"Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The [W]ind bloweth where it [I]t listeth..."
(John 3"7-8)
Those who have entered into covenant relations with God, through Christ, can look forward to joys unspeakable. In fact, the half has not yet been told. Our Saviour, the Master Builder, has gone to prepare a place for those who walk with Him -for them who love Him, trust Him, and obey Him. They, like Abraham, look for a city made without hands; a continuing city. This hope sustains the faithful.
On the other side of this hope we find hopelessness. We find the promise of torment and separation from God and His blessings. This causes great heaviness and sorrow for the concerned saints. Another heaviness for the concerned saint is their inablility to convey the gospel to their unsaved loved ones.
At this point let the writer state a very unpopular belief he holds. He does not believe that every person is called to share the gospel. Not every person is called to witness. Every saint is called to be a witness but not to witness. In the often quoted passages like Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15, the Master is speaking to men which have been placed in the office of minister. When St. Paul speaks of gospel preaching in 2Cor. he uses terms such as, "we", "us", "our" etc. Paul, when using the above pronouns, speaks of himself, Timotheus, Silas and other fellow ministers. The writer understands this is considered an attack on the gospel itself, but he is not worried because it is a biblically defendable statement.
In light of the above... what is a mother, father, son or daughter to do with their unsaved loved one? "Marvel not". When the Wind or Spirit comes He will clarify all that needs to be understood by the sinner. The Spirit is "able to make one wise unto salvation".
One is never saved by the worry or clarity of a concerned saint or praying family member. The sinner is saved by the sovereign, clarifying, and regenerating work of God the Spirit.
My reader, live the gospel, love the Master, and commit your loved ones to God.
The Lord Jesus tells Nicodemus not to worry about his inability to understand the spiritual, because when the Spirit comes He will give the ability to understand. This text, if grasped with the hands of faith, can give great comfort to those with unsaved family and friends.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Divine Hatred
"And I hated Esau"
Malachi 1:3
In the previous posting the subject was loving one's enemy. In this post the subject will be hatred. The chosen text for this study is Malachi 1:3, which can be compared with Romans ch. 9. In this verse we find God Himself stating hatred for someone. Does God hate? Yes He does. I know that some readers will be quick to point out that it is a nation God is referring to in the passage, and not a person. Correct, but that is the reason one should compare it with Romans ch. 9.
Romans 9 speaks of Divine election. God chose to love Jacob and hate Esau. This election was made prior to either man doing good or evil (Romans 9). This election occured before the foundation of the world (Eph.1). The writer is prepared to state and defend the biblical doctrine of divine sovereignty and free election, but not here, and not now. The subject of this posting is divine hatred and not election. What does it mean for God to hate something or someone? It means the opposite of loving something or someone. The biblical definition of love, as stated prior, is desiring the best for someone. The biblical definition for hatred is to oppose something or someone. In fact, the word for hate in the original language is "to oppose". When God stated His hatred for Esau (nation and/or person) He was stating His opposition. Please read Malachi 1:3-5 for God's actions in relation to His hatred.
Psalm 50:21 states, "[thou didst err when] thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself." God is not like us. He does not hate like we do. Hatred, in man, controls him. God is not controlled by anything- including hate. Man's hatred controls his actions, feelings, and thoughts. That is not so with God. When God hates it has nothing to do with emotion and everything to do with holiness, righteousness, and divine choice. People cannot conceive of God hating because they do not understand the biblical definition of divine hatred.
When we find the psalmist expressing hatred we do not find justification for ourselves to be controlled by an emotion. God Forbid. We do find warrant to oppose things ungodly.
To sum up this and the last posting one might say, "I, as a follower of Christ, must desire God's best for all people- but at the same time I must oppose all that oppose/hate God."
Buried in Christ,
St. Loder
Malachi 1:3
In the previous posting the subject was loving one's enemy. In this post the subject will be hatred. The chosen text for this study is Malachi 1:3, which can be compared with Romans ch. 9. In this verse we find God Himself stating hatred for someone. Does God hate? Yes He does. I know that some readers will be quick to point out that it is a nation God is referring to in the passage, and not a person. Correct, but that is the reason one should compare it with Romans ch. 9.
Romans 9 speaks of Divine election. God chose to love Jacob and hate Esau. This election was made prior to either man doing good or evil (Romans 9). This election occured before the foundation of the world (Eph.1). The writer is prepared to state and defend the biblical doctrine of divine sovereignty and free election, but not here, and not now. The subject of this posting is divine hatred and not election. What does it mean for God to hate something or someone? It means the opposite of loving something or someone. The biblical definition of love, as stated prior, is desiring the best for someone. The biblical definition for hatred is to oppose something or someone. In fact, the word for hate in the original language is "to oppose". When God stated His hatred for Esau (nation and/or person) He was stating His opposition. Please read Malachi 1:3-5 for God's actions in relation to His hatred.
Psalm 50:21 states, "[thou didst err when] thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself." God is not like us. He does not hate like we do. Hatred, in man, controls him. God is not controlled by anything- including hate. Man's hatred controls his actions, feelings, and thoughts. That is not so with God. When God hates it has nothing to do with emotion and everything to do with holiness, righteousness, and divine choice. People cannot conceive of God hating because they do not understand the biblical definition of divine hatred.
When we find the psalmist expressing hatred we do not find justification for ourselves to be controlled by an emotion. God Forbid. We do find warrant to oppose things ungodly.
To sum up this and the last posting one might say, "I, as a follower of Christ, must desire God's best for all people- but at the same time I must oppose all that oppose/hate God."
Buried in Christ,
St. Loder
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Loving One's Enemy.
"... say unto you, Love your enemies..."
The above words proceeded from the Master and therefore must be obeyed. This command may seem impossible to many, but it must be remembered that God is the God of the impossible. Why would one find loving one's enemy impossible? It is because the biblical definition of love is not understood. Allow the writer to provide his definition of biblical love. Biblical love is looking upon another and desiring God's best for them. Note the lack of emotions. I heard of a believer telling another that it is sin to dislike fellow believers. That is ridiculous. It is not a sin to dislike fellow Christians. It is a sin not to love them. Again, let it be said that to love another is to desire God's best for them. One can have this desire without liking another. The writer does not say it is good to dislike fellow believers, but it is a reality in many cases. In the above text the command of the Master is to love not the brother or even the neighbor, but the enemy. How is one to do this? In Matthew 5:44 you may find the answer. "...bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Example is given in the follwing verses as well.
Let both writer and reader remember this in the future (DV). When the enemy provokes, let us seek and desire God's best for him through our blessing upon him, our goodness to him, and our prayer for him. Evil must be overcome by goodness.
It is acceptable to dislike but not to "dislove".
Buried in Christ,
St. Loder
The above words proceeded from the Master and therefore must be obeyed. This command may seem impossible to many, but it must be remembered that God is the God of the impossible. Why would one find loving one's enemy impossible? It is because the biblical definition of love is not understood. Allow the writer to provide his definition of biblical love. Biblical love is looking upon another and desiring God's best for them. Note the lack of emotions. I heard of a believer telling another that it is sin to dislike fellow believers. That is ridiculous. It is not a sin to dislike fellow Christians. It is a sin not to love them. Again, let it be said that to love another is to desire God's best for them. One can have this desire without liking another. The writer does not say it is good to dislike fellow believers, but it is a reality in many cases. In the above text the command of the Master is to love not the brother or even the neighbor, but the enemy. How is one to do this? In Matthew 5:44 you may find the answer. "...bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Example is given in the follwing verses as well.
Let both writer and reader remember this in the future (DV). When the enemy provokes, let us seek and desire God's best for him through our blessing upon him, our goodness to him, and our prayer for him. Evil must be overcome by goodness.
It is acceptable to dislike but not to "dislove".
Buried in Christ,
St. Loder
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