Bible Salvation and Popular Religion Part 2: Spurious Conversions

SPURIOUS CONVERSIONS

Men love security. Other things being equal, they give decided preference to the safe side. They spare neither pains nor expense to guard against possible calamities. For this reason, insurance companies of all kinds carry on a profitable business.

There is generally an instinctive fear of the future. Upon the brink of eternity the boldest stand and tremble with an indefinable dread of their impending doom.

"Why shrinks the soul

Back on herself, and startles at destruction?

'Tis the Divinity that stirs within us;

'Tis heaven itself that points out a hereafter,

And intimates eternity to man.

Eternity! -- thou pleasing, dreadful thought!

Through what variety of untried being,

Through what new scenes and changes must we pass!

The wide, the unbounded prospect lies before me;

But shadows, clouds and darkness rest upon it!"

Such is the sentiment of humanity as expressed by a favorite poet. Any system that gives plausible promise of carrying a man safely through this darkness into the unclouded light of eternal day, will have its votaries. The more plausible the promise, and easier the conditions, the greater will be the number of adherents. Modern spiritualism, which is but the worship of demons revived under a new form, claims a greater number of followers than Christianity did in the same length of time. Francis Xavier, the celebrated Jesuit missionary, made more converts in one year than John Wesley did in the whole course of his ministry. Make the standard of Christianity sufficiently low, and you can very easily multiply adherents. Give to men an assurance of heaven, without requiring them to deny themselves, and to take up their cross daily and follow Jesus amid reproaches and persecutions, and many will be found eager to embrace the advantageous offer.

That many who profess religion may yet fail of being truly converted to God is apparent--

1. From the declarations of our Saviour: And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. -- Matt. 7:23. Mark this language. He does not say, You have backslidden; but, I NEVER KNEW YOU. Then, of course, they were never converted. (1) This class is very numerous -- "Many." (2) They make a high profession of religion. (3) They were deceived to the last. "Many will say to me in that day (the day of Judgment), Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name have done many wonderful works?"

The same lesson is taught us in the parable of the ten virgins. The foolish virgins did not lose their oil -- they did not take it. They had the lamp -- the profession -- but the grace they never had. They, too, were not flagrant hypocrites, but were self-deceived. If there is any truth clearly taught in the gospel, it is the very great liability of being deceived in regard to our being converted to God. "The foolish man who built his house upon the sand," stands as a representative of those who spend their lives as respectable members of the church, but who build their high professions upon unconverted human nature as the foundation.

2. Many of those who profess to be converted never bear the marks of conversion. "By their fruits ye shall know them," is the criterion which the Master Himself gave, for the purpose of ascertaining here who are His true followers. It is not "judging," in the sense in which it is forbidden, to apply to ourselves and others the test which He has given.

But that many conversions are spurious is evident, because--

1. The so-called converts do not truly repent of their sins. They have no godly sorrow -- no deep, sincere sorrow because of their transgressions. They never exclaim, like Paul, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" -- Rom. 7:24. They never cry out, like David, "There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine auger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head; as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me." -- Psa. 38:3-4. You never hear anything like this from them. On the contrary, they act more like patrons than penitents. Their whole bearing would seem to indicate that they think they are conferring a great favor upon the Almighty. They go forward for prayer, and perhaps kneel; they make no confession of their sins, never shed a tear, nor utter a cry for mercy, nor manifest in any way the earnestness of a soul longing to be delivered from the danger of hell. Where they have wronged others, they make no restitution. A few prayers are offered for them, interspersed, if they are persons of wealth or position, with compliments; they "feel better," join the church, sleep on with others, and finally wake up in hell!

2. The subjects of these spurious conversions do not have any real victory over sin. In this respect, they are the same as they were before. If they were fretful and impatient before, they are fretful and impatient still. If they were the slaves of tobacco, they still defile themselves with its use. Those who were the devotees of fashion, in any degree, before their so-called conversion, remain, to the same extent, "conformed to the world." The word of God does not possess sufficient authority with them to induce them to discontinue, for the sake of Jesus, "the wearing of gold, or pearls, or costly array." If before their profession they were fond of the light, Satanic literature of the day, they read it still with as much avidity as ever. The grosser vices which would injure their respectability they avoid.

3. They are strangers to the joys of salvation. When they see others "rejoicing, with joy unspeakable and full of glory," it looks to them like the wildest fanaticism. They do not know what it means to have the blessing of the Lord upon their souls. What the joy of the Holy Ghost consists in, they have not the remotest conception. The same things which made them happy before their supposed conversion makes them happy now; and they feel their loss just as keenly as they did before.

4. They have no love for closet duties. If they read the Bible and pray in secret, it is not because they have a relish for these means of grace. They hurry through them, and are heartily glad when the unpleasant task is finished. Close, pointed, searching preaching disturbs them; and they seek the ministry of those who speak with enticing words of man's wisdom.

5. They are sadly wanting in genuine humility. However great an effort they make to appear humble, and however depreciatingly they may talk about their attainments and doings, still there is so much of self in all they do and say, that it is really painful for a spiritual person to be with them. Their very confessions are full of self. They try at times to be humble, but the effort is always unsuccessful. They need to be converted to God, and then there will be at all times a subdued, meek manner about them.

6. They oppose Bible holiness. Let the necessity of entire consecration to God be pressed upon their consciences, and the opposition of their hearts will be manifested at once. For a superficial, fashionable holiness they may have sympathy, but they manifest bitter hostility against true holiness. Do they give up worldly associations? They would leave the church before they would the lodge l Secret societies have a stronger attraction for them than the house of God! Worldly pleasures draw them with far greater force than does the beauty of holiness, or the social means of grace.

These are some of the marks of a spurious conversion. Beloved, will you apply them to your own experience, and see whether you have truly passed from death unto life Be honest. Be thorough. A mistake here, if not corrected in time, will involve the loss of the soul to all eternity. Be sure that you are a new creature in Christ Jesus. If, through false teaching, or any other means, you have taken up with anything short of a real conversion to God, have the honesty and the courage to confess the mistake; and begin anew, and obtain, at any sacrifice, a Bible experience. Will you lose your soul through false shame? God forbid.

Are you engaged, either as a preacher or a laymen, in promoting the work of God? Beware, above all things, how you "heal slightly" those who are wounded by the Spirit of God. You may do it through sympathy. But let the old Adam die, no matter how painful the process. By reporting a large number of converts, you may for the time being obtain honor of men; but God will call you to account for the manner in which your work is done. Remember it is written, "Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully," or, as it reads in the margin, "negligently."

Do you hesitate to deal faithfully with awakened souls, for fear they will become discouraged and turn back? If they are truly awakened there is not the slightest danger. If they are not, they had better turn back than go in the road of self-deception.

Did not our Saviour tell us (Luke 14:28) that we should count the cost at the very outset? O ye, who promote superficial conversions among men, hear the word of the Lord: "Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace, and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar: . . . Therefore, thus saith the Lord God: I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it. So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I am the Lord." -- Ezek. 13: 10-14. -- Rev. B. T. Roberts, in Earnest Christian.

Mrs. Phoebe Palmer, in Entire Devotion, gives the following striking case, and illustrative of the superficial experience many have:--

E_____ had a friend who did not believe that the injunctions, "Come out from among them and be ye separate," "Be not conformed to the world," and kindred passages, have anything to do with the external appearance of the Christian. She was united in church fellowship with a denomination who do not recognize these things as important, and she had been heard to speak contemptuously of those contracted views that would induce one, in coming out in a religious profession, to make such a change in external appearance and habits as to excite observation.

We should be far from favoring an intimation that E____'s friend was hypocritical; she was only what would be termed a liberal-minded professor, and was no more insincere than thousands who stand on what would be termed an ordinary eminence in religious profession.

The wasting consumption gradually preyed upon the vitals of this friend, and E____, who lives in a distant city, went to see her. E____, though not at the time as fully devoted herself as she might have been, was concerned to find her friend as much engaged with the vanities of the world, and as much interested about conforming to its customs as ever, and she ventured to say, "I did not suppose you would think so much about these things now."

Her friend felt somewhat indignant at the remark, and observed: "I do not know that I am more conformed to the world than yourself, and the denomination to which you belong regard these things as wrong, but our people do not think that religion has anything to do with these little matters."

The hand of withering disease continued relentlessly laid on E'____s friend, and as she drew nearer eternity her blissful hopes of immortality and eternal life seemed to gather yet greater brightness. Her friends felt that her piety was more elevated than that of ordinary attainment. Again and yet again her friends gathered around her dying couch, to hear her last glowing expressions, and to witness her peaceful departure. Such was her composure that she desired her shroud might be in readiness, so that she might, before the mirror, behold her body arrayed for its peaceful resting-place.

Her friend E____ was forced to leave for the city a day or two before her dissolution, and called to take her final farewell. "We shall not meet again on earth," said the dying one, "but doubtless we shall meet in Heaven. On my own part I have no more doubt than if I were already there, and I cannot but hope that you will be faithful unto death. We shall then meet." They then bade each other a last adieu.

The moment at last came, when death was permitted to do his fearful work. The devoted friends had again gathered round the bed of the dying fair one, to witness her peaceful exit. Respiration grew shorter and shorter, and at last ceased, and they deemed the spirit already in the embrace of blissful messengers who were winging it to paradise. A fearful shriek! and in a moment they beheld her that they had looked upon as the departed, sitting upright before them with every feature distorted.

Horror and disappointment had transformed that placid countenance, so that it exhibited an expression indescribably fiendish. "I can't die!" vociferated the terrified, disappointed one. "I won't die." At that moment the door opened, and her minister entered. "Out of the door, thou deceiver of men!" she again vociferated -- fell back, and was no more.

Two Fathers, Two Families, Two Fates

 TWO FATHERS,

TWO FAMILIES, TWO FATES

Jonathan Edwards, one of the greatest minds that God has given America, lived in the state of New York. He was a Christian and believed in Christian training. He married a girl of like character. From this union men have studied 729 descendants. Of this number came 300 preachers, 65 college professors, 13 university presidents, 60 authors of good books, 3 United States congressmen, and one vice president of the United States; and barring one grandson who married a questionable character, the family has not cost the state a single dollar.

Max Jukes lived in the same state. He did not believe in Christian training. He married a girl of like character. From this union men have studied 1,026 descendants. Three hundred of them died prematurely. One hundred were sent to the penitentiary for an average of 13 years each. One hundred ninety were public prostitutes. There were 100 drunkards. The family cost the state $1,200,000. They made no helpful contribution to society.

The difference in these two fathers, two families, and two fates was caused by Christian home training and heart conversion. What choices will you make? What direction will you set for your family? Life is not a bed of roses. However, you may choose to go with God or you may choose to go alone. Trust the Lord and He will go with you. Yes, the storms of life will come and the critics will have their opinions, but the Lord will never leave or forsake you.

Parents, hear this account! What message are you sending your children? Is it godliness? Is it worldliness? You need to instill family altar time. There needs to be family Bible reading, family prayer and time together. Husbands, you are the spiritual head of the home, so you need to act like it. Wives are to be supportive of your husband's spiritual leadership in the home. Read Ephesians 5 and 6 if you want to see how home life is to be lived. 

What will be your legacy?

Bible Salvation and Popular Religion

 This book was written by Albert Sims and published in 1866. Today, the modern evangelical church is in a sad state. Sin, repentance, holiness and righteousness are rarely mentioned, except with a wink. 

THE STATE OF THE CHURCH

If talking about religion, putting on a good appearance, crying, "Lord, Lord," and belonging to a church is religion, then Christ would not have condemned the Scribes and the Pharisees as hypocrites and whited sepulchres. Who has ever made a louder profession of religion than they? Or who -- of our modern professors -- has exceeded them in rigidly conforming to the externals of religion? If fair words and a specious profession, mean religion, then Christ would have had no need to declare, that those, who think of fitting themselves for heaven by so doing, are awfully deceived. Yet, how great the number who vainly mistake plausible appearances and a sanctimonious show for the religion of the Bible I do not think it is impossible to deceive yourself in this matter. Christ most solemnly affirms that, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

Morality is good; but morality of itself is not religion. A profession of religion -- when it is the natural outcome of the grace of God in the soul -- is also good; but to put on the garment of profession, and to believe that we thus constitute ourselves Christians, is to build our hopes for eternity upon a foundation of sand -- a foundation that will, at death, totter and crumble beneath us, and sink us into everlasting ruin. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

"Until we put away from the minds of men the common error, that the current Christianity of the Church is true Christianity, we can make but little progress in converting the world." -- Pres. C. G. Finney.

"But the extent of the sad fact is not seen, that the cold, worldly, or indifferent in our midst, are really a large majority." -- Bishop Peck.

"Just now four out of five on our church rolls are doing nothing, almost absolutely nothing; and God's blessed cause is not made one whit stronger in numbers or influence by their living." -- Bishop Foster.

"The evidence before me is, that nine-tenths of our young people now entering into the Church practically ignore what has proceeded from the mouth of the Lord, as the rule of His people, namely, loyal obedience." -- Dr. Pierce.

"Many think themselves Christians who are not. For Christians are holy; these are unholy. Christians love God; these love the world. Christians are humble; these are proud. Christians are gentle; these are passionate. Consequently they are no more Christians than they are archangels." -- J. Wesley.

The Church of God is today courting the world. Its members are trying to bring it down to the level of the ungodly. The ball, the theater, nude and lewd art, social luxuries, with all their loose moralities, are making inroads into the sacred enclosure of the Church, and as a satisfaction for all this worldliness, Christians are making a great deal of Lent, and Easter, and Good Friday, and church ornamentations. It is the old trick of Satan. The Jewish Church struck on that rock; the Romish Church was wrecked on the same; and the Protestant Church is fast reaching the same doom.

Our great dangers, as we see them, are assimilation to the world, neglect of the poor, substitution of the form for the fact of godliness, abandonment of discipline, a hireling ministry, an impure gospel, which, summed up, is a fashionable Church. That Methodists should be liable to such an outcome, and that there should be signs of it in a hundred years from the "sail loft," seems almost the miracle of history; but who that looks about him today can fail to see the fact?

Do not Methodists, in violation of God's Word and their own Discipline, dress as extravagantly and as fashionably as any other class? Do not the ladies, and often the wives and daughters of the ministry, put on "gold and pearls and costly array"? Would not the plain dress insisted upon by John Wesley, Bishop Asbury, and worn by Hester Ann Rogers, Lady Huntington, and many others equally distinguished, be now regarded in Methodist circles as fanaticism? Can any one going into a Methodist church in any of our chief cities distinguish the attire of the communicants from that of the theatre and ball goers?

Is not worldliness seen in the music? Elaborately dressed and ornamented choirs, who in many cases make no profession of religion, and are often sneering skeptics, go through a cold, artistic, or operatic performance, which is as much in harmony with spiritual worship as an opera or theater. Under such worldly performances spirituality is frozen to death.

Formerly every Methodist attended class, and gave testimony of experimental religion. Now the class-meeting is attended by very few, and in many churches abandoned. Seldom the stewards, trustees, and leaders of the church attend class. Formerly nearly every Methodist prayed, testified, or exhorted in prayer-meeting. Now but very few are heard. Formerly shouts and praises were heard, now such demonstrations of holy enthusiasm and joy are regarded as fanaticism.

Worldly socials, fairs, festivals, concerts, and such like, have taken the place of the religious gatherings, revival meetings, class and prayer-meetings of earlier days.

How true that the Methodist Discipline is a dead letter. Its rules forbid the wearing of gold, or pearls, or costly array; yet no one ever thinks of disciplining its members for violating them. They forbid the reading of such books and the taking of such diversions as do not minister to godliness, yet the Church itself goes to shows, and frolics, and festivals, and fairs, which destroy the spiritual life of the young as well as the old. The extent to which this is now carried on is appalling. The spiritual death it carries in its train will only be known when the millions it has swept into hell stand before the Judgment.

The early Methodist ministers went forth to sacrifice and suffer for Christ. They sought not places of ease and affluence, but of privation and suffering. They gloried not in their big salaries, fine parsonages and refined congregations, but in the souls that had been won for Jesus. Oh, how changed! A hireling ministry will be a feeble, a timid, a truckling, a time-serving ministry without faith, endurance, and holy power. Methodism formerly dealt in the great central truth. Now the pulpits deal largely in generalities, and in popular lectures. The glorious doctrine of Entire Sanctification is rarely heard and seldom witnessed to in the pulpits. -- Bishop Foster, of the M. E. Church.

Does God Love the Wicked the Same as True Believers?

 When the Bible says, “God so loved the world” (John 3:16), it doesn’t say that He loved everybody in the world equally. This text is pointing to the world, the generic cosmos. God loved this fallen world enough to send His only begotten Son into this world to save believers. It doesn’t say that He sent His Son into the world to save everybody in the world, but rather to save those who would put their faith in Him.

In theology, we distinguish among three different kinds of God’s love. First of all, there is the benevolent love of God. God’s goodwill is bene-volence. That is, His goodwill which He gives to the whole world.

Second, there is common grace, where God is kind to all sinners in the world to some degree. Related to this is the will of beneficence, which describes His good actions. God pours out His goodness upon all mankind. The sun falls on the unjust as well as upon the just.

There is a third type of love that we call the love of complacency. Here, the theological term complacency is not referring to an attitude of “being at ease in Zion,” or the way we speak about being “complacent.” Rather, it describes the special love that He has for His Son and those who are in His Son; that is, those who are adopted into His heavenly family. They are the redeemed or the saved. The result is a special love that God has for His redeemed that He does not have for the wicked, which the Bible speaks to when it describes God as abhorring the evildoer.

 

One Flesh: Does God Accept Gay Marriage?

 An article by Jay Adams.

Liberals have a way of renaming things in order to make them acceptable. When former-President Clinton committed adultery he called it a “mistake.” Of course, it was sin. Everyone knows that the words “choice” and “fetus” have been used to justify murder. Recently, politically correct wordsmiths have coined the phrase “same-sex marriage.” From a biblical perspective, however, a proper name for this activity, is “legalized homosexuality.”

Regardless of the attempt of two same-sex partners to justify “marrying” by declaring in a ceremony that they will be faithful to one another, God will neither condone nor accept their acts — even if the state eventually does. Indeed, taking vows to remain in such a sinful relationship only aggravates the situation. Moreover, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ must never participate in nor promote the legalization of homosexuality. “Ministers” who do so either willingly or by coercion (should it ever come to that) thereby disqualify themselves as servants of Jesus Christ. In contrast, it is our duty and joy to affirm the biblical view of marriage — the union of one woman and one man. In the Bible, several facts are clear: It was God Himself who united a man and a woman in marriage (Gen. 2:22). Marriage, therefore, is a divine institution, not a human one (Matt. 19:6). Consequently, God, not man, has the right to define the terms of the institution.

And, as other articles in this edition of Tabletalk will make clear, homosexuality and lesbianism are not “natural” (Rom. 1:6, 27). When Paul uses the word phusis, to denote that which is against “nature,” he speaks of an act that is contrary to creation — contrary to the way in which God designed human beings to function sexually.

It is not as though Christians demean or oppose sexual activity. Quite to the contrary. When, within the bonds of godly marriage, people properly engage in sexual activities, the marriage bed is “unpolluted.” Indeed, in order to dispel false, ascetic notions, the writer of those words urges all Christians to “honor marriage” (Heb.13:4, The Christian Counselor’s New Testament [CCNT hereafter]). The distorted view that some people have of Christian teaching about sexuality would lead you to believe that we think the devil, not God, was the source of it. Quite to the contrary, God requires the fullest expression of loving sexual activity within marriage, an expression that may be properly initiated by either the husband or the wife (1 Cor. 7:4–5). And it is in that very passage Paul warns that failure to satisfy the sexual desires of one’s marriage partner may lead to temptation by Satan. Plainly, then, godly marriage must be encouraged in every way.

Marriage has many purposes, only one of which is procreation. That is a subject in itself. But, in this study, of greatest importance is the fact that marriage is to be a “completion” of one’s self — something that isn’t possible in a homosexual relationship. In providing a marriage partner for Adam, God said “I will make him a helper comparable to him” (Gen. 2:18). The Hebrew word translated “comparable” in the New King James Version means, literally, “that which approximates something else.” If you cut a grapefruit cleanly in two, the halves will fit exactly when placed in proper juxtaposition to one another. But if you halve another with a jagged cut neither of the two resulting pieces will fit with either of the halves of the previously sectioned fruit. It is only those halves that exactly approximate one another that make a suitable whole. It is this concept of shared wholeness that is inherent in the Genesis passage.

Men and women were designed to become “one flesh” (Gen. 2: 24). But there can be no oneness apart from a male and a female partner who approximate one another at every point. This “oneness” is not to be thought of merely as sexual union (though it certainly includes that). Rather, in Hebrew thought, the term “flesh” referred not only to the physical body, but also to the whole person. When Moses described the destruction of the entire human race (Noah and his family excepted), he described this catastrophe as “the end of all flesh” (Gen. 6: 13). Surely, he had reference to more than bodies when using this phrase. Rather, in a manner similar to our use of the word “everybody” (by which we refer to more than flesh and bones), he used the Hebrew word “flesh” to mean “person.” To become “one flesh,” then, is to become “one person.” Male and female marriage partners not only make an exact “fit” sexually, but their maleness and femaleness “fill out” or “complete” one another in every respect. The two constitute a “whole.” In a proper marriage, men have the opportunity to see the world through their wives’ feminine eyes, and women through their husband’s masculine eyes. My wife has brought lace curtains into my life; I have brought muddy boots into hers (sometimes messing up her curtains!). Same sex relationships lack entirely such expanded views of the world.

What of the single person? Must he or she forever lack the benefits of this married outlook? Perhaps, but God does compensate for it. When Jesus spoke of the indissolubility of marriage, except for adultery and desertion, the disciples (who, doubtless, knew Rabbi Hillel’s teaching that almost anything disagreeable might constitute grounds for divorce) said, “If that is the way it must be between a man and his wife, it would be better not to marry!” (Matt. 19:10). Now, of course, they all did anyway (1 Cor. 9:5). But, in answer to their hasty response, Jesus explained that not everyone has the capacity to live the single life, which He declared is only for “those to whom it has been given” (Matt. 19:11). Clearly, to compensate for the fact that “it is not good for man to be alone” (Gen. 3:18), God gifts such persons with a “capacity” for a special, fulfilling service, which He expects them to discharge (see Gen. 3:12b; 1 Cor. 7:7ff.).

Marriage, carried out in a Scriptural manner, affords great benefits. It is only necessary to read Ephesians 5:21–33 to understand how, in reflecting the relationship of Christ to His church, marriage can afford one of the deepest joys possible. In it is love, care, intimate fellowship, unfettered sex and so on. When God wants to explain the fullness of the future glory that we shall have in union with Christ, He writes: “Let us be happy and delighted, and we shall give Him the glory; the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. She was allowed to dress in fine linen that is bright and clean (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints). Then he said to me. Write this: ‘Happy are they who are called to the Lamb’s marriage supper” (Rev. 19:9 ccnt).

To describe that perfect, glorious event, notice that God uses the metaphor of a wedding. From this we should learn not only that marriage is good and holy, but that God intended it to be a wonderful blessing to mankind. How tragic to spoil and sully its character by using the word marriage to describe legalized homosexuality! In mercy, even though homosexuality is a sinful way of life, and not a genetic problem, Paul makes it clear that it is possible for a homosexual to be “washed” from his defilement through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. However, it is not only non-believers who are caught up in this sin that God will reprimand, but also those Christians who fail to exhibit and enjoy all that marriage can be. It is one thing to condemn homosexuality; it is another to live a married life that in itself condemns it by contrast. It is, therefore, our privilege not only to enter into the delights of this marvelous God-ordained institution, but by the way in which we honor it to exhibit the glory of God.

Principally, those who will read these words are believers in Christ. If, perchance, some who are not a part of His people are doing so, let me urge you to enter into the greatest relationship possible both for now and for eternity by becoming part of the bride of Christ. This bride is His church, which some day will be “glorious arrayed, not having spot or wrinkle, but rather … holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27 CCNT). That even transcends sex (Matt. 22:30).

Matthew Study Five: Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath

Today's lesson comes from Matthew 12: 1-13. There were several times when Jesus was called into question for things which He did on the Sabbath. There were numerous Old Testament laws relative to keeping the Sabbath. Christ's coming did not do away with the Sabbath and its observance. The followers of Christ recognized the first day of the week as the "Lord's Day," and observed as the Christian Sabbath. 

The Pharisees focused their attention on the Law and the temple. These became the heart of their religion. However, they were only the "means" to point men to the "end," which was Christ. The Pharisees staunchly defended the external while rejecting the eternal. Christianity is about a relationship with Christ. Sabbath observance is important for us today. It is a dedicated time for the development of our relationship with God (Mark 2: 27). The focus on externals is seen today's lesson. The disciples were hungry and plucked a few ears of corn to eat as they continued on with Jesus. The law permitted to do so without it being considered stealing. "When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hands.... (Deuteronomy. 23:25) The Sabbath was created for the spiritual benefit of the Jewish nation under the Old Covenant. However, its usefulness was completed with the completion of the Old Covenant at the death of Christ on Calvary. Christ would institute a New Covenant, along with the Lord's Day or a "new Sabbath." 

The first section is "The Need of the Hour Met." vv. 1, 2 In these two verses, we find Jesus' disciples walking through a field with Him. They were hungry and picked some grain to eat. The Pharisees took issue with the disciples and believed they were violating the Sabbath, and by implication Jesus also since they were His disciples. The issue was not stealing. To pick grain in this situation was specifically allowed (Deuteronomy 23: 25. The Pharisee's oral law prohibited reaping and threshing (rubbing the heads together in their hands as those actions were considered work. Since Jesus was responsible or their behavior, the allegations by the Pharisees was against Him. If the Jewish leaders were so concerned with the disciples "working" to get food, they could have offered them a meal! The Pharisees preferred criticism over compassion.

Jesus was able to meet the need of every hour based on what provision was available. When feeding the 5000 and 4000, He used the bread and fish that was available. In this section, no need for a miracle existed. It was a simple process of plucking the ears of corn. The Pharisees were so caught up with legalism and following their traditions that they overlooked the necessity of preserving life. Religious rule without mercy is harsh and harshness has nothing to recommend it. You may have known people that were so committed to following man-made rules that they lacked compassion to act like Jesus. The Pharisees did then what many do now. They were critical of those following Jesus Christ because it is always easier to criticize than complement. Today, those who would find fault with the church will find fault even with the Lord Who is present at church. The bottom line, Jesus is always present to meet the needs of His people.

The second section is "The Lord of the Sabbath's Response." vv. 3-8 Jesus' response is fourfold:

1. Don't you remember what David did when he and his men were hungry and they ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to do?

2. Don't you know that the priests profane the Sabbath by slaying the animals for sacrifice?

3.  Don't you know that there is One greater than the temple is this place?

4. Don't you know that the Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath day?

Jesus is the Lord of Mercy as well as Lord of the Sabbath. He was telling the Pharisees that there was One in their midst greater than the temple. Those that desired mercy would see the One that was a full of mercy. The ones blinded would see nothing but the violation of law. 

The third section is "Healing in the Synagogue on the Sabbath." vv. 9-13 In this section, Jesus is going to demonstrate what He stated in verse 8, that He was Lord of the Sabbath. While the Pharisees were looking for an opportunity to snare Jesus in their legal technicalities, Jesus was more concerned with doing good to someone in need. Jesus attempts to reason with the Pharisees arguing that they would help a sheep in need on the Sabbath, so why not a human being who is better than a sheep. 

We are to worship God on the Sabbath, and at the same time, we are to do good by helping those in need, relieving the lonely, visiting the sick, and helping the poor. The very nature of Christianity is mercy to the hurting, the weak, and the hungry. It is just like Jesus to take what we give Him that is broken and He returns it to us whole. Jesus will make our loss eternal gain. The section ends with Jesus performing a miracle and healing the man's withered hand. We need to turn our "withered hands" over to Jesus today so He might return them to us whole.

The Golden Text: "For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day." (Matthew 12:8) The Jewish leaders had the Law and the Prophets that would establish who Jesus was. They rejected Jesus in favor of their man-made religion. Too often today, people put their religion, their church, their denomination over Jesus. Let us be ever mindful that the nature of Christianity is mercy and act like it.

My summary points:

1. Jesus will meet our physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

2. Jesus is Lord over the Sabbath (don't make up rules to cloud the truth).

3. Jesus will take what is broken and repair it when He returns it to us. 

Next week, "The Parables of the Kingdom." Matthew 13: 36-50

Please read the Sunday School Beacon for inspiration and encouragement. 

Is It Biblical To Say God "Loves You" To Both Believers and Nonbelievers Alike?

 This was an answer given at a conference in 2017:

Historically and theologically, we distinguish among three types of divine love.

There is God’s love of benevolence, where God has a kind spirit to the whole world. His benevolent will and love fall on everybody.

There is also the sense in which the love of God is defined in terms of God’s love of beneficence, which refers not just simply to His attitude toward the world, but how He displays that goodness universally. “The rain falls upon the just as well as on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). So that universal dimension of the love of God is manifest.

When we’re talking about the love of God in popular language, we call it God’s love of complacency. The love of complacency is not used in the way in which we use the term complacency in our age, in our culture. Our use of complacency means smugness and self-satisfaction. However, when the Scriptures indicate the love of complacency, it is that special love that God has for His Son and all of those who are in His Son and who are adopted into His family.

If we talk about the love of God in terms of the love of complacency, and we talk about it universally, that’s blasphemy. Because God does not love the whole world with the love of complacency. The Scriptures tell us that there are many ways in which God is at enmity with the world. He hates the world and those who are swift to shed blood. We have to take that into account.

When I hear preachers stand up and say that God loves everybody unconditionally, I want to scream and say, “Wait a minute, then why does He call us to repent? Why does He call us to come to the cross? Why does He call us to come to Christ?” If God loves everybody unconditionally, then you can do whatever you want and believe whatever you think, but that’s just not true. He’s placed an absolute condition by which He requires. He doesn’t just invite people to come to His Son; He commands all men everywhere to repent of their sins and to come to Christ. If you want to enjoy the love of complacency, you have to be in Christ.