Who Is Without Sin? - James 2:10

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. - James 2:10

    “Yes, but I’m a pretty good person overall and I treat people the way I’d like to be treated.” I wish I had a heavenly blessing for every time I have heard that song. Make no mistake: there are literally millions of people who actually believe that tripe. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” - 1 John 1:8.
    Certainly, I know dozens of people who are outwardly fine folks. They can be counted on to empathize with us and support us when the chips are down. Need a favor? They are right there for us. Need a kidney; they have a spare. These are the people we most often refer to when we say, “friend.” But “sinless?” And rather than convict them of deceit or subterfuge, it could well be that they simply misunderstand the notion of sin in our lives.
    The English Anglican cleric, George Whitefield once wrote - “And if one evil thought, if one evil word, if one evil action, deserves eternal damnation, how many hells my friends, do every one of us deserve, whose whole lives have been one continued rebellion against God!” Whitefield was merely stating the truth of our fallen human nature. Seriously, are we to believe one who claims he or she has never had an evil thought about someone? And no! It doesn’t depend on how we define ‘evil’. If it was wrongful to any degree, it was evil in the sight of God. Jesus Christ, Himself warned us of this very danger. “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” - Matthew 5:21-22.
    Jesus tells us that our sinful liability extends to every thought, word, and deed! A few verses later, Christ reiterates His warning - “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” - Matthew 5:27-28. Just a look can mean a sin of the heart. That is the standard that God holds us to. With this in evidence, can we still object and deny that we have sinned in the sight of God?
    Understanding the reality of sin in our lives is not merely a negative religious allusion but part of Christian doctrine: the doctrine of sin. This doctrine comes with the full force of Biblical power and resonates through both Testaments of Holy Scripture. “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” - Psalm 51:5. The universality of sin punctuates the pages of the Bible. And ever since Adam committed his sin we have come forth in our own. “. . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God . . .” - Romans 3:23. That means all of us.
    So where is the hope that Christians can cling to? The hope we cling to is in Christ our Lord who atoned for our sins with His perfect and holy sacrifice. Christ’s death and resurrection assure us of our forgiveness, our justification, and our salvation. “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:11-12.
    May we begin to see the weight of sin in our lives and heed the call of Christ, our Savior when he says - “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” - Matthew 4:17.

No New Revelations - Deuteronomy 4:2

You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you. - Deuteronomy 4:2

    Despite the precautions set forth in the Bible, there are still a number of people who want to proclaim that they have literally “heard from the Lord.” A number of Christian and semi-Christian denominations make these absurd claims of divine private revelations that somehow supersede the Holy Scriptures. From Catholic subsets to Charismatic fringe groups to syncretic neo-Christian cults, the prevalence of such claims defies God’s very words! “ . . . and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” - Revelation 22:19. God has clearly stated that we are not to add to His Biblical revelation nor take away from it under penalty of judgment!
    When we think about God’s warnings and test them against Scripture, it becomes clear that God was expecting such heresy from the beginning. Understand this: no “saint” or “holy person” has been given any private extra-Biblical revelation, whether it be Mother Eugenia Ravasio or Padre Pio. For anyone to insist that such “saints” have indeed heard private revelations is to contradict the very words of God!
    Many of these alleged private revelations are uniquely unremarkable in that they don’t reveal anything of Biblical substance. To go into the subject in detail would literally require a full-length book and even then it would only touch upon the subject. According to the Catholic Church, private revelations are distinguishable by several criteria which include their inherent fallibility. By their very nature, they are prone to misinterpretation or misunderstanding. They do not and cannot hold the weight of Holy Scripture!
    The very words, “God told me . . .” have been the road to perdition for countless souls. And “visions” and “experiences” are encumbered by the same danger. Can God reveal Himself to whomever He chooses? Of course, He can. Does He do so on a predictable basis and schedule? No! It is like a miracle. God can and does heal many in the world today in ways that defy human understanding. Does He do it for everyone? Of course not. It is this very type of misconstruction of God’s providence that shores up the disbelief of so many of Christianity’s detractors. To this very day, people who claim that God has spoken directly to them are painted as delusional half-wits with scant education and visions of fancy, unless, of course, their unbelievable claims are “validated” by the Roman church. Even then, most secular thinkers and those of the Reformed Christian faith remain unconvinced. The secular crowd refuses to believe in anything of a spiritual nature while the Reformed Christians fall back to Scripture - Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:19.
    Why then is the belief in such fantastic claims endorsed by any sect of Christianity? The prevailing thought on the subject can be traced back to the Reformation and the realization that the Roman Church now had a legitimate contender for the true faith in Protestantism. Oddly enough, there was a substantial rise in demonic possessions which correlates to the battle line between the two Christian sects, both vying for converts. The Romans were convinced that the gaudy and theatrical would bring more converts to Catholicism, thus all the rituals. While the Protestants believed in the sheer power of the Word of God. In other words, the Catholics took you to the theater; the Protestants took you to church!    
    “So,” one might ask, “what’s the harm in simply humoring this handful of capricious claims to divine revelation?” First of all, such a nod to these ridiculous assertions is the same as quietly approving of a child’s imaginary playmate. Secondly, from a gospel defense position, when any kind of doubt is sowed into the Word of God it threatens the veracity of Scripture and as such will incur the wrath of God. “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” - Galatians 1:8-9.
    Finally, we are commanded by Christ Himself to reject such nonsense - “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” - Matthew 24:23-24.
    God has indeed spoken to all of us as it is revealed in the Bible. Therein we find His words . . . and nowhere else.

On The Matter Of Sound Doctrine - Titus 1:9

He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. - Titus 1:9
                                       

    How many times have you heard it - “Doctrine? Doctrine? We don’t do doctrine; we do love because love brings God’s people together; doctrine divides.” To which I say be very careful before you push sound doctrine to the back pew. “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.” - Romans 16:17.
    Despite the seeker-friendly evangelicals who dislike doctrine it must be said that without doctrine they are all blindly bumping up against one another, hoping against hope that no controversy may rise within their ranks that cannot be assuaged or put away with love. It is this abnormal fear of sound doctrine that betrays a congregation and convinces a church that it is better off without the guidance of Holy Scripture. That is why so many evangelical churches avoid expository preaching from God’s holy word. Doctrine is more than a theological concept; it is a rule that influences thought, word, and deed. This is why sound doctrine is so vitally important to the church. “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions . . .” - 1 Timothy 6:3-5.
    While Paul admonishes church elders to avoid the strange fires of ungodly doctrine, he also reminds them that the congregants are also to blame for these lapses in sound teaching. The elders succumb to the pressure to put on their wooden smiles and preach words which are inoffensive and uplifting so that everyone can go home from the service feeling good about themselves. This is unsound doctrine! “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
- 2 Timothy 4:3-4.
    But why is sound Biblical doctrine so important? What makes doctrine the lynchpin on which the true church of God stands or falls? Why can’t church members meet on the Sabbath Day and fellowship without having the strict direction of Scripture imposed upon them to dampen their otherwise lovely day? “understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.” 1 Timothy 1:9-11. Clearly, without sound doctrine, any number of insidious teachings and heresies can and will seep into the church.
    How can we know then whether the doctrines taught are truly the doctrines based on the words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?  We can by exercising our spiritual discernment as the Bereans did. “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” -  Acts 17:11.  Examination of the Holy Scriptures is the only way we, as Christians, can test the doctrines and teachings that we are subjected to. And this counsel comes to us from the source of God’s revelation to us: the Holy Bible! “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” - 1 John 4:1. The Bible would not advise us to test what we are taught if it wasn’t just that important. Let us put away fancy and embrace Biblical truth without error.

Trusting God - Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. - Proverbs 3:5-6

    I have often heard from people how God has somehow disappointed them in their lives. The issue may arise from personal problems that remained in spite of prayer. It can often come from friends or family members who have found life to be a constant struggle. Again prayer or a poor facsimile of prayer has failed to produce a remedy for these problems. The one constant in their minds is that God is at fault. For some inexplicable reason it is all God’s fault. “When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord.” - Proverbs 19:3. We are so certain that it’s all God’s fault that we even devise ways to place the blame on Him. “The man said, ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.’” - Genesis 3:12.
    Since I’m not necessarily privy to people’s issues I could only, at best, suspect what the inherent problem really is. However, my own human experience allows me to analyze the base vexation. You see, over the years, I have lived my life as an offense to God. By the time I reached the age of fifty, I had cajoled, given excuse, and tried to mitigate my stiff-necked resistance to all thing related to God. I was certain that I was doing just fine making life decisions on the fly, regardless of the effect those decisions had on those around me. The heartache that I fueled throughout those terrible years can never be recompensed. And despite the personal responsibility I bore, I still managed to question the involvement of God. When things came crashing down around me and blame needed to be placed, I heard the question of the ages - “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” - Romans 9:20.
    Despite the hedonist lifestyle I lived, God chose to bless me in spite of myself; the blessing did not go unnoticed. In fact, it is only by the grace of God that I can confess to those bad decisions today. And it was only after I surrendered my will to God that my life turned as all truly repentant lives turn. I stopped living life according to my own worldly agenda and started living my life according to God’s will for me. Once I did, life became “liveable without regret.” Because I learned the lesson of the Kingdom of God. “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” - Matthew 6:31-33. Once I learned to seek first the Kingdom of God, I was blessed to receive the things I needed in life, not this very moment but when God deemed I needed them.
    We all grouse and complain over the things we don’t have or the opportunities we have been denied or the results we wanted and expected. Whether it be prosperity, health, or just our basic needs, God knows what we need and He knows when we need it. And until we recognize and accept those realities we will continue in our misery. And that is not to suggest that accepting God’s providence and His timing is going to make our lives trouble-free. We must remember that we live in a fallen world and its corruption affects us all. Saints and sinners share this world and oftentimes God’s common blessings and providence  are granted to and thrust upon all of us. We cannot escape the effects of sickness and death as long as remain in this world. It is ludicrous to think we can, regardless of our standing before God. “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die” - Ecclesiastes 3:1-2.
    It makes no difference what our bone of contention with God is. Whether it be a nasty divorce, a child’s death, the loss of employment, a personal battle with some terrible disease, or simply a less than stellar set of life circumstances. Anger with God is a no-win situation. God is infinite; we are finite. The proper response to a crisis or distressing situation in our lives is not to choose battle with God! We must accept the will of God as it manifests itself in our lives, whether the outcome is what we hoped and prayed for or not. And we must constantly remember - “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:26-28.
    Because we live in a fallen world we will, at times, be faced with tribulations and adversity. We can either grouse with the Almighty God or we can approach Him with humble and contrite hearts, willing, through the strength of the Holy Spirit, to accept His will for our lives. That is trusting God.
  

The Day Of Mercy, The Day Of Healing - Matthew 11:4-6

And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” - Matthew 11:4-6

    As John the Baptist lay in Herod’s prison, he reflected on what he had witnessed of Jesus. Was He the promised Messiah? John’s uncertainty hinged upon Scripture’s promise that the coming Messiah would bring judgment to the world. But so far, he had not seen Jesus pronounce judgment upon anyone. So, he wondered, could we be awaiting another one? So he sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask if He was the Promised One. “and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” -  Matthew 11:3. John’s momentary lapse brought a mild rebuke from Jesus. “Blessed is the one who is not offended by Me.”
    Jesus told John’s disciples to return to John with an account of what they had witnessed - healing. Christ came, bringing healing to those in need as He had promised. “But when he heard it, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.’” - Matthew 9: 12-13. Jesus was clearly in full parable mode when He declared His intention to the Pharisees. Surely, they had no concept of what he was saying, but John would know.
    Christ brought more than healing to the crowds; He brought forth the Good News of His Gospel. For those He preached to who were spiritually sick, the Gospel would be what they needed for healing. This was the initial stage of Jesus’ ministry. “And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.” - Matthew 4:23.
    Jesus’ entire earthly ministry was based on His mercy to a fallen world. He healed and preached, preached and healed. He healed broken bodies and broken souls and assured all of His Good News, that He had come bearing salvation. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” - Luke 19:10. Christ’s twofold approach to fallen man was mercy and healing. Judgment will come later but be assured, judgment will certainly come. “For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son . . . And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.” - John 5:22, 27.
    While John the Baptist may have had questions about the Messiah, he sent his concerns to Jesus, knowing that Christ was the only source for the truth. No one else could have reassured John of Jesus’ deity. Only Jesus could answer John to his satisfaction and God’s glory. Only Jesus could testify to His own place in the salvation of man. And testify He did to John’s disciples. In a matter-of-fact manner, without rancor or anger, Jesus told John’s disciples of the healings and the preaching of the Gospel. These were the proofs of Christ’s messiahship.
    We can all certainly use mercy and healing of both body and soul. And Jesus has offered us His mercy. He has offered us His healing. He has offered us His peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” - John 14:27.
    John the Baptist was reassured by the word of Christ that He was indeed the “One who is to come.” Let our doubts be far removed from us and let our faith in Christ rise on the wings of His word.
   

The Sword of Prayer - Ephesians 6:18

“ . . . praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints . . . .”- Ephesians 6:18

    I pray every day and every night. It doesn’t make me a “saint.” In fact, it is because I’m no saint that prayer is vital for my spiritual life. Prayer is one-on-one communication with God, quite possibly the best definition I can give you.
    Why pray? What’s the point? For one thing, God has promised to forgive us our sins. Will any of us actually stand here and deny we sin? “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:8-9. Approaching the concept of sin, even from the most secular position, implies there is probably going to be a price to pay for our transgressions. Should we profit by ignoring the demands of the one true holy God?
    A second reason I pray is because Scripture tells us that it is good for the community I live in, the place where I live, work, eat, sleep and raise my family! “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” - 1 Timothy 2:1-4.
We live in a fallen world; does it not make sense to pray for its salvation . . . and mine?              Certainly, I am called upon to seek God’s grace and blessings and He has said by seeking Him and turning from sin, He will forgive us and heal us. “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.
    The key to successful prayer is God’s will. We can’t just pray for anything and expect God to come through for us like a genii. It just doesn’t work that way. We must always and everywhere pray for God’s will to be done. Only then can we hope for an answer. If we fail to consider God’s will, He won’t even hear us. “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” - 1 John 5:14.
    But, we cry that despite our best efforts He doesn’t hear us. The hard truth is ever before us. This truth will not be denied. “We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.” - John 9:31. Need more? “but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” - Isaiah 59:2. God doesn’t listen? He has spoken. Are we listening? “If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” - Proverbs 28:9.
    God has given us a command that will benefit us if we heed it. It tells us what we must do and it tells us why we must do it. If we ignore it, we do so at our own peril. If we ignore it, we should not be surprised by the silence which greets us. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
    Even a casual observer can tell us that God’s command to pray and His demands for it are indicative of the primary weapon in our spiritual arsenal. Prayer. And we cannot have it or use it on our own worldly terms. It must be on God’s terms or it will not be prayer at all. Ungodly prayer emits no more than the sound of a crackling fire and all that is left afterward is ashes.

Empathy: A Godly Trait - Romans 12:15

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. - Romans 12:15

    We flip through the channels at night, seeking something worthwhile, entertaining at least, to watch on the tube. As we cascade through the seemingly endless tripe, we pass numerous calls for mercy via charities devoted to the poor, the unfortunates maimed by war or disease, the destitute. And we continue to move past them at an ever-increasing speed. How often are we moved by the plight of so many people in truly dire straits?
    I’m not suggesting that we jerk open our bankbooks and begin to write a plethora of checks to every conceivable charity or cause we encounter. Judicious discernment is called for as in any situation that calls upon us to contribute our time or resources to a humanitarian concern. But as Christians, we are called upon to follow the examples set by Christ Jesus regarding the plight of our fellow human beings. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” - Matthew 9:36. Jesus exemplified empathy. In His incarnate form, He knew all too well those issues and circumstances which plague the human body and soul. He identified with the hopeless in that He understood and cared about their troubles. The pain and suffering of the human condition affected Jesus greatly. “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept.” - John 11:33-35.
    In each of the aforementioned examples of Christ’s empathy, we see that His pity is aroused upon “seeing” the particular plight. Does seeing the human plight arouse such feelings of empathy in us? God knows our human condition. He knows there is no exultant bone in our bodies. There is no great esteem associated with the flesh. God knows how pitiful we are by our very nature. “For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” - Psalm 103:14. Still, He showers us with His common grace, even to those who refuse to His Lordship.
    We are called by God to do right by our fellow human beings. We are called to identify with them even in their hopelessness. We are called to remember those times and places when we too were hopeless. “You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.” - Exodus 23:9.
    While we may never have suffered from a serious disease or suffered the loss of our home or job or suffered the physical loss of life or limb in the noble service to our nation, we must be able to identify with those situations as members of humanity and respond where there is a need. Simple words of consolation will not do when there is a need that we are capable of providing for. “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” - James 2:15-17.
    In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he thanks them, in its final section, for their concern for his welfare. And despite his position that he had learned to be content in “every and any circumstance,” he added, “Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.” - Philippians 4:14. This is the Biblical essence of empathy - that we share in each other’s troubles to the degree that we can.
    I’m not suggesting that every plea become a God-given command. I only suggest that if we can put ourselves in another person’s place, we may well see the legitimate need in that person.
    We must take off our blinders, perhaps and see that we can always find a way to show genuine empathy for our brothers and sisters in much the same way we would hope that they could show us empathy and compassion. This is the seed of the Golden Rule - “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” - Matthew 7:12. Empathy for our fellow human beings is truly a Godly trait.