A
few days ago, I experimented with a new computer program called
“Photo collage” and today I made the above image from some of my
favorite pictures. I have so many pictures to choose from that it
took me almost two hours before I was satisfied with the result. I
hope you like it; I DO! I entitled it “A simple Test” because
that is exactly what it is.
I
thought, I will do a simple Bible search on “The test”, but that
produced thousands of results, most of which involved testimony.
I tried using just the word “test”, but again the results were
just too numerous. After awhile, I just gave up and said to myself:
Gary, do this the old fashioned way- think! I did, and after awhile I
recalled the following passage from the book of Genesis…
Genesis
22 ( World English
Bible )
1
It happened after these things, that God tested
Abraham, and said to him,
“Abraham!” He said,
“Here I am.”
2
He said, “Now take your son,
your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of
Moriah. Offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains
which I will tell you of.”
3
Abraham rose early in the
morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with
him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and
rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him.
4
On the third day Abraham
lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off.
5
Abraham said to his young men,
“Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go yonder. We will
worship, and come back to you.”
6
Abraham took the wood of the
burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the
fire and the knife. They both went together.
7
Isaac spoke to Abraham his
father, and said, “My father?” He said, “Here I am, my son.”
He said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for
a burnt offering?”
8
Abraham said, “God will
provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they
both went together.
9
They came to the place which
God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood
in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the
wood.
10
Abraham stretched out his
hand, and took the knife to kill his son.
11
The angel of Yahweh called to
him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He said, “Here
I am.”
12
He said, “Don’t lay your
hand on the boy, neither do anything to him. For now I know that you
fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from
me.”
13
Abraham lifted up his eyes,
and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket
by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a
burnt offering instead of his son.
14
Abraham called the name of
that place Yahweh Will Provide. As it is said to this day, “On
Yahweh’s mountain, it will be provided.”
15
The angel of Yahweh called to
Abraham a second time out of the sky,
16
and said, “I have sworn by
myself, says Yahweh, because you have done this thing, and have not
withheld your son, your only son,
17
that I will bless you greatly,
and I will multiply your seed greatly like the stars of the heavens,
and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your seed will possess
the gate of his enemies.
18
In your seed will all the
nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
Now,
the photo collage test was enjoyable, but not every test that we take
in life will be. Remember school; some tests were easy and some would
just drive you crazy. But, that was school; you prepared and your
efforts at memory ( or just taking tests ) were evaluated. Real life
is different; you are presented with a test and then you learn from
it. In Abraham’s case, God asked him something extremely difficult
and Abraham passed ( with flying colors, I might add ). Those of us
who are young may not appreciate how difficult this test was, because
with youth comes possibility. As we age, there are fewer and fewer
possibilities; simply put- we just don’t have much time left.
Abraham and Sarah were very, very old and according to human
reasoning could simply not have another child. Yet, Abraham obeyed
God because of his faith and trust in the Almighty. I pray that if
God puts a difficult test to you that you ( like Abraham ) will pass.
Having
said all this, you may have wondered which of the above pictures in
the collage is my favorite. Well, I like them all, but that picture
of heaven in the top-center is the best of the group.
Cambridge Dictionary defines “cancel culture” as “a way of
behaving in a society or group, especially on social media, in which it
is common to completely reject or stop supporting someone because they
have said or done something that offends you.”1
Last year, Joe Rogan, the world’s most popular podcaster (with nearly
13 million subscribers), was the target of many in mainstream and social
media for some of his comments regarding COVID-19 and vaccinations.2 In 2020, many called for the canceling of the world’s most popular author, J.K. Rowling. The author of the Harry Potter series, who is no defender of biblical sexual values, is
a believer in, and occasional defender of, the reality of biological
sex (i.e., men are males and women are females). For not toeing the more
politically correct party line of transgender identity, Rowling was
blistered on social media and suffered waves of harassment and
cancelations.3
In recent years, many Christians (and those associated with Christianity) in the U.S. have felt the sting of cancel culture.
On December 6, 2018 in West Point, Virginia, “the school board
overseeing West Point High School voted unanimously to terminate the
employment of French teacher Peter Vlaming” for refusing “to use a
transgender student’s preferred pronoun, citing religious reasons.”4 Though Vlaming was “well-liked by his students, and did his best to accommodate their needs and requests,”5
and “consistently accommodated the [transgender] student by using the
student’s preferred name instead of the student’s given name” (avoiding
the use of any pronoun),6 Vlaming was ultimately fired for “something he couldn’t say.”7
In January 2021, Twitter locked the account of Daily Citizen,
a magazine owned by Focus on the Family. What was the magazine’s
violation? They posted: “On Tuesday, President-elect Joe Biden announced
that he had chosen Dr. Rachel Levine to serve as Assistant Secretary
for Health at the Department of HHS. Dr. Levine is a transgender woman,
that is, a man who believes he is a woman.”8 Twitter proceeded to send Daily Citizen an email pointing out that “repeated violations may lead to a permanent suspension of your account.”9
It seems more than acceptable to be pro-abortion in the
corporate world. However, when John Gibson, the CEO of Tripwire
Interactive (a video game developer), tweeted on September 4, 2021, how
proud he was of the U.S. Supreme Court for “affirming the Texas law
banning abortion for babies with a heartbeat,” he was quickly canceled.
Gibson’s tweet “drew fire on social media,”10
and the CEO found himself without a job only two days later when
Tripwire announced the company was moving forward with a new interim
CEO.
We could go on and on with examples such as these from just the past
decade. The fact is, the U.S. has become increasingly more non-religious
and immoral in the past 50 years11
and increasingly intolerant of what the Bible teaches about many
things. Suffice it to say, being a Bible-believing, Jesus-following,
Gospel-teaching Christian in 21st-century America (regardless
of how genuinely kind you might be) may very well get you, your family,
church, Christian school, podcast, Twitter account, etc. canceled one
way or another.
Cancel Culture Is Nothing New for God’s People
Am I saddened that America is not nearly as religious as previous
generations? Am I sickened by a society that has become increasingly
more like the one Isaiah saw in Jerusalem 2,700 years ago—where people
“call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light
for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah
5:20)? Most certainly. Though America has always been far from perfect,
it seems that sin has never been as publicly, prevalently, and
perversely celebrated as it is today. Still, Christians must consider
current events in light of history. We should be careful not to get too
“bent out of shape” about cancel culture in light of the fact that
cancel culture is nothing new for God’s people. Acting as if “this is so
unbelievable” is pretty naïve in light of all that the Bible teaches.
When Abraham’s great-grandson Joseph died in Egypt, along with all of
his generation, a new king arose “who did not know Joseph” (Exodus
1:8). Shortly thereafter, Pharaoh and the Egyptians began making the
day-by-day lives of the Israelites increasingly miserable. “[T]hey set
taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens” (1:11). “[T]he
Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. And they made
their lives bitter with hard bondage” (1:13-14). The king of Egypt even
went so far as to cancel the ever-growing population of the Israelites
by commanding the Hebrew midwives to kill all the newborn sons of the
Israelites, sparing only the daughters (1:16). When this plan failed,
“Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, ‘Every son who is born you
shall cast into the river’” (1:22).
Living as faithful spokesmen of God has been quite trying throughout
most of world history. (It may be that preachers have never had it
easier than in the United States over the past half-century.) The
prophet Samuel feared King Saul would kill him for anointing David as
the next king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:1-13). During the days of Queen
Jezebel, she “massacred the prophets of the Lord,” which led Obadiah to
hide 100 prophets in caves (1 Kings 18:4). [Yet, King Ahab called the
prophet Elijah the “troubler of Israel” (1 Kings 18:17)!] When Jezebel
threatened to end the life of Elijah, “he arose and ran for his life” (1
Kings 19:2-3). The faithful prophet Micaiah was insulted, struck, and
imprisoned for speaking God’s unpopular truth to King Ahab (1 Kings
22:1-40). The prophet Jeremiah was threatened, beaten, put in stocks,
and cast into a cistern full of mud and left to die (prior to being
rescued—Jeremiah 20:1-2; 38:1-13).
Threatened by the arrival of the promised Messiah, the wicked King
Herod the Great sought to kill baby Jesus and thus “sent forth and put
to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its
districts, from two years old and under” (Matthew 2:16). Herod Antipas
imprisoned John the baptizer “for the sake of Herodias, his brother
Philip’s wife; for he had married her. Because John had said to Herod,
‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ Therefore
Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him” (Mark 6:17-19). She
eventually got her wish. The courageous prophet of God and forerunner
of Christ was permanently canceled by being beheaded.
An executioner literally “brought his head on a platter” to the daughter
of Herodias, who in turn “gave it to her mother” (Mark 6:27-28).
During Jesus’ ministry, the hard-hearted, hypocritical religious
leaders of His day continually sought to cancel Him. As soon as the
perfectly meek and sinless Son of God began to reveal Himself as the
long-awaited Messiah in His hometown of Nazareth, “all those in the
synagogue…were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the
city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was
built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff” (Luke 4:16-30).
Thankfully, Jesus escaped.
On another occasion, Jesus’ enemies “took up stones to throw at Him”
(John 8:59). After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the Jewish chief
priests and Pharisees “plotted to put Him to death…from that day on”
(John 11:53). Ultimately, Jesus was arrested, mocked, beaten, scourged,
and nailed to a cross.
Early Christianity was born into a world of cancel culture. Jesus had
prophesied that the apostles would “have tribulation” (John 16:33) and,
indeed, they did. In Acts 2, on the first Pentecost after the death and
resurrection of Jesus, the apostles were mocked as being drunk (Acts
2:13). Soon thereafter, the apostles were arrested three times. They
were threatened, imprisoned, and beaten by their Jewish rulers (Acts
4-5). Herod killed the apostle James and then arrested Peter with the
likely intention of killing him, too (12:1-4). Stephen was stoned to
death for preaching Bible Truth to a “stiff-necked” people (7:51-60).
Then “a great persecution arose against the church which was at
Jerusalem,” and they were “scattered throughout the regions of Judea and
Samaria” (8:1).
Shortly afterward, Saul, an oppressor of the Church, became a
follower of Christ—a member of the very Church he previously sought to
destroy (Acts 9:1-19). Not surprisingly, Saul (whose name was changed to
Paul—13:9) became the oppressed rather than the oppressor. Paul was
persecuted from the time he became a Christian (9:23-25) throughout the
rest of his life. The attempted canceling of Paul and his preaching by
Jews and Gentiles is a recurring theme in the book of Acts as well as in
Paul’s epistles. To the church at Corinth he wrote about his “stripes
above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often” (2
Corinthians 11:23). He said: “From the Jews five times I received forty
stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was
stoned” (2 Corinthians 11:24-25).
If the early Church could hear Christians in today’s America complain
about cancel culture, I cannot help but think they would tell us to
“toughen up.” Christians today in North Korea, China, or various Middle
Eastern countries would gladly exchange their cruel and repressive
cancel culture for ours. Could it be that our God above is looking down
upon us wondering why we are not endeavoring to have a broader, more
biblically and historically informed perspective on current events?
I’m not saying cancel culture is not real. I’m not suggesting we be
unsympathetic toward anyone who has suffered the loss of a job, public
humiliation, relentless criticism, emotional stress, financial
difficulties, etc.—especially for righteousness’ sake. I’m not
advocating we refrain from praying and voting for morally minded,
potential U.S. leaders who might be able to help turn the tide of cancel
culture on local, state, and national levels. But I am imploring God’s
people not to act as if (1) we are the only ones to face cancel culture
or (2) we have it that hard, comparatively speaking.
Resist the Cancel-Culture Mentality
The temptation to react to cancel culture with a similar canceling
mentality is real. Like immature children, we are tempted to respond to
ridicule with ridicule, to wrath with wrath, and to censorship with
censorship. However, God calls us to a much higher standard. We can
choose to be like the angry cancel-culture mob in Acts 7—an incensed
crowd who “shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and rushed”
at Stephen (Acts 7:57, NASB), and “cast him out of the city and stoned
him” (7:58). Or, we can choose to follow the instructions of God and be
“swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does
not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20). We can choose to
cancel unkind classmates and co-workers, or we can choose to be
Christ-like and “turn the other cheek” and “go the extra mile” (cf.
Matthew 5:39,41). Jesus taught: “[I]f you love those who love you, what
credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if
you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?
For even sinners do the same” (Luke 6:32-33). “I say to you, love your
enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and
pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be
sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45).
Jesus knew before He ever came to Earth that most people would either
hate Him or care nothing for Him. He knew He was coming into a chaotic
cancel culture, yet He still came for the purpose of saving souls. One
thousand years before Christ, David prophesied that the Messiah would be
“scorned by everyone, despised by the people.” The people would “mock”
Him and “hurl insults, shaking their heads” (Psalm 22:6-7, NIV). They
would “shoot out the lip” at the Lord (Psalm 22:7, NKJV). Isaiah
prophesied that Jesus would be “despised and rejected by men, a Man of
sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). Sure enough, when
Jesus stepped out of heaven to heal the sin-stained, broken souls of
humanity, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John
1:11).
Jesus willfully came to reside in and engage a world full of the
cancel-culture mentality. He came to a people who would go so far to
cancel Him that they brutally crucified Him. Yet, Jesus responded with
love, open arms, and a forgiving spirit. Jesus communicated love from
the cross to the very end. We don’t hear Him saying, “I’m going to get
you for this,” but “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they
do” (Luke 23:34). He showed concern for others, including for the
penitent thief dying next to Him.
Before Jesus’ crucifixion, His invitation was open: “Come to Me, all
you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew
11:28). Ever since His crucifixion and resurrection, His invitation for
anyone to receive eternal life has remained open: “And the Spirit and
the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him
who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life
freely” (Revelation 22:17).
This same Jesus said, “Go into all the world [even
to cancel-culture] and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark
16:15). Don’t withdraw from cancel culture and allow your light to go
dim. Rather, even in—yes, especially in—a dark world, “Let your light so
shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your
Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). As Peter said: “Always be ready to give a defense to everyone
who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and
fear” (1 Peter 3:15). As Paul wrote to the church at Colosse: “Conduct
yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the
opportunity” (Colossians 4:5, NASB).
Respond to Cancel Culture with…
So how should we engage a culture that seems to be growing less
religious and more intolerant toward Christianity day by day? What
biblical principles and precepts must we keep in the forefront of our
minds as we face increasing amounts of intimidation and discrimination?
Courageous Determination to Be Faithful
Regardless of all that is going on around us and regardless of what
happens to us, God expects His people to “not be afraid of what you are
about to suffer” but “be faithful, even to the point of death”
(Revelation 2:10).12
If Noah could be faithful and do “all that the Lord commanded him”
(Genesis 7:5), even while living during a time when “the wickedness of
man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his
heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5), then so can we. If Job
could trust God and “not sin nor charge God with wrong” (Job 1:22;
13:15), even while his world caved in around him, we, too, can be
faithful even when the world seems to be caving in around us. If Moses
could face Pharaoh’s wrath with the courageous determination to follow
the Lord, then so can we. If Joshua and Caleb could face the giants of
their day, if Daniel could face a lion’s den, and if Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-Nego could face a fiery furnace, then we have no excuses.
Are things hard now? Perhaps. Will things be much more challenging in
the future? Probably. Regardless, “be strong and very courageous”
(Joshua 1:7), “[f]or God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power
and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).
Though there are many “enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is
destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their
shame—who set their mind on earthly things,” God calls us to remember
our heavenly citizenship (Philippians 3:18-20). With dogged
determination, we are to be “reaching forward to those things which are
ahead” and “press[ing] toward the goal for the prize of the upward call
of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
Patience
Cancel culture nearly always rushes to judgment. The mainstream media
tends to be quick to pounce on people, especially those whom they
dislike. Perhaps nowhere is quick-tempered impatience seen more than on
social media—where lashing, gnashing, and trashing are commonplace and
where drama is stirred 24/7.
Christians desperately need to take a deep breath, clear their minds
daily, and cautiously navigate the tumultuous world around us, including
and especially on social media. We need to meditate regularly upon the
fact that Almighty God is “the God of patience” (Romans 15:5). Peter
wrote about how “the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah” (1 Peter 3:20)—seemingly for 120 years before judging the world with the Flood (Genesis 6:3).13
The Lord then waited some 400 years before judging the iniquity of the
Amorites and the rest of the wicked Canaanite nations (Genesis
15:14-16). The Bible is clear in its portrayal of God: He is
“longsuffering…not willing that any should perish but that all should
come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). He “desires all men to be saved and
to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:5).
With the perfect example of patience set before us in the very nature
of the God we serve, how can Christians not strive to be patient and
longsuffering toward the lost world around us (as well as each other)?
“[T]he works of the flesh” include many sinful characteristics of cancel
culture: “hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish
ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy…and the like” (Galatians
5:19-21). On the other hand, “the fruit of the Spirit is…longsuffering”
(Galatians 5:22). Yes, God expects Christians to “walk worthy of the
calling with which you were called…with longsuffering, bearing with one
another in love” (Ephesians 4:1-2). So, rather than be quick-tempered
and jump at the opportunities to try to cancel what we deem to be cancel
culture, “let us not grow weary while doing good…. [A]s we have
opportunity, let us do good to all” (Galatians 6:9-10).
Love
Hateful things are often said and done on social media. Hostility
toward one group or another is often highlighted and fomented by various
news outlets. Christians are often accused of being hateful for
believing and teaching what the Bible says about many things, including
God’s creation of two (and only two) genders (Genesis 1:27; 2:7,18-24),
the sanctity of all human life (including the unborn),14
all forms of sexual immorality (Romans 1:26-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11),
and the narrow road to eternal life going only through the Savior, Jesus
Christ (John 14:6). The entirety of God’s Word has never been popular
with the majority of humanity. The response sometimes (or oftentimes) is
to accuse Christians of being hateful.
However the world acts (or reacts); whatever is said about Jesus, His
Word, His Church, or individual Christians; regardless of what the
world does, God’s instructions are clear: “love the Lord” and “love your
neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). Never respond to hateful
words or actions with a mean spirit. Christians are commanded to “detest
what is evil” (Romans 12:9, NASB) while loving the precious soul who
sadly commits it. If “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”
(1 Timothy 1:15), including murderers and persecutors of Christians
(e.g., Saul), then are followers of Christ not to love sinners like
Jesus did (John 3:16-17; Romans 5:6-8)? Certainly, we are.
As you interact with the unbelieving world on a regular basis, “Let
your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so
that you may know how you should respond to each person” (Colossians
4:6, NASB).
Avoid foolish and ignorant
disputes, knowing that they generate strife…. [A] servant of the Lord
must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in
humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will
grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth and that they may
come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been
taken captive by him to do his will (2 Timothy 2:23-26).
Sincerity
Paul warned, “Let love be without hypocrisy” (Romans 12:9). Peter
similarly wrote: “[L]ove one another fervently with a pure heart…laying
aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking” (1
Peter 1:22; 2:1). Jesus called out many of the religious leaders of His
day, saying, “[Y]ou…outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you
are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:28). Thus, the Lord
warns us “that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of
the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of
heaven” (Matthew 5:20).
Before Paul wrote to Timothy, instructing him to “preach the word” and “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 4:2,5), he first highlighted the vital “genuine [unhypocritical]15
faith that is in you” (2 Timothy 1:5). Furthermore, years prior to Paul
penning 2 Timothy, he desired this young servant of Christ to accompany
him on his second missionary journey (into some hostile, pagan
cancel-culture societies—Acts 16-17). Note carefully, however, that Paul
only wanted this after coming to learn that Timothy
“was well spoken of by the brethren” (Acts 16:2-3). That is, those who
knew him best were genuinely able to vouch for his sincere love for the
Lord and His Church.
Cancel culture can often sniff out a hypocrite (especially one with
whom they disagree) at lightning speed. However, such microscopic
examination by the enemies of Christianity should be expected and even
welcomed. Sincere Christians, though imperfect, should have nothing to
hide. If we do, our prayer should be that our hypocrisy comes to light
as soon as possible in the hopes of bringing about personal repentance
and restoration so that as little damage as possible is done to the
Lord’s Church.
To restore any lost reputation, Christians should begin living a
simple, honest, sincere, loving, humble, patient, and persistent life
one day at a time. Trying to force a restored reputation upon society
will appear (especially to cancel culture) as insincere and as though
you are trying to bully your way back into the good graces of others.16
Instead, let things come about more naturally over time, as a
consequence of a genuine daily walk with the Lord. In the long run, as
the old “Sheep Thief” story goes (where sheep thieves were caught and
branded with the letters ST on their foreheads), a real penitent person
will eventually become known as a sincere “saint” (and not the “sheep
thief” that he once was).
Reason
Cancel culture is generally unreasonable. Canceling tactics often
include shouting, bullying, threatening, slandering, discriminating, and
trying to silence the opposition in the public square (whether in
person or on social media). It seems rare for individuals and groups
with a cancel-culture mentality to want to reason together in a cool,
calm, and rational manner.
The prophet Isaiah responded to the moral corruption of his day
(especially under King Ahaz’s reign—2 Chronicles 28:19) by calling his
hearers to “[c]ome now, and let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18). When
the prophet Samuel addressed the nation of Israel at King Saul’s
coronation, he did not deliver an emotionally based speech but
“reason[ed]” with them (1 Samuel 12:7). Consider also the stark contrast
between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. In hopes of getting the
attention of the false god Baal, these emotionally charged, pretend
prophets “leaped about the altar,” “cried aloud,” and “cut themselves,
as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out
on them” (1 Kings 18:26,28)—all for naught. Elijah, on the other hand,
had a rational faith that was grounded in the Word of God. He said to
God, “I have done all these things at Your Word” (1
Kings 18:36). His faith, as well as the message of faith that He
preached, were rooted and grounded in the Heavenly revealed, rational
Word of God.
When Jesus healed a demon-possessed man, His enemies illogically
charged Him with casting out demons “by Beelzebub, the ruler of the
demons” (Matthew 12:24). Jesus responded, not with hate speech, but with
a sensible argument: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought
to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not
stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then
will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom
do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges”
(Matthew 12:25-27).
In Ephesus, Paul had spent months in the local synagogue and years in
the school of Tyrannus “reasoning” about Christianity. Paul “coveted no
one’s silver or gold or apparel” (20:33). His message was true; his
defense was logical; his intentions were honorable. The Ephesian
idolaters, however, were the exact opposite. Whereas Paul reasoned that
“they are not gods which are made with hands” (19:26), the pagan
Ephesians were more concerned about money and tradition than truth and
reason (19:25). They proceeded to be driven by angry emotions as “the
whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with
one accord…. [M]ost of them did not even know why they had come
together.” Yet, for two hours, “all with one voice
cried out…‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians!’” (19:29,32,34). Imagine
that—repeatedly shouting the same exact expression (“Megala a Artemis Ephesion”) for 120 minutes. Such mob-like tactics (1) seem somewhat characteristic of the cancel culture of our day and (2) are the very opposite of how New Testament Christians are to conduct themselves.
Do not miss the stark contrast between the true Gospel of Jesus
Christ that Paul defended and the repetitive, emotionally charged
nonsense that Demetrius and the pagan Gentiles preached. Paul “persuaded
and turned away many people” from idolatry to the true and living God
in Ephesus and “throughout almost all of Asia” (Acts 19:26). He did it
without force or the threat of force. He did it without reverting to
dishonest, foolish tactics. It was with crystal-clear arguments that
could withstand scrutiny and with genuine love for the Lord and lost
souls that Paul sought to persuade open-minded, honest-hearted people to
follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
Continual Teaching
Finally, though Christians living within a cancel culture are to be
loving, patient, and humbly submissive to those in positions of
authority (whoever they may be—1 Peter 2:13-14,18; 5:5-6), we must never
stop teaching the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16). We must
never harass, badger, and be unkind, but we must continue
to scatter “the seed…the word of God” (Luke 8:11). We may not convince
many, or any at all but, like Noah, we will preach (2 Peter 2:5).
Jesus responded to cancel culture by becoming the greatest Teacher
the world has ever known. He responded to the opposition’s “stop” with
“go”—“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to
every creature” (Mark 16:15). When threatened and commanded by Jewish
authorities “not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus,” Peter
and John said, “[W]e cannot but speak the things which we have seen and
heard” (Acts 4:18-21). After the apostles’ third arrest and
interrogation, the Jewish council asked, “Did we not strictly command
you not to teach in this [Jesus’] name?” Peter and the apostles replied:
“We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:28-29). After the
apostles were beaten and commanded once again “that they should not
speak in the name of Jesus” (Acts 5:40), they were released. How did
these early disciples react to such intense cancel culture? They
“rejoic[ed] that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:41-42).
People may accuse us of being unloving because we teach what Jesus
taught—a message of repentance (Mark 1:15; Luke 13:3,5; 24:47; Acts
2:38). Our peers may hate us for teaching like our Lord—about heaven and
hell (Matthew 25:31-46; Mark 8:42-48; John 14:1-6). Still, with all the
love we can muster and with all the courage that God will give us, we
continually teach of the saving power of Jesus Christ. As we go about
our daily lives, we do so “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).
Conclusion
Perhaps no other words in Scripture better pertain to Christians
living, thriving, and teaching in a cancel culture than 1 Peter 3:14-16.
Peter, who repeatedly experienced cancel culture’s threats, bullying,
and abuse, exhorted first-century saints who were about to face a “fiery
trial” (1 Peter 4:12), saying:
Do not fear their threats; do not
be frightened. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks
you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with
gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who
speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of
their slander (1 Peter 3:14-16).17
And who but God knows, if your conduct is “honorable among the
Gentiles…when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your
good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1
Peter 2:12)?18
Endnotes
1 “Cancel Culture” (2022), Cambridge Dictionary, October 3, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/cancel-culture.
2
E.g., Scott Gleeson (2021), “Joe Rogan, Who Says He Was Almost
Vaccinated, Tells Others ‘Get Vaccinated and Then Get Sick,’” October
14,
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/10/14/joe-rogan-covid-vaccine/8448921002/.
3
J.K. Rowling (2020), “J.K. Rowling Writes About Her Reasons for
Speaking Out on Sex and Gender Issues,” June 10,
https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/.
4 Thomas Wheatley (2019), “A Virginia Teacher Is Fighting for His Religious Freedom. Good for Him,” The Washington Post, October 9, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/10/09/virginia-teacher-is-fighting-his-religious-freedom-good-him/.
5
“Broad Support Filed at VA Supreme Court for High School Teacher Fired
Over Pronoun Policy” (2022), Alliance Defending Freedom, May 24,
https://adfmedia.org/case/vlaming-v-west-point-school-board.
6Vlaming v. West Point School Board (2022), Alliance Defending Freedom, July 25, https://adflegal.org/case/vlaming-v-west-point-school-board.
8
Jesse T. Jackson (2021), “Twitter Locks Out Focus on the Family
Magazine for Calling a Transgender Woman a Man,” February 1,
https://churchleaders.com/news/389324-twitter-locks-out-focus-on-the-family-magazine-for-calling-a-transgender-woman-a-man.html.
10 Khristopher J. Brooks (2021), “TripWire Interactive CEO Steps Down After Supporting Texas Abortion Law,” September 7, CBS News, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tripwire-texas-abortion-john-gibson-gaming-tweet/.
11
“How the U.S. Religious Composition Has Changed in Recent Decades”
(2022), Pew Research Center, September 13,
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/09/13/how-u-s-religious-composition-has-changed-in-recent-decades/.
18
It seems likely that this “day of visitation” is a reference to the day
that a non-Christian becomes a child of God—when the Lord would, in a
sense, “visit me with Your salvation” (Psalm 106:4).
Man’s failure to respect that which is sacred has, through the ages, been
detrimental to the culture of the day as well as being displeasing to
God. God’s name represents His person just as your name represents you. The
scriptures in both Testaments are replete with instructions and examples emphasizing the sacredness
of the names of the divine.
Personally, I am old enough to have experienced the days when mothers who
heard their children use God’s name as an expletive or use other “swear
words” and unbecoming language would threaten with “I’ll wash out your mouth with
soap and water.” Using the name of Jesus and using substitutes for God’s
name such as “gosh” or “golly” was also punishable. Things have changed since
then. We now hear mothers themselves using such expressions in casual and otherwise
wholesome conversations in front of their children and in public. Women, in their
push for equality, it seems, feel that the use of such language is
one way of being equal.
Perhaps my mother’s early efforts contribute to my reaction to the now so
commonly heard, “Oh My God.” My involuntary reaction to hearing this phrase, especially
from unexpected sources, is similar to the chills that run up my spine
when a student playfully causes hard chalk to screech on the chalk board.
The popular TV program, “Extreme Makeover, Home Edition,” serves as an example. For
me, a very fine program that encourages the Biblical concept of helping the
less fortunate is ruined by the frequent and, I fear, deliberate use of
the “Oh My God” phrase. The frequency suggests that these people must be
coached to use this expression. I have renamed this show “The OMG Show”
and avoid viewing it. I am startled, shocked, to hear this expression freely
flowing from unexpected sources such as the tongues of “ladies”, mothers, teachers.
In bygone days this type of language was commonly heard from the worldly,
those who were not making any effort to be God’s people. It is
shocking to hear it in casual conversation among parents, teachers and church leaders.
Recently, individual articles in religious journals as well as a couple of special
issues (See Gospel Herald, March 2010 – God the Father for one) have highlighted
the greatness of God and the importance of giving Him due respect. Similar
emphasis has been noted in recent worship service themes. The contrast between these
and what is being heard in daily conversation has prompted me to compose
this article on a topic that has been on my mind for a
long time.
It is clear that God’s names have always borne special significance and that
He has expected such to be recognized by those who would please Him.
This should not surprise us. Our own names are important to us. We
are pleased and complimented when people remember our names and use them in
addressing us and when they, in general, show respect for our names. The
opposite is also true. We are demeaned and displeased if our names are
used in careless and disrespectful ways.
An interesting item entitled “Blasphemers of Ireland Beware” appeared in the January 18th
edition of MacLean’s Magazine. It begins, “Be careful how you invoke the name
of god . . . any god . . . in Ireland.” and
tells us of legislation which bans the publication of material, “grossly abusive or
insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion.” Surely the names
of God and Jesus Christ should be held sacred by all Christians.
Ireland’s 1937 constitution already outlawed blasphemy. Its 1961 Defamation Act included the possibility
of both a fine and up to seven years in prison. These laws
recognize, in fact, require that language usage show respect for what others hold
sacred. They are primarily geared to avoid our offending each other. This reminds
us of the workmen who adjust their speech when their minister drops by.
They may be concerned about offending his sensitivities or, perhaps, more about hiding
their true character from him. Being careful not to offend others is important
but how much more careful ought we to be not to offend almighty
God by our careless, casual and disrespectful use of His name? We cannot
hide our true character from Him.
Number three of the Ten Commandments reads, “You shall not make wrongful
use
of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not
acquit anyone who misuses his name.” (Ex.20:7 NRSV). An online Reader’s
Digest service has an item entitle, “If God Had Texted the Ten
Commandments” that the
reader will find interesting. For number three we find “no omg’s”. When
Ezra
led the people of Israel in national confession, he instructed them to
stand
up and “bless the Lord our God” and declared, “Blessed be your name,
and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.” (Neh.9:5)
The title of this article is the words used by Jesus in the
beginning of the “model prayer”, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name
. . .” (Mt.6:9). We often include this or similar phrases in our
prayers. These are “empty words” if we do not show respect for God’s
name in our everyday communications. We sing hymns such as, “We Trust in
the Name of the Lord our God,” “Glorify the Lord” and “Exalt His
Holy Name.” Do we mean what we sing and pray?
There was a time when God’s name was held so holy by the
Hebrew people that they were afraid to speak it. The scribes, whose occupation
was to hand copy the scriptures would stop copying and ritually purify themselves
with water before transcribing God’s names. (You are encouraged to google “scribes, God’s
names” and read more about the extremes to which the scribes were required
to go when transcribing God’s names.) How would one of them react to
the casual ways that His name is used today by many? How, indeed,
does God feel about this?
To those whose response to these comments is, “God knows that I don’t
mean any disrespect,” we ask, “What do you mean? Using the name of
God as an exclamation (punctuation point) in a slang way has meaning or
does not have meaning. If it has meaning, it is disrespectful to God
and His people. If it does not have meaning, it is being used
in a vain, empty way which cannot be pleasing to God.
The Psalmist, after declaring several verses expressing praise for God’s wonderful works, concluded,
“Holy and awesome is his name. The fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom; all those who practise it have a good understanding.” (Ps.111:9,10)
Let us demonstrate at least “the beginning of wisdom” and some “good understanding”
in the use of the name of our Holy God. We fear that
the casual way that we vocalize God’s name in our culture is evidence
of a growing disrespect for God Himself and hence in the way we
respond to His word and apply it in our daily living.
Let us show a very high respect for God, His name and His
word.
Eugene C. Perry
Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)
God has revealed the mystery of His will to His saints!
The Bible unveils a great mystery. Paul proclaimed “the
word of God, the mystery
which has been hidden from ages and
from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints”
(Colossians 1:25, 26).
The mystery, revealed in the Bible, is described in various
ways: the mystery of God (Colossians 2:2; Revelation 10:7), the
mystery of His will (Ephesians 1:9), the mystery of Christ
(Ephesians 3:4; Colossians 4:3), the mystery of the kingdom of
God (Mark 4:11), the mystery of the gospel (Ephesians 6:19),
the mystery of the faith (1 Timothy 3:9), and the mystery of
godliness (1 Timothy 3:16).
In the Bible, a mystery is a hidden truth that can be known
only by revelation.
God has revealed mysteries to man.
Daniel declared: “He gives wisdom to the wise and
knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep
and secret things” (Daniel 2:21, 22).
God has revealed His mysteries to enable man to do His will:
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things
which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that
we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29).
These mysteries are not understood by all.
“In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, ‘I thank
You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden
these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to
babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight’”
(Luke 10:21).
“And the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Why do You speak
to them in parables?’ He answered and said to them, ‘Because it
has been given to you to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of
heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to
him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever
does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do
not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand’”
(Matthew 13:10-13).
Why do some fail to understand?
Although man’s ears cannot be closed physically, they can
be switched off. Zechariah said of God’s rebellious people: “They
refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears
so that they could not hear. Yes, they made their hearts like flint,
refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts
had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets” (Zechariah
7:11, 12).
God instructed His people for their good, “Yet they did not
obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the
dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward”
(Jeremiah 7:24). God’s word is keyed to those who “incline their
ear,” to those who are eager to learn.
How do people avoid hearing?
By not listening! People tune out what they do not want to
hear. They prefer to watch dramatic presentations that require
little effort or thought.
To really learn something however, especially if it is a little
complicated, active listening is required. Like in school, one must
listen to learn.
A preacher notices certain people who are listening to every
word to learn more about the will of God. He notices others who
sit with a blank expression, apparently thinking about something
else, or nothing at all. Some allow themselves to be easily
distracted by little disturbances rather than focusing on the
message. Some even go to the rest room ... to see who just sent
them a text message on their cell phone!
A preacher spends many hours in study and preparation to
present a message from the word of God. But he is not an
entertainer: he cannot mesmerize your mind like television.
While God’s word is being preached, the hearer also has a
task to perform. He must listen attentively.
This lesson about the mystery of God will require
concentration. We will be reading some beautiful, yet complicated
passages of Scripture. Listen carefully so you can understand
what God is telling us in His word.
Who can understand the mysteries of God?
About the coming reign of righteousness it was foretold:
“The eyes of those who see will not be dim, and the ears of those
who hear will listen” (Isaiah 32:3).
Only those who want to do the will of God understand the
mysteries of the kingdom. Jesus said: “If anyone wills to do His
will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from
God or whether I speak on My own authority” (John 7:17).
Paul explains that the mysteries of God are comprehended
only by people who value spiritual realities: “However, we speak
wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this
age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But
we speak
the wisdom of God in a mystery,
the hidden wisdom
which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of
the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not
have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:6-8).
Paul had not based his message on human wisdom, so their
faith would be in God, not man (verses 4 and 5). To the mature
Paul speaks “the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom
which God ordained before the ages for our glory.” Even before
creation, God had a marvelous plan for man. This plan could not
be known by human wisdom.
Paul continues: “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor
ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things
which God has prepared for those who love Him’” (1 Corinthians
2:9). The blessings God has prepared are so vast that they not
only cannot be known by human wisdom, they cannot even be
imagined!
“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the
Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what
man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man
which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except
the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10, 11). The mystery of the
wisdom of God and the unimaginable blessings He has in store for
those who love Him, have been revealed through the Spirit!
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the
Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have
been freely given to us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:12). The
mystery of the grace of God has been revealed by the Spirit.
Paul continues: “These things we also speak, not in words
which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches,
comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13).
Some claim that the ideas in the Bible are inspired, but not the
words. Paul emphasizes, however, that he communicated the
revealed mystery in words taught by the Spirit.
He concludes: “But the natural man does not receive the
things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor
can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1
Corinthians 2:14).
Thus, spiritual discernment is required to understand “the
things of the Spirit,” the mystery of the wisdom and will of God.
The mystery was revealed to the apostles in the first century.
Paul’s understanding of the mystery came by revelation. He
explained: “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus
for you Gentiles - if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of
the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by
revelation He made known to me
the mystery (as I have briefly
written already, by which, when you read, you may understand
my knowledge in
the mystery of Christ)” (Ephesians 3:1-4).
Paul gained knowledge of the mystery of Christ by
revelation. Others can obtain this knowledge by reading what
Paul has written.
“Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of
men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy
apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of
the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through
the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of
the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His
power” (Ephesians 3:5-7).
The mystery of salvation by Christ, made known to the
apostles and prophets in the first century, included the truth that
believing Jews and believing Gentiles would be united in the same
body, the church of Christ.
Paul’s special mission was to preach the gospel to the
Gentiles: “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this
grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8).
But he also addressed everyone, “And to make all see what
isthe fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the
ages has been hidden in God” (Ephesians 3:9).
The fellowship of the mystery is the fellowship of the saved
of every nation in the church of Christ, as determined by God
before creation.
“To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might
be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in
the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He
accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:10-12).
Never underestimate the importance of the church of Christ.
The mystery of the manifold wisdom of God is made known by
the church, not only to man on earth, but also to the principalities
and powers in heaven!
This purpose is accomplished in Christ who is the source of
salvation for mankind.
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He
made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having
made known to us
the mystery of His will, according to His good
pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation
of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on
earth” (Ephesians 1:7-10).
For the sake of the church, Paul was willing to suffer so the
mystery - the word of God - might be preached: “I now rejoice in
my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in
the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the
church, of which I became a minister according to the
stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill
the
word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and
from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints”
(Colossians 1:24-26).
It was God’s will that the saints might know the glory
awaiting those in whom Christ dwells: “To them God willed to
make known what are the riches of the glory of this
mystery
among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all
wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus”
(Colossians 1:27, 28).
Paul had a burning desire to help people understand the
mystery of God so they might enjoy the blessings God gives to
those who are in Christ.
“To this end I also labor, striving according to His working
which works in me mightily. For I want you to know what a great
conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as
have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be
encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches
of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of
the
mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are
hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians
1:29 - 2:3).
Through the Scriptures this mystery is made known to all nations.
After the mystery of salvation was revealed to the apostles,
God commanded that the gospel be made known to all nations
through inspired Scriptures: “Now to Him who is able to establish
you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of
the mystery kept secret since the
world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic
Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the
commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith -
to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever”
(Romans 16:25-27).
Preachers are stewards of the mysteries of God.
They must faithfully proclaim the gospel. Referring to Peter,
Apollos and himself, Paul wrote: “Let a man so consider us, as
servants of Christ and stewards of
the mysteries of God.
Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1
Corinthians 4:1, 2).
We are to pray that preachers will boldly proclaim the
mystery of the gospel: “Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all
perseverance and supplication for all the saints - and for me, that
utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly
to make known
the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an
ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to
speak” (Ephesians 6:18-20). “Continue earnestly in prayer, being
vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us,
that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak
the
mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make
it manifest, as I ought to speak” (Colossians 4:2-4).
The Bible is a book of mysteries revealed. What have we
learned? - God has revealed the mystery of His will to His saints. - Only those who want to do the will of God comprehend the
mysteries of the kingdom. - Only those with spiritual discernment understand the
mystery of God’s wisdom revealed by the Spirit. - The mystery of salvation through Jesus Christ was revealed
to the apostles and prophets in the first century. - It was God’s good pleasure to make these mysteries known.
He wants us to know the mystery of God. - God commanded that the revelation of this mystery be
made known to all nations through inspired Scriptures. - Preachers must faithfully proclaim the mysteries of God. - We are to pray that they will boldly do so.
“And without controversy great is
the mystery of godliness:
God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by
angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16).
What a tremendous blessing that God has revealed to us the
mystery of salvation! Through the Scriptures this mystery has
been made known to all nations for a purpose, “for obedience to
the faith” (Romans 16:26).
Thus Jesus commands: “Go into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be
saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark
16:15, 16). “And Jesus came 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 of the Son and of 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’”
(Matthew 28:18-20).
What is the mystery revealed? The good news that sinful
man can be saved by the grace of God through His Son, Jesus
Christ. Accept God’s mystery of salvation by believing in Christ
and confessing His name (Romans 10:10), by repenting and
being baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Do not
delay. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day
of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Amen.
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of
God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the
earth” (Colossians 3:1, 2).
Frederick Langbridge* wrote:
“Two men look out through the same bars:
One sees the mud, and one the stars.”
There is much mud, but one must look down to see it.
God encourages us to look up, to look up at the stars, to look
beyond the stars! We can behold God’s glory when we lift up
our eyes, when we lift up our souls, when we lift up our hands,
when we lift up our voices, and when we lift up our heads.
Lift up your eyes, and see who has created these things!
“It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its
inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out the
heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to
dwell in. ... ‘To whom then will you liken Me, or to whom shall I
be equal?’ says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high, and
see who has created these things, who brings out their host by
number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His
might and the strength of His power; not one is missing”
(Isaiah 40:22, 25, 26).
When someone perseveres in unbelief while seeing the
glories of creation, he is rejecting clear evidence for God: “For
since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,
even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without
excuse” (Romans 1:20).
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament
shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night
unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language
where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through
all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (Psalm
19:1-4).
The more an unbeliever learns about the expanse of the
universe, the smaller he becomes from his own perspective.
Based on his own world view, a materialist is not even a
millionth of a speck of dust in the universe.
Belief in the theory of evolution is a form of nature
worship. God-like powers are attributed to nature. Evolutionists
believe that the forces of nature have created all things, even
man from the mud of the earth. This is ridiculous because
something like the universe, which had a beginning and will
have an end, cannot create itself. As Maria sings in The Sound
of Music, “Nothing comes from nothing, nothing ever could.”
The more a believer learns about the expanse of the
universe, the more he stands in awe of God, and the greater
his gratitude is for what God has given mankind.
Referring to the sun, moon and stars, we read in Genesis
1:17: “God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give
light on the earth.” Thus, the innumerable galaxies with their
innumerable stars are not without purpose. They were placed
in space and time to enlighten man!
People should not worship the sun, moon and stars
because God has given “the sun, the moon, and the stars, all
the host of heaven” “to all the peoples under the whole heaven
as a heritage” (Deuteronomy 4:19). God splashed the trillions
of stars into space as a gift to man, to give us a glimpse of His
mighty power and majesty. “For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My
thoughts than your thoughts,” says the Lord (Isaiah 55:9). “He has not dealt
with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our
iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so
great is His mercy toward those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:10,
11).
“Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth
beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, the
earth will grow old like a garment, and those who dwell in it will
die in like manner; but My salvation will be forever, and My
righteousness will not be abolished” (Isaiah 51:6).
That the universe is ‘running down’ and eventually will
vanish away is a scientific observation. We observe that matter
and intelligence exist. What is the source of intelligence? We
observe that intelligence can create and that matter cannot
create. Matter cannot even create itself, let alone intelligence.
From these observations it is philosophically and
scientifically sound to “understand” that both matter and
intelligence had to be created by a higher intelligence.
The expansive, yet finite, material universe and the
intricate, yet finite, biosphere on earth had to originate from an
intelligence greater than our intelligence as the heavens are
higher than the earth.
Man’s amazing, yet limited intelligence could not be
auto-created by finite matter, any more than an intricate, yet
mindless computer could create itself. Only man, made in the
image of God, has sufficient creative power to produce a
computer. And computers are a collective creation of mankind.
One man can make a hammer by tying a stone to a stick, but
the design and construction of something as intricate and
complex as a computer requires the collective and co-operative
intelligence and work of thousands of men. The intricacy of a
computer is child’s play compared to the intricacy of life forms.
Matter cannot even create a computer, let alone man and the
universe!
God, not matter, is the Creator of all things. This is clearly
seen and understood from the things that are made.
“I will lift up my eyes to the hills
- From whence comes
my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven
and earth” (Psalm 121:1, 2).
“Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the
heavens” (Psalm 123:1).
Lift up your soul to God!
After lifting up our eyes and seeing the majesty of God in
His creation, we lift up our souls to God, we entrust our
spiritual well-being to His care.
“To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in
You; let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies triumph over
me. ... Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my
salvation; on You I wait all the day” (Psalm 25:1, 2, 4, 5).
“Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for
in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should
walk, for
I lift up my soul to You” (Psalm 143:8).
“Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry to You all day long.
Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for
to You, O Lord, I lift up my
soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and
abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Give ear, O
Lord, to my prayer; and attend to the voice of my
supplications” (Psalm 86:3-6).
We lift up our souls to God, we entrust our spirits to His
keeping. As was prayed by David in a Psalm and by Jesus on
the cross: “Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have
redeemed me, O LORD God of truth” (Psalm 31:5).
Lift up your hands in joyful prayers of praise!
“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips
shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up
my hands in Your name. ... And my mouth shall praise You
with joyful lips” (Psalm 63:3, 4, 5).
When we lift up our eyes and see the glories of God’s
creation, and then lift up our souls to Him, we also lift up our
hands in prayer.
“Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You,
when
I lift up my hands
toward Your holy sanctuary” (Psalm
28:2).
Lift up your voice with strength!
“O Zion, you who bring good tidings, get up into the high
mountain; O Jerusalem, you who bring good tidings,
lift up
your voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid; say to the
cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’” (Isaiah 40:9).
This Messianic prophecy refers to the deity of Christ. Good
news of God’s salvation would be preached to all nations
beginning at Jerusalem. “Now it shall come to pass in the latter
days that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be
established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted
above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people
shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of
the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us
His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall
go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem”
(Isaiah 2:2, 3).
We must lift up our eyes and see the peoples of the earth
who are in urgent need of salvation. Jesus tells His followers:
“Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes
the harvest’? Behold, I say to you,
lift up your eyes and look at
the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” (John 4:35).
“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with
compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered,
like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples,
‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into
His harvest’” (Matthew 9:36-38).
We lift up our eyes and see the glory of God; we lift up
our souls to God and place them in His care; we lift up our
hands to God in prayer, and we lift up our voices to tell the
whole world about the glories of God and salvation through His
Son, Jesus Christ.
Look up and lift up your heads!
When Jesus returns most people will be terrified: “And the
kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the
commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man,
hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,
and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us
from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath
of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who
is able to stand?’” (Revelation 6:15-17).
God’s little flock, however, will not be afraid, but will
rejoice: “Now when these things begin to happen,
look up and
lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke
21:27, 28).
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of
God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the
earth” (Colossians 3:1, 2).
Let us look beyond the stars! Let us lift up our eyes and
see the glory of God in His creation, let us lift up our souls to
God and place them in His care, let us lift up our hands in
prayer, let us lift up our voices and tell the good news of
salvation by Christ to all the world. Then at His appearing to
judge the living and the dead, we can lift up our heads and
greet Him with joy, then we can be with Him forevermore.
Amen.
Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)
Footnote
* Frederick Langbridge (1849-1923) was a poet, novelist, dramatist and religious writer. He
was born at Birmingham, England but was of Irish descent. He was educated at Oxford. He
served as rector of St. John’s Cathedral in Limerick, Ireland. This quotation is from ‘A Cluster of
Quiet Thoughts’ published by the Religious Tract Society.
