LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (18)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (1)
This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of Romans 14:1-13; Matthew 8:23-27 and Mark 4:35-41.
THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD
Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. In the New Testament, the word Love appears about 200 times, and it is always ‘agape’ love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed. It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for human beings. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. This agape Love of God ignites love in the heart of the believers. It also helps them to love their ‘neighbors’ as they love themselves. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Agape love is a sacrificial love that saves, unites, and heals. It is the love of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ. This love saves and restores humanity in the face of sin and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. When we love others, we do it expecting nothing in return from them. Love trusts God alone to respond and reward the sacrifice. It is the Spirit filled lives of the Christians, their love for God and for one another that is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was like that in the early church, and during all the revivals in the history of the Church! “When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, LORD, supported me” (Ps 94:18; NIV). Romance says: ‘I love you because you are beautiful!’ Agape Love says: I love you even with your wrinkles! Selah!
MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (1) (Romans 14:1-13)
The Book of Romans is a masterpiece. It is considered the best Book in the Bible and the greatest piece of literature in the world. It is written by the great Apostle Paul. Many great men of God became born again by studying this Book. It contains the major doctrines of the Gospel. In the first 11 chapters, the Apostle writes about the doctrines of salvation. From chapter 12 to the end, he writes the application of these doctrines. The first two verses in chapter 12 are the basic scriptures on the application of doctrine. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom 12:1,2). The Christian life is a life of sacrifice for the sake of Christ. By faith in the Word of God, our mind is renewed and transformed. From starting as babies in Christ, we become strong in the faith. Becoming spiritually mature is the aim for every believer. Agape Love is the engine of this transformation. The New Law of Love takes over obedience of the Law as found in the Old Testament. “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom 13:10). Amen!
In chapters 14 and 15 we find the practical application of the Gospel especially in the relationships between the Christians. Theologians call these principles ‘matters of indifference’ or ‘grey areas’. These are important teachings, but they are not foundational to our faith in Christ. These teachings apply to the type of food Christians eat, the mode of dressing, the way of entertainment, the types of baptism, the type of prophecies, the importance of days and how we celebrate our faith. The major doctrines of the Bible cannot be argued about. As Christians, we all must agree on the major doctrines in the Bible, but we can lovingly disagree on these matters of indifference. It is a pity that these matters are major reasons why Christians tends to judge and gossip one another. It should not be so. We shall study them to understand how to behave better, how to love without quarreling and causing division in the Body. Selah!
Before we study the details, we should remember some important Biblical principles.
*The Church is One Body of Christ! It is not a human institution. The visible local church is a mixed multitude; some are believers, and others are not. All believers are born again by Grace, and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are former sinners who are now saints. They come from different cultures and backgrounds. They are of different ages, social standing, and levels of education. What keeps them together is the Holy Spirit. Jesus shed His Blood not only to save us individually, but to give birth to this special holy unique institution called ‘the Church’. Selah!
*Each believer is different. He starts as ‘a baby’ and by God’s grace, he becomes spiritually mature. This gradual growth is called sanctification. It is not the same with all. It depends on the commitment of each believer to study and apply the Word of God, to pray, and to serve God in a local assembly. All do not have the same commitment. Some are more intelligent and dedicated than others. To become born again is the same for all. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. But from the moment you become saved, each Christian must cooperate with the Holy Spirit and pay the price for spiritual growth. Christianity is like a marathon race. Some runners are faster than others. In the Bible we see that there are baby Christians, spiritual men, strong men, and carnal Christians. Lesson: The Church is One Body, and it is made from different members! Selah!
Why is there difference between believers? You become born again by trusting Christ, for salvation. After that, it is possible to make mistakes in applying God’s Word to practical things. This is a common error: you are justified by faith but later, you depend on your works to grow as a Christian. “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” (Gal 3:1-3). There are many things that can affect spiritual growth. Some believers attend churches where God’s Word is not properly thought. Because they are ignorant of the true doctrines, they are slow to grow in the faith. Another factor is the environment. Different cultures have different ideas on how a Christian should behave. Most Christians make the mistake of going too far into extremes. Many Christians battle between legalism and license. Legalism is defined as strict adherence to the law, to rules and regulations, obeying the letter of the law more than the spirit, ignoring the particular circumstances of each case. Spiritually, legalism means trying to be justified with God or sanctified by doing good works. License is defined as ignoring all laws, leading to excessive and undisciplined freedom. It is hard to stay in the middle, but that is where truth and love are to be found. Selah!
“Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things…As for the one whose faith is weak, accept him [into your fellowship], but not for [the purpose of] quarreling over his opinions” (Rom 14:1 NKJ; AMP). This is God’s command: Receive a believer who is weak in the faith! He is a true Christian brother. To receive means to accommodate, to tolerate. We are not to reject the weak believers who still struggle with applying doctrine to their behavior. We are also commanded ‘not to dispute over doubtful things.’ What does it mean? The weak brother’s faith is not yet established. He still struggles with doubts. He is still emotionally shaken. He listens to different voices and is confused. The strong Christian is to be careful that by his counsel he should not increase the weak believer’s doubt and confusion. The strong one is not to argue too forcefully with the weak one about his fears, his doubts; he should not raise the issue of doubts any time he meets the weak believer. Knowing his weakness, the strong one should not mock the weak one because he becomes more restless and more confused. The strong one should not oppress the weak one, should not bully him by insisting that his own opinions are better. By doing that, the strong one proves that he lacks love. Ignorantly, he will hurt the weak believer making him worse. Apostle Paul does not say that we should never discuss these issues just to avoid conflicts. He is concerned about the manner in which we bring them up. “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies… But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church” (1 Cor 8:1,b; NKJ, NLT). Love is always the greatest way in all relationships. Selah!
THE CHRISTIANS AND DRINKING ALCOHOL
The Bible says much about drinking alcohol. It does not totally forbid it. But there are many warnings against drinking alcohol especially for the leaders. For example, Nadab and Abihu were priests. They were Aaron’s sons, the high priest in Israel. One day, they entered the Holy place with un-authorized fire. They both died before the Lord. God commanded Aaron that no priest should drink wine when entering His presence. “Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying: 9 “Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, 10 that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, 11 and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them by the hand of Moses” (Lev 10:8-11). We deduce that Nadab and Abihu were drunk when doing their priestly duties. We see that a drunkard cannot distinguish between things that are holy and unholy and he not able to teach the Bible. Lesson: church leaders should abstain from alcohol! Period!
God said: “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: ‘When either a man or woman consecrates an offering to take the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord, 3 he shall separate himself from wine and similar drink; he shall drink neither vinegar made from wine nor vinegar made from similar drink; neither shall he drink any grape juice, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins. 4 All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, from seed to skin” (Nu 6:2-4).
God commands that all who desire to live holy, separated unto God and His work, should totally abstain from alcohol. God commanded the parents of Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist to tell their sons not to drink wine. They should behave as Nazirites. In Hebrew, the word ‘nazir’ means dedicated to God. There was a group of people called the Rechabites. Jonadab, their founding father, ordered his descendants never to drink alcohol. His descendants obeyed his law. When prophet Jeremiah tested them and gave them wine to drink, they refused. God blessed their obedience and faithfulness by promising that they will always have priests to serve God coming from this tribe (Jer 35). The Rechabites behave as typical Muslims. In the Quaran, alcohol is completely prohibited because it hinders prayers, it is bad to health, it causes violence and crime. (I have to admit that this is a very good advice found in the Quaran).
These are some ‘benefits’ from drinking wine: “wine makes glad the heart of man” (Ps 104:15). “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink; 5 Lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted. 6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart. 7 Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more” (PV 31:4-7). The following are dangers connected with drinking alcohol: “Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (PV 20:1). A drunkard laughs at what is holy and rejects correction from the wise. A drunkard loses self-control, habitually engages in quarrels and arguments, becoming noisy and foolish. ‘More are drowned in the wine cup than in the ocean. Alcohol spoils ‘the breaks’ of your car’ (German Proverbs). Getting drunk often leads to sensuality and disgrace. These are some examples in the Bible:
*Noah got drunk and naked himself (Gen 9:21).
*Lot’s daughters made their father drunk so that they can have sex with him and became pregnant (Gen 19:33-35).
*King Xerxes got drunk and commanded his eunuchs to bring his wife, queen Vashti. She refused and lost her crown. The king was deceived by wicked Haman to sign the decree to kill all the Jews as both of them ‘sat down to drink’ (Est 1:10, 11; 3:15).
*King Belshazzar used the gold vessels taken from the Temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem to drink wine with them. He and his drunk guests praised the gods of gold and silver when God’s hand wrote the judgment against them on the wall. They all died that night (Dan 5:1-6).
Since the beginning of the Church, the Christians had a love/hate relationship with alcohol. Jesus turned water in wine (John 2). Paul advised Timothy to drink a little wine as a form of medication for his stomach illness (1Tim 5:23). It is part of the church history that some monks in the monasteries have invented the technique of how to make wine and beer. Until about 200 years ago, the Christians felt free to drink a limited quantity of alcohol. Most churches used alcoholic wine for Holy Communion. They used wine to treat depression. They saw alcohol as God’s gift to men. Note that at that time the percentage of alcohol in wine was lower than in the drinks available today. From the 19th century things radically changed. The Christians, the Methodists in particular, fought to stop the production of alcohol, to make it illegal in America. They preached that drinking alcohol is a sin. Since then, many protestant churches have stopped using wine for their Holy Communion and changed it with grape juice or nonalcoholic wine. In 1933, America voted on a law allowing the production of beer and wine with a low percentage of alcohol. Even now, there are so many laws against manufacturing drinks with high alcohol that it is not practical to produce those in the US. The Roman Catholic Church, The Anglican Church, the Lutheran Church etc. allow a moderate consumption of alcohol even up till now.
Fifty percent of Evangelical Christians around the world say drinking alcohol is incompatible with being a good Christian and especially a leader in the church. A Bishop or a pastor should not drink wine (Titus 1:7).
The danger with drinking a little alcohol is that it changes the character and behavior of man. It causes violence and uncontrolled behavior. It is hard to stop once you start to drink. Poverty, domestic violence, and lawlessness is connected with drinking alcohol. Alcohol is addictive. You feel like drinking more and more. Alcohol makes it harder for the brain areas controlling balance, vision, memory, speech, and judgment to do their jobs, resulting in a higher likelihood of injuries and other negative outcomes. Long-term heavy drinking causes alterations in the neurons, such as reductions in their size. Drinking too much can weaken your immune system, making your body a much easier target for disease.
The cure is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18). Dissipation means to waste away, to scatter your strength, gradually becoming worse. It is the same word used for the prodigal son. Lesson: alcohol makes you less than a man. The Holy Spirit makes you a complete man. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor 6:9-11). Getting drunk destroys your testimony as a Christan. “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak” (Rom 14:21).
Alcohol has been used since the 4th century as an antiseptic. It is still used to clean the skin before injections or surgery. Alcohol reduces the level of pain. “They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?” (PV 23:35). After getting drunk, most people experience hangovers. These are unpleasant symptoms the next day after being drunk. You may feel weakness, headache, body pains, nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, dizziness, or anxiety. Some experience serious symptoms like mental confusion, convulsions, becoming unconscious and not able to wake up. Going to work is difficult. You may fall asleep at your working place. You may quarrel with your colleagues. Your memory and ability to focus is damaged. Some people die during alcohol intoxication.
WHO CAN THIS BE? (Matt 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41)
This is a beautiful story that reveals Jesus as 100% Man and 100% God. It appears in Matthew 8, Mark 4, and Luke 8. Each one adds a little extra detail to this story. Jesus has been preaching and teaching the whole day. In the evening, He called His disciples and told them to enter the boat and to ‘go to the other side’ of the Sea Of Galilee. ‘His disciples followed Him’. It is clear that Jesus is the Leader. He went to the stern (the rear of the boat) and fell asleep on a pillow. Here you see that Jesus was tired, as any man could be. We see here the humanity of Jesus. He was sleeping so deep that even the storm did not wake Him. Clearly, Jesus trusts God the Father for His protection, for life and death! Selah!
‘Suddenly, a great tempest arose on the sea’. The waves were so rough that water entered the boat. The disciples were experienced fishermen. They have encountered storms on that Sea many times. They tried to solve the crisis, but they failed. Then, they remembered Jesus, who was asleep even now. They woke Him crying: “Lord, save us! We are perishing!… Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?… Master, Master, we are perishing”. They called Him Lord, Teacher, and Master. But they also rebuked Him asking if He did not care that they are perishing. In Greek, the word ‘care’ means anxiety, interest, or concern. It is the same word Martha used asking Jesus if He does not care that Mary has left her alone to do all the work in the kitchen (Lk 10:40). Jesus said that the hireling ‘does not care about the sheep. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the flock and runs away’ (Jn 10:13). But the true shepherd loves and cares for his sheep. The disciples are indirectly asking Jesus if He is a hireling or a true shepherd. Peter clearly states that God cares for His children. “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:5, 6). We should humble and submit ourselves ‘under the mighty hand of God’. God gives grace to the humble and exalts them in His time. We are commanded to cast down all our cares upon Him because He cares for us. Our cares, our anxieties and questions should not stay in our hearts. They produce storms and will sink us down. We should ‘cast them’ on Jesus. Why? Because He alone is strong, and He cares for us. If you are still anxious, it means that you want to care for yourself. You do not believe that Jesus cares for you. You will be like these disciples in the storm, worried that they will drown.
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved” (Ps 55:22). This is the same command in the Old Testament. The disciples were Jews. They were supposed to know this word. God promises to sustain the righteous who cast his burden of life unto Him. To sustain means to take care, to support, to defend, to provide all you need to keep you alive. The righteous shall not be moved, shall not shake, waver, fail, or fall. This mighty promise is given only to the children of God who habitually cast the burdens of their lives on Jesus.
Jesus arose from sleep and rebuked the winds and the sea, saying: ‘Peace, be still’. Immediately, the wind stops blowing and ‘there was a great calm’. When addressing the wind, the method Jesus used is ‘rebuking’. To rebuke means to forbid, to speak in anger at someone because you disapprove of what he does or says. Rebuking the demonic forces was our Lord’s formula in working miracles. When Peter’s mother-in-law was sick, Jesus rebuked the fever. Immediately she became well (Luke 4:38, 39). Jesus rebuked the deaf and dumb spirit and immediately the boy became well (Mark 9:25-27). Jesus treated the storm as the work of demons that needed to be restrained. In all these examples, the effect was instant. Jesus said to the sea: “Peace, be still!” In Greek the word ‘peace’ means to shut up your mouth, to become dumb, to be silent! The words ‘be still’ means to ‘muzzle an animal’. To muzzle means to apply a wire device on the mouth and nose of a dangerous dog, so that it cannot bite. The same word is used when the wedding guest without wedding garment was rebuked, and he became ‘speechless’ (Matt 22:12).
Jesus said to the disciples: “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Fear of death damages faith in Jesus. Faith becomes ‘little’. Jesus already rebuked them for worrying to much about food and clothes. “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matt 6:30). What is that ‘little faith’? It is an immature faith!
The disciples became afraid and amazed saying: “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mk 4:41; KJ). They were not too much surprised at the power of Jesus. They were clearly amazed at ‘His manner’ of doing things and the authority in His Word. They have never met a man like Jesus. The truth is that there is no man like Jesus! The disciples were afraid that they will die. They knew Jesus as Master and Teacher. They now saw Him as Lord of all. “For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living” (Rom 14:9). “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (Jn 11:25). “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Rev 1:17,18)
Jesus is the Lord of the dead. What does He mean by that? The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection. They tried to prove that resurrection is a joke, so they invented a story of a woman who was married to seven brothers. Jesus did not laugh at their joke. He said: “But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken” (Mk 12:26, 27). He rebuked them by saying that they are greatly mistaken because they do not know God’s Word and God’s power. He said that when Moses met God at the burning bush, God introduced Himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Jesus also said: that God is not the God of the dead, but of the Living. What does that mean? When God says that He is the God of Abraham, even though Abraham is in the grave, Abraham is alive. Why? Because Abraham is a child of God. Lesson: if you are a child of God, Jesus is your God, when you live on earth, and when your body lies down in the grave. To God, you are alive forever! The Lordship of Jesus over you is eternal. Death cannot stop it. If God is your God, then there is so much power working for you that you can never be robbed of life.
“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham” (Heb 2:14-16). By His death, Jesus released and freed the believers who all their lives, thru fear of death, were in bondage to the devil, who because of sin, had the power of death over men. Note: The devil ‘had’, not ‘has’, the power of death. The word is in the past. It is Jesus who is now the present and eternal Lord overall, dead, or alive. The fear of death is the greatest fear man has to conquer. A sinner becomes saved by Grace and thru faith in Jesus. The seed of faith in planted in his heart. Thru faith in God’s Word and prayer, that seed must grow. But for as long as the believer still fears poverty (no food, no clothes) and death, his faith is still little. For that baby Christian, Jesus is His Savior but not His Provider of His Lord in life and in death. A mature believer sees Jesus as His Savior, His Provider for all things, spiritual and material, and sees Him as His Lord forever, in life or in death. A mature believer is free from the fear of poverty and the fear of death. He truly believes that nothing is able to separate him from the agape of Love of God in Christ Jesus! “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:35-39). Worship the Lord!
Green Pastures 