Wisdom

The Law of the Lord

The day before I started the first full week of my new job, I walked and prayed for the Lord to take away my anxiety. He reminded me of all He’s done in my life and everything I’ve accomplished with His guidance and help. He has always been there, the ever-present constant. I have been the variable that has changed from one situation to the next. Sometimes I’ve trusted and other times I was overcome by fear. As I prayed this time, I had to decide who I want to be: a light for the Lord or a person who cowers in fear. After that day I went to work with the determination not to be anxious but to learn and try to the best of my ability. It doesn’t mean there aren’t trials and obstacles. It means that when those moments come, I choose to trust the Lord to help me through them and also ask for help. He has blessed me with a great team of people who are quick to provide assistance and guidance. I just have to be willing to ask.

A routine I’ve started each morning to help with anxiety and to get my mind right is reading the Psalms. The Psalms remind me of the humanity of each author as he faces trials and experiences moments of thanksgiving and joy. Even when there is despair, there is often a recollection of the Lord’s lovingkindness, strength, and wisdom. One of the Psalms I read this past week that stood out to me is Psalm 19, particularly verses 7-14 (NASB1995):

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.

10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;

In keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.

13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;

Let them not rule over me;

Then I will be blameless,

And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Prior to these verses, David writes about how creation itself tells of the glory of the Lord. Then he proceeds to explain why we can trust in the Lord’s law to lead us into righteousness. What captured my attention were the adjectives. The Law of the Lord is perfect (v. 7); His testimony is sure (v. 7); the Lord’s precepts are right (v. 8); the commandment of the Lord is pure (v. 8); the fear of the Lord is clean (v. 9); His judgments are true, righteous, and more desirable than gold (vv. 9-10). Each adjective is followed by a participial phrase, explaining how God’s laws and judgments impact us. David (the author of this particular Psalm) doesn’t just share God’s goodness for its own sake (which is enough in itself) but how His goodness changes us. 

The Law of the Lord restores the soul (v. 7). When we’ve gone astray from God’s will, His law restores us back to obedience. The testimony of the Lord makes wise the simple (v. 7). Too often our culture thinks wisdom is marked by how much education one has. But the Lord has been gracious to not only give us His testimony in writing but in His very creation. All people have the opportunity to gain wisdom as they remember what the Lord has done–whether disciplining the wicked (Ex: plagues in Egypt) or liberating the righteous (Ex: winning battles against Israel’s numerous enemies)–and learning from those moments. The Lord proved Himself repeatedly to the Israelites, but many perished who walked their own way instead of trusting in His testimony. Those who remembered what the Lord had done and trusted Him were blessed.

The precepts of the Lord make the heart rejoice (v. 8). Whenever we think about rules, our first reaction is probably not to rejoice. Rules imply following someone else’s directions rather than our own. But David, the ruler of Israel, describes the Lord’s precepts as right, rejoicing the heart. What makes our hearts rejoice is that we don’t have to guess what the Lord wants. His precepts are to help us remain in right standing with Him, and because of this, our hearts rejoice. Many other religions have “gods” who want to be appeased. Other nations in the Ancient Near East even sacrificed their own children, or they mutilated themselves to try to make themselves right with their “god(s).” But the true, living God has given humanity righteous precepts to be a blessing, not a burden, to us. For He is not a god who is far off but has chosen to live within those who have made the decision to follow Him.

The commandment of the Lord enlightens the eyes (v. 8). When the world has blinded us from righteousness by declaring its own set of rules and guidelines, the Lord’s commandments help us to see clearly. While the world says to place our hope in man, one of the Lord’s commandments says to have no other idols whether that’s money, fame, a physical object, work, or anything that is placed above the Lord in our lives. Many of us are more guilty of this than we probably realize. We are also bombarded with messages from the world each day that it becomes easier to believe them when we fail to dwell on the Lord’s commandments. After Israel split into two kingdoms, it became more wicked in the northern kingdom as they forsook God’s commandments. But even the kings of Judah had lost their way. It wasn’t until the reign of King Josiah (2 Kings 22) that the book of the law was found after many years of being lost. When the book was read to Josiah, he responded by tearing his clothes (as a sign of humility and mourning) and commanded men he trusted to inquire of the Lord concerning the words of the book (vv. 11-13). He said, “for great is the wrath of the Lord that burns against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of the book, to do all that is written concerning us” (v. 13). The result was that the Lord would bring evil on them because the people have forsaken Him, but because Josiah humbled himself after hearing the words, the Lord gave him peace the rest of his days. King Josiah also made reforms in response to the commandments in the law (2 King 22:16-23:27). The people thought they were doing right until God’s law was revealed. These commandments opened King Josiah’s eyes to see the wickedness around him and responded with sincere reverence and humility before the Lord. While the law had been lost and then found, God still held the people accountable. They were the ones who asked for a king when God was already their King. Many times those kings led the people astray, and even when a righteous king came to power, not everything was made right until Josiah. How much more are we held accountable when we have the law of God at our fingertips and choose to ignore it? Will we choose to be blind or to have our eyes enlightened to the truth of God even if it means humbling ourselves and making changes?

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever (v. 9). At first I was surprised to read the word translated as “clean” to describe the fear of the Lord, but as I dug a little deeper, the meaning of “clean” came to be understood as “undefiled” or “uncontaminated” in a spiritual sense, leading to the idea of holiness. Because it is undefiled, it will not decay, causing it to endure (or stand) forever. I believe a clear distinction is between fearing God or fearing man. David often makes that comparison in the Psalms, and Jesus also says in Matthew 10:28, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” When the Lord spoke to the people at Mount Sinai, they trembled at “the thunder and lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking” (Exodus 20:18) and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die” (v. 19). Moses’ reply, along with what Jesus stated in Matthew, help us to understand the importance of fearing the Lord: “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin” (v. 20). There are two uses of fear in this passage. The first is telling the people not to be terrified that they shrink back from the Lord. The second is telling the people to have the fear of the Lord to remain with them so they do not sin. To fear the Lord means to remain in righteousness just as a child fears a loving father who disciplines his children when they do wrong. That discipline leads to repentance which leads to righteousness. Jesus, the Son of God, clearly states that it is the Lord who destroys both body and soul of those who have chosen not to fear Him. Too often people exchange “respect” for the word “fear” because it sounds nicer, but that is not accurate. The Lord chose to speak to the Israelites and show a glimpse of His glory so that they would not sin. They were truly terrified. “Respect” does not induce the same kind of fear. But if one maintains the fear of the Lord that keeps himself or herself from sinning, then he or she will endure with the Lord forever no matter what man tries to do. The fear of the Lord has eternal rewards. The fear of man is temporary, leading to a false sense of security.

The judgments of the Lord provide warnings and lead to great rewards by those who keep them (vv. 9-11). When we think of judgment, we don’t often get warm, fuzzy feelings. But Scripture describes the Lord’s judgments as true, righteous, more desirable than gold, and sweeter than honey. His judgments aren’t tainted by human error and emotion. He also provides opportunities for change and gives warnings. When Israel asked for a king, He gave them what they wanted but not before telling them exactly what would happen in 1 Samuel 8:10-18. However, the people refused to listen and asked for a king anyway. In 1 Samuel 12, Samuel reminded the people of past choices made and the outcomes for their rejection of the Lord. In sharing this he made it clear that if the people and the king fear the Lord and follow Him, the Lord will be with them. But if they do not fear Him, He will be against them. As generations went on, God’s judgments were righteous as the people took turns rejecting and repenting. We don’t want a Judge who is biased but who upholds His law for the sake of righteousness. Are we willing to submit to His authority and listen to His warnings so that we can be in right standing with Him?

In Psalm 19:12-13, David not only asks the Lord to acquit him from hidden errors–sins unknowingly committed–but also to keep him from presumptuous sins. These are sins committed with a person’s full knowledge of what he or she is doing. In other words, they are acting in rebellion to God’s commandments. David writes that he does not want his sins to rule over him so that he will be blameless before the Lord. What keeps our sins from ruling over us is following the Lord’s commands and fearing Him as this particular Psalm describes. The Lord is both loving Father and an all-consuming fire.

The final verse brings back memories as it was the benediction after every chapel during my undergraduate years: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer” (v. 14). While constant repetition of a passage can lead to lack of meaning, reading this verse again in light of verses 7-13 restores the appropriate response. When our hearts and minds are fixed on the Lord’s commandments that lead to righteousness, our words and thoughts should be a reflection of those precepts. The Lord delights when we dwell on the truth of His Word and our actions show it. We are a people without excuse, and we are a church in danger of the consequences of ancient Israel. Too often we forsake the Lord’s commandments for more palatable translations that allow us to maintain our sinful tendencies. We listen to people who tickle our ears rather than be convicted by the Lord’s double-edged sword: His Word. Will we be a church who fears the Lord who can destroy the soul, or will we ignore the numerous warnings and seal the fate of our own downfall? The Lord’s judgments are not hidden or encrypted. They are clearly stated, and as an effective Teacher, He has given us many examples of what we should and should not do. We have one choice to make as the body of Christ: Will we follow the law of our King, or will we be a church of anarchists?

©Lauren Demuth

Blunt and Wise

“Lord, please help me have the bluntness of Jesus and Paul and also their wisdom.”

That was part of my prayer tonight. If you’ve ever read any part of the New Testament, most likely you’ve read some of Paul’s or Jesus’ messages. There are no “bless their hearts” or “well, it was how he or she was raised” or “that’s just what he chooses to believe.” Jesus and Paul were compassionate, but they were also blunt with wisdom to accompany their words. As we’ve seen in the last few years, straightforward truth is hard to find, not just in the world, but especially in the church. Can we distinguish the church from the world? How many times has something been swept under the rug hoping no one will notice? Like Solomon wrote many times in Ecclesiastes, there is nothing new under the sun. 

“All things are wearisome;

Man is not able to tell it.

The eye is not satisfied with seeing,

Nor is the ear filled with hearing.

That which has been is that which will be,

And that which has been done is that which will be done.

So there is nothing new under the sun.

Is there anything of which one might say,

“See this, it is new”?

Already it has existed for ages

Which were before us.

There is no remembrance of earlier things;

And also of the later things which will occur,

There will be for them no remembrance

Among those who will come later still.”

Ecclesiastes 1:8-11 (NASB- bold print added for emphasis)

These are words from the wisest man who ever lived. They may seem downcast or negative, but they are true nonetheless. We can criticize ancient Israel for falling into what appear to us to be obvious traps and temptations, but won’t people generations from now say the same about us? Will they not say, “Why did the church allow that to happen?” “They were preaching that from the pulpit?” We are blessed to have the Scriptures to learn from them so that we can be more faithful followers of Christ as lights in the darkness and hope to a world that is quickly losing it. In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul starts by saying that their forefathers were in the wilderness with Moses, and they all shared the same experiences, but God was not pleased with most of them. He then continues to write in vv. 7-13, 

“Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.’  Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (Bold print added for emphasis)

Putting Paul’s instructions and Solomon’s wisdom together, we can summarize that we are going to face trials, and most likely, they are trials humanity has already faced. We’ve received an instruction manual (the Word of God) that shares what to do and what not to do as a follower of God. Sometimes we don’t like being told what to do (or not to do) like children but then we want to know God’s will. We ask the questions but don’t like the answers so we plug our ears and hum and hope for a different solution. Let’s take a look at one of Paul’s passages in Romans 1 that tends to start the ear plugging:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. (vv.18-23- bold print added for emphasis)

Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (vv. 24-25)

For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” (vv. 26-32- bold print added for emphasis)

No doubt there could be multiple posts written to break down these verses, but the simple truth is, God has been made known to everyone. What Paul reveals is that people have chosen and continue to choose to deny it and worship other things. People have chosen to give in to their sinful desires, and God has let them face their own judgment. We have the free will to choose. The world is going to act in accordance with the world. That is its nature. I’m not writing this post with non-believers in mind, but the church. Are we part of the last verse, which says, “although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them”? How has homosexuality been addressed among people who claim Christianity and practice it? Do we address it at all or turn away to remain “relevant” in our culture? What about other topics, like abortion? 

Paul is writing to the church of Rome, both Jews and Gentiles, who are learning how to be Christians in their culture, not unlike much of what we experience today. In Romans 2, he turns the focus off the world and back to the church and addresses believers specifically:

“Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” (vv. 1-11- bold print added for emphasis)

Hypocrisy. How many of us have seen it? How many of us have heard that people aren’t Christians because Christians are hypocritical? Are they wrong? Too often the church is the one who looks at the speck in his brother’s eye but ignores the log in its own eye (read Jesus’ blunt message in Luke 6:41-42). Sometimes the church is too busy judging what the world is doing and not seeing that the world has made its way into the church. We criticize the very thing that we are doing. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul addresses a grievous sin in the church and mentions that he had written to the Corinthians not to associate with immoral people who claim to be Christians. He writes in vv. 12-13,  “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” We are the bride of Christ to be presented as pure, spotless, and blameless so why are we acting as an adulteress (see James 4:4-5), like Israel did, cheating on God with the world, not cleaning house from the unrepentant sin we let permeate it? All of these things written in Scripture may sound harsh to our culturally-sensitive ears, but the intention is for repentance so that all may come to know Christ. 

There are such things as righteousness and unrighteousness. The idea that everyone has their own truth is a lie. The answers to our questions are right in front of us as long as we don’t close our eyes, plug our ears, and hope the truth will change to a more culturally-accepted response. The truth of the gospel is above culture, which is part of its beauty. It surpasses the boundaries of time and language. Are we bold enough to not care what the world thinks? A lot can happen when we take a stand just like the Roman Christians who chose not to worship an emperor or the many other deities therein. Do the consequences outweigh truth or does truth outweigh the consequences? We, the body of Christ, must decide soon. 

© Lauren Heiligenthal Demuth

To See or Not to See?

I love reading the Book of John. When I was in school, it was kind of a dismissed gospel because it’s not like the other three; however, it is arguably my favorite. From the very beginning it focuses on Jesus’ divinity, His ministry, and His sacrifice. In John 1:17, John writes, “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” How wonderful is that! One of the passages I love the most in John is in chapter 9 where Jesus heals the man who was born blind.

There was a belief that sicknesses, deformities, etc. were a sign of sin. Even Jesus’ disciples ask Him who sinned, the blind man or his parents? Jesus responds by saying that neither had sinned, but the man was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him (v. 3). This sets the stage for the rest of passage. The miracle itself is awe-inspiring and demonstrates God’s power, but it’s the interaction between the man and the Pharisees that illustrates the difference between knowledge and wisdom.

The Pharisees are the teachers of the Law. They are the experts who are to lead by spiritual example. Yet with this healed man before them, they cannot reach a consensus on who Jesus is. Many say that Jesus couldn’t be from God because He healed on the Sabbath (v. 16)—something they always like to bring up. When asked about Jesus’ identity, the healed man believes Him to be a prophet (v. 17). Well, the Jews don’t like that so they turn their attention to his parents to find out if their son really was blind. Out of fear of being turned away from the synagogue, his parents throw the attention back to their son—surely he can speak for himself. Repeatedly they ask the healed man how Jesus did it, but he is finished with their interrogation. Instead, he asks, “You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” (v. 27). Of course not! Instead, they claim to be Moses’ disciples, not followers of this man whose origin remains a mystery to them. Even though they have all the knowledge of the Scriptures, they remain ignorant. On the other hand, the healed man—uneducated and a beggar—understands more of the Scriptures than these experts:

“‘Well here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.’” (vv. 30-33 NASB)

What a testimony of the greatness of God and the wisdom He gives to those who are willing to receive it! After the man is cast out from the synagogue, Jesus finds him and reveals Himself as the Son of Man. He then uses the healing of the blind man to teach an even greater spiritual message: “’For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind’” (v. 39). Of course the Pharisees say, “We are not blind too, are we?” And Jesus replies, “‘If you were blind, you would have no sin, but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains’” (vv. 40-41).

The Pharisees had the truth at their fingertips. Of all the people, they should have known from the beginning who Jesus was. But they got caught up in the letter of the Law instead of its principles. They followed their own understanding and interpretations, and they enjoyed their lofty positions and relationships with the powerful. They neglected the wonderful blessing of truth they were given. They were spiritually blind and remained in sin.

In contrast, the man was a beggar who was born blind with no hope of change until he listened to a man who told him to simply “Go to Siloam and wash” (v. 7). One simple step of obedience changed his life and his testimony. Having heard the truth of the Scriptures, he knew that Jesus could only be from God. He then gained physical and spiritual sight and his sins were forgiven. Simple obedience, simple wisdom, simple truth.

Who are we? Are we like the Pharisees or the healed man? We have heard the truth of the gospel numerous times, yet do we have understanding? We can take theology courses, read a handful of Bible translations and paraphrases, go to church every week, but do we see? Are we aware of our spiritual condition? Do we follow the Lord in simple obedience?

Do not complicate the gospel message. Examine your heart. Talk to the Lord about it. Listen to what He says (for the Lord hears the prayers of God-fearing people who do His will- John 9:31). And do what He says.

May our eyes be opened to His truth.

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal

Which God Do You Serve?

As most of us know, much is happening in the Middle East and Africa. Terrorism is expanding. People are dying. Yet some want to argue that Allah and the Christian God, Yahweh, are the same. I recently wrote a brief message about this on Facebook:

A few years back I was taught at a Christian university that Allah is the same as Yahweh God because Allah means “god.” That’s like saying that Baal is the same as God because Baal means “master” or “lord.” Well, we know what happened to the prophets of Baal (refer to 1 Kings 18). Jesus Himself makes an excellent argument when people accuse Him of being the enemy:

Matthew 12:22-28: “22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. 23 All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, ‘This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?’ 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, ‘This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.’ 25 And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, ‘Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 27 If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

What’s my point? If followers of Yahweh and followers of Allah are serving the same God, the kingdom of God would not last. Does God destroy Himself? Of course not!

Conclusion: Yahweh and Allah are not the same. To say that they are violates Scripture and calls God a liar since He cannot deny Himself. He cannot uplift the body of Christ and destroy it at the same time. To do so would be illogical.

—

I say all of this because I want believers (and unbelievers, too) to be discerning about what they are taught. When I heard my professor and classmates say that Allah and Yahweh God are the same, it made me pause. It even made me start to doubt my faith for a moment. But thank the Lord the truth was pointed out to me!

So to all of you I say, Do not doubt! Know who the Lord God is! Question everything you hear and test it with the truth of Scripture. Ask the Lord to lead you in truth and understanding, and He will.

May everything we say and do bring glory to our God who is the King of kings and Lord of lords!

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal