LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (30)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (12)/ ESAU I HAVE HATED

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 14:12-23; Genesis 25:1-11,19-34; 27:27-41; Hebrews 12:15-17; Romans 9:13.

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 almost 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. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. Love is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in 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” (Jn15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. Agape love is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was so in the early church, and during all the revivals in the history of the Church! To know the measure of Love you must know how much Love gives. Just think of this Love: God the Father gave us His only begotten Son, to save us! God the Son gave up His Live, His Blood, to pay for our sins! There is no greater Love than that!!!

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE

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).  We see that the Christian life is a life of sacrifice for the sake of Christ, to give glory to God! By faith in God’s Word, our minds are 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.

In chapters 14 and 15 we find the practical application of the Gospel especially in the relationships between believers. Theologians call these principles ‘matters of indifference’ or ‘grey areas’. These are important teachings, but they are not essential to our salvation. They apply to the type of food Christians eat, the mode of dressing, the type 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. If something is forbidden, it is sin. There is no need to discuss it. For example, the Bible says that adultery is sin. We cannot debate that. We now study things that are not clearly forbidden in God’s Word and our attitude to them. Over the years these things have bought much confusion, pain, and division in the Body. The church is made of many believers; some are spiritually strong, and others are spiritually weak in the faith. The first lesson we must learn is that the Body is One!!! The strong ones are commanded not to despise. Not to look down on the weak ones. The weak are commanded not to judge the spiritually strong. Lesson: Matters of indifference should never become central doctrines. Any form of division and segregation based on your Bible knowledge is wrong. We study these teachings so that we behave better, we love without quarreling or causing division in the Body. Selah!

These are some laws of agape Love:

1-NEVER BE A STUMBLING BLOCK TO ANYONE. DO NOT GRIEVE YOUR BROTHER.

2-DO NOT REJECT FOOD- PRAY! ALL FOOD IS CLEAN AND GOOD

3-NEVER DISCRIMINATE PEOPLE

4-DO NOT MISUSE YOUR FREEDOM AND DAMAGE YOUR GOOD TESTIMONY

5-DO NOT DAMAGE YOUR CONSCIENCE AND THE CONSCIENCE OF YOUR NEIGHBOUR

DO NOT LET YOUR GOOD BE SPOKEN OF AS EVIL

“Therefore, do not let what is a good thing for you [because of your freedom to choose] be spoken of as evil [by someone else]… Don’t let your right to eat bring shame to Christ… Don’t you dare let a piece of God-blessed food become an occasion of soul-poisoning! (Rom 14:16; AMP, CEV, TM).

Love is not a people pleaser, but it is sensitive to the feelings of others. Please remember that something you may consider good may be interpreted as bad by others. Be sensitive to your environment, to other cultures and ideas. For example, the missionaries are trained to understand the culture and habits of the people to whom they minister. Being carless in this area becomes a stronghold that hinders ministry. This is an example: an American evangelist said that he was preaching in Pakistan. There was no pulpit on the platform they built. After reading God’s Word, he put the Bible on the floor. The people became restless and stopped listening to his preaching. Why? Because in their culture, a holy book like the Bible or the Quran should not be on the floor where people can step on it even accidentally. The evangelist apologized and carried the Bible in his hand until they bought a pulpit. Another example: in Europe, if you invite someone to dinner you expect the visitor to keep to the time. More than 10 minutes late, is considered rude and apology is needed. I heard that in some countries in South America, lateness is part of the accepted culture. Even church’ services start late, and people think is normal. In Nigeria, if you give a gift to someone using the left hand, people get offended and sometimes openly correct you. It is not the same in Europe. Lesson: Love is sensitive to people’s feelings and cultures. We do everything to the glory of God and to save others. If our eating, manner of dressing, or speaking, does not give glory to God and does not spread love to others, so that they can be saved, then we are wrong. A thing can be right in itself and still be wrong in some situations. Love wins over our arguments of being right!

The Body of Christ is One! The Gospel is one! The Spirit is one! But believers are not all the same. Some are strong in the faith and others are weak. The strong in the faith have paid the price for spiritual maturity. He knows the difference between the major doctrines and matters of indifference. He knows the power of love and walks in it. The strong in the faith has more flexibility and room for humility. He can submit to some laws just for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. But the weak in the faith are more rigid and judgmental. It is the strong in the faith that has to first pay the price for love before the weak will follow. The strong in faith is willing to reduce his freedom to connect with another who is weak in the faith. Lesson: Don’t wait for the weak in the faith to understand or accept your freedom, especially in these matters of indifference. For example: if you visit a family of vegetarians, don’t eat fried chicken in their presence. Your appetite for food can be satisfied at home but not in public. Your appetite for food has blocked the way for you to minister Christ to them. Satisfying your stomach, you have damaged a good thing called ‘testimony’. The weak in the faith see you now as a fake Christian who does not love. You have gained a chicken and have ‘lost’ a soul. You have filled your belly with the food of your choice, but you have grieved a brother. You have lost more than you have gained. Lesson: always remember God! Spiritual things are more important than temporal things. Your testimony as a child of God is more important than your appetite for food. Even if it is your right to eat chicken, you are damaging your good testimony thru pride, or carelessness. It takes a long time to build a good name and a good testimony. Be jealous over these and protect them. Love says: to win souls has a greater value than to win an argument. “The fruit of the [consistently] righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise captures and wins souls [for God—he gathers them for eternity]” (PV 11:30; AMP). Selah!

Penny-wise and Pound-foolish. Pounds and pennies are English currencies. A pound is made of 100 pennies. This popular saying means to be extremely careful or stingy with small amounts of money but careless or wasteful with large amounts. It describes something that is done to save a small amount of money now, but that will cost a large amount of money in the future. This attitude describes a foolish person. It means you lose more than you gain. You give too much attention to details, and you lose the bigger picture. Calculating the small profit of today, you miss open doors of opportunities ahead. It is a form of distraction that will cost you time and money. For example, a woman saves money when buying food for the children but goes to buy a very expensive dress; a man marries a humble hard-working economical woman but spends a lot of money on girlfriends. A businessman applies for a contract. There are other competitors. He should send his quote by FedEx, which is safer and faster. It is also more expensive. He decides to save money on transport and sends it by simple post office letter. At the end, his letter arrives too late. He has lost the contract. This is another example of foolishness: when building a house, you need a strong deep foundation. That is expensive. But the house is stronger and last longer. Building a big house on a shallow cheap foundation is foolishness and waste. Lesson: do not cheat yourself!   

Do not allow your good to be spoken of as evil. Good can be your testimony, your marriage, your family, your ministry etc. Protect what you consider to be an asset to you, and the good name that you hold. Be careful how you choose your battles! Love yourself and others! It is possible to be very concerned about your life and totally ignorant on the effect you have on others. The strong willed and opinionated people get easily distracted and quarrel with others. They may win the argument but lose their reputation or their testimony. The husband and wife can quarrel over a minor issue. Each one wants to win the argument. But in this type of battle there are no winers. Only the devil wins at last. By quarreling they lose their peace of mind, their respect for each other, the joy of marriage and their testimonies as children of God. Trying to win an argument you can do much damage to yourself and to your family. Lesson: love is the standard and leader! Obey the voice of Love! “Follow the way of love… Let love be your highest goal… Love should be your guide” (1Cor 14:1; NIV, NLT, CEV).

THE ROOT OF BITTERNESS

“See to it that no one falls short of God’s grace; that no root of resentment springs up and causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; 16 and [see to it] that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that later on, when he wanted [to regain title to] his inheritance of the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance [there was no way to repair what he had done, no chance to recall the choice he had made], even though he sought for it with [bitter] tears” (Heb 12:15-17; AMP). “Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Heb 12:15; NKJ).

The story of Esau is a great warning to us. He was a fool. He was a bitter man that God hates, and man hates. We study his life to learn from his terrible mistakes. God, who is Love, said: “As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated” (Rom 9:13). Question: what does Love hate?  Esau was the older son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham, who is the father of faith. His name means ‘red’ because he was born with reddish hair on his body. He was ‘a man of the field’, a skillful hunter. His twin younger brother Jacob ‘was a mild man, dwelling in the tents’. He was the son of a wealthy man. God blessed both Abraham and Isaac, spiritually and materially. After his father’s death, as the senior son, it was his right and privilege to inherit the wealth of his father and the spiritual leadership in the family. But he rejected that. This is the painful story of a very foolish son.

One day, coming from the field, tired and hungry, he found his brother Jacob cooking lentils stew (beans porridge). He told Jacob that he is hungry enough to die. Jacob suggested a deal. To pay for the food, Jacob asked Esau to give him his birthright. Without thinking about the consequences of his action, Esau agreed. He ate the stew and sold his birthright. He gained material blessings by selling his spiritual blessings. He gained little and he lost much. To understand the value of his loss, let us study the blessing of the birthright in that culture.

The birthright was a great spiritual blessing. It gave the elder son two thirds of the father’s wealth, the responsibility of spiritual leadership in the family, great privileges, and honors in the community. The senior son will be the priest and pastor of the home. For example, Abraham had Ishmael as his first son. But he was the son of his flesh. Isaac was the first and only son of promise. God rejected Ishmael to inherit the privilege of having the birthright. After Sarah died, old Abraham marries Keturah. He has other sons with her. But even before he dies, knowing of the danger of competition for the birthright, Abraham gives gifts to his sons and sends them away, far from the family land and Isaac. Abraham was told by God: “in Isaac your seed shall be called” (Gen 21:12). The birthright has the approval of God in the matter of family survival and destiny. The family line must be kept pure because the approved seed that the Savior will be born in it. Anyone who rejects faith in God and spiritual blessings, will be excluded from the privilege of inheriting the birthright.

Isaac was a wealthy man. As the elder son, Esau was entitled to the honor of being the family head after their father dies. He was also entitled to receive a double portion from his father’s property. For a bowl of stew, he sold all these blessings. Esau “despised his birthright” (Gen 25:34). The word ‘despise’ means to belittle, to show contempt, to scorn his privileges as a senior son. In other words, Esau had no interest in spiritual things. He loved the world! He loved material things! He rejected God and the spiritual blessings! Selah!

Look at the attitude of Esau on that fateful day when he sold his birthright. It is like nothing big happened. No big deal! He had to regret. The birthright to him was like a broken toy he does not need. “So, he (Esau) swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus, Esau despised his birthright” (Gen 25:33,34).

He did not remember this incident until some time later, Jacob deceived him and took Isaac’s fatherly blessing. Isaac was old. He wanted to bless his sons. He loved Esau more because he brought him ‘bush meat’. Rebecah loved Jacob more. She remembered the word of prophecy from God that the older will serve the younger. Deceitfully, she helps Jacob receive the blessing of the father. When Esau comes with his meal prepared for Isaac, he discovered that he was too late. He was cheated. He wept bitterly. He accuses his brother Jacob of deceiving him two times. That was a lie. When he lost his birthright, Jacob did not deceive him. He sold it! Esau is a liar! “And Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me—me also, O my father!” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept” (Gen 27:38). He weeps because he was cheated not because he was truly repentant. He cries not to God but to his father. To him, his father is his god. Esau’s name is not associated with God in the book of Genesis. Isaac blessed him at last but does not use God’s name as he did when he blessed Jacob. Isaac has already pronounced the blessing of spiritual leadership upon Jacob. He declared that all his brothers, including Esau, shall submit and serve Jacob. Esau wept bitterly but could not change the decree! History proves this to be true. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. To the believers in Christ, He is God the Father. The Jews, and the Christians are the promised descendants of Abraham. The descendants of Esau were called the Edomites. They hated and fought the people of God. King Herod was an Edomite. After Jesus died, they disappeared as a people from the face of the earth.

Esau sold his birthright and the position of leadership in the family. He forsook the privilege to have the Messiah coming from his lineage. The prophecy given to their mother Rebekah came to pass: ‘The older shall serve the younger’ (Gen25:23). Easu was truly sorry for his mistake, but it was not a godly sorrow that leads to repentance and to salvation. His worldly sorrow led to anger and bitterness against Jacob. He now made plans to kill his younger brother like Cain killed Abel. “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter” (2 Cor 7:10, 11). Lesson:Repentance is done unto God and in the name of Jesus. There is no regret in it. It brings peace. Like Judas, Esau only had remorse. He regretted his action but did not care about grieving God. Jesus said: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mk 8:36).

Esau is the first man in the Bible who rejects the grace of God. Esau had no character, no love for God. To have the privilege of the birthright was a matter of faith. Esau had no faith in God. He sold his birthright for food. Lesson: it is possible to gain temporary pleasures and lose eternal rewards. This is the warning of God’s Word! In the Book of Hebrews, Esau is called a fornicator and a godless man. He was a polygamist. He married two pagan women who brought ‘grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah’. Trying to repair his mistake, Esau then married Mahalath, the daughter of Ismael, adding her to his former wives (Gen 26:34, 35; 28:9). Esau had no interest in God and spiritual things. To be a fornicator and godless man, it means that he was a spiritually adulterous man. He worshipped idols. He possibly worshipped his father, Isaac, who loved him more than Jacob. He also worshipped himself and his achievements as a skillful hunter. He was a man of the world. Lesson: Godless people do not fear God. They ignore or hate spiritual things, and anything about faith in God.

Esau is called a bitter root, a troublemaker, who defiles many. Esau became jealous on Jacob and hated him all his life. Bitter people do not forgive. The saddest person in the Bible after Judas may be Esau. Bitterness is a deep spiritual sinful stronghold. Bitterness spreads and affects families and churches. “The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy” (PV 14:10). Bitterness is hidden in the heart. The battle starts at an intimate deep and place. It stays hidden for a long time. None can help us win the battle but God. Often, we are not ready to confess and repent of it.

Bitterness is ungrateful. Bitter people do not appreciate God’s grace and spiritual blessings. They always want more, especially material things. Bitterness comes when people are not satisfied with God’s provision and look for idols. God hates bitterness and warns against it. “You saw their abominations and their idols which were among them—wood and stone and silver and gold); 18 so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood; 19 and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart’—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober” (Deut 29:17-19). Bitterness is unresolved anger. happens when we despise the chastisement of God. Bitterness happens when we replace faith and love with stubborn unbelief. God uses discipline to build godly character in us. Unbelief produces the poison of bitterness. Bitter people are liars and the father of liars.

“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come” (Heb 11:20). Esau lost his birthright not his sonship in the family. Later, Esau and Jacob reconciled. God blessed Esau financially but not spiritually. Lesson: you can be the son (daughter) in a godly family and still not be blessed by God. Seek spiritual blessings not just a place in the family. Esau despised his birthright. He showed contempt for that which his fathers loved. He did not see the birthright as a blessing but as a hindrance to fulfill his fleshly desires. That is why he sold it. Esau is an example of using the things of God to accomplish the things of man. Esau realized his mistake only later. But it was too late to retrieve it. He now has entered the list of men who refused to accomplish the will of God and fulfill destiny.

Spiritually, Faith is ‘handed down’ to us as our birthright (Jude 1:3). The Word of God is our blessed birthright. Some appreciate faith and surrender to Christ. They become children of God and leaders in the Body of Christ. Others, like Esau, reject this faith and live worldly to their last breath. It is possible to call yourself a Christian, but you sell your faith in Christ. You betray the true Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected and preach other ‘gospels.’ Lesson: be careful with your spiritual inheritance, with your faith in Christ. Be jealous over your testimony as a Christian. Value and appreciate the testimony of other Christians. Never help anyone to backslide or to compromise his faith. Esau wept for his wrong choice, but he did not repent. The lust of the flesh is extremely strong. The flesh is impatient. It wants satisfaction now. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can deny the flesh. Lack of self-control hinders God from blessing you! Learn how to say no to the flesh. Learn to die to the flesh, so that you can please God and be blessed by Him.  Repentance is a gift of grace from God. Thank God if you are able to repent of sin.

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there” (Jam 3:13-16).

Bitterness makes you a liar. It builds a stronghold of envy, selfishness, confusion, pride, and foolishness. Bitterness spreads like a virus. What do you know about your bitterness? People can hurt one another. This happens in marriages, families and even in the churches. Bitter people end in divorce. Many people leave the church because they are bitter. God’s discipline is a sign of love. Rejecting the pain of discipline, you reject His love and end in bitterness. Anytime you say that if I don’t have this pleasure I will die, you follow Esau’s path.

SIGNS OF BITTERNESS

*Bitter people are moody, angry, hold grudges, are ungrateful, have depression.

*They lie and gossip. They try to play the victim to attract attention so that people care for them.

*They speak about God but do not trust God. They worship idols (men, money…)

*They are jealous on others and angry when others are happy. They are selfish, hurt others with words and are easily offended.

*They are sick with chronic often incurable diseases.

*They hate the Christians, Church, Bible, and God.  

In Hebrews 12:15, the root of bitterness springs up. In Greek is describes a little plant just coming up from a seed. Lesson: Bitterness starts little, and it develops. The earlier you detect it and repent of it, the better. Be careful with little grudges, or little jealousy. Selah!

JESUS’ WARNING OF LOVE

“I have told you these things so that you will not stumble or be caught off guard and fall away… I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]” (Jn 16:1, 33; AMP).

Just before the Cross, Jesus told His disciples that His words are a warning for them, not to be ignorant, trapped and fall away from the faith. This is the same word in Greek ‘scandalizo’. It means a stumbling block. He just told them two things: the world will hate them because it hates Him and the Holy Spirit will come to fill them, to witness against the world, so that they know the truth and be encouraged. He also told them that His words will bring them perfect peace. The world cannot give peace and cannot take it away from them. He has defeated the world. We share in His abiding victory. The hatred of the world cannot conquer the agape love in our hearts, the peace and joy from the Holy Spirit. The only protection we have as believers against the world’s hatred and deception is God’s Word, God’s Spirit, and the authority in the name of Jesus! No man protects us. God’s grace is enough!

Do not reject God’s good plan for your life! Be grateful and receive it! Esau sold his birthright because of hunger of just few hours. Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights to defeat the devil who is the author of all anger and bitterness. He said: “But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4). Worship the Lord!