Tag: sin

Studies

Reaping Death, a Trial of Our Faith

Pete

For Our Admonition Part 7

“Reaping Death, a Trial of Our Faith”

Key Verses:  2Ki 4:18 – 4:28

We now continue with the events regarding the Shunammite woman (Click Here for earlier study).  This is the second mention in the Bible of death that will be followed by a resurrection to life. We will cover the death portion of the story and the mother’s response in seeking out Elisha this week and the details of the boy’s resurrection in our next study. There are multiple facets to the story with multiple characters and many spiritual lessons that all have applications to our life and our walk with God (1Co 3:21).

2Ki 4:18  And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. 

2Ki 4:19  And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. 

2Ki 4:20  And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 

2Ki 4:21  And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. 

2Ki 4:22  And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. 

2Ki 4:23  And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him today? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well. 

2Ki 4:24  Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee. 

2Ki 4:25  So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 

2Ki 4:26  Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. 

2Ki 4:27  And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. 

2Ki 4:28  Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? 

This parable (Hos 12:10) is about a young one in the faith, one that has not yet been given dominion to die to this world and instead is overcome and dies spiritually.  This is all of us in our time.  Dominion over sin only comes by and follows our first being slain and overcome.  Thus, the first half of our witness for Christ ends in the wrong kind of death.

Rev 11:7  When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.

The glorification of Christ in us requires that we first die, yet there are two aspects, the positive and the negative side of spiritual death (Heb 4:11).  First, we die spiritually and our overcome by sin and secondly as we are judged we are given the ability to rise up, overcome and begin to die to the lusts of the flesh.  Before we can reap the spiritual blessing of death to the flesh, we reap the wages of our sin (anything not of faith).

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death (spiritual death – negative type); but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The bearing of fruit unto eternal life requires Christ to come again for judgment bringing the fire to chasten us and quicken us by grace poured out through our faith.

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,

Tit 2:12  teaching (chastening) us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

As the Israel of God, our reaping of death via our sins gives Christ the occasion to come cleanse His Temple (1Co 3:16) and glorify His Name within us (Eze 36:23).  Christ (Elisha) returns a second time after we spiritually die to bring salvation from our sins.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Only then can we begin to die in the Lord, losing our life to this world and bearing the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Heb 12:11, Rev 14:13).  The Lord wastes nothing even using our evil for good in bringing salvation and teaching us righteousness (Jer 2:19).

Luk 5:31  … They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

Luk 5:32  I came not to call the righteous, but (DEAD) sinners to repentance

Rom 7:5  For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

The son is the woman’s offspring of her faith or said another way the renewing mindset growing within us (aka the new man).  The son comes to us by the prophesy of the Lord’s priests and prophets, in this case Elisha, a type of Christ, and representation of the Body of Christ in every age.  Faith comes by hearing (Rom 10:17) the Word spoken by God’s Elect that imparts faith to those prepared to hear those words.

2Co 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 

The child grew meaning the child matured spiritually and that led to an appointed day where the Lord begins seeking the occasion to come again to mature us even more.  He does this by causing us to err from His ways (Isa 63:17, Jdg 14:14) to reap the wages of  sin that lies hidden in our fleshly members.

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

The reaping of the Lord’s harvest comes at the end of the age (Greek word -AION) of us being carnally minded.  The angels of the Lord are the reapers meaning the Body of Christ which is the fire by which the man is harvested, and the old man is, was and will be destroyed.  Christ tells of this mystery in the explanation of the wheat and the tares.

Mat 13:40  As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

Mat 13:41  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

Mat 13:42  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

We go out to this harvest with our “father” to the reapers.  The father in this parable and the woman’s husband is a representation of our old man (2Ki 4:14) that is tied to the law of the Gentiles (Rom 2:15).  This is whom we serve in our belief system that it is by our own works of the flesh by which we are saved.  Before we are given the mind of Christ (a spiritual mind) through the gift of God, we, are of the mindset of our father, the devil and naturally at enmity with the ways of the Lord (Gen 3:15, Joh 8:44).  This mindset has us eating and drinking unworthily reaping the resulting sickness and death.

1Co 11:29  For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

1Co 11:30  For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.

Spiritually speaking, sleeping is the same as death.  Christ must come wake us out of our sleep (Eph 5:14) and He does this by the brightness of His coming.  When Christ comes again, unlike the first time He comes (Rev 13:3), there will not be any healing of the head wound.  The old mindset and head of our father the devil will be no more when we rise.

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Nah 3:19  …. There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous …

The Word we so eagerly embrace and begin eating turns bitter to our fleshly way of life (Rev 10:9), by shining light onto our sins.

Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

The son of faith is placed upon the knees of his mother where he dies at noon which is the brightest part of the day.  There is great significance in these symbols.  Knees are the largest joint in the body and in the physical are essential in our movement and stability.   When we apply knees spiritually (Rom 1:20) we can see they represent sound doctrine.  The knees of the church, the mother of Christ, is pure doctrine that supports and guides our walk on the narrow way.

Luk 8:21  And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

We come to see our state of spiritual death only when we abide in the bright light (noon day) that is Jesus Christ through our fellowship and interaction with His Christ.

Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 

The hour is come for Christ to be glorified (in type and shadow) in this child of faith. 

2Ki 4:21  And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out. 

2Ki 4:22  Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.” 

2Ki 4:23  So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, “It is well.” 

2Ki 4:24  Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” 

2Ki 4:25  And so she departed, and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman! 

 

The mother’s response is our correct response when our spiritual son falls into great trial and is sick and overcome in trespasses.  When we see ourselves as chief of sinners in need of repentance, we are told to run to the mountains that are “The Christ” casting all our care upon Him (1Pe 5:6, Psa 11:1).

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Mat 24:16  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 

Laying our son on the prophet’s bed in the upper room of the house is symbolism for us trusting in the Lord and His promises to raise up the dead.  This is resting from our own works and call upon the elders and those in the church for help.

Jas 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

Jas 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

It takes eating a lot of strong meat (bearing trials and chastening) to become mature (Heb 5:13) in the faith.  While we have faith, our faith is initially weak until it is tried in the fire where we buy the true spiritual gold (learn righteousness).

Rev 3:18  I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

Yet we fail first and call upon our “old” husband and lean back on our own carnal understanding.  The mindset of our old man will resist the mind of the Spirit (Rom 8:7) and questions why we would go to the Lord and expose our sins and faults.  Yet that is how we are healed and raised back to life.

Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much

The mindset of being under the carnal law (the husband) has us going to Christ only on prescribed days (Sunday, new moons and sabbath’s) when an offering to God was commanded (Num 28:11).  The Lord is not pleased with are rituals and Babylonian sacrifices, He wants our whole heart (Mat 22:37) and gets it by putting us through these trials of life and death.

1Pe 1:7  NLT These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

Rev 13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 

Saddling [H2280] a donkey and riding to Elisha symbolizes us being bound [H2280] to our yet carnal and immature stage of our faith but where we are being humbled and coming to Christ lowly.

Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

A donkey or an ass is the perfect symbolism for our spiritual condition when we first come to The Christ.  We, as Christ, come riding our beast albeit one that is being humbled by trials and seeing the wages of our sin.  The scepter of the Word is bringing judgment as Christ (Shiloh) is come to the woman and her son and they are being saved and redeemed by judgment.

Gen 49:10  NKJV The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

Gen 49:11  Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes.

The woman has many things right in coming to Elisha and laying her son on the prophet’s bed, yet she has to learn to glory in her tribulations.  Such is our learning process, as we doubt because the cost of our discipleship (everything) is coming due.

Luk 14:33  So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

It takes much experience of evil (Ecc 1:13) and most importantly our failure to learn this.

Rom 5:3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

Rom 5:4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

Elisha sees the woman coming and sends Gehazi his servant to aid and comfort her.

2Ki 4:26  (Gehazi) Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. 

2Ki 4:27  And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. 

2Ki 4:28  Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? 

The word Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace and what is translated as “Well” in this story as the woman’s answers questions about her wellbeing.  This is the second time we see the woman claiming peace (it is well) in her life and life of her family when there is no such thing.

Jer 6:14  They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace.

Our Babylonian pride, learned over 70 symbolic years, does not allow us to disclose our faults and expose our nakedness to others.  Like Adam and Eve, we will seek to cover ourselves with the works of our hands not truly believing the Lord sees all and works all things.  In the presence of Christ all are being revealed in due time.

1Co 4:5  Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God

We don’t easily admit that our faith has been overcome by sin and we are bearing the fruit of death.  We seek to hide this, but the Lord sees our heart, and nothing can be hid when we come into His presence.

Luk 8:17  For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

We have not yet reviewed the other main player in this story who is Gehazi.  Gehazi represents a spirit of disobedience and gainsaying that is the conflict between the ways of God and the flesh.  The name Gehazi comes from two words H1516 and H2372 and means “valley of perception/vision”.  But a low point of vision represents an obscured view of truth where we seek to serve two masters.

Mat 6:23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

The lessons in this story are as much about Gehazi failures and his (our) ineptitude as it is about the actions of the woman whose faith is being severely tried.  Gehazi will soon be exposed for his spiritual impotence caught between the spirit and the flesh and faith vs. unbelief.  Gehazi is outwardly godly and religious, yet inwardly is a gainsayer and lover of pleasure (2T 3:1-3:5).  Gehazi cannot perform the greater works as he tries to serve two masters.  Gehazi is unable to raise the dead child later in this story (2Ki 4:31) and we learn from the story of the healing of Naaman, Gehazi’s true spiritual condition.

2Ki 5:20  But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

Elisha confronts Gehazi on his sin and the problem is clearly identified.

2Ki 5:27  The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee (Gehazi), and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

Gehazi is our mixed multitude state of being lukewarm trying to save our old life as well as gain the new.  Here in this story we see Gehazi commit another error by hindering those weak and struggling in coming to Elisha (Christ).  When the young in the faith struggle, those that are stronger are to bear their weaknesses and infirmities but by no means hinder anyone or every dissuade anyone from coming to Christ and casting all our care upon Him.  The unconverted disciples make the same mistake and we make the same mistake inwardly hindering the weak and the immature (the young) from coming to Christ (Elisha).

Mat 19:13  Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

Mat 19:14  But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

We are to be patient and gentle with the weak, inwardly and outwardly, knowing everyone is exactly where they are written in the Lord’s Book from the beginning (Psa 139:16, Isa 46:10, Act 17:26).

The strong are to minister to the weak and needy; but do it only in a gentle and peaceable way (Gal 6:1).  The fact Elisha puts up with a “weak in the faith” Gehazi (within ourselves and without) proves his obedience to these commands.

2Ti 2:24  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

Our preventing babes from coming to Christ and laying at His feet is much displeased by the Lord and a sign and a reason for us to examine ourselves.

Mar 10:14  But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

We are guaranteed fiery trials to try our faith (1Pe 4:13).  None of disciples which are His Elect asked to be elected nor did we count the cost before accepting.  When the heavy trials come, we cry out to Christ not wanting to be deceived anymore and reminding the Lord what He already knows.

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you….

Rom 10:20  But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me

We are always reminded that the Lord works all things, even the failings and shortcoming in our walk and it is through failure we learn to do it the right way.  It reminds me of the old saying about Thomas Edison, the inventor of the lightbulb.  He did not first invent the lightbulb, he first discovered 10,000 ways not to make a lightbulb.

Pro 24:16  For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Next study Lord willing, we will finish this parable and look at the intimate details of what Christ (Elisha) does to revive us and how we are being brought back to life and given back to our spiritual mother.  We will begin with the failed efforts of Gehazi to first revive the child and later see Elisha enter in and perform the miracle of raising one to newness of  life.

2Ki 4:33  He (Elisha) went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD.

2Ki 4:34  And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and he stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm.

2Ki 4:35  He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

Sincere questions and comments are always welcome.  You can also email me directly at peterjwilson56@gmail.com

A Servant of Jesus Christ,  Pete

Articles

Beware Lasciviousness

Pete

 

1Pe 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

Walking with the same mind of Jesus Christ is how we overcome and are getting beyond the fleshly pursuits listed here by Peter.  Once we are chosen to suffer by the Lord and brought into the Truth and abide in the fire of the Body of Christ; we are no longer supposed to be living our lives the way the Gentiles (our former self included) live.

1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God

Those precious few given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God can easily forget these warnings.  We have many reminders to stir up the truth and admonish and exhort us to beware of becoming slothful and lazy with regards to our battle with worldly lusts.  This sinful way of living needs to be put behind us.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Becoming a doer of the word and not just a hearer requires work as we will see. Jesus Christ did not come and is not still coming so we can continue to live in sin. He comes to set the captives (all men) free from our bondage to sin.  That is the very essence of what salvation is all about.

All of the Lord’s people will struggle with sin to some degree all the days we live in these marred vessels of clay. However, the promise of salvation is we are being saved from our sins.  This comes little by little as the Scriptures declare and for good reasons that are to keep us from thinking we d0 it by our own strength and initiative.

Deu 7:22 And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

As we mature we must be able to look behind us and see progress being made as we are giving more and more dominion over sin. The Lord is surely long-suffering and this process takes far longer than we want in order to teach us patience.  Yet it is not an excuse to take a let’s eat, drink and be merry attitude.

Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

All things becoming new include our old behaviors passing away in the Aorist Greek tense as the word is, was, and will be working in our lives.

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passing away; behold, all things are becoming new.

Not seeing that progress should be a warning sign something is amiss.  We must examine ourselves to see if we are really in the faith.  The grace of the Lord that scourges us and teaches us and ultimately causes us to obey the Lord (Eze 36:27) can be received in vain.

2Co 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

We receive such grace in vain, when we do not learn from our mistakes and the chastening the Lord brings for our sins.  If we fail to learn the lessons, we are doomed to repeat them and this will impede moving on to be a mature man in Christ.  There is a fine line between claiming ourselves to be the chief of sinners (which we are apart from Christ working in us) and to receive the grace of the Lord in vain.  To sit back and say the Lord is making you sin is being lascivious if we are not careful.

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

The Lord sends us trials and delegates the tempting of our sinful flesh to the enemy in order to test our faith.  Those that fail get more trials and more grace until they get it.

Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

Knowing what real grace is is of utmost importance for our progress of being saved.  Grace is what scourges us and the resulting chastening is what teaches us to obey with time and repeated “lessons”.  We must learn that our every disobedience will result in our just reward from the Lord.

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

Tit 2:12  chastening (training) us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

Where sin increases, the suffering and chastening in the heat of His furnace increases.

Rom 5:20  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, (scourging and fiery) grace did much more abound:

Still, we are naturally brute beasts (Ecc 3:18, Rom 7:24) and it takes our entire lives to be fully delivered and we only ever receive it in down payment form until we are given our new spiritual bodies. We all fall victim to lascivious spirits that keep us in bondage to sin.  We need to be reminded of this and our need to get up and to get back on the narrow road and learn what went wrong and make changes in our walk.  To win the war we must (be given to) start and continue in winning the battles against our fleshly desires.

1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Sin no longer should be ruling in our mortal fleshly bodies.  As our faith grows and actions are added to our faith and we (Christ rising up in us) begin to gain victories little by little.

Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

This is a serious calling and a serious walk of faith that requires tremendous effort and endurance that the Lord will give us as we grow in faith.

Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

We tend to focus only on the positive and not the negative aspects of the Word of God. It is a two edged sword and we need not forget either side.  Who wants to talk about sin and the chastening we are given in return?  Who wants to talk about us falling away and becoming a reprobate?  No, our flesh wants to rest and take it easy thinking knowledge is what it is all about.  We speak often to one another of the Lord’s Sovereignty in ALL THINGS but much less frequently of the battles and lessons REQUIRED to overcome sin and walk out our faith. We can’t misuse the sovereignty of God and use it implicitly as an excuse for our continued sinful ways.  We need to beware of lascivious spirits and remember we do not inherit the promises until we have done the will of God.

Heb 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

And what is that will?  We do not need to guess what it is.

1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from (spiritual ) fornication:

Our turning grace into lasciviousness is not something we are done with after we leave the physical Babylonian churches.  We need to beware of carrying this spirit even while we are in the truth today.  Jude was writing to us, the Body of Christ, when he penned these words.  We best beware of “those men”, especially our carnal deceitful hearts that creep in unawares with a lascivious spirit.  It’s what flesh loves to do.  Like Jude, we need to exhort one another to be diligent which means careful to contend for our faith.  It is this lazy spirit of sloth and lasciviousness that wants to use God’s sovereignty and the salvation promised to all men to avoid the need to strive and labor in our walk of faith.

Jud 1:3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Jud 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

We can have all the truth we want but if we turn it into lasciviousness, we are denying the Lord and His Power within us.  Jude reminds us what happens if we do not move on to maturity and stop our progress of overcoming sin.

Jud 1:5  I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

It is a mistake to not be exhorting each other over this battle with sin. We are far too quick to just say it’s the Lord and go about our daily lives.  Battling and contending with this spirit is never ceasing until the day we physically die.

Heb 3:13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Our learning comes by suffering and being chastised by our Lord.  But we cannot continue to pursue the same course.

Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

We know we must endure to the end and we do that by fighting, striving and working.  It is the last days and we are warned what happens in those days in each of us and this is what happens, we have a form of godliness but denying  the power of Christ in us (thru our unbelief) to change us.

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Being cautious of pinning all of our sins on the Lord and using that to justify our continued bad behavior is how a lascivious spirit deceives us. Sure He is causing it but He is doing it to His people so we will learn to stop doing it.  We are fighting to lay hold of the life promised and flee from those things that defile us.

1Ti 6:11  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

1Ti 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses

If we have issues with besetting sins, we need to be changing our behavior Lord willing to remove those things from our pathways.

Pro 22:3  A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

At times we have humility but lack the fear that is so needed to bring us to obedience.

Pro 22:4  By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

Guarding our hearts and the entry points into our life is required.  This is a serious matter requiring us to take ACTION.  Faith without these works are dead.

Pro 4:23  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life…

Pro 4:26  Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

Pro 4:27  Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Contrary to the myths some apply to the Apostle Paul, he was not soft on sin, he warned every man and labored himself to the very end.

Col 1:28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Col 1:29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

We are to be putting off the old man and putting on the new man.  This takes diligent action on our part.

Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Col 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Col 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

This is working out our own salvation WITH FEAR and TREMBLING.

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

We will never attain perfection in this life but we must beware the ditch on the other side of this narrow road.  Our entire life is the works of the Lord’ hands and no matter what we do,  it’s the Lord doing it.  Yet we must beware a lascivious spirit leading us away from fear and trembling at the Word.  If we stop striving diligently we are falling short.

 Luk 13:24  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

We will reap what we sow. If we continue to sow inequity to that disobedience (no matter what it is) we are also reaping.  We have heard these things before but we are not taking heed of these serious matters.

Heb 2:1  Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things (i.e. strive and work) which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

Heb 2:2  For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

There are no free passes.  Grace is not a wink wink and no punishment.  Sin will be recompensed.

Rom 2:6  Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

So don’t get me wrong here and this is not intended to discourage anyone, but rather encourage you.  We don’t save ourselves but I hope to instill in all of us a renewed respect and fear of the Lord.  When we do sin and it is brought to our attention we need to respond in faith.  We have seen people taken right out of the truth who failed to heed this and came to believe we are not to fear the Lord or tremble at every word.  We need to take seriously our sins and disobedience. When we fall down, we must take action and get right back up, Lord willing of course.  Unless we are given of the Lord to progress, and this takes WORK, we are falling short of the goal.

Heb 4:1  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

So we must work and strive together to make our calling and election sure.  We need to add to our faith and our knowledge the things Peter mentions.  This is the only way we are made partakers of His Divine nature (i.e. saved from our sins) and escape the lusts of this world.  We can’t sit back and continue doing the same old worldly things and expect a different result.  That is called insanity.  We are moving on to maturity if the Lord wills.  The end of the matter is our obedience and this comes by ADDING to our knowledge and to our faith. This is how the DOING part comes about.

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity (LOVE)

We are made whole with the Lord when we obey the commandments.  That is the end of the matter as it relates to what the Lord is doing with us, His pieces of clay.

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole (duty) of man.

2Jn 1:6  And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

2Ti 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Once the salvation of all men becomes the new reality and we realize we were lied to all our lives, lasciviousness is a common trap our sinful flesh and deceitful carnal hearts will stimulate in our lives.  Why strive to obey the Lord since all men will be saved anyway?  But there are many reasons for such a thing, beyond this post to cover.  But one thing is for sure such an attitude is immature and there is no fear of the Lord in one’s eyes who thinks such a thought.  We all will learn and our continuing to learn that Jesus Christ is not a minister for sin.

Gal 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

So we must be very careful for thoughts that make it okay to justify our continued living in sin.  We are indeed slaves to sins when we start out.  But we need to stop being slaves to sin and become slaves of righteousness if we are going to make the cut for the first resurrection.

Rom 6:18  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Rom 6:22  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Freedom is not free as the world likes to say and that is true in the spiritual sense as well.  There is a price to be paid (count the costs) and we work for our freedom from sin and that is by becoming slaves to righteousness.  We won’t eat and progress if we do not work for it ourselves. Without us being given the zeal to work, we won’t eat and thereby won’t grow in our faith and maturity.   A lazy spirit leads to lasciviousness and abusing the grace of the Lord.

2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

We learn this by being judged, yet if the behavior does not change, we are not learning and more grace is needed to work righteousness within us.  The sooner we get this done the sooner we can enter into rest.

Wisdom is the combination of KNOWLEDGE with understanding that comes with experience.  Fear of the Lord is necessary to move us on to be Holy as our Lord is Holy.  Until we get over our lasciviousness we are not progressing and need to be retaught basic oracles of the Lord including fear.

Pro 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Wisdom results from this fear and that is how we learn the lessons and become wiser and wiser with the trials and temptations we are continually given.

Isa 33:5  The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.

Isa 33:6  And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.

A lazy attitude will keep us from maturing and we will continue to learn over and over again the function of grace until we get it.  Under the law of true faith, Jesus is not a minister for sin, He will judge His people and this is how that works.

Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

We will learn obedience by the things we suffer and the sooner we learn it the better off we will be.

Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

We learn to fear our physical fathers when our disobedience is punished and it is no different with our heavenly father.  In our day of abiding in the scourging grace we will learn to fear and we will be caused to stop our disobedience.

Heb 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The Lord’s people are fellow laborers who are striving daily to ensure and progress onward to maturity.  We like the Apostle Paul, continue to learn and appreciate more and more the warnings of keeping our sinful ways under subjection lest we be castaway despite knowing all the truths we know.

1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

The doing part is the hard part.  We have to walk out our faith and becoming a true example to others.  Otherwise, we cannot be used for the Lord’s purposes now or for the Higher Calling in the ages to come.  If we don’t overcome we too, are becoming reprobates. We are proving our faith by passing the test and trials that are given to us.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

We are warned about being deceived about this ongoing battle against sin.  Here are both John, Paul and Peter’s words written for our admonition.

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1Pe 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

It is those who overcome who will be given the Eight Promises of the Lord in the Book of Revelation.  Talk about a carrot, an incentive to strive and labor on this journey.  These promises are reserved only to those few that are being found faithful to the end.  Here are just the last three promises linked to overcoming (sin) that are cited.

Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Sincere questions or comments welcome. You can email me at peterjwilson56@gmail.com.

Your Brother in Christ,  PETE

 

Articles

Who Is Responsible For Evil?

Pete

Who Is Responsible for Evil?

The absolute sovereignty of God is such an important truth it is useful to remind ourselves often as our own faith will be tested many times to see whom we are holding responsible.  All things are being lived and worked for God’s purposes in Jesus Christ.

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Jesus is the Lord of heaven and the earth, both the outward and the inward being Lord of ALL.  The flesh will naturally glory in itself and take credit for its own works be they righteous or unrighteous.  Being converted of these lies will take us a long time and many trials. The Lord has purposed our rebellion and all the evil we will do to teach us in due time.

Isa 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me

Is the Lord just a terrible parent or is our rebellion part of His plan all along?  We don’t have to guess as the Scriptures declare the Lord’s sovereignty in all things even our rebellion. It is the Lord who turns men into destruction, into sin and away from His ways and then in the appointed times calls us back home to Himself.

Psa 90:3  Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

The Lord both turns us away into wicked things and also is the one who grants and causes us to turn back or repent.  He is doing it all.

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

As we grow in faith, our understanding and application of God’s sovereignty in ALL THINGS is also growing proportionately.  Our doubting questions get answered in due time and we learn that we truly do nothing outside of God’s grip on us.  Yes, even the evil we do, our very sins are given to us by the Lord.  Everything from A to Z is the Lord doing it!

Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Rev 22:13  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

It is the fate of all men to first learn the “other jesus” by horribly underestimating the Lord and His sovereignty and exalting the role of man in the affairs of life and the world.  The story of Joseph being sold into Egypt by his brothers is a powerful lesson in how God works evil for good.  At the end the story Joseph tells his brothers it was not really them that did the evil, instead it was God who did it for good in the end.

Gen 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

The Lord works evil for good. Look at how powerful and expansive the one true God that only the Elect know who is not dependent upon his creation for anything.

Act 17:24  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Act 17:25  Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

Act 17:26  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

The Truth of God working evil has always been right in front of us, yet we were blinded to see it until we are given the gift of faith and spiritual ears to hear and eyes to see. It is our ability to show these pivotal truths to those God brings to us that opens the eyes of a brother and sister and heals them of their spiritual blindness.  Let’s look at some of the black and white verses about the origins of evil.

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

It does not get any clearer than Isa 45:7 but when we show most this Scripture they are dumbstruck.  But there are more, many more witnesses to this immutable truth.

Amo 3:6  Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Lam 3:38  Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

We will be hated for merely suggesting this most basic truth, yet there will be a few who are given to find the narrow way.  The Lord tells us He makes wicked people on purpose.

The Purpose of Evil 

We must experience evil to learn about evil as indeed to become like God’s we must know both good and evil.  Knowing good and evil is of paramount importance for God’s Elect and why we are made to sin.

Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Evil is used of the Lord to give opportunity to chasten us and to bring judgment, the very process and fiery grace that will save all men (Eph 2:8).

Ecc 1:13 (CLV) I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it.

Jer 2:19  Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

This truth is everywhere once our eyes are open to see it.  Who purposefully planted the tree of the knowledge of good and evil right in front of Adam and Eve?

Gen 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Who conceived David and by extension all mankind in sin from birth?

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me

Who added the crooked serpent to tempt Adam and Eve in the weakness of their carnal mind and sinful flesh?  Satan is the epitome of evil and look who made Satan.

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.

Job 26:13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

Sending Forth of Evil Spirits

It is the Lord who commands and sends forth Satan and his messengers (evil spirits) to accomplish His will in our lives.  The story of Job is perhaps the best example demonstrating the Lord commanding the evil to work His work within us.

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

Satan and his demons are nothing more than servants of the Lord.  He is using them, His own creation, to bring about good and to accomplish all his good pleasure in our lives.  Let’s check in at the end of the book and see how the experience ends.   Evil was worked for good.

Job 42:11  Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

Job 42:12  So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning ….

Here is a verse most have never seen and hate in defense of the false doctrines that God has nothing to do with evil.

Psa 78:49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

Psalm 78 is not talking about the bad people out there. It is talking about ISREAL, God’s own people and you and me if we are God’s people.  The Lord sends evil spirits to His own people. The Lord is doing it, He is working all things for good in the end, even sending evil. This is the truth and you are blessed to remove the plank that represents the lie that God is not responsible and is not the author of evil, maybe you will begin to see the truth much more clearly. Here are a couple of more, but there are many others in the sum of God’s word.

1Sa 19:9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.

1Ki 22:23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

Jdg 9:23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:

Who was behind the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ which was the most evil act of all time?  The Scriptures tell us the Truth that is was God who orchestrated the death of Jesus Christ.

Act 4:26  The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

Act 4:27  For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

Act 4:28  For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

Many in orthodoxy (our ministry field) can easily believe that the Lord is responsible for tornado’s and hurricanes and outward things, but cannot make the connection about the inward events in our heavens and earth.  Evangelizing we learn quickly to wait on the Lord to bring us those prepared who have had their eyes and ears opened to receive the truth.

Pro 20:12  The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

Psa 10:17  LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

When one is so blessed the concept of God’s sovereignty greatly expands and are given power over all the lies and false doctrines (spirits) and our spiritual healing begins.

Luk 10:21  In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

All Things Truly is All Things

We already shown the truth via multiple witnesses but know there are many more to support this pivotal truth that apart from the Lord we truly do nothing.  It is blasphemy to speak truth in an orthodox Babylonian setting and especially to suggests that man is not responsible for his own sin.  But what say the Scripture?

Isa 63:17 O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

Pro 16:1  The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

Pro 16:9  A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

Jer 10:23  O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

Psa 37:23  The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

The New and the Old Testament agree and truth (treasure) is found in both to prove via the sum of God’s Word what the Truth is (Psa 119:160 ASV).

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever.

The Lord made all things and works all things all the time. He is not a Plan B God that responds and reacts to the messes that man makes.  ALL THINGS means exactly what it says and as one grows in the truth faith, your boundaries of all things will continue to expand.

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Col 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Col 1:19  For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

Col 1:20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

When we read about Israel’s rebellion and doing evil against the Lord, we are reading about OUR rebellion and the evil we are doing.  The Scriptures make clear that Israel sin and rebellion was caused by the Lord.

Jer 32:42 For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.

Living in the vine, the Lord causes things to bear fruit (good) and some to not bear fruit (evil).  But the point is, even the bad things are done in Christ and all work towards the greater good of bearing more fruit in the end.

Joh 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

All things are caused by the Lord.  Whether it be our obedience unto life or our sinning unto death.  It is all His work in us and will all be used to teach and correct us in our day of the Lord which is our day of judgment.

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Judgment is the true grace which is chastening us and teaching us the right ways of God in response to us first doing it the wrong way and disobeying.

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

The pouring out of grace (judgment) by the implanted truth was the promise of the New Covenant and how the Lord is working righteousness and causing us to obey Him.

Eze 36:27  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

The Lord causes us to err and stumble in judgment.  In the same way a child learn by making mistakes and be disciplined, so it is in the spiritual and how we learn.

Psa 119:66  Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

Psa 119:67  Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

God raises up evil within us so God’s wrath (scourging) will rightly fall upon our old man and destroy the wickedness that is innate in our marred flesh (Jer 18:4).  The story of Nathan exposing David for his adultery is our story and our spiritual adultery will be confronted and judged when our day of the Lord has come.

2Sa 12:10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

2Sa 12:11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house  ….

These acts of the Lord are His mercy and are the wonderful works of God to the children of men (Psalm 107) that bring us to our wits end where we cry out for a Saviour.  Seeing the evil within and our need for a Saviour is a necessary prerequisite of salvation and the Lord’s mercy.

The story of Samson intermarrying with a forbidden Philistine is our story as are all the stories of good and evil in the Bible.  For brevity, we won’t cover that story but we are told the Lord did it so He could have the occasion to bring judgment upon our flesh and the Philistine nations and mindset within us (Luk 17:21).

Jdg 14:4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

God’s chosen people, His Elect and the Spiritual Jews are those being made righteous by His judgments.  Our trials and all the evil we are given to endure are working for the counsel of His will to remake us into mature sons of God.

Psa 34:19  Many are the EVILS (“Ra” not afflictions) of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Evil being manifest within us is necessary for us to be stripped of the self-righteousness of the law that we all find first in trying to perfect ourselves in our own strength.  But when judgment has come to God’s house, which house His Elect are, then we will not be able to stand and will come to see that we are the man of sin, an abomination and in great need of a Spiritual Physician.

Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Ecc 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

CONCLUSION

Contrary to Billy Graham’s famous sermon after 911, where he unequivocally said “The Bible says God is not the author of evil”, God most certainly is the author of evil as the Scriptures declare. If one is so blessed (Mat 13:17) to begin to see and receive the truth of God’s working all things, even evil things; then one is being made ready to lose their old way of life and learn a new one via grace.  The world indeed looks different viewed through the lenses of faith and the truth of the Scriptures.  We are being made into the image of Jesus Christ who knew what we are learning.

Joh 5:19  Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

We need to be wise with whom and how we share these truths not cast pearls to swine or engage with heretics. We also need to be prepared for rejection, persecution and false accusations that we are promoting sin with our doctrine.  Finally, even though God works all things even evil, we are commanded to strive and resist evil at every opportunity. The sum of God’s word makes clear we are to be careful to maintain good works and not turn God’s grace into lasciviousness and an excuse for living in sin.

Gal 2:17  But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

A servant of Jesus Christ,

PETE