Coram Deo thought: The death of pride

The Christian life is full of a thousand little deaths.  The death of pride in one’s heart is probably one of the most frequent…or at least should be.  “This I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Paul wrote this in the context of a discussion of God’s mercy towards the Church.  He has been merciful to us, in abundance in Christ; and therefore we should present our bodies to Him as a sacrifice.  He goes on to say that this sacrifice entails offering up our bodies to His body through the gifts which He has given us in the Spirit.  This Paul says is a service that we ought to render with humility.  The spirit of humility then is a necessary response to the contemplation of God’s mercy in salvation.  As we recognize that our salvation is truly the mercy of God, our minds are being transformed and as our minds are transformed our lives will reflect a greater awareness of our dependence upon Him, gratitude towards Him and humble service to our brethren who are also recipients of God’s mercy.  Mercy serves to place us all on the same level playing field.  None of us have earned God’s mercy, mercy itself being what is undeserved.  And all of us in Christ and even apart from Christ are recipients of God’s mercy at all times.  All that we have and all that we are is as a result of God’s mercy towards us.  this one doctrinal truth I believe should revolutionize our lives.  Paul viewed it as that which should produce a complete transformation of life for new believers.  Here are just a few ways in which mercy should transform our lives.

Our life should be sacrificial.  There ought to be a true and lasting pursuit towards sacrifice.  So often in life we pursue that which is our right.  We pursue that which leads to comfort for us.  Our society is extremely comfort oriented.  But the mercies of God should impel us to sacrifice.  None of what we have is our own.  None of what we have and what we are is given to us for our own sakes.  Therefore it should all be freely offered back as a sacrifice to God.  Furthermore we ought to look for opportunities to sacrifice what we have for the sake of others.  We should not be quick to hold on to what we have.  We should be quick to give because what has been given to us is not for us alone.  And all who are around us = our brothers sand sisters in Christ – regardless of what they have or have not worked for (materially speaking) are recipients of God’s mercy as we are.  And therefore we ought to be quick to share and to give whatever it is that we have for the glory of God.  My family has received great benefit from many who have understood this principle.  And we endeavor to exemplify the same to others and before our children.  “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Our life should be service oriented.  God has given us a measure of grace.  That measure of grace is to be used for the sake of His body which is still on earth.  That measure of grace has been left to us for the sake of building up His body and therefore we must make every effort to determine what grace the Lord has left for us and to use that grace with fervency “not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” v 10.  To do any less would be disobedience to the Lord who called us by His grace to serve.  A servant should do nothing less than that which is reasonable for a servant to do.  That is to serve.  A servant should not just serve when they know that they will reap in return.  A servant does not just serve when it will be easy for him to do so.  A servant does not expect gratitude or appreciation.  A servant serves because it is his lot in life and because he is a servant.  A servant serves because he has a master whom he desires to please.  Because when the master is pleased the servant will be blessed.  It is not the joy of the servant which is in the mind of the master but his own joy.  And his joy means good for the servant.  His displeasure means wrath.  A servant’s life is unremarkable.  It is not full of pleasure and extra luxuries.  Our society scoffs at the terminology “servant.”  Man desires to be servant to no one.  Our society declares that it is not the one who serves who is greater but the one who is served by others.  Jesus said on the contrary that the one who would be great in His Kingdom must be a servant to all.  Jesus said of Himself that he came to “serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”  Are the subjects of the Kingdom greater than the King?  If the King had to spend His earthly life as a service to the will of His Father in Heaven, how much more should we who are infinitely less in honor than He?  It is not wrong for a person to have luxuries or to be entertained by them.  However the true believer who is rich in this world is commanded to hold loosely to what he has and to always be ready to give to others who are in need (I Tim 6:17-19).  Furthermore why would one who has true riches in Christ desire or pursue that which is fleeting and temporary?  It would behoove one to question the motives of their own heart in pursuing or actively striving to maintain these things for any other sake than to impart them to the body as needed.

Our life should be sober. Again, the gospel is the great equalizer.  The mercy of God in salvation is His withholding what we truly deserve which is only death for our rebellion from Him.  One who understands the gospel doesn’t see themselves as deserving anything good.  Perhaps we understand and fall back on the assurance that God is working for our good in this life.  However we don’t expect for God to give us any good as if there has ever been a time in which we actually deserve it for our own sake.  We are children of God.  We are children of the King.  We are His beloved.  However that is all by His mercy and not because He is obliged to give us anything. A sober life is seen in three ways.  1)  Our thoughts towards outsiders, unbelievers, obstinate ought to always be that of mercy.  Even for those who are harsh, unbearable, obstinate and even hostile towards us or the cross.  We are to consider the mercy of God to us who were just as they dead in our sin toward God.  “But God,” as the scripture says “on account of his great mercy” made us alive together with Christ.  And so He may for them according to His time and His will.  2)  Our thoughts towards one another in the body of Christ should be that of mercy.  We ought to consider one another, regardless of faults, in light of God’s mercy.  There is no room for complaining about anothers fault as if we deserve only good.  Again, the one who has truly understood God’s mercy knows that it is not the bad that we should marvel at for that is what we deserve.  But it is the good things which also come from above, that we should marvel at.  When we are treated as servants by a bother or sister, that should not shock us.  However when we are blessed above and beyond that of a servant, when we are given the King’s ransom; then we should marvel, then we should stand in awe.  Even to be treated as a servant is God’s mercy to us.  God is sovereign over all, thus we know that even the foolish decisions of others which may hinder us are all under God’s providential gaze.  Thus it is not to others that we should turn but to God in calamity, not so as to find fault but to reaffirm our dependence upon Him and to thank Him for the mercy which He shows us with our very existence and much more in those times of trial.  Furthermore, He has mercifully granted us that we should have gifts to give to one another for the good of the body.  And when we do not serve the body with those gifts we are spurning the mercy of God and showing disdain for it.  3)  Our thoughts about ourselves ought to be lowly.  We are what we are by God’s mercy.  We have nothing with which to boast in ourselves.  God has been merciful to us and continues to be merciful to us by upholding His creation and His own integrity in faithfulness towards those whom He has wed to His Son.  Any good that we have or that we are is not as a result of our work but God’s work in us (Phil 2:13, Eph 2:10).  Furthermore, possibly the greatest mercy which God has shown to us is that He enables us to glorify Him.  What joy does the standard bearer have in raising the banner of his country or king?  What joy is there on the lips of the bride at the praise of her groom on their engagement?  What joy does a parent have to announce the birth of their firstborn?  We who are recipients of the salvation of the Lord may have great joy in announcing the glory of our King who has overlooked our transgressions and paid our infinite debt by His own grace and the life of His Son.  Paul said that by our transformed minds,” by our sober thoughts of God’s mercy in our lives…we may “prove that which is good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”  What a blessing we have by God’s mercy to proclaim to this deaf and dead world the good and acceptable and perfect will of God?!

We pray “thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”  Our heavenly Father’s response to our prayer is to show us mercy that we may in turn proclaim His excellencies to others that they all may behold the glory of the Lord and to know His will (I Peter 2:9).

Psalm 15 – 150 Days of Purposeful Medidation (Day 15)

God is Holy.   There are many who recognize God, in theory, as love, all that is pure and right and perfect.  And this is something that they aspire to.  Perhaps they desire his goodness and rightness as an end.  In other words, they desire to have his goodness and rightness in their end.  At the end of their lives they want the security of knowing that they will be in another much better place than the present.  The present is wrought with difficulty and chaos.  Confusion and strife, at every turn.  And people long for rest.  They want the rest that they know that no matter how hard they try and no matter what they try, they will not find in this life.  And so people envision “god” and/or heaven as the epitome of perfection and goodness and rest.  However their conception of their god is so far below the truth that they will never come to fully grasp the truth of who God is nor will they be able to fully please God according to that truth.

God is holy.  He is not just a concept of goodness and rightness and rest that we can come to enjoy at the end of our lives while living any way that we want or conceive of on our own apart from Him.  God is holy.  That should mean something.  David asked “who may sojourn in your tent, who may dwell on your holy mountain?” He doesn’t just call it a holy mountain.  He calls it literally “the mountain of your holiness.”  It is a mountain and it is holy, but it is holy because it belongs to God.  It is holy because His presence is there.  And therefore the question is rightly asked “who may sojourn…who may dwell” in such a place as that which is holy by virtue of God’s holy presence.  Who is fit for such a thing?

David goes on to take that thought to its logical end.  He doesn’t stop like so many others who would suppose that it is their right to dwell on God’s holy mountain simply because He is love.  They don’t presume upon God’s love or justice as if He were obligated to be loving toward them.  Rather, he observes the fact of God’s holiness and supposes that anyone who would enter into His holy presence, must himself also be holy.  Listen to the description…

“He who walks soundly, the doer of righteousness and who speaks truth in his heart.” I think that we could stop there.  Perhaps there are some who consider themselves sound in their lives…one who does acts of supposed righteousness and piety for others to see.  But how many can say that they speak truth in their hearts?  And how many acts of righteousness, and how many words of truth would that same one have to do in order to be considered “holy” enough to dwell on the mountain of God’s holiness.  His holiness is essential to His character.  There isn’t a time at which it could be said that He isn’t holy.  He doesn’t take a time out.  He doesn’t get tired.  He doesn’t have an off day.  He is Holy.  The very definition of holiness…the standard by which holiness is measured, is God.  That could never be said of the common man.  The common man is at times holy, does “righteous” acts, and perhaps occasionally has pure thoughts…but this is certainly not the rule for man.  We can sometimes fool other men who cannot see our hearts, but God is certainly not fooled.  The intents and thoughts of man’s heart in God’s eyes, is continually wicked.  Just look back at Psalm 14.  Already he is disqualified.  Though he would wish to sojourn and to dwell in God’s Holy mountain at the end of his life, he has no merit nor inherent holiness in himself to be fit to dwell there…and that’s just verse 2.

“He does not slander upon his tongue, nor do harm to his friend, nor lift up a reproach upon his neighbor.” The simplest way to understand this is to ask how your neighbors would classify you.  Not your family, but those who you live around.  This is somewhat different for us because our society is not as communal as it is for so many other societies in the world and as it was for Israel.  The neighbor would have been another Israelite and so their relationship to their brother in the flesh would have either glorified the God whom they worship corporately or brought disrepute to His name.  The closer correlation would probably be for those in the Church and how we either love or do not love one another.  We are all called by His name and therefore we all ought to show love for one another in His name.  But whether it is a fellow believer or not, the principles are the same.  Do you openly, or in your heart, curse your neighbor?  Do you look for opportunities to bless your neighbor or do you look for ways to take advantage of them?  Would your neighbor say that you are clean, loud and obnoxious…or would they say that you are generous and loving?  How would they characterize you?  Are you “me” centered or “others” centered?  Christ is the perfect example for us in His self-less display of love for us on the cross.  He exemplified that humble others-centered attitude that we ought to imitate in all of our relationships and especially within the body of Christ (Phil 2:3-4).

“In whose eyes the reprobate is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord, He swears to his own hurt but does not change.” Here we see that this one who is worthy to dwell on the holy mountain of the Lord despises those who are reprobate…and this is most likely reprobate in the eyes of the Lord in contrast to those who fear the Lord and are therefore accepted by Him.  Some revel in the wickedness of others.  Perhaps they themselves are not wicked but they enjoy and feed off of the lasciviousness of others.  Let me be more specific.  There are some who would not themselves fight…but who rush off to witness the fight.  There are some who would not themselves make coarse and inappropriate jokes, but who themselves would listen to and laugh at such joking.  There are some who would not…at least not normally…conceive of or commit adultery or fornication, but who would easily watch others do the same.  Do you love holiness enough to despise the wicked for their wickedness?  Do you love the holiness of God enough to hate the wickedness of wicked men who by their actions defame God’s holiness?

Conversely, do you love those who fear the Lord?  Do you…perhaps to your hurt (which may or may not be the intent of the last phrase of this verse)…intentionally honor those who live uprightly before the Lord?  Loving righteousness is not popular.  But perhaps more than that is loving others who openly stand for righteousness.  Would you associate yourself with those who call upon the Lord even when those are despised and rejected by others?  I remember the common thought about those who were virgins in high school…those who had kept themselves pure…that they were insignificant and foolish for doing so.  Furthermore those who didn’t go to all the parties and clubs were dishonored.  And anyone who associated with them…and in fact none of the “cool kids” would associate with them.  Maybe for you its a situation at work where someone, in their integrity, have made a decision that makes a lot of people upset.  And therefore are being ostracized and/or have lost their job.  Would you take your stand with this person who on account of their fear of the Lord has made an unpopular decision at the risk of your own job?  Paul said “all who desire to live godly will face persecution.”  Would you face persecution to live a holy life before your God, knowing that He is the Judge?

The third phrase of this verse speaks to his faithfulness and integrity.  “To his own hurt, he swear.”  He will not change his mind regardless of the cost to him.  He has decided upon following the Lord, upon upholding those also who follow the Lord and he will not allow the ostracizing of his peers, financial or physical harm to deter him.  Will you honor the Lord and those whom the Lord honors?  Will you pursue what the Lord honors even when its not popular…and even when it hurts?

Finally, this one “does not put out his money at interest, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent…”   Are you generous with what God has blessed you?  Do your finances control you or do you control your finances?  Paul said that the “love of money is the root of all evil.”  Money is not the root of all sorts of evil…the love of it is.  Those who would love money and the comforts that it gives would have no desire to share it with others.  And if they did share it with others they would have no desire to give without interest.  Is it inherently wrong to give out money with interest?  No.  But which demonstrates grace, to give out money with interest for the sake of gain, or to give out money without interest for the purpose of helping one who is already down?

Furthermore…and perhaps this speaks more to the judges of the land…would you take a bribe to sentence one who is truly innocent?  In other words, in spite of the facts, would you side with someone who can provide you with some benefit or service without thought to justice or truth?  The root of this issue is not so much with the act of a judge taking a bribe as it is with the heart which seeks its own gain at the expense of another, and at the expense of God’s justice and righteous standard.  Again all holiness and righteousness is measured against God’s standard, but men have perverted God’s standard for their own gain.  And the heart which accepts bribes is the heart which does not accept God’s standard.

So how does your heart measure up?  How does your life measure up to God’s standard?  In all of these things, in this description of a man who is fit to dwell on God’s holy mountain, where do you stand?  “He who does these things will never be shaken.” Why is that true?  It is not true because these are a list of things that you must do in order to be good enough.  It is true because these things show a heart and a life which has been transformed by God’s grace to exemplify His holiness.  All men sin.  All men are “worthless” in God’s eyes, according to Psalm 14.  Therefore the man who would desire to stand on God’s holy mountain…the man who would desire to see rest and the goodness of God in His life must be made worthy.  And the only way that a man can be made worthy in God’s eyes and according to God’s will is to submit to His Son Jesus who has cleansed us from our sins and has given us a new life, with a new heart which is able to live according to God’s holy standard.

“He who does these things will not be shaken eternally” because they will be in the hands of Him who is eternally strong to save.  “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them…by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified and the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying ‘ this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days says the Lord, I will put my laws upon their heart and on their mind I will write them.’  He then says ‘and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’”  (Hebrews 7:25; 10:14-17)

If you do not know Christ, then you have no hope of dwelling with God once your life is over.  If you do know Christ, and He has become your salvation, then live like it.  Forsake the idols of your heart and walk in His holiness, with thanksgiving.  Rejoice in the confidence of one who rests in the unshakable grace of the Almighty.

Psalm 13 – 150 Days of Purposeful Meditation (Day 13)

God is a Merciful Savior. How can a man endure strife and difficulty from among his peers/enemies?  How can a man endure heartache and sorrow to such a degree that sinks him into great despair and depression?  By remembering that God is a merciful Savior.

Hear the cry of the Psalmist “how long O Lord, will you forget me forever…how long will you hide your face from me?” How long will God be far from me?  Hear the despair in his heart.  Hear the rejection.  He has been wronged by his enemies.  They have fought against him and seem to be prevailing.  God is his hope and this he knows for certain.  But it seems that his God has turned his eye from the situation temporarily.  In moments of despair, we can certainly feel that way.  Particularly those of us who know God and who maintain our integrity before Him knowing that He is the “rewarder of those who seek Him.” We are those who seek His righteous face in righteousness and so to experience such heartache and despair, such torment from one’s enemies can be utterly confusing to us.  We ask, why?   Why now, why us? If God is for us, then how can this be against us?  And how long will He cause me to remain in this distress?

Furthermore, he says “how long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily.” From this we notice two things.  First is that despair can cause one to feel alone.  And second is that this despair often lasts for days on end.  That it makes him feel utterly alone daily, we notice that he says “how long shall I take counsel in my soul…”  He takes counsel in his own soul, perhaps to just cheer himself; but most likely because there are no others for him to turn to.  Perhaps he feels that no one else can fully understand his struggle. He is alone in his distress with no one to call upon.  And so within his own heart, he sinks and sulks.   That the despair seems to last for days on end, he says “how long shall I…have sorrow in my heart daily?” This despair is constant and pressing.  Day after day he awakes to it.  It walks with him through the day.  It beckons him moment by moment.  It causes him to recall his every action, every thought, every deed to know whether or not he has mistakenly wronged another; that perhaps the attack is justified.  Sometimes perhaps it causes him to wonder why he should care to uphold his integrity at all.  And why should he be so concerned with striving for righteousness if this is his lot.  Or perhaps it causes him to justify himself within his own heart like Job, as if he does not deserve such an attack and as if God doesn’t have any right reason for it.  Of course God doesn’t need to justify Himself any more to us than He did to Job.

He pleads with God for relief as he says “consider and hear me, O Lord my God, enlighten my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say ‘I have prevailed against him;’ lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.” At times this distress causes us to plead with God to hear our cry.  And yet it seems that he doesn’t.  We ask for him to vindicate us lest those who “trouble” us rejoice at our fall.  We ask for God to “enlighten” us so that we may know the reason for such distress; but it never seems to come.   (Though we know that knowing the reason for the trial will probably not bring us comfort.)

So how does this man overcome despair?  He says “But I have trusted in your mercy, my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.  I will sing to the Lord because He has dealt bountifully with me!” First, we notice that he overcomes because he is one who trusts in the mercy of God.  In his heart, he knows that God is a God of salvation.  It is only those who are truly the Lord’s possession who can say this.  It is only those who have this type of faith who speak of the Lord as One who is a merciful Savior.  Furthermore, in his heart, he knows that because God is a merciful Savior and because God desires praise from His people, that God will bring salvation to him.  We see this from his choice of words I “have trusted…my heart shall rejoice…I will sing…”  These are words of one who is assured that the God whom he serves is a Savior who is able to bring salvation according to His mercy to those who are His.

Evil does abound.  Attacks come from all sides.  We may be tempted to think that when we are attacked, that it is personal.  Particularly if the attack is personal.  That is, if it is done through a trusted and close relationship.  However, we must remember that God is sovereign, even in our suffering.  And that even in those personal attacks, He has purpose.  I know a brother who is under such an attack.  And it is in the context of relationships that were trusted to him.  At least some of those relationships were very dear to him.  And for that reason, these attacks have caused him great distress.  But to him, I would say that difficulty of this sort is never merely about him.  And though it be personal, and though it be difficult (I speak this as one who has never experienced what he has); this particular difficulty has a greater scope.  For it involves the body of Christ and the body of Christ is always under attack by the evil one.  And though we don’t like to think that our brothers and sisters can be used by the evil one for his purposes; we must recognize that he will use any and every opportunity to attack the people of God and men of God who stand before the people as an example daily.  With that said, as difficult as these trials are he/we can persevere and we shall persevere because God is a merciful Savior.  And He is One who is able to accomplish His salvation plan for His people regardless of what may occur in the process.  Furthermore, that He may and does use these difficulties in our lives to continue to shape and mold our hearts to trust Him as the merciful Savior that He is.  And not only to trust Him; which would be enough, but to long for His eternal rest, which He has promised to those who trust Him and who also endure.  That our hearts would continue to be prepared, not for the temporary rest that we may enjoy here, but for His eternal rest.

If you are His and you are enduring such an extraordinarily difficult trial in which you may feel that God has temporarily turned His back on you, that this trial is unwarranted, that your attackers do so without cause,  and perhaps that there is no one who can truly relate to what you are experiencing; then I exhort you to remember in whom you have trusted.  He is a “Wonderful, Merciful Savior”…a “precious Redeemer and Friend” as the song says.  He is the Creator of the World, and yet is One who has chosen to forgive our transgressions against Him and to live in our hearts.  If He has done this; what ultimate good would He withhold from you?  And if this has befallen you; then you must trust that this is a part of His plan to bring about your ultimate good.

Perhaps you who endure such a trial are not ones who must be reminded to forgive.  Perhaps you are not ones who must be reminded to forget…or even that you are ones who need to be reminded to endure.  You’ve learned a great many lessons.  You have maintained your integrity before the Lord in this situation and even in handling the trial which has resulted.  But perhaps you could use the reminder that the God whom we serve is a Wonderful, Merciful Savior. And that this is His plan for you, and anyone else involved.  And therefore, perhaps what you have done is not the problem.  Perhaps who they are and who you are is not the problem.   But rather, this is about who He is and what He is doing in this situation for all who behold it.

Will you praise Him for it?  Do you believe that He is a Wonderful, Merciful Savior?  In this situation, which you know is His doing, is He still wonderful?  And do you believe that He is a Merciful Savior to you?  If you do; then you must rejoice!  You must sing!  Because He will deal bountifully with you.

Suffering and difficulty

I won’t claim to have experienced the greatest suffering and difficulty that life may bring.  I know that I am far from it.  Sure I have had difficulty and frustration in life but I know that there are many others who experience daily physical, emotional and spiritual pain and even persecution for the cause of Christ.

But the more I think about it, I am becoming convinced that God intends for pain to act as a cleansing agent for those who are His.  We are not of this world.  We are aliens and sojourners.  But sometimes we forget this.  Sometimes we are persuaded to think of this life as our sole reason for existence.  We think of this world as our home and its joys as the greatest or best that there is…

But, beloved, God has promised us so much more than that.  He has promised us an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, unfading and which is reserved for us in Heaven, an inheritance which He has promised to keep us safe in order to receive, according to 1 Peter.  That is what we have to look forward to.   That is our hope.  We do not hope like the rest of the world that things will “just turn out okay.”  We do not hope against hope or hope in hope…whatever that means.  We hope in the eternal rest and blessing that is promised to those of us who are in the Son whom the Father has given all things.  We hope in Christ and His return.  We hope in the day that He ushers in Peace, Justice, Righteousness, Prosperity; the time where there will be no more wars, no more turmoil, no more uncertainty, no more tears, no more sorrow, no more sickness and no more death.  That time will not happen until after our Lord returns for us.  Therefore that is what we hope for.  We hope for His return and we look forward to it.  We have no other hope.   We have no greater thing to look forward to.

When suffering and difficulty come…do not fret…be not anxious, nor be afraid.  Think of it as the Lord’s way of continuing to prepare you for His rest.  If you are sick or dying, do not fear.  Think of it as the Lord’s way of shedding you of your earthly tent so that you may finally put on your heavenly one.  If you are without…fill in the blank…in this life; think of it as the Lord preparing your heart to desire more the riches that are imperishable, not defiled by sin and everlasting.

Maranatha!

Psalm 5 – 150 Days of Purposeful Meditation – (Day 5)

God hates sinners.  That is not a popular nor politically correct thing to say.  In fact, some people will disagree with me and question my interpretation…Its a good thing the word of God is not  up for discussion.  You may hate or disagree with what I say, but scripture is clear.  He says “You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, no evil dwells with you…you hate all who do iniquity…the Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.”

Part of the reason why we react so strongly to the idea that God hates sinners is because of our understanding of what it means to hate and also because of our low view of sin.  We find it necessary to say rather that God hates the “sin” but loves the sinner.  That may be true in some sense…depending on how you view God’s electing purposes.  Not to go too far down that path, though I do believe it is related, but if God has chosen some to save; certainly it can be said that He loves those whom He has chosen.  And that His love is clearly seen in His choice of them and His provision of salvation for them.  However clearly God has not chosen all.  For all are not saved, nor will all be saved.  Furthermore, it would not make sense that God loves those whom He has not chosen…at least not in the same way those whom He has chosen…for why wouldn’t He simply choose them too, so that they would be saved.  Of course I am assuming that those whom God chooses, He also saves (Rom 8).  If that is the case then it would stand to reason that God chooses those whom He loves (or loves those whom He chooses, either way); but hates those who are not chosen (Rom 9).  I will not discuss here whether He chooses them for condemnation or simply does not choose them to be saved.  I think that is an irrelevant point here.  Then we understand God’s hatred of the sinner in terms of His choice not to choose to be gracious towards them.  After all, we are all sinners.  There is nothing to separate us in Gods eyes as more worthy or less worthy of His choosing.  Therefore its simply a matter of His either choosing to be gracious towards us or not.  Those whom He chooses, naturally He loves.  Those whom He chooses not, He hates.

But its more than that.  Our understanding of sin is often quite lower than Gods.  With God, “no evil dwells.”  Evil does not and cannot dwell with Him.  He is Holy, Pure, Righteous and alltogether perfect and without blemish.  We are wrought with weakness and conceived in iniquity.  We are “prone to wander” as the hymn writer said.  Our view of righteousness and holiness is tainted by sin and will be until we are released from our frail and wretched fallen flesh enraptured existence.  When we “hate” it is often for selfish reasons.  We hate and we love based on our emotions, or based on what is done for us or against us.  When God hates, He hates based on an affront made against His perfect, holy character.  All He does is upright.  All He does is perfect.  Therefore, any sin against Him is rightly hated in His sight.  Whereas any sin done against us is done by one who is conceived in iniquity and prone to wander from God’s righteousness just as we are.  He has a perfectly upright and just hatred of sin and the sinner.  Ours is tainted by the same disease that caused them to sin against us.  Therefore when we initially look at the phrase “you hate all who do iniquity,” we think surely it must mean that He merely hates the sin.  But no.  He perfectly and rightly hates all who do iniquity.

God hates sin and sinner alike.  He is perfectly holy and righteous and good.  And He will not abandon the sinner to sin forever.  He will judge the sinner.  I suppose that’s another reason that we understand that God is not merely against “sin.”  If He were merely against the sin; then there would be no good reason for Him to punish sinners.  But He does punish sinners.  He punishes them for an eternity because they have sinned against an eternal God.  And here we are reminded of the nature of sin and consequence.

A wrong done is given a consequence proportional to the honor due the one who is wronged.  For example, a homeless man on the street who is mugged by another in a dark alley in which no one else sees will likely not be met with immediate or dire consequence.  Because there is not much honor given to a homeless man.  There is not much glory due to him and therefore there will not be much consequence to the mugger for sinning against him.  However that same mugger who happens to run into the President of the United States in a dark alley, and attempts to rob him; will likely be met with deadly force, or at least an extended prison sentence.  And that is because the honor due the President of a nation is so much greater than the honor due a homeless man.  And therefore the consequence for offending the President is much greater.  Consider now the wrong done to an all powerful, all knowing, infinitely great being.  One who is perfect and holy and righteous.  One who is infinitely holy and so is offended by even the most “insignificant” offense; one who is infinitely wise and so is able to conceive of the best possible way to judge an offense; and also one who is infinitely powerful so as to measure out the best possible judgment for any offense.  If the consequence is dire for a wrong done to someone who is like us in our essential nature; what manner of consequence is due for offending such a one who is infinitely greater than us?

Have you offended a Holy God?  Any sin committed is ultimately a sin against Him.  Perhaps you have not done a “great” sin, but even our thoughts and words are subject to sin and corruption.  The Psalmist describes the sinner who has offended God as one whose sin from within is shown in his words “There is nothing reliable in what they say, their inward part is destruction itself, their throat is an open grave, they flatter with their tongue.”  Have you sinned against Him?  If so, tremble.  Fear.  Bemoan your current state, turn from your wickedness and turn to the Lord.  He is able to cleanse you from within with His righteousness.  He is able to give you a new heart and a new mind, even a new tongue.

You who trust in the Lord, “be glad!”  This Psalm is really about you.  You always have reason to rejoice.  The Psalmist says “let them ever sing for joy…for [He] blesses the righteous man…[He] surrounds them with favor as with a shield.”  The favor of God us upon us.  First in teaching us of our sinfulness and our impending judgment.  Then in being gracious to us and giving us His righteousness.  Rejoice!  Sing for joy and shout for all to hear!  The Lord is your righteousness.  He has granted you favor which surrounds you, even as a shield.  Take refuge in Him, man of God.  Continually put your confidence in God, who is our King, our Rock; the one who hears and answers our prayers.  Again, I say, rejoice!

Psalm 4 – 150 Days of Purposeful Meditation (Day 4)

God is faithful to those who are His for it says “know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself…”  God is not concerned with the inclinations of foolish and sinful men.  He is not bothered or taken off guard by the mockery of men destined to reap the wages of their wickedness.  We may sometimes wonder why we are persecuted and afflicted by godless men, thus the Psalmists cry “o sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception?”  But God is not moved by it.

He is gracious to those who are His regardless of the foolisness of others.  God’s graciousness to those who are His has motivated the Psalmist to plead with the ungodly that they cease their foolish ponderings and turn to the Lord, for he says “meditate in your heart upon your bed and be still.  Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the Lord.”  Turn to the Lord.  Do not continue to trust in your own wisdom and your own right-ness.

Many are saying today “who will show us any good” in this dark and dismal world.  Many are looking to the wisdom of this age and the men of this age to do thus.  Many look to politicians, military leaders, self help gurus and other seemingly wise men to guide them to prosperity and peace.  They look to these men but are inevitably disappointed.  Because it is only in the countenance of the Lord that we truly find “light.”

You who have not trusted in the Lord, repent.  Turn from whatever or whomever you are trusting in to guide you  and turn to the Lord.  Let the Light of the Creator of Heaven and Earth be your guide.  It is only in Him that we will truly find “peace” that will enable us to “lie down and sleep…[and] to dwell in safety.”  You will find peace in no other way.  God is not inclined to grant it to you in any other way.  In fact, all you should expect from God is unrest.

You who already know the Lord.  Do not be deceived.  Do not be cheated of your reward.  Do not be robbed of the blessing of truly resting in the Lord.  They may mock.  They may chide.  They may even offer you other alternatives that seem right.  But remain faithful in your dependence upon the Lord.  Call unto Him who has “set apart the godly for Himself.”  Rest in the “gladness” that only He provides which is a “peace which passes all understanding” and which is greater than any rest or joy (“more than when their grain and new wine abound”) that they can conjure.

Commencement

The end of one thing and the beginning of another.

Thats the thing about us.  We are constantly in a state of flux.  Our lives are replete with change.  Ending one portion of our lives and beginning something completely different.  Its amazing how many firsts we have.  Your first day at school.  Your first day at Elementary, Middle, High school.  Your first day at College, Grad School and the like.  And then there are first dates, first children, first homes and other such firsts.

Life is chock full of firsts.  And there is generally a complementary set of lasts.  Last day at school, last date, last child, your last house, etc.  Change is really the most constant things that we have.

I say that as I contemplate my own life and how many changes that I have undergone in the past few years.  I could go down the roll, but suffice it to say that I’ve had my fair share.  Some more enjoyable than others.  Change has a way of putting things into perspective for you.  Sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.  So what are we to say about all of this?  How are we to understand and manage so many changes that we go through in our lives?..

Well, to use a cleverly crafted illustration, whenever you are sitting in a car at a light and look around only to find that you appear to be moving, the first thing that you’re likely to do is to look at a stationary object in order to figure out if you are actually moving or if something else is actually moving.  You might look at a building for example.  And if that building is steady, then it is likely that you are not moving but perhaps the car next to you is moving.  Now, of course if you are in the middle of an earthquake then the whole thing falls apart.  However, all things being equal, in order to find your bearings, you look to find the things that appears itself to be stationary.

It is the same in life.  When life seems to be in a state of constant flux, which it always is, and when sometimes those things take you into areas and situations where you feel totally out of control; our only hope is to look for that one thing that is constant, that one thing that is stationary.  That is, of course, the Lord.  For He cannot be subject to change, in His essential nature.  Change would indicate a deficiency in who He is.  It would suggest a lack or incompleteness.  And that does not befit the God of scripture who Himself is perfect in every way.  He is perfectly faithful, perfectly just, perfectly Holy, perfectly loving and all manner of other attributes which are clearly revealed to us in His Word.

It stands to reason then that the most important change that we will undergo in our lives is how and what we think about God.  For what we think about God will determine the way in which we maneuver through the constant flow of change in our lives.

Let us press on then to maturity, looking unto God and His Christ with whom there is no variation nor shifting shadow, and in whom there is pure and unquenchable light.  Let us look to Him as the anchor of our hope in a world of uncertainty and turmoil.  And even in joy, let us remember that from Him comes every good and perfect thing, and that to Him belongs all of the glory.  Amen.