From Jim McGuiggan... 1 Corinthians 5:11, Can't eat with my wife?

1 Corinthians 5:11, Can't eat with my wife?

A reader wonders about 1 Corinthians 5:11. Karl Barth said one should study with the Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other. No bad idea (though it has limits). Im sure he would have agreed that the Bible should be studied with a healthy dose of sanctified common sense. ("Sanctified" common sense is common sense used for holy purposes.) If we dont trust ourselves to have some common sense—limited though it might be—then we ought to leave the Bible alone, it'll only confuse us. Such common sense must be applied in understanding the following passage.

In 1 Corinthians 5:11 Paul tells believers "not even to eat" with someone that claims to be a brother/sister and yet is known to be immoral or a swindler or an idolater. (The list isnt exhaustive—only exemplary.) The passage isnt talking about a repentant person who struggles against moral weakness and is duly sorrowful when he/she loses in a moral struggle. The passage has a bold sinner in mind, a sinner that wants the fellowship of the community of Christ but has no heart for the Christ who is the community's Lord.

Paul says the believers are not to have company with or to engage in "table fellowship" with a person like that. He wasnt talking about eating in the same restaurant or building; he was talking about choosing to eat with them and express social approval. Believers were to distance themselves from the impenitent one that called him/herself a Christian. The transgressor was to be convicted and society was to know that the transgressor did not represent the followers of Christ.

There was nothing wrong with a Christian eating with non-Christians, people who made no profession of faith in Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 10:27 and compare 5:9-10). There was something very wrong in giving the known transgressor (that insisted that he/she was a Christian despite flagrant and chosen ungodliness) the impression that all was well with him/her. And there was something very wrong in expressing approval on the known libertine (by happy social fellowship) before a watching non-Christian society.

I've known groups that forbade wives and children and parents to eat with the other members of the family if they didnt come to Christ. I've known cases where wives/mothers made meals for the family, put them on the table for the others and went and ate alone. This is not what Paul had in mind. These men and women felt free to eat in the presence of their neighbours and fellow-workers who were non-Christians but wouldn't eat with their families.

The instruction in 1 Corinthians 5 is very specific and is not to be generalised and made to seem stupid and ineffectual. The relationships in families don't vanish because of 1 Corinthians 5:11. It is to be taken for granted that mutual love and the responses that go with that should continue. Imagine lovingly practicing 1 Corinthians 7:3-4 while refusing to eat. No, the 5:11 text does not over-ride the other standing and usually private responses of love within a family/parents/children.

No doubt if a family member freely chose decadence but wanted to be recognised still as a Christian there'd be family conferences but the public wouldn't expect (nor should we) the Christian to violate profoundly important relationship responses in her/his home in order to fulfil 1 Corinthians 5:11.

Compare also 2 John where professed believers who deny fundamental gospel truth are not to be welcomed. Strangers are to be welcomed, unbelievers are to be welcomed but professing believers to teach heresy were not to be welcomed. Such passages must not be taken beyond their obvious intention. See again, 1 Corinthians 5:9-10.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... Mindful Of The Things Of God

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                 Mindful Of The Things Of God (8:31-33)

INTRODUCTION

1. As Jesus travelled near Caesarea Philippi, He made the first of three
   predictions concerning what awaited Him in Jerusalem... - Mk 8:31; 
   cf. Mk 9:31; 10:33-34
   a. He must suffer many things
   b. He must be rejected and killed, and rise again in three days

2. Peter's response was adamant...
   a. He took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him... - Mk 8:32
   b. Peter's words:  "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen
      to You!" - cf. Mt 16:22

3. In turn, Jesus looks at His disciples and then rebukes Peter...
   a. "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of
      God, but the things of men." - Mk 8:33
   b. Matthew reveals that Jesus also said:  "You are an offense to
      Me..." - Mt 16:23

[Peter's outburst of concern for Jesus was only natural.  But Jesus'
rebuke reveals an important lesson in being "Mindful Of The Things Of
God."  Let's first consider that...]

I. GOD'S WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS

   A. AS STATED...
      1. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My
         ways" - Isa 55:8
      2. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways
         higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."
         - Isa 55:9

   B.  AS ILLUSTRATED...
      1. By His view of suffering in the scheme of redemption - 

         Mk 8:31-33; Lk 24:26-27,44-46
      2. By His view of greatness versus ours - Mk 10:42-45
      3. By His view of beauty versus ours - 1Pe 3:3-4
      4. By His view of money versus ours - Lk 16:13-15

[Clearly the mind of God and the things of God come from a higher plane
than the mind of man.  Peter failed to appreciate this.   How can we be
sure that we are ever "Mindful Of The Things Of God"...?]

II. MINDFUL OF THE THINGS OF GOD

   A. WE CANNOT TRUST OURSELVES...
      1. Our feelings
         a. This is often the standard of right and wrong for many
            people
            1) Who go by whatever "feels right"
            2) Who place stock in a religion "better felt than told"
         b. Yet the Bible declares the danger of trusting in our
            feelings
            1) "There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end
               is the way of death." - Pr 14:12
            2) "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool..." - Pr 28:26
      2. Our conscience
            a. "Let your conscience be your guide" is the motto of many
         b. But consider:  "O Lord, I know the way of man is not in
            himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own
            steps." - Jer 10:23
         c. Our conscience is not always reliable
            1) Paul had served God with a good conscience throughout his
               life - Ac 23:1
            2) Even at a time when he was persecuting Christians! - cf.
               Ac 26:9-11
      3. Our wisdom
         a. Many feel that through their own wisdom they can determine
            right and wrong
         b. God has chosen to save man in a manner designed to confound
            the wise - 1Co 1:18-29
         c. For us to know God's will, it was necessary for Him to
            reveal it to us - 1Co 2:9-12
            1) This He has done through His Spirit-inspired apostles
            2) Who in turn shared it with us through their writings - 

               Ep 3:1-5

   B. WE MUST TRUST IN GOD...
      1. In how to be saved
         a. Some seek to be saved by good works
         b. Others by faith only
         c. We must trust in Jesus and His apostles - 

            Mk 16:15-16; Ac 2:38; 22:16
      2. In how to worship
         a. Some want to offer what pleases them
         b. Others want to offer what pleases others
         c. We must trust in the commands and will of the Lord - 

            Mk 7:6-7,9; Col 3:17
      3. In how to live
         a. Some want to make themselves #1
         b. Others want to make work or family #1
         c. We must trust Jesus and the Word of God - 

            Mt 6:33; 1Ti 6:17-19; 2Ti 3:16-17; 2Pe 1:3

CONCLUSION

1. We can only be "Mindful Of The Things Of God" when we...
   a. Humbly submit to what is revealed in the Word of God
   b. Refuse to let our feelings, conscience, or wisdom be our guide

2. Otherwise, we are "Mindful Of The Things Of Men", where we...
   a. Become an instrument of Satan! - cf. Mk 8:33
   b. Become an offense to Jesus! - cf. Mt 16:23

Have you given much thought as to whether you are "Mindful Of The Things
Of God"...?

   "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." - Col 3:1-2

   "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
   renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and
   acceptable and perfect will of God." - Ro 12:2

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

From Gary... Perfection personified

This picture reminded me of Mother's day (as if I needed any reminding) and its "cute" factor is way up there.  Some mom's (and Grand-Mom's are excellent; others, well, not so much.  But, face it- we wouldn't be here without them.  In thinking about mom's, I naturally thought of this chapter from the book of Proverbs...

Proverbs, Chapter 31

 1 The words of king Lemuel; the oracle which his mother taught him. 

  2 “Oh, my son!

Oh, son of my womb!

Oh, son of my vows!

  3 Don’t give your strength to women,

nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

  4 It is not for kings, Lemuel;

it is not for kings to drink wine;

nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’

  5 lest they drink, and forget the law,

and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.

  6 Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish;

and wine to the bitter in soul:

  7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty,

and remember his misery no more.

  8 Open your mouth for the mute,

in the cause of all who are left desolate.

  9 Open your mouth, judge righteously,

and serve justice to the poor and needy.”

  10 Who can find a worthy woman?

For her price is far above rubies.

  11 The heart of her husband trusts in her.

He shall have no lack of gain.

  12 She does him good, and not harm,

all the days of her life.

  13 She seeks wool and flax,

and works eagerly with her hands.

  14 She is like the merchant ships.

She brings her bread from afar.

  15 She rises also while it is yet night,

gives food to her household,

and portions for her servant girls.

  16 She considers a field, and buys it.

With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.

  17 She arms her waist with strength,

and makes her arms strong.

  18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.

  19 She lays her hands to the distaff,

and her hands hold the spindle.

  20 She opens her arms to the poor;

yes, she extends her hands to the needy.

  21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household;

for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

  22 She makes for herself carpets of tapestry.

Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

  23 Her husband is respected in the gates,

when he sits among the elders of the land.

  24 She makes linen garments and sells them,

and delivers sashes to the merchant.

  25 Strength and dignity are her clothing.

She laughs at the time to come.

  26 She opens her mouth with wisdom.

Faithful instruction is on her tongue.

  27 She looks well to the ways of her household,

and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.

  28 Her children rise up and call her blessed.

Her husband also praises her:

  29 “Many women do noble things,

but you excel them all.”

  30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain;

but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.

  31 Give her of the fruit of her hands!

Let her works praise her in the gates!

This level of perfection reminds me of that old commercial  where a very attractive Woman says something like: I can bring home the bacon n' fry it up in a pan- an never ever let you forget you are a man-- because I am a W-O-M-A-N... .  Well, I think most women can not fulfill all Lemuel's mother's requirements, or be an equal to the "bacon frying" woman of the 70's, but almost every GRAND-MOM seems that way to her grand-kids!!!  Fact is- whatever their capabilities, THANK GOD FOR THE WEAKER SEX!!!  Their role in society is absolutely necessary and to be praised as often as possible!!!  Even those with a shape like a rotary phone!!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... 1 Corinthians 10.13 and God's Faithfulness

1 Corinthians 10.13 and God's Faithfulness

A reader was wondering about 1 Corinthians 10:13. "God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able." Does this mean that God promises to limit the temptations we face based on our ability to resist them?

I wouldn’t understand the promise in just that way. Before I begin these remarks I need to tell you that I believe that God is faithful and provides the help his people need when faced with temptation of all kinds, anytime and anywhere. But I believe it's a richer and more complex subject than it looks on the surface. (It makes contact with how God answers prayer which is another rich and complex matter.)

This is a difficult passage although it appears straightforward. I think we need to recognise that in 1 Corinthians 10 Paul is not only saying that Israel sinned, but that they sinned and fell (fell away from God) and so lost the inheritance. The larger context of chapter 10 (see especially the later verses and the OT texts Paul quotes) is not simply about human moral weakness and the "inevitable" sins that will occur—it has to do with a much more fundamental kind of sinning. Apostasy, fellowship with demons and provoking God is in his mind. The Corinthian cultural/civil/social setting plus their own limitations were such that the temptation to depart from God was very strong. My suspicion is that that is what Paul has in mind in 10:13.

There was to be no whining as if they couldn't be faithful to God. The history of the people of God shows that what the Corinthians faced was no different than what God’s elect had faced down the centuries. Be that as it may, no one is to excuse himself by saying he had to sin.

[I believe that to be true though I think there are exceptional circumstances where a Christian may be faced with a choice between two evils. The heart would renounce both movements so the evil done does not have the believer's heart's consent. Let's leave that topic for a while. It would take us a bit off the track we're on right now. We can, God enabling, take it up later.]

If a temptation is a temptation then by its very nature it is not beyond us. If what came at us simply coerced us, made us behave in this way or that, it isn't a "temptation". God has structured the living of life (not just specific moments in our lives) so that we cannot be coerced into sinning. What does not have our heart's consent should make us question the sinful nature of the act. [That thought needs development though I'm certain of its truth.]

So that when Paul says God will not permit us to be tempted above our capacity for resistance he isn't talking about particular moments of divine intervention—he's speaking about God's pervasive providence. To me it makes no sense to say, "There’s a temptation that is absolutely beyond resisting." That is, when the temptation occurs, the human simply isn't capable to resist it. That isn't temptation, it's an "overwhelming". What I think Paul is saying is that God has not left his people powerless and fated to go down.

I can't help thinking that there's something self-defeating in saying that God enables a believer to resist provided that the believer is able to resist in order to cash in on that enabling. It's sounds a bit like offering a roadmap to a man in chains in prison to use once he gets himself out of prison. "I’m enabling you to resist temptation if you’re able to take my enabling." Hmmm.

And if 10:13 is saying nothing more than, "There is always another course of action open to a Christian when a temptation comes," then he has said nothing. It's certainly true that there is always another course of action; but that's true for any human under any circumstance—even if the person is a degenerate rebel. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me to have Paul say, "God is faithful...there's always another course of action." Of course! But is that what Paul is saying?

Still, let me plainly insist that God is faithful and he does provide a way of escape and he has so structured things that we don't have to go down in sin.

So how does he do that? Moment by moment? Situation by situation? Or does Paul think of God's faithful providence on a broader base? God enables us to resist temptation in many ways and some of them have existed before we were born. His whole work of redemption, his entire work of grace with humanity is the groundwork and expression of his faithfulness. To understand Paul as saying less than that, I think, is to miss his richness here.

We make a mistake, I judge, by making every verse a commentary on moment by moment existence as if we lived that way—we don't! Every word in an author's book is written by him and has its place as part of the entire book, but it doesn't function as an independent word, isolated from all others in the book. It's as much a part of the book as any other word, as much a part of the book as all the other words together but it doesn't stand alone and shouldn't be treated as if it did. We tend to see life as a long series of independent moments, situations and experiences and we think God speaks to it in that way. I don’t believe that’s true.

Nevertheless, God does deliver us from specific temptations (that is, he enables us to honourably resist them) and we should thank him for it. But when we do, we need not think that only an hour ago (when we were faced with the awful temptation) he acted on our behalf. His enabling work—and it is his enabling work—was already in operation on our behalf long before the temptation arrived. We felt the power of his aid on Thursday at 4 p.m. but we aren't to suppose that God only began to act around that time. (Though I’m not forbidding him to do so.)

Nor should we think that he weakens the temptation by doing something to the temptation itself—he provides and protects us by doing something to us. The "ten pounds of pressure temptation" isn't made less by God as if temptations existed as objective realities independent of us. It doesn't happen (to use imagery) that Satan is heading our way with a fifty pound temptation and God forbids it by saying, "No, make that a forty-pounder." Temptations don't exist as already made realities, delivered like packages to this person and that. They're a combination of realities that includes our inner structure. Without us there is no temptation.

I think Paul is saying that God does not leave his people helpless but that he provides what they need to be his people and to be faithful as his people. I don’t believe he ever leaves any of his people helpless in the face of temptation (praise his name!).

I don’t think we should use this text to prove the theoretical possibility of our never sinning. That’s not what the text is there for. My present understand of biblical writers is that they don’t waste their time talking about interesting and theoretical questions. Paul knows they will sin and he everywhere writes with that in mind. I think the context here is their flagrant arrogance and the danger of their going down in apostasy.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... Who Do You Say That Jesus Is?

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                Who Do You Say That Jesus Is? (8:27-30)

INTRODUCTION

1. On the road from Bethsaida to Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked His
   disciples two questions...
   a. "Who do men say that I am?" - Mk 8:27-28
   b. "But who do you say that I am?" - Mk 8:29-30

2. The responses to such questions concerning Jesus' identity...
   a. Have been many and varied
   b. Both in Jesus' day and today

[It is the most important question people could ask themselves, for
their response determines their destiny both in this life and the life
to come.  Let's take a look at...]

I. WHAT PEOPLE SAID THEN

   A. JOHN THE BAPTIST...
      1. King Herod thought this when he heard about Jesus - Mk 6:14
      2. Perhaps motivated by guilt for having beheaded John - Mk 6:16

   B. ELIJAH...
      1. Likely based on their misunderstanding of Malachi's prophecy
         - Mal 4:5
      2. Which Jesus explained referred to John the Baptist - Mt 17:10-13

   C. JEREMIAH...
      1. As mentioned in Matthew's account of this conversation - Mt 16:14
      2. Who some Jews expected to be resurrected as a precursor to the
         Messiah

   D. ONE OF THE PROPHETS...
      1. One of the old prophets risen again
      2. As mentioned in Luke's account of this conversation - Lk 9:19

   E. BEELZEBUB...
      1. Some had identified Jesus with Beelzebub, that is, Satan - Mt 10:25
      2. So thought some of the scribes and Pharisees - Mk 3:22; Mt 12:24

   F. MENTALLY DERANGED...
      1. So thought some of His family - Mk 3:21; cf. Jn 7:5
      2. As did many others - Jn 10:30

   G. CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD...
      1. As per Mark's gospel, Peter said "You are the Christ" - Mk 8:27
         a. Christ (Greek) = Messiah (Hebrew)
         b. Meaning, "the Anointed One"
      2. As per Matthew, Peter added "The Son of the living God" - Mt 16:16
         a. God's Son in an unique sense, not true of any mortal
         b. As confessed by others (Nathanael, Martha, John)  - Jn 1:49;
            11:27; 20:31

[Opinions of Jesus' identity were quite diverse during His ministry.
Today, it is not much different...]

II. WHAT PEOPLE SAY TODAY

   A. FABRICATION...
      1. Some skeptics deny He ever existed
      2. Yet the Encyclopedia Britannica uses 20,000 words to tell about
         Jesus and never hints that He did not exist

   B. GOOD MAN...
      1. Many say He was simply a good man, a good teacher, akin to
         Mahatma Gandhi
      2. Yet the Biblical claims do not leave us this option:  "You can
         shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a
         demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God.
         But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His
         being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.
         He did not intend to." - C. S. Lewis

   C. PROPHET...
      1. Many believe He was a prophet of God, but not the Son of God
      2. So teaches the religion of Islam

   D. CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD...
      1. As professed by Christians today, and to them He is so much
         more!
      2. As indicated by this list:

              * 100 Biblical Names And Titles Of Jesus *

CONCLUSION

1. We have seen what people said about Jesus...
   a. Then - during His earthly ministry
   b. Now - by atheist, agnostic, skeptic, and believer

2. But the key question today is this:  "Who do YOU say that Jesus
   is...?"
   b. Your answer will determine your eternity - cf. Mt 10:32-38; Ac 17:30-31
   a. Your answer will determine how you live today - cf. Mt 28:18-20

My prayer is that you would join with Peter and countless others and
confess to Jesus:

            "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Why not confess Jesus now, as you obey the gospel of Christ (e.g., Ac
8:35-38).  For you will either confess Him now, or confess Him later
when it is too late...! - cf. Php 2:9-11

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

From Gary... Far and Near

Spring has arrived in Florida!!!  The grass is turning green again and the flowers are blooming in all their glorious splendor!!!  Some of you out there might not think a lot of this, as Spring comes EVERY YEAR!!!  To those people I say - get a life, look around- there is beauty everywhere.  And the closer you look, the more you will be amazed at what you see, because life is simply W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L !!!!  The same is true in the spiritual realm as well.  Some people (like those who would just look at the topmost picture) consider God from a distance and just do not want to get involved.  Others, may see the possibility of fellowship with God, but just not sit down and spend some time with HIM (check out the bench).  Still others may associate with HIM somewhat, but just will not immerse themselves in HIS fellowship (like getting into a swimming pool).  Lastly (and best of all) are those who want to know every little thing about HIM and get close enough to see the majesty and glory of knowing him.  And so, with all this in mind, I came to the second chapter of Ephesians...

Ephesians, Chapter 2

  1 You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins,  2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience;  3 among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.  4 But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,  5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),  6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus;  8 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  9 not of works, that no one would boast.  10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them. 

  11  Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “uncircumcision” by that which is called “circumcision”, (in the flesh, made by hands);  12 that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.  14 For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition,  15 having abolished in the flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace;  16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility thereby.  17 He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near.  18 For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.  19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,  20 being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;  21 in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord;  22 in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. 

When you come close to God the father, you do it through obeying from the heart the Gospel of Jesus. It does not matter if you were a Jew or a Gentile, rich or poor, slave or free, young or old, male or female- If you are IN JESUS (Galatians 3: 22-29); then you are REALLY IN!!!!  And the more you grow in Christ,  the more spiritual insight you develop and the more love and effort you will expend in building up the household of God.  Today, spend some real quality time alone with God; ask for guidance and just one thing to do in order to express your love for HIM.  Even if it is something as simple as viewing a leaf and seeing it for the marvelous jewel that God has made - ask!!!  God will listen and you will be amazed how alive you will feel!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... Wrath or Love?

Wrath or Love?

You remember the little girl that was asked why God was sterner in the OT than in the NT? The one that thought for a moment and then said, "That was before God became a Christian." She wouldn’t have known it but she was voicing a lot of modernist and some evangelical theology.

The OT is much larger than the NT and it rehearses much more history than the NT. But, more to the point, its central concern is with God working with sinful Israel and the sinful nations whereas in the NT the central story is his work with Jesus Christ (Gospels and Acts) and the outworking of Christ’s person and work in the Epistles. So while there is certainly tough speech from and about God in the NT, for obvious reasons, it isn’t nearly as packed with it as the OT.

Still, since Jesus is the express image (in human form) of the invisible God and since he was so kind and caring and healing in his life we’re inclined to wince a little at some of the almost brutal responses of God rehearsed in the OT. "Modernists" had no problem there—they simply denied that the OT presented the truth. People thought God did these awful things and writers said he did them but anyone that had a heartknew that he didn’t do them.

Evangelicals (in the main) don’t feel at liberty to go the modernist direction. They can’t permit themselves to dismiss the OT’s witness so what do they do? Well, many of them just try to "balance" the record. They can’t deny God’s wrath but they emphasise his love and hope that that will lower the emotional temperature about the wrath. That works (and should in some ways) at the therapeutic level. "Well, he’s not all anger. The wrath sections are God sort of ‘acting out of character’."

But I’m sure our central problem in this area is that we construe God’s "wrath" as the absence of his love. This is a very great mistake! God can never act lovelessly! Not even once! God’s wrath is the form his love takes when he must chastise.

I’m going to ignore for now the proposals of those that are utterly opposed to the very idea of "punishment". I think this is a wrongheaded view of things. In any case, the Bible doesn’t agree with their viewpoint. Suppose a child repeatedly and knowingly does something very wrong and the parent punishes the child. Observers who don’t know the ins and outs of the situation and know even less about the parent might conclude that this is a loveless act. The parent and those that know the parent is devoted to the child’s welfare won’t construe the chastisement as the absence of love. Inflicting on the child what is painful or displeasing is love making its presence felt and made visible in the chastisement/punishment.

If we define love in such a way that it can never under any circumstances inflict pain or loss on a transgressor why, then, the wrath of God would be loveless. But it’s only when we so define love that we have a moral problem. Even if we believe that love may well inflict pain and loss under certain circumstances we might still feel emotional protests rising (see Hebrews 12 on chastisement). Haven’t parents hurt when they chastised their children? Haven’t we felt misgivings when (some) criminals are sent to prison? None of those feelings is surprising.

Let me repeat and move on. The wrath of God is one of the faces of his redeeming love.

It would help also if we took a close look at the context of some of God’s strange acts. [Note that in Isaiah 29 he attacks his own chosen city Jerusalem—just as David did earlier—but he did it in order to put his name there.]

Some young people from Bethel (a centre of idol worship) insult God’s prophet and God slays them. Is the issue simply the insolence of the young people or is there a message for Bethel and the Northern Kingdom of Israel?

In Leviticus 10 God slays Nadab and Abihu in circumstances that are far from clear. But it's clear that as representatives of God they dishonoured God. Before the chapter closes he passes by another violation of his Tabernacle law, committed by Aaron and the other two sons; a violation carried out because they honoured God in their hearts. He slew Uzzah in circumstances that make even his devoted servants raise their eyebrows. Click here.

I’m not suggesting that I approve of war but I do want to say that there was a time when hosts of men and women took up weapons to kill people, precisely because they thought human life and freedom were precious. We can sneer at that if we wish or we may rationally and calmly disagree with war, nevertheless, millions of people who "wouldn’t hurt a fly" said to predatory nations, "We will kill you if we have to because we hold life precious." Can you take a human life because you hold human life precious? I think you can; courts do it sometimes. Can God’s love show itself as wrath? I think so. God in wrath purposes to remove the sin that generated the wrath in the first place.

This little piece may have lost its way somewhat but two points I think are worth remembering. God’s wrath is not the absence of God’s love; it is God’s love taking a form we don't like. Two, a close examination of context and a broad survey of God’s purpose for the human family will open our eyes to truths imbedded in tough sections.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.