THE KINGDOM OF GOD (1)

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (33)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (15)/ THE KINGDOM OF GOD (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 14:12-23; Matthew 18:21-35; 19:27-30; 20:1-16.

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. 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 humanity. “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. “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! God the Father gave us His only begotten Son, to save us! God the Son gave up His Life 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 the weak ones. The weak are commanded not to judge the spiritually strong. Lesson: Matters of indifference should never become central doctrines. 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 TO DAMAGE YOUR GOOD TESTIMONY

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

6-DO NOT LET YOUR GOOD BE SPOKEN OF AS EVIL

7-DO NOT LET BITTERNESS GROW IN YOU

8-LOVE CONTROLS AND LEADS KNOWLEDGE (THE SPIRIT LEADS THE SOUL)

9-THE SAINTS PERSEVERE BY GRACE AND THRU FAITH UNTIL HEAVEN

THE KINGDOM OF GOD (1)

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).

Apostle Paul reminds us about the Kingdom of God. It is easy to get lost in detail, until we forget the main issue. Matters of indifference are not as important as the central revelation that we are citizens of the Kingdom of God. “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil 3:20). The Kingdom of God is defined as the rule and reign of God done by His Word and thru His Spirit. The Lord Jesus Christ is the King of this Kingdom. “He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev 19:16). Let us not get distracted by other matters and forget our King!

To understand the Kingdom of God, we’ll study the kingdoms of this world. These are symbols of the Kingdom of God. An earthly Kingdom is defined as a territory (domain) governed by a King (or a Queen). The King has absolute dominion and influence over the people in his domain. Dominion refers to the authority and domain refers to the territory. Every king is automatically the ‘lord’ or master over the people in his domain. The King is not voted by people. He becomes a King by birth. Because his father was a king, the heir is born with the right to be king after his father dies. The king is totally different than the president of a country, a prime minister, a governor, or a mayor. By right, the king personally owns the land, the wealth, and the people. Remember that kings and property always go together. For example, Jesus is the King and Lord of all. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein” (Ps 24:1).

Authority flows from the king by his word, which is supreme. The kingdom reflects the glory of the king. If the king is godly, just, honest, the kingdom will be the same. If the King is corrupt and wicked, the kingdom will be the same. The constitution of the country is the covenant the king makes with his people. It expresses the will of the king concerning the people. The King provides all that the citizens need to live a good life. The King is personally responsible to take care of his citizens. That is why many want to become citizens of a good Kingdom. The King can give any gift to any of his citizens. He owns everything, so he can give any privilege, title, or wealth to any citizen he finds faithful. “When the king smiles, there is life; his favor refreshes like a spring rain” (PV 16:15; NLT).

As of 2024, there are 43 sovereign states in the world that have a monarch (king or queen) as their head of state. In Europe there are 12 countries ruled by kings (or queens). Among them are The United Kingdom, Belgium, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweeden, Spain, and Monaco. The Pope is like a king in the Vatican. Some of the Muslim monarchies are Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia. In the past, most of the countries in Africa were ruled by kings who were the heads of state. But now, most African countries are republics. A republic is a form of government whose leader is freely and democratically elected by the people, as opposed to a dictatorship or monarchy. There are only three sovereign monarchies in Africa: The Kingdom of Morocco, The Kingdom of Lesotho, and Eswatini (the Kingdom of Swaziland).

King Charles III is the present King of the United Kingdom. His authority is limited. He reigns but not rules. But he still has rights above any other British citizen. For example, because of “sovereign immunity,” King Charles is exempt from criminal and civil proceedings. The law bars the police from entering private royal estates without the sovereign’s permission to investigate suspected crimes. As the British king, King Charles can travel anywhere in this world without an international passport. This is because all the British passports are issued in the name of the King. No other British citizen has this privilege. The King and other members of the royal family can drive as fast or as slow as they please when they are escorted by police officers on official royal duties. King Charles can drive any car without a license plate and without a driving license. This is because all licenses in the UK are issued in the King’s name. The King does not pay inheritance or income taxes. In the UK there is a law against racial and sexual discrimination at the workplace. But the King is exempt from this law. Any person who works for the royal family cannot file a complaint in the court about equal pay, racial or sexual discrimination.

The Bible is the constitution of the Kingdom of God. It expresses the mind and will of God. The people can become citizens of God’s Kingdom not by right, but as a privilege of grace. No one can buy his citizenship. King Jesus’ favor (or grace) to bestow citizenship is always a privilege and never a right. Once a man becomes a citizen of the Kingdom of God, his greatest desire is to please the King; to be in a right relationship with King Jesus. That attitude is called righteousness (Rom 14:17). In the Kingdom of God, King Jesus provides all you need. He said: “Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt 6:31-33). The citizens love their King and obey the King’s Laws. They praise Him for His grace, wisdom, goodness, holiness, and generosity. King David said: “I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever” (Ps 145:1). The social culture of the Kingdom reflects the culture of the King. The King’s words and deeds influence the citizens and they want to become like him. That is why a Kingdom’s culture is different than other democratic countries. The Kingdom has an army. The King is the supreme commander. The army secures the territory and protects the citizens. In the Kingdom of God, the angels protect the citizens. “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. 21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure. 22 Bless the Lord, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul” (Ps 103:19-22)!

In the past, the Kingdom of God was represented by the nation of Israel. God said: “And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel”(Exo 19:6). But Israel rejected their King. They crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, who came full of grace and truth. “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (Jn 1:11). God said that the Kingdom will be taken away from them and given to other people. This was the topic of Jesus’ parable against the Jewish religious rulers. “Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder” (Matt 21:42-43). The Kingdom or God must be fruitful and glorious. Glory to the King of kings!

In the New Testament, the revelation of the Kingdom of God is clearer. The church represents the Kingdom of God.

Jesus started His ministry by preaching repentance, faith in the Gospel and the Kingdom of God. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15). The Kingdom of God has two parts: the present time and the future time. The present time started when Jesus came to the earth. He became a man, lived, and died for sinners. He is the King of the Kingdom. All those who by God’s grace repent of their sins, and have faith in Christ crucified and resurrected, become born again. They become citizens and enter the Kingdom. In the future, Jesus will come back to earth again, not as a suffering servant but as the Victorious King of kings. He will destroy that which He has defeated on the Cross. The Kingdom of God will then be fulfilled. “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Rev 11:15). With the mixture of wheat and tares, the Parables of Jesus describe the present time of the Kingdom of God, and not the future when all things are fulfilled. Selah!

THE PARABLE OF THE WORKERS (Matt 19:27-30; 20:1-16)

Jesus spoke this parable to teach people about the Kingdom of God. The parable is directly connected to Peter’s question: “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore, what shall we have?” 28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Matt 19:27,30). Peter forgot that he was a sinner saved by grace. He now wanted to know what his reward will be for taking his cross to follow Jesus. He was influenced by the rich young ruler who failed the test of love. Jesus corrects him (and the others) by telling them this parable.

Lesson: Agape Love does not make demands. Love does not ask for payment, especially when you owe so much to the Lover of your soul, King Grace. Jesus promises that all who died to the world and sacrificed even the good things of life to follow Him will surely be rewarded in this life and in heaven. But there shall be many surprises. Grace rewards the humble. Love rewards the faithful.

This parable is about a rich landowner who hired laborers at different intervals, from morning till evening. He made an agreement only with those who came first, that he will pay a denarius a day. In Israel a working day was from 6 am to 6 pm. A Denarius was the usual payment for a day of labor for an unskilled worker. These were jobless men waiting to be hired to do any work. The amount of money was not too small. It was about the same as a soldier in the Roman army was paid daily. The last workers were hired at 5 pm. They only worked one hour. At the end of the day, the Landowner paid all the workers the same amount of money. The ones who came in the morning expected to be paid more, because they worked longer hours. They grumbled when they received the same amount with those who were hired later.

Let us say that in your office, you work the whole week very hard. Then your boss hires a man on Friday morning. That Friday both of you are paid the same amount of money. The newcomer is overjoyed. Will you rejoice with him? Tell the truth! The answer is No! You will be angry. You will feel cheated. This is the reaction of any sinner. Many say: It’s not fair! God is not fair! But this is the atmosphere in the Kingdom of God!

Then the Landowner said: “‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen” (Matt 20:13-16). Clearly, the workers who came in the morning, did not understand the law of the Kingdom of God. They used common sense to arrive at conclusions. In God’s Kingdom, worldly wisdom will always disappoint and clash with the Kingdom’ culture. The rich Landowner is Christ, the King. Here we see that the King has supreme power. He hires workers and he rewards them as He wishes. The King owes everything, both the land and the workers. The King never makes mistakes. He is rich and free to use his riches as He wants. In the Kingdom of God, we see justice, sovereignty, and grace. Jesus is always righteous and just. He said: “You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you”. (Matt 20:4). Jesus is not just righteous. He is Righteousness Himself. He can never do wrong. He can never cheat. He can never lie. He is sovereign in the way he calls the workers and how He pays them. Grace is always there but it manifests especially in the way he pays the ones that come at the 11th hour. They surely received more than they expected.

The ones who came first grumbled. They were not satisfied with the payment. Dis-satisfaction and grumbling are the major sins and a great danger for the believers who have worked for God for a long time. They compare themselves and their rewards with those who repented late in life. The lack of understanding of the laws in God’s Kingdom will disappoint and demote some. The ones who humble themselves and submit to the King, will be promoted, and rewarded. For example, the elder brother of the prodigal son was not happy that the father loved both of them equally. He thought he should receive more love and a greater reward for not backsliding openly. Grace pays the late comers more than they expect. God is happy when a sinner repents, even if it is on his dying bed. The grace given at that hour is amazing, to encourage the soul to enter heaven. Lesson: We should never be jealous on other people’s rewards or gifts, not compare ourselves with others. We should be found to be good and faithful servants to the end! We should not grumble when we don’t understand the ways of King Grace! We should be always grateful for God saving our souls and bringing us into His Kingdom!

IS GOD NOT FAIR? SOME PRINCIPLES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

When you think that God is unfair, study some of the Principles of the Kingdom:

1-God owes everything. God does not owe us anything.

2-God has done much more than we deserve. One denarius was the salary for a solider. If God has done nothing more than saving your soul, it is much more than you deserve!

3-God’s blessings do not depend on how hard we work. He blesses us by His Grace alone. His grace is sovereign! It cannot be bought!

4-Never look down on the 11th hour workers. One day, you can be in that group. When you backslide and need more grace to come home!

5-If you are saved for a long time do not look down on the baby Christians! The spiritually strong should not despise the weak in the faith!

6-Do not compare with others! Do not become jealous, ungrateful, or bitter towards God.

7-Reject the evil spirit of ‘doing business or demanding something’ from God!

8-Do not always look at what God can give to you. Look at what you can do for God, to serve Him better! In this way, you stay humble!

The landowner, was he fair, less, or more than fair? The answer is that he was more than fair. He hired men who will work very little for him (one hour). He paid them the same amount. God is always fair. God does not give us what we deserve. Because we are born sinners, we deserve to die. But God gives us mercy and grace. I have food to eat. I don’t deserve it. It is by God’s mercy. The only thing I really deserve is God’s anger, punishment, and hell. I don’t need for God to be fair with me. I need His mercy. Justice and mercy are not contradictory. Justice goes so far. From that point, mercy takes over. If anyone shows mercy to another, that is entirely to him, if, when, and how to show mercy. God is obligated to show justice but not mercy. He shows justice to everybody, but He does not show mercy to everybody. “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens” (Rom 9:14-18). God chooses to whom He will show mercy.

How does God choose those to whom He will give mercy? This is a great question. But first, remember that there is nothing like ‘luck’ in the Kingdom of God. There is nothing like ‘lottery’ about who receives mercy. In the world people live by luck. That is why many gamble to win money. They depend on good luck. That is why the Christians should not gamble. God choses the recipients of His divine mercy according to His principles that are the laws in the Kingdom of God:

*God shows His mercy to those who ask for it. The Christians pray for healing, protection, or finances. But few people pray for mercy. Why? Because they think they are not too bad. “The tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!” (Lk 18:13). God gives mercy to armed robbers and rapists as they prepare to die. Many criminals became born again in the prison. When they died, they went to heaven. How do you feel about it? Angry?

*God shows mercy to those who will invest it into others. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt 5:7). In the Parable of the unforgiving, unmerciful servant (Matt 18:21-35) we see that mercy can be withdrawn when mercy is not shared to others. The king cancelled the huge debt of millions of naira to a man. But the same man could not let go of a debt of 100 naira that another servant of the king owed him. The king was angry because his mercy did not produce fruits. He revived the debt. The man was sent to prison until he pays the last kobo. This is a very serious matter. This parable also describes the Kingdom of Heaven. Mercy and kindness are highly appreciated. Any sin against mercy is severely punished. Unforgiveness is a stronghold blocking God to show you mercy. If mercy cannot flow out, it will not flow in. To forgive your enemy is very hard and painful. But it opens the way to God to show you mercy. Selah!

*God will show mercy to those who will not take it for granted. Let us say a man is caught in adultery. He got infected with a venereal disease. He cries to God for mercy. God heals him and helps him to restore his marriage. Few months later, the same man commits adultery again. And he cries for mercy again. He is a fool. “As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly” (PV 26:11). God does not show mercy to fools. After saving the woman caught in adultery, Jesus said to her: “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more” (Jn 8:11). Jesus commanded her to repent of her sins. If not, mercy may not be found again! God gives us mercy to help us stop sinning not to continue in sin! “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!” (Rom 6:1, 2).

WORSHIP YOUR KING!

The Kingdom of God is not created in this world. The Kingdom of God comes from heaven. When Jesus came to earth, He brought the Kingdom with Him where Truth is in its constitution. Jesus is the Truth! The Kingdom of God is totally different than any other kingdom on earth. You need the revelation of the Holy Spirit to understand the authority of God’s eternal Kingdom. “Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” 37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (Jn 18:36, 37). Once a sinner becomes saved, he must renew his mind to be able to obey the new laws of this kingdom. He must have the mind of Christ. This is done thru the process of sanctification, by obeying God’s Word by the power of the Holy Spirit.

To enter God’s Kingdom, the sinner must become born again. Conversion is a miracle. Salvation is God’s gift, thru Grace and by faith in Christ crucified and resurrected. Religion does not save a sinner. Jesus told the religious leader Nicodemus: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (Jn 3:3). After you become born again, you need to make progress, to mature as a Christian. The fact that you are saved does not mean that automatically you will know how to behave in all situations. You need to study God’s Word, pray, attend a local church, and serve God in any capacity before you will see changes in your attitude and actions. Agape Love leads the way. The Body of Christ is One! But in the Body, there are weak Christians and strong Christians. The more you pay the price for spiritual maturity, the stronger you shall be as a Christian. Apostle Paul said: “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Cor 2:6-8). Spiritual maturity manifests as divine wisdom, which is the platform for the display of God’s glory on us. The unbelievers, the rulers of this age, though they are proud of their knowledge, they do not have this wisdom. In their foolishness and ignorance, they crucified Jesus, adding sin upon sin. They are out of the Kingdom of God.

Question: are you born again? Are you a citizen of the Kingdom of God? Is Jesus Christ your personal Savior, Lord, and King? Then humbly bow down and worship Him forever! Acknowledge His amazing Grace and unfailing Love! This is the worship of heaven: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (Rev 5:13). Worship the Lord!

THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

Apr28 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (32)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (14)/ THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

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. 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 humanity. “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. “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! God the Father gave us His only begotten Son, to save us! God the Son gave up His Life to pay for our sins! There is no greater Love than that!!!

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE

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 TO DAMAGE YOUR GOOD TESTIMONY

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

6-DO NOT LET YOUR GOOD BE SPOKEN OF AS EVIL

7-DO NOT LET BITTERNESS GROW IN YOU

8-LOVE CONTROLS AND LEADS KNOWLEDGE (THE SPIRIT LEADS THE SOUL)

THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

“If your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died” (Rom 14:15). “But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (1Cor 8:9-13). “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud” (1 Cor 13:4; NIV).

The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints was initially defined by the Church Fathers, like Augustine, but came to light fully during the Reformation, thru the great theologian John Calvin. This doctrine brought division in the church. That is why we include it among the matters of indifference. It was greatly opposed by many Christians but brought greatest joy to other believers. Because of it, the Christian martyrs went to their death with joy. We shall study it now so that we have peace about the possibility that by own sins or mistakes, we may ‘destroy’ another and send him to hell.

In our relationships with the brethren, there is the danger of ‘destroying a brother’ because of our choice of food, or any item of the matters of indifference. The strong in the faith may insist on his freedom to speak or to do what he wants. But his liberty may turn into license and a stumbling block that makes the weak one fall into sin or backslide. For better or for worse, our words, attitude, and actions, influence others. You are not free to say or do just anything you want to do. That is not freedom. It is called License, and it is sin. The word ‘License’ comes from a Latin word meaning ‘freedom to act’. It means a formal permission to act given by a legal authority. For example, you need a driving license to drive a car. Doctors need medical license to practice medicine. But licentious behavior is sin. It is excessive freedom, abusive disregard for rules of personal conduct. It includes sexual sins. Both freedom and license express themselves as personal powers. They seem alike but there is difference between them. Love is the difference. Freedom is the power to do what is right, within the boundaries and responsibilities of Love. License is the power to do what you want, ignoring all boundaries and responsibilities of Love. Freedom builds character and loving relationships. License is totally selfish and destroys communities, families, and churches.

True freedom is always connected with love for others. You don’t want to say or do something that becomes a stumbling block for others, to make them fall or backslide. Careless words and actions cause hurt and confusion in relationships, even in the church. We must study the possibility that our words or deeds may make a weak brother fall into sin and ‘perish’. This is a serious warning! But the truth is that no man can make a Christian go to hell. From the beginning to the end, salvation is God’s work. But these words are a strong warning that we should behave responsibly in our relationships with others. We should not grieve a brother to the extent that he thinks about backsliding, especially because of these matters of loving indifference. Love should always be the primary motive in all our relationships, in church and outside the church. The strong in the faith should restore a backslider, not make one. For God judges all motives and actions. Selah!

Generally, Perseverance is defined as continuous effort to achieve success, in spite of tiredness, difficulty, discouragement, or delay. Simply said, perseverance means ‘not giving up’. In Latin, perseverance means ‘to abide by something strictly’. In other words, to achieve success or the fulfillment of your dreams, you need to stay focused and to be strict with yourself. For example, wining the marathon race requires perseverance, discipline, a sense of purpose, a desire to be a champion, and a hero. You must pay the price to achieve that success. You must develop good stubbornness, faith in yourself, moral strength, and courage. The greatest enemy of perseverance is discouragement and doubt. A double minded person will give up during hard times. He starts the race but will not finish it. Selah!

Spiritually, Perseverance is defined as the continuous activity of the Holy Spirit in the believer, by which the work of divine Grace that has begun in the heart will continue unto perfection. The believer cooperates with the Holy Spirit thru the process of sanctification. Despite trials and temptations, he matures spiritually. Without the internal work of the Holy Spirit, the believer will give up holding on Jesus. In that sense, the word Perseverance applies first to the Holy Spirit who helps the believer live by faith in Jesus until he enters heaven. God perseveres so that His child can persevere. This is the secret power that sustains each believer until he arrives in heaven. Glory!

Apostle Paul says: “I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return]” (Philip 1:6; AMP). Salvation is by Grace alone, and thru faith in Christ alone. It is King Grace that starts ‘the good work’ of faith in Jesus. It is King Grace that leads the believer until his faith becomes perfect and rewarded. Grace starts and Grace ends. Supported by God, the believer’s faith works in between. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain” (Philip 2:12-16). Perseverance in the Christian race depends on total submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit and by ‘holding fast the Word of life’. Apostle Paul has total faith in God’s Grace, Power, and Love. This work of grace manifests as perseverance until ‘the day of Christ’, which is His second coming. But for the individual Christian, the work of grace ends at the moment of his death. The enemies of this perseverance are the sins of complaining and disputing. Complaining is a matter of the heart. The believer must obey God’s Word with joy and without doubts or grumbling. Disputing means arguments. It applies to our relationships with others. Lesson: Do not grumble! Do not quarrel! Do not become a stumbling block to others. Both inside your heart and among men, stay in the grace of God and persevere as you run your race towards heaven, to the glory of God!

The churches are divided concerning this doctrine. Some believe it and others reject it. It is easy to misinterpret this doctrine. Many oppose it. They refuse to preach it saying that if a believer is sure of ‘making heaven’ he will become spiritually careless, proud, and lazy. He will take the grace of God for granted. Apostle Paul addressed those who took God’s grace for granted. He said: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Rom 6:1, 2).

Note that it is not necessary to believe this doctrine to become saved. Over the centuries, the Christians have argued about it. Their most anxious questions are these: ‘Can a true believer in Christ lose his salvation? Can a child of God miss heaven and end in hell?’ These are extremely important questions to consider. About half of all Christians believe that a child of God can lose his salvation and end in hell. The others believe that a Christian may backslide for a season, but God will restore him to the right path and will surely go to heaven.

There are two famous theologians who strongly and openly argued about this doctrine. Each one has many followers. The first is John Calvin (1509-1564). He was a French theologian, pastor, and reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He believed in the doctrines of the sovereignty of God in election, the depravity of man, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints. He said that man is born spiritually dead. He cannot desire salvation. The only people who will be saved are the elect, those chosen by God before the foundation of the world. They alone respond to God’s effectual call who brings them to repentance and salvation. He said that salvation is only by grace and thru faith in Christ and the saints always persevere to the end. This is because God is working in them to will and to do of His good pleasure. He said that a child of God can never lose his salvation because it is the gift of God, and it is irrevocable.

The second famous theologian is a Dutch man called Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609). He argued bitterly against the teachings of Calvin. He believed that man has a free will to repent or not. He believed that election is conditional. The faith of the believer determines his stand with God. He believed that a man can be born again but thru sin, he can lose his salvation. He believed that all believers have full assurance of salvation with the condition that they ‘remain’ in Christ. Therefore, perseverance is conditional. He said that all believers are graciously empowered by Christ and The Holy Spirit to overcome temptations. He said that the security of salvation depends on the believers if they continue in the faith. As you can see, Calvin exalted the Grace of God, and Arminius the faith of man!

The term ‘Perseverance of the saints’ doesn’t appear in the Bible, but God’s Word clearly teaches this doctrine. The doctrine affirms that God protects and preserves the Christians, also called ‘His saints, or the holy ones’, for eternity. God causes their faith to persevere to the end of their lives when He calls them home to heaven. God safely preserves each Christian’s inheritance in heaven according to His almighty power, great mercy, and grace. All believers receive an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and will never fade away. Salvation is not by their own efforts or ability to live sin-free, but as a gift from their Savior. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1Pet 1:3-5). Such an inheritance can never be lost nor taken away. God secures it in heaven forever. Perseverance is not the work of man, but a gift given by God to His children to empower them to persevere in faithfulness to Christ to the end of their life. In other words, once you are saved, you are eternally saved. If you say that you were once saved but you’ve lost your salvation, it means that you were never saved. True Christians may fall badly and backslide for a long time, but they can never totally fall from grace and end in hell. Selah!

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame” (Heb 6:4-6). Some scriptures seem to say that a true believer can lose his salvation. But that is not true. It is possible for a sinner to become religious, to say he is a Christian, and still be lost. The Holy Spirit can touch a sinner for a season so he can experience ‘the powers of the age to come’ and still there is no conversion. For example, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, King Saul behaved as a prophet, but he was never converted (1Sam 10:9-11). It is possible that the eternal Holy Spirit can do ‘temporary work’ in the hearts of sinners. Pray for discernment!

But there are other scriptures that clearly teach that a true believer cannot lose his salvation. Jesus says: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one” (Jn 10:27-30). The words of Jesus are categorical. The sheep of Jesus are the born-again Christians. They belong to God the Father who gives them to God the Son. Jesus declares that no one can ‘snatch’ them out of His hand. He keeps them eternally safe. He gives them eternal life. These promises are not conditional on man’s godliness. He clearly says that the true believers ‘shall never perish’. He is the good Shepherd. He knows how weak the sheep are. Even if the sheep goes astray, she cannot be lost eternally. Thru the spiritual mystical union with Christ, all true believers are already in heaven. Heaven is sure for God’s children. “They, whom God has accepted in his Beloved [Jesus Christ, His only Son], effectually called, and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally, fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved” (Westminster Confession of Faith)

This is God’s Word: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Rom 8:28-30). This is the so called ‘golden chain of redemption’. God “foreknew us, predestined us, called us, justified us and glorify us”. It is God’s purpose to save men thru Jesus Christ. All the verbs are in the past and not in the future. Not a single link in this chain can be missing or broken. According to God’s eternal purpose, He has ‘foreknown’ you to go to heaven.

Observe the power of Grace in salvation! “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph 2:8, 9). Salvation is not by works. It is not by our keeping the Law. It is not a reward we can earn or un-earn. It is not something we can gain or lose. It’s a gift given by God, by His grace. This revelation is the heart of the doctrine of the Perseverance of the saints. If there’s even one thing that we must do at any point to earn or keep our salvation, it ceases to be a gift and becomes an earned wage or reward. “Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt” (Rom 4:4). If it is possible to keep ourselves in the faith by our power, by doing good works, then we can boast about ‘making heaven’. We can say: “Look what I’ve done! I’ve kept myself saved.” But if our persevering in the faith is by God’s grace and power alone, from start to finish, we only have Christ to boast, as it should be. “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Cor 1:31). The strength and faith to persevere to the end is not the means to enter heaven. It is the proof of God’s grace working in us, as we go to heaven, and it is for His glory alone!

Jesus Christ died on the Cross to save us. Now, in heaven, the Resurrected Christ is our eternal High Priest. His eternal intercession keeps us in the faith, helps us to persevere to the end. “But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb 7:24, 25). Our salvation is ‘to the uttermost’, which means eternally. In His high priestly prayer, Jesus prayed to the Father: “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them” (Jn 17:24-26). Jesus asks the Father that all His sheep, the true believers, should be with Him in heaven, to behold His glory and to experience the Agape Love the Father gave Him. The Father can never refuse any prayer of Jesus. Amen!

“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). In Greek, the word ‘separate’ is the same as divorce. Our Lord said about marriage: “6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matt 19:6). In other words, Christ will never divorce His Bride. That means you! Nothing can separate us from the eternal love of God in Christ Jesus!

BACKSLIDING

Backsliding is a fact. It happens when a child of God disobeys God’s Word and sins. He leaves the safe way of Grace and now tries to live by his power, by obeying the law. These are some facts about backsliders:

*All legalistic born-again Christians are backsliders. Many of those who are weak in the faith are actually backsliders.

*Every backslider is deceived about sin. The devil can only succeed thru deception. Be warned about religious deception!

*Every backslider is confused. When committing sin, he is happy and unhappy at the same time. A backslider may deceive himself by loving the world, but he cannot overcome the constant longing to go back to God, to the Bible, and to the church. That is why he is sad.

*A backslider can’t lose his salvation. Even when committing sin, he remains God’s child. When he dies, he goes to heaven. But he loses peace of mind, the joy of his salvation, the benefits of going to church, opportunities to do ministry and rewards on earth and heaven.

*Every backslider will eventually repent and come back to God, even if it is on his dying bed. If a backslider dies in open sin, totally rejecting Christ, even when face to face with death, it means he was never saved. He is not a backslider. He lived and died as a sinner.

In case you are worried… These are some signs that you are saved: you have a growing desire to read the Bible, to pray, have fellowship with other Christians. You hate sin and you do warfare against the devil. No Christian is perfect, but these fruits of the Holy Spirit prove that you are truly saved. “The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above” (PV14:14).

These are some examples of backsliders in the Bible. King David fell into serious sin. He committed adultery and murder. But the Holy Spirit convicted him of sin. He genuinely repented and came back to God. He could not stop the consequences of his sin, but his soul was saved with spiritual fruits to prove it. Prophet Jonah ran away from God. But God chased him until he repented and went back to God and to ministry. In the belly of the whale Jonah said: “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple. 8 “Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:7-9). In the New Testament, there is the story of the prodigal son. For the pleasures of sin, he left his father’s house and love. He suffered. He repented and came back to the Father (Lk 15:11-32). Apostle Peter rejected Christ, swearing that he never knew Him. This was a public betrayal of Jesus. When he was being warned of this eventuality, Peter said it would never happen. Jesus said, “Simon, Simon, Satan would have you and sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you, so that when you turn, strengthen the brothers” (Lk 22:31-32). Peter fell badly, but he returned. He was restored. His fall was for a season. Lesson: true Christians can have serious falls but never totally and finally fall from grace.

OUR TESTIMONY

As for us, we believe Calvin’s doctrines of Grace because they are more in line with the truth of the scriptures. We do not follow men blindly. Calvin’s doctrines are not some additions to the Gospel. They stand as pillars of revelation concerning our sure salvation. But we are not ‘Calvinists’. We are ‘Christians’. It is also important to say that you don’t need to know all the doctrines to be saved and go to heaven. But these doctrines help you to better understand God’s plan and purpose for your life, and to have greater understanding concerning your identity in Christ! By the Grace of God, convinced by the Word of God and the witness of the Holy Spirit, we believe that a Child of God is eternally saved and cannot lose his salvation. A Christian can commit sin, but he cannot become a sinner again. True change in conversion is too radical to be undone. Our confession, our faith, is not a matter or religious arguments. It is based on the personal revelation of God’s Word by the Holy Spirit. Truth may be hated but truth always wins! If you have questions, then humble yourself. Be encouraged as you study God’s Word for yourself! May God open the eyes of your understanding to see the truth and to be set free from religious constricting man-made doctrines! I declare that it is well with your soul! Worship the Lord!

A FINAL WARNING…

Dear Child of God, the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints should not make you careless with your soul. You need to pay the price for spiritual maturity. You need to study God’s Word, fast, pray, and attend a local church to have fellowship with the brethren. The devil is real, and he is your enemy. He cannot drag you to hell, but he will try to spoil your testimony as a servant of God. Now, this is a word of encouragement for the children of God who still struggle with doubts concerning their eternal salvation. As you can see, no man can convince you. Only God can give you peace of mind about your eternal salvation. Study God’s Word and pray for personal revelation. Think of this: For a child of God to lose his salvation and go to hell, God must deny His Word. God must do the following: He changes His eternal will, plan, and purpose for you! He stops loving you. His Grace will not be sufficient for your salvation. God has to say: “I am taking the imputed righteousness of My Son from you, and I give you back your sins!” This is the truth: If the life of Jesus is in you, you are married to Christ. What God has joined together let not man separate. For you to lose your salvation, the Father must separate you from Christ. He must remove the seal and the guarantee of the Holy Spirit given to you! He needs to break His promises to you. The Father will not do that! Perseverance does not mean I will not fall into sin. I fall and rise again! For you to lose your salvation Jesus must stop praying for you or the Father decides not to answer the prayers of Jesus. Both these two possibilities can never happen! Is this perseverance not the most wonderful, good news? Do you need more persuasion? Then pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit of hope! “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion, and power, Both now and forever. Amen!” (Jude 1:24,25). Worship the Lord!

THE SURGERY OF LOVE

Apr21 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (31)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (13)/ THE SURGERY OF LOVE

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. 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 humanity. “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. “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! God the Father gave us His only begotten Son, to save us! God the Son gave up His Life 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.

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 TO DAMAGE YOUR GOOD TESTIMONY

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

6-DO NOT LET YOUR GOOD BE SPOKEN OF AS EVIL

7-DO NOT LET BITTERNESS GROW IN YOU

8-LOVE CONTROLS AND LEADS KNOWLEDGE (THE SPIRIT LEADS THE SOUL)

NEVER BE A STUMBLING-BLOCK TO ANYONE

In Greek, the word ‘stumbling-block’ is ‘skandalon’. It means an offence, a hidden snare, a trap-stick to catch animals in the bush. The animal is unaware of the trap because it is covered with leaves and grass. There is a bait hanging there. The animal makes one step towards the bait and touches a stick that moves the trap. The animal is caught alive in the snare. Except a man comes to free it, the animal will be killed and eaten by the hunter. Spiritually, by falling into such a snare, the weak in the faith goes astray or backslides. This Greek word is the origin of the English word ‘scandal’. The word ‘stumbling-block’ has two meanings: the first, is an obstacle on the way, like a tree that fell on the road, and blocking it. The second meaning is deception that leads you away from the road of faithfulness and truth. Both these meanings manifest as ‘verbal traps’ to lure someone in an argument that will end in defeat and destruction. For example, a Lawyer starts an argument with an illiterate man. The lawyer is setting a trap, building a stronghold in the man’s path. The lawyer has no love for the man! Another example of evil is when a pastor starts an argument with a baby Christian. He wins it! Selah!!!

Stumbling blocks always delay the progress of a believer. The strong in the faith is warned not to use his freedom in becoming a wicked hindrance towards the weak. Knowing that we shall all be judged by Christ, we should be careful that we do not offend others with our words and deeds. Do not discourage, intimidate, or manipulate the weak to act in doubt, fear, or against his conscience. Lesson: Do not think only of yourself. Think of others and the effect your words and deeds have on them. As they say, ‘no man is an island’. No man lives or dies to himself. We are all God’s property, and He will judge all we say and do! Selah!

LOVE CONTROLS AND LEADS KNOWLEDGE (THE SPIRIT LEADS THE SOUL)

“Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him. 4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. 7 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse. 9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (1 Cor 8:1-13).

In this letter, Apostle Paul discusses the different reactions of the Christians to eating or not eating food dedicated to idols. The first thing we learn is that food does not have a spiritual significance. To eat or not to eat is a matter of choice and of obeying your conscience. The strong in the faith have no problem with eating meat that may have been dedicated to idols. But the baby Christians, or the weak in the faith feel guilty when they eat it, when they imitate the spiritually strong and eat it, or when they are forced to eat it. In all these instances their consciences can be wounded, and the fellowship can be hurt. People with wounded spirits tend to withdraw and division manifests in the fellowship. Apostle Paul makes a point that we should pay the price to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the church. He also says that the motive of Love is greater than the motive of knowledge. The ‘heart’ is to lead ‘the mind’. In other words, the spirit should control the soul. Knowledge of the Bible is wonderful, but it tends to make us proud. Is it not true that when you listen to a Christian, or to a pastor, who does not know the doctrines of salvation as you do, you tend to criticize him in your mind. You feel proud of your knowledge. But Love is safer. Love does not become proud. Love is a builder and a helper. Love is humble and stronger than knowledge. Love leads!

Apostle Paul says: “Knowledge [alone] makes [people self-righteously] arrogant, but love [that unselfishly seeks the best for others] builds up and encourages others to grow [in wisdom]” (1Cor 8:1; AMP). He separates knowledge (theory) from the divine wisdom of Love that knows how to apply the knowledge. Knowledge alone without love for God and man is like a big balloon. It is impressive but it can explode anytime. There are many very intelligent people who cannot love anybody. They are geniuses in their field but bankrupt as husbands and fathers. Love keeps us humble and fruitful. The conscience warns us when we build empty balloons of pride and encourages us to love others and help them along the way. Lovers lead thinkers!

Concerning eating food dedicated to idols, Apostle Paul addresses especially the believers who are strong in the faith. They know God’s Word. They know their identity in Christ. They know that idols are nothing and all food is clean. They walk in strength, faith, and freedom. They are free from fear or doubts. Their consciences are free from condemnation or guilt. But there remains a danger: they may not walk in love. Lesson: It is easy to ignore love when your knowledge and faith are strong! You must be sensitive to the signals of both love and faith. Listen to both your mind and your heart! Faith connects with God. Love connects to both God and people. You may love God, but you may not love your neighbor as you love yourself. Be careful in your relationship with people, especially with the weak in the faith, who generally are the difficult brethren. Love for people should not be sacrificed on the altar of faith, knowledge, and success in life.

For better or for worse, our words, attitude, and actions, influence others. You are not free to say or do just anything you want to do. That is not freedom. It is called License, and it is sin. The word ‘License’ comes from a Latin word meaning ‘freedom to act’. It means a formal permission to act given by a legal authority. For example, you need a driving license to drive a car on the road. Bars need a license to serve alcohol. Doctors need a medical license to practice medicine. Licentious behavior is sin. It means excessive freedom, abusive disregard for rules of personal conduct. It includes sexual sins. Both freedom and license express themselves as personal powers. They seem alike but there is great difference between them. Freedom means the power to do what is right, within the boundaries and responsibilities of Love. License is the power to do what you want, ignoring the boundaries, and responsibilities of Love. Freedom builds character and loving relationships. License is totally selfish and destroys communities, families, and churches. True freedom is always connected with love for others. You don’t want to say or do something that becomes a stumbling block for others, to make them fall or backslide. Careless words and actions cause hurt and confusion in relationships and in the church.

By insisting on his freedom of action, the spiritually strong can wound the conscience of the weak. In Latin the word ‘conscience’ is made of two words: con (means together with) and science. In other words, conscience means ‘to know something together with God’. The conscience is a major component of the human spirit enabling us to know the difference between right and wrong, between God’s voice and the devil’s voice. An active healthy conscience influences the will. These are the three basic functions of the conscience:

*Telling us what to do at this present moment.

*Making us feel good (happy) when we do right.

*Making us feel guilty (anxious) when we do wrong.

*The Conscience separates truth (true doctrines) from lies (false doctrines).

*The Conscience convicts of religious sin and hypocrisy when you do not practically apply the truth that you know.

The strong in the faith know the truth: the so-called gods are fake. ‘The idol is nothing in the world and there is no other God but One’. For the Christians, there is only One God. He is the only Trinty God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus made all things, and we live in Him. The believers in Christ are free to eat meat offered to idols because the idols are nothing. They can’t influence the meat. But the weak in the faith are afraid to eat such meat. Their conscience is weak and defiled. They still live in a form of bondage concerning the things connected with idol worshipping. They are afraid that eating meat offered to idols may affect their health.

The spiritually mature have a good conscience, clean, free of offence or guilt. Apostle Paul said: “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day… This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men” (Ac 23:1; 24:16). This should be our desire too! A good conscience is sensitive to truth and free to speak. It has perfect peace and confidence as a Christian. It is free from guilt, shame, anxiety, or inferiority complexes.

A guilty conscience manifests as fear, anxiety, depression, misdirected anger, suspicion, withdrawal, lack of appetite, sleep disturbance, bitterness, loneliness, or busyness. When the flesh is active, the conscience is suppressed and damaged. When the Holy Spirit fills the believer it produces spiritual fruits like Love, Joy, and Peace. These fruits set him free from any law against him (Gal 5:19-23). That is why the conscience is free, healthy, active, strong and at peace with God and self. These spiritual fruits are the only perfect protection against guilt, doubts, and fears. A believer who is Spirit filled is the only person that you can safely trust with the needs of your soul. He is gentle and wise, loving and patient to pray for you and to counsel you rightly. Be careful when choosing a life partner, friends, mentors, and pastors. Anyone who walks in the flesh is dangerous to others and to himself. Selah!

Let us take the example of eating meat that may have been dedicated to idols. The Jews had strict ceremonial and dietary laws. All their food, especially the meat, needed to be approved by the priests that it was lawful. In every city, the Jews had their own butcher and their own markets. They never went to the common market to buy meat or vegetables. But the Gentiles did not have such laws. They could eat any meat, including pork, but some feared the meat coming from the temples. When the Jews or the Gentiles became saved, they still carried these fears in their minds. The decision to eat or not to eat was not based on God’s Word, but on their fears and doubts.

The only way for the weak in the faith to be free, is to teach them God’s Word. Truth sets free. Also, remember that the conscience can be trained. It gets stronger and purer by God’s Word and prayer. The truth is that you can influence your conscience, either for good or for bad. Alcohol, illegal drugs, can weaken the conscience allowing the man to make decisions that he will later regret. These drugs affect the emotions, the memory, the mind, the way reality is perceived. Alcohol, drugs, reduce the feeling of guilt produced by the conscience. The man is emboldened to continue in sin, taking God’s grace for granted. These addictions are dangerous not only on the body, but they affect the mind and the spirit. These are spiritual laws: Respect your conscience and the conscience of your neighbor. Always listen to your conscience and obey it. Never argue or disobey it! Never force or manipulate your neighbor to act against his conscience. That is a spiritual crime. Never tell him to imitate you when you see that he still has fears and doubts. Do not argue with him. Be patient, gentle, and wise with those who are weak in the faith. Do not insist on your opinions, especially concerning these matters of indifference.

THE SURGERY OF LOVE

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell” (Matt 5:27-30). These are the eternal words spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ. He proves that the religious Pharisees are wrong in their interpretation of God’s command: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exo 20:14). They try to obey the letter of the Law but ignore the Spirit of the Law. That attitude is always wrong. Our Lord explains the right way to obey God’s command.

These scriptures refer to the sin of adultery. But we can glean wisdom to apply in all situations because we are all born sinners. Adultery stands for fake sinful ‘love’. It is the enemy of Agape Love. The Pharisees knew the Ten Commandants. They studied God’s Laws in the Old Testament. They were religious people. They tried their best to live a good life. What was their problem? They did not know the doctrine of sin. They were ignorant of the power, and the deception of sin in their own hearts. They treated sin as being only a matter of external deeds. They did not know that sin is deeply rooted in man’s heart. A sickness may manifest in different ways, but the sickness is deeper than all the symptoms. You can give medicine to stop the symptoms, but the sickness remains, and the man is not yet cured. The saints of old used these words: ‘The sinfulness of sin’. This is to describe the depth of ugliness and danger of sin in man’s heart.

In Greek, the word sin is ‘harmatia’. It means ‘to miss the mark’, to make mistakes, to go astray. A good definition of sin is this: falling short of God’s glorious standard of holiness and being far away from His saving presence. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). To ‘fall short’ means to come too late, to be inferior in quality, to be unapproved by God. Sin separates man from God! “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear” (Is 59:2). God hates sin and always destroys it! These are some of the attributes of sin: Sin is Powerful! Sin is Deceptive! Sin can only be defeated and eradicated thru faith in the Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected. As a child of God, you must hate sin. “You who love the LORD, hate evil!” (Ps 97:10). If you do not understand the doctrine of sin, you will not understand the reason why Jesus came and died for sinners. Minimizing sin the way the Pharisees did, makes you an unbeliever or a traitor to Jesus. Be careful!

Jesus said that if your right eye or right hand leads you to sin, pluck it or cut it off. To protect love, Doctor Jesus recommends radical surgery. Why did He say that? It is a reminder that sin is merciless, and a deadly poison. It spreads until it kills its victim. For example, if a patient has a gangrene on his hand, the doctor may need to amputate the hand to save his life. During the time of Jesus, men thought that the right hand is more powerful than the left one. They also believed that the right eye sees better than the left eye. Now, both hands and both eyes are gifts from God. Therefore, Jesus says that if a good gift from God leads you into sin, then remove it. Anything that makes you go away from Jesus, from truth, from the way of salvation, destroy it. Your soul is more important than your body. Anything that has the power to destroy your soul or your conscience, look at it as an enemy and separate from it. That includes loving family and friends. “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Lk 14:26, 27). God has blessed us with families. We love our families. But the Agape Love for Jesus must be greater than the love for any man. The only way to fight for agape love is to bear your cross and follow Jesus. Refusing to die to sin and self, is the reason why Jesus cannot admit you into His school of the Spirit. He cannot teach you the truth. If you chose to keep your family, you will lose the Savior. Selah!

Jesus said that adultery is more than the physical sexual act. He said that adultery is connected with covetousness. The same God who said: you shall not commit adultery, also said that you should not covet your neighbor’s house and wife (Ex 20:14,17). Covetouness is defined as a strong desire to have the things that belong to another, especially wealth and pleasure. It is related to greed, jealousy, and sexual lust. The pharisees knew about the law against covetousness but they never applied it. Jesus exposes their shallow religion. They were proud that they did not commit adultery with their bodies, but their hearts were filled with wicked ugly imaginations. Apostle Paul said that he too did not know the power of the sin of Covetousness until the Holy Spirit exposed it to him thru God’s Law (Rom 7:7-12).

Jesus said that adultery, like bitterness, dwells in the heart. It is a secret sin. “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man” (Matt 15:19, 20). Sin resident in heart defiles a man. Sin makes him unloving, wicked, polluted, ugly, and dangerous. For example: people love to read on the internet about affairs, divorce, and other sexual stories. They love to gossip about famous people who live immoral lives. Why? It is because they love these stories. They find them entertaining. People hate some sins like murder, but they love sins like fornication. All sins are terrible. They kill and destroy. God hates all sin. We must hate them too. Selah!

God is Love and God is Jealous over His Love. This is His command: “you shall not worship any other god; for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous (impassioned) God [demanding what is rightfully and uniquely His]” (Ex 34:14; AMP). God is impassionate. This word means to be filled with very strong emotions, to be excited, passionate, and fiery. These emotions manifest thru words and actions. The opposite is to be indifferent, detached, cool. Many people tried to explain that God is not emotional with His creation. That He is not jealous. But we are told that His name if El Qanna, the Jealous God. Love is patient and tolerates many things but not idolatry. If God is indifferent to our worshipping idols, it means He does not care for us, He does not love us. But we are told that God loves us! That is why God is not cool when it comes to idols! Selah!

‘The Israelites are commanded to destroy every monument of idolatry, however curious or costly; to refuse all alliance, friendship, or marriage with idolaters, and all idolatrous feasts; they were reminded not to repeat the crime of making molten images. Jealously is called the rage of a man (Pr 6:34} but in God it is holy and just displeasure. Those cannot worship God aright, who do not worship him only’ (Matthew Henry commentary).

The only way to fight and defeat the power of sin is thru the greater power of Love. And that power comes only thru the Holy Spirit. You must be born again. You must confess your sins to God. Ask for mercy and forgiveness. God hears the prayer of a truly humble man who has faith in His Son. Salvation is by Grace alone, thru faith alone, in Christ alone. After salvation, the process of sanctification starts. By the power of the Holy Spirit, thru faith in God’s Word, fasting and prayer, you daily kill every sin in your heart. “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom 8:12,13). Flesh is where sin dwells. Do not even think about satisfying the sinful desires of the flesh. “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Rom 13:14). Do not supply the flesh with what she wants. You know your weaknesses.

For example, if you were involved in adultery, do not ‘witness’ to prostitutes. You must physically avoid some people and some places that are dangerous for your Christian life. Another example: You had a fleshly relationship with a boyfriend in the past. He has broken your heart. Since you became a Christian, you have made peace with him. He invites you to his wedding with another woman. It is better not to attend that wedding. It is hard not to remember the pain and not to judge him in your heart. God commands His children: “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2Cor 6:17). Love does not discriminate but love separates itself from sin.

This is an old story I read in a book. There was an African chief who was angry with one of his slaves. The slave stole some food. The chief ordered that the slave should be killed. An English missionary was told about the crisis. He ran to the chief and begged for mercy on behalf of the guilty slave. The chief refused to listen to his plea. Then the missionary offered money and gifts. The chief said that he can attack another tribe in the forest, kill the people, and take their money and gifts. He said that he wants to see ‘blood flowing’ before he can have peace. Then the chief ordered one of his guards to shoot an arrow in the slave’s heart. Suddenly, the missionary stretched his arm and covered the slave’s chest. The arrow entered his arm and blood gushed to the ground. The chief was satisfied. He then gave the slave to the missionary as a gift. The slave served his new master faithfully until he died. He became saved and went to heaven. Glory!

Do you want to go to heaven? Good! Think now like a heavenly citizen. You want to see God on His throne one day? Good! But to see God, your heart must be clean! “Blessed are the pure in heart. For they shall see God” (Matt 5:8). May we appreciate the grace of God more and more. Fight for your testimony. Be jealous over your name as a Christan, or as a pastor. Remember your soul. Do not sell your birthright for a plate of stew. Pay the price for spiritual maturity and Love. It is worth it! Worship the Lord!

ESAU I HAVE HATED

Apr14 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

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

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!

LOVE DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE

Apr7 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (29)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (11)/ LOVE DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE!

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!!!

“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” (Jn 15:3). Faith in God’s Word cleanses your soul! Selah!

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (Romans 14:1-23)

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 three laws of agape Love:

1-NEVER BE A STUMBLING BLOCK TO ANYONE

2-NEVER REJECT FOOD- ALL FOOD IS CLEAN AND GOOD

3-NEVER DISCRIMINATE PEOPLE

1- LAW OF LOVE- NEVER BE A STMUMBLING BLOCK TO ANYONE

2. LAW OF LOVE – NEVER REJECT FOOD -ALL FOOD IS CLEAN AND GOOD

“I know and am convinced [as one] in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean [ritually defiled, and unholy] in itself; but [nonetheless] it is unclean to anyone who thinks it is unclean” (Rom 14:14; AMP).

In the Old Testament, God told Moses that some animals are unholy or unclean. God forbade His people to eat them. These ceremonial Laws were given to the Jews, to keep them separated from the rest of the world. Since Abraham, the Jews have experienced many trials and tragedies. It is a miracle that they survived as a people. Most of them kept these ceremonial laws as a form of national survival. The present state of Israel is truly a miracle. But, when Christ died on the Cross, the veil of separation between Jew and Gentile was removed. All nations are now invited to come to Christ. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor 5:17). In Greek, the word ‘new’ means unused, virgin. The Church, the Body of Christ, is the new, ‘spiritual Israel’. The old ceremonial laws are no longer necessary to keep the Christians separate from other nations and cultures. If the nation of Israel is a miracle, then the birth and power of the Church is even a greater miracle! Glory to God!

This is Paul’s revelation and doctrine: ‘nothing is unclean of itself’. The word ‘unclean’ means something common that is shared by all, profane, unholy, irreligious, showing no respect for God. Here, it refers to food, but it is a general the principle. In other words, to God, all things are clean. To be ‘unclean’ does not mean that the food is dirty or contaminated with microbes. This is a spiritual matter. The best example of an unclean animal is the pig (the swine). “The swine… is unclean to you. 8 Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. They are unclean to you” (Lev 11:7, 8). Another prohibition is against eating fish without scales (like the catfish). “Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales—that shall be an abomination to you” (Lev 11:12). For thousands of years, both Judaism and Islam prohibit eating pork. The refusal to eat pork possesses powerful cultural baggage for Jews. Israel has legislated two related laws: the Pork Law in 1962, that bans the rearing and slaughter of pigs across the country, and the Meat Law of 1994, prohibiting all imports of nonkosher meats into Israel. Few Israeli pork-eaters certainly exist but the force of the taboo still remains powerful.

Jesus did not only die for our sins. He died to free men from ceremonial laws. The Law was a teacher, a tutor. The Law had no mercy. The function of the Law was not to save us, but to bring to faith in Christ. “But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (Gal 3:12-25). “For Christ is the end of the law [it leads to Him and its purpose is fulfilled in Him], for [granting] righteousness to everyone who believes [in Him as Savior]” (Rom 10:4; AMP). Therefore, the Christians are free from ceremonial laws. The Christian can eat everything, including pork meat and fish without scales. This is freedom indeed! But the moral Law found in the Ten Commandments still stands. Jesus said: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matt 5:17). To fulfill the Law, it means to obey it totally. Jesus did that on our behalf!

God is totally holy. “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You cannot look favorably on wickedness” (Hab 1:13; AMP). In Christ, all things are made ‘new’. For the Christians, the law prohibiting eating pork meat is cancelled. In His sovereign will God declared the pig to be an unholy animal. God has the right to do so because He created all the animals. In the Garden of Eden, God set boundaries and told Adam not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. There was nothing wrong with the tree or its fruit, but breaking God’s command is punished by death. The same God that in the past said that His people should not eat pork, He now says that we are free to eat it. It means that there is nothing bad about the pig itself but in His sovereign will, God separated this animal to be in the group called ‘unholy’. This law applied to the Jews in particular. The Jews who became saved were still afraid to eat pork meat. That is why, for a long time, they were weak in the faith. They needed to see for themselves the liberty we have in Christ. Paul says that none should force them to eat pork meat until they are convinced in their conscience that they are now free from that ceremonial law.

LESSONS ABOUT FOOD

To God, all food is clean. To believers, all food must be seen as clean. No food should be rejected for spiritual reasons. “To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled” (Tit 1:15). Unbelievers are slaves to sin. Their consciences are defiled. Their thoughts, imaginations, plans for the future, choices, all these are corrupted and unclean. Unbelievers are filled with guilt, fear, shame, and doubts. Even if they eat the best diet, they still feel anxious. Faith in Jesus is the only ‘soap’ that cleanses the soul. The problem is not with the food. The problem is with us. There is no food that is unclean, clean, holier, or better than another. Any food a Christian wants to eat, he prays over it, and it is good to him. He should not feel guilty about eating it. “If one of the unbelievers invites you [to a meal at his home] and you want to go, eat whatever is served to you without asking questions [about its source] for the sake of your conscience” (1Cor 10:27; AMP). Food should not bring you into bondage.

But all Christians are not the same. Some are strong and others are weak in the faith. That is why they see food differently. Eating different types of food is a matter of indifference. We must all agree about the vital doctrines of salvation. There is no argument about that. But we can lovingly disagree about these matters of indifference. For example, some Christians drink alcohol or smoke cigars. If after you read the Bible and you pray, you still choose to drink alcohol, then good for you. I will not judge you. I will not say that because of drinking wine, you will go to hell. But if you choose to stop drinking alcohol, better for you. Thank God! But be careful here! The motive for stopping alcohol is also important. It is wrong to say that you have a new revelation, that wine is an unclean evil thing. That is an error. Alcohol is made from fruits that God has created. Or, if you stop smoking cigars, do not say that you did because the cigar is evil. God made the leaves of tabaco that contain nicotine. Don’t call alcohol or cigars spiritually unclean, cursed, evil, or poisoned by a witch. The truth is that no witch can change the quality of food or of any other item. If you believe that a witch can poison you spiritually thru food, that becomes a stronghold to you. It will hinder your spiritual progress. It means that you believe a lie and you submit to the authority of the witch. That decision brings you into bondage and does more damage to you than eating the food itself. What is then the right thing to say? The correct thing to say is that you stopped drinking alcohol or smoking cigars because God’s Word convicted you of sin. You want to avoid being a stumbling-block to those who are weak in the faith, and you want to show them love. You also can say that you stopped drinking and smoking for health reasons and to give glory to God. Motives matter to God! Selah!

THE BODY AND SEX ARE CLEAN

“The Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4.For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (1Tim 4:1-5).

This is a great principle: Nothing is unclean in itself!!! Everything in this world is made by God, therefore it is clean! “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good…” (Gen 1:31). This principle applies not only to food. It applies to all things. For example, God made the human body, and it was spiritually clean. Sin has done damage to the human body, but its reflexes and its desires are clean. For example, the appetite for food, the thirst for water, the desire for marriage and sex, these are part of the workings of the human body. God, and not the devil, placed them there. Some Christians regard all sexual activities as dirty, unclean, or sinful. That is why some Christians refuse to marry so that they will avoid sex. The Roman Catholic Church and other denominations, still think that living celibate is a higher form of sanctification. That is an error. It is a demonic deceiving doctrine claiming that the body is evil. God created sex. Now, the same God who created the body placed boundaries where sex should be practiced. According to God’s Law, sex is a gift given only to the married couples. Outside marriage, sex is sinful. Homosexual relationships are sinful. But sex on its own, is not sinful. The Christian husband and his wife do not need to feel ashamed about having sex. They should practice and enjoy sex, which is a unique expression of love to one another. In marriage, sex is clean. It is God’s gift to the couple. Give thanks to God for the gift of sex in your marriage! Amen!

PETER SEES HOW ALL ANIMALS ARE MADE CLEAN BY CHRIST (Ac 10:9-15)

Apostle Peter was told by the resurrected Christ to go to the house of Cornelius and preach the Gospel to him. At that time, no Jew could enter in the house of a Gentile. He sees all Gentiles as ‘unclean’. Peter was saved but he was still bound by Jewish laws. That is why he refused to obey Christ’ command. Peter saw a vision where unclean animals, according to the Old Testament, are all made clean by Christ. This vision changed Peter’s understanding of the Gospel forever. He now believed that Jesus Christ is Lord over all people. When Peter addressed Cornelius, he said to him: “You know that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with or befriend a Gentile, or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I am not to call anyone common or [ceremonially] unclean” (Ac10:28; AMP). Therefore, in Christ, the Blood of Jesus makes all believers spiritually clean. This is how Peter became known as the Apostle to the Gentiles. Peter understood that it was Christ who cleansed Cornelius by giving him faith in Him. Cornelius was very religious. But he became saved only after he believed the Gospel preached by Peter. He then got filled with the Holy Spirit. Lesson: being religious is not enough to go to heaven. God moves mountains and changes people, just to bring the Gospel to those who are the elect. This is Love! There are two types of ‘soaps’ that can cleanse the soul from sin: Faith in Christ and Love for Christ. These can be found only in God’s Word. Agape Love and Faith in Jesus purifies! Lesson: If God has commanded you to do a thing, do it! it cannot be wrong. It must be right! Fear not! Glory!

3. THE LAW OF LOVE – NEVER DISCRIMINATE PEOPLE

“The LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe” (Deu10:17). “God shows no partiality [no arbitrary favoritism; with Him one person is not more important than another]” (Ro2:11;AMP).

Peter said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Ac 10:34,35). God told Samuel: “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1Sam 16:7).

“So, they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor. 21 Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth” (Lk 20:20,21). Even the enemies agreed that Jesus doesn’t discriminate.

DISCRIMINATION IS SEEING SOME PEOPLE AS UNCLEAN

Discrimination is a difficult topic to discuss. Discrimination is an unfair, unequal treatment, or an action that treats a person or a group of people badly for reasons such as their race, nationality, tribe, religion, color of skin, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Discrimination manifests as behavior. It is different from racism for example, which is a matter of the heart. Discrimination affects social benefits, education, housing, employment, the mental health, and general happiness of the victims. In a recent survey in the US, one third of the African Americans and 20% of Asians and Hispanics, said they have been discriminated because of their race, when looking for a job, waiting for promotion, or finding accommodation. There are laws against discrimination but often, the people break the laws.

These are some forms of discrimination:

*Nationality, tribalism – discriminated because of country, or tribe of their origin. They are mocked for their accent or form of dressing.

*Religious discrimination manifests as being treated unfairly because of religion. For example, some companies refuse to give time off on Fridays to Muslims or force Christians to work of Sundays. The unbelievers generally mock those who are religious.

*Age discrimination against old or young people. Some say that older people are getting weak and cannot do the job well. They tend to be proud and stubborn and don’t want to learn new skills at their jobs. Younger people are not taken seriously. They are paid less than others and are easily fired. This form of discrimination affects promotion and happiness at the working place.

*Pregnant women are also discriminated. Many companies refuse to hire them. Pregnant women or mothers of young children need more time to take care of their families. Many organizations see young women as liabilities. They are easily fired once they get pregnant.

*Status as a parent. Single mothers (or fathers) are not promoted. Childless workers are expected to work longer hours.

*Disability discrimination: people who are chronically sick (diabetes, cancer, epilepsy etc), blind, deaf, and dumb, or using a wheelchair are rejected when looking for a job or when looking for an accommodation. These are seen as liabilities that hinder the progress.

*Sexual harassment – generally, a male boss harasses a female worker with words, touches, or written notes. He promises to raise the salary, rewards, or promotion for sexual favors. This type of discrimination makes it difficult and uncomfortable to work there.

What do you do? If you discriminate, repent and change! If you are the victim, pray for wisdom and favor. Ask for help from others.

THE ROYAL LAW OF LOVE – NO DISCRIMINATION! (James 2:1-10)

This is a simple story. Two men enter the church. One is dressed in expensive clothes. The other one is dressed in rags. The church is full. There is only one empty chair. The ushers tell the rich man to sit on the chair and the poor man to stand or sit on the floor. This is called Discrimination or Favoritism. Lesson: As Christians we remember that God created all men, the rich and the poor. Salvation is by God’s Grace and thru faith in Jesus. The ground at the foot of the Cross is the same for all. To show favoritism it means that you deny the Gospel you preach. Favoritism is purely the way of the world. The world insults and discriminates the poor and the needy. True Christianity helps the poor and the needy. The worldly attitude should never enter the church of Christ.

The sin of favoritism is one of the most subtle sins. If you are not a victim, it is difficult to detect it. James does not tell us to discriminate against the rich. What he says is that all people should be honored and treated with respect. The rich should not be treated in a special way just because they have money. In God’s Kingdom fine clothes, gold rings and ‘fat’ bank accounts have no value. Jesus said that we should not be worried about food or clothes. Don’t be over-impressed with expensive clothes. Don’t worship those who have them. Showing favoritism is sin and sin leads to death. “if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” Discrimination kills relationships. It leads to loneliness and depression. Love is the Key to overcome this sin. Loving with Christ’ love means looking at others eye to eye. You do not look down on them and you do not look up to them, to worship them. To keep this horizontal gaze of love towards all men is a great achievement for a Christian and a sign of perfect love that drives away all fears.

Discriminating the poor can manifest in indirect subtle ways: The religiously loud, the jokers, are respected. The shy, the quiet, the dull, are discriminated against. The well-educated are respected. Those who are mentally slow, less educated, or the stammerers, are discriminated against. The tall, fashionable, and beautiful are respected. The short, bald, fat, or the elderly, are discriminated against. Remember that the church is a family and not a club. The members of a family do not envy or discriminate one another but give proper respect and help to all. There is a great temptation to honor the rich because we expect some favor or money in return. James does not say that all poor people go to heaven and all rich people go to hell. He says that in general, the poor are more humble, and grace is given to them to be saved. He says that the rich may become proud and want you to worship them, but they will later forget you. Discrimination is harmful because it divides the church. The root of discrimination comes from a wrong concept of identity. People identify with a certain group and fight against anyone who is different than they. These are some reasons why we discriminate others: Inferiority complexes, ignorance of God’s will and weakness to stand for the truth.

In the Old Testament, God commanded His people to judge all cases fairly and in the fear of God. “You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor” (Lev 19:15). Jesus said: “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mk 12:29-31). God discriminate among men but not in a sinful way. God choses some men to save them but not based on their appearance or wealth. Abraham, Joseph, Job, Joseph of Arimathea were all rich, both spiritually and physically. Most Christians are not rich. They are poor or of average wealth. People are not saved because they are poor or are lost because they are rich.

DISCRIMINATION IN NIGERIA

In Nigeria, there is discrimination against non-indigenes, foreigners, the poor, the albinos, those who have kyphosis (hunchback) or the mentally ill. People are discriminated based on their tribes or religion. Some tribes punish or kill those who claim to be witches. The families of these ‘witches’ suffer social stigma. There are cases of rape against women who have mental illness. Some look down on people with disabilities thinking that they are sub-human and can be used as sacrifice for rituals, in order to bring wealth or good fortune.

In the Igbo culture the women are seen as inferior to men. Because the bride price is high the husband becomes oppressive and violent against his wife, considering her as his property. Even the Law is on the side of the husbands and permits domestic violence. Section 55 (1) of the Nigerian Penal Code, permits wife chastisement as long as it does not cause grievous bodily harm. In the Igbo culture, the widows suffer socially, physically, and emotionally. They are seen as the chief suspects in the death of their husbands. They have to shave their hair, sit on the floor, and weep loudly at intervals. They are not allowed to leave the house to do business or to take care of their children. Some are forced to drink the water used to bath the corpse of their deceased husbands. Others have to pass thru some fetish rituals to prove that they were not involved in the death of their husbands. All these traumatic rituals apply only to the women. The widowers do not have to pass thru such awful things. Some widows are forced to marry the brother of the late husband. This gives the impression that a wife is like property, a part of the inheritance in a family. When a man dies, his house and landed property cannot be inherited by the wife. It is only the children that can inherit those. The widow can live in the house with the permission of her in-laws but that is subject to good behavior. Boys are valued much higher than girls. They are trained to take over the family business. Until recently, the girls were not allowed to go to school. Their place was in the kitchen. The practice called Female Genital Mutilation is practiced in every state in Nigeria. It is a violent damage caused to the female outer sex organs. They claim that it reduces female promiscuity. This is a lie. It leads to infertility and emotional trauma. Many men are polygamous. Their wives suffer emotional and domestic abuse.

HIS BRANCHES RUN OVER THE WALL

“Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” (Jn 4:9).

The woman was surprised when Jesus asked for water from her. He was dressed as a Jew. The woman knew that the Jews have no dealings, nothing in common with the Samaritans. It is true that Jesus was tired and thirsty but even then, the woman was surprised at His request because the Jews do not even use the same cups the Samaritan use to drink water.

“Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough (vine) by a well; his branches run over the wall” (Gen 49:22).

The Jews discriminated the Gentiles. Jonah was ready to die than to preach to the Gentiles in the Nineveh. God told the Jews not to marry the Gentiles. But later the Jews married the Canaanites. They had to put them away.

Jesus is the fruitful vine by a well, whose branches run over the wall. When Jesus died, He abolished the wall of separation. Jesus goes over the wall to save you. After He saved you, He kicked the wall down! This is the new birth! Be born again!

FINALLY…

“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1Cor 1:26-29). Discrimination puts us in opposition to God! Real wealth is not in what we have but in who we are in Christ! If you love God, you will love all men, even the poor man who sits by you. In the local church, the royal law of love must apply. Who is my neighbor, some may ask? My neighbor is not just the one whose house is next to mine. He is the one who sits next to me in the church, the one the Holy Spirit brought to my attention. I cannot choose if my neighbor is poor or rich, educated or not, black, or white. Love does not discriminate. I must extend love to anyone that I classify as my neighbor. In the local church, we show respect to those who are in positions of leadership, or those who greatly contribute with time, effort, or wealth to God’s work. We honor the elderly. But there is no special treatment just because of wealth or social status. ‘He whose eye is filled with Christ does not see the type of coat a man puts on’ (C. Spurgeon). A local living Church should have all types of people, rich and poor, educated and those who are less educated. Let us not be known as dishonoring the poor. Worship the Lord!

CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED!

Mar31 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (28)/ CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED!

Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled ‘Christ is Risen indeed’. Her scriptures were taken from the book of John 20:1-19 and 1Corinthians 15:1-19.

INTRODUCTION

Today, together with the Christians all over the world, we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Most people call this day Easter. Christmas and Easter are the two main holy days Christians celebrate yearly. On Christmas we celebrate the birth of our Lord and at Easter we celebrate His resurrection from the dead. According to the Bible, Jesus was crucified and died on ‘Good Friday’. He was buried in a borrowed tomb. On the third day, which is Sunday, He rose from the dead and we celebrate His victory over sin and death.

Easter is considered the most important and joyful celebration in the Christian calendar. It is a time to reflect on the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice. The resurrection is a central doctrine of Christianity, emphasizing the hope and redemption offered through faith in Christ. The resurrection of Jesus has been called ‘The greatest event or miracle in human history’. Because of persecution, the Christians in the early church did not celebrate Easter. They continued to partake in the Holy Communion to identify with the death of Jesus Christ. The word ‘Easter’ does not appear in the Bible. It comes from an old German name given to ‘the goddess of springtime’, they believed to be in charge of the season of new beginnings. Initially, Easter was connected with this pagan festival. But from the second century AD, the Christians replaced this festival with the celebration of Christ’ Resurrection. Easter is usually celebrated on the first Sunday after the initial full moon (any Sunday between March 21st to April 25th).

The significance of Easter is Jesus Christ’s triumph over death. His resurrection means that eternal life is granted to all who believe in Him. The purpose of Easter also means the full confirmation of all that Jesus taught and preached during His three-year ministry. If Jesus had simply died and not been resurrected, He would have been just another teacher or prophet. However, His resurrection rebuked all that and provided final proof that He was the Son of God and that He had overcome death once and for all. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith, signifying the fulfillment of God’s plan for redemption and offering believers the promise of eternal life. Easter is a day of great joy and hope, as Christians celebrate the victory of light over darkness, life over death, and the triumph of God’s love for humanity. It is a reminder of the power of faith and the message of hope that resonates throughout the ages.

The power of resurrection manifested even in the Old Testament. These are instances when a dead man came to life again. These are symbols of the Resurrection of our Lord. *Resurrection of the widow’s son in Zarephath thru Elijah’s prayer (1Kg 17:17–24) *Resurrection of the Shunammite’s son thru Elisha’s prayer (2Kg 4:17–37) *Resurrection of the dead man thrown into Elisha’s grave (2Kg 13:20, 21).

THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT (Matt 28:1-20; Mk 16:1-18; Lk 24:1-49; Jn 20:1-29).

According to the New Testament accounts, Easter Sunday began with the dawn of a new day, following the sorrowful crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday. As the sun rose, the women who had followed Jesus, including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, made their way to the tomb where the body of Jesus had been laid. Upon arrival, they discovered the stone rolled away from the entrance and the tomb was empty. This extraordinary discovery was accompanied by the appearance of angels who proclaimed the astounding news: “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said” (Matt 28:6). Overwhelmed with wonder, the women rushed to share the incredible news with the disciples. Meanwhile, Jesus himself appeared to Mary Magdalene near the tomb, and later to other followers, including two disciples on the road to Emmaus and to the gathered disciples in Jerusalem.

JESUS PROPHESIED HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION

For the sake of argument, let us assume that Jesus did not rise from the dead. What will that mean? Most men accept the idea that Jesus was a good and godly man, who helped the people. But if He did not rise from that grave, it means that He was a man like any men. And He died like any man dies. His great dreams to save sinners have died with Him. His greatest promises He gave to men are all connected with His resurrection. It means He cannot be our Savior. Lastly, if Jesus did not resurrect, it means that He was a liar, a deceiver. The following are three examples when Jesus referred to His death and resurrection, but the people did not understand His words.

When Jesus drove away the money changers in the Temple, the Jews confronted Him saying: “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?” 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body” (Jn 2:18-21). Jesus was telling them about His death and resurrection, but they did not understand. They thought He was speaking about the Temple built by Herod in Jerusalem. If Jesus did not resurrect, then all these words are lies. But His words are true. Jesus indeed died and rose from the grave, as He said it!

Later, the Jews asked Jesus for a sign to prove His authority. “He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt 12:39, 40). Jesus refers to the story of Jonah who was in the stomach of the whale for three days until he repented. Then God commanded the whale to vomit Jonah on dry land, to preach God’s Word to the sinners in Nineveh. Jesus says that He will be in the heart of the earth, dead and buried in a tomb. After three days, the tomb will ‘vomit’ Him out to preach God’s Word. He clearly describes His death and His resurrection.

Jesus said that He is the good Shepherd who is ready to die to protect and save the sheep. He said: “Therefore, My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father” (Jn10:17,18). He claims that He has the power to die and to resurrect from the dead. These promises make no sense if Jesus did not resurrect from the dead. It means that the wolf (the devil) will kill all the sheep and there is no hope for any sinner on earth. But indeed, Christ lived, died, and resurrected to become the first fruit of life from the dead. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith, and our Great High Priest in heaven who intercedes for us even right now.

WHAT IF JESUS CHRIST DID NOT RESURRECT? (1 Cor 15:1-19)

To know the value of an event, sometimes you need to study the opposite. Apostle Paul was a wise teacher. To help us understand the purpose and the value of Christ’ resurrection, he takes us on a journey, to imagine what could have happened if Christ did not raise from the dead. Simply said, this is the Gospel: Jesus died and rose again for me. The Resurrection of our Lord is vital in the preaching of the Gospel. During the early church (and even today), some people were saying that Jesus did not resurrect. Apostle Paul declares that on the third day after the Cross, Jesus indeed rose from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus was an event that really happened. He is telling us that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, three basic elements of Christianity cannot exist: The preaching of God’s Word, saving Faith, and the Testimony of believers. When Paul wrote these words, it was just a generation after the Cross and the Resurrection. We live more than two thousand years since then. We have even more confidence to declare that the Resurrection of Jesus was a real event because Preaching, Faith in Jesus and the Testimony of the believers have not only survived all persecutions and the passing of time, but the Church is getting stronger all over the world.

1-PREACHING- If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty. In Greek, the word ‘empty’ means useless, without foundation, in vain, worthless, void, or having no meaning. But after two thousand years, we witness that the preaching of God’s Word is still powerful to change lives, and to inject faith in men’s souls. The world mocks preachers and rejects their sermons. But the preaching still goes on. Preaching produces results. It is not useless. Eventually, some will believe the Gospel. The Holy Spirit touches those who have been predestined to be saved before the foundation of the world. The special grace of God helps them believe the Gospel so that they can be saved. “So, then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17). “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1Cor 1:21-25). “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2Tim 4:1,2). Therefore, we declare that because the Preaching of the Gospel did not stop in two thousand years, Jesus Christ has resurrected from the dead. Praise the Lord!

2-SAVING FAITH- If Christ is not risen, then our faith in God is also empty or futile. In Greek, the word futile means unreal, having no profit and no effect on anyone. If Christ is not risen, then our faith in Christ is just an imagination, or a man-made idol. It means that not only our faith is spiritually useless, but we are idolaters, worshiping a dead man who is still in the grave. That type of faith will make Jehovah God angry with us. If our faith is useless, it means that we are not saved, we are still living in sin, and we shall go to hell. It means that there is no resurrection for those Christians who are dead and buried. Without faith in Christ, there is no hope for glory, or for heaven. But in these past two thousand years, the Christians have proven that faith in Christ is as strong as life itself. In the early church, they were ready to die than to deny their faith in Christ. Saving faith believes in Resurrection and confesses it. Saving faith is also a proof that Jesus resurrected from the dead. “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9). By faith in Christ alone, sinners got saved having the fruits of the Spirit to prove their conversion. By faith in Christ alone, the sick got healed, and the oppressed got delivered. Faith removes mountains and obstacles in the path of progress as we run the race to the end. Nothing is impossible for those who believe in Jesus. Our faith is enough proof that Christ is risen from the dead. Praise the Lord!

3-THE BELIEVERS’ TESTIMONY – If Christ is not risen then we are of all men most pitiable. In Greek the word ‘pitiable’ means to be miserable, wretched, worse off than all men. Paul says that if the early Christians suffered so much persecution for nothing, being deceived that Christ will lead them to a heaven that does not exist, then they are the most foolish people in the world. They are to be pitied because they are men who choose to suffer in this life with no hope after the grave. But the truth is that the Christians are not miserable. We reject the pity of the world! If we suffer persecution, it is because the world persecuted our Lord too. We know that these present trials do not compare with the glory that will be revealed to us and in us. We are worshipers of Jesus, who died and rose again for us. We sing and dance for Jesus. In fact, the world, because it is sad and confused, is to be pitied, and not us. If you travel all over the world, there is no music as beautiful as the praise and worship coming out from churches. No symphony orchestra can compete with the music in the church. The Church’s gift to the world is the pure celestial music that touches and opens the hearts of men. The testimony of the millions of believers, overcoming obstacles, living this life by the power of the Holy Spirit, dying to sin, and becoming godly people, is true and none can deny. We are not pitiable. We are more than overcomers, thru faith in Jesus! Witnessing this rejoicing army of worshipers is enough proof to know that Christ is risen from the dead! Praise the Lord!

LESSONS AND APPLICATIONS

Let’s say that I am a lawyer in the court. You are the jury. Based on Biblical evidence alone I want to convince you that Christ rose from the dead. I will present four ‘exhibits’: The empty tomb, the clothes of Jesus left behind, Jesus appeared to people, and the total transformation of the disciples.

THE EMPTY TOMB

The women went early in the morning to finish preparing the body of Jesus, with spices, according to the Jewish method of honoring the dead. The first Christians had no problem in believing that the tomb was empty (Matt 28:1-8). They could see it for themselves. Later, false rumors were circulated that the tomb was not empty. Some said that the women went to a wrong tomb that was empty. But these women have seen where the body of Jesus was laid. Others said that Jesus did not die but fainted and later woke up and met the women. This is a lie. The Roman centurion testified that Jesus was dead after a solider punctured the chest of Jesus and water and blood poured out. The centurion could not have been deceived. Jesus could not have survived for three days and nights in a tomb, wounded and weak, with no water or food. He could not have pushed the stone. Impossible! Pilate sealed the tomb. Peter preached a sermon that Jesus died and rose from the dead. He could not have lied. Some said that the Jewish leaders stole the body of Jesus. Later, when they interrogated Peter, they could have brought the corpse to prove Peter wrong, that Jesus did not resurrect. But none could find any corpse. So, in the end, why is the empty tomb important? Its primary importance is that it points to the bodily resurrection of Jesus, that death could not hold him. And, secondarily, because Jesus has risen, we can look forward to our own resurrection as well. The empty tomb demonstrates that death is not the end of life’s journey. Because of Christ, in life and death, we have a living glorious hope!

THE FOLDED LINEN CLOTHES

“Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead” (Jn 20:6-9).

What convinced the disciples about the resurrection was not only the empty tomb but that the linen clothes that wrapped the body of Jesus were folded and left in the tomb. They saw the clothes and they believed. The Jews wrap the head of the corpse in a separate cloth. When Jesus resurrected the clothes were left exactly as they were, like an empty cocoon left behind by the butterfly. The folded clothes are another proof that the body could not have been stolen. Why will they steal the body and leave the clothes, folded like that?

THE APPEARANCES OF CHRIST

The resurrected Christ appeared about ten times to different people. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, to the disciples, to 500 people, and later, to apostle Paul. “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time” (1Cor 15:3-8). To dismiss all these testimonies is not easy for none of them was mentally sick.

THE TRASNFORMATION OF THE DISCIPLES

This is the best exhibit. The disciples were all mourning the death of their leader. They were all so depressed when Jesus died. After the resurrection they suddenly became joyful and started preaching the Gospel. See Peter on the Day of Pentecost, boldly preaching Jesus crucified and resurrected. Peter was a new man. He was a coward who denied Jesus just few days ago. Now, he is bold as a lion, ready to die for Jesus. The only explanation for this sudden dramatic change is that Peter saw the resurrected Christ with his own eyes. He was convinced beyond any shadow of doubt that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and the Lord of all. He said: “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it… 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses” (Ac 2:22-24, 32). Amen!

Another great example was Saul who became the great Apostle Paul. He persecuted the believers to death. On the road to Damascus, Paul saw not just a vision, but the resurrected Christ Himself. He became blinded and humbled. Christ restored his sight and used him as one of His greatest servants. Read the Book of Romans and see the great revelations Paul has received from Christ. Apostle Paul went on missionary trips, started churches, wrote ¾ of the New Testament letters and died a martyr’s death. No man can change so dramatically by himself. It was the resurrection power of Christ! The life of Apostle Paul is one of the greatest proofs of resurrection!

If you deny the Resurrection, Christianity makes no sense. Some say that the disciples invented the story of the resurrection. But that is not true. When Jesus was crucified, we are told that “all of His disciples abandoned Him and fled” (Mk 14:50; AMP). Judas betrayed Him and Peter denied Him. After Jesus died and was buried, all the disciples were mourning and were very sad. None remembered His promises about the resurrection. When Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, His disciples were all shocked. They did not believe her. No one was praying to see Him alive again. None believed in His resurrection. None had the power to invent such a story. This is another proof that the disciples did not invent the story of resurrection just to convince people that their leader is not a liar but true to His words.

If Jesus did not resurrect then the Church cannot exist. The truth is that Jesus died, was buried, rose from the dead and ascended to heaven. He promised to send the Holy Spirit who came on the day of Pentecost and Baptized all believers into one New Body called the Church, or the Body of Christ. The Church has survived many persecutions. Christ is the Head of the Church, its Builder, and Defender. Jesus promised that the Church will be indestructible. He said: “on this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it [by preventing the resurrection of the Christ]” (Matt 16:18; AMP). The Church is marching on, and no power of hell can stop its growth and progress. Most Christians acknowledge the Sabbath Day on Sundays, to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. Since Pentecost, millions of people have believed unto salvation, and have become members of the Body of Christ. The testimonies are too many to ignore. From one generation to another, thanksgiving rises to heaven, to the Lamb who died for the sins of men, and lives forever.

The high priest and the Pharisees warned Peter and the disciples not to preach again in the name of Jesus. But they could not stop the power of resurrection moving and building the Church. Before the religious council, Peter boldly spoke: “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him” (Ac 5:30-32). When Peter declared that “we are witnesses to these things” he did not just say that they have seen something. He was saying that the believers are the witnesses, the proofs, and credentials of Jesus on earth. For as long as you see the born-again Spirit filled Christians, you must accept that Jesus rose from the dead and He is working in them and thru them.

After Peter and John healed the lame man at the Beautiful gate, he said: “But you denied the Holy One and the Just and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all” (Ac 3:14-16). It is faith in the resurrected Christ that healed the lame man and heals us from all diseases. Without resurrection there is no salvation and no healing. Peter and John were arrested by the Jews because they preached the resurrection of Jesus as the basis of faith for salvation and healing (Ac 4:1-4). Here you see clearly that faith in the resurrected Christ divides the people. Some believe and are saved. Other reject it and are condemned. “And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:7-13). Peter’s faith in the Resurrection of Jesus made him supernaturally bold. The Jews tried but could not deny the healing miracle and could not stop the powerful anointing upon Peter. There is no other explanation why some people get saved, get healed, boldly preach the Gospel, and love Jesus today except for the fact that Jesus died and rose again for them. Glory!

Apostle Paul is before King Agrippa and witnesses to Him about Jesus. He tells the King that the Old Testament prophesied about the death and resurrection of the Messiah. “Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?” (Ac 26:8).

FROM LOVE TO FAITH (Jn 20:1-19)

The Resurrection of Jesus was not a dramatic event like His birth, announced with songs, trumpets, and angels. It was a quiet, family intimate event done in the presence and power of God the Father and God the Son. Human eyes were not allowed to see it. “Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father” (Rom 6:4). After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to different people. In the past, He was seen by crowds, both friends and enemies. But now, He always choses the people personally, the place and the timing of His appearances.

Mary Magdalene is a special person in the story. She was the first person to see the resurrected Christ. She found the empty tomb. She ran to tell the disciples. They did not believe her initially, but later, seeing the quiet evidence of the empty tomb and the folded clothes, they finally believed that Jesus resurrected bodily. Because she was the first to see Christ and told the disciples, Mary Magdalene is called ‘Apostolus Apostolarum’ (translated The Apostle to the Apostles). She loved Jesus more than the others. See how Love leads to Faith. When after seeing the empty tomb Peter and John went home, she lingered behind. She saw two angels in the grave. Jesus was crucified between two robbers. Now, two angels are sitting in the tomb were His body laid. Mary wept so much that when she saw Jesus, she thought He was the Gardner. She begged Him to let her carry the body of her Savior. To her, that is the last work of love and honor to her Lord. Then the ‘Gardner’ called her by name: Mary! The voice had the tenderness and the authority of resurrection. She then turned towards Him. She saw Jesus. This is the turning of Faith. From sight to faith. She called Him ‘Rabboni’, My teacher. She tried to cling to Him. She wanted to go back to the past, as Jesus was on the earth. But Jesus forbids her to cling to Him. He changes the clinging into ministry. He sends her to ‘His brethren’ to tell them the good news that He has conquered sin and death on their behalf. This is the first time that Jesus calls them ‘brethren’. The word ‘brethren’ comes with resurrection power. Halleluiah!

By His resurrection Jesus did not only break the grave, and death, but all earthly limitations, and weakness, on our behalf. May we never lose our wonder to worship Jesus Christ, who died and rose again for us! Worship the Lord!

FINALLY…

Finally, what is your verdict? You have heard the evidence. Did Jesus Christ rise from the death or not? If you are not saved, give your life to Jesus because you will meet Him one day, as the Lord of the Living and the Dead, and the Judge of all. If you are saved, then you are in Him. You are eternally safe. Rejoice! Christ’s sacrifice is all that we need to have eternal life. When Christ died, we died with Him. When Christ rose, we rose with Him, spiritually. One day, we shall rise from the graves. Our bodies shall be changed and become like His own. We shall be with Him, we shall be like Him, and we will worship Him forever. This is our hope of glory! Worship the Lord!

‘He arose, He arose,

Halleluiah, Christ arose!

He proved to be my victory!

There rose a Lamb in Jerusalem!’

(Kyla Rowland)

NO STRONGHOLDS (2)

Mar24 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (27)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (10)

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 natura 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 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. 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!!! “Love thinks no evil… Love never fails” (1 Cor 13:5, 8). The preaching of God’s Word brings love, healing, and deliverance. “He sent out His word, and it healed, and from their corruptions it freed!” (Ps 107:20; Fenton translation)

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (Romans 14:1-23)

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!

LAW OF LOVE- NEVER BE A STUMBLING BLOCK TO ANYONE

“Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!” (1 Cor 9:19-23; TM)

Another great principle is the Law of Love: I should never be a stumbling block for anyone, especially in my relationships with other Christians. Some Christians abstain from some types of food they consider unclean. Thru the study of God’s Word and prayer, the mature Christians have discovered the freedom given to them in Christ. For example, they do not need to fear eating pork or catfish. But the believer who is weak in the faith feels guilty about eating these forbidden food items. Paul says that the strong Christian should not force the weak to eat this food. The weak needs Bible teaching to educate his mind and conscience to experience deliverance. It is wrong for the strong Christian to totally ignore the fears or superstitions of the weak and to eat pork in his presence. We are told that because of your liberty, the weak may be ‘grieved’ (Rom 14:15). The word ‘grieved’ means to be offended, hurt, pained, or sad. Putting a stumbling block in the way of the weak believer, hurting him, and making him sad, especially concerning these matters of indifference (food, drinks, fashion style…) is wrong. It is always a sin against love. It damages the conscience of the weak believer and also your reputation. Your testimony as a Christian is ‘a good thing’ you possess. It takes many years to build it. “Therefore, do not let your good be spoken of as evil” (Rom 14:16). Freedom is good, but it should not be used to damage the faith of others. By exercising your freedom, you may hurt others who are weak in the faith, who misunderstand your choices. If freedom leads to pride and selfishness, then don’t insist on it. It is spiritual maturity to remain humble and loving and even to deny the rights to your personal freedom, all for the sake of Christ! Selah!

Let us make a practical application: You are invited to a poor family. You know that they cannot afford to buy meat. You have enough money to go to a restaurant and buy fried chicken or suya. You decide that you cannot punish yourself to eat only rice with vegetables in their house. You carry your food along. When they invite you to the table to eat, you open your pack of fried chicken and eat it in front of them. Then you preach to them that God loves them. You tell them that they should give their lives to Christ. Your sermon will fall on deaf years and closed hearts. You may preach very well, but your selfish attitude has hurt them and become a stumbling block to them. It is true that you have the freedom to eat your own food that you bought with your own money. You are not a thief, but you are not a lover. Eating fried chicken at the table of poor people who cannot afford it is a sin against agape love. A Christian is saved by grace and thru faith. A Christian is free and free indeed. These are all true statements. But it is also true that for as long as we live, we remain servants, bondslaves to our Master, Jesus Christ who died on the Cross to give us freedom. This freedom purchased with His Blood should never be used to hurt weak brethren or to damage His great name. Doing ministry is a sacrifice. Love is never selfish. Love is always wise and humble, flexible to all situations, but still remaining strong, holding to the anchor of the Cross. Once people see you as proud, uncaring, and selfish person, it is very hard to build your reputation again. If you repent, God forgives you. But people are very slow in forgetting the hurt you have caused them as a Christian. Be jealous over your testimony and ministry! Lastly, look unto Jesus. Have the mind of Christ!

SUPERSTITION IS A STRONGHOLD

Superstition is a belief in the supernatural, not based on human reason or scientific knowledge but connected with old religious ideas about witchcraft. Superstition results from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic, pagan ideas, or a false conception of cause and effect. The following are the countries that have the greatest number of superstitious people: India, China, Greece, USA, Japan, France, and Mexico. One reason why people believe in these things is because they feel a sense of control over their destiny. Superstition is a negative stronghold that affects your will, your power to make decisions, and leads to anxiety and depression.

Superstitions in Nigeria

*If a woman has many miscarriages or her children his young, she is cursed to suffer by a witch.

*Nigerians fear the time of the night. They believe that witches attack mostly at night. That is why they wake to pray in the night.

*If you whistle in the night, you attract snakes to your house.

*Nigerians believe that owls are witches. If an owl is seen and heard on the rooftop, they believe that someone will die in that house.

*They believe that cats in general and black cats in particular are witches and trouble will happen if a black cat crosses your path.

*If a man (woman) eats in the dark, or in the dream, he invited demons to eat with him and that leads to sickness, miscarriage, or death.

*Itchy hands are a good thing because it is a sign of money coming to you.

*If a man plans to travel and he hits his left foot to a stone, he takes it as a bad sign. He will not travel that day again.

*If a man crosses a pregnant woman’s legs, the baby will be born resembling that man and not his real father.

*If you spit on the ground and someone steps on it, you will be sick with a sore throat.

*If your food falls to the ground, do not pick it, and eat it because the devil has eaten it. As a Christian, belief in superstition will hinder your faith and delay your spiritual growth. You need to repent and renew your mind based on God’s Word. Amen!

THEY FAILED TO ENTANGLE JESUS (Matt 22:15-22)

The Pharisees did not have the courage to attack Jesus directly, especially as the general public loved Jesus. They decided to use deception by setting a trap, to entangle Him in His words. The word ‘entangle’ is the same as a snare, or a trap, to catch an animal in the forest. This snare is a stronghold. They sent ‘spies who pretended to be righteous’ (Lk 20: 20). In other words, they sent ‘false brethren’ to find fault with the words of Jesus, to arrest Him. They flattered Jesus saying that He is a true teacher who does not care about anyone, who does not show favoritism. Jesus saw their wickedness. He avoided the trap by speaking the truth. He told them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matt 22:21). He said that Christianity is not an enemy to civil government. Jesus spoke God’s Word. This is another example: When the Pharisees brought the adulterous woman to Jesus, they asked Him to judge her. “They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger” (Jn 8:6; NLT). Both His friends and His enemies were amazed at His wisdom. But His enemies refused to obey or submit to the power of His words. They did not believe that Jesus is God and God cannot be tempted or deceived by men. “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren” (Jam 1:12-16).

THE YOUNG AND THE OLD PROPHET (1Kings13:1-34)

This story happened in the city Bethel, during the reign of wicked King Jeroboam. Bethel was the place where Jacob slept and felt the presence of God. He saw the ladder that went to heaven (Genesis 28). In this holy place, king Jeroboam made a calf idol and told the Israelites to worship it instead of going to the temple of Jerusalem to worship Jehovah God. The word Bethel means ‘the house of God’. Jeroboam turned the house of God, the gate to heaven, into a gate of hell. God sent the young prophet to prophesy against the king.

There was a young prophet called ‘a man of God’. Less than ten men in the Old Testament were called like that. Among them were Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah, and Elisha. God sent him to King Jeroboam to prophesy disaster against him. The young prophet was a man of faith and prayer. God immediately performed the word he spoke. The altar split and the ashes poured out. Wicked king Jeroboam opposed him like Elymas opposed Paul. God intervened and the king’s hand got paralyzed. The king saw that the young prophet has power with God in prayer and begged him to pray for his healing. The young prophet prayed, and the king’s hand was healed. The king invited him to his palace to give him food, drinks, and a reward. The young prophet categorically refuses saying that God commanded him not to go to the house of anyone and not to return by the same road. The young prophet was obedient to God’s Word. He received power to prophesy and do miracles. He did not compromise. He was a man of character. He rejected the king’s bribe. He was bold. He did not fear the threats of the king but trusted God for his protection.

An old prophet who was living in Bethel. He is not called ‘a man of God’. He is only called ‘an old prophet’. He has settled into this place of hell, of false religion. He does not prophesy against Jeroboam. Like Lot in Sodom, he has settled in compromise with idolatry. He was crafty. He lied easily. He deceived the young prophet to backslide like him. When he heard about the story, he ran after him. He said that God told him to invite the young prophet to his house to eat and drink. But he was lying to him. The young prophet was deceived and went back to the house of the old prophet to eat and drink. The old prophet then prophesies that because he disobeyed God’s command, the young prophet will die an untimely death. Going home, the young prophet was killed by a lion who did not kill the donkey and did not eat the corpse. The old prophet goes to bring the body to be buried in his own tomb, acknowledging that the young man was a true prophet.

Why did the young prophet refuse the offer of the king, but he accepted the offer of the old prophet? It is possible because he respected the old prophet and his age. “He said to him, “I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’ ” (He was lying to him.)” (1 Kg 13:18). Many young believers are intimidated when an older ‘man of God’ talks to them. The young prophet did not discern the stronghold, the religious snare, the trap of lies set by the old prophet. Flattery is a common form of a religious snare. “A man who flatters his neighbor [with smooth words intending to do harm] Is spreading a net for his own feet” (PV29:5; AMP). Flattery is insincere praise, and it is a common stronghold and snare. The flatterer speaks only positive words. He does not speak truth, does not correct another when necessary and out of love. By lying to the man, the flatterer prepares a net just the way a hunter catches an animal in the forest. The Holy Spirit encourages and the devil flatters. There is a mighty difference between these two. God leads to freedom and the devil brings you in bondage. Truth sets free!

SOME LESSONS

*To be a man (woman) of God you need to be faithful, obedient, and bold. It is easier to be deceived by religious people, or men who you may admire in your field of work. After any great success, the devil will attack. Watch and pray to the end!

*From the young prophet we learn that you can start well and end badly. He gradually stopped listen to the Holy Spirit and went away from the safe road of obedience to God. This is a warning to all Christians, especially to the younger ones. If the young prophet obeyed God to the end, he would not have died an untimely death. The young man was resting under an oak tree when the old prophet found him. It is normal to rest but not in ‘a war zone’. He was resting instead of rushing home. There is danger before, during and after the battle. No time to rest and relax until you arrive home. Many young Christians start well. Then they decided to sit under the shadow of an oak tree of education, jobs, marriage or trusting men. Many young people fell into the trap of the old backsliding Christians and are now hurt and disappointed at the church. The young man stopped seeking God for himself. He allowed the old prophet to become God’s voice to him. Trusting man and not God is fatal in ministry. We need to also beware of leaning on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5,6). Gideon, Samson, King Saul, and King Hezekiah, they all did that. They all started out well, but they didn’t end well. There is always danger when we stop seeking God or trusting God by ourselves and depend on people only for wisdom.

*Some people take God’s grace for granted. They refuse to repent until they die. Even after receiving mercy, King Jeroboam did not repent, and God destroys his family. 300 years later, King Josiah, from the line of David, does exactly what the young prophet had said (2 Kg 23:15-20). He kills all the false prophets on that cursed altar. This is one of the greatest and most accurate prophesies in the Bible.

*Another lesson is taken from the old prophet. He began badly. He lived a life of compromise. But he ended well. He repented and came back to God. He feared God again. He started serving God again. I read that during the Second World War, the fighter pilots made the most mistakes when flying back to the land, after the battle. Why? Because they relaxed. They thought they were free from danger. Then they crashed. An old Christian, Harry Ironside, used to pray like this: ‘O God, keep me from becoming a foolish old man’. Here is one of the best ways you can end well: invest your life and the rest of your future in young people. Mentor and disciple the younger Christians! Worship the Lord!

NO STUMBLING BLOCKS!

Mar17 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (26)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (9)

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” (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. 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!!! “Love thinks no evil… Love never fails” (1 Cor 13:5, 8).

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (Romans 14:1-13)

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!

Knowing that each believer will stand before the Bema seat of Christ, we must practice agape Love among us. These are some lessons:

*Examine yourself! Be sure that you are born again! Humble yourself! The Holy Spirit, by God’s Word, prepares us for the final judgment.

*Life is a journey and a testing ground. The Christians are the only people who walk in the consciousness of their eternal destiny!

*Let us pay the price for spiritual maturity. Let us study the Bible, fast, pray, help the needy, and serve God in the local church.

*It does not matter what other men think of us or what we think about others. What matters is what Christ thinks of us! Selah!

*Church discipline is not ruled out. The Word of God tells us how to discipline unrepentant brethren. The Church must be kept pure. But observe that Church discipline applies to sins committed that affects the church in general and not to matters of indifference.

*Do not take God’s kindness, grace, mercy, love, and patience for granted. It is clear that God’s patience with men has a limit.

*By judging others, you trespass into God’s domain and His sovereign authority to judge. Be careful!

*Jesus is our Savior, Lord, and Judge. In every battle, there is a winer and a loser. God can never lose. In His own time, God gives His people the victory by destroying their enemies. We submit to His authority. Rebellion is a terrible sin in the church.

*When Jesus died, He made us His brethren. Do not despise or judge one another. Our opinions in matters of indifference are less important than keeping the unity of the Spirit in all our relationships in the assembly. We are to love, help, and pray for other brethren.

NO STUMBLING BLOCKS!

“So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Then let us not criticize one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer’s way. 14 I know and am convinced [as one] in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean [ritually defiled, and unholy] in itself; but [nonetheless] it is unclean to anyone who thinks it is unclean. 15 If your brother is being hurt or offended because of food [that you insist on eating], you are no longer walking in love [toward him]. Do not let what you eat destroy and spiritually harm one for whom Christ died. 16 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] … 21 It is good [to do the right thing and] not eat meat or drink wine or do anything that offends your brother and weakens him spiritually” (Rom 14:12-16; 21; AMP).

“Then let us not criticize one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer’s way” (Rom 14:13; AMP). In this sentence, the word ‘criticize’ and the word ‘determine’ are the same in Greek. Apostle Paul puts them side by side. They both mean to try or judge another, to condemn, or to punish. In other words, Paul is saying: ‘Don’t judge your brother. But if you feel like judging, then judge yourself to make sure that your attitude is not an obstacle, a stumbling-block, or a source of temptation to another, to make him fall. Be wise and redirect your judging’.

One of the characteristics of Christianity is its gentleness towards the weak. These are warnings not to set stumbling blocks to make others fall: “You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the LORD” (Lev 19:14). “Cursed is the one who makes the blind to wander off the road.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!” (Deut 27:18). “Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, He himself will fall into his own pit; But the blameless will inherit good” (PV28:10). Selah!

“Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble” (Ps 119:165). The same word ‘stumbling bock’ is used here. What is the solution to avoid and defeat stumbling blocks? It is to Love God’s Law! By studying God’s Word and applying it daily, you shall have ‘great peace’. In Hebrew it is the word ‘shalom’ which means peace, prosperity, health, wealth, favor, and friends. The believers who pay the price to study and preach God’s Word, will be blessed in two ways: they have an overflowing peace with God and man, and they have the wisdom to avoid stumbling blocks. In other words, loving God and His Word is the way to make fast and sure, spiritual and physical progress in life. Selah!

“For the Lord has driven out from before you great and strong nations; but as for you, no one has been able to stand against you to this day. 10 One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, as He promised you. 11 Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the Lord your God. 12 Or else, if indeed you do go back, and cling to the remnant of these nations—these that remain among you—and make marriages with them, and go in to them and they to you, 13 know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. But they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the Lord your God has given you” (Joshua 23:9-13). The words translated ‘snares and traps’ are the same as stumbling blocks. Joshua tells the people that God has driven away great and strong Canaanites from the Promised Land so that they can occupy it. But they should be careful to stay spiritually pure. They should not marry or become over friendly with the remnant of the pagan nations. That leads to idolatry. If they yoke themselves with the pagans, God will not defend for them again. The pagans will become stumbling blocks to torment them until they perish from the good land. Lesson: pay the price to be holy as God is holy. Don’t become emotionally intimate with unbelievers, even if they are your relatives! Do not marry unbelievers! If you do that, you will suffer, you will punish yourself. God cannot help you the way He wants to. Ask for wisdom and mercy. You should marry a mature believer! “Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the LORD” (PV19:14). When a man wants to marry, his parents can give him money, wisdom, and prayers. But God alone gives a man the gift of a prudent wife. To be prudent is a type of wisdom that detects dangers ahead and avoids them. A godly wife sees dangers ahead and helps the husband to avoid making mistakes. Praise the Lord!

“Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on things of God, but on things of man” (Matt 16:23; AMP). When Jesus told His disciples that He will die on the Cross, Peter rebuked Him. But Jesus rebuked Peter, hearing the words of Satan in Peter’s mouth. To avoid the Cross was a total failure for Christ’ ministry. He came to die for the sinners, to set them free. Jesus commanded this evil religious spirit of man’s ideas of salvation, to go ‘behind’. Lesson: devil’s agents are specialists in building strongholds on the way to our progress. By dying to the flesh and to the religious ideas of men, by trusting the Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected, by carrying our cross daily, following Jesus, we defeat all strongholds on our way to heaven.

“Should we pay them, or shouldn’t we?” Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin, and I’ll tell you” (Mk 12:15; NLT). The hypocrites are religious people who do not practice what they preach. They look good to men but are an offence to God. Hypocrisy is a stronghold in the path of many. Be careful! Trust only the genuine Christians!

Jesus warned against wicked acts against children who are a type of the Christians who are weak in the faith. He said: “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! 8-If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire” (Matt 18:6-9).

God punishes those who give others alcohol to drink, to disgrace and corrupt them. This crime is especially wicked when the victims are young people. Pedophiles give alcohol to children so that they get drunk and naked themselves. It is also a great sin to give alcohol to a lawyer, a judge, a doctor, or a driver, to corrupt his good judgment. “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, Pressing him to your bottle, Even to make him drunk, That you may look on his nakedness!” (Hab 2:15). “Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, 23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent” (Is 5:22, 23).

THE PARABLE OF THE WEEDS (Matt 13:24-30; 36-43)

“The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Matt 13:41-43). At the end of time, Jesus will send His angels who will uproot and gather together all spiritual offenders, those who not only sin, but who set stumbling blocks for others to fall into sin. These are called ‘the sons of the devil’. They will be cast in the lake of fire. There is no mercy for those who make Christians to fall. Jesus Christ is the Judge of all. He will punish the wicked and reward the faithful who will ‘shine forth as the sun’. Lesson: this is a strong warning! Never spread sin! Never deceive others to make them backslide. Selah!

ELYMAS THE SORCERER – THE STUMBLING BLOCK (Ac 13:6-12).

“Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? 11 And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord” (Ac 13:6-12).

Apostle Paul and Barnabas went on their first missionary trip to Paphos, a port in Cyprus. They wanted to preach the Gospel to Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul in that area. But a man called Bar Jesus, or Elymas, ‘withstood’ them. He was a Jewish false prophet and wizard who became a mentor to the proconsul. The name Bar Jesus means the Son of Jesus (or the son of salvation, healing, prosperity, or victory). He was a false prophet who deceived the proconsul that he is able to save, heal, and bless him. The word ‘withstood’ means to stand against, to oppose, or resist.

Generally, there are three types of sins: 1- The sins of the ignorant, of the childish. For example: a child enters the house with mud on his shoes. This is a childish sin. 2- The sins of the religious hypocrites. For example, a man comes to church with his wife, but he is involved in adultery. He hears the Word of God, but he ignores it. He fears God but not enough to stop the affair. 3- The sins of the wicked. This is a Biblical fool that says there is not God (Psalm 14:1). He believes that there is God, but he does not fear God. He actively mocks God, The Bible, and the Church. Jesus said about Judas: “The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born” (Matt 26:24). Elymas belonged to the third group. He was a Jew. He clearly knew about Jehovah God. But he opened up an evil spirit. He was using witchcraft to make the proconsul his spiritual slave. Though Sergius Paulus was an intelligent man, spiritually he became foolish. Elymas placed a veil of darkness upon the mind of the proconsul. In other words, a spell is a stronghold! But the grace of God manifested in that room. The proconsul became attracted to the Word of God and wanted to hear it. The devil in Elymas panicked. He became jealous on the influence of Paul over his student. He knew that if he does not stop Paul from preaching God’s Word, he will soon lose his victim.

Sensing the opposition, Paul confronted Elymas and declared spiritual warfare against him. Paul did not lose his temper. He did not insult Elymas. He was calm and full of faith. He called him one ‘full of deceit and fraud, a son of the devil, and an enemy of righteousness’. He exposed him as one who constantly perverts the truth and sets stumbling blocks on the straight ways of God. Becoming angry against the devil, Paul placed a temporary spell of blindness to restrain Elymas. Paul remembered how on the road to Damasus, Jesus made him blind for a season, to humble him, so that he becomes converted. In other words, using the authority of Christ, the Judge of all, Paul removed the spell of darkness Elymas has placed upon the proconsul and placed it upon Elymas. Blind and confused, Elymas declared defeat before the true God of Paul. This was Paul’s first miracle. He lost his influence over the proconsul and over the city. This blindness was not only a punishment, but also a form of mercy because Elymas could have died on the spot. The Old Testament says that no wizard should live. “A man or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them” (Lev 20:27; KJ). The blindness was a warning sign from Christ the Judge, that Elymas has a window of mercy to repent of his wickedness. We are not told is he did. What Satan lost in the external battle he succeeded in the internal battle. John Mark, a younger believer who came along to assist Paul and Barnabas, left them, and went back to Jerusalem (Ac 13:13). Why? It is possible that he became afraid seeing ministry as dangerous.

Lessons: As Christians, we don’t hunt demons, but we confront them. When you sense an evil spirit, you need to stand in the power of God’s might. Like David faced Goliath, you must rise to the moment! Fear not! Lift your shield of faith. Don’t be emotional. Trust God for the miracle of deliverance. Trust God’s promise that no one can oppose you successfully (Josh 1:5). Remember to Give God all the glory!

HOW TO DESTROY THE STRONGHOLD OF WITCHCRAFT

A witch is defined as a woman who has magical powers and claims to use them for good or for bad. The male witch is called a wizard. Genuine witches are able to contact the spirits of the dead, or evil spirits in general, who give them information from the spirit’ world. Fake witches are entertainers and make money out of that. Some are ‘professional’ witches and are known for exercising their gift on behalf of others. Not all witches are known to the public and not all are practicing their skill. Witchcraft (or sorcery) is one of the works of the flesh, the part of man that is not under the influence of the Holy Spirit. “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal 5:19-21). We are all born sinners and have the capacity to behave wickedly, to manipulate and deceive others for our selfish desires. Investing time and energy in this work of the flesh will attract the demon of witchcraft. In Christ, we are commanded to crucify the flesh that we might live. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom 8:13). Selah!

How do you know someone is involved with the spirit of witchcraft?

*Wickedness- she rejoices when others fail or fall; gossip to bring down people; speaks foul, rude, or negative language.

*Manipulation (controlling someone or something to your own advantage, often without no one knowing it). Desire to control and oppress others; getting angry when challenged. Manipulative behavior occurs when a person uses controlling and harmful behaviors to avoid responsibility, conceal their true intentions, or cause doubt and confusion. Manipulation manifests as emotional abuse, lying, blaming, criticizing, and shaming.

*Jealousy, selfish ambition; Rebellion against true authority in the church. Emotionally cold. “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” (SS 8:6).

*Religious hypocrisy (the witch comes to church, but her character never changes. God’s Word has no influence over her).

*Pride (the witch thinks highly of herself- makes friends and serves only the leaders or the wealthy people).

*Hatred of the light of God, truth, God’s Word, the living churches, and the genuine pastors.

*The witches hate repentance. They are getting worse. “But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Tim 3:13).

A witch cannot kill a true Christian, but can place a spell, especially on the weak in the faith and the backsliding Christians. The spell is a stronghold against progress in life. Spiritually and physically the victim becomes slow. These are some of the signs of a possible spell:

*A sudden strange and medically incurable sickness

*Losing money or possessions

*Experiencing accidents in the home

*Poverty that goes on and on despite hard work and prayers.

*Depression, loneliness (even in a crowd), suicidal thoughts. Things are getting worse…

“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? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?” (Gal 3:1-4). Bewitching is another word for setting a spell. Apostle Paul is warning the believers, not the unbelievers. It is possible to be born again and be under a bewitching spell. The effect is spiritual blindness (you can’t see Christ Crucified and the price paid for you on the Cross), foolishness (making unnecessary mistakes), suffering in vain with no progress in life.

What is the solution? Give your life to Christ. Fast! Pray in English and in tongues. Confess and repent of all known sin. Submit to God and the devil will flee from you (James 4:7). Submit to the delegated authority in the church. Ask your pastors to pray deliverance for you. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Serve God in your local church, with humility and faithfulness. Then do spiritual warfare! “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled” (2 Cor 10:3-6).

LESSONS

There are many wicked people in this world, some of them are ‘famous men’ and others are attending to them. The devil sends his agents to keep men in spiritual darkness. That is why many political leaders, champions, and wealthy men are resistant to the Gospel. The devil and his victims hate the light of God. As Haman looked good to King Xerxes and became his prime minister, so Elymas looked like a good religious counselor to the proconsul. It was the anointing of the Holy Spirit as God’s Word was preached that exposed him to be a wizard. It is only the power of the Gospel that is able destroy the power of the devil! Sergius Paulus was astonished at the power of God’s Word working in his own heart and at the authority that Jesus gave to Paul to restrain evil. This astonishment led to faith in Jesus. A witch or a wizard are ‘full of deceit and fraud’. In other words, the man who lies habitually, who rejoices at the success of evil in this world, opposes the Truth, and hates the preachers of the Gospel, he is an agent of the devil. Preaching God’s Word attracts opposition. We are to expect it and prepare for it. In Christ, we are not afraid of the devil. In Christ, we always win!

Repent of every known sin. God’s Word brings light into the soul. Study the Bible and pray. Do not make friends with haters. These are spiritually blind, wicked, and dangerous. Never be the reason why another Christian stumbles and falls. Do not rejoice when Christians fall into sin. Behind that sin, there may be another Christian who contributed to it. Be careful with your words. Never speak in anger. Do not judge (criticize) another brother (sister) in Christ, especially in these matters of indifference. In the Church, Grace rules like King and Love rules like Queen. Even if your opinion is right, if the spirit behind it is anger, selfish ambition, jealousy, greed, or any other fleshly desire, then you are wrong. Personal opinions must bow to the greater Law of Agape Love. The unity of the Spirit is by far more important than our personal opinions. Worship the Lord!

“And He (Jesus) was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

20 Then He closed the book and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Lk 4:17-21).

May the Gospel work salvation and deliverance in you! Have faith 100% in Jesus Christ, the Lord and Judge of all! Worship the Lord!

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (25)/ MATTERS OF INDIFFERENCE ( 8 )

Mar10 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

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” (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. 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!!! Our Lord says: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent” (Rev 3:19).

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (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). 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!

JESUS CHRIST IS JUDGE 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. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” 12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way” (Rom 14:9-13). Because Jesus died and rose again, He became the Lord of the living and the dead. He is the Savior of only the believers, but He is the Lord of all, of the believers and the unbelievers. Those who love Him and go to heaven and those who hate Him and go to hell, all must bow before Jesus. Bowing before somebody means to publicly acknowledge that person’s authority over you. We bow to kings and queens on earth, but the greatest bowing is reserved for Jesus alone, the Lord, the Judge, and the King of kings.

In the Old Testament, God the Father is proclaimed as the Judge of all men. “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked” (Ecc 3:17). Abraham calls Jehovah God ‘the Judge of all the earth’ (Gen18:25). In the New Testament, we see that The Lord Jesus Christ becomes the Judge of all because God the Father gave Him that authority. He said: “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (Jn 5:22, 23). Love delegates authority. Because God the Father loves God the Son, He has given His Son the authority to judge all men. As the Judge of all, men must submit to the authority of Jesus and honor Him. The Father rejects anyone who worships Him directly, without honoring His only begotten Son. Apostle Paul quotes from the prophet Isaiah. This scripture applies to God the Father. But Paul quotes it as applying to God the Son. This is another proof that Jesus Christ is God. “I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath” (Is 45:23).

“It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb 9:27). In the Bible, God’s judgment is revealed in three forms:

1-In this life, God judges the believers so that they repent and walk in a holy way. This form of judgment manifests as trials, sickness, or untimely death (the meaning of the word ‘sleep’). “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world” (1Cor 11:28-32). Not every sickness is a chastisement from God, but some are. “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives” (Heb 12:5, 6). The danger during trials is forgetting that God’s love can manifests as chastisement, to despise His love coming to you in this way, and to become discouraged. Lesson: during trials, repent and go back to God!

2-After death, believers will be judged for their works at the Bema Seat of Christ (2Cor 5:9-11). All true believers will surely go to heaven. They cannot lose their salvation, but they can lose rewards. “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them” (Rev 14:13). Our works for Jesus, good or bad, will follow us to heaven. “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (Jam 3:1). All people in authority, Parents, Bible teachers and preachers, shall receive a stricter judgment on how they used that position of authority and influence.

3-After death is final judgment for all unbelievers who will be sent to the lake of fire. This is the second and eternal death (Rev 20:11-15).

THE JUDGMENT OF BEMA SEAT OF CHRIST

“Therefore, whether we are at home [on earth] or away from home [and with Him], it is our [constant] ambition to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad [that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities, and abilities]. 11 Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord [and understand the importance of obedience and worship], we persuade people [to be reconciled to Him]. But we are plainly known to God [He knows everything about us]; and I hope that we are plainly known also in your consciences [your God-given discernment]” (2 Cor 5:9-11; AMP)

A Christian’s main desire is to live, work, and die in a way that is pleasing to God. In Greek, the words translated ‘the judgment seat’ of Christ are ‘Bema’ seat of Christ. This picture is taken from the Roman Olympic games. At the end of the games, the athletes come before Ceasar and receive their victor’s crowns (or medals). It is a moment of joyful celebration. They receive gold, silver, or bronze medals. Others, receive only a handshake. They have finished the race but there is no crown for them.

All believers must appear before the Tribunal Bema seat of Christ. They are not judged about their eternal destinies if they go to heaven or to hell. That judgment was done already when they became born again. For the Christians, judgment for sins was placed on Christ, when He died on the Cross on their behalf. By faith, the Christian has passed from death to eternal life. Jesus said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (Jn 5:24). Loving the brethren and not judging them is a sign that you are saved. “We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death” (1Jn 3:14). When Christ died our sins were forgiven and wiped away by God. “He will again have compassion on us and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions8 from us” (Ps 103:12). “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Rom 8:1). The word ‘condemnation’ also means judgment or punishment. We are therefore free from eternal judgment! Amen!

The judgment here is about our works done on earth from the time we became saved and the rewards concerning these works. The word ‘appear’ means that all believers must be present in person before Christ, the Judge on His seat. It is a public trial. Nothing is hidden. Even the motives of our actions shall be displayed like on a screen, and all will see it. The judgment concerns the actions the believer did while he was ‘in the body’. None shall be judged for actions done after death. Christ will judge our works done after we became saved, and not when we were in sin. He will judge how we have used the gifts and opportunities He entrusted to us. He will judge and reward each believer accordingly. This is not a probation. There will be no arguments. It is a final judgment concerning eternal rewards. The Bible reveals that in heaven are different levels of authority and reward among the worshippers. The rewards reveal how close the worshipers are to the throne were Jesus sits. Around the throne of Jesus, there are 24 elders who also sit on smaller thrones. They are dressed in white robes and have crowns of gold on their heads. They worship The Lamb upon the throne by bowing on the glassy floor, casting their crowns before Him (Rev 4:4,10). In the distance, there are many other worshippers in heaven, who are also dressed in white robes but do not sit on thrones, and they do not have crowns. They worship Jesus with palm branches in their hands (Rev 7:9, 10).

As King Solomon judged the two prostitutes using the sword, so Christ will judge all believers by using God’s Word. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb 4:12, 13). The resurrected Christ has a sword in His mouth, a symbol for the Word of God. John said: “Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength” (Rev1:12-15). God’s Word is the only instrument that can separate flesh and spirit and expose everything. Judgment will be done on how we honored and obeyed God’s Word.

The judgment of works at the Bema seat of Christ will be done with fire. The eyes of the resurrected Christ are like fire. Apostle Paul said: “According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Cor 3:10-15). The believers who pay the price for spiritual maturity, are the ones building with gold, silver, and precious stones. These materials resist the fire. They shall have great reward. Gold stands for God. Silver stands for redemption. Precious stones represent the living stones that build the church. In other words, the highest reward goes to those we worship God in spirit and in truth and save souls for Jesus. Love rewards the Lovers of Jesus. But the believers who remain babies in the faith, their works are compared with wood, hay, and straw. These are selfish works done for money or personal fame. These are combustible materials. They will be burnt. These believers are barely saved and shall receive no reward. They will worship Jesus in heaven but from a distance. Selah!

Lesson: The destiny of each man is decided on earth. At the point of death nothing can be changed. As Judge of all, Christ rewards His friends and punishes His enemies. God’s children will love the judgment and God’s enemies will hate it, but none can escape it. We see that some believers shall be disappointed in themselves. To avoid this eternal shame, we must be responsible Christians and pay the price for Love. We do it for Christ’ sake and for the sake of our eternal joy being rewarded by the Judge of all. “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (1Jn4:17,18). This is God’s eternal unchanging law: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal 6:7). God here is Christ the Judge. Knowing how terrible the judgment towards the unbelievers is, we should fear God, not as slaves but as His children. We should remember that all good things we do now, must be for the glory of God and for the good of the Church, the Body of Christ. Thru words and works, a Christian’s life should be devoted to Christ and serve Him in love.

The Lord Jesus said that the Christians will be judged for the way they do ministry. This warning is given especially to the church leaders and pastors. Jesus commands us to feed the sheep. In other words, the pastors must prepare and preach God’s Word. This is spiritual food to the people. To be careless in this area, is a serious matter. “And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more” (Lk 12:42-48). To be a faithful Christian worker is the foundation for eternal joy. Paul commands Timothy: “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2Tim 4:1,2). Preaching God’s Word is a great privilege and responsibility. God judges preachers in a special way. “Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have accomplished together, but that you may receive a full and perfect reward [when He grants rewards to faithful believers]” (2Jn 1:8; AMP). God’s warning is a sign of Love! Selah!

THE GREAT WHITE THRONE OF GOD

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:11-15). This is the last judgment. All the unbelievers shall be judged by God the Son who is seated on a white throne. God has many books. He records all men’s secrets. The books shall be opened. Men will be judged for their deeds and words spoken on earth. “But I (Jesus) say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matt 12:36). The judge cannot be manipulated of bribed. “For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops” (Lk 12:2, 3). Even if you have forgotten the words you spoke, God remembers everything! Anyone whose name was not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life, will be cast into the lake of fire, where Death and Hades (Hell) are cast too. This is the second eternal death.

The throne is great and white. Great speaks of power and white speaks of purity. Jesus Christ seats upon that throne. He is the Judge. Jesus is both the Savior and the Judge. He is the Lamb and the Lion. He is fearful. Even earth and heaven flee from Him. Before that throne, there is no begging. If you want mercy, you give your life to Christ now and He will give you mercy. Look at the people who will be judged there. They are very many. They are ‘small and great’; it means ordinary and famous, poor, and rich. The sea, Death and Hades gave up their dead. When a sinner dies, his body goes to the grave. Death claims it. His soul goes to Hades (Hell) where he waits in torment until this last judgment. The sinner cannot be judged immediately. Because his sins have affected generations even after his death. Some died long ago, and others died recently. Some were the good religious people and others were the criminals. They were all judged according to their works done on earth. There was no difference among them. This is a public judgment also. Nobody can hide from God. “In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel” (Rom 2:16). The people in front of that throne are the clear sinners, the religious churchgoers who are still unbelievers, and the procrastinators. Church is wonderful. But Church is not the way to heaven. Faith in Christ is! God’s judgment is always just. No man can complain that God did not judge him right. Heaven rejoices when God judges and punishes the wicked. God’s judgments lead to greater worship of God in heaven (Rev 19:1-6). I pray for you! I hope that you do not have to stand before this throne! Give your life to Christ now! Tomorrow is not promised to anyone!

JUDGE NOT!

“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matt 7:1-5).

Many Christians live careless lives. They take salvation for granted. Many pastors do not preach about God’s judgment and hell for fear that they will be criticized and will lose people from their congregations. But Biblical truth must be thought no matter the consequences.

This command is part of the Sermon of the Mount and it given by the Lord to the believers, and not to the unbelievers. What does it mean not to judge others? The Lord does not say that we should never have an opinion about any Christian. The main reason for this command it to be careful not to be entangled with the religious spirit of hypocrisy, which characterized the Pharisees in the time of Jesus. This proud evil spirit is a troublemaker and faultfinder. He loves to argue and to criticize others, especially concerning matters of indifference. He despises and judges the brethren in the church. It causes much harm among the believers, destroys relationships, and splits churches.

The reason why we are commanded not to judge others, is because we fear God and we are aware of God’s judgment, both in the present and in the future. Another reason is because by judging, we set the standard for God to judge us. There is a saying: ‘you will be paid back with the same coin’. If you speak wicked words to others, God will allow others to speak wicked words to you. Your mouth sets the standard for your own judgment. A judge must be fair and impartial. If a judge is too close to the accused, he is disqualified from being the judge. Often, we hate others, and we judge them. We fail to differentiate between the person and his actions. We are supposed to judge based on Biblical principles and not to attack the person directly. A true Christian should judge another’s actions and not slander him, destroying his character or his testimony. We are supposed to help others and not bring them down. But often we are hypocrites. We point sins in others, and we are blind to the same sins in our lives. ‘To speak the truth in love’ (Eph 4:15) is a very difficult ministry. To chastise another believer so that he can see the truth and repent, is as delicate as eye or brain surgery. Words spoken in anger can damage his spirit for life. But rebuke done in love, fearing God, applying the bandage of mercy on the wound, brings great rewards.

LESSONS FOR US:

*Examine yourself! Be sure that you are born again! Humble yourself! The Holy Spirit, by God’s Word, prepares us for the final judgment.

*Life is a journey and a testing ground. The Christians are the only people who walk in the consciousness of their eternal destiny!

*All men will be judged by Jesus. Prepare for the judgment!

*Let us pay the price for spiritual maturity. Let us study the Bible, fast, pray, help the needy, and serve God in the local church.

*It does not matter what other men think of us or what we think about others. What matters is what Christ thinks of us! Selah!

*Do not take God’s kindness, grace, mercy, love, and patience for granted. It is clear that God’s patience with men has a limit.

*By judging others, you trespass into God’s domain and His sovereign authority to judge. Be careful! (Rom2:1-4)

*When Jesus died, He made us His brethren. Each one of us are connected to Him ‘vertically’ and we one to another, horizontally. Do not despise or judge one another. Our opinions in matters of indifference are less important than keeping the unity of the Spirit in all our relationships in the assembly. We are to love, help, and pray for other brethren. Worship the Lord!

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (24)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (7)

Mar3 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

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.

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” (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. 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 (Romans 14:1-13)

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!

SOME LESSONS ON HOW TO RELATE TO OTHERS CONCERNING MATTERS OF INDIFFERENCE

*The command to receive a weak brother applies only to the church setup. God gives His grace to welcome the weak in the faith only to the Body of the local church. This command does not apply to all other religious organizations, traditional gatherings, or family meetings.

*This command works only when applying the power of agape love. The power of the flesh and human sympathy will fail in this regard.

*The matters of loving indifference apply to both the weak and the strong’. Both despising and judging are wrong!

*As we welcome a brother who is weak in the faith does not mean that automatically, the weak one becomes a leader in the church.

*All of us are sinners saved by grace. The same Blood of Jesus saved us all. Even the ones who are strong in the faith are not yet perfect. We all make mistakes. Stay humble and be quick to repent when we fail the law of Love and pay the price to grow in the faith.

*Never allow your Bible knowledge to build pride in you! Each one is responsible to keep the unity of the Spirit in the Body. The strong is not to ‘to despise the weak’ and the weak should not judge the strong. A Christian should never quarrel. The world loves to argue, debate and quarrel. Any Christian who cannot control his emotions or his words, should not give his opinions in public about anything. Speaking in anger does great damage to your testimony and hurts others!

*Learn the difference between a dialogue and a debate. A dialogue brings two willing parties together. Love is the key. They both want to come to a common understanding of the problem and finding a common ground is the goal. Debate is oppositional. Hatred and anger are there. The two parties oppose one another, each trying to prove that the other one is wrong. In debate, wining is the goal. Debate does not care about other’s feelings, love, or the future of the relationship. Christians should engage in dialogue and never in debate! This law applies to the marriage set up and to the church fellowship. If you cannot behave as Christians with others, better keep quiet!

*Apply the rules of teaching in your relationships with people, especially with those weak in the faith. Teaching is a science and an art. These are some guidelines: First, a good teacher is a patient person. He is also humble and wise. He knows his subject, but he also knows and loves his students! He must be ready to face many challenges. He must learn to gain the trust of his students. He teaches especially by being a living example. These rules about being a good teacher apply to parents, pastors, and leaders in the church.

*In all relationships, thru words and actions, be conscious of the glory of God. We are vessels of honor pleasing to our Master.

WE LIVE OR DIE TO THE LORD

“One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord, he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Rom 14:5-8). All this time, Apostle Paul was talking about application of doctrine. Suddenly, he proclaims one of the greatest doctrines about the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Henow connects these matters of indifference with our relationship to the Lord. This is a greater revelation of who our Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing Him means Loving Him and others. This is the highest motive of why we love one another, why we receive the weak in the faith. Basically, the Christian lives and dies in God’s presence. He wants to make Christ happy. It is for Christ’s sake why he chooses to love others, why he does good deeds, why he does not quarrel, why he tolerates others who are different than him. Because Christ is the Head of the Church, the Christian behaves in such a way as to honor the Head.

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved” (1Cor 10:31-33). Here Apostle Paul explains that the Christian does everything to the glory of God. He does not ‘give offence’, he does not put a stumbling block in any man’s way so that all may see he is a child of God. It is only a Christian that can love and live like this. An unbeliever is basically selfish and does not care about God’s approval or His glory. He does not care if others are offended or not at his words and actions. The unbeliever says: ‘I don’t care what men say about me’. He is always selfish, seeking his own pleasure, trying to fulfill his ambitions by oppressing others. He lives in this world only for his own pleasure.

But the Christian is loving and kind, because ‘love does not seek its own’, and is never selfish (1Cor 13:5). For all the days of his life the believer lives for the pleasure and glory of God. That includes his last breath, his death. For a believer, the idea of suicide is totally forbidden. A Christian does not say: ‘I wish I was dead’ or ‘I don die finish’ (Naija). He trusts God every moment of his life including the time and manner of his death. Lesson: we should not be anxious about our life or our death. We must always trust God, every moment, including the last second on earth. Our death is God’s decision, not ours. Jesus controls our life and our death. He promised to be with us to the end of this life and forever! This is the faith of a true Child of God.

Read what the resurrected Christ tells Peter: “Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” 20. Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” 23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true” (Jn 21:18-24). In this passage, our Lord reveals Himself as the Lord of life and death. He just got reconciled with Peter and He tells Peter the way he will die in the future. Peter will die as an old man, and in a painful manner. When Jesus was arrested, because of his fear of death, Peter betrayed his Lord. But when Peter dies, he will remain faithful to the end. This prophetic word came to pass. According to church tradition, Peter died as a martyr. He was crucified as an old man. He told his executioners to crucify him upside down, for he was not worthy to be killed like his master, Jesus. On that Cross, Peter continued to praise God until his last breath. Seeing that Jesus knows the future, Peter became curious about the way John will die. But Jesus gently rebukes Peter, telling him it is not his ‘business’. Out of the original apostles, John is the only one who died as an old man, in a peaceful manner. Lesson: how we die, or how others die, is not our ‘business’. Reject the fear of death! Trust God!

“Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 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 11:23-26). Martha believed that Jesus is the Christ and He will rise her brother Lazarus from the dead in the future, at the last day. Jesus corrects her error. Jesus says that He is the Source of both Resurrection and Eternal Life. In other words, there is no Resurrection without Jesus and no Eternal Life without Jesus. He not only gives Life, but He is Life! Martha saw time and death as insurmountable obstacles. Martha thought: ‘It is too late to save my brother. He has already died, and his body is smelling. We now must wait until the last day to see Lazarus. But for Jesus, both time and death are not obstacles. Martha thought of resurrection as an event in the future. Jesus tells her that Resurrection is a present Person, Himself. Glory to God!

“Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them” (Rev 14:13). The Holy Spirit confirms that those who are born again, when they die, they go to heaven and their good deeds will ‘follow’ them. These will not be lost but will accompany them to heaven to receive their reward. “Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Rom 14:8). In life and in death, we belong to Jesus! Glory!

DOCTRINE: JESUS CHRIST BECAME THE LORD OF ALL BECAUSE HE DIED AND ROSE AGAIN

“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).

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:5-11). Apostle Paul prays that we may know “what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Eph 1:19-23). “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” (Rev1:17,18). “Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matt 28:18). Halleluiah!

From all these scriptures we see that Christ’ death and His resurrection are the reasons for His promotion as Lord over all, dead or alive!!! It follows that if Christ did not become a Man to be able to die, He could not have become the Lord of all. From eternity, Christ was co-equal with God the Father. Both are Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnipotent. But with all this eternal power Christ could not make Himself the Lord over death except when He died as a Man on the Cross. When He was living as a Man on earth, He was the Lord of the living but not the Lord of the dead. At the Cross, the sinless Christ willingly humbled Himself to become sin, so that God’s wrath will fall on Him, and die. He died on our behalf. If He did not die, He could not have become our Savior. He saved us not thru His teachings or His miracles, but thru His very death on the Cross. Now, thru His death and resurrection from the dead, Christ became the Lord of both the living and the dead. When Christ rose from the dead, He defeated the grave, death itself and the devil, who had the power of death. Death is an enemy to man. “The last enemy that will be destroyed is death” (1Cor 15:26). This is the power of the Gospel: Christ has conquered the last enemy. The Christian can now look at death face to face and say: ‘O death, where is your boast? “So, when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Cor 15:54-57).

Death came thru sin, and sin came thru Adam’s disobedience. “Just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom 5:12). Because of sin, there was no man or woman who could avoid or defeat death. Jesus died for sinful men. After three days in the grave, Jesus rose from the dead. It is the power of resurrection, that is the basis for Christ’ authority over all the living and the dead. Peter said: “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it” (Ac 2:22-24). The word ‘held’ means to have power to seize and retain. Death failed to seize and retain the Lord Jesus in the grave! Halleluiah! His victory is ours!

Jesus became our Eternal High Priest not because as a Man He was born in a Levitical family. He became the High Priest thru the power of resurrection, the power of endless life: “For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifies: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 7:14-17). This eternal appointment was not made on earth, but in heaven. Glory!

Before Jesus died and rose from the grave, death was totally barren. Death could not produce any fruit to give glory to God. But now, everything has changed. Praise the Lord! Christ is called ‘The First fruits from the dead’! “Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles” (Ac 26:23). “But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1Cor 15:20-23). “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth” (Rev 1:5). Men like Enoch and Elijah were taken to heaven, but they did not pass thru death. Lazarus was called back from the dead by the Lord Jesus, but he did not resurrect. He came back to continue to live his life on earth and he later died like any mortal man. Jesus Christ is the First Fruit that rose from the dead! That is why He is the Lord of all!

Here we see the need for the incarnation of the Son of God. He has always been God but now, He needed to be a true Man, so that He can die. If Jesus is not Man like us, then He cannot be our Savior. This is the Gospel of salvation. Jesus rose from the dead for His own glorious testimony and on our behalf. He is the first fruits from the dead. The believers in Christ are His harvest. He has conquered the grave, death, and the devil, on our behalf. “Therefore, since [these His] children share in flesh and blood [the physical nature of mankind], He Himself in a similar manner also shared in the same [physical nature, but without sin], so that through [experiencing] death He might make powerless (ineffective, impotent) him who had the power of death—that is, the devil” (Heb 2:14,15; AMP). It is the will of God the Father, that salvation for us should be won by His Son, Jesus Christ. Salvation was won by the Son for the other sons. This salvation, this victory from sin, bondage, and fear, could only be won by the means of death. And only Jesus could have done it! Glory!

The devil ‘had (or has) the power of death’. What does that mean? It does not mean that the devil decides when we die. That is the domain of God alone. For example, when Satan asked God for the permission to attack Job, God allowed him but set boundaries. Satan could make Job sick but could not kill him. “And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life” (Job 2:6). The devil does not have the power, or the authority to decide when we die. Selah! So, how does the devil have (or had) the power of death over men? Because he is the author of death thru sin. In the Garden of Eden, he convinced Adam and deceived Eve to eat from the forbidden fruit. God has already said that disobedience will bring death. Adam sinned and God’s word came to pass. Death entered humanity thru sin. Jesus said that the devil “was a murderer from the beginning” (Jn 8:44). The devil introduced death thru sin. He introduced the sting or death that hurts us and makes us afraid of death. The devil is called ‘the god of this age’ (2Cor 4:4). The whole world is in bondage to the devil. “We know [for a fact] that we are of God, and the whole world [around us] lies in the power of the evil one [opposing God and His precepts]” (1Jn 5:19; AMP). In Christ we are free from the grip, from the control of the devil. But the world around us is still under his control. Each unbeliever you meet, ignorantly or not, is a victim and an agent of the devil. That is why we cannot make friends with the world. The unbelievers fear death because they see hell in the future. Unbelievers do not have the hope of glory, like us, to go to heaven.

Note that Jesus did not ‘destroy’ the devil. He did not annihilate the devil. By His death, Christ made the devil powerless over God’s children. Like a cobra that kills with its poisonous bite, Christ has removed the teeth and the poison of the cobra, for us. This victory over death and the devil applies only to the Christians. “We know [with confidence] that anyone born of God does not habitually sin; but He (Jesus) who was born of God [carefully] keeps and protects him, and the evil one does not touch him” (1Jn 5:18; AMP). Jesus totally protects us from the devil. The word ‘protect’ means to watch over, to keep safe, to guard, to keep in custody, to retain (in His hand). The devil cannot ‘touch’ the believer. The word ‘touch’ means to lay hold of, to attach itself to another, or to intimately connect with another. The devil cannot ‘rape’ or possess a believer. The devil roars like a lion, but it cannot touch or kill the believers. Selah!

How did Christ save us from the fear of death? By dying for us, by becoming a curse on our behalf. Christ has delivered us from the curse of the Law. If God’s Law is broken, or obeyed partially, the penalty for that is death. If a man obeys all the laws, but breaks one law, he enters under the curse of the Law. He must be punished with death. “Christ purchased our freedom and redeemed us from the curse of the Law and its condemnation by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS [crucified] ON A TREE (cross)” (Gal 3:13; AMP). As sinners, the Law was our unmerciful Master. We all failed to obey God’s Laws. But now, Christ is our Master.

“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin [by which it brings death] is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose]” (1Cor 15:56-58; AMP).

By His death on the Cross, Christ has satisfied God’s Law. He has finished obeying the Law and fulfilled all its demands. Christ is the only Man who fully obeyed God’s Law. He did that on our behalf. We are now free from the bondage and the curse of the Law. The Law is not our Master again. We have a new Master, Jesus Christ, who reigns thru Grace. Because of His victory, death has no terror to a Christian. Listen to the promise of Jesus: “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, if anyone keeps My word [by living in accordance with My message] he will indeed never, ever see and experience death” (Jn 8:51; AMP). The Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected has brought eternal life to us who believe. This is the work of King Grace. “But now [that extraordinary purpose and grace] has been fully disclosed and realized by us through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus who [through His incarnation and earthly ministry] abolished death [making it null and void] and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2Tim 1:10. AMP). The revelation of grace and glory in Christ is available only to the believers in Christ. The unbelievers do not have this hope, or this power. The pagans do not believe in a heaven. They fear life and they fear death. Making friends with unbelievers will add fear and anxiety to you. Be careful!

The final proof that the believers have conquered death and its fears, is that now, in Christ, death is our property and our servant. Read this: “Therefore, let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. 23 And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (1Cor 3:21-23). The unbelievers boast in men. We boast in God. Death does not hold us. We hold death! Death must say ‘yes, sir’ to us! Death is the servant that opens the door for the believer to go to heaven. Only Christ could have done such a miracle! Glory to God!

“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” (Rev1:17, 18)

What Jesus meant was, ‘Don’t be afraid of Me’. He said that because John was afraid. Seeing the Lord Jesus risen and glorified was a frightening sight. All the prophets and saints who have seen God in glory have always fallen down in fear and trembling before him. But Jesus reassures John, saying, ‘Don’t be afraid’. By this He means that God is our friend, not our enemy; He is for us, not against us. Apostle Paul says, If God be for us, who can be against us? (Rom 8:31). “Be content with such things as ye have: for he has said, I will never ever, never ever leave thee nor forsake thee. (Heb13:5 KJV). Now that is the great promise which Jesus makes here to John.

Jesus then says, I am the first and the last. I am the living one. That means that He is at the beginning and at the end of everything in everybody’s life. He is the living one, all the way from conception, thru death, to heaven. He is always with us. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the A and the Z of life’. The present tense is used all the way through. Jesus is the One who goes with us through everything. Many saints have been helped during trials by remembering that the Lord was with them! These reassuring words are intended to comfort those who feel alone, and who want somebody to stand with them through difficult times. We look to each other for that, but oftentimes human beings fail. But Jesus will not fail. This is His word to us: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One!’ Amen!

Finally, let us declare: “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). Glory!

THE HEIDELBERG CATECHISM

Question: What is your only comfort in life and death?

Answer: “That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life 9 and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him’.

PRACTICAL LESSONS FOR US:

1-The highest motive why we love the brethren is loving, knowing, and submitting to Christ, who is the Head of the Church.

2-In Christ, we live and die in God’s presence!

3-For the believer, the idea of suicide is totally forbidden.

4-Because Jesus promised to be with us forever, we should never be anxious about our lives or deaths, including the lives and deaths of others. How and when we die is not our ‘business’. It is the Lord’s ‘business’.

5-Because Jesus died and rose again, He is the Lord over the Living and the dead. He has totally defeated on our behalf the grave, death itself and the devil! We are free from the sting (the hurt) of death! We totally reject the fear of death!

6-Jesus totally protects us from the devil!

7- Death was our enemy. Now, in Christ, death has been defeated and has become our property and servant. Death says to you: ‘yes, sir’! Death opens the door to heaven for you! Halleluiah! Worship the Lord!

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (23)/MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (6)

Feb25 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

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, during the time of the Reformation and it is the same during all the revivals in the history of the Church!

MATTERS OF INDIFFERENCE (Romans 14:1-13)

We shall now study The Book of Romans chapter 14 and 15. 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 of our Christian life. 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 between the Christians. Theologians call these principles ‘matters of indifference’ or ‘grey areas’. The major doctrines of the Bible cannot be argued about. But there are some other teachings, important, but not foundational to our faith in Christ. These apply to the type of food Christians eat, the mode of dressing, the way of entertainment, the importance of days and how we celebrate our faith. As Christians, we all must agree on the major doctrines in the Bible, but we can disagree on these matters of indifference. Our disagreements should not make us quarrel or cause division in the Church. It is a pity that these matters are the major reasons why Christians tends to judge and gossip one another. It should not be so. We study them to understand how to behave better, how to love without quarreling and causing division in the Body.

Before we study the details, we should remember some important Biblical principles.

*The Church is not a human institution. It is the Body of Christ. It is One! The visible local church is a mixed multitude; some a believers and others are not. All the believers are born again by Grace, and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are sinners who are now saints. They come from different cultures and backgrounds. They are of different ages and different levels of education. What keeps the together is the Holy Spirit. Before looking at the different types of believers, let us never forget the importance of the Church, the Body of Christ. Jesus shed His Blood not only to save us individually, but to give birth to this special holy institution called ‘the Church’. We should never forget that!

*Each believer is different. He starts as ‘a baby’ and then becomes spiritually mature. This gradual growth is called sanctification. It is not the same with all the Christians. 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. Each Christian must pay the price. All do not have the same commitment to pay the price for spiritual growth. Also, some are more intelligent, more 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. Each Christian must be careful not to hurt his conscience. It 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. Remember that the Book of Romans was written to the Christians and not to the unbelievers!

Why is there difference between them? It is possible to be born again, trusting the Christ, for salvation. But after that, it is also possible to make mistakes in applying God’s Word to practical things. You are justified by faith but later, you depend on your works to grow as a Christian. This was the situation with the believers in Galatia. “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 the spiritual growth. Some believers attend churches where the Word of God is not properly preached. Because they are ignorant of the basic doctrines of salvation, they do not grow in the faith. Another factor is the environment. Different cultures have different ideas on what a Christian should behave. Some churches reject trousers, some hairstyles or makeup for women. 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 intentions or the particular circumstances of each case. Spiritually, legalism means trying to be justified, to attain righteousness with God by doing good works. License is defined as ignoring all laws, or excessive, undisciplined freedom. It is hard to stay in the middle, but that is where truth and love are to be found.

When we say ‘matters of indifference’ we refer to our attitude to things that are not prohibited in the Bible. If something is forbidden, then there is no need to discuss it. For example, the Bible says that fornication or adultery is sin. We cannot debate that. We are here studying things that are not clearly forbidden in God’s Word and our attitude to them. These are not essential to salvation. The reason why we study these things is because over the years, they have bought much confusion and division in the Body. The church is made of believers who are spiritually strong, and others are spiritually weak in the faith. The first lesson we learn is that the Body is One. The strong ones should not despise the weak ones. There is a tendency for the strong to gather in a group and look down on the weak ones. This should not be so. Any form of division and segregation based of Bible knowledge should be discouraged. Never forget: the Body is One!

“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 one who is weak in the faith! This weak brother is born again. He is truly a Christian brother. We are also commanded ‘not to dispute over doubtful things.’ 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 commanded not to increase the weak believer’s doubt and confusion. The strong one is not to argue with the weak one about his fears, his doubts. That will hurt the weak believer making him to become worse. The strong one is not to raise the issue of doubts any time he meets the weak believer. Knowing his weakness, the strong one should not make fun of the weak one. By doing that, the weak one becomes more restless and more confused. Also, the strong one should not oppress the weak one, should not bully him by insisting that he own opinions are better. By doing that, the strong one proves that he lacks love. Apostle Paul does not say that we should never discuss these issues, that we should keep quiet always 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 us always the greatest way in all relationships.

DAYS OF CELEBRATION ARE A MATTER OF INDIFERENCE

Paul says that the Christians celebrate God in different ways and different days. For example, most Christians celebrate Christmas on the 25^th od December. Other Christians say that Jesus was not born in December and celebrate Christmas another day. Most Christians celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday, the first day of the weak. They celebrate the resurrection of Jesus when He entered His rest and His reign. In Christ, each time we gather on Sunday for fellowship, we too rest and reign in His name.

Whatever day you chose to celebrate Jesus, be sure that you ‘are fully convinced in your own mind’ (Rom 14:5). This means that according to your understanding of the Bible, and after you pray, you have complete peace, and your conscience in free from anxiety and guilt as you choose the way you serve God.

THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON (1Kg 3:1-28)

Solomon knew two things, God’s greatness, and his limitations. God gave him a blank check, to ask what he wants. He asked for ‘an understanding heart’ to judge God’s people. This means he wanted a heart that hears God’s voice and obeys it. God gave him that practical wisdom. He also gave him more than that. He gave him wealth and honor. Ask for spiritual things and God will add material things. This wisdom manifested as supernatural wisdom to judge who among the two mothers spoke the truth and who lied. Solomon is a type of Christ who judges all people at the last day. As Solomon used the sword to judge the women, so Christ uses the double-edged sword of the Word of God to judge all things. Nothing is hidden from him. Solomon gave audience to two prostitutes. They represent all sinners. One loved her child, spoke the truth, and was saved. The other hated, lied, and perished. They are a picture of the two robbers crucified alongside Jesus. One had faith and was saved. The other continued to insult and rejected Jesus and perished. Lesson: if God says to you: ask for anything from me, what will you ask? Worship the Lord!

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (22)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (5)

Feb18 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

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” (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. 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, that we might be saved! God the Son gave up His Live, His Blood, to pay for our sins! There is no greater Love than that!!! “Let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds” (Heb 10:24; AMP). Halleluiah!

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (Romans 14:1-13)

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!

SOME LESSONS ON HOW TO RELATE TO OTHERS CONCERNING MATTERS OF INDIFFERENCE

*This command works only when applying the power of agape love. The power of the flesh and human sympathy will fail in this regard.

*The matters of loving indifference apply to both the weak and the strong’. Both despising and judging are wrong!

*The fact that we welcome a brother who is weak in the faith does not mean that automatically, the weak one becomes a leader in the church.

*All of us are sinners saved by grace. The same Blood of Jesus saved us all. Even the ones who are strong in the faith are not yet perfect. We all make mistakes. We all have to stay humble and be quick to repent when we fail the law of Love and pay the price to grow in the faith.

*Never allow your Bible knowledge to build pride in you! Each one is responsible to keep the unity of the Spirit in the Body. The strong is not to ‘to despise the weak’ and the weak is you and to lead you to quarrel. A spiritually mature Christian never quarrels. The world loves to argue, debate and quarrel. Any Christian who cannot control his emotions or his words, should not give his opinions in public about anything. Speaking in anger does great damage to your testimony and hurts others!

*Learn the difference between a dialogue and a debate. A dialogue brings two willing parties together. Love is the key. They both want to come to a common understanding of the problem and finding a common ground is the goal. Debate is oppositional. Hatred and anger are there. The two parties oppose one another, each trying to prove that the other one is wrong. In debate, wining is the goal. Debate does not care about other’s feelings, love, or the future of the relationship. Debate has no hope for the future. Christians should engage in dialogue and never in debate! This law applies to the marriage set up and to the church fellowship. Get a better understanding of the other’s position. Love demands that! All discussions should be done in a Christian manner. If you cannot behave as Christians with others, better keep quiet!

*Apply the rules of teaching in your relationships with people, especially with those weak in the faith. Teaching is a science and an art. These are some guidelines: First, a good teacher is a patient person. He is also humble and wise. He knows his subject, but he also knows and loves his students! He must be ready to face many challenges. He must learn to gain the trust of his students. A teacher will not be too fast and leave the weak ones struggling behind. A teacher is a balanced wise person. A loving attitude towards the students is the oil of success for any teacher. He teaches especially by being a living example. These rules about being a good teacher apply to parents, pastors, and leaders in the church.

*In all relationships, thru words and actions, we should always be conscious of the glory of God. We are vessels of honor pleasing to our Master.

*Watch yourself! There is always a danger to become impatient, to react angrily when meeting a Christian who is different than you. A wise man does not jump at conclusions. He listens to the facts, prays, and he ‘arrives’ at conclusions. We make mistakes because we are too fast in judging others. For example, it is shameful and even dangerous for a judge, or a lawyer to ‘jump’ at conclusions. “He who answers before he hears [the facts]— It is folly and shame to him” (PV 18:13; AMP). Nicodemus said to the Pharisees who judged Jesus: “Does our Law convict someone without first giving him a hearing and finding out what he is [accused of] doing?” (Jn 7:51; AMP). “Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]” (Jam 1:19; AMP).

*Beware of the danger of tolerating a troublemaker: If after receiving one who is weak in the faith, you discover that he is proud, unteachable, quarrelsome, and rebellious, then you may have to tell him to leave the fellowship. He is not a true brother. He is a religious unbeliever, a troublemaker and faultfinder. He is taking advantage of your kindness trying to destroy the fellowship. He is a ‘divisive man’ who wants to break the church. “Avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned” (Tit 3:9-11).

*Matters of indifference refer to things that are not forbidden in the Bible but are important to study and obey. For example, when Apostle Paul talks about Christian behavior and issues of marriage, he makes clear that some of his recommendations are not directly from the Lord. These are his commands, given as a wise servant of God and having a clear conscience. “Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment” (1 Cor 7:5,6). “Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy” (1 Cor 7:25). These are examples of Biblical counsel that belongs to the matters of indifference. We should never make these things become the center of our salvation.

JUDGE NOT!

“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matt 7:1,2). This command is given by our Lord, and it is a part of the Sermon on the Mount. Many are confused concerning the application of this command. They say that you should never judge any matter or any person, for fear that you will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ. But that explanation cannot be true. The Bible commands us to be watchful, to test, and judge people, to know if they are true believers or not. We are also commanded to judge and reject wrong doctrines. We cannot do this if we are always spiritually passive and afraid to judge. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 Jn 4:1). Our Lord tells us to judge spirits and people with a right judgment. He said: “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (Jn 7:24).

What then is the true meaning of this command? The Lord exposes a particular type of religious people, who are proud and self-righteous. They are over critical of other believers. They constantly look for faults in others. When they find the fault, they become happy. When they do not find faults in others, they are disappointed and become angry. These people have strong opinions in matters of indifference. They are very vocal even in matters that do not concern them. They are busybodies. They are quick to judge even when they don’t know all the facts. They are not kind or merciful. They think that they are God. They condemn others saying that they go to hell. For example, they say to a weak Christian: ‘You say that you are a Christian and you still drink beer. I don’t see you making heaven’.

Our Lord is concerned with this matter of condemning others in the final sense. Most of the time, the Lord had the Pharisees in mind. They were proud of their religion, of their good works, and of their prayers. They looked down on others who could not compete with them. A Pharisee and a Tax collector prayed side by side in the temple. “He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 18:9-14). The Pharisee clearly believes he is better than the tax collector and that he goes to heaven. He judges and condemns him, being sure that the tax collector goes to hell. The Pharisees behaves like he is the owner of heaven. But this attitude of religious pride and condemning others is not limited to the Pharisees. This spirit is active even now. When some religious men brought the woman caught in adultery to Jesus, they have already condemned her to death in their hearts. But Jesus exposed their wickedness and sin of condemning others. He said: “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first” (Jn 8:7). Listen to the words of Jesus! They have the power to enter like a sword in all our hearts. We must search ourselves and try to find if we too are wicked hypocrites. This is the right thing to do: if you want to judge, then start with yourself! “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” (1Cor 11:31). May we humble ourselves before God. May we appreciate love and mercy more than all our opinions. Amen!

TITHES AND OFFERINGS

The term “tithe” is derived from an Old English word which means “tenth.” Biblically, tithing refers to the practice of giving the first 10% of your profit to God. Tithing has a rich history in the Bible and is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. The tithe reminds you that God must be first in your life, and He is the one that gives you the ability to make wealth. “But you shall remember [with profound respect] the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore (solemnly promised) to your fathers, as it is this day” (Deut 8:18; AMP). In the New Testament tithing is not compulsory. It is not a Law. The practice of paying tithes is an old church tradition and belongs to the domain of matters of indifference. Offering is giving a substantial amount of money to God, and it is separate from the tithe. God promised to bless those who give tithes and offerings. The money is used to increase the kingdom of God on earth, to take care of God’s house and His workers, and to help the needy.

The concept of tithing started when Abraham offered a tenth of his spoils of war to the priest and king Melchizedek, who is a type of Christ (Gen 14:18-20). This act is the forerunner type of formal tithing. Under the Mosaic Law, tithing became a standard practice. It was connected with the life in the Promised Land. The Israelites were instructed to give a tenth of their crops, livestock, and income as an offering to the Lord. The tithes supported the priests and the Levites, who were responsible for the religious duties of the community. “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord” (Lev 27:30). “You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year” (Deut 14:22). God wants the first fruits of our harvest. “The first of the first fruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God” (Ex23:19). Praise God!

Prophet Malachi speaking for God said that God will bless the tithers with supernatural prosperity. God will rebuke the devil and make the tithers to be an international blessing. God said that paying your tithe can be ‘tested or tried’. You’ll see for yourself if the promised blessings come true or not. “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” says the Lord of hosts; 12 “And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” Says the Lord of hosts” (Mal 3:10-12). The Lord of Hosts is Jehovah Sabaoth, the God of heaven’s armies, who can never lose any battle! Tithers are always overcomers! Praise the Lord!

In the New Testament, tithe is not commanded directly. But believers are encouraged to give generously, faithfully, sacrificially, and cheerfully to God’s work. Like with all other commands, giving to God’s work is not legalistic. It is an overflow of a grateful heart of a child of God. Jesus was watching how people give offerings to God. He commended a widow for giving her two small coins, highlighting the importance of giving from the heart, regardless of the amount (Mk 12:41-44). Apostle Paul confirms that God blesses the generous and happy giver: “Now [remember] this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to others] will also reap generously [and be blessed]. 7 Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift]. 8 And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him] and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity. 9 As it is written and forever remains written, “He [the benevolent and generous person] scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever!” 10 Now He who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed for sowing [that is, your resources] and increase the harvest of your righteousness [which shows itself in active goodness, kindness, and love]. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous, and this [generosity, administered] through us is producing thanksgiving to God [from those who benefit]. 12 For the ministry of this service (offering) is not only supplying the needs of the saints (God’s people) but is also overflowing through many expressions of thanksgiving to God” (2 Cor 9:6-12; AMP).

1-Some reasons why Tithing is not compulsory in the New Testament:

*In Christ, we are not under the Old Testament Law. We are under Grace. “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Rom 6:14).

*Abraham gave his tithe to king and priest Melchizedek only once. There is no record that he repeated this action.

*The tithe was given to the priests and the Levites to take care of the Temple. In Christ, we are all kings and priests. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9).

*Jesus confirms the tithe, but it was before He died and rose again before the New Covenant is put into action. Jesus said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone” (Matt 23:23). Jesus told the Jews about bringing gifts to the temple (Matt 5:23, 24). But that does not mean the Christians should bring gifts to the temple in Jerusalem. In Christ, these commands become spiritual and in all we do, we are led by the Holy Spirit.

2-Some reasons why the Christians should pay tithes and offerings:

It is true that we are not commanded to pay tithes. But the believers are encouraged to be generous and give to God’s work. That amount can be more or less than 10% of your profit. Many believers who argue against paying tithe are those who defend their greed. Those who say that they cannot afford to tithe, defend their unbelief. They refuse to ‘test’ God in this matter assuming that tithing is a waste. Please note this: Even if you do not want to tithe, all Christians are commanded to give generously the needy and to God’s servants who preach the Gospel. “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages” (1Tim 5:17, 18). “The one who is taught the word [of God] is to share all good things with his teacher [contributing to his spiritual and material support]” (Gal 6:6; AMP). As we enjoy the good life God has given to us, we are also commanded to be generous and help the needy. This is because wealth, if it is not shared with others, can quickly become an idol. “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim 6:17-19). Generosity prevents and defeats Mammon!

Tithing is a form of worship. It is proof of obedience and faith in God’s Word. Paying tithe is usually done to your local church or to any other ministry or person who spiritually invests in your destiny. The benefits of tithing cannot be discovered except you personally tithe having faith in God. Paying 10% of your profit is just a guideline. You can pay more than that if you are led by the Holy Spirit. Tithing can start as a duty but if practiced, it becomes a delight. I personally do not know of any person who is truly born again who had regrets about tithing to God’s work. Giving generously to God’s work is a treasure laid in heaven. Jesus says “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6:19-21). Treasure is connected to the heart. Your heart will be mastered either by the (temporary) treasures on earth or by the (eternal) treasure of heaven. Jesus is the Keeper of your treasure in heaven and the Rewarder with all good things in eternity. Amen!

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (3)

Feb4 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (20)

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” (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. The agape love for God and for one another 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! “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with LOVE” (1 Cor 16:13,14). 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, that we might be saved! God the Son gave us His Live, His Blood, to pay for our sins! There is no greater Love than that!!! Hallelujah!

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (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). We see that the Christian life is a life of sacrifice for the sake of Christ, to give glory to God! By faith in the Word of God, 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. “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 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. ‘Matters of indifference’ refer to our attitude to things that are not prohibited in the Bible. 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 are here studying things that are not clearly forbidden in God’s Word and our attitude to them. We study these things because over the years they 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 despise the weak ones. There is a tendency for the strong to gather in groups to gossip, to look down on the weak ones. The weak ones are commanded not to judge the spiritually strong. Any form of division and segregation based on your Bible knowledge is wrong. We study these teachings to know how to behave better, how to love without quarreling and causing division in the Body. Selah!

SOME LESSONS ON HOW TO RELATE TO OTHERS CONCERNING MATTERS OF INDIFFERENCE

*This command works only when applying the power of agape love. The power of the flesh and human sympathy will fail in this regard.

*The matters of loving indifference apply to both the weak and the strong in the faith. Each one is responsible to keep the unity of the Spirit in the Body. The strong is not to ‘to despise the weak’ and the weak is not ‘to judge the strong’. Both despising and judging are wrong!

*The fact that we welcome a brother who is weak in the faith does not mean that automatically, the weak one becomes a leader in the church. He is admitted ‘in the hospital’ of the Spirit. He does not join the Olympic team who has been training for long and learn to grow spiritually.

*Never allow your Bible knowledge to build pride in you and to lead you to quarrel. A spiritually mature Christian who is strong in the faith never quarrels. Jesus rebuked His enemies but never hated them. “Love is never rude” (1 Cor 13:5). The world loves to argue, debate and quarrel. We should never argue about anything just for the pleasure of an argument, just to prove a point or just to defend ourselves. Only fools are quick to argue. “It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel” (PV 20:3). Love and self-control are both fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22, 23). Any Christian who cannot control his emotions or his words, should not give his opinions in public about anything. Speaking in anger does great damage to your testimony and hurts others! The great preacher Charles Spurgeon warned his students about quarreling. He said: ‘Many Christians behave like angels in a prayer meeting and like devils in a church meeting’. Selah!

Learn the difference between a dialogue and a debate. A dialogue brings two willing parties together. Love is the key. They both want to come to a common understanding of the problem and try to find solutions together. In dialogue, finding a common ground is the goal. Each person listens to the other. Each person is willing to learn from the other and change his opinions in the process. Dialogue is creative and has room to grow. The parties agree to find a new solution that was not among the original solutions. In dialogue, each person submits and shows real love for the other party. Each one does not want to reject or offend the other. Dialogue remains open ended giving hope for the future.

A debate is oppositional. Hatred and anger are there. The two parties oppose one another, each trying to prove that the other one is wrong. In debate, wining is the goal. Each one looks for the weaknesses in the other and attacks it. Debate assumes that only one party knows the truth rejecting all other positions and solutions. Debate is done with a closed mind. Debate does not care about other’s feelings, love, or the future of the relationship. Debate ends with a final conclusion and has no hope for the future.

Christians should engage in dialogue and never in debate! This law applies to the marriage set up and to the church fellowship. Love is never selfish, and ‘does not seek its own’ (1Cor 13:5). Lesson: Never argue about the Bible just to display your ‘great’ knowledge. Try to get a better understanding of the other’s position. Love demands that! All discussions between brethren should be done in a spiritual Christian manner. If you cannot behave as Christians during a discussion with others, better keep quiet!

EATING DIFFERENT FOODS IS A MATTER OF INDIFFERENCE

“Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand” (Rom 14:1-4). In this passage, Apostle Paul says that the believers who are strong in the faith eat all types of food, both vegetables and meat. But the believers who are weak in the faith eat only vegetables. The strong in the faith tends to ‘despise’ the weak. The weak in the faith tends to ‘judge’ the strong. Apostle Paul refers to the fact that at that time, the pagans sacrificed animals to idols. Part of that meat was sold in the public market. Many Christians had problems with buying and eating such meat. The Jews had to obey ceremonial laws concerning the type of meat to eat. In the Book of Leviticus 11, God commanded the Jews not to eat and not even to touch ‘unclean’ things like pork, or fish without scales. Because of these ceremonial laws, some of the Jews who became born again but were still weak in the faith, refused to buy and even touch meat sold in the market. The Gentiles (the non-Jews), the pagans, who became born again but were weak in the faith, were also afraid to eat meat dedicated to idols, thinking that they will connect with past familiar spirits. All these groups of people decided to ‘play safe’ and eat only vegetables, so that they do not to defile themselves with ‘unclean’ meat. The weak in the faith became vegetarians by force and by choice. Please note that Apostle Paul does not condemn the vegetarian diet. If you chose to be a vegetarian for health reasons, that is good. What the Apostle condemns is choosing to eat only vegetables for spiritual or religious reasons. There is a difference.

But the Jewish and the Gentile believers who were strong in the faith, felt free to eat any type of meat. They knew that the idols are nothing and they cannot pollute the meat. They prayed over the food and had no fears or doubts concerning eating anything. Lesson: The weak believers are influenced by a spirit of fear. Fear makes them legalistic, complicated, and confused. But the strong in the faith had no fears or doubts. Their faith was 100%! They lived in the freedom Christ has provided for them. They have seen that the ceremonial law of the Old Testament has no effect anymore on a Christian because “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom 10:4). Halleluiah! Amen!

VEGETARIANISM

Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from eating meat and animal products. There are many reasons why some people abstain from eating meat. Some are vegetarians because of their religious beliefs. They believe that animals have souls, that they have the right to live like any man. Others chose not to eat meat for health reasons. All vegetarians chose to eat only vegetables that grow from the earth.

*Most vegetarians live in India. They are religious Hindus. India is the country that has the least consumption of meat in the world. There are about 400 million vegetarians in India. Jainism is a type of Hinduism. It is one of the oldest religions in the world and it is practices mostly in India. There are about 5 million Jain believers. They believe that the universe was not created and will exist forever. It is independent, having no creator, governor, judge, or destroyer. Nonviolence is their highest religious duty. They totally forbid the killing of any living being, man or animal. They are strict vegetarians. They do not eat any root plants like potatoes, yam, carrot, onions, because they say that once you uproot these, you kill many little insects around the roots. They worship many deities in their temples.

*About 13% of all Jews living in Israel are vegetarians. The religious dietary restrictions guide regarding what can be consumed by practicing Jews is called kosher. Foods labeled kosher are prepared under strict guidelines to the entire supply chain, from harvest and slaughter to preparation, packaging, and food combinations. Pork and shellfish are famously not allowed. Religious holidays have additional restrictions.

*The Muslims do not drink alcohol and do not eat pork meat.

*The Rastafarians are a group of Afro-Jamaican people who believe in the God of the Bible whom they call Jah. This religious movement opposed the British Colonial Culture. They believe that the Africans are God’s chosen people and that they should go back to Africa, their Promised Land. They invented the reggae music which became popular all over the world. Many of them smoke marihuana and are vegetarians.

*In Africa, Ethiopia is the number one country that practices vegetarian diet. Orthodox Christians abstain from all animal products for around 200 days each year during their church fasting days. In Gabon and South Africa meat consumption is the highest in Africa. In Nigeria less than 0.2% of its population is vegetarian. In Lagos alone, an estimated 164 trailers come in daily with 6,000 to 8000 cows to be slaughtered for various purposes. Most Nigerians like eating meat and fish. They see the vegetarians as foolish, eating ‘grass’ like the oyinbo (the white people).

*The Seventh-day Adventist diet is a plan promoted by members of their Church. It’s a mostly plant-based diet and it is done for health reasons.

They apply God’s Word even in their diet. In the Garden of Eden God said: “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food” (Gen 1:29). These are some of their guidelines: Balance and moderation are the keys to good health. Too much of anything, even something good, can be harmful to your health. Pure water, fresh air and exercise are healthy. Avoid alcohol, tobacco, mind-altering drugs, and hot spices. A well-balanced vegetarian diet with vitamin 12 promotes health. You should not eat unclean foods listed in the Bible (especially pork meat). They eat beans, nuts, brown rice, fruits, and vegetables. They eat one cup of beans every day. They drink about 8 glasses of water daily. They eat a handful of nuts (wall nuts, ground nuts, cashew nuts) a day. They eat corn, and Popo fruit daily. They try to live a stress-free life. They go to church and rest and enjoy their fellowships every Sabbath day. They have low rates of heart dieses, diabetes, and cancers. The community of Seven-day Adventist who live in Loma Linda, CA is one of the five places on earth called Blue Zones. There are only 5 blue zones in the world (Ikaria, Greece, Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa Japan, Nicoya, Costa Rica, and Loma Linda, Ca). In all these places, the people live well above 100 years of age and stay physically and mentally strong.

*Turmeric spice is said to be the best anti-cancer in the world. It comes from a plant related to Ginger growing in India. Turmeric is what gives curry its yellow color. It decreases inflammation and the aging process. It increases the immunity of the body, helps the brain cells, increases the attention and memory power. It reduces heart diseases and may prevent and fight cancer. It reduces rheumatism, arthritis, and depression.

*Zobo, or hibiscus tea, is a well-known drink. After Sudan, Nigeria is the second leading global producer of Hibiscus. Elements found in zobo, such as fiber, carotene, Vitamin C, niacin, riboflavin, phosphorus, fat, thiamine, and many others, make it exceptional. It has antioxidant properties. It can be drunk hot or cold. Zobo has no caffeine and few calories. It is advised not to add sugar to reap its full health benefits. It regulates the appetite for food. By reducing the absorption of carbohydrates, zobo helps reduce weight. It lowers the blood pressure. It keeps the liver and the kidneys healthy. It prevents constipation and reduces the menstrual pains. It may help prevent and fight cancer cells.

*Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin needed for proper functioning of the nervous system. Deficiency leads to weight and memory loss, anemia, and depression. Vitamin B12 is created by bacteria that can only be found naturally in animal products like meat, fish, milk, and eggs. It is now produced artificially as part of Multivitamin Tablets. The vegetarians need to take these tablets!

PETER WALKS ON THE WATER (Matt 14:22-33)

This is a wonderful story of faith. “Immediately, Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side”. The word ‘made’ here means to force, to urge, to compel. The disciples did not want to go. Jesus just did a miracle. He multiplied bread and fishes to feed 5000 people. They now wanted to make him king by force (Jn 6:15). Things were becoming exciting for the disciples. But Jesus knew that this excitement is of the flesh. Lesson: the devil uses the crowd to flatter Jesus so that He will become their king and provider and forget the Cross!

Jesus compelled them to enter their boat and go to the other side of the Sea. Lesson: when your flesh becomes too excited, go home, and do some physical work. Also, Jesus needed some time alone to pray to the Father. Here you see Jesus as Man (He needs to pray) and as God (He walks on the water, saves Peter, and calms the storm). Here we also see Jesus as the High Priest and Intercessor of all the believers. He prays to God, but He is aware of the needs of His children. Faith developed in the storm becomes strong faith. Some hours later, a storm started on the sea. The disciples saw Jesus who was walking on the sea towards them. They thought He is a ghost, and they will now die. Fear gripped their hearts. Jesus spoke to them: “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid”. It means ‘be bold and have good courage’. The words: “It is I” are the same as “I AM”. Jesus is Jehovah God! Peter answered Him saying: “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Jesus simply said: “Come!” In the middle of the storm, Peter forgot his fears, and desiring only to obey Jesus’ command, came out from the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus. True mature faith needs only God’s Word to manifest! The wind was ‘contrary and boisterous’, meaning a strong wind coming from the opposite direction, attacking like an enemy. When Peter saw the wind, he became afraid and started sinking. He cried for help and Jesus caught him by His hand. Jesus said: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. The disciples worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God”.

Jesus wanted the disciples to leave the crowd with all its excitement and learn a true lesson of faith in the storm. They just witnessed the miracle of multiplication of bread and fish that fed 5000 people. Now, in the storm, they forgot about the miracle. Why? Their hearts were still hardened ((Mk 6:52). Jesus sent them into the storm to purge them from this hardness of heart, from pride, doubts, and fears. They had to learn that Jesus uses different methods than the world to establish His kingdom. If men chose Jesus as their king, that would not make them to worship Him. But faith learned in the mist of trials, leads to worshipping Jesus! Jesus gave these commands: Have courage! Have faith! Fear not! Doubt not! Come to Me! Initially, Peter obeyed. He had courage, faith, rejected fear and doubt, and walked on the water. For as long as he looked unto Jesus, His commander, he experienced the miracle. The moment he became distracted by the circumstances, and he removed his eyes from Jesus, he started sinking. Jesus helped him even when he doubted. This is a great encouragement to us! Walking on water is a symbol of our Christianity! We need to walk by faith, and with courage. We must reject fear, doubt, and the temptation to look at the circumstances. Faith means taking one step at the time. Peter did well when he took the first step to come out of the boat. He started sinking when he looked at the wind and did not focus on the next step. Fear and doubt make you heavy and you will sink. You can choose to worry or to worship!

Jesus’ walking on the stormy sea was a picture of His complete authority over His creation and in the Church. “And He (God the Father) put all things under His (Jesus Christ) feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the church” (Eph 1:22). How did Jesus perform the miracle? Jesus did not stop the Law of Gravity. He exercised a greater power than the Law of Gravity. By His Will alone, He walked on the Sea. This is the power of resurrection, the same power manifested in Peter, and in all God’s Children. Worship the Lord!

THE CHRISTIANS AND SMOKING

Jan28 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

For Christians, smoking pipe, cigars (including marihuana), or chewing tabaco, belong to matters of indifference. There is no place in the Bible that forbids smoking. Discussing about smoking is an important topic but are not essential to salvation. Medically it is proven that smoking is bad for health. Smoking is an addiction. Addiction is defined as exhibiting a compulsive, chronic, physiological, or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, or activity. Anything that you love so much that you feel you miss it, is addictive. The Bible calls it an idol. God hates idols. If you desire the pleasure the idol gives to you, you will become distant from God. Even ‘innocent’ idolatry damages your intimacy with God. These are some examples of everyday idols: special food, alcohol, smoking cigars, drugs, vacation, loving people more than loving God, dancing in a night club or to worldly music, playing cards, getting tattoos, watching movies showing violence or sex, or pornography. These activities can be included in ‘matters of indifference’. Question: people who claim to be saved but also drink alcohol or smoke cigars, are they Christians? The answer may be yes, or no. Drinking alcohol or smoking cigars are not the basis by which a man becomes a Christian or the criteria by which you know a believer. We are saved by grace alone, thru faith in Christ alone. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are the only true proof of salvation and Love is the first ‘slice’ (Gal 5:22, 23). Look especially for Love and Self-control in that person! Be wise! Be careful!

Smoking is the world’s leading preventable cause of untimely death. The chemical component in a cigar is called nicotine. It is highly addictive. Nicotine is as difficult to give up as cocaine or heroin. It is found in the leaves of a plant called tabaco which was discovered in 1492 by Christopher Columbus while exploring the Americas. He brought few tobacco leaves and seeds back with him to Europe. Many loved the feeling of smoking. The tabaco industry started to grow. Later, nicotine was produced artificially in the laboratory. Nicotine was discovered to be poison in 1828. The lethal dose of inhaled nicotine is 50 mg/kg in an adult. Children are more in danger than adults. They can eat the cigars and poison themselves. The symptoms or tabaco poisoning are vomiting, headache, dizziness, convulsions, coma, and heart failure. Death can occur in one hour after the exposure. Electronic cigars use heated liquid nicotine. Because of the high concertation of nicotine in its liquid form, these are more dangerous, especially to the children. Most countries (including Nigeria) prohibit the selling of cigars to minors (below 18). Why do people smoke cigars? These are some pleasant effects of nicotine: you feel more alert, more relaxed, and less anxious. But nicotine can disturb your sleep, cause stomach ulcer, dizziness, and cancers. It is proven that 90% of lung cancer cases are related to smoking. Smokers die 10 years earlier than nonsmokers. There are more than 7000 chemicals in the cigarettes and most of them cause cancer of the lungs, kidneys, liver and of the skin. It reduces fertility in both men and women. It reduces the immunity of the body. Wounds heal slower in smokers. The danger extends to the people who live around smokers. Smoking is not just un-healthy. It is deadly. It is the greatest poison of the lungs. Once the smoke enters the lungs, it cannot be ‘washed’ away.

A menthol cigarette is a cigarette infused with menthol which imparts a ‘sweet, minty’ flavor to the smoke. Menthol decreases the irritant sensations of nicotine making smoking feel less harsh compared to regular cigarettes. The smoker feels a cooling sensation in his throat. Menthol cigarettes are easier to learn how to smoke and harder to quit. They are more addictive and just as harmful as regular cigarettes. I read that the tobacco industry in the US targeted the African American people in particular. They advertised the menthol cigars by saying that they are healthier than the regular ones. The menthol cigars industry invested heavily in the Civil rights movements in the 60s. They sponsored events in the black community. They subsidized their products in the black schools, churches, and organizations. This marketing strategy was a great success for them. The rate of smoking of the menthol cigars grew in the black community and went down in the white community. Studies say that 80% of all the African American smokers, consume the menthol cigars. Much of the increase is from young people.

About 1 billion people smoke worldwide. That means 1 out of 8 people smoke cigars. Each year, more than 8 million people die prematurely from tobacco use. Thank God, all over the world, the rate of smoking is going down. Men smoke more than the women. The rate of smoking is higher among the young people, the less educated, the poorer, divorced, widowed, homosexual people, those who have a disability, and those who experience frustration in life and depression. Why it is so hard to stop smoking? Nicotine is the main addictive chemical. During smoking, it goes immediately to the brain and gives a feeling of instant pleasure. Over time, nicotine changes the way the brain works. The brain thinks that without nicotine, you can never be happy. Nicotine helps people to concentrate. If they don’t smoke, they feel that they can’t focus. Trying to stop nicotine intake is hard. These are some signs of withdrawal: you become uncomfortable, angry, and overanxious. You can’t sleep. You start feeling hungrier and put on weight. There are now medications helping smokers to quit. Pray for the grace to stop smoking. Millions of people have done it. After some time of struggle, you will be free from this addiction. You feel much better, healthier, and happier. Do it!

Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) one of the greatest preachers in the world was known to smoke cigars. He publicly defended his habit saying it is not a sin. But it is on record that he was often sick and could not preach. He battled depression all his life. Even his wife was chronically sick and most of the time could not come to church. After 24 years of chronic sickness and smoking, he died at the age of 57 with kidney’s failure.

The Bible does not forbit smoking. We shall analyze the habit of smoking thru general Biblical principles:

*We should not be ‘mastered’ by anything, except by God. “Everything is permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything [and brought under its power, allowing it to control me]” (1Cor 6:12; AMP). Smoking may not be illegal or sinful, but it’s not beneficial, useful, helpful, or good. It can make me its slave. It will damage my relationship with God.

*We should honor God with our bodies because they belong to Christ. He has paid for them. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1Cor 6:19, 20). Smoking damages my body which belongs to Jesus and dishonors God.

*We should do everything to the glory of God, as a personal testimony that we worship God. “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1Cor 10:31). Smoking is addictive and cannot bring glory to God!

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (19)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (2)

Jan28 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

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 and Numbers 27:1-11; 36:1-13.

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. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in 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. The agape love for God and for one another 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! Romance says: ‘I love you because you are beautiful!’ Agape Love says: I love you even with your wrinkles! “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, LOVE, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2Tim 2:22). Agape Love is not the passing sexual lust. This is the unfailing, eternal Love of God! 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, that we might be saved! God the Son gave us His Live, His Blood, to pay for our sins! There is no greater Love than that!!! Hallelujah!

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (2) (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). We see that the Christian life is a life of sacrifice for the sake of Christ, to give glory to God! By faith in the Word of God, 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. “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom 13:10). Amen!

RECEIVE ONE WHO IS WEAK IN THE FAITH

“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: you must receive a believer who is weak in the faith! Why? Because he is a true Christian brother. To receive it means to tolerate, accommodate or to welcome. Don’t 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 doubts and confusion. The strong one is not to argue too forcefully with the weak one about his fears. He should not raise the issue of doubts any time he meets the weak believer. He should not mock, oppress or bully the weak one. By doing that, the strong one proves that he lacks love. Ignorantly, he hurts the weak believer making him worse, more confused, and more restless. Paul does not say that we should never discuss these issues, but we should try to avoid conflicts. He is concerned about the manner in which we bring them up. “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies… While knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church” (1 Cor 8:1,b; NKJ, NLT). Love is the greatest way in all relationships!

‘To receive’ it means to accept, to take possessions over something given to you. To welcome it means to gladly open your heart and home to someone. The opposite it means to ignore someone, to reject, or to just tolerate him grudgingly. Love commands that we should positively admit someone into the church fellowship and take the risk to care for him as much as possible. The same word appears in the following verses: “Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him” (Rom14:3). “Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God” (Rom15:7).

Lesson: we must receive the weak brother in our fellowship for the simple reason that God the Father and God the Son have received him already. We must behave as God, reflecting His attitude in receiving sinners to Christ. Rejecting a weak brother gives the impression that God has rejected him. That causes deep wounds in the weak brother. The religious Pharisees complained that Jesus ‘receives’ sinners. “All the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them”. 3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!” (Lk 15:1-6). They hated Jesus because He welcomed the sinners ‘who drew near to hear Him’. The Pharisees hated these ‘sinners’, who were Jews, but were not very religious, not strict in obeying the laws like them. The Jews called all the Gentiles ‘dogs or sinners.’ The Pharisees also included in this category all Jewish tax collectors and the prostitutes. They were sure that these people can never be saved by God, and they will surely go to hell. But Jesus received these rejected people. He gave them the Gospel. They listened to Him, and many became saved. Jesus gave hope to the most hopeless!!! In fact, Jesus stated His mission on earth as this: “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk 19:10). For receiving sinners Jesus was hated by the religious leaders. Jesus says that the true shepherd leaves the 99 strong ‘sheep’ and goes after the 100^th stranded, lost, weak, and confused ‘sheep’. In the parable of the Prodigal son, we see the same drama. The father receives his younger son who has squandered his inheritance. This is love in action. The older son, who is a type of a Pharisees, rejects his brother and gets angry when the father receives him gladly (Lk15:11-32). Lesson: we must actively and happily try to locate and welcome the weak brethren. For Christ’ sake, and for the glory of God, we must receive the weak in faith. To be like Jesus, there is a price to pay. Like Jesus, we shall be discriminated by the religious leaders, but what matters is that thru this sacrificial love, we give glory to God! Selah!

These are some lessons on how to receive brethren who are weak in the faith:

*This command to receive a weak brother applies only to the church setup. God gives His grace to welcome the weak in the faith only to the Body of the local church. This command does not apply to all other religious organizations, traditional gatherings, or family meetings.

*This command works only when applying the power of agape love. The power of the flesh and human sympathy will fail in this regard.

THE CHRISTIANS AND SMOKING

For Christians, smoking pipe, cigars (including marihuana), or chewing tabaco, belong to matters of indifference. There is no place in the Bible that forbids smoking. Discussing about smoking is an important topic but are not essential to salvation. Medically it is proven that smoking is bad for health. Smoking is an addiction. Addiction is defined as exhibiting a compulsive, chronic, physiological, or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, or activity. Anything that you love so much that you feel you miss it, is addictive. The Bible calls it an idol. God hates idols. If you desire the pleasure the idol gives to you, you will become distant from God. Even ‘innocent’ idolatry damages your intimacy with God. These are some examples of everyday idols: special food, alcohol, smoking cigars, drugs, vacation, loving people more than loving God, dancing in a night club or to worldly music, playing cards, getting tattoos, watching movies showing violence or sex, or pornography. These activities can be included in ‘matters of indifference’. Question: people who claim to be saved but also drink alcohol or smoke cigars, are they Christians? The answer may be yes, or no. Drinking alcohol or smoking cigars are not the basis by which a man becomes a Christian or the criteria by which you know a believer. We are saved by grace alone, thru faith in Christ alone. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are the only true proof of salvation and Love is the first ‘slice’ (Gal 5:22, 23). Look especially for Love and Self-control in that person! Be wise! Be careful!

The Bible does not forbit smoking. We shall analyze the habit of smoking thru general Biblical principles:

*We should not be ‘mastered’ by anything, except by God. “Everything is permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything [and brought under its power, allowing it to control me]” (1Cor 6:12; AMP). Smoking may not be illegal or sinful, but it’s not beneficial, useful, helpful, or good. It can make me its slave. It will damage my relationship with God.

*We should honor God with our bodies because they belong to Christ. He has paid for them. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1Cor 6:19, 20). Smoking damages my body which belongs to Jesus and dishonors God.

*We should do everything to the glory of God, as a personal testimony that we worship God. “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1Cor 10:31). Smoking is addictive and cannot bring glory to God!

ZELOPHEHAD’S DAUGHTERS (Nu 27:1-11; 36:1-13).

This is a wonderful story of grace and faith. These five women stand for the weak believers. Moses stands for a strong believer. Moses received these women with faith, and love. This is a great lesson for all of us. These godly women were the daughters of a man called Zelophehad, from the tribe of Manasseh, the son of Jospeh. His name means ‘Dark Shadow’. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah (Weak), Noah (Peace), Hoglah (Dancing), Milcah (Queen), and Tirzah (Favor). To most Christians, these five women are not known as other women in the Bible. We all have heard or Sarah, Hannah, Deborah, Abigail, Ruth, Queen Esther, and others. But these women are quiet champions of faith. They are mentioned five times in the Old Testament (Num 26, 27, 36; Josh 17, and 1 Chr 7), not just as “the daughters of Zelophehad” but their five names are given. That’s very striking when you consider we don’t the name of Noah’s wife, Lot’s wife, the Canaanite woman (Matt 15), the bleeding woman (Lk 8) or the woman at the well (Jn 4). This story happened as God’s people were getting ready to enter the Promised Land.

Zelophehad came out from Egypt during the Exodus. He died in the wilderness without a son. When his daughters realized that their father’s name would be excluded when the land because there was no male heir, they did an extraordinary thing that had not been heard of before. At that time, only sons could inherit their father’s land. The daughters wanted their family’s name to remain in Israel. They even agreed to the conditions to keep the land and the name. They will marry only men who are in their father’s family, so that they keep the name and the land. God responded that the plea of the daughters was just, and that they should be granted their father’s inheritance. God is just. He sees them as perfectly capable of owning and managing the land. This case establishes two important principles for legal land inheritance in the future. 1. daughters are made legal heirs when there are no sons. 2. in those instances, the daughters must marry within their own tribe. With these two statutes, God’s people will not be dispossessed of the land that was apportioned to their fathers.

With humility and faith, these women approach the holy tabernacle. They are before Moses, who is the chief of the people, Eleazer the priest, and the other leaders, who are at the entrance of the tent of meeting. They are there in the public place. It’s like they came to the Congress or the Supreme Court of the nation. These five remarkable young women are a picture of faith and courage. God approved their request and gave a new law on their favor. Praise the Lord! They came before Moses at a time when he was numbering the people of Israel in order to determine the allotment of land when they came into the promised land. These girls came before him, and they asked an unusual thing. They came reminding Moses that though their father had died in the wilderness, he had not been part of the rebellion of Korah. He was not part of those who forfeited their inheritance, and so they come asking for that inheritance. All of this takes place in the wilderness just before entrance into the land and, therefore, it is all done in faith. Israel does not have an inch of land yet. But by faith upon God’s promise that they would have the land, they are already dividing it up by faith. And these girls come asking for a part of the inheritance. These girls are a demonstration to us of what faith is. The first step in faith is a determination. They were aware that God had given a promise to Israel to inherit the land of Canaan, the land of milk and honey and they desired to have the part in that which belonged to them.

That land is a picture for us of the inheritance which is promised to us. Everyone who has come by faith to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior has available to them an inheritance. This is not just something to come after death. This inheritance is for believers right now in this life. All things are already available to us in Jesus Christ. This is our inheritance. But we take it by faith. In other words, we can have as much as we determine to have. You can have as much possession and victory as you want to have. Not more than that! The Book of Numbers ends with the word Jericho. That is the first city in the Promised Land. Lesson: The Promised Land is closer than you think. Don’t give up now, don’t turn around, don’t murmur, don’t doubt. God can get you in. Jesus has gone ahead. He said that He will go ahead to prepare a place before us, to get it ready. He’s watching, He’s waiting, By faith, Keep going. There is an everlasting inheritance on the other side if you just believe. The five daughters were not married when they made this request to Moses. They only had God! By faith, these wise and humble women got their desire. God rescued them from the ‘Dark Shadow’ of their past, of being slaves to tradition. We are a family. GOD calls men and women to be brothers and sisters, to be His sons and His daughters. He doesn’t exclude because of gender, age, or race!

“You should defend those who cannot help themselves. 9 Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice” (PV 31:8,9,TLB).

God cares for all people but especially for the weak, the vulnerable, sick, lonely, strangers, widows, and orphans. God is a God of Justice and mercy. Lesson: we must listen to the voices of the weak, the ignored, the rejected. Receive him (or her) who is weak in the faith!

Our Lord welcomes all children and rebukes His disciples for trying to hinder them. The children are not just natural children but all who are weak in the faith, the needy who seek Him. “Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there” (Matt 19:13-15).

Brother Zelophehad’s daughters had clearly been well brought up. Both sons and daughters who are humble and wise make their parents happy. “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother” (PV 10:1). These women were not loud, bitter, rude, or angry. They did not complain about their position. They had faith in God. They address Moses with respect and wisdom, ready to submit to God’s will. We see that God’s Law can be amended. We should not be legalistic. When there are real issues, we should pray to know God’s will and not assume that we know it all. God retains the right to make exceptions to His Law. These are called miracles. We need to have faith in God and not in men. In Christ, there is no difference between men and women! When Jesus came, He addressed all people, men, and women, with equal love and grace. This was revolutionary at that time. These women’s just request changed the law in Israel. Even today, the Jewish sons and daughters can inherit their father’s property. Like Ruth, Queen Esther, Deborah, we can trust God to change situations and bring justice to the needy. God loves justice! “The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love” (Ps 33:5; NIV). When Mary said Yes to the angel, she showed faith and great courage. She cooperated with the Holy Spirit to bring Jesus into this world, to change man’s story forever! We too, in the unity of the Spirit, with faith and boldness, can come before the throne of mercy and grace and find grace in time of need. We can intercede and speak for the needy to correct injustices in the land. This is reminder that God can use even the despised to do His will in this world. God can use our weaknesses to accomplish great things in this world. Each believer has the power to be an agent of change for better. God listens. God acts. God can change any situation! Worship the Lord!

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8; ESV).

THE CHRISTIANS AND DRINKING ALCOHOL

Jan22 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

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 19^th 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 4^th 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.

May God grant deliverance from the evil spirit of alcoholism to you! May God make you wise and healthy!

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (1)

Jan22 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (18)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (1)

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!

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!

‘Matters of indifference’ refer to our attitude to things that are not prohibited in the Bible. 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 are here studying things that are not clearly forbidden in God’s Word and our attitude to them. These things are important but not essential to salvation. We study these things because over the years they have bought much confusion, pain, and division in the Body. This is the truth: the church is made of believers who are spiritually strong, and others who are spiritually weak in the faith. The first lesson we learn is that the Body is One. The strong ones are commanded not despise the weak ones. There is a tendency for the strong to gather in a group and look down on the weak ones. The weak ones are commanded not to judge the strong ones. Any form of division and segregation based on your Bible knowledge is discouraged. Never forget that the Body is One!

“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

*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).

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!

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (15)/ LOVE’S TREASURE

Dec31 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

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 Matt 13:44-46.

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, during the time of the Reformation and it is the same during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

LOVE’S TREASURE

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matt 13:44-46).

These are twin parables. They resemble but each has its own individuality. What is common to both? In each one, a man found something very expensive. Each man sold all he had to buy what he has found. Each man rejoices in its complete purchase. The two parables show two attributes of the Kingdom of God: It is extremely valuable, and it is always victorious. The secrets of the Kingdom are deep, hidden bellow the surface of this world. Only Christ can open your eyes to see, to find, and to appreciate them. Christ is the man who finds the treasure and the pearl. He sells everything He has to buy them. The Church (the believers chosen by grace) are the treasure and the pearl. The treasure is made of many gold coins. The pearl is only one, to be placed on the crown of the King of kings. Both parables show the effort and reward of love.

The parable of the treasure hidden in the field

The field is the world. It is the system of men who live like there is no God. In the world, there is corruption, sadness, and failure. In the midst of this desert, a man finds the oasis of a treasure. The treasure is the Church made from many coins, or many believers. The man hides the treasure back into the field. He does not buy only the treasure. He sells all He has to buy the whole world. The value of the world is the treasure it contains. Both the believers and the world are bought by Christ. He is the Man who found the treasure. Christ is the creator of the world and the redeemer of the believers. He sold all He had in heaven to buy His Bride. He is the owner of the world, but His special interest is in the Church, the chosen believers. “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1Pet1:18,19). We were bought at the Cross. The price paid was the Blood of Jesus! We are “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2). This joy Jesus saw ahead was the Church, the believers, His siblings, His Bride.

The most expensive treasure was found in the UK. A daily worker called Terry Herbert, bought a metal detector for 2,5 English Pounds. He was hired to work as a daily farmer. He used his metal detector and discovered a box filled with gold coins. It contained a total of 5,1 Kg of gold, 1,4 Kg of silver coins and 3500 pieces of jewelry. It was estimated that it has been buried since the 7th century. It is estimated at 7 million $. The royal family took possession of the treasure, and it is now displayed in a museum in the UK. Mr. Terry was given 3 million $.

The Parable of the Pearl

This parable is similar with the one above but with a difference. In the Parable of the Treasure, the man stumbles upon a treasure. In this Parable, the man is ‘a merchant’ who is actively looking for beautiful expensive pearls. He is ready to sell everything he has to buy the most beautiful Pearl he can find. He knows the difference between a genuine pearl and a fake one. He appreciates the true pearls.

Many interpret this parable that Christ is the Pearl of Great price. This cannot be true. Because sinners do not seek for God. “There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God” (Rom 3:11). Sinners are not ready to sell all they have to ‘buy’ Jesus. When the rich young ruler came to Jesus, He wanted to know what ‘he still lacks’ to gain eternal life. Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Matt 19:21-22). This is the truth; sinners are not ready to sell their possessions to find Jesus.

The true interpretation is that Christ is the Merchant Man who is seeking for His Church, for us, the true believers. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk 19:10). It is the shepherd who seeks for the lost sheep, not the other way. Lastly, Christ cannot be purchased by anything man has. He is God’s Gift to men, sent to die to save them from eternal death. Eternal Life is not bought with money. Salvation is by Grace alone, thru faith alone, to the glory of God alone!

The most expense pearl in the world is called La Pelegrina (The Pilgrim). It was found by a slave. Because of this, his master gave him his freedom. It was sold in 2011 for 11,8$.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Eph 5:25). Remember this: Christ Loved the Church. The Pearl is only one. That is the Church. The Treasure is made of many coins. These are the individual believers. We shall never know how much it costs our Lord to buy the Church. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). Christ brought the Pearl so that He can be glorified in it. There are many precious stones in the earth: diamonds, rubies, etc. But none of this is the product of a living organism. The oyster is injured by a grain of sand. The oyster covers the foreign body with a substance she produces. This is how she makes a beautiful pearl. The pearl is made in the secret place. Only Christ sees you as you were made in your mothers’ womb. The Pearl is made gradually. It takes pain and patience to produce beauty. A pearl symbolizes pain that produces praise. The Church is formed from the injury of Christ at the Cross. When Christ died, He went deep into the ocean of hell to find the Pearl. He has drawn us out of many waters. “He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me” (Ps 18:16, 17). Worship the Lord!

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (13)/ KEEP IN THE LOVE OF GOD

Dec17 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

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 book of Jude 1:1-25.

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, during the time of the Reformation and it is the same during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

THE NOMINAL CHRISTIANS

There is an increase of nominal Christianity in many churches. It is dangerous to be a nominal Christian. True Christians are also in danger by being ignorant of this infiltration. The presence of false Christians is a serious concern to any pastor who is truly born again. The increase of nominalism reduces the power of the church to lift up Jesus, to change the world and to usher true revival. Generally, nominalism is described as empty formalities and ceremonies with no influence on people. It means having a title, but no authority connected with that title. For example, a nominal king is a king that has no power; he is just a figurehead. His title is useless.

A nominal Christian is a religious person who claims to be a Christian and attends church, but he (she) is not saved. The nominal Christian is a Christian in name only. There is very little about his life that reflects the truths of Jesus Christ and the gospel. Nominal Christians are church goers. They seem faithful to church attendance, especially on Sundays. They are also called ‘Sunday-Sunday Christians’. They proudly belong to a church or a denomination. They quote scriptures, they want their families to come to church, they owe a Bible, they give offerings to church, but they are not saved. To them, Christianity means going to church on Sunday. They view religion as a social benefit and not as a spiritual transformation. Faith in God is not part of their daily life, in making decisions. There is a radical difference between the nominal Christian and the baby Christian. The first one is spiritually dead and the second one is spiritually alive. They may look the same for some time but eventually, the baby Christian starts making spiritual progress that will be evident to all. The nominal Christian attends church for years but his life does not change at all. He is still the same. Selah!

What is the cause of nominal Christianity? The first reason is superficiality, laziness. To become a nominal Christian is much easier than to repent and surrender your life to Christ, desiring true salvation. The second cause is legalism. This starts from believing a false Gospel. People imagine that just by doing good works in the church, or by changing some few sinful habits, they go to heaven. They are ignorant of God’s Grace, and they lack a true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. A third reason is the environment. If you live in a country or an area where it is fashionable or beneficial to be called a Christian, then you become one. These are countries in the world where Christianity is the official religion: England, Norway, Denmark, Costa Rica, Georgia, Greece, Malta, Monaco, Serbia, and the Vatican city. These are some African countries where Christianity is the official religion: Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Rwanda, and Namibia. Most of the countries in the world are secular, having no particular religion. Others are Islamic countries. Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious state. The constitution states that Nigeria is a secular state, and that no government or state can adopt any religion. The two main religions in Nigeria are Christianity (mostly in the south) and Islam (mostly in the north). Based on research, the number of nominal Christians is by far higher in the south than in the north.

The resurrected Christ addressed the Nominal Christians in His letter to the church at Sardis. He said: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead” (Rev 3:1). The nominal Christian walks on a dangerous path. He has a false hope of ‘making heaven’. He resists the true Gospel. He refuses to repent and truly convert. The genuine Christian surrenders unconditionally to Christ and receives the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit in his heart is the major sign of a true believer. The nominal Christian may pray in tongues, but he knows nothing about the Holy Spirit. He lacks this power working in him ‘both to will and to do’ God’s pleasure (Phil 2:13). He is spiritually weak. The baby Christian starts to hate sin and he repents from it. But the nominal Christian does not hate sin. He can only hide it from others. The true Christian sees the world with different eyes. The world is the system of men who live like God does not exist. The world is the enemy of the Kingdom of God. Once the true believer becomes saved, he sees the world thru the eyes of Christ. He used to love the world, with its wealth and fame, but now, he is dead to its attraction. The nominal Christian still loves the world. There are many politicians who say that they are Christians, but they love the world, with its lusts and sinful entertainment. To be a friend of the world means to be an enemy of God (Jam 4:4).

“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us” (1 Jn 2:18, 19). Apostle John connects the nominal Christians with the Spirit of the Antichrist. This is a religious spirit that brings people to church, but they are not saved. They can only feel comfortable in a church where the true Gospel is not preached. Once the pastor preaches the Cross, they leave that church, and they criticize it. May the Wind and Fire of Pentecost in our church do the work no man can do! Jesus is Lord!

SPOTS IN THE LOVE FEASTS (Jude 1:1-25)

Brother Jude introduces himself as ‘a bondservant of Jesus Christ and a brother to James’. He was half-brother to Jesus Christ and full brother to James, a leader in the early church. He was not an official leader in the church. He did not introduce himself as the brother, but as bondservant of Jesus. This is genuine humility. He greets the believers wishing them multiplication of mercy, peace, and Love! Jude is concerned with the state of the church. He warns the believers against the false teachers, the nominal Christians, who have infiltrated the church. He calls us to spiritual warfare, ‘to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.’ This ‘faith’ is the Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected. There is a false gospel preached by false teachers. As a Christian, you must be sure that you know what the Gospel is. It is not just a general idea about Jesus. The Gospel is made from clear doctrines and can be defined and thought accordingly.

Jude describes the false teachers (preachers, pastors, prophets) and God’s judgment on them.

*They are wicked men. They are religious unbelievers. They came in the church secretly, like illegal immigrants who have no visa. “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4). They say that God’s grace gives us freedom to live in the flesh, to commit sexual sins. They reject the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They do not submit to God or to the delegated authority in the church.

*God “destroyed those who did not believe” (Jude 1:5). They are religious but do not have a genuine faith in God the Father and God the Son.

*These dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries” (Jude 1:8). Their authority is not from the Bible, but from their dreams and prophecies. They ‘defile’ (pollute, stain) their bodies. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are to keep them clean and holy. But these people don’t care about their bodies. They proudly commit sexual immorality. They do not submit to any authority in the church. They speak ‘evil’ of leaders in the church. They are rude. Love is never rude! Selah!

*They “speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves” (Jude 1:10). They are ignorant of God and of His Word. They are bold enough to insult things they are ignorant of. They cover up their ignorance with loud extravagant sentences. They insult the true teachers. They are like dangerous wild animals, without self-control in speech or behavior.

*They are cursed, and not blessed by God. “Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah” (Jude 1:11). They are haters like Cain, ready to kill anyone. They love money and fame like the false prophet Balaam, who deceived the Israelites to commit sexual immorality so that God will punish them. They are like Korah who led the rebellion against Moses, the God approved and instituted leader for the Israelites. Balaam died by the sword and Korah died by God’s judgment.

*These “are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever” (Jude 1:12, 13). These false teachers are ‘spots in your love feasts’. In Greek, the word ‘spots’ means hidden rocks in the sea. The captain of the ship is warned to avoid such rocks that can damage and sink the ship. They pretend to love the Christians, but they are very dangerous. By their words and actions, they wound and betray the brethren. They ‘feast without fear’. They are shameless in their wickedness. Their conscience is dead. They ‘serve only themselves’. The word ‘serve’ is the same as the word ‘feeding’. A true shepherd feeds his sheep with fresh green grass, which is the Word of God. These false teachers do not preach the Word of God. These false pastors leave their congregation hungry. They only care about themselves. Love is never selfish, but these people are completely selfish. Jesus commanded Peter, and all the pastors: ‘Feed My Sheep… take care of My lambs’ (Jn 21:15-17). These people are totally ignorant of the commands of Jesus! They use their positions to ask for money and favors from others. They are ‘clouds without water carried about by the winds.’ Clouds without rain are almost useless to the earth. They are driven by any wind of doctrines. They are not stable in their preaching. They are ‘late autumn trees without fruits, twice dead’. A baren tree, without fruits and no roots is twice dead and useless to men. They increase the expectations of men, by telling them that during the autumn season there will be a great harvest. But these are lies. There are no fruits. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (PV 13:12). They are ‘wondering stars’ that have gone astray into the deepest darkness of the sky. Like the waves of the sea, they are restless and dangerous.

*These people “are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage… 18 There would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts” (Jude 1:16, 18). These are all sins of the tongue: 1. They are grumblers. 2. They follow after their own lusts and speak arrogantly. 3. They flatter people for their own gain. Flattery is very common in the church. These false teachers mock the true believers. They are not led by their flesh, their ungodly lusts. Many church leaders have been caught in sexual immorality and financial scandals, dishonoring the name of Jesus.

*These “are sensual persons who cause divisions, not having the Spirit” (Jude 1:19). The root of the problem concerning these false teachers is spiritual. They are of the world. They are ‘sensual’, of the flesh. The ‘flesh’ is what man has inherited from Adam, the totality of man that is NOT under the influence of the Holy Spirit. These people are like animals, ruled by their natural instincts. They do not have the Holy Spirit. Jesus said about the Holy Spirit: “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (Jn 14:17). Paul also said: “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1Cor 2:14). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, love, and unity among the brethren. Any other religious spirit brings division in the church. God will surely judge these false teachers. Their place is in hell.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 1:20, 21). We are commanded to do three things: 1. ‘to keep ourselves in God’s Love’; 2. ‘to build ourselves up in the most holy faith’; 3. To look for the mercy of Jesus!

“Keep yourselves in the Love of God” (Jude 1:21). How does God love? The way a mother (father) loves her baby. It is unconditional, sacrificial love. The baby does not love the mother. It is the mother who loves her baby. She takes care of the baby day and night. The mother is not rich, but she will never sell her baby for any amount. She spends money for her baby. The baby does not spend any money to buy something for his mother. When the baby is sick, the mother does not sleep. She takes care of her baby. As you can see, God loves us first.

What does it mean to ‘keep ourselves in the love of God’? It means to live in that reality. All plans and decisions are done in that consciousness. This creates an atmosphere of love. Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you” (Jn 5:42). They love religion, money, fame, the praise of men, but not God. “He who hates Me hates My Father also” (Jn 15:23). Because of our knowledge of the Love of God, there is a limitation on our lives. We cannot commit sin because we know that God loves us. We don’t want to hurt God or to grieve His Spirit. Ex. My husband likes some things. I don’t care about the same things. But because he likes these things, I do them. Why? Because I love my husband! When you love somebody, you desire to please him. That means to keep myself in the love of my husband! It is the same with God. You do everything to please God. You do not grieve God’s Spirit. “The love of Christ compels us…” (2 Cor 5:14). The unbelievers care nothing about the love of God! They are careless with their thoughts, decisions, and actions. Not so with us!

We are commanded to ‘keep ourselves in the love of God’. The word ‘keep’ means to guard against enemies, against the deception of these false brethren (‘yahoo boys’ type of lovers). We are commanded ‘to keep ourselves in the love of God’. This is a command to be obeyed, not just a suggestion. This command is given to us, the believers. This command does not mean that we should behave well so that God will love us more. In Christ, we are already loved by God. God’s Love, like His Grace, is unmerited favor. What then does it mean? It means to acknowledge and abide in His Love. Practically, it means to reject every form of sin that can grieve the Holy Spirit. Jude gave us three men as negative examples: Cain, Balaam, and Korah. These were religious men. Each one did something good, but the evil they did was greater. Cain offered God a sacrifice, he worshipped God just minutes before he got angry and killed his brother Abel. He was a man of hatred. Balaam prophesied some of the most beautiful verses about Jesus, as the King of kings. But because of greed, he deceived the men of God to commit adultery with the Moabite women, and to worship their idols. He was later killed in the war with Israel. Korah was a cousin of Moses. He was a leader in the camp of Israel. Many trusted and followed him. But he became jealous on Moses and rebelled against him. God killed him and his followers. These three men committed sins against love and grieved the Holy Spirit. They went away from the spiritual territory where the Love of God covers sin. They grieved the Holy Spirit of Love. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph 4:30-32). Lesson: God loves us unconditionally. But it is our responsibility to stay within the boundaries of His manifested love. Responsibility means to be accountable to someone for things that are under your power to control or manage. God has given us His Love, His Spirit, and His Word. We must live a life that honors Him. Like a branch connected to the vine, abiding in Christ we are totally protected from false brethren. This is the only place where the mercy of God is revealed and released, morning by morning. We must abide in His Word, Love and Spirit. This is our duty and responsibility. Being careless with our gifts and blessings, ends in punishment. May God help us all!

“And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh” (Jude 1:22, 23). It is a public duty to warn others against false and fake people!!! We are commanded to help the doubters and the victims of false brethren. But we are also warned not to submit of cooperate with the false brethren. We should ‘make a distinction’.

This is the recommended strategy:

1-Have mercy on some who are doubting- the doubters (these are the nominal Christians)

2-Save others by snatching them from fire- the contaminated (these are the Backsliders, the true believers who have become hurt and bitter)

3-Save hating their clothes polluted by flesh- the contaminators (these are false Christians, wicked, tools of the devil, trying to ‘spoil’ as many believers as they can). These are the men who have secretly crept in the church to spy the liberty we have in Christ and to bring many in bondage (Gal 2:4, 5).

We are told to intercede and save the backsliders. This is extremely dangerous work. Love alone is bold and strong enough to go close to the fire of hell and pull those going towards it. We are to show compassion (mercy), and love. We are to be wise and ‘make a distinction’. To save a backslider from the devil’s grip is hard work. We are to love the sinner and hate his sin, even the garment stained and defiled by sin.

“Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (Jam 5:19, 20). Love is a champion. Love is a Savior. Love is not easily provoked by foolishness and error. It covers many sins. It is the champion of all emotions. “Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others]” (1 Pet 4:8; AMP).

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:1, 2). The word ‘gentleness’ is also translated as ‘humility.’ Intercession, restoration of a backslider, is done only by those who are spiritual, genuinely humble, filled with the Holy Spirit, and acting from pure motives of love. Proud people cannot love and cannot help others in need. The danger here is to try to intercede from fleshly motives. The devil will attack and injure you. This work is as difficult and delicate as brain surgery. Any little mistake can end in bigger problems.

REEFS, WAVES, CLOUDS, TREES, AND STARS

These deceivers who crept in the church are compared with things found in nature: reefs and sea waves, clouds, trees, and stars in the sky.

“These men are hidden reefs [elements of great danger to others] in your love feasts when they feast together with you without fear, looking after [only] themselves; [they are like] clouds without water, swept along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted and lifeless; wild waves of the sea, flinging up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of deep darkness has been reserved forever” (Jude 1:12, 13; AMP). These men are like ‘spots in your love feasts’ (Jude 1:12, NKJ). The real translation is this: ‘These men are hidden reefs in the sea’. A reef is a rocky structure built by corals and many other organisms in the flat bottom of the sea. Many organisms and fishes live and feed among the reefs. The greatest reef is The Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It covers a surface of almost 350,000 kilometers square. Meso-American reef is the second coral reef in size, almost 1,000 kilometers long, from Mexico to Honduras. Ships that sunk become a home for many organisms in the sea and turn to reefs too. A reef can damage and sink a ship, which adds to the reef!!!

When a ship hits the reefs, it is hard to control it and it can get stuck. It is also hard to save the people because other ships cannot get close. The ship can be damaged and get sunk. Because of their beauty and help to marine life, the reefs are protected by international law. The owner of the ship that damages the reefs may have legal problems as the fuel can spill and damage the marine life.

The false brethren who sneak in the churches are compared to these reefs. They look beautiful. They help many others. But they can hurt the true believers who ignorantly go close to them. They are fault finders. These reefs are not visible rocks. If you get close to them, they may drag you into their world and you become a reef like them. They use deception as the hunters or fishers. They trap foolish birds and over-curious fishes. They are hidden rocks. You try to get close to them, but they can hurt you badly. They are not kind. They have no mercy. You are not safe being close friends with them. True believers are filled with love. They protect others. Pray before you open your heart to other ‘Christians’. The great Titanic ship was sunk because of an iceberg! Selah!

These are waterless Clouds carried by the wind. They give false hopes, but they disappoint. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (PV 13:12). The word ‘deferred’ means something that takes a long time. The word ‘sick’ means ‘weakness.’ False hope is the main reason for spiritual ‘heart failure’. Be careful whom do you trust! Elijah was a true prophet. He did not disappoint the people. After Elijah prayed and the fire fell from heaven, he warned king Ahab that rain is coming. He sent his servant 6 times to see if there is any cloud. On the 7^th time there was a cloud that brought the long-awaited rain (1Kg 18:44). True believers are clouds filled with rain. They receive refreshments from heaven. They water others and they too are watered. They bring true hope and prosperity to others. People are thirsty. They need the water of life, the rain from the cloud. They are people who bring revival. But these fake people promise many things that they cannot perform. They are dry clouds. They quench the zeal of others. They are like dry breasts to a hungry baby. There is a curse upon such people (Hosea 9:14).

These men are like trees without roots and without fruits, twice dead. They promise men fruit, but they are barren. Jesus cursed the barren fig tree that only had leaves (Mk 11:12-25). All nominal Christians disappoint others. Selah!

These men are not gentle waves of the sea. They are wild dangerous waves that can sink a ship or swallow people walking on the beach. During the storm Jesus stopped the wind and the waves with His Word (Mk 4:35:41). Only special ships can fight and conquer these wild waves. “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 “There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked” (Is 57:20, 21). The word ‘troubled’ means to be driven away from your possession or to divorce. Mire is thick and deep mud, wet swampy sticky land. It is like quicksand. Figuratively, it means to be trapped into a difficult situation where you can lose your reputation. In Hebrew, the word ‘peace’ is Shalom. It means peace, prosperity, health, wealth, favor, and friends. Wicked are restless! They lack shalom. Spiritually, only a mature Christian can conquer these false brethren to save a victim from their spell.

These men are like moving stars. God placed the stars in the sky in specific spots. They are supposed to stay there and shine. The seamen are able to read the stars to guide themselves. The wise men followed the star to the place where Mary and the baby Jesus was. When the people see a true Christian, they are directed to Jesus. But these false brethren are not stable. They are falling stars. They do not have a fixed address. You cannot trust them. They do not direct others to Jesus. They direct people to themselves. They cause confusion. They are wandering, restless people, useless and dangerous to others. They cannot help any lost soul to find its way to God. Trust God and the true believers only!

Do spiritual warfare, expose, and resist evil. “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing” (Edmund Burke, 1729-1797).

Let’s end in praise! “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless, Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion, and power, Both now and forever. Amen” (Jd 1:24,25). Some people say that backsliding is unavoidable. But that is a lie. By God’s grace you can start and finish your race filled with the Holy Spirit. God is able to keep us from stumbling into sin. Jesus washes His Bride with His Word to present her to Himself, in glory, free of any faults. Our going to heaven is filled with exceeding joy. To God be all the glory! Worship the Lord!

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (12)/ LOVE IS MERCIFUL

Dec10 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

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 book of 1 Cor 13:4. AMP; Matthew (Matt 5:7), and Luke (Lk 10-25-37)

We are living in what the Bible calls ‘the last days’. The powers of darkness will increase in their attacks against the believers of God. There shall be more religion but less real Christianity. Deception and wickedness will increase. Love will decrease. It will manifest especially as the preaching of the Gospel in spite of persecution. This is what the Lord Jesus said: “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt 24:10-14). In Greek, the word ‘lawlessness’ means sin, breaking of God’s Law, and all forms of illegality. The Love of many (not all) will grow cold. Love towards God, true worship, and love towards others, will become less and less. Pride, greed, selfishness, rudeness will become fashionable. But he who stands in the faith and continues to love God and man, will be saved.

LOVE IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him… The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him]” (Jn 14:21; NKJ, AMP).

In Greek, the word ‘manifest’ means to become visible, to appear before you, to disclose His heart in a special way. It is the deepest form of spiritual intimacy given to the true lovers and friends of Jesus, who have totally and unconditionally surrendered their lives to Him. Jesus here makes it clear that Love means obeying His Commandments. To Love Jesus does not mean to sing or dance in the church. That is only one of the manifestations of love you have in your heart for Jesus. Agape love is proven by obedience to God’s Word. Some people try to look humble in church. That is not loving God. Others try to work hard for God. They do many things in church. That is still not loving God. Jesus sets Love and Obedience in an intimate relationship. A lawless person (unrepentant sinner) does not love God!!! A man who does not study God’s Word does not love God. It is that simple! Loving Jesus is not some great heroic, act you do once in a while. No! It is everyday obedience to God’s Word, as led and empowered by the Holy Spirit. If Jesus says ‘go’, you go! If Jesus says ‘sit’ you sit. If He says ‘pray’ you pray! That is Love! Many people sing and dance in church to cover up their disobedience to Jesus. Often, religion is a cover up for true love. Selah!

The commands of Jesus are hard. No flesh can obey them. Only Love has the power and the motivation to obey Jesus. For example, Jesus describes the way of the Cross like this: “A man’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt 10:36-39). You must love Jesus, more than you love your family. Because of Jesus, you must ‘hate’ your family. It means that if your family tells you to disobey God’s Word, you have to refuse them and obey Jesus. In this process, you ‘lose your life’. You lose your childhood dreams; your family’s plans and ambitions for you. Because you chose to obey and follow Jesus, you will disappoint family and friends. This is called dying to self, taking your cross and following Jesus. What is the gain in this dying? Like Jesus died and rose again, you too will experience the power of resurrection. You will discover your true self, God’s plan, and destiny for you. You will find fulfilment in this life on earth and eternal rewards in heaven. Love accepts you as you are, a sinner coming to Jesus. But love will never leave you as you are. Love is like a surgeon, very harsh against ‘the cancer’ of the flesh. To Love Jesus means to trust Him as the surgeon who will kill your flesh to liberate your spirit. No other man or god can change you so radically. Love alone does it. Jesus will manifest to you as your Surgeon and as your Bridegroom. In Christ you will taste pain and joy like never before. The intimacy of sharing in His sufferings and in His glory is unique. It changes you forever. This is the power of Love!

BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy… Blessed [content, sheltered by God’s promises] are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” (Matt 5:7 NKJ; AMP;).

The scripture above is taken from the Sermon on the Mount preached by our Lord. Each sentence describes the born-again believer. The natural man cannot obey these commands. No one can be merciful except he is saved. The Lord is interested in the heart more than in the outward deeds. He is interested in the attitude more than in our actions. In Greek, the word ‘blessed’ means to be happy, someone to be envied, one who is to be congratulated. The word ‘merciful’ means compassionate, or full of pity.

“Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant” (1 Cor 13:4; AMP). Love is kind and merciful. In Greek, the word kind means to serve others, to be useful doing good deeds.

What is mercy? Mercy is defined as kindness towards your enemy, especially when he is in your power. Mercy is the twin sister to agape love. Love is the Queen! Grace is the King! Mercy is the Mother! To understand it better, we must compare mercy with grace. Both are ‘unmerited favors’ from God. Grace is unmerited favor shown to a sinner. Grace sees the sinner and his many sins. Grace saves the sinner, so that he will not go to hell. Mercy is concerned with the consequences of sins, with the deep misery and trouble that the sinner finds himself in. Mercy is sorry for the sinner who suffers and does something to help him. Mercy is not just a feeling of compassion. Mercy has feelings and mercy has strong arms to help. In other words, mercy=pity+help! Without doing something in action, to help the troubled man, you have not exercised mercy. Grace intervenes to save the sinner and mercy intervenes to help the sinner who is in trouble because of his sin. God is the source of both Grace and Mercy. God may choose to show mercy and help or heal a sinner in trouble. But without the work of Grace at the beginning, the sinner who was helped by mercy will still go to hell. To love your enemies or to show mercy to those in need (that you may not like) is impossible to the natural man. It is only a child of God that loves and is merciful. But even in a believer, his flesh will fight against the Spirit and find reasons why he should not show mercy. Question: are you merciful?

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness” (Lam 3:22, 23). Just like agape love, God’s mercies and compassions never fail. In Hebrew, the word ‘fail’ means to come to an end, to be finished. The word ‘compassion’ means the mother’s womb where the baby is implanted and grows. Therefore, God’s tender mercies surround us, protect us, heal us to become whole. We recognize that our suffering could have been greater, if not for God’s mercy! “His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation” (Lk 1:50).

THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN (Lk 10:25-37)

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, you see mercy displayed. A man was beaten and left to die along the road. Two religious Jewish men, a priest, and a Levi, pass by. They may have felt pity in their hearts for the victim. The Levi even went to ‘look’ at him. But they did nothing to help him. Their behavior simply means that they had no mercy. Then a Samaritan came. He not only felt pity towards the victim, but he did something to help him. He poured wine and oil on his wounds. He carried him on his donkey. He paid for his treatment. He alone is the one who showed Love and Mercy to a needy neighbor. According to God’s word, he alone will receive mercy from men and from God. Selah!

THE LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal 6:7-10). The Law of sowing and reaping is one of the fixed laws of nature. It works both spiritually and naturally. If you plant corn, you will reap corn. You cannot reap apples. If you plant a few seeds of corn, your harvest will be small. If you plant a lot of corn, you will reap a great harvest. Nobody can change this law. It is God’s law in the universe. Spiritually, the law works through our actions and words.

God said: “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease” (Gen 8:22).

“My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same” (Job 4:8, NLT). There are two men who sow: one godly and the other wicked. There are two types of seed that each one sows: The good seed is the Word of God. We speak or the good deeds we do for the glory of God. The bad seed are evil words and evil deeds. There are two types of grounds where the seeds are planted. The bad ground is the flesh (the totality of man inherited from Adam that is not under the influence of the Holy Spirit). The good ground is the Spirit. The believers alone can plant in the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is Love, Peace, etc. Cultivating this fruit pleases the Holy Spirit who has the power to give eternal life. For example, a young Christian man and woman plan to marry. Having sex before the wedding day is surely planting sinful seeds into the flesh. They experience some pleasure. But the harvest will be an emotionally damaged relationship. But if another Christian couple decide to abstain before the wedding day, they will experience spiritual and emotional bonding and intimacy in their relationship. The difference is clear. Another example: a husband and wife keep grudges. Their marriage relationship will slowly become weak. Little by little, they emotionally separate from one another. They reap am harvest of loneliness, bitterness, and anxiety.

The word ‘deceive’ means to go astray, to wander away from the path of truth. We can deceive others and even ourselves quite easily by thinking that what we do or say does not matter. But this is the truth: Words and actions are seeds for good or for evil. Each word and each action have consequences. Speaking in the flesh means sowing sin and it will surely lead to a harvest of ‘corruption’. If you are merciful, kind and loving, you will receive the same from men and God. In Greek, the word ‘corruption’ means ruin, rottenness, decay. Speaking as led by the Holy Spirit leads to eternal life. This life is the life or God. It is not just a life without end, it is a special quality of life. It is holy and glorious. It is the life of those who live in heaven. The center of eternal life is knowing God. Jesus said: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (Jn 17:3). Living a godly life is not easy. There is a price to pay. The flesh complains. But we are commanded not to become weak, grow weary, or faint in the process of sanctification. We should continue to listen to God’s Word, build up the faith in the heart, and speak words of faith and life, no matter the contrary circumstances. We should continue to love, be kind and do good to all people, especially to the believers. Eventually, the good harvest will come. This is God’s Law! God measures our words and deeds. The harvest will be paid in the same measure, both in quantity and quality. “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Lk 6:38). “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Cor 9:6).

Sometimes, the harvest is delayed. But it will surely come. You need to speak the same word of truth many times, until you build enough faith to believe it. The opposite is also true. If you speak negative things often, one day, the ‘negative’ harvest will come. The Law of sowing and reaping was given by God to be a blessing to us. After sin entered, the same law worked against us as we speak lies and unbelief. For example, if you say: ‘you make me sick’ often enough, one day you will get sick. If you say ‘one day I will divorce you’ one day you will. It is a spiritual law. Believing is not a feeling! You speak God’s Word because it is in the Bible. Most of the time faith does not come immediately. It takes a long time until God’s Word settles in your heart and becomes faith and conviction. Faith is a choice to believe God’s Word. If you separate believing from confessing, there is no manifestation of your faith. The word believed in your heart, without confession, will not work for you. For example: I say that God’s Word is health to my body! “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh” (PV 4:20-22). I must quote this scripture to myself every day for a long time. I may still feel sick. But little by little, by the confession and hearing of God’s Word, I will be healed!

“He who speaks truth declares righteousness, but a false witness, deceit. 18 There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health. 19 The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (PV 12:17-19). The tongue of the believer speaks truth, declares righteousness, speaks wisdom, promotes health, and is established forever. The tongue of the liar speaks deceit, hurts others like a sword, and will soon be forgotten. If you complain, the words of your mouth will come to pass. For example, if you say: “I am getting worse… I am getting worse…” you will indeed get worse. Many people say: ‘but I can’t lie about it. I am really getting worse…’ That is when you need to pray for your mind to be renewed. “We have the mind of Christ” (1Cor 2:16). And Christ was never sick.

The circumstances that you see are temporal. They do not last forever. They will change. But God’s Word and reality never changes. “While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2Cor 4:18). Be careful: Fear, doubt, may look like faith, but it is not! What God says in the Bible, even if you can’t see it now, is the truth. God cannot lie! Faith 100%! Fear 0%! Doubt 0%!

When the miracle does not manifest, many people get discouraged along the way. This is the sequence: you hear the Word of God- you believe it – you confess it (many times, noy just once)- and you pray like a woman in labor, until the word becomes part of you. It may take a long time, but one day, you shall receive your heart’s desire. Borrowed faith works only for baby Christians. Until you take responsibility for your sins, you truly repent, and you pay the price for greater faith, your miracle will not manifest. Many people start with faith. They believe a promise of God and they confess it. After some time, when the results do not appear, they change their minds. They stop believing and stop confessing it. Faith has been weakened and damaged. Faith becomes doubt. God will not answer their prayer anymore (Jam 1:7). They start complaining. They get angry and bitter at God. It is not God’s Word that stopped working. It is the people who have stopped believing and confessing the Word. Faith must be combined with perseverance. This holy perseverance is sustained by fasting and prayer. Eventually, faith wins the battle. Your confession gives birth to manifestation when you have worked it out by yourself in your prayer closet. God grants your request. Faith mixed with confession leads to miracles. The Holy Spirit must seal your faith and confession with the sign of peace. Peace will help you believe with all your heart. Then a miracle will happen! If the miracle has not come there are some reasons for that: maybe it is not God’s will. it is a fleshly desire; it is not the right time; or your faith is not a conviction yet. God. Pray for wisdom for all things. The truth remains: God rewards true faith!

Apostle Paul said this: “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Tim 1:12). You see that he speaks like a man who suffers pain to believe and know Jesus. He is free from fear, doubt, and shame. He not only believes in Jesus but he also ‘knows’ Jesus. That is ‘eternal life’ speaking here. He has come to a place of assurance in His identity and relationship with Christ. He trusts Jesus to keep his soul. He trusts Jesus to fulfill His destiny. This assurance is a great work of God done in his heart. We should desire the same. Just complaining to God is not prayer of faith. You need to tell God about His promise, then tell Him your need, and ask Him to help. We are children of God. We must speak, think, and behave like God, our Father. “God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Rom 4:17). Like Jesus, we can call out the Lazarus of our circumstances and he must come forth, in His name. We need to have total faith in God, and we need to pray and prophecy the miracle. Many Christians do not take their words seriously. But God takes our words seriously. “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matt 12:36). Idle words are useless, non-working words. Idle words are dangerous too. God rejects them. God cannot use them to produce miracles. Idle words produce death.

Jesus is the High Priest of every confession, of every word from our mouth. “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus” (Heb 3:1). Jesus says that faith (believing) and speaking (confession) must be mixed together for God to remove the ‘mountain’ from your path. “So, Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mk 11:22-24). Faith in God comes first. Then ‘you say’ what you believe. That is ‘the confession’ part. The internal faith and the audible words must be in harmony. You take authority in the name of Jesus, and you command with your mouth that the mountain be removed. We often complain to God, even in prayer, saying: “This mountain is getting bigger every day… My pain is getting worse… I am broke…” And the words come to pass. We do not even see that there is a problem. God’s promises are true but not automatic. It is our responsibility to store God’s Word in our hearts. There is a promise in the Bible for every legitimate need of men.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words” (PV 18:21; AMP). Actions and words have consequences. God commands that we ‘mortify’ the flesh. It means to kill its desires. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom 8:13). Pleasing the flesh, sowing to the flesh, ends in ‘corruption’. This word suggests the gradual decaying of a corpse. Spiritually, pleasing the flesh will end in weakness, in a ‘bad odor’ that will drive all people away from you. God cannot be mocked. Men think that they are free to do what they want. But they forget this law. No matter how wealthy or famous, no selfish, greedy, ungodly man, can be truly happy in life. Men like Pharoah, Herod, or Goliath have tried to mock God. They lived to regret it. Pharoah drowned. Herod was eating by worms and died. Goliath was killed by a teenager with just a stone. Fear God!

Sowing in the Spirit means to live every moment to please God, to the glory of God! The harvest is a sure eternal life. Anytime we think, we speak, or we do something having the glory of God in mind, we sow to the Spirit. Jesus said that if you help the needy for His sake, you do it for Him and He will reward you. What help can we give: food, water, clothes, hospitality and visiting the prisoners (Matt 25:31-46). We are to love and help all people but especially the brethren. A Christian who is wicked to another Christian is not only wrong, but he is a monster. One day you will meet the Christian you hated in heaven. Love seeds are planted on earth and the eternal harvest is in heaven. We are to love and do good ‘as we have opportunity’. In Greek, the word means ‘seasons.’ We see that the opportunity to plant good seeds is limited. Learn to take advantage of any little open door to do good for Christ’ sake. Don’t miss it! Worship the Lord!!!

	Silvia Lia Leigh, MD on BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEA…
	ronselwyn on BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEA…
	Majik on LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (1…
	Silvia Lia Leigh, MD on LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (1…

Green Pastures

PS 23:2 ~ He Makes Me To Lie Down In Green Pastures

THE KINGDOM OF GOD (1)

THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

THE SURGERY OF LOVE

ESAU I HAVE HATED

LOVE DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE

CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED!

NO STRONGHOLDS (2)

NO STUMBLING BLOCKS!

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (25)/ MATTERS OF INDIFFERENCE ( 8 )

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (24)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (7)

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (23)/MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (6)

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (22)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (5)

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (3)

THE CHRISTIANS AND SMOKING

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (19)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (2)

THE CHRISTIANS AND DRINKING ALCOHOL

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (1)

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (15)/ LOVE’S TREASURE

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (13)/ KEEP IN THE LOVE OF GOD

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (12)/ LOVE IS MERCIFUL

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