The Narrow Way

"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction,  and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it."

Matthew 7:13-14 NASB 

The gospels record several "hard" statements that Jesus makes concerning the cost of following Him. This is one of them. 

In this passage Jesus contrasts the way to spiritual destruction and the way leading to spiritual life. I fear that many professed Christians today do not grasp what Jesus is actually saying in these few verses.

Growing up I considered that those who "accepted" Jesus had passed through the narrow gate, and were on the narrow path. Everyone else was traveling the broad road to destruction.  This interpretation is probably pretty common, but it really misses the point that Jesus is trying to make.

When one looks into the original Greek that our New Testament was translated from we can get a good idea of what this passage really means.

The wide gate and broad road are exactly that. The gate is wide, easily accommodating everyone who wants to enter. The way is broad and spacious, allowing for easy travel. There is room for everybody, and Jesus states that many are traveling this way.

The narrow way however, is more narrow than we might think. It is a tight squeeze to enter, and the way is compressed and difficult to travel.

The Amplified version puts it like this.

Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it.

But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.

And in a similar passage we read of great conflict just to enter. 

"Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."

Luke 13:24

The word "strive" speaks of strenuous effort to achieve victory in the athletic games. It is where we get our word "agonize." 

Jesus warns us that we must earnestly strive to enter, and that many who attempt will not be able. If we look at the immediate context of this verse we see that it is in response to a question that the disciples ask concerning how many people will actually be saved. According to the following verses we can gather that mere "familiarity" with Jesus is insufficient. It's not the many who succeed, but the few. This should cause us to pause and think.

Jesus is telling us that a mere profession, outward appearance, religious rituals and traditions are insufficient in and of themselves. True salvation demands an inner change of heart.  It involves repentance (Luke 13:3) and total surrender of our lives (Luke 24:27-33). The way to life is a way of holiness of life and conduct (Titus 2:11-14). Obedience is essential. I am not talking legalism here. Many individuals confuse a works based salvation with an obedience that flows from a cleansed heart. Jesus, again speaking of the many, states that not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter the kingdom. Only those who obediently do the Father's will may enter (Matthew 7:21-23).

The way is constricted. It is often difficult, filled with trials and temptations. Persecution naturally arises when our faith is real and evident to a lost world. Jesus assures us of that (John 15:20).  He tells us that even family will betray us, and hatred on account of His name can be expected. The one who endures all of this to the end is the one who will be saved (Matthew 10:21-22). When persecution comes do we confess Jesus before men, or deny Him (Matthew 10:32-33)? 

Are we beginning to see the picture? Yes, salvation is a free gift, graciously offered to all, but at the same time it requires our response, and will cost us everything to make it to the end. If our road is too easy, what road are we on?

The Beatitudes

I think for many, the Sermon on the Mount is a set of high ideals that Jesus set forth as something nice to aim for, but not necessarily vital to our Christian life and walk. But I disagree with this thought. The teachings found in this passage of scripture are vital to us as Christians, in fact, Jesus warns us at the end of His discourse that failure to act upon these teachings, and to become the embodiment of these principles and graces, will bring catastrophic consequences in the end (Matthew 5:24-27). 

What I wish to focus on here is the first section, found in Matthew 5:1-12. These teachings, known as the "Beatitudes", are foundational to our walk with Christ. Without them there can be no fellowship as we will see.

This section begins as Jesus, seeing the crowds, goes up on a mountain, and begins to teach His disciples.  

3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 

5. "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

6. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 

7. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 

8. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10. "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

11. "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

12. "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Matthew 5:3-12 NASB

Brokenness and humility lie at the very heart of these teachings. I see a progression, but also a bit of overlap in several of the qualities presented here.

We start with the poor in spirit. These are the broken. They have come to the end of themselves.  The poor in spirit deeply feel their spiritual poverty. They have reached a level where all pride has been swept away. They are destitute, unable to attain to a life pleasing to God. They recognize like Isaiah, that they are undone (Isaiah 6:5). They can relate to the apostle Paul, who in his struggle with sin cried out, "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (See Romans 7:18-25)

The revelation of our inability to live a righteous life in our own strength will bring us to a place of mourning. We will grieve over our sin that holds us captive. We will mourn over our rebellion against a holy God whom we  have offended. It is one thing to look at those around us and compare ourselves with them. We will never see us for who we really are deep down inside. When we are confronted with God's absolute holiness however, we can do nothing but fall on our faces in deep sorrow. 

This is the opposite of the Laodicean Church who were wealthy, and self sufficient. They could not see the truth. In reality they were "wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked" (Revelation 3:17). This pride had to be demolished. We all must come to a place of humility, where we submit ourselves to God.

James tells us this,

6. But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."

7. Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

8. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded. 

9. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.

10. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. 

James 4:6-10 NASB

Without humility we can have no relationship with God. He stands in opposition to pride. Throughout scripture we see pride condemned in no uncertain language. Grace is only given to the humble. It is the meek who will inherit the earth.  

Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there. 

But the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity. 

Psalm 37:10-11 NASB

Instead of an insatiable hunger for pleasure and selfish desires, a soul made subject to God and His will hungers and thirsts after righteousness. It is a longing to be righteous in our conduct as well as in our standing before God. You cannot separate the two.  

Little children, make sure no one decieves you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 

1 John 3:7 NASB 

By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious; anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

1 John 3:10 NASB

Ultimately to hunger and thirst after righteousness is to possess a deep longing to be like Jesus, the very embodiment of righteousness. That is the desire of every true child of God, as well as the purpose of God in the salvation of our souls. He intends to form us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29, 1 John 3:2-3).

Jesus' life was marked by compassion. In several places we read where He was moved with compassion. He was moved with compassion when He reached out and touched the leper, healing him by this action (Mark 1:41). Scripture records other instances as well.

Matthew 9:36, when He saw the multitudes, lost without a shepherd. 

In Mark 6:34, again, the large crowds, lost with no shepherd. This is when He fed the five thousand. 

Matthew 14:14 records the same event, and adds that He healed the sick among the crowd as well.

Matthew 16:32, is the account of the feeding of the four thousand. The people had been with Jesus for three days with nothing eat. He did not want to send them away hungry.

Luke 7:13 Jesus felt compassion for a widow who had just lost her son. As a result He miraculously raised her son back to life.

Matthew 20:34 records that Jesus was moved with compassion and restored the sight of two blind men. 

Jesus' love for others led Him to reach out to the marginalized people of society.  He touched the untouchable, associated with the deplorable. On one occasion after eating with some who were considered outcasts, He was confronted by the religious leaders who were obviously upset by His choice of company. His answer to them was this,

"It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.

"But go and learn what this means: 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Matthew 9:12-13 NASB

Jesus is quoting Hosea 6:6 in His reply. All of the religious trappings that we can wrap ourselves in are nothing in the sight of God. What He considers is how we treat those around us.

Different versions of the Bible use various words to express the idea of mercy in these verses. Words like loving kindness, steadfast love, and compassion all convey the meaning behind the word translated from the original biblical text. When we read of Jesus being moved with compassion we are seeing something that goes far beyond mere sympathy. The original Greek behind this term portrays the idea of an overwhelming feeling from deep within oneself that leads to action. 

In Hebrews we read of Jesus our great High priest.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:15 NASB 

Looking at the Greek behind this text we discover that Jesus feels what we feel. He can relate to our struggles, He can "put Himself in our shoes." The term for this is empathy,  a word that is considered dirty in some Christian circles today. I would only ask, "Do you really want to be like Jesus?"

The merciful, like Jesus, share this compassion for others. They show loving kindness to others, even to the "least of these." Jesus gave us the example that no one is undeserving of love. He tells us that the merciful are blessed. The opposite is true as well,

So speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 

For judgement will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgement. 

James 2:12-13 NASB 

Purity of heart is essential. We read that the pure in heart will see God. In the Psalms we find this passage, 

3. Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place?

4. He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully, 

6. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

7. This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face—even Jacob. 

Psalm 24:3-7 NASB

A pure heart is a heart cleansed from sin and renewed by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). 

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB

Clean hands and pure hearts cannot be separated.  What fills our hearts comes out in our actions.

20. And He was saying, "That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. 

21. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,

22. deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 

23. "All of these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."

Mark 7:20-23 NASB

In our unregenerate state, this is what fills our hearts. Our hearts are defiled, and therefore we are defiled. As stated above, we must be brought to the end of ourselves. We need to come to that place of brokeness where we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. Quoting this passage again we read, 

7. Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 

8. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded. 

9. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 

10. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. 

James 4:7-10 NASB 

We have the responsibility to give up, to turn from our sin, and allow God to remake us from the inside out. David, after his sin with Bathsheba, cried out, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10). He cried out to God not only to forgive his sin, but out of a deep awareness of his sinfulness, he knew he needed an inner change as well. 

Regeneration, the "new birth" is an act of God as we read in Titus 3:5. 

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. 

It is Jesus "Who gave Himself to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds (Titus 2:14).

We must walk in this purity. We are admonished in proverbs, 

23. Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.

24. Put away from you a deceitful mouth and put devious speech far from you.

25. Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.

26. Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established. 

27. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil.

Proverbs 4:23-27 NASB

Diligence implies serious effort. We must be careful to guard our hearts and to walk in obedience to the will of God.

9. How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. 

10. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from your commandments. 

11. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.

Psalm 119:9-11 NASB 

Do you want to see God? Only those with clean hands and pure hearts will enjoy intimate fellowship with Him now, and literally see Him face to face in eternity. 

Hebrews 12:14 links purity of heart and life with being a peacemaker. 

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

James shows us that ultimately strife and disorder flow out of arrogance or pride, while the peacemaker, in gentleness or humility sows righteousness. 

13. Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.

14. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 

15. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.

16. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

17. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 

18. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

James 3:13-18 NASB

What is inside a person will come out in their actions. The works of the flesh include such things as enmity and strife, outbursts of anger and division,  while the fruit of the Spirit consists of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:19-23). When we are living fleshly, selfish lives, we can expect jealousy. strife, and disorder. It is the peacemaker who not only seeks to avoid such conflict, but even to bring healing to that which already exists.

Paul urges us to do whatever is in our power to be at peace with all men (Romans 12:18). This can be easier said than done, as it involves the humbling of ourselves at times if peace is to be maintained. Jesus' kingdom can be considered "upside down" in the  sense that it's principles run contrary to the world's methods. While the world runs on pride and power over others, the kingdom of God's way is that of meekness and selflessness. As one continues on in the Sermon on the Mount we find that seeking reconciliation, forgiving others, turning the other cheek, and going the extra mile are how God's children are to live in this world. 

Meekness has been described as power or strength under control. So much more can be accomplished for Christ when we are meek, when we are peacemakers.  James states that we must be quick to hear and slow to speak, because man's anger does not achieve the righteousness of God (James 1:19-20). This involves submission, putting others first.

5. You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. 

6. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.

7. Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:5-7 NASB

When conflicts arise in your life let go and give them to God. Then, by His grace, be a peacemaker. 

As previously stated above, the way of Jesus is opposite of that of the world around us. We are sent into this world to shine as lights ( Matt 5:14-26), and this enrages a world who is convicted by what they observe in a true follower of Christ. Jesus warns us that just as He was persecuted, his disciples will be as well (John 15:20). If we live and look like Jesus in our daily conduct can we expect any less?

18. "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

19. "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.

20. "Remember the word that I have said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 

21. "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake,  because they do not know the One who sent Me."

John 15:18-21 NASB

Jesus encourages us to rejoice and be glad when persecution arises on account of Him. It is proof of our allegiance to Him and His cause. Scripture shows us instances where this came to pass. After the disciples were arrested and beaten by the religious leaders in Jerusalem they went on their way rejoicing that they were considered worthy to suffer for Jesus (Acts 5:40-41). Likewise Paul and Silas after being beaten and cast into prison sang songs and praised God. This led to a miraculous intervention by God, and the salvation of the jailer and his household (Acts 16:22-34).

Unfortunately here in the west we see a different thing. Perceived persecution consists of imagined attacks on "christmas" or being forced to endure a lewd superbowl halftime show. So many professed Christians demand their rights and expect "respect" from the lost around them. They turn to the politicians to save them from persecution instead of just following Jesus. As He tells us, we are not greater than Him. If we are truly living for Him, with the eyes of the world on us, we will be persecuted. We live in this world for a purpose. Not to be of it, but to reach it.

23. And He was saying to them, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

24. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

25. "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?

26. "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels."

Luke 9:23-26 NASB

Jesus sets a standard for us in His Sermon on the Mount. How do we measure up? These are not high ideals that are unattainable, but principles that He has set forth for those who would enter the kingdom. It's not only found in the Beatitudes, but in the entire sermon Jesus corrects the misunderstandings and wrong teaching of the religious leaders. He restores the law to its correct meaning. He condemns hypocrisy and proclaims the way of love. As He transitions from the Beatitudes into the rest of this sermon He states,

13. "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men

14. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

15. nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 

16. "Let your light shine before men in such away that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Matthew 5:13-16 NASB 

We are called to be different. How can we challenge a evil world system based upon pride and power if that is what our lives look like as well. How can we shine a bright light so that a sin darkened world can see Jesus in us when we are as dark as the world we claim to have come out of?

 

Are you Living the Crucified Life?

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me."

Matthew 16:24 NASB

"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."

Luke 14:27 NASB

Much of what is passed off as Christianity today is not Christianity. As a result many are decieved into following a false gospel, and others are turned off by the hypocrisy that they observe in those who are not living according to the Biblical standard.

Jesus describes two gates. One is small, the entrance to a narrow path leading to eternal life. The other is a wide gate and a broad path. The majority of people will find themselves on this broad path that ultimately leads to destruction. Sadly few find the true way. He warns us to beware of false prophets who come to lead people away from the truth. Unfortunately many who consider themselves Christians will discover that they were on the wrong path someday. It is not enough to call Jesus "Lord" if you are not living an obedient lifestyle (Matt 7:13-23).

The issue according to Jesus is lawlessness, a life not surrendered to His control. An individual may pick and choose what areas of his or her life to hold back, or they may have their own personal priorities that they are living for, God however, demands our all, our absolute commitment.

Jesus describes this as taking up our crosses and following Him. A man on his way to be crucified carried the heavy upper beam of the instrument he was to die on. This individual was as good as dead at this point. He no longer had any plans of his own. All of his hopes and dreams were over. 

We are invited to follow Jesus into this death to self. When we surrender our lives to Him we are giving up our plans and purposes in exchange for His will for our lives. Nothing we possess, none of our relationships, can stand in the way of our service to Him (Luke 14:26-33). This is what Jesus is teaching us, and this is what He requires of those who would follow Him. It is a narrow gate to squeeze through if we truly desire to be a follower of Jesus.

This death to self is necessary if we are to experience a resurrection to a new way of life.

For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.

Romans 6:5-7 NASB

It isn't as simple as just saying a prayer but living your life according to how you want to live it. Self on the throne is the problem to start with.

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 

Romans 8:5-8 NASB

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another so that you may not do the things that you please.

Galatians 5:16:17 NASB

There are two paths to take, pursuing the flesh or following the Spirit. What does this look like?

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Galatians 5:19-26 NASB

So look at what so many pass off as Christianity today. So much of what is seen is described in the first section of this passage. The deeds of the flesh are quite evident, with very little love, patience, gentleness, self control, etc. I do not mean to be judgemental, I am sounding an alarm. This passage tells us plainly that those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh! There are many on the broad path and few on the narrow. 

The cross is a barrier between the follower of Christ and the world (Galatians 6:14). If we have truly been crucified with Christ we are no longer the ones living our lives out. It is Jesus, living through us as we follow Him by faith (Galatians 2:20). And if Jesus is living through us our lives will bear the fruit of that reality. 

     

The Obedience of Faith

"Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal."

Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"

Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."

John 6:27-29 NASB

The setting is the day following the feeding of the five thousand. The people, expecting another miraculous sign (perhaps another meal) from Jesus, found Him on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. 

In these verses Jesus instructs them to get their priorities right. The temporal things in this world are nothing compared to living for the kingdom of God. This is similar to the passage in Matthew 6:25-34, where Jesus warns us that life is not about food and clothing, but about seeking as our priority His kingdom and righteousness.

Of course the people seeking Jesus that day were now desirous to know what kind of work they should be doing then. Maybe a few good deeds, some things that appeared "religious"?

Jesus tells the crowd that the work required was to believe in Him. I think many people today misunderstand this belief as an acknowledgement of the existence of Jesus. They are content to believe biblical facts about Him, and let it go at that. After all, faith and works are often portrayed as two opposing things that we must be careful not to mix up. But what does it mean to believe, in a truly biblical sense of the word?

In Romans we read of the "obedience of faith". The apostle Paul, speaking of Jesus, the resurrected Lord who had called him said this,

     Through whom we have recieved grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among the Gentiles for His names sake.

Romans 1:5 NASB

And again at the close of this epistle we read the following,

     Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to the obedience of faith.

Romans 16:25-26 NASB 

Paul the apostle to the Gentile nations stated that the gospel foretold in the Old Testament Scriptures, that he now proclaimed, led to the obedience of faith among all who received it. 

I think that the message Paul proclaimed is often misunderstood. To many, the emphasis is placed upon faith and not works, a concept which Paul also preached. In a passage which teaches that all have sinned and are guilty before God we read that no one will be justified by the works of the law because the law has proven that we are all sinners (Romans 3:9-20). And this is true. There is no possible way that we can be good enough, or perfect enough to undo all the guilt we have encured in our lifetimes. By the time we realize we need to live right we have already become guilty, and are estranged from God. We can't fix that by amending our ways. That is abundantly taught in the Bible.

However a mere assent to some facts about Jesus will never save us either. That is an insufficient faith. Paul writes this as well in Romans 2:12-13. 

     For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.

Faith is more than knowing and holding certain facts to be true. Faith and obedience are two sides of a coin. It is often stated that a person who believes will obey Jesus out of a thankful heart, and I believe that there is truth to this statement. Jesus Himself stated that one who is forgiven much will love much (Luke 7:47). But it goes even deeper than this. 

Faith is a loyalty to Jesus as Lord of our lives. In an act of repentance we turn from our past when we were in control, living in opposition to God and His will for our lives, and now submit our lives by faith, under His absolute rule for our lives. Therefore faith is an ongoing submission to Jesus that we live out daily. Faith cannot be separated from obedience. Every act of obedience to the Lordship of Jesus Christ is an act of faith. This is quite the opposite of selfishly performing some good works in the hope that we can somehow earn God's favor.

The life of Abraham shows this. What began in Genesis 15:5-6 where Abraham believed God's promise that he would have an heir, and God counted that belief as righteousness. This belief found it's culmination years later in Abraham's obedience in offering up Isaac, the promised heir.

 

It tells us in Romans 4:17-22 that Abraham believed God's promise against all the odds. We all know the story of Hagar, how early on, Sarai his wife, who was barren gives her maid to Abraham as a wife and she conceived and bears him Ishmael. They attempted to fulfill God's word to them in the flesh. That was not God's plan. He allowed Abraham to grow older until it was now impossible for him as well as for his wife to conceive and give birth. Yet Abraham still believed God's promise without wavering. 

Some time later Abraham faced the biggest test yet. God commanded him to take his son Isaac, the fulfilment of the promise that he had unwaveringly held on to, and offer him as a sacrifice to the LORD (Genesis 22:1-19). 

Abraham, motivated by the same faith that brought him this far, obeyed. We read in Hebrews 11:17-19 that even though he was about to offer up his son Isaac, the promised heir, he obeyed, considering that God was able to raise the dead. We know how it went. As Abraham was at the point of slaying his son the angel of the LORD stopped him and told him, "Now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." (Genesis 22:12)

Obedience and faith are intertwined. You cannot escape this fact.

     Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that his faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God.

James 2:21-23 NASB 

Jesus is the risen, exalted Lord. He has been given the name that is above every name. One day every knee will bow to Him, like it or not. In response to this inescapable fact how are we to live out our lives? Do we try to do good deeds, hoping that we will have enough in our favor to "tip the scales" on the day of judgement? Or do we bank on a head knowledge of Jesus and some biblical facts about His life, death, and resurrection, thinking that this is faith? This passage in Philippians 2:6-12 ends with an exhortation to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. If we believe we will submit and obey by faith. Just like Abraham, our faith and our works will work together in obedience. This is true saving faith.

     

Faithfulness

But Christ was faithful as a Son over His house - whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

Hebrews 3:6 NASB 

In my previous post I examined what true saving faith consists of. It is more than a head knowledge, and more than agreeing with some biblical facts about Jesus. True saving faith is a faith that moves us to obey Christ. We become those who follow Him in a loving submission to His will for our lives. 

This faith is expressed in a loyalty to Jesus. It's not a matter of doing some good things, but a faithful, ongoing lifestyle. Habakkuk 2:4 defines faith as faithfulness. To paraphrase it we could say, "The just shall live by their faithfulness." 

To continue with this topic I would like to look at a passage in Hebrews that expresses the same concept of ongoing faithfulness and how it is a vital part of saving faith.

     Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME." For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest , but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. 

Hebrews 3:12-19 NASB

The first point I would like to make is that unbelief and disobedience are used interchangeably in this passage. We read how God had led the people out of Egypt, yet they sinned and fell in the wilderness. 

The story of the exodus should give us warning. They saw the miracles and power of God. They experienced His presence with them along the way. They were at Mount Sinai when God descended in fire and the mountain quaked. They should have believed right? 

Hebrews 4:2 tells us that they had the good news preached to them, just like we have. The problem was that they did not unite faith with what they heard. Those who had heard the good news of the promised land failed to enter in because of disobedience (Hebrews 4:6).

Those who were disobedient failed to enter in because of their unbelief. This is the exact opposite of faith. Faith and obedience are two sides of the same "coin," while disobedience and unbelief are the two sides of a "coin" as well. 

My second point is this. True saving faith is ongoing. One may stumble, but he or she will get back up and press on. The text we have looked at admonishes us to hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end. One well known Christian author wrote that once you have received Jesus you are eternally secure. Every sin, past present and future is now forgiven. He goes on to say that even if you fall away into a sin such as drunkenness or even apostatize and become an atheist, you are still secure in Christ. 

But look at the example we have here in Hebrews. We are to encourage one another daily so that we do not fall into unbelief as ancient Israel did. Faithfulness is a lifetime thing. Our allegiance to Jesus Christ is not something to try for a while, but we are still good if we quit. That is not faithfulness, but fickleness. 

It doesn't matter what side of the eternal security debate you fall into. A true Christian will live a consistent life of obedience to Christ. An individual who does not must question the validity of their faith.

 

Saving Faith

Salvation, God's gracious gift, comes to us through faith (Ephesians 2:8). This is something that I would assume most of us who claim to be Christians believe. John 3:16 is a verse that we hold dear. It speaks of God's love for a sinning world; a love that sent Jesus to earth to die for our sins, so that whoever believes in Him could be set free from death, and have eternal life. 

Our definition of faith then becomes vital. If we miss this, we miss it all. And tragically I fear that a large number of Christians have indeed adhered to and propagated a faulty definition of saving faith.

Countless gospel tracts have been distributed, sermons preached, and altar calls given that instruct the sinner to only believe. The belief required involves something to the effect of believing that Jesus is the Son of God, or believing that He died on the cross and rose again. While these facts are indeed true, and belief in them is important, is that enough?

Is it sufficient to mentally assent to some facts about Jesus?

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe and shudder.

James 2:19 NASB

Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-the Holy One of God!"

Mark 1:23-24 NASB

I am quite certain that none of us would consider these "believing demons" to be Christians. But yet it leaves us with a point to grapple with. The demons believe! That is, they are very much aware of Jesus, and who He is. They believe it, they know it to be true.

There is also emphasis placed upon works. Instructions are often given to individuals seeking salvation to cease from their works and place their trust in Christ's perfect righteousness. Now there is truth to this. Any attempt to earn our salvation by our good works is futile. Christ was our perfect sacrifice, and there is no amount of good works that we can do to earn our way to heaven. Unfortunately people are led to believe that good works have nothing to do with our salvation, that although it's fine to do good things, and God desires us to do good works, an absence of good deeds has no bearing on our salvation. As a result faith and works are pitted against each other, and for many, there is no real effort put forth when it comes to living a sanctified lifestyle. 

The issue goes much deeper than a mere assent to some biblical truths about Jesus and and His death and resurrection. That kind of faith is not only inferior, it is also misplaced. What I have described is often referred to as "easy believism" or "cheap grace." It is taught by many popular pastors and Bible teachers. 

It is easy to focus on verses such as Ephesians 2:8-10 
    

      For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast, for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

This passage affirms the truth that God's salvation comes to us as an act of His grace. We don't deserve it, neither can we achieve it by our own efforts. and it also affirms that God has created us to live a righteous and obedient life for Him. But for many the emphasis is on the grace and faith without works, and the good works that should follow are an afterthought.

Compare this passage found in James with the one quoted above,

     Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.

James 2:17-24

Instead of standing in opposition to each other, faith and works are part of the same process. What begins as a belief culminates in obedience. As it states in Galatians 5:6, faith expresses itself through love. Works done out of obedience to Christ are not an "afterthought," but an essential part of our faith in Him. If we love Him, we will obey Him (John 14:23-24).

Jesus calls us to follow Him. Nowhere in the Bible do we find a place where absolute submission to His will is a good idea, but optional. But that is what we so often hear taught. I remember sitting in a service once where the pastor proclaimed that you can accept Jesus as Savior, and decide later if you want Jesus to be Lord. There are those who teach that "Lordship salvation" is a heresy. They claim that it involves "works" and negates faith. 

In Romans we read about the faith we are to profess.

     But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your heart" - that is the word of faith which we are preaching, that is if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."

Romans 10:8-11 NASB

This involves more than a mental assent to some facts about Jesus. It is a surrender from the heart to the rule of Jesus Christ over one's life. To confess something is to express our agreement with that thing. If we believe that Jesus has been vindicated, all of His claims and teachings validated by His resurrection from the dead, and He is therefore now the living Lord, we are faced with two things. Do we put it off as some nice but unnecessary step to take in our Christian journey, or do we fall to our knees in humble submission? Jesus agrees with Paul, or to properly put it, Paul is in agreement with the words of Jesus.

     And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with  the holy angels.

Mark 8:34-38 NASB

We are starting to see what true saving faith consists of. In Romans 1:17 Paul, quoting from Habakkuk 2:4 states that the righteous man shall live by faith. It is important to understand the definition of faith here. The Hebrew word translated faith in Habakkuk 2:4 speaks of fidelity, faithfulness, a loyalty to the one you have faith in. This is so much more than a mere head knowledge, or a profession to save oneself from hell, whithout a change of lifestyle. The one who puts their faith in Jesus as Lord, is faithful to Jesus as Lord. It is a submission of ourselves, a commitment of all that we have and are, to Him and His service. 

As we have seen faith finds it's fulfilment in obedience. We read this in Hebrews 5:8-10,

     Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

And again we see salvation linked with a faithful walk in holiness described in 1 John 1:5-7,

     This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin

Our faith must work itself out in our actions if it is a real saving faith. If our commitment to Jesus is not whole hearted, and we are not faithfully following Him with loving obedience, then we must question if our faith is real at all.

     

 

Test Yourselves

Test Yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you- unless indeed you fail the test?

2 Corinthians 13:5 NASB

Not everyone who professes faith in Jesus Christ is truly following Him. God has seen fit to include this warning in the scriptures to cause us to examine ourselves and consider if our Christianity is real or not. 

It is easy to claim to be a Christian. We can fool others, and even ourselves, but when our attitudes and actions are placed alongside the "plumb line" of God's standard the truth is plain to see.

... But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

2 Corinthians 10:12

I will not attempt to make an exhaustive list, but I will put down some key points to look at as we determine the reality of our faith.

1. True faith results in action.

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

James 2:17 NASB

Faith is much more than agreeing with some biblical facts about Jesus. An individual who believes in the biblical sense of the word places their confidence in Christ to take full control of their very lives. They commit to follow and obey in all things. To say that I believe Jesus died and rose for me, therefore I am a Christian, while my life remains identical to the atheist's who lives next door, is a denial of truth. Is your faith accompanied with the proof that it is real?

2. Are we purifying our lives in anticipation of Christ's return?

And everyone who has this hope fixed upon Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 

1 John 3:3 NASB

In the same way that a bride adorns herself for her wedding day; for the moment that her groom will see her enter the sanctuary, a Christian looks to the day that he or she will see Jesus face to face. A believer does not want to be ashamed of standing before Jesus in soiled garments.

Christ gave Himself up for the purpose of sanctifying the Church. Through the "washing of the word" we are being cleansed so that someday we will stand before Him without spot or wrinkle ( Ephesians 5:25-27). In response we keep ourselves pure through obedience to His word (Psalm 119:9).

3. A lifestyle of sin, or one of righteousness?

In 1 John 3:4-10 we see two lifestyles placed before us. One is marked by the consistent practice of sin. That individual resembles the devil who has sinned from the beginning. The other is a life marked by the practice of righteousness. A person who consistently does what is right and pleasing in the sight of God resembles Christ who is righteous. 

The difference between the two is the new birth. A change has taken place in the life of one who has surrendered their lives to Jesus, who has come to destroy the devil's work.

By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious; anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother 

1 John 3:10 NASB

4. Are you fulfilling the law?

One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"

And He said to him, " ' You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the prophets."

Matthew 22:36-40 NASB 

God never intended the Law to be a checklist. It's not something where we can open our Bibles to the first page and mark off each command as we find them and obey them. God wants our love. We are called to love Him first and foremost of all. 

To love God is to be passionate about Him. It means we desire His plans and purposes to be fulfilled in the earth, even at great cost to us. If we love God we will make the advancement of His kingdom our priority in life (Matt 6:33). We will avoid the things that compromise and distract us from that mission. An individual who claims to love Him will obey Him. How can we say we love God if we are disobedient? That is a contradiction, it is impossible to love Him while we thwart His plans and purposes, His will, to be done in and through us. 

Likewise, we are called to love one another. Jesus makes it simple for us. We are to treat others in the same way we wish them to treat us (Matthew 7:12). Love is the fulfillment of the Law. When we love someone we will not do things that harm that person. All of the commandments find their fulfillment in us when we "love our neighbor as ourselves" (Romans 13:8-10). 

James warns us against breaking this royal law of love. In a letter where he confronts favoritism in the Church, he states that this particular sin is a violation of the law. In fact, he likens this particular sin to murder. How we treat our fellow man matters to God. Judgement without mercy will be shown to the unmerciful (see James 2:2-12). Do you love God first and foremost of all? Do you treat others in the same way you would like them to treat you? The two commandments are bound up in each other. You can't keep one and break the other. It doesn't work that way.

I could go on with many more points, but these are sufficient to make the point. Search the word, test yourself. How does your Christianity line up with the scriptural standard? 

Betrayed by Your Speech.

33 "Either make the tree good and it's fruit good, or make the tree bad and it's fruit bad; for the tree is known by it's fruit.

34 "You brood of vipers, how can you bring evil speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

35 "The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.

36 "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgement.

37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. (Matt 12:33-37 NASB)

Jesus, in His rebuke of the Pharisees, sets forth an important principle which is just as valid for us today as it was for the people in Jesus' day. We can claim to be godly, to even be a Christian, but the truth of our salvation will be ultimately be shown by our actions. In this case it is our speech which either confirms or denies our faith. 

What Jesus says here is true. A tree is known by the fruit it produces. Years ago we had an apple tree that produced wormy apples. We tried various things to fix this, but after a few years we cut it down and started over with a couple of new ones. It was an infested tree; it was no good, and the bad fruit was the proof.

Consider two individuals who both claim to be Christians. One of them speaks kindly of others, does not tell dirty jokes and use foul language. He avoids slandering others and is always truthful. The other one curses, is vulgar, and quite often seeks to make others look bad, even if he has to lie to do it. Whose faith is real? According to Jesus the mouth speaks out of the overflow of the heart. An evil person cannot speak what is good. It is sobering to consider that our words either justify or condemn us.

In his letter to the Ephesians the apostle Paul writes this,

29  Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

30  Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed for the day of redemption.

31  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with malice.

32  Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you. ( Ephesians 4:29-32 NASB)

We must guard our mouths! Our purpose is to build others up, not tear them down. We grieve the Holy Spirit when we speak out in anger or hatred, or when we slander someone else. Of course there are times when we need to be honest with someone who is in error, or perhaps has fallen into sin, but we must be careful to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) instead of in a judgemental way. The point is to give grace to those to whom we are speaking with.

So much of what we hear in everyday talk is evil. From dirty jokes and profanity laced tirades to juicy gossip and outright slander, what we are hearing tends to drag us down. I know it often grieves me, and the passage above affirms that it grieves the Holy Spirit. I understand that the world talks like this, this is what Jesus said comes out of their hearts. But to hear this from a professing Christian should not be. Let us all be careful to guard our hearts, and then our speech will be right also. One day we will answer for it.

    

The Marks of a Christian: Faith

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 NASB)

My previous post dealt with the idea of repentance. In short, repentance is a change from one course of life to another. Something is the driving force behind this change. Biblical repentance is a change of mind and action brought about by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. In repentance then, we turn from our unbelief and sin to submission to God. 

This is where faith comes in. Theologians differ on the question of what comes first: repentance or faith?

Regardless of what their opinions might be, they are basically two sides of the same coin. Again, we turn from sin to God. If one is not moved by a godly sorrow to confess and renounce sin and self it is impossible to exercise faith in Christ. Jesus died to set us free from a sinful lifestyle. Discipleship demands His Lordship over our lives. This we embrace in and by faith. To believe in Jesus is to follow Jesus. It cannot be anything less.

In the above verse we read that we cannot please God apart from faith. If you do not believe in His existence you will see no need to submit to or obey Him. You will not seek after Him.

This seeking after God is vital. A half hearted pursuit is no pursuit at all. Jeremiah called Israel back to God during their captivity in Babylon. He prophesied this,

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:12-13 NASB)

This is just as pertinent to us today as it was to Israel in the days of her captivity. It's all or nothing. Do we kind of want God, or are we all in? Are we committed with all of our heart, or is our allegiance divided?

To seek God in the sense of these verses is to seek Him. We often seek God in prayer to meet a need, but what we see here not that. God Himself is the object of our seeking. We must believe that He rewards those who, as the KJV puts it, diligently seek Him. Our reward is the presence of God in our lives. A relationship with Him is what we must be after. And it involves the whole heart, a sincere passion to know and have God.

Faith is more than an intellectual knowledge of God. Many individuals have a head knowledge of biblical things.They believe historical facts about Jesus, but that's as far as they go. That is not faith. Faith is a confident belief in God that moves us into action. A person who has a firm conviction that Jesus indeed has died for him or her, and has been raised from the dead and sits at the right hand of God, will embrace the Lordship of Christ over their lives and yield to Him in loving obedience. 

Jesus said that those who love him will obey Him (John 14:21-24). Faith expresses itself in love (Gal 5:6), so if we are not obedient to the words of Christ our faith is dead. James tells us that faith without works is a dead faith (James 2:14-26). It is useless.

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Col 2:6-7 ESV)

So, just as we began in faith, we are to continue our walk with Christ in the same way. We are to grow and become established in the faith. Christ is to be our lives, the one we live for on a daily basis. This is what faith is. A vibrant and growing faith is a mark of a Christian.

The Marks of a Christian: Repentance

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:10 NASB)

This passage mentions two kinds of sorrow. Godly sorrow, and worldly sorrow. One leads to salvation, while the other leads to death. It is vital that we understand the difference between the two. Our salvation depends upon it. 

Jesus exhorts us to enter by the narrow gate. This is a narrow path that few find, while the majority find and travel upon the broad path to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). I'm afraid many miss the narrow gate because of an insincere repentance.

Our text above mentions the sorrow of the world. Two things come to mind when I think about this.

1. The sorrow at being caught 

2. The dread of punishment 

Many individuals who have come to "repentance" are sorry because they were caught in some type of sin. Their sin might have been hidden from everyone around them, and now it has come to light, bringing perhaps shame or embarrassment. This type of person now has a change of mind about their sin. They give it up because it has come to light, but they would never have stopped if they still could have gotten away with it. They are not really sorry, they just want to save face.

Then there are those who fear the consequences of their sin. Perhaps their sin might lead to jail time, or a divorce. Of course all sin leads to eternal separation from God, ultimately spent in torment. That should strike fear in all of our hearts. But to give up our sin to avoid prison, avoid divorce, or even avoid eternal torment in the lake of fire is a selfish repentance that does not touch upon the hurt and offence our sin has brought upon God, and the individual we have sinned against. 

Think about it. You have been caught shoplifting. It's embarrassing, you are afraid of going to jail, so you give your word that you will never do it again. Deep inside however you are not sorry about your crime, and you would still do it if you could get away with it. Is that real sorrow? Is this true repentance? 

Or you feel guilty about sin in your life. You know you are a sinner, and you know that someday you must give an account to God for your sin. You know hell awaits you and you are terrified. Understand, it is wise to know and understand that sin has consequences, and that should cause us to think about sin and our standing before God. However, if our motivation for repentance is the avoidance of punishment we fall short. How does it sound when we tell God we are sorry for our sin, and we will now obey Him, when deep inside we are not concerned as much about God's honor and our offense against Him, as we are about avoiding punishment?

A man says some mean things to his wife. She is very hurt, and now things are strained in their relationship. After a few painful days he goes out and buys some flowers and a nice necklace. He gives her these things with an abstract apology hoping that somehow things will smooth over and go back to how they were. He has only made things worse. Now his wife feels deeper pain, a wedge is driven deeper into the separation between them. 

This is worldly sorrow. Trying to fix things and patch things up between man and God without a heartfelt grief over our sin because it is sin. Worldly sorrow actually leaves God out, we only want Him for what He can do for us. There is no sorrow for what we have done to Him. This kind of repentance is selfish, it still leaves us on the throne. We might give up something sinful, and pick up some moral habits, but it is all for us and our well being, not for the honor of God.

To confess our sin (1 John 1:9) is to agree with God about our sin. Daniel confessed his sin and the national sin of Israel while they were held captive in Babylon,

     "We have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly, and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. Moreover, we have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land. Righteousness belongs to you, O Lord, but to us open shame, as it is this day -to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You. (Daniel 9:5-7)

Daniel takes God's side in the matter. As does Ezra (Ezra 9:4-15). The Jews had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, but now it was discovered that they had began to intermarry with the foreigners living among them, in violation of God's command. Ezra was ashamed. He confesses that they had been given into captivity justly, on account of their sin, yet now God had shown them mercy in allowing a remnant to return to rebuild the temple. Now they had fallen into sin once again. He is grieved, not because they were caught, he prays, not to avoid punishment, but he confesses the unfaithfulness of his people to God because it was a grievous offense against a holy, yet gracious God.

This is what godly sorrow looks like. This sorrow at sinning against God causes us to be ashamed of ourselves, our sin, and admit we deserve the penalty due us for our sin. We must take God's side against us, and see ourselves and our sin as He does.

Repentance is a change of mind. This is not a fickle change of mind such as what may be produced by a worldly type of sorrow, but a change of mind brought about by a view of ourselves through the conviction of the Holy Spirit. When we see sin for what it is we will give it up.

Repentance also carries with it the idea of restitution. A thief will return what he has taken, a wrong will be righted as far as possible. Restoration between God and man is not possible without an honest attempt at restoration between the offender and the party offended. In other words, a thief who does not restore what he has taken is a thief still. One who will not go to an offended brother with a sincere confession shows that he has not yet experienced that godly sorrow that leads to repentance. Sadly, many relationships are never truly mended because true restoration has never been attempted. Often people go on like nothing has happened, but deep inside a disconnect remains.

Repentance is a turning point. We turn from sin to obedience. It carries the idea of surrender and commitment. We give up our right to control our lives, and in an act of faith we transfer control to God. In the next post I would like to look at another mark of a Christian, which is faith.

What Will It Cost?

In keeping with my previous post, I would like to share a few more thoughts on being prepared for the final days. Again, whether we live to see the last days and return of Christ or not, we will all appear before God anyway, so we must be ready for that day 

Jesus tells us to count the cost in Luke 14:25-33. I think this is foundational for us. Just like the individual in Christ's example could not finish what he started, we need to be aware of what it means to follow Jesus. I am afraid that many make a quick decision that does not last when the going gets tough. What will you or I do when our world falls apart around us? If we have truly counted the cost, we should not be surprised when difficult times come 

I would like to focus on five things that Jesus touches on concerning the cost of discipleship.

1. Our wills

2. Our comfort 

3. Our possessions 

4. Our families 

5. Our lives 

In Mark 8:34-38 we read this,

And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, " If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.

"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?

"For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.

                                Mark 8:34-38 NASB

1. If we are to follow Jesus, and make it all the way to the end, our wills must be surrendered to Him. We can't have a divided allegiance. Jesus won't take a part of us, and let us have the rest. There is a saying, and I don't know who said it, but it goes like this, "Either Christ is Lord of all, or He isn't Lord at all."

That is hard. But to deny ourselves means literally that. We say no to our plans, purposes, comforts, in order to follow, and do what Jesus desires us to do. To enlist in the army involves a giving up of a right to yourself to do what your commander asks of you. Likewise, we are in God's service, and it's not about us. 

In the New Testament we run into the idea of a "bond servant." Someone who had entered into this was now no longer their own. They had no plans of their own, no will of their own, no purpose other than to do their masters bidding. Ideally their master took care of their needs, but they lived for him. Likewise, a man carrying his cross is a "dead man walking." He no longer has any will of his own. It is completely out of his hands now. All of his plans are gone.

So, our wills must be surrendered. It is Jesus who is in charge, it is His will that we obey, no matter how hard it is. Of course, we can trust Him completely, as He will never leave us or forsake us. He is our helper, so we do not need to be afraid of what man may do to us (Hebrews 13:5-6).

2. Our comfort can hinder our following Jesus. Imagine being without electricity, plenty of food, a good vehicle, a nice house. You fill in the blank. What if Jesus called you to go to a place where those things were unavailable? Imagine the hardships that people all over the world now suffer for the sake of Christ. We have so much here in America. It can be hard to fathom what others go through who lack many of the things we take for granted. What we enjoy today here in the land of plenty might be gone someday. We have no guarantee what the future holds for us. Then what? 

In response to a scribe who told Jesus that he would follow Him wherever He went, Jesus said, "Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head (Matt 8:18-21).

To follow Jesus we must expect hardships. We cannot let our comfortable lifestyles hinder us from going wherever Jesus leads us, and enduring whatever He allows in our lives as His disciples.

3. Our possessions can become great stumbling blocks as we follow Jesus as well. In Luke 14:33 Jesus demands the forsaking of our possessions if we are to follow Him. If we are not our own, it follows reason that our things are not our own either. How many people will turn back over a treasured possession that they refuse to give up? 

In Matthew 24:15-18 Jesus warns about the coming abomination of desolation. At that point in time in Judaea, everyone must flee, there will be no time to get your things before you go. I remember years ago, before I was saved, trying to figure out how I could last through the tribulation while holding on to some of my most treasured items. I thought Jesus command here in these verses seemed a little ridiculous. That in a nutshell is the foolishness of covetousness. Preserving your things will cost you in the end. 

There was a fire a century or so ago that wiped out several towns, not far from where I live, killing many people. The story is told of a train waiting on the tracks to take fleeing people to safety. People were coming with their things. One lady pushing a treadle sewing machine, another a piano. The fire was literally right behind them, the rails were red hot from the heat. When the abomination of desolation occurs the last thing on our minds at that point should be our possessions. Don't let your stuff anchor you to this earth.

4. We love our families, and for most of us we would do anything for them. But Jesus warns us not to let family keep us from following Him (Luke 14:26). 

This verse seems harsh to many, and Jesus doesn't want us to literally hate our families. He is making a point. Who does our allegiance belong to? A disciple wanted to bury his father first. Jesus told him to "Let the dead bury the dead. You come follow me." (Matt 8:21-22). Again, Jesus is making a point about our allegiance to him. Remember the command to honor our parents? Jesus upheld that command. We are expected to love our enemies, how much more our families! How many people have refused the call of God on their lives because they put family ahead of God? That is the point. To follow Jesus will naturally bring division to many families (Matt 10:34-39). Again, in these verses we see the concept of carrying the cross, and losing our lives for Christ. Jesus here states that if we love family more than Him we are not worthy of Him. And back up a few verses and we find that in times of persecution betrayal will come from the members of one's own household (Matt 10:21). 

5. And finally we must embrace the fact of martyrdom. We may be called to physically lay down our lives for the cause of Christ. Jesus assures us that persecution goes with discipleship (Matt 10:22-23, John 15:18-21). Millions of Christians have suffered and died for the sake of Jesus, and multitudes are yet to die in His service. In Revelation we read of "souls under the altar" who were slain because of the word of God, and the testimony they maintained (Rev 6:9). The truth is there will be a number too large to count, of people from every tongue, tribe, and nation, who will suffer and die for Jesus during the great tribulation (Rev7:9-17). Popular teaching denies this, but scripture paints a picture of those who are victorious over the beast through death, and how do they overcome this onslaught instigated ultimately by Satan?

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.

                        Revelation 12:11 NASB

That is key. They did not hold their lives so dear as to renounce their faith, even when faced with death. Countless Christians have made this same choice between life and death. Compromise or faithfulness. 

It is a trustworthy statement:

For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;

If we endure, we will also reign with Him; 

If we deny Him, He also will deny us;

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

                       2 Timothy 2:11-13 NASB

Here the choice, in the greater context of the hardships suffered by the apostle Paul, is set before us. 

So this is hard. Remember Peter? His bold declaration to die with Jesus, only to deny Him a short time later. We need to make a firm choice, but not a rash choice. Our sufficiency is not of ourselves, but our strength comes from God. 

Again, do not fear what man can do, but rely upon God. Remember that this life is temporary, and death is the doorway into the eternal. To die in Christ is to enter into an eternity with Him in glory. To live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21-23).

To sum up, now is the time to count the cost, to make our resolution to follow Christ, by God's grace, no matter what may come. When dark days are upon us, will our lamps be full, or will we be out of oil (see Matt 25:1-13). It will be hard to stand strong then, if we are not prepared now 

Our Response

I have written several posts recently about the last days. While I believe this is important information, and people need to hear it, what good is it if we don't prepare for it now? And even if this generation does not live to see these events take place, we will all eventually stand before God anyway.

Peter tells us that the day of the Lord will bring sudden destruction upon the world as we know it. In view of that, how should we be conducting ourselves now (2 Peter 3:10-11)?

We find an answer a few verses later,

But according to His promise we are looking for a new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless.

                          2 Peter 3:13-14 NASB

First, let's get our focus on the eternal. This world we live in is temporary. Ever since the fall it's been wearing out. We read in Romans that the whole creation is groaning for deliverance (Romans 8:19-22). Our possessions are temporary. Nothing lasts forever, and we can't take it with us anyway. So we must come to an understanding about this reality, and look forward to a new heavens and earth, and even more than that, long for Jesus to return. Jesus is coming for those who eagerly look for Him (Heb 9:27). 

Just like a child who eats a candy bar just before supper, our hunger for Jesus can be ruined by our possessions. We can get to a place where our happiness and security is all bound up in what we have here and now. Jesus warns about this, telling us that our treasures will steal our hearts

(Matt 6:19-21).

Then, we must be found by Jesus in peace. We must be at peace with God, and also with one another. Romans 5:1 tells us that we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. He is our justification, we appropriate it through faith. However, we can get complacent and neglect keeping short accounts with Him. In 1John 1:9 we read, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If you are aware of sin in your life confess it, turn from it. Be diligent to be found in Him at peace, spotless and blameless. It's easy to get dirty in this life, therefore we are told to be diligent. Make every effort, by God's grace and strength, to live in conformity to His will and word! 

And we cannot neglect peace with our fellow man. That involves love, forgiveness, overlooking things that really don't matter. Jesus finds this so important that He has this to say about it, 

Therefore, if you presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,

Leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

                            Matt 5:23-24 NASB

And in Hebrews we read this,

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

                        Hebrews 12:14 NASB

Again, peace with our fellow man is not an option. We must do what we can to maintain it. Our brother may refuse, but we need to do as much as possible on our part (Romans 12:18). 

And sanctification is another way of saying holy living. It's our growth in godliness. We who have found salvation in Christ, now must grow in that grace. We learn what pleases the Lord, and we act accordingly. 

There is so much more I could say here, but I think it will be better to take several posts and discuss how we can live now in preparation to someday meet Jesus.

The Triune God in Isaiah 48

Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am He; I am the first, I also am the last. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

                      (Isaiah 48:12-13 KJV)

The individual speaking in these two verses can be identified as God. He claims to be the first and the last, something no one but God can claim. There is no one else besides Him. He is the uncreated first cause of all creation. In this passage He is shown to be the one who created the heavens and the earth. It is undisputable, this is God speaking.

As this passage continues God speaks of bringing future Judgement on Babylon who He will use as a chastisement upon His people, particularly the southern kingdom of Judah. When the time has come, God will raise up a Persian ruler named Cyrus to set His people free (see Isaiah 44:28-44:4).

It is still God speaking as we come to verse 16,

Come ye near to me, hear this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God and his Spirit, hath sent me.

                                ( Isaiah 48:16 KJV)

So notice that it is God speaking, who will be sent by the Lord God, and the Spirit. Here we have a clear view of the triune makeup of God. Again, it is obvious from the context that it is God speaking. No one but God can claim to be the first and last, the creator of the heavens and earth. That claim belongs only to God. Yet we see the Lord God, and the Spirit, sending the speaker who we have identified as God.

We can deduce from this portion of scripture that it prophetically speaks of the coming Messiah, Jesus, who will be annointed by the Holy Spirit. 

This is foretold also in Isaiah 42:1-7, and Isaiah 61:1-3, and confirmed by Jesus Himself when He read this passage in the synogogue, and claimed to be the fulfillment of it (Luke 4:16-21). Lest there be any doubt in our minds, Creation is ascribed to Jesus as well as it states in Hebrews 1:2-3, Col 1:16, and John 1:3, which reads, All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.

Notice the "There am I" statement denoting eternity. This is very close to Jesus' statement in John 8:58, "Before Abraham was, I am."

Here we have again seen Jesus portrayed as God, as well as another Old Testament passage which reveals the triune God. 

The God of the Exodus

The Old Testament has a lot to say about the triune God, more than many of us may realize. One such passage is found in Isaiah 63:7-16, a portion of scripture recalling God's deliverance of Israel from bondage in Egypt.

I shall make mention of the loving- kindnesses of the LORD, the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has granted us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He has granted them according to His compassion and according to the abundance of His loving-kindnesses. 

 

For He said, "Surely they are My people, sons who will not deal falsely." So He became their Savior. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them; in His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, and He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.

But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them. 

Then His people remembered the days of old, of Moses. Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit in the midst of them? Who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses? Who divided the waters before them to make for Himself an everlasting name. 

Who led them through the depths? Like the horse in the wilderness they did not stumble; as the cattle which go down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. So you led your people , to make for Yourself a glorious name.

Look down from heaven and see from Your holy and glorious habitation; where are Your zeal and Your mighty deeds? The stirrings of Your heart and your compassion are restrained toward me. 

For You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not recognize us. You, O, LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is Your name. 

                            (Isaiah 63:7-16 NASB)

In this passage Isaiah is addressing the LORD (YAHWEH). From verse 16 we can see that Isaiah is referring to the Father. It is the Father who had compassion on Israel in their affliction. According to His loving kindness toward them, He became their Savior, redeeming them from slavery in Egypt. The miraculous parting of the waters, the crossing of the Red sea, but now centuries later, Israel has forsaken the LORD their God, their Father.

Who is the angel of His presence? If we go back to the story of the exodus we discover who this angel is.

Moses is pasturing his father-in-law's flock near Horeb, the mountain of God. The angel of the LORD appeared to Moses in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush.

When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."

Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." 

He also said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

                  (Exodus 3:4-6 NASB)

This is not an ordinary created angel. This angel identifies Himself as God. It is God Himself speaking from the midst of the burning bush. He identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The patriarchs had visitations such as this as well. The LORD appeared to them on various occasions recorded in Genesis.  God tells Moses,

"I am the LORD; and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them.

"I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned.

"Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because of the Egyptians who are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant.

"Say therefore, to the sons of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgements.

'Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burden of the Egyptians.

'I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you as a possession; I am the LORD.'"

                     ( Exodus 6:2-8 NASB)

We see that the LORD God appeared to the patriarchs, made a covenant with them, and has now seen the affliction of their descendants in Egypt. In the past the Word of the LORD appeared to Abram and made a covenant with him (Genesis 15:1-18). The LORD appeared to Abram and gave him the covenant of circumcision (Genesis 17:1-22), and appeared again in the form of a man (Genesis 18:1-33). The angel of the LORD calls out to Abraham from heaven in Genesis 22:1-18, when God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.

The LORD appears to Isaac and reaffirms the covenant made with Abraham (Genesis 26:2-5).

The LORD appeared to Jacob on several occasions during his lifetime. Again, the covenant made with Abraham and passed down to Isaac, is now reaffirmed with Jacob (Genesis 28:12-23). He sees the angel of God in a dream (Genesis 31:10-13), and wrestles with a man (angel), who in reality is God, until daybreak ( Genesis 32:24-30).

When Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph he makes mention of the God who led him all of his life, equating God with the angel who redeemed him from evil (Genesis 48:15-16). 

The book of Hosea confirms that the God of Jacob, and the angel with whom he wrestled, were one and the same, the LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD is His name (Hosea 12:3-5).

Again, back to the appearance of the angel of the LORD and the burning bush, we read this,

The LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of My People who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings."

                      ( Exodus 3:7 NASB)

God is aware of the sufferings that His chosen people have endured. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them (Isaiah 63:9). This angel of His presence, the angel of the LORD who appeared in the burning bush declares who He is,

Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, 'The God of your father's has sent me to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What is His name?' What shall I say to them?"

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM "; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" 

God, furthermore said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations."

                 (Exodus 3:13-15 NASB)

The angel of the LORD, with whom Moses was speaking is the LORD God. He takes the name of the LORD, YAHWEH, the eternal one.

As they depart in haste from Egypt the LORD goes before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21-22).

 As they come to the Red sea, we read that it is the angel of God going before the people. With no where to go, the angel moves between them and the approaching Egyptians (Exodus 14:19). Notice in Exodus 14:24 that it is the LORD who is looking down on the army of Egyptians through the pillar of cloud and fire. This is when God parted the sea, delivering His people in a miraculous way.

In Exodus 23:20-23 we read that this angel who is to go before Israel and bring them into the promised land contains the name of the LORD.

After the incident of the golden calf God told Moses to depart with the people to the promised land. He said he would send His angel before them, but He (the LORD) would not go because of their obstinance. 

Moses intercedes, he is unsure who God will send to go before them. He has found favor with God, they have spoken face to face. He refuses to go if the LORD Himself will not go with them. God's presence in their midst is the factor that distinguishes them from all the other nations. 

The LORD's reply? My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest (Exodus 33:14, see Exodus 32:1-33:15).

The angel of the LORD states in Judges 2:1 that it was He who brought them out of Egypt and into the land which He swore to give their fathers. So who is this angel of the LORD who speaks for God and as God? He is the angel of His presence.

I'm Malachi 3:1 we read this prophecy,

"Behold I am going to send My messenger, and He will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming," says the LORD of hosts.

This was fulfilled as John the Baptist, the messenger or forerunner of Jesus came and prepared the way for Jesus (Mark 1:1-4). Jesus is the Lord who suddenly came to His temple (John 2:13-17). Jesus is the messenger of the covenant of  whom Malachi speaks. He is the angel of the LORD who appeared to the patriarchs, to Moses, who led Israel out of Egypt, and into the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

John 1:18 states that no one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

Jesus explains to His disciples that He is the revelation of the Father in John 14:7-11. This allows us to harmonize all of the divine appearances mentioned in the Old Testament with the above statement, "No one has seen God at any time." The patriarchs and prophets saw God. Hagar saw God. When Moses and Aaron, Nadab, Elihu, and seventy elders of Israel ascended mount Sinai, they saw God. In fact they ate with Him ( Exodus 24:9-11). Who they saw in these appearances was the pre-incarnate Son, Jesus, the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15), the I AM who existed from eternity past, before Abraham was born (John 8:58).

Jesus is the glorious arm of the LORD who went at the right hand of Moses (Isaiah 63:12). We read this in Isaiah 53, a Messianic prophecy fulfilled in Jesus, "Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1)

The message was about Jesus the Messiah, and He was the arm of the LORD revealed to Israel, who according to prophecy, rejected Him ( John 12:37-42). He came to His own and His own did not receive Him (John 1:11).

Jesus the Son of God is pre-existant. He has always been, yet He did not merely dwell unknown in heaven until His incarnation. Many of us understand the prophecies concerning Him, His birth, ministry and miracles, death, resurrection, and second coming. However, how many of us realize that the Old Testament records multiple instances of His appearing to various individuals? When Jesus stated that the scriptures spoke of Him, (remember this would be the Old Testament), He is including all of these appearances we have been discussing. The Old Testament scriptures are filled with Jesus (Luke 24:27).

In spite of all that God did in redeeming Israel out of slavery in Egypt they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit, the Spirit who was in their midst (Isaiah 63 10-11). When we read the account of the Exodus we see the children of Israel constantly grumbling, complaining, and ultimately refusing to go into the land promised them. The had been gloriously delivered, seen miracles, experienced God's provision time and time again. The angel of the LORD ( Christ) personally led them the whole time. All of this grieved His (God's) Holy Spirit.

(See Psalm 106:32-33).

The author of Hebrews, quoting Psalm 95:7-11, states this, Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED ME BY TESTING ME, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID,  'THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS'; AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, 'THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.'"

                     (Hebrews 3:7-11 NASB)

Speaking for God, and as God we see that the Holy Spirit was provoked. It was the Holy Spirit who was tested by the actions of His rebellious people. In a similar passage we see that when Ananias and Sapphira lied to the apostles it was the Holy Spirit that they were actually lying to. Peter tells them that they did not lie to men, but to God (Acts 5:3-4). These are two important passages. God's Spirit cannot be separated from God. The Holy Spirit is not a force, or an angel, or some other created being, or even another God. The Holy Spirit is God. You cannot separate the Spirit of God from God. 

Numbers 14:11-14 records Moses pleading with the LORD on behalf of the nation of Israel who had just refused to enter the promised land,

The LORD said to Moses, "How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst? I will smite them with pestilence and dispossess them, and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they." 

But Moses said to the LORD, "Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from their midst, and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, O LORD, are in the midst of this people, for You, O LORD, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night."

               (Numbers 14:11-14 NASB).

Here we see that it was the LORD in the midst of the people, leading them in the pillar of cloud and fire. This ties it up. There is only one LORD (YAHWEH). We have seen the Father referred to as the LORD, the pre-incarnate Son referred to as LORD, and the Holy Spirit as LORD as well. One LORD, not three LORDS. The one LORD bringing out His people from Egypt, performing miracles, His presence in their midst, He Himself going before them in the cloud. 

Again, as I initially stated, the Old Testament does say much about the triune God. This doctrine is not a new innovation. There are those who erroneously claim that the doctrine of the triune God (trinity) was unheard of until the Nicean council, where "christianized" pagans invented a way to worship multiple gods. This could not be further from the truth. The concept of the triune God is rooted in the Old Testament and is woven throughout the scriptures. God has not left us without witness, He has revealed Himself to us by His Spirit, through His word.