Conflicting Message?

This is the kind of stuff that drives me a little nuts about Scripture.  Take a look.

1 Timothy 1:17(NKJV)

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Jude 1:25(NKJV)

    To God our Savior,     Who alone is wise,     Be glory and majesty,     Dominion and power,     Both now and forever.      Amen.

Here are two examples of Scripture that tell us that God is the only wise one.

Now compare that to these two Scriptures.

Proverbs 4:5-7(NKJV)

    Get wisdom! Get understanding!     Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

    Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;     Love her, and she will keep you.

    Wisdom is the principal thing;     Therefore get wisdom.     And in all your getting, get understanding.

Wait a minute.  Why try to get wisdom when Scripture tells us that only God is wise?  What is the point?

Or this Scripture.

James 3:13(NKJV)

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 

Well if we take the first two Scriptures at face value wouldn't the answer to James be "no one is wise"? 

This may sound like a rationalization but here is how I deal with this apparent dichotomy.  I think that in the first two examples it is more of a rhetorical flourish.  A way to honor God.  In the case of Proverbs I think that is a Scripture to live by.  Always seek wisdom, knowledge, and understanding….but always keep it in the perspective that wisdom comes from God.  Always compare your "wisdom" to Scripture to make sure you are on the right track.  If we do that then I think we can answer yes to the Scripture from James.  Make sense?

Forgiveness isn't automatic according to Scripture

Luke 17:3(NKJV)

Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 

I found this interesting.  It goes against what many modern day Christians believe.  Christians today think that we shouldn't rebuke anyone because "who are we to judge".  Many modern Christians also believe that forgiveness should be automatic.

Compare that to what Jesus said.

Wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

I find this scripture to be interesting.  What do you think it means? 

Matthew 10:16(NKJV)

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 

I think the "harmless as doves" phrase is one that some people use to try and say Christians should be pacifists.  If it was a standalone phrase I might be persuaded but taken in the entirety of the verse I have a different interpretation. 

Jesus is telling the disciples that He will be sending them out into a dangerous situation (sheep among wolves).  Then Jesus tells them how to survive that situation.  To me what it is saying is don't appear to be a threat but be totally aware of what is going on around you and be ready to strike like a serpent if need be. 

Now some might say I am reading more into this verse than what is there.  That is a fair criticism.  I base my interpretation on a knowledge of the whole Bible.  Here is what I mean.

We know that Jesus Himself got angry and resorted to physical violence.  Remember overturning the money changers?  So Jesus isn't opposed to violence.  He just uses it sparingly.

We know that in Luke 22 Jesus tells His disciples to arm up. 

Luke 22:35-36(NKJV)

And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.”

Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 

When Jesus sent them out the first time Jesus said depend on God for everything.  The second time Jesus let them know that they were going to have to take care of themselves to a certain extent including defending themselves with a sword.  So Scripture indicates that Jesus believes in self-defense.

Therefore I find it illogical to believe that in this case Jesus is telling them to be wise as serpents but not to defend themselves by being harmless as doves.  I think my interpretation is much more logical based on all of Scripture.

Estate Planning

Here is an admonition to do your estate planning.  The musician Prince would have done well to listen to this.

Psalms 49:10(NKJV)

    For he sees wise men die;      Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish,     And leave their wealth to others.

Prince died without much of an estate plan.  So instead of leaving what he had worked for all his life to the people and causes that he chose, the government will get the biggest share of his estate.  All because he didn't plan.

As a financial planner I have had clients who refused to do their estate planning.  Their attitude was "let the kids fight over it, I don't care".  What does God call a person like that?

Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish

Excellent Advice from Jeremiah!

I think this is excellent advice.  Here is how I interpret it.

I think this is saying no matter what your strength is; be it wisdom, might, riches, or whatever; always recognize that your strength comes from God.  He is the one who provided that strength to you so don't be overly proud of your strengths. 

We may have done a lot to capitalize on our strengths that we were given such as study hard, etc; but we wouldn't have had the seed of that strength if it weren't for God.  Make sense?

Jeremiah 9:23-24(NKJV)

Thus says the Lord:      “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,     Let not the mighty man glory in his might,     Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;

    But let him who glories glory in this,     That he understands and knows Me,     That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.      For in these I delight,” says the Lord.

A second selection of Scripture proving Peter wrong. Tuesday, June 20, 2017

I touched on this a few weeks ago but I just ran across some Scripture that I believe backs up what I wrote back then.  What I am referring to is this Scripture by Peter.

2 Peter 3:9(NKJV)

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

And as I wrote before, Peters statement is at odds with what Jesus said.  Jesus said that he spoke in parables specifically so that some people wouldn't get it and would not be saved.

Matthew 13:11(NKJV)

He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 

Now I ran across these verses in Luke. 

Luke 13:23-30(NKJV)

Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, 

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 

When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 

then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 

But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 

There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. 

They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. 

And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

Now if God truly wanted everyone saved Jesus could simply open the door back up and let everyone in.  But He doesn't do that does He?  Nope.  Jesus makes perfectly clear that there will come a point where it is too late! 

So where does that leave you dear reader?  Are you ready for when the door closes?  Have you invited Jesus into your life?  There is no better time than now to do it.  Just have a conversation with Jesus.  Let Him know where you are at in life and what you need.  "Dear Jesus…."

Interesting concept isn't it?

Proverbs 20:18(NKJV)

    Plans are established by counsel;      By wise counsel wage war.

There are many who say Jesus is a pacifist.  I say that can't be.  I remind you of the principal expressed by Jesus below.

Luke 11:17(NKJV)

But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. 

So in the first verse we have God telling the people that when they wage war, be smart about it.  Notice there is no condemnation of war.  Now if Jesus really were a pacifist that would put Him at odds with God and as Jesus Himself said, a house divided cannot stand.

Are we really all supposed to receive an equal outcome?

One of the big focuses of Red Letter Christians is equality of outcome.  It's not fair that some have more than others.  It's not fair that some make more than others, etc.

Really?

Scripture seems to say otherwise.

Proverbs 11:29(NKJV)

    He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind,     And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

This made me chuckle for some reason.

I don't know why but this vision made me chuckle.  Imagine the scene.  These people actually ridiculing Jesus to His face.  Wow!  :)

Luke 8:50-53(NKJV)

But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” 

When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 

Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 

And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.

Mocking the Son of God to His face.  It's a good thing Jesus is big on forgiveness!  :)

Once again, no magic incantation.

Once again I am struck by the difference between Christian doctrine and what Jesus actually said.  We are told that we need to believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is the Son of God, He died for our sins, and rose again on the third day.  In other words there is this ritualistic incantation that we have to say to be saved.

And yet when I search the words of Jesus Himself I don't see that.  Take a look at these verses from Luke and then I will comment further.

Luke 7:44-47(NKJV)

Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 

You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 

You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 

Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Luke 7:50(NKJV)

Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Notice that the woman didn't say the magic words.  I believe she demonstrated them with her actions but she didn't say the magic incantation.  And yet Jesus Himself tells her that her sins are forgiven.  And what was it that saved her?  Jesus says specifically it is her faith!!!! 

Now please understand, I'm not against a profession of faith.  Not at all.  I just don't believe not saying the magic words keeps one out of Heaven.  I believe demonstrating your faith in Jesus continually is what gets you there.  At least that is what I take from the verses above. 

God is….gracious

Once again we find a couple of words that are somewhat interchangeable.  Gracious and merciful.

Exodus 33:19(NKJV)

Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” 

Exodus 22:26-27(NKJV)

If you ever take your neighbor’s garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down. 

For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious.

Exodus 34:5-7(NKJV)

Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 

And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 

keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

2 Chronicles 30:9(NKJV)

For if you return to the Lord, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.”

Psalms 103:8(NKJV)

    The Lord is merciful and gracious,     Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

Let's get the definitions.

gracious

1. pleasantly kind, benevolent, and courteous.
2. characterized by good taste, comfort, ease, or luxury:

gracious suburban living; a gracious home.

3. indulgent or beneficent in a pleasantly condescending way, especially to inferiors.
4. merciful or compassionate:

our gracious king.

5. Obsolete. fortunate or happy.

From <http://www.dictionary.com/browse/gracious?s=t>

merciful

1. full of mercy; characterized by, expressing, or showing mercy; compassionate:

a merciful God.

From <http://www.dictionary.com/browse/merciful>

mercy

1. compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence:

Have mercy on the poor sinner.

2. the disposition to be compassionate or forbearing:

an adversary wholly without mercy.

3. the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment, especially to send to prison rather than invoke the death penalty.
4. an act of kindness, compassion, or favor:

She has performed countless small mercies for her friends and neighbors.

5. something that gives evidence of divine favor; blessing:

It was just a mercy we had our seat belts on when it happened.

From <http://www.dictionary.com/browse/mercy>

I think the overall message here is that God will give us many chances.  Unfortunately I think there are many in the Christian community who have taken this to mean that we will get unlimited opportunities and even if we never accept Jesus we still get to go to Heaven because after all God is gracious and merciful. 

I think that is an error in their understanding of Scripture. 

"…he departed from Him until an opportune time."

Never for a moment think that Satan has given up on you. 

Luke 4:13(NKJV)

Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

Just because we successfully resist Satan doesn't mean that he will give up and leave us alone.  It just means he is going to back off and wait for a more opportune time.  So don't let your guard down!