Nahum: A Prophet of Doom (Nahum 1:6) - Who Can Stand?

⁶ Who can stand before his indignation?

    Who can endure the heat of his anger?

His wrath is poured out like fire,

    and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.

While playing baseball in my early high school days, there were times where it was apparent early in the game that this would not be our team’s day. The pitcher was on, throwing fast balls we couldn’t hit or breaking balls completing fooling us. At the same time, their offense was hitting our pitchers all over the field. Perhaps athletes should remain optimistic until the end of the game, but most of us were very realistic. The differences between our athletic ability and our opponents made it clear we would lose the game that day.

Far too many of us go through this life doing whatever we want to do, whatever we believe is right. Perhaps we sense a twinge of guilt over our actions; perhaps not. Those who do not believe there is a God have little worries. But, unfortunately, there are many who do believe in a God and, yet, believe that somehow they will escape His judgment. They will answer God’s charges cleverly, and they will avoid the punishment. Perhaps they think they can lie to God and escape. In some ways, when Judgment Day arrives, they will slip by the judge and into the heavenly kingdom. They are the athletes who are totally outclassed and outplayed  by their opponent.

I have no idea how many of those living in Nineveh during Nahum’s day still believed in the God proclaimed by Jonah. But, assuming there were some, I suspect a few believed they would get away with their sinful deeds. Besides, they weren’t nearly as bad as that neighbor of theirs. God would punish the neighbor but permit them to go free. They would find some way to escape this Sovereign opponent.

However, Nahum informs these deluded individuals that will not be the case and he does so with two rhetorical questions. “Who can stand before His indignation?” God’s fury rages over the sins of His creatures. No one escapes, no one gets by. Sin demands punishment and someone must pay. “Who can endure the heat of His anger?” And when that judgment is pronounced and punishment delivered, no one will remain standing. You in Nineveh: you will NOT escape God’s hand.

Neither will any sinner including those living in the twenty-first century. Do not fool yourself. You cannot outwit God and you cannot outplay God. If we sin, we will be judged. And when we are judged, God will “pour out” His wrath upon us as His punishment against our sin. There will be no escape. Those who are clever with their words will not fool this judge. When you stand before God, you will stand only long enough to hear your punishment. Sin must be punished; you will pay.

But there will be some to whom the judge will proclaim, “not guilty”. Their acquittal will not be the result of any clever trick or for living a perfect life. Their acquittal is the result of the work of God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who lived a perfect life and then died an obedient death, taking the punishment for His people. If you are one of God’s chosen ones, your punishment has already been endured for every sin you have (and will) commit! Praise the Lord!

But, are you one of God’s chosen ones? You can know. God’s Word calls upon you to turn from your sins (repent) and believe (trust) Christ alone for your salvation. The chosen of God will obey His saving call. Have you? Or will you suffer the wrath of God on that Judgment day?

Nahum: A Prophet of Doom (Nahum 1:4-5)

⁴ He rebukes the sea and makes it dry;

    he dries up all the rivers;

Bashan and Carmel wither;

    the bloom of Lebanon withers.

⁵ The mountains quake before him;

    the hills melt;

the earth heaves before him,

    the world and all who dwell in it.

As I write this morning, our area has been inundated with several inches of rain over a short period of time. When such events occur, we encounter episodes of flash flooding. The news today played a video of a car being swept away by the rapidly rising waters. I’m sure if there was a driver in the car at the time, they felt helpless as their vehicle drifted away. Who can stop the water at such times?

Also last week, a report was produced stating the danger of a volcanic eruption within Yellowstone Park. If this were to occur, the report indicates the damage would not be isolated to the park. Rather, the entire world would suffer the consequences of such an explosion. Who can stop the volcanoes of the world from spewing the molten rock beneath them into the atmosphere?

The prophet Nahum has made it clear that Nineveh will be judged. God has said it and that judgment is coming. The guilt of that city must be paid, and it is God who will exact the payment. Furthermore, the Sovereign Judge is fully capable of executing such judgment. In these two verses, Nahum continues his illustration of God’s power to do exactly what He says He will do.

No one on the earth can halt the seas and the rivers from their course. But God can. The flowers bloom as He commands and permits. Mountains quake (volcanoes and earthquakes) and even collapse under the pressure of His little finger. The entire world and everyone on it are shaken by His judgment.

Nineveh must understand that there is no mistake. God will judge and God has the power to punish. Nothing and no one can alter that destiny.

You and I are like those in Nineveh. God will judge our sin, that is certain. He has the power (and right) to do so, and nothing we do can alter that destiny. Sin must be paid. And, apart from a substitutionary sacrifice, that payment will be made by us: an eternal punishment for our sin committed against an eternal God.

Praise our Heavenly Father for providing us with such a substitute, namely, Jesus Christ. May each of us repent of our sin and trust Him for our deliverance!

Nahum: A Prophet of Doom (Nahum 1:3b)

³ The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,

    and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.

His way is in whirlwind and storm,

    and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

In my younger days, I did make a few enemies, especially during my early college days. A few of those enemies would, on occasion, threaten me with remarks such as, “You’re going to get yours” and “I’ll beat the ???? out of you!” Being over six-feet tall and weighing in much more than two hundred pounds made for a good defense. If the enemy making such a threat was a shorter or lighter individual, I would laugh off his warning. But, if that enemy possessed larger dimensions than me, well, I took their words much more to heart!

Nineveh will be destroyed. God has proclaimed its downfall. And Nahum has assured the residents of that city that God will not merely dismiss the charges against them. In other words, Yahweh has threatened Nineveh with serious judgment and punishment. Should such a threat be taken seriously? The prophet of God says yes!

When God is our enemy, we cannot look at His dimensions and decide whether to fear His warning or to dismiss it for our God can not be described by dimensions. Nahum proceeds to provide several illustrations to demonstrate the character of God and to emphasize the seriousness of his warning.

First, “His way is in whirlwind and storm”. Make no mistake, citizens of Nineveh! Yahweh controls the elements of the world. He uses them to accomplish His purposes and sometimes that purpose includes judgment. Mother Nature does not exist. It is the Sovereign Creator exercising His domain over His creation. Make no mistake: Yahweh has the power and the control to bring the judgment He has declared.

Second, “the clouds are the dust of his feet”. When we move from one place to another on dusty ground, we stir up the dust where we move. When Yahweh acts, the clouds are the dust! Certainly, this image speaks of His transcendence. He is above, apart from His creation. What could stay His hand when He chooses to move? Also, God does not move in one place. He moves through the dust of the clouds, in other words, throughout the entire world. He is working everywhere. Nineveh, you cannot hide from Him. Nineveh, you cannot prevent Him from executing His discipline.

  

Nor can we. We are sinners, under God’s condemnation, awaiting His judgment and punishment. God controls the elements of the world and may use them in pouring out His wrath. God has the power to send our soul to an eternal Hell. And God will judge the entire earth; none will escape.

Our God is the Creator. He has all power not only over the elements but also over us. He has promised judgment and is fully capable to carry out that judgment. Let us cry out to Him for forgiveness, turning from our sins, and trusting Jesus for the salvation we so desperately need.

Woe is he who is God’s enemy!

Nahum: A Prophet of Doom (Nahum 1:3a)

³ The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,

    and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.

His way is in whirlwind and storm,

    and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

As a young child who has done something wrong, you realize your father has enough power to punish you with some serious discipline. However, you hope he takes his time in exacting judgment and, in doing so, might just forget about your offense altogether! Unfortunately, that is usually not the case. Father responds quickly and judgment is delivered with appropriate force.

To Nineveh, Nahum has predicted the coming wrath of the Almighty against them. Between the time of his prophecy until the great city fell to the Babylonians, over thirty years would pass. I suspect many of those living in the city believed they had escaped the judgment. Nahum must have been a false prophet. Nineveh continued to exist, and the Assyrians continued to dominate the area.

But Yahweh had not forgotten the judgment due. He “by no means clear the guilty”. All offenses must be paid by someone. And so, Nineveh was destroyed.

When the judgment fell, it came with great power. Virtually overnight, Assyria tumbled from the dominant power of the Middle East to nothing. Over the next three verses, Nahum will illustrate the power of the omnipotent God.

Thankfully, our God is also a patient God, one who is “long in the nose”. The guilty will be punished, that’s a certainty. But God will deliver that punishment in His way and in His time. For Nineveh, he waited thirty years. Yet, His judgment did fall upon the city.

God’s judgment will fall upon you as well. For now, you may feel invincible living in your rebellion against God. Nothing bad is happening to you. Perhaps God has forgotten your sin or maybe He doesn’t even know you’re a sinner. You get the idea that you have, in your superiority, fooled God and gotten away with your wicked acts. Be warned, sinner! You have not escaped the eye of the Almighty. He is fully aware of your sinful nature, your sinful ways, and your sinful deeds. Nothing you think, do, or say escapes His eye. You will not be forgotten, and your sin will not be acquitted. SOMEONE must make restitution for that sin. One day, your end WILL come, and you WILL stand before God, and you WILL give an account for each sinful act. Then God, in His omnipotent power, WILL bring His judgment. You WILL pay for your sin.

Unless, of course, you permit someone else to provide that redemption. This someone must be a human. This someone must be a human who has never, ever rebelled or sinned against our God. And there is only ONE someone who meats such a criterion: Jesus Christ. Jesus lived a sinless life and died on the cross for sinners. His life and death accomplished redemption for the sinner. He bears the punishment for the sinner’s sins. He takes the guilt for the sinner and God clears the guilty by punishing His Son in the sinner’s stead.

You ask, “When Jesus died on the cross, did He die for MY sins? Has God punished Him in my stead? How can I know?” Well, have you cried out to Jesus for that provision? Have you repented of your sins? Are you trusting Christ and Christ alone for the salvation of your soul?

God will not clear the guilty. He will punish in His power. Either Christ takes that punishment for you or you must bear it alone. Turn from your sins and turn to Christ today. Now is the day of salvation!

Nahum: A Prophet of Doom (Nahum 1:2)

² The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;

    the Lord is avenging and wrathful;

the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries

    and keeps wrath for his enemies.

If his readers were expecting the prophet to begin his message with some modern-day teaching on the love of God, they would have been greatly disappointed. Too often in our society, we think of God only in terms of His love or His grace. There is much more to God than those two attributes.

As a husband, I am jealous for my wife. I want to be her one and only. I do not want her desiring other men, only me. I want her to obey my words, not the words of others. God’s jealousy is much like that. He desires we worship Him and Him alone. He calls on His to obey His voice, not the voice of the world, flesh, or devil. He is righteous and His commands are righteous. He is a jealous God, jealous for people to exalt and follow only Him.

To those who discard God and follow the ways of the world, God is not pleased. The citizens of Nineveh have displayed their unrighteousness by flaunting the Word of God given to them by Jonah and afflicting His people, Judah. Nahum proclaims the jealous God will avenge. Such individuals will not go unpunished for Yahweh is also an avenging God, demanding justice for His enemies. That justice will come by His wrath, His righteous anger reserved for those who live in unrighteousness.

God’s wrath is not an attribute of our great Sovereign we enjoy discussing. Love is much more appealing. But God’s love of Himself and His holy character must be expressed by His wrath against those who do not love Him or heed Him. John 3:36 tells us that each of us, born in sin, are under God’s wrath while we do not surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ. His wrath presently abides upon us. We are but one breath, one heartbeat from experiencing that infinite wrath!

We live in a world where evil abounds and where justice appears thwarted. Why do the evil flourish? Why do they get away with their wickedness? Why doesn’t God do something? Make no mistake, Nahum says. Yahweh takes vengeance on His enemies. He guards or keeps His wrath reserved for them.

Judgment is coming, Nineveh! You have turned from God. You have ignored His Word. You have trespassed His law. You have rejected your Creator. God is a jealous God, an avenging God. Your unrighteousness must be punished. His wrath is coming!

But the same must be said to each of us born of woman. Our natures are corrupted by sin and we are conceived under condemnation resulting from Adam’s sin. His wrath is upon us, being kept there until the hour He chooses to exact vengeance upon us.

Oh, sinner, turn to Christ while you may! Now is the time while God’s hand is stayed! Repent of your sins and trust Jesus for your salvation. He has fulfilled the righteous demands of God. Only He provides our redemption from and our propitiation for our sin. Salvation is found in Him alone!

Nahum: A Prophet of Doom (Nahum 1:1)

¹An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.

So begins the small prophecy known in our Bibles as “Nahum”. The book is one of the twelve prophecies making up what we call the Minor Prophets. This group is referred to as “minor” not because they are less important than other Scriptures but because they are smaller in size than prophecies such as Jeremiah.

“An oracle” is the Hebrew word “massa” and means “burden”. The entire book is a proclamation of the coming destruction on the city of Nineveh. For an Israelite such as Nahum, Nineveh’s destruction would be a blessing, not a burden. However, as anyone who has ever preached on judgment from the Word of God, such a message is a heavy load for the speaker to deliver. Such messages are a burden not only to the listener but also to the preacher. For this prophet of God, he has a very heavy message to share.

Furthermore, this message revolves around the city of Nineveh. Nineveh is the capital of the Assyrian empire, the dominant power in the Middle East. About one-hundred years earlier, God sent a prophet from the Northern Kingdom by the name of Jonah to this same city. Reluctantly, Jonah proclaimed the demise of Nineveh only to see the Ninevites repent of their sin. God stayed His hand of judgment at that time much to Jonah’s dismay.

But Assyria return to their wicked ways. Fifty years after Jonah, Assyria defeated the Northern Kingdom of Israel, taking captives and dispersing them throughout their kingdom. Assyria acted wickedly to those living in Judah and grew in power and evil. God had not forgotten His people. Nineveh had been warned once and heeded that warning. But they returned to their wicked ways and there were no more warnings coming from the Lord. Judgment, not mercy, awaited those in the city.

Nahum indicates he received these words in a divine vision. This was not some ecstatic, wild nightmare type of vision. Rather, it was a clear and reasonable word given by God to this chosen servant. The prophet, whose name means “consoler” or “comforter”, would prove to be a comfort not to Nineveh but to Judah. The long Assyrian oppression against the Southern Kingdom was about to end.

The prophet Nahum is a man like us. He is from Elkosh, an unknown village in the Middle East, likely a small village. If God uses obscure people from obscure places to proclaim His Word, He can use us to do the same!

Well, What Do You Know and How Do You Do!

A major league batter hits a hard ground ball down the third base line. The third baseman, in desperation to prevent an extra base hit, sticks out his glove and, to his amazement, the ball comes to rest in it. Quickly, he stands up and throws the runner out at first. The crowd leaps to their feet and applauds his great effort.

I read that one infielder (I believe it was Don Hoak) referred to such a play as the "well, what do you know and how do you do" play. The ball is a certain hit and the third baseman is the most surprised person on the diamond to find that ball stuck in his glove ("well, what do you know"). Realizing he has an opportunity to change the outcome of the play from a hit to an out ("and how do you do"), he throws the ball to first. What was a sure thing only moments earlier (a hit) has now been radically changed (an out).

Ephesians 2 has a similar "well, what do you know and how do you do" play. Paul begins the chapter reminding his readers (and us) who we are. He writes:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

What a horrific picture of who we really are! Spiritually dead creatures, forever following the world, the Devil, and our flesh, doing what WE wanted to do, doing what WE thought was right. In a nutshell, we are children of wrath, we are guilty before our Almighty Creator, doomed for eternal damnation. Our path is clear. Instead of a ball shooting its way into left field, we are souls shooting our way into Hell. That's our certain destination.

Then comes God's "well, what do you know and how do you do" play. Oh, He knows what He's doing. He knows the end from the beginning. However, for those of us whose destiny is leading us to eternal destruction, God comes out of nowhere to make a radical, life-changing play.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

That simple conjunction "but" is the surprising play of the infielder. No one expected it. Nothing and no one, not even ourselves, could prevent us from entering Hell. But God could. God, not with a glove but with His mercy and His grace, reached out in Jesus Christ and changed our course. Instead of rolling into Hell, He saved us and raised us up and seated us with Christ! Our change of course in life is His doing, not ours. What was a sure eternal home in Hell has been exchanged for a sure eternal home in Heaven.

Has God made such a play in your life? Have you repented of your sin and trusted Jesus for the keeping of your soul? Has the Spirit regenerated your soul, restoring its spiritual life? God and God alone can prevent you from rolling into the Devil's outfield. Trust Him.

For those of us who are trusting Christ, just like the crowd stands and applauds the third baseman for such a play, let us stand and applaud our Heavenly Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, for showing us the "immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness".

Greetings Part 2 - Some Thoughts on 2 Peter 1:1-2

1:2 – May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

A prayer on behalf of his readers is offered by the Apostle in this verse. Peter’s request is virtually the same as the one Paul usually makes in his epistles. It is a simple prayer of greeting. He seeks the Lord to grant them more and more grace and peace.

Most Bible students understand the meaning of grace. Simply put, grace is God doing for us what we do not deserve. Surely every true Christian who understands the Word of God realizes that God has done everything for us, and we deserve absolutely nothing but death, judgment, and eternal damnation. Instead, he has given us life now, hope for the future, and eternal life with Him!

Given all the grace God has already granted to us, it seems bold to seek God for more grace. Yet God hears our requests and gladly gives to His children. May we always seek for God’s grace in our life.

And, of course, with grace comes peace. In fact, apart from God’s grace there is no peace. Without grace there is no true peace in one’s soul and there is no eternal peace for the soul. More grace equals more peace and that includes peace with God.

So, for his readers, Peter asks the Lord to rapidly increase (“multiply”) both grace and peace in the lives of his readers. Such a multiplication of these two godly attributes is the meaning of spiritual growth. Peter wants his readers to grow spiritually. We should desire such spiritual growth for every believer including our self!

And how does God multiply grace and peace in our lives? He does so through knowledge of Himself and His Son. The word “knowledge” in the original has a preposition prefix and may be translated “knowledge upon”. In this form, the word refers to “full” or “complete” or “deeper” knowledge of God.

Our Sovereign Creator has revealed Himself in His Son (the living Word) and in the Scriptures (the written word). His revelation is complete. He has provided us with all we need to know to experience eternal peace and happiness. The grace and peace our souls desire will grow only as we meditate and study on His Word.

We need a full knowledge of the character of God. We need a full knowledge of the purpose of God. We need a full knowledge of the workings of God. Knowing God is not a one-time act; it is a lifetime act.

But our knowledge needs to be more extensive. It must include a complete knowledge of our Lord, the Lord Jesus. We need a full knowledge of who He was, who He is, and who He will be. We need a full knowledge of Christ as our Prophet, our Priest, and our King. We need a full knowledge of Christ not only as our Savior but also as our Lord, for He is Lord of all.

Yes, let’s seek the Lord and ask Him for more grace and peace. But we must remember also that the Lord grows us spiritually through His Word.

May we seek Him in the Scripture, and may He grow us into the image of His Son!

Greetings Part 1 - Some Thoughts on 2 Peter 1:1-2

1:1 – Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

1. Note the author: he is Simeon, his given Jewish name for he certainly is a Jew. While called by many names throughout the New Testament, Simeon (Simon) is his true name (“one heard”). This name represents his human nature, the man he was before Christ and the man who, though redeemed, is still a sinner.

But he also says his name is “Peter” (meaning rock). Here is the name Christ gave to him upon his confession as to who Jesus was. He is a man of faith though, at times, that faith indeed wavers. Thank the Lord it did for it provides hope to those of us who struggle in our own Christian walk.

Having provided his readers with his name, he now mentions his titles. First, he is a “servant”. The word may be translated “slave” and should be connected with the two nouns “Jesus Christ”. Peter knew who he was in Christ just as Paul did. Jesus is the Master; they are merely his servants or slaves. A slave does only that which is commanded by his master. He, like all of those who trust Christ, are forever indebted to our great savior.

Second, he is an “apostle”, “one who is sent with a message”. Sometimes the word is used to describe the specific New Testament office of “Apostle” held only by those who had seen the resurrected Christ. I believe Peter is using the word in two ways. He is a messenger of the Gospel sent by Christ to preach and minister, but he is also a special called follower of Christ who witnessed the Lord’s activity after his resurrection. His office as an apostle carries divine authority which may be attributed to his writing including this letter. It is the very Word of God.

2. Next, Peter mentions his immediate audience. No specific church is mentioned. No specific location is mentioned. But his readers are described with precise terminology. While he may have certain individuals in mind as he writes, the description of these readers applies to every believer. Therefore, the letter is intended for the church through the ages.

The readers are the ones who have obtained faith. The word translated “obtained” is a participle in the original and is found only here and in three other New Testament passages. It means to obtain by lot. In other words, whatever is received is received apart from their effort. They do not earn the item obtained; it is given to them by the selection of something (or someone) else. John the Baptist’s father obtained the right to minister in the temple by lot (i.e., he was chosen). The Lord’s clothes were obtained by certain soldiers by casting lots (i.e., they obtained them by chance).

The faith they have is not of themselves. It is not something they possessed that was lying dormant inside their depraved humanity. No, they obtained that faith through the work of Almighty God, not of themselves. Here we clearly see “the gift of saving faith”. Such faith is a gift of God. Regeneration comes first then faith. Salvation is indeed a work of grace!

True Biblical faith, true saving faith is not a mere intellectual assent of Scriptural truths (recall that the demons believe, and they tremble!). The faith to which Peter refers is a faith that not only assents to the truth, it trusts its object, namely, it trusts Christ! Trust includes knowledge but also includes dependence. Our faith believes the Word and depends upon the Lord. We trust Jesus with our eternal soul.

This “obtaining” is a completed action. God gave the faith to the one reading this epistle when the Spirit regenerated their soul. When that faith came, the sinner trusted the Lord and was justified before God.

What his readers have obtained is faith of the same kind as Peter and the other apostles. They are not different levels of salvation in the kingdom of God. While our sanctification may take different paths, the faith we place in Christ is the same among all believers. Peter is an apostle by the calling of God, and, therefore, carries higher authority. But the faith he exercises in Christ is the same faith his readers exercise in Christ. We are brothers and sisters in the faith, equals before our Lord.

3. Lest we assume our faith is somehow based upon our efforts to “accept Jesus”, Peter specifies how such faith comes: “by the righteousness of our God and savior Jesus Christ”.

Righteousness is that attribute of God whereby He always does what is right and He alone determines what right is. His righteousness is perfect. There is no sin in Him. To stand in his presence demands we, too, possess such righteousness. In our depraved state, that is impossible. Despite every effort we may muster, we will sin and, thereby, destroy perfect righteousness. In fact, God’s Word teaches us that we are sinners at our conception as a result of Adam’s sin. We are doomed from the outset. We do not have the necessary righteousness.

But the faith given to us by our great Sovereign God, when exercised by trusting our soul to Christ, is then credited to us as righteousness. Here is the great doctrine of justification by faith. We are justified or declared righteous through our faith, a faith we do not earn but are given. Praise our wonderful Lord for all his provisions!

Furthermore, the righteousness credited to us at our justification is not some artificial righteousness. No, Peter reminds us it is the righteousness of our God and Savior. And who is that God and Savior? Peter constructs this phrase so both nouns (“God” and “Savior”) refer to the same individual: Jesus Christ.

Jesus is God in the flesh. He was conceived by the work of the Holy Spirit in the womb of a virgin, born as a human child, lived a human life without any sin (active obedience), and died a sacrificial death (passive obedience). By his life and through his death, he obtained the righteousness of God. Our sin was credited to Him on the cross and He paid the full debt we owed. When we place our God-given faith in Him, His righteousness is credited to us and God declares us “not guilty”.

Let us rejoice in the opening words of this epistle. Peter was a sinner saved by God’s grace, called to the apostleship. The faith God gave to Him He gives to all His chosen ones. And that faith is based on the perfect, completed work of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ!

May we glorify Him forever!

The Beginning of Life

Today, I saw an excerpt of a recent science fiction picture. I do not know the title, but the gist was they were scientists examining a single cell they found in the Martian dust. It resembles an earthly cell but is not alive. They manipulate the cell’s atmosphere in a variety of ways and, suddenly, the cell moves. With satisfaction and excitement, they pronounce they have discovered the existence of life on Mars! A single, moving cell was all the proof they required.

In an earlier post (“Society and the Law”), I contended that abortion is an example of a modern societal “norm” that has become a law yet is condemned by the Word of God. A true follower of Christ can never support abortion if they are being faithful to God’s Word instead of bowing to the “wisdom of man”. In this post, I want to present my simple explanation for my position.

Many will argue abortion is a “woman’s right to choose” and must be her decision, not the decision of others or society. I pointed out in the earlier article that most abortions (over 95%) are performed for reasons other than rape or incest. In other words, most abortions are performed on pregnancies that result when the woman exercised her right to choose and chose to have sexual relations. They knew the potential consequences of their actions before they made that choice. If they are unwilling to bear responsibility for the possible resulting pregnancy then they should not engage in the sexual act in the first place. Use your “right to choose”, ladies.

Others will argue the object aborted is not a human being. It is a “fetus”. Of course, no woman ever refers to the unborn thing in her womb as a fetus. They always call it a baby, a child, for that is what it is. Would those who support the killing of the unborn do so if they truly believed the “fetus” was human life? Unfortunately, I suspect they would and do so even today. I fear there are even Christians who believe such action is proper and, perhaps, preferred in certain situations.

Nevertheless, the unborn child is a human life. It is a human life that begins at conception. Modern science sees the unborn and performs surgery on the unborn early in pregnancies. Is it not a life at those times? They hear and see the beating heart very early in the cycle. Is it not a life at those times?

It is our great God who gives life. As the Psalmist says, “Children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Psalm 127:3). Perhaps the remaining question on the matter of abortion is exactly when that “fetus” is truly a child. For me, the answer is quite simple. As I said, human life begins at conception.

Medical science has concluded that the nuclei of the sperm and the egg have fused at twenty minutes from the time the sperm penetrates the egg. At forty minutes, DNA synthesis has begun. And, at ninety minutes, the first cell division occurs; ninety minutes! Doesn’t the dividing of the cell indicate whatever you call this unborn thing is alive? According to the science fiction movie I mentioned earlier, the answer is yes, this proves life!

With that being the case, the next question is what kind of life is now dividing in the womb of the mother? Is it a monkey? Is it a frog? Is it a tree? Perhaps it is a Martian. Of course, we all know what kind of life has begun its existence in the first ninety minutes: human life! That two-cell entity is a living, human being, growing and taking shape much like it will continue to grow and change after its birth. It is human life from the outset.

How can anyone who believes God is the creator and giver of life support the murder of that life? “You shall not commit murder,” God has said. How can you take that unborn life? I call on those who claim they are following Christ but who support this hellish practice to turn from their sin, ask their Lord for forgiveness, and stand against those who oppose life.

To those of you who support abortion on demand or even practice it, may God have mercy on your soul. You need deliverance from your sins. You need forgiveness for your sins. You need Jesus Christ.

May you seek and find Him, and may He deliver you from this devilish deed. Only He can deliver you from the clutches of Satan and your eternal destiny in hell.

Society and the Law

As a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, I am fed up! I am fed up with our politicians. I am fed up with our churches. I am fed up with other Christians. And, I am fed up with myself. What I am about to write will be offensive to some and raise the ire of many. Political correctness has had its day and I’m done with it. If you do not like what I write or say, don’t read it or listen to it. I can do the same with your responses.

The “norms” of society are rapidly becoming the “laws” of our nation. Too many in our great country, including those who call themselves followers of Christ, have been duped by the world into accepting what SOCIETY deems “normal”. We have forgotten that our great Sovereign God decides what is and isn’t normal and we are to follow His Word, not the word of society even if society incorporates their “norm” into a law.

“What are you talking about?” you might ask. Well, allow me to list several “norms” present in our society today. Decide for yourself whether you accept what society (our man’s law) says or what God says.

1. Abortion. Society and the laws of our nation permit a woman FOR ANY REASON to kill her unborn child. Some states are even passing laws permitting the child’s death if it is born alive! I’ve read and heard professed people of God, even ministers (!), support such actions. You have been duped by Satan himself. God creates life and that life is created at the moment of conception. To take that life is to play God. It is murder plain and simple. God’s law says, “You shall not commit murder.” Man’s law says, “A woman may kill her unborn while in the womb.”

Which law are you accepting, supporting, and promoting? A woman has the right to choose, in most cases, whether to engage in the sexual act. If they want to choose not to have a child then choose not to engage in the act. The cases of rape and incest may be discussed separately for most abortions (over 95%) have nothing to do with rape or incest.

Our laws permit the murder of the unborn. That is not God’s law!

2. Divorce. Society and our laws permit the termination of a marriage for almost any reason on earth. Adultery, sure. Abuse, sure. Unhappy at times, sure. “Irreconcilable differences”, sure. Any reason, any time. Simply get your lawyers, arrange your settlement, and give any reason for the dissolution of the vows you took before God and witnesses. That’s man’s law. That society’s way.

But that is not God’s way. He has proclaimed that marriage is between a man and a woman before God and is to last forever. Bible scholars often debate whether divorce is permitted for adultery or not, a matter to discuss for another day. But let’s be clear: The Bible says nothing about ending a marriage for all the other reasons under the sun. When you take your vows, you proclaim “for better or for worse”.

Marriage is not easy. Two different and imperfect individuals are thrown together into a union. There are great days and there are difficult days. Marriage takes work, hard work.

Society says you can end a marriage at any time. God says no, your marriage is for LIFE.

3. LGBTQ… I’m sorry, but I do not know all the letters or all their meanings. But I know what society says today. They say there is nothing wrong with homosexuality. There’s nothing wrong with lesbianism. There’s nothing wrong with transgender. Society claims men may become women and women may become men. Society and society’s law even permit the marriage of homosexuals. Most frightening to me is how many professing Christians accept the teaching of men over the teaching of God. If a person believes they are female, no big deal. If a person wants to marry someone of the same sex, no big deal. If a person enjoys sexual relations with either sex, no big deal.  

Well, it IS a big deal to God. God created us male and female. His gender stamp is imbedded in the very chromosomes found in each cell of our body. God’s biological blueprint is there: “xx” is a female, “xy” is a male. No chemical, no surgery, no mindset will ever change that fact.

Furthermore, as noted above, God created marriage and, therefore, God defines marriage. Marriage is between a man and a woman. PERIOD! It is not between two men. It is not between two women. It is not between a man and a man who thinks he is a woman. It is not between multiple individuals; only two, a man and a woman.

And God condemns such sexual acts. They are, to Him, abominations. This fact is taught in both the Old Testament and the New. Those who support such lifestyles often claim Jesus would not condemn it, yet Jesus is God and God has condemned it even after Jesus ministered on the earth (read Romans 1).

Too many Christians have surrendered their allegiance to this sexual perverted community. Either out of Scriptural ignorance, apathy, or political correctness, they have given in to the demands of a segment of our society and accepted them and their practices as normal and right. Yet, God condemns their very acts.

4. Co-habitation. I have no idea what the proper term is these days. When I was younger, I remember the term “shacking up”. What I am referring to is the ever-increasing practice of a man and woman living together before being married. Fifty years ago, such a practice was condemned in the eyes of man. Today’s society treat such a practice as a common one, even an expected one. Even two young people, each professing to be a follower of Christ, see no problem with sharing the same apartment with a member of the opposite sex outside of marriage. It is now an acceptable practice in society. I am sure there are even laws covering such situations.

I certainly have no idea what takes place behind the closed doors of EVERY such co-habitation. But, I strongly suspect most of those arrangements, if not all of them, wind up with sexual activity. And that, fellow Christian, is PROHIBITED by God and His law. Sexual acts are reserved for those who are married. Why a Christian would ever place himself/herself into such a tempting situation is beyond me. God says no.

5. Adultery. For most of our nation’s history, the act of adultery was condemned by society. Those who engaged in sexual activity outside of their marriage were frowned upon and, in some cases, even shunned. Not today.

When the world hears that some married man has engaged in sexual relations with a woman other than his wife (or vice versa), eyebrows are rarely raised. The movies, television, and literature have given the impression that such acts are expected in most marital relationships. Husbands cheating on their wives is just the way things are.

That may be man’s attitude, but that is not God’s attitude. As already mentioned, adultery is a serious sin. In the Old Testament, stoning was the penalty for such an act. Certainly, I do not condone stoning. Jesus taught us to forgive those engaged in such activity, not to kill them. Nevertheless, Jesus Himself pointed out that adultery is an act of SIN. It is not an acceptable or  “normal” action. It is an act of disobedience, an act of rebellion against the Almighty.

Even Christians might engage in adultery. If they do, they should not simply dismiss their illicit activity, rather, they should seek Christ and ask His forgiveness.

Society views adultery as a “to-be-expected” act, a slip, a mistake which may be excused. God views it as a sin to be avoided. If committed, the offenders are to seek the forgiveness of God, not merely the understanding of man.

6. God’s Word. My last item forms the foundation for all the others. Society, in general, including many Christians, have rejected the Word of God. Early in our history, our laws were governed by His Word as proclaimed by godly men. The laws passed by our government were often aligned with the Scripture. God’s Word provided a roadmap for our society.

Unfortunately, that has changed. Most of society does not accept the Bible as the Word of God. It is merely a book. Furthermore, it is an old book. Much of what it has to say has no bearing on modern man. How many Christians in our nation today claim they believe in the Bible, yet, when the Bible tells them and society “NO”, they reject what the Word says and reply, “YES”? Even worse, how many Christians have no idea WHAT the Bible says because they never read it, they never study it, they never hear it taught, they never hear it preached?!

Too often, I have found myself tempted to join the world’s perspective on these and other topics. In fact, I’m certain there have been moments when I should have stood up and proclaimed God’s Word against such matters, but, instead, simply remained quiet. May the Lord forgive my silence.

Fellow Christians, we need to wake up, understand the Word of God, and reject the “norms” of society. We need to ignore the threat of political correctness, the charges of racism and homophobic, and the labeling as “Jesus freaks” or “Bible thumpers” and take a stand for Christ and His Word. God calls us to obey the laws of the land EXCEPT when those laws are contrary to the laws of God.

I do not wish to be confrontational. I do not wish to be argumentative. To the best of my ability, I have aligned my thinking on these issues with the Word of God. My objective is not to offend anyone, rather, it is to enlighten them. I am not trying to be aggressive in terms of my response and neither should any Christian. We simply need to be honest and speak the truth in love. If God has condemned an act, then let us tell those who promote it, practice it, or legalize it that God has so condemned it.

Furthermore, there are souls at stake. The actions of society are merely the acts of depraved individuals, each one born as a depraved sinner, condemned in the eyes of God. They need the salvation only Christ can provide. Sharing with them what God truly says concerning their sinful acts may be the prompt the Holy Spirit uses to bring to them conviction of their sins. Such conviction may result in the salvation of their eternal souls.

And, in doing so, may we accomplish our true purpose in life: “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”

Owen Revisited

A brief moment from our Sunday School class yesterday jogged my memory on an argument presented  by the great Puritan John Owen in "The Death of Death in the Death of Christ". For reasons known only to my mathematical inclinations and the Lord, I quickly jotted down a logic table. For fun, here it is:


# of sins               # of people
for which             for whom 
Christ died           Christ died       The Result
 NONE                  NONE            DOOM
 NONE                  SOME            DOOM
 NONE                  ALL                DOOM
 SOME                 NONE             DOOM
 SOME                 SOME             DOOM
 SOME                 ALL                 DOOM
 ALL                     NONE             DOOM
 ALL                     SOME             REDEMPTION
 ALL                     ALL                 UNIVERSALISM

The first seven possibilities leave all people in some of their sins. Hence, all that awaits the sinner in those cases is judgment and doom. In fact, to say Christ died for all sins of no one makes no sense at all. His death was completely meaningless.

That leaves the last two possibilities. Most Christians argue for the last position, namely, that Christ died for each and every sin of each and every person. However, to accept the position that Christ died for all sins of all men (general atonement) must result in universalism. One cannot argue that Christ paid the debt for all sins but some do not accept that payment. To not accept is to not trust God, to not believe in God, to not have faith in God which is the same as disobeying God, i.e., SIN (hence, a sin not covered by the blood).

This leaves the only viable outcome: Christ died for each and every sin of SOME people. This doctrine is known as Particular Redemption (sometimes called Limited Atonement). Yet, in particular redemption, Christ fully accomplished the redemption for EVERY sin of EVERY person given to Him by His Father.

Now, some will argue, how does one handle the Biblical passages which appear to teach that Christ died for everyone? Well, the "All" Biblical texts may be reconciled with the "Some" Biblical passages by their context. However, the opposite is not true. You can't reconcile the "Some" passages with the "All" passages. A rough illustration:

Some cats are yellow. All cats (within the yellow group) are yellow.
All cats are yellow. Some cats (all within the yellow group) are yellow. But this implies the yellow group is not the only group. They are SOME among other colors of cats.

Some sinners are saved. All sinners (within the elect group) are saved.
All sinners are saved. Some sinners (all within the elect group) are saved. While this is true, it implies there is a non-elect group which means the death of Christ was particular after all.

The wonderful news of particular redemption is the certainty of the salvation of those whom the Father has chosen, the Son has died, and the Spirit has quickened! God has accomplished it all for no reason other than His mercy and His grace!

"According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." (Ephesians 1:4-7)