Just Doing My Best

I’m not perfect. I’ve never claimed to be.  And contrary top popular belief, I’ve never acted like I am.  Now, that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I will say that no matter how often I miss the mark, I will never lower my standards.  I set the bar high for myself (and often the people I care about) because I know that God is worthy of such. 

I don’t know if anyone else can relate to this, but it’s not unusual for people to tell me I’m self-righteous (because of my refusal to accept less than what God is worthy of, and refusal to accept less than what I know I’m capable of).  And if I didn’t know better, I’d believe them.  After lengthy examination of self, the  situations, and people who spew such accusations, as well as measuring it all against the Word, I’ve often come to the conclusion that the accusation is not justified, but it’s just a deflection off of the accuser’s insecurities (Rev 12:10).  Those accusations are most likely based on the belief in the lies that striving for perfection is pointless and impossible.  But underachieving doesn’t -or shouldn’t- play a part in a believer’s life. 

Paul likens the Christian journey to an athlete who goes into strict training to race and win (1 Co 9:24-25).  He goes on explaining that the athlete works hard to obtain an earthly crown that doesn’t last, but he (and we) shouldn’t run aimlessly or shadowbox, but we should discipline ourselves, for God’s sake, so that we may share in his glory (25-27). 

We are not to fear a life lived in futility, if we have faith that we are pleasing our God who is more than worthy of our best, and that we’ll be richly rewarded for giving him such.  If we shrink back God will not be pleased with us (Heb 10:38). 

We’re to be holy in all we do; for it is written: Be holy, because God is holy. (1 Pe 1:16).   

In the call to preserve, we’re encouraged to hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful (Heb 10:23).

Sure, I often fall short, but I don’t wallow (Ro 3:23). God deserves better than that.  I wasn’t saved to make excuses for my laziness in disciplining myself spiritually.  I see myself in Psalms 63:8 being upheld by God’s right hand.  And I can also testify to Proverbs 24:16.  Thank you Lord for allowing me rise, so that I may serve you!  Another day God allows us to see if another opportunity to get it right.

      

Desperation

So, Satan tempted me through someone else today by suggesting I ‘be desperate’ about what is a very serious situation, no doubt, but the hardest learned lessons tend to be well earned lessons. And I’ve learned not to give in to desperation, and surely not to act in desperation.  In this particular trial I’m speaking of, it was hard to recognize it for what it was (I was being deceived after all), while I was in such a desperate state, but after I cried out for help, and God delivered me from the situation, I was able to see how I got there, so that I could manage future situations that would force me to act rashly and dangerously. 

Desperate- adj. 1a:  having lost hope b:  giving no ground for hope 2a:  moved by despair b:  involving or employing extreme measures in an attempt to escape defeat or frustration 3:  suffering extreme need or anxiety 4:  involving extreme danger or possible disaster; despondent (m-w.com)

In my experience, definition 1a lead me to definition 1b.  The root of desperation is hopelessness, which has no place in the life of a believer anyway, because we know that we have hope in God (Ps 25:3; 33:18-19; 62:5; 130:5; 146:5; 147:11; Isa 40:31; Jer 29:11; Ro 5:1-5; 8:24-25; 1Th 5:8; 1Ti 4:10; 6:17; Heb 10:23; 11:1). 

Jesus instructs us to be on guard of anxiety as an enemy (Lk 21:34; Pr 12:25).  It’s a trap!  We’re commanded not to be anxious and to cast our anxiety on God -in prayer- because he cares for us (Php 4:6; 1Pe 5:7).  Prayer is how we combat anxiety. I can testify to the importance of being on the watch and praying because the single most factor that shaped my negative thinking and allowed me to so easily give in during my test was:  a lack of vigilance (Lk 21:36).

(See post titled ‘Be Anxious for Nothing’) 

Make no mistake about it believers.  Unbelievers (and some Pharisaic ‘believers’) are watching how you react to situations that may seem desperate to them.  And thankfully God is watching even closer (Heb 4:13).  Stand strong under tests, trusting in the Lord and his holy word, so that you may have a testimony of victory, and so that God may get the glory.  Keep your hope in Him.

My Apologies

My apologies readers for not posting in a couple of weeks, but there have been big changes in my schedule, which requires so much more of my time. So, to be fair to you all, and to make my posting goal more reachable, I’ll be posting at least every two weeks now.

I thank you for your readership and your patience with me as I try to manage some pretty major changes in my life (a new day job, and everything that comes with it), and try my best to continue to glorify God with the talents that he’s entrusted me with.

Shalom!

Peace, first of all, is granted by God, and secondly, as a reward for obedience (Lev 26:3, 6).

There’s no peace -only fear of punishment- for the disobedient because of the lack of the intimate presence of God, who is love (Hab 1:13; 1 Jn 4:18). But for those who have either obeyed or truly repented for their disobedience, we’ve been freed from the yoke of slavery to sin (which results in death) and we’re ‘enabled to walk with heads held high’ to serve our Lord unhindered (Lev 26:13; Ro 6:23; Gal 5:1, 13).  

Throughout the Old Testament there’s an ebb and flow of the people of Israel enjoying peace and prosperity because of their obedience to God (and often His leaders), and suffering from death, lack, and destruction because of their disobedience (from Judges to 2 Chronicles; Jn 10:10). (Remember:  Although the Lord is merciful and long-suffering, there’ll be a Day of Judgment for all of us where we’re given the wages of all that we’ve done on earth, whether good or bad [2 Pe 3:9; 2 Co 5:10; Ac 3:19].)  

‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit’ (Ro 15:13).  

(See:  Nu 6:26; 25:12; Dt 20:10; Jdg 3:11, 30; 5:31; 6:24; 8:28; 1Sa 7:14; 2Sa 10:19; 1Ki 2:33; 1Ch 22:9; Job 22:21; Ps 29:11; 119:165; Pr 16:7; Isa 9:6; 26:3; 54:10; Jer 30:10; Mt 5:9; Jn 14:27; Ro 1:7; 2:10; 5:1; 8:6; 1Co 14:33; Gal 5:22; Eph 2:14; 6:15; Php 4:7; Col 1:20; 3:15; 1Th 5:33; 2Th 3:16; Heb 13:20; Jas 3:17; 1Pe 3:11)

Hypocrisy

I think the word is thrown around far too often.  But that’s my opinion.  To be sure we know of what we speak of, let’s first define what is, so we know what isn’t.

Hypocrisy- 1. feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially: the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion (m-w.com).

Hypocrite- 1. a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion  2. a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings (m-w.com).

Jesus identifies those who:

• make an show of their acts of goodness, doing so for their own glory, hypocrites because one's who in service to God will do so for His glory (Mt 6:2, 5, 16; Lk 6:42; Mt 23:5-7). 
• ignore their own blindingly obvious sin, but attempts to point out another’s sin hypocrites (Mt 7:5). 
• honor the Lord with their lips, but hearts are far from him hypocrites, as well as those who merely adhere to religious practices instead of seeking a genuine relationship with him (Mt 7:5).
• ask questions only to entrap and provoke, instead of asking them out of a sincere desire to learn the truth hypocrites (Mt 22:18).
• (in Mt 23) don’t practice what they preach (v.3), burden people with religion (v.4, 15) choose to observe only part of God’s word (v. 23), are more concerned with how they appear than how they are (v. 25-28), and persecute -and even put to death- those who speak the truth and are righteous (v. 29-36) hypocrites.
• interpret ‘signs’ hypocrites (Mt 24:51).
• routinely disobeyed the law, but criticized him for seemingly doing the same hypocrites (Lk 13:15).

Jesus also identifies hypocrisy as something we need to be on guard for and rid ourselves of -if found; it’s an evil corruption that works its way through and permeates like yeast (Lk 12:1; 1 Pe 2:1).  Like David, we shouldn’t consort with hypocrites because bad company corrupts good character (Ps 26:4; 1 Co 15:33).  And the Lord lets us know explicitly that there’s a place set aside for hypocrites (Mt 24:51). 

Although the dictionary also defines hypocrisy as a mere act of hypocrisy, based on scripture we see that it is more an attribute or feature that makes up and distinguishes an individual. In other words it’s based in a person’s character.  Hypocrisy is seen as being a main or central part of their nature in scripture (m-w.com).  For us to call someone a hypocrite is a serious accusation.  (Remember, to accuse is to exhibit a character trait of Satan; Rev 12:10.)  But Jesus Christ, the Word himself, was more than justified.  Coming from him, it was not an accusation, but a judgment.

And lest you get beside yourselves unbelievers, those who have a false virtue or religion may be called hypocrites. But the Bible calls people who have no religion

…other things.   

Submission In Marriage

Submit- to yield oneself to the authority or will of another; to defer to or consent to abide by the opinion or authority of another; capitulate; concede (m-w.com). 

The rebellious, in heart, took fight at the very sight of the word, but I see you’re still with me, so… 

Chapter five of Ephesians speaks of submission, starting first with the submission of all ‘children of the light’, which tells us to be imitators of God and Christ, living a life of love that is characterized by sacrifice, and to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (v. 1-2, 21).  Lord, help us all with this one!  Submitting is something that goes against our prideful nature, but this is how we prove ourselves to be children of God because saying isn’t the same as doing.  This mutual submission is shown in a ‘conciliatory attitude’ that is ‘associated with the filling of the Spirit’ (NIV note on v. 21).  We should seek to give the advantage instead of taking advantage. 

The following passage, verses 22 to 33 -titled ‘Wives and Husbands’ in my Bible- speaks of the sacrifices each spouse should make, and be willing to make in a marriage.  Wives are commanded to submit to their husbands as to the Lord, not meaning the husband stands instead for the Lord in the marriage, but that a wife is to submit to her husband as an act of submission to the Lord (v. 22 and NIV note).  I’ll also point out that the word ‘as’ in this context most likely means ‘to the same degree or amount’, which leads me to believe that the wife is to submit to her husband, in that he himself is submitting to the Lord (This is in reference to character, as no one but Jesus has lived a perfect life.).  We’re told that nothing, no one, or nowhere precedes God, and that includes a husband (Rev 1:8). 

Verse 23 continues, ‘For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior’.  This verse explicitly states the cost of being a husband, or ‘head’ (director; leader; m-w.com) in a marriage:  sacrifice your life!  Jesus did so, in life and death.  All he did was for his bride, the church.  It also places the responsibility of leadership on the husband.  ‘Now the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything’ (v. 24).  The church is defined by its submission to Christ.  So, if an assembled group of people aren’t submitting to Christ, they can’t truly call themselves a church, just as a headless body ceases to live.  So, what do we call a woman who’s not submitting to her husband, or who’s not the head of his wife?

We, the Church, have power when we submit to the Lord. Just as the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective, so is a submissive wife in her marriage (Jas 5:16).  Husbands may be won over without words by their wives’ behavior, beauty of their inner selves, and their gentle and quiet spirit (which is of great worth in God’s sight; 1 Pe 3:1-5).  This submission is seen as powerful, not weak, because only a strong woman can submit.  Women who fail to do so, are motivated by fear -the fear of losing control- but the previous verses explain how control may be gained by submission (1 Pe 3:6).  Surely, faith in God, and his way opposes this fear.   

Now back to husbands, verse 25 to 27 tell of the care given by Christ to the church for its overall wellbeing.  For a husband to care for his wife, is to care for himself, since they are one flesh (v. 28-31; Ge 2:24).  And is self-preservation wasn’t enough reason to care for a wife, failure to do so will result in hindered prayers (1Pe 3:7).

The profound truth of the union of Christ and his ‘bride’, the church, is beyond unaided human understanding.  It’s not that the relationship between husband and wife provides an illustration of the union of Christ and the church, but there’s a basic reality it, with marriage being a human echo of that relationship (from NIV note on v. 32).  Although the church is illustrated as the body of Christ, he’s independent of it.  Christ won’t cease to exist without followers, as a true marriage would without the two living as the Word instructs.

In closing, ‘In the Lord, however, woman isn’t independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.  For as a woman came from man, so also man’s born of woman.  But everything is from God’ (1 Co 11:11-12).

Bottom line:  We need each other y’all!             

Get Understanding Pt. 2: Marriage

Like I mentioned last week, much of my post will come from notes of my study on marriage/wives I wrote last year.  This week’s post might turn out to be a little long, so I’ll divide into subtopics/sub points to make it easier on you, the reader.  To be clear, God, not man, defines marriage, so I’m leaning on the Word for definition(s), as we should for anything else.

1. Marriage is a concession: 

Many assume that God desires us all to marry, which isn’t the case.  It’s written, The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone.  I’ll make a helper suitable for him’ (Ge 2:18).  We understand Adam, which means ‘man’, to be representative of: the individual, manhood, or mankind.  It’s my belief that the definitive ‘the’ used before ‘man’ signifies Adam as an individual.  However, I will introduce the interpretation of the NIV note on this verse as another possible understanding of it. ‘Without female companionship and a partner in reproduction, the man could not fully realize his humanity.’  On a very practical level, the very livelihood of mankind was dependent on Adam -and soon to be- Eve.  That is not the case today where there are plenty of children who don’t have parents to care for them.

In 1 Co 7, Paul lets the Corinthian church know that, ‘although marriage is desirable’, it’s not mandatory. He writes, I wish that all men were as I am.  But each man has his own gift from God: one has this gift, and another has that’ (1 Co 7:7).  Paul views his celibate lifestyle as a ‘gift from God’ that made it possible for him to accept unmarried state and use it in the service of his Lord (NIV note).  In verses 32 to 35, he points out the biggest benefit of an unmarried Christian:  a chance to live a life that is completely devoted to the Lord and free from the concerns of a spouse.  This isn’t to say that married people’s service to God is less than that of a single person, because based on what I’ve seen; surely it’s a gift to be able to live with a spouse and maintain sanity. (That was a joke married people.  Take it easy!)

Based on 1Co 7, I think it’s safe to say that the point Paul is trying to get at is, whether you marry or not, you should do so for the right reason(s), which is to say that you are in God’s will and are lead by him, following his plan for your life.

(Additionally, Jesus’ disciples concluded that it was better not to marry in Mt 19:10.  But in the following verses Jesus gives three examples of why a person shouldn’t marry: because they were born a eunuch, made a eunuch, or because they have ‘renounced marriage for the kingdom of heaven’ [v.11-12])

2. Marriage is an earthly institution:

Paul explains how marriage is only binding in life in Romans 7:1-3. 

And in Mt 22:23-33, Jesus is asked a testing question by the Sadducees:  Whose wife will a woman be at the time of the Resurrection after marrying seven brothers according to the levirate (from Latin word ‘levir’, which means brother-in-law) law (The levirate law was in practice in order to protect the woman after she was widowed, and guarantee continuance of the family line; Dt 25:5-10)?  Jesus answers in verse 30 that “at the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage…”  And in verse 32 he says that God “…isn’t the God of the dead but of the living”.  Marriage sets the proper foundation for reproduction and provides man with a suitable helper, both of which will not be necessary in heaven.  We will need or want for nothing in heaven!  God will supply all directly.  Jesus also says that at the time of Resurrection we “will be like angels in heaven”, who were (also) created to do nothing but serve God (v. 30).  There will be a new order of existence in the resurrection brought about by ‘the power of God’, and the basic characteristics of resurrection life will be fellowship with, and service for God (NIV note on Mk 12:25).  We will be made perfect at the time of resurrection.  So, all that we tried to get right down here will be made right up there.  We were made to serve him, and we will do so perfectly in heaven!    

3. Marriage is monogamous:

Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.  The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman’ for she was taken out of man’ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh (Ge 2:22-24).  The divine intention for husband and wife was monogamy. Together they were to form as inseparable a union as that between parent and child.  As parents and their children are the same ‘flesh and blood’, so husband and wife should be bound together as ‘one flesh’, as long as they live –of which sexual union is an expression of (NIV note v. 24). 

In the New Testament, it is written that, …(E)ach man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband (1 Co 7:2), which leads me to…

4. Marriage is heterosexual:

The Old Testament command in Leviticus 18:22, ‘Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable’ signifies God’s stance on homosexuality.  And so that one doesn’t dismiss that verse as Mosaic legalism, or even as a command condemning same sex relations among males only, Romans 1:26 touches on the issue again.  It reads, ‘Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.  Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones’.  And verse 27 continues, ‘In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.  Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion’.  With word used like:  shameful, unnatural, indecent, and perverse, it’s safe to say, God is clear on this (see blog post titled ‘In Its Proper Place’)      

5. According to God, the compatibility of potential spouses is based solely on their relationship with Him:

‘Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them or come under a different yoke than them, inconsistent with your faith].  For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness?  Or how can light fellowship with darkness?’ (2 Co 6:14, AMP).  Or more simply put, ‘What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?’ (2 Co 6:15, NIV)  One of the Bible’s many rhetorical questions to be interpreted as a statement (i.e. ‘A believer and an unbeliever have nothing, or too little, in common.’)

Ezra chastised God’s people saying, ‘You’ve been unfaithful; you’ve married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt’ (Ez 10:10).  Their sin was marrying pagan spouses.  God’s word had been given to Israel exclusively at the time, so gentile believers were few.  Foreign nations served their own pagan -or idol- gods, as opposed the one true and living God.  Then, as now, the mother often spent more time with the children and were their primary teacher, to include teaching of religion.  To have a pagan wife was to have pagan children.  This was a perversion of faith in the home.

God is not concerned with race, ethnicity, national origin, native tongue, or any other earthly designation.  As far as we’re concerned His only concern is whether, or not, we’re serving him (Ecc 12:13; Gal 3:28; Col 3:11).

6. Marriage should be for life, however…

In Matthew 19:1-12, after being asked a testing question from the Pharisees about divorce, Jesus pointed back to God’s original ideal for marriage in Genesis 22:24, to be united for life.  They continued with the question, asking about permission from God -by way of Moses- for a man to divorce his wife, if she becomes displeasing to him (because he finds something indecent about her; Dt 24:1).  Jesus answered that Moses permitted this only because the hearts of husbands were so hard, but it’s not what God desires (Mt 19:6, 8).  Jesus then gives the only reasonable ground for divorce:  marital unfaithfulness (v.9).  Unfaithfulness is defined as: not adhering to vows, allegiance, or duty; disloyal, untrustworthy, not faithful (steadfast, in affection or allegiance; firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty [m-w.com]). 

Again, even though divorce and remarrying were permitted and regulated according to the laws of Moses (Lev 21:7, 14; 22:13; Nu 30:9), Jesus elaborates on the Mosaic law concerning divorce in his Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:31-32; 19:3-9). 

Although many people limit the term “marital unfaithfulness” to adultery, the definition of the word ‘unfaithful’ makes it clear that it’s broader than that.  Surely marital duty isn’t defined exclusively by sexual monogamy (For some duties of a faithful spouse, see previous blog post.).  Based on the above scriptures, I believe that Jesus wanted to make clear that a person’s cause for divorce shouldn’t be arbitrary or made with haste (as was the case he and Moses were dealing with).  But this unfaithfulness should be characteristic of the relationship, if the cause isn’t adultery, as opposed to divorcing because the spouse has made infrequent errors or lapses in judgment.  Men were basically divorcing their wives for once burning dinner!  Go ahead and laugh, but how different is it from some of today’s reasons for divorce?

7. Marriage is to be honored:

Marriage should be honored by all (and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and the sexually immoral) (Heb 13:4).

8. Marriage is to be enjoyed:

In Deut. 24:5, marital bliss or happiness was held in high regard; so much so that there was a law keeping a recently married men from war, or any other duty that would keep him from fulfilling his ‘duties’ to his wife.  Read ‘Solomon’s Song of Songs’ where verses like, ‘Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth –for your love is better than wine’ and ‘How beautiful you are, my darling!  Oh, how beautiful!  Your eyes are doves’ (Sol 1:2, 15).  And remember, this is still God’s inspired word we’re talking about!  His desire is that married people enjoy each other.   

9. Wives, be submissive to your husbands:

…Okay, this one deserves its own post.  I’ll get back to you on this topic.