Know Christ Deeply - Avoid False Teaching Strongly - Philippians 3-4

 Philippians 3:17-19 (ESV)

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

Paul is closing out his letter to the church at Philippi.   He has been expressing to them his own personal walk with God and is imploring them to join him in this type of walk.  He has told them that his greatest desire is to know Christ.  Yet, on this side of heaven he can’t fully know the Savior.   He is pressing on, however, into a higher and upward call.  He tells them to hold true to these teachings because there are some among them that want to lead them to another form of belief.  A form that is not according to what they were taught by him.   In the above passage he tells them:

1. Imitate me and my walk.  Imagine how dangerous that is to say to others.  But Paul was not ashamed of his walk.  He was bold to tell them his walk was the following of Jesus.   He tells them that they should follow his steps because his feet were stepping in the footprints of Jesus.  

2.  He warns them that there are many who walk as enemies to the cross of Christ.   He wants them to know that in their midst there are those who point to their own philosophy, psychology and theology.  Their teaching is opposed to what Paul has just taught them.   It is not in accord with the cross of Christ.   The cross of Christ is the doctrine of Christ laying His life down for us and the reason of the hope that is in us.  Paul wants them to know that they should not follow a salad of man-made philosophy and psychology tossed into a bowl with a dressing of false theology.  

3. Those who teach contrary to the cross of Christ will end in destruction.   Since their real god is their belly (a desire to simply satisfy their own desires through this false teaching). And their glory is their shame (they do not want to glorify Christ, but only their own interests ... which will result in their shame). And, finally, their minds are set on earthly things.  They teach doing things to earn salvation, not by faith engaging in knowing Christ. 

Paul wants us to follow Christ.   He warns us to know Christ and that means to follow Christ and to avoid false teaching.   The more we know Christ the easier it is to identify false teaching and avoid its (their) certain destruction.   

Will God Find Faith When He Comes? Luke 17-18

Luke 18:1-8 (ESV)

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

The last verse in the above passage is highlighted in bold and italics.   This verse is the point of Jesus parable and Luke’s recount of it.  In this entire section Jesus is preparing His disciples for the coming of the Kingdom of God.  They, like others, had a wrong view of it, thinking it was a physical realm rather than one of spiritual dimension.   Jesus is telling them to prepare for the spiritual kingdom of God by having faith in God.  He tells the story of this persistent widow to demonstrate that persistent faith is what He is looking for and expects from His followers.   The widow is an example of believers persevering in prayer.  The judge, however, is not a metaphor for God, as he is an unjust judge.  The point of the parable is that if even a poor widow can get something from an unjust and wicked judge, imagine what could happen if a child of God was persistent in faith toward their righteous and just God?  What would that just God do in this case?  He would give justice to this person of faith ... with much speed.  That is what God wants on this earth: People of faith.  That is how the Kingdom of God will arrive.  A spiritual kingdom can only come by spiritual faith.  The question Jesus asks is whether there will be faith on the earth when He returns.   We, as His children, are to be a people of faith and to be waiting by faith for His kingdom.   

God Must Judge Disobedience- Ezekiel 19-24

Ezekiel 24:13-14 (ESV)

13 On account of your unclean lewdness, because I would have cleansed you and you were not cleansed from your uncleanness, you shall not be cleansed anymore till I have satisfied my fury upon you. 14 I am the LORD. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord GOD.”

The above two verses summarize this entire section of the prophet Ezekiel’s message. God had brought the nation of Israel out of Egypt, but instead of following Him in obedience, they disobeyed and worshiped false idols. This is the prophet’s message.   In these two verses, we see the following:

1.  God would have accepted their repentance if they would’ve repented.  Note this verse from the New Testament regarding God’s mercy and grace:

2 Peter 3:8-9 (ESV)

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

2.  Since they did not repent, God has no other choice but to bring His judgment and wrath.  God does not want to bring this type of judgment on mankind, but His character demands that He does.

3.  God‘s judgment is not arbitrary. It is based upon our deeds. As we read the last part of the above passage, we see that God made the judgment based upon the fact that they did not keep His law in obedience.

God is a righteous God. He demands holiness from His people. The reason He sent Jesus Christ was to redeem man from their sins. When they reject God‘s word and walk in disobedience, God has no choice, but to bring judgment. 

Wisdom and Folly Cry Out - Proverbs 8-9

Proverbs 9:1-3 (ESV)

Wisdom has built her house;

she has hewn her seven pillars.

She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;

she has also set her table.

She has sent out her young women to call

from the highest places in the town,

In these three proverbs Solomon uses a word picture to personify Wisdom. Wisdom is seen as setting a picture perfect table setting and inviting all those passing by to enter in and to enjoy. Imagine that we set a big Thanksgiving type banquet on the front lawn of our church. On the marquee out front we put the words, “Free Meal!” The smells of the fresh baked food wafting out across the street would cause a traffic jam. It would be foolish for someone to pass by—but they would. So, too, wisdom and her call. She calls out to us; she sets a good setting; the smells and sights entice us—but we pass by. Wisdom is available for all who want to stop to enjoy her offerings. Do you drive by? Don’t! Stop and pull into wisdom. She is found in the pages of the Scriptures. Her settings are tasteful and her offerings meat for the soul.  But a challenge we in the world today was predicted by Solomon.  At the end of this chapter, he shows that Folly, too, has set up on the road and calls out:

Proverbs 9:13-15 (ESV Strong's)

The woman Folly is loud;

she is seductive and knows nothing.

She sits at the door of her house;

she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,

calling to those who pass by,

who are going straight on their way,

As the weary travel walks by they have on the one side the spread of Wisdom (verses 1-3) but on the other side, they have the teachings of Lady Folly.   The picture cannot be more vivid.   We have two teachings going on and both speaking out to us.   Although man-kind will consistently choose Folly, only God’s wisdom will last and prepare us for eternity.    

Prayer for Israel - Psalms 78-80

Psalms 79:11-13 (ESV)

Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;

according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die!

Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors

the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!

But we your people, the sheep of your pasture,

will give thanks to you forever;

from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

The above section is the last strophe of a song of Asaph.    He is writing to both correct Israel’s walk and to ask God to redeem them from their suffering.    He wants God to both forgive them and rescue them.  He recognizes that they are in these straights because of their own failure to obey God.  But he also recognizes and pleas with God that upon their repentance He will deliver them from their oppression.   This is so true then and now.  This is also the need we have in Israel today.  Yes, they need deliverance from this oppression.   But they also need repentance and recognize that Jesus is their Messiah.   Like Asaph of old, we can’t pray for one without also praying for the other.    He was the choir master for the nation.  He wrote the song to confess to God and to encourage the people.   He is asking God to engage with them, again.  He is asking the people to engage with God, again.   That is the solution for when you have prisoners who are captive and taunts against your nation.  Engage with God and He will take care of your enemies.    This is the prayer we need to pray.   

In Times of Crisis, Who Do You Turn To? 2 Kings 1-5

 2 Kings 1:1-4 (ESV)

After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel.

Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus says the LORD, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” So Elijah went.

As 2 Kings begins, we are in the final days of Elijah’s ministry.   The above story gives us one more example of how God used the prophet to communicate for God and to demonstrate God’s displeasure for wicked rulers in Israel.   Ahab was one of them.   Now we come to his successor, Ahaziah.   Once again we see the ruler of Israel turn to idols to solve their problems.   We are not sure why this keeps happening other than the fact that man is wicked in his heart.   God has cared for, redeemed, protected and solved all of Israel’s problems, countless times.  Yet they still turn to other sources for healing and protection.   In this case, to demonstrate His power and expose His displeasure for the leadership’s spiritual bankruptcy, God orchestrates an accident in the life of Ahaziah.   The king falls through the lattice.  We don’t know the particulars of that but it caused such an injury that the king wanted spiritual help with the suffering.  We see later that he scummed to the injuries.   Elijah intervenes in Ahaziah’s attempt to find healing through a foreign god, a worthless idol.   The entire first chapter will unfold Elijah’s intervention.  In the story 100 soldiers die because of Ahaziah’s desire to worship false gods.   Ahaziah eventually dies, as well.   He could have just turned in repentance to God.  Based upon what we read of God and other kings who repented, we can strongly think God would have forgiven Ahaziah as well.   But in his pride he did not.   Instead other people died.   God sovereignly brings situations into our lives to give us an opportunity to come to Him in prayer and look to Him for healing and/or strength.   Who we turn to in times of desperation says the most about our faith and trust.   The next time you have a minor accident don’t turn it into a major disobedience toward God.   Look to Him for whatever you need in the situation.  Give Him praise and thanksgiving for the situation and what He can show you about His power in it.   Or, you can inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron and see how that works out for you. 

God Demands Holiness - Leviticus 10-12

 Leviticus 10:8-11 (ESV)

And the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying, “Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the LORD has spoken to them by Moses.”

The above passage needs to be read in the context of what proceeded it, regarding the priest.  Notice the first couple over verses of this chapter:

Leviticus 10:1-2 (ESV)

Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.

This must have sent shock waves throughout the camp in general and certainly among Moses and Aaron and the family of priest specifically.    This story is the equivalent of the story of the early church, when this happened:

Acts 5:1-5 (ESV)

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.

In both of these stories we are talking about the holiness of God.   We don’t know what caused Nadab and Abihu to offer strange fire before the Lord.   We don’t know exactly what Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, were thinking when they lied to say they sold their land for more than they offered.  But in both cases it caused them to perish.   They did not offer their offering in holiness.  Regarding Nadab and Aibhu, it might have been that they had consumed so much wine that in impaired their act of service, hence soliciting the above command from God to their farther, Aaron.   We know there are plenty of places in the Bible where wine was okay.  We know there are several places in the Bible where wine is not okay.    Here is an example of one of the later.   Because God wanted the priest and their duties to be sanctified (made holy) God didn’t want the priest to be intoxicated or impaired in their offering duties.   Again, we don’t know if this was the case for Aaron’s son’s death, but never-the-less the context certainly means that God knows that wine and drink can hinder service. This is the reason for the command.   God’s reason is not for social normative, nor for health reasons.   Rather His command is based upon holiness.   The priest were to offer before God the sacrifices of the people.  Their holiness was imperative to those tasks.   When we consider the choices in this world it might be wise to consider what brings and produces holiness in our lives. It might not be a wrong thing to do this thing or that thing, but it might not be the thing that produces holiness before the Father and that is a real thing. 

Romans 12:2 (ESV)

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 Corinthians 6:12 (ESV)

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.

Hebrews 12:28 (ESV)

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,