Born into the Kingdom #1: Repentance

 Note:  The following post is the first post in a three-part series called Born into the Kingdom.  These posts are really designed for new Christians but may be helpful to pioneer pastors in presenting simple Biblical truths to a young congregation.  - Chris

When we’re Christians, Eternal Life is what we’re aiming for; to enter into Heaven – The Promised Land.  Eternal Life, that’s the goal, right? It’s all about knowing God! 

John 17:3 (NKJV)
^17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

John 17:3 tell us that knowing that God and Jesus is Eternal Life.  There are a lot of gods in the world, but there is only one true God.  The key to knowing that God is to follow through on praying, reading your Bible, attending church, believing the promises and following the commands.  In short, living out the things of God, day after day – following God.

Hosea 6:3 (NKJV)
^6:3 Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

This is what we call the process of discipleship – becoming and making disciples.  It’s our great commission. 

Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV)
^28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

A disciple is a “fully devoted follower of Christ.”  It's not just someone who’s born again but someone who continues to pursue God after the initial glow of salvation wears off through the difficulties and struggles of life, enduring until the end. That’s a disciple.

People don’t become disciples on their own.  They’re taught to be disciples.  Just like after birth there are certain things that have to be done for the health of the baby.  The umbilical cord must be cut, and breast feeding must begin.  You have to show baby Christians the way. 

The book of Acts shows us the process of birthing someone into the Kingdom of God and what’s necessary to ensure their spiritual health.  Repentance, water baptism and baptism of the Holy Spirit.  This is a three-part series.  This post will look at repentance.

Repentance requires three things in order to be genuine and effective:

Acts 2:36-39 (NKJV)
^2:36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." ³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" ³⁸ Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

Repentance Requires a Teacher

In Acts Chapter 2 the Holy Spirit fell on those who were praying in the upper room.  It caused quite a commotion as three thousand people gathered in the street to see what was happening.  They must have been making a lot of noise. Peter stood up to preach.

The one hundred-twenty people in the upper room had choices.  They could stay quiet, they could pray, or they could preach.  Peter got up to preach.

If people are going to repent, they need to have someone tell them that it’s necessary.

Romans 10:13-15 (NKJV)
^10:13 For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." ¹⁴ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"

Peter stood up and explained to them the phenomenon of the Holy Spirit and a changed life.  He specifically preached two things.  These were not his feelings or opinions.

First, he preached the Word of God.  He quoted the Old Testament three times.  He’s preaching out of the scriptures.  We can talk to people and offer our opinions, “This is what I think…”, “I feel like this…”, but we end up in arguments and discussions.  What people need to hear isn’t our opinions or feelings but the Word of God.

1 Peter 3:15b (NKJV)
^3:15 …always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

Second, He preached Jesus with conviction and without fear.  “This Jesus, whom you crucified…”

This reminded me of the story of Philip and the Ethopian.  In Acts Chapter 8, the Ethopian is traveling along and he’s reading the Book of Isaiah, but he’s not understanding it all.  Philip asks him whether he understands or not and he answers, “How can I know unless someone guides me?’  He needs a preacher!

Acts 8:35 (NKJV)
^8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.

So, a preacher is needed to bring someone to a place of repentance; so, they can hear and understand the Word of God.

Repentance Also Requires Faith from the Hearer

Acts 2:41 (NKJV)
^2:41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

This is talking about faith.  They heard Peter’s words and accepted them as the Word of God.  They believed.  They heard what Peter was saying to them and they believed that he was right.  They were convicted that their sin – their personal sin – crucified Jesus.  That comes from the Word of God and the working of the Holy Spirit.  In order to repent, you have to be convinced that you’re wrong. Convinced that what you’re doing is against God and that your sin is the reason that Jesus had to die.  If you never come to that you’ll never come to repentance.  The Pharisees and the Sadducees never believed, so they never repented. 

Repentance requires the thought that my sin is wrong and that it needs to be judged.  That’s why we preach on sin. It is in order to bring people to a place of repentance.

Think about your own life.  What was it that made you realize that you needed to get saved?  You had to come to a point where you realized that the way that you’d been living was wrong in God’s eyes.  You had to recognize that you were guilty.  That’s what happened in our text.

The people in our text heard Peter’s words and realized that they had played a part in Jesus’ crucifixion.  “This Jesus, whom you crucified.”  They felt the guilt and shame that goes with that.  The Word of God and the moving of the Holy Spirit led them to the faith they needed in order to repent.

Repentance Requires Confession

Acts 2:37 (NKJV)
^2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

This moment right here is the moment of confession.  They’re admitting their guilt.  It’s like them saying, “We know we’re guilty.”  “We know that we have sinned and deserve our punishment!”  “We know that we will face the wrath of God.  What shall we do to make it right?  What shall we do to be right with God.”  That’s a confession of guilt.

In order to repent of sin, you have to know what it is.  You have to know what it is that you have done.  So we confess that sin before God.  That’s why we have an altar call, to give us an opportunity to bring that sin before God. 

You hear the Word of God and Jesus preached.  You feel the conviction of sin, believing that it’s true.  You confess that sin before God.  Then comes repentance.

Repentance is a change of mind or a change of heart.  I know what I’ve been doing is wrong and I’m not going to live like that anymore.  Repentance is a change; the word translated as repent literally means to turn around.  It’s as if you’re going one direction away from God and you turn around and go in a different direction toward God.  Allof this begins with a confession.

Romans 10:9 (NKJV)
^10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

That’s the starting point – Confessing before God; declaring your sin and guilt before God.  This is when the real work starts, beginning to pursue God.  It starts with repentance.  I would encourage anyone who prays for salvation to go home and continue to confess before God.  Think about your sins and bring them before God.

A friend of mine who is a pastor, told me that one man told him that he went home and confessed for an hour and a half.  He really thought about his sin specifically  “I’v done this, I’ve done that…” That’s real repentance.

1 John 1:9 (NKJV)
^1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So, God does his job and forgives.  He even goes so far as to take that sin away.  Then it’s time for you to do your part and change.  Be different – Follow God’s laws and live for Jesus.  Repentance is turning around and walking away from your sinful lifestyle.  I know this can be hard but God helps us.  Peter preached:

Acts 2:38 (NKJV)
^2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

First, we repent of our sin.

Second, we’re baptized for the remission of sin.

Third, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!

The next post will be about Baptism for the remission of sin!

 

The Price of Freedom

 A number of years ago, I had an interaction with a man at the Carpenter’s Coffee Bar, where I was an English teacher.  China had been rattling the saber about taking Taiwan, again.  This man was angry at the United States Government, because of the sale of fighter planes to Taiwan.  His argument was that Japan got United States’ fighters for free, but those planes are on an American base in Okinawa.  Those planes will protect Japan, but they’re actually there defending US interests in Asia.  Those same planes would protect Taiwan as well.  At supersonic speeds, Taiwan is only about twenty minutes from Okinawa.

I thought that it was interesting that he wanted freedom, but wasn’t willing for his nation invest in it financially.  When you stop to think about it the cost of freedom isn’t just financial, the cost of freedom is always blood.  Young men must fight and die to guarantee freedom.  Ten million allied troops died during World War Two.

Freedom comes at a price.  Today, I want to post on freedom from sin, the price that was paid, and our responsibility to that freedom.

Galatians 5:1 (NKJV)
^5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Sin is a Trap

Our text tells us to stand fast, which means to be immovable in the liberty by which Christ made us free. Be immovable in our freedom from sin.  Do not become entangled again with a yoke of bondage.  In other words, do not be ensnared again with a yoke – slavery.  Ensnared means trapped; sin is a trap.  Sin is slavery.

John 8:34 (NKJV)
^8:34 Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

Sin is a Trap – we have a mindset about sin that’s wrong.  We often think that sin is freedom or liberty.  We look at obedience to the commands of God as limiting, as if God has taken away our liberty through commandment.  Living out the commandments, though, is liberating.

Think about this for a moment. Think about common sins.  Drinking creates alcoholics; a dependence on Alcohol.  Drug use creates addicts; a dependence on drugs.  How many sins are there that trap you into dependence.  An addict is someone who’s dependent on getting a particular drug.  Their whole life becomes consumed with that drug.  They’ll lie, steal, and prostitute themselves to satisfy their addiction.  It’s a trap.  We think it’ll free us, instead it traps us.

David Crosby, of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (a 1970s musical group), experimented with drugs and alcohol as a young man.  After a number of years, he suffered with liver disease and needed a liver transplant.  He received a new liver, but never stopped the behavior.  Eventually, he found himself in that same position; his new liver destroyed by drugs and alcohol.  He was a slave to sin!

So, the Bible tells us to stand fast in our liberty.  Our freedom from sin that was purchased by Jesus.  The reason we must be encouraged to stand fast is because sin comes very, very easy to us.  It’s a part of our nature.  It’s a part of whom we are.

Buddhists will say that “”men are basically good,” but the Bible tells us that our hearts are desperately wicked and deceitful.

Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV

"The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Genesis 6:5

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

According to the Bible this is the state of man’s heart. Do you know the story of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde?  Doctor Jekyll was a rich, upper class doctor who seemed to be thoughtful and kind, but when he became Mister Hyde he could not control himself and was a brutal murderer.  Doctor Jekyll was a man with an evil nature that he couldn’t control.  It is a picture of the human condition.

Think about yourself for a moment, do you think of yourself as a good person; a nice person?  We all do, but let me ask you a question do you sometimes do bad things?  Do you sometimes act hatefully?  Do you sometimes lie or gossip or slander.  The answer to that is yes, you do!  There's a Mister Hyde in all of us.

Adam was created in the Image of God.  He was given a place that met every human need.  God walked with him.  God sheltered him under his wing.  The Bible talks about the hand of God, God’s blessing and care, and His working in our lives.  Even though he was blessed and cared for, Adam sinned.  The Bible tells us that Eve was deceived, tricked into sin, but Adam chose sin.  He violated God’s command.  He wasn’t deceived; he wasn’t tricked, he made a choice.  Sin is a choice and Adam suffered because of that.  We also suffer for our choice to not obey God.

It's our nature; it’s part of our makeup to sin.  You can see it in babies, think about this, we don’t have to teach babies to be selfish, they just are.  We don’t have to teach children to lie, they just do.  What do we have to do?  We have to teach them not to be selfish.  We have to teach them not to lie, or cheat, or steal...

Proverbs 22:15 (NKJV)
^22:15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.

The rod of correction drives the foolishness far from them.  Children have to be taught not to sin.  Sin is a part of human nature; it takes effort to avoid it.  It doesn’t just happen.  We have to work at it.  If we want to keep from being trapped by sin we have to take steps to avoid it.  We have to train our minds to dwell on what’s right.  To stand fast implies that there are forces trying to move you away from that liberty.  That force in the Bible is called your flesh; your sinful nature.  You have to push back against those forces.

Our Freedom Was Bought at a Price

In Biblical times when you owed a debt, you and your family would be sold into slavery to pay that debt.  In order to be released from slavery, you had to be redeemed.  Redeemed means to be bought back.  You had to pay the price of the owner for your freedom.  Adam sold himself and his descendants into slavery.  They were taken from the home that God gave them and forced into separation from God, slaves to their sin.  

We were doomed to that slavery until that time when we could be bought back or redeemed; that time when the price could be paid. 

Our text tells us that Jesus paid that price.  We remained in separation and slavery until that day that Jesus died and paid the price of our bondage.  We were purchased at a price.  The price was the blood that Jesus spilled on the cross. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV)
^6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

This scripture says that you were bought at a price, but it also says this, “You are not your own.”  You were bought back from slavery.  He paid the price for you to return to the relationship that we had with God before Adam’s sin.

If you’re a Christian have you experienced what it’s like to have a relationship with God?  Have you experienced God’s hand on your life?  Have you experienced the liberty of being set free from sin?

In my own life I vividly remember the hopelessness of slavery.  I was an addict, I was a slave to alcohol.  I thought I couldn’t change.  I hated myself.  I hated my life.  I know I did things that ruined relationships.  I know that I did things that hurt people.  I was a part of that slavery; I needed escape and relief.  I’m thankful for the price that was paid and I willingly submit myself to Him.  I am not my own!  Christians often say, “I gave my life to Jesus,” but that’s not really true, He bought us with a price.  What we really do is submit to Him.  “Here’s my life Jesus – It’s Yours.”

That’s where liberty is found, in submission to Him.  I’m free because I submitted.  At first, it was difficult, I was still drawn to alcohol, but I stood fast in that liberty.  The desire eventually disappeared – It really does get easier, that bondage was over.  (It’s been thirty-three years since I had a drink of alcohol.)  Does that mean that I’ve lost my sinful nature?  No, I’m still human, but I can resist because I am submitted.

James 4:7 (NKJV)
^4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

In my opening illustration, I talked about the cost of freedom.  The cost is spilled blood and death, but I have to tell you something.  There is also a responsibility for those who have been given freedom at the cost of other’s lives.  We have a responsibility to remain free. 

I believe that the freedoms we have given up in twenty-first century America is a betrayal of those who died for it.  We make their sacrifice worthless.  They died for nothing, if we give up the freedoms that they paid for!

Jesus paid a huge price to free you from sin.  You have a responsibility to remain free of it.  You have a responsibility to stand fast in that liberty, or you make his death worthless; of little value.  His death counts for nothing if you remain in sin.

Freedom isn’t the absence of laws – that’s anarchy.  You can’t remain in sin and say that because of grace you’re free to continue to sin.  I’m sorry but change is required.  We think that repentance means we’re sorry.  “Sorry Jesus – oops!” It’s much more than that.  Being sorry is a part of it; regret that you violated God’s laws is part of it, but real repentance is change.  “I’m not going to live that way any longer,”  and standing fast, being different. 

This liberty, this life that you have as a Christian was paid for on the cross.  Why take the old sin and addictions into a new life.  If you remain in sin the bondage is the same.  You are still a slave to sin!

Where the Spirit of the Lord is There is Freedom

2 Corinthians 3:17 (NKJV)
^3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. –

When Moses returned from the mountain where he met with God his face held the Glory of God.  It shone from his face.  The people were frightened to look at him, so he wore a veil, so that they wouldn’t be able to see it. 

When were In sin that veil was on our hearts, we were spiritually blinded.  When we turned to Jesus that veil was taken away.

2 Corinthians 3:13-16 (NKJV)
^3:13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴ But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. ¹⁵ But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. ¹⁶ Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

We were not able to see the lawlessness and sin in our lives.  As sinners we don’t see the sin.  What did Jesus say on the cross, “Father forgive them they don’t know what they’re doing!” 

As sinners we don’t understand that what we’re doing is sin.  We don’t realize that we put Him on the cross.  We don’t even realize that we’re slaves to it. It isn’t until we receive the Spirit of God in our hearts that we see it.  The veil is taken away.  That’s when we see the freedom in submission to Christ.  It’s the Spirit of God who lifts the veil and we can see and know freedom.  Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom!

Heart Conditions

I’m a wonderful person…really!  I like me.  I love my family.  I’m a wonderful son and father.  I’m nice to people; compassionate.  I don’t drink or use drugs.  I’m not a liar.  I’m generous and I don’t kick my dog.  I’m just about perfect, except that I was born with a heart condition.

There was a problem with my heart that caused damage to my body.  It looked fine.  It wasn’t misshapen or broken; it just didn’t do what it was supposed to do.  In fact, as a human being I have two heart conditions, a physical one and a spiritual one.  Today I want to post on the spiritual heart condition, from this one verse:

Jeremiah 17:9 (NKJV)
^17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Heart Conditions

A heart condition is what we call it when our heart doesn’t work like it should.  Basically, our hearts are just pumps.  Blood enters the heart; the heart constricts and pushes the blood forward.  Then, it expands and blood enters the heart again.  That’s what happens when our hearts beat.

Sometimes, though, it doesn’t work like it should.  It doesn’t move blood efficiently.  It beats erratically; or the valves don’t work:  Something doesn’t work right; that’s a heart condition.  I’ve just described a physical heart condition. 

The word heart in a spiritual sense isn’t referring to that physical pump that moves blood.  The spiritual heart is the Bible's way of referring to the center of our emotions, personality and character.  The “Spiritual Heart” is who each of us is as a person.  The longings and desires you have for your future, the way you respond to your fellow man, your courage, your outlook on life, your patience, those things make up your spiritual heart.

When our spiritual hearts are functioning well we exhibit the attributes of God.  Long-suffering, mercy forgiveness and love; those are the attributes of God’s heart, but the question is, “Are those things found in your heart?”  The fact is that we’re all suffering from spiritual heart conditions. 

Our text describes a spiritual heart condition:  The Heart is desperately wicked.  We weren’t created that way.  We were created in the image of God; in the likeness of God.  Our hearts were created to be like His heart.  God’s heart isn’t desperately wicked.  Wickedness isn’t a part of whom God is.  It isn’t a condition of God’s heart.  It’s only a condition of ours. 

There was a change that took place in the Garden of Eden.  That change caused a corruption that changed our hearts, forever.  There was a mutation; a breakdown that caused a corrupt heart to be passed down from Adam and Eve to all of us.

Romans 5:12 (NKJV)
^5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned--

God doesn’t struggle with being righteous.  It’s who He is – But we struggle, don’t we?  We often don’t do what’s right.

Romans 7:15 (NKJV)
^7:15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

Even the apostle Paul struggled to do the right thing.  So, if he struggled, how about you and I?  Do we struggle, too?  Oh, I think we do.  Are you ever envious?  Yes!  Do you get jealous?  Yes!  Are you rebellious?  Do you have bad attitudes?  Are you a liar and a thief?  Yes!  Yes!  Yes!  Are you ever just plain mean?  You know you are!  Your heart is desperately wicked.  Wickedness, sinful attitudes, and sinful behavior, unfortunately that’s who you are.  That’s who we all are – That’s the condition of our hearts.

I just told you how wonderful I really am.  I’m Mr. Wonderful, but the Bible says my heart is desperately wicked.  I have a spiritual heart condition.  Just like Paul, I do things I hate, and the things I want to do…I struggle to do.  It’s my stinking, corrupt, deceitful heart.  It’s so deceitful that when I am doing the wrong thing, it sometimes lies to me and ,makes me think it’s okay.  I can justify it to myself. 

“I can hate those people – I’ve been oppressed.”

“Well, he was a jerk first – He deserves what I did to get even.”

“They don’t pay me enough – That’s why it’s okay for me to steal this thing.”

Our hearts are deceitful above all things.  People can easily lie to themselves; I’ve seen it at least a million times. 

So, what can we do with a heart like that?  How can we be saved with a heart like that?  We will always default to the dark side – just like Darth Vader.  We have to really fight to be right.  We need a spiritual “Heart Transplant”.

A Heart Transplant

David recognized his need for a new heart:

 Psalms 51:10 (NKJV)
^51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

David’s asking God for a heart transplant.  Take this filthy, wicked, stinking heart and replace it with a clean one – a pure one:  A heart like yours, God.  That should be our prayer as well.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a heart that led you to do the right things instead of the wicked ones:  A heart that prevented wickedness?  Wouldn’t it be nice to know that you will always be godly – like God?  How wonderful to not have to battle temptation.  How wonderful to not destroy yourself through sin.  How wonderful to always do the right things – without fail.  Did you know that that’s a promise of God?

Ezekiel 36:26 (NKJV)
^36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

That corrupt, wicked heart, that’s hardened by sin, God says He’ll take it out; remove it and He’ll replace it with a new one – a tender one. Is that the kind of heart you want?  That’s what David wanted.  That’s what David longed for.  David was a man after God’s own heart.  He wanted a heart like God. 

God said that about him, “He’s a man after my own heart.”  That’s the kind of man God was looking for to lead His people:  Someone with a heart like His.  That’s the kind of man that God can use.  Do you ever pray for a heart like God’s?  Are you contending to be more godly?  Godly means to be like God – to have the attributes of God:  long-suffering, mercy, forgiveness, love.

There is a way to get that.  There’s a way to get a heart transplant.  To start you have to repent.  Repentance is a change of heart.  You have to have a change of heart about sin.  You have to have a change of heart about your lifestyle.  You have to have a change of heart about priorities.  That’s repentance.  That word repent literally means to turn around, as if you’re traveling in one direction – away from God.  Your becoming less like Him and more like your father the devil, (John 8:44), and you change your mind about the direction you’re traveling.  Then, you turn around and travel toward God.  That moment when you have a change of heart that’s when the heart transplant has taken place.  That’s a heart transplant, right?  Take out the defective one and replace it with a new one:  One that works properly; a heart that’s tender toward the things of God.  The stony heart is gone and is replaced with flesh.

That’s why when you get saved you look at the world differently.  You look at people differently – with compassion.  You look at sin differently.  It becomes ugly and disgusting.  You look at God differently.  Pleasing Him becomes important, instead of just pleasing your own carnal, animal nature. 

Were you different after getting saved?  If so, that’s that new heart pumping strongly in your chest, moving pure blood throughout your carnal self; purifying, changing, removing the filth of sin.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
^5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Have you ever heard the expression, “I feel like a new man.”?  That’s the power of repentance.  As the heart functions properly, you become stronger.  You feel good again.  You’re a new man.  When it’s a spiritual heart transplant the Bible says you’re a new man – literally.  You’re a godly man, a man or woman that’s like God. 

Remaining a Man After God’s Own Heart

Romans 2:5-7 (NKJV)
^2:5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ⁶ who "will render to each one according to his deeds": ⁷ eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;

After a transplant we have to keep our new heart healthy.  We have to commit to caring for, and guarding our new heart.  We need to protect it.  The scripture calls it “patient continuance in doing good.”  Why patient?  We'll continue to endure temptation.  When you get saved sin doesn’t go away.  The Devil doesn’t just back off: “Oh rats, they got saved; well I guess I have to leave them alone, now.”  It doesn’t work like that – The world continues to be the world.  The temptations continue to tempt.  The attitudes continue to work on you.  People are still people, right?  You still want to kill some of them. 

The difference is that now you have the tools to stay away from that.  You can avoid trouble.  God will meet your needs and help you to avoid sin.

Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)
^4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Come boldly to Him.  Cry out for help to Him.  “God I don’t want to sin – I need your help.”  Paul said “Who will deliver me from this body of death.”  He’s talking about sin.  I think we can all agree that Paul was saved.  How often has that been your prayer?  “Oh God, keep me from sin.” 

A prayer like that will inspire courage and endurance in you.  Jesus won’t leave you there to struggle alone.  He will always be there for you, but you have to reach out to Him.  That’ll keep you saved. 

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NKJV)
^13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." ⁶ So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

Erosion

This is the Queen’s Head formation in Northern Taiwan.  The interesting thing about it is that it as created by erosion.  That word erosion means to diminish or destroy by degrees; especially, to gradually eat into or wear away. 

Water from centuries of tides rolling in has worn away at the rock and created this formation.  The problem is that the government is afraid that in a short time the neck will erode to the point that it can no longer hold up the head.  It will fall over and be gone forever.

Erosion is a real force that takes place in nature, but if we aren’t diligent to guard against it, it can also take place in the church.  In fact, I believe that it takes place in the heart of every Christian and must be constantly checked. (By checked I mean stopping its progress.) Erosion can and will take you right out of the will of God and rob your church of its vitality and forward progress.

In this post I want to look at erosion that took place in David’s life and how it could have been avoided. 

2 Samuel 11:1-5 (NKJV)
^11:1 It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. ² Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. ³ So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" ⁴ Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. ⁵ And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, "I am with child."

The Erosive Attitude

So, this scripture is a snapshot of erosion taking place in David’s life.  This is after he has defeated Goliath fearlessly.  The Bible says he ran to the battle.  This is after he defeated the Jebusites through cunning and an ability to think outside the box.  This is after he’s led the troops out numerous times to defeat the enemies of God in power and authority.

All of those things, fearlessness, thinking outside the box, and acting in power and authority are signs of zeal.  That word zeal means eager interest in the pursuit of something.  In other words, you’re thinking about what you’re doing.  You’re trying to do your very best because of your excitement about what you’re doing.

That’s where David was in the beginning.  David’s zeal was for the kingdom of Israel; for the things of God.  You cans ee it in his actions.  But something has gone wrong here.  David has become complacent:  he’s backed off.  He’s no longer involved and that’s where the erosion begins.  This is critical for us to see;  Spiritual erosion always takes place when we back off:  When we stop being committed to the will of God:  When we stop acting out the calling of God that’s on our lives.  Take a moment to think about what you’re doing.  Are you acting out the call of God on your life or have you become like David?

David is thinking, “I’m king.  I don’t have to do these things anymore.  I can let someone else handle it.”  So, he let Joab do it.  The words, “I’m tired, I need to rest.”  “I just don’t feel like it.” are signs of the beginning of spiritual erosion.

So David begins to go down a path that leads to sin and problems.  His first mistake, we can call it sin, is with Bathsheba.  He’s not focused on God’s calling any longer.  He’s drifted into focusing on himself. 

This is so interesting; David has begun to focus on his own desires.  He’s no longer thinking of the welfare of Israel, so he stays away from the war.  He’s focused on his own issues.  His focus has become selfish, and that’s an opening the devil can exploit.

The devil begins to wear away at your zeal, your faith and finally, your ability to resist sin.  It’s dangerous to start walking away from the things of God.  That’s erosion beginning to take place in your life.

Think about the Queen’s Head formation illustration for a moment.  At one time there was a cliff, a strong, sturdy outcropping of sandstone.  It was attached to main island, but the relentless action of the ocean began to undercut the stone until now there is only a sliver of stone left supporting the boulder and in time that sliver will be worn away and the Queen’s Had will collapse.

The same thing can happen in your salvation.  People will say, “I’m a mature Christian, it won’t happen to me,” but David was a powerful example of a man after God's own heart and it happened to him, and the time when that erosion began was when David backed away from God’s calling.  God had called him to be king, but he stopped doing what kings did. 

Where are you?  Are you still pursuing excellence in your service to God or are you beginning to back away?  “I don’t need Bible Study.”  “I don’t need to be at church.”  “Outreach is a waste of time.”  Are you still zealously pursuing God’s calling on your life, or is erosion starting to take place? 

People never suddenly wake up and say, "Today I’m going to commit adultery.  I’m going up on the roof to see who’s taking a bath."  Instead, they begin to back away from commitments:  Being willing to commit to anything, and dropping the ball on previously made commitments.  Erosion takes over until their relationship with Jesus is supported by a thin thread and in danger of collapse. 

Salvation is a process.  It takes place in our lives over time.  In other words, our relationship Jesus builds over time and that’s how change takes place in our lives.  It doesn’t happen all at once.  Attitudes and other mindsets have to be broken and that usually takes place of time.  I want you to know something, though.  Backsliding is also a process.  It also takes time to happen.  There is a time when it starts, and that time is when you begin to get complacent, or like David when you begin to back away from God’s calling on your life. 

That’s when you begin to think, “I’m in ministry, but the standards of ministry aren’t necessary.  They’re just rules that are imposed.”  “I’m in ministry but I don’t have a responsibility to be an example for others.” and you begin to drift farther and farther away.  The dangerous part is that you don’t even realize that you’re drifting away.

It’s like Samson.  Samson violated the standards of his vow: The vow of a Nazirite. Look what eventually happened:

Judges 16:20 (NKJV)
^16:20 And she said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" So he awoke from his sleep, and said, "I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!" But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.

He’s operating under the assumption that he’s right with God, but God has departed from him.  That’s a dangerous place to be.  The Philistines grabbed him and put his eyes out.  He was blinded.  The devil will blind you to reality if it will work in his favor.

Your Actions Don’t Affect Just You

So, let’s get back to David.  David has stepped away from his calling.  He’s sinned with Bathsheba and she has become pregnant.  So, now David has a problem. He’s the king; he’s committed adultery with the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of his mighty men.

How does he deal with this?  First, he brings Uriah home so that he can sleep with his own wife, and it will look like he’s the one who made her pregnant.  But, unlike David at this point, Uriah is an honorable man and he won’t go home and sleep with his wife, while the troops and the Ark of the Covenant are sleeping in tents on the battlefield.  So, when that fails, David tries to get him drunk, but Uriah still won’t go home to his wife.  Look what happens next:

2 Samuel 11:14-17 (NKJV)
^11:14 In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. ¹⁵ And he wrote in the letter, saying, "Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die." ¹⁶ So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. ¹⁷ Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

David has drifted far away from God’s will.  He’s committed adultery, and now he’s killed an innocent man, in order to cover it up.  He’s backslidden; he’s away from God.

It’s not just his sin, as horrible as it is.  It’s not just Uriah’s death.  Now he has included Joab in this.  He’s brought someone else along with him, in his drift away from God. 

2 Samuel 11:18-21 (NKJV)
^11:18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war, ¹⁹ and charged the messenger, saying, "When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king, ²⁰ if it happens that the king's wrath rises, and he says to you: 'Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? ²¹ Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?'--then you shall say, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.' "

Here’s what’s interesting about this:  Joab receives an order to put Uriah where he will be killed.  He can’t just do that.  If he does then everyone will know.  Think about it, he can’t just put only Uriah in harm’s way, because then people will know that he did it on purpose.  Joab has to protect the king’s order. 

He has to make it look like the fortunes of war, so he sends the troops up to the wall knowing that they’ll get killed.  That’s why he says, “If David gets angry then say, ‘Oh by the way, Uriah the Hittite was killed.’”  David wanted Uriah dead, and he would know that that was what Joab had to do to keep the secret.  David has dragged Joab into this.  He has killed Uriah, but other men also had to die to protect the king’s secret.

When we, as Christians, do something against the will of God it affects a number of other people, as well.  This thing went from David didn’t want to go to war, to Joab murdering Uriah the Hittite and a number of other men to protect David’s adultery. 

Whom does the erosion of David’s calling affect?

Bathsheba – She couldn’t turn the king down in his indecent proposal.

Uriah – An innocent man murdered because he was unwilling to allow his own standards to be eroded.

And Joab – He also couldn’t turn down the order of the king, so he ruined his reputation as general and murdered valiant men.

None of us reading this are kings.  None of us have that kind of power, but we do have influence.  There are people who look to us for leadership.  For men, it is our wives, children and new converts in the church.  For women, it’s the younger women, newer converts.  We have a responsibility to wield our influence in a positive direction.

Titus 2:6-8 (NKJV)
^2:6 Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded, ⁷ in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, ⁸ sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.

Titus 2:3-5 (NKJV)
^2:3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- ⁴ that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

David has ignored his responsibility.  We must be careful not to allow ourselves to be eroded., so that we don’t influence people away from God.  Are your actions helping to move people into God’s will, or are you showing them that it’s okay to avoid the things that will bring them closer to God?

Erosion Can be Stopped

If you drive in the mountains of Taiwan often, you’ll see places where the highway department has taken steps to stop landslides and erosion.  They’ve erected barriers made of concrete.  They’ve put up nets to hold the soil into the mountain.  They have put things in place to protect motorists from the effects of erosion.

First, we need to stop the erosion that's taking place. If you look at the beginning of the next chapter, God has sent Nathan to rebuke David.  So, Nathan tells him the story of a man with many sheep who kills his neighbor’s pet sheep.  He’s comparing David, with his wives and power to the man with many sheep.  David is taking the Uriah’s only wife and love and misusing her. 

When Nathan finishes with the story, David is enraged and Nathan points to him and says, “That man is you!”  Look at what God says to David through Nathan:

2 Samuel 12:9 (NKJV)
^12:9 Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon.

Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord?  He’s asking David, "Why have you cared so little for your calling, and look at the effect?"  If David had done what he was called to do, this never would have happened.  God traces it all the way back to that one decision to begin tom drift out of God’s will.  Some people reading this have made decisions to drift.  Some of you have made the same decision as David, not to do what you’ve been called to do.  Erosion has already begun in your lives, so now you need to stop it.,  You need to do what David did.

2 Samuel 12:13 (NKJV)
^12:13 So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.

David repented and God put away the sin.  Repentance stops erosion.  After all of this David began to do the right thing.

2 Samuel 12:26-30 (NKJV)
^12:26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and took the royal city. ²⁷ And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, "I have fought against Rabbah, and I have taken the city's water supply. ²⁸ Now therefore, gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called after my name." ²⁹ So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it. ³⁰ Then he took their king's crown from his head. Its weight was a talent of gold, with precious stones. And it was set on David's head. Also he brought out the spoil of the city in great abundance.

David no longer stayed away from the battle.  He took his place as king and began to lead Israel, once more.  David got blessed because he turned back to the will of God. 

We can all have issues, but it doesn’t have result in permanent failure.  Things can go back to the way they were.  It’s a decision that we make each and every day.

There’s one last thing I want to point out.  Bathsheba and Joab had to do what the king ordered or die.  That’s how it works with kings.  If David would kill an innocent man to cover up his own sin he would kill them just as easily.  They could have made a stand and said, “it’s not happening,” but there’s a risk to making a stand.  If there’s an influence on you that you know isn’t right, then you need to make a stand.  God will hold us accountable for our decisions, regardless of the influence on us.  God held David accountable you can read about it in 2 Samuel 12:15-23.

God can move all of us forward, if we’re willing to apply God’s calling to our lives and remain in the calling.

Photo source:  http://pictures.traveladventures.org/images/cn/yeliu-geopark04

Crouching Sin, Hidden Dragon

We used to have a cat named “Baby.”  That’s a nice name for a cat, isn't it?  It seems like it would be a harmless little kitty.  Babies are pretty harmless, aren't they?  This cat wasn't harmless, though, he was a very fierce, effective hunter.  Birds and mice were in grave danger when they came onto our property.  That cat was a killing machine. 

I remember watching him one day, as a bird settled on our front lawn and picked at the grass.  He crouched down and edged slowly toward the bird, never taking his eyes off it.  The bird was aware of the cat.  He would look in the cat’s direction and the cat would freeze.  When the bird looked away he would begin to edge forward slowly, ever closer.

Finally, the bird realized that the cat was too close and started to fly off, but the cat leaped out of his crouch and knocked the bird from the air.  I will spare you the gruesome details of what happened next.

The problem for the bird was that he allowed the cat to get too close.  He didn't keep a safe enough distance between himself and the cat.  He didn't recognize the threat until it was too late, and that mistake was deadly.  Today I want to post on the danger of sin.

Genesis 4:1-12 (NKJV)
^4:1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the Lord." ² Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. ³ And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. ⁴ Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, ⁵ but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. ⁶ So the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? ⁷ If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." ⁸ Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. ⁹ Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" ¹⁰ And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground. ¹¹ So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. ¹² When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth."

The Danger of Sin

Often, when we know someone who is involved in sin we say something like, “Oh, he fell into sin.”  He fell, as if it was an accident, or he just somehow mysteriously wound up in that state.  The truth is that sin is never an accident.  It is always the result of choices.  Intent is necessary to make an action a sin.  The real truth is that we make a decision that leads to sin.  We don’t just fall into it.  We make a decision. That decision opens a door and sin enters into our life through that open door.

Our text tells us that sin lies at the door.  That word translated as lies, literally means crouches.  It crouches like that cat that’s ready to pounce on the bird.  It’s waiting for an opportunity. Its DESIRE is for us.  It’s exactly the picture of that cat stalking the bird.  He’s crouched down; his concentration is fully on the bird.  His desire is so intense he’s literally twitching.  That’s what God is describing to Cain in our text.  Sin crouches at the door; its desire is for you.

So sin is aggressive, it’s on the attack.  Let’s look for a moment at what makes sin dangerous. Look at the story here:

Adam and Eve have given birth and the children have grown up to be men.  We know that because they have jobs to do.  They are involved in certain trades.  Abel is a shepherd, “a keeper of the sheep,” while Cain is a farmer, “a tiller of the ground.”  They have both brought offerings to God, as expected, but there is an interesting phrase here in reference to Cain's offering:  “In the process of time.”  That phrase means after a period of time has passed.  So, it means that it didn't happen right away.  There was some time that had passed before Cain brought his offering.

It gives us this image of Cain planting his crops and after he has gathered the harvest, he waits before he brings the offering.  On the other hand, we see a different phrase with regard to Abel’s offering: “Abel brought the firstborn of his flock.” Abel brought the firstborn.  He didn't wait for a second generation.  He came with the very first of the blessing he had received.

So Cain gave out of his abundance.  He waited to make sure there was enough.  He waited to see how much there would be.  He wanted to be sure that there was enough to meet his own needs before he gave to God, but Abel gave in faith.  He gave the firstborn.  He didn’t wait to make sure the sheep got pregnant again.  He didn’t wait until there were more babies.  He gave the FIRSTBORN.

There’s an interesting contrast here.  Abel gave in faith that God would continue to supply his needs.  He believes God, but Cain waits to give in fear that there won’t be enough.  We also see God’s reaction to their giving.  He respects Abel’s offering and does not respect Cain’s.  Abel’s offering is a picture of faith and Cain’s is not, and the Bible tells us:

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
^11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

God can’t be pleased with Cain’s offering because Cain hasn't given in faith.  There’s a lesson there for us as well; that we ought to give in faith.  Many of us don’t tithe; we don’t give the first fruits.  The Bible tells us in Exodus, that the first fruits belong to God.

Our tithe should be the first thing that comes out of our paychecks.  That’s how my wife and I do it.  When we receive our check we immediately deduct our tithe and bring it in the very next service.  We completely remove it from our account and set it aside.  We live off what’s left.  If we don’t do it that way we are bringing our offering, “in the process of time.”  We’re giving in the same way Cain gave.

I didn't want to post on tithing, in particular...that was free bonus.  I want to point out the danger of sin.  It isn't an accident that this takes place around giving, though.  God respects Abel’s offering.  That word translated as respects is sha-ah in Hebrew and it literally means to gaze upon; to see it.  So God could see Abel’s offering, but He couldn't see Cain’s.  As far as God was concerned there was no offering.  The danger is seen in what God says to Cain, “if you do well, will you not be accepted?”  If you do the right thing you’ll be accepted.  If we do the right thing God will accept us, but here’s the main point, “If you do not do well, sin lies at the door.”  Remember, the word translated as lies literally means crouches…as if to leap.  So, if we do not do well then sin is waiting for us to open the door so it can leap on us.

Sin is aggressive, “Its desire is for you.”  It wants you; it wants to pounce on you like that cat wanted to pounce on the bird.  I don’t need to tell you that all that was left of the bird after that was a pile of feathers.

Our text tells us that through Cain’s lack of faith in giving he opened a door to that crouching, waiting sin and we know the rest of the story.  Cain Killed Abel and was forced to be a vagabond and live in fear.

Opening the Door

I want to go back to my illustration about the bird once more:

That bird knew the cat was there.  The cat wasn't hidden.  He could easily be seen; he was lying in the sun out in the open.  The bird saw him and as the cat edged closer and closer the bird would stop and look at him, watching him.  The bird made a mistake, though; he didn't grasp how dangerous the cat was.  He allowed the cat to get close enough to be able to pounce, and the cat got him.

A lot of the time we are just like the bird.  It’s almost as if we’re PLAYING with sin.  We allow it to get closer and closer.  We see it, we know it’s there but we don’t keep enough distance between it and us to be safe.  We’re staying right on the edge of sin’s pouncing distance.  We flirt with it, and we play with it, but the danger is that we can misjudge it, and before we know it we’re caught up. 

How do we open the door to sin?  Let me give you an example from my own life.  I was a drunk.  I got drunk every night.  I missed work because of hangovers, only once or twice, but enough times to say that alcohol was more important to me than my job.  I chose getting drunk by myself over spending time with people, so it’s safe to say that booze was more important to me than relationships.  When I started to drink I never thought that it would be like that.  It wasn't my intention to become a drunk.  I did it because I wanted to have fun.  I did it because it felt good and I always thought I’d be able to control it.  I never imagined that it would end up controlling me.

People don’t start doing drugs with the intention of becoming an heroin addict.  Women don’t have sex hoping, that in the future they’ll be single mothers living in poverty.  We always think we can control it.  We always think we can play with fire and not be burned. 

It’s almost as if you open the door and say, “Here kitty, kitty,” and then when the cat leaps you slam the door at the last possible second, but the sin is aggressive and it waits.  It gets a little closer.  It changes its position just a little with each door slam and eventually, you open the door, and before you can react it pounces and it’s got you.

In our text, Cain opened the door with his unbelief.  He didn't believe that God would provide for his needs, that’s why he held out, to make sure he had enough.  “If I give it you God, I may not have enough for my family.”  So he waited and after he was sure that his needs had been met he gave the rest to God.  Those weren't the first fruits; they were the last fruits.  They were an afterthought.

Then he got angry, “Hey God, I gave to you…why aren't you blessing me?”  Then he got mad at the one whom God did bless and he killed him.  He opened the door with unbelief, and stood at the door with envy and jealousy. Finally, the sin pounced on him and destroyed his life through the murder of Abel.  He never imagined his resistance to giving to God would result in the murder of his brother and a curse on his own life.  What are you considering, right now, that may have consequences down the road, that you can’t possibly see.

Do you know what is one of the biggest problems in society, today?  Everybody knows everything.  Nobody can hear any criticism of what they want to do.  Nobody is willing to take any advice from anyone. I used to ask my wife, “How did I become the only man in the world that doesn't know everything?”  Actually, it works in my favor, because I can listen to criticism and I can take advice.  Because of that, I can avoid problems, struggle and turmoil.  What about you?  Are you always right?  I know that some people are reading this right now and saying to themselves, “He’s wrong, he doesn't know what he’s talking about.”  Sometimes, someone else can see the outcome, down the road, when we can’t, or actually, they see it when we don’t want to.

How do we Keep Sin at Bay?

Where did Cain really go wrong?  Was it in his giving?  The way that he gave was wrong, it was the thing that opened the door, but I don’t think that was the fatal thing.  Was it getting angry with Abel getting blessed?  Jealousy and envy are definitely sin.  Bitterness is ugly and physically harmful to us.  These things certainly contributed to Cain’s outcome, but that wasn't the fatal flaw, either.

Cain’s fatal mistake, the thing that led to his downfall, was that when God told him that he was wrong, he couldn't repent.  God came to him and told him, “If you do well, you WILL be accepted, but if you don’t, sin WILL destroy you.  Cain didn't listen to God; he never repented.  It was his lack of repentance that led directly to the murder of Abel.

Some people are reading this with unrepented sin.  Maybe you don’t see the consequences down the road, or maybe you think it’s just a little thing, or may be you understand it's sin, but you think you can control it.  You ought to be looking.  You ought to be watching because if there is unrepented sin, it can destroy you.

Sin is aggressive, its desire is for you, but you can overcome sin through repentance.  Cain didn't have to spend the later years of his life as a vagabond, looking over his shoulder, fearing death.  All he needed to do was repent.

Judgment and Mercy

Anyone who has spent any time witnessing to people has been told, “You’re judging me, who are you to judge me?” But I think the problem is that we call them on their sin and then tell them God is going to send you to hell for that. What we leave out is the good news. If you repent, you’ll be accepted. So today I want to bring a balance to judging. We are called to judgment tempered with mercy.

Recently, I read in the news of a young woman who was on trial for the murder of her two-year old daughter. This woman, Casey Anthony, and her family, repeatedly lied to the police, sent them on wild goose chases, kept them from finding the body. Finally, three years after the murder and her arrest, the trial concludes with the woman being found not guilty of murder, manslaughter, child abuse and other charges. She is only convicted lying to the police. A jury of twelve people heard the evidence and the arguments and judged her to be not guilty of the crime.

The press, on the other hand doggedly, throughout the trial and before, made the judgment that she was guilty. They made this judgment without the presentation of evidence and arguments and witnesses. They made their judgment on hearsay and their own opinions.

The jury made a judgment in a correct way, the media didn’t. Is the woman guilty? I have no way to know that. The evidence was pretty sketchy, no cause of death, no witnesses, no DNA: All of the evidence was circumstantial.

I’m not judging the rightness or wrongness of the jury’s decision. I’m not making any statements about her guilt or innocence. I’m only making a statement about human nature. We have a tendency to make a judgment based on our own assumptions about what happened. Jesus tells us we need to be careful about how we judge.

Luke 6:37-42 (NKJV)
6:37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." 39 And He spoke a parable to them: "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. 41 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.

Making Judgments

In our text Jesus is talking about Christians making judgments of other people. Making judgments is what people do, isn’t it. Most of our lives are spent making decisions and judgments. Those are the things that get us through life. They can be simple decisions about what to wear to a meeting or school, or they can be more complex decisions about finances or direction for our family or our lives. But Jesus warns us about judgments we make involving other people.

People have an interesting capacity to look at other people’s sin while at the same time overlooking their own. We have a “perfectly good reason” for the sin we’re committing. “I know I drink too much, but the pressure at my job is awful.” “Well yeah, I ripped off the company, but they’re not paying me what I’m worth.” “I know I shot up my university, but I had a bad childhood.” These are the justifications we use that are intended to make it okay for us to act improperly. But the problem is that while justifying our own misbehavior we have a “no excuses policy” for everyone else. We can harshly judge someone else with no thought of mercy, and this is Jesus’ point.

Look at the context of this statement, “Judge not and you shall not be judged!” You can find the context in the verses preceding the text. Look at the statements found in those verses:

1. Love your enemies
2. Bless those that curse you
3. Pray for those that use you
4. Turn the other cheek
5. Give to those that ask
6. Treat others, as you want to be treated

Look at verse 36 the last verse before the text:

Luke 6:36 (NKJV)
6:36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

So, mercy is the context of Jesus’ words about judgment. Mercy is found in all of God’s judgments. Let’s go back to the Garden of Eden for a moment. God created the Garden and He gave Adam and Eve only one command. He told them they could eat of any tree in the Garden but one. What did Adam and Eve do? They ate the fruit of the tree God told them not to eat and God judged their actions.

When God did that He laid down some pretty heavy curses on them, didn’t He? He told Adam that all of the provision God had made in his life to this point was over. Adam would have to sweat to receive what God had freely given before. Eve was created to be the mother of all, and a partner with Adam. But now God told her she would have pain in childbirth. So this is a judgment of God.

But at the same moment of this judgment God tells Satan that the offspring of Eve, whom Satan had deceived, would eventually destroy him. In other words, He would send someone who would make it possible for human beings to return to God’s favor. That’s mercy. Adam and Eve did nothing to deserve for God to make it possible for them to return to a relationship with God, but God made a way for them anyway. That is the dictionary definition of mercy, by the way: Undeserved compassion shown to an offender.

How do we make judgments of things people do wrong? We condemn without mercy. “I’ll never speak to him again.” We assassinate people’s character through Gossip and innuendo. We destroy opportunities.

I just read in the news the other day about a hacker who is going to prison for 18 years. He got angry with his neighbor because the neighbor was dismayed that this guy kissed his neighbor’s son on the lips. So look what he did. He bought a program that allowed him to steal his neighbor’s IP address, and then he hacked his email and sent threats to the Vice President of the United States. He sent child pornography to the guy’s colleagues; all of this was done to destroy the neighbor. They called it Internet terrorism. People do things like this all the time. Maybe not on a lesser scale, but we act without compassion or mercy all the time.

But God tempered His judgment with mercy. That same mercy is seen in these context statements that I’ve presented:

1. Love your enemies: Jesus died for the very people who were crucifying Him.
2. Bless them that curse you, pray for those that use you: Pray for their salvation, Jesus did that on the cross, “Father forgive them…”
3. Give to those that ask, treat others as you would want to be treated.

Sometimes people are in need because of their own bad decisions or bad habits. Sometimes they realize that they have caused themselves to be in that situation. Other times they are defiant about it. But when it comes to real need, regardless of the situation, Jesus is telling us we need to give. It doesn’t have to be money…it can be clothing or blankets or food. Treat them, as you want to be treated.

There is an interesting moment in scripture when a rich, young ruler comes to Jesus and asks Him, “What thing must I do to inherit Eternal Life?” Look at Jesus’ answer:

Mark 10:19 (NKJV)
You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' "

Don’t you think it’s interesting that all of these have to do with how people treat each other? Not one of them mentions our relationship with God; they are all about our relationships with other people. You want Eternal Life? If so, relationships with people are important. Our text speaks of an important component of relationships; mercy and forgiveness.

Does This Mean We Shouldn’t Judge Sin?

Unfortunately, we all sin; sin is a part of our nature. Let me ask you a couple of questions: Is there anyone reading this who has never told a lie? How about stealing, can you say you’ve never stolen anything, this can even mean work time from your boss?

Romans 3:23 (NKJV)
3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:10 (NKJV)
3:10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;

So we can’t do it. Our works can’t justify us. We can’t earn heaven by living out the law, because we can’t live the law completely. But does that mean we can’t judge sin? Look at what the Apostle Paul says:

1 Corinthians 5:11-12 (NKJV)
5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?

We must be able to judge sin. We have to be able to recognize sin in order to judge it in our own lives. Sometimes that means judging it in the church. We have to judge it in the church, and what Paul is saying here might seem harsh, “Do not keep company with…not even to eat with such a person.” That seems like a pretty harsh judgment, doesn’t it? But Paul tempers it with mercy. Look at this statement:

1 Corinthians 5:4-5 (NKJV)
5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

The goal of judging is to bring the person back to the will of God; to see that person saved, once again. It isn’t about punishing the person it’s about bringing that person back to the place of salvation. Why should the people of God judge? Paul answers that question, as well.

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 (NKJV)
5:6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

The people of Corinth were not only not judging, they were kind of proud of it. Paul is warning them that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. In other words one person’s sin can spread to the rest of the congregation.

I’ve seen this happen a number of times. If sin in a congregation isn’t judged, that sin will spread. Fornication, rebellion and adultery especially will spread quickly through a congregation. I know a church where these things took place a number of years ago and they haven’t recovered still. The church is still struggling with some of these same issues today.

So judgment must be made for the sake of the person involved in the sin and the well being of the congregation. It must be made in order to give the offender opportunity to repent and so that the church will remain pure; to keep sin from spreading throughout the congregation.

There is one other thing; judgment must be made so that the blessing of God will remain on the church. There is an illustration of this in the Old Testament. It’s found in the story of Achan.

God has given Joshua a plan for the defeat of Jericho. This was the first city that Israel had to defeat in battle, as they began to take possession of the land of Canaan. He tells Joshua to walk around the city for seven days and then blow their trumpets and the walls will collapse. Bus as he gave him those instructions He warned him that all of the spoil will belong to God. The people are not to take any of the spoil of the battle. That spoil is a tithe to God; it is the first fruits of the Promised Land.

But Achan sees some wonderful things; gold, silver, garments, treasure and he takes it. He violates the command of God. When we violate God’s commands that’s called sin. So Achan sins and what happens? In the very next battle the people of Ai rout Israel.

Joshua 7:4-5 (NKJV)
7:4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

Joshua is upset, he demands from God to know what happened. Look at God’s response:

Joshua 7:10-12 (NKJV)
7:10 So the Lord said to Joshua: "Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? 11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. 12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.

Israel sinned? I thought it was only Achan who sinned, but all of Israel is held accountable. What does that mean for a congregation? We as a church will be held accountable for the sin of individuals if that sin isn’t judged. A congregation will be unable to stand against its enemies. Who are our enemies: The forces of hell and Satan himself? We won’t be able to stand against him. We won’t be able to stand against sin. We will always be defeated by the devil if we don’t judge sin in our midst. I don’t know about you, but I need victory.

Judgment is Tempered with Love

So what does all this mean? Do we need to kick everyone who sins out of the church? I think most churches would have a pretty small congregation if we did that. Judgment doesn’t always include banning people, but it does mean that we have to confront sin in each other’s lives. Prayerfully, Biblically, lovingly confront the sin. Tell them what the sin is. Show them in the Bible that it is sin. Then show the mercy of God to forgive when we repent.

In revelations Chapter Two, Jesus is speaking to the church in Thyatira. There is a woman there named Jezebel. She’s teaching false doctrine, seducing the saints to fornication and sin. But she isn’t immediately judged; God doesn’t immediately strike her dead with a lightning bolt. Instead, God looks patiently for repentance.

Revelation 2:20-22 (NKJV)
2:20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.

God gives her time to repent but she doesn’t repent, so He will judge her. This is mercy, because the Word of God says this:

1 John 1:8-9 (NKJV)
1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

This is our example. We need to allow opportunity to repent. We’re not allowed to judge and condemn those who are outside the church. God is their judge and that scripture tells me He will give them time and opportunity to repent. God will send a watchman to them to bring a warning, that’s our role. People involved in sin will tell you that you’re judging when you bring the warning, but actually you are acting as the instrument of God to give them opportunity to repent. As I close this, I want to show you the difference:

On one side, there is a website called http://www.raptureready.com/index.php On this website they preach about the coming of Jesus and his calling of the saints in the rapture. They preach on sin and salvation. But they also have an extensive collection of documents that tells what to do if the rapture happens and you are left behind. Their focus is the salvation of mankind. They are trying to help people to prepare for judgment and give them time to repent.

On the other side, there is a church that protests at the funerals of killed American Soldiers and hold up banners and signs that say, “God hates fags.” This is untrue. God loves people and hates sin. In God’s eyes there is no difference between the sin of lying and the sin of homosexuality. There is no real call to repentance, only a call to judgment.

If the things you’re saying while witnessing only demonstrate the wrath and judgment of God then you’re not only bringing condemnation, you’re not judging Biblically. Biblical judgment is confrontation of sin and opportunity for repentance and a demonstration of the mercy and love of God. It is God’s place to judge and condemn it is our place to confront and show mercy. Be an instrument of repentance rather than an executioner of judgment.