In this second post on this subject we are going to look at one of the primary teachings regarding this truth.
Is universalism heresy? According to scripture, I believe it is. Heresy simply stated is “erroneous belief in regard to some fundamental religious doctrine or truth.” Is it another gospel? Again, I think you have to answer yes. If you declare that scripture teaches that everyone will eventually be saved, you are denying the need for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Some argue that the individual will have to acknowledge Jesus as Savior, but that they will have that opportunity even after they die. That is simply not biblical.
Luke 16:19–31 “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”
Some identify this teaching as a parable and others, like myself, believe it to represent the actual experience of two actual people. Frankly, that is not important to understanding the truth of what Jesus is teaching. The main points of the teaching:
• Two men died.
• One went to “Abraham’s bosom” and was comforted, and the other to “hell” where he was in torments.
• The one in hell asked for comfort from the torment and was denied.
• The one in hell was specifically told that there was a boundary fixed between the two places that prevented those in either place from crossing into the other.
This is a very powerful teaching from the mouth of the Lord Jesus. Even if this were the only place in scripture that taught this truth, it would be sufficient for establishing truth. There are, however, other places in scripture that support the truth that man has the choice of one of two eternal destinies—one in the presence of God or one away from His presence. Again, we read the words of Jesus.
John 5:28–29 “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
Jesus is again clearly teaching that “all” have a future existence after death and will either be resurrected to life or to damnation. He also taught that the torment of hell is eternal.
Matthew 25:31–33 & 41 “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.… Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels….”
Mark 9:43–48 “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
The Apostle Paul affirmed this truth in his letter to the Thessalonians.
2 Thessalonians 1:7–9 “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power….”
It is sad but true that scripture teaches that in relationship to the whole, only few will choose the way of life. Why? Because the path that leads to life and the gate that allows entry are narrow.
Matthew 7:13–14 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
In other words, there are not many paths to heaven; there is only one. Jesus boldly declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) There is no room for equivocation in this statement. Is the path narrow because the Lord is trying to hide it? No. It’s narrow because the enemy has established so many more alternate belief systems that appeal to the flesh through indulgence and/or one’s own efforts—anything that releases them from submitting to the authority and provision of Almighty God. God’s word is very clear in declaring that He is not willing that any should perish.
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Ezekiel 18:32 “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.”
...to be continued
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
UNIVERSALISM AND THE REALITY OF HEAVEN AND HELL
So how does this subject relate to bible prophecy? Well, if heaven and hell as taught in the Bible are not real, why should we believe anything else taught in the Bible?
This subject has recently been in the headlines due to the release of Rob Bell’s new book. It is baffling to me how “Christians” can question the reality of one while embracing the reality of the other since the existence of both is rooted in the truth of scripture. Mr. Bell is just one of many throughout history who have reasoned that a loving God could not possibly sentence someone to a state of eternal punishment. This belief is associated with a belief known as “universalism.”
I decided to look up the meaning of “universalism” in Webster; it reads, “The doctrine or belief that all men will be saved, or made happy, in the future state.” As I see it, that does not necessarily preclude a belief in hell, just a belief that no human will go there.
I join C. S. Lewis and G. K. Chesterton among others in that one of my favorite fictional authors is George MacDonald, and his writings reveal that he had leanings toward the dictionary definition of universalism. It’s really hard for me to believe that he could have rejected the biblical teaching on heaven and hell. Thankfully, in the books I have read he only posits the possibility without declaring it as doctrine. His books are focused around characters that live with a simple and unwavering faith in God, and I am always challenged to want to emulate the type of testimony they display before those around them. Still, I never recommend his books to anyone without warning them. The same is true for author Michael Phillips.
I will be honest in sharing that it is very perplexing to me when men who seem to have such great spiritual insight in some areas prove to have beliefs that are also heretical. I am thankful that God is the Sovereign Judge. I just know that I am responsible before the Lord for my actions and the message I share. Though I am far from possessing the intellect and influence of these men, I am still accountable for my response to the teaching of God’s word and the testimony I share with others in light of that truth—and so are you.
Romans 14:11–12 “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
We will continue this study in the next post.
This subject has recently been in the headlines due to the release of Rob Bell’s new book. It is baffling to me how “Christians” can question the reality of one while embracing the reality of the other since the existence of both is rooted in the truth of scripture. Mr. Bell is just one of many throughout history who have reasoned that a loving God could not possibly sentence someone to a state of eternal punishment. This belief is associated with a belief known as “universalism.”
I decided to look up the meaning of “universalism” in Webster; it reads, “The doctrine or belief that all men will be saved, or made happy, in the future state.” As I see it, that does not necessarily preclude a belief in hell, just a belief that no human will go there.
I join C. S. Lewis and G. K. Chesterton among others in that one of my favorite fictional authors is George MacDonald, and his writings reveal that he had leanings toward the dictionary definition of universalism. It’s really hard for me to believe that he could have rejected the biblical teaching on heaven and hell. Thankfully, in the books I have read he only posits the possibility without declaring it as doctrine. His books are focused around characters that live with a simple and unwavering faith in God, and I am always challenged to want to emulate the type of testimony they display before those around them. Still, I never recommend his books to anyone without warning them. The same is true for author Michael Phillips.
I will be honest in sharing that it is very perplexing to me when men who seem to have such great spiritual insight in some areas prove to have beliefs that are also heretical. I am thankful that God is the Sovereign Judge. I just know that I am responsible before the Lord for my actions and the message I share. Though I am far from possessing the intellect and influence of these men, I am still accountable for my response to the teaching of God’s word and the testimony I share with others in light of that truth—and so are you.
Romans 14:11–12 “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
We will continue this study in the next post.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
THE BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE FOR THOSE THAT FEAR THE LORD
I remember my surprise once I finally took note of the fact that God had a special book in which He recorded the names of those that fear Him.
Malachi 3:16 “Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.”
I believe this is a different book than the Book of Life, though you would think that they would mirror each other. Sadly, that is not necessarily the case. The Hebrew for thought includes value. It would seem that there are many true believers, those who have placed their faith in Jesus, who choose for whatever reason not to invest in that relationship; they are too distracted by the concerns, responsibilities and pleasures of this world. This would seem to be those that were referenced by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 3:13–15 “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
There are others who delight in that relationship and whose lives give evidence of the value they accord His name. According to Malachi, this evidence includes the desire to talk about Him and His truth with other believers. Honestly—How often is the LORD or the word of God the focus of your conversation with other believers?
As we conclude this series of blogs, I would like to share a couple of more scriptures that summarize much of what was identified as giving evidence of a healthy fear of the LORD in our lives.
Psalms 34:11–14 “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.”
2Corinthians 7:1 “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
If we in the body of Christ could just control our tongues, avoid evil as defined by the word of God, and seek peace, we could go a long way toward teaching those around us about how to have a healthy fear of the LORD. Our whole life should be dedicated to cleansing ourselves from the filthiness of the flesh and spirit as we seek to perfect holiness in the fear of God. We have no valid excuses for our failures. God has promised to empower us to be overcomers, but it is up to us to avail ourselves of that provision.
1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Ephesians 6:13–17 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench ALL the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”
It is important to note that the shield of faith is identified as most important. It was the critical piece of armor that would have delivered Eve from Satan’s deception in the garden. Satan’s darts come in many different forms, but they are all tipped with the same few poisons—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
Without faith we do not have access to the other pieces of armor.
I pray that this series of posts on fearing God has encouraged you to examine your life and determine that you are prepared to meet the LORD when He returns. I know that I can improve in many of these areas, and I am sure you can too. I have asked God to do whatever it takes in my life to make me a vessel of honor and glory before Him.
If you do not know the LORD as your Savior, I would encourage you to take four minutes and watch a presentation from God’s word of the gospel message. It could be the most important few minutes of your life.
Malachi 3:16 “Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.”
I believe this is a different book than the Book of Life, though you would think that they would mirror each other. Sadly, that is not necessarily the case. The Hebrew for thought includes value. It would seem that there are many true believers, those who have placed their faith in Jesus, who choose for whatever reason not to invest in that relationship; they are too distracted by the concerns, responsibilities and pleasures of this world. This would seem to be those that were referenced by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 3:13–15 “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
There are others who delight in that relationship and whose lives give evidence of the value they accord His name. According to Malachi, this evidence includes the desire to talk about Him and His truth with other believers. Honestly—How often is the LORD or the word of God the focus of your conversation with other believers?
As we conclude this series of blogs, I would like to share a couple of more scriptures that summarize much of what was identified as giving evidence of a healthy fear of the LORD in our lives.
Psalms 34:11–14 “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.”
2Corinthians 7:1 “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
If we in the body of Christ could just control our tongues, avoid evil as defined by the word of God, and seek peace, we could go a long way toward teaching those around us about how to have a healthy fear of the LORD. Our whole life should be dedicated to cleansing ourselves from the filthiness of the flesh and spirit as we seek to perfect holiness in the fear of God. We have no valid excuses for our failures. God has promised to empower us to be overcomers, but it is up to us to avail ourselves of that provision.
1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Ephesians 6:13–17 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench ALL the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”
It is important to note that the shield of faith is identified as most important. It was the critical piece of armor that would have delivered Eve from Satan’s deception in the garden. Satan’s darts come in many different forms, but they are all tipped with the same few poisons—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
Without faith we do not have access to the other pieces of armor.
I pray that this series of posts on fearing God has encouraged you to examine your life and determine that you are prepared to meet the LORD when He returns. I know that I can improve in many of these areas, and I am sure you can too. I have asked God to do whatever it takes in my life to make me a vessel of honor and glory before Him.
If you do not know the LORD as your Savior, I would encourage you to take four minutes and watch a presentation from God’s word of the gospel message. It could be the most important few minutes of your life.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
WISDOM, HUMILITY AND CONTENTMENT ALL TESTIFY TO A HEALTHY FEAR OF THE LORD
The proverbs of Solomon have much to say about fearing the Lord. He tells us right off that this fear is the only foundation through which we can even begin to learn true knowledge and wisdom.
Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 2:2-5 “…incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD….”
So just where should we search for knowledge and wisdom? In the word of God.
Psalms 119:103–104 “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.”
Proverbs 2:6 “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”
Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom….”
Our actions toward others provide another indication as to whether or not we have a healthy fear of the LORD. Paul tells us that we are to submit to one another in accordance with the authority established by God. This includes the authorities established by men, since they are ordained of God.
Romans 13:1 “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”
It is also important for those in the body of Christ to submit to one another in love and the fear of God. It is our treatment of one another that provides the most powerful testimony to the world of unbelievers.
Ephesians 5:21 “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
1 Peter 5:5 “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”
John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
I believe one of Satan’s greatest successes has been the creation of division and discord in the professing church. When the unbelieving world looks on and sees that those who claim Jesus Christ as Savior can’t live with love for one another and are so divided regarding the authority of the truth of scripture, why should they want what we have?
One other sign of a healthy fear of the LORD is contentment with what we have. We are not to envy those who are living according to this world.
Proverbs 23:17 “Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.”
1 Timothy 6:6–10 “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
God has promised to be sufficient for our every need, to sustain us and never to forsake us.
Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Psalms 55:22 “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””
Considering the culture in America and much of the world today that promotes possessing more and more, God’s children stand out as distinct when they live with contentment. It testifies to the truth that things can’t make one happy—only living in submission to the LORD with a focus on spiritual treasure rather than earthly treasure can do that.
Matthew 6:19–21 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 2:2-5 “…incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD….”
So just where should we search for knowledge and wisdom? In the word of God.
Psalms 119:103–104 “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.”
Proverbs 2:6 “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”
Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom….”
Our actions toward others provide another indication as to whether or not we have a healthy fear of the LORD. Paul tells us that we are to submit to one another in accordance with the authority established by God. This includes the authorities established by men, since they are ordained of God.
Romans 13:1 “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”
It is also important for those in the body of Christ to submit to one another in love and the fear of God. It is our treatment of one another that provides the most powerful testimony to the world of unbelievers.
Ephesians 5:21 “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
1 Peter 5:5 “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”
John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
I believe one of Satan’s greatest successes has been the creation of division and discord in the professing church. When the unbelieving world looks on and sees that those who claim Jesus Christ as Savior can’t live with love for one another and are so divided regarding the authority of the truth of scripture, why should they want what we have?
One other sign of a healthy fear of the LORD is contentment with what we have. We are not to envy those who are living according to this world.
Proverbs 23:17 “Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.”
1 Timothy 6:6–10 “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
God has promised to be sufficient for our every need, to sustain us and never to forsake us.
Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Psalms 55:22 “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””
Considering the culture in America and much of the world today that promotes possessing more and more, God’s children stand out as distinct when they live with contentment. It testifies to the truth that things can’t make one happy—only living in submission to the LORD with a focus on spiritual treasure rather than earthly treasure can do that.
Matthew 6:19–21 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Monday, April 18, 2011
FAITH, WORSHIP, PRAISE & SACRIFICE TESTIFY TO A HEALTHY FEAR OF THE LORD
Sometimes I think that faith in the LORD is very misunderstood. Too often it is used interchangeably with belief in Him, and scripture is clear in differentiating between the two.
James 2:18–20 “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”
James helps us to understand that our actions—as identified in this blog series—prove our faith. The writer of Hebrews adds a bit more.
Hebrews 11:1&3 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen….Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
Faith produces action predicated on the evidence of God’s power and authority as revealed through His creation. It accepts the testimony of God’s word to be true as evidenced by the fulfillment of prophecy and the record of history. I really like the plain speaking of the New Living Translation of these words of Isaiah.
Isaiah 45:19–21 “I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner so no one can understand what I mean. And I did not tell the people of Israel to ask me for something I did not plan to give. I, the LORD, speak only what is true and right. “Gather together and come, you fugitives from surrounding nations. What fools they are who carry around their wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save! Consult together, argue your case, and state your proofs that idol worship pays. Who made these things known long ago? What idol ever told you they would happen? Was it not I, the LORD? For there is no other God but me—a just God and a Savior—no, not one!”
Though we cannot currently visibly “see” God, the evidences to His existence, power and authority surround us. True Christian faith is rooted in evidence; it is not blind faith or faith based on the reasoning of man—as is the case with most other belief systems.
One who has a healthy fear of God will give testimony through times of worship and praise.
Psalm 5:7 “But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.”
Psalm 22:23 “Ye that fear the LORD, praise him….”
Psalm 96:9 “O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.”
Revelation 19:5 “…Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.”
Webster tells us that worship means to show adoration and reference and that praise is to magnify and glorify through words or song. I love music, and it can provide one of the most effective ways of attuning our spirit with His Spirit and through which we can share our love and appreciation of Him and for His many blessings. The Apostle Paul recognized how music reflects our heart before the Lord.
Ephesians 5:18–20 “…be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ….”
Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
In fact, a wonderful way to learn scripture is through songs that are basically scripture set to music. My grandchildren have memorized much scripture through the music CD’s that are part of their homeschool curriculum. I have spent many wonderful hours worshipping and praising God by singing along with or just meditating on beautiful and joyful Christian music—from the old hymns to the contemporary Christian music of today. I encourage you to check out the scripture card slideshows on my website for a worship experience as you enjoy the truth of God’s word framed in the beauty of His creation. (www.momsbiblejournal.com/Pages/ScriptureCards.html)
Another powerful evidence that you have a healthy fear of the LORD is your willingness to make personal sacrifices in obedience to Him. There is no greater example of this than Abraham’s intent to sacrifice Isaac, the son through whom God had promised to fulfill His covenant with him.
Genesis 22:12 “And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.”
Paul tells us that it is only reasonable that we present ourselves as a living sacrifice to God.
Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
In other words, we are to die to self to live in submission and obedience to Him. He, in fact, tells us that this is the only reasonable response in light of the sacrifice of His Son to redeem us from our sin and give us an eternal future with Him. I remember being surprised to learn that God considers our words of praise and thanks to Him to be a sacrificial offering.
Hebrews 13:15 “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
Anything we do to show our gratitude to, worship of and submission to God is a sacrifice; it is something we freely offer. The word sacrifice implies that something is being given up for something else. When we take the time to truly praise God with “the fruit of our lips” and express our gratitude for His love, mercy, grace and forgiveness—not to mention our many material blessings—we are “sacrificing” or freely giving of our time, energy and thought to focus on Him over anything and everything else.
James 2:18–20 “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”
James helps us to understand that our actions—as identified in this blog series—prove our faith. The writer of Hebrews adds a bit more.
Hebrews 11:1&3 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen….Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
Faith produces action predicated on the evidence of God’s power and authority as revealed through His creation. It accepts the testimony of God’s word to be true as evidenced by the fulfillment of prophecy and the record of history. I really like the plain speaking of the New Living Translation of these words of Isaiah.
Isaiah 45:19–21 “I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner so no one can understand what I mean. And I did not tell the people of Israel to ask me for something I did not plan to give. I, the LORD, speak only what is true and right. “Gather together and come, you fugitives from surrounding nations. What fools they are who carry around their wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save! Consult together, argue your case, and state your proofs that idol worship pays. Who made these things known long ago? What idol ever told you they would happen? Was it not I, the LORD? For there is no other God but me—a just God and a Savior—no, not one!”
Though we cannot currently visibly “see” God, the evidences to His existence, power and authority surround us. True Christian faith is rooted in evidence; it is not blind faith or faith based on the reasoning of man—as is the case with most other belief systems.
One who has a healthy fear of God will give testimony through times of worship and praise.
Psalm 5:7 “But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.”
Psalm 22:23 “Ye that fear the LORD, praise him….”
Psalm 96:9 “O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.”
Revelation 19:5 “…Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.”
Webster tells us that worship means to show adoration and reference and that praise is to magnify and glorify through words or song. I love music, and it can provide one of the most effective ways of attuning our spirit with His Spirit and through which we can share our love and appreciation of Him and for His many blessings. The Apostle Paul recognized how music reflects our heart before the Lord.
Ephesians 5:18–20 “…be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ….”
Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
In fact, a wonderful way to learn scripture is through songs that are basically scripture set to music. My grandchildren have memorized much scripture through the music CD’s that are part of their homeschool curriculum. I have spent many wonderful hours worshipping and praising God by singing along with or just meditating on beautiful and joyful Christian music—from the old hymns to the contemporary Christian music of today. I encourage you to check out the scripture card slideshows on my website for a worship experience as you enjoy the truth of God’s word framed in the beauty of His creation. (www.momsbiblejournal.com/Pages/ScriptureCards.html)
Another powerful evidence that you have a healthy fear of the LORD is your willingness to make personal sacrifices in obedience to Him. There is no greater example of this than Abraham’s intent to sacrifice Isaac, the son through whom God had promised to fulfill His covenant with him.
Genesis 22:12 “And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.”
Paul tells us that it is only reasonable that we present ourselves as a living sacrifice to God.
Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
In other words, we are to die to self to live in submission and obedience to Him. He, in fact, tells us that this is the only reasonable response in light of the sacrifice of His Son to redeem us from our sin and give us an eternal future with Him. I remember being surprised to learn that God considers our words of praise and thanks to Him to be a sacrificial offering.
Hebrews 13:15 “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
Anything we do to show our gratitude to, worship of and submission to God is a sacrifice; it is something we freely offer. The word sacrifice implies that something is being given up for something else. When we take the time to truly praise God with “the fruit of our lips” and express our gratitude for His love, mercy, grace and forgiveness—not to mention our many material blessings—we are “sacrificing” or freely giving of our time, energy and thought to focus on Him over anything and everything else.
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