primarily a moral concern?

Important events in Christianity occurred on the first day of the week. This list does not prove anything, but it does make us ask the question: why was this day so often mentioned when no other day of the week is mentioned even once? No important event is mentioned as having been on the Sabbath. Some preaching was done on the Sabbath (to Jewish congregations, not to Christian assemblies), for example, Acts 13:14ff, but this was because the crowd was already gathered in the synagogues on that day.

• Resurrection of Christ, Mark 16:9 (compare Luke 24:21 with verse 46)

• First appearance of the resurrected Christ, Mark 16:9

• Appearance to other women, Matthew 28:8-9

• Appearance to Peter, Luke 24:1,13,33-34

• Appearance to disciples on the road to Emmaus, Luke 24:1,13,15

• First appearance to and meeting with the Eleven (Ten), John 20:19

• Second appearance to the Eleven, John 20:26 (“Eight days” is Jewish idiom for “a week”–compare Mark 9:2 and Luke 9:28.)

• Descent of the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:1,4 (see Leviticus 23:16)

• First offer of salvation through the gospel, Acts 2:38-40

• First Christian baptisms (Acts 2:41) and thus the birthday of the church.

In addition there are several references to first-day (Christian) assembly in Scripture. On the other hand, there are no references to a Sabbath assembly of the church. In Acts 20:7 note the casual way of mentioning the day, as though perhaps the reader was expected to know that this was the usual custom. (One version says “Saturday night,” but that is a gross mistranslation. The phrase used was the common way to refer to Sunday.)

1 Corinthians 16:2 is consistent with a first-day observance. Why would they be instructed to put aside their offering on the first day of the week unless that day was somehow special to them?

In addition there are references to first-day assembly in early Christian history. These references specifically rule out the Sabbath. In addition they detail no controversy over the day of assembly! Every innovation aroused controversy (for example, not requiring Gentile converts to be circumcised, Acts 15), so Sunday assembly must have been around for a long time. These references include second-century references, before there was a central organization to enforce a change. (The claim that the pope changed the day is manifestly false, for the change was already in place centuries before there was a pope.) See Early Christians Speak, pp. 67-69, or any compilation of early Christian literature.

Even if the “moral law” of the Old Testament were still binding, the Sabbath is not. The Sabbath was only for the physical descendants of Israel, that is, Jacob son of Isaac, son of Abraham. At the beginning of the Ten Commandments are these words: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Exodus 20:2). Also, consider Exodus 31:12-17: "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Say to the Israelites, "You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy. Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested."'"

The Sabbath was a sign between Israel and God. See also Ezekiel 20:9,12,20.

Consider also these points:

• No Gentile nations were ever condemned for not keeping the Sabbath.

• The Israelites did not keep the Sabbath until Exodus 16:23,26 – note how they are instructed as to which day is the Sabbath. See Nehemiah 9:14.

• There is no record of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and sons) ever keeping the Sabbath.

• Genesis 2:3 does not say when, only why, the Sabbath was blessed and sanctified.

• Exodus 20:11 tells why the seventh day was selected for the rest (note the “therefore”), but Deuteronomy 5:15 tells why they were to observe it (note the “therefore”).

• The Sabbath was part of the “ceremonial law,” not the “moral law.” Note the connections with the feasts (Leviticus 23:2-4), incense, burnt offerings, and new moons (2 Chronicles 2:4; 8:13).

• The New Testament places the Sabbath outside the requirements for the Christian.

• Jewish Christians were not forbidden to keep it (as a day of rest and assembly) along with the first day; therefore their participation in synagogue services does not imply that they were not also meeting on the first day.

• The command to keep the Sabbath is never repeated in the New Testament, even in the Gospels (which deal with a time when the Sabbath was still in force); for example, Mark 10:19; Romans 13:9.

• Colossians 2:16 specifically relates the Sabbath to the law that was nailed to the cross (note “therefore”).

• Colossians 2:17 calls the Sabbath a shadow of things to come, the reality being in Christ.

• Acts 15:19-21 was the place to say the Sabbath was binding on the new Gentile Christians who had never observed it; but no such command is given.

As a code of law, the Ten Commandments have been abrogated (rendered no longer in effect). The other nine can be found in one form or another in instructions for Christians. It is therefore misleading to say that we claim that we do not have to keep the Ten Commandments. We are not under the Ten Commandments, but it does not follow that we are free to break them.

Matthew 5:17-18 does not say that the Law will be in force until heaven and earth pass away. The Law and the Prophets refers to the whole Old Testament, not just to the parts of it that we want to keep. It would be in effect only until everything was accomplished (cp. Romans 3:21,31). Each section is abrogated (loses its force) as it is fulfilled.

The phrase “Ten Commandments” literally never occurs in Scripture. “Ten Commandments” in the Old Testament is always a translation of the Hebrew for “Ten Words” (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; 10:4; cp. 5:22; 6:6; 9:9-10). Now there is only one “Word” (John 1:1). 1 John 3:21-23 identifies the “code” by which we will be judged: "Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us."

The Old Covenant that has been replaced with the New was primarily the Ten Commandments (not just some ceremonial or civil law). Hebrews 8:7-9; Exodus 24:7-8; 34:27-28; Deuteronomy 4:13; 5:2-5,22; 9:9; 1 Kings 8:9,21; 2 Chronicles 6:11. See especially 2 Corinthians 3:3,7 where the Ten Commandments as a code of law are referred to as the ministry of death.

The Law nailed to the cross included the Ten Commandments. The Bible never distinguishes between the moral and the ceremonial law. That is a purely human distinction. Furthermore the Bible does not, as some claim, distinguish between the Law of Moses and the Law of God. Compare Luke 2:23-24; Luke 2:22,39; Nehemiah 8:1,8.

Regarding our obligation to keep the Law, Paul said (Colossians 2:14-17) that Christ "canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."

In Ephesians 2:14-15 Paul wrote (my translation), “For he is our peace, the one having made both [to become] one and having destroyed the dividing wall of the fence, the enmity [same case as 'dividing wall'], in his flesh, abolishing the law [same case] of the commandments [same Greek word used in the New Testament for the Ten Commandments] in ordinances . . . .” The law was the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile, causing hostility between them, but abolished as Christ made peace between them.

Galatians 3:17,21-4:7 says that Israel was under the law as a guardian, but when the faith came, no such guardian was needed.

Galatians 4:21-5:4 compares the Law of Sinai (Ten Commandments) to Hagar the slave and the Jerusalem of Paul’s day. He then urges the children of the promise (compared to Sarah the free woman and the Jerusalem that is above), born by the power of the Spirit, not to let anyone bring them back into slavery.

Conclusion

Therefore, there is no Biblical reason for God’s people today to meet on Saturday for public worship and edification. In addition, there is no requirement to refrain from work on Sunday as long as one can still meet with fellow believers around the Lord’s Table.

7 - THE FOUNDATION OF CIVIL SOCIETY

“Honor your father and your mother.” (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16)

What sin will get your eyes pecked out by ravens and eaten by the buzzards? “The eye that mocks a father, that scorns obedience to a mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures” (Proverbs 30:17). That’s because it is a violation of the covenant stipulation, “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you” (Deuteronomy 5:16).

Society is falling apart. Every sector of our culture seems to be degenerating into a moral abyss and thus becoming dysfunctional. In order for a society to remain stable, it needs to have a firm base. That firm base must be the home. Society is stable only when children in the home are taught to honor father and mother. As they learn to honor their parents, they also learn to respect the other realms of authority in life: school, government, business, and church. If they do not learn respect for their parents, they find it difficult to get along in the other areas of society.

Let’s look at how we are to honor our parents in the three stages of parent-child relationships.

Youth

In our youth we were under the control and care of our parents. As minors, children are to honor their parents through obedience. In Old Testament Israel obedience to parents was considered to be so important that extreme disobedience was a capital crime (Deuteronomy 21:18-21)! "If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. They shall say to the elders, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard.' Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid."

In the New Testament the commandment to honor one’s parents was repeated with the word obey used as a synonym for honor (Ephesians 6:1-3): Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”– which is the first commandment with a promise– “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Fathers (and mothers, too) are responsible for the spiritual and moral instruction of their children: “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Children honor their parents by obeying them, and the parents are to do their part by lovingly training their children. When respect for authority is not learned at home, the same will follow in society. For example, many (about 33%, according to some studies) of the people who are homeless are homeless because they will not accept the rules at home or work. They can find jobs, and they can live with relatives, except their refusal to follow the “house rules” results in the loss of home and job.

There is an exception to obedience, even for children: God does not require them to obey unlawful or immoral demands by their parents.

Adulthood

The second stage of the parent-child relationship is adulthood, that is, when the children have reached adulthood and are out on their own. At this stage they are not required to obey their parents, although many parents do not seem to realize this. Wise parents no longer try to control the lives of their adult children. However, although obedience is no longer required, the adult children are still under the obligation to honor the parents. At this stage, honor means to respect.

In the first place, they are to show respect for their parents. Wise parents will treat their adult children with the respect that is accorded to any other adult. For example, the parents will listen to their children’s opinions, allow them their privacy, and respect their right to make decisions regarding their own life. The children, though, must never forget that they are not on a par with other adults in their parents’ sphere. Parents are still Mom and Dad, not Jane and Bob.

Respect for parents means we do not yell at parents, try to run their lives, or belittle them because they may appear to be diminishing in physical or mental capacity. Parents are not to be mocked for not being “with it” or technologically savvy. When arguments arise, the children should be the first to quit.

Some people have a difficult time respecting their parents because of the way they were treated when they lived at home. Even then they need to treat them with respect, if they are still living, whenever around them. At least their parents gave them life and therefore the opportunity to grow up and get to know God. And even abusive parents, in all likelihood, provided some things for life, such as food and shelter. It was not all bad, even though the bad things are all that are remembered. The adult children can still speak kindly to their parents, send them cards at special times of the year, and refrain from constantly reminding their parents of their failures.

In addition to respecting their parents, adult children are to honor their parents by living according to the wisdom taught them as they were maturing. “Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching” (Proverbs 1:8). Many of the proverbs in the Bible refer to following principles taught by parents. Consider this rather extensive section (4:1-10) on searching for wisdom: "Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching. When I was a boy in my father’s house, still tender, and an only child of my mother, he taught me and said, 'Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor.' Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many."

Adult children honor their parents by living by the wisdom learned from them. In doing so, they will not bring shame or disrepute to the family name. Even after the parents have died, their children are a living testimony to the legacy of their loving care and wisdom.

What about those who are adults but still live at home? They are in a special category, not required to obey as children but also not out on their own. They should, of course, show adult levels of respect, demonstrating their maturity. They should also obey the “house rules.” They do not have to tell their parents what they do or where they go when out of the house. However, respect for their parents means they will take good care of their room, help out around the house, let them know when to expect them to return–-so the parents will not worry about them–-and to live decent, law-abiding, and moral lives. If they are financially able, they should help pay for their room and board.

Parents’ Old Age

When parents are blessed enough to live until the ravages of time and age start to take their toll, and they are no longer able, physically and/or mentally, to take care of themselves, then their children are to honor them by providing for their care. Paul wrote about the church’s and Christians’ responsibility toward the elderly (1 Timothy 5:3-4,8,16): "Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. . . . If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. . . . If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need."

In the days before Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, the responsibility fell upon the family of the elderly who could no longer take care of their own needs. With these government programs many people no longer realize that they are still responsible for their elderly parents. Grown children are to honor their aged parents by helping in those areas left unfulfilled by the government programs. For example, they are to see that they or someone else is helping their parents work through the paperwork required. Other needs include social (visitation, phoning, getting out to see their friends), physical (appropriate exercise, adequate nutrition), transportation, spiritual (getting to church when able, asking for home communion when unable, reading Bible to and praying with them), and legal (helping them with wills, etc.)

Paul taught (1 Timothy 5:3-16) that the church should do what it can to take care of those elderly members who have no one; but there is so much need that the church cannot and should not be expected to take care of those who have family members who can meet those needs.

Both Old Testament and New Testament citations of this command to honor one’s parents emphasize that this command is necessary for a long life on the earth. Honoring one’s parents, obeying and respecting when children, still respecting when adults, and caring for the aged, will result in God’s blessings upon both children and parents.

In addition, society itself benefits when parents are honored by their children. The nation will enjoy a long and prosperous existence. When parents are not honored by children, the nation will degenerate into disarray and cultural decay.

This commandment is a suitable transition from the first four commandments–primarily dealing with our relationship with and responsibilities toward God–and the next five, which deal primarily with our relationship to our fellow man. It is in the Christian home that we first learn about God and see spiritual values modeled by a properly functioning parent-child relationship. It is in the Christian home that we learn how to fit in with our fellow human beings. In the Christian home, we learn how to worship and obey God, to respect and obey the rules of life, and to find our own needs filled by God and family. I once heard a preacher say, “Churches don’t have problems. Families have problems and bring them to church.” The older I get, the more I believe he was right, not only for church but for other areas of life as well.

Let us all honor our parents, living or dead. We and our society will be glad we did.

8 - ARE YOU A MURDERER?

“You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17)

I once knew a church elder who confessed to me that in his early years he had committed murder. That such a person would become an elder might be shocking to you, but many church members have committed murder in God’s eyes! Surprising? Let’s look at what the Bible says about murder and the principle underlying this commandment.

Society has devalued human life so much that the God-given right to life has been replaced by questions about its quality and meaning. Before we give in to this devaluing of life, we need to understand God’s view of it.

The commandment prohibiting murder is greatly misunderstood, and in many ways. A proper understanding of this commandment requires a knowledge of the reason behind it. The covenant that God made with Noah (known as the Noahic Covenant) at the new beginning of human history was, through him, relevant to all human beings throughout the rest of history (Genesis 9:5-6): "And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man."

We are not to commit murder because human beings have been created in God’s image. Murder of a human being is therefore an insult to God. Accordingly, this principle underlying the sixth commandment is much broader than just a prohibition of murder. Here are three facets of the principle behind this commandment.

What Is Prohibited

The first facet of the principle of human beings having been created in the image of God is the types of actions that are prohibited. Murder, of course, involves the killing of a human being, although we will see later that not all killing is murder. Suicide is also prohibited, for suicide is the murder of oneself.

Abortion is prohibited because it is the murder of a human child, although not yet born. Although politics have entered into the discussion of abortion, from a scientific standpoint there is no distinction between the child prior to and after birth, except for location and method of nourishment. That which makes a human being human is the DNA, consisting of forty-six chromosomes, which is present from the moment of conception.

Euthanasia is also prohibited. This word comes from two Greek words that mean “good death.” Euthanasia is commonly called mercy killing. In legal terms it is often referred to as the right to die. Those who promote it often cite examples of extreme suffering and contend that it would be better to kill the person than to force him to endure such suffering. When we are confronted with these cases, our hearts go out to those who are suffering, and we naturally feel that surely it would be better to end the person’s life.

Several responses can be made to the call for euthanasia. In the first place, it is not really the right to die but rather the right to kill, for euthanasia usually requires the action of someone else to end the life. (Passive euthanasia is the withholding of an action, such as food or water, that would prolong life. Even then, however, it requires a decision not to intervene in ways that are normally routine care for the ill.) By the way, failure to provide nourishment and hydration (food and water) results in starving a person to death.

In addition, from a Biblical perspective, for a non-Christian, death is not an end to suffering. It puts an end to physical suffering, but the unsaved pass into a place of torment (Luke 16:23,28). So we are not doing them any favor by prematurely ending their life.

Also prohibited by the principle underlying this commandment is recklessness with one’s life. Now, we understand that there is some risk in everything. You could not eat or drink anything without some risk. You cannot stay inside or go outside without some risk. Nevertheless, there is a level of recklessness that endangers our lives or the lives of others. Since it threatens life itself, this level. of recklessness is a violation of the image of God.

Driving at dangerous speeds or under the influence of alcohol or drugs is responsible for many deaths every year. Some employers ask employees to do hazardous things for the sake of profit. From time to time producers cut corners in research and development or in manufacturing, with the result that people’s lives are at risk. These are all examples of a recklessness that is, in effect, a violation of the commandment because they do not respect the image of God in themselves and/or others.

Another example of recklessness is doing things harmful to one’s health to the extent that they are likely to bring a premature end to life. Now, we must be careful not to judge others in these matters, for they include many gray areas. Researchers are constantly making pronouncements in the name of science regarding the safety of certain foods or drugs, only to find that further studies undermine the previous conclusions. Each person is responsible for making decisions for him/herself regarding the use of these products. We must not ignore research just because it produces conclusions contrary to our own habits. On the other hand, with a sincere heart and a clear conscience, we are free to decide whether we are being reckless with our lives.

When we are physically or psychologically addicted to certain substances, we must ask ourselves two questions: (1) Does the preponderance of evidence indicate that I may be slowly committing suicide by this practice? If so, as a responsible person before God, I need to find help to quit. (2) Even if this practice is not killing me, does it control me to the extent that it robs me of time, money, and/or relationships? If so, even though it may not be a violation of the sixth commandment, I need to find more productive ways to dedicate my resources to the service of Christ.

What Is Not Prohibited

The second facet of this commandment enables us to understand it more clearly by seeing actions that are not prohibited. For example, many people quote, “Thou shalt not kill,” as they condemn certain actions. This expression, from the King James Version of the Bible, is actually an incorrect translation, for it is too broad. The Bible uses different words to relate to different circumstances of killing. The word in the commandment is more properly translated, as it is in newer translations, “murder.” Not all killing is murder.

The killing of animals is not prohibited by this commandment. The sacrificial system that accompanied the Ten Commandments actually required the people of Israel to kill various kinds of animals as a part of their religious duties. In the Garden of Eden, God killed animals to provide clothing for Adam and Eve. After the fall, Abel offered an animal sacrifice (Genesis 4:4) and was commended for his faith in doing so (Hebrews 11:4); whereas Cain was looked upon with displeasure by God when all he offered was some of the produce of the field. After the flood, Noah and his family were told that they could eat meat (Genesis 9:2-3), apparently because the animals had survived the flood through Noah’s actions.

Animals that kill human beings are held accountable, and are to be put to death (Genesis 9:5). There is no corresponding law regarding human beings that kill animals, for the animals were not created in the image of God. This does not mean that we may kill any and all animals at will, for mankind was placed in dominion over the animals as well as all the earth (Genesis 1:28). We are not to exploit but rather to manage the earth’s resources. We are to be good stewards of creation.

Self-sacrifice, when a person gives up his life to defend others, is not prohibited by this commandment. A classic example of this would be the case of a soldier throwing himself upon a live grenade to save the lives of his fellow soldiers.

Self-defense, when a person kills someone attacking him or others to protect them from being killed or seriously injured, is not prohibited by this commandment. Of course, the defense must be commensurate with the threat of attack, and it must be the last resort. If there is some other way out, such as running, hiding, or calling on the police, then killing the attacker would be unjustified. Some abortions, as in the case of an ectopic pregnancy, would fall under the category of self-defense. When the mother’s physical life (not just emotional or psychological well-being) is threatened by bringing the baby to full term, then an abortion would be permitted. However, it would also be permitted, if the mother should choose to do so, to bring the child to full term, knowing that she is sacrificing herself for the child.

“Pulling the plug” on machinery that is accomplishing nothing medically but merely keeping someone alive who has no reasonable hope of recovering, especially in the case where the patient is brain dead, is not prohibited by this commandment. Also, it is permitted not to put someone seriously ill or injured on extraordinary, “heroic,” life-saving machinery if there is no reasonable hope that such efforts would be successful. In fact, it is much easier to justify as well as to accept emotionally not to put a person on that type of equipment than to remove them. Most Christian ethicists do not consider oxygen, food (gastric) tubes, or water by IV to be extraordinary or heroic efforts. These should not be withheld.

Legitimate state actions are also not prohibited by this commandment. Whenever someone is about to be executed, there will also be some protesters carrying signs that say, “Thou shalt not kill.” Or the argument is made that if the state puts someone to death for murder, then the state is no different from the murderer. However, the very law that says, “Do not murder,” in the very next chapter requires that a murderer be put to death (Exodus 21:12). We have already seen that God’s covenant with Noah (and all mankind, through Noah) required that those who murder human beings be put to death by human beings.

Capital punishment is not just an Old Testament requirement. When Pilate asked Jesus, “Don’t you realize I have power [authority] either to free you or to crucify you,” Jesus did not argue that capital punishment was wrong; he simply pointed out that Pilate had been given this power (authority) “from above” (John 19:10-11).

The apostle Paul also taught that the state (government) was acting on behalf of God, an agent of wrath, when it exercised the “power of the sword” (Romans 13:4). “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19), but apparently one way that God exercises his wrath is through government action. Paul demonstrated his conviction of the morality of capital punishment when he himself was on trial (Acts 25:10-11): "Paul answered: 'I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!'" In this situation the apostle stood up for his rights, but he did not demand that no one had the right to execute him if he deserved death.

Those who object to capital punishment because it does not work as a deterrent should remember that deterring others is only a by-product of capital punishment. The primary reason for putting a person to death is because he deserves it.

Others object because capital punishment is not fairly carried out because of racial bias. That is a reason for making it fairer, not for discontinuing it altogether.

A third objection to capital punishment is that sometimes innocent people are executed. That, however, is a reason for doing all we can to make sure that innocent people are not convicted. The same argument could go for life sentences: Should we not imprison people at all simply because some innocent people are wrongly convicted? Yes, if they are later exonerated, they can be freed; but a large part of their lives has already been taken from them. That’s not fair either. When God commanded capital punishment in the Bible, he knew that sometimes innocent people would be killed (such as Naboth, 1 Kings 21); but the commandment is there anyway. And God is not only concerned about the innocent being convicted; he also does not want the guilty to go free: “Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent–the LORD detests them both” (Proverbs 17:15).

Police actions that result in death and defensive warfare on behalf of the state (nation) or allies are also not prohibited by this commandment for they would fall under the category of self-defense. They must, of course, be for legitimate defense and a last resort. Particularly, warfare is too often carried out in pretense of self-defense. Those who are interested in studying this topic more fully should study Christian ethicists’ concept of just war.

New Covenant Intensification

The third facet, and the one most relevant to the average Christian, is the way that the New Testament broadens and intensifies the meaning of murder. For example, Jesus taught (Matthew 5:21-22): "'You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, "Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment." But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, "Raca," [an Aramaic term of contempt] is answerable to the Sanhedrin [Jewish supreme court]. But anyone who says, "You fool!" will be in danger of the fire of hell.'" Although he does not use the term murderer for such a person, the penalty is the same for hating one’s brother as it is for murder.

James (5:4-6) also broadens the definition of murder when he accuses employers of being murderers when they withhold the wages of their employees. In ancient times, people were paid daily, and they depended on their wages for buying the day’s groceries. If they did not get paid, the family would often go hungry.

And John hits the hardest with his discussion (1 John 3:14-15): “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.” Notice that he does not just say that the one who hates his brother is a murderer; he also equates that person with one who does not love. We often think of hatred as the opposite of love, but the real opposite of love is indifference.

Christian love is not a sweet, emotional sentimentalism. Often it results in a strong, warm, and emotional attachment to someone, but it is primarily the action of putting someone else’s needs ahead of one’s own (1 John 3:16-18): "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." In short, love means you care because God cares. “We love [our brothers] because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

You may not feel like loving someone. You may not like that person. But if you will let the love of God for that person fill your heart, and if you will start thinking of what that person really needs rather than what he has done or maybe is continuing to do, then your actions can express God’s love to him. No, he may not deserve it, but do you yourself deserve God’s mercy? Aren’t you glad he cares about you in spite of your shortcomings? Jesus died for the other person just as he died for you.

Can you ask for God’s blessings to be granted to the one who has hurt you? Can you not begin with asking for God’s blessing by turning that person from his wicked ways (Acts 3:26)?

Your brothers and sisters in Christ-–have you been ignoring those who have emotional, social, financial, or spiritual needs? Or have you been blaming them for letting them get into the mess in the first place? Have you just not noticed others? Do you know the names of those who sit next to you every week in church? Do you look for expressions on their faces to see whether they might need an extra smile or hug?

Your leaders and others “up front” at church–-do you more often criticize them than you pray for them or volunteer to help?

So, the question, from a New Covenant perspective is this: Are you a murderer? If so, whether your murder has been the physical kind or the lack of love toward others, God has good news for you! In Christ, you are forgiven! Paul admitted his own violent past: “On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them” (Acts 26:10). And again (1 Timothy 1:13-16): "Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life."

If Paul could be forgiven, so can you!

9 - A Sin Different from All Others

“You shall not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18)

Do you know that one of the early English Bibles came to be known as the Adulterers’ Bible because it left out the word not, so that it read, “Thou shalt commit adultery”!

Adultery is still largely looked down on in our society, but other forms of sexual immorality are no longer considered immoral by a great many people, including many church members. There seems to be in our society no relationship between a person’s Christianity and his view toward sex. “Situation ethics,” “values clarification,” and other euphemisms all teach that there are no absolutes (relativism) when it comes to morality. Questions of right and wrong, however, are to be determined by what God has said, not by what our culture has decided.

Sexual sin is different from all others because the act itself is not wrong; it depends on whom you are doing it with. The eternal principle behind this commandment is that sex was created by God for the intimacy of marriage and marriage alone. All sex outside of the marriage bond is forbidden. This principle is demonstrated in the Bible several ways.

Prohibitions

The immorality of sex with anyone other than one’s spouse is demonstrated by the Biblical prohibitions against it. First we must affirm that not all sex is wrong. The old view that sex is a necessary evil is not the Biblical view. Sex was created by God for marriage, and as such is a holy thing.

All other sexual relationships, however, are condemned in Scripture. These include adultery (Exodus 20:14), incest (Leviticus 18:6-18), homosexual acts (Lev. 18:22; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Romans 1:26-27), rape (Deuteronomy 22:25-26), bestiality (Lev. 18:23), and fornication (sex between unmarried persons, 1 Corinthians 6:9; Hebrews 13:4). They are all sin. (Regarding homosexuality, it is not the inclinations that are condemned but rather acting upon them.)

Jesus adds two other behaviors that are equivalent to adultery. He refers to mental fantasizing or lust: “‘But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart’” (Matthew 5:28). He is not referring to a momentary image or thought arising in one’s mind, for it is not a sin to be tempted. However, the deed is done in the heart when we entertain such thoughts or obsess over them. As someone has said, you cannot keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair! When tempted, the best response is to force ourselves to think about something else.

By the way, Jesus, in calling the lustful looks “adultery” in the heart, is not saying that it is just the same as committing adultery. Regarding one’s purity of heart, it is the same; but regarding consequences, it is definitely not the same. The lustful desires do not, in and of themselves, result in broken marriages, ruined reputations and sometimes careers, and other consequences that involve other people. This is not to say that lust is a minor infraction, for it does deal with the heart and often leads to the action itself.

The looking lustfully would also include viewing pornography. A great many people in our society, including many who attend church regularly and sometimes are even in positions of church leadership, have allowed themselves to be dragged into pornography, deceiving themselves into thinking that they are not actually being unfaithful.

Jesus also uses the word adultery to refer to remarriage after (an illegitimate) divorce. “‘Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery’” (Luke 16:18). Such a divorce is adultery in the sense that a third party has been allowed to interfere with or “adulterate” the marriage covenant. Incidentally, Jesus did not say that the continuation of a second (or subsequent) marital state is adultery; just the act of entering into that state. At no time does he require those who are in such a marriage to leave that marriage. (While all divorce is a violation of God’s will for marriage, there are some cases in which he apparently allows it. See Matthew 5:32; 19:9; 1 Corinthians 7:12-15.)

In a special case, probably relevant only to particular cultural circumstances, Jesus says that a man who divorces his wife causes her to commit adultery! (Matthew 5:32). This may mean that he gives her the reputation of being an adulteress, since people would assume that she had been divorced because she was unfaithful; or it may mean that the husband puts her into a position where she has to remarry in order to survive. (Women in his culture had limited moral opportunities to support themselves.)

Sexual immorality would also include any kind of sexual contact, even without intercourse, since such contact arouses lustful thoughts and often leads to the action itself. Many people fool themselves into thinking they will stay in control–famous last words! We must decide how we will handle ourselves in certain situations before we get into them, for the emotions of passion frequently shut down the moral center of the brain. Afterwards, we come to our senses and think, how could I be so stupid? By then, it’s too late.

Penalties

The immorality of sex outside of marriage is also demonstrated in the penalties and consequences that arise from it. In Old Testament Israel, in many cases the civil penalty was death. In other cases, there were lesser penalties.

Physical penalties and consequences include STD’s (sexually transmitted diseases), some of which are curable, but not all. (Even innocent people wind up suffering for the sin of the people from whom they get these STD’s [spouse, blood recipients, childbirth].) It is unknown whether these consequences are purely natural or whether God specifically invented them as penalties for immorality. The apostle Paul is probably referring to these consequences in Romans 1:27, “Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”

In addition to physical consequences, there are spiritual penalties/consequences of a sexually immoral lifestyle. We are not told specifically how, but we are told, regarding the sexually immoral, that “since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done” (Romans 1:28), leading eventually to every form of evil (1:29-32).

Sexual immorality also has serious psychological consequences, too often ignored or misunderstood. Without the commitment of marriage, sex loses its God-intended meaning, thus hindering the full enjoyment that was intended. Furthermore, the breaking of the bond that is inherent in sex brings emotional damage. “Casual sex,” “friends with benefits,” “sleeping around,” in other words, a promiscuous lifestyle, leads the person to lose the ability to form lasting, meaningful relationships with anyone.

Pornography has many effects upon the psyche of the individual. Included in these effects are the arousing of desire to have sex with the person(s) in the image, obsession to the exclusion of necessary daily tasks–many work places forbid viewing porn at work because of time lost–addiction to pornography, and the need for more tantalizing and stimulating (and often physically destructive) forms. Eventually, other types of serious psychological dysfunction arise.

Pornography, because of its unrealistic portrayals of beauty and of sexual activity, also tends to make the readers/viewers less satisfied with their own sexual life, becoming more and more dissatisfied with their own spouses, who do not measure up to the fantasy. In addition, it leads to the lowering of inhibitions and therefore can lead to actual, physical involvement in various types of sexual immorality.

Every time there is a break-up after a sexual relationship, the spirit/soul of the person is damaged. The apostle Paul wrote that there is a spiritual bond even with a prostitute: “Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, ‘The two will become one flesh’” (1 Corinthians 6:16). This does not mean that, as some have mistakenly assumed, they are married in God’s eyes; but it does imply that they have a psychological bond between them. There is no such thing as “just sex.” Body and soul are involved in every sexual relationship. There are psychological consequences when each of these relationships is broken.

There are definitely divine penalties for being sexually immoral (1 Corinthians 6:9-10): "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

Scripture admonishes, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral” (Hebrews 13:4).

One of the divine penalties does not wait for the coming judgment. It is enforced by the church upon its straying members. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul refers to a particularly base form of sexual immorality and instructs the church what to do about it (5:1-5): "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord." Other steps would precede this drastic, final one, but this man was to be put out of the church if he did not repent of his actions.

Paul went on to explain the general action to be taken for those who claim to be Christians but have openly sinful lifestyles (5:9-13): "I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people–not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. 'Expel the wicked man from among you.'" They would still love him and do what they could to get him to repent, but they were not allowed to associate with him in a social or church setting, not even eating with him. This last prohibition would, of course, mean that they would not let him join them in the Lord’s Supper.

Incidentally, according to 2 Corinthians 2:6-8, this man did repent; and Paul told them to accept him back.

Purpose

That sex with anyone other than one’s spouse is immoral is also demonstrated in the Scriptures’ teaching on the purpose of sex and marriage. For example, in 1 Timothy 4:1-5 Paul refers to some teachers who "forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer." Here he affirms that all things God created have a purpose, including marriage, when they are “consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” This latter phrase probably includes the principle that a person whose life is dedicated to God will find the proper use of each thing created by God and thank him for it.

First Timothy 6:17, although not specifically referring to marriage, says, that God “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”

The foundational text regarding marriage is found in Genesis (2:22-25): "Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called "woman" for she was taken out of man.' For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame." Becoming “one flesh” was built into the purpose of marriage.

Joy, pleasure, and satisfaction are to be found sexually only in marriage, according to Proverbs 5:15-23: "Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer–may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love. Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man’s wife? For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths. The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly."

And Paul, although he was unmarried and recommended being unmarried, recognized that it took a special gift to follow his example. He recognized the need that most people have for finding sexual satisfaction and that marriage was the only legitimate place to fully become one (1 Corinthians 7:1-5): "It is good for a man not to marry. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." In marriage, each gives something to the other; and thus, in becoming one flesh, each gains something better than possible in any other sexual relationship.

Conclusion

The teaching of the church regarding sex should include the positive as well as the negative. We do not want the world to think that the church is against all sex. On the other hand, we should hold firmly to the standard while at the same time bringing the message that God forgives those who turn from their sins and come to Jesus for mercy and grace.

What if you have not been sexually pure? (And in light of the above teachings, can anyone honestly claim to be sexually pure?) If you are currently involved in sex (either physically or mentally) with someone other than your spouse, stop! “Do not be deceived”: You are on the road to destruction, physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Then come to Jesus. Through him God offers forgiveness, hope, healing, reconciliation, and peace.

If you are already a Christian, confess your sin to him and then accept his forgiveness. You may always be haunted by scenes from your past, but do not let it discourage you. If “we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. . . . If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7,9).

If you are not a Christian, put your faith in Jesus of Nazareth, who is the Christ, the Son of God. “Repent [turn away from sin] and be baptized [immersed in water] . . . in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). He will forgive you and also come into your life to help you win the victory over your sinful past as well as your present struggles.

10 - The Right to Own Property

“You shall not steal.” (Exodus 20:15; Deuteronomy 5:19)

Like the other commandments, this one involves more than just the obvious. We need to recognize the principle behind this commandment and see that violating that principle is detrimental to society as well as to our own Christian duties. Stealing is a sin because God has granted us the right of private ownership of property. Stealing deprives the owner of this right.

In addition to this underlying principle, there are other principles necessarily intertwined with the prohibition against stealing. We will look at three principles involved in this commandment. Finally, we will look at how these principles apply to a current practice.

The Right of Private Ownership

Private individuals have the right to own property. Otherwise, “stealing” would lose its meaning. Of course, the right does not imply that anyone is entitled to any particular property. It simply means that property that is legally and morally acquired may rightfully be claimed as one’s own. The acquisition of property is related to one’s personal abilities, skills, and opportunities.

(In certain circumstances, the property may not have been legally or morally acquired; but having been in one’s possession for an extended time, it is deemed by the state to belong to the possessor or his heirs. In such cases the morality of restitution requires attention to the amount of time that has passed as well as several other factors. In many cases, such as returning conquered lands to the original inhabitants, restitution is practically impossible. God’s word in general and occasionally in specific instances seems to recognize the right of present occupants to lay claim to the land in such cases.)

In the Old Testament real estate in agricultural areas was considered the permanent possession of the family. When there were no sons to inherit, the property went to the daughters; and if there were no daughters, to the nearest male relative. 1 Kings 21 tells of Naboth’s vineyard, which was coveted by King Ahab. Ahab offered to buy it or trade it for another, but Naboth refused to sell it because it was his family’s inheritance. (Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, had Naboth killed so that Ahab could take possession of it.)

Actions prohibited by this commandment include stealing personal property (including swindles and scams), not paying for goods and services (for example, those performed by a lawyer or doctor) or personal loans, not paying wages or other remuneration agreed on for work done or exchange of property, not performing work agreed on in exchange for money or in-kind payment, illegally copying copyrighted material, not paying taxes, and overtaxing people, especially for the “redistribution of wealth.” Regarding taxation, no one should be taxed beyond benefits, tangible or intangible, received. To tax someone just because they have it to tax, without some sort of fair exchange, is stealing.

The underlying principle for all of these items and any others of a similar nature is the right to own property.

Divine Ownership

Leviticus 25:23 describes the second principle underlying this commandment, divine ownership: “‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.’” God owns it all, and so he has the final say as to how the land is used.

Although we have the right to own property, we own it only in partnership with God. King David, after amassing the necessary materials for Solomon’s temple, dedicated the gold, silver, cedar, and other items with these words (1 Chronicles 29:14-16): "'But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. O, Lord our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.'"

We belong to God, and therefore everything we own also belongs to him. Furthermore, we have acquired it only because he has enabled us to do so. To steal from others, therefore, is to steal from God, because he has entrusted it to someone else. This trust includes their creative abilities, and thus their right to profit from that creativity.

In fact, under the Old Covenant, failure to tithe was considered stealing, for the tithe belonged, in a special way, to God (Malachi 3:8-10): “'Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, "How do we rob you?" In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse-–the whole nation of you–-because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.'" God owns it all. What he has given us belongs to him; and so we must take care of it, use it wisely and in a way that pleases him.

Social Responsibility

Our right to own private property, within the divine right of ownership, leads to the third principle underlying the command not to steal, social responsibility. We are not free to use our property anyway we please. Our property is entrusted to us as managers on God’s behalf.

In the first place, we are responsible to provide for ourselves, to the extent that we are able. “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). The frequent mention of the Second Coming of Christ in the letters to the believers in Thessalonica, along with the apostle’s admonitions regarding work, leads us to infer that some of the disciples there had quit work in anticipation of Christ’s coming. Then, since he had not returned, apparently many had started depending on others to feed them; and so he wrote, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat’” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

We are responsible not only for ourselves but also for our relatives: “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8). Regarding the elderly, Paul wrote, “If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need” (1 Timothy 5:16).

In addition to our family, we are responsible for helping others. In fact, “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28).

Social responsibility requires work, to the extent that we are able. The right kind of work involves two elements: (1) it must be work that benefits society, our fellow human beings, and (2) it must be the kind of work that can bring glory to God.

How about gambling? Is it stealing?

That brings us now to how this commandment might relate to gambling. Is gambling a subtle form of stealing? Since the Bible does not speak explicitly to this question, we must place it in the realm of opinion or inference. Yes, what I am about to say is a matter of opinion, but I encourage you strongly to look at the way that these principles underlying this commandment might relate to gambling. Then, in prayer and consideration of the word of God, decide for yourself (not for others) whether gambling is a violation of this commandment.

Regarding the right of private ownership: Winnings come out of the pockets of many who do not understand the high risk of gambling. Is it not swindling to participate in a game where people think they have a fair chance of winning? Many people get in, thinking that their odds grow more favorable the more they gamble. For example, what are the odds of a flipped penny landing heads up? If it comes up heads nine times in a row, what are the odds of it coming up tails the next time? Still 50-50. When the odds of winning are 140 million to one, does it really improve your chances to play two or three times?

When society and the state encourage people to gamble, too often it is the people who can least afford it who participate. Are we not preying on them? Are we not “redistributing the wealth” from the many into the hands of the few?

Regarding divine ownership: Is gambling not wasting God’s money? Yes, God “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17). We often spend money on little things that are not very practical, but at what point do you draw the line?

Regarding social responsibility: Are the profits from the raffle or lottery going for a good cause? Would you play if you knew you would not win? If so, just give directly to the cause. Then they will receive a much higher percentage of the money. Usually the cause gets very little. When the Ohio lottery was first introduced, it was pitched as a way to fund education. So what happened? Why are we still arguing over the best way to fund education in spite of all the money going into the lottery?

Do you gamble just for fun? There’s nothing wrong with having fun! But gambling often leads to addiction, and you do not know that it will not lead you there. In fact, both private and state-sponsored gambling prey on those who are at risk for addiction as well as those who can least afford to lose.

Besides, gambling encourages people to be greedy and wasteful. Many poor people gamble in order to increase their income, and the state encourages it, often through misleading advertising. (The lottery in Kentucky has a motto, Somebody’s going to win; it might as well be you!) Is this socially responsible? Instead, we should be teaching people (especially our youth) that the best way to get ahead is through decent, hard work.

Conclusion

So what shall we conclude about this commandment?

First, we must not only recognize a person’s right to own property, but we must also recognize God’s right to ours. Even if we tithe (and Christians should give at least a tithe), that does not give us the right to use what we have any way we want. We must be good stewards of what he has given us.

In addition, we should pay our bills and other debts. We should not depend on others to pay our way if we can pay our own. If someone wants to bless us by treating us, that is a wonderful gift for which we should be thankful; but we must not expect to be regularly on the receiving end. And, if we are in need, we should receive with gratefulness others’ offers to help. In such cases, to refuse their help would be robbing them of an opportunity to be generous stewards of God’s blessings to them.

Finally, for those who gamble, they should at least consider that although gambling in many cases may be an innocent pastime, its negatives far outweigh the positives.

11 - CAN YOU BE TRUSTED?

“You shall not give false witness against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16; Deuteronomy 5:20)

Have you heard about the man who would pay the preacher $1,000 to say his deceased brother was a saint in spite of his many faults? So at the funeral the preacher referred to many of the man’s faults and then said, “But compared to his brother, he was a saint!”

Do you know that God hates some people (while at the same time loving them, desiring their repentance and salvation)? Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven things or people, that God hates, including a lying tongue, a heart that devises wicked schemes, and a false witness who pours out lies. Lying is so common in our culture that many people often do not think twice about it and find all kinds of ways to justify it.

All moral standards that God imposes on human beings are grounded in the nature of God and/or the nature of humanity. The moral standards, therefore, do not change, although the consequences may. They are not capricious or arbitrary. This commandment prohibiting false testimony is grounded in God’s nature. Truthfulness is inherently related to God, the God of truth, and therefore is an essential characteristic of God’s people. Here are four characteristics of God and how they relate to honest speech.

God is just, and so he condemns false reports about others.

God is just. He is fair and always does what is right. When anyone questions any of God’s actions, or failure to act, we can respond with the same rhetorical question that Abraham asked God. Upon hearing that Sodom was to be destroyed, Abraham thought about his nephew Lot, who lived in Sodom. And so he asked the Lord (Genesis 19:23-25): "'What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing–to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?'" Indeed, the Judge of all the earth will always do what is right. He is both righteous and fair.

God’s righteousness and justice are the reason why he condemns giving false reports about others. In fact, he condemns equally any false report against or on behalf of others, rich or poor, guilty or innocent (Exodus 23:1-3,6-7): "'Do not spread false reports. Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness. Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit. Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.'"

False reports include perjury (in court or under oath), slander (spoken words), and libel (published reports). Also prohibited by this commandment are unsubstantiated rumors (gossip). We must make sure that anything we report on others is indeed true. Even a close friend may be repeating an unconfirmed rumor–that does not relieve you of the responsibility to confirm its truthfulness. Better not to talk about others, anyway!

God does not lie, and so he condemns lying.

The apostle Paul said that God does not lie (Titus 1:2, NIV, also New Revised Standard). Other versions (KJV, New KJV, American Standard, New American Standard) say that God cannot lie. The original Greek phrase simply says, “the un-lying God.” The translation makes little difference, for God’s attributes are related to his nature; hence, if God does not lie, it is because he cannot.

Lying is speech or writing that is contrary to the facts as you know and understand them, with the intention of deceiving. Being true to the facts, however, does not mean you have to tell everything you know or think. Sometimes it is more advantageous for you, for others, or for your relationship with others to keep your thoughts to yourself. So long as what you say is true, it is not lying to withhold information. (Withholding information, if it would cause harm to someone or would deny justice, in the case of a crime, would normally be wrong, but not because it is lying.)

Joking and satire are not lying even though they are contrary to fact, for the way they are presented makes it clear that no deception is intended.

Even intentional deception is not necessarily a lie, for a lie includes a falsehood. Sometimes a statement may be true but leaves a false impression due to the withholding of some information. We have an example of God instructing the prophet Samuel to withhold some information that might have led to his death (1 Samuel 16:1-3). What he did say was the truth, as far as it went, and so it was not a lie.

A lie is something that is not true and is intended to deceive, even if it is to protect someone (white lie). Would Jesus lie in such a situation? He couldn’t, and so we shouldn’t.

God is faithful to his word, and so he condemns breaking our word.

Because God is always faithful to his word, he requires that we also be faithful to ours. We must keep our word. For the Christian, however, we need not have an oath, a promise, a signature, or a bond to insure that we will fulfill our obligations. Jesus taught us (Matthew 5:33-37): "'Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, "Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord." But I tell you, Do not swear at all: . . . Simply let your "Yes" be "Yes,' and your "No," "No"; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."

Our word is our bond. We are just as morally obligated to keep a verbal agreement as we are the tightest legal contract. We may be threatened with a penalty for perjury in court, but no such threat is necessary. We know God wants us to keep our word, and so we do, to the best of our ability.

Sometimes we cannot keep our word, for circumstances beyond our control may change. Losing our job may keep us from meeting certain financial obligations, temporarily or permanently. If we take the legal out through bankruptcy, we still should try to repay when we are able. (If we never become able, we should not worry about it, for the Biblical examples of Jubilee [Leviticus 25:10-15,28] and seventh-year debt cancellation [Deuteronomy 15:1] indicate that God allows us to take advantage of legal relief if necessary.) If we have said we will meet with someone or do them a favor, sometimes unforeseen circumstances prevent us from fulfilling our word. In such a case, we should apologize and offer an explanation.

Therefore, because we are sometimes unable to meet our obligations, financial or otherwise, we should not make promises or swear that we will do something in the future. A promise or oath should be considered binding regardless of changing circumstances. In legal matters, we may have to promise or affirm future obligations, but we should be careful that we are not overreaching. We should not take on obligations that we do not have a reasonable probability of fulfilling. And we should not make open-ended pledges, such as pledging to support a mission by so much a month without an ending time. If we want to continue support after a given time, we can renew our pledge.

If you have made a commitment and find it too difficult to keep without hardship, ask the other party to release you. If it is a financial obligation, you may ask for complete release or for more favorable terms of payment. If the other party refuses to release you, you must do all you can to meet your obligation even if it hurts. The psalmist asked, “Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He . . . who keeps his oath even when it hurts” (Psalm 15:1,4).

The honor of God is on the line with our word. A person who is known as a Christian, especially one who is in church leadership, and the church itself must be known in the community for their integrity. They must pay their bills. When they do not keep their word, especially in financial dealings, their relationship to God reflects poorly on him.

The bottom line is that we will keep our word as well as we can, even if it is not convenient, for we are the people of God, the God who always keeps his word.

God is a people-changer and so he condemns hypocrisy.

God is in the business not only of salvation but also of changing those whom he saves. And because he is a people-changer, he expects us to exhibit lives that are consistent with the changes he wants in us. Hypocrisy is not a failure to live up to our principles, for none of us is completely successful in practicing what we preach. However, when we do not make a serious effort to live by our principles (even when we are alone) or when we pretend that we are better than we are, then we are guilty of hypocrisy. (The Greek word originally referred to a mask warn by actors. The word hypocrite referred to an actor, for he was pretending to be someone other than himself.)

The apostle Paul wrote, “But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power” (1 Corinthians 4:19-20). He was insisting that they live up to the changes that the power of God performs in the lives of the saved. In contrast, he mentioned another community of believers as a positive example of those who were living in the power of God (1 Thessalonians 1:4-9): "For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia–-your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God."

When we claim to be Christians, especially when we wear Christian symbols on our person or vehicles, we must live lives consistent with our witness. Otherwise we are bearing false testimony against the gospel. The apostle Paul put it this way: “You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: ‘God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you’” (Romans 2:23-24).

This ninth commandment is grounded in the fact that God is truthful, and thus we are to be truthful. We are to be loyal to the truth, in what we say and how we live. Not only our reputation is at stake, so is God’s.

12 - BE CAREFUL, LITTLE EYES!

“You shall not covet . . . anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21)

An AT&T commercial asked kids, “What’s better? More or less?” One little girl responded, after a narrative of adult/child interaction, “We want more! We want more!” Indeed, we all want more. One of the Rockefellers was reported to have responded to the question, how much is enough, with “a little more”!

We need to understand that both Old Testament and New Testament are concerned more with the heart than the actions of God’s people. The tenth commandment, “You shall not covet,” contradicts the belief held by many that the Old Testament was concerned more with external obedience and worship than with internal spirituality. Indeed, the prophets frequently condemned the people for their external obedience without the heart. (See for example, Isaiah 1:11-17.) The heart is at the core of action. Without the proper attitude of the heart, the obedience of action is meaningless, even insulting to God.

What is coveting? The word translated covet in the Old Testament refers to a strong desire, sometimes even for good things. It is not wrong per se to want what someone else has. In this commandment, however, it refers to an illicit desire: (1) a strong desire for something (2) that is forbidden or unavailable, (3) to the point that you would, if you could, acquire it in an immoral or illegal manner–-you might not actually try because you are unable or because you are afraid of getting caught and punished if you did–-or (4) that you so obsess over it that it interferes with your peace of mind. That is coveting.

This commandment reminds us of the sentiment behind the children’s song, “Oh, be careful, little eyes, what you see!” In this chapter we will consider four faces of coveting.

Greed

The first face of coveting is greed, that illicit desire for my neighbor’s things, possessions, positions, opportunities. I want more! Paul warned of the dangers of greed: “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:9-10).

Greed is more than ambition or aspiration. It means you are not satisfied with the things you can acquire legitimately. It may mean you’re ruthless. You may walk over people to get what you want. Or it may simply mean that you are never content with what you have. You wind up envying what others have and wonder why you do not have your “fair share.”

The apostle wrote that greed is idolatry (Colossians 3:5), for money is deemed more important than God. As Jesus said, “‘You cannot serve both God and Money’” (Matthew 6:24). Those who cannot be content with their present circumstances, while working in legitimate and moral ways to improve their lot, resenting God’s dealing with them, are serving Money. (Money is capitalized in this context for it represents all material possessions.)

By the way, gambling is basically motivated by greed, a desire to be win for oneself what others are losing.

Lust

The second face of coveting is sexual desire for someone other than your spouse. It is not necessary that you act upon this desire, simply that you would be willing to sleep with her if you had the opportunity. Jesus put it this way: “‘You have heard that it was said, “Do not commit adultery.” But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart’” (Matthew 5:27-28).

Many actions feed lust, including pornography (visual or written), revealing attire, entertainment that glorifies sexual immorality, drugs and alcohol, much of hard rock music–the world, especially the music industry, recognizes the connection between sex, drugs, and rock and roll–much dancing–men generally recognize this more than women, and reality has led to efforts being made to change after-prom activities (without necessarily admitting the connection)–and spending too much time alone with someone of the opposite sex other than one’s spouse. Not everyone responds the same way to each of these items, but when we recognize them as dangerous, we should cut them out of our lives. We should not expose our hearts to their dangers. Jesus spoke figuratively of our need for self-protection (Matthew 5:29-30): "'If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.'"

Megalomania

Power, like money and sex, is not evil per se. God is all-powerful, and he gives us power. Power is the ability to accomplish goals. Megalomania, the third face of coveting, is an obsession with power. Like greed and lust, it is never satisfied. It wants more! And often it does not care who gets hurt in the process.

Business, politics, religion, home–these are all arenas of power. Megalomania in any of these areas is destructive of good order as well as the persons who exercise the power or who suffer under its abuse. John wrote of one Diotrephes, apparently an elder in the church (3 John 9-10): "I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church."

Megalomania arises from a sense of self-importance. The power-obsessed person thinks his ideas are always right. He may even have a concern for the institution (business, congregation, etc.) and thinks that it cannot prosper or even survive without his leadership. He looks down on individuals while venerating the group. For this reason he is extremely jealous of his position. He will do whatever it takes, even compromising his own principles, to move out of the way anyone who threatens his power. A new person who comes into the group and starts to influence others will be seen as a threat. The power-obsessed person has the same attitude toward others who have any power as Caiaphas did toward Jesus, “‘You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish’” (John 11:50). He may not want their death, but, like Diotrephes, he will seek their removal from any position of influence or even from the group itself.

When we seek to rise in our position of power or influence, we need to examine closely our motives and our actions.

Selfishness

The fourth face of coveting is really the underlying basis of all coveting. Whether we are considering greed, lust, or megalomania, one element is common, selfishness. “Number one” is the person himself. When I covet, it is because I believe that it is more important for me than for you to have specific possessions, pleasure, or power.

Even giving to charity may be a smokescreen for soothing one’s conscience, trying to make up for some failure. Or it can be an effort to get praise from others. In this case one may appear to be generous but is not really so. Either way, such giving is really an act of selfishness. Acts 5:1-11 tells of Ananias and Sapphira, who owned a piece of property and sold it. They took the price they received and donated it to the funds for the needy. However, it turned out that they lied about how much they had received for the property. Reading between the lines, we infer that they were looking for praise for their “generous” gift, in imitation of the notice given to Barnabas (see 4:34-37). It was not their generosity but what they expected to receive that had motivated them.

One indicator that charity is not really a sign of generosity is when the person gets bent out of shape because he was not publicly thanked or even acknowledged for the deed. Another indicator is when he feels compelled to tell others about it. For example, Jesus warned (Matthew 6:1-2): “'Be careful not to do your "acts of righteousness" before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.'"

The essence of coveting of is a lack of faith in God, a lack of trust in God’s provision. Jesus spoke (Luke 12:13-21) of a farmer who had a bumper crop, so much that he did not have enough storage space. Instead of sharing his excess with the poor, he determined to build bigger barns so that he could then retire and enjoy himself. God, however, called him a fool, for his life was required of him that very night. He did not live long enough to enjoy what he had. Jesus went on to say (12:22-31) that we should not worry about what we will eat or wear, “‘For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well’” (12:30-31).

Conclusion

Coveting is a sin because it leads to the other sins, particularly murder, adultery, and theft. More than that, coveting is a desire for the things of this life more than a desire for God. Indeed, when we look at the Ten Commandments, numbers one and ten are really, in many respects, just two ways of saying the same thing: Put God first.

A second lesson we should learn from this commandment is that we cannot fool God–he sees the heart. Whether we actually do something immoral or illegal to get what we want, if the heart is obsessed with it, God knows.

A third lesson is that we should learn to be content with what we have. The apostle Paul said, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Timothy 6:6-8). At another time he went even further (Philippians 4:11-13): "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

It is not wrong to want more, as long as we have a proper perspective on what we have and on God’s provision for us, as well as an understanding of the proper means of acquiring more.

Years ago, many of us learned a traditional children’s song, the first and last verses of which were these:

1 O be careful, little eyes, what you see,

O be careful, little eyes, what you see,

For the Father up above is looking down in love,

So be careful, little eyes, what you see.

2 O be careful, little mind, what you think,

O be careful, little mind, what you think,

For the Father up above is looking down in love,

So be careful, little mind, what you think.

We would do well to follow those words.