We celebrate Thanksgiving this month. So, here’s a Thanksgiving passage from Scripture for you to consider as you gather to give thanks with your family and friends. “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:16-18).

This Thanksgiving there are three things we should never do…

First, Never Stop REJOICING: “Rejoice always…”

The OT prophet Nehemiah told the people he led: “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). God wired us to operate best when we’re joyful. Joy in our spirits makes us function better, than when we’re in a state of despair. Being joyful is one of the greatest sources of energy and spiritual vitality that we can experience.

But remember, joy is a choice. True happiness and lasting joy are found in the choices that we make. We can choose to be joyful or we can choose to be joyless. It’s up to us. The apostle Paul says, If you want to be in God’s will, then choose joy.

Second, Never Stop PRAYING: “…pray without ceasing…”

The reason prayer is so important in our lives is because when we really learn to connect with God in prayer – we’re changed forever. Prayer may not always change things for you, but it always changes you for things.

Don’t get me wrong – I believe that prayer changes things – but the primary benefit of prayer is that we are changed. God always uses prayer to move us closer to Him and to make us more like Him.

Sam Shoemaker was an Episcopal minister from New York City who was instrumental in founding AA – Alcoholics Anonymous. Whenever Sam encountered someone who didn’t believe in God he would suggest that they enter a “30-Day Prayer Experiment.” He told them, “Don’t pay any attention to whether you believe or not. Just pray every day for thirty days that God will meet you at the point of your greatest need, and see what will happen to you.”

Pastor Shoemaker’s little experiment literally transformed thousands of people from staunch skeptics to committed Christians. Prayer changes things – but it especially changes the person who prays!

Third, Never Stop BEING THANKFUL: “…in everything give thanks…”

A thankful heart marks the person who wants the will of God in their life. God’s will is that we give thanks for ALL things – no exceptions. If we’re going to be people who are hungry for the will of God to be accomplished in and through us, we will learn to be grateful and thankful people – in everything. We can all be grateful no matter what our circumstances may be.

Two years ago, on my way to church in my car alone, I was involved in a serious car accident. I was struck from behind at 45 mph by an uninsured, underaged, drunk driver while making a turn into the church parking lot. The force rammed my car into a stationary 4”x4” wooden lamp post attached to a fence bordering the entrance. My car took out the post and fence, veered off into a hedge, flew into the air – “Dukes of Hazard-style” – and landed in a ravine 12 feet below. My car was a total loss. I walked away unscathed.

I’ve pondered that experience often, ever since. At first I asked God, “Why?” The car was in very good condition with low mileage and I planned to have it for another ten years. It’s going to be hard to replace. But then I had to move on to the more important question, “What?” What, Lord, do you want to make of this seemingly unfair and unjust situation?

At that point I had a decision to make. Was I going to think like a victim or was I going to trust God for his provision in a difficult situation? I decided on the latter.

Here’s my declaration of thankfulness then (and it’s still mine today): “I am thankful that in my entire life I have never been in a serious car accident until now. Also, even though the accident totaled my car, it did not take my life – and no one else was in my car at the time. And even though my car will be hard to replace, it will not be too much for God to provide. Finally, I am grateful that it was I who was hit by the drunk driver and not someone else.”

I have decided that it is God’s will to “…in everything give thanks”!

Of all the people on this planet, we followers of Jesus Christ have the most to be grateful for. Our eternal destiny is secure because Jesus Christ sacrificed His life for ours on the cross and offered His forgiveness to us. And it’s ours for the asking.

So, as you celebrate Thanksgiving this month with your family and friends – remember that God has a plan to be fulfilled in you. His will for you is to…Never stop REJOICING…Never stop PRAYING, and…Never stop BEING THANKFUL!

I recently laid down a challenge for some friends to join me in a time of prayer and fasting for our nation. I believe that the prayers of righteous men and women can change the course of history. So, I’ve asked several people to join me in prayer and to accompany their prayers with fasting.

I also believe that in this contentious election season, believers in Christ have a responsibility to pray that God causes the counsel of His enemies to backfire – or to use a biblical phrase to be “turned to foolishness.” I firmly believe that as a nation we’re facing a binary choice – not between left & right, or liberal & conservative, or Democrat & Republican – but between good and evil, godly and ungodly.

There are sinister, evil forces that have been let loose on this planet. And they are now coalescing into evil philosophies which are filling the hearts of men and women in positions of world leadership with evil intent. They are deceived people. And they are hell-bent on deceiving the world. As the Apostle Paul put it to Timothy: “But evil people and imposters will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13).

 In the biblical story of the life of King David, there was a time that the King faced a rebellion against his administration which was spear-headed by his rebel son, Absolom. In an all-out battle for the hearts of the people of the kingdom, Absolom ran a “joy” and “good vibes” and a “hope and change” campaign to win the people over. And it was working in part because a former advisor of King David, Ahithophel, jumped ship and began counseling the rebel Absolom. Sound familiar? Politics hasn’t changed much over the last six millennium, has it? Here’s how it’s recorded in 2 Samuel…

“When someone told David that his adviser Ahithophel was now backing Absalom, David prayed, ‘O Lord, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!’ “When David reached the summit of the Mount of Olives where people worshiped God, Hushai the Arkite was waiting there for him. Hushai had torn his clothing and put dirt on his head as a sign of mourning.”  (2 Samuel 15:31-32)

This man Hushai is identified a bit later in 2 Samuel 15:37 as “…David’s friend…”  He comes to David and shows empathy for him. And David decides to give Hushai a very significant task. He tells him:      

“ ‘If you go with me, you will only be a burden. Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, “I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.” Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice. Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there. Tell them about the plans being made in the king’s palace, and they will send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what is going on.’ So David’s friend Hushai returned to Jerusalem, getting there just as Absalom arrived” (2 Samuel 15:33-37).

David is still thinking like a warrior-king. He asks Hushai to serve him as a spy in Absolom’s court. And that’s exactly what Hushai does. He sets up a network of communication to David from Absolom’s camp that led to the overthrow of Absolom’s temporary throne.

When Ahithophel advised Absolom (rightly, I might add), Absolom also wanted to hear from Hushai – who skillfully shut down Ahithophel’s strategic counsel. Absolom went with Hushai’s counsel – and Ahithophel went home and killed himself. Gory story – but it’s right there in black and white. Later Hushai was able to get word to David so he and his band of loyalists could get to safety. [Read about it in 2 Samuel 17].

I see a “prayer principle” in this story. It seems we can ask God, as David did, to cause the advisors of his opponents with evil intent, to give “foolish advice.”

The saying about hindsight is that it’s always “20-20.” In hindsight, over the past 3 ½ years, we know that there are evil people out to cheat and commit fraud in national elections. So much so, that it can sway an election one way or the other. My favorite candidate is calling on his supporters to make this election “too BIG to RIG” – meaning overwhelm the voting booths and absentee balloting and early voting with too many legal votes to be ignored or cancelled out with fraudulent ones. While that is a good strategy, I suggest we join forces in another strategy as well, and ask God to give those who mean evil for our country to receive “foolish advice” – and that they follow it!

And finally, pray also that the willful workers of wickedness be removed from positions of power, prominence and prestige. Pray that the eyes of those being deceived would be opened. And pray that God would place people who stand for His righteous cause to be elected to high places of government and influence.

What can we do as we fast and pray for our nation?

• Ask God to make the counsel of His enemies become FOOLISH ADVICE.
• VOTE for candidates who share your godly principles and policies.
• RECRUIT others to register and vote.
• Be active POLL WATCHERS – volunteer to do so.
• Ask God to cause all forms of election fraud and cheating to BACKFIRE.

“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible – the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 1:17 (KJ21)

God Love Sex (Part 2)

Leadership Magazine commissioned a poll of a thousand pastors. The pastors indicated that 12 percent of them had committed adultery while in the ministry – (one out of eight pastors) – and that 23 percent had done something they considered sexually inappropriate. Christianity Today surveyed a thousand of its subscribers who were not pastors and found the figure to be nearly double, with 23 percent saying they had had extramarital sex and 45 percent indicating they had done something they themselves deemed sexually inappropriate. So…one in four Christian men are unfaithful, and nearly one half have behaved in a sexually inappropriate way. Conclusion: (1) there are severe moral problems in this country; and (2) there’s a huge difference between what the church teaches and what its members actually think and do.  There is no crisis more pervasive in the world today than the crisis of sexual immorality. There is a moral revolt going on everywhere in the matter of sexual mores. 

 But no matter what the surveys reveal, from the time of Christ until now one thing has remained true: The sexual behavior of a man or woman who claims to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is a “dead give-away” to the depth of their commitment to the Lordship (management) of Jesus Christ in their life.  That’s a fact!

In Ephesians 5:3-14, the apostle Paul gives us five reasons why sexual immorality is incompatible with the Christian faith and lifestyle.[1]

In my last blog, we looked at the first two REASONS, found in vs. 3-4: “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. ⁴ Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.”

We saw that sex outside of marriage hurts you. It’s harmful to your basic human make-up. It is debasing and defiling to our essential humanity. That’s what the words in the original language mean – debasing and defiling. It hurts you. Paul said that sexual “immorality” and “impurity” and “greed” affect us in a profoundly negative way.  

We also saw that sex outside of marriage is a waste of our time. In the NASB translation, Paul uses the phrase “not fitting” – which means “inappropriate” “wasteful” or “pointless.” He says that we don’t learn anything by engaging in sexual sin. When we personally investigate the wrong practices of sex and become involved in them, we learn nothing that we couldn’t have learned from studying the Bible.  Personal practice of sexual immorality is a waste of time – and it only causes the sexual crisis in your life to get worse. That’s why viewing pornography, and even serious studies of sexual immorality, are essentially an exercise in futility. Paul says they’re a waste of time, as far as curing the problem of sexual immorality is concerned. That’s the claim of the apostle Paul! And, if we’re honest about it, that’s what our own experience confirms as well.

Now, we’re going to learn about the last three of Paul’s five reasons why sexual immorality and Christianity are not for God’s people.

REASON # 3 is: Anybody who practices sexual immorality, impurity or “body-greed” will not have an “inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” “You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world” (vs. 5). Paul refers again to the same three categories of sexual sin that he mentioned in verse 3 and refers to them here again – “immorality”, “impurity” and “greed.” Greed here refers to greed for someone else’s body so that you can exploit it for your own sexual satisfaction. 

What that says to me is: If you take sexual sin lightly – then you’re not saved. He’s saying no one can be a truly regenerated Christian while knowingly and deliberately practicing (key word) sex outside of marriage – because one cancels out the other. It’s a “spiritual impossibility” to pursue sex outside of marriage and Jesus at the same time. Paul is saying here that if a person pursues and practices sexual immorality – then they have ultimately turned their back on Jesus. Sex has become more important to them than Jesus! 

So, Paul says, if you take sexual sin lightly – then you’re not saved. And that raises a really important question: “Can a Christian fall into sexual sin and still call themself a Christian?” The answer is “Yes, of course that’s true.” But that’s not really the issue here. Paul’s point is that you can’t practice sexual sin repeatedly, and defiantly, and shamelessly and really be a Christian.

A genuine follower of Jesus will struggle emotionally and spiritually with guilt and shame if they fall into sexual sin. A genuine follower of Jesus will immediately confess it to God and repent of it (“turn away from” it). They will run away from sexual sin and become accountable to someone who they know will hold their feet to the fire.  But a person who defends sexual immorality and justifies it and sins without guilt – Paul says, despite any profession of faith in Jesus, that they are not a Christian. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote: “You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.” He leaves no room for argument.    

NOTE: God’s grace is always reaching out to people who are practicing sexual sin. They’re always welcome to become a part of the kingdom of God. But Paul makes his point very clear: No one can profess to be a follower of Jesus Christ and continue to practice sexual sin without a deep inner spiritual struggle. Because if they can – then they’re denying their faith in Jesus Christ. Sex has become more important to them than Jesus. They’ve made an idol of sex.

REASON # 4 that sexual sin is not for God’s people is because…A Christian no longer has any excuse for practicing sexual sin. “Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall    on all who disobey him. ⁷ Don’t participate in the things these people do. ⁸ For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! ⁹ For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.” (vs. 6-10)

The Bible says that if a person has been born-again by faith in Jesus Christ, then they have been taken out of the world of darkness (out from under the power of Satan) and into the kingdom of light (into the power of God). That’s the whole gospel message. And if that hasn’t happened to you – then you’re not a follower of Jesus Christ. But if it has, Paul says, then it’s unthinkable that you’d turn your back on God and go back and live in darkness again. Paul is saying that we don’t have to be deceived any longer – especially about sex. The world’s sex propaganda doesn’t have to work on us anymore, because we know better. It will try to convince us that we’re wrong, but we know better. That’s why Paul says, “Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins…”  They will try, but we don’t have to listen because we know better now. Sexual sin may be appealing – but it can be very deadly.

I read once about a policeman who was called out during a severe ice storm. The ice was a half-inch thick on every tree in the area. He was called to a site where the ice and falling branches had caused a power line to come down. His job was to keep people away from the area. There was a small tree near the fallen power line – the kind with a short trunk and lots of long thin branches. He noticed that while the fallen power line was crackling and popping with electricity, it was throwing out sparks through the branches of the small tree. And as the sparks reflected off the ice-covered branches it sent out a beautiful rainbow of colors. He said that as he stood there and watched – he wondered how anything so beautiful could be so deadly. That’s the power of sexual sin. We see something that seems beautiful, but when we reach out to touch it – it becomes death to us. Sexual sin is very sparkly and beautiful – but it’s also deadly!

 Paul’s warning is to not let anyone deceive you (including yourself) with empty words about the “joy” and the “naturalness” of sex outside of marriage. Because if we do, we will ultimately discover that the results are very painful!

There’s a phrase in verse 6 that tells us something important about this fourth reason. It says: “…for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.” It’s sexual immorality in particular, that brings the “anger of God” upon our world. When we allow and encourage sexual immorality – we’re asking in particular for the anger or the wrath of God to be expressed. Why is that? I believe it’s because sexual sin is different than other sin – not necessarily worse – but different. The Bible makes it clear in numerous places that sex within the bounds of natural marriage is intended by God to be the perfect picture of His love for His Church – His Bride. And sexual sin badly mars that picture. And it deeply offends God. It invites his anger and his wrath in a particularly distinct way.

Most people misunderstand the wrath of God. It usually conjures up thoughts of lightning bolts from heaven and sudden catastrophes or a terrible judgment day that’s way off in the future somewhere. But Romans 1 tells us that the “wrath of God” is something happening right now – in the present.  It says: “God’s anger is shown from heaven against all the evil and wrong things people do. By their own evil lives they hide the truth… ²⁴ Because they did these things, God left them and let them go their sinful way, wanting only to do evil. As a result, they became full of sexual sin, using their bodies wrongly with each other. ²⁵ They traded the truth of God for a lie. They worshiped and served what had been created instead of the God who created those things, who should be praised forever. Amen” (Rom. 1:18-25). God says, Alright if you want to live this way – go ahead! But it will cost you. It will cost you in grief and pain and emotional sickness. It will cost you and your children and their children after them.

 The manifestations of the “wrath of God” are things like boredom, and restlessness, and despair and a sense of uselessness. It’s expressed in feelings of emptiness. It’s accompanied by neurotic phobias and unexplainable anxieties. It’s revealed in the spirit of death and violence that we see in American cities across our country right now. But God never intended for us to be neurotic, anxious, bundles of nerves. We were never meant to experience these things. Unfortunately, it’s the result of God’s “wrath” – when He withdraws and withholds His presence and His grace; when He gives people over to their sinful passions. It’s the result of sinful passions indulged to the hilt, and then God backing off to let the inevitable consequences take over.

That said – Paul’s point here is that…We followers of Christ have no excuse or reason to indulge in sexual sin any longer because now we are “children of light.” We don’t have to be deceived any longer about sexual sin and its consequences.

Which leads us to Paul’s last REASON why sexual sin is incompatible with the Christian life. Sexual immorality is incompatible with the Christian life because…As Christians we’re supposed to expose the true character of sexual sin – not indulge in it. Eph. 5: 11-14 reads: “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. ¹³ But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, ¹⁴ for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

We can’t expose something as evil, and then indulge in it at the same time… and still be effective in our exposure. As followers of Jesus Christ our job is to graciously – but firmly – speak out against sexual sin. Our job is to reveal God’s truth about sex. “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them…”

We have a commission from God: Tell the world the truth about sex! And that includes God’s hatred of ALL sexual sin…homosexuality, lesbianism, transgenderism, gay marriage, queer lifestyles, etc. Our job is to help people see that sexual fulfillment in marriage between a man and a woman is God’s purpose for them. Our job is to help people see that God’s heart is for us is to run away from sexual immorality and come back into wholeness and fullness and joy. Our job is to expose people to the truth about sex as often as we have the opportunity because (as vs.13 says) “…the light makes everything visible.”

Philippians 2:14-15 gives us a challenge. It says we are to “…Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”  In a world of “crooks and perverts” (Amplified Version), we are to graciously and confidently tell the truth about sex to anyone who will listen. And we have to let our integrity and our faithfulness to God’s Word speak for us.

So, the five reasons why sexual immorality and the Christian life just don’t mix are…

(1)  Sex outside of marriage between a man and woman actually hurts us. It’s harmful to our basic human make-up.

(2)  When all is said and done, sex outside of marriage is a pointless waste of our time.

(3)  If we justify it we show that we were never “saved from sin” in the first place.

(4)  We don’t have an excuse to indulge in it anymore – we know better because we’re children of light.

(5)  Our job is to expose the lie that sexual immorality is harmless – by our words and by our behavior.

 Earlier, I mentioned that “sexual immorality” includes the four common sexual sins that many Christians have come to tolerate: adultery, “friends with benefits” (fornication), pornography and homosexuality. If you find yourself struggling with any of these sexual sins – I understand. I really do. I’ve struggled in the past with two of the four myself. And my purpose for saying what I have said today is not to condemn. My purpose is to remind all of us of the place in our culture that we are responsible to occupy. Because as followers of Jesus we have the privilege and the responsibility to set an example for the rest of the world – whether they follow it or not. Our job is to wake up – and stay awake – to sexual immorality. And to live as examples of what we say we believe.

 This passage ends with these words from the OT: “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” In the words of Dr. Phil: “You need to wake up! You need to wake up!” The reason WHY is because practicing sexual immorality in any form will put you to sleep spiritually. And the only way to begin the process of overcoming sexual immorality in your life is to wake up to the fact that it’s robbing you of the life that God intends for you. Wake up to your sin. Don’t let the glitz and glitter of sexual sin hypnotize you into sleepwalking through life.

But once you wake up you need to “Get dressed!”  Rom. 13:12 says: “The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” No one can live a sexually pure life unless they have been clothed in God’s righteousness. And that can never happen until you make a commitment to let Jesus Christ manage your life in general – and your sex life in particular. The phrase, “armor of light,” refers to the armor of God found in Eph. 6:10ff. And the first three pieces of armor are “truth,” “righteousness,” and “peace.” Each of them can only be yours when you give management of your life over to God and become clothed in His righteousness.

So…“Wake up” from your spiritual sleep…“Get dressed” in the truth, righteousness and peace of God… And then…“Go to work!”

Rom.13:13-14 says: “Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” 

In other words, start acting like a Christian again and stop feeding your “flesh.” Paul puts it like this: “…And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” Stop feeding your sinful lusts! (e.g. – reading trashy novels, books or magazines, viewing movies that glorify sexual immorality, entertainment that encourages sexual immorality, being hooked on porn, etc.). And start filling your life with the work of God. We have to keep moving in God’s direction with our lives.

There is a wide, shallow river in Arizona, the Rio Puerco, that has this peculiarity to it – its bed is nearly all quick-sand on which you can travel safely – provided you keep moving. But the moment you stop, the sands begin to engulf you. That’s just like our lives in this world. God never intended that we get comfortable in the thinking and behavior of the world – especially in its sexual permissiveness. We have to keep moving in a godly direction or we’ll become sucked in by the “quicksand” that’s the philosophy of a fallen and morally bankrupt world-view.

Do you want to overcome sexual sin in your life? Then you’ve got to resolve that you will…“Wake up! you will “Get dressed!” and you will “Go to work!”

[1] This blog was inspired by Ray Stedman’s series on Ephesians: The Calling of the Saints //www.raystedman.orgnew-testament/ephesians

God Loves Sex (Part 1)

The world we live in is obsessed with sex. It’s willing to consume anything about sex put on film or in books or on the internet – and it’s never satisfied.  It’s always hungry for more. Sex scandals – both inside the Church and out – are everywhere. Our world is obsessed with sex![1]

 In Ephesians 5, the apostle Paul deals with the subject of God, Love & Sex. And he’s decidedly “counter culture” in his teaching. Everything he says about the topic is in opposition to the attitude that most people in America and around the world have toward sexual morality – including many people who identify themselves as born-again Christians.

Let start with an emphatic statement:  GOD LOVES SEX! God created sex. God is not repulsed by sex – as some people teach. Sex is God-given. And it’s a very good and a very exciting part of our humanity…especially as Christians. But what God hates with a passion is the perversion and misuse of sex – because sexual sin messes with the picture God’s Word reflects about His relationship with His Church. Sex between a man and a woman in marriage is a parable around which God wants to paint a picture of His love and passion for us – His bride – the Church. So…God loves sex! He always has and He always will. [And by contrast Satan hates sex!]

Here’s what Paul teaches unapologetically about sex from Ephesians 5:3-14 (NLT): “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. ⁴ Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. ⁵ You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. ⁷ Don’t participate in the things these people do. ⁸ For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So, live as people of light! ⁹ For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. ¹³ But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, ¹⁴ for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, ‘Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’”

Paul is very specific here…He says sexual immorality should not be a part of a Christian’s life. Then he defines what he’s talking about – using some very specific words. And – most important of all – he gives us reasons why sexual immorality and practicing sexual sin is not God’s will for a Christian.

In this passage, there are five compelling and consistently logical reasons why sexual sin (as Paul very clearly defines it) is not compatible with the lifestyle of a follower of Jesus Christ. Paul flatly declares that sexual immorality is totally incompatible with the Christian faith – the two simply cannot mix.

 Actually, Paul is repeating the teachings of Jesus on the same subject in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7.  Jesus taught that adultery and fornication were sin. He taught that the eye that is attracted to adultery and the hand that is involved in fornication should be “cut off” (figuratively speaking). Jesus said, if we don’t, it will lead us into evil. He went so far as to say that even the thought that leads to adultery or fornication is wrong.

Here are two definitions of sexual immorality from the Apostle Paul:

• “fornication” = voluntary sex between two unmarried people before marriage;
• “adultery” = voluntary sex with someone, if you’re married, other than your spouse.

Jesus makes it clear that God’s intention for every one of us is that we either marry, and remain sexually faithful to our partner, or that we totally abstain from sex. The Bible doesn’t allow any wavering from that standard. The Bible makes it very clear that this is the Christian moral standard on sexual behavior.  PERIOD!  

In my opinion, Eph. 5:3-14 is one of the most helpful passages in the whole Bible when it comes to understanding how we’re to conduct ourselves in a “sex-obsessed” society. It stands in complete contrast to what the world outside of Christ and His values has to offer. And this passage gives us some very illuminating reasons why we don’t have to be confused or mentally foggy about sexual sin.

REASON # 1 that sexual sin is incompatible with Christianity is because It’s harmful to our basic humanity. Verse 3: “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.”

“Sexual immorality” is the most common term in the Bible for any kind of sexual sin. It has nothing to do with how you feel morally about you and your sexual partner… “Our relationship isn’t immoral!” Sexual immorality refers to any form of deviate sexual behavior (adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, incest, bestiality, etc.). “Impurity” means literally “uncleanness.” It refers to anything that’s morally rotten or obscene. That includes pornography. “Greed” refers here to greed for someone else’s body. So, anyone who makes an idol of another person’s body is “greedy” or “covetous.” And Paul says that is sexual sin. All of this is included under the term “sexual sin.”

Notice that in vs.4 it’s not only the acts themselves which are prohibited, but even verbally joking around about them. In Paul’s words, “obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you.”

NOTE: The Bible never tells us not to talk about sex. Sex is a legitimate topic of discussion – any time. But it’s the trivializing and distortion of sex Paul says is inappropriate. We don’t have to be Victorian prudes – where the mere mention of the word sex in public was socially unacceptable. We can talk about the God-given blessing of sex and sexuality as often as it’s appropriate. Just don’t trivialize and distort sex in your everyday conversation – which is so common today.

Anyone who has read the Bible (especially the OT) knows that it speaks very openly and candidly about sex. The Bible teaches that our sex drive is God-given. God likes sex. And He wants us to like it too. Sex was God’s idea – not the Devil’s. God made us “highly sexed” and that’s a good thing. Christianity, almost alone among all the great religions of the world, thoroughly approves of the human body. God once entered into time in a human body – complete with sex organs. And He found no shame in it at all. The Bible makes it clear that within marriage sex is to supposed to be enjoyed as beautiful and wholesome – as God-approved. God is for sex – in the right and proper context of marriage.

But the Bible is equally clear in its declaration that sex outside of marriage is harmful to our basic humanness. And that’s why God prohibits it – for our own good. His prohibitions are designed to keep us from being deprived of enjoying the very best. In fact, sex outside of marriage is so injurious, that Paul says, even passing references to it among us Christians can be emotionally inflaming and dangerous. He tells us that we must “lay aside” even the desire to talk about the details of sexuality immorality.

If you think this is a tough pill to swallow, it may help you to know that this statement was made by Paul is a day when sexual sin was even more widely tolerated and accepted that it is today. In the city of Ephesus, where the church to which this letter was written was located, there was a temple dedicated to the pagan goddess Diana (or Artemis). In this temple were a large number of both male and female “priests” and “priestesses” who gave their bodies to whoever could pay the price, as an act of worship to the goddess Diana. The whole city accepted sexual intercourse as an act of worship. They regarded it as normal and proper – as a sign of religious dedication. That was what the society in which these 1st c. followers of Christ lived. Yet, to them Paul writes: “But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is fitting among saints.” (NASB)

 If that sounds unrealistic to you today in 2024, think what it must have sounded like to the Christians in Ephesus in A.D. 62. But it’s there – for us all to read and heed. Why? It’s there, Paul says, because the absence of this kind of activity and this kind of talk is “fitting” among the saints. That word means “becoming” or “wholesome” or “attractive” or “refreshing.” The implication is that if we indulge in these things or talk about them in sordid detail – it’s unwholesome, it’s unattractive, it’s unbecoming and it’s unrefreshing. In short it is debasing and defiling.

Naturally, a society and a culture like the one America has become over the past 55 years is going to challenge that idea. We’re being told today that all sex is beautiful and natural – like any other bodily desire or urge. We should feel free to satisfy our sexual urges as openly and without shame as we do all other bodily needs. We’re continually subjected by the media and the entertainment industry to a barrage of propaganda which links sex with everything natural, and wholesome, and youthful and vital.  We’re urged to perform a sex act – any kind of sex act – with whomever and whenever we find it mutually agreeable. Why? Because it will make you a happier person – that’s why. That’s the sexual propaganda of our day.

 “This idea that sex, all sex, any sex, is natural and beautiful is a lie. It never was true. Like all powerful lies, it derives its strength from being based upon a partial truth. It is true that sex is a natural urge. It is true that sex is related to our physical body like hunger or thirst, or the need to urinate, or sleep, or any other physical urge. But what is never said is that these other urges also require regulation and control.  They are not indulged in at will, any time, any place. We don’t eat in any manner that we choose. We don’t sit down at the table and begin to grab with our hands and stuff food into our mouths. We learn to eat with a knife and fork that we might not be offensive. We learn to regulate our eating, and control even the way we eat as well as what we eat.  We don’t sleep whenever we please, even though we may be awfully sleepy…And even though we see many signs and pickets demanding the right to sexual freedom, we never see people picketing for the right to urinate publicly, or any time they will. We even insist that our puppies and kittens learn to do otherwise. Therefore, just because sex is like our other natural desires, because it is nothing to be ashamed of, then like these other natural urges it requires regulation and restraint.” – Ray Stedman

And the Bible teaches us that God’s intended regulation for sex is – marriage. Marriage is the way to regulate sex so that it is right and wholesome and mutually beneficial to husband and wife. Any other expression of sex is a defiling and a debasing of our humanity.

 Verse 2 & 3 in this chapter actually form a whole thought: “And walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper [or fitting] among saints.”

What Paul is saying is that sexual immorality is a violation of love. In other words, you can’t truly love someone and engage in sex with them outside of marriage. For a Christian love and sex outside of marriage are mutually exclusive.

The two most common arguments for sex before marriage are: (1) As long as love is present, sex outside of marriage can be justified.” But Paul says that’s impossible, because if you really love someone you would not want to injure them. And sex outside of marriage injures the other person because it is incomplete, and guilt-ridden, and unfulfilling. There’s no such thing as sexual relations outside of marriage done in love; (2) The second argument goes something like this: “We need to experiment with sex before marriage so we can see whether or not our marriage will work.” That’s a lie, too. It mistakenly sees sex as the primary thing in marriage. And that is simply not the case. Believe me, I know. I’ve been married for almost 48 years – and sex is not the most important thing in a marriage. You cannot test marriage by sex alone. There are far more important ingredients than sex that make a marriage a “good” marriage. It’s impossible to tell if a marriage will work by having sex before marriage. It doesn’t prove anything. It is beside the point. I can guarantee you that if you and your potential mate are both healthy, that you will be sexually compatible.

Testing sexual compatibility in marriage is kind of like testing a parachute by jumping off a 30-foot building. There simply isn’t enough room for the parachute to operate. The only way to test a parachute is to go up and jump out of an airplane. And the only way to test the proper function of sex is to get married – and live as man and wife for twenty plus years!

The second reason that sexual looseness is not compatible with the life of a Christ-follower is found in verse 4: “And there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which is not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.” (NASB)

REASON # 2 that sexual immorality is not compatible with the life of a follower of Christ is because even the talk that leads to sexual sin is inconsistent and pointless.  Paul calls it “not fitting.”  This word is different than the one used in vs. 3. There it meant “defiling” or “disgraceful.” Here in verse 4 it means something that is “not consistent.” It can also mean “inappropriate” or “wasteful” or “pointless.” Paul’s point here could be summed up in a question. He asks: What do Christians gain by exposing themselves to sexy, sleezy literature or by attending sexually explicit movies or by discussing sexual perversions or by indulging in telling dirty stories or double entendre jokes? His answer: You gain nothing. It is wasted and pointless activity. You gain absolutely nothing from it!”

Paul challenges the notion that we must have detailed knowledge of sexual sin before we can really understand its negative effect. He says that’s not true – and in fact it’s a waste of your time. It’s inappropriate and it has no point. You don’t learn how to avoid sexual immorality by talking about it or by joking about it or by laughing about it and exposing yourself further to it. That’s a dead-end street. It is wasted time and effort. You never learn the true nature of sex by studying its perversions or distortions. You learn what sex is all about from God’s Word and the revelation contained in it.

Sex is like a river. Kept within its banks it is harnessed as a great and powerful force for good. But when we indulge in “filthiness and silly talk and coarse jesting which is not fitting” through sexually explicit movies and books and sexually heated gossip sessions – then the sex drive overflows the riverbanks and becomes a flood which inundates the whole landscape. And we find ourselves slogging through mud and mire and sexual debris. Then the river of sex begins to lose its appeal. Unbridled sexual desire eventually loses its power to attract.

What do the facts reveal in this regard? What have the results been over the past 55 years or so? The problem doesn’t lie with Christians who have followed Paul’s counsel over the years and heeded this command in Ephesians 5.

The world apart from Christ has exposed itself to every possible form of sexual immorality over the centuries of human existence. And what it has gotten us? Well, to be sure, we don’t really know any more about the true nature of sex now than we did before. In Paul’s words, it is “pointless” and represents nothing more than “wasted time.” It only increased our understanding of the sexual perversions of society, until society today is flooded with so much sexual information that it has merely equipped us with the knowledge of how to be that much more sexually perverted – if we choose.

So there you have it – two of the five reasons Paul gives us for why every type of sexual immorality is totally incompatible with the Christian faith: it debases and defiles us and it’s a waste of time.

If we take Paul’s words at face value, then we as followers of Christ have no choice in the matter of sexual morality but to adopt his perspective. Any position other than the one taken by the apostle Paul is one of defiance toward God and it is a very foolish position. Anyone who chooses a different viewpoint is challenging the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ – God Himself!

Unless we Christians are ready to take a stand in obedience to what God has said, there is little we can do to stem the tide of sexual immorality in our society. If we adopt the world’s approach to sexual behavior the consequences will be grave.

Years ago, “ABC Evening News” reported on an unusual work of modern art – a chair affixed to a shotgun. It was to be viewed by sitting in the chair and looking directly into the gun barrel. The gun was loaded and set on a timer to fire at an undetermined moment within the next 100 years. The amazing thing was that people waited in lines to sit and stare into the shotgun shell’s path.  They all knew that the gun could go off at point-blank range at any moment, but they were gambling that the fatal blast wouldn’t happen during their minute in the chair. Yes, it was foolhardy, yet many people who wouldn’t dream of sitting in that chair live a lifetime gambling that they can get away with sin. Foolishly thy ignore the risk until the inevitable self-destruction.

How about you?  Have you been sitting in the “chair” of sexual immorality?  If so, God’s word to you – and to all of us is: “Get out of that chair, and stay out of it! It’s defiling your basic humanity, and it is a waste of your time.”

[1] This blog was inspired by Ray Stedman’s series on Ephesians: The Calling of the Saints //www.raystedman.orgnew-testament/ephesians

How to Grow a Loving Church – Loving Unbelievers (Part 2)

In Romans 12 Paul gets very practical about our relationships with other believers AND even with non-believers – especially with difficult people.  And the basis for all of those relationships, Paul says, is LOVE.

When followers of Christ begin to really love each other the way God wants them, the world will be attracted to Jesus Christ and His Gospel. And that’s because people are looking for love. So, the all-consuming question becomes: “How do I love people like God wants me to?” That’s what Romans 12:9-21 is about – loving people God’s way. And this passage is so simple it’s almost embarrassing!

There are two major questions addressed here.

First (vs. 9-16): “How Do I love my fellow believers in Christ?” Paul’s saying we need to learn to love each other. And there are eight things we can do to grow a loving church in those first 8 verses. Then in the second half of the passage (vs. 17-21) Paul answers the question: “How do I love unbelievers?” – in particular people who oppose me and who are my enemies. How do I deal with people who hate me for my faith in God?

In my last blog, I addressed how to love our fellow believers in Christ. In this blog, we’re going to see what Paul says about loving unbelievers. Paul switches to dealing with unbelievers. In verse 17-21 he uses the words “anyone” and “all men” and “enemy.”

Now he’s not just talking about the family of God, but how to relate to everybody – both inside and outside of the church. How do you relate to people who hurt you and wrong you? This passage is talking about these difficult people. It says: “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the LORD. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; and if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  Romans 12:17-21

Remember that Lifeway Research study of unchurched people I quoted in my last blog? It also found that 44% of unchurched surveyed say Christians “get on my nerves.” It seems the knife cuts both ways.

This passage is talking about personal relationships, not national relationships.  Person to person relationships is what this passage is all about. This is not about making national foreign policy.  It is not saying that the United States should fund all the enemies that are trying to overthrow our government.  It’s not saying you roll over and play dead, that you do not defend yourself when somebody threatens your life with a gun — this verse is not talking about that.  There are many passages in Scripture that deal with national issues and the concept of a just war.  It’s talked about very frankly in the Old Testament when Israel was commanded to go in and possess a land and to do battle and to defend themselves as a nation. This passage is not talking about relationships between nations. It’s talking about how I relate to the people I work with, and the people I live with every day.

Paul gives four principles in dealing with difficult people and the enemies who are attacking you:

1. Counteract your NATURAL INSTINCTS. 17a “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.” Again, our natural instinct is to strike back. Paul says: “Stifle it!”

I remember hearing of some officers during the Korean War who rented a house for themselves and hired a Korean houseboy to work for them.  He was a cheerful, happy guy and they were young and had a lot of fun playing tricks on him.  They would nail his shoes to the floor and put water over the door in a bucket so that when he pushed it open the water would fall on him.  They played all kinds of tricks on him, but he always took them in such a good humor, that they finally began to be ashamed of themselves. They called him in one day and said, “We’ve been doing all these mean things to you and you have taken it so beautifully.  We want to apologize to you and tell you we’re never going to do these things to you anymore.”  The young Korean boy said, “You mean no more nail shoes to floor?  You mean no more water on door?”  They said, “No more.”  He thought for a minute and then with a big smile on his face he said, “OK then, I no more spit in soup.”

The moral of that story is it is possible to take silent revenge! It doesn’t have to be overt.  God says don’t even do that.  Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

2. Put yourself in your ENEMIE’S PLACE. v. 17b & 18 says: “…Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. “

Paul gives us a nice little “guilt reliever” here — “so far as it depends on you…”  There are some people you’re not going to be able to live at peace with.  They’re not going to let you live at peace with them.  But as much as it depends on you, live at peace with everybody. The secret to counteracting your natural instincts is to try and see things from your enemy’s point of view.  When you find somebody who’s being obnoxious and attacking and hurting others it’s because they themselves are hurting. Remember: “Hurt people hurt people.” Understanding that helps you be a bit more sympathetic. Look behind their anger and see why they’re hurting.  Paul’s counsel is: “Look for and support what good you can find in that difficult person’s life. See things from their perspective and as much as possible, live at peace with everyone.”

3. Leave all REVENGE to GOD. Vs. 19-20: “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the LORD.’ But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; and if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

But why leave revenge to God, when we can do such a good job ourselves? I’ll give you two reasons: 1)  Revenge is a worthless emotion.  Revenge saps your strength. Looking back at something that’s happened rather than looking to the future is a time waster.  Many people can’t get on with the present because they’re still reacting to the past.  Some boyfriend or girlfriend that hurt them, some parent that hurt them, some former spouse that hurt them. They’re still reacting to the past so vengefully, that they can’t get on with the future.  That’s a waste of time and energy. 2)  Vengeance is God’s specialty.  God is the only One who has the entire picture clearly in His sights. He is the only One able to execute perfect vengeance. “Vengeance is mine, I will repay. You can count on it!” Who would you rather have getting even for you?  You or God?  Who has more resources in His power? You or God?  If we take matters into our own hands, God lets us.  But then He limits Himself in taking vengeance.  We can try and teach the offender a lesson, or we can let God teach him a lesson.  If you let God defend you, you’re in good hands!  God says, “Don’t worry. I will take matters into My hands.”

What does it mean “in doing this you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Sounds good, doesn’t it? “Burn him good, Lord!”  We like this.  We think of blisters all over their head.  But there’s a lot of speculation about what this means.  The late Ray Stedman, for instance, thinks it has something to do with not having matches in New Testament times.  When you wanted to share a fire, you borrowed somebody’s coals.  You’d put them in a jar and carry them to your place in typical oriental fashion – on your head.  Stedman thinks you give somebody something that is beneficial to them and it does them good.  You’re helping them out by giving them grace and leaving them in God’s hands. Other Bible teachers, like John McArthur and Chuck Swindoll, think this refers to the shame of guilt that people feel when you have done good for them and they have continually done bad to you.  It starts to get to them, to eat at them, because they say “I’m being so bad to that person and all they ever do is return good.”  They start to feel the heat of shame and guilt.  How do you hate somebody like that?

4. Turn your enemy into a FRIEND. v. 16: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

 If you do these things, then eventually your enemy will be won over or God will deal with them. Either way you have overcome evil with good. A visitor came late to church and asked one of the ushers “Is the Bible study done?”  The usher said, “It’s been taught, but it is yet to be done.”  The Bible study has been taught today, but it is yet to be done. The Bible says be doers of the word.

Would you review this word in Romans 12 to yourself today or sometime this week and then make them a matter of prayer & action?

“Lord, we relate to being hurt by unbelievers and believers. Help us not to follow our natural instincts, not to strike back. Instead help us put ourselves in their shoes and realize that ‘hurt people do hurt people.’ Help us find ways we can do good in return for evil.  Lord, teach us to leave all the revenge with You, to let You be our defense.  Father, we thank You for the practicality of Your Word.  It has spoken to us — each of us in a different area.  Your Word is like a sword pierce unto the dividing asunder even the soul and spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  It reveals our motives.  Help us to practice this word today and every day of our lives.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

“God is Life” – 1 John 5:4-21

John ends the last chapter in his first letter to show us how “God is LIFE.” He says that we can know that God is life when three things are operating in our lives.

The FIRST thing that proves that God’s Life is working in us is: Our Undying FAITH. “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (1 John 5:4 – ESV) 

Faith in God is defined for us in the book of Hebrews. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen. For by it the [people] of old gained [God’s] approval…” (Hebrews 11:1). For the “heroes of faith” mentioned in Hebrews 11 faith was HOPE, ACTION, and RISK.  In HOPE they looked for something better than they already had. They weren’t satisfied with the status quo. They wanted more of God. For them faith in God was an ACT of faith. They were willing to step out and trust God for their future. And faith in God to them was the willingness to take a RISK with life. 

So, the first thing that proves that God’s Life is working in us is Our Undying FAITH in Him. Let your faith in Jesus Christ – and His ability to work miracles in your life and the lives of others around you be the first evidence that “God is Life” in you!

The SECOND thing that proves that God’s Life is working in us is: An Undeniable WITNESS. “Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:5-12 – ESV).

Life comes from putting your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. And that life rests on three undeniable witnesses: the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ baptism, and his sacrificial death on the cross. This is passage is a reference to Jesus’ baptism and His death – two events that are critical to understanding who Jesus really is.

Remember the Gnostics? They wanted to reduce Jesus to a mere man. They said that He was only indwelt by a “Christ Spirit” from His baptism until He was crucified. But at his death He stopped being indwelt by this “Christ Spirit” – and that He never rose from the dead. Lots of people still believe and teach this today. But John says, “No! Jesus’ baptism and His death (water/blood) are a witness to His deity.” They prove He was God in human flesh. And the third witness is an inward one – the Holy Spirit. He verifies in our hearts that this is all true – and not just some made up bedtime story.

These three things – Jesus’ baptism, His death on the cross, and the Holy Spirit – serve as an undeniable witness to the RESURRECTION LIFE of God at work in each of us as we trust Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. Jesus identified Himself with our sin at His baptism…Then He died for our sins on the cross…And all genuine followers of Jesus experience in their hearts the reality and the meaning of those two events – by the witness of the Holy Spirit. It’s that simple – and it’s that profound!

The THIRD thing that proves that God’s Life is at work in us is: Unconquerable CONFIDENCE. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.  If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:13-20 – ESV).

This confidence gives us assurance of four things: (1) Eternal Life: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life” (vs. 13). The assurance of eternal life is one of the greatest incentives for believing in Jesus Christ that there is. (2) This confidence also assures us of is Answered Prayer. “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him” (vs. 14-15).

Ruby Hamilton, a businesswoman in her fifties, was stunned at the loss of her husband of 32 years in a car accident. Her anger and disappointment went deeper than a more typical expression of grief though. She had become a follower of Christ in her late twenties, but her husband didn’t share her newfound interest in spiritual things. She prayed for him unceasingly that he would come to know the Lord. And one day when she was praying, she felt a wave of peace wash over her, and that still small voice assuring her that her husband would be okay. She eagerly waited for the day when her husband would surrender his life to Jesus. And now this.

What do you do when faith doesn’t make sense? When God doesn’t seem to be answering or opening doors? Ruby Hamilton had no answers, so she stopped living for God.

Roger Simmons was hitchhiking his way home. He would never forget the date – May 7th. His heavy suitcase was making him tired and he was anxious to take off that army uniform once and for all. Flashing his thumb to the oncoming car, he lost hope when he saw it was a black, sleek new Cadillac. But to his surprise the car stopped.

The passenger door swung open. He ran toward the car, tossed his suitcase in the back and thanked the handsome, well-dressed man as he slid into the front seat. “Going home for keeps?”

“Sure am.”

“Well, you’re in luck if you’re going to Chicago.”

“Not quite that far – do you live in Chicago?”

“I have a business there,” the driver said. “My name is Hamilton.”

They chatted for a while, and then Roger, a Christian, felt a compulsion to share his faith with this fiftyish, apparently successful business man. But he kept putting it off, till he realized that he was now just 30 minutes from his home. It was now or never.

“Mr. Hamilton, I would like to talk to you about something very important.” Then he simply told Mr. Hamilton about the plan of salvation and ultimately asked him if he would like to receive Jesus as his savior and Lord.

The Cadillac pulled over to the side of the road. Roger expected that he was about to get thrown out of the car. Instead, the businessman bowed his head and received Christ, then thanked Roger. He said: “This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.”

Five years went by. Roger married, had a couple of kids and a business of his own. Packing his suitcase for a trip to Chicago he found a small white business card that had been given to him by Hamilton five years previous. In Chicago, he looked up Hamilton Enterprises. The receptionist told him that it was impossible to see Mr. Hamilton, but he could see Mrs. Hamilton. A little confused, he was ushered into a beautiful office where he found himself facing a keen-eyed woman in her fifties.

She extended her hand. “You knew my husband?”

Roger told her about how Hamilton had picked him up while he was hitchhiking home after the war. “Can you tell me what day that was?”

“Sure it was May 7th, five years ago, the day I was discharged from the army.”

“Anything special about that day,” she asked.

He hesitated, not knowing if he should mention how he shared the message of Jesus with her husband. “Mrs. Hamilton, I explained the gospel to your husband that day. He pulled over to the side of the road and wept against the steering wheel. He gave his life to Christ that day.”

Explosive sobs shook her body. Finally getting a grip on herself, she sobbed, “I had prayed for my husband’s salvation for years. I believed God would save him.”

“Where is your husband, Ruby?”

“He’s dead. He was in a car crash after he let you out of the car. He never got home. You see, I thought God had not kept his promise. I stopped living for God five years ago because I thought God had not kept his word!”

God’s Word says: “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him” (vs. 14-15).

At this point in the passage, John seems to take a detour. He says: “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death” (vs. 16-17). At first glance this may seem like a non-sequitor. But it does have something to do with intercessory prayer – which John just mentioned. And it’s a clear reference to prayer for a “brother” or a fellow believer.

Death here refers to physical death – not spiritual death – because a child of God has eternal life. But I believe that what John is saying here is that a believer in Christ can commit a sin for which God will send them home to heaven prematurely. In other words, God may choose to remove them from this life physically because they’re disgracing his name. It’s possible to commit a sin that God determines will lead to physical death. And it’s always a sin of presumption – not ignorance – usually habitual in nature.

And if you’re wondering what that’s got to do with the fact that God is Life – if we look at the remaining verses in the chapter – we’ll get an answer. There are two more “God is Life” assurances that our confidence in God gives us.

(3) Through this confidence we are assured that the Holy Spirit gives us Physical & Spiritual Protection. “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (vs. 18-19). If you’re struggling with a particular sin in your life that’s threatening to overcome you – and your sense of peace in God is waning… John says if you’ll take it to God in sincere and desperate prayer, that He will not let it have ultimate victory over you. You will eventually overcome that sin – IF you keep bringing it back to the Father in sincere repentance. According to these verses, that sin will not have ultimate victory over you! (4) The last assurance we have through this confidence that the Holy Spirit gives is Spiritual Understanding. “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (vs. 20). If we’re experiencing “God is Life,” then we’re assured that we are “in Christ.” Being “in Christ” doesn’t mean that our world always stops falling apart. The storms of life may still topple some things – the storm will take its course. But our welfare depends on whether we’re in Christ – the rescue device God provides. That is our confidence!

John ends this book with a simple – but important – warning. He says: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21 – ESV). An idol is anything that stands between you and God. It may promise to give you what you want – but it always does so at cross-purposes to what God wants for you. “Idols are small and they’re for small souls…No matter the level of their quality, they usually read on the bottom, MADE IN PHILISTIA BY PHILISTINES. They’re powerless and little…most of their lives people worship little things and finally lose sight of the greatness of God altogether.” (Calvin Miller)

God is Love (Part Three) – 1 John 4:1-5:3

OK…that was the first three effects of the love of God in our life. Here’s the…

FOURTH effect of the love of God is our lives: It distinguishes between TRUTH and ERROR.

John 4:1-6: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. ⁴ Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. ⁵ They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

To John the test of truth vs. error was simple: TRUTH confesses Jesus Christ is God in human flesh. ERROR will not.

False prophets, John says, are from this “cosmos” – this worldly way of looking at life.  But prophets of God are identified by their ability and willingness to confess Jesus Christ as God.

I did some quick research online this week about a cult that was very prominent when I was in my late teens and early 20’s. It was called The Way International. I wanted to see if it was still around. Not only is it still around – it’s going strong and its still deceiving people. It has thousands of followers.

The Way International was founded by a man (now dead) named Victor Paul Wierwille. He grew up in an evangelical church and graduated from Princeton Seminary. He was ordained in the denomination in which he grew up, the Evangelical Reformed Church.

And yet, while he believed that Jesus was the Son of God – he refused to confess that Jesus was God in human flesh. He believed that “Jesus Christ is not God – never was and never will be…When my life is over I think my greatest contribution may prove to be the knowledge and teaching that Jesus Christ is not God. Before I finish, my life may stir up the biggest beehive in Roman Catholicism and Protestantism since the religious leaders took a shot at Martin Luther.” (There’s nothing wrong with his ego either). His followers today still believe his teachings.

There’s a 49-year-old man in Siberia named Sergey Anatolyevitch Torop, known to his followers as Vissarion. He’s a Russian mystic. He founded and leads a religious movement known as the Church of the Last Testament. He has around 2,000 followers living in the settlement in Siberia and around 5,000 followers worldwide.

Vissarion claims to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. On August 18, 1990, when he was 29, Vissarion claims that he had a revelation that he was the reincarnation of Christ. He teaches reincarnation, veganism, the impending end of the world (or at least of civilization as we know it), and the belief of aliens.

These are just two recent examples of men claiming to know Jesus Christ – but who refuse to acknowledge him as God in human flesh.

John says if the love of God abides in you – it will empower you to know the difference between truth and error. And that TRUTH will always confess Jesus Christ was and is God in human flesh.

The next (FIFTH) effect of God’s love is that It Causes us to KNOW God.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (I John 4:7-11)

There’s a big difference between “knowing about” God & “knowing God.” According to John we get to know God in one way – and one way only. It is through a Holy Spirit-inspired understanding of what God did on our behalf when He accepted the sacrifice of Jesus instead of our own to atone for our sins. John calls it “propitiation.” Some theologians call it “substitution.” That’s just a highfalutin word for saying that Jesus became what we are (sin) in order that we might become what He is (righteousness).

Just like 2 Cor. 5:21 says: “For our sake he [God] made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Martin Luther once wrote to a friend: “Learn to know Christ and him crucified. Learn to sing to him, and say, ‘Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness, I am your sin. You have taken upon yourself what is mine and given me what is yours. You became what you were not, so that I might become what I was not.”

And John says that the result of that kind of love is that we can love others too. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

 John’s not done yet. He says God’s love has another effect (SIXTH): It Enables us to ABIDE (remain & endure) in God and Know that He ABIDES in Us.

“No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” (1 John 4:12-16)

Here’s an amazing example story of “remaining” and “enduring” in God from the diary of John Wesley…

Sunday, A.M., May 5       Preached in St. Anne’s. Was asked not to come back anymore.
Sunday, P.M., May 5       Preached in St. John’s. Deacons said “Get out and stay out.”
Sunday, A.M., May 12    Preached in St. Jude’s. Can’t go back there, either.
Sunday, A.M., May 19     Preached in St. Somebody Else’s. Deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return.
Sunday, P.M., May 19     Preached on street. Kicked off street.
Sunday, A.M., May 26     Preached in meadow. Chased out of meadow as bull was turned loose during service.
Sunday, A.M., June 2       Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway.
Sunday, P.M., June 2       Afternoon, preached in a pasture. Ten thousand people came out to hear me.

The SEVENTH effect of God’s love in action in our lives is that It Give us CONFIDENCE in the Day of Judgment.

“By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” (1 John 4:17-18)

God’s love eliminates the fear of punishment for our sin. You and I will never ever be punished for our sin by God. Disciplined because of them, yes. But never punished for them. God’s love is perfected in us and it makes us perfect in God’s sight. And because of that love, we can be confident that we will never experience God’s wrath or judgment. Jesus will rescue us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10). And Paul further assures us: “For God has not destined us to wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

“By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment.” (1 John 4:17)

The EIGHTH and final effect of the love of God operating in our lives is that It REVEALS the True Nature of Our Hearts and Actions.

“We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.” (1 John 4:19-5:1)

Ian Pit-Watson comments on this when he says: “There is a natural, logical kind of loving that loves lovely things and lovely people. That’s logical. But there is another kind of loving that doesn’t look for value in what it loves, but that CREATES value in what is loves. Like Rosemary’s rag doll. When Rosemary, my youngest child, was three, she was given a little rag doll, which quickly became an inseparable companion. She had other toys that were intrinsically far more valuable, but none that she loved like she loved the rag doll. Soon the rag doll became more and more rag and less and less doll. It also became more and more dirty. If you tried to clean the rag doll, it became more ragged still. And if you didn’t try to clean the rag doll, it became dirtier still. The sensible thing to do was to trash the rag doll. But that was unthinkable for anyone who loved my child. If you loved Rosemary, you loved the rag doll—it was part of the package.”

 “If anyone says ‘I love God’ yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar.” (I John 4:20) Love me, love my rag dolls, says God, including the one you see when you look in the mirror. This is the first and greatest commandment.

What’s your motivation for loving people? Do you love them because they’re “loveable.” Or do you love them simply because they’re God’s creation? Only you and God know the answer to that question.

Here’s the bottom line. Are you experiencing the love of God? How many of these eight effects of God’s love are you experiencing in your life? These are the “proofs” that God’s love is taking effect in your life – and not some cheap imitation.

• Reassurance of your doubting heart…Bold and effective prayer
• A Spirit-filled life…Eyes & ears to discern truth from error
• Knowledge of God…The grace to abide (remain & endure) in Christ
• Confidence in the day of judgment…Godly motivation in your acts of love

Have you ever wondered why God loves you and me?  Sometimes I do. The answer is found in Deuteronomy 7:7-8. What God said to his “chosen people” 3,500 years ago, I believe applies to us as well: “It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you…”

God loves you and me…just because. No other reason. Just because. He loves us just because He does. And how are we supposed to respond to that love? “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another…We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:11, 19)