The Carpenter's Journal

Posted: August 14, 2018 by cjournalme 1 Comment

Verbs With Teeth

Verbs have always intrigued me.

Just like other writers, the Biblical authors often used them to amplify the force of their intentions. And I’m convinced that one of the most profound examples of this is revealed in a Davidic Psalm:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.” [Psa. 51:10-12] [my emphasis]

Some would suggest this is a passage that only need be remembered periodically, available at a moments notice should they fall hard and fast off the wagon along their spiritual journey. They’re words of sincere penitence, reserved for the real bad stuff. You know, like what David did.

I agree. But not completely.

Because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. According to the narrative recorded in the eleventh chapter of 2Samuel, King David of Israel seemed to be at the top of his game. He was a warrior like no other. However, he sent every soldier out to battle while he “…stayed at Jerusalem.” [vs. 11:1]

What’s up with that?

The text can’t confirm any reason for his decision, but it sounds like he was up to no good. Because the ensuing account of his adulterous relationship and subsequent murder of his good friend eventually drove him into repentance and was [probably] the motive behind his writing the 51st Psalm.

But what if he’d jotted down these penitent thoughts years prior to this event?

More importantly, what if he’d meditated on them in prayer before the Lord his God on a daily [or even hourly] basis? Is it likely that the path of destruction that followed might have been avoided?

Neither prayer nor supplication were created to be a solution in hindsight. The words “create, renew, restore” and “sustain” are undisputed instruments of spiritual maintenance. But, in the context of David’s Psalm, these verbs describe actions that are far beyond any man’s own ability to initiate the regenerative process. They are an exclusive mechanism of the only One who can save, forgive and make new again.

Could it be that, the more I choose to be sustained by Him, the less often I might need to be renewed and restored?

“Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation,
then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.” [Psa. 51:14]

Last Updated: February 19, 2024 by cjournalme Leave a Comment

Feeding On the Flesh of Life

I’d sure like to know what it tasted like.

Manna, that is.

In the ancient Writings of the Old Testament, it’s recorded as being “…like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey.” [Exod. 16:31 ] Anything that spikes my blood sugar like that should be at the top of the grocery list.

But some people just can’t get enough of a good thing. In the gospel account of John, he records that a crowd was following Jesus Christ around.

And for good reason.

The previous day, He’d performed a miracle with which this Jewish culture could readily identify, based on the stories and written record they’d heard or read about over many generations. After thanking His Father, He provided what was necessary to feed some five-thousand hungry men from two fish and five loaves of bread.

It was a miracle from Heaven, just like the manna was. They were obviously convinced He was the Messiah of Jewish prophecy who’d just demonstrated that they’d have a chicken in every pot forever. [Jn. 6:14] They weren’t about to let Him out of their sight.

So one can only imagine their jaws dropping when He suggested that they were following Him around just to keep their bellies full:

“Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” [Jn. 6:26-27] [my emphasis]

Work? What kind of work?

“Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God: That you would believe in Him whom He has sent.” [Jn. 6:29] [my emphasis]

The Jews who were hearing this were the Lord’s chosen people of that time, in the same sense as the redeemed or “saved,” are today under the New Covenant. But just as is sometimes the case today, belief was probably something that was assumed or validated on the basis of a label.

[How is being “saved” today relevant to ancient Israel being “chosen?” see: Are You Stuck in Egypt? see also: Different fruit, same good news.]

They were God’s people, and that was sufficient in itself. However, some of them were getting their feathers ruffled because He said that He was “…the bread that came down from heaven:”

“So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. The one feeding on My flesh and drinking My blood possesses eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. The one feeding on My flesh and drinking My blood remains in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so the one who is feeding on Me, he also shall live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; the one feeding on this bread will live in the age.” [Jn. 6:53-58] [my emphasis]

[What does it really mean to possess eternal life? see: The Precious Pearl of Life.]

This scope of this article isn’t to draw attention to any shortcomings of the Jewish culture. On the other hand, it seems to me that the ideas of “feeding on His flesh” and “drinking His blood” define the essence of genuine relational intimacy with Him, relentless submission to Him, and profound emulation of Him.

I eat to maintain life. What I consume determines whether or not I’m able to sustain my life. At some point, I’ll eventually exhibit the cumulative effects of my diet in appearance, thoughts and actions.

What will I look like? How will I act? Who will I resemble?

Posted: July 18, 2018 by cjournalme Leave a Comment

Hooked On a Feeling

I love tools.

Not only do they make me money, but they satisfy my instinctive male passion to manipulate things.

However, my wife will testify that manipulation is a term of relevance, recounting the day I “manipulated” a broken dining room chair to splinters in a fit of rage after an unsuccessful attempt to repair it.

Well, sure, that was a long time ago. But it never occurred to me then that my feelings were no different than a hammer or a saw, at the mercy of whatever drove them. So, until I learned that emotions were something that needed to be sharpened, refined and regulated, I was a loose cannon and my target was anything in the way.

I was a slave to my circumstances—something over which I often thought I had no control.

As a result, I found it very easy to conclude that, under unpleasant circumstances, God was not good. I knew better, of course…especially when Christmas rolled around or when the tax refund landed in the mailbox.

But the part-time Christian is a deaf coyote with a sinus infection. He needs nourishment and rest, but he’s bound to the weakened limits of his own devices. He can’t afford to act confidently in the plight of his circumstances. He’s looking for a lucky break.

Human emotions are but one means of leveling the odds on the playing field of circumstances. And, to the degree they’re maintained and applied correctly, they can drastically effect the outcome of critical situations and events for the better.

But they’re not bulletproof.

The faithful disciple of Jesus Christ’s little flock is acutely aware of his emotional limits and the unpredictable conditions life throws at him. But just like a healthy, alert coyote, he learns to rely confidently upon the Creator’s miraculous wisdom and sustained strength demonstrated in the natural order as well.

He acquires skills and he practices them. He secures tools and he keeps them sharp. He understands that existing under his Lord’s guardianship presents circumstances that sometimes seem insurmountable.

But he overcomes hardship by acting upon the knowledge that God is good—not by feeling it.

Posted: July 11, 2018 by cjournalme Leave a Comment

Living in the Hope of His Presence

Focus and absorb. That’s the ticket.

To the casual Bible reader, the apostle Paul’s first letter to “the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” might easily be overlooked as the literary jewel of hope that it is.

But the serious student of Scripture who applies the inductive study process would no doubt recognize the repeated references to an event the author considered worthy enough to mention five different times in the text:

“We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers, constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father...” [1Thes. 1:2-3]

“For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, before our Lord Jesus in His presence?” [1Thes. 2:19]

“…and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father in the presence of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” [1Thes. 3:12-13]

“For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.” [1Thes. 5:2]

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.” [1Thes. 5:23-24] [all emphasis mine]

So it’s no coincidence that Paul also chose to expand on some of the specific features of this future event he referred to as “the day of the Lord” by describing in great detail Jesus Christ’s second coming and the subsequent resurrection of the righteous dead and transformation of the righteous living. [vss. 4:13-18] And, here again, the emphasis is on the Lord’s presence and in the spirit of comfort and encouragement:

“…and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” [1Thes. 4:17b-18]

[Read more about this passage: Dead or alive?…Safe in Christ!]

The faithful disciple of Jesus Christ will reshape his life in order to prepare himself for the day his real hope might be realized. Only by developing a standard of integrity for studying the Bible can he achieve a level of spiritual maturity necessary to understand the significance of Jesus Christ’s presence upon His return to the earth.

[How can I develop that “standard of integrity” for studying? see: Inductive Study? Sounds Like a Plan.]

He strives to establish his “heart, spirit, body and soul” [that is, everything he consists of] as holy in order to be found without fault in the presence of his Master when He appears.

Read it and reap!

Last Updated: April 25, 2024 by cjournalme Leave a Comment

Putting “Rest” to Rest

Sundays are special.

It’s a good opportunity to get some rest and reflect on what I’ve accomplished and worship the One Who makes that possible.

It’s an occasion to celebrate a time-honored tradition which has evolved from an ancient Jewish ordinance the Lord gave to his people over five-thousand years ago.

More specifically, He commanded His firstborn Israel not to do any work on the seventh day of their week, but rather to rest [נוּחַ nūach: to rest] and remember that He delivered them from bondage out of Egypt. In doing so, they would sanctify—or dedicate that time to Him. [Deut. 5:12-15]

It was a “decompression” mandate, requiring them unwind and set aside time to worship and reflect upon Him. But it was also symbolic of His creation narrative [see: Exod. 20: 8-11]:

“By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven.” [Gen. 2:2-4] [my emphasis]

[שָׁבַת shabath: to cease, desist, rest]

And I’m not sure why, but many of us who live under the New Covenant of Jesus Christ insist that His people are still required to observe a specific time period of complete rest and worship before Him. But neither Jesus nor any New Testament author ever demanded such a thing.

In fact, the Bible doesn’t reveal any other relevant use of the word “rest” until the reader opens up the Book of Hebrews. The author records the Greek noun κατάπαυσις [kâtâpâwsîs; rest, repose] six times, corresponding to the same Hebrew term נוּחַ [nūach: to rest] noted above in the Old Testament Writings.

So I’m convinced the context of these passages in the Hebrew letter would satisfy any questions about whether or not it’s okay to be productive or have fun on Sundays.

Because the issue isn’t about when or how to rest, but rather about “how to enter into it.”

But why would anyone need to “enter into it?” Doesn’t it just roll around every seven days? Not only that, vs. 4:9 clearly states that “…there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” The context of the third and fourth chapters makes it clear. After the author documented the Genesis narrative to the reader [vss. 3:8-11], he then submitted questions:

“For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? [Heb. 3:16-18] [my emphasis]

In this case, being able to enter into the land where God’s people Israel were destined to “receive rest” was clearly contingent upon the absence of their whining and disobedience:

So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.” [Heb. 3:19-4:1] [my emphasis]

Hm-m. The same goes for me, I guess.

The author of Hebrews recognized Christ’s New Covenant “rest” as being a means to the goal of obedience to the Living God:

“For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.” [Heb. 4: 10-11] [my emphasis]

Self-sufficiency is the foundation on which disobedience is built and sustained. The ancient tribes of Israel were good at it. It seems that when I decide to “rest” from [or stop relying upon] my own sufficiency to secure righteousness and instead regard Christ’s sufficiency as enough, I’m on the fast track toward entering into the miraculous domain He referred to as “His rest.”

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, the concept of rest is clearly perceived by the authors as the ideal combination of security, meaningful fellowship and genuine contentment. Jesus’ parables describing life in the Kingdom of the next age never hinted of idle servants lying around playing harps and sucking on grapes.

On the contrary, His visions portrayed confident, hard-working and obedient servants having great responsibilities and loving every minute of it!

Complete sufficiency in Christ the King allows me to “rest” from the folly of my own.

Besides, I don’t like grapes anyway.

Posted: May 29, 2018 by cjournalme Leave a Comment

Getting a Sense of Sensibleness

I don’t hear anybody teaching about the importance of sound Bible teaching.

So I can assume that being sure about what the Scriptures say isn’t nearly as important as what the plumber says about a leaking toilet, or what the Schwab advisor says about a portfolio.

And that baffles me. Because, behind every offer to increase prosperity usually lies enough reliable information to form a sufficient opinion about the competency of that offer. Of course, sometimes we have to dig deep, but getting accurate information only makes sense.

So I found it interesting that the apostle Paul, in a letter to his “true child in a common faith,” Titus, stated that being sensible was essential for maintaining sound teaching among the congregations at Crete. According to Paul, Titus had a job to do:

“For this reason I left you [Titus] in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you…For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound teaching and to refute those who contradict.” [vss. 1:5,7-9] [my emphasis]

[σωφρόνως: sensible, according to good sense, showing self-control]

According to this passage, sensibleness was a primary attribute needed to be an effective elder in Christ’s Body. Without it, his ability to exhort, teach or refute those who contradicted the truth would have been compromised. Apparently, there were some Jews in the church at Crete who were teaching things that weren’t true.

A few sentences later, Paul wrote that he relied on Titus’ proficiency to articulate the need for a sound understanding of the Scriptures—leaving no “unsensible” stone unturned:

“But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound teaching. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. Likewise urge the young men to be sensible…” [vss.2: 1-6] [my emphasis]

So, would it be safe to say that making sense is a Scriptural mandate?

I also have a hunch that if Jesus Christ’s disciple doesn’t have the right stuff to verify what he’s being taught, he’s probably willing to buy whatever anybody throws at him. And it seems that getting together with other men on a regular basis to confirm what he hears might make good sense.

Because if he’s unable to discern truth from fiction, he’s liable to perish in his fantasy.

Am I making sense?

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you. [Titus 2:11-15] [my emphasis]

Posted: May 23, 2018 by cjournalme Leave a Comment

Feeling the Animalousity

I’m gonna’ break one of my rules here and voice an opinion.

It’s grounded in a simple, deep-seated conviction that human beings were [and are] created in the image of God and are therefore dominant over every other living creature He formed in the universe.

We used to call that being more important.

Now some of my family and close friends would suggest that I don’t like animals because I rarely ever dote over pets. But nothing could be further from the truth.

When I was growing up, we always had a dog. Everybody had a dog. All the neighborhood dogs followed us kids around in a pack and played with us and we all knew whose was whose. Hardly anyone allowed their pet inside the house because they were filthy and rowdy and couldn’t figure out how to flush the toilet.

These were some of the happiest pets alive. When my twin brother and I were in our early teens, our family got a Dachshund which my parents allowed in the house from time to time. We loved to play with him and carried our “weiner dog” around with his back suspended between our hands which supported either end of his torso.

We called him Count.

Count was entertaining. He could never keep up with the other dogs because of his short legs. Nevertheless, he brought our family a lot of joy and companionship over the years. We’d talk to him and tease him. We’d throw a ball and hug and tickle him when he brought it back. We fed him. We took care of him if he got sick. To us kids, it was like having the ideal sibling around—one that never punched you back or tattled on you or stole your underwear.

We loved him. But, aside from those moments in time when he captivated us with his antics, our lives never revolved around him.

We all possessed varied degrees of affection for him. But when it came to developing meaningful relationships outside of the family, none of us felt it was prudent to include Count in the process. Nor did we feel it was necessary to include him in all the activities of our daily lives.

After all, he was a dog.

As much as we loved him, he didn’t have the capacity to develop and maintain cognitive interaction and respect at the human level. He had rights. He had the right to be loved, taken care of and protected from harm. But he didn’t know how to respect the rights of anyone else. As a result, it was impossible for any of us to try to connect with him on any other caliber than as a tamed animal.

After graduating from high school, I went on to receive a degree in Animal Science. I loved being around and working with livestock, but I never sought to initiate any kind of emotional attachment with an animal.

And I think this was about the time I started to notice that many people were [oddly enough] beginning to place a higher value on any relationships they might have had with animals rather than human beings. I didn’t think much about it at the time, although it was evident what was happening.

Dogs, cats, pets, etc., express gratification or needs through affection toward their caretaker, and it never comes with strings attached or emotional blackmail. They’re never a source of heartbreak to their human companion with their words and [hopefully] only on occasion through their actions. As long as their basic needs are met, they’re remarkably loyal and predictable.

What more could anyone ask for?

But it’s not like I’ve alway been immune to cheap emotional gratification. I used to stuff any thoughts of difficult relationships or memories below my threshold of pain. What I didn’t realize at the time was that, as I was suppressing those thoughts, I was replacing them with something more comfortable to think about.

It was an inherent human character flaw. I sought relationships with things that wouldn’t bite me back.

But they didn’t wear collars and rub their wet noses in my face. Unfortunately though, they did indeed bite back. They were cravings for unwarranted approval at any cost. They were the satiating effects of using alcohol, music or dabbling in immorality. I was no stranger to the same type of impulsive replacement behavior that still seems to run rampant in our culture today.

It took too many years for me to realize that the the Lord’s purpose for human beings to effectively communicate and interact with one another can never be modified, edited or replaced with substitute gratification. The inadequacy of any exchange or omission will eventually be exposed.

The greatest of all relationships are the ones our Creator desires to have with each of us and with each other.

I think we’d all do well to focus on that.

Just my opinion, of course.

Last Updated: July 5, 2024 by cjournalme Leave a Comment

Life Given is Worth Defending

I’ve noticed a disturbing paradigm shift in logic over the years.

When it comes to developing a realistic solution for law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their families from random episodes of mass murder carried out in public places, every viable resolution digresses back to the subject of installing better door locks or to seeking to try to better understand the nature of erratic, violent behavior.

In other words, how do we second guess the unpredictable?

It’s as if any suggestion to teach potential victims that tactical physical resistance to criminal violence is completely out of the question.

Taking the offensive in a life-threatening situation has been re-defined as a barbaric, risky recourse to criminal activity, especially in a public setting. And, while it’s true that an unprepared response to violence can sometimes trigger a deeper crisis, men who claim to belong to Jesus Christ must seek to protect what is precious in His eyes.

Building a godly family is crucial to sustaining any moral society and is an essential goal for any father in Christ’s Body. To be successful though, he must be able to convey Biblical principles about what’s right and what’s wrong to his children. More importantly, as the object of a male role model, a son will most likely adopt his father’s standards connected to the value of human life.

That would include teaching him about defending his own life and the ones he loves.

If a criminal somehow breaches the inviolable barriers of a family residence with the intent of stealing or harming the occupants, the godly father will engage him with deadly force, because he knows there’s no Scriptural basis for cowardice. The prudent father would already even have devised a rational plan for minimizing loss or injury and be sure everyone was properly trained for the unexpected.

He’d do whatever it takes.

A father is entrusted with the welfare of his children from his Creator. He’s accountable to the Lord for teaching them all he can about Him and His word primarily through his actions as a role model. If an evil man slaps his face, he turns the other cheek. If his neighbor sues him, he gives him more than is demanded.

But if someone wants to kill him, he knows it’s not right to just hand over the goods.

While the Christian model is to tolerate a reasonable degree of unreasonable behavior, neither Jesus Christ nor His disciples ever taught anyone to willingly give up his life to the cruelty of an unsound mind.

A wise father sleeps well knowing that a plan to secure the safety of his children in public institutions has been implemented. The authority of parents to execute whatever strategy is necessary for protecting their children is vested in them both legally and Biblically—regardless of where it is.

My fear is that too many young boys are being taught that violent, psychotic behavior is an ever-increasing fact of life against which there seems to be no recourse, and that when it happens, the only option is to run and hide.

Is it because the sanctity of life is an expendable asset in the face of fear?

May it never be!

Posted: December 24, 2017 by cjournalme 2 Comments

Realistic Visions of Paradise

Most of us look forward to some form of paradise.

But it can mean different things to different people. Some opinions are well-defined. Others are vague.

And most squabbles about what or where it is fall short of any realistic consensus, because traditional beliefs rarely sacrifice their sacred cows without a fight. Many of these visions contrived by men have been firmly embedded in teaching institutions and congregations for centuries.

As a result, the real impact of the term “Paradise” on God’s people is seldom experienced since the unchecked human imagination has no boundaries in the absence of Biblical exegesis.

So then, what can the texts of the Bible itself actually tell me?

Literally translated in the Bible, this Greek word παράδεισος [pará-dā-sôs] is defined as “a place of blessedness, from the base meaning of garden.” And nothing in the three instances of its usage in the New Testament suggests this term to indicate anything other than an incomprehensible but glorified existence or environment in the immediate presence of the Creator. [see: Lk.22:43, 2Cor. 12:4, Rev. 2:7]

So, what’s the important thing for me to understand about ‘Paradise?

In Luke’s gospel account of the crucifixion of Jesus, our Lord’s response to the criminal being crucified beside Him was profound on many levels:

“But the other [criminal being crucified with Jesus] answered, and rebuking him said, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he was saying, ‘Jesus, remember me when You might come in Your kingdom!’ And He [Jesus] said to him, “Truly I say to you today, you shall [future tense] be with Me in Paradise.” [Lk. 23:40-43]

As an inductive reader, it’s critical for me to consider the context of the criminal’s question to Jesus in the preceding sentence. He was painfully aware that both he and this guy they called “King of the Jews” were on the brink of death, yet he made no petition for his “spirit” to be able to accompany that of our Lord’s on any journey into disembodied bliss.

There was, however, a plea to be remembered at the appropriate time, that is, whenever Jesus “might come into His kingdom.” The Greek grammar and the context of the conversation clearly indicate that both he and Jesus perceived His kingdom as something to transpire in the future.

The text reveals nothing about the two criminals regarding their knowledge of the Jews, the Scriptures or its prophesy. It only records one repentant man’s desperate appeal to share in something he could only hope for.

Paradise is surely the sum of unimaginable splendor soon be revealed in all fullness upon Jesus Christ’s return to the Earth, where God, the Father shall ultimately bring together all creation under His direct authority for the purpose of amplifying His glory and Divine objectives. [see: 1Cor. 15]

But perhaps the real significance of Paradise lies more in how it was used rather than its definition.

The Bible only records Jesus promising it to one person.

What kind of person was he?

Posted: November 17, 2017 by cjournalme 1 Comment

His Unkindled Wrath

It must be a signpost of what lies ahead.

The horrifying acts of violence and degenerate behavior have escalated into weekly episodes, searing the conscience of every Godly man, woman and child haplessly sewn up in a culture that continues to celebrate it.

In anticipation of a Divine remedy, prayers abound and weapons are stockpiled as the frightened masses cry out to their Creator. The evangelical community frantically witnesses the Good News to an impatient audience, warning them to trust in Jesus because it’s only gonna’ get worse.

And they need to.

Because it is.

But is the Lord’s due process never administered in real time? In other words, will all repayment for evil conduct be set aside until the day of the “white throne” Judgement the apostle John envisioned in the Book of Revelation? [Rev. 20:11-15]

Or is it not true that the consequences of ungodly conduct in this age very often accompany or quickly follow its commission? For example, at the pinnacle of his reign, King David of Israel poached his good friend’s wife and eventually murdered him to hide the offense. As a result, the Lord took his illegitimate child’s life in return. [2Sam. 11:27, 12:10-14]

On the other hand, it’s also very obvious that the Lord’s scales of justice are routinely set in motion without direct Divine intervention.

If I were to begin reading the apostle Paul’s letter to all who [were] beloved of God in Rome, called as saints, I’d first note that God’s wrath is revealed to everyone He’s made Himself known to but chooses to conceal this knowledge. These individuals refuse to acknowledge the Lord for who He is by exalting Him or giving thanks. As a result, each becomes compromised in his capacity to discern right from wrong. [vss. 1:18-21]

So what does God do about it?

Nothing.

Instead, He “gives them over” to revel in the perversions they can’t seem to part with. As a consequence, they continue to remain well-pleased by “their bodies being dishonored among them,” or with “receiving in themselves the penalty of their error.” [vs. 1:27] [my emphasis]

The Greek grammar here suggests this act of “receiving” isn’t something to be experienced in the future, but rather being experienced in the present.

In other words, they’re constantly experiencing the penalty.

It’s interesting that Paul develops the context of these sentences by focusing on the specific issue of homosexual behavior by example. Maybe this was the most effective way of illustrating a natural principle of God’s created order, that is, that there are serious, real time consequences for seeking insatiable freedom in anything. Consider also that homosexual behavior is perhaps the most abominable attack against the sacred institution of marriage the Lord ordained in Gen. 2: 24-25. [see also: Lev.18; 22; 1Cor. 6:9; 1Tim. 1: 8-11]

But perhaps God’s wisdom to allow swift and painful judgement in the present is characteristic of His merciful nature. Those who choose to turn away from depravity and worship Him are not only saved from the penalty of the second death [Rev. 20:14], but are also viable witnesses in this age for Jesus Christ and the good news about His Kingdom—just like the apostle Paul was.

For the Lord God’s anger has yet to burn in its full fury.

So, I pray that they’ll choose to partake in the heavenly calling and endure until the end in the hope of being transformed into the likeness of their Firstborn Brother and Savior.

I pray they’ll have ears to hear.

“The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. And men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous, surely there is a God who judges on earth!” [Psa. 58:10-12]