Can You Imagine? - Deuteronomy 6:8-9

  
You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
 - Deuteronomy 6:8-9

    Moses had just finished revisiting the Ten Commandments with the Israelites. ‘The Law,’ as God gave it to Moses was complete and without error. Ten objective commands to be followed to the letter by the inheritors of the Promised Land. And what many have interpreted as merely a way to remember the commands is actually the way to keep the commands.
    As “a sign on your hand,” the Commandments are to be seen in our actions and deeds. The unbelieving world must be able to see our commitments to God’s laws by our behavior, on our bad days as well as our good days. As “frontlets between our eyes,” they must be able to see our obedience to God in our faces. In fact, as written on the doorpost and gates of our homes, our very lives, at home and abroad, should reflect our obedience to God’s Commandments for all to see. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” - James 1:22.
    As James tells us, we must ‘doers of the word,’ not just hearers! And if we follow Moses’ instructions in Deuteronomy 6:8-9, we will no doubt be doers because God’s laws will be apparent in our homes as well as in our lives. We must do away with the notion that despite our imperfect fulfilling of the law that we still ‘pretty good people.’ That is not to say that we must be perfect in all our ways. What it does say is that ‘the Law’ must be evident in our thoughts, words, and deeds.
    The words of the Apostle John point to the truth. “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” - 1 John 2:3-6. Perfect as Christ is perfect? As has been said so often, “Di-rection, not per-fection.” And make no mistakes: God knows the human heart.
    Can you imagine a world where everyone followed the Commandments of God? There would be no need for prisons or war. Greed, hatred, poverty, and racism would be unheard of. Of course, sickness and death would remain because we still live in a fallen world, but can you imagine the quality of life compared to living as in the days of the Judges? “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” - Judges 21:25.
    God’s laws present us with a minimum standard for moral behavior. The Commandments are the very minimum we should or shouldn’t do. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus showed us how much further we should go to fulfill God’s holy mandate.  Quoting Scripture, Jesus set the stage with the words, “You have heard it said.” Christ then goes on to describe how much more God’s laws entail. Murder is forbidden but so is anger and hate. Adultery is forbidden but so is lust and coveting. Loving our neighbors is commanded but so is loving our enemies.
    The understanding here is simple - “But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” - Luke 11:28. Jesus never minced words.
    The world has enjoyed a time of God’s blessing upon the world since Jesus came to save us from our sins. A revival of living by God’s Holy Commandments couldn’t hurt and would certainly bring the most welcome blessing since Jesus walked the dusty roads of Galilee. Can you imagine?

When Friends Fail Us - James 4:4

  
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. - James 4:4

    How many times in your life have we ever been let down or betrayed by “a friend?” We should not be surprised; if we make friends with worldly people, we will always be let down. I’m not speaking of acquaintances now but of people we truly believed had our best interest at heart. We encounter people every day in our lives. Whether at school or work or in our leisure time activities, there are going to be people we associate with regularly. That doesn’t make them our friends. “For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me— then I could hide from him. But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng.” - Psalm 55:12-14.
    Clearly, there is a world of difference between those who are mere acquaintances by virtue of providence and those we consider to be tried and true friends. But how are we to behave when the slight or betrayal comes from one we believed was truly a friend and confidante? “My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his hear; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.” - Psalm 55:20-21. And this comes with a smiling face! The utter distaste we experience when a friend turns against us shakes our very foundation. We feel indignant and violated because we see that injured friendship as folly.
    But what of those words spoken in rashness and anger from a friend? “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! . . . but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” - James 3:5, 8. The tongue itself heats the very moment! And this was a friend.
    So hearts are broken, relationships are soured, the flow of our civility is interrupted, and we smolder in anger. How dare they? How could they? And could this all have been avoided in the first place?
    There are always tell-tale signs of a person’s true nature. What we see when they lambast others is just waiting for its opportunity to thrust itself at us. “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him.” - Titus 3:10. What then is left for us to do?
    Choosing a friend based on an immediate need or interest may be the worst move anyone could make. Friendships that last are based on mutual respect for one another, not need or interest. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers . . . .” - Psalm 1:1. Three admonitions glare out at us. Three warnings when choosing a friend. Let neither the wicked, nor the sinner, nor the scoffer even find their way into your considerations. And let’s not be coy. These cautions are glaringly obvious to all but the blindest of people.
    What are we to do when (and if) we should find someone worthy of friendship? How do we prevent the souring of the relationship? In a word, edification. We should always bring comfort and joy into our relationships. We should nurture and protect that which we find warm and loving. Despite the fact that no one is perfect, we should still exemplify the words of Paul - “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:11. Encouraging one another and building each other up is what true friends do.

The Cost Of Unrighteous Anger - Numbers 20:11-12

   
And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”
 - Numbers 20:11-12

    The background here is the story of Moses’ anger. Ever since he had led the Israelites out of Egypt he had been the object of their complaints in the wilderness. It wasn’t enough that God had seen to their every need since leaving their bonds of slavery. So their latest grousing for water had become a pebble in Moses’ craw.
    God gave His instructions to Moses for bringing water forth for the people of Israel. “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” - Numbers 20:8. Moses’ instruction was to merely “tell” the rock to produce water. But in his frustration and anger with the Israelites, he added his own formula to God’s blessing by striking the rock twice in anger! Moses’ impertinence did not go by unnoticed and brought God’s judgment quickly. The sentence: Moses would be denied the blessing of entering the “Promised Land.”
    To wander in the wilderness for forty years and then be denied entry to the land that flowed with milk and honey, all because of anger. I have often wondered how soon Moses realized the cost of his outrage. Was he immediately aware of what he had done in the sight of the Lord? Did it dawn on him in an instant or did it take a while to sink in?
    What an incredibly important lesson this account of Moses should teach us. In the rash moment of anger boiling over do we ever think about the repercussions of our actions? Unrighteous anger is always a destructive emotion. It destroys marriages, families, children, relationships. It is hell on earth! And is cautioned against no less than twenty-six times in the book of Proverbs alone! The warnings about quick tempers and actionable anger permeate the Bible and God’s warnings about it are clear. “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” - James 1:19-20.
    Unrighteous anger can arise in the form of cruel words, resolute indifference, physical violence and any number of sins against God and humanity and as such is forbidden in all circumstances. But what of “righteous anger?” Certainly, the Bible speaks of it. It does but that is the subject of another conversation. For now, suffice to say “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” - Ephesians 4:26-27.
    How often have our angry outbursts spoiled the day? And many of us (myself having no excuse) brashly move on to the next order of business as though we have injured no one with our impulsive reaction and our harsh words. And, like Moses, in an instant, we become our own worst enemy, not to mention the negative impact on those around us who are captive to our maddened display. Perhaps the objects of our ire have indeed brought the rage upon themselves but it neither excuses our behavior nor lightens it brunt to those near “ground zero.” We must stop to think before we impulsively reach for a word in anger. “Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.” - Proverbs 29:11.
    Let us remember that anger unchained becomes a monster released.

The Value Of Man - Genesis 1:27

   
So God created man in his own image,  in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. - Genesis 1:27

    In this simple sentence lies the uncompromising truth of the innate value of all human life. This verse applies exclusively to the human race. Nowhere does it apply itself to creatures of the plant or animal kingdom; not to any creature in existence other than man. Its exclusivity is only superseded by its unique implication of cost. “And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. ‘Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.’” - Genesis 5:5-6.
    Understand: this is not an injunction against taking human life under any circumstance as the anti-capital punishment and anti-war crowds object. In fact, it is just the opposite.  Human life has such a great value that the unlawful taking of it renders the perpetrator of murder guilty and subject to death! It is only to the unlawful taking of human life that this injunction applies. “For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.” - Romans 13:3-4.
    This unique standing is possessed by man alone, separate from all of God’s other creatures. Neither the snail dart nor the eagle nor the tiger nor the sea turtle possess the exclusivity of the “image of God.” This is not to suggest that these creatures of God have no value but that they do not in any way possess the value of human life and as such should never be deemed more sacred than the life of man. “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” - Matthew 6:26.
    That the intrinsic value of human life is evident can be illustrated by the sixth Commandment. “You shall not murder.” - Exodus 6:20. And that value is established upon man’s status among God’s creatures and exists from conception to death. In fact, man’s position as the image-bearer of God extends beyond the grave into eternal glory or damnation! “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” - John 5:28-29.
    This God-given privilege is attested to by nature itself. What other creature has the ability to act as a moral agent? Which has the cognitive ability to dream, think, invent, or philosophize? Which other creature has the ability to recognize, acknowledge, and worship the Creator?  Which other creature has the ability to conceptualize or behave in an ethical manner? Which other creature is able to make moral judgments? The simple answer is none. The privilege of mankind has given us the rise of societies, the great civilizations, the nation-state, and the technological ability to cure polio and put a man on the moon. This is all part of man’s intrinsic value. This all falls under the providence of the Almighty God!
    That all mankind has value is inescapable truth. But we do not derive our value from the mere fact of our existence. Flies exist as do serpents. Are they to be valued as human lives? Our value is derived from the fact that God has created us and only us in His own image. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’” - Genesis 1:26.
    We have dominion over the earth and wherever else God allows our grasp to reach. Our value lies in our being made by God in the image of God.

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.