Matthew 16:18

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples after Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.  It is the opinion of this writer, that Jesus was referencing all of the apostles as “this rock” and not just Peter.  This opinion is supported by other passages pointing the apostles as the foundation of the church.   In Ephesians 2:20 Paul writes the church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Himself being the chief cornerstone.”  In addition, when John sees the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 he describes the wall of the city as having, “twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (verse 14).

These passages describe the unique role the apostles played in beginning stages of the church.  They continued Jesus’ work by proclaiming Him the Son of God to the world and acting as witnesses of His resurrection.  But the apostles were more than just couriers.  In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus passed authority to the disciple in what is commonly called the great commission.  Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  The words of the apostles carried the weight and authority of the words of Jesus.  As the apostles preached His message the Holy Spirit would bring to remembrance all the words Jesus spoke to the them (John 14:26) and guide them in all truth (John 16:13).  Their words carried this authority because, in reality, they were the words of Jesus and of God.

The scriptures make it clear that as the church was established it followed the instructions and ordinances provided by the apostles.  On the day of Pentecost after hearing about their guilt in hanging the Son of God on the cross the convicted multitude desperately looked to the apostles and asked, “Men and brethren, what are we to do (Acts 2:37)?”  Upon hearing Peter’s instructions those who believed gladly complied and continued to follow their teaching.  “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.  And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers (Acts 2:41 & 42).”  From these passages the apostles’ role of establishing doctrine and ordinances of the church is clear.  When answering the question from the multitude they provided instruction on how an individual accepts the risen Christ as their savior (Acts 2:38).  Then after the multitudes’ conversion it was the apostles’ teaching and instruction that lead the church.  This pattern continues through the book of Acts and the letters written by the apostles in the New Testament.

The teaching and example the apostles provided is the foundational basis of the church.  God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit provided them with the capability and authority to establish the doctrine and operation of the church.  Even though the apostles are long dead and buried the necessary teachings and example they left behind are preserved in the word of God.  Like the multitude on the day of Pentecost, questions of “what are we to do?” should still be directed to the apostles’ doctrine and teaching.  Their words and deeds carry the same authority today as they did when they were first spoken.  The doctrine they preached is the doctrine the church is to follow.  The organization and function of the church they taught is the organization and function the church is to follow.  The path to salvation they proclaimed is the path to salvation.  Their example and teachings are ancient landmarks meant to guide the church in truth and holiness.  The church should strive to follow their teachings and build upon the foundation they established.

The teachers of the Law in Christ’s time were backwards in a lot of ways. Traditions that were younger than the Old Testament itself were given equal weight to those scriptures. Many of those traditions weren’t even Jewish in origin, much less scriptural, as some were pinched from Babylon and Persia–especially regarding the more esoteric aspects of understanding the cosmos and such. The Greeks also influenced Jewish thought, like Philo of Alexandria. Still others, like the rule of Corban, were simply to satisfy their own innate selfishness, though they never would have admitted so. I wonder sometimes if this kind of rubbish wasn’t dreamed up just so that the common man, who would have no inkling of these things, would bow to the superior intellect and depth of understanding of the rabbis.

Jesus taught the Law and its true meaning only. He did so simply, straightforwardly and without relying on foreign (in every sense of the word) ideas. Because He did so the Jews marvelled at his teaching because he taught as one having authority–as if He had written it Himself. Where the scribes and lawyers had, over centuries, piled and heaped extraneous, not to mention copious, bylaws on top the Law, Jesus took them ALL the way back to its original intent; not to the meaning “between” the words (as if there were “mysteries” hidden therein as that day and age were fond of), but the meaning of the words themselves.

Judging by the reactions that His teaching received, I think we can see a stark contrast between Jesus’ teaching and those of His contemporaries. When a well-meaning Jew listened to Jesus it’s like a light came on and they realized that they had been misled by the scribes and Pharisees. I might even be so bold as to say that they perceived that they had always known that they were being deceived. The Lord’s teaching was substantive, meaningful and cut to the chase. This would no doubt have revealed the rabbis’ teaching for what it was–empty, abstract and superficial. Of course, synagogue rulers and the scribes, et al saw this too, but it provoked them to jealousy. When you take yourself as seriously as they undoubtedly did (and expected everyone else to), it cannot have been easy to be revealed as a joke.

Not only was Jesus’ teaching real, but the nature of the teacher must have had something to do with it as well. Jesus was a teacher, true, but He was–is–a shepherd to the very core of His being too. Sheep respond to their shepherd’s voice. They do not search for a shepherd either. I think people that heard Him could tell that He truly did care about them. Now I’m not saying that there were no caring and nurturing rabbis, but I know that Jesus certainly cared more.

Evidently, this was evident to all. Like any good shepherd, whose care for the lost sheep of Israel was both genuine and total, Jesus called disciples to Him because that is what shepherds do. His disciples were, like sheep, simply waiting for their master to call. While the passages that actually show us Jesus literally calling disciples to follow Him are remarkable, there is also an embedded inevitability to it as well that jumps off the page. You read and are not surprised at all when they drop what they are doing to follow Him.

The rabbis, when beginning their careers, did not call disciples because no one would have answered their calls. They could not call disciples had they wanted to. They were not shepherds. Jesus was different. And Jesus cared.

Jesus is still different. And He still cares.

Treatment of Women in Ancient Cultures

Most people believe that the women’s right movement is a relatively modern innovation of just the last few centuries, but a good Bible student can see that’s simply not the case.  Jesus Christ and his Church revolutionized the world for women more so than any human movement could ever hope to accomplish.  What the Church did for woman was radical and life changing, especially given the circumstances in the 1^st century.

 In the 1^st century the world was ruled by Rome, but it was the Greek culture that dominated the lives of Jews and Gentiles alike.  So what life like for a woman at the time of Christ?  As one source explains, “Most of our written evidence from the ancient world was produced by educated, well-to-do men.  They have undoubtedly left us a reasonably accurate picture of their own life, but how much trust can we put in the comments they made on the lives of everyone else.  Nowhere is this situation more troubling than in Ancient Greece where women were largely regarded as inferior creatures scarcely more intelligent than children.” Men regarded woman as morally and intellectually inferior to than themselves, and they were very comfortable with that perception.  Most women were never taught how to read or write, because Greek men believed this would only stir up their wicked nature.  Like one Greek man said, “A man who teaches a woman to write should know that he is providing poison to an asp.”  Another modern source explains, “[Greeks] saw women as beguiling creatures capable of causing considerable harm to themselves and others, and weaker in mind and body than men. Many believed that young girls were somewhat wild and difficult to control and that virgins were subject to hallucinations that could encourage them to be self-destructive.”  Women were actually regarded as dangerous, foolish, and self-destructive. 

Greek men made it no secret that their intention was to dominate women, to demoralize them, and to demean them into subjection.  For example, one Greek man who was a play-writer has women in his works say desecrating remarks about their gender.  One woman says, “I am only a woman, a thing which the world hates”.  Another says, “No cure has been found for a woman’s venom, worse than that of reptiles. We are a curse to man”.   The Greek culture believed that woman should lead silent and isolated lives.  For instance, one Greek man is quoted as saying, “A woman who travels outside her house should be old enough that people ask whose mother she is, not whose wife she is.”  A different man said, “A woman’s reputation is highest when men say little about her, whether it be good or evil.”  There’s even some evidence to suggest that men and woman lived in separate quarters so as to keep the wife in her proper place.  Her responsibility was to gratify her husband sexually, bear children, raise the children, and at all times stay out of the way.

 This perception of women may seem outrageous to the modern American, but in the ancient cultures before Christ this was the norm.  Unfortunately, the abuses didn’t end there.  In this age where a woman was more of an appliance than a person, it’s no surprise that prostitution was rampant.  In ancient Athens brothels were abundant and prostitution was an occupation considered just as respectable as any other.  It was legal, and more significantly, it was believed to be morally acceptable.  An often quoted caveat from this period warned men not to waste their inheritances with too many visits to a brothel, but the concern was with the squandering of the estate and not so much with the way it was done.           

How Christ Changed (Almost) Everything

If we didn’t know better, we might think there was no way that Christianity could have been born in a situation like this, but with Christ at the helm, the plan unfolded perfectly.  Throughout the New Testament we can see numerous examples of how God was reshaping social standards and making a place for women in a way that the world had never seen. 

 Marriage and Sexuality

In the ancient world, marriage really didn’t mean very much.  This is especially apparent in light of the prostitution and sexual abuses of women that were common at the time.  Christ’s teachings condemned these sins, but more importantly addressed some of the underlying misconceptions about woman that encouraged these sins. 

Unlike much of the rest of the world, the Jews knew better than to engage in sexual sins like adultery, fornication, and prostitution.  However, in Matthew 5:27-32 Jesus explains that avoiding these sins is not enough.  He says, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  In other words, women should no longer be an object of your sexual fantasies.  A man who lusts after a woman in his heart is no better than a fornicator or an adulterer, all are inexcusable.  This idea was revolutionary.  The teachings of Jesus created a new culture where men would respect the sexual purity of women.  Christianity was responsible not only for changing how men treated women but also changing how men thought about women.       

Christianity is alone responsible eliminating polygamy in much of the world.  At the time, a man having many wives was normal.  Even in the Mosaic Law polygamy was apparently permissible.  In ancient cultures a woman’s main purpose was to give a man offspring and satisfy his sexual needs.  They weren’t people; they were just tools for reproduction.  Successful reproduction was a measure of his glory.  More wives meant more offspring and more offspring meant glory.  This practice no doubt encouraged a disparaging attitude towards women.  Christianity changed this.  In 1 Corinthians 7:1-2 the Apostle Paul says, “Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.  Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.”  Christianity restored marriage to what it was in the beginning – one man and one woman.  This idea is further supported by the qualification given for elders and deacons in the Church.  He must be the husband of one wife (1 Tim 3:2 and 1 Tim 3:12)

Christianity reshaped the way the world looked at women, but perhaps the most important innovation comes from Ephesians 5.  The world was used to a culture where women were considered something similar to slaves.  They were an object of a man’s sexuality, but when Paul said that she should first be an object of your affection, this was revolutionary.  Ephesians 5:25-29: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.”

“Husbands, love your wives…”  To you that may like something that goes without saying, but to Jews and Gentiles living under a predominately Greek culture this was extraordinary.  This may have sounded strange.  In ancient cultures, wives were to be used, not loved.  Christianity restored integrity and equality to marriage.  Husbands are to love their wives, as much as he loves himself, even as Christ loved the Church, even to the point of death. 

In the world before the Church people believed that women belonged to men.  Christianity teaches that both belong to each other.  First Corinthians 7:3-4: “Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.” 

 Intellectual Respect

Even outside of issues related to sexuality and marriage, Christianity revolutionized the world for woman.  The culture at the time of Christ encouraged the notion that woman were morally and intellectually inferior creatures.  They believed an educated woman was a dangerous woman.  The Bible laid a foundation on which the world would come to understand that women are just as intelligent as men.  It’s because of the gospel of Christ that people today understand that women make important contributions to the Church and to the family. 

Flying in the face of ancient cultures, the Bible is filled with stories of faithful women working to do God’s will.  In 2 Timothy 1:5 Paul mentions that the faith of Timothy is attributable to the faith that was first found in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice.  In Acts 18 Aquila and his wife Priscilla together teach Apollos about baptism in Jesus.  In Romans 16 the Apostle Paul begins by commending Phoebe for her faithful labors in the Church as Rome.  Many people today try to blame all the bad things in the world on religion, Christianity in particular.  I don’t believe that at all.  Christianity has done more to change the world than the world could have accomplished without it.  This is especially true as it relates to women.  All women, even women who aren’t Christians, have benefited from the revolutionary ideas that were born in the 1^st century in the Church.   

 Genders Roles in the Bible

Christianity helped the world to realize that men and women are equals.  But to equalize does not mean to neuterize.  The feminist movement has created a society that would like to see the idea of gender and gender roles eliminated completely, as though men and women are exactly the same.  We live in a culture where differences between the genders are minimized or ignored for the sake of what they believe to be fairness and equality.  The Bible teaches that men and women are equal in intelligence, equal in importance, equal in access to God’s Grace, and equal in the significance of contributions to the family and to the Church.  However, the Bible does not teach that men and women are equal in role or responsibility.  No role or responsibility is more important that the others, but the way that men and women work in the Church is not the same.  Our roles and responsibilities are equally important, but they’re not the same.    

God has designed us with inherent difference between the genders.  Genesis 2:28: “And the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.’”  By God’s design, men are made to be leaders and women are appointed to be supporters.  Neither is more important than the other, but they are not the same.  Ephesians 5:22-25 also explains this arrangement in more detail.  “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her…” 

 Role Delineation in the Bible

Men are to be the leaders and women need to be the supporters.  This is God’s design.  In fact, the Bible is full of examples showing us how this design results in faithful families and faithful churches.  In 1 Timothy 3 and in Titus 1 the work of formally leading the Church is given to the men. Men are designed by God to be leaders and as a result men designated as elders, deacons, and evangelist.  Public teaching is also delegated to men.  Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2: “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”  Just so there’s no confusion, Paul explains in another place, 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.”  This doesn’t mean that women aren’t intelligent.  It doesn’t mean that women can’t make useful contribution to a spiritual discussion; it just means that those contributions should be given in settings other than in the assembly of the church.  

Women are not to be teachers in the assembly, but they are to be teachers.  Titus 2:3: “the older women likewise, [teach them] that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things…”  How is it that a woman can make this work?  Women from the Old Testament give us good examples.  Judges 4 explains how Deborah would sit under a palm tree and the people would come to her for judgment.  She taught the people and gave them her wisdom, but she did so privately, in a way that would not undermine the leadership of the men. 

Women won’t have a have a predominant presence in the assembly, but their presence is important and their activity in the church is still vital.  They should be teachers of good things (Titus 2:3), homemakers (1 Tim 5:14), and mothers (Titus 2:1-5).  In fact, the woman’s responsibility in raising faithful children is so important that Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:15, “Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” 

 Conclusion

The Thessalonians were right, Christ did turn the world upside down, and we’re all glad he did.  Christ started a revolution that will never be matched and never suppressed.  Everyone in the world is better off because of the work of Christ and the Church.  Because of Christ, women are more respected, they’re more protected from sexual abuses, they have more opportunities, and they serve in the Kingdom side by side with men.

David wrote the 51st Psalm after being confronted by Nathan the prophet about his adultery with Bathsheba and (conspiracy to commit) murder of Uriah. The psalm is David crying out to the Lord for redemption.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God”
When I think of a clean heart I think of the innocence of a child. In Matthew 18:1-4 Christ commands his disciples to be like little children if they wish to enter the Kingdom.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

“And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Colossians 2:5

For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.

“Do not cast me away from Your presence”
Matthew 18:20

For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.

“And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.”
John 16:7-11

But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation”
1 Peter 1:3-9

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

“And sustain me with a willing spirit.”
Matthew 26:39

Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

“Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.”
Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

“Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation”
Hebrews 9:26-28

Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

“Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness”
James 5:13

Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.

“O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise.”
Hebrews 13:7-15

Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited. We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.

Some seek wealth, hoping they could purchase enough things to make them happy. Solomon sought happiness through the wealth he accumulated. Ecclesiastes 2 details a great list of luxuries Solomon acquired for himself. In verse 10 he tells us, “Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.” Solomon was a wealthy king. I Kings 10:14-15 detail just exactly how much he earned in one year: 666 talents of gold plus all the additions mentioned generally in verse 15. To receive that amount today one must receive over 700 million US dollars per year. Ecclesiastes 2:17-26 tell us that Solomon realized all this wealth was vanity and grasping for the wind. Verse 18 says, “Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.” Solomon’s despair came because he realized how temporal wealth was. What was it worth to him when he was dead? Solomon concludes by saying, “For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.”(v. 26) Joy is given to the one who is good before God. Happiness is given to the man who uses what he is given for good purposes before God.

This same principle holds true for all things temporal and earthly that bring us happiness. God has shown us in His word what brings happiness. It isn’t fine stuff, many friends, power, or authority.Rather it is found in labor, in endurance, and (the key to all these) in God as our help.

In Labor

Psalm 128:2 tells us, “When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.” Considering what we learned from Solomon in Ecclesiastes 2, this is a very intriguing verse. What makes a man happy about eating the labor of his hands? Is it that he has acquired these things, like Solomon did, so that they might bring him some pleasure, or is it that this man sees in this food two very important facts, 1) that he did something worthwhile to receive this bread, and 2) that this bread is a gift from God. Consider Ecclesiastes 5:18-20,

Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God GIVES him; for it is his heritage. As for every man to whom God has GIVEN riches and wealth, and GIVEN him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor – this is the GIFT of God. For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.

While Solomon found these temporal blessings to be vanity and grasping for the wind, he also saw them as something to be enjoyed and appreciated as a true blessing from God. When we do good, when we work with our hands, we can know that He has blessed us with what we need in this life. In this we find a true happiness.

In Enduring

Consider what James 5:11 tells us about the prophets who suffered with much patience, “Indeed we count them blessed who endure.” Other translations will use the word “happy” instead of blessed. We consider them well off. They were fortunate to have suffered for the sake of Christ and endured. The verse goes on to ask us to remember the perseverance of Job, to remember the suffering and trials he endured. Couple this with James 1:2-3, “My brethren count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Trials and suffering give us opportunities to grow in strength, and we are blessed if we endure. Job was well pleasing to God when he remembered that he did not come into this world with anything, and he wasn’t going to take anything out of this world. God gave it to him, and God had the right to take it away. He finished his thought at the end of Job 1:21 by saying, “Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job was willing to endure whatever situation God appointed for him with thanksgiving in his heart. What caused this sense of joy in Job, or this sense of happiness in all the prophets? It had to be that they were looking forward to what would be coming. If they suffered for God, they looked more longingly to the day when they could find eternal rest.

Happiness is not found in wealth or temporal blessings, because they cannot endure and will not fulfill our life. Enduring life’s trials and tribulations for the cause of Christ will produce happiness for the very same reason. We can see that these trials and tribulations will not last. Consider Job 19. After describing his destitute situation, Job says in verse 25-27,

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God…How my heart yearns within me.

These trials, like wealth, are temporal. And when we endure we produce patience, which, allowing it to have its perfect work, will make us perfect and complete lacking nothing (James 1:4).

In God’s help

Psalms 146:5 says, “Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.” Paul writes in Romans 8:31, “What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” and a little later in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The God who loved Jacob is the same God who loves us. He will provide for our needs and protect us in times of despair. The pleasures of this temporal life are unable to quench our desires for happiness and joy. They bring us spurts of happiness or joy, but much like a glass of water, eventually they end, and we have to go seeking more pleasures to provide us with this same enjoyment. In God we understand that we will always be blessed. In Him is living water that shall cause us to never thirst again (John 4:14). Paul explained this very well in Philippians 4:11-13. He learned to be content in whatever state of being he found himself. He considered himself always blessed…why? Because, he “could do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Therefore, we must always seek God first. Seek the peace that comes through Him. Seek the “joy inexpressible and full of glory,” (I Peter 1:8-9). God then will add to us what we need. He will comfort our hearts. He will provide us with what we need. We can be, and only will be, content if we do the work God has for us, enduring all this life’s trials, leaning on our ever loving God for help and wisdom to overcome.

Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:31-33)

And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
Genesis 25:27-34

Up to this point in his life we really know little about Esau. We do know that he was a man of the field. As the story unfolds we quickly find out that he did not have his priorities straight. He did not value his birthright as much as he should have. We only need to take a quick look at his birthright to understand this. As the first born son of Isaac his inheritance was the inheritance that was given to Abraham from the Lord. (Genesis 12:1-4, Genesis 13:14-18, Genesis 17:1-9)

Esau’s inheritance included:

1. Your descendants will become a great nation.
2. The Lord would bless those who blessed him, and curse those who cursed him.
3. The land of Canaan as an everlasting possession.
4. Kings would come from his offspring.
5. The Messiah would come from his lineage.

This is not an insignificant inheritance to give up. Rather it is an inheritance to be prized! Yet Esau was willing to part with it for convenience.

What was Esau’s price?

Here Esau is, coming in from the field. He is hungry. It is difficult to say how long he had been without food. That he was in a great deal of discomfort their is no doubt. He certainly was not on the point of death. We know that he was “faint” verse 29, but he was able to make it home on his own power. Further, if he had been willing to wait no doubt someone from his father’s house would have prepared him a meal. Was his birthright really worth the food? Let’s set the scenario in this manner. On one hand we have Esau’s birthright, and all that entailed. On the other we have one meal. Is it really worth it? Ok, he was hungry. Let’s make Jacob the best cook in the world, and he had prepared Esau’s favorite meal. Is the meal worth it now? The resounding answer is still NO! With good reason the scriptures say that he despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:34)

What is your price?

As Christians we have been given an invaluable birthright. A birthright that is of much greater value than Esau’s! Romans 8: 14-17 tell us that we fellow heirs with Christ Jesus! As a result we have an inheritance that is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:11-14). Our inheritance is  an eternal (I Peter 1:3-4) kingdom (Matthew 25:34).  My favorite passage concerning the wonders of our inheritance is I Corinthians 2:9

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

This verse tells me that: Nothing we have seen will be like it. Nothing that we have heard will be like it. Finally, nothing that we, in our amazing capacity to dream up amazing and wonderful things, can even come close to the reality that is prepared for us!

The Christians Inheritance Includes:

1. Fellow heirs with Christ Jesus.
2. An eternal kingdom that is better than we can ever imagine.

What is that worth? Esau traded his inheritance for a little food. Yet when we choose to sin aren’t we doing the same? In fact isn’t our decision really worse than Esau’s?

Jesus says: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul” – Matthew 16:24-26

What will you give in exchange for your soul? This is something to keep in mind when we are tempted. Is this thing that I want to do, no matter how badly, is it really worth my eternal salvation? If we give in we are no better that Esau, trading our eternal inheritance for a bowl of soup. It probably didn’t take Esau an hour to eat his fill of his brother’s stew. His satisfaction was no doubt fleeting, because he had to eat again! In fact he probably had to eat again in a few hours. So, was the food that gave him respite from hunger for a few hours really worth his inheritance? Esau’s example really is apt! In the moment of our temptation we, like Esau, are often willing to give up anything for the object of our desire. We must be very careful not to follow in his example. Nothing in this world is worth our eternal inheritance! We might as well be selling our inheritance for something equally as worthless as a bowl of soup. “For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.” (Hebrews 12:17) Let us not be deceived! Every temptation matters for it might be our last! We may have no chance to repent.

Hebrews 12:1-2  Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,   2  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

• For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.
• For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.
• But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.  (Heb.10:1-3)

Perfection is found in obedience to God’s will; not just perfunctory abstinence from vice, but fulfilling the good will of God’s reconciliation though growing in grace and knowledge. When Christ came into the world He “. . became flesh and dwelt among us. .”  This was necessary to make a way for man’s perfection. He is the “captain of our salvation”, the “forerunner” who has entered into the presence of the Father. He became one of us to be “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

• Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.” (Heb.10:5)

A body was prepared for obedience, a human body.

Jesus’ mission statement is clear –

• “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come–In the volume of the book it is written of Me–To do Your will, O God.’” (Heb.10:7)

He was given a body like ours to do the thing we could not do – as one of us; “To do Your will, O God.” Now we are able to follow the captain of our salvation.

People have argued that Jesus could not have had a body like ours. This idea is predicated on the mistaken / false premise that the human body is evil, born with original sin. Having a body subject to death, hence subject to temptations is different than a body which has sin built right in. “Sinful flesh”, as expressed in Romans 8:3, is flesh brought into sin through submission of the body’s possessor to sin. Sin occurs in the flesh because we yield to temptation. Thus the flesh is “sinful.” Christ came in the likeness of sinful flesh, not that He had a different body, but a body He kept from committing sin through His faithful submission to the Father’s will.

• For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
• Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Thus the means for us to follow is founded within the sphere of our existence. It is an accessible way.

An example of this new capacity to follow Jesus can be seen in Peter.

• Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” (John 3:36)

We remember the account of Peter’s subsequent failure, when he denied the Lord three times. We must also remember what he was like after the way was made through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Peter (and John) stood before the threatening council and said;

• “This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’
• “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12)

These words were not uttered in rashness of spirit or defiance, they were uttered in the good will of God with all boldness. Peter was a changed man. This happened because Jesus had a body like ours and forged a way for Peter and all others who will follow. Because of Jesus’ body we can take up our cross and follow Him.

One might point to a brother’s sin and argue the burden of obedience is outside our measure. Yes, we sin after being converted (at least, most of us do). But it is wrong to say; “We could not help it.” And it is just as wrong to look at it as an inevitable condition which the grace of God permits. The grace of God gives us opportunity to repent and grow.

• If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
• If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
• If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (I John 1:8-10)

It might be said there is no practical difference between the responsibilities of obedience in the Law of Moses and the Law of the Spirit of Life. This is true in as much as each covenant had / has its perimeter of responsibilities (or requirements) set up by God. But there is a difference. The adulterer is not stoned, but rather given the opportunity to make something of himself. The murderer can become a benefactor of goodness. The gospel of Christ calls us to conversion which the Law of Moses could not facilitate. As it is written;

• that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
• and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
• and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
• Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
• “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
• nor give place to the devil.
• Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. (Eph.4:22-28)

The Father knows the reality of children learning to walk. He placed Jesus in the position of helping us as we learn stability and maturity.

• My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (I John 2:1)

To deny Jesus’ body is to deny His power to be our Advocate. It is to deny He was made like us, yet without sin. It is to deny His obedience. No wonder John wrote;

• . . . every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. (I John 4:3)

Every effort to preach a way of Jesus which rejects obedience to the Father’s will is antichrist. Every circumvention of the Father’s will carried out in the name of Jesus Christ is antichrist. Why?  An essential fact is denied; “. . a body You have prepared for Me.”

To confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is to shoulder the burden of the cross in humble obedience to our Heavenly Father. It is a confession of faith. “I have come. . . to do your will O God.”

Though dismissing absolute truth is enticing it is not easily done.  Regardless of one’s theological or philosophical persuasion most people agree that there is one universal principle:  do to others as you would have them do to you.  A careful survey of civilization from its earliest moments to the present day finds this thread woven throughout the fabric of human history.  No matter the person, place, society, culture, religion, or irreligion, humans have generally agreed that if I want to be treated well, I should treat others well.  To believers of the Bible this is the golden rule.^[2]  Atheists call it altruism.  Since it occurs in numerous and varied moral or religious systems one must acknowledge that not all truth is relative.

If there is an accepted standard which measures all people in all places for all times then there must be right and wrong.  Consider the case of a sane man gunning down innocent department store shoppers with an automatic weapon.  For the sake of intellectual honesty a person who wholeheartedly embraces relative truth would be driven to conclude, “Well, that was right for him, but it would not be right for me.”  Is that a reasonable conclusion?  The gunman’s actions clearly violate “do to others as you would have them do to you,” a principle considered true by people of various moral persuasions.  We know intuitively that the gunman was wrong to massacre innocent bystanders.

The Bible agrees that the golden rule is an absolute standard which guides a genuine believer in God.^[3]  Jesus taught, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you.”^[4]  The Lord goes on to say, “for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”^[5]  In other words the Old Testament can be summarized by or reduced to the golden rule.  However, Jesus taught that there is one command greater than the love of one’s neighbor, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  Like the golden rule, loving God first is an absolute truth, “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” ^[6]  Divine law flows from the love of God and the love of one’s fellow man.

The hypothetical gunman reminds us that when we agree on an absolute standard there is a definite right and wrong.  Like the love for one’s fellow man, one’s love for God establishes a benchmark for our conduct.   Jesus demonstrated His complete love for God by obeying His Father’s will: “that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me.”[7]   Jesus expects the same of us, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”[8]  To love God means to unreservedly submit ourselves to His will.  God’s will for humanity is based on His nature.  God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.[9]  He is separated from evil, free from darkness, He is righteous or holy.  Because God is holy He expects man to pursue holiness.[10]  To aid man’s pursuit God has identified certain kinds of thoughts or conduct that are incongruent with His righteousness.  The Bible calls these things sin.  Since God cannot be associated with sin He commands humanity to practice righteousness.[11]  We demonstrate our love for Him when we do so.

Like Pilate, today’s world confronts Jesus with the same question, “You say You are ‘the truth’ but what is truth?”  Truth is absolute, objective.  It stands apart from our personal opinions or experiences.  Truth is ultimately found in loving God and loving one’s fellow man.  When these two truths are acknowledged and embraced they define right and wrong.

        Jeffrey Dahmer drugged and killed 17 men and boys.  Before his imprisonment, he came to a point where he was murdering once a week.  Driven by a desire to control individuals for his own gratification, Dahmer committed horrifying crimes.  Their details need not be related here, as Paul’s words may have bearing on such a discussion:  “For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret” (Ephesians 5:14).  But what helped drive Dahmer’s desires bears retelling.  When asked what motivated him to commit such heinous acts, Dahmer confessed to the FBI in 1992 that (among other things: “heavy drinking,” etc.) pornography had played a part.¹

        Ted Bundy would not have been surprised.  Bundy killed at least 28 young women and girls, and stated that his own exposure to pornography (first “soft,” then eventually violent) had served to fuel his evil thoughts.  On the day before his execution, he said to James Dobson:  “I’ve lived in prison for a long time…and I’ve met a lot of men who were motivated to commit violence just like me.  And without exception every one of them was deeply involved in pornography—deeply influenced by an addiction.  There is no question about it.  The FBI’s own study shows that the most common interest among serial killers is pornography.”¹

        Pornography kills.  Granted, most of its users won’t become serial killers.  But it kills all the same.  It kills your self-respect.  It kills your respect for others.  It kills your self-control.  It kills your relationship with your spouse.  It kills your hope of eternal life (Matthew 5:28*; 1 Corinthians 6:9*; Hebrews 13:4*).  It kills.  And it’s a mass killer to judge from the statistics.

THE STATISTICS

        12% of all Internet websites are pornographic (that’s nearly 25 million).  Every second, over $3,000 is spent on pornography, and more than 28,000 Internet users view it.  25% of all search engine requests are pornography related.  35% of all Internet downloads are pornographic.  In fact, 40 million Americans are regular visitors to pornographic sites.²

        And what do the demographics reveal about these users?  That they may be found among men, women, and children.  Among men, 70% aged 18-24 visit pornographic sites in a typical month.  20% admit to watching pornography online at work.  Concerning women, one in three viewers of pornography is a woman, and that number is on the rise.²  And with respect to children, the largest group of viewers of Internet pornography is young people between the ages of 12 and 17.³  In fact, in September of 2000, children spent 64.9% more time on pornography sites than they did on game sites!⁴

A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER

        The problem of pornography has reached staggering proportions.  It is without a doubt a “clear and present danger.”  It threatens the lives of individual Christians, and their families.  For the sake of themselves and those they love, believers must be vigilant (1 Peter 5:8) and circumspect (Ephesians 5:15).  Caution and precaution must be exercised.

        Is pornography viewing taking place in your home?  If you say, “No,” how do you know?  Have you and your spouse talked about it?  Have you broached the subject with your children?  No family should consider itself out of pornography’s reach.  Ted Bundy stated:  “I think people need to recognize that those of us who have been influenced by…pornographic violence are not some kind of inherent monsters.  We are your sons and we are your husbands.…Any pornography can reach out and snatch a kid out of any house today (emphasis added).”¹

TAKING PRECAUTIONS

        What precautions have you taken in your home to protect those you love from pornography?  The killer lurks in many corners.  Do your children have unfiltered Internet access?  Do they have such access in the privacy of their own rooms?  Do they have such access at their friends’ houses?  What’s on their Facebook accounts, and those of their friends?  What about their phones, their IPods?  Do you know what pictures they are sending and receiving on those devices?  Do you know what images may be on the inside covers of their new CDs?  Have you considered the impact of the pictures filling the pages of magazines and department store catalogues that are lying around the house (some of which justly qualify as “soft porn”)?   Is cable or satellite television viewable behind closed doors?  What about regular television?  Can these be viewed without restraint when mature family members aren’t home?  The purveyors of pornography are aggressively seeking new customers.  They’re very interested in your money, not so much in your family’s welfare.

        These dangers are not imagined.  Few children go untouched by pornography in homes where watchful eyes do not prevail.  79% of youth say unwanted exposure to pornography occurs in the home.⁵  The opportunities for your children’s first exposure are many, readily available and accessible.  And that exposure may be so fascinating, so enticing, even addicting.  Once exposed to pornography, teens often seek it out again.⁶  The dangers of adult exposure are also not to be underestimated.

        Jesus said, “If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you…”  (Matthew 5:29).  It is a call to do whatever it takes to cease from sin.  What measures could be too extreme to protect, even save, yourself and those you love from “the killer”? ■

* SCRIPTURES CITED:

Matthew 5:28-29- “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

1 Corinthians 6:9- “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”

Hebrews 13:4- “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

ENDNOTES:

1. www.christcentric.net/articles-n-teachings/the-harmful-effects-of-pornography
2. www.onlinemba.com/blog/stats-on-internet-pornography/
3. Family Safe Media, December 15, 2005
4. Study conducted by NetValue, Internet activity measurement service (December 19, 2000) and published by “The NetValue Report on Minors Online…” Business Wire.
5. Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later, 2006
6. Pornography’s Pain, Allen Webster, www.housetohouse.com

But this stands in stark contrast to the unique glimpse John gets of Christ on the island of Patmos in the opening chapter of Revelation.  

Revelation 1:12-16 (NKJV):

“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.”

Even though John had spent much time with Christ on earth as a disciple and close friend (even seeing him transfigured), this glimpse of the Lord in all His glory caused John to fall down as if he were dead. I find this reaction to be a compelling testimony of the true power and authority Christ has been given.  

This probably isn’t the typical mental imagery we get when thinking about Christ. It’s often much easier and more comfortable to think about Jesus as the gentle Lamb of God rather than the glorified Christ; the lowly carpenter’s son rather than the exalted Son of God. But the description given in the passage above is of great value because it shows Christ as He truly is today. He is pure. He is powerful. He is glorious. He is eternal. He is Almighty. Simply put, He is Lord.

This is a fact that must be acknowledged and embraced before one can truly accept Christ. While some popular false doctrines teach that you can accept Christ as your Savior while not submitting your life to Him, Romans chapter 10 suggests otherwise.

Romans 10:9 (NKJV)

“if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

This verse is often used out of context to suggest that confessing and believing in your heart is all that is required for salvation. We can see from other New Testament teaching and examples that there are other things such as obedience, repentance and baptism that are involved as well. Rather, this verse seems to point out the important prerequisite that we acknowledge Christ as Lord. If we can’t come to grips with that fact, obedience and baptism seem to be a useless conversation. If we don’t recognize Jesus as Lord, how will we submit to him as such? Jesus seems to drive at this point Himself if Luke 6:46 when He asks, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?” I don’t find in the Bible a scenario where it is possible to accept Christ as our Savior but not our Lord. It’s simply critical that we come to this realization, and that we come to it before it’s too late. In Philippians chapter 2, an inspired Paul writes:

Philippians 2:5-11 (NKJV):

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Jesus Christ left glory and humbled Himself by taking on the form of a man and taking on the sins of the world at the cross. As a result of His submission, God has highly exalted Him. He is Lord. And at Christ’s name every knee should bow and every tongue confess as much. The question is will we do it by faith or as a result of sight? Back in Revelation chapter 1 we’re promised that the glorified Lord will come again with the clouds and that every eye will see Him – even those who pieced Him. At that time there will be no doubt that He is Lord. It says that all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. What a scary thought to realize you hadn’t recognized the Lord until it was too late. But it doesn’t have to be so. When Christ saw John fall down before Him He said: “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” It is comforting to know our Lord has such power and authority when we’re found in Him.