“For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” - 2 Corinthians 6:2
Still uneasy about the evidence and influence of false teachers in Corinth, Paul admonishes the people about their remaining worldliness and seeks to emphasize the immediacy of their salvation and ensuing sanctification. This is the plight of today’s ministers and pastors: trying to point out to the unsaved that “now is the accepted time . . . now is the day of salvation.”
How much more important is it in these times of gross worldliness that the unsaved are given the message to repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior? How long shall they wait? A day longer may be too late. In fact, for many it will be.
“Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7. Mercy and pardon are two of our Lord’s most loving gifts which He is more than willing to bestow upon those who come to Him in faith, belief and repentance. But we must come to Him now! We must come to Him now, not tomorrow or next week but now. For there will be a day when the Book of Life is closed and the die is cast. There will be a day when our Holy Lord will say, “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” - Matthew 7:23.
How many will scoff at the plea of Paul? How many will extrapolate that if God is willing today then He will also be willing tomorrow? How many can guarantee themselves a tomorrow? “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” - Matthew 25:13.
It is far to easy for those whose lives have been blessed abundantly by common grace to believe there is no pressing need to repent and turn to God. There is no hurry. These are the same people who will gladly and most enthusiastically wait until they are thirsty to dig a well. For so many it will be too late. “Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.” - John 8:21.
This is the day - this is the hour. May the Holy Spirit of God fill you with the urgent desire for salvation - today! Now!
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
The Good Fight - 2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. - 2 Timothy 4:7
I have often heard the phrase, “To beat the Devil.” The fact is we cannot beat the Devil. Allow me to explain. The Devil is a spiritual entity so powerful that he entered paradise and tempted Adam and Eve. We know the rest of the story. An entity like that we don’t beat. It’s not even our job to beat the Devil. Our job is to outlast him. That is what is meant by ‘the perseverance of the saints.’“Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” James 5:11.
“But,” they say, “how can we continue to fall and claim we are Christians?” The glory comes to us by way of our response to ‘the knock-down.’ The mandatory “3 Knock-down rule” has been waived for us by the grace of God. As long as we continue to get back up the fight goes on. There may be shame in being knocked down but there is no condemnation. We get back up and resolve not to get hit with that shot again.
There is no glory in suffering. The glory comes to us by the way we respond to the suffering. Remember, there are none who do not fall from time to time. Some fall more; some fall less, but our progress relies on our “getting up!” Stamina, courage and heart (perseverance) are not evident in the knockdown; they are evident in getting back up.
Satan is a formidable adversary. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” - 1 Peter 5:8. But for all his bellowing he is also subtle. His blows are sometimes soft. Sin is most often sweet to the tongue like a fine almond liqueur . . . and just as deadly as cyanide, a deadly poison known for it’s almond-like smell. We may even for a season believe we can roll with the punches. Do not deceive yourselves or you shall surely find yourself battered, bleeding, and on your knees.
We can outlast the Adversary if we but remember - “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” - Ephesians 6:10-13.
The “Armor of God” is our greatest weapon in the fight. It will surely protect us from spiritual annihilation at the hands of Satan. Wear it daily, May God always protect you from the wiles of the Devil.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
The Providence of God Today - 1 Corinthians 10:31
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31
We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that all God created is good - “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day - Genesis 1:31. If this is true, and when I ask “if” I mean it only rhetorically, why would anyone claim that we are not to enjoy God’s providence in our lives?
There are many religions (Islam, Mennonites, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, Mormons, and even some Baptists) who staunchly forbid many of life’s simple pleasures. From enjoying fine foods to drinking alcohol, to dancing, they all devoutly claim that God forbids these momentary worldly distractions. So what does the Bible say about these things?
Going back to 1 Corinthians 10 we read that Paul specifically states for the record - “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” - 1 Corinthians 10:23-26.
Obviously Paul isn’t suggesting that “all things” are lawful for us, but “all things (that are) lawful.” Certainly engaging in wanton and reckless debauchery was not what Paul was referring to. He was merely stating for the record that all things that were permitted him by his faith in Jesus Christ were lawful. Whether it be eating certain foods, enjoying an adult beverage or our conducting ourselves in the world we are to do whatever we do to glorify God!
Are we to grasp every chance to enjoy worldly pleasures? No more than we are to eat until we feel we are about to burst! Hedonism IS a sin! Remember the Westminster Catechism’s answer to its very first question: man’s chief end is to glorify God, and fully enjoy Him forever. Over-indulgence in any worldly thing can be both sinful (it doesn’t glorify God) and reckless, especially if the example we are setting makes a fellow Christian stumble in their progression (1 Corinthians 8:12).
God placed man on the earth to live and part of living is enjoying life just as part of living is dealing with trials and tribulations. When we are forced to endure troubles and Godly tests in this life we are to handle them the same way we handle our blessings: we are do all we do to the glory of God!
And to each of us whom persevere to the end in our walk with Christ, remember: “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’” - 1 Corinthians 2:9. No, we don’t get to live our best life now, that will come to those who are glorified in heaven; but we can still responsibly enjoy the good blessings that God has provided for us in this world. May God’s providence always keep you joyful.
We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that all God created is good - “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day - Genesis 1:31. If this is true, and when I ask “if” I mean it only rhetorically, why would anyone claim that we are not to enjoy God’s providence in our lives?
There are many religions (Islam, Mennonites, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, Mormons, and even some Baptists) who staunchly forbid many of life’s simple pleasures. From enjoying fine foods to drinking alcohol, to dancing, they all devoutly claim that God forbids these momentary worldly distractions. So what does the Bible say about these things?
Going back to 1 Corinthians 10 we read that Paul specifically states for the record - “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” - 1 Corinthians 10:23-26.
Obviously Paul isn’t suggesting that “all things” are lawful for us, but “all things (that are) lawful.” Certainly engaging in wanton and reckless debauchery was not what Paul was referring to. He was merely stating for the record that all things that were permitted him by his faith in Jesus Christ were lawful. Whether it be eating certain foods, enjoying an adult beverage or our conducting ourselves in the world we are to do whatever we do to glorify God!
Are we to grasp every chance to enjoy worldly pleasures? No more than we are to eat until we feel we are about to burst! Hedonism IS a sin! Remember the Westminster Catechism’s answer to its very first question: man’s chief end is to glorify God, and fully enjoy Him forever. Over-indulgence in any worldly thing can be both sinful (it doesn’t glorify God) and reckless, especially if the example we are setting makes a fellow Christian stumble in their progression (1 Corinthians 8:12).
God placed man on the earth to live and part of living is enjoying life just as part of living is dealing with trials and tribulations. When we are forced to endure troubles and Godly tests in this life we are to handle them the same way we handle our blessings: we are do all we do to the glory of God!
And to each of us whom persevere to the end in our walk with Christ, remember: “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’” - 1 Corinthians 2:9. No, we don’t get to live our best life now, that will come to those who are glorified in heaven; but we can still responsibly enjoy the good blessings that God has provided for us in this world. May God’s providence always keep you joyful.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
The Gospel Exposition - 1 Thessalonians 2:13
“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” - 1 Thessalonians 2:13
With the recent surge in social media outlets and ‘blogs’ I often encounter Christians who throw out a bible verse or two followed by a “Whoot-whoot!” And just as often I’m forced, by Christian reason and logic to question the motivation for such ‘Turrets-like utterances.” Does the speaker think, believe, or hope that spurting out such ostensibly ‘holy expressions’ will act like an effectual call to faith, repentance, and salvation upon unbelievers?
Our Christian faith is not some trending pop-culture anomaly. True Christian faith is founded on rational exegesis of holy scripture and a fundamental understanding of Christian theology and doctrine. To obtain such an understanding requires that a person receive the holy word of God in a sound expository manner. Expository preaching has always been a vital part of our faith’s growth for over two milennia. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” - Romans 10:17.
The great preachers throughout history from Luther and Calvin to Edwards and Whitfield to Spurgeon have always relied on expository preaching rather than charismatic outbursts. Our Lord, Jesus Christ taught the crowds using parables and speech designed to reach the ears and penetrate the hearts of those who would respond to the effectual call of the Holy Spirit.
So the waving of arms, stutter-stepping to charismatic outbursts, and losing one’s self in the fervor of some mystical spiritual moment neither spreads the gospel nor converts unbelievers. It is merely the crowing of a rooster who believes he has the only view of the sunrise.
Charles Spurgeon once wrote (and I paraphrase) that the Thessalonians received the gospel as God’s revealed word and as a result received it “with reverence of its divine character. With assurance of its infallibility. With obedience to its authority. With experience of its sacred power. They received it so it effectually worked in them. It was practical, efficient, and manifestly operative upon their lives and characters.” All this the Thessalonians received from the Holy Spirit inspired expository preaching of Paul.
Hearing the word of God delivered in a reverent, well articulated, life-applicable and thoughtful manner not only brings new believers into the fold but also edifies those who are already children of God. The sudden rant of a bible passage, without explanation or reason does nothing to edify believers and serves only to push unbelievers even further from God. It is not enough to tell them; we must tell them why. May God always open your heart to His word.
With the recent surge in social media outlets and ‘blogs’ I often encounter Christians who throw out a bible verse or two followed by a “Whoot-whoot!” And just as often I’m forced, by Christian reason and logic to question the motivation for such ‘Turrets-like utterances.” Does the speaker think, believe, or hope that spurting out such ostensibly ‘holy expressions’ will act like an effectual call to faith, repentance, and salvation upon unbelievers?
Our Christian faith is not some trending pop-culture anomaly. True Christian faith is founded on rational exegesis of holy scripture and a fundamental understanding of Christian theology and doctrine. To obtain such an understanding requires that a person receive the holy word of God in a sound expository manner. Expository preaching has always been a vital part of our faith’s growth for over two milennia. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” - Romans 10:17.
The great preachers throughout history from Luther and Calvin to Edwards and Whitfield to Spurgeon have always relied on expository preaching rather than charismatic outbursts. Our Lord, Jesus Christ taught the crowds using parables and speech designed to reach the ears and penetrate the hearts of those who would respond to the effectual call of the Holy Spirit.
So the waving of arms, stutter-stepping to charismatic outbursts, and losing one’s self in the fervor of some mystical spiritual moment neither spreads the gospel nor converts unbelievers. It is merely the crowing of a rooster who believes he has the only view of the sunrise.
Charles Spurgeon once wrote (and I paraphrase) that the Thessalonians received the gospel as God’s revealed word and as a result received it “with reverence of its divine character. With assurance of its infallibility. With obedience to its authority. With experience of its sacred power. They received it so it effectually worked in them. It was practical, efficient, and manifestly operative upon their lives and characters.” All this the Thessalonians received from the Holy Spirit inspired expository preaching of Paul.
Hearing the word of God delivered in a reverent, well articulated, life-applicable and thoughtful manner not only brings new believers into the fold but also edifies those who are already children of God. The sudden rant of a bible passage, without explanation or reason does nothing to edify believers and serves only to push unbelievers even further from God. It is not enough to tell them; we must tell them why. May God always open your heart to His word.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Standing In the Clearing - 2 Corinthians 7:10-11
“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” - 2 Corinthians 7:10-11
There is a distinct and fatal difference between sorrow produced by worldly fear and that produced by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. One is induced by fear of worldly recompense and, as Paul says, “produces death;” the other is produced by the indwelling of God’s Spirit acting in His capacity to transform us into creatures of light rather than darkness. Worldly sorrow is that which picks at us to seek excuse, subterfuge, and evasion. We try to hide ourselves as Adam tried to hide from God . . . to no avail. Ultimately, both Adam and Eve stood “in the clearing,” naked before the Lord. Godly sorrow is always manifested in our nakedness, in our humbling, our humiliation, our conviction, and total desire for true forgiveness.
Worldly sorrow is insincere; it is disingenuous. Such sorrow seeks to avoid consequence. And while we may think or believe we have evaded God’s justice for the time being we have only succeeded in storing up for ourselves His holy wrath. Whereas true Godly sorrow is evidenced by sincere and genuine repentance. We must recall the words of David in Psalm 51: 3-4 - “For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.”
David “acknowledged” his sin before the Lord. He hid it not nor did he excuse it nor evade it. He stood “in the clearing” . . . before the Lord. It was David’s desire to come clean with his God, to be “clear in this matter.” But the Psalmist didn’t stop there. He went further. He went to the place that God desires all of us to go-
“Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.” - Psalm 51:11-12. David plead for the continued comfort and strength of God’s Holy Spirit because the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the real evidence of our true saving faith. Where the Spirit does not reside there is no Godly sorrow. Where the Spirit does not reside there is no salvation.
Godly sorrow manifests itself on three distinct avenues, all leading to the same destination: we are sorry to God, our Holy Father, for our stubborn disobedience to Him as our Creator and Sustainer. We are sorry to Jesus Christ, our Savior who suffers torture at our hands and dies upon the cross, over and over again with each of our transgressions. We are sorry to the Holy Spirit whom we grieve with our prideful eviction of His presence in our hearts. We are sorry to our God, our Redeemer, and our Comforter. This is Godly sorrow. No running; no hiding; no excuses. We stand in the clearing. May God keep you and comfort you.
There is a distinct and fatal difference between sorrow produced by worldly fear and that produced by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. One is induced by fear of worldly recompense and, as Paul says, “produces death;” the other is produced by the indwelling of God’s Spirit acting in His capacity to transform us into creatures of light rather than darkness. Worldly sorrow is that which picks at us to seek excuse, subterfuge, and evasion. We try to hide ourselves as Adam tried to hide from God . . . to no avail. Ultimately, both Adam and Eve stood “in the clearing,” naked before the Lord. Godly sorrow is always manifested in our nakedness, in our humbling, our humiliation, our conviction, and total desire for true forgiveness.
Worldly sorrow is insincere; it is disingenuous. Such sorrow seeks to avoid consequence. And while we may think or believe we have evaded God’s justice for the time being we have only succeeded in storing up for ourselves His holy wrath. Whereas true Godly sorrow is evidenced by sincere and genuine repentance. We must recall the words of David in Psalm 51: 3-4 - “For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.”
David “acknowledged” his sin before the Lord. He hid it not nor did he excuse it nor evade it. He stood “in the clearing” . . . before the Lord. It was David’s desire to come clean with his God, to be “clear in this matter.” But the Psalmist didn’t stop there. He went further. He went to the place that God desires all of us to go-
“Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.” - Psalm 51:11-12. David plead for the continued comfort and strength of God’s Holy Spirit because the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the real evidence of our true saving faith. Where the Spirit does not reside there is no Godly sorrow. Where the Spirit does not reside there is no salvation.
Godly sorrow manifests itself on three distinct avenues, all leading to the same destination: we are sorry to God, our Holy Father, for our stubborn disobedience to Him as our Creator and Sustainer. We are sorry to Jesus Christ, our Savior who suffers torture at our hands and dies upon the cross, over and over again with each of our transgressions. We are sorry to the Holy Spirit whom we grieve with our prideful eviction of His presence in our hearts. We are sorry to our God, our Redeemer, and our Comforter. This is Godly sorrow. No running; no hiding; no excuses. We stand in the clearing. May God keep you and comfort you.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
No Pets in the Pearly - John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16
Recently, I have heard people speak of pets they have lost. Some were long time members of their families and obviously well loved and care for. Then I hear the clanging of a harsh cymbal - “I’ll see them again one day.” What? I ask myself. When? Where? Ohhhh, you mean ‘in heaven.’ Sorry again, my faithful believer: no pets in the Pearly!
John 3:16 specifically state that whoever believes in Jesus Christ will have everlasting life, not “whatever!” Even the psalmist says, after a litany of creatures that God has created -
You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.” Psalm 104:29
There are those who would argue to the contrary citing Isaiah 11:6-9 -
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea”
Unfortunately Isaiah didn’t say, “And they will play with Fido again . . . .”
I have even heard the ridiculous comment that if part of our eternal happiness in heaven requires us to reconnect with our former pets it will be so. Trust me, our happiness in heaven will in no way rely on our seeing dead pets again. The glory of being in God’s holy presence is all we will need for eternal bliss.
No, of all God’s creation, heaven is reserved for angels and men. Which is not to suggest that God could not, should He choose to, include our former pets in our heavenly experience. There simply is no scriptural support for such a notion.
The problem with such convoluted thinking is that it stems from human sentiment or emotion. We feel a deep love and attachment to our pets and when they leave us we transfer this feeling of emotional loss into a desire to keep them alive in our hearts. One of the best methods for this is to try to convince ourselves that we will see them again. Aside from some twisted horror novel we understand that this is impossible; the beloved pet is dead. There is no animal resurrection. Again, the notion of such a thing finds no support in holy scripture. So we tend to assuage our feelings of loss with the misconception that we will see the deceased pet again . . . in heaven. That is, at least, if we have a belief in the afterlife. If we don’t then the whole issue is moot.
We must find solace in the fact that we tended this deceased animal throughout its life. We cared for it in sickness and health and we enjoyed God’s blessing of camaraderie the pet shared with us. We followed God’s law and were good stewards. Beyond this gratification we must be especially careful not to attempt to create a heavenly gateway of our own liking as opposed to the heavenly gateway as described in holy scripture.
We must remember that animals do not have souls. Only men have souls. Animals are not sinful or evil by nature and therefore cannot be ‘regenerated or ‘born again;’only men can be born again. Remember always, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” - John 3:3.
May God’s blessings continue to shower you.
Recently, I have heard people speak of pets they have lost. Some were long time members of their families and obviously well loved and care for. Then I hear the clanging of a harsh cymbal - “I’ll see them again one day.” What? I ask myself. When? Where? Ohhhh, you mean ‘in heaven.’ Sorry again, my faithful believer: no pets in the Pearly!
John 3:16 specifically state that whoever believes in Jesus Christ will have everlasting life, not “whatever!” Even the psalmist says, after a litany of creatures that God has created -
You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.” Psalm 104:29
There are those who would argue to the contrary citing Isaiah 11:6-9 -
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea”
Unfortunately Isaiah didn’t say, “And they will play with Fido again . . . .”
I have even heard the ridiculous comment that if part of our eternal happiness in heaven requires us to reconnect with our former pets it will be so. Trust me, our happiness in heaven will in no way rely on our seeing dead pets again. The glory of being in God’s holy presence is all we will need for eternal bliss.
No, of all God’s creation, heaven is reserved for angels and men. Which is not to suggest that God could not, should He choose to, include our former pets in our heavenly experience. There simply is no scriptural support for such a notion.
The problem with such convoluted thinking is that it stems from human sentiment or emotion. We feel a deep love and attachment to our pets and when they leave us we transfer this feeling of emotional loss into a desire to keep them alive in our hearts. One of the best methods for this is to try to convince ourselves that we will see them again. Aside from some twisted horror novel we understand that this is impossible; the beloved pet is dead. There is no animal resurrection. Again, the notion of such a thing finds no support in holy scripture. So we tend to assuage our feelings of loss with the misconception that we will see the deceased pet again . . . in heaven. That is, at least, if we have a belief in the afterlife. If we don’t then the whole issue is moot.
We must find solace in the fact that we tended this deceased animal throughout its life. We cared for it in sickness and health and we enjoyed God’s blessing of camaraderie the pet shared with us. We followed God’s law and were good stewards. Beyond this gratification we must be especially careful not to attempt to create a heavenly gateway of our own liking as opposed to the heavenly gateway as described in holy scripture.
We must remember that animals do not have souls. Only men have souls. Animals are not sinful or evil by nature and therefore cannot be ‘regenerated or ‘born again;’only men can be born again. Remember always, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” - John 3:3.
May God’s blessings continue to shower you.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
No Free Delivery: The Second Law of Gleaning - Leviticus 19:9 - 10
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.” - Leviticus 19:9-10
It seem that more often than not I am at odds with those who have either never read Leviticus 19:9-10 and/or its adjacents (i.e. Lev. 23:22 and Deut. 24:19-22) or have a convoluted notion of their meaning. It is not difficult. In fact, the Old Testament actually presents us with a vivid example of the second law of gleaning in Ruth 2:8-23; specifically - “And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, ‘Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.’” - Ruth 2:15-16. So there simply is no excuse for getting it wrong.
Let us first examine what scripture means by the word, ‘gleaning,’ or ‘to glean.” The Hebrew prime root is ‘lâqat;’ meaning ‘to pick up, or ‘to gather.’ Gathering crops was a common practice in the Bronze Age and therefore was something all were familiar with. So in our case what was meant by the second law of gleaning? Within the second law of gleaning was the word ‘leave’ - the Hebrew prime root - ‘âzab,’ to relinquish. So upon the gathering of crops the Israelites were charged with relinquishing the corners of their fields and those crops which had fallen during the gathering. Notice that nowhere within the scripture is there a command from God - to deliver the gleanings to the poor and the stranger! They are certainly welcome to those gleanings but it required that they actually put in their own efforts to collect the God-gifted charity . . . for themselves.
So how does the second law of gleaning apply for us in today’s society? The gathering of crops today relies more on technology than back-breaking work, except, of course, in the case of migrant field labor: some crops still require hard work to gather. So in the world today the able-bodied poor and the able-bodied stranger are required to at least make a minimal effort to gather or perform some other manner of labor to receive the generosity of those who have an abundance. Notice that in the aforementioned verses God does not mention the sick, elderly or disabled in His law of gleaning, only the poor and the stranger. Scripture has always addressed the needs of the former; it goes without saying that we are to take care of these unfortunates. No, this particular scripture is specifically addressing the able-bodied poor and those who are simply ‘without.’ There will be food available for them, but they must do something to receive this blessing from God. There simply is no ‘free-ride’ for those who are capable of earning their own needs. “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.’” - 2 Thessalonians 3:10. Paul doesn’t say those who cannot or are unable to work. He says those who are unwilling! And this New Testament command could actually be considered God’s ‘third law of gleaning,’ as well as a warning of violating the 8th Commandment - “Thou shalt not steal.” For one who is perfectly capable of working for a living yet refuses to do so is stealing from those who do work for a living? This is the heart of the law of gleaning: you will gather for yourselves but you will always leave some for the less fortunate to gather for themselves.
One final word - just as in the verses from Ruth, we, who have been blessed greatly with abundance should neither reproach nor rebuke those who must rely upon our charity. If they are willing to take responsibility for their own gathering then they are fulfilling God’s law and we should find joy in their willingness to do what they can to earn for themselves.
May the truth of the Lord lives always in your heart
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