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| | Tuesday's Pithy Pondering (1 day early)
I've been reading some comments and discussions in several places
recently on the subject of acceptance of sin in the lives of other
people: of Christians looking down on "sinners" and telling them they
are not good enough. The argument goes that we should not tell someone
that their cussing is wrong, that their drinking or smoking is wrong,
that their sexual sin is wrong, that their lying is wrong. We should
just "love" them and accept them as they are, for after all none of us
is perfect. One of the examples given was King David who God describes
in Scripture (Acts 13:22) as a man after His own heart. Yet David
became an adulterer and murderer. It can be argued from the context of
the verse in Acts that God was calling David a man after His heart when
He raised him up as King but then David fell away and out of God's
favor. This argument falls apart however when we see David in the list
of the faithful in Hebrews 11. So how can a murdeous adulterer be a
great man of faith after God's own heart?
Not to sound like a former President of the USA, but it all depends on
what "after" is. The Greek word translated here as after is kata
(Strong's 2596). It most often indicates a journey in a downward
direction. I know, I know, how could God's heart be a downhill journey
for a man !?! Hang in here with me. It can also mean the position of an
object oriented toward a particular direction - facing, toward (from
Greek-English Lexicon Based on Semantic Domain. Copyright (c) 1988
United Bible Societies, New York.) I believe what God was saying about
David was not that he was holy LIKE God, but that he was SEEKING God.
He was oriented toward God and this IS a downhill direction for a man
because our pride lifts us up in our own esteem and makes us want to
find our own way. It makes us believe, in essence, that we are more
powerful than God and say "I don't need you God, I can handle this on
my own." To put it more simply, David was a man who sought and tried to
follow god's will.
Did he always succeed? No. In fact he failed spectacularly. When he
failed and fell into sin, was he just loved and accepted by the godly
people around him? Again no. 2 Samuel chapter 12 recounts what happened
when Nathan found out what David had done:
12:1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and
said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the
other poor.
2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had
bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his
children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay
in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take
of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man
that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it
for the man that was come to him.
5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to
Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall
surely die:
6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
KJV
Now Nathan lowers God's boom on David:
7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God
of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out
of the hand of Saul;
8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy
bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had
been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such
things.
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil
in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and
hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword
of the children of Ammon.
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because
thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to
be thy wife.
11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out
of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and
give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the
sight of this sun.
12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And
Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt
not die.
14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the
enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee
shall surely die.
KJV
Notice, in verse 13, after David confessed his sin, God put away
David's sin. He forgave him. He would not die. (Since David is not
walking among us today it is important to understand death. Death is
simply a separation, and there are two types of death. Physical death
is separation of the soul from the body. Spiritual death is the
separation of the soul from God. As my Pastor would say, that was a
freebie, no extra charge) BUT THE PUNISHMENT STOOD! There are always
consequences of sin. God doesn't just look the other way when we sin.
Nathan didn't just accept David's sin. He confronted him. And think
about it. As king, David had the power to kill anyone he wanted to, and
had already demonstrated his willingness to do so. Nathan wasn't just
going to maybe lose a friend by confronting him and telling him his sin
was wrong. He could very well lose his life!
But that was old testament right?. In the new testament it's all warm
fuzzies and forgiveness right? Let's read 1 Corinthians chapter 5:
5:1 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. 2 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? 3 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. 4 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, 5 hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature
may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
6 Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works
through the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast that you
may be a new batch without yeast-as you really are. For Christ, our
Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the
Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness,
but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually
immoral people- 10 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. 11 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.
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are
you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. "Expel
the wicked man from among you."
NIV
Whoa! Judging and handing over to Satan and not associating with
degenerates who call themselves brothers. That's not very Chritlike!
Actually it is extremely Christlike. Who did Jesus condemn and vilify?
The Pharisees and the religous leaders who made a SHOW of being
righteous and holy but were actually no such thing.(Matt 23:23-33: Luke
11:39-52:Luke 18:9-14) He condemned their hypocricy. The word of God (1
Cor 5:2) tells us that we should grieve over a person who has fallen
into sin and put him out of our fellowship instead of being inclusive
and understanding. This is the loving thing to do. The goal is given in
verse 5; that he might realize his sin, come to repentance, and his
spirit might be saved. If no one tells him he is wrong how can he
repent? How can he change his course from one that leads to destruction
to one that leads to life? Notice that it refers in verse 11 to one who
CALLS himself a brother. The implication I believe is clear. There are
people who call themselves Christian who are not. We are told to tell
people who are not believers, not Christians, about Jesus. We are to
tell them to repent, turn away from their sinful lifestyles and accept
Jesus as Lord and Savour. This is the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8
There's a great anti drug commercial on TV now. It shows two teenage
bike riders. One has fallen in the middle of the road and hurt himself.
He's curled up on the pavement, holding his leg and writhing in pain.
The other one is just standing there looking at him. We see an 18
wheeler bearing down on them. The one standing looks up and sees the
truck. Then he looks back at his friend but does nothing. The voice
over then says something to the effect of "If you saw a friend in
trouble you'ld say something....wouldn't you?" What is the loving thing
to do in that situation? Be accepting of the other guys problem or to
help him out of the trouble?
Do you remember WHY David was punished? "2 Sam 12:14 Howbeit, because
by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD
to blaspheme" By accepting sin in our churches we give the same
occasion. The lost look at the church and see no difference in their
lives and ours so who needs God and His church? Why waste a Sunday
morning if I can drink and smoke and cuss and fornicate and lie just
like the "Christians" in church? As Christians we are to be different
than the rest of the world. We are Christ's ambassadors. When we are
saved there should be a change:
Eph 4:20-5:20
20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you
heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that
is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of
life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its
deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24
and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true
righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to
his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 "In your anger do
not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and
do not give the devil a foothold. 28 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.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only
what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that
it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit
of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid
of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with
every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 5
5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live
a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a
fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or
of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for
God's holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or
coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For
of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a man
is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of
God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because
of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7
Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live
as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all
goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the
Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but
rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the
disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light
becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This
is why it is said:
"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
15 Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, 16
making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled
with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and
spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20
always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
NIV
Folks, it boils down to this: If you say you have accepted Jesus as
Lord and Savour but your life is no different now than it was before
then you should probably reevaluate whether you have truly accepted
him. When we accept Jesus he writes his commandments on our hearts.
Keeping them is now an internal desire instead of an imposition by an
outside force (the Law). Will a cigarette send you to hell? No (It just
makes you smell like you've already been there!) Will a drink of
alcohol? No. Will saying I don't care what God says, I'm going to do it
anyway? Yep.
One last verse:
John 14:20-21
21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who
loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will
love him and show myself to him."
KJV
Do you keep His commands? If not, you don't love him. His words ... not mine. | | | Posted 12/27/2004 5:07 PM - 4 views - 9 comments
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