Sold to Do Evil
Posted on February 15, 2011 by Kris
Filed Under Exhortation, OT History | 1 Comment |
As I was studying for our Old Testament History Bible class, I came across a very interesting verse that I have read before, but it never really struck me the same way before. In 1 Kings 21, the account of Ahab and Jezebel stealing the vineyard of Naboth is revealed. After Jezebel succeeded in having Naboth killed, Ahab went to take possession of the vineyard that he coveted. God used the opportunity to send Elijah the prophet to him and rebuke him for his actions. Part of the message for Ahab was that he was going to die a gruesome death, and the dogs would lick his blood in the same place that they licked up the blood of Naboth (1 Kings 21:19). When Elijah came to Ahab, Ahab asked, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” To which Elijah answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord…” (1 Kings 21:20). That is the phrase that struck me as I studied this passage. Elijah described Ahab as one who had sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord. What does that mean, and how does a person get to that point?
What does it mean? First, consider that this description is not of one who stumbles from the path of righteousness. This is a description of a person who has consciously made a decision to do evil. They have rejected the idea of righteousness and desire to do that which is evil. Ahab had every opportunity to do what was right. God tried to bring him to repentance, and provided him with the opportunity to hear the word of the prophet Elijah, but Ahab refused. This describes a person who has departed from doing the will of God, and is fulfilling their own desires, their own lusts.
While it is easy to see the application of this phrase with Ahab, the benefit to us is to understand that we too can end up where Ahab was. We need not think about his complete debauchery as a one time decision, but a series of events and decisions that led him to his end state. It is doubtful that even a man as wicked as Ahab simply woke up one day and decided to completely do evil in his life. It is easy for us to compare ourselves to Ahab and determine that we are doing well because we are not as evil as he was. After all, we have not sold ourselves to do evil before the Lord, we just sin a bit here and there! We need to heed the warning of Ahab and ensure that we don’t end up in the same condition as he did. That leads us to the next part of our discussion…
How does a person get to this point? It is probably a safe assumption that people don’t just go from being righteous to being wholly sold to do evil over night. There is a progression that they go through, leading them away from God. With Ahab, there were many characteristics that led to his final standing before God. The pitfalls of his life are the same types of pitfalls that we can face today. We need to make sure that we avoid these challenges, and overcome them if they do pop up in our path.
1. Heritage… Ahab needed to fight against his history. He was the son of Omri, who was also a wicked king in Israel. But, just coming from a wicked background is not an excuse for being wicked. Every generation has the opportunity make its own choices. Ahab could have chosen to do what was right, and to blame his wickedness on his father would be unjust. Every person will be judged by what they do, not what someone before them did (Ezekiel 18:4, 20). There are many who think that they cannot escape the cycle that has been in place in their families for generations. Drug abuse, alcoholism, spousal or child abuse and other problems are often handed down from one generation to the next. But, it doesn’t have to be that way! Every generation has the possibility of making the kind of choice that would break the cycle and start doing what is right. This principle is a wonderful principle because it means that anyone can be a child of God as well. If your parents or grandparents were not true New Testament Christians, you still have the opportunity to make the right choices, and be obedient to the will of God. The disobedience of one generation does not force the next into the same disobedience!
2. Outside influences… Ahab was influenced to do evil by his evil wife (1 Kings 21:25). While it is not the fault of another if I choose to do evil, I make it very difficult on myself to choose to do good when I surround myself with evil. There seems to be a tendency, especially among young people, to think that they can surround themselves with worldliness, and remain pure themselves. The apostle Paul tells us that this is simply not going to be the case (1 Corinthians 15:33). Despite our best intentions (though “good intentions” are usually a front for our own selfish desires) we are not going to be the exception to Paul’s general truth. We use the saying, “one bad apple spoils the whole bunch.” That is an accurate proverb. How many times do you think a rotten apple can be put in the middle of a barrel of good apples, and not corrupt the whole bunch? Now, imagine that there is only one good apple in the midst of a barrel of rotten apples. Do you think that one good apple has any chance of survival? In the same manner, a good person immersed in the wickedness of the world will not hold up to trials that will be cast upon them. We need to make good choices, to ensure that we are not surrounding ourselves with the kind of influences that will lead us astray. That starts with choosing the kinds of friends that we are going to associate with, and progresses to making wise choices about who we will marry. If we spend all of our time with wicked people, and marry a person who is not going to be a help to us on our journey to heaven, then we will be led astray. While many will argue over whether one can prove it wrong to marry one who is not a Christian, what is easily proven is that “evil companions corrupt good morals.” If I choose to marry a person who is not a Christian, how can that person be a benefit to me spiritually, and how can they do anything except corrupt the standard by which I live?
3. Selfishness… Most sin is rooted in selfishness. Pride leads a person to believe that they are superior to all who are around them, as well as superior to God. Ahab allowed his own pride to lead him astray from what was right. He viewed anyone who was from God as his enemy because God refused to do things Ahab’s way! Ahab surrounded himself with advisers and prophets who would tell him exactly what he wanted to hear. He was going to have things his way, or else. In the account of Naboth’s vineyard, Ahab went to his bed and pouted because Naboth would not do what he wanted him to do (1 Kings 21:4-6). Selfishness causes us to be upset with God when He requires something of us that we do not want to give. The more often this happens, the further away from Him we get. So, when God says “NO!” to things like premarital sex (fornication), adultery, homosexuality, stealing, cheating, lying, and any other sin we might want to participate in, we become upset, and pout just like Ahab, and end up doing what we want to do anyway. Too many people use the adage “God wants me to be happy” to justify anything they want to participate in! God wants us to be happy, but that is defined by His terms, not ours! This selfishness also leads us to accept things that are simply not biblical. Denominationalism, for example, is rooted in selfishness. When a group wants to do something that is not authorized by scripture, they break off to form their own group, to participate in the practices that they choose, rather than the practices that God chooses. This may be one of the most dangerous forms of selfishness, as it leads people to believe that they are still pleasing God because they are still “serving” God. However, if we stray from what God has directed us to do, and what he has commanded us to be, then we are no better off than the one who has chosen to depart from Him intentionally. The consequences are not based upon our intentions, but on our actions! We can continue to be “religious” and yet still sell ourselves to do evil. Anything that is contrary to God’s will is evil, despite how we might define it for ourselves (Isaiah 5:20)! Just because I call something “good” doesn’t make it so (Matthew 7:21-23). We need to stop being selfish, and submit ourselves to the commands of the Lord! This will cause us to work righteousness, because we will truly desire the way of the Lord, rather than our own way (Philippians 2:3-11).
There are certainly other factors that cause a person to be wholly sold to do evil, but these perhaps will be enough to stimulate your thinking on the subject. We need to make the kinds of choices that will lead us to be sold to righteousness. That is the opposite of the condition that Ahab was in. We need to fully commit ourselves to righteousness, and we can only do that by following the will of the Father in every manner (Matthew 22:37-38).
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Faltering Between Two Opinions
Posted on February 1, 2011 by Kris
Filed Under For Further Thought..., OT History | 3 Comments |
This evening in our Old Testament class, we will be studying what has become one of my favorite passages: I Kings 18:17-40. In 1 Kings 18:21, Elijah challenged the children of Israel. He asked them how long they would falter between two opinions. What “two opinions” where they faltering between? Serving Jehovah God, or serving the helpless, useless idols. While this seems like an easy choice, the people of Israel had struggled with it for many years. Elijah was going to show this generation once and for all who was the true God. He directly challenged the prophets of Baal to provide proof for their gods, and he would provide evidence of the existence of Jehovah. The challenge consisted the prophets of Baal preparing a sacrifice, and calling upon the name of Baal to burn it up. Elijah would do likewise, calling on the name of Jehovah.
The prophets of Baal prepared their sacrifice, and then called upon Baal with all of their typical ritualistic actions, including cutting on themselves. The inspired writer records that while they did this, “there was no voice; no one answered” and “there was no voice; no one answered an no one paid attention” (1 Kings 18:26, 30). Of course there was no response, as Baal was the creation of the human mind! There was no one to hear them, and no one to answer them! In contrast, Elijah prepared his sacrifice and then dug a trench around the altar. He poured water over the sacrifice, so much so that it filled the trench around the sacrifice! When Elijah called upon Jehovah, he gave Him all of the glory, and asked Him to provide the fire for the sacrifice. 1 Kings 18:38 reveals that God sent fire that completely consumed all of the offering, the dirt, the the stones and the water. This was a sacrifice that was truly “wholly dedicated to God.” There was no doubt that Jehovah was real, and that Elijah was His prophet!
When Elijah and Jehovah were done on this occasion, there was no excuse for the people to “falter between two opinions.” Baal had been completely disgraced, and Jehovah had proven Himself clearly. They should have chosen Jehovah, and that is indeed what happened. Elijah used the opportunity to destroy the prophets of Baal, and attempt to set the people back on the right track of service to God.
As I read this account, I cannot help but think of the applications that could (and should) be made today. Where do people falter between two opinions, even when there is plenty of evidence to support the truth? Here are just a few of the ones that I have thought of:
Belief and Unbelief in God… There are many people around us that can’t seem to decide whether they believe there is a God or not. There is a whole group of people called “Agnostics” that claim that there simply is not enough information available to determine whether there is a God or not. It is impossible for me to comprehend how a person can look out a window at the natural world and come to any other conclusion than that there is a God. God has revealed Himself in the creation. The intricacy of all that we see around us, and in our own physical bodies, argues for a designer, rather than mere chance or happenstance. It takes more faith to believe in the theory of Evolution than it does to believe in God! See Romans 1:18-21.
Between Faithfulness and Worldliness… This is a great challenge, even for Christians. While people today usually are not trying to serve God and an idol (like the Israelites), they are trying to serve God and the world. They are trying to act as if they are faithful to God, and then continue on in the same kind of sin that they have always participated in. How many people want to claim to be Christians and yet participate in worldly things like: dressing immodestly, using profanity and taking the Lord’s name in vain, continue in adultery or fornication? The list could certainly go on and on. Men often try to walk the moral line, staying as close to worldliness as possible. It is not surprising that those who have such an attitude often step over the line and end up in worldliness, and separated from God! Instead, we need to stay as far from the line as possible, making sure that we are serving God, and not the world (Matthew 6:24)!
Between Standing for Truth and Wavering in the Wind… Many people want to be Christians when everything is easy, and everyone agrees on principles. But, sometimes we are called upon by God to stand up for what is right, and eschew evil and/or false teaching. We need to have the strength and resolve to stand for what we know the Bible teaches, and not be swayed by every “wind of doctrine” that happens to blow by (Ephesians 4:11-15). Far too many have the attitude that they don’t need to take a stand. They are willing to be on “both sides” of any given issue. I once heard it said, “I have friends on both sides of this issue; I stand with my friends.” While this was said in jest, in practice there are many people who exhibit the characteristic! We need to be strong, willing to stand for truth regardless of the consequences!
It is certain that we have opportunity to “falter between two opinions” but we need to learn that this type of action is not approved of by God. We should strive to take a stand, and make sure that we are taking our stand with God. If we take our stand anywhere else, we will most surely fall, just as the prophets of Baal fell to Elijah. In the end, they lost their lives because of their choices. We will lose our souls if we make the wrong choices. Don’t falter. Stand on Truth!
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Being Dedicated…
Posted on January 24, 2011 by Kris
Filed Under Exhortation | 3 Comments |
We often talk about being dedicated to God. But when it comes down to application, how often are we truly dedicated to Him? Far too often, our dedication is limited by our own weaknesses. We allow the world to dictate what is classified as “dedication” and then only hold ourselves accountable to that standard. For example, we probably consider ourselves to be dedicated to the local church, and to assembling with the saints. However, when was the last time you missed an assembly? What was the reason? Sickness? Work? While a person may very well be ill enough to need to stay home, I hope that we can consider just what it means to be dedicated. Do we let the sniffles keep us from worshiping with the saints? Or some other rather insignificant illness?
We should make sure that we are not just looking for an excuse to stay away from the assembly of the saints. If we view them as unimportant, we may stay away when we know we really could be there. Often, we use Hebrews 10:25 as a battering ram to try and beat up on members that are not attending the public assemblies as they should. But, we should consider the intent behind this passage, and take a look at the broader context to this one verse.
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:19-25)
This passage shows that God has given us a reason to be in the assembly of the saints, a reason that will make us stronger spiritually every time we are obedient. We are supposed to assemble with the saints so that we can “consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.” We should have a desire to assemble with the saints! It should be one of our top priorities! Not only will we be strengthened, but we will help to encourage and strengthen others as well. When I miss the assembly of the saints, I am affected because I am not being edified. But, I am also not fulfilling my responsibility of edifying others. If I have the attitude that is commanded, then I cannot fail in my responsibility. In Philippians 2:4, Paul tells us that we should not look out only for ourselves, but for others as well. How are we looking out for others if we are allowing anything to interfere with our responsibility to encourage our brethren?
Recently I read a book entitled Vignettes of Virtue by Frank Richey. In it, Richey tells of Tolbert Fanning, who was gored by one of his bulls. Fanning initially survived the attack, but the injuries took their toll, and led to his demise. Richey relates the account as told by L. C. Chisholm:
I was with him night and day till he died. On that Sunday morning it was evident to him that the end was rapidly approaching, and he requested the brethren to hold services in his room. Though it was clear to all present that, he was rapidly sinking, he directed the entire service. A few minutes later two of his neighbor gentlemen called in. He called each by name and asked them to be seated. in less than five minutes he breathed his last, as if dropping off into a restful sleep.
Vignettes of Virtue, pp. 76-77
How many of us would have thought about attending services in such a condition, let alone think about hosting it at our homes? Many will read that and think he must have been crazy. He must have been a fanatic. I read it and think he must have been dedicated to the Lord and to his brethren. Even in this terrible condition, he thought about his brethren, and made an effort to encourage them. I for one, will be thinking about this man the next time I wake up with a scratchy throat, and think about missing the assembly of the saints!
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But God Told Me…
Posted on December 14, 2010 by Kris
Filed Under Evangelism, OT History, What I'm Studying... | 1 Comment |
There is an interesting account revealed for us in 1 Kings 13:1-34. Jeroboam was given the northern kingdom of Israel following the division of the kingdom due to the sin of Solomon and the lack of wisdom on the part of his son Rehoboam. Jeroboam had been promised the kingdom, comprised of 10 tribes, and promised that he could keep it if he would only be faithful to God. In 1 Kings 12:25-33, it became evident that Jeroboam would not be faithful, but would turn against God, setting up two areas of worship in Israel to keep his people from returning to Jerusalem to worship as they had been commanded.
In our context, God sent a prophet to Jeroboam to condemn his false worship, and prophesy about future events concerning the altars that Jeroboam had set up. This prophet spoke of Josiah, a king that would come to Judah some 350-360 years later, by name. This is one of the most amazing prophecies of the Old Testament, which confirms the inspiration of these books! This prophet was able to deliver the message given by God, and confirm it by two drastic signs: the withering of Jeroboam’s hand, and the splitting of the altar, with the ashes pouring forth. There was certainly no reason to lack faith in the message that God had given to him! Part of the word that God had given to this prophet was instructions about his own actions. He was not to eat bread or drink water in Bethel, and he was not to travel home by the same way he had come (1 Kings 13:9). This message was plain for the prophet, and left no room for misunderstanding, or misinterpretation.
Twice in this passage, the man of God stood fast against the temptation to violate the will of God. He was invited by the king to stay and eat, but adamantly refused (1 Kings 13:7-10). Later, he was invited by another man, who is described as a prophet of God, to come back to Bethel to eat, and again he quickly refused (1 Kings 13:14-17). But, then he heard something that caused his resolve to waver. The old prophet told the younger prophet that an angel had spoken to him, and told him to bring the prophet back to Bethel to eat (1 Kings 13:18). The young prophet listened, and returned with the older prophet to eat. This disobedience cost him his life!
Some may consider this account and question the justice of God. How could he punish the prophet when another prophet lied to him? God was just. He gave this prophet his will, and made it clear. His message to Jeroboam had been confirmed with at least two miracles. Notice that he never asked for any kind of confirmation that the message of the old prophet was accurate! He could have easily been disproved by simply asking for proof.
Unfortunately, the same type of problem happens often today. God has given His word, and we can all open it up and read it for ourselves (more so than any generation before us!). He confirmed that message with signs and miracles at the time of its revelation (Hebrews 2:2-4). This message has been shown true and accurate over and over again. Yet, today people will be swayed by those who come with a message that God has spoken to them. I have, on many occasions, had Bible studies with people concerning the gospel plan of salvation, only to have them tell me at the end that God has told them in some other way that they are saved. They say, “I can feel it in my heart…” There are many preachers who preach what “God has put on their hearts” every Sunday morning. They claim that God has given them a message to proclaim, which has nothing to do with the message revealed in the New Testament. But, because they act in a manner that men interpret to be “godly” their messages are accepted.
We need to remember that God has told us that His word is finished, and as such we have all we need for “life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:2-4). When we hear anyone tell us that God has given them some new message for us, we must immediately reject them as a false prophet and mouthpiece of Satan rather than of God. Paul warned the Galatian brethren of this very problem:
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-9)
When the old prophet claimed that an angel had revealed a different message, he lied. When men today claim that God has spoken some new message to them, or that some angel of God has revealed a message to them, they lie! We might immediately think of the Mormons with their claims of angelic beings delivering a message, but this problem is far more wide spread. When a person speaks of God “speaking to their heart” or revealing some message directly to “their hearts” they are guilty of the same sin. They must be placed under the same condemnation. God is not going to speak to you directly, telling you some new message. He has revealed His mind to us, and His word is all that we need to know what is necessary for our obedience.
May we not fall victim to the very same sin as the young prophet of 1 Kings 13. If we believe the lie, we will fall under the same condemnation as this young prophet (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). A love of the truth will lead us to accept only what is revealed in the pages of God’s word, and not turn to the lies of the many false prophets in the world today!
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God Hates Divorce!
Posted on December 4, 2010 by Kris
Filed Under Minor Prophets, What I'm Studying... | 1 Comment |
I have been studying Malachi 2:10-17 for our adult Bible class on Sunday. It is amazing to me to study these problems among God’s people so long ago, and realize that people have not changed much over the last 2500 years! Malachi presents lessons (perhaps more than any other “minor” prophet) that can be applied to us today. There are several principles that we should consider from this context, and make some applications to us today:
God Still Hates Divorce… Malachi 2:16 tells us that God hates divorce. Nothing has changed concerning this principle from Malachi’s day! God has always hated the concept of putting away one’s wife. In the New Testament, God’s law has become even more stringent concerning marriage and divorce than it was in the Old Testament. Consider Matthew 5:31-32. It had been said that one had to give a writing of divorce to divorce his wife, but in the New Covenant, God’s will was to not divorce! God provided for the one who had an unfaithful spouse to divorce her, but that is the only exception. Even in the exception, God hates divorce! Malachi tells us that divorce “covers one’s garment with violence.” It is impossible for divorce to occur without sin being involved. How can we consider divorce to be so insignificant in our society when God views it so seriously?
Marriage is a Holy Covenant… When one enters into a lawful marriage (i.e., according to God’s law), he is entering a covenant before man, and before God. Malachi warns the men that their wives were their companions and wives by covenant (Malachi 2:14). Far too often today, men view their marriage in a very selfish way. They are happy to be in it, as long as everything is going just the way they want it to go. The first time there is any difficulty, they are ready to give it up, and go find another wife. God sees our marriages as a holy covenant, which is violated if we choose to leave it. When we choose to treat marriage so lightly, we profane the Lord’s “holy institution” (holiness, or holy thing) in a similar manner to the Israelites of Malachi’s day (Malachi 2:11).
Spiritual Leaders Sometimes Mislead… This section of Malachi’s prophecy is focused on the priests of his day, which were misleading the people. They were showing partiality in the law (Malachi 2:9), presumably not teaching the people the law concerning divorce and marrying foreign wives. This would have been the popular doctrine, as the people wanted to be involved in the sin that they were enjoying. Perhaps, they thought the people would not be willing to give up their unrighteousness, so it was easier to just ignore the problem. Whatever the reasoning, it is evident that the priests were not teaching all that they were supposed to be teaching! This is a common problem today as well. It is much easier for preachers to either ignore the Biblical teachings concerning marriage and divorce, or to change it to be more palatable to the people they are trying to teach. It is quite easy to find preachers who are willing to accept/teach that divorce is acceptable for almost any reason. Some gospel preachers accept doctrines that allow for divorced people to somehow “put away” their ex-husband or wife. Some gospel preachers have put out lists of reasons to accept divorce for almost any reason, including financial problems and abuse. While our heartstrings may be plucked by such arguments, the Bible simply does not support these conclusions. The New Testament provides one opportunity for divorce: the mate who has committed adultery can be put away for that adultery by the innocent spouse. There is nothing in the New Testament (despite the teaching of many preachers) that demands that this divorce must take place! When preachers teach people that they can get divorced for a multitude of reasons, or that they can somehow divorce after they are divorced, or that divorce must happen when adultery is present, they are misleading the people. There is no excuse for preachers to encourage and therefore increase a practice (divorce) that is hated by God!
We Weary the Lord… Malachi said that the people of his day wearied the Lord with the way that they promoted evil concerning the subject of divorce (Malachi 2:17). One cannot help but wonder if we are wearing the Lord today with the doctrines that are concocted concerning marriage and divorce. How much time is spent to try and justify the various reasons for divorce and remarriage? Debates are prevalent, articles are numerous, and discussions are constant (it seems) to try and allow for practices that are condemned by God. The time has come for those proclaiming truth to stand and be counted, teach the difficult things (that will not be readily accepted because it will cause people to change) and identify the false teaching and the false teachers who proclaim doctrines contrary to the doctrine of God. With all of the doctrines flying around today, it is evident that men do not hate divorce the same way that the Lord hates it!
We Act Piously…and God Rejects Our Sacrifice… Malachi spoke of the men of his day covering the altar with tears, but God still would not accept their offerings (Malachi 2:13). When we approach the subject of divorce in a different manner than God, it does not matter how piously we might act. It doesn’t matter how many preachers might support a given divorce, if it is contrary to God’s will, then He will not accept the service of the people involved! We can have any number of doctrines, or scenarios that pull at our hearts, and make us want to accept a situation from an emotional standpoint; but our practices simply cannot be based in emotion! God has been clear that there is no place for adulterers in Heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9), so we had better make sure that we have our teaching right, and not loosen the restrictions God has placed on us because it will draw more people into the local church, allow them to stay in unscriptural marriages, or make them feel better!
Divorce is a very serious subject, that has been minimized today to the point that just about anyone can get a divorce for just about anything and still think they are faithful to God. We need to reconsider the reprimand of Malachi 2, and realize that God has given us a law concerning divorce the same as he gave a law to the Israelites. If we are unwilling to live according to the law that has been given, we will be in the same condition as the children of Israel, wearing the Lord by supporting evil practices!
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